Round-Up: December 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 duodevicesimum Kalendas Ianuarias. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. It's another epigram by Owen, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual

Amentes fiunt studiosi scire studentes:
Nemo fit insanus, || qui studet esse bonus.

English: Students go crazy when they are studious to know things; no one becomes unbalanced when he studies how to be good." An elegant warning about the need to join knowledge with values, and the peril of separating the two - although I can't really figure out how to catch that Latin word play in English.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion describes Caesar's daily life in Gaul: Plerumque in curru aut lectica dormiebat simulque prouehebatur, ut ne somnus quidem otiosus esset. lnterdiu uehebatur circum castella, urbes et castra, uno assidente puero, qui, dum ipse iter faceret, dictata ab ipso exciperet scribendo, unoque a tergo milite cum gladio astante.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Qui inspuerit in agmen formicarum, huic intumescant labra (English: He who spits in the anthill gets swollen lips - kind of like "he who plays with fire will get burned," but with ants!).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

Tiny Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is just one word: Fidelitate (English: With faithfulness... we've seen some examples of single-word mottos that consist of an adverb, and this example shows how a noun in the ablative case can accomplish the same thing).

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Secundis dubiisque rectus (English: In prosperity and uncertainty, upright).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Vivamus atque amemus (English: Let us live and love, which people will recognize from Catullus 5).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Fatum immutabile (English: What is fated cannot be changed).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Panis absconditus suavior (English: Stolen bread is sweeter).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Pax armis acquiritur (English: Peace is acquired by arms).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Non vi sed iure (English: Not by might but by right). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Leonis exuvium super asinum (English: The lion skin upon the donkey - an allusion to the famous Aesop's fable, where things do not turn out well for the donkey).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Laudatur nummus, quasi rex super omnia summus (English: Cash is praised as if it were the high and mighty king of all things).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Bis interimitur, qui suis armis perit (English: Someone who dies by his own weapons dies twice over).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Iacta super dominum curam tuam, et ipse te enutriet (English: Cast your worries upon the Lord and he will sustain you).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Amici divitum multi (Proverbs 14:20). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Virum improbum vel mus mordeat (English: Even a mouse will bite a wicked man; from Adagia 1.8.96).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Thasium infundis. (English: You're pouring in wine from Thasos; from Adagia 3.2.17 - this is an ironic proverb, since instead of using water to dilute the wine as would be usual, the renowned Thasian wine is being used instead, very foolishly indeed).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, again by Conybeare: Carbone notare: To marcke with a cole. A proverbe signifieng to condemne a thinge. Sometyme to take a thing for ill lucke.

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Κρυσοῦ λαλοῦντος, πᾶς ἀπρακτείτω λόγος (English: When gold is talking, all speech is pointless - in other words, you can write letters to your Congressman, but don't expect your words to outweigh the checks written by lobbyists!).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Vulpes et Lupus, the story of what happened when the fox needed the help of the wolf.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog are: Primum Noel Cecinit Angelus, a Latin version of "The First Noel," along with O Lux beata Trinitas and also Festinarunt ad Bethlehem, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Przybieżeli do Betlejem."

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: December 14

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 undevicesimum Kalendas Ianuarias. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. This is the moral to Phaedrus's fable about how the crow, the eagle and the turtle in its shell. You can find the complete fable with a word list at NoDictionaries.com:

Contra potentes nemo est munitus satis;
si vero accessit consiliator maleficus,
vis et nequitia quicquid oppugnant, ruit.

English: "Against the powerful, no one is sufficiently protected; if, in fact, a wicked advisor has gotten involved, whatever power and wickedness attack collapses." So, in terms of the fable, it is the poor turtle who is ruined, despite the protection of her shell, defeated as she is by the power of the eagle and the wickedness of the crow.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion describes how Caesar made the best of his bad health: Verum ualetudinem Caesar non mollitiei ansam arripuit, sed expeditionibus, difficillimis itineribus, tenuitate uictus, et continua sub dio uita et aerumnosa morbum depellere et corpus sanum tueri studebat (the Latin sub dio means "under the sky," sleeping outdoors).

