Round-Up: October 30 - November 1

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem tertium Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Here's an entire little fable in iambic verse by Desbillons, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com, as usual.

Taurus ferire cornibus ausus est herum:
Secantur illa. Tunc novum meditans scelus:
Haud vereor, inquit, ne mihi secentur pedes
Simulque calce Villicum impacto ferit.

English: "The bull dared to strike his master with his horns; the horns were cut off. Then the bull plotted a new crime. I have no fear that my feet will get cut off, he said, as he thrust his hoof out and struck the peasant." For an illustration, see the picture below! Desbillons has adapted the traditional fable - usually the bull kicks up sand in his master's face, but I like Desbillons's version here, quoting the bull's thoughts as part of the fable!

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion cites Pompey's vigorous defense of Caesar... with all the irony of their future enmity, of course! Promisit hoc uterque, addiditque Pompeius, se contra gladios istos cum ense et scuto etiam uenturum.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Incus robusta malleum non timet (English: A strong anvil does not fear the hammer - a saying I picked in response to VerbaLatina's challenge of malleus today).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Non nova sed nove (English: Not new things, but in a new way). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Heu, quam difficilis gloriae custodia est (English: Oh, how difficult is the safe-keeping of public renown).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Nidus testatur, ibi qualis avis dominatur (English: The nest attests what sort of bird rules there).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Una hirundo non facit ver (English: One swallow does not make a spring).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Cave canem (English: Beware the dog!).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Utere sorte tua (English: Make use of your lot in life!).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Quae seminaverit homo, haec et metet (Gal. 6:7). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is In sinu viperam habet (English: He's got a viper in his breast pocket - in other words, he's nursing at enemy at dangerously close quarters).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Scarabeus citius faciet mel (English: Sooner than a beetle makes honey, from Adagia 4.8.17 - in other words, NEVER; compare the Englsih saying "when hell freezes over").

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Ne Iupiter quidem omnibus placet (English: Not even Jupiter can please everybody; from Adagia 2.7.55 - this saying is sometimes applied to the notion of Jupiter as a way to refer to the weather: some people like it hot, but some cold; some people want it to rain, but others would prefer clear skies - which is the basis for this Aesop's fable about the two sisters, one married to a gardener, and one to a potter).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀυτοῦ Ῥόδος, αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πήδημα (English: Here is Rhodes; here too make your jump - which is the punchline from a famous fable about Aesop and a boastful athlete).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Leo et Socii, Vulpes et Asinus, a version of the "lion's share" featuring the fox and the donkey as the lion's unfortunate partners.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE LUPO ET SUE, the story of the wolf and his false offers of friendship.

For an illustration, here is Steinhowel's Aesop from 1479, with an illustration of the ill-tempered bull and his master; the illustration shows the moment in the story when the master decides to try cutting the bull's horns short:

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 29

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem quartum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today features one of my favorite verses collected by Wegeler! The word list is at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

Multa rogare, rogata tenere, retenta docere:
Haec tria discipulum faciunt superare magistrum.

English: "Ask many things, keep in mind what you have asked, teach what you have kept in mind; these three things make the student exceed his teacher." Isn't that an absolutely fabulous bit of advice??? I hope all my students will do exactly that, and leave me far far far behind as they set out on their own ambitious learning paths!

