Minimus
For International LEGO Classicism Day, Amelia's story of useless recruits and an exasperated centurion.
testudinem habemus, centurio! (We've got the tortoise, Centurion!) di immortales! (Immortal gods!)
#ILCD10 #BCEPantheon
Whole story https://www.minimuslatin.co.uk/lego-and-latin.html
Feb 20 at 8:43amWeb
Show threadCousin NaleskFeb 20

@Minimus testudo movetur.

(GNU Terry Pratchett)

Show threadmmalcFeb 20

@Minimus

That's marvelous, thank you!

It's a very long time since I've seen “eheu" written down, though I can still hear my 3rd year Latin teacher saying it…

Obvious and perhaps sacreligious, but I hope in the history of the day someone did a real version of the “Romani ite domum" scene?

Show threadMinimusFeb 20
@mmalc I love it!
Show threadDudula the DudFeb 20
@mmalc "People call Romans, they go the house??!". Yes, Latin Teachers were actually like that, or so I was informed. @Minimus
Show threadmmalcFeb 20

@BackFromTheDud @Minimus

I may have been fortunate then…

I first learned Latin at Primary school (8-11) though I can't remember who the teacher(s) was (were). I re-started at secondary school at 13; Messrs. Tibbott and Freeman were wonderful. Teaching a language so frequently referred to as “dead”, they brought a delightful warmth and vitality to the subject.

Show threadDudula the DudFeb 20
@mmalc My info comes from people that went to Private schools (both of them!). @Minimus
Show threadmmalcFeb 20
@BackFromTheDud @Minimus
Umm, I went to private schools
Show threadDudula the DudFeb 20

@mmalc Obviously not the ones my uncle went to, then. Have you ever read the "Down Wiv Skool" books? They seem to have been quite similar to their reported experiences.

And now I'll shut up. 🙂 @Minimus

Show threadmmalcFeb 20

@BackFromTheDud @Minimus

Hmm, I'm not familiar with that, and can't quickly find a reference. (Or are you referring to the Nigel Molesworth series?)

I haven't read "The Rotters’ Club”, but it is set at the secondary school I attended. (Lee Child and J.R.R. Tolkein also went to the same school; their works don't resonate with my childhood experiences, though.)

Show threadDudula the DudFeb 20
@mmalc Yes, I do mean the Molesworth books. :-) @Minimus
Show threadArdentArchivistFeb 20

@Minimus @[email protected] @mmalc

Ahh, Molesworth! 😃😃😃

But no, it’s a reference to - I think - the Roman military formation where they all locked shields at the sides and above their heads, protecting everyone within. It was known as the tortoise: "Form testudo!" is a feature of any decent Roman military historical novel (see Simon Scarrow and SJA Turney for example). As any fule kno. 😉

🤣🤣🤣

Show threadmmalcFeb 20

@ArdentArchivist @Minimus

Oh, I understood the testudo reference (I'm sure Mr. Tibbott would be pleased to hear) — in Amelia’s story it’s a Latin pun -> misunderstanding/confusion (hence ”exasperated centurion”)

Show threadArdentArchivistFeb 20

@mmalc @Minimus

(Guess who didn’t read the whole story! 😳)

Sorry, Amelia - mea culpa.

Show threadMinimusFeb 20
@mmalc @BackFromTheDud I was lucky enough to learn from an ancient cartoon-filled book called 'Latin with Laughter', and that's always been my inspiration as a teacher!
Show threadmmalcFeb 20

@Minimus @BackFromTheDud

At primary school we had Civis Romanus and Mentor; at secondary school we used the Cambridge Latin Course:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Latin_Course (“Caecilius est in horto”…)

As mentioned earlier, I don't remember the teacher(s) from primary school, but "dry" as they may have been I did actually like the stories in Civis Romanus.

In secondary school the teachers brought their own humour — something