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's an environmental one from today: Arbores serit agricola quarum adspiciet baccam ipse numquam (English: The farmer plants trees whose fruit he himself will never see).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

2-Word Mottoes: Today's 2-word motto is: Virescit virtus (English: Excellence flourishes - although that doesn't capture the nice word play in Latin).

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Omnia pro bono (English: All things for the good - and yes, that is the same "pro bono" phrase that we still use in English today).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Virtus probata florescit (English: Excellence, having been tested, flourishes - the probata adds a new twist; not just excellence, but proven excellence).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Multa paucis (English: Many by means of a few - a saying that applies to proverbs themselves, which manage to say many things in just a few words!).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Fumus, ergo ignis (English: Smoke, therefore fire).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Par pari referto (English: Pay back like for like - and note the formation of the future imperative from referre: referto).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Ubi dolor, ibi digitus (English: Where there's pain, there's the finger.). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Fele absente, mures choreas ducunt (English: When the cat is away, the mice do a dance - notice that chorea has the meaning of dance and movement, which has become largely lost in the English word "chorus," but which survives in "choreography").

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Quid pectunt illi, quibus absunt fronte capilli? (English: What's the point of combing, when men lack hair on their foreheads?... there are many proverbs, fables and jokes about baldness in Latin).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Homo totiens moritur, quotiens amittit suos (English: You die every time you lose someone who is dear to you).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Leges bonae ex malis moribus procreantur (English: Good laws are born of bad habits).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Discite benefacere; quaerite iudicium (Isaiah 1:17). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Leonis catulum ne alas (English: Don't raise a lion cub; from Adagia 2.3.77 - of course this is good advice just taken literally, and metaphorically it can apply to anything which starts out cute and fun and soon gets completely out of control!).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Nemo bene merito bovem immolavit, praeter Pyrrhiam (English: No one except Pyrrhias has slain an ox for his benefactor; from Adagia 2.4.1 - this refers to someone who shows exceptional gratitude; Pyrrhias had rescued a man from pirates who managed to bring away some of the pirate treasure with him and shared it with Pyrrhias, for which Pyrrhias showed his gratitude by sacrificing an ox - a story recounted by Plutarch).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Camelus Bactrina: A proverbe applied where one bringeth forthe a thing to be marveled at or feared, which yn dede ys to be contemned and laughed at. (There's an Aesop's fable on this same theme, too!).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἔφυγον κακὸν ἑῦρον ἄμεινον (English: I fled something bad and found something better).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Ranae ad Solem, the story of the frogs and the wedding of the Sun.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog are: A Solis Ortus Cardine along with Jesus minimulus, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Jezus malusieńki."

For those of you reading this at the blog, here is a performance of A Solis Ortus Cardine.

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: December 13

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: Idus Decembres, the Ides of December. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. This is one of the rhyming couplets collected by Wegeler, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

O dives, dives! non omni tempore vives!
Fac bene, dum vivis, post mortem vivere si vis.

English: "O rich man, rich man! You will not live for all time! Do well, while you live, if you want to live after death."

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion describes Caesar's strengths, as well as his weaknesses: Et quidem eius in periculis adeundis audaciam eo minus admirabantur, quod proficisci ab incredibili gloriae cupiditate existimarent uerum laborum tolerantia, quos praeter uires corporis sustinebat, stupefaciebat. Nam et corporis habitu tenui fuit et alba mollique carne et capite morboso et comitiali morbo obnoxius, quod ei malum Cordubae primum accidisse dicitur.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today, a rhyming version of "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" - Non dentes cernas, si detur equus, neque spernas (English: If someone gives you a horse, don't look at its teeth, and don't turn it away).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

1-Word Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is a single adverb: Semper (English: Always).

