Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 11

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 PDF copies of my books, you can find links to all of them here: #PDF Tribute to Aaron Swartz

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem tertium Idus Decembres.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Andromache, Hector and Astyanax; 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 Miscui utile dulci (English: I have mixed the useful with the sweet).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Semper Saturnalia agere (English: To be always celebrating Saturnalia).

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

VULGATE VERSES: 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.

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: 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.

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Bonus liber amicus optimus.

A good book is your best friend.

Sape et tace.

Be wise and keep quiet.

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Sol et Stellae, in which the sun is triumphant (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Testudo et Iuppiter, the story of how the tortoise got its shell.

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is Personent hodie, a medieval Latin hymn; you can find the Latin lyrics at the blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 9

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.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem quintum Idus Decembres.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Medea and the Daughters of Pelias; 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: Liberos erudi (English: Teach your children).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Post tempestatem tranquillum (English: After the storm, calm).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Vetulus simius non capitur laqueo (English: The old monkey is not caught in the snare).

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).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Croeso ditior (English: Richer than Croesus; from Adagia 1.6.74 — you can read about the proverbial Croesus at Wikipedia).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἀλωπηκίζειν πρὸς ἑτέραν ἀλώπηκα (English: You have to outfox the fox).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Sermo Mollis Frangit Iram. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Spes alit et fallit.

Hope feeds and misleads.

Longae regum manus.

Long are the hands of kings.

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Vulpes et Uva, the famous story of the supposedly sour grapes (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Lupus et Puer Mendax, another famous story: the boy who cried wolf.

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is Orientis Reges Tres, "We Three Kings of Orient Are" — you can find the Latin lyrics at the blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 7

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 septimum Idus Decembres.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Odysseus and the Sirens; 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: Audaciter (English: Boldly).

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

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Durum ad nutum alterius ambulare (English: It is a hard thing to walk according to someone else's nod). 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: Ubi peccat aetas maior, male discit minor (English: When the older generation makes mistakes, the younger learns a bad lesson).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Octipedem excitas (English: You're rousing the eight-legged scorpion; from Adagia 1.1.63 ... needless to say, you don't want to rile a scorpion).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Suum cuique pulchrum.

To each his own is beautiful.

Ex parvo satis.

From little, enough.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Medicus et Mortuus, a story about medical hindsight.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Formica Transformata, a story about how the ant used to be a farmer (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is O Hanukkah, in honor of the festival of Hanukkah which began last night; you can find the Latin lyrics at the blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 5

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 PDF copies of my books, you can find links to all of them here: #PDF Tribute to Aaron Swartz

HODIE (Roman Calendar): Nonae Decembres, the Nones of December.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Orpheus and the Animals; 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 Tempus fugit, utere (English: Time flies; make use of it).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Optima citissime pereunt (English: The best things pass away the most quickly).

RHYMING PROVERBS: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Non est tam fortis, qui rumpat vincula mortis (English: There is no man strong enough to break the bonds of death).

VULGATE VERSES: Today's verse is Qui invenit amicum, invenit thesaurum (Sirach 6:14). 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: Cibum in matellam ne immittas: Put not meat into a pispot. Plutarche expoudeth this saying thus. Cast not good sentences into the minde of a wicked person. So that it is all one in effecte with that sayeng of Christ. Cast not perles afore swine. For speeche is the meat of the minde. But this meate is corrupted and doth putrifie, if it fal into an unsounde minde.

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Aliud est velle, aliud posse.

Wanting is one thing; being able to do it is another.

Virtutis iter arduum.

The way of virtue is steep.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Columba et Cornix, a story about a dove in captivity.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Canes et Corium, a story about dogs whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is Puer Nobis Nascitur, a 15th-century Latin hymn; you can find the Latin lyrics at the blog post.

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 3

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.

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

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Atalanta and the Boar; 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: Roma aeterna (English: Rome is eternal).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is In labore libertas (English: In hard work, freedom).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit (English: The wolf attacks with his fang, the bull with his horn).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus (English: A man who is wise will be silent until the right time).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Iro pauperior (English: More poor than Irus; from Adagia 1.6.76 ... Irus was the proverbial pauper of the ancient world; you can read more at Wikipedia).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἐν ψύλλης δήξει Θεὸν ἐπικαλεῖται (English: He calls on the god for the bite of a flea ... an allusion to an Aesop's fable).

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

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Optimum condimentum fames.

Hunger is the best seasoning.

Ne quid nimis.

Nothing in excess.

TODAY'S FABLES:

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Canis Aquam Timens, a case of canine PTSD (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Cera Lateri Invidens, a very sad fable about unintended consequences.

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is O Abies, "O Christmas Tree" — and you can find three different versions in Latin at the blog post, along with a YouTube performance:

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: December 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 Decembres, the Kalends of December.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Atlas; 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: Virtute cresco (English: Through virtue I grow).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word verb-less proverb is Rixa rixae causa (English: One quarrel is the cause of another).

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Dum pastores odia exercent, lupus intrat ovile (English: While the shepherds quarrel, the wolf enters the sheepfold). 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: Avaro acerba poena natura est sua (English: For the miser, his own nature is a bitter punishment).

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Canes timidi vehementius latrant (English: Dogs that are scared bark more loudly; from Adagia 3.7.100).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Veri Amoris Nullus est Finis. Click here for a full-sized view.

And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:

Absente domino, res male geritur.

When the boss is gone, the business goes badly.

Optimum medicamentum quies.

Rest is the best medicine.

TODAY'S FABLES:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Canes et Agricola Penuria Laborans, the story of a farm in time of famine.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Ranae et Sol, a fable about climate change (this fable has a vocabulary list).

Latin Holiday Songs. Today's song is Rudolphus; you can find the Latin lyrics at the blog post. There are quite a few versions there now... including a plain-chant version with audio!