Round-Up: March 31

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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Canis et Olitor, a great little story about a very ungrateful dog.
• Carbonarius et Fullo, the story of two incompatible professionals.
• Servus Piger et Herus, a funny little joke about a ne'er-do-well slave and his irate master.
• Aves et Rex Earum, Odo's story about the birds trying to choose the right kind of king.
• Ovis, Capra, Iuvenca et Leo, the famous story of the lion's share.

I've picked out my favorite one, Servus Piger et Herus, to share with you here in the blog - it's joke, an old one admittedly, about the slave and the master:

Vir quīdam verberibus castīgābat servum maximē ob pīgritiam. Hic clāmāre coepit: Cūr mē verberās? Nihil enim fēcī. At propter id ipsum, rēspondit herus, tē verberō, quod nihil fēcistī.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Naviga Anticyras (English: Take a trip to Anticyra - a saying that makes sense when you know that in antiquity the city of Anticyra was famous for hellebore, a drug that was used as a supposed cure for insanity).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Verus ad finem (English: True until the end - although as a woman, I'd have to say vera ad finem).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Asinus in aula fovetur solum propter saccos portandos (English: A donkey is fostered in the castle only so that it can carry sacks - so, all of us donkeys working at the university need to remember just why they keep us around, ha ha).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi (English: Many are called, but few are chosen).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Cyclobori vox (English: The sound of the Cycloborus; from Adagia 3.2.16 - The Cycloborus was a river in Greece, proverbial for its roaring and crashing water course; to make a sound like the Cycloborus was to make a very large noise indeed!).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἄχειρ νιφθῆναι βοῦλεται. (English: Manus non habens, lavari cupit - and there's the amazing Greek vocabulary at work: ἄχειρ, "un-handed" - they even have a word for being footless, ἄπους).

For an image today, here is an illustration to the story of the lion's share, Ovis, Capra, Iuvenca et Leo:

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

Round-Up: March 30

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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Ficus et Aves, the sad fate of the fig tree struck by lightning.
• Canis et Ovis, the story of a sheep, wrongfully accused in court.
• Zeno et Discipulus, which is not an Aesop's fable exactly - but it is very much in the spirit of Aesop.
• Cattus, Leo et Convivium, a funny story about what happened when the lion served mice and rats to all the animals in order to make the cat feel at home.
• Gallus et Iaspis, the story of a rooster who found a gem in the manure.

I've picked out my favorite one, the story about rats for dinner, Cattus, Leo et Convivium, to share with you here in the blog:

Contigit quod animālia invītāta sunt ā Leōne ad magnum prandium. Fuit invītātus Mūrilegus. Quaerēbat Leo quid libentius comederet, volēns singulīs satisfacere. Et ait: Rattōs et mūrēs. Cōgitāvit Leo: Nisi omnēs habērent de hōc ferculō, esset vīlānia. Tandem facit venīre ferculum generāle dē rattīs, et Cattus optimē comedit. Aliī murmurāvērunt, dīcentēs: Fi, fi! Quid appōnitur nōbīs? Et tōtum prandium propter hoc maculātum est.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Sollertia ditat (English: Cleverness brings wealth.... ah, if only it were that simple!).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Ut apes geometriam (English: As the bees their geometry - that is, with the natural and instinctive knowledge that allows bees to build hives of such geometric perfection)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Dimittis pullos sub custodia vulpis (English: You're leaving the chickens in the care of the fox). 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: Etiam capillus unus habet umbram suam (English: Even a single hair has its shadow - a saying which is even better in Latin, where capillus is a diminutive word, related to the word for head, caput).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Sus cum Minerva certamen suscepit (English: A pig has entered into a contest with Minerva - you know who is giong to win, of course; from Adagia 1.1.41).

For an image today, here is an illustration for the story of the sheep's day in court, Canis et Ovis:

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

Myths and Legends: Cupid and Psyche

Cupid Discovers Psyche. To find out more about the story of Cupid and Psyche, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

The story of Cupid and Psyche is often considered to be one of the first "fairy tales" ever recorded in writing, included as it was by the Roman author Apuleius in his novel, The Golden Ass. It's a long and delightful story; I won't try to summarize it here, but you can read a nice summary of the plot at Wikipedia. The painting is by John Roddam Spencer-Stanhope and shows the moment when Cupid has been ordered by his mother Venus to make the beautiful Psyche fall in love with some scandalously ugly creature. As things turn out, of course, Cupid will fall in love with her himself!

