October 31, 2006

Patria sua cuique iucundissima

In English: To each person, his own fatherland is the most agreeable.

This is another proverb in the series of variations on "cuique suum," "to each his own," which I've been commenting on over the past several days. Today's proverb is about the patria, the homeland. The saying tells us that to each person, his own homeland is the one he takes the greatest pleasure in.

This is definitely a proverb worth remembering whenever you ponder the international news, and I was motivated to include it as today's proverb in particular because of a movie I watched last night: The Fog of War, a very thought-provoking documentary about Robert McNamara. Robert McNamara began his career in World War II (you can read a brilliant discussion of that in the recent book by James Carroll, House of War), and of course he is most famous (or infamous) for his role in the U.S. war against Vietnam. Anyway, in the film, McNamara describes a meeting which took place in 1995, an effort to bring together the important decision-makers on the U.S. and Vietnamese sides who could look back on the decisions they made during the war and try to find some lessons learned.

The encounter from the meeting which McNamara describes most vividly is with a Vietnamese official who had a passionate, even violent, argument with McNamara. He told McNamara that the Americans were completely wrong in all their most basic assumptions about the war - didn't we realize that the Vietnamese loved their country and would fight to the death? And that the Vietnamese would fight to the last man, in order to defend their country? Didn't we know that they loved their country? And that they would defend it not just from the Americans, but from the Chinese, too, a people the Vietnamese people had been fighting against for a thousand years, long long long before the U.S. became involved in Vietnam. He took McNamara, who was famous as an "egghead" intellectual after all, to task with a very damning question: "Didn't you ever read ANY history book about Vietnam?" If the Americans had known Vietnamese history, the man argued, they would have known they were starting a war that they could not win, unless they were prepared to kill every person in the country.

Now, you can argue a blue streak about whether the Vietnamese interpretation of the American war as imperialism, as an attempt to occupy and exploit Vietnam, was a fair interpretation of our intentions or not, just as there is a serious argument today about our intentions in Iraq - democracy-building or oil-grubbing. But what really struck me about this scene was the powerful effect the man's speech clearly had on McNamara. It seems quite clear that McNamara really had not fully explored the history of the Vietnamese people, and their country, and their love for their country, something that today's proverb urges us to always keep in mind.

After he left his job as Secretary of Defense, McNamara went on to work for the World Bank, and in that time he has clearly learned a great deal about the world and how it looks through other people's eyes, realizing that we should not let our own love of country blind us to the love of country felt by others. If you have not seen the film, I recommend it very highly. It's a great contribution to understanding the miracle of the human race having survived the late 20th century and the lessons we need to learn if we hope to survive the century to come.

So, please ponder the nations of the world - the many nations of the world! - as you listed to today's proverb read out loud:

933. Patria sua cuique iucundissima.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 30, 2006

Sua cuique sunt vitia.

In English: To each his own vices.

This is another variation on the "to each his own" group of proverbs. Yesterday I did the positive saying, "cuique suum studium," "to each his own enthusiasm." Today's proverb is the negative flip-side of that saying: "sua cuique sunt vitia," "to each his own vices." Each human being is a unique collection of qualities, including bad qualities, vitia.

The Latin word vitium gives us the English word "vice." The English word "vicious" comes from the Latin vitiosus, "full of vices."

The Latin sense of "vitia" includes a much wider range of failings than the English word "vice" and the even more narrow English word "vicious." In Latin, the word refers to physical blemishes and defects, in addition to moral failings. As a result, even inanimate objects can have vices in Latin. A fruit that has a bruise, for example, would be a fruit with a "vice" in Latin. You can get a sense of that broader Latin meaning of the word in the English saying, "vicious circle." The circle does not have some kind of moral failure and it is not mean-spirited. Instead, the circle is "vicious" because it has a flaw in its logic.

And is there any "vice" in "advice"? No, not at all! The "vice" in the English word "advice" is from a completely different Latin root, "vis" (as in the words vision, visible, etc.). You can see that root in the English verb, "advise," which more clearly reflects underlying Latin word, "advisum," a view or opinion.

So, feel free to give someone advices about their vices... remembering that each of us has their own vices, of course!

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

938. Sua cuique sunt vitia.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 29, 2006

Cuique suum studium

In English: To each his own enthusiasm.

This is a follow-up to yesterday's proverb, "cuique suum." As I mentioned in yesterday's post, such an abbreviated proverb can mean many different things, based on context. Not surprisingly, there are also many variations on that basic saying which help make it more clear just how the saying is to be applied. Today's proverb is an example of that kind of variation: cuique suum studium is a saying used to express how some people get excited about one thing, while other people get excited about other things.

The Latin word studium has really come down in the world, unfortunately, thanks to the pernicious effects of school and schooling. The original meaning of the Latin word "studium" is "eagerness, enthusiasm, devotion." The Latin verb "studeo," meaning "to be eager, zealous, friendly, attentive," is where we get the English word "student" (formed from the present active participle of the Latin verb.).

But now look at what has become of the word in English! The English verb "study" means "to apply one's mind purposefully to the acquisition of knowledge; to read carefully; to memorize; to take a course at a school." None of those activities seem to convey a strong sense of eagerness, enthusiasm, and devotion, alas.

So when you hear the Latin word studium in today's proverb read out loud, remember that it is all about excitement and enthusiasm - not just homework and final exams!

929. Cuique suum studium.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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Cuique suum

In English: To each his own.

This Latin is a great demonstration of the incredible economy of Latin. The English "to each his own" is four words, and Latin gets it down to just two words: cuique (to each person, dative singular of "quisque") suum (his own thing, neuter singular).

There is no stated verb, although there are all kinds of possibilities, based on the context in which the proverb is used. Very often it means that some people prefer one thing, while other people prefer something else: "to each his own." In this context, the implied Latin verb would probably be placet cuique suum, "to each his own is pleasing."

Another context in which this saying is often used has to do with every person getting what they deserve. The idea is that Fortune, God, Justice, Karma (or the cosmic mechanism of your choice) gives to each person the thing that this person deserves. In this context, the implied Latin verb would probably be datur cuique suum, "to each his own is given."

