Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: January 24

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - 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 (Roman Calendar): ante diem nonum Kalendas Februarias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows The Flight of Aeneas, and there are more images here.

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY MOTTOES: Today's tiny motto is: Veritas superabit (English: The truth will triumph).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Scientia sol mentis (English: Knowledge is the sun of the mind)

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Optimus magister bonus liber (English: The best teacher is a good book). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Ars multa vulpi, ast una echino maxima (English: The fox has many a trick, but the hedgehog has just one big trick; from Adagia 1.5.18; see Wikipedia for more about this proverbial animal pair).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Nosce Teipsum. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Libros lege; quae legeris, memento.

Read books; what you read, remember.

Post tenebras, lux.

After the darkness, light.

TODAY'S FABLES:

PHAEDRI FABULAE: The illustrated fable from Phaedrus for today is Pavo ad Iunonem, a story about being who you are, and not someone else: Latin text and Smart's translation.

From a 1701 Phaedrus:

STEINHOWEL: The illustrated fable from Steinhowel for today is De leone et pastore , a story often known by the title of Androcles and the Lion: Latin text and English versions.

From a 1485 Aesop:

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: January 19

Salvete, lectores! I took a long and unexpected hiatus here, but I'm going to try to start posting here again, once or twice a week, my hectic life permitting. So, here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - 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 (Roman Calendar): ante diem quartum decimum Kalendas Februarias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Orestes and the Furies, and there are more images here.

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY PROVERBS: Today's tiny proverb is: Varietas delectat (English: Variety is pleasing).

PUBLILIUS SYRUS: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Malefacere qui vult, numquam non causam invenit (English: Someone who wants to do wrong never fails to find a reason).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Theagenis plurimae pecuniae (English: The great wealth of Theagenes; from Adagia 2.9.6, and it's an ironic proverb: Theagenes was a poor man who boasted about having lots of money, hidden away somewhere).

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Flamma fumo est proxima: The flame is next to the smoke. This Proverbe teachethe us, that perill and daunger ought in time to be fledde, and that he whiche would eschue evill, must first eschue the occasion of evill, accordinge to our English Proverbe. He that wil no hurt do, must do nothinge that long there to. As for exemple, he that woulde not be evill corupted, let him absteine from the companie of naughtie personnes, he that will not lye with hoores, let him absteine from kissinges and other wanton interteinmentes.

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Scientia Quae Optima. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Scientia maximum vitae decus.

Knowledge is the greatest honor in life.

Surgite; lumen adest.

Get up: it's light.

TODAY'S FABLES:

PHAEDRI FABULAE: The illustrated fable from Phaedrus for today is Arbores et Dei, a story about the gods and their favorite trees: Latin text and Smart's translation.

STEINHOWEL: The illustrated fable from Steinhowel for today is De rana et bove, a story about a self-important frog: Latin text and English versions.

And here's another wonderful Latin LOLBaby: Amicum proba, probatum ama.