- ager- field
- bracium- arm
- concillium- union
- fuga- flight
- papyrus- papyrus
- satyrus- satyr
- Syringaenignos- Syrinx
- vir- man
- devoveo- devote
- fugito- flee
- puto- think
- teneo- hold
- benignos- kind
- densus- dense
- nullus- none
- aiternum- forever
- autum- however
- donec- thus
- eam- her
- eos- they
- olim- once upon a time
- quamquam- although
Monday, September 29, 2008
Latin Vocab Quiz- Pan and Syrinx
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Pan and Syrinx Translation
Once upon a time there was a beautiful nymph. Her name was Syrinx. She lived in Arcadia. A hundred gods and satyrs loved Syrinx, but Syrinx did not love them. Although Syrinx and the other nymphs loved the goddess Diana, however the gods and satyrs fled. They hid in the shady and dense forest. Syrinx said, “ Diana I devote my life to you. No man, nor god will have me.” However the god Pan, who was in the forest, saw Syrinx and proclaimed his love. Pan said, “I will love you forever.” Syrinx however said, “I am forever a nymph of Diana.” Then the sad nymph went across the field and quickly looked for the forest and fled under the water. Fleeing to water was prohibited. Syrinx asked the nymph for aid, “Change my form, good nymph.” The Nymph changed her into water reeds. However, Pan thought he was holding her in his arms, but he did not have reeds in his arms. And then Pan said, “We have a union. Syrinx remain with me.” And he joined together the seven wax reeds. Then Pan formed reed pipes, and gave the reed pipes the name Syrinx.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Banishment of Ovid
Luke Forrester
The Banishment of Ovid
Ancient Rome was filled with great poets. They filled tome after tome with now
legendary and much revered works. Ovid was one of these great and masterful Roman poets.
Ovid had a knack for writing famous and well enjoyed books. He wrote The Metamorphoses,
the book of Roman mythology dealing with stories of transformation. But Ovid also had a more
intimate side to his writing. He loved to write poems about affairs and the goings on of his
private life. And this is what got Ovid into trouble. All because Ovid wrote about how to seduce
married women. For this offense, he was banished by Caesar Augustus to the edge of the
empire. But was it just of Augustus to banish Ovid for one simple mistake? Ovid was wrongfully
banished and deserved a better, less severe, punishment.
The Golden Age of Rome is commonly known as the period when Emperor Augustus
ruled the empire. It was the “Pax Romana”, when all was good with the ancient world. So then
why would the greatest emperor of Rome banish a popular poet to the edge of oblivion? The
simplest answer is that Augustus banished Ovid because of his poems. Ovid had recently
released a new collection of woks that dealt with the matters of love and the heart.
Unfortunately Ovid’s love poems were notoriously risqué. And this particular volume was
centered on the seduction of married women. Normally this would not warrant banishment,
but the all powerful Emperor Augustus had been the victim of adultery. So, perhaps, Augustus
was not acting in the best interest of Rome. Instead, Augustus, still hurt from the wrongs of his
woman, decided to lash out at someone who had mistakenly hit a nerve. Augustus acted
unfairly toward Ovid and his poems because of his own troubled past. And although Ovid’s
poems were inappropriate they were still just an expression in writing. They were nothing more
than words on a page. The writings of one man make no difference; it’s how people interpret
those words and how they act upon them. Without an audience to act on his influence, there
would have been no reason for Ovid’s banishment. Thus Ovid had such a strong following that
even the emperor himself felt challenged and decided that the best way to handle Ovid was to
get rid of him. So Augustus threw him out of Rome to Romania out live out the rest of his days.
But was Ovid so guilty of this crime? Did he mean to cause such a stir and be disrespectful to
the emperor?