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion shows Caesar making a very public declaration of his alliance with Crassus and Pompey: et a lateribus suis hinc Pompeium, inde Crassum collocans, quaesiuit ex iis, ecquid leges has probarent: affirmanteque utroque, hortatus est ut in eos opitularentur, qui gladiis se contra acturos minarentur.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today which is a variation on the English saying about "once bitten, twice shy" - Tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas (English: A shipwrecked person shudders at the water, even when it is calm.).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Lepore timidior (English: More timid than a rabbit). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Mora omnis odio est, sed facit sapientiam (English: All delay is hateful, but it makes wisdom … I just wish I could convince my students that learning really does take time - something almost none of them have to spare, alas).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Esto pius vere super his qui te genuere (English: Be truly respectful toward those who gave you birth).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Evenit illi quod Polluci. (English: He suffered the fate of Pollux - this is a saying derived from Suetonius's life of Julius Caesar, in fact, where Marcus Bibulus complains that just as the temple in the Forum for the brothers Castor and Pollux bore only the name of Castor, so his joint projects with Caesar were credited always to Caesar alone - so the saying refers to that all-too-common situation where a member of a famous pair gets neglected in favor of his partner).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Spectemur agendo (English: In the act of doing, let us be observed: in other words, let us be judged by our deeds, as Ajax demanded in Ovid's Metamorphoses).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Crambe recocta molestior (English: It is more tiresome than leftover cabbage… now, I personally don't object to leftover cabbage - but you get the idea!).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Noli vinci a malo, sed vince in bono malum (Romans 12:21). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Ubi mel, ibi apes. (English: Where there is honey, there are also bees - so, watch out!).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Asinus ad lyram (English: Like a donkey to the lyre; from Adagia 1.4.35 - a saying that reflects the poor donkey's efforts to be a cultured sort of fellow, despite being a dimwit - is he listening to the lyre and failing to appreciate its music? …or has he picked up a lyre and tried to play it? Either way, the message comes through just the same: the donkey may pretend to be culturally refined, but the actual results are purely risible).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Herculei labores (English: The labors of Heracles; from Adagia 3.1.1 - and for the inclusion of this particular adage in a portrait of Erasmus, see the image below!)

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀρχὴν ἰᾶσθαι πολὺ λώϊον ἢ τελευτήν (English: It's more desirable by far to remedy the beginning of something than the end).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Aves et Quadrupedes, the story of the role played by the bat in the battle of the beasts and the birds.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE AUCUPE ET PERDICE, just like the bat, the bird in this story is willing to play a treacherous role to save her own life!

Below is a famous portrait of Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger; along the edge of the book facing the viewer the letters read "The Labors of Heracles" in Greek (ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟΙ ΠΟΝΟΙ = HERAKLEIOI PONOI), alluding to the amazing feats which Erasmus accomplished in his life as a scholar. Click here to see a larger view of the image, where the writing on the book is very clear

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 28

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem quintum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. This is another one of Owen's elegant little epigrams, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com, as usual:

Vivere vix quid sit novi: mirum nil ergo,
Si quid sit nasci || nescio, quidve mori.

English: "I've scarcely learned what it is to live: no wonder then, if I don't know what it is to be born, or what it is to die." They are, of course, the two great mysteries, the bookends of life, being born and dying - with appropriately mysterious deponent verbs for both of them in Latin, nasci and mori.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion continues the story of Caesar's rise to power in opposition to the Senate: In senatu autem optimatibus repugnantibus, arrepta quam dudum quaerebat occasione, magna uoce obtestatus inuitum se & ui coactum ad populum confugere eique se committere iniuriis & uiolentia senatus compulsum, ex Curia se in forum proripuit.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Omnia quae nitent aurea non sunt (which is a Latin version of a proverb well-known in English: "all that glitters is not gold").

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Tempus est vitae magister (English: Time is the teacher of life). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Patiens et fortis se ipsum felicem facit (English: The man who is patient and courageous makes himself a happy man - an unusual combination, patiens et fortis, definitely worth pondering!).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina (English: The mind of a wolf may often hide beneath the skin of a lamb).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Lusciniae non deest cantio (English: The nightingale has no lack of song).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Spe expecto (English: I wait in hope; there is a word-play in the Latin between spe and ex-spe-cto, even though there is no linguistic relationship between the words).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Qui tacet, consentit (English: A Latin equivalent of the familiar English saying, "silence is consent").

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Melior est sapientia quam vires. (Wisdom 6:1). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Est avis in dextra melior quam quattuor extra. (English: This is the Latin equivalent of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" - although there are four birds in the Latin, and it rhymes, too!).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Nisi si qua vidit avis (English: Not unless a little bird saw it; from Adagia 2.2.28 - this refers to some event that had no witnesses at all, unless, perhaps some tiny bird happened to be there, unnoticed; compare the English saying "a little bird told me," when you want to claim knowledge of an event to which you yourself could not have been a witness).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Phryx plagis emendatur (English: A Phrygian has to be corrected with blows; from Adagia 1.8.36, in which a person from Phrygian is considered something like a donkey in human form, a slow-witted dolt who cannot respond to reason - a sentiment you can find in Cicero, for example, in references to witnesses from Phrygia, in ancient Anatolia = modern-day Turkey).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀνδρὸς ὑπ' ἐσθλοῦ καὶ τυραννεῖσθαι καλόν (English: If a man is good, then it is a fine thing even to be ruled over by him... which I guess is a saying I can endorse, although such good men are few and far between!).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Formicae et Cicada, the story of the grasshopper who went to the ants, begging for food - round about this time of the year, in fact!

