Round-Up: February 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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: pridie Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is POTUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Ebibe vas totum, si vis cognoscere potum, "Drink the whole jug if you want to know the drink" (a nice rhyming proverb, which can easily be taken both literally and metaphorically!).

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for IUMENTUM , the beast of burden, and CHARADRIUS, the charadrius bird - most famous for its supernatural healing ability: if a charadrius bird looked at a sick person, the person would live (because the charadrius would take the person's illness unto itself), but if the charadrius refused to look at the sick man, that meant the man would die.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Litteris absentes videmus, "By means of writing, we see those who are absent," and Libri muti magistri sunt, "Books are silent teachers."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is a funny little story about Pyrrhus, Rex Epiri, where you can see the king's anger allayed by some quick-witted humor.

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Feles et Venus, the hilarious story of a cat who was turned into a woman.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Cantus Sacerdotis, a wonderful story about a singing priest and a braying donkey. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Canes et Lupi Concolores, a story of how the wolves managed to fool the trusting dogs, and Scarabaeus et Stercus, a story about a dung-beetle who is very happy with his life in the dung.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner and The Lark and her Young Ones. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Moore's Porta Latina (the fables of La Fontaine in Latin prose) and Chickering's First Latin Reader, which I've also started transcribing over at the Anecdota blog.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Semper virens (English: Always flourishing).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Res immoderata cupido (English: Desire is a limitless thing)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Alter frenis, alter eget calcaribus (English: One person has need of reins, another of spurs). 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: Qui pote celare vitium, vitium non fugit (English: He who can conceal his bad habit still does not escape it).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Talpa caecior (English: More blind than a mole; from Adagia 1.3.55).

For an image today, here is an illustration for the funny story about the singing priest, 866. Cantus Sacerdotis. Sacerdos erat qui vocem asinariam et horribilem habebat et tamen se bene cantare putabat. Cum autem quadam die cantaret, mulier quidem audiens eum plorabat. Sacerdos vero credens quod suavitate vocis suae ad devotionem et lacrimas mulier incitaretur, coepit adhuc altius clamare, at illa coepit magis flere. Tunc sacerdos quaesivit a muliere quare fleret, credens audire quod libenter audiebat, at illa dixit, “Domine, ego sum illa infelix mulier cuius asinum lupus illa die devoravit, et quando vos audio cantare, statim ad memoriam reduco quod asinus meus ita cantare solebat.” (source)

Round-Up: February 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 quartum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is TEMPUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Habent omnia tempora sua, "All things have their own time."

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Litteras disce, "Learn your letters," and Scito teipsum, "Know yourself."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for LACERTA , the lizard, and GLIS, the dormouse.

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Epaminondas, the dramatic story of his death to be specific; see below.

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Cornix et Canis , the story of the poor she-crow who wanted to have prophetic powers like the raven.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Mures Felem Contemplantes, a story about how appearances can be deceiving. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Passer et Scarabaei, the story of the birds who feared an attack of the dung-beetles, and Canis, Lupus, et Pastor, in which a sheepdog rebukes his foolish master.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Wolf and the Kid and The Lion and the Man. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Smart's New Gradatim and Heatley-Kingdon's Gradatim of 1896 - the Gradatim was such a success that you can find it in several distinctly different versions.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Dum vivo, prosum (English: While I live, I am useful).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Nemo omnibus placet (English: No one can please everybody).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Pax adsit vivis, requies aeterna sepultis (English: Peace be unto the living, and eternal rest unto the buried).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Nihil sub sole novum (Ecc. 1:9). 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 Taverner: Quique vult dicit, quae non vult audiet: He that speaketh what he will, shal heare what he wil not. Let men beware how they rayle (this is good advice for the flaming world of online discussions!).