So, is Ovid really what he is made out to be by the emperor? Is he this sick, perverted
poet who has no concept of right or wrong and despises limits? This image of Ovid is
completely false. Ovid was a great poet, an incredibly learned poet, who was just expressing his
love of women. He was a man, and that is what many men are passionate about. But even Ovid
himself apologized for the poems. He hated himself for publishing those works and upsetting
the emperor. He was always in love with city living and Rome suited him well. He professed
greatly that the poems he had written were wrongful and that it was a mistake. All he wanted
to do was make up for the wrong that he had committed, in the eyes of Rome. Ovid was
humble enough to declare his sinful deeds and wrongs to the empire, so why was he still
banished? His banishment because of the poems haunted Ovid for the rest of his natural life. It
seems unjust that one so repentant would be ignored and snubbed by the very place he most
loved. Ovid was no saint, that’s a fact, but he was still man enough to want to make his
relationship with Rome a happy one again.
Before his banishment, Ovid was one of the most beloved poets in all of Rome. His
books were kept in all of its libraries and his connection with the city was unrivaled. But upon
the publication of his adulteress love poem he became one of the most hated men in Rome.
How could a city that loved Ovid like a son, be his enemy after a simple mistake? Rome became
a backstabbing enemy to Ovid. The city that he felt at home in suddenly wanted him erased. His
books were thrown out of the libraries and discredited. But Ovid never stopped loving Rome. In
his “Tristia 3.1” he goes on and on about the city and its temples. It is Ovid’s poem of praise and
gratitude he feels toward the city that banished him to the edge of the Roman world. But even
that was turned away by the great libraries. It was Ovid’s final attempt to regain his glory,
unfortunately he failed.
Ovid’s fall from grace shows the true face of the Roman people and their emperor.
Augustus had Ovid banished because of personal history and the Romans who once loved Ovid,
rejected him. It is given that Ovid made a gross mistake. His poems on the seduction of married
women were inappropriate and were the direct cause of his banishment. But the people are
also to lame. They were followers of Ovid and greatly influenced by his work. Augustus was
afraid of this and so put a stop to Ovid himself. Perhaps Ovid’s banishment was good for him. It
took him away from the place he loved most, showing him what was truly important in life. But
he did not deserve the punishment. Those poems were but a minor infraction and caused no
harm to the city of Rome. The banishment of Ovid was a mistake by Emperor Augustus and was an undeserved sentence.
The Banishment of Ovid
Ancient Rome was filled with great poets. They filled tome after tome with now
legendary and much revered works. Ovid was one of these great and masterful Roman poets.
Ovid had a knack for writing famous and well enjoyed books. He wrote The Metamorphoses,
the book of Roman mythology dealing with stories of transformation. But Ovid also had a more
intimate side to his writing. He loved to write poems about affairs and the goings on of his
private life. And this is what got Ovid into trouble. All because Ovid wrote about how to seduce
married women. For this offense, he was banished by Caesar Augustus to the edge of the
empire. But was it just of Augustus to banish Ovid for one simple mistake? Ovid was wrongfully
banished and deserved a better, less severe, punishment.
The Golden Age of Rome is commonly known as the period when Emperor Augustus
ruled the empire. It was the “Pax Romana”, when all was good with the ancient world. So then
why would the greatest emperor of Rome banish a popular poet to the edge of oblivion? The
simplest answer is that Augustus banished Ovid because of his poems. Ovid had recently
released a new collection of woks that dealt with the matters of love and the heart.
Unfortunately Ovid’s love poems were notoriously risqué. And this particular volume was
centered on the seduction of married women. Normally this would not warrant banishment,
but the all powerful Emperor Augustus had been the victim of adultery. So, perhaps, Augustus
was not acting in the best interest of Rome. Instead, Augustus, still hurt from the wrongs of his
woman, decided to lash out at someone who had mistakenly hit a nerve. Augustus acted
unfairly toward Ovid and his poems because of his own troubled past. And although Ovid’s
poems were inappropriate they were still just an expression in writing. They were nothing more
than words on a page. The writings of one man make no difference; it’s how people interpret
those words and how they act upon them. Without an audience to act on his influence, there
would have been no reason for Ovid’s banishment. Thus Ovid had such a strong following that
even the emperor himself felt challenged and decided that the best way to handle Ovid was to
get rid of him. So Augustus threw him out of Rome to Romania out live out the rest of his days.
But was Ovid so guilty of this crime? Did he mean to cause such a stir and be disrespectful to
the emperor?
