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Post by LonginusNaso on Apr 19, 2023 4:22:05 GMT
A friend of mine recently gave me this beautiful tarnished old heavy coin that I've been using now & then to decide some trivial course of action (although that would imply, maybe, that any course of action of mine were not trivial), like whether to ride my bike when it's snowing out (she forbade it, glory be!).
I wanted to drum up a magic formula to be recited before flipping the coin (here a pentameter, but it doesn't have to be), and I want to pun on nummus with numen. I give my version, & please give me a better (or at least point out flaws):
Sors mihi lustra hoc numine diva viam.
Gratias vobis, amici amicaeque grati.
Edit: I don't really like the hiatus between lustra & hoc; what do you think of lustra istoc?
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Post by LCF on Apr 19, 2023 6:49:04 GMT
Give your coin a name. Call it Numcula.
There... a free dactyl for you  |
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Post by Bitmap on Apr 19, 2023 8:45:17 GMT
Edit: I don't really like the hiatus between lustra & hoc; what do you think of lustra istoc? I noticed that as well, but I like hoc better than istoc. I don't like the hiatus, but you can simply avoid it by switching hoc and sors around. |
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Post by LonginusNaso on Apr 19, 2023 9:06:31 GMT
Edit: I don't really like the hiatus between lustra & hoc; what do you think of lustra istoc? I noticed that as well, but I like hoc better than istoc. I don't like the hiatus, but you can simply avoid it by switching hoc and sors around. You're the man! |
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Post by Bitmap on Apr 19, 2023 9:09:02 GMT
A bit of a variation in an hexameter to emphasise the word play:
lustra, dive, viam divum mihi numine, numme!
(or divum -> divo if you're monotheistic)
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Post by Pacifica on Apr 19, 2023 16:28:24 GMT
Edit: I don't really like the hiatus between lustra & hoc; what do you think of lustra istoc? I like hoc better than istoc. Why? Istoc seems fitting since the power belongs to the coin that's being addressed. That said, I rather like your later suggestion. |
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Post by Bitmap on Apr 19, 2023 16:34:15 GMT
I like hoc better than istoc. Why? Istoc seems fitting since the power belongs to the coin that's being addressed. I see what you mean ... I took numine to fill in for nummo here ... and it's his coin after all. |
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Post by LonginusNaso on Apr 20, 2023 2:36:45 GMT
I liked the sound of diva viam, which I really just stumbled upon, but I also like numine numme. It sounds like the right kind of mumbo-jumbo.
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Post by Bitmap on Apr 20, 2023 4:06:40 GMT
I just considered it a fun exercise, but you should go with what you came up with yourself.
I like the fact that the pentameter finishes in a dissyllabic word.
Btw., in the other thread I happened to quote a magical scene as well:
Picus, equum domitor, quem capta cupidine coniunx
aurea percussum virga versumque venenis
fecit avem Circe sparsitque coloribus alas.
Note the heavy alliterations at the end of the lines. It's possible that they were chosen to immitate some kind of spell. I feel like I have come across similar things in Ovid as well, although I can't remember any concrete loci right now. That lends some credit to the ending numine numen. There's also a recurring theme of m consonants after the caesura.
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