April 7th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad populum"

 April 7th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad populum"

"ad populum"

"To the people" - a statement addressed ad populum is intended for all of the people

a.d. VII Idus Apriles anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 6th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad patres"

 April 6th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad patres"

"ad patres"

"To the fathers" - id est, dead. Having been sent or gathered ad patres, to one's fathers/ancestors, means to the afterlife, to be dead. 

a.d. VIII Idus Apriles anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 5th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad nauseam"

 April 5th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad nauseam"

"ad nauseam"

"To nausea," "to seasickness," "to the point of illness," - we use this Latin expression in English, but rarely consider that our word "nausea" has nautical roots; the "NAU-" root means "ship," so "nausea" literally means "ship-sickness," "sea-sickness," whereas in English we think of it as an all-around turn for an upset stomach . . . 

Nonis Aprilibus anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 4th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "Res publica virum docet."

April 4th, 2023 Latin of the Day - "Res publica virum docet."

"Res publica virum docet."

"Public affairs teach a man." Res publica is notoriously difficult to translate, but here the intention seems to be "public matters" rather than "the State" or "the Republic." The language is definitely gendered, which is not surprising considering the ancient Roman experience - "teaches a man," where we might think "educates and adult person," or "teaches a human beng."

a.d. IV Nonas Apriles anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 3rd, 2023 Latin of the Day - "Serit arbores quae alteri saeclo prosint."

   April 3rd, 2023 Latin of the Day - "Serit arbores quae alteri saeclo prosint."

"Serit arbores quae alteri saeclo prosint."

"He plants trees that they may benefit another age/generation." Saeclo is a common syncopation of saeculo, an odd term for a poorly-defined period of time, usually 110 or 100 years. It often seems to be used roughly as "age" is used in English. As a reference to worldly time, it is later used to refer to the human world as opposed to the divine, the origin of the English word "secular," hence the common translation of the inscription on the seal of the United States, Novus Ordo Seclorum, as "New World Order" rather than the strictly more accurate "New Order of the Ages."

~ Caecilius Statius (c. 220 - 166 B.C.E.), Synephebi

a.d. III Nonas Apriles anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 2nd, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad misericordiam"

  April 2nd, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad misericordiam"

"ad misericordiam"

"To pity/mercy" - id est, an argument or appeal to mercy or pity

a.d. IV Nonas Apriles anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI

April 1st, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad locum" (ad loc.)

 April 1st, 2023 Latin of the Day - "ad locum" (ad loc.)

"ad locum" (abbreviated ad loc.)

"To/at the place" - usually, in English usage, referring to a place where a matter is explored most fully in a book. 

Kalendis Aprilibus anno A.U.C. MMDCCLXXVI