I know that most Latin students experience Latin pronouns like cuique as a kind of endless torture. Yet getting to know and enjoy the Latin pronouns makes reading Latin a real pleasure. Translating the pronouns into English is frustrating, so it's best to learn to enjoy the pronouns for their own sake, seeing how the Latin pronoun system is built up of individual "mix and match" pieces.

For example, the pronoun in today's saying is made up of "quis" (in the dative form: "cui") and "que," quisque. This same "que" suffix can be added to other pronouns: quando+que = quandoque, "whenever, at any time." Likewise ubi+que = ubique, "wherever, in any place." This is where we get the English word "ubiquitous."

And yes, pronouns are ubiquitous in Latin! They're all over the place, and it's good to get to know them if you want to relax and enjoy reading Latin.

So here is today's proverb read out loud - enjoy the "cuique" pronoun!

928. Cuique suum.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

If you are reading this via RSS: The Flash audio content is not syndicated via RSS; please visit the Latin Audio Proverbs blog to listen to the audio. You can also hear this saying read aloud at a Polish website: Wladyslawa Kopalinskiego Slownik wyraz?w obcych i zwrot?w obcojezycznych (weblink).
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October 27, 2006

Ego si bonam famam mihi servavero, sat ero dives

In English: If I will keep my good reputation, I will be rich enough.

I was prompted to include this proverb as a follow-up to the proverbs of the past few days which focused on the distinction between riches and wealth, a common theme in Latin proverbs. Today's proverb emphasizes the distinction between a good reputation and wealth. There is no profit worth the risk of your good reputation. Or, to put it another way, if you have a good reputation, that's money in the bank.

This week I watched a great old movie, Captains Courageous, which provided a delightful illustration of this proverb in action. If you have not seen this wonderful movie, I recommend it very highly! Unlike other movies from the 1930s which seem dated and out-of-place, this movie is a complete joy to watch. It tells the story of a very rich little boy who thinks he can get what he wants by bribery and by cheating. He so outrages the students and teachers at his posh private school that he is expelled. His father plans to take him on a cruise to Europe, but the boy falls off the ship and is picked up by a fishing boat where he ends up having to spend the summer because the fishermen, not impressed by the boy's description of his father's wealth, cannot afford to go back to land and abandon their summer fishing grounds. As the story unfolds we get to see the boy come to understand what it means to have a good reputation, earned by honesty and hard work. The story is a very simple one, which makes its message all the more powerful. By the end of the movie, the boy has earned a good reputation with those fishermen, and would rather stay on the boat earning three dollars a month honestly than to go back to the rich and superficial world of his former life. But don't worry: the boy's father is actually a good guy too and everything ends happily (although the film is a real tear-jerker by moments, that's for sure!).

The Latin saying itself comes from the Roman playwright, Plautus, and his play, Mostellaria. It's a delightful bit of Latin, with niceties of word order and word choice that are distinctively Latin and difficult to convey in English. In particular, it's a great exercise for students to see the future perfect and future side by side: "If I will have kept..." (servavero), "I will be..." (ero). You can just see how the future perfect here is formed by adding the future tense of "to be" on to the perfect stem (servav-ero). The Latin verb system is a beautifully integrated whole, and I'm always sad when students instead see it as a series of disjointed paradigms, which they memorize by brute force, rather than seeing its inner workings.

So, with best wishes for good grammar and good reputations, here is today's proverb read out loud:

3445. Ego si bonam famam mihi servavero, sat ero dives.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 26, 2006

Vento navigat suo

In English: He sails by his own wind.

I chose this saying because of the proverbs over the past two days related to Simonides and his shipwreck, and other wise men facing similar disasters. Today's proverb is the opposite of a shipwreck. Instead, it is about someone who makes his way in the world, sailing by his own wind. It's a kind of a nautical Frank Sinatra: I did it my way!

The proverb actually comes from Ovid's Remedia Amoris, the "Cures for Love." Ovid had earlier written "The Art of Love," and in the "Cures" he provides the remedies for the love he had previously sought to induce and provoke. At the beginning of the treatise, the god Cupid is angry at Ovid for being such a traitor, and Ovid insists that he only wants to help unhappy lovers cure themselves. A happy lover is someone who should sail by the breeze of the love that carries him forward:
Siquis amat quod amare iuvat, feliciter ardens
Gaudeat, et vento naviget ille suo.


If someone loves what in pleases him to love, let him ardently rejoice in his happiness, and let him sail by his own wind.
I like very much that the idea behind the Latin saying of "sailing by your own wind" is the idea of a wind of passion, of love, of joy. It reminds me of Joseph Campbell's famous advice: follow your bliss.
If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be. My general formula for my students is "Follow your bliss." Find where it is, and don't be afraid to follow it.
Of course, it's much easier to follow your bliss when you imagine it is the wind filling your sails!

So, take a moment just to think about where your bliss might lead you, and listen to today's proverb read out loud:

1052. Vento navigat suo.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 25, 2006

Mea mecum porto

In English: I carry my things with me.

This is a famous Latin proverb that shows up in many variant forms. The form I have given here is the simplest one, and you will also find omnia mea mecum porto, "all my things I carry with me," and mecum mea sunt cuncta, "my things are with me, all of them!"

The reason I am prompted to include this proverb today is that it is specifically connected to the anecdote in yesterday's post about the wise man Simonides, who found himself stranded after a shipwreck. Although he had lost all his worldy, material possessions, Simonides declared that he had his stuff right there with him. In other words, he had his spirit, his talent, his intelligence - everything he needed in order to start over again and get his life back together after the disastrous shipwreck.

In addition to the version in Phaedrus's account of Simonides and the shipwreck, you can also find this same proverb associated with two other ancient philosophers: Stilpo and Bias. There's a great post at Laudator Temporis Acti which provides details of these stories. Both Stilpo and Bias were refugees fleeing from a political disaster, rather than a shipwreck, but the idea is essentially the same. When you all of a sudden have to abandon the life you had before, what will you take with you?

There was a lot of discussion about this when Hurricane Katrina caused such upheaval in people's lives last year. What these ancient figures - Simonides, Stilpo and Bias - all advise is to think about what you carry with you, within you, rather than the material possessions you could carry on your back or load into you car.