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Fortiter et fideliter (English: Bravely and faithfully - another motto built with adverbs).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Deus adiuvat nos (English: God helps us).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Esto vigilans (English: Be watchful - note the nice use of the so-called future imperative).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Caecus amor sui (English: Love of oneself is blind - a phrase made famous by Horace).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Factum stultus cognoscit (English: A fool understands something after it's happened).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Canes timidi vehementius latrant quam mordent (English: Timid dogs bark more fiercely than they bite). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Pauperis est numerare pecus (English: It's a poor man who counts his sheep).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Disce, puer, tenero dum flos tibi floret in aevo (English: Learn, my boy, while your flower yet flourishes at a tender age - it's a weak rhyme this time, just the final "o" in tenero-aevo - but the advice is good!).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Virtutis spolia cum videt, gaudet labor (English: Hard work rejoices when it sees the rewards of virtue).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Vigilate, quia nescitis diem neque horam (English: Be watchful, for you do not know the day nor the hour).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Numquid abscondere potest homo ignem in sinu suo ut vestimenta illius non ardeant? (Proverbs 6:27). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Senex bos non lugetur (English: The old ox is not wept for; from Adagia 2.9.16).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Surdior Toronaeo portu (English: As muffled as the port of Torone; from Adagia 2.9.8 - This refers to a port that was so well protected that the waters were always still inside the port, muffled, quiet).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Aquilae senectus: A proverbe spoken of an olde man, which drincketh more than he eateth (ancient animal lore supposed that as the eagle grew older, its beak became more and more bent, making it impossible for the eagle to eat, so it lived by what it was able to drink).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Τέφραν φεύγων, εἰς ἀνθρακιὰν ἔπεσον (English: Avoiding the ashes, I felt into the embers - a variation on "out of the frying pan, into the fire").

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Senex, Filius et Asinus, the hilarious story of the man, his son, and their donkey.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog are: Gaudete, on the occasion of Gaudete Sunday, along with O Sanctissima and also Cur hodie nocte, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Dlaczego dzisiaj wśród nocy dnieje."

For those of you reading this at the blog, here's Steeleye Span's version of Gaudete.

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: December 12

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: pridie Idus Decembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. It's one of the epigrams by Owen, this time composed of two couplets, and with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

Mori incertarum rerum certissima. Cunctis,
Incertum quando, || certum aliquando mori.
Nullus ab occasu procul est homo, nullus ab ortu.
Nec tamen illius, || nec memor huius homo.

English: "To die is the most certain of uncertain things. For everyone, it is uncertain when they will die, but certain that they will die sometime. No person is far from his setting, no person is far from his rising, yet a person has no memory either of the one or the other." The metaphor of our "setting" and "rising" is from the rising and setting of the sun - of course, the sun gets to do that every day, while we get to do each but once.

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion provides two reasons for Caesar's popularity with his men: Huiusmodi autem spiritus militum et animi ardores Caesar ipse excitauit atque aluit, primum honoribus et donis largiendis, ostendens non se sui luxus aut uoluptatum causa bello diuitias parare, sed eas opes tanquam communia uirtutis praemia apud se recondi, diuitiis ad hoc tantum se uti, ut militibus pro meritis dare praemia possit; deinde quod omnibus ultro periculis se obiiciebat, et nulli labori succumbebat.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Validior vox operis quam oris (English: The voice of the doing is louder than the voice of the mouth moving... I tried to catch a bit of the Latin wordplay at least!).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

2-Word Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is another one word declaration: Labore (English: With labor).

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Silentio et spe (English: In silence and hope).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Miscui utile dulci (English: I have mixed the useful with the sweet... that makes a good motto for trying to teach Latin grammar through fables and proverbs!).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Cygnea cantio (English: The swan's song... the swan, of course, was famous for singing only at the moment of its death).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Sua cuique hora (English: To each his own time).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Aureo piscatur hamo (English: He's fishing with a hook of gold... and money is a great hook to fish with).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Si multis placuerit vita tua, tibi placere non poterit (English: If your life is pleasing to many, it won't have been pleasing to you). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Similiter spirant omnia et nihil habet homo iumento amplius (English: All things live and breathe the same, and a man has nothing more than cattle - a saying from the Bible).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Esuriens venter manducat cruda libenter (English: The hungry stomach gladly eats raw food).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Quam miserum est, ubi te captant, qui defenderent (English: How wretched it is when those who were to protect you make you prisoner!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Date et dabitur vobis, dimittite et dimittemini (English: Give and it will be given to you; forgive, and you will be forgiven).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Stultus, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat (Ecc. 10:3). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Non missura cutem, nisi plena cruoris hirudo. (English: The leech won't let go of your skin until it's full of blood; from Adagia 2.4.84 - for an Aesop's fable on a similar theme, see the story of the fox and the ticks).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Nestorea senecta (English: The old age of Nestor - which is to say a fine old age indeed; from Adagia 1.6.66).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Sybaritica mensa: A proverbe applied to feastes and bankettes which doe excede in delicatenes (the people of ancient Sybaris were notorious for their luxurious way of life).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἄρκτου παρούσης ἴχνη ζητεῖς (English: The bear's right there, and you're looking for tracks).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Vacca, Capella, Ovis et Leo, the story of the lion's share in both prose and verse.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog are: Dum Servant Pecus Pastores, a Latin version of "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night," along with De natali Christi, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Z narodzenia Pana."

