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." In 8 B.C. the Roman Senate honored Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, by changing the name of their month Sextilis to Augustus.”

 

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, Claudios, and proceeded to read part of Robert Graves’s book on which it was based. I didn’t read the whole thing, it’s lo-o-ong. I chose to read about Cesar Augustus, the model of a good Cesar 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.