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 25-31 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 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 Apriles. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

FABULA FACILLIMA: Here is a super-easy fable for today, with just present tense verbs Asinus in Pelle Leonis, the story of a donkey who dressed up in a lion's skin. (Plus here are some more of these fabulae facillimae.)

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Corvus et Gallina, the sad story of a chicken who knows what her chicks are destined for.
• Herus et Canes, an intense story about what a farmer does in desperation during a time of famine.
• Leo et Taurus, the story of a lion who lays a trap for a bull by inviting him to dinner.
• Asinus et Tympana, the story of a donkey who continues to be beaten even after he dies.
• Socrates et Servus Nequam, Socrates's witty rebuke of a ne'er-do-well slave.

I've picked out my favorite one, the chicken's lament, Corvus et Gallina, to share with you here in the blog:

Corvus gallīnae grātulābātur quod tot ōva pareret, et eī toties pullī nascerentur. "Vae mihi!" inquit gallīna, "nam dominus meus vorat et ōva et pullōs, aut aliīs comedendōs vendit; ita causam dolōris potius quam gaudiī memorās."

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Respicio sine luctu (English: I look back without grief).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Spes vitam fovet (English: Hope nourishes life).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Ex verbis fatuos, ex aure tenemus asellos (English: We grasp donkeys by the ear, and fools by their words - a saying that can be nicely applied to the story of the donkey in the lion's skin above, too!).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Praecordia fatui quasi rota carri (Sirach 33:5). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Cestreus ieiunat: Cestreus, a kinde of codfishe which never eateth any other fishe whereof commeth this proverbe: The codde fasteth, spoken of good and just menne which doe not raven nor take other mennes goodes from them.

Today's Poem: Today's poem is one of the rhyming couplets collected by Wegeler, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com:

Quando placet Christo, de mundo tollimur isto;
Nemo potest scire, quis primo debet abire.

English: "When it pleases Christ, we are taken away from this world; no one can know who must be the first to go." I'm not sure how to make the first line rhyme in English as it does in Latin, but I was glad that the second line rhymed so easily.

Here is an illustration for the story of the dogs and their master in a time of famine, Herus et Canes:

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

Myths and Legends: Hesione

Heracles and Hesione. To find out more about Hesione, the princess of Troy, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Hesione was a princess of Troy, the daughter of King Laomedon and sister to the future king Priam. King Laomedon had hired the gods Apollo and Poseidon to build the walls of Troy, but when they had done the work, the refused to pay them. The angry Apollo sent a plague upon the city. In order to avert the plague, Laomedon agreed to offer up his own daughter Hesione as a sacrifice to a savage sea monster (Poseidon was god of the seas). Heracles showed up and offered to rescue Hesione if Laomedon agreed to give him some wonderful horses that happened to be in Laomedon's possession. Laomedon agreed, whereupon Heracles rescued Hesione and killed the sea monster... but again Laomedon refused to pay. Heracles got his revenge by killing Laomedon and all his sons, except for Priam. So, the next time you think about all the woes that Priam suffered later in life, you might also ponder the troubled family life of the young Priam, too!

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 25-31 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Vir et Securis, the sad story of the trees who were their own worst enemy.
• Piscis et Delphinus, the story of an overly ambitious fish.
• Cornix et Avium Pennae, the story of a crow in borrowed feathers.
• Canis et Cocus, the story of the lesson a cook learned from a thieving dog.
• Scrofa et Lupus, the story of the wolf's unwelcome offer to serve as midwife to the sow.

I've picked out my favorite one, Canis et Cocus, to share with you here in the blog - remember that the Latin cor, heart, stood for intelligence - like "mind" or "brains" in English:

Cocō rēs solitās cūrante, Canis dicitur culīnam intrasse et pecudis cor rapuisse. Cocus Canem fugientem sērō secūtus vōce hāc: Praedo, haec furta impūne nunc facis, fugae ope; observābere tamen, ut cautius redeās - crēde, cor ipse nōn adimis, sed mihī dās.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Domi manendum (English: It's better to stay home - a nice use of the Latin "gerundive of necessity").

