Friday, September 30, 2011

Round-Up: September 30

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. There are notices also at Twitter - look for Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: pridie Kalendas Octobres, the last day of September!

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 100 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 100 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Non sibi solum, "Not for oneself alone."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Aeneas et Lavinia, the story of Aeneas' marriage in Italy.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is LUMEN - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Scientia lumen vitae, "Knowledge is the light of life."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is MEUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Quidquid bene dictum est ab ullo, meum est, "Whatever has been well said by another is mine."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Mustela et Lima, the story of a fierce and foolish weasel.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Oves Timidae et Pastor, the story of a shepherd who wanted his sheep to be bold and brave.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Muscae et Equus, the story of why the flies leave the fat horse alone, and Iuvenis et Vir Senex, the story of a reckless young man and an insightful old man.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Lupus Esuriens et Nutrix, the famous story of a literal-minded wolf.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Buxtorf's Florilegium Hebraicum and Stassart's Fables .

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

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Stentore clamosior (English: Louder than Stentor - which is where we get the English word "stentorian").

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Per ardua stabilis (English: Standing steady in difficulties).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Porcellum alens, porcum habebis (English: Raising a piglet, you'll have a pig).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Spiritus ubi vult spirat (English: The spirit blows where it will).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Lemnia manu (English: By a Lemnian hand; from Adagia 2.10.44 - this refers to any especially wicked crime, referring to the women of Lemnos who murdered all the men of the island in a fit of jealous rage).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀφροδίτῃ ὗν τέθυκεν (English: He sacrificed a pig to Aphrodite... which is like mixing apples and oranges: Aphrodite did not like pigs, especially since it was a wild pig who killed her lover Adonis).

For an image today, I wanted to call your attention to the wonderful new post at the BibliOdyssey blog, The Temple of the Muses, which is an 18th-century book of mythological illustrations. Here is the fall of Icarus:

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Round-Up: September 28

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

HODIE: ante diem quartum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 94 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 94 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Qui sibi malus, nulli bonus, "Someone who is bad to himself is good for no one."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Servius Interfectus, the sad story of the death of Servius.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is VELOX - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Ne velox sis ad irascendum, "Don't be quick to get angry."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is POPULUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Populus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur, "The public wants to be deceived; therefore, let it be deceived."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Hirundo et Corvus, a debate about beauty between the swallow and the crow.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Feles, Aquila, et Sus, a story about how the sly cat was able to trick both the eagle and the sow.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Calvi Duo et Pecten, the paradox of the bald men who found a comb, and Senex et Cani Tincti, the story of the vain old man among the Spartans.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Vespertilio, Rubus, et Mergus, a story about why the bat only comes out at night, among other things.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Hazlitt's English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases and Marvin's Curiosities in Proverbs .

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

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Deus providebit (English: God will provide).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Fortuna levis dea (English: Luck is a fickle goddess)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Multae regum aures atque oculi (English: Many are the ears of kings, and their eyes). 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: Bonus vir nemo est, nisi qui bonus est omnibus (English: No one is good unless he is good to everyone).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Echinus partum differt (English: The hedgehog delays giving birth - although this is a big mistake: the baby hedgehogs get pricklier and pricklier the longer the mother waits; from Adagia 2.4.82).

For an image today, here is poor Servius: Hic rex interfectus est scelere filiae Tulliae et Tarquinii Superbi, filii eius regis, cui Servius successerat. Nam ab ipso Tarquinio interfectus est. Tullia in forum properavit, et prima coniugem regem salutavit. Cum domum redıret, aurigam super patris corpus, in via iacens, carpentum agere iussit. (source)

Monday, September 26, 2011

Round-Up: September 26

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm using Google+ a lot these days - are there any of you I should look for there?

HODIE: ante diem sextum Kalendas Octobres.

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Romuli Mors , the mysterious death of Romulus.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is MUNDUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Patria mea totus hic mundus est, "My homeland is this whole world."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is NULLUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Fortuna nulli plus quam consilium valet, "For no one is luck more powerful than planning."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Lupus Monachus, the story of an old wolf learning some new tricks.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Vulpes et Mulieres, the story of the fox who accused the women of hypocrisy, and what one of the women said in reply!