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE VITULA ET BOVE, about the heifer and the ox.

For an image today, I wanted to include one of the wolf in sheep's clothing: Pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina, as in the rhyming proverb for today. There are so many images online to choose from, but I though this one was one of the best! What a great use of Photoshop - wow!

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 27

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

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NOTA BENE: A student at Rhodes College sent me a note yesterday asking to spread the word about a blog he has created for his Latin composition class - you can see the first post here! Vinum: Vinum alcoholicus potus est

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HODIE: ante diem sextum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's dactylic verses are from Horace (Sermones), with a word list at NoDictionaries.com - it's Horace's definition of the simple life he longed for:

Hoc erat in votis: modus agri non ita magnus,
hortus ubi et tecto vicinus iugis aquae fons
et paulum silvae super his foret. [...]

English: "This was in my prayers: a bit of land, not too large, where there would be a garden and a source of ever-flowing water near the house, and a bit of woods besides." Glory hallelujah: I've found Horace's idyll here in Timberlake North Carolina (although our aqua iugis is a well underground, not a babbling brook aboveground as Horace probably hoped for!).

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion begins Caesar's term as consul: eumque splendide impetrauit, Calpurnio Bibulo collega. Ut primum uero magistratum iniit, illico leges de agris diuidendis in gratiam multitudinis tulit, quae non consulem, sed petulantissimum aliquem tribunum plebis decerent.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today that features a nice word-play in the Latin: Avaritia omnia vitia habet (English: Greed encompasses all the vices).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Nocumentum documentum (English: A loss, a lesson). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Metuendum est semper, esse cum tutus velis (English: If you want to be safe, there's always something to fear).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Parva iuventutis plerumque est cura salutis (English: In general, youth has little concern for safety).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Melior est mors, quam vita amara (English: Better is death than a life which is bitter).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Fata obstant (English: The fates block my way - a saying adapted from Vergil's Aeneid).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Frango dura patientia (English: By being patient, I shatter things that are hard).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Tempus flendi et tempus ridendi (Ecc. 3:4). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Corvus corvo nigredinem obicit (English: One crow is calling the other one black - something like our saying about the pot calling the kettle black!).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Canis reversus ad vomitum (English: The dog has gone back to its vomit; from Adagia 3.5.13 - something you've probably all seen in real life, of course - and it's made famous in the Biblical Book of Proverbs).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Chironium vulnus (English: A wound of Chiron; from Adagia 2.8.21; this refers to the story of the centaur Chiron being shot with an arrow dipped in the hydra's poisonous blood - although Chiron was a great healer, he could not heal his own wound!).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Μὴ ὢν Σύρος μὴ Σύριζε (English: Since you're not a Syrian, don't act like a Syrian - kind of the opposite of "when in Rome, do as the Romans").

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Cornix et Urna, the story of the wise crow who was able to get a drink from a deep pot of water.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE LUPO OVIS PELLE INDUTO, a story of a proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing... although, as you can see from the illustration by Barlow, the disguise did not do the wolf any good!

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 26

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem septimum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's couplet is from Cato's Distichs, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual

Sermones blandos blaesosque cavere memento:
Simplicitas veri forma est, laus ficta loquentis.

English: "Remember to watch out for sweet and simpering words: the guise of truth is straightforwardness, while praise is the guise of someone speaking falsehoods." You can see this advice put into practice by the goat in the fable of the goat and the wolf below! :-)

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion continues Caesar's alliance with Pompey and Crassus: Verum Caesar Crassi Pompeiique amicitia stipatus consulatum petiit. (And yes, that Latin participle stipatus is the same as the root you see in the English word "constipated"...!)

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's a rhyming proverb from today: Si lupus ēst agnum, non est mirabile magnum (English: If a wolf eats a lamb, it's no great surprise - note also the word play of ēst and est).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Numquam est fidelis cum potente societas (English: An alliance with someone powerful is never reliable). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Semper plus metuit animus ignotum malum (English: The mind always fear more the evil that is unknown - something like our saying about "better the devil you know than the devil you don't").