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Fide, non armis (English: By faith, not arms).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Qui lavat asinum, perdit aquam et saponem (English: The man who washes his donkey wastes the water and the soap).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci (English: The harvest is great but the workers are few).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Ad Cynosarges (English: To the Cynosarges; from Adagia 3.1.70 - the Cynosarges was a public space just outside of Athens which was notorious for being a home to Cynic philosophers, and also to bastards and other undesirables - so being told to go to the Cynosarges was no compliment).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ὀίκοι μένειν δεῖ τὸν καλῶς εὐδαίμονα (English: When someone is enjoying good luck, he should stay home - a nice variation on the same idea in the Latin proverb above; don't risk your luck by going out into the unpredictable world).

For an image today, here's an illustration for the story of the sow and the wolf, Scrofa et Lupus - the wolf's words may be friendly, but his claws look plenty dangerous!

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

Myths & Legends: March 25-31

Mar. 18-24 - Mar. 25-31 - Apr. 1-7

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For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.

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Deidamia. To find out more about Deidamia, the lover of Achilles, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Heracles and the Hydra. To find out more about the labors of Heracles, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Heracles and Hesione. To find out more about Hesione, the princess of Troy, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Sisyphus. To find out more about Sisyphus and his famous rock, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Cupid Discovers Psyche. To find out more about the story of Cupid and Psyche, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Hippolytus and Phaedra. To find out more about Hippolytus and his stepmother Phaedra, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Captive Andromache. To find out more about Hector and Andromache, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Round-Up: March 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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Rana et Bos, the story of the puffed-up frog in a medieval version.
• Pueri et Apes in Horto, the story of "goofus and gallant" in the garden.
• Murilegus Monachus, the story of a cat who pretended to be a monk.
• Simius et Vulpes, the story of the monkey who wanted to cover his bare butt.
• Fortunae Hominum, a story by Phaedrus featuring Aesop himself.

I've picked out my favorite one, Odo's story of the pious cat, Murilegus Monachus, to share with you here in the blog - again, it's on the long side, but so funny! I love the part about how the cat pretends to scorn the worldly vanity of the dancing rat!

In quōdam refectōriō fuit quīdam Mūrilegus, quī omnēs Mūrēs, exceptō ūnō magnō Rattō, cēpit et interfēcit. Cōgitāvit Cattus quāliter Mūrem illum magnum dēciperet et dēvorāret. Tandem fēcit sibi rādī corōnam; induit cucullam et fēcit sē monachum, inter aliōs monachōs sēdit et comēdit. Vidēns hoc, Rattus gāvīsus est, crēdēns quod nōllet eī nocēre. Saltāvit igitur Rattus huc et illuc, et Cattus dissimulāns oculōs suōs ā vānitāte āvertit. Tandem sēcūrē Rattus appropinquāvit ad Cattum. Cattus vērō cum unguibus virīliter Rattum cēpit et firmiter tenuit. Dīxit Rattus: Quārē tālem crūdēlitātem facis? Quārē mē nōn dīmittis? Nonne monachus factus es? Dīxit Cattus: Nunquam ita bene praedicābis quod tē dīmittam, frāter: quando volō, sum monachus; quando volo, sum canonicus. Et dēvorāvit Rattum.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Dominus providebit (English: The Lord will provide).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Virtuti damnosa quies (English: Repose is hazardous to excellence... although I did enjoy Spring Break!!!)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi (English: What is permitted to Jove is not permitted to an ox). 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: Malitia unius cito fit maledictum omnium (English: The wickedness of one soon becomes a curse for everyone).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Asinus stramenta mavult quam aurum (English: The donkey prefers straw to gold - which sounds pretty smart to me, although to some this is a sign of the donkey's lack of refinement; the saying is from Adagia 4.8.38).

