Latin Poetry Podcast

Juno has just finished her opening monologue in which she whips herself into a frenzy of rage at Hercules. As the chorus enters, they sing of the dawn, then deliver an encomium of the simple country life, away from the ambition, greed, and corruption of city life. (Seneca apparently knew little of country life, which […]

Soror Tonantis – hōc enim sōlum mihi nōmen relictum est – semper aliēnum Iovem ac templa summī vidua dēseruī aetheris, locumque caelō pulsa paelicibus dedī; tellūs colenda est, paelicēs caelum tenent.                 5 hinc Arctos altā parte glaciālis polī sublīme classēs sīdus Argolicās agit; hinc, quā recentī vēre laxātur diēs, Tyriae per undās vector Eurōpae nitet; […]

Despite my royal status and lineage, I am begging you. Spare me, please. May you get everything you want as a huntsman. tolle morās tantum properātaque foedera iunge — quī mihi nunc saevit, sīc tibi parcat Amor! nōn ego dēdignor supplex humilisque precārī. 150                                   heu! ubi nunc fastūs altaque verba iacent? et pugnāre diū […]

Phaedra asks Hippolytus to put off his huntsman’s persona and relax, then offers to come out on the hunt with him. She offers to abandon Theseus and move to Troezen to be with Hippolytus. Theseus is already ignoring and slighting both of them, she argues. Their close family connection is no problem, even an asset. […]

Phaedra wants to take up hunting like Hippolytus and is driven to the extremes of mental derangement. Perhaps it is some family curse that the women of her Cretan line all suffer in love (Europa, Pasiphae, Ariadne)? Phaedra describes how attractive she found Hippolytus when she first saw him at Eleusis. See Peter J. Davis, […]

Quā, nisi tū dederis, caritūra est ipsa, salūtem mittit Amāzoniō Cressa puella virō. perlege, quodcumque est: quid epistula lēcta nocēbit? tē quoque in hāc aliquid quod iuvet esse potest; hīs arcāna notīs terrā pelagōque feruntur.   5 īnspicit acceptās hostis ab hoste notās. ter tēcum cōnāta loquī ter inūtilis haesit lingua, ter in prīmō restitit ōre […]

There are still a couple of days left to sign up to join me and Chun Liu of Peking University for an online workshop reading Ovid’s Heroides, July 15-20, 2020: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/dcc/2020/05/03/2020-ovid-heroides-online-workshop-announcement/ Deadline to register is July 1, 2020. Quam legis, ā raptā Brīsēide littera vēnit, vix bene barbaricā Graeca notāta manū. quāscumque adspiciēs, lacrimae fēcēre litūrās; […]

Join me and Chun Liu of Peking University for an online workshop reading Ovid’s Heroides, July 15-20, 2020: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/dcc/2020/05/03/2020-ovid-heroides-online-workshop-announcement/ crēdidimus blandīs, quōrum tibi cōpia, verbīs; crēdidimus generī nōminibusque tuīs;       50 crēdidimus lacrimīs—an et hae simulāre docentur? hae quoque habent artēs, quāque iubentur, eunt? dīs quoque crēdidimus. quō iam tot pignora nōbīs? parte satis potuī quālibet […]

Hospita, Dēmophoōn, tua tē Rhodopēia Phyllis ultrā prōmissum tempus abesse queror. cornua cum lūnae plēnō semel orbe coīssent, lītoribus nostrīs ancora pacta tua est— lūna quater latuit, tōtō quater orbe recrēvit;                     5 nec vehit Actaeās Sīthonis unda ratēs. tempora sī numerēs—bene quae numerāmus amantēs— nōn venit ante suam nostra querēla diem. Spēs quoque lenta […]

This is the third and last episode on Heroides 1. If you love Ovid’s Heroides, consider joining Chun Liu (Professor of Comparative Literature at Peking University) and me at the Dickinson Summer Latin Workshop (online this year), July 15-20, 2020. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/dcc/2019/11/06/dickinson-summer-latin-workshop-ovid-heroides/ Penelope imagines that Odysseus, who has the same desires as most men, might have taken up […]

If you love Ovid’s Heroides, consider joining Chun Liu (Professor of Comparative Literature at Peking University) and me at the Dickinson Summer Latin Workshop (online this year), July 15-20, 2020. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/dcc/2019/11/06/dickinson-summer-latin-workshop-ovid-heroides/ Omnia namque tuō senior tē quaerere missō rettulerat nātō Nestor, at ille mihi. rettulit et ferrō Rhēsumque Dolōnaque caesōs, utque sit hic somnō prōditus, […]

Here begins what I plan to be a series on Ovid’s Heroides, in preparation for an open online seminar on the Heroides with Chun Liu of Peking University, July 16-20, 2020. We will read and discuss several of the Heroides together. Please sign up and join us! Penelope starts by letting Odysseus know she feels […]