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Iactator et Aesopus, a debate between Aesop and a boastful man about what constitutes a true victory, and Iactatores Duo, Atheniensis et Thebanus, a debate about the relative merits of Theseus and Hercules.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Leo Irretitus et Vulpes, in which the fox gives the lion some good advice.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Prior's Lusus Westmonasteriensis and Lancelot's Epigrammatum Delectus.

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

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Luceo, non uro (English: I shine; I do not burn).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Ut ameris, ama (English: In order to be loved, love).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Simia est simia, etiamsi aurea gestet insignia (English: A monkey is a monkey, even if it wears gold medals).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Unus interitus est hominis et iumentorum (Ecc. 3:19). 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: Dictum ac factum: Is a proverbe signifienge all mannes diligence and laboure necessarie to the doynge or bringinge to pass of any thinge. Donatus sayeth Dictum ac factum to be a proverbiall speakinge, betokeninge celeritie and spede yn doinge or dispatchinge of a thinge.

For an image today, here is the wolf-turned-monk: 100. Lupus Monachus. Lupus, in senium deductus, cum non amplius venari posset, sese religioni addixit, sumptoque monachi habitu, cibum ostiatim mendicabat. Reprehensus ab alio lupo, “Quid vis,” inquit, “faciam? Dentes deciderunt, currere non valeo, quare aliter vivere posse diffido.” (source - easy version)

[wolf_reading.gif]

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Round-Up: September 24

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. There are notices also at Twitter - look for Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem octavum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 87 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 87 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Cum dixeris quod vis, audies quod non vis, "When you say what you want, you will hear what you don't want."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Tarpeia, the story of Tarpeia from whom the Tarpeian Rock gets its name!

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is SOLUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Solus non est quem diligant dii, "He whom the gods love is not alone."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is PLUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Vincere cor proprium plus est quam vincere mundum, "To conquer one's own mind is greater than conquering the world."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Taurus et Culex, a funny little story about a self-important gnat.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ranae Duae et Puteus, the story of two frogs who are looking for a new home.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Alexander et Lacedaemonii, a story about Alexander claiming to be a god, and Annon et Aves, a hilarious story about an otherwise unknown man named Annon who also decided he would be a god.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Asinus Animalia Fugans et Leo, a story about the partnership between the donkey and the lion.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Dodd's Epigrammatists and Hieroglyphics of Horapollo Nilous.

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

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Experto credite (English: Trust someone with experience).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Virtutis praemium felicitas (English: Happiness is the reward of excellence).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Equo currenti non opus calcaribus (English: There's no need to spur a running horse).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Hilarem datorem diligit deus (English: God loves someone who gives cheerfully).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Stupidior Praxillae Adonide (English: More stupid than the Adonis of Praxilla; from Adagia 2.9.11 - This refers to a poetess Praxilla who wrote a poem about Adonis in which Adonis foolishly said that the most beautiful things in the world were the sun, apples, and pumpkins; including pumpkins in that list made Adonis look so foolish that he became a byword for foolishness).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Χελώην Πεγάσῳ συγκρίνεις (English: You're comparing a tortoise to Pegasus - like apples and oranges, but this time it's a slow tortoise and the air-borne Pegasus).

For an image today, Here is a Republic Roman coin showing Tarpeia being crushed by the shields of the Sabines: Populi illi, quorum virgines raptae erant, bellum adversus raptores susceperunt. Cum Romae appropinquarent, forte in Tarpeiam virginem inciderunt, quae in arce sacra procurabat. Hanc rogabant, ut viam in arcem monstraret, eique permiserunt ut munus sibi posceret. Illa petiit ut sibi darent quod in sinistris manibus gererent, annulos aureos et armillas significans. At hostes in arcem ab ea perducti scutis Tarpeiam obruerunt; nam et ea in sinistris manibus gerebant. (source)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Round-Up: September 21

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

HODIE: ante diem undecimum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 81 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 81 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Omnes terra sumus, "We all are earth."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Lupa et Pastor, the story of the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is BELLUM - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Habet et bellum suas leges, "Even war has its own laws."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is DOMINUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit, "The Lord has given; the Lord has taken away."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Formica Alata, the story of the foolish ant who wanted to fly.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Anguis et Milvus, the story of a greedy kite and an angry snake.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Zoilus, a witty indictment of the archetypal critic, Zoilus, and Avarus et Leo Aureus, the sad plight of the greedy man and the lion of gold.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Leo et Tauri, a fable about the strategy of "divide and conquer."

