For many years, Harry, I've told my Latin students that grammatical gender is distinct from biological gender and that they should not confuse them. The presence of the neuter gender in Latin (and Greek) was my way of "proving" that. But I've long begun to doubt that I'm right about that. I'll continue to distinguish them, as I should, but I think the bright line I draw between them is exaggerated. And your keen observations are blurring those lines even more.

Well done, well written, my friend. And thanks for the lovely passage from Hemingway. I may share that with my Latin students in a few days in our first class.