Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: January 2

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! Meanwhile, I'm slowly but surely adding poster images and English translations over at the Brevissima blog.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem quartum Nonas Ianuarias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Venus and Pygmalion's Statue; 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: Tempus fugit (English: Time flees ... or, as we say in English: Time flies...).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is In omnia promptus (English: Eager for all things).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Viscum fugiens, avis in laqueos incidit (English:Fleeing the snare, the bird falls into the net - an "out of the frying pan, into the fire," but with a bird instead!).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Gratis accepistis, gratis date (English: You have taken freely; give freely).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Rhodiorum oraculum (English: A Rhodian oracle; from Adagia 2.6.44 - This refers to be seek guidance about a trivial matter; when the people of Rhodes asked an oracle of Athena whether to use bronzeware or stoneware in their rituals, along with other such questions, the divine oracle became indignant and answered: neither.).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἄκουε τὰ ἀπὸ καρδίας (English: Listen to those things that come from the heart).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Amicus Unus Aptus. Click here for a full-sized view; the poem has a vocabulary list and an English translation, too.


And here is today's proverbial lolcat:


TODAY'S FABLES AND SONGS:

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Boves et Trabs, in which the oxen and the timber which they are carrying have a chat.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Canis in Praesepe et Bos, the famous story of the dog in the manger (this fable has a vocabulary list).