Caccia Trice Stenone - Silver Tyger

Her first event lit fires under her 
proverbial gluteus maximus 
Then pledged to never sit and watch again 

Caccia Trice Stenone is before us now 

She sparks under tails, so folk can excel 

She Works her rear off in this time of plague 

She's moving ever forward, not behind

Caccia follows her household motto 

"Totus Kulas aut Nulus Kulas"  

"All Ass or No Ass” For half-assed she is not 

And today We: Ioannes, Emperor!

Honig, Empress! Give the Silver Tyger 

Unto Our Caccia with all that entails 

Done November 6th, AS LVI

At Crown Tournament in the

Barony of Bergental

Word count: 100 

Illumination & Calligraphy by Fiona the Volatile

Photo by Fiona the Volatile

THE TUSH REFERENCES REVEALED:

Her first event lit fires under her 

proverbial gluteus maximus 

Then pledged to never sit and watch again 

Caccia Trice Stenone is before us now 

She sparks under tails, so folk can excel 

She Works her rear off in this time of plague 

She's moving ever forward, not behind

Caccia follows her household motto 

"Totus Kulas aut Nulus Kulas"  

"All Ass or No Ass” For half-assed she is not 

And today We: Ioannes, Emperor!

Honig, Empress! Give the Silver Tyger 

Unto Our Caccia with all that entails 

Done November 6th, AS LVI

At Crown Tournament in the

Barony of Bergental

Butt Enough About Me, Onto the Blog!

Choosing the writing style for this scroll was easy. I had just done research on the Court Barony I wrote for Baroness Timbrien, who also had a Roman Gladiatrix persona. The recommendation specifically mentioned Timbrien as a mentor to the recipient. 

 

I started looking for information about female gladiators to try to find inspiration.  I did not find much. In the Essays on the History and Culture of Rome I found a piece on The Roman Gladiator and the writings of Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (c.56 AD - c.120 AD) Women were rarely mentioned other than a passing reference. I did find New evidence of female gladiators, which was particularly lovely for all the extant photos of statues and mosaics of female gladiators.

 

While this line of inquiry wasn’t as fruitful as I had hoped, it was certainly an interesting side trip through internet research. Looking elsewhere for inspiration, I turned to the recipient's write-up ... and quickly realized this scroll was going to contain a long string of "butt" jokes. (I checked with the knight listed as the recipient's contact and was assured she'd appreciate it, for reasons that will become apparent.)

Her first event lit fires under her 

proverbial gluteus maximus 

These first 2 sentences were taken directly from the recommendation and heavily influenced by the recipient's household motto (more on that later).  Using “gluteus maximus” was particularly amusing for me.  Not only was this actual Latin, but a reference to Gluteus Maximus – a legionary chosen to represent Rome at the Olympics -- in Asterix at the Olympic Games, a comic I associate with the 1984 Olympics. 

Then pledged to never sit and watch again 

This was a reference to the recipient's first time watching fighting in the East Kingdom and their desire to never sit on the sidelines. 

"Sit" is another reference to the posterior, and also an evocative reminder of, "as I sit, there I was" (a common replacement for the popular phrase, "no sh*t, there I was," often accompanied by a gesture toward the speaker’s arse).

I wrote the next few sentences about the subject. I  had distilled the qualities praised in the recommendation down to three basic elements:

• She inspires

• She has drive

• She practices in adverse conditions (as the majority of her SCAdian experience has been duing COVID)

Caccia Trice Stenone is before us now 

A standard introduction to the recipient.  I tried a few times, but couldn't manage a rump reference here.

She sparks under tails, so folk can excel 

The write up specifically mentions how she inspired a household member to enter Crown for the first time ... lit a fire under their ass, so to speak.  But I had to work within my 10 syllable limit, convey that it was her actions that were inspiring others, and not use the word, “ass.” (That came later.)

She Works her rear off in this time of plague

This was the “has drive” sentence.  The majority of her time in the SCA has been during COVID and she has still pushed herself and others in her group.

My process is to write the words in a fairly straightforward and traditional way. Then keep on altering individual words.
For the third of these descriptive sentences, my first version was:

Has the drive to move ever forward 

... based on the aforementioned distilled qualities. But I rump - er, ramped up the butt references, so I cheekily changed it to:

She's moving ever forward, not behind

Caccia follows her household motto 

"Totus Kulas aut Nulus Kulas"  

"All Ass or No Ass” For half-assed she is not 

And now we get to the real reason behind all these references: the recipient's household, La Familia Gladiatoria, had a very detailed wiki page that included this motto!