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Liburnius' Divini Platonis Gnomologia and Caussin's De Symbolica AEgyptiorum Aapientia .

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

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Meliora speranda (English: Better things are to be hoped for).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Nulla salus bello (English: There is no safety in war)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Mus satur insipidam diiudicat esse farinam (English: The mouse, when full, considers the flour insipid). 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: Incertus animus dimidium est sapientiae (English: A mind that doubts is halfway to wisdom).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Multi qui boves stimulent, pauci aratores (English: Many are those who drive the oxen, but few are the real ploughmen; from Adagia 1.7.9).

For an image today, here is that greedy kite: 621. Anguis et Milvus. Milvus raptum anguem, in altum volans, ferebat. At ille, repente conversus ipsumque morsu feriens, illico interfecit. Quapropter anguis morienti milvo aiebat, “Quid tam stultus fuisti ut eos laedere ac ad mortem rapere velles, qui nullam tibi iniuriam intulere? En ut merito eadem refers quae mihi facere parabas.” (source - easy version)

Corvus et Serpens

Monday, September 19, 2011

Round-Up: September 19

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm using Google+ a lot these days - are there any of you I should look for there?

HODIE: ante diem tertium decimum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 64 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 64 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Quod vis videri, esto, "Be that which you wish to seem to be!"

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Gemini Filii, a story about the birth of Romulus and Remus.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is VIR - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Qualis avis, talis cantus; qualis vir, talis oratio, "As the bird, so the song; as the man, so his speech."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is AMOR - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Amor magister est optimus, "Love is the best teacher."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Asinus Leoni Cantans, a funny little story about a self-confident donkey.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Mercurius, Homo, et Formicae , one of my favorite fables - the the story of a god, some ants, and a hypocritical human being.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Avarus Agros Custodiens, a great fable about generosity and prosperity, and Avarus, Ignis Repertor, a story about the paradoxical and painful nature of greed.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Membra et Venter, a story recorded by Livy made famous by its use by Shakespeare in Coriolanus.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Horapollinis Hieroglyphica Graece et Latine and L'Estrange's Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists .

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

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Vulneror, non vincor (English: I am wounded, not defeated).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Caritas omnia potest (English: Love can do all things).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Disce, quid es, quid eris: memor esto, quod morieris (English: Learn what you are, and what you will be: remember that you will die).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Spiritus quidem promptus; caro vero infirma (Mark 14:38). 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: Veritas simplex oratio: Trouthes tale is simple, he that meaneth good faith, goeth not about to glose his communicacion with painted wordes. Plaine and homely men call a figge, a figge, and a spade a spade. Rhetorike and coloringe of spech, proved manye times a mans matter to be naught.

Today's image is for the famous fable of the belly and the members, 751. Membra et Venter. Membra quondam dicebant ventri, “Nosne te semper ministerio nostro alemus, dum tu summo otio frueris? Hoc non diutius faciemus.” Dum igitur ventri cibum subducunt, corpus debilitatum est, et membra sero invidiae suae paenituit. (source)

Membra et Venter

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Sir Roger L'Estrange, Aesop, and the Public Sphere

This is another of those "special editions" at the Bestiaria - but don't worry: the regular "Round-Up" will return tomorrow, I promise. :-)

Thanks to a video that Howard Rheingold published last week - Why the History of the Public Sphere Matters in the Internet Age (YouTube, 13 minutes; see below) - I've decided to collect some notes here about Sir Roger L'Estrange. In that video (well worth listening to!), Rheingold urges us to study the history of public discourse, especially in 17th-century England, in order to learn what printing, the revolutionary technology of that era, can teach us about the Internet, democracy, and the public sphere in our own day.