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Mollificat diram responsum mollius iram (English: A very gentle response can soften cruel wrath).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Video ursam parientem (English: I see a she-bear giving birth - a saying meant to convey the idea of seeing something absolutely rare and hard to detect - as Pliny the Elder acknowledged).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Lotum gustavit (English: He's tasted of the lotus... a Homeric allusion which has an eerie parallel in the modern saying "to drink the Kool-Aid").

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Laudatore nihil insidiosius (English: There is nothing more treacherous than a person who flatters you, as "Cato" also warns us in the couplet cited above!).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Sapientia absconsa et thesaurus invisus: quae utilitas in utrisque? (Sirach 20:30). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Mali corvi malum ovum (English: The bad egg of a bad crow, a saying you can find in many languages).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Ranis vinum praeministras (English: You're serving wine to frogs; from Adagia 2.3.20 - this is a fool's errand, since you are giving something to someone who does not need it or want it!).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Pomarius Hercules (English: Hercules the apple-man; from Adagia 2.7.1 - Erasmus cites Suda for this saying, about how some poor men were going to sacrifice a bull to Hercules, but the bull broke free and escaped, and they had nothing else to offer, so they grabbed an apple from a tree, stuck four twigs in it as legs, and two more twigs as horns and offered this to Hercules; the proverb thus refers to something that pretends to be grand and illustrious, but which is really cheap and paltry; a for a different reading of the Suda, see the Suda Online Project).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἄλλοισι μὴν γλῶσσα, ἄλλοισι δὴ γόμφιοι (English: Some have a tongue, and others have molars - a saying that refers to dinner parties where some people come to talk, and others come to eat).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE VULPE ET LUPO, the story of how the fox had to ask a wolf for help.

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Capra et Lupus, the story of a goat who was able to see through the wolf's tricks.

In honor of all the wolves that appeared in today's items, I thought I would include this image that I saw in the delightful Latin Twitter feed for lrisatus, Ecce lupus ibericus in clausum pastoris introeuns:

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 24 - October 25

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem nonum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's poem is an entire little fable in iambic verse by the Renaissance poet Faernus, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual (note that milvius is a metrical alternative for milvus, the rapacious hawk):

Murem rogat laqueo impeditus milvius
Se liberet. Mus id facit rodens plagam,
Compensat hoc murem vorando milvius.
Mali malas bonis rependunt gratias.

English: "A hawk, caught in a snare, asks the mouse to set him free. The mouse does this by gnawing the net; the kite repays the mouse by gobbling him up! Such are the wicked thanks with which wicked people repay good deeds." The contrast between this fable and the more famous fable of the mouse and the lion is very strong - with this fable providing a healthy reminder of how things often do often turn out in this wicked world of ours! For those of you interested in meter, this is a perfect little iambic poem to read aloud; except for the elision in the first line (laqu'impeditus), there is nothing to beware of at all, with none of those metrical substitutions that can sometimes make iambic meter so hard to read.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion is about Cato's growing alarm at Caesar's alliances: Cato autem saepenumero quae futura essent uaticinans, eum solum fructum tulit, ut tum morosus et curiosus homo, post prudentior quam felicior consultor haberetur (that's a great example of curious in Latin, rendering πολυπράγμων from Plutarch's Greek).