So, is Ovid really what he is made out to be by the emperor? Is he this sick, perverted
poet who has no concept of right or wrong and despises limits? This image of Ovid is
completely false. Ovid was a great poet, an incredibly learned poet, who was just expressing his
love of women. He was a man, and that is what many men are passionate about. But even Ovid
himself apologized for the poems. He hated himself for publishing those works and upsetting
the emperor. He was always in love with city living and Rome suited him well. He professed
greatly that the poems he had written were wrongful and that it was a mistake. All he wanted
to do was make up for the wrong that he had committed, in the eyes of Rome. Ovid was
humble enough to declare his sinful deeds and wrongs to the empire, so why was he still
banished? His banishment because of the poems haunted Ovid for the rest of his natural life. It
seems unjust that one so repentant would be ignored and snubbed by the very place he most
loved. Ovid was no saint, that’s a fact, but he was still man enough to want to make his
relationship with Rome a happy one again.
Before his banishment, Ovid was one of the most beloved poets in all of Rome. His
books were kept in all of its libraries and his connection with the city was unrivaled. But upon
the publication of his adulteress love poem he became one of the most hated men in Rome.
How could a city that loved Ovid like a son, be his enemy after a simple mistake? Rome became
a backstabbing enemy to Ovid. The city that he felt at home in suddenly wanted him erased. His
books were thrown out of the libraries and discredited. But Ovid never stopped loving Rome. In
his “Tristia 3.1” he goes on and on about the city and its temples. It is Ovid’s poem of praise and
gratitude he feels toward the city that banished him to the edge of the Roman world. But even
that was turned away by the great libraries. It was Ovid’s final attempt to regain his glory,
unfortunately he failed.
Ovid’s fall from grace shows the true face of the Roman people and their emperor.
Augustus had Ovid banished because of personal history and the Romans who once loved Ovid,
rejected him. It is given that Ovid made a gross mistake. His poems on the seduction of married
women were inappropriate and were the direct cause of his banishment. But the people are
also to lame. They were followers of Ovid and greatly influenced by his work. Augustus was
afraid of this and so put a stop to Ovid himself. Perhaps Ovid’s banishment was good for him. It
took him away from the place he loved most, showing him what was truly important in life. But
he did not deserve the punishment. Those poems were but a minor infraction and caused no
harm to the city of Rome. The banishment of Ovid was a mistake by Emperor Augustus and was an undeserved sentence.
Six Degrees to Latin
Its a Friday and that means that its movie day. Yes, many film loving folks enjoy seeing the newest moving-picture show when it first come out. So in that spirit i have decided to do something a little different. Do you guys remember that game "6 degrees to Kevin Bacon"? If you don't then here's the scoop. It was a game popular a few years back where you take one one thing and try to connect it to Kevin Bacon within 6 degrees. Now, I've decided to put my own spin on it with a little game I like to call "SIX DEGREES TO LATIN" where I take something unrelated to Latin and then link it to our favorite dead language. Got it? Ready? Here we go, kids!
The first topic is..............................Indiana Jones!!!!!
1. Indiana Jones' first adventure film adventure was Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the film he finds the Ark of the Covenant, a piece of history and treasure to the Jewish people.
2. The Jews were slaves to many peoples, paramount among them the Egyptians.
3. The Egyptians had, at one time, Cleopatra as their queen.
4. Cleopatra had a well documented fling with Julius Caesar.
5. The Julius Caesar who was appointed dictator for life of Rome.
6. The same city of Rome from which Latin originated.
That is right people, I just connected Indiana Jones with Latin. Well, that was exhausting. I don't think my mind is capable of coming up with anther topic to connect Latin with. So I'll leave it up to you. If you want me connect something you like with Latin, just post you idea as a comment. And I'll chose the very best one. Good luck coming up with topics, amigos.
As for me, I'm off to prevent the zombie apocalypse. Until next time...
The first topic is..............................Indiana Jones!!!!!
1. Indiana Jones' first adventure film adventure was Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the film he finds the Ark of the Covenant, a piece of history and treasure to the Jewish people.