Career of Roger L'Estrange. I was intrigued by Rheingold's remarks because one of the central figures in public discourse in 17th-century England was Sir Roger L'Estrange, someone well known to me because he is the author of what is still the single greatest compilation of Aesop's fables in English, a mighty volume entitled Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists, which L'Estrange published in 1692. Most people today, however, do not know L'Estrange as the author of this book of fables. Instead, they know him as a notorious spy for the Royalists in the English Civil War (he was sentenced to death for his role in the Lynn conspiracy of 1644, although he escaped from Newgate Prison and fled to Holland). Later, after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, L'Estrange became known as the "Bloodhound of the Press," suppressing sedition and dissent in his appointments both as Surveyor of the Imprimery and also as Licenser of the Press. He was knighted by King James II in 1685, largely in recognition of his role in exposing the so-called Popish Plot (see the books below: The History of the Plot and A Further Discovery of the Plot). As a member of the Tory faction that favored James II's succession, L'Estrange was elected to Parliament in that same year. Yet even though he was a staunch Tory, L'Estrange's rabid anti-Catholicism led him to fall out of royal favor rather quickly, whereupon he retired from public life and devoted himself to writing. It is during this time that he penned his massive collection of Aesop's fables, among many other works, and I have listed below the books by L'Estrange which are now freely available via Google Books and the Internet Archive. Whatever you might think of his politics, L'Estrange ranks as one of the most lively masters of prose in 17th-century England, and his hyperbolic, racy style is quite astounding. I wish our political discourse today were as witty and well written!

L'Estrange and Aesop. L'Estrange's interest in Aesop's fables might seem surprising, given that nowadays we associate Aesop's fables with children's literature, but that was certainly not the case for the way Aesop's fables had been used for the two thousand years preceding L'Estrange's own edition of Aesop in 1692. Since their very beginning in the oral traditions of ancient Greece, Aesop's fables were stories told for political purposes. As such, the fables were a contested space, being appropriated by a whole range of speakers, including both slaves and their masters in ancient times. The oldest surviving collection of Aesop's fables, for example, is a collection of verse fables composed by Phaedrus, a freed slave in the household of the Emperor Augustus. Aesop himself, according to the legendary Life of Aesop, started out life as a slave - and quite an "uppity" slave at that. Yet while many of the fables advocate personal freedom and popular liberty, there are also numerous fables that defend the institution of slavery, conservatively insisting on an anti-egalitarian status quo. So too in L'Estrange's day, when both democrats and monarchists wielded the fables in defense of their claims.

The Politics of the Fables. When L'Estrange decided to compose his own book of fables in English, he resolved that his collection would be more complete and comprehensive than any assembled in English before, containing all the fables known from ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the contributions of Renaissance fabulists such as the brilliant Abstemius, whose anti-ecclesiastical fables no doubt delighted L'Estrange. Yet this comprehensive approach to the fables presented L'Estrange with a serious dilemma: what was he going to do about all those populist and anti-royalist fables? In particular, Aesop's lion-king is often a brutal tyrant, someone not just to be feared, but resisted and even deposed. The famous fable of the "lion's share," to take just one example, is a sharp attack on the greed of kings (see my brief essay linked below: The Lion’s Share in Roger L’Estrange). Yet L'Estrange was not deterred by these potential problems. Rather than omitting the rebellious fables, he massaged their dangerous implications by adding copious "Reflections" to each fable, a kind of secular sermon in which he always managed to bring things around to his point of view, sometimes writing page after page of commentary on a fable that was itself only a few sentences in length.