So, hoping none of us has to confront such disasters anytime soon, here is today's proverb read out loud:

1305. Mea mecum porto.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

If you are reading this via RSS: The Flash audio content is not syndicated via RSS; please visit the Latin Audio Proverbs blog to listen to the audio. You can also hear this saying read aloud (the omnia mea mecum porto version) at a Polish website: Wladyslawa Kopalinskiego Slownik wyraz?w obcych i zwrot?w obcojezycznych (weblink).
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October 24, 2006

Homo doctus in se divitias semper habet

In English: A learned person always has riches within himself.

I was prompted to post this proverb as a follow-up to yesterday's proverb about rich King Croesus and his encounter with the wise man, Solon, one of the "seven sages" of ancient Greece.

Today's proverb is associated with Simonides, another legendary wise man of ancient Greece. The proverb itself is a line from a poem by Phaedrus, a Roman poet, who told this story about Simonides:
A learned man always has rich inner resources. Simonides, that extraordinary author of lyric poems, found an excellent remedy for his straitened circumstances by travelling around the most famous cities of the Asia, singing the praises of victorious athletes in exchange for a fee. When he had grown wealthy in this venture, he was ready to take a sea voyage and go back to his native land (he was born, so they say, on the island of Ceos). He boarded a ship, but a terrible storm (plus the sheer age of the ship) caused it to sink in the middle of the sea. Some of the passengers grabbed their money belts, while others held onto their valuables and any possible means of subsistence. A passenger who was more curious than the rest asked the poet, 'Simonides, why aren't you taking along any of your own stuff?' He replied, 'All that is mine is right here with me.' It turned out that only a few were able to swim ashore, while the majority drowned, weighed down by what they were carrying. Then bandits arrived and took from the survivors whatever they had brought ashore, stripping them naked. As it happened, the ancient city of Clazomenae was not far off, which is where the shipwrecked people then turned. In this city there lived a man inclined to literary pursuits who had often read Simonides's compositions and who was his great admirer from afar. He recognized Simonides simply from his manner of speaking and eagerly invited him to his house, regaling him with clothes and money and servants. Meanwhile, the rest of the survivors carried around placards, begging for food. When Simonides happened to run into them, he took one look and exclaimed, 'Just as I said: all that is mine is right here with me, but everything that you took with you has now vanished.'
The translation of Phaedrus given here is from my translation of Aesop's fables, and you can read Phaedrus's Latin version online, along with an English translation in verse by Christopher Smart.

This is a story that resonates with me very powerfully. If I suddenly found myself, like Simonides, bereft of my home and my resources, stripped naked of worldly wealth, I would still have some skills and talents, thanks to my education, that would stand me in good stead. Simonides was a skilled poet, and after the disastrous shipwreck he was able to make his livelihood with his artistic skills. I'm no poet, but I am a competent writer, I speak several foreign languages, and I have decent technology skills. Those are all things that I learned, things that make me "homo doctus," like Simonides. These are riches I get to keep with me, in se, even if my ship should founder on the rocks of life! Admittedly, I have not managed to accumulate a lot of material wealth in my life - but as the story also points out, that kind of wealth will pull you down in a disaster, so that you sink right to the bottom: "the majority drowned, weighed down by what they were carrying."

So here's to the portability of learning and wealth that does not weigh you down! Give yourself a pat on the back for being learned as you listen to today's proverb read out loud:

1517. Homo doctus in se divitias semper habet.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 23, 2006

Ditior Croeso

In English: Richer than Croesus.

This is a proverb that I think is still fairly current in English. At least, I've heard people use this comparison, so presumably they know at least that Croesus must have been very rich in order to merit a proverbial status like this.

But what else do they know about Croesus? I'm guessing this is like the phrase "sour grapes," where people might know what the saying means, without knowing the story behind it. So to fill in what I suspect is a gap in people's knowledge, I'll tell the story of Croesus in today's blog post.

Croesus is a figure from distant antiquity whose story is already told in the old histories of Herodotus. Croesus was the king of Lydia (in modern Turkey) in the 6th century B.C.E. until he was defeated by the Persians in 547 B.C.E.

Croesus was famous for having befriended Solon, one of the legendary "seven sages" of ancient Greece. Although Croesus was immensely wealthy and powerful, Solon warned him about the fickleness of fortune: "It is necessary to see how the end of every affair turns out," Solon told him, "for heaven promises fortune to many people and then utterly ruins them."

When Croesus was preparing to attack the Persians, he is supposed to have consulted Apollo's oracle at Delphi and was told: "If Croesus crosses the Halys River (boundary of Lydia and Persia), a great empire shall fall." Of course, Croesus assumed that this meant he would topple the Persian empire, but the opposite is what ensued. Croesus was the one whose empire fell.

After his defeat, the Persian king Cyris supposedly put Croesus upon a pyre. As the flames began to burn, Croesus spoke the name "Solon, Solon, Solon" remembering the wise words Solon had spoken to him about the fickleness of fortune. Cyrus was impressed by this and ordered that the pyre be extinguished, but the flames were already burning out of control. Croesus then called upon Apollo in prayer, and this caused rainclouds to suddenly appear and douse the flames. This made a tremendous impression on Cyrus, and he pardoned Croesus, appointing him to be a royal advisor.

So, while Croesus was proverbial for his wealth, the real lesson of the story of Croesus was that wealth is something insubstantial and fleeting.

And yes, I have posted this proverb in honor of the sentencing of Enron's Jeff Skilling, who was sentenced today to 24 years in prison, which I think might be considered the modern equivalent of being put on a pyre. I wonder if Jeff Skilling has reached the same conclusions that Croesus did about the ultimate meaning of extravagant wealth. (For more on Enron and wisdom about wealth, see my previous posts about Enron's Ken Lay and Andrew Fastow.)

Meanwhile, here is today's proverb read out loud:

611. Ditior Croeso.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 18, 2006

Hiatus brevis

I'm out of town for a few days and not easily able to update my audio blogs, but I'll be back online soon. Meanwhile, the other Bestiaria Latina blogs are going strong; you can see a round-up of the latest posts at Bestiaria Latina Omnia: News.

