If one were collecting and bundling a fasces in ancient rome, what would be the verb or action word? Does one “farcire”(L.stuff) a “fasces”. Is there some past participling going on there?
Peripherally, does one “farcire” a quiver with arrows?
I guess to narrow it down… is fasces a gerund of farcire?
Your own wikipedia cite answers the question. It’s a noun which only appears in the plural form.
The only verb starting with “fasc” is fascino, which means to bewitch or envy.
Yes, BUT…
What is the verb.
One doesn’t “fascino” the “fasces”, now does one?
One might stuff a fasces, then bewitch it, but first one must gather and stuff a fasces, right?
I’m away from my reference books now, but as far as I can tell from this resource, the two words are unrelated. The noun is from the Indo-European root bhasko- and the verb from bharek-.
I have no idea what Latin verb would be used in context to mean “assembling/gathering [a bundle]”.
This is a bit vague, and I’m not sure if I understand??? Are you saying that “fasces” comes form “bhasko” and its verb contingent is “bharek”?
Because, if so, even I recognize bhasko and bharek are closely related and have undergone a regular shift. It sounds similar to the regular shift that fasces and farcire might have undergone.
Both fascino and fasces are derived from fascinum which was a phallic symbol worn as an amulet to ward of the evil eye. Fascinum was a Roman fertility god (the equivalent of the Greek Priapus) whose symbol was basically a giant boner. Fascinum had the power to ward off evil, and his name became synonomous with the phallic symbols worn as amulets. The amulets were sometimes modified or made more abstract. The fasces was one such phallic symbol.
Yes, but I think you are missing the dynamic here…
What does one do with a boner? One stuffs it into something… Am I right?
And you stuff away a bunch of small boners (sticks) to make one big Boner {a faggot}.
That’s quite a leap. What’s your reason for believing it, since we haven’t got the vern you are looking for?
Well, I believe it’s an interesting subject. I think if people would step out of what the “modern authority” says they might see a much richer etymology.
hm, back up and go read some of the writings on farming and see what they use?
Although just as an aside, I seriously doubt that the item came from a phallic pendant decoration, my take on it is a bundle of grape canes [like the ones used in the legions as swagger sticks to beat soldiers with] bundled with an axe that might be ised to chop someones head off with, though I really dont remember axes being used in executions, i remember swords being used so perhaps it dates back to an overseer who would carry around the grape canes to beat slaves with, and an axe to do his work. Seems like the threat to beat someone with a cane makes more sense than a phallus in a symbol of authority.
There’s nothing in my best sources to indicate this.
The OED(online) says that fasces is the plural noun of fascis which meant bundle.
My Chamber’s Dictionary of Etymology is what I trust the most on these things and it says