Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 19

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 Novembres.

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 MOTTOES: Today's tiny motto is: Virtute quies (English: By means of virtue, repose).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Musica donum dei (English: Music is a gift of God)

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Maximae divitiae non desiderare divitias (English: The greatest wealth is not to desire wealth). 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: Sero in periclis est consilium quaerere. It is too late to seek advice in the midst of dangers (English: It is too late to seek advice in the midst of dangers).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Midas auriculas asini (English: Midas has the ears of a donkey; from Adagia 1.3.67... alluding to the story of Midas and his barber).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Nemo timendo ad summum pervenit locum.

No one ever reached the top by being afraid.

Patientia vincit omnia.

Patience overcomes all things.

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Delphinus et Pisciculus, in which there is nothing nice about the dolphine (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Ursus et Apes, a story about the dangers of having a bad temper.

I keep forgetting to include this fun article that Kate Gladstone shared with me: The Strange Victorian Computer That Generated Latin Verse.

And some of you might also recall a strange "device" for generating Latin verse that I shared here a few years ago: Steganometrographia.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 16

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. If you are a Pinterest user, you might enjoy following the Bestiaria Latina at Pinterest, and there is also a LatinLOLCat Board. I've recently started a Board for the Distich Poems.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem septimum decimum Kalendas Novembres.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY PROVERBS: Today's tiny proverb is: Veritas elucescit (English: Truth is enlightening).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is In arduis fortis (English: Bold in facing challenges).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Non faciunt meliorem equum aurei freni (English: Golden reins do not make a better horse).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Loquela tua te manifestum facit (English: Your speech reveals you plainly).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Glaucus poto melle resurrexit (English: Glaucus, having drunk the honey, came back to life; from Adagia 2.8.32 ... This refers to the legend that Glaucus, son of King Minos, fell into a jar of honey and died, but was then revived by a seer).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἐχῖνος τὸν τόκον ἀναβάλλει (English: The hedgehog puts off giving birth... but this is not a good idea: the baby hedgehogs get more and more prickly with each passing day).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Alit aemulatio ingenia.

Rivalry nourishes talent.

Ex vitio alterius sapiens emendat suum.

A wise person corrects their own failings by observing the failings of others.

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ciconia et Uxor Eius , a medieval fable of domestic violence.

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Aquila et Testudo, a story about a reckless tortoise (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Latin Fables Read by Justin Slocum Bailey. Here is today's audio fable: Vulpes et Statua, with links to the audio and to the blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 13

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 tertium Idus Octobres.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY MOTTOES: Today's tiny motto is: Tandem tranquillus (English: At last, tranquil).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Dubium sapientiae initium (English: Doubt is the beginning of wisdom)

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Gallus in sterquilinio suo plurimum potest (English: The rooster can do plenty in his own dungheap). 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: Deliberandum est saepe, statuendum est semel (English: Think about something often; make your decision once).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Mustelae crocoton (English: Like a wedding dress for a weasel; from Adagia 1.2.72 ... given that the mustela was the proverbial old maid, she has no need of a wedding dress).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Ut Mater, Sic Filia. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Alit lectio ingenium.

Reading nourishes talent.

Inertia indicatur, cum fugitur labor.

When you avoid work, it means you are lazy.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Graculus et Avarus, the story of a miserly man and a greedy bird.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Crocodilus et Canis, in which the crocodile is, of course, being sneaky (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Growth Mindset Memes. For more about this growth cat, see this blog post. Initium rerum gestarum desiderium est. Desire is the start of your accomplishments.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 10

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. If you are looking for free copies of my books, you can find links to all of them here: Fables, Proverbs and Distichs — Free PDFs.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem sextum Idus Octobres.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word motto is Perseverantia palmam obtinebit (English: Persistence will obtain the palm of victory).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Numquam satis discitur (English: There is never an end of learning).

RHYMING PROVERBS: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Omne quod est nimium, vertitur in vitium (English: Everything in excess turns into a vice).

VULGATE VERSES: Today's verse is Mutare potest pardus varietates suas? (Jer. 13:23). 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: In vino veritas: In wine is trouth. Verely large drinking and especiallie of wine taketh alwaye the cloke and dissimulation of mans minde, and what so ever lieth hidde in the brest, it bringeth to lighte. Furthermore Plinie a great learned man writeth, that wine so much bewrayeth the secretes of the mind, that there have been men, which in theyr large and mery drinkinge have uttered theyr owne bane and destruction. Our common Proverbe agreeth here unto whiche saieth, Children, drunkers, and fooles can not lye.

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Amor mentes nectit.

Love entwines minds.

Fatetur facinus is, qui iudicium fugit.

Someone who flees the trial confesses his crime.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Canis et Umbra, a famous fable about how appearances can be deceiving.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ursus et Apes, a story about controlling your temper (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: Ἄλλο γλαῦξ, ἄλλο κορώνη φθέγγεται. Aliud noctua, aliud cornix sonat. The owl makes one sound, the crow another.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 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 are a Pinterest user, you might enjoy following the Bestiaria Latina at Pinterest, and there is also a LatinLOLCat Board. I've recently started a Board for the Distich Poems.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): Nonae Octobres, the Nones of October.

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

TINY PROVERBS: Today's tiny proverb is: Occasionem cognosce (English: Recognize the right moment).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Auctor ego audendi (English: I am the author of my own daring).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Frenis saepe repugnat equus (English: The horse often fights back against the reins).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Alius est qui seminat, et alius qui metit (English: It is one who sows, and another who reaps).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Stultior Morycho (English: More stupid than Morychus; from Adagia 2.9.1 - Morychus was a proverbial fool, someone who neglects what he needs to do at home, while wasting his time elsewhere).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἐχθρῶν ἄδωρα δῶρα (English: Gifts from enemies are not gifts).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Fortunae cetera mando.

I leave the rest to Lady Luck.

Frangit inertia vires.

Laziness saps your strength.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Gallus et Ancillae, a fable of unintended consequences.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Luna et Mater, a story of the ever-changing moon and her mother (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Words from Mythology. For more about the goddess HARMONIA and HARMONY, see this blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: October 4

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 Nonas Octobres.

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

TODAY'S MOTTOES and PROVERBS:

TINY MOTTOES: Today's tiny motto is: Non frustra (English: Not in vain).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Tempus optimus iudex (English: Time is the best judge)

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Stulti est compedes, licet aureas, amare (English: It is for a fool to love fetters, even though they be golden). 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: Vincere est honestum, opprimere acerbum, pulchrum ignoscere (English: It is admirable to defeat your enemy, harsh to crush him, and a fine thing to forgive).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Asinus esuriens fustem negligit (English: The hungry donkey ignores a beating; from Adagia 2.7.48).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Omnis est rex in domo sua.

Each man is king in his own home.

Caelestia sequor.

I pursue heavenly things.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Pavo et Grus, a debate about beauty.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Leo Iratus et Puteus, the story of a lion who is his own worst enemy (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Freebookapalooza: Classics. Here is today's free book online: A Wonder Book by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which contains the stories of King Midas and of Perseus, among others. The illustration is by Walter Crane: