Arch of Titus (free course)

From The Jewish Link of New Jersey: 

As Jews around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, a new massive open online course (MOOC) being offered through YU Global, Yeshiva University’s online initiative, and Coursera, an educational technology company, will provide interested members of the public with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the cultural impact of the Arch of Titus, a central artifact in both Jewish and Western history that depicts the golden menorah used in the Jerusalem Temple, among other Temple relics.

Read the rest of the article and find a link to the free course by clicking here:

Arch of Titus (free course)

Phaedrus - Latin Composition Contest

Here is a link to New St. Andrews' Latin composition contest: http://www.phaedruslatincontest.org/

Encourage your teacher to register!

Carmen Themāticum Iohannis Cēnae (John Cena's Theme Song)

Tempus tuum fuit, tempus meum nunc est!
Mē vidēre nōn potes; tempus meum nunc est!
Negōtium est, puer, fulgeō!
Mē vidēre nōn potes; tempus meum nunc est!

Your time is up, my time is now!
You can't see me; my time is now!
It's the franchise, boy, I'm shinin' now!
You can't see me; my time is now!

Latin and Italian

We know that the Romance languages (French, Romanian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish) are direct descendants of Latin.  How many times have I told my students:  "If you learn Latin first, you'll be able to acquire any modern language you need quickly and efficiently, particularly if you want to learn a Romance language."

Well, I found the following poem (and link) which illustrates the point better than my words can:

From the New Englander and Yale Review, January 1843: “The great etymological affinity between Italian and Latin, is illustrated by the following lines addressed to Venice, by a citizen of that republic before its fall, which read equally in both languages”:

Te saluto, alma Dea, Dea generosa,
O gloria nostra, O Veneta Regina!
In procelloso turbine funesto
Tu regnasti secura; mille membra
Intrepida prostrasti in pugna acerba.
Per te miser non fui, per te non gemo;
Vivo in pace per te. Regna, O beata,
Regna in prospera sorte, in alta pompa,
In augusto splendore, in aurea sede.
Tu serena, tu placida, tu pia,
Tu benigna; tu salva, ama, conserva.


Here is poem which can be read equally well by those who know Latin, Italian, and Portuguese:

A reader of Notes and Queries, August 1868, presents these lines as “being at the same time Latin, Italian, and Portuguese”:

In mare irato, in subita procella,
Invoco te, nostra benigna Stella.
Vivo in acerba poena, in maesto horrore,
Quando te non imploro, in te non spero,
Purissima Maria, et in sincero
Te non adoro, et in divino ardore.
Et, O vita beata, et anni et horae
Quando, contra me armato odio severo
Te, Maria, amo, et in gaudio vero
Vivere spero ardendo in vivo amore.
Non amo te, regina augusta, quando
Non vivo in pace et in silentio fido;
Non amo te, quando non vivo amando.
In te sola, Maria, in te confido,
In tua materna cura respirando,
Quasi columba in suo beato nido.

These two poems were posted at http://www.futilitycloset.com/2010/10/16/forked-tongues/

Vermont Gets a Latin Motto

The state of Vermont adopted a Latin motto this week:
stella quarta decima fulgeat.  Go Vermont!

Article here:  http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/04/10/latin-lovers-converge-culture-fest-uvm/25599221/

Ancient Rome Tour

Take a tour of ancient Rome (in 13 minutes):  http://archinect.com/news/article/123351248/take-a-tour-of-ancient-rome-320-ce

Can you tell the difference between Ovid and Taylor Swift?

Click on the following link to test your knowledge of the Roman poet Ovid's love poetry and pop singer Taylor Swift's song lyrics:

Can you tell the difference between Ovid and Taylor Swift?