Digital Resources. This then brings me to the main point I would like to make in these remarks, a kind of corollary to Howard Rheingold's comments on the study of history and the public sphere today. Rather than providing a list of further examples of L'Estrange's twisting of the fables for his own purposes, I can invite you to take a look for yourself! Thanks to the open resources of Google Books and the Internet Archive, you can read any and all of L'Estrange's fables for yourself, along with many other works printed during his lifetime and reprinted after his death. Take a look below for the astounding numbers of books and pamphlets by Sir Roger L'Estrange available via Google Books and the Internet Archive. For me, as a sometime scholar and voracious reader, the digitization of books in the public domain is a crucial element in the ongoing Internet Revolution, and it is a project that we need to defend vigorously (e.g. express your support of the Hathi Trust!).

DIY Scholarship. So, if you want to heed Howard Rheingold's advice to learn something about history, you can indeed do that for yourselves, accessing primary sources freely online. Admittedly, this is only a partial picture: L'Estrange, after all, was one of the people who dominated the English press in the 17th century, using it for his own purposes while viciously suppressing the efforts of dissenters to use the press for their counter-purposes. Yet this is the challenge that we always face in historical investigations: the documentary picture is partial at best, and it is up to us to use our discerning powers and critical acumen to imagine a bigger picture, based on the evidence available. Thanks to Google Books and the Internet Archive, we have a lot of evidence to work with, and no longer are these books locked away in university libraries where only a few privileged scholars could gain access to them. As always, I say THANK YOU to the people making Google Books and the Internet Archive possible. These projects have completely changed my own life as a scholar and I encourage you to browse these treasure-troves on your own, just to see what you can find of interest!

L'Estrange at Google Books and the Internet Archive

An Alphabetical Key to Hudibras (in The Posthumous Works of Mr. Samuel Butler), by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1754).

An Answer to the Appeal from the Country to the City, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1679).

The Cast Put Concerning the Succession of His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1679).

Citt and Bumpkin in a Dialogue Over a Pot of Ale, Concerning Matters of Religion and Government, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1680).

The Dissenters Sayings Publishing in Their own Words
, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1705).

Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists, translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1738; the Fables were first published in 1692 as two separate volumes - Volume 1 and Volume 2. Rather oddly, L'Estrange's fables provide the text for the Everyman's Children's Library edition of Aesop, as if children are ready to read L'Estrange's 17th-century prose! Be warned also that this modern edition stops at the corpus of classical fables and does not include the hundreds of other fables that L'Estrange selected from Abstemius, Poggio Bracciolini and other later Latin writers. Still, the Everyman book is good fun - it's actually how I first became acquainted with L'Etrange, stumbling across the book quite by accident many years ago. Find out more at Amazon.com.)

A Further Discovery of the Plot, Drawn from the Narrative and Depositions of Dr. Titus Oates
, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1678).

The History of the Plot [of Edward Coleman and others], by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1679).

A Memento Treating of the Rise, Progress, and Remedies of Seditions, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1682).

News from New-England, being a True and last Account of the present Bloody Wars carried on betwixt the Infidels, Natives and the English Christians, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1850).

A Seasonable Memorial in some Historical Notes upon the Liberties of the Presse and Pulpit, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1681).

Select Colloquies out of Erasmus Roterodamus, translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1689).

Seneca's Morals
, translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1718).

The State and Interest of the Nation, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1680).

Toleration Discuss'd in Two Dialogues, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1670).

Tully's Offices, translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1720).

Two Cases Submitted to Consideration, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1709).

Tyranny and Popery, by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1680).

The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo, translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange (1696).

Other Online Resources

The Lion’s Share in Roger L’Estrange by Laura Gibbs, in Journey to the Sea (August 15 2009)

Strange's Case, Strangly Altered, a broadside satire of 1680 (at the British Museum)

Below is John Michael Wright's portrait of Sir Roger L'Estrange, now in the National Portrait Gallery in London:





Saturday, September 17, 2011

Round-Up: September 17

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. There are notices also at Twitter - look for Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: ante diem quintum decimum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 57 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 57 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Non possunt primi esse omnes omni in tempore, "We cannot all be first all the time."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Virgines Sabinae, the story of the rape of the Sabine women.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is DOMUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Domus divisa contra se non stabit, "A house divided against itself will not stand."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is VERBUM - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Non opus est verbis; credite rebus, "There is no need of words; put your trust in the things."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Olores et Anseres, the story about the fat geese and their friends, the swans.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Pater, Filius, et Asinus, the hilarious story of the father and his son with their donkey as they try to make their way to the market.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Avarus Moriens et Amici Eius, the somber thoughts of a miser on his deathbed, and Divitiae Regis, a medieval version of the fabled "sword of Damocles."

