"In defence of Latin"

ingrid70 · Post by **ingrid70** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 6:36 pm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story ... 25,00.html

Episcopus · Post by **Episcopus** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 8:24 pm

Qui totam per vitam poetas legat sequese consecret LOSER est.

1%homeless · Post by **1%homeless** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:13 pm

"Those who have not studied the works of Homer, Vergil, Ovid, Cicero, Tacitus, lead very empty lives."

"He who loves these ancient languages is also a lover of peace."

Hahaha.

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:23 pm

Come on, his heart is in the right place!

ricelius · Post by **ricelius** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:08 pm

qui linguas antiquas amat, is etiam pacis amator.

That makes you wonder... The Romans were known to be many things, but "peaceful" certainly isn't one of them.

But... Articles like this one are very useful. Believing that one is superior to other people merely by knowing a few declensions and conjugations leaves a very satisfying impression indeed. (I'm not suggesting that's all there is to Latin and Greek, by the way, far from.) A real self-confidence booster!

benissimus · Post by **benissimus** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 12:54 am

You guys poisoned the well... I couldn't take it seriously

Episcopus · Post by **Episcopus** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:50 pm

SOME LOSER wrote:qui linguas antiquas amat, is etiam pacis amator.

Are you mountain trekking joking mate?! Every single latin story for any exam that I have read always involves stabbing! The Romans were not perfect, indeed they were extremely brutal and their stories relate that tradition. Witches coming into some random guys' room and stabbing one of them because he did not love her? A crazy boy playing with a ball and joking that he could kill some guy, and that some guy just kills the joker. These are just random stories of insane, funny and disgusting brutality. I did not learn latin to read excrements such as those, nor did I indeed to read how to make honey well. Even the D'Ooge book includes Hercules randomly killing his own children because of a sudden madness!

benissimus · Post by **benissimus** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:09 pm

Damn! There goes my reason

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:10 pm

Hmmmm. Wasn't it the custom to hold gladitorial games to celebrate the peace with a nation? It was sort of the quid pro quo for a triumph. Also, they were pretty big on poison, too, I think.

- Tim

benissimus · Post by **benissimus** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:18 pm

Don't forget disturbingly violent hexes

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:03 pm

and "vomitorium" anyone?

Episcopus · Post by **Episcopus** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 2:51 pm

Asif it's a regular occurrence. I vomit about once per year, of which I am quite proud.

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:10 pm

So your'e not in the volume competition then; you go for distance and accuracy.

- tim