Encountering Latin in Texas

Latin Learning Latin
1

Comites, vōs salvēre iubeō!

I teach Latin and Classical Greek (not often enough!), and I’d like to organize some lessons for various levels of my Latin students around real-world, authentic material.

When people find out that you know Latin, what sorts of tasks do they ask you to perform?

For example, we’re in Austin TX, and especially with the university there are quite a few inscriptions around campus that people will want translated. Organizing some lessons around the meaning and context of those inscriptions is something I’ve been considering.

What other thoughts do you have for topics / artifacts that would be fun to design lessons around?

2

Hi inmanis!

Austin - one of my favourite overnights! Loved the barbeque and Tex-Mex and the fact that you could go just about anywhere in the city by bus for 50 cents. (10-15 years ago).

I was leafing through my copy of Henry Beard’s Lingua Latina Multo Pluribus Occasionibus and thought you might find some fun topics to use in the classroom. This book and the first can be found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=henry+beard&i=stripbooks&crid=18EU1B793S5JV&sprefix=Henry+Beard%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_11_ts-doa-p

What caught my eye was the section titled “Immortal Headlines From The Classical Enquirer”

PUER PATREM CAEDIT, MATREM SUAM IN MATRIMONIUM DUCIT
Youth kills dad, marries own mom.

CUM BELUA BARBARA IN LABYRINTHO NEFANDO PUGNAT: SEMIVIR, SEMIBOS CARNEM HUMANAM EDIT
He battles weird beast in hellish maze: half-man, half-bull dined on human flesh

REX DEMENS INFANTES FRATRIS SUI INTERFECIT COQUITQUE, TUM CENAM FOEDAM PARENTI HORRIFICATO APPONIT
Mad king slays and cooks his brother’s tots, then serves loathsome dish to tykes’ horrified pop.

See if they can correctly identify the myths and characters, perhaps come up with headlines for other myths. Of course, this depends on the age group of your students.

3

Phrases from the Vulgate are often nice because they are simple and many are familiar with the English forms. This is even better in Greek, where one can be heartened by how simple much of the New Testament is.

Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. ( Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.)
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum (Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end.)

PATER noster, qui es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut
et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.
(Lord’s Prayer)

Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret: ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam. (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.)

Beati pauperes spiritu: quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum.

Beati mites: quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram.

Beati qui lugent: quoniam ipsi consolabuntur.

(Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.)

4

Eheu! Me maxime paenitet!

I just now have seen your response (I must have my settings sub-optimally set!)

I’ll take a look at the book quam celerrime!

Gratias tibi maximas ago!

5

Salve, Inmanis!

I did a short presentation with some Latin for my Exploratory Latin students some years back that your students might see everyday, yet not know the significance. This is (are) the Latin phrases on the back of the American one dollar bill. Originally I did it on overhead transparencies. I think I have it now on a PowerPoint slideshow. I’ll check if you’re interested. (I could also put it into Apple Keynote if you prefer.) I called it “Latin in Your Pocket or Purse”. The whole thing probably could be done in 15 to 30 minutes.

As you’re in America, the American state mottoes in Latin could be interesting to your students. There are lots of them to explore. The one for New York state, “Excelsior”, has led an interesting life. Besides serving as a state motto, it was the signoff for Stan Lee, the famed Marvel Comics editor, in his columns at the back of the comics (circa 1960-1970, for example). “Excelsior” was the first Latin motto that caught my attention as a kid, and I thought it was pretty cool, especially after I looked it up.

Best wishes, and welcome to Textkit!

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I’ve had my classes do a project in which they would go to a cemetery and find tombstones with Latin on them. Most of my classes seemed to really enjoy that, although a few students thought it was a spooky idea…go figure, I’d do it around Halloween.