2. The Jews were slaves to many peoples, paramount among them the Egyptians.
3. The Egyptians had, at one time, Cleopatra as their queen.
4. Cleopatra had a well documented fling with Julius Caesar.
5. The Julius Caesar who was appointed dictator for life of Rome.
6. The same city of Rome from which Latin originated.
That is right people, I just connected Indiana Jones with Latin. Well, that was exhausting. I don't think my mind is capable of coming up with anther topic to connect Latin with. So I'll leave it up to you. If you want me connect something you like with Latin, just post you idea as a comment. And I'll chose the very best one. Good luck coming up with topics, amigos.
As for me, I'm off to prevent the zombie apocalypse. Until next time...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
translation quiz
Latona and Niobe part 1
The Poet Ovid narrates the story of the goddess Latona and the woman Niobe. Niobe, queen of Thebes, was proud. She was proud because she had seven sons and seven daughters. She praised her own children. “My pride is caused not by the wisdom of family and friends but from the fame of my children.” The goddess Latona had only two children. A son who was the god Pheobus Apollo and a daughter who was the goddess Diana. Manto was a woman from the village Thebes. Manto had great wisdom. She walked in the streets of the town and called to the women, “Give gifts to Latona and to the children of Latona, Phoebus and Diana. Latona is the goddess of women.” And the women of Thebes decorated the temple and alter of the goddess, and to the goddess they gave gifts and gave incense to the scraed flame. Niobe the proud and beautiful walking in the streets with the women. With proud eyes she looks all around, she speaks to the woman of Thebes and claims: “Why pray to Latona? No one prays to me. I am, myself, the daughter of famous grandparents. The queen who dwells with Cadmus. I am a beautiful, dignified goddess. But my great happiness is because I have seven sons and seven daughters. Now you know why I am proud. Why pray to me instead of Latona? Latona has only one son and one daughter. Fortune has given me seven. Women, pray to me, not Latona. Give me gifts, not Latona. So the women of Thebes gave to the proud queen, and did not give to Latona.
Latona and Niobe part 2
The goddess Latona was very angry. Her children, Phoebus and Diana, plotted and narrated a great story for the proud woman. Their mother said, “The people are not honoring me at the temple. Truly these people are wicked. O Phoebus and Diana, my children, avenge me!” However Phoebus said, “Enough! The longer we quarrel is more prayers.” With that Phoebus and Diana went down to the place of the queen.
The Poet Ovid narrates the story of the goddess Latona and the woman Niobe. Niobe, queen of Thebes, was proud. She was proud because she had seven sons and seven daughters. She praised her own children. “My pride is caused not by the wisdom of family and friends but from the fame of my children.” The goddess Latona had only two children. A son who was the god Pheobus Apollo and a daughter who was the goddess Diana. Manto was a woman from the village Thebes. Manto had great wisdom. She walked in the streets of the town and called to the women, “Give gifts to Latona and to the children of Latona, Phoebus and Diana. Latona is the goddess of women.” And the women of Thebes decorated the temple and alter of the goddess, and to the goddess they gave gifts and gave incense to the scraed flame. Niobe the proud and beautiful walking in the streets with the women. With proud eyes she looks all around, she speaks to the woman of Thebes and claims: “Why pray to Latona? No one prays to me. I am, myself, the daughter of famous grandparents. The queen who dwells with Cadmus. I am a beautiful, dignified goddess. But my great happiness is because I have seven sons and seven daughters. Now you know why I am proud. Why pray to me instead of Latona? Latona has only one son and one daughter. Fortune has given me seven. Women, pray to me, not Latona. Give me gifts, not Latona. So the women of Thebes gave to the proud queen, and did not give to Latona.
Latona and Niobe part 2
The goddess Latona was very angry. Her children, Phoebus and Diana, plotted and narrated a great story for the proud woman. Their mother said, “The people are not honoring me at the temple. Truly these people are wicked. O Phoebus and Diana, my children, avenge me!” However Phoebus said, “Enough! The longer we quarrel is more prayers.” With that Phoebus and Diana went down to the place of the queen.
Monday, September 22, 2008
SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME LATIN PHRASES
It's a new week which means that you all get a new present. And that Present is a new Latin phrase. This one goes out to all you guys that like to insult those kooky Krishna's:
Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.
I'm not interested in your dopey religious cult!
