Friday, September 9, 2011

Round-Up: September 9

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 Idus Septembres.

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Alexander Miser, the story of a young Alexander the Great, who wanted to conquer the world.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is CARMEN - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Cuius enim panem manduco, carmina canto, "I sing the songs of the man whose bread I eat."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is FUGIO - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Vive tibi et longe nomina magna fuge, "Live for yourself, and flee far away from big names" (a bit of advice from Ovid... who would have done well to follow that advice in his lifetime!).

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Sanctus Petrus et Rusticus, a medieval variant on the classic fable of Hercules and the farmer.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Luna et Mater, the story of the moon who wanted her mother to sew her a dress.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Harundo et Avicula, the story of the reed who wanted a bird to nest there, and Ligna Regem Eligentes, the Biblical story of the trees who wanted to elect a king.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Asinus Res Sacras Portans, the wonderful story of a boastful donkey carrying religious icons.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Comparetti's Vergil in the Middle Ages (one of my favorite books of all time!) and Campbell's The Seven Sages of Rome.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at Schoolhouse Widgets.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Perseveranti dabitur (English: To the one who perseveres, it will be given).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Credula res amor (English: Love is a credulous thing)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Improbe Neptunum accusat, qui iterum naufragium facit (English: The man who shipwrecks a second time unjustly accuses Neptune). 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: Plures amicos mensa quam mens concipit (English: A dinner table wins you more friends than your frame of mind).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Aquilam noctuae comparas (English: You're comparing an eagle to an owl; from Adagia 1.9.18 - the eagle, of course, was famous for being able to gaze directly into the sun, while the owl was just the opposite, unable to stand the sunlight).

Here's the story of that vainglorious donkey, 249. Asinus Res Sacras Portans. Asinus quidam res sacras portabat, ratus sese venerari homines. Itaque erectus incedebat, tamquam sibi tus illud atque carmina acciperet. Cuius errorem cum mox vidit aliquis, “Mi asine,” inquit, “istam vanitatem tibi excute. Non te, sed istas res sacras caerimoniis colunt; isti divo haec religio debetur.” (source)

Asinus Sacra Portans