October 17, 2006

In caput auctoris facinus plerumque redundat

In English: A crime often comes back to hit the doer in the head.

The Latin word for the way the crime comes back is redundant, from unda, "wave." So the crime comes back against the doer of that crime as sure the tide coming in. We get a lot of great English words from the Latin "wave," such as undulate, inundate, abundant, redundant, etc.

I was prompted to choose this proverb for today thinking about the ongoing saga of the late Ken Lay. I've posted various comments about Ken Lay and his partners in crime from Enron in the past, most recently back on September 26 when I posted a proverb in honor of Andrew Fastow being sentenced for his crimes. Today I read in the news that because Ken Lay died after he was declared guilty but before he could appeal the verdict, that guilty verdict has been vacated, and Ken Lay is "not guilty." Well, I guess that means Ken Lay got justice. I wish I could say the same for the folks unlucky enough to have put their financial futures in Ken Lay's hands.

In any case, I do believe that whatever our justice system may be able or unable to do, there is a cosmic sense of justice that runs with the force of the tides, as this proverb tells us.

Meanwhile, I'll be sure to post a proverb about the ways of wickedness and greed when it comes time for Jeff Skilling to get sentenced. That should be sometime soon! In the meanwhile, if you have not seen the genius documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, I highly recommend it.

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

1179. In caput auctoris facinus plerumque redundat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 16, 2006

Stultus in tenebris ambulat

In English: The fool walks in the shadows.

I thought this proverb would be a good follow-up to yesterday's proverb about leaps in the dark. Today's proverb about the fool walking in the shadows comes from a Biblical source, the book of Ecclesiastes.

It's a fascinating passage! Here's how the discussion begins:
Et vidi quia tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam quantum differt lux tenebris. "And I saw that wisdom excels foolishness as much as light excels shadows."
So there is an encouraging metaphor: wisdom is a light that can illuminate our walk through the shadows. And this is indeed what the author of Ecclesiastes says next - it's the proverb for the day:
Sapientis oculi in capite eius stultus in tenebris ambulat, "The eyes of the wise man are in his head, the fool walks in the shadows."
So far, so good. Wisdom is like light, so the wise man has his path lighted, seeing with the eyes of wisdom. The fool, on the other hand, lacks the light of wisdom and so he walks in darkness.

But this is the book of Ecclesiastes, so this simple opposition between wisdom and foolishness is actually not so simple. The author goes on to explain:
et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus, "and I learned that for both (the wise man and the fool) there is one ending."
So, yes, while the path of the wise man and the path of the fool may be different in life, they both come to the same ending: death. The author of Ecclesiastes then concludes:
et dixi in corde meo si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam, "and I said in my heart: if my death and the death of the fool will be the same, what does it profit me that I have dedicated more effort to wisdom?"
The conclusion that he reaches recalls that most famous passage from Ecclesiastes - vanity of vanities!
locutusque cum mente mea animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas, "and I said with my mind: I have realized that this too is vanity."
This is therefore another case where the proverb, taken in context, ends up acquirising a different meaning. Taken at face value, "the fool walks in darkness" is an encouraging aphorism. If the fool walks in darkness, good for the wise man! He walks in the light!

But when you take the full context of Ecclesiastes, you end up with far more to ponder. Just what does the light of wisdom mean when you know that there is a greater darkness than the darkness of ignorance: the darkness of death itself...?

Heavy stuff. Ecclesiastes is a book of the Bible that can really make you stop and think. REALLY make you stop and think.

So here is today's proverb read out loud - you can think about it in light of Ecclesiastes, or not, as you prefer!

1085. Stultus in tenebris ambulat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 15, 2006

In tenebris salto

In English: I take a leap in the shadows.

Roughly speaking, this Latin saying is something like the English saying, "a shot in the dark."

The English version is much more limited: "a shot in the dark" imagines someone standing in the dark, firing a weapon (a gun is what people would think of today, although it could be an arrow shot, of course). Metaphorically, it has come to mean taking a guess, especially a wild guess, something that has little likelihood of hitting the mark and being correct. This phrase has made it into the American Heritage Dictionary, which it is glossed as follows: "shot in the dark Informal 1. A wild unsubstantiated guess. 2. An attempt that has little chance of succeeding."

The Latin has a broader meaning. Instead of taking a shot, I "leap" in the dark. That "leap" can stand metaphorically for any kind of action. Here we are in the darkness, and we have two choices: to stand still, or to make our leap. I think the idea of making that leap in the darkness is a very optimistic one! So, the connotations of the Latin saying are rather different than the English. The English "shot in the dark" is just a potshot, with nothing heroic about it, but that Latin "leap in the dark" can be a feat of bravery, acting because you must act even though you cannot be sure of where you will end up there in the shadows.

There's a specific meaning of the Latin verb "saltare," meaning to dance. if you take this saying to refer specifically to dancing, then it is less inspiring: if you dance in the dark, you are more likely to step on your partner's feet or get the steps wrong yourself.

In my case, when it comes to dancing, I'm likely to step on my partner's feet whether the lights are on or not! So I prefer to take the Latin to refer to the more general sense of "leaping" rather than "dancing." I very much like the idea of taking that leap into the shadows, that plunge into the unknown.

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

1030. In tenebris salto.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 14, 2006

Non omnes sancti qui calcant limina templi

In English: Not all are holy who tread the threshold of the temple.

I thought I would offer this saying as a follow-up on the proverb from yesterday and my commentary on the conviction of Representative Bob Ney on corruption charges. The literal meaning of today's saying is obviously directed against church officials and church-goers who are less than holy, but I think it can also be applied, metaphorically, to our elected officials, those who tread the threshold of the temple of democracy.

Consider the words of Bill Moyers is a recent commentary, Lincoln Weeps, on the dreadful state of our democracy: "If democracy can be said to have temples, the Lincoln Memorial is our most sacred." I do agree with this. Just the other night, I watched the genius anti-war film The Day The Earth Stood Still, and one of the most moving scenes in that film is when the little boy takes Klaatu, the alien visitor, to the Lincoln Memorial. This, Klaatu realizes, was a great man, and the memorial to him is an expression of democracy's highest hopes.

