Lapsed Classicists

[TunipTheVegemal]

As mentioned on the Mary Beard thread.

My name is Tunip and it is twenty eight years since I last read a full-length piece of Latin or Greek literature.

However I am glowing at the discovery that I can still apparently translate 'What's your favourite biscuit?' into Latin.

Anyone else?

mooncup - I love In Dulci Jubilo.

Oh, I probably just can't spell, wing. Sorry!

I like Herodotus, too.

Catullus is nice. My teacher was really fond of him and got us reading bits of his sparrow poem really early on - before we could properly translate it - so we'd enjoy it. She was fab.

Never underestimate the power of the Loeb! I read Greek Classics at uni but somehow ended up teaching Latin for a few years so I can manage all of the CLC but my Greek has practically disappeared . I used to love Euripides and I had a guilty fondness for the naffola ancient novels, especially Daphnis and Chloe. I'd love to resurrect my Greek now but I think I'd have to go all the way back to Thrasymachus! Oimoi o popoi

Oimoi talas!

(I am thrilled I can remember that! )

Oimoi!!! Haha

Ahhhh ... this thread is reminding me of one of the supremely geeky moments of my teenage years, when my parents took me on a trip to Oxford and led me into Blackwells ... rows and rows of Loebs.

I got very starry-eyed.

Ototototoi!

Mmm, I have reached my limit now, I think. Um ...

oimoi talaina?

Is that one?

I find transliterating backwards a total bugger.

Another lapsed classicist here. Now a solicitor so about the closest I generally get is legal dog Latin like mutatis mutandis and other such bollocks.

I did a fair bit of medieval Latin as well - read Speculum stultorum for finals and a fair bit of (filthy) poetry! I'm starting to ponder an MA for fun in comparative mythology so would need to get my Latin u to scratch and probably try Greek again. I was rubbish at Greek though.

I'm an Ovid fan btw. Virgil sometimes gets a bit worthy

Worthy?! Nooo!

(Mmm, mebbe I skipped those bits ... I like the pretty bits with the underworld and the ghosts. And Nisus and Euryalus. )

What is Speculum Stultorum? It sounds like it would be good.

LRD - what is the title of your boar's head CD? I might get it! I love Latin carols too. Is it Personent Hodie that goes 'aurum thus thus thus, aurum thus thus thus, aurum thus, et myrrham....'

over 15 years since I read Latin. I do have fond memories of A Level, of Cicero's letters (really brought the aftermath of the civil war to life for me) and of Horace's odes. Less fond memories of Virgil and the Pageant of the Heroes /yawn.

Mirror of the Stupid? Sounds like the Daily Mail of its time

Yes, that is Personent Hodie!

tunip - it's 'The Oxford Ramble' by Magpie Lane. In case you can't tell from that, my dad likes his folk.

It is a nice version of the carol, just warning you it's not angelic choirs of boys.

I love Personent Hodie. When I was at school my Latin teacher refused to translate it saying it wasn't 'proper' Latin, so I had a go.

I think I am winning on the 'geek' stakes here, btw.

Yes, it's mirror of fools. Sort of a strangely Aesop's fables/ Canterbury tales sort of thing.

I love the Latin carols as well. I feel all Christmassy thinking about them!

Nice one, mooncup.

My Greek is limited now to brekekekex ko-ax ko-ax which I'm pretty sure is frog song from about p3 of Thrasymachus. Happy days!

i did Latin at home, and then Greek. My Parents did Classics at Leicester.

so lots of Aristophanes Homer, Catullus, Herodotus, Horace, one Sappho, stuff my Mum liked.

Brekekek coax coax...

The frog song!

It's the chorus in Aristophanes' 'Frogs'.

It makes me happy.

I was interested in what Mary Beard said about being able to study in translation. I can be a bit on arse about this, because I believe that those who can translate control the text. I've seen some very odd translations offered up to learners.

But she's right, if you don't offer study in translation it's stupid.

Studied first year of A level Classics and first year of A level Archaeology before my health got in the way. I can't read Latin or Greek, but did teach myself the basics when doing Classics.

Can I join still?

Yes, there's no entry requirement
People who have done Classical Civilisation and never did any Latin or Greek are welcome too. In fact if anyone wants to start Latin or Greek I am sure they will find lots of enthusiastic advice and encouragement here.

I think maybe the way round it is to do a little in translation, line?

We don't have time to teach undergrads Latin, but they have to read Geoffrey of Monmouth (amongst other thing in Latin), and it really helps if you take just one or two sentences and explain what the words are, maybe get them discussing how a particular word is translated in their English edition.

I think that's probably necessary if you are studying in translation, to at least get someone to walk you through bits of the language.

I have slightly vested interests in Classicists insisting on study in the original, though, because if not, where does it end?! 'Translations' for Shakespeare? Pope?

Cor, I am doing a fine impression of a crusty old bat.