December 20, 2024 - Twentieth Gathering Zoom - Agenda

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    Coming up next Friday at 8pm ET, via Zoom, is our next 20th Commemoration and Epicurean Philosophy Discussion!

    Agenda:

    - Opening Reading in commemoration of Epicurus and Metrodorus (by Kalosyni)

    - This month's highlighted Epicureans - Empress Pompeia Plotina and Leonteus/Themista of Lampsacus (by Cassius)

    - Discuss popular forum threads, Epicurean philosophy, and the pleasures of the winter holiday season

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    New attendees: For those who haven't yet attended but are interested, please note that the discussion level is at an intermediate/advanced level of Epicurean philosophy, and is not suitable for questions at a basic introductory level. We recommend new members attend our monthly "First Monday Zoom" which provides time for answering questions.

    Anyone who has not previously attended: you can let us know in this thread or by private message if you are interested.

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    Regular attendees: We will send out the link by private message a day before the meeting. Looking forward to seeing you there!

    Winter Solstice is almost here:

    December 21, 2024 at 4:21 a.m. EST

    Quote

    The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.

    So what does that mean, exactly? Upon the winter solstice, the Sun appears at its lowest in the sky, and its noontime elevation seems to stay the same for several days before and after this day. The Sun’s gradual decrease in the sky reverses upon the winter solstice, marking what many cultures believe to be a “rebirth” of the Sun as the hours of daylight become longer.

    The First Day Of Winter 2024: Winter Solstice
    The first day of winter 2024 occurs at winter solstice. Learn why this is and discover winter solstice traditions from around the world ...
    www.farmersalmanac.com
    Quote from Kalosyni

    - This month's highlighted Epicureans - Empress Pompeia Plotina and Leonteus/Themista of Lampsacus (by Cassius)

    Joshua

    Quote from Joshua

    The recent thread on Julius Caesar has me thinking about Trajan, Hadrian and Plotina. There are, I think, two letters of Plotina (one to Hadrian and one to the Epicurean community in Athens [?]), and then Hadrian's reply/decree. Do we have these somewhere? I don't see much on Plotina here.

    Thread

    Plotina and Hadrian

    The recent thread on Julius Caesar has me thinking about Trajan, Hadrian and Plotina. There are, I think, two letters of Plotina (one to Hadrian and one to the Epicurean community in Athens [?]), and then Hadrian's reply/decree. Do we have these somewhere? I don't see much on Plotina here.
    Joshua
    September 22, 2020 at 12:54 PM


    Cassius

    Quote

    The inscription then includes a brief letter by Trajan granting the request, along with another from Plotina directly to the school. This letter would be fascinating to post here, and apparently it survives, but I cannot at present locate a copy on the internet.

    The Ideal Epicurean Woman? Exhibit 1: Plotina, Wife of the Emperor Trajan – NewEpicurean

    ------------------

    I'm not sure if the above questions have been addressed over the last 4 years so just in case they haven't, you can find what you were looking for in the link below: all 3 letters plus very interesting side notes regarding Hadrian and Plotina.

    SEG 55.250 Letters from Plotina and Hadrian on the Epicurean Succession (121 AD)

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