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's an amazing little saying about lifelong learning - and it rhymes, too: Discite victuri, sed vivite cras morituri (English: Learn as if you were going to live, but live as if you were going to die tomorrow).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Victrix malorum patientia est (English: Patience is the conqueror of evils). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Iracundiam qui vincit, hostem superat maximum (English: If you tame your anger, you defeat your greatest enemy… sadly, this proverb is very true in my own case - but proverbs help us realize that each of us is not alone in being our own worst enemy!).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Mortales laetos vinum facit atque facetos (English: Wine makes us mortals happy and witty… although I do feel obliged to add: wine in moderation!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Asinus ad lyram (English: The donkey listens to the lyre… but, of course, being a donkey, he is hardly a connoisseur of the music!).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Species decipit (English: Appearances are deceiving!).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Ferrum robigo consumit (English: Rust eats away the iron… don't let the word order fool you: ferrum has to be the object, not the subject, here).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ovium; intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces (Matt. 7:15). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Plaustrum bovem trahit (English: The cart is dragging the ox - in other words, someone has put their cart before the horse, as we would say in English).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Noctua inter cornices (English: An owl amongst the crows - which is a proverbially incongruous situation, from Adagia 1.5.41 - in this case, the saying refers to a slow-witted person getting mixed up with some characters who are far smarter than he is - and also much louder!).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Lydus in meridie (English: A Lydian at noon; from Adagia 2.6.94; the proverbial saying alludes to the supposedly oversexed inhabitants of ancient Lydians, so eager in their pursuit of sexual pleasures that they would even indulge in such pursuits in the heat of midday.).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἅμαξα τὸν βουν ἕλκει (English: The cart is pulling the ox… what a coincidence: this is also one of the Latin sayings for today, cited above!).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Pavo et Grus, a debate between the peacock and the crane about the meaning of beauty.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE LEONE AMATORIO, the sad story of the unsuspecting lion in love.

For an image today, I chose this page from a Tar Heel Reader (the fable of Venus and the cat), which illustrates one of the Latin sayings from today: Species decipit.

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 23

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem decimum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. This one is from the emblems of Alciato (Alciato 167), along with a word list at NoDictionaries.com - plus you can see the emblem online!

Delphinem invitum me in littora compulit aestus,
Exemplum, infido || quanta pericla mari.
Nam si nec propriis Neptunus parcit alumnis,
Quis tutos homines || navibus esse putet?

The Memorial Web Edition of Alciato provides an English translation, along with an image of the emblem showing the dolphin cast up onto the shore!

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion explains more about Caesar and Pompey: Non enim Caesaris et Pompeii dissidium, quod plerique putant, ciuilium bellorum causa fuit, sed amicitia uerius eorum, quam initio ad euertendum optimatium in ciuitate principatum initam deinde disciderunt.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today with a very nice rhyme: Partem da cuique: sic non partiris inique (English: Give each his portion: in that way you will not apportion unfairly).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Vinum memoriae mors (English: Wine is the death of memory). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Fortuna unde aliquid fregit, cassum est reficere (English: After Fortune has broken something, it's useless to try to repair it - for Fortune, here, of course, the idea is misfortune or bad luck, rather than good luck!).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: ransit, ut unda fluens, tempus et hora ruens (English: Like a wave that flows, time passes by, and so too the rushing hour).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Vive moribus praeteritis, loquere verbis praesentibus (English: Live by the habits of the past, speak with the words of the present).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Mutabilis casus (English: Chance is fickle… as we saw already in the proverb about Fortune above!).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Doceat qui didicit (English: Let the person who has learned teach… which is exactly my philosophy of teaching: if I can share what I have learned about the Internet with my students, and they can share what they have learned with others… well, we will eventually just take over the world, right?).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Viventes sciunt se esse morituros; mortui vero nihil noverunt amplius (Ecc. 9:5). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Nemo cum serpente securius ludit (English: No one plays very safely with a serpent).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Leonem ex unguibus (English: You can tell a lion by its claws; from Adagia 1.9.34 - which is why you have to feel so sorry indeed for the declawed lion in the Aesop's fable about the lion in love).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb is Atlas caelum (English: Atlas [holds up] the sky; from Adagia 1.1.67 - which, indirectly, is how we end up with the word "atlas" in English).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ὁ κοινὸς ἰατρός σε θεραπεύσει χρόνος (English: The universal physician, Time, will heal you).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Lupus et Pastores, the marvelous story of how the wolf accused the shepherds of hypocrisy - and what the shepherds said in their defense… although you have to wonder what the SHEEP would say about all of this, eh?

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE VULPECULA ET CICONIA, the story of "turn-about is fair play" when the stork invites the fox to dinner.

For an image today, I wanted to include my Tar Heel Reader with proverbs about snakes, including the one from today: Nemo cum serpente securius ludit.

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 22

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem undecimum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's lines come from one of Horace's dactylic hexameter epistles (Epist. 1.2), with a word list at NoDictionaries.com:

[...] Vivendi qui recte prorogat horam,
rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis; at ille
labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum.