The death of Epaminondas is a popular subject for painting, which gives us today's image: Epaminondas, Thebanorum imperator, in pugna ad Mantineam graviter vulneratus est. Cum animam recepisset, interrogavit circumstantes amicos, "Num clipeus salvus esset?" Deinde, "Num hostes fusi essent?" Illi utrumque affirmaverunt. Tum demum hastam e corpore extrahi iussit. Quo facto statim exspiravit. (source - the painting is by the Dutch artist Isaac Walraven)

Round-Up: February 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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem sextum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is the tiny preposition A - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the famous sayings you can find in the essay: Natura abhorret a vacuo, "Nature abhors a vacuum."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for COCCYX, the cuckoo, and GRYPS, the fabled griffin.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Non de ponte cadit qui cum sapientia vadit , ""He who walks with knowledge doesn't fall off the bridge," and Ut ver dat florem, studium sic reddit honorem , "As spring brings the blossom, so education yields public esteem." Yes, they both rhyme! :-)

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Sophocles, a great story about Sophocles accused of dementia in his old age (see below).

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Formica et Gallina, a great story about barnyard hypocrisy!

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Columba et Hydria Picta, a story about a dove fooled by a painting. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Pica et Cuculus, a fable about mistaken identity, and Canis Lutulentus et Herus, a fable about a muddy dog who LOVES his master.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Angler and the Little Fish and The Crow and the Pitcher. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Janes' Second Year Latin for Sight Reading and Harkness' New Latin Reader .

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Nil time (English: Fear nothing).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Post nubes lux (English: After clouds, the light).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Qui fuit rana, nunc est rex (English: He who was a frog is now a king).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Diligite iustitiam, qui iudicatis terram (English: Cherish justice, you who rule the land).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Alia Lacon, alia asinus illius portat (English: Lacon is carrying one thing, but his donkey is carrying something else; from Adagia 2.2.86 - Trying to avoid taxes, Lacon hid his honey underneath some barley, but the donkey slipped and fell, revealing the hidden honey).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν τραγῳδία γίνεται καὶ κωμῳδία γραμμάτων (English: Tragedy is made from the same letters as comedy is).

For an image today, here is a sculpture of a poet, perhaps Sophocles, to accompany the great anecdote about Sophocles from Fowle: Sophocles. Sophocles ad summam senectutem tragoedias fecit. Cum propterea rem familiarem negligere videretur, a filiis in iudicium vocatus est, ut iudices illum, quasi disipientem, a re familiari removerent. Tum senex dicitur eam fabulam quam proxime scripserat, Oedipum Coloneum, recitasse iudicibus et quaesivisse num illud carmen desipientis esse videretur. Carmine recitato, a iudicio absolutus est. (source)

Round-Up: February 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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem octavum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is REDIMO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Sicut ager colitur, sic fructibus hic redimitur, "As the field is cultivated, thus is it redeemed by its fruits."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for FERA, the wild beast, and HYAENA, the hyena.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Corrige praeteritum, rege praesens, cerne futurum , "Correct the past, direct the present, detect the future," and Vade ad formicam, o piger, et considera vias eius, et disce sapientiam, "Go to the ant, you lazy-bones, and study her ways, and learn wisdom."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Simonides of Ceos, who achieved great success in his old age. Of course, Simonides is also featured in some Aesop's fables, too - such as Simonides and the Shipwreck and Simonides and the Twin Gods.

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Minerva et Naufragus, the story of how the god (or the goddess) helps them that help themselves.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Formica et Columba, the delightful story of friendship between an ant and a dove. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Turdus Visco Captus, the thrush who brought about its own demise, and Canis et Asinus, Epistolam Legentes, the story of the donkey who read a letter to his friend the dog.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Envious Man and the Miser and The Ape and her Young Ones. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Bennett's Easy Graduated Latin Passages and Walker's New Latin Reader .

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: In sublime (English: Upwards).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Iniuriarum remedium oblivio (English: The remedy for injuries is to forget them).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Avarum irritat, non satiat pecunia (English: Money provokes the greedy person; it doesn't satisfy him). 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: Beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere (English: To accept a favor is to sell your freedom).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Piscis primum a capite foetet (English: The fish starts to stink from the head; from Adagia 4.2.97 - metaphorically, of course, this means that corruption starts from the "top," among the heads of state, those high in power).

