17 Comments

You forgot Semper ubi sub ubi.

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That's a good one!

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Nov 18Liked by Classical Wisdom

Hi Anya,

Since, I believe, the suffix "-oid" derives from the Greek oeidos (eidos) -form/resemblance (something we see or think we see), as an asteroid resembles a star (Greek aster), could we not agree that a factoid has the form of or resembles a fact. Thus the truth of that "fact" lies in the "eye of the beholder"!

Amor omnia vincit - there is also labor omnia vincit. So I guess if you love to work you are all over "conquering everything"!

Mens sana in corpore sano - I've always believed that to mean that we should strive for both, and not that achieving one would automatically lead to the other. Schools that have chosen this saying as a motto were not telling their students that if you performed well in phys ed you were sure to ace your Latin exam!

I would love to go on, but Tempus fugit (the story in my novel The Latin Student is interspersed with proverbs and sayings (including some from Seneca).

Denis Brault

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Ha ha! Nice! I love the factoid ;-)

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Thoroughly enjoyed this — thank you very much 🙏

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Nov 19Liked by Classical Wisdom

I’m looking for a Latin proverb that says, in effect, people see solutions to problems as a matter of their profession. Lawyers see the need for legal solutions. Surgeons for surgery. Marketing for promotion. Clergy for religion. Politicians for politics. Bartenders for a stiff drink, which you’ll probably need after reading this. Thanks in advance!

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Nov 19·edited Nov 19Author

Or perhaps "Natura homini propria est," meaning "It is natural for a person to act according to their nature", which could also apply to how people tend to offer solutions that align with their background.... but if Michael Fontaine happens to see this, then I am certain he'll have thoughts on it!

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Nov 21Liked by Classical Wisdom

Still looking. But thanks.

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Hmmm.... what about: "Ubi homo, ibi remedium." This roughly translates to "Where there is a person, there is a remedy."

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OK but not pay dirt. Thanks.

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A Latin expression which every first year law student learns is "res ipsa loquitur", which is an expression widely cited in tort law and applicable to almost every facet of life: "The thing speaks for itself."

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Nov 18Liked by Classical Wisdom

Great article, thank you for sharing🙏

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Nov 18Liked by Classical Wisdom

The one I live by is, I believe, accurate to meaning:

“Caveat Emptor”.

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Thank you for sharing this, I learned something new by placing these common sayings in thier correct contexts.

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Guilty as charged!

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I believe we all are XD !

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I heard a joke once that is relevant to my search. It goes like this. Moses wanted to part the Red Sea to free his people, so he consulted a bunch of experts on how to do it. The engineers said he would have to file for the necessary permits in Cairo, then grease a few palms. The CPA said he would need to present the Pharaohs with an ironclad budget, including money for flood insurance, workmen's comp, and renovation of a few kingly tombs. The lawyers said he would have to sue area farmers for the right of way and would have to pay a pretty penny for the land, and who knows what the law is like on the other side, so you need to hire a few lawyers over there to help make sure everything is kosher when you arrive. Then he called a PR consultant who told him, I can't so any of the things these other guys can, but if you manage to pull this off, I'll get you a few prime pages in the Bible. We'll give it a cool title. How about Exodus?

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