English: "He who puts off the time for getting his life in order is like the country bumpkin who waits for the stream to run out of water, but that stream flows and will keep on flowing, winding its course into all eternity." The metaphor of the river of time is exploited here ingeniously by Horace, so that people who procrastinate (like me) look as silly as someone who thinks that if he waits long enough, the river will run out of water.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion continues the account of how Caesar reconciled Crassus and Pompey to his own advantage: eorumque potentiam in unum conflatam ad se transferens, perhumano titulo tenus facto rempublicam nemine animaduertente peruertit.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today about the undeniable advantage conferred by good luck: Gutta fortunae prae dolio sapientiae (English: A drop of good luck is better than a barrel full of wisdom).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Etiam me meae latrant canes (English: Even my own dogs are barking at me). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur (English: To both love and be wise is hardly possible even for a god).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Non bene tutus erit, quisquis nimis ardua quaerit (English: Whoever seeks things too high, will not be well protected - the rhyme is better on this one with the later Latin pronuncitation, querit).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? (English: If God is for us, who is against us?).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Lumen numen (English: The divinity is light; numen being a truly fascinating Latin word, the divine "nod").

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Conscientia verberat animum (English: A guilty conscience is a scourge to the soul).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Aedificate alterutrum (I Thess. 5:11). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Dum fugans canis mingit, fugiens lepus evasit (English: When a pursuing dog stops to pee, the pursued rabbit gets away).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Canis mendico auxilians (English: A dog that helps the beggar; from Adagia 4.2.88 - note that this is an ironic proverb, a kind of impossibility, since the dogs and the beggars are naturally enemies, not allies, unless the beggar placates the dog by giving it bread.).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day: Today's proper name proverb is Herculi clavam subtrahit. (English: He's snatching the club out of Hercules's own hand - a dangerous deed, especially since Hercules would keep a firm grip on that club, it being his weapon of choice).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἂν μὴ παρῇ κρέας, ταριχῇ στερκτέον (English: If there's no meat on the table, then you have to settle for dried fish).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Accipiter et Luscinia, the sad story of the nightingale caught by the hawk.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE ACCIPITRE COLUMBAM INSEQUENTE, this time the story of a hawk who failed to catch its prey!

For an image today, here's one to go with the proverb cited above: Herculi clavam subtrahit. This is an ancient mosaic that shows Hercules using his club to defeat the Hydra; as you can see, Hercules knows how to wield a club!

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 21

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem duodecimum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's poem is another one of the rhyming couplets collected by Wegeler, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

Tutius est solam taciturnam ducere vitam,
Quam secum socios || prorsus habere malos.

English: "It is safer to lead a quiet, solitary life than to have entirely evil associates by your side." Note that both of the rhymes are grammatical: solam-vitam in the first line, and socios-malos in the second. I know that such rhyming is not classical - but it sure does make the couplet easier to memorize! :-)

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion shows Caesar hatching a new strategy when he gets back to Rome: Ut primum in urbem uenit, callide eam rem confecit, qua uniuersos homines, solo excepto Catone, decepit. Pompeium enim et Crassum ex graui discordia in gratiam mutuo restituit, qui duo facile totius ciuitatis erant potentissimi.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today about why it's better just to learn to get along with each other: Ira parit litem, lis proelia, proelia mortem (English: Anger breeds quarrels, quarrels breed battles, and battles breed death).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Via trita via tuta (English: The well-worn way is the safe way). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Cavendi nulla est dimittenda occasio (English: You should never ignore any chance to act cautiously).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Quamvis tarda venit, sors sua quemque ferit (English: Although it might come late, each man's fate strikes him - admittedly, it's not a really strong rhyme this time, venit-ferit, but it's still an elegant line of Latin!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Altera manu panem ostentat, altera fert lapidem (English: With one hand he holds out bread, in the other he carries a stone).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Percussus resurgo (English: Beaten, I rise up again).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Deo nihil impossibile (English: For God, nothing is impossible).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Oculos habentes non videtis et aures habentes non auditis (Mark 8:18). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis (English: The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Qui inspuerit in agmen formicarum, huic intumescant labra (English: He who spits in the anthill gets swollen lips; from Adagia 4.6.80).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day: Today's proper name proverb is Caesar non supra grammaticos (English: Caesar is not above the grammarians - a saying associated with the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and his grammatically incorrect use of the word schisma).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ὁ Ζεὺς κολαστὴς τῶν ἄγαν ὑπερφρόνων (English: Zeus is the punisher of those who think too highly of themselves).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE AGRICOLA ET CICONIA, the story of the stork who was caught with the geese and the cranes.