For an image today, here are some medieval cats making trouble for the rats, as in the story of Murilegus Monachus:

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

Myths and Legends: Deidamia

Deidamia. To find out more about Deidamia, the lover of Achilles, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Deidamia is one of the daughters of King Lycomedes of Scyros. Before the Trojan War, the young Achilles was sent to hide among the daughters of Lycomedes, dressed as a girl. Odysseus managed to discover Achilles, however, by concealing a spear among some women's clothes and jewelry; when the disguised Achilles grabbed the spear rather than the clothes or jewelry, Odysseus recognized him and took him off to fight in the war. Before leaving the court of Lycomedes, Achilles managed to have a love affair with Deidamia and father a child with her, the future Neoptolemus.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 25-31 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 24

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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

HODIE: ante diem nonum Kalendas Apriles. 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 FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Terra Murem Parturiens, this is the story of an earthquake that yielded a mouse.
• Vulpes et Canis de Leporis Carne, the fox urges the dog to chase a rabbit - and the rabbit is not happy about it!
• Lupus Monachus, the story of the wolf who wanted to be a monk.
• Vitia Hominum, Phaedrus's little story about why we are blind to our own vices.
• Venter et Membra, the story of what happened when the body's members went on strike against the greedy stomach.

I've picked out my favorite one, the story of the wolf as a would-be monk, Lupus Monachus, who cannot say "Amen" and always says "Agnus" or "Aries" instead, looking at the flock and not at the cross:

Īsengrīmus semel voluit esse monachus. Magnīs precibus obtinuit quod Capitulum consēnsit; corōnam, cucullam et cētera monachālia suscēpit. Tandem posuērunt eum ad litterās; dēbuit addiscere Pater Noster, et semper rēspondit Agnus vel Ariēs. Docuērunt eum ut rēspiceret ad Crucifixum, ad sacrificium, et ille semper dīrexit oculōs ad ariētēs.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Iuvat Deus impigros (English: God assists those who are not lazy - or, in Latin, the "un-lazy").

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Ne omnibus credas (English: Don't trust everything/everyone).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Dignus erit magno, qui parva capit iubilando (English: The man who accepts small things with a joyful heart will be worthy of a great thing).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Lata porta et spatiosa via quae ducit ad perditionem (Matt. 7:13). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare - it's one about being your own worst enemy: Ipse sibi mali fons: He is causer of his owne hurte, he made a rodde for his owne tayle.

Today's Poem: Today's poem is some rhyming dietary advice from Wegeler, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com:

Ex magna cena stomacho fit maxima poena;
Ut sis nocte levis, sit tibi cena brevis.

English: "From a big dinner comes the biggest punishment for the stomach; in order to be unburdened at night, let your dinner be small." Notice that in the medieval scheme, cena can rhyme with poena.

For today's image, here's an illustration for the fable about the mouse's birth, Terra Murem Parturiens - look closely for the little mouse!

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

Myths and Legends: Dido

Dido. To find out more about Aeneas and Queen Dido, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Today's image is a portrait of Dido, the queen of Carthage, visibly distressed after her lover, the Trojan hero Aeneas, has abandoned her under strict orders from the gods to go found the Roman Empire. Dido will later commit suicide. The portrait is by the Renaissance artist Dosso Dossi (Giovanni di Niccolò de Luteri); he was born in the village of in San Giovanni del Dosso in Mantua - not far from the birthplace of the Roman poet Vergil who told Dido's story in the Aeneid.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 18-25 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Lupus et Grus, a medieval version of the fable of the credulous crane.
• Busardus et Accipiter, Odo's hilarious little story of a badly behaved baby bird.
• Tubicen Captivus, a fable of a bugler who claims to be a non-combatant.
• Lupus-Piscis, Abstemius's fable about the so-called "wolf fish," or pike.
• Vulpes et Caper, Phaedrus's account of the fox and the goat trapped inside a well.

I've picked out my favorite one, the story of the buzzard that lays its eggs in the hawk's nest, Busardus et Accipiter, to share with you here in the blog - it's a bit on the long side, but very funny and well worth reading:

Busardus in nīdō Accipitris proiēcit ūnum ōvum, et inde creātus est pullus. Aliī pullī nōbilēs fimum fēcērunt extrā nīdum. Sed pullus Busardī semper maculāvit nīdum suum. Quod advertēns Accipiter ait: Quis est quī nīdum maculat? Tandem dīxērunt eī pullī dē pullō Busardī. Quod attendēns Accipiter cēpit fīlium Busardī, et extrā nīdum proiēcit, dīcēns: Dē ōvō tē ēduxī; dē nātūrā nōn potuī; et confractus est tōtus.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Cedendum multitudini (English: You must give way to the multitude - in other words: the majority rules).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Lente, sed opportune (English: Slowly, but profitably - which could be a motto for the tortoisein the famous fable of the tortoise and the hare).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Rana in paludem ex throno resilit auro (English: The frog leaps from the golden throne into the swamp - in other words, you can take the frog out of the swamp but you can't take the swamp out of the frog!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Cyprii bovis merenda (English: A supper fit for a Cyprian bull - which is an ironic saying, since the bulls of Cyprus were famous for eating their own manure!).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Noctuae vos non relinquent Laurioticae (English: The owls of Laurios will never desert you - which is a bit like a riddle: Laurios was a wealthy region, rich in gold, and they stamped owls on their coins; hence, the saying means that you will always be wealthy; the saying is from Adagia 2.8.31).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Δυεῖν ἐπιθυμήσας, οὐδετέρου ἔτυχες (English: Striving for two, you have ended up with neither... in other words: beware of multitasking!).

For today's image, here is an illustration for the story of the fox and the goat in the well, Vulpes et Caper - you can see the fox making her escape, thanks to the foolish goat:

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

Round-Up: March 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 Apriles. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Canis et Caro, the story of a dog and his greed.
• Viator et Corvus, the story of a traveler fooled by the cawing of a crow.
• Auriga et Rota, Abstemius's little fable about the squeaky wheel.
• Tortuca et Aquila, the sad story of an overly ambitious turtle.
• Asinus Sale Onustus, the story of a donkey who was too smart for his own good.

I've picked out my favorite one, the story of the high-flying turtle, Tortuca et Aquila, to share with you here in the blog:

Tortūca, manēns in locīs ūmidīs et profundīs, rogāvit Aquilam, quod portāret eam in altum. Dēsīderāvit enim vidēre campōs, collēs et montēs et nemora. Aquila adquiēvit, Tortūcam in altum portāvit, et dīxit Tortūcae: Vidēs iam quae nunquam vīdistī, montēs et vallēs et nemora. Dīxit Tortūca: Bene videō; mallem tamen esse in forāmine meō. Et ait Aquila: Sufficit haec omnia tibi vidisse. Dīmīsit eam cadere, et tōta confracta est.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Discrimine salus (English: In a crisis, prosperity - a good motto for the hard times we are in right now!).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Via ovicipitum dura (English: The life of the eggheads is hard - a modern proverb coined by Adlai Stevenson).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Sapientis est mutare consilium (English: It is for the wise person to change his mind). 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: Citius venit periclum, cum contemnitur (English: Danger comes more quickly when it is not taken seriously - a proverb that might get us to figure out what to do about our dependence on fossil fuels, rather than dismissing the problem!).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Psaphonis aves (English: The birds of Psapho; from Adagia 1.2.100 - the adage refers to a man named Psapho who taught some birds to say "Great is the God Psapho!" and then released them into the wild; when people heard the birds, they started to worship a god named Psapho - ha!).

For an image today, here is an illustration of that greedy dog, Canis et Caro:

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

Myths and Legends: Clytemnestra

Clytemnestra. To find out more about Clytemnestra, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Clytemnestra was the sister of Helen, later known as Helen of Troy. Helen was the wife of the Menelaus, king of Sparta, while Clytemnestra was the wife of Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon, who was the king of Argos (Mycenae). During Agamemnon's long absence during the Trojan War, Clytemnestra had an affair with Aegisthus, her husband's cousin, and together they plotted to murder him on his return home. In some versions it is Aegisthus who does the deed, while in other versions it is Clytemnestra herself who carries out the crime. That is implied here: you can see that Clytemnestra has an axe in her hand, and it's dripping blood.

Aegisthus then ruled Argos as king, with Clytemnestra as his queen. In the end, though, Orestes, the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, murdered his mother along with Aegisthus. You can read more about Orestes in this Wikipedia article.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 18-25 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Myths and Legends: Theseus and the Minotaur

Theseus and the Minotaur. To find out more about the half-man half-bull Minotaur, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Last week, you saw the image of the new-born Minotaur being held in the lap of his mother, Queen Pasiphae of Crete. The Minotaur was later locked up in the Labyrinth and offered human sacrifices... until, that is, the hero Theseus arrived and slew the Minotaur, which you can see in today's image, a painting by the 18th-century neoclassical artist Charles-Édouard Chaise. Here is a close-up of the slain Minotaur:

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 18-25 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Myths & Legends: March 18-24

Mar. 11-17 - Mar. 18-24 - Mar. 25-31

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For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.

