Tuesday, August 5, 2025

SPEAKING of AUGUST…

 

August is a good word.

It means “respected and impressive,” according to one dictionary.

It has a noble origin, according to another:

“August comes from the Latin word augustus, meaning 'consecrated' or 'venerable,' which in turn is related to the Latin augur, meaning 'consecrated by augury' or 'auspicious'.”

 

It’s also the month just begun.

 

In childhood, I associated it with the great summer vacation. That part was good. It was also the hottest month in a place that was too hot already. At least for little me, that was not so good.

 

How did the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar get this venerable name? According to yet another reference book, the name was changed from "Sextilis” = “the Sixth month” (in the old Roman calendar) to “August,” to honor the great Cesar. 

 

Years ago, I saw the BBC series I, Claudius, and proceeded to read part of Robert Graves’s book on which it was based. I didn’t read the whole thing, for it’s lo-o-ong. I chose to read about Caesar Augustus, the model of a good Caesar and the ideal for a good king.

 

At least by Robert Graves’s telling, Augustus was as positive a ruler as could humanly be. His time on earth is thus known as the golden age of Rome.

 

All this to say, I wish you a good august month of August.


5 comments:

Evelyn said...

And I wish you a good August also, my friend.

Vijaya said...

I do so love the month of August. We almost gave Dagny the middle name of August. It's the month of some of my favorite saints and our wedding anniversary too :) Happy August to you, too!

Sherry Ellis said...

I love August! Could I be biased because it's my birth month? LOL! Have a wonderful August!

Tina Cho said...

Happy August to you, Mirka! August is a sign of school, in which I've already gone in 3x to ready my room. Next Thurs I'm back officially. Enjoy the rest of summer!

Jenni said...

How fascinating! August is usually the month of "Oh, no, the summer is soon over!" But this year is different as this is the first year no one is returning to school (me included).