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Mus, Catus, et Gallus, a story about how appearances can be deceiving.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Sandys: History of Classical Scholarship - Volume 1 and Volume 2.

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

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Deus avertat (English: May God turn it aside - compare the English phrase "God forbid!").

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

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is In cavea non canit luscinia (English: In a cage, the nightingale does not sing).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Cum sancto sanctus eris, cum perverso perverteris (English: With the holy man you will be holy; with the wicked man you will be wicked).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Iovem lapidem iurare (English: To swear by the stone of Jupiter; from Adagia 2.6.33 - this was an especially solemn oath, to be sworn only in matters of great seriousness).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ σὺ ταυτὸν ἕλκομεν ζυγόν (English: You and I are dragging the same yoke).

For an image today, here is the story of the Sabine women: Romulus, aegritudinem animi dissimulans, ludos parat; indici deinde finitimis spectaculum iubet. Multi convenere, studio videndae novae urbis; maxime Sabini cum liberis et coniugibus. Ubi spectaculi tempus venit, eique deditae mentes cum oculis erant, tum, dato signo, virgines raptae sunt; quae fuit statim causa bellorum. (source)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Round-Up: September 15

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

HODIE: ante diem septimum decimum Kalendas Octobres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 46 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 46 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Deus omnia non dat omnibus, "God does not give all things to all people."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Romulus Silvius et Fulmen, the story of how one of the ancient kings of Rome was struck by lightning.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is URBS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes, "Divine nature has given us the fields; human skill built the cities."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is CREDO - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Quod volumus, facile credimus, "That which we want, we readily believe."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Muli et Latrones, the story of a wealthy mule and his humble companion attacked by robbers.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Milvus, Rex Electus, the story of the foolish chicks who elected the kite as their king.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Dives et Lyra Eius, the story of the rich man and his fancy lyre, and Gulosus et Olla Pretiosa, a story about an ancient gourmand.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Haedus et Lupus Fores Pulsans, the story of a wise little kid and a dangerous wolf.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Fuller's Gnomologia and Morgan's Macaronic Poetry .

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

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is: Altiora spero (English: I hope for higher things).

3-Word Proverbs Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Tempus rerum imperator (English: Time is the ruler of things)

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Qualis grex, talis rex (English: As the flock, so the king). 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: Pericla timidus etiam, quae non sunt, videt (English: A fearful person sees dangers which are not even there).

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Totus echinus asper (English: The whole hedgehog is prickly; from Adagia 2.9.59).

For an image today, here is the story of that wise little kid, 328. Haedus et Lupus Fores Pulsans. Capra, cum itura esset pastum, haedum domi concludit, monens nemini aperire dum ipsa redeat. Lupus, qui procul id audiverat, post matris discessum, fores pulsat, voce caprissat, iubens recludi. Haedus, dolum praesentiens, inquit, “Non aperio, nam etsi vox caprissat, tamen equidem lupum per rimas video.” (source)

Haedus et Lupus

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Round-Up: September 13

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm using Google+ a lot these days - are there any of you I should look for there?

HODIE: Idus Septembres, the Ides of September.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 37 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 37 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Non sibi, sed omnibus, "Not for oneself, but for all."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Fabricius and Pyrrhus, a story of honor among enemies.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is NOSTER - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Invicem onera nostra portemus, "Let us carry our burdens by taking turns."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is QUISQUE - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Unusquisque facere se beatum potest, "Each person has the power to make himself happy."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Muli et Latrones, a great story about the dangers of extravagant wealth!