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Birth of Helen, Castor, and Pollux. To find out more about Leda and the birth of her famous children from eggs, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Theseus and the Minotaur. To find out more about the half-man half-bull Minotaur, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Chryses Petitions Agamemnon. To find out more about Chryses, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Clytemnestra. To find out more about Clytemnestra, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Clytie. To find out more about Clytie and her love for Apollo, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Dido. To find out more about Aeneas and Queen Dido, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Selene and Endymion‎. To find out more about the Moon's lover, Endymion, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Myths and Legends: Birth of Helen, Castor, and Pollux

Birth of Helen, Castor, and Pollux. To find out more about Leda and the birth of her famous children from eggs, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Here you see the birth of Helen, Castor, and Pollux from their respective eggs, watched over by Zeus, Hera and Eros (Cupid). Zeus took the form of a swan in order to seduce the lovely mortal woman Leda, and so the children emerge from eggs. Leda also slept with her husband Tyndareus on the same night, so she has a mix of human and mortal children from both of her consorts. The resulting children are very famous: lovely Helen (later "Helen of Troy"), her sister Clytemnestra (yes, the one who killed her husband Agamemnon when he came home from the war), and the famous twins Castor and Pollux. This artist has excluded Clytemnestra from the scene (presumably she was purely the offspring of Leda and Tyndareus and of no interest to the proud papa Zeus). Hera was normally not very happy about Zeus's love affairs, but she seems rather satisfied with the three children hatched here from the eggs.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 18-25 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Myths and Legends: Cadmus and the Dragon

Cadmus and the Dragon. To learn more about Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Cadmus was a Phoenician prince who founded the city of Thebes, following instructions he received from the Oracle at Delphi. In today's image, you see one of the tasks that Cadmus had to accomplish in the process of founding his city: there was a water-dragon that guarded the Castalian Spring near Delphi, and Cadmus slew the dragon.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 11-17 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Myths and Legends: Pasiphae and the Minotaur

Pasiphae and the Minotaur. To find out more about Pasiphae, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This wonderful vase painting shows Queen Pasiphae with the little baby Minotaur! She had a daughter, Ariadne, with her husband, King Minos, but she also fell in love with a bull (that's a separate story) and gave birth to this child, half-man and half-bull, a.k.a. the "Minotaur." This strange monster was locked up in the Labyrinth until the hero Theseus arrived and killed him - with Ariadne's help. You can read more about this very dramatic story at Wikipedia.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 11-17 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 15-21

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.

Spring Break: I'll be out of town with very limited Internet access, but I've set up the fables to keep publishing while I'm gone, so visit the Ictibus Felicibus blog if you are feeling fable-deprived. There will be five new fables each day there even while I'm gone. :-)

HODIE: Idus Martiae, the Ides of March. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Muli et Latrones, a fable in praise of the simple life.
• Rattus, Murilegus et Caseus, a story of unintended consequences.
• Vulpes et Uva, the story of the so-called "sour grapes."
• Lepores et Ranae, a story about how misery loves company.
• Milvus Aegrotans, the story of the kite's death-bed repentance.

I've picked out my favorite one, the story of the cat, the rat, and the cheese, Rattus, Murilegus et Caseus, to share with you here in the blog:

Quīdam habuit cāseum in arcā, et vēnit Rattus. Incēpit eum rōdere. Cōgitāvit paterfamilias quid faceret. Tandem habitō cōnsiliō, posuit intus Mūrilegum, et ille dēvorāvit Rattum et cāseum.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Firmus maneo (English: I remain steadfast - or, for us ladies, it would be Firma maneo).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Aurora Musis amica (English: Dawn is a friend to the Muses… which means you should get up early to do your best work - instead of burning the midnight oil!)

Audio Latin Proverb: 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: Eripere telum, non dare irato decet (English: You should deprive an angry man of weapons, not donate them… very wise advice: I'm all for disarmament, both interpersonally and internationally!).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Camelus vel scabiosa complurium asinorum gestat onera (English: Even a mangy camel can bear the loads of many donkeys; from Adagia 1.9.58).

