OCR Text |
Show MEANING OF NAME DECEMBER Twelfth Month's Title Derived From Latin Word "Decern," When There Were Only Ten Periods. The name of December is no longer appropriate, for it is derived from "decern," "de-cern," the Latin word meaning "ten," declares a writer. The name was first applied by the Romans when the year was divided into ten months, with the addition of supplementary days to complete the period required for a revolution of the earth around the sun. When the calendar of Romulus was amended in 713 B. C. by Numa Pom-pilius Pom-pilius and the year was divided into twelve months December became the twelfth month, but retained its original name. The Emperor Commodus. who reigned in the second century, attempted attempt-ed to change the name of December to Amazonius, iu honor of a fair favorite of that name, whom he had painted to resemble an Amazon. Tins innovation was not populav, and when Commodius died from poison administered by another an-other feminine favorite the name of Amazonius died with him. The ancient Saxons called the last "'nth Winter-monat, which was after- .u d changed to Ileilig-Monat, or holv month wi,eu they were converted to thnstlamty. The ' modern Germans Kn.n changed the name to o, " "ont. because the month conta n: " ne umuversary of the birth of Clui.t |