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Minerva et Olea, a story about the gods and their favorite trees.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Opulentus et Pauper Frigore Afflicti, which features the witty rebuke of a poor man to a rich man complaining of the cold, and Ciconia et Catus, a wonderful story about a stork who is impervious to both the flattery and also the insults of a cat.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Ranae et Puer, in which the frogs rebuke a boy for the dangerous game he is playing.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Epitoma Vaticana ex Apollodori Bibliotheca and Sandys' Specimens of Macaronic Poetry.

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

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Cautus semper viret (English: The cautious man always flourishes).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is ersonas gerimus fictas (English: We wear counterfeit masks).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Ars compensabit, quod vis tibi parva negabit (English: Talent will make up for what your slight strength denies you).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Nolite iudicare, et non iudicabimini (Luke 6:37). 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: Pecuniae obediunt omnia: Unto money be all thinges obedient. This Proverbe was never better verified than at this daye amonges Christen men, whiche nevertheles by theyr profession, ought to despise worldly goodes.

Today's image is goes with the story of the boy and the frogs, 606. Ranae et Puer. Lascivus puer, ad stagnum conspicatus ranas exerentes capitula de aquis, per lusum saxis illas appetebat deque illis iugulabat multas. Tum una, “Iste quidem puer,” inquit, “ut videtis, ludit; nostrae autem sorores moriuntur.” (source - note that the image is for a version of the story about a boy and his companions)

Pueri et Ranae

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Round-Up: September 11

Welcome to a new item in the round-up! Since I don't have time to keep adding to the Scala during the school year, I am revisiting those sayings and proverbs in order by Diederich Frequency Ranking, starting with the most common words. So, as you will see below, today I've got a list of proverbs that go up to item #24 on Diederich's frequency list. I hope this will be a good way for me to keep the Scala alive until next summer when I have some time to really devote to that!

HODIE: ante diem tertium Idus Septembres.

SCALA SAPIENTIAE: Today you can find sayings that go up to Diederich frequency ranking 24 - so the proverbs contain nothing but words found among the 24 most commonly used words in Latin. Here is one of the items in today's list: Non omnia possumus omnes, "We can't all do everything."

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Euripides, which tells about Euripides' rebuke to his would-be critics!

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is TEMPUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Tempus omnia sanat, "Time heals all things" (compare the English proverb, "Time heals all wounds").

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Castor et Venator, the bizarre natural history legend about the beaver's extreme strategy for self-preservation.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Culex et Taurus, the story of the little gnat who challenged the bit bull to a fight.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Latrunculorum Ludus, the parable of the chess game, and Sirpiculi et Ranae, an environmental fable about some frogs and the bulrushes in which they reside.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Iuppiter et Bubulcus, the funny little story about the cowherd who lost a calf and then regretted asking Jupiter to help him find it.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Staveren's Auctores Mythographi Latini and Wright's Selection of Latin Stories .

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

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Iracundiam rege (English: Control your anger).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Cito, tuto, iucunde (English: Swiftly, safely, and happily).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Noli numerare pullos antequam nascuntur (English: Don't count your chickens before they are born).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Fuimus Troes (English: We once were Trojans, those sad words from Vergil's Aeneid 2).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Charetis pollicitationes (English: The promises of Chares; from Adagia 2.6.84 - Chares was an Athenian general notorious for being quick to make promises and failing to live up to them).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά (English: Those things which are worthy are difficult).

For an image today, here is the story of that hunted beaver, 191. Castor et Venator. Castor est animal in paludibus sese nutriens, cuius testiculi variis medelis utiles esse dicuntur. Itaque cum quispiam eum sequitur, venationis causam non ignorans, fugit ad speluncam ubi, ab hominum conspectu canumque odoratu securus, testes dentibus exscindit et venatoribus appropinquantibus relinquit, et hoc pacto se securum praestat. Sapiens, ut a periculis se eripiat, nihil intentatum relinquit. (source - easy version):

Castor  (1531)

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

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Round-Up: September 7

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm using Google+ a lot these days - are there any of you I should look for there?

HODIE: ante diem septimum Idus Septembres.