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Vulpes et Leo in Spelunca, the famous story of the footprints that go into the cave and don't come out. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) from a Renaissance edition of the fables:

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 20

I'm back from travels (although still not caught up on email, not by a longshot - eek!). Anyway, here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: ante diem tertium decimum Kalendas Novembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. Today's poem is a fable in iambic verse by Desbillons, with his account of the fable of the boy at the edge of the well, which prompted Luck herself to intervene. There's a word list as usual at NoDictionaries.com:

Ad oram putei dormiebat Puerulus.
Eum Fortuna suscitans: Abi hinc, ait;
In puteum namque si caderes, non hanc tuam
Fuisse culpam, sed meam omnes dicerent.

English: A little boy was sleeping at the mouth of a well. Fortune woke him up and said: "Get away from there! For if you were to fall into the well, everybody would say the fault was mine, not yours!" This is a wonderful little fable about how we are prone to blame our (bad) luck, rather than accepting responsibility for things. In the first line, the meter is easier if you read the "i" as a semivowel in dormiebat (three syllables) and the first "u" as a semivowel in puerulus (two syllables); in the third line read "eu" as a diphthong in puteum (two syllables) and syncopate the middle vowel in caderes (two syllables).

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion continues the dilemma Caesar faced upon returning from Spain - to triumph, or not to triumph? Cato primum lege ad postulatum id oppugnandum annixus quum uideret multos Caesari deditos, rem mora iniecta impediit, totumque diem dicendo absumpsit. Itaque Caesar statuit, omisso triumpho, consulatum persequi.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today about things coming in due time: Pira, dum sunt matura, sponte cadunt (English: Pears, when they are ripe, fall down by themselves).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Cibus non qui plurimus, sed qui suavissimus (English: Food: not the largest quantity but the most pleasant). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Sero in periclis est consilium quaerere (English: It is too late to seek advice in the midst of dangers).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Transit fine brevi puerilis flosculus aevi (English: The youthful flower of life passes by in its short course - not the late Latin pronunciation of aevi to rhyme with brevi).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Figulus ollis ansas ponit (English: It is the potter who puts ears on the jugs- that is, it is the potter who decides what kind of ears to put on the jugs, and not anyone else).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Coronat fides (English: Faith confers a crown - you can also find it in the form fides probata coronat, where the faith has been put to the test).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: Aegrotanti omnia amara (English: For someone who is ailing, all things are bitter).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Secura mens quasi iuge convivium (Proverbs 15.15). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Canes timidi vehementius latrant quam mordent (English: Dogs, when scared, bark more fiercely than they bite - something like our proverbial, "all bark, no bite").

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Midas auriculas asini (English: Midas has the ears of a donkey; from Adagia 1.3.67 - this being a secret the foolish Midas thought he could safely entrust to his barber - ha!).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day: Today's proper name proverb is Archimedes non posset melius describere (English: Archimedes himself could not provide a better explanation - with Archimedes standing in as the personification of wisdom itself).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἐχῖνος τὸν τόκον ἀναβάλλει (English: The hegehog delays giving birth - and at her own cost, since the baby hedgehogs just get more and more prickly the longer she waits; this is one of my favorite proverbs about the dangers of procrastination!).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Agricola et Filii, the story of how a farmer used the example of a bundle of sticks to teach his sons how to get along.

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE CICADA ET FORMICA, the famous story of the ant and the grasshopper - a very apt story as winter is almost upon us!

