New t-shirt: "The Romans, kicking butt and taking names"

For the first time in a while, a new t-shirt in the Classics Daily shop: "Romani: clunes laedentes et nomina capientes ab urbe condita (753)" = "The Romans: kicking butt and taking names since the founding of the city (753)."

This design was inspired by a recent conversation with the spouse. We're eagerly awaiting season 2 of Game of Thrones (being poor folk who have to wait and watch it on DVD). I asked my husband what he thought our favorite character Tyrion Lannister might be up to, and he said, "oh, kicking a** and taking names."

Perhaps thinking of the many Roman emperors who overcame challenges in the service of butt-kicking (including the epileptic Julius Caesar), I thought the sentiment deserved a t-shirt.

UPDATED: now available as a mug. Pin It

Why the Romans Celebrated a Child-Killing Patricide

Io, Saturnalia! Tee

Today is the first day of Saturnalia, the great winter festival of the ancient Roman calendar. On the face of it, it doesn't speak well for the Romans that one of their major holidays celebrated Saturn, a god perhaps best known for eating his own children.

But as with most Greek mythology, it is best to look beyond the borderline-nonsensical surface story to the larger cultural significance. And Saturn, of course, ruled over a golden age that only a dramatically transgressive act (like devouring your own offspring) could bring to an end.

As I look ahead to teaching mythology next year, and as I indulge my various modern-day guilty pleasures (like the BBC's Robin Hood series), I ponder the ridiculousness of many ancient and modern myths. I hope to show my students that they should then ask "Why is this myth ridiculous in this particular way? What does it tell us about the people who created it, believed in it and derived great satisfaction from the different versions of it?"

Io, Saturnalia! Mug 

Previous offerings in the Classics Daily shop:

Latin Zombies ("cerebra, cerebrum...") tee and mug

Cano ("I sing") iPhone and iPod case

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo ("Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.")

Quod me non destruit, me nutruit ("What does not kill me makes me stronger.")

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.")

Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")

      Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age")

*available in several versions

Pin It

Latin Zombies t-shirt and mug

New in the shop: the "Latin zombies" design on a t-shirt and mug. Dead languages and the undead ... I couldn't resist the pun. The design features zombies out for a stroll while declining the plural of cerebrum (Cerebra, cerebrorum ... "brains, brains.")

Previous offerings:

"Io, Saturnalia!" t-shirt and mug

Cano ("I sing") iPhone and iPod case

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo ("Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.")

Quod me non destruit, me nutruit ("What does not kill me makes me stronger.")

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.")

Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")

      Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age")

Pin It

"Io, Saturnalia!" T-Shirt and Mug

New in the Classics Daily shop: a t-shirt celebrating Saturnalia, the Roman holiday that likely influenced the date of Christmas.  It was celebrated from December 17-23 and featured revelry, funny hats and the giving of small gifts. Also available as a mug.

Previous offerings:

Cano ("I sing") iPhone and iPod case

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo ("Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.")

Quod me non destruit, me nutruit ("What does not kill me makes me stronger.")

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.")

Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")

      Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age")


*available in several versions

Pin It

"Cano" iPhone Case

New in the Classics Daily shop, an iPhone case that says cano, "I sing." (Also available for the iPod Touch.)

Previous offerings:

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo ("Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.")

Quod me non destruit, me nutruit ("What does not kill me makes me stronger.")

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.")

Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")

       Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age") Pin It

"Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet"

A new Classics Daily t-shirt, based on the prayer of St. Augustine: da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo.

Previous shirts/gifts:

Quod me non destruit, me nutruit ("What does not kill me makes me stronger.")

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.")

Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")
Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age")

Pin It

Quod me non destruit me nutruit

"What does not kill me makes me stronger." If only that were true while teaching lower-level language classes :)! See a new t-shirt with this saying in the Classics Daily t-shirt shop. Also for men.

Previous shirts/mugs/notecards:

Epistula enim non erubescit ("A letter does not blush.") Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")* Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said") Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?") O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!") Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age") *Available in several versions.

Pin It

"A letter does not blush"

See a beautiful notecard (alternate version) based on this quote in my Zazzle shop:

To Lucceius, Arpinum April 56 BC

Vincenzo Foppa, The Young Cicero Reading

I have often tried to say to you personally what I am about to write, but was prevented by a kind of almost clownish bashfulness. Now that I am not in your presence I shall speak out more boldly: a letter does not blush. I am inflamed with an inconceivably ardent desire, and one, as I think, of which I have no reason to be ashamed, that in a history written by you my name should be conspicuous and frequently mentioned with praise. And though you have often shown me that you meant to do so, yet I hope you will pardon my impatience. For the style of your composition, though I had always entertained the highest expectations of it, has yet surpassed my hopes... [Cicero Letters to Friends 5.12, tr. Shuckburgh]

Also available (t-shirts and mugs):
Meles mellis non curat. ("Honey badger don't care")*
Id quod mater tua dixit non est. ("That's not what your mother said")
Quis pater tuus? ("Who's your daddy?")
O tempora! O mores! ("Shame on the age and its principles!")
Venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum ("I'm the brightest witch of my age")

*Available in several versions.

I love David Bamber as Cicero:

Pin It

New Latin Quote T-Shirt: O Tempora! O Mores!

view in the Classics Daily t-shirt shop

A new t-shirt with a Ciceronian slant:

Shame on the age and on its principles! The senate is aware of these things; the consul sees them; and yet this man lives. Lives! aye, he comes even into the senate. He takes a part in the public deliberations; he is watching and marking down and checking off for slaughter every individual among us. And we, gallant men that we are, think that we are doing our duty to the republic if we keep out of the way of his frenzied attacks.

-Cicero Against Catiline (tr. Yonge and London)

Pin It

Featured funny Latin t-shirt: "That's not what your mama said"

Are you a fan of relative clauses or insults in a foreign language? Then you will love my "that's not what your mama said (id quod mater tua dixit non est)" t-shirt. Available in the Classics Daily T-shirt shop. Also for women.

Pin It

New Latin T-Shirt and Mug: "I'm the brightest witch of my age"

In honor of a certain movie coming out next week, a new Classics Daily t-shirt: "I'm the brightest witch of my age (venefica aetatis meae illustratissima sum)".

Also available as a coffee mug. Pin It

New Funny Latin T-Shirt and Mug: Honey Badger Don't Care

New in the Classics Daily t-shirt shop: a "honey badger don't care (meles mellis non curat)" t-shirt with a different style of illustration. Available in men's and women's sizes/styles. The design is also available on a coffee mug. (The original shirt is still available here).

Pin It

Belated Father's Day Gift: "Who's your daddy (Quis pater tuus?)" t-shirt

The perfect belated (or early) Father's Day gift! A t-shirt that says "Who's your daddy? (Quis pater tuus?)" in Latin:

Pin It

Another funny Latin t-shirt: "that's not what your mama said"

Now for sale in my Zazzle shop: "that's not what your mama said" t-shirts, in Latin (Id quod mater tua dixit non est.)

Men's shirt

Women's shirt Pin It

Funny Latin T-Shirt

Now for sale in my Zazzle shop: "Honey Badger don't care" t-shirts, in Latin (Meles mellis non curat).

Styles for men and women are available.

UPDATE: a new version with a different style of picture. Original version is still available.

Pin It