Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: February 7

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. If you have not downloaded a free PDF copy of Brevissima: 1001 Tiny Latin Poems, it's ready and waiting, and so is Mille Fabulae et Una: 1001 Aesop's Fables in Latin.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem septimum Idus Februarias.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY PROVERBS: Today's tiny proverb is: Lucernam olet (English: It stinks of the lamp. This is something like "burning the midnight oil," producing work in haste, at the last minute, of poor quality, just like the kind of writing students do when they pull an "all-nighter" - the Romans would say the result "stinks of the lamp").

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Post mala prudentior (English: Wiser after misfortune).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Vivis piscibus aqua, mortuis vinum (English: Water for the living fish, and wine for the dead ones).

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

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Porro a Iove atque fulmine (English: Far from Jupiter, and from his lightning bolt - in other words, far from the high and the mighty; from Adagia 1.3.96).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Σίδηρον πλεῖν διδάσκεις (English: You're trying to teach iron to swim).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Musca et Quadrigae, the story of a boastful fly.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ollae Duae, the story of an ill-conceived friendship between two mismatched pots (this fable has a vocabulary list).

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: Ἄκρον λάβε καὶ μέσον ἕξεις. Ut obtineas medium summum cape. Reach for the top and you'll have the middle.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: February 5

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 octavum Idus Februarias.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY MOTTOES: Today's tiny motto is: Sperandum (English: We must have hope).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Res forma fugax (English: Beauty is a thing that is fleeting)

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Arcum nimia frangit intensio (English: Too much tension breaks the bow). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

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).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Non curat numerum lupus (English: The wolf doesn't care about the number of flock; from Adagia 2.4.99 - in other words, counting your sheep is no protection against the wolf!).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Qui Petit Immeritum. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Platanus et Viatores, the story of a tree that can't get any respect (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Hercules et Rusticus, a story about how the god helps him who helps himself.

 

Greek Bible Art - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my Greek Bible Art graphics; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: κατέβη δὲ ἡ θυγάτηρ Φαραω. Ecce descendebat filia Pharaonis. The daughter of Pharaoh came down.

Greek proverb: ἄλλοι δ᾽ ἀμήσονται

Here's a saying from Apostolius, C2.24, with a Latin version from Clavis Homerica. The image is from Marcel Douwe Dekker at Flickr. Here are some more Apostolius proverbs.

Ἄλλοι μὲν σπείρουσι, ἄλλοι δ᾽ ἀμήσονται.
Alii serunt, alii metent.
There are those who sow, others who will reap.

Erasmus provides this Latin rendering: Alius sementem fecit, alius messem.
He comments: in eos, qui aliena possident quiue ex alienis laboribus sibi gloriam comparant - for those who take other people's things or who get glory for themselves from other people's hard work.

Greek proverb: Ἀετὸν κορώνη

Here's a saying from Apostolius, C1.42, with a Latin version from Clavis Homerica. The image is from bensons at Flickr. Here are some more Apostolius proverbs.

Ἀετὸν κορώνη ἐρεσχελεῖ.
Aquilam cornix lacessit.
The crow is taunting the eagle.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: February 3

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm sure people are aware of the great Logeion website; now there is an iOS Logeion app, too!

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem tertium Nonas Februarias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Philemon and Baucis; 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 Vigilantia non cadet (English: Watchfulness will not fail).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Qui legit, intellegat (English: Let him who reads understand).

RHYMING PROVERBS: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Omnia Mors tollit, quam nulla potentia mollit (English: Death, which no power can mollify, takes away everything).

VULGATE VERSES: Today's verse is Ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum (Matt. 6:21). 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 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.

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Dis Superis Par. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Feles, Mus, et Caseus, a story about a cure worse than the disease (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Pater et Filii Litigantes, a story about the power of unity.

Latin Sundials. Below you will find an image of a sundial, and for detailed information about the Latin motto see this blog post: Nil Sine Nobis, "Nothing Without Us."

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: February 1

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): Kalendae Februariae, the Kalends of February.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Actaeon Attacked by His Dogs; you can also see the legends for the current week listed together here.

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

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

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Rerum Sapientia custos (English: Wisdom is the guardian of all things).

AUDIO PROVERBS: 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.

PUBLILIUS SYRUS: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Heu, quam multa paenitenda incurrunt vivendo diu (English: Oh, how many things you come to regret by living a long time).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Gallus in suo sterquilinio plurimum potest (English: The rooster can do much as he pleases on his own dungheap; from Adagia 4.4.25).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Adolescens Piger, a debate between hard work and laziness.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Vultur Convivium Faciens, the story of the vulture's birthday party (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Greek Bible Art - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my Greek Bible Art graphics; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: εὖρον αὐτὸν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν διδασκάλων. Invenerunt illum in medio doctorum. They found him in the midst of the doctors.