Ancius Manlius Severinus Boethius rose to high honors under Theodoric the Ostrogoth (ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy between 493–526), but fell from favor, was tried for treason, wrongly condemned and imprisoned at Ticinum (Pavia). Sentenced to death and to forfeiture of all his property, Boethius was executed by sword, probably in the […]

Ovid on the Metamorphoses compares Hecuba to a lioness, not a tigress, but as I discuss based on Pliny and Valerius Flaccus, the two animals were grouped together in the Roman mind under the heading of savage mothers who get cubs stolen by raptores. In honor of the Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and […]

Catullus 13 (text: G.P. Goold, 1983, via PHI) Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus, si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam cenam, non sine candida puella et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis.              5 haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster, cenabis bene: nam tui […]

Seneca’s Latin play Medea was written in the mid-first century AD. Less famous than the version of Euripides, it is nonetheless very powerful, and is generally considered to be the strongest of his earlier plays. In this scene, Medea prepares herself to kill her own children as a way of taking revenge on her faithless […]

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997) has a delightful Latin version, Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis (2003), by Peter Needham. Needham taught Classics at Eton for over thirty years and also translated A Bear Called Paddington into Latin. In this edition of Latin Poetry Podcast we check out his elegant version of […]

Ysengrimus is a Latin mock epic, an anthropomorphic series of fables written in 1148 or 1149 in Latin elegiac couplets. Its chief character is Isengrin the Wolf; the plot describes how the trickster figure Reynard the Fox overcomes Isengrin’s various schemes. This week’s Latin Poetry Podcast is a excerpt in which Isengin and Reynard collaborate […]

Claudian (ca. 370-ca.404 AD) is best known for his political poetry (he was associated with the court of the Roman emperor Honorius at Milan). But his miscellaneous carmina minora include a fascinating variety of shorter poems, such as a description of a marble chariot (CM 7), a sepulchral epigram on a beautiful woman (11), an invective […]

Horace Odes 1.4 Solvitur acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni trahuntque siccas machinae carinas, ac neque iam stabulis gaudet pecus aut arator igni nec prata canis albicant pruinis. iam Cytherea choros ducit Venus imminente luna, 5 iunctaeque Nymphis Gratiae decentes alterno terram quatiunt pede, dum gravis Cyclopum Volcanus ardens visit officinas. nunc decet aut […]

Guide to a happy life, from the Roman epigram writer Martial (M. Valerius Martialis). The Martialis mentioned in line 2 is L. Julius Martialis, the poet’s closest friend. My translation is below. Martial 10.47 Vitam quae faciant beatiorem, Iucundissime Martialis, haec sunt: Res non parta labore, sed relicta; Non ingratus ager, focus perennis; Lis numquam, toga […]

Martial De Spectaculis 9 The epigram writer Martial describes a mythological enactment in the arena, the execution of a slave which was staged to resemble a popular mime based on the story of a notorious bandit, Laureolus. He compares his fate of being exposed to a bear to that of the mythological hero Prometheus, punished […]

Quintus Serenus 1.87-99 ex vitio cerebri phrenesis furiosa movetur 87 amissasque refert frendens amentia vires, sive calens febris iactatos exedit artus sive meri gustus seu frigoris efficit aura. 90 convenit calidis pecudum pulmonibus apte tempora languentis medica redimire corona. inlotis etiam lanis suffire memento cerritum; saepe horrendi medicantur odores. non semper praesens dolor est sanabilis: […]

Horace Odes 1.3 Horace’s sending-off poem (or propempticon) for Vergil is written in a meter usually called the “Forth Asclepiad,” (though the terminology varies depending on which modern authority you check). It consists of a Glyconic line followed by an Asclepiad line. In this installment I discuss the poem briefly and describe its meter, give […]

This is the second in a series dealing with Horace’s lyric meters. The previous installment covered Asclepiadeans. This one discusses the Sapphic stanza, so named because of its association with Sappho, the famous Greek lyric poet. Odes 1.2 is summarized as follows by Nisbet and Hubbard: God has sent enough ill-omened weather. We begin to be […]

Herewith a re-do of a poem I have done on an earlier podcast, this time with special attention to the meter. It is part of a series on Horace’s lyric meters. This installment focuses on a meter that scholars call variously Asclepiads, asclepiadeans, the First Asclepiad, and the Lesser Asclepiad. The name is given by […]

Phaedrus Fables 1.18 Nemo libenter recolit qui laesit locum. Instante partu mulier actis mensibus humi iacebat flebilis gemitus ciens. Vir est hortatus, corpus lecto reciperet, onus naturae melius quo deponeret. “Minime”, inquit, “illo posse confido loco malum finiri, quo conceptum est initio.” Phaedrus, Fables 1.18. Text: Giannina Solimano, ed. Fedro: Favole (n.p.: Garzanti, 1996) Francesco […]