And today We: Ioannes, Emperor!

Honig, Empress! Give the Silver Tyger 

I rarely put punctuation into scrolls, as it's usually not period for a variety of eras and just adds another “letter” for the calligraphers to draw.  But in this case I included the exclamation point as a guide to the herald who would read the scroll in court.

Unto Our Caccia with all that entails

And alas, that's the "end" of the jokes for this scroll.  I feel a little guilty that it is essentially a repeat, but the word was perfect here. This is the recipient’s first award in the SCA and I wanted to indicate that she will have the Award of Arms that accompanies the armerigious awards.

Done November 6th, AS LVI

At Crown Tournament in the

Barony of Bergental

During the last year and a half of COVID Times, it was specifically requested that the date be left out of any scroll presented in an Ethereal Court. Now here I was including the information again.  I didn't even try to use unrhymed iambic pentameter.  It added an extra 13 words, bringing the total up to 100 - usually the limit of what I like to include in an AoA or armerigious scroll.

All told I used seven different references to butt in the scroll and nine more in the write up.  I had a load of fun writing this, and I hope that the recipient and the folk at court will enjoy it as well.  It's been a while since I could string together so many jokes in one scroll. It's nice to get, uh, back to that.

This was first slated to go out at the Crown Tournament of Ioannes II & Honig II

Instead it has gone out at Les Beltaines XXXIII (EK Rapier Championship)

Confirmed received at  Les Beltaines

Les Beltaines XXXIII (EK Rapier Championship)

EK Gazette: Court Report: Les Beltaines

Timbrien - Court Barony

The Most generous Eastern Counsels 

Tindal and Alberic in regards to

Those that rise up to their inspired paths

Have found, to Our eyes, one whose service shines

From the Skies to the Center of of the Earth

Accursed Gorgons of ancient poets

Born in cavernous depths, were siblings three

Euryale and Stheno stood with Medusa 

Both forever damned for that decision 

Stheno put up brass hands for what was right 

Timbrien, like the eldest Gorgon stands

For her sisters in arms. For their training

For support and for the role of leading

We do not bury low such a one as this

But set upon her brow, six pearls, like eyes

For all to see the Baroness Timbrien 

Done today at the Coronation of

Ioannes and Ro Honig the second

In the Barony of Concordia 

Word Count 136

PENNIES, NICKELS, QUARTERS, DIMES, BLOG TO US WHILE THERE'S STILL TIME

The opportunity to compose Timbrien's Court Barony pleased me enormously, as I had written the words of their Silver Wheel. For the Wheel I had been told they favored Norse and Old English. so I had chosen the language of Beowulf. For the court barony, I decided to break out the Dróttkvætt meter.  

The only line of description I had was: “continued fostering of the female fighter community.” That description alone had a marvelous amount of alliteration in it already, so I sat down to use the meter … and found myself struggling throughout the entire process.  The syllable count and the rhymes were fighting me every other metric foot.

I had gotten through:

Robust Rings of Rending  

Rule the staunch East kingdom

Tindal and Alberic

Together Consuls, fearsome

I had managed to work a kenning into the first sentence:

I found the kenning, “Ring-Damager - GENEROUS RULER,”  from my beloved source The Skaldic Project. I played with it a bit and changed "Damager" to "Renderer," to fit the meter.  "Robust" made the metre correct and the next line was Rule. I was pleased with it.

Then I was trying to work in Their Majesties names into the next section and I came to a crashing halt.  I just couldn’t seem to fit “Tindal and Alberic” in any combination into the metre.  I decided to continue writing and revisit that later.

I continued to work on the composition and I was tearing my hair out.  Nothing was coming easily and I was struggling. I turned back to the recommendation and re-read that again, hoping to discover more  inspiration. Then, to my horror, I noticed something that had not been included on their wiki or their previous write up.  The recipient had a Roman Gladiator persona.

My writing did not match her persona! 

Everything came to a screeching halt.

After waiting a full 24 hours, I began to do some research on Roman writing. From Wikipedia to several other sources I distilled their writing to Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter. And to misquote the 80s detective show, Moonlighting: “I hate Iambic Pentameter!” I have been thinking of taking some sort of online class on it because I don’t think I am truly understanding it through the written word.  Perhaps hearing a lesson would help?  It’s a project for another time.

