| Marcus Tullius Cicero's Unguentarium | |
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Origin |
Marcus Tullius Cicero |
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Type |
Unguentarium (piriform) |
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Effects |
Amplification of sorrow. |
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Downsides |
Effects |
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Activation |
TBA; Proximity to sadness. |
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Collected by |
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Section |
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Aisle |
TBA |
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Shelf |
TBA |
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Date of Collection |
1650s |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Marcus Tullis Cicero (106 BCE - 43 BCE) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar and Academic skeptic who played an important role in the politics of the late Roman Republic and in vain tried to uphold republican principles during the crises that led to the establishment of the Roman Empire. His extensive writings include treatises on rhetoric, philosophy and politics, and he is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.
It is commonly known that Cicero held great love for his daughter Tullia. When she became ill and died soon after having seemingly recovered from giving birth, Cicero was inconsolable, writing to a friend "I have lost the one thing that bound me to life." His friend had Cicero stay with him during the first weeks of his bereavement, so that he could comfort him when his pain was at its greatest. In this friend's large library, Cicero read everything that the Greek philosophers had written about overcoming grief, but wrote "but my sorrow defeats all consolation."
An unguentarium, also known as a "tears vessel" or "lacrimarium", is a small ceramic bottle frequently found in cemetaries. Its most common use was probably as a container for oil, though it is also suited for storing and dispensing liquid and powdered substances. Some believe that these bottles were used to contain the tears of mourners to accompany the deceased to the grave.
Effects[]
When in proximity to one experiencing sadness, this bottle will amplify that emotion. Mild disappointment can become inconsolable grief, and sorrow can become an inescapable and overwhelming pit of depression and despair.
Collection[]
This artifact was collected by Euphemia Pollock. TBA.