For an image today, here is the story of the ant and the dove: 646. Formica et Columba. Formica, sitiens, cum ad fontem descendisset ut biberet, in aquam cecidit nec multum abfuit quin misera periret. Columba quaedam, in arbore sedens, misericordia tacta, ramulum in aquam iniecit. Hunc assecuta est formica, eique innatans, mortem effugit. Paulo post adfuit auceps, qui columbae insidiabatur. Formica, ut piae columbae opem ferret, ad aucupem arrepsit et tam vehementer eum momordit ut harundines prae dolore abiiceret. Columba, strepitu harundinum territa, avolavit ac periculum incolumis evasit. (source)

Round-Up: February 20

Instead of the usual round-up, I wanted to announce a new little project that I started this weekend, with a new blog address, too: Anecdota Latina.

This is a project to slowly but surely transcribe some of the old Latin readers at GoogleBooks. As a test project this weekend, I transcribed two very short little readers, both by Edmund Fowle. His First Easy Latin Reading Book has one little booklet of historical anecdotes, and a separate little booklet of Roman history (mythological history, that is, culminating in the war with the Sabines and the peace brought about by the Sabine women). Here are my transcriptions of the Historical Anecdotes and here are my transcriptions of the Roman History.

Method. In transcribing these little stories, I have used an extra large font to make it easier to read and segmented the sentences to indicate the natural phrasing. I've also added an illustration of some kind for each little story. I made very few editorial changes. I am not a fan of the use of vocalic "j" so I have used "i" instead. Fowle also was a fan of the spelling "quum" for adverbial "cum," but I have used "cum" instead. I've also made a few changes in punctuation. I have not indicated these editorial changes in the text; I'm treating Fowle's text not as something sacred but instead just something that can be useful to Latin students and teachers - which was Fowle's own purpose as well, of course.

Accent Marks. I have also added accent marks in order to encourage people to read out loud. No, there are no macrons; those of you who have participated in the "macron wars" that occasionally flare up at the LatinTeach listserve and elsewhere online know that I consider the practice of marking all macrons to be quixotic (at least for English speakers, who, with only very rare exceptions, make long and short a distinction of quality, not quantity). If someone who is a fan of macrons wants to do versions of the texts with macrons, that would be super - publish them online at your blog or wiki and I will be delighted to link to them; just let me know! Fowle's own method in this regard was typical of the nineteenth-century approach, and one I find personally very congenial. Fowle was not interested in macrons per se but used them only to indicate word stress. That is, he marked penultimate vowels as long or short in words of three syllables or more (plus an occasional macron used for disambiguation of a case ending in the final syllable). Given the awkwardness of adding breve marks to vowels, I find it easier simply to indicate the word stress with an accent mark, a style you will often see in ecclesiastical Latin texts, but rarely elsewhere; I find that is very encouraging for beginning students as they read out loud.

Vocabulary. I have not transcribed vocabulary lists for the readings, but the vocabulary is available at GoogleBooks. Most of these Latin readers have complete vocabulary lists in the back of the book; Fowle goes that one better, because he has running vocabulary lists for each little story. I have provided a link to the vocabulary pages in Fowle's book at the bottom of each of the stories in the blog.

Working through Fowle's two little booklets this weekend, I concluded that this is a very good use of my time. It is a lot of fun for me personally (I love exempla literature of all kinds, not just about animals!). More importantly, it is also very efficient: it takes me just a few minutes to transcribe and format the text, and this reformatting is a big improvement on the PDF at GoogleBooks. Now that the text is in digital form, teachers and students can copy-and-paste the text, printing, editing, and doing whatever they want to make the texts useful to them. In fact, there is a play here on the word "anecdotes" (Latin anecdota) which I have chosen as the title of the blog: in Greek, anekdota are the things un-published (an-ek-dota), but by digitizing these texts and publishing then online, I hope to make them "unanecdotal," as it were, published in an accessible format for all to read. :-)

I'll be including updates on this project in the Bestiaria Latina round-ups, which will start up again on Feb. 22 per the usual schedule. Any feedback or suggestions re: this little project would be most welcome! :-)

