Thursday, May 8, 2014

Latin Proverbs and Fables Round-Up: May 8

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.

HODIE (Roman Calendar): ante diem octavum Idus Maias.

MYTHS and LEGENDS: The art image for today's legend shows Diana and Endymion; 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: Minime iudica (English: Do not judge).

3-WORD MOTTOES: Today's 3-word verb-less motto is Sola virtus invicta (English: Only excellence is undefeated).

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is Non oportet in urbe nutrire leonem (English: You should not raise a lion in the city).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Nemo propheta acceptus est in patria (English: No prophet is accepted in his homeland).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Cicernus Bacchus (English: A chickpea Bacchus; from Adagia 2.6.47 - This refers to a fermented drink made of chickpeas, and by extension it means something vile, a poor imitation of something good, as this drink is a cheap imitation of wine).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἴσα πόλεμον οὐ ποιεῖ (English: Equality does not cause war).

BREVISSIMA: The distich poster for today is Adversa Caveto. 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 Mus, Feles, et Gallus, a wonderful fable about a mouse trying to understand the ways of the world (this fable has a vocabulary list).

MILLE FABULAE: The fable from the Mille Fabulae et Una widget is Asinus Leonis Pelle Indutus, the famous story of the donkey who put on a lion's skin.

Asinus in Pelle Leonis

Words from Mythology. For more about VOLCANO and VULCANUS, see this blog post.