Yet, as Moyers goes on to say, "Lincoln looks out now on a city where those words are daily mocked. This is no longer his city. And those people from all walks of life making their way up the steps to pay their respect to the martyred president—it's not their city, either. Or their government. This is an occupied city, a company town, and government is a subservient subsidiary of richly endowed patrons."

It's not something partisan. Moyers is careful to note that Democrats as well as Republicans are "up to their necks in the sludge." The solution? The only possible solution to the corruption of our democracy would have to be a truly democratic solution: "The only way to counter the power of organized money is with organized and outraged people."

I agree with Moyers, and my sense of outrage and dismay is what prompts me to often include political commentary with these daily proverbs. Studying the past should not be a way to put our heads in the sand and ignore what is going on around us. Instead, we need to recognize that the problems we face are real, and they are the problems that people face again and again, in utterly different time periods and in wildly disparate cultures. The only people, though, who can solve our problems right here, right now would be "we, the people." And today's proverb reminds us that we cannot let corrupt politicans wrap themselves in the sacred cloak of democracy: we must keep them under our scrutiny, and keep ourselves well-informed (hurray for the Internet!) about what is going on in Washington these days.

So, read Moyers's commentary if you have a chance - and here is today's proverb read out loud:

1315. Non omnes sancti qui calcant limina templi.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 13, 2006

Auro vitam venditat

In English: He's putting his life up for sale in exchange for gold.

This Latin saying is first recorded in the Roman comic playwright, Plautus, in his play Bacchides. To be more specific, it is reported by the fourth-century commentator Maurus Servius Honoratus, who attributes this saying to Plautus. Servius is commenting on the use of the word latro, "thief" in Vergil, and notes an etymology proposed by Varro, typical of Latin folk etymology. Varro says the word is a shortening of "laterones," a non-existent Latin word that would mean something like "side-kicks," because courtiers, who are as good as thieves, hang around on all sides ("latera") of the king. Then, Servius cites this passage from Plautus who says that a soldier is a "thief who puts his life up for sale in exchange for gold," latronem suam qui auro vitam venditat.

So, this is a good example of a bit of Latin that, luckily preserved in an obscure and rather odd source (a fragment of Plautus in Servius), can go on to have a career of its own as a nice little saying. Even better, this is a saying that someone can learn after just a week or so of Latin, since it is made up a first declension noun (vitam), a second declension noun (auro), and a simple first conjugation verb (venditat).

The verb "venditare" is an example of an frequentive formation, based on the verb "vendere" meaning "to vend, sell." This base verb gives rise to "venditare," "to try to sell again and again, to put up for sale, to prostitute." These frequentive verbs are quite common in Latin, yielding some common English words: agitation, dictation, habitation, etc.

My main reason, though, for posting this proverb today was quite simply that it seemed a good commentary on one of the leading items in the news today: Rep. Bob Ney pleads guilty in Abramoff scandal. Here is a man, one of the leaders of our country, definitely a "sidekick" in America's circles of power, who has ruined his political career and his personal life in exchange for "gold," in the form of expensive sports tickets, all-expense paid vacations, gambling chips, and so on. And the frequentive verb is very appropriate here, since he did not do this just once or twice but over and over again.

Here is today's proverb read out loud:

1082. Auro vitam venditat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 12, 2006

Asinus asinum fricat

In English: One donkey scratches another donkey.

I thought this proverb would be a good follow-up to yesterday's proverb about the donkey putting blame on the jackass: asinus asellum culpat. In today's proverb, it is exactly the opposite situation, where a couple of donkeys are engaged in mutual admiration!

The Latin verb fricat, "scratches," also has the same connotations of the contemporary use of the English word "strokes." So when a couple of donkeys are scratching each other, you can imagine a situation in which two equally foolish people are lavishing praise on one another for their talents and achievements, giving each other "strokes."

I can't think of an English equivalent proverb that has quite the same connotations as this Latin saying. There is the phrase "birds of a feather flock together." Or you could compare the Latin saying to the English sayings "one hand washes another" (a saying also found in Latin: manus manum lavat) and "scratch my back; I'll scratch yours." While these English sayings do convey the sense of mutual loyalty and admiration, they lack the element of mockery that is a crucial element in the Latin saying about the donkeys. When you say "one donkey scratches another," you are making fun of those donkeys. And there are indeed plenty of donkeys out there to make fun of!

Here is today's proverb read out loud (but no hee-haws, I promise!):

1049. Asinus asinum fricat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

If you are reading this via RSS: The Flash audio content is not syndicated via RSS; please visit the Latin Audio Proverbs blog to listen to the audio. You can also hear this saying read aloud at a Polish website: Wladyslawa Kopalinskiego Slownik wyraz?w obcych i zwrot?w obcojezycznych (weblink).
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October 11, 2006

Asinus asellum culpat

In English: The donkey finds fault with the jackass.

In other words, this Latin proverb is basically the equivalent of our English saying, "the pot calling the kettle black."

It's actually rather hard to translate this into English, even if the Latin is just three little words. The asinus (donkey) finds fault with the asellus (donkey). The word asellus is just a diminutive of the regular word for donkey, and English, unfortunately, is short on diminutives. Moreover, despite the term, diminutives are not just "little" versions of the big thing. Both of these words for donkey were freely used in Latin. So, for example, Horace can write about narrare fabellam surdo asello, "telling a story to a deaf donkey."

And yes, this proverb is my latest contribution to the ongoing discussion about the North Korean nuclear test. For a voice of sanity in what seems like so much braying of asini and aselli on both sides, I found much worth thinking about in Jimmy Carter's New York Times editorial. Carter has a history here. As he explains in the article, in 1994 he went to North Korea and participated in negotiations at that time which made it possible for atomic energy agency inspectors to make sure that North Korea's spent nuclear fuel not be reprocessed for its plutonium. In 2002, however, when Bush denounced North Korea as being part of his vaunted "axis of evil," North Korea pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and expelled the inspectors. Thanks very much to Jimmy Carter for reminding us about just how the situation reached the point where we find it today.

