Hello, we have a fun new Friday series for you – Latin Lingo. Each Friday our esteemed Latin teachers will share with us their favorite Latin phrases, why we should know them, and how you can use them. Before we get to this week’s phrase, have you ever asked the question, “Why Latin?”. Check out this video message put together by our Latin team.
A Message from Our Latin Team
And now that you know why Latin, let’s learn some Latin together. Dr. Pamela Bleisch shares with us one of her favorite Latin phrases.
This Week’s Latin Phrase: Sapere Aude
What does it mean?
Sapere aude means – “Dare to be wise” and is used today as “Dare to know”.
Why should we and our students be familiar with it?
This quote is inspiring to us as life-long learners and thinkers. Horace, in an Epistle addressed to his friend Lollius (I.2.40)* tells a fable in which a fool waits for a stream to cease flowing before attempting to cross. The moral of Horace’s story: Dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet; sapere aude, incipe. “He who has begun is half done; dare to know; begin!” Horace advocates effort in overcoming obstacles as well as courage in seeking wisdom. The philosopher Immanuel Kant adopted this phrase “sapere aude” as his inspiration and as the motto of the Age of Enlightenment during the 17th and 18th centuries.
*Read some of Horace’s Epistles in Latin or English.
Curious how to support your student’s Latin learning at home? Check out the Latin at Home video in our Parent Portal under Subject Resources.
Hungry for more Latin? Be sure to check back next Friday for another Latin Lingo. In the meantime, have fun perusing these Latin Tutorial videos on YouTube as recommend by Mrs. Weinschenk in the above-mentioned Latin at Home video.
1 thought on “Latin Lingo #1”
So great to be reminded of why we study Latin here at SLOCA. And, I loved seeing the Latin team together!