For an image today, here is a picture of Midas with his donkey ears (it's a statue in the Ankara Museum in Turkey) to accompany the proverb cited above: Midas auriculas asini. :-)

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Hiatus brevis: October 15-19

I'm not going to have reliable computer access for a few days, so the blogs will be briefly on hiatus until next week - although you can still see the daily widgets by using these links:

• Latin Poem of the Day
• Audio Latin Proverb of the Day
• Daily Maxim from Publilius Syrus
• Rhyming Proverb of the Day
• Daily Proverb from Polydorus
• Proverbium Perbreve of the Day
• Proverbium Breve of the Day
• Vulgate Verse of the Day
• Latin Animal Proverb of the Day
• Erasmus's Animal Proverb of the Day
• Proper Name Proverb of the Day
• Greek Proverb of the Day
• Fable of the Day

What's nice about the automated widgets is that they keep on ticking even when I'm not able to be at the computer! :-)

Also, I wanted to announce a really exciting new publication from the folks at CANE, the Classical Association of New England - it's a new edition of the verse fables of Phaedrus, along with all kinds of wonderful supplementary materials, including medieval Latin fables, plus Latin-English vocabulary for every fable on the facing page. The fables are selected and arranged by Jeremiah Mead, with revisions for this new edition by Ruth Breindel. The book is available from CANE Press at their website - where you can browse around to find some other wonderful Latin materials, too! What a great new addition to the Latin fable bookshelf!

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: October 14

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. You can keep up with the latest posts by using the RSS feed, or you might prefer to subscribe by email.

HODIE: pridie Idus Octobres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. It's one of the rhyming couplets collected by Wegeler, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com.

Tu, qui festucam vicini in lumine cernis,
Tignum cur trahere proprio de lumine spernis?

English: "You who discern the bit of straw in the eye of your neighbor, why do you refuse to draw forth the beam from your own eye?" The couplet is a rhyming version of a famous Biblical passage, found in the Gospels of both Luke and Matthew. :-)

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's Latin portion describes the new dilemma Caesar faces, whether to take his triumph, or run for consul: Quia autem triumphum petentes extra urbem manere, consulatum ambire praesentes in urbe oportebat, ea legum diuersitate implicatus, cum ad urbem comitiis consularibus instantibus accessisset, misit ad senatum petitum ut sibi absenti petere consulatum per amicos concederetur.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today about lifelong learning: Discat, qui nescit, nam sic sapientia crescit (English: Let him learn what he does not know, for thus does wisdom grow).

TODAY'S PROVERBS:

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Audio Latin Proverb of the Day: Today's audio Latin proverb is Vae miseris ovibus, iudex lupus est (English: Woe for the poor sheep; the judge is a wolf). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Deliberandum est saepe, statuendum est semel (English: Think about something often; make your decision once - or, as my husband always says, "measure twice; cut once").

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb in Leonine verse form is: Currens per prata, non est lepus esca parata (English: As it runs through the fields, the rabbit is not a meal ready-to-eat … you've got to catch your rabbit before you can eat it!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Telas aranearum texit (English: He is weaving spider's webs… and on that subject, don't forget the great old English word "toil" meaning a "hunting net, a snare," which derives from the Latin tela).

Proverbium Perbreve of the Day: Today's two-word proverb is: Fides sufficit (English: Faith suffices - and it's always so nice when the tiny two-word Latin proverbs can be rendered with just two words in English also!).

Proverbium Breve of the Day: Today's three-word proverb is: In horam vivo (English: I live for the moment!).

Vulgate Verse of the Day: Today's verse is Nulli malum pro malo (Romans 12:17). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day: Today's animal proverb is Avis a cantu dignoscitur (English: You know a bird by its song).

Latin Animal Proverb of the Day from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb is Taurum tollet, qui vitulum sustulerit (English: He'll be able to carry the bull if he lifted the calf; from Adagia 1.2.51; Erasmus associates this saying with the legendary feats of the Greek strong man, Milo of Croton).

Proper Name Proverb of the Day: Today's proper name proverb is In Orci culum incidas (English: May you fall into Orcus's butthole… yes, you will indeed find this in Erasmus's Adagia - as if being in the underworld of Orcus was not bad enough! Erasmus describes it as sermo perniciem et extremum exitium imprecantis, "words spoken by someone cursing another person with ruin and utter disaster" - ha!).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἂν μὴ λεοντῆ ἐξικνεῖται, τὴν ἀλωπεκῆν πρόσαψον (English: If the lion skin does not do the trick, add the fox - in other words, if the lion's strength fails you, try the fox's cunning).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Fable of the Day: Today's fable of the day from Barlow is DE RUSTICO ET SILVA, the very wise story of the trees who were their own worst enemies!

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Vulpes et Uva, the famous story of the fox and the supposedly sour grapes. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) by the French artist Lorioux:

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.