To get ready for today's sayings, here is a little slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:
1. Canta et ambula.
Sing and walk.
canta et AM-bula.
You have not seen the verb canta before, but you have seen the verbal noun cantus. You can see this root in English "chant."
The verb ambula means "walk!" and you can see it in English "ambulatory" and "circumambulate."
The words come from a famous Easter sermon of Saint Augustine, sometimes called his "Alleluia" sermon, part of which is included in the Catholic liturgy. You can see the entire sermon here in Latin if you are curious: Sermo 256. The idea is to keep on singing and keep on walking, connecting with the divine through your song and doing your work on earth as you walk.
2. Ruit hora: labora.
Time is-running: work.
ruit hora: la-BO-ra.
You've seen all the words in this saying before! You've even seen the phrase ruit hora before, but in reverse order: Hora ruit; venit mors.
The key to the success of this saying is the rhyme: ora-labora.
3. Finem vitae specta.
Consider (the) end of-life.
finem vitae specta.
You haven't seen the verb specta before, "watch! see! consider!" but you have seen the compound verb exspectat, and you have also seen the related noun speculum.
3. Finem vitae specta.
Consider (the) end of-life.
finem vitae specta.
You haven't seen the verb specta before, "watch! see! consider!" but you have seen the compound verb exspectat, and you have also seen the related noun speculum.
This saying is associated with the famous legend of Solon, one of the Seven Sages of ancient Greece, and King Croesus of Lydia. When King Croesus boasted of his good fortune, Solon advised him to consider the end of life, judging no one to be happy until his life ended. And sure enough, shortly after his dialogue with Solon, Croesus's good fortune turned bad, marked by one disaster after another. You can read about Solon and Croesus at Wikipedia.
4. Occasionem exspecta.
Wait-for (the) opportunity.
occasi-O-nem ex-SPEC-ta.
You've seen all the words in this saying already too.
4. Occasionem exspecta.
Wait-for (the) opportunity.
occasi-O-nem ex-SPEC-ta.
You've seen all the words in this saying already too.
The idea is that opportunity may appear for a brief moment only; you need to be ready to seize that moment of opportunity by being on the lookout for it.
5. Hic Rhodus, hic salta.
Here (is) Rhodes; jump here.
hic Rhodus, hic salta.
The adverb hic means "here, in this place."
The word Rhodus is the name of the island we now call "Rhodes" in English.
This saying is associated with an Aesop's fable, and it only makes sense if you know the fable (as is the case with other sayings such as "sour grapes" or "the lion's share"). Here is the story: A man returned home after a long journey, boasting about the great deeds he had accomplished. In Rhodes, the man said, he had jumped such a long jump that no man alive could equal it. A bystander then said: Hic Rhodus, hic salta.
Here's a recap:
- Canta et ambula.
- Ruit hora: labora.
- Finem vitae specta.
- Occasionem exspecta.
- Hic Rhodus, hic salta.
Plus the LOLCats!
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