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: December 11

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 tertium Idus Decembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. This is another one of Cato's Distichs, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

Rebus in adversis animum submittere noli:
Spem retine; spes una hominem nec morte relinquit.

English: "Don't get discouraged in difficult situations: keep hold of hope; hope alone does not desert a person even in death." Hope, Spes, was a goddess after all!

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion finishes Granius Petro's story: Caesaris milites non accipere, sed dare salutem consueuisse inquiens, se ipsum gladio transegit.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Sero in periculis est consilium quaerere (English: It's too late to seek advance in the midst of dangers).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

2-Word Mottoes: Today's tiny motto is actually just one word long: Audaciter (English: Boldly - there's no verb; so, whatever you do, do it boldly - you could call it the Star Trek motto: to boldly go...).

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Victoria non praeda (English: Victory, not spoils).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Antiquum assero decus (English: I lay claim to ancient honor - notice the nice way the nominal phrase wraps around the verb).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Fluctus numeras (English: You are counting the waves - another one of those proverbial fool's errands).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Contra nando incrementum (English: Increase by swimming against the tide - and check out this marvelous sign displaying the motto).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Semper Saturnalia agere (English: To be always celebrating Saturnalia - a great saying for this time of the year, when it is nice to imagine a holiday season that would go on forever!).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Cani indicium sunt temporis, non sapientiae (English: White hair is a sign of time, not of wisdom). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Non cum leone caprea pugnare audeat (English: The nanny-goat should not dare to fight with the lion - a fuller version of the proverb we had about the nanny-goat just the other day).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Dum caput infestat, dolor omnia membra molestat (English: When the head is unwell, pain afflicts every limb).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Nil est miserius, quam ubi pudet, quod feceris (English: There is nothing more miserable than when you are ashamed of something you've done).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Nilum habetis et vinum quaeritis (English: You've got the Nile, and you're looking for wine - the words supposedly spoken by Pescennius Niger to his soldiers, hence the second-person plural form).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Bonae vitae numerus dierum; bonum autem nomen permanebit in aevo (Sirach 41:13). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Litem movebit, si vel asinus canem momorderit (English: He'll file a lawsuit even if a donkey has so much as bitten a dog; from Adagia 1.8.98).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Harmodii cantilena (English: The song of Harmodius; from Adagia 2.10.93 - this refers to something utterly sad, such as Aristogeiton sang upon the death of his lover Harmodius, before he, too, died in the famous assassination attempt on the tyrants Hippias and Hipparchus).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Richard Raverner: Domum cum facis ne relinquas impolitam: When thou makest an house leave it not unfinished. By this we be bidden, that what so ever matter or affayres wee once beginne, wee bryng the same to a perfecte and full ende.

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀγεωμέτρητος μηδεὶς εἰσίτω (English: Let no one come in who is without geometry - a saying supposedly displayed at the entrance to Plato's Academy).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Anaticula Turpis, which is the story of Hans Christian Andersen's "Ugly Duckling" in Latin.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog O Hanukkah, a Latin version of "The Hanukkah Song" in honor of the beginning of Hanukkah, along with Personent hodie and also Dormi iam, mi Jesu, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Lulajże Jezuniu." Here's an image in honor of the beginning of Hanukkah:

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

Round-Up: December 10

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 Idus Decembres. You can add a Roman calendar as a widget in your blog or webpage, or display it as a Google Calendar: here's how.

