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What's Your Favorite Latin Word or Words (But No Phrases Now)

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What's Your Favorite Latin Word or Words?

The Quaint, Curious, Romantic, and Fanciful . . .

 

THEY OR IT could or should be something you like the sound of, or which has special meaning to you; Or you have a special attachment or romance for. . . .and what is that special attachment for you?

 

Here are a few of my fav

Edited by Faustus

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My favourite Latin word is the same as my favourite English word: res or thing! It can mean so many different things! :rolleyes:

 

res

res

rem

rei

rei

re

 

res

res

res

rerum

rebus

rebus

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One of my favorite Latin words is actually the name of a Roman patrician gens: Cornelia.

 

It's one of my favorites, because it's also an anagram of "Caroline" -- the name of a favorite author of fiction based in ancient Rome. :no2:

 

-- Nephele

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One of my favorite Latin words is actually the name of a Roman patrician gens: Cornelia.

 

It's one of my favorites, because it's also an anagram of "Caroline" -- the name of a favorite author of fiction based in ancient Rome. :ph34r:

 

-- Nephele

 

Now that was quaint, which is another word for cute in feminine parlance. And then there is mystery. I'm going to soon check one of those out. :no2:

 

Now for dumb: Another mystery to me is rhyming poetry in latin translations from english. I can only guess that it's done by ignoring sentence structure, and arranging the words to fit the needs. But I do recall seeing some very eloquent and seemingly perfect examples of good rhyming poetry masterfully done in this way. I always marvel at this.

 

Can anyone recall a good example of that so that we could take a look at it? A stanza perhaps. . .

 

Another FAV I like to use in examples: All words Aug. Augustus, Auctor, Augeo (increase) Aug =light? (others) do we get the word Awe* from those? Certainly the two letter elements abbreviation "Au" for gold comes straight through with knowledge of its true source, sort of a fabrication like awe. [Here

Edited by Faustus

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It's one of my favorites, because it's also an anagram of "Caroline" -- the name of a favorite author of fiction based in ancient Rome. :ph34r: -- Nephele

 

Thanks, Nephele! :no2:

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Another mystery to me is rhyming poetry in latin translations from english. I can only guess that it's done by ignoring sentence structure, and arranging the words to fit the needs. But I do recall seeing some very eloquent and seemingly perfect examples of good rhyming poetry masterfully done in this way. I always marvel at this.

 

Can anyone recall a good example of that so that we could take a look at it? A stanza perhaps. . .

 

I can give a really good example, not of rhyming poetry in Latin translation from English (or vice versa rhymes), but of an English translation from Latin, into blank verse in iambic pentameter.

 

Pulitzer Prize nominee for poetry, and New York City's own, Charles Martin, recently came out with a new and highly-acclaimed translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Here's an except from one of my (obviously) favorite passages:

 

 

....She is here today;

arriving, she hands the Armoress of Nymphs

her spear, her quiver, and her unstrung bow;

and while one nymph folds her discarded robe

over an arm, two more remove her sandals,

and that accomplished Theban nymph, Crocale,

gathers the stray hairs on Diana's neck

into a knot (we cannot help but notice

that her own hair is left in careless freedom!);

five other nymphs, whose names are Nephele,

Hyale, Rhanis, Psecas, and Phiale,

fetch and pour water from enormous urns.

 

And here are those corresponding lines from Ovid's original Latin work:

 

quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni

armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,

altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,

vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis

Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos

colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.

excipiunt laticem Nepheleque Hyaleque Rhanisque

et Psecas et Phiale funduntque capacibus urnis.

 

-- Nephele

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Thank you Nephele

 

Your corrections are always so gentle. . :no2:

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Wow, thank you for posting the selection you did, it led me to want to read more and mark that translation on my wishlist. The translation I have is readable, but this is really lovely!

 

V.

 

Pulitzer Prize nominee for poetry, and New York City's own, Charles Martin, recently came out with a new and highly-acclaimed translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Here's an except from one of my (obviously) favorite passages:

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Ignavus, which I have used as a company name, many people wrongly assume that it is some reference to volcanic activity or lava .

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Wow, thank you for posting the selection you did, it led me to want to read more and mark that translation on my wishlist. The translation I have is readable, but this is really lovely!

 

Yes, isn't it wonderful? The Amazon site gives an excerpt that includes Charles Martin's poetic translation of Ovid's description of the creation of mankind:

 

And even though all other animals

lean forward and look down toward the ground,

he gave to man a face that is uplifted,

and ordred him to stand erect and look

directly up into the vaulted heavens

and turn his countenance to meet the stars;

the earth, that was so lately rude and formless,

was changed by taking on the shapes of men.

 

Beyond comparisons with the creation story in Milton's Paradise Lost, Martin's use of language is absolutely sublime. I agree with what The Hudson Review wrote: "Charles Martin's new translation of the Metamorphoses, the latest in a 500-year-old tradition, both gives us an Ovid for our times and reminds us that in our times Ovid is everywhere."

 

-- Nephele

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And even though all other animals

lean forward and look down toward the ground,

he gave to man a face that is uplifted,

and ordred him to stand erect and look

directly up into the vaulted heavens

and turn his countenance to meet the stars;

the earth, that was so lately rude and formless,

was changed by taking on the shapes of men.

 

Thanks so much for quoting this passage Nephele. It's one of my favorites in Ovid--it's such a dramatic contrast to the Judeo-Christian view of man. Rather than created from mud and saddled with Original Sin, Ovid has us created like the statues of Greek athletes--out of stone with uplifted face and proud posture. This is the kind of creature with enough noble pride to expel a king or to rise up after a defeat like Cannae.

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Wow, thank you for posting the selection you did, it led me to want to read more and mark that translation on my wishlist. The translation I have is readable, but this is really lovely!

 

Yes, isn't it wonderful? The Amazon site gives an excerpt that includes Charles Martin's poetic translation of Ovid's description of the creation of mankind:

 

And even though all other animals

lean forward and look down toward the ground,

he gave to man a face that is uplifted,

and ordred him to stand erect and look

directly up into the vaulted heavens

and turn his countenance to meet the stars;

the earth, that was so lately rude and formless,

was changed by taking on the shapes of men.

 

Beyond comparisons with the creation story in Milton's Paradise Lost, Martin's use of language is absolutely sublime. I agree with what The Hudson Review wrote: "Charles Martin's new translation of the Metamorphoses, the latest in a 500-year-old tradition, both gives us an Ovid for our times and reminds us that in our times Ovid is everywhere."

 

-- Nephele

 

Thanks Nephele, To say that was beautiful hardly qualifies to describe it; andstellar wouldn't even come close! It exceeds my request. I'll clip it and keep it in my copy of The Twelve Caesars

 

Faustus

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