Saturday, January 2, 2010

Round-Up: January 2

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. Plus, you can find some Latin "pipilationes" at my Proverbia Latina feed and at the IVLIVS CAESAR feed (Plutarch's Life of Caesar twittered trilingually).

HODIE: ante diem quartum Nonas 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 FABLES: Here are today's fables from the Ictibus Felicibus project. These fables ALL have long marks, plus stress marks for easy reading, and the poems have meter marks, too.

Gallus et Vulpes, the story of the fox who proclaimed peace among all the animals, hoping to fool the rooster.

Ex Sutore Medicus, the story of a cobbler who pretended to be a physician.

Volpes et Corvus, the story of how the fox used flattery to fool the crow (volpes being an alternate spelling for our friend the fox, vulpes).

Leo et Socii Eius, the famous story of the "lion's share."

Gallus Gallinaceus, the story of the rooster who found a gem in the dung heap.

I've picked out my favorite one, Volpes et Corvus, to share with you here in the blog - and see infra for an illustration.
Quī verbīs subdolīs sē laudārī gaudet, paenitentiā sērā poenās turpēs dat. Cum corvus cāseum, dē fenēstrā raptum, comēsse vellet, celsā arbore residēns, volpēs hunc vīdit, deinde sīc loquī coepit: "Ō corve, tuārum pinnārum quī nitor est! Quantum decōris corpore et vultū geris! Sī vōcem habērēs, nūlla āles prior foret." At ille stultus, dum vōcem ostendere vult, ōre cāseum ēmīsit, quem dolōsa volpēs dentibus avidīs celeriter rapuit. Tum dēmum corvī dēceptus stupor ingemuit.
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 Proverbs: Today's tiny proverb is: Salomone sapientior (English: Wiser than Solomon - which is to say, wiser than King Solomon in the Bible, which would be very wise indeed).

3-Word Mottoes Verb-less: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is In omnia promptus (English: Eager for all things - a great motto for the beginning of the new year!).

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Viscum fugiens, avis in laqueos incidit (English: Fleeing the snare, the bird falls into the net - like "out of the frying pan, into the fish," bird-style).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Gratis accepistis, gratis date (English: You have taken freely; give freely - this would make a good "Creative Commons" motto).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Thraces foedera nesciunt (English: The Thracians acknowledge no treaties; from Adagia 2.6.89 - with Thrace located in the "wilds" of the north, it is no surprise that the wild Thracians were considered untrustworthy).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Νεκρὸς οὐ δάκνει (English: A dead man does not bite).

Here's an illustration for the fable of the fox and the crow, supra, (image source) by Felix Lorioux:




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