We hope you have enjoyed our Latin Lingo series. If you have a chance, be sure to thank our linguistically limber Latin teachers for sharing their knowledge with us and for always encouraging an appreciation of this lovely language in our students.
Today, LMS Latin teacher, Mrs. Pamela Gerhardt, shares with us a Latin word that may inspire you to start a new habit.
This Week’s Latin Phrase: Florilegium
What does it mean?
The literal meaning is a gathering of flowers but it has also come to be known as a Commonplace book.
How is it used today?
Many years ago I began reading a blog by a classical educator called Grantian Florilegium. Being the curious type, especially when it comes to Latin, I began reading about florilegium and became enchanted with the word and idea behind it. Its history goes back to the Medieval practice of monks recording/collecting (legere) the thoughts (flores) of great auctores (authors) with the intent to not only share with the broader community but also for: meditatio; comtemplatio, memoria with the end goal that these passages would become a part of them, that the writer would possess them forever. These Commonplace books were interspersed with the writer’s own thoughts and aspirations and often copied and recopied.
Why should we and our students be familiar with it?
Most recently at our virtual retreat, On Being Human, Dr. Parham shared her family’s lovely practice of a weekly “Commonplace Tea”; developing the habit of recording a passage from a book they are reading together in their own Commonplace books while sharing tea and conversation. This age-old practice of the “gathering of flowers” will help us to become closer readers and to embrace the lovely thoughts of the past we want to hold on to forever in our hearts.
Thank you, Mrs. Gerhardt, Mrs. Weinschenk, and Dr. Bleisch for sharing your Latin expertise with us this trimester!
Do you have a Commonplace book? Curious to learn what one is or how to begin? Check out these links.