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Mausolus, the story of the first mausoleum.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is HOMO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Hominum mentes variae, "Various are the minds of men."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is ALIUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Fac aliis sicut tibi, "Do to others as to yourself."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Aranea et Hirundo, the story of an overly ambitious spider.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Avarus et Aureorum Sacculus, the conversation between a dying miser and his sack of money.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Platanus et Xerxes, the story of how King Xerxes fell in love with a tree, and Olea et Ficus, the story of the olive tree who foolishly mocked the fig tree, only to find out her mistake when winter came.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Mare et Agricola, the story of the farmer who accused the sea of cruelty, and how the sea defended herself against his charges.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Oesterley's Dolopathos and Bogart's Latin Vocabulary for Caesar's Gallic War.

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

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Sidus adsit amicum (English: May [my] lucky star attend me).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Cito arescit lacrima (English: A tear dries quickly).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Valde frequens haustus non est, mihi credite, faustus (English: Drinking way too much, believe me, is not good luck).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Et catelli edunt de micis quae cadunt de mensa dominorum suorum (Matt. 15:27). 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: Mulgere hircos: Spoken proverbiallye of a thinge very absurde and contrarye to reason.

For an image today, here is the story of that foolish spider! 662. Aranea et Hirundo. Aranea in hirundinem excandescens quae muscas qui suus est cibus capiebat, retia in foribus per quas volitare solebat ut hirundinem caperet suspenderat. Hirundo vero, advolans, retia cum textrice per aera portabat. Tunc aranea, in aere pendens et se iamiam perituram intellegens, “Quam iuste haec patior,” dicebat, “quae, minima volatilia magno labore vix capiens, credidi tam magnas aves posse comprehendere.” (source - easy version)

Aranea et Hirundo

Monday, September 5, 2011

Round-Up: September 5

Here is a round-up of today's blog posts - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. There are notices also at Twitter - look for Aesopus and AesopusEnglish.

HODIE: Nonae Septembres, the Nones of September.

ANECDOTE OF THE DAY: Today's anecdote is Alexander et Apelles, a story about Alexander, Apelles - and a discerning horse!

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's NEW word is SUUS - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Alterius ne sit, qui suus esse potest, "No one should belong to someone else when he can be his own person."

VERBUM WIDGET: The word from the daily widget is DEUS - which also has a brief essay at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in that essay: Dei gratia sumus quod sumus, "By the grace of God, we are what we are."

FABULAE FACILES: The NEW easy-to-read fable is Galerita Laqueo Capta, the story of a lark who did not seek riches, but who lost her life nevertheless.

FABULAE FACILES WIDGET: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ursus et Apes, the story of a bear with a very bad temper.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The NEW fables with images are Malus Exspoliata, a story about the dangers of popularity, and Ficus et Aves, a story about the rising and falling fortunes of a fig tree.

MILLE FABULAE: ILLUSTRATIONS: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Feles et Venus , the wonderful story of what happened when Venus tried turning a cat into a woman.

GOOGLE BOOKS: Today's Google Books are Hoare's English Words Derived from Latin Roots and Greenough's Vocabulary to Virgil.

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

Tiny Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Vivis sperandum (English: The living must have hope).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Vi vel suavitate (English: By force, or by sweetness).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Sunt asini multi solum bino pede fulti (English: There are many donkeys, except that they stand on two legs).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Satius est subire semel quam cavere semper (English: It's better to suffer something once than to always be on guard).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Cannacae more plorare (English: To weep like Cannacas; from Adagia 2.8.19 - Cannacas was a legendary king of Phrygia who anticipated that a great flood would destroy his country and people, so he went to the temple and wept, begging the gods to avert the flood).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Τὴν παρεοῖσαν ἄμελγε· τὶ τὸν φεύγοντα διώκεις; (English: Milk what is present; why do you pursue something that runs away?).

For an image today, here is the story of that angry bear: 133. Ursus et Apes. Ursus, ab ape ictus, tanta ira incensus est ut alvaria unguibus discerperet. Tunc autem apes universae ursum aggressae sunt aculeis et paene necaverunt. Cum vix effugisset, secum “Sane,” inquit, “melius erat unius apis tolerare aculeum quam tot in me hostes excitare iracundia mea.” (source - easy version)

Ursus et Apes