Reading Sarah Bond's book, Strike, that I mentioned in the previous blog post is already an enjoyable academic read.
One word that jumped out to me as a word I didn't know: confraternity
I understood it based on the Latin origins: con (with) + fraternity (brotherhood) - and in the context of the book I was able to also understand it from contexts, but still - I enjoy finding new words.
confraternity, n.
- a society devoted especially to a religious or charitable cause
- fraternal union
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"Alea iacta est"
Commonly translated as "The die is cast," my high school Latin teacher preferred the phrase "Let the dice fly." I agree that her preferred translation has a more romantic or dramatic flair.
I also find this excerpt from the Wikipedia page to be interesting, I had forgotten that he supposedly said this line in Greek, making the Latin translation that much sillier for us to recite.
According to Plutarch, Caesar originally said the line in Greek rather than Latin, as ἀνερρίφθω κύβος anerrhī́phthō kýbos, literally "let a die be cast", metaphorically "let the game be played". This is a quote from a play by Menander, and Suetonius's Latin translation is slightly misleading, being merely a statement about the inevitability of what is to come, while the Greek original contains a self-encouragement to venture forward. The Latin version is now most commonly cited with the word order changed (Alea iacta est), and it is used both in this form, and in translation in many languages. The same event inspired another related idiom, "crossing the Rubicon".
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"Spoken Latin Is Making a Comeback"
The title is over the top for what the article is actually about. A teacher is setting up trips to Rome for Latin students, on the trip they attempt to converse in Latin for an added experiential effect when learning the language. It sounds fun and super nerdy.
I took four years of Latin in high school, a decision my father was very much against (he wanted me to just take Spanish) and my mother fought (truly, one of the only times I recall them disagreeing and sticking to their guns.) Ultimately it was my decision and I chose Latin.
I can recall at one point in high school, I think my Junior year, I was deep in the class and had just left it. A kid ran by and hit my shoulder and I said, "Ubi est ignis?!" almost without thinking. I didn't think about translating the phrase "Where's the fire?" it just came out. It's the only time I recall finding myself in that deep a gestalt with the language. I can only imagine how much I would have enjoyed going to Italy to study and speak Latin.
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Semper Ad Meliora
Semper ad meliora is Latin for "Always toward Better Things." A Latin motto I got from ChatGPT this morning as I participated in some silliness with the AI. I quite like it and think it also represents my mindset quite well.
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Vox populi, vox Dei
Elon Musk used the most familiar portion of the quote, but the full quote is rather important and changes its meaning.
This quote comes from a letter between Alcuin and Charlemagne.
Nec audiendi qui solent dicere, Vox populi, vox Dei, quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit.
And those people should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.
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