My husband found a list on Wikipedia of a List of Roman Phases and I found a small essay on How would Caesar's contemporaries have addressed and referred to him? Armed with selections from these, I set about writing the first paragraph of the scroll.

The Most generous Eastern Consuls 

This is directly from the article linked to above. “If you were grateful for a gift it might be liberalissime Caesar, “most generous Caesar.” I used the translation of the latin directly as this referenced something that was given, as the Consuls are giving the award.

Tindal and Alberic in regards to

Those that rise up to their inspired paths

This line was in direct reference to why the recipient was being given this award.  For their continued works in  their chosen area of focus in the East Kingdom.

Have found, to Our eyes, one whose service shines

From the Skies to the Center of of the Earth

Cuius est solum, eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos - "From the skies to the center of the earth" - is a term that has its origins in the 13th century dealing with property laws. While I was not using it in its lawyerly context,  I was particularly enamored of the images it invoked if the Roman Mythosand where the Gods lived.  Little did I realize how much this would fit in with the body of the scroll ...

I had put out a message to Sir Ryouko'jin, one of the contacts listed in the write up and the one that I was friends with on Facebook. We shared a fabulous conversation, and gave me a wonderful piece of information.  Timbrien identified with Stheno, one of the three Gorgon sisters. This information was GOLD! It led me to a fury of research.

My husband, computer wonder that he is, found a translation of Ovid, by Brooks More, who wrote the first iteration of Medusa.  This version of the story made no mention of Medusa’s sisters.  Then we found Medusa and the affair with Poseidon.  This and some other internet sources including: Gorgons and Medusa, Britannica Gorgons, Greek Mythology and Stheno. 

I HAD INSPIRATION NOW!!!

Accursed Gorgons of ancient poets

There are several versions of the stories of Medusa and her sisters.Not just by Ovid, though he does appear to be the first we have found.  I felt invoking the poets would be a good transition from the brief description of TRM and the recipient I had included in the first, “paragraph.”

Born in cavernous depths, were siblings three

This is where I solidified the earth/sky motif I had inadvertently begun with the earlier quote, “From the Skies to the Center of of the Earth.”  All of what I read seemed to agree that the Gorgon sisters were both born in caves and lived in them.

Euryale and Stheno stood with Medusa 

Both forever damned for that decision 

This is the first time I named the Gorgon sisters.  Unlike the way they are usually referenced, in age order, for the flow of the scroll I listed them as middle sister, eldest and youngest.  There is no other reason thanI started the second sentence after this with “Stheno.”

Stheno put up brass hands for what was right 

I thought that “Put up brass hands” was evocative of “throw up hands” or “throw up some hands,” current phrases that indicate a willingness to fight. Brass was used for 2 reasons: Stheno’s monstrous description often includes, besides snake hair and tusks, that she had brass hands. It also makes one think of brass knuckles, which ties in with the “throw hands” image I was trying to evoke.

Timbrien, like the eldest Gorgon stands

Here is where I directly mention that Stheno was the oldest sister, since I'd mentioned her out of order earlier. I felt it was important to emphasize her implied higher rank.

For her sisters in arms. For their training

For support and for the role of leading

In these sentences I am emphasizing all the  work that Timrien has done to earn the accolades she’s received.

We do not bury low such a one as this

This is the line that I felt brought the Earth and sky theme full circle in the scroll.

But set upon her brow, six pearls, like eyes

This line was in direct response to my discussion with Sir Ryou.  He told me about the design for Timbrien’s coronet, which would include snakes with eyes that would be the “pearls!"  I even passed this on to Magdalena, which inspired her to include snakes in her design.  I feel like with one conversation I gained an inspiration that will influence all aspects of the award.  This pleased me enormously.

For all to see the Baroness Timbrien 

I can only hope the herald says this with the same amount of power and triumph in their voice that I hear in my head when I read it!

Done today at the Coronation of

Ioannes and Ro Honig the Second

In the Barony of Concordia 

The concluding few sentences of the scroll don’t particularly feature any clever wordplay.  I simply made them adhere to the 10 syllable line and put in all the pertinent information.

All told I am very proud of how this scroll turned out.  It started in a completely different direction from where it started, to where it ended up.  I am very pleased at the coordination between the illumination/calligrapher and with the coronet that the new baroness will receive.

Honestly I went from struggling to inspired on this piece, and I hope it shows.