Good luck keeping up the resistance against those wacky cult members. As for me, I'm going to nibble on the moon. Until next time...
Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.
I'm not interested in your dopey religious cult!
Good luck keeping up the resistance against those wacky cult members. As for me, I'm going to nibble on the moon. Until next time...
Literary Terms Quiz
1. Caesura- break between words in a metrical foot
2. Hyperbole- exaggeration of words or feelings
3. Simile- a comparison of two unlike things
4. Strophe- stanza
5. Foot- smallest unit of verse
6. Tmesis- separation of a compound word
7. Personification- giving human attributes to inanimate objects
8. Golden line- two adjectives and two nouns with a verb in between
9. Alliteration- repetition of the same sound
10. Oxymoron- paradox expressed using contradictory words.
2. Hyperbole- exaggeration of words or feelings
3. Simile- a comparison of two unlike things
4. Strophe- stanza
5. Foot- smallest unit of verse
6. Tmesis- separation of a compound word
7. Personification- giving human attributes to inanimate objects
8. Golden line- two adjectives and two nouns with a verb in between
9. Alliteration- repetition of the same sound
10. Oxymoron- paradox expressed using contradictory words.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Halloween starts early- Werewolves
It's that time of year again where the leaves start falling off the trees and people start wearing jackets. It's also the time of year when people enjoy getting the bejezzus scared out of them. So it seems only fitting that we start the Halloween season a bit early this year. And for you guys that means only one thing: Monsters!!! That's right kiddies, your old Uncle Crypt Keeper has decided to give you the low down on some select creepy critters as this joyous season rolls on. And for our first I'm going to tell you all about the Werewolf. Here we go:The origins of werewolves is unclear but it likely it started in Europe. Werewolves were said to bear tell-tale traits in European folklore. These included the meeting of both eyebrows at the bridge of the nose, curved fingernails, low set ears, and a long swinging stride. One way to identifying a werewolf in its human form was to cut the flesh of the accused, under the pretense that fur would be seen within the wound. The appearance of a werewolf in its wolf form varies from culture to culture, though they are most commonly portrayed as being indistinguishable from ordinary wolves save for the fact that they have no tail, and that they retain human eyes and a human voice.
The Roman poet Ovid described the symptoms of Lycaon, one of the first mythological werewolves;
In vain he attempted to speak; from that very instant
His jaws were bespluttered with foam, and only he thirsted
For blood, as he raged among flocks and panted for slaughter.
His vesture was changed into hair, his limbs became crooked;
A wolf-he retains yet large trace of his ancient expression,
Hoary he is afore, his countenance rabid,
His eyes glitter savagely still, the picture of fury
The most common and well known way to become a werewolf is to be bitten by one but this is a rare occurrence in the old legends and most likely comes from modern horror stories. Other ways were to remove all clothing and put on a wolf skin belt, or drinking from the footprint of a werewolf. Werewolves wee known to have many weaknesses which included wolfsbane, silver or silver objects, rye, and mistletoe. But, unlike vampires, werewolves were never known to be harmed by religious artifacts like crucifixes or holy water. Various methods have existed for removing the werewolf curse. The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the power of exhaustion in curing people of lycanthropy. The victim would be subjected to long periods of physical activity in the hope of being purged of the malady. This practice stemmed from the fact that many alleged werewolves would be left feeling weak and debilitated after periods of transformation. Conversion to Christianity was also a common method of removing the werewolf curse in the medieval period. And the rest is history...
Well that was a fun little trip into the strange and mysterious world of monsters. I hope you guys had fun, I know I sure did.
Good luck out there in the big scary world kids.
As for me, I have to see a man about a tauntaun. Until next time...
Good luck out there in the big scary world kids.
As for me, I have to see a man about a tauntaun. Until next time...
Friday, September 19, 2008
New series- Weekly Latin Phrases
Salvete all! This is my first blog post and since you all love Latin so much I have decided to start a weekly edition of something I like to call "SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME LATIN PHRASES!!!". This week's phrase is a fun excuse for all you slackers.
Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt. Qui annus est?
I was kidnapped by aliens. What year is it?
Have fun with this one kids. As for me, i have ghosts that need busting. Until next time...
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