Quizzes & Puzzles 16

Some new problems with which to exercise the brain. But first a look at answers and solutions to Quizzes & Puzzles 15. New problems below the image (cartoon).

Answer to Quiz 15:1

“Once upon a time, somewhere, a horse was formally made a senator. What was the name of the horse, and where did this take place?”

The horse that became a senator was Incitatus (originally Porcellus), and it happened in Rome. He was elevated to this for a horse remarkable position by the emperor Caligula (reigning 37-41 AD), even by Roman standards an uncommonly disgusting ruler.

Incitatus, who was close to reach the consulship when Caligula was murdered, was removed from office by the next emperor, Caligula's uncle Claudius, officially for lacking the (for a senator) required financial resources. By that and other similar measures, Claudius, who was a clever and diplomatic man, smoothly cleansed Rome from the visible consequences of his predecessor's madness.

Incitatus was allowed to retire to a, for a horse, more natural and appealing life. As Caligula's senator, he had had to suffer a marble-covered sleeping room, a golden bowl to drink from, and human luxury foods; the latter inedible for a normally grazing animal.

Answer to Quiz 15:2

Which vitamin are you missing if you suffer from:

• Pellagra?

• Scurvy?

• Rickets?

Niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin C, and vitamin D.

Answer to Quiz 15:3

How is “satisfaction” connected with old Egypt?

The word "satisfy", stems from the female Egyptian deity "Satis", who was a goddess of the flood, meaning "enough".

Does modern English have more words derived from one of the world's oldest languages, Old Egyptian? Yes it does. It is not always acknowledged in dictionaries; modern etymologists sometimes get stuck when they reach back to Latin or Greek, unable to go any further - but there are several words. "Ebony" and "ivory" are two, which are generally acknowledged to have old Egyptian origin.

Two words probably stemming from old Egypt are "nebula" and "whippet", although they remain matters of debate.

Nebula is an astronomical phenomenon and the concept is comparatively new. Its first documented use was in the 1730s. "Nebulous", from which it is derived, is older and came from Old Greek, "nephele" or "nephos" [cloud]. Etymological dictionaries often let its origin disappear in what they call Proto-Indo-European, which is a hypothetical language that would be the origin of the whole Indo-European family of languages. In this imagined language, "neph" would mean "cloud", "fog" or "sky".

A more likely origin is Old Egyptian "neb", the spiralling force of the universe.

"Whippet", a small breed of greyhounds, can possibly be derived from Old Egyptian "Upaut", which was a canine deity, "The Opener of Ways".

Other examples of modern English words with roots in Old Egyptian are: arm, endive, gum, bark, natron, ammoniac, and aura.

Answer to Quiz 15:4

Who was Akira Kurosawa? What was his profession?

Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was one of the most important film-makers in history, and definitely one of the greatest Japanese film directors ever.

@Adobe101 had the right answer.

Answer to Quiz 15:5

What is Popul Vuh, and with which people/culture is it associated?

It is associated with the Mesoamerican Maya culture. Popul Vuh is a Latin script text of older oral traditions, or possibly lost Maya writings. It covers certain aspects of the Maya mythology.

Answer to Quiz 15:6

This is an anonymous painting showing John of Austria, Marcantonio Colonna, and Sebastiano Venier. (Image is in the Public Domain. The original in Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.)

These three were considered the victors of a famous and decisive battle in history – what battle?

They are seen as the victors of the sea battle of Lepanto in 1571. This battle was a turning point in history, as the Ottoman (Turkish) fleet was defeated, and Ottoman expansion into Europe came to a halt.

And now some new exercises for brain & memory...

Quiz 16:1

Agatha Christie wrote a book, "A Pocket Full of Rye", which is based on a nursery rhyme. There are three murders in the book. For the first one, a poison derived from a tree was used. What is this poison called?

The same tree provides an ideal material for a once powerful military weapon. It has been claimed to have been decisive for the outcome of the "hundred years war" between France and England. What sort of weapon was that?

Quiz 16:2

In Germany, a style of art and design, in many ways a reaction against the industrialism, got its name after a publication, a name used in some other countries too.

In France, the "new" style was called something else, a term used by the English as well.

I ask for both these names, the German, and the French/English.

Quiz 16:3

Which island in the West Indies was initially, by it's European discoverer, named after John the Baptist?

Quiz 16:4

In the year 1900 Europe had two double monarchies. In 1920 none of them remained, each had been divided into two separate states. In one case into two monarchies, in the other into two republics; four countries still existing, although for some years in between one of them did not.

Which are these four European countries?

Quiz 16:5

Which hormone regulates sleep, and in which gland is it produced?

Puzzle 16:6

This sequence is based on a specific principle. Can you figure it out? The question this time is: which are the next two numbers?

0 0 1 3 6 10 3 9 4 0 9 7 6 ...

Clue: A very common everyday object can offer some help.

You'll find answers and solutions in the next “Quizzes & Puzzles”.

Quizzes & Puzzles has its own label in my Index, where all issues of the series can be found.

In my INDEX, you can find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic.

Copyright © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved

(Cartoon by Christian Dorn/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain

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