Award of the Elephants Heart

Awarded to Cassandra of Cynnabar (modernly known as Cassandra Cohen)

By the Barony of Cynnabar on 2015-03-07

Cynnabar, gather and listen: she lives, We declare, your girl lives;
She shall never pass the bitter waters of Acheron!
Now and forevermore the lovely Cassandra is here,
present with dancing beat of flying, tripling fingers
when in Phrygian rhythm the double-resonant pipe
strikes the Dorian tune in harmony over the feast,
or on the boards of the floor a musical dancer joins in,
pouring out in mirth the voices of Pentamere reeds
through the Midrealm's halls. Terpsichore cries out in triumph
With Euterpe the Flautist, for clever Cassandra, Our pride.
And with joy in our hearts, Ermenrich and Kasha tell all:
Our young friend shall join the ranks of Cynnabar's legions
As We award her today the noble Elephant's Heart.
Cynnabar, gather and hear: Let none countermand Our decree.

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Text adapted from Dionysiaca by Nonnus of Panopolis (Byzantine, late 4th/early 5th century).

Pronunciation Guide
Acheron - /ˈæk.əˌ.rɒn/
Terpsichore - /tərp.ˈsɪ.kə.riː/
Euterpe - /juː.ˈtɜr.piː/

For updates and corrections, please e-mail precedence@cynnabar.org. Include your SCA name, modern name, awards to add, and date received.