Meanwhile, after listening to a slew of administration officials on the radio the past couple of days, I offer today's proverb, and here it is read out loud:

1050. Asinus asellum culpat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 10, 2006

Canes timidi vehementius latrant quam mordent

In English: Timid dogs bark more fiercely than they bite.

This is a nice Latin version of "his bark's worse than his bite" (a proverb that even rated inclusion in the New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy). What I like is that the Latin version adds the detail that it is the scared dogs that act this way.

The Latin saying can be found in Curtius's History of Alexander the Great, Book VII. Curtius pairs it with another very nice proverb: altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi, "the deepest waters glide by with the least sound." Applied to dogs this would warn us that the baddest dogs are not the ones barking, but the ones staring right at us, not making a sound!

I decided to post this as a follow-up commentary on the North Korea episode which is dominating the news still today. Of the various news shows I heard today, it was only the BBC News that featured an interview which raised the issue of what it means for the western nations "in the club" to be so reticent about their own nuclear weapons arsenals while raising a ruckus about North Korea. You can hear an example of that reticence right there in the BBC interview, with the reporter pushing hard with questions while Britain's ambassador to the U.N. deftly does not engage. Apparently North Korea pulled out of the non-proliferation talks several years ago. So, as a result, they have not signed any agreement to not proliferate, making it unclear on what grounds the U.N. could sanction them. Although they will no doubt be sanctioned; that definitely seemed to be the consensus today.

I was wondering, though, if this proverb might not tell us a lot of what we need to know. Is there a lot of barking going on here? Is there reason to think North Korea is scared? That sure seems likely to me. If I were North Korea, I'd be scared. And as the proverb tells us: the scared dogs are going to bark!

So here is today's proverb read out loud (but no barking, I promise!):

1557. Canes timidi vehementius latrant quam mordent.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 09, 2006

Ex bellis bella seruntur

In English: From wars wars are sown.

The saying is adapted from the Roman historian Livy (21.10; you can also read an English translation online). The Carthaginian Hanno is desperately trying to persuade the Carthaginians to come to terms with the Romans. Although Hannibal has destroyed Saguntum (in 218 B.C.E.), Hanno warns the Carthaginians that this victory will in fact prove to be their defeat. I thought I would post this proverb today because of the news today about an alleged nuclear weapons test by North Korea. The arms race has been going strong for my entire existence on this planet, and more years than that - and it looks like it hasn't stopped yet.

As it happens, just this weekend I read an extremely informative and deeply moving book about the arms race in America, conceived as a history of the Pentagon - the building, but also the mentality that has been bred in and by that building. The author is James Carroll (perhaps known to readers of this blog as the author of Constantine's Sword), and the title is House of War. Even though it is enormously long, I read this book through from start to finish. Carroll strikes a powerful emotional balance between the historical account of the Pentagon with his own personal history: both Carroll and the Pentagon were born in the same week in 1943, and Carroll's father was General Joseph Carroll, whose military career is entwined with the evolution of the Pentagon itself.

Today's proverb could serve as a motto for this book, showing how America's belligerent policies over the decades have spawned only more belligerence, with a multi-trillion dollar industry built in the name of war, not peace. We have insanely invested in not hundreds, not thousands, but tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. That is a topic I wish we discussed on the news with the eagerness that people have been poring over the news of the test in North Korea. You think the US arms race is old news? Try reading this article from the London Guardian about the Bush administration's avid interest in developing nuclear weapons with resources the North Koreans could not amass in their wildest dreams:
The Bush administration is planning a secret meeting in August to discuss the construction of a new generation of nuclear weapons, including "mini-nukes", "bunker-busters" and neutron bombs designed to destroy chemical or biological agents, according to a leaked Pentagon document. The meeting of senior military officials and US nuclear scientists at the Omaha headquarters of the US Strategic Command would also decide whether to restart nuclear testing and how to convince the American public that the new weapons are necessary.
Wars from wars... weapons from weapons. Is this a lesson we will ever learn?

In hopes of a future that will be wiser than our past, here is today's proverb read out loud:

3033. Ex bellis bella seruntur.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 08, 2006

Alter frenis, alter eget calcaribus

In English: One person has need of reins, another of spurs.

In other words: Some people need to be reined in and other people need to be spurred on! I thought this metaphor would be a good follow-up to yesterday's proverb, which was also about horses and reins.

As a teacher, I would definitely say that this proverb about reins and spurs rings true for the range of learning styles and study habits that I see in my students. For the writing assignments in my classes, there is a minimum word count and a maximum word count limit. Both limits are important. For the students who need spurs, the minimum word count is a way, hopefully, to prod them along so that they actually spend some time on the assignment and have more to say in their writing. For the students who need reins, the maximum word count is equally important. Since I ask the students to read each other's work, it is important for people to focus on the most important things that they want to say, since the time that others have available for reading their work is not unlimited.

Consequently, each week I get many assignments which barely reach the minimum word count - but something is better than nothing! Meanwhile, there are students who turn in assignments exactly at the maximum word count, and you know that is the result of their having edited something down, which is a very good thing. I am sure that their final written work benefits from that process of distillation.

If you're curious what the students are up to - both those who need spurs and those who need reins - you can take a look at their Storybook projects, which are now really starting to move along. As always, there's a delightful array of topics in all three of the courses I teach: Mythology-Folklore, World Literature and Indian Epics.

Meanwhile, here is today's proverb read out loud:

1512. Alter frenis, alter eget calcaribus.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 07, 2006

Frenis saepe repugnat equus

In English: The horse often fights against the reins.

I thought this proverb would be a good follow-up to yesterday's proverb about how difficult it is to answer to someone's beck and call.

Today's proverb expresses a similar idea: the horse rebels against someone who tries to control him, but in this case it is the horse who eagerly wants to go forward, but who is being held back by the rider who pulls on the reins. The Latin word for the reins, frena, gives us the English word "refrain," in the sense of holding back from doing something, literally "being reined in."

There are two quite opposite ways in which you might interpret this image of the horse governed by the reins of his rider. The first approach is to see the horse as a wild thing, representing impulses and passions which need to be reined in by reason. The horse might fight back, but that is no reason to let him go off at full gallop! In this case, we identify with the rider, desperately trying to keep his horse from running away with him.