TODAY'S POEM: Here is today's little poem, from the Poetry Widget. It's a tiny fable in iambic verse by Desbillons, with a word list at NoDictionaries.com as usual:

Dum gloriatur, dumque Vulpe se Canis
Fecundiorem praedicat, Vulpis refert:
Fecunda magis es; catulos et caecos paris.

English: "While the Dog boasts and proclaims that she is more fertile than the Fox, the Fox replies: You are more fertile; but you give birth to pups that are still blind." Meanwhile, you can see the fox boasting about her fertility to the lioness in another Aesop's fable!

TODAY'S TWITTER:

Vita Caesaris: You can see my IVLIVS CAESAR feed with a sentence from Plutarch's Life of Caesar each day in Greek, Latin and English. Today's portion begins the exploits of another soldier, Granius Petro: In Africa Scipio navim Caesaris cepit, inque ea quaestorem Granium Petronem; is cum hostes, reliquis inter se divisis, eum se salute donare dicerent.

Proverbiis Pipilo: You can see my Proverbia feed of Latin proverbs which I "tweet" while I am online each day (in English, too). Here's one from today: Bis vivit qui bene vivit (English: He who lives well, lives twice).

TODAY'S MOTTOES & PROVERBS

You can get access to all the proverb of the day scripts (also available as random proverb scripts) at the SchoolhouseWidgets.com website.

2-Word Mottoes: Today's 2-word motto is: Facio iusta (English: I do what is just - literally, "the just things").

3-Word Mottoes: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Absque virtute nihil (English: Without excellence, nothing).

3-Word Mottoes: Verbs: Today's 3-word motto with verb is Dum vixi, lusi (English: While I lived, I played - a good motto for any hardcore gamers out there; it actually comes from a Roman epitaph).

2-Word Proverbs: Today's 2-word proverb is: Hospitium verendum (English: Hospitality is a sacred duty - a saying beautifully illustrated by the Aesopic fable about the beetle and the eagle).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Optima sapientia probitas (English: Honesty is the best wisdom).

3-Word Proverbs: Nouns: Today's 3-word proverb with verb is Carthago delenda est (English: Cathage must be obliterated - that saying made so famous by Cato the Elder).

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Lupus in fabula (English: The wolf in conversation). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Latet anguis in herba (English: A snake hides in the grass - a saying you can see illustrated in this Tar Heel Reader).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Consilium verum docet experientia rerum (English: Experience of things teaches true intelligence).

Maxims of Publilius Syrus: Today's proverb from Publilius Syrus is: Occasio receptus difficiles habet (English: Opportunity is hard to get back a second time - so grab it the first time you catch sight of it!).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Lutum contra figulum cogitat (English: The clay plots against the potter - a saying adapted from Isaiah).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Noli de mortuo gaudere, sciens quoniam omnes morimur (Sirach 8:7). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Invitis canibus venari (English: To hunt with unwilling dogs; from Adagia 1.7.65 - adapted from Plautus's Stichus, stultitia est, pater, venatum ducere invitos canes).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Croeso ditior (English: Richer than Croesus; from Adagia 1.6.74 - for more about King Croesus of Lydia, see this Wikipedia article).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, again by Conybeare: Aut bibe aut abi: A proverbe signifienge that we shoulde applye ourselves to the manners of men, or elles avoyde there companye.

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Ἀλωπηκίζειν πρὸς ἑτέραν ἀλώπηκα (English: To play the fox with another fox).

TODAY'S FABLES:

Ictibus Felicibus: Today's fable with macrons and accent marks is Canis Carnem Ferens, the story of a dog undone by its own greediness.

Gaudium Mundo: Today's Latin holiday songs from the Gaudium Mundo blog are: Musicus Parvulus, a Latin version of "Little Drummer Boy," along with Conditor Alme Siderum and also Angelus pastoribus, a Latin version of the Polish carol, "Anioł pasterzom mówił."

For those of you reading this at the blog, here is a performance of Conditor Alme Siderum.

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Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.