In a message dated 19/02/99 09:34:44, you write: << Subject: RE: Mersenne: Link from Knuth's Home Page Note that the Fascist party in Italy was called this because its symbol had a bundle of something (wheat? twigs?) in the middle, and the Italian for bundle is "fascio". >> In ancient Roman times, it was a bundle of sticks carried by an official called the "lictor" to symbolise his power to beat miscreants. The modern Italian fascists added an axe in the centre of the bundle, to symbolise capital punishment by beheading. This was not present in the ancient Roman version. Or so I learnt in Latin classes, anyway. Stanford University at one time had an outstation near Florence, Italy, where there was a swimming pool with this fascist emblem on the bottom. While there I took a bath in a tub (large) which had been used by Mussolini, in addition to swimming in the pool. I hope this puts an end to this off-topic thread. George. ________________________________________________________________ Unsubscribe & list info -- http://www.scruz.net/~luke/signup.htm
