Saturday, February 16, 2013

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: February 16

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. In addition to a free PDF copy of Brevissima: 1001 Tiny Latin Poems, you can also get a free PDF copy of Mille Fabulae et Una: 1001 Aesop's Fables in Latin. If you prefer the heft of a book in your hand, you can get the books in printed form from Lulu.com.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem quartum decimum Kalendas Martias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Hylas and the Nymphs; you can also see the legends for the current week listed together here.


TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word motto is Fac aut tace (English: Do, or be silent).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Contra stimulum calcas (English: You're kicking again the prick of the spur).

RHYMING PROVERBS: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Saepe natatores submerguntur meliores (English: Often swimmers drown, even the best ones).

VULGATE VERSES: Today's verse is Qui ambulat in tenebris, nescit quo vadat (John 12:35). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Graculo cum fidibus nihil: The Jaye hath nought to doe with the harpe, spoken of them which lacking eloquence or good letters, do skorne them that have good learning.

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Amat Victoria Curam. Click here for a full-sized view; the poem has a vocabulary list and an English translation, too.


And here is today's proverbial lolcat:


TODAY'S FABLES AND SONGS:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Equus Circensis Molae Iugatus, the sad story of broken-down racehorse (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Ursus et Amici Duo, a fable about false friendship.

Ursus et Amici Duo

GreekLOLz - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my GreekLOLz; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: Ἄλλοι μὲν σπείρουσι, ἄλλοι δ᾽ ἀμήσονται. Alii serunt, alii metent. There are those who sow, others who will reap.