Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: June 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 more fables to read (LOTS more fables), you can download a free PDF copy of Mille Fabulae et Una: 1001 Aesop's Fables in Latin.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem quartum Idus Iunias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows The Rape of the Sabine Women; 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 Vigilo et spero (English: I keep awake and I hope).

3-WORD PROVERBS: Today's 3-word proverb is Mendacium nullum senescit (English: No lie grows old).

RHYMING PROVERBS: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Ridenti domino nec caelo crede sereno (English: Do not trust a smiling master, nor a clear sky).

VULGATE VERSES: Today's verse is Memento dierum antiquorum; cogita generationes singulas (Deut. 32:7). 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: Nemo bene imperat nisi qui paruerit imperio: No man can be a good ruler, onlesse he hath been first ruled. Certes nothinge is truer, than this Proverbe, both because no Prince, no ruler, no maister, can wel do his office, onles he first were a subiect and under the correction eyther of his parentes, tutours, gouernours, or techers. And also because that a man muste first rule his owne lustes, and be him self obedient to right reason, ere he can wel gouerne other.

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Vir Bonus, Vir Magnus. Click here for a full-sized view.


And here are today's proverbial LOLcats:



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 Philosophus et Cucurbita, one of my favorite fables, admittedly not part of the Greco-Roman Aesopic tradition, but a welcome addition to it, thanks to La Fontaine!

Philosophus et Cucurbita

Words from Mythology. For more about VENUS and VENEREAL, see this blog post.