Photo by Magdalena Lantfarerin

Photo by Ryouko'jin Of-The Iron-Skies

Photo by Cateline la Broderesse

Final Court of Their Majesties Consul Tindal and Consul Alberic

Timbrien - Silver Wheel

This is a tribute to the tenacious
Timbrien, Battle Teacher of the East 
Kindred Consules, Tindal and Alberic 
Have seen her stellar success supporting 
Valkyries of linen learn of the list 
A Sorrow Thief, for all female fighters 
Done with discussions, and demonstrations 
Supporting women of Our warrior’s world 
Timbrien’s to take home a Silver Wheel today
Emphatically Earned at this Ephemeral Court 

Word count 63

KEY

Kenning

Kenning meaning

Alliterative Pairs

This is a tribute to the tenacious

Timbrien, Battle Teacher WARRIOR of the East 

Kindred Consules  KINGS (PLURAL), Tindal and Alberic 

Have seen her stellar success supporting 

Valkyries of linen WOMAN learn of the list 

A Sorrow Thief HELPER, for all female fighters 

Done with discussions, and demonstrations 

Supporting women of Our warrior’s world 

Timbrien’s to take home a Silver Wheel today
Emphatically Earned at this Ephemeral Court 

This is the greatest and best BLOG in the world…

I was handed this assignment with a very firm time period for the recipient. Her Knight said she favored Norse and Old English and Fiona was leaning toward the Lindisfarne gospel as an inspiration piece. The language of Beowulf seemed the perfect choice.  I also had the note that the recipient particularly liked Tenacious D.

In the initial online conversation with Fiona I half jokingly wrote, "This is not the best scroll in the world. It's but a tribute." Then I wrote down ...

This is but a tribute to the tenacious Timbrien

... which had way too many syllables but it was the jumping-off point for the rest of the scroll.

 

When I work with the alliterative language of Beowulf I try to keep to about 10 syllables per line. Beowulf itself ranged from 8 to 10, or more syllables.  Choosing 10 gives me good leeway if there are a couple sentences shorter or longer.

 

This is a tribute to the tenacious

Timbrien, Battle Teacher of the East 

The first sentence of the scroll ended up encompassing 2 lines of verse and the same letter of alliteration.  It also included my first kenning in the scroll: "Battle Teacher," which means "warrior."  All the Kennings I used for this scroll are from the Skaldic Project.

Kindred Consuls, Tindal and Alberic

The Kenning, Kindred Consuls is a mashup of the kenning, "Kindred of Rulers," which means "kings." I altered it for the sake of alliteration, and then decided to put Their Royal Majesties' preferred titles of Consuls, which also fit. I still get a kick out of using alliterations with different letters.

 

In the second and third lines, the alliteration is only for two words in the sentence. I normally try to use at least three, but given the information I had to include and the six syllables of proper names, I had to be satisfied with the bare minimum.

Have seen her stellar success supporting 

Valkyries of linen learn of the list 

These two lines, plus the one naming Their Royal Majesties, form one full thought: how they’ve seen the work the recipient has done. Most of the writeup I received mentioned the

ways the recipient had been working with and for the women of the East in martial activities.

This also included my third Kenning: "Valkyrie of Linen," which means "women."

A Sorrow Thief, for all female fighters 

Done with discussions, and demonstrations 

Supporting women of Our warrior’s world

I was able to dedicate the next three lines to the recipient's endeavors. The last Kenning I used was, "Sorrow Thief," which means "helper." This spoke to her work as an advocate for women in fighting.  Her write up specifically mentioned her creations of weekly classes, virtual discussions, and presentations centered around female heavy combatants and how to improve and support their experiences. I was glad to have quite a bit of space in the scroll to expound on that.

Timbrien’s to take home a Silver Wheel today

This sentence was really a problem child. I worked and reworked it several times, asking more than one person to look at it and offer suggestions. It ended up over my ten-syllable limit by two syllables. I could have left off the final “today," but I felt it needed to be there.

Emphatically Earned at this Ephemeral Court 

The last line of the scroll is also two syllables over my arbitrary limit, because I wanted to use two multisyllabic words in the same sentence.  I toyed with the idea of using earnestly instead of emphatically, but “Earnestly earned” felt too repetitive.

Between the personal reference that launched the scroll and the lovely, detailed write up I was given, I was able to put the words together with relative ease. The recipient even had an East kingdom Wiki, which had not only a photograph but a link to the Order of Precedence. This made confirming their previous awards a breeze. 

This went out at the Ninth Ethereal Court at the 1:32:41

Sparky photo from Matthias von Würzburg

East Kingdom Court Report – May 16, 2021