There is, however, a different way to regard the horse: although once able to run free, he has foolishly put himself under the domination of man, and is now condemned to servitude, governed by his rider's reins. There is an Aesop's fable about the horse got himself into this sad plight:
There was a horse who was the sole owner of a meadow. Then a stag came and wreaked havoc in the meadow. The horse wanted to get revenge, so he asked a certain man if he would help him carry out a vendetta against the stag. The man agreed, provided that the horse took the bit in his mouth so that the man could ride him, wielding his javelin. The horse consented, and the man climbed on his back but instead of getting his revenge, the horse simply became a slave to the man.
This is one of my favorite Aesop's fables, and it is definitely the one that first comes to my mind when I think about today's proverb. The horse is fighting against those reins and he would be so much happier if he could regain his former freedom.

Which image first comes to your mind when you think of a horse fighting against the reins of the rider? Do you identify with the horse, or with the rider?

Ponder that, as you listen to today's proverb read out loud:

1055. Frenis saepe repugnat equus.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 06, 2006

Durum ad nutum alterius ambulare

In English: It is a hard thing to walk according to someone else's nod.

In other words: nobody likes taking orders from somebody else.

I thought this would be a good follow-up to yesterday's proverb: Est unusquisque faber ipsae suae fortunae, "Each and every person is the maker of his own luck." Part of human identity involves a strong sense of autonomy and of making individual choices. For better or worse, we enjoy (or perhaps regret) the consequences of those choices.

Today's proverb, however, reminds us that we live in societies based on control. We can easily find ourselves under someone else's control, someone who gives us orders. Walking would seem to be the perfect expression of our will in motion but, as the proverb reminds us, it is a hard thing to walk at someone else's beck and call.

The word used to express this form of control, ad nutum, is distinctively Roman. It literally means "according to the nod" of someone else. As I've explained in detail in another blog post, the Latin noun nutus means both "nod," as in the physical gesture of nodding the head, and also "command, will." In medieval Latin, you will find the ablative phrase nutu Dei, which means literally "at the nod of God" - in other words, "at God's command." Even more profoundly, think about the Latin word numen. Literally, Latin numen just means "nodding," but it came to acquire the specific meaning of the "nod of god," "divine will," or "divinity" itself.

It is worth considering this religious dimension when we look at the source for today's proverb: it actually comes from the famous book by the 15th-century author Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ. Thomas says that durum tibi videtur ad nutum alterius ambulare, "it seems to you that it is a hard thing to walk according to someone else's nod."

For Thomas, however, this is a misapprehension. Thomas urges us to give up our foolish insistence on having our own way, and to instead give ourselves over to the will of God. We will have a heavenly reward, he explains:
For even in exchange for this trifling desire whichthou hast readily forsaken, thou shalt always have thy will inHeaven. There verily thou shalt find all that thou wouldst, allthat thou canst long for. There thou shalt have all good withinthy power without the fear of losing it. There thy will, ever atone with Mine, shall desire nothing outward, nothing for itself.There no man shall withstand thee, none shall complain of thee,none shall hinder, nothing shall stand in thy path; but allthings desired by thee shall be present together, and shallrefresh thy whole affection, and fill it up even to the brim.There I will glory for the scorn suffered here, the garment ofpraise for sorrow, and for the lowest place a throne in theKingdom, for ever. There shall appear the fruit of obedience,the labour of repentance shall rejoice, and humble subjectionshall be crowned gloriously.
You can read the Latin text of this passage online (III.49.6).

This is a great example of how proverbs and sayings can take on a life of their own. Although Thomas a Kempis introduced the idea conveyed by this proverb only in order to refute it, the saying itself circulates freely, out of context, and exerts a strong appeal of its own. Quite aside from theology and more cosmic questions, we all know how hard it can be when your boss is bossing you around, or some interfering family member is telling you how to live your life. Durum est - it's hard!

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

1308. Durum ad nutum alterius ambulare.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 05, 2006

Est unusquisque faber ipsae suae fortunae.

In English: Each and every person is the maker of his own luck.

There's a hard choice to make in an English translation of this wonderful saying: is each person the maker of his own luck? or of his own fortune? The Latin word fortuna can be translated either way. I've chosen the "luck" option since that is a more striking and surprising statement. The idea of "making a fortune" has become almost a cliche in English, meaning, sadly, "to make money." But making your own luck: that's a much more challenging idea!

Luck is something that allows you to put things beyond your own control or responsibility: if something bad happens because of bad luck, it's not your fault; if something good happens because of good luck, you get the benefits although you might not get to take full credit for this happy circumstance.

So, to make your own luck, to be the maker of your own fortuna, would mean to be the person who takes responsibility for the things that happen to you, both good and bad.

In a sense, this saying is the more complete version of yesterday's saying: Homines plerique ipsi sibi mala parant, "Many people themselves prepare evils for themselves." Yes, people are the makers of evil against themselves, their own bad luck - but they can also be the makers of their good luck as well, their own "fortune."

In Rome, Fortuna was also personified as a goddess, and there is a delightful Aesop's fable about how angry Fortuna gets about being blamed for things that, she insists, are not her fault.
A workman had thoughtlessly fallen asleep one night next to a well. While he slept, he seemed to hear the voice of Fortuna, the goddess of luck, as she stood there beside him. "Hey you," the goddess said, "you'd better wake up! I am afraid that if you fall into the well, I will be the one that people blame, giving me a bad reputation. In general, people blame me for everything that happens to them, including the unfortunate events and tumbles for which a person really has only himself to blame."
So even though it looks like today's saying might put her out of business, I think Fortuna herself would agree that each person is the one who brings their own "fortune" into being.

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

942. Est unusquisque faber ipsae suae fortunae.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 04, 2006

Homines plerique ipsi sibi mala parant.

In English: Many people themselves prepare evils for themselves.

Or, in other words, most people are their own worst enemy!

This is a saying that I see illustrated over and over again, in my own life and in the lives of people around me. The trouble we make for ourselves - trouble we don't have to make for ourselves - can bring us down fast. I decided to choose this proverb in honor of Representative Foley and all the mess he has gotten himself in through actions that were not coerced or compelled by anyone, but which were simply actions he committed himself, evils he piled up for himself.