“De mutata Romae fortuna,” incerti auctoris, ed. N. E. Lemaire, Poetae Latini Minores vol. 4 (Paris, 1825), pp. 537-538. De mutata Romae fortuna Nobilibus quondam fueras cōnstructa patrōnīs subdita nunc servis, heu, male Roma tuis. Deseruere tui tanto te tempore reges; cessit et ad Graecos nomen honosque tuus. Cōnstantīnopolis florens, nova Roma vocatur,                                  5 moribus […]

The Wrath of Iarbas protinus ad regem cursus detorquet Iarban incenditque animum dictis atque aggerat iras. Hic Hammone satus rapta Garamantide nympha templa Iovi centum latis immania regnis, centum aras posuit vigilemque sacraverat ignem,               200 excubias diuum aeternas, pecudumque cruore pingue solum et variis florentia limina sertis. isque amens animi et rumore accensus amaro dicitur ante […]

Translating Vergil Aeneid 1.305-309 At pius Aeneas, per noctem plurima volvens, ut primum lux alma data est, exire locosque explorare novos, quas vento accesserit oras, qui teneant, nam inculta videt, hominesne feraene, quaerere constituit, sociisque exacta referre. Fitzgerald: But the dedicated man, Aeneas, thoughtful through the restless night, Made up his mind, as kindly daylight […]

O Socii ‘O socii—neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum— O passi graviora, dabit deus his quoque finem. Vos et Scyllaeam rabiem penitusque sonantis 200 accestis scopulos, vos et Cyclopea saxa experti: revocate animos, maestumque timorem mittite: forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit. Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum tendimus in Latium; sedes ubi fata […]

Juvenal Sat. 1.1-21 Semper ego auditor tantum? numquamne reponam uexatus totiens rauci Theseide Cordi? inpune ergo mihi recitaverit ille togatas, hic elegos? inpune diem consumpserit ingens Telephus aut summi plena iam margine libri scriptus et in tergo necdum finitus Orestes? nota magis nulli domus est sua quam mihi lucus Martis et Aeoliis vicinum rupibus antrum […]

Chief of Monsters Monstrorum princeps, Elephans proboscide saevus horret mole nigra, dente micat niveo. sed vario fugienda malo cum belua gliscat, est tamen excepti mors pretiosa feri. nam quae conspicimus montani roboris ossa humanis veniunt usibus apta satis. consulibus sceptrum, mensis decus, arma tablistis, discolor et tabulae calculus inde datur. haec est humanae semper mutatio […]

In honor of Spain’s recent world cup victory, here’s a bit of Claudian on the glories of Spain (Hispania to the Romans): Claudian Laus Serenae Quid dignum memorare tuis, Hispania, terris vox humana valet? primo levat aequore solem India: tu fessos exacta luce iugales proluis inque tuo respirant sidera fluctu. dives equis, frugum facilis, pretiosa metallis, […]

Hi everybody! Sorry for the extended hiatus. The summer should bring time for more frequent updates. Hope you enjoy this bit of Ovid. The translation here is my own. Ov. Ars Amatoria 1.1-24 Siquis in hoc artem populo non novit amandi, Hoc legat et lecto carmine doctus amet. Arte citae veloque rates remoque moventur, Arte […]

Here is Brendan Boston reading a section from the iambic preface that Prudentius wrote to his hexameter mini-epic, the Psychomachia, composed around AD 400. It discusses food, and how important nutrition is for the body. He covers many interesting topics that you wouldn’t expect, like food for your pets for example. Making sure that you […]

Here is a recording by Amy Hall of a lovely passage from near the end of Psychomachia (or “Battle within the Soul”), written around AD 400 by the Spanish-born Latin poet Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (whom you may now befriend on Facebook). Psychomachia 770-784 Amy Hall pax plenum Virtutis opus, pax summa laborum, pax belli exacti pretium […]

Horace, Odes 1.1 Maecenas atauis edite regibus, o et praesidium et dulce decus meum, sunt quos curriculo puluerem Olympicum collegisse iuuat metaque feruidis euitata rotis palmaque nobilis               5 terrarum dominos euehit ad deos; hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium certat tergeminis tollere honoribus; illum, si proprio condidit horreo quicquid de Libycis uerritur areis.               10 Gaudentem patrios findere sarculo […]

Hexamater lists All 12 of the chief Roman gods (Ennius): Iuno Vesta Minerva Ceres Diana Venus Mars Mercurius Iovis Neptunus Volcanus Apollo Ingredients of a cocktail called dodra (Ausonius): Ius aqua mel vinum panis piper herba oleum sal All letters of the Latin alphabet: Duc, Zephyre exsurgens, durum cum flatibus aequor All parts of speech: […]