Round-Up: February 18

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem duodecimum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is DUX - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Natura optima dux bene vivendi, "Nature is the best guide to living well."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for LEO, the lion, and LARUS, the gull.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Diversa sunt hominum studia , "People's passions run in different directions," and Disce legendo , "Learn by reading."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Porcellus et Testamentum, a wonderful litte story about a briefly grieving little piggy.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Lepores et Leones, the story of the radical rabbits and the tyrannical lions. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Mergus et Stellae, a story of a seagull puzzled by the reflections in the water, and Canis Homicida et Dominus Eius, the story of a vicious dog and his innocent companions.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Satyr and the Traveller and The Ant and the Grasshopper. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Healey and Kingdon's Excerpta Facilia, which includes all kinds of great historical texts for easy reading.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Loquor quae sentio (English: I say what I feel).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Memoria exercendo acuitur (English: Memory is sharpened by practice).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Mus rapitur subito, qui solo vivit in antro (English: A mouse is quickly caught if he lives in a single mousehole).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Non ventiles te in omnem ventum, et non eas in omni via (Sirach 5:9). 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: Homo bulla: A proverbe notinge the frayltie of mannes life which vanisheth awaye like a bubble of water..

For an image today, here is the story of the idealistic rabbits, 166. Lepores et Leones. Quodam tempore visum est omnibus bestiis conventum et coetum habere, quod aliarum de aliis frequentissimae querelae essent. Ubi dictis ultro citroque sententiis, lepores ita contionatos perhibent: videri sibi aequum omnium ut bestiarum eadem sit dignitas et par potestas, neque oportere alias tanto plus, alias minus valere; hoc enim pacto fieri ut inferiores praestantibus direptioni et praedae sint. Quibus dictis, oblocutos leones accepimus orationi leporinae deesse ungues et dentes. (source)

Round-Up: February 16

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem quartum decimum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is the tiny adverb TUM - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Fortuna vitrea est; tum cum splendet, frangitur., "Fortune is like glass; when it is shining, it shatters."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for VOLUCRIS , the bird, and LENS, the nit (as in the phrase "nit-picking"... although I'm guessing quite a few people don't really know what nits are!).

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Disce legendo , "Learn by reading," and Amat victoria curam , "Victory loves carefulness."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Sus Parturiens et Lupus, the story of the wolf who wanted to play midwife to the sow.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Scorpio et Iuvenis, the story of boy who accidentally grabbed a scorpion. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Grues et Agricola, the story of how the cranes ended up living among the pygmies, and Canis Fugitivus et Herus, the story of a dog who rebuked his hypocritical master.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Two Pots and The Lion and the Goats. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Fowle's First East Latin Reading Book - Roman History, which is really more a Roman mythology, focused on Romulus and Remus.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Finem respice (English: Consider the end).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Fortiter, fideliter, feliciter (English: Bravely, faithfully, and happily).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Qui vult caedere canem, facile invenit fustem (English: He who wants to beat a dog easily finds a stick).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Doctrina sua noscitur vir (English: A man is known by his learning.).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Apertae Musarum ianuae (English: The doors of the Muses are open; from Adagia 2.7.41 - Erasmus explains that these words apply to someone who is quick-witted, while when a man is dim-witted, the doors of the Muses are closed).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἅπαντα ὁ λιμὸς γλυκέα, πλῆν ἁυτοῦ, ποιεῖ (English: Hunger makes all things sweet, except for itself).

For an image today, here is a medieval sculpture showing a crane battling a pygmy: 477. Grues et Agricola. Grues agricolae arva depopulabantur quibus nuper frumentum severat triticeum. Et ille, vacua longum quassata funda, fugabat aves perculsas metu. Quem cum intellexere funda ferientem auras, despexere deinceps ut iam non fugerent, donec non diutius egit quomodo sueverat, sed iactis lapidibus contudit plurimas. Grues autem, agro derelicto, aliae aliis “Fugiamus,” crocitabant, “in pygmaeorum regionem. Homo iste non amplius nos territare velle videtur, sed incipit iam et facere aliquid.” (source)