This proverb is not completely pessimistic - it just says that most people, plerique, do this. I guess I am cynical enough to believe that this actually applied to all people. In fact, it's probably wise for us all to assume that this does apply to each of us. Now if only we could figure out how to make sure that we prepare good things for ourselves instead of bad things!

So here is today's proverb read out loud - just think about changing that mala to bona in your own life if you can:

1314. Homines plerique ipsi sibi mala parant.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin. If you are reading this via RSS: The Flash audio content is not syndicated via RSS; please visit the Latin Audio Proverbs blog to listen to the audio.
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October 03, 2006

Abyssus abyssum invocat

In English: One hell summons another.

Although I have translated this proverb using the word "hell," that is not the meaning in its original context. This phrase is first found in the Vulgate translation of the Bible, Psalm 42:
Abyssus abyssum invocat in voce cataractarum tuarum; omnes gurgites tui et fluctus tui super me transierunt

Deep calls to deep in the voice of your waterfalls: all your whirlpools and waves have passed over me.
In context, this refers to the natural world, to the deeps of the waters with their swirling waters and their waves. Symbolically, to me it seems like an expression of the soul's longing for God. The deep is the depth of division between the worshipper and God, but God sends his waters tumbling down, the waterfalls and the waves, so that the worshipper is swept over with love of God, despite the depth that divides them, low from high. There are many ways that this verse of the Psalm has been interpreted, of course. No matter what interpretation is adopted, though, it is clear that somehow it involves the deeps of the waters.

Out of context, however, the phrase has come to me "one bad thing follows another" or "one disaster follows another." This is because, as adopted into Latin, the Greek word "abyssos" (you can tell it is Greek from the "y" in the spelling), usually has negative connotations: the abyss is the bottomless pit, the land of the dead, an underground place where the spirits of the dead are confined. In other words: hell.

The use of "abyssus" to mean the depths of the ocean, as it is used here Psalm 42, is rather unusual, and reflects Greek usage more than the later Latin usage of the word. In Greek, the word is simply a compound of "a" (meaning without, lacking in) and "bussos" (bottom) - hence, anything bottomless or very deep, such as the sea.

I was prompted to choose this proverb for today in the wake of the school shooting in Pennsylvania this week, which followed two other school shootings in the U.S. in the past week, and which carries on back to the Columbine shooting in Colorado in 1999. Each of these incidents, taken separately, is simply a horrific violation of the order of things. The incident does not make sense on its own, but there emerges a chain of incidents, as if one such incident were summoning the next. The measureless depth of one of these tragedies calls for the next. Abyssus abyssum invocat. What a world we have created for ourselves here, what depths of sorrow.

Here is today's proverb read out loud:

1051. Abyssus abyssum invocat.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 02, 2006

Suus cuique mos, suus cuique ritus est

In English: To each person his own custom, to each person his own religious observance.

This saying comes from the writings of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, who lived in the late fourth century C.E. Symmachus was a pagan and in writings like this he articulated a principle of religious tolerance that stands in sharp contrast to the entrenchment of religious orthodoxy, arguing for the protection of traditional cult practices which were being suppressed by the Christian authorities. If you are interested in learning more about the tension between the triumphant Christian orthodoxy and fourth-century pagans like the emperor Julian (the "Apostate") and Symmachus, I can recommend a very user-friendly book by Jonathan Kirsch, God Against The Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism. It provides a compelling overview of the tension between the polytheistic traditions of paganism and the monotheism of Judaism and Christianity.

I chose this saying today in honor of the coincidence of the Jewish and Muslim calendars today. Apparently every thirty years or so, the festivals of Yom Kippur and Ramadan coincide, and that is the case this year (you can listen to an NPR report about this, with some reflections on past years in which the festivals coincided).

Also on the religious calendar right now is the Hindu festival of Navartri (nine-nights), the celebration of the goddesses, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. I feel very lucky to live in a world where it is indeed possible for so many peoples to practice their own customs and their own rites.

So here is today's proverb read out loud:

932. Suus cuique mos, suus cuique ritus est.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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October 01, 2006

Inter pygmaeos regnat nanus.

In English: Among the pygmies, the dwarf is king.

You might be familiar with a similar Latin proverb, "In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." This proverb takes the idea of sight and translates it in terms of height: Among extremely short people, a short person is tall!

As you can guess from the letter "y" in the spelling, the Pygmies are found in Greek mythology. The Greek word "pygme" is the length of the arm from elbow to wrist, hence a very short measure of length, around 13 inches.

The mythological Greek Pygmies were especially famous for their battle with the cranes, as described in Homer. In addition to being represented in poetry and the visual arts, the Pygmies are also included in the accounts of the ancient geographers, such as Pliny. Here is Philemon Holland's delightful 1601 translation of the passage in Pliny's Natural History 7:
And these pretie people Homer also reporteth to be much troubled and annoied by cranes. The speech goeth, that in the Spring time they set out all of them in battell array, mounted upon the backe of rammes and goats, armed with bowes and arrowes, and so downe to the sea side they march, wheere they make foule worke among the egges and young cranelings newly hatched, which they destroy without all pitie. Thus for three moneths this their journey and expedition continueth, and then they make an end of their valiant service: for otherwise if they should continue any longer, they were never able to withstand the new flights of this foule, growne to some strength and bignesse. As for their houses and cottages, made they are of clay or mud, fouls feathers, and birds egge shels.
The word Pygmy is also used today to refer actual tribal peoples, markedly short in stature, who live in central Africa and also in southeast Asia. For more information, there is a website dedicated to the Baka Pygmies of Africa, with detailed accounts of their daily life, rituals, music, and other cultural activities.

Meanwhile, the Latin word nanus, meaning "dwarf," is attested in classical Latin and gives rise to the modern Italian word for dwarf, nano, so that "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" is rendered in Italian as "Biancaneve e i sette nani." (You can see the Italian wikipedia for more information.)

And here is today's proverb read out loud:

1056. Inter pygmaeos regnat nanus.

The number here is the number for this proverb in Latin Via Proverbs: 4000 Proverbs, Mottoes and Sayings for Students of Latin.

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