Menses et anni tempora

[EstQuodFulmineIungo]

I post this little "nursery rhyme" I've found on a latin textbook. I share it because I think it is nice and might help someone else learn new words, just like it did with me. I hope this is the right section.

Apĕrit ianuam

en Ianuarius

Viŏlas timidas

fert Februarius;

adventat Martius

ventis infestus,

Aprilis imbrĭbus

adest molestus;

et Maius floscŭlos

pandit suaves,

circum quos musicae

volĭtant aves

Iunius lumĭne

terram circumdat,

Et iam arborĭbus

fructus rotundat;

compărat Iulius

fervidus aestus,

et fulvas segětes

metit Augustus.

Septembri pinguia

poma rubescunt,

Octobri dulcia

musta fervescunt.

Folia cumŭlat

solo November,

et annum opĕrit

nive December.

source: G. Vitali, Lusus Melici

 

[Bitmap]

adventat Martius

Not advenit?

Septembri pinguia

That should be pingua.

 

[Pacifica]

?

Pingua isn't a word as far as I know.

 

[Bitmap]

I remembered the word from Aen. 8,63 and some manuscripts seem to have pingua there ... that's also the version of the lines that I learnt by heart once.

I had to look it up to find - to my surprise - that pinguia is the regular form.

 

[EstQuodFulmineIungo]

I think "adventat" is from the verb "adventare" which is slightly different from "advenire". I think "adventare" is similar to "appropinquare".

"Pinguia", like "pingua", rimembers me of a penguin. But it is not a typo.

 

[Bitmap]

I think "adventat" is from the verb "adventare" which is slightly different from "advenire". I think "adventare" is similar to "appropinquare".

The point is that adventat would fuck up the metre while advenit wouldn't.

Novembri a bit further down doesn't fit, either. :/

 

[EstQuodFulmineIungo]

My knowledge of the metre structures is very poor. I can't help there :-(

 

[Pacifica]

I remembered the word from Aen. 8,63

What, do you mean you remember reading pingua here? It wouldn't even scan. Unless you make it three syllables, pin-gu-a, but it seems unlikely.

stringentem ripas et pinguia culta secantem,

 

[Bitmap]

What, do you mean you remember reading pingua here? It wouldn't even scan.

stringentem ripas et pinguia culta secantem,

It would scan as ping-u-a

Someone on a different forum called Tiberis had these lines in his profile (with that spelling) and apparently it can be found in manuscripts.

 

[EstQuodFulmineIungo]

I can't forget this adjective after this:

 

[Gregorius Textor]

I could learn not only some words from this, but also something about the seasons for fruits.

 

[Tlepolemus]

I post this little "nursery rhyme" I've found on a latin textbook.

I think the source is "Lusus melici: quos latinam linguam discentibus memoriae tradendos Scripsit" (Guido Vitali, 1927/1936). It seems a very interesting book. Is it a textbook or reader? Could you scan and upload here, please, first pages, such as table of contents and foreword?

 

[EstQuodFulmineIungo]

I think the source is "Lusus melici: quos latinam linguam discentibus memoriae tradendos Scripsit" (Guido Vitali, 1927/1936). It seems a very interesting book. Is it a textbook or reader? Could you scan and upload here, please, first pages, such as table of contents and foreword?

Actually it was just a "relata refero" kind of thing. That is to say: I haven't the original source, but I found the "poem" on a latin grammar schoolbook that mentions "G. Vitali" as the author of the "poem" (i.e. G. Vitali had already departed this world at the time the book in my possession was first issued).
I attach the index, but the book is in my mothertongue (Italian) so I don't know if it will be of any help. The actual title of the "nursery rhyme" is "Filastrocca dei dodici mesi".
My book is "Tiberinae voces" by "C. Schwörer, R. Giomini, P. Cosi", 1986

Spoiler: INDEX

Spoiler: RHYME

 

[Tlepolemus]

Actually it was just a "relata refero" kind of thing. That is to say: I haven't the original source, but I found the "poem" on a latin grammar schoolbook that mentions "G. Vitali" as the author of the "poem" (i.e. G. Vitali had already departed this world at the time the book in my possession was first issued).
I attach the index, but the book is in my mothertongue (Italian) so I don't know if it will be of any help. The actual title of the "nursery rhyme" is "Filastrocca dei dodici mesi".
My book is "Tiberinae voces" by "C. Schwörer, R. Giomini, P. Cosi", 1986

It's always interesting to look into syllabuses of the Latin courses. Many thanks for sharing this verse, now I'm eager to find that book of Guido Vitali.