Round-Up: February 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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem sextum decimum Kalendas Martias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is the enclitic particle QUE - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Amor tussisque non celatur, "Love and a cough cannot be concealed."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for LEPUS , the rabbit (or hare), and LUMBRICUS, a kind of worm.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Multae manus onus levant, "Many hands lighten the load" and Menti quolibet ire licet, "The mind may go wherever it wants."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Gladius in Via Iacens, the story of the sword lying in the road.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Leo et Pastor, the famous story most famous under the name of "Androcles and the Lion." (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Aquila et Agricola, the story of the farmer and the grateful eagle, and Canis et Ovis Conquerens, the story of an unhappy sheep rebuked by the shepherd's dog.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Dog in the Manger and The Woodman and the Trees. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Fowle's First East Latin Reading Book - Anecdotes, a collection of easy-to-read anecdotes about famous Greeks and Romans.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Cedo nulli (English: I yield to no one - which is also a good motto for remembering the dative singular of nullus).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Iovis omnia plena (English: All things are full of Jupiter)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Eventus stultorum magister est (English: The outcome is the teacher of fools). 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: Mortem ubi contemnas, viceris omnes metus (English: When you can despise death, you will have conquered all fears).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Canem excoriatam excorias (English: ou're flaying a dog which has already been flayed; from Adagia 2.3.54 - something like the English saying about beating a dead horse).

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would post this emblem from the one of the books online at the Dutch Love Emblems of the Seventeenth Century website. This particular emblem is from Vaenius's Amorum emblemata (1608): Res immoderata Cupido est, "Cupid / Desire is a thing which knows no bounds."

Round-Up: February 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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: pridie Idus Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is EXPONO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Qui se exponit periculo, peribit in illo, "He who exposes himself to danger will die thereby."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for MOLOSSUS , an ancient dog breed, and PERCA, the perch.

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Serpens et Filius Eius, the story of something like a snake mafioso.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Aesopus et Arcus, a story about Aesop and the importance of taking a break now and then. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Sus et Canis Venaticus, the pig who doesn't understand the rewards of being a good dog, and Canis et Dominus Morans, the story of a dog ready to go for a walk.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Lion and the Mouse and Jupiter and the Cat. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Fowle's First Easy Latin Reading Book - Aesop's Fables, a set of 20 fables for beginning readers with notes and vocabulary.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Leonem radere (English: To shave the lion - which is a dangerous business indeed!).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Nunquam non fidelis (English: Never unfaithful).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Anguilla a digitis saepe est dilapsa peritis (English: An eel has often slipped through experienced fingers - and of course that can be a real eel, or a metaphorical one!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Oderint dum metuant (English: Let them hate me, so long as they fear me - words infamously attributed to Caligula).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Λύπης πάσης γίνετ' ἰατρὸς χρόνος (English: Time is the doctor of all pain).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Ultra Epimenidem dormis (English: You're sleeping longer than Epimenides; from Adagia 1.9.64). Epimenides is the Greek philosopher who supposedly fell asleep in a cave for nearly sixty years and, when he awoke, he found he had the power of prophecy. Here is a Renaissance image in honor of Epimenides!

Round-Up: February 10

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem quartum Idus Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is GENS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Cuncti gens una sumus., "We are all one people."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for VACCA, the cow, and VIPERA, the viper.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Nihil sine labore , "Nothing without effort," and Minerva auxiliante, manum etiam admove , "With Athena as your helper, move your arm, too!"

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Pisces e Sartagine Exsilientes, a story about "out of the frying pan, into the fire."

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Caprae Silvestres et Caprarius, the story of the goatherd who thought he could make the wild goats his own. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Grus et Cornix, the story of the alliance between the crane and the crow, and Canis Villicus et Herus Ingratus, the story of the mongrel and his cruel master.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Sick Kite and The Hares Weary of Life. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Fowle's Second Easy Latin Reading Book, which is most interesting for its inclusion of materials from Ovid's Heroides!

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Ultra aspicio (English: I look beyond).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Liber medicina animi (English: A book is medicine for the soul.)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Sapiens a se ipso pendet (English: The wise man relies on himself). 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: Beneficium qui nescit dare, iniuste petit (English: Someone who doesn't know how to do a favor shouldn't ask for one).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Non curat numerum lupus (English: The wolf doesn't care about the number of flock - in other words, the shepherd can keep a count of his sheep, but that will not deter the wolf; from Adagia 2.4.99).

