fandomhigh | Classics/Foreign Lit, Period, 2, 3/28

"Okay, guys, Professor Dream's got some personal business to take care of, so you're stuck with me." Jenny grinned. "And while I've got a mean background in Latin, and a pretty good working knowledge of translating foreign literature, I don't think ancient star charts and dusty prophecies are really going to knock your socks off in this class. So both classes? You're stuck with Latin in translation."

She pulled out a stack of handouts. "So. Latin. Pretty, bright, and shiny, and oodles of quotes. Famous ones. By famous people, even. One of those? Is Cicero. Have a handout on him. He was a Roman orator, poet, and senator, possibly one of the greatest in that language, and he went up against Mark Antony. You've heard of him? It ended up killing him. We can talk about Cicero's history if you want. It's fascinating. Or we can talk about the speeches he wrote, or the books. But really? Up on the board, I have a bunch of his quotes, in Latin, and then in English. So take a read through, and let's talk."

Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit. - He departed, he escaped, he rushed forth.
Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea laudi. - May arms yield to the toga.
Cum tacent, clamant. - When they are silent, they are crying out.
Fortuna est caeca. - Fortune is blind.
Honor est praemium virtutis. - Honor is the reward of virtue.
Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est. - Inhumanity is troublesome in every generation.
In virtute sunt multi levels. - There are many degrees in excellence.
Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. - We are slaves of laws so that we can be free.
Nihil agere delectat. - It is a delight to do nothing.
Nihil est incertius volgo. - Nothing is more uncertain than the masses.
Nihil tam munitum quod non expugnari pecunia possit. - No fortification is such that it cannot be subdued with money.
Num barbarorum Romulus rex fuit? - Romulus was not a king of barbarians, was he?
Omnium rerum principia parva sunt. - The beginnings of all things are small.
O, praeclarum custodem, ovium lupum! - O, excellent protector of sheep, the wolf!
O tempora! O mores! - Oh, the times! Oh, the customs!
Patria est communis omnium parens. - Our fatherland is the common parent of everyone.
Pauci veniunt ad senectutem. - Few people come to old age.
Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit. - Often it is not even useful to know what may be.
Salus populi suprema lex esto. - May the safety of the people be the highest law.
Semper idem. - Always the same.
Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes. - It is stupid to be afraid of that which you cannot avoid.
Summum ius, summa iniuria. - The utmost law is the utmost injustice.
Tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est. - Delay and procrastination is troublesome.
Trahimur omnes laudis studio. - We are all taken in by an enthusiasm for praise.

OOC: Source of quotes is The Latin Site

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Anders reads through the handout, stopping every now and then to fold the corners over on the sheet of paper. Semper idem makes him twitch, for some completely inexplicable reason. "They're like . . . soundbites, really. They sound impressive and really deep and stuff, but they're sorta generic, too."

Jenny nodded. "Cicero was a brilliant politician," she said. "And as a politician, you have to appeal to as many people as possible. Hence--genericness."

She grinned. "Nice to see you again, Samuel. Been doing good this term?"

"Eh. Greek was pretty good for me, but this Latin's kickin' my ass a little bit," he replied sheepishly. "And yeah, soundbites are usually like that, right? But doesn't it make 'em easier to take out of context, too?"

"Latin's a little confusing at first," said Jenny. She looked faintly embarrassed. "My first attempt at a Latin spell got pulled out and passed around at family parties for a laugh for a good ten years or so. And you're right, it does make it easier for them to be taken out of context. A lot of people can read their own deeper meaning into these phrases. It can get people thinking you agree with them, when really, they just think you do."

Anders considered this for a moment. "Even when really, you might completely disagree?"

"Politicians are tricky folks," said Jenny. "You guessed it in one. It's why you really have to watch the meaning behind what they say--and how they act if they don't know they're being watched."

"It's not just politicians." Anders laughed. "Sports stars get like that too, when it's all about the image they sell. Except they have to back it up on the court instead of with the laws they make, so they get away with it more, I guess."

He tapped his pencil against his lips for a moment, then asked, "So it's not just me who has a hard time with Latin, huh? I feel kinda better about that."

"And no one expects a sports star to be a public icon the way they expect a politician to. So similar, but you're right, two different ways of backing it up." She wrinkled her nose. "

Jenny grinned. "Take your time and don't worry about it. It took me years to get Latin down." She shuddered melodramatically. "Practice speaking it? The worst, because my grandmother corrected every single syllable I got wrong."

Anders winced. "That would drive me nuts. Professor Dream has to correct me a lot, but he's cool about it, so I don't mind. I have no idea how much use I'll get out of it after I go home, but I kind of like this subject too much to give up on the hard part."

"It sure didn't help with the learning," said Jenny. "Professor Dream's a little more patient then my grandmother. And you never know, really, when any bit of knowledge is going to come in handy. Maybe you'll need an unbreakable code one of these days."

"An unbreakable code . . ." Anders squinted up at an oddly discolored ceiling tile, thinking so hard it was practically audible. "Don't know what I'd need it for, but that could come in handy, yeah."

[OOC: HEE.]

"You really never know," said Jenny. "I used to write my diary in cipher. Of course, I also wrote it in purple sparkly ink with lots of unicorn stickers adorning the pages, so what do I know?"

OOC: ZOMG, META, YAY!

"More than me, anyway," Anders laughed. "But then, that's why you're the teacher, huh?"

"I've just had more time to study," said Jenny. "And to grow out of a few embarrassing childhood tendencies."

OOC: Must sleep soon. Good night!

Classics/Foreign Lit, Period, 2, 3/28

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