Latin Poetry Podcast

About Latin Poetry Podcast

The Latin Poetry Podcast is a series of short Latin passages, discussed, translated, and read aloud by Christopher Francese, Asbury J. Clarke Professor of Classical Studies at Dickinson College

Publisher

Latin Poetry Podcast

Category

arts · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Aug 2006

Latest episode

5 Aug 2020

Latest episodes

71 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Aug 2020

   Dawn at Thebes (Seneca, Hercules Furens 125-201)

   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 can be just as full of ambition, greed, and corruption as city life. But the sentiments are conventional.) The poetry here is more lyrical and contemplative than the thrusting, fiery rage of the opening monologue. The meter is in anapestic dimeters. Iam rāra micant                                                    125 sīdera prōnō languida mundō;                             125bis nox vīcta vagōs contrahit ignēs lūce renātā; cōgit nitidum Phōsphoros agmen; signum celsī glaciāle polī septem stēllīs Arcados Ursa                                 130 lūcem versō tēmōne vocat. iam caeruleīs ēvectus equīs Tītān summā prōspicit Oetā; iam Cadmēīs inclita Bacchīs aspersa diē dūmēta rubent,                                   135 Phoebīque fugit reditūra soror. Labor exoritur dūrus et omnēs agitat cūrās aperitque domōs. pāstor gelidā cāna pruīnā grege dīmissō pābula carpit;                                140 lūdit prātō līber apertō nōndum ruptā fronte iuvencus; vacuae reparant ūbera mātrēs; errat cursū levis incertō mollī petulāns haedus in herbā.                           145 pendet summō strīdula rāmō pinnāsque novō trādere sōlī gestit querulōs inter nīdōs Thrācia paelex, turbaque circā cōnfūsa sonat                                150 murmure mixtō testāta diem. carbasa ventīs                                                       152 crēdit dubius nāvita vītae                                     152bis laxōs aurā complente sinūs. hic exēsīs pendēns scopulīs aut dēceptōs īnstruit hāmōs                                  155 aut suspēnsus spectat pressā praemia dextrā; sentit tremulum līnea piscem. Haec, innocuae quibus est vītae tranquilla quiēs                                                    160a et laeta suō parvōque domus.                               160b-1a spēs immānēs urbibus errant                                161b-3a trepidīque metūs.                                                 163b ille superbōs aditūs rēgum dūrāsque forēs expers somnī                                165 colit; hic nūllō fīne beātās compōnit opēs gāzīs inhiāns                                                        167b et congestō pauper in aurō; illum populī favor attonitum flūctūque magis mōbile vulgus                            170 aurā tumidum tollit inānī; hic clāmōsī rabiōsa forī iūrgia vēndēns                                                      173 improbus īrās et verba locat.                                173bis Nōvit paucōs sēcūra quiēs, quī vēlōcis memorēs aevī                                    175 tempora numquam reditūra tenent. dum fāta sinunt, vīvite laetī. properat cursū vīta citātō, volucrīque diē rota praecipitis vertitur annī;                                180 dūrae peragunt pēnsa sorōrēs nec sua retrō fīla revolvunt. at gēns hominum fertur rapidīs obvia fātīs incerta suī; Stygiās ultrō quaerimus undās.                            185 nimium, Alcīdē, pectore fortī properās maestōs vīsere mānēs. certō veniunt tempore Parcae. nūllī iussō cessāre licet, nūllī scrīptum prōferre diem;                               190 recipit populōs urna citātōs. Alium multīs glōria terrīs trādat et omnēs Fāma per urbēs garrula laudet,

2. 

   2 Aug 2020

   Seneca Hecules Furens 1-29

   Hercules is known for his monumental strength and immense fortitude, today this Greek hero himself would be dwarfed by the strength and durability of Metal Roofing (https://www.e-architect.com/articles/types-of-roofing-materials), a trend that will make you feel protected by the Greek gods themselves. A Beautiful Wedding Photography Season Can you imagine a future where we could have contemplated the majestic strength and imposing Hercules (?) In the meantime everything is left to the imagination, with Fame Park (https://www.famepark.com.au/) this is over, no more imagining, just contemplating the beautiful moments captured. 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; illinc timendum ratibus ac pontō gregem                   10 passim vagantēs exserunt Atlantidēs. ferrō mināx hinc terret Ōrīōn deōs suāsque Persēus aureus stēllās habet; hinc clāra geminī signa Tyndaridae micant quibusque nātīs mōbilis tellūs stetit.                           15 nec ipse tantum Bacchus aut Bacchī parēns adiēre superōs: nē qua pars probrō vacet, mundus puellae serta Cnōsiacae gerit. Sed sēro querimur; ūna mē dīra ac fera Thēbāna tellūs mātribus sparsa impiīs                        20 quotiēns novercam fēcit! ēscendat licet meumque uictrīx teneat Alcmēnē locum, pariterque nātus astra prōmissa occupet, in cuius ortūs mundus impendit diem tardusque Eōō Phoebus effulsit marī                          25 retinēre mersum iussus Ōceanō iubar, nōn sīc abībunt odia; vīvācēs aget violentus īrās animus, et saevus dolor aeterna bella pāce sublātā geret.

3. 

   15 Jul 2020

   Phaedra to Hippolytus, part 4 (Ovid, Heroides 4.147-176)

   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 nec mē submittere culpae certa fuī — certī sīquid habēret amor; vīcta precor genibusque tuīs rēgālia tendō bracchia! quid deceat, nōn videt ūllus amāns. 155                            dēpuduī, profugusque pudor sua signa relīquit. dā veniam fassae dūraque corda domā! quod mihi sit genitor, quī possidet aequora, Mīnōs, quod veniant proavī fulmina torta manū, quod sit avus radiīs frontem vāllātus acūtīs, 160                                   purpureum rapidō quī movet axe diem — nōbilitās sub amōre iacet! miserēre priōrum et, mihi sī nōn vīs parcere, parce meīs! est mihi dōtālis tellūs Iovis īnsula, Crētē — serviat Hippolytō rēgia tōta meō! 165                            flecte, ferōx, animōs! potuit corrumpere taurum māter; eris taurō saevior ipse trucī? per Venerem, parcās, ōrō, quae plūrima mēcum est! sīc numquam, quae tē spernere possit, amēs; sīc tibi sēcrētīs agilis dea saltibus adsit, 170                                   silvaque perdendās praebeat alta ferās; sīc faveant Satyrī montānaque nūmina Pānes, et cadat adversā cuspide fossus aper; sīc tibi dent Nymphae, quamvīs ōdisse puellās dīceris, ārentem quae levet unda sitim! 175                            addimus hīs precibus lacrimās quoque; verba precantis quī legis, et lacrimās finge vidēre meās!

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