For an image today, here is Minerva, who appears in the proverb podcast cited above: 790. Minerva et Naufragus. Dives quidam Atheniensis olim cum aliis nonnullis navigabat. Tempestate autem ingenti exorta, subversaque navi, reliqui omnes se natatu servarunt. Sed Atheniensis, subinde Minervam invocans, sescenta ei promittebat si ex undis eriperetur, cum adnatans ex naufragis unus “Cum Minerva,” inquit, “tu quoque manus move.” (source):

Round-Up: February 8

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem sextum Idus Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is AGO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Multa agendo nihil agimus, "By doing many things, we do nothing" - you could call it a proverb about the dangers of multitasking! :-)

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for VERMIS, the worm, and VITULUS , the calf.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcast is Hodie vivendum, omissa praeteritorum cura, "Live for today, setting aside all worry about the past."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Mors et Pauper, the story of the poor man who suddenly discovered he didn't want to die after all!

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Musca et Quadrigae, the story of a boastful fly. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Graculus, Cornix, et Aquila, a story about a know-it-all jackdaw, and Hirundo et Anguis, the sad story of the swallow who made her nest in the courthouse.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are Esop's Decision and The Horse and the Boar. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Pike's Short Stories of Apuleius, which includes, of course, Cupid and Psyche!

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Deus dabit vela (English: God will give us sails).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Ovem lupo commisisti (English: You've turned your sheep over to the wolf).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Sorice iam plena censetur amara farina (English: When the dormouse has eaten its fill, it thinks the flour tastes bitter - and the rhyme requires a late Latin pronunciation).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Libera nos a malo (Matt. 6:13). 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 Taverner: Ne quaere mollia, ne tibi contingant dura: Seke not softe thinges lest hard thinges happen unto the. It is commonly sene, that they which unmeasurablie seke pleasures, do fall, ere they be ware, into bitter and harde grevaunces.

For an image today, here is the man and Death, 816. Mors et Pauper. Pauper quidam lignorum fasciculum portabat humeris. Longo deinde itinere fatigatus, onere se levavit, consedit humi, et flebili voce advocavit Mortem. Illa continuo adest, interrogans quid se velit. Respondet pauper, “Humi ut tolleres hunc fascem mihi, huc ego te vocavi.” Adeo in miseris etiam vitae amantes sunt mortales. (source - easy version):

Round-Up: February 6

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem octavum Idus Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is FILIUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Nemo non formosus filius matri, "There is no son who is not beautiful in his mother's eyes."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for NEPA, a kind of scorpion, and MUS, the mouse.

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Ceres et Rusticus, a story about the goddess Ceres and a farmer's foolish request.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Hercules et Rusticus, the story of the lazy farmer rebuked by Hercules. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Grus et Aquila, the story of the crane and the high-flying eagle, and Noctua et Cornicula, the story of the self-important owl rebuked by the crow.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are The Embassy of the Dogs to Jupiter and The Mountain in Labour. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is D'Ooge's Colloquia Latina, a fabulous collection of little plays in Latin (with macrons, too, for those of you who are fans of macrons).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Lucernam olet (English: It stinks of the lamp - or, as we might say in English, "it stinks of the midnight oil," i.e. the work was done late at night, and is of poor quality compared to work completely bright and early in the morning!).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Pietate et probitate (English: With a sense of duty and honesty).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Omnis echinus asper (English: The whole hedgehog is prickly).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Discendum quam diu vivas (English: You should learn for as long as you live).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Thracium inventum (English: A Thracian scheme; from Adagia 1.10.28 - The Thracians were notorious for scheming, as in an episode recounted by Strabo when they made a treaty with the Boeotians and then attacked them by night; when the Boeotians repulsed the attack, the Thracians claimed that they had not broken the treaty, since its terms were valid only during the day - not at night).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Κυνί δίδως ἄχυρα, ὄνῳ δ' ὀστέα (English: You've giving straw to the dog and bones to the donkey... in other words, you've gotten things all mixed up!).