Filelfo Odes 1.9 Si te trux adeo podagra torquet, nec cessat laterum dolor, podarge, affligitque premens nec exeundi urinae reperit viam profusus imber, pone modum gulae voraci   5 et dirae veneri. Quibus per omnis quando luxurias ruis protervus, morbum non pateris subactus unum. Membris te cruciat doloris haerens aestus. Quo penitus furis procellis   10 excitus […]

Thanks to everyone who voted for Latin Poetry Podcast in the 2009 Edublog Awards contest. I came in a respectable fourth in the category of Best Educational Use of Audio, with 10% of the votes. I appreciate the support! Aelia Secundula Memoriae Aeliae Secundulae Funeri mu[l]ta quid(e)m condigna iam misimus omneS, Insuper ar(a)eque deposit(a)e Secundulae […]

This just in, Latin Poetry Podcast is a finalist in the 2009 Edublog Awards, Category: Best Educational Use of Audio. Click here to cast your vote! Laberius Some fragments of the mime writer Laberius,  from O. Ribbeck, Scaenicae Romanorum Poesis Fragmenta, vol. 2 Comicorum Romanorum Fragmenta, 3rd ed. Leipzig: Teubner, 1897: Amore cecidi tamquam blatta […]

Quintilian on pausing Pacing: Quintilian on pauses in Aeneid 1.1–8 (Inst. 11.3.33–38, trans. Russell) Arma virumque cano,/ Troiae qui primus ab oris/ Italiam/ fato profugus/ Lavinaque venit litora,/ multum ille et terris iactatus et alto . . . Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae./ Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso . . . Elisions: […]

Aen.1.1-11 This is a re-posting of an older installment that some people have had trouble finding. Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram; multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem,               5 inferretque deos Latio, […]

Seneca Oedipus 960-979 violentus audax vultus, iratus ferox                              960 iamiam eruentis; gemuit et dirum fremens manus in ora torsit. at contra truces oculi steterunt et suam intenti manum ultro insecuntur, vulneri occurrunt suo. scrutatur avidus manibus uncis lumina,                              965 radice ab ima funditus vulsos simul evoluit orbes; haeret in vacuo manus et fixa penitus unguibus lacerat cavos […]

Vergil Aeneid 2.199-227 Hic aliud maius miseris multoque tremendum obicitur magis atque improuida pectora turbat.               200 Laocoon, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdos, sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras. ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta (horresco referens) immensis orbibus angues incumbunt pelago pariterque ad litora tendunt;               205 pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque sanguineae superant undas, pars […]

maior inest vis illa homini, quae flatile virus 531 ingerit et tenuem tenui facit aëre mentem. Parthica non aeque ventos transcurrit harundo, cuius iter nullus potis est compredere visus; praepes enim volucres dum pinnis transvolat auras, 535 improvisa venit, nec stridor nuntiat ante adventum leti, quam pectoris abdita rumpat securam penetrans medicato vulnere vitam. […]

Pugna Murium et Mustelarum Cum victi mures mustelarum exercitu (historia, quorum et, in tabernis pingitur) fugerent et artos circum trepidarent cavos, aegre recepti, tamen evaserunt necem: duces eorum, qui capitibus cornua suis ligarant ut conspicuum in proelio haberent signum quod sequerentur milites, haesere in portis suntque capti ab hostibus; quos immolatos victor avidis dentibus […]

http://blogs.dickinson.edu/latin-poetry-podcast/files/2009/07/horace-odes-130.mp3 O Venus, regina Cnidi Paphique, sperne dilectam Cypron et vocantis ture te multo Glycerae decoram transfer in aedem fervidus tecum puer et solutis Gratiae zonis properentque Nymphae et parum comis sine te Iuventas Mercuriusque

Carminis inceptor mihi Jupiter; auspice terras linquo Iove; excelsam reserat dux Iupiter aethram imus in astra Iovis monitu; Iovis omine caelum, et Iovis imperio mortalibus aethera pando. Hic statio, hic sedes primi patris; iste paterni   5 principium motus, vis fulminis iste corusci, vita elementorum, mundi calor, aetheris ignis, astrorumque vigor, perpes substantia lucis, et […]

Hoc carmen, haec ara, hic cinis pueri sepulcrum est Xantiae, qui morte acerba raptus est, iam doctus in compendia tot literarum et nominum notare currenti stilo quod lingua currens diceret. iam nemo superaret legens, iam voce erili coeperat ad omne dictatum volans aurem vocari at proximam. heu morte propera concidit arcana qui solus sui […]