Tag Archives: EverythingIsBetterWithLatin!™

Outlaws, Were-Bears, and Skunks

I’ve been reading the Gesta Herwardi (“The Deeds of Herward” a.k.a. “Hereward the Wake”), one of the original outlaw stories from England (although it’s written not in English, but in Latin—because, no doubt, Everything Is Better With Latin!™). The Robin … Continue reading

Posted in books, fantasy, language, Morlock, Myth & Legend, sword-and-sorcery | Tagged , | Comments Off on Outlaws, Were-Bears, and Skunks

Thrush to Judgement

I’ve been rereading Petronius’ Satyricon, to take my mind off the imminent death of democracy in America. It’s not working that well, because Trimalchio (the wealthy boor who is the anti-protagonist of his own episode in the novel) keeps reminding … Continue reading

Posted in ancient art, art, books, language, politics, television, words | Tagged , | Comments Off on Thrush to Judgement

Pane/Counterpane

I’ve often wondered what was counter about counterpane—whether it was somehow the opposite of pane (e.g. “a pane of glass”). Turns out: no. In fact, says the AHD, Old French countrepointe is an eggcorn for coultepointe, derived from Medieval Latin … Continue reading

Posted in words | Tagged | Comments Off on Pane/Counterpane

Hair Apparent

I was turning for comfort and relief to Seneca, as I often do, when he turned around and stabbed me in the eyeball with this triple-forked slam. He’s writing about his contemporaries who have screwed-up priorities. His contemporaries, but maybe … Continue reading

Posted in politics, Roman history, Rome | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hair Apparent

Actis Temporibus

For a few years I’ve had a Latin version of “Auld Lang Syne” on my Latin-for-the-holidays handout, but I’ve never been crazy about it. For one thing, it erases the repetitions in the original. For another, references to drinking have … Continue reading

Posted in academia, Adventures in the Public Domain, Christmas, language, music, writing | Tagged , | Comments Off on Actis Temporibus

Fair or Unfair?

In the course of an ultimately frustrating and pointless conversation online today, I found myself thinking of the multiple meanings of fair in English–at once, “light-skinned/light-haired”, “beautiful”, and “just, even-handed”. The meanings are so different that I wondered if they … Continue reading

Posted in art, fantasy art, language, politics, words | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Fair or Unfair?

Wearing the Mask

I’m rereading Seneca’s De Beneficiis, using Kaster’s shiny new OCT edition, and came across this crunchy line: hanc personam induisti: agenda est.—Seneca, De Beneficiis 2.17.2“You’ve put on this mask; you have to act out the part.” Seneca’s line is almost … Continue reading

Posted in ancient art, art, language, Rome, sff | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Wearing the Mask

Vale!

Whenever I see a news item about Romney, I think it’s about the English artist who did such great drawings of Orpheus and Eurydice. I am always disappointed. This is made even worse by the fact that the artist’s first … Continue reading

Posted in art, language, Myth & Legend | Tagged | Comments Off on Vale!

Antiquus sed Bonus

Igpay Atinlay by Antgray Idersnay.

Posted in art, cartoon, fantasy art, language | Tagged | Comments Off on Antiquus sed Bonus

Cattus Latinus Snoozicus

I’m rereading Ovid’s Metamorphoses again this summer, which always reminds me of my son’s late-but-great cat Lewis the Explorer. This picture from seven years ago may suggest why.

Posted in books, cats | Tagged | Comments Off on Cattus Latinus Snoozicus