For an image today, here is the story of Hercules and the man whose cart got stuck in the mud, 804. Hercules et Rusticus. Rustici aratrum haeret in profundo luto. Mox prostratus, Herculem implorat, cum statim vox a caelo auditur: “Inepte, flagellato equos et ipse totis viribus umerisque annitere rotis! Et deinde Herculem invocato! Tunc enim tibi propitius Hercules aderit.” Fabula innuit quod otiosa vota nihil prosunt; iuva temet, et ipse te adiuvabit Deus. (source)

Round-Up: February 4

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: pridie Nonas Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is DOMINUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Avarus auri custos, non dominus, "The miser is the keeper of his gold, but not the master of it."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for DAMA, the gazelle, and VESPA, the wasp.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Nemo solus satis sapit , "No person can be wise enough on his own," and Scientia potentia , "Knowledge is power."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Pavo Deplumatus, the story of the overly generous peacock who was stripped of his feathers.

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Mulier Indomita et Vir Eius, the story of a woman who was as contrary as a person can be. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Passer et Accipiter, the story of an overly bold sparrow, and Porcus et Equus, which tells how the noblr horse rebuked the wallowing pig.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are Esop to a Prater and The Thief Robbing the Altar. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Allen & Allen's Latin Reader, a classical Latin reader featuring Phaedrus, Caesar, Curtius, Nepos, Sallust, Ovid, Virgil, Plautus, Terence, Cicero, Pliny, and Tacitus.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Iustitia omnibus (English: With justice for all).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Rerum Sapientia custos (English: Wisdom is the guardian of all things)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Hectora quis nosset, si felix Troia fuisset? (English: Who would know Hector, if Troy had been happy?). 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: Non turpis est cicatrix, quam virtus parit (English: There is no shame in a scar which was won by bravery).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Scarabeus aquilam quaerit (English: The beetle is looking for the eagle; from Adagia 3.7.1). This proverb alludes to the famous Aesop's fable of how the beetle stole the eagle's eggs (source):

Round-Up: February 2

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. I'm Twittering again now at Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem quartum Nonas Februarias (and yes, you can have your own Roman Google Calendar).

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is PATER - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Crudelitatis mater est avaritia, pater furor, "Greed is the mother of cruelty, and her father is rage."

BESTIARIA PROVERBS: There are some new animal proverbs today for HINNULUS, the fawn, and TINEA, the moth.

PROVERB PODCAST: The latest podcasts are for Nulla dies sine linea, "No day without a line," and Sapere aude , "Dare to be wise."

FABULAE FACILES: The new easy-to-read fable is Corvus et Vulpes Mortem Simulans, the story of the fox who tried to fool the birds by playing dead, but who could not fool the crow!

MILLE FABULAE: FABLE OF THE DAY: The fable for today is Adolescens Piger, the funny story about the boy who didn't want to get up out of bed. (You can also a free PDF copy of the Mille Fabulae et Una book.)

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The latest fables with images are Milvus et Aquila, the story of the kite who married the eagle, and Hirundo et Turdus, the story of the swallow who wanted to be friends with the thrush.

ENGLISH AESOP: The latest new fables are Juno and the Peacock and The He and She Goats. (Plus, there's an English "fable of the day" each day, too.)

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Book is Bruns' Latin Reader, a 19th-century Latin reader with about 70 pages of easy Latin reading, mostly in Roman history.

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS: Widgets available at SchoolhouseWidgets.com.

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Virtus vincit invidiam (English: Excellence overcomes envy).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Volentem bovem ducito (English: Lead the ox that is willing).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Dulcior est fructus, post multa pericula ductus (English: The fruit is sweeter when it has been obtained by many perils).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Num custos fratris mei sum? (Genesis 4:9). 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: Echinus partum procrastinat, vel cuncatur: A proverbe applied unto hem that delayeth a matter to his owne payne and trouble.

For an image today, here is the fox playing dead, 439. Corvus et Vulpes Mortem Simulans. Esuriens vulpes, ut aliquam simplicem avem fallere posset, abiecit se in viam, quasi mortua esset, ne vererentur illae advolare ad se. Corvus autem intuitus illam diligentius, spirare vulpem animadvertit. Itaque circumvolitans, “Non meus,” inquit, “oculus minus est subdolus quam cor tuum.” Fabula proverbii sententiam innuit, quo dicitur: furem esse furi manifestum, et lupum lupo. (source - easy version).