For an image today, take a look at the rabbits how are scared of the hunter and his dogs, and the frogs who are scared of the rabbits, Lepores et Ranae:

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

Myths and Legends: Heracles and Alcestis

Heracles and Alcestis. To find out more about Alcestis, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

The story of Alcestis was made famous by Euripides' play. Alcestis was married to Admetus who had won an unusual gift from the god Apollo: when it came time for Admetus to die, he did not have to die - but he had to find a substitute to send to Hades in his place. So, when the time came, Admetus' loving wife Alcestis was the only one willing to take his place. The god of death took Alcestis away and Admetus' old friend Heracles then showed up at the house. Distressed at what has happened, Heracles managed to steal Alcestis away from the god of death and brought her back to Admetus, the happy ending which you can see in the image for today.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 11-17 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Round-Up: March 12

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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed.

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

MORE FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too, along with an easy-to-read prose presentation of the story:

• Haereticus et Musca, the story of a divine fly.
• Lupus et Ovis, the story of a wounded wolf who asks a sheep for help.
• Senex et Mors, the story of an old and death, in which the old man learns that death has been announcing her arrival with many signs.
• Roscius Iurisconsultus, although it's not an Aesop's fable, it's a good lawyer joke!
• Hirundo et Formicae, a fable in which the swallow learns that the ants' way of life does not suit everyone.

I've picked out my favorite one, Abstemius's wonderful story about the signs of death, XXX, to share with you here in the blog - it's a bit long, but very much worth reading:

Senex quīdam mortem, quae eum ē vīta raptūra advēnerat, rogābat, ut paululum differat, dum testāmentum conderet et cētera ad tantum iter necessāria praeparāret. Cui mors: cūr, inquit, nōn hactenus praeparāstī, toties ā mē monitus? Et cum ille eam numquam ā sē vīsam amplius dīceret: cum, inquit, nōn aequālēs tuōs modo, quōrum nullī iam ferē restant, vērum etiam iuvenēs, puerōs, infantēs quotīdiē rapiēbam, nonne tē admonēbam mortālitātis tuae: cum oculōs hebescere, audītum minuī, cēterōsque sēnsūs in diēs dēficere, corpus ingravescere sentiēbās, nonne tibi mē propinquam esse dīcēbant? et tē admonitum negās? quārē ulterius differendum nōn est.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: You can get access to ALL the "proverb of the day scripts" (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Fortuna favente (English: With Fortune's favor - a nice use of the ablative absolute for motto-making purposes).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Primus amor potior (English: The first love is finer)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Homo ad laborem natus est et avis ad volatum (English: A man is born to work and a bird to fly). 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: Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria (English: To conquer yourself in victory is to conquer twice).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is De asini umbra libet audire (English: You're glad to listen to a story about a donkey's shadow - an allusion to the famous fable about Demosthenes; from Adagia 1.3.52).

For an image today, here's one way of imagining a conversation with Death, as in the story of the signs of death, Senex et Mors (it's actually an illustration for a different fable about an old man and death, if you are interested!):

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

Myths and Legends: The Head of Orpheus

The Head of Orpheus. To find out more about the death of Orpheus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Legend has it that the musician Orpheus was killed by the frenzied female followers of the god Dionysus, the Maenads, who tore him to pieces. Even after Orpheus was dead, however, his head still continued to sing songs, accompanied by the music of his lyre. Orpheus' head and lyre floated down the Hebrus River to the Mediterranean, and they eventually washed ashore on the island of Lesbos. The inhabitants of the island found his head and buried it there, while his lyre was mysteriously transported into the heavens.

You can also find more myths and legends for the week of March 11-17 here. For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Widget Reference Page.

Myths & Legends: March 11-17

Mar. 4-10 - Mar. 11-17 - Mar. 18-24

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For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.

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The Head of Orpheus. To find out more about the death of Orpheus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Parcae. To find out more about the Roman goddesses of life and death, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Heracles and Alcestis. To find out more about Alcestis, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Infant Heracles and the Snakes. To find out more about the snakes Hera sent to kill the baby Heracles, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Pasiphae and the Minotaur. To find out more about Pasiphae, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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Bellerophon on Pegasus. To find out more about Bellerophon, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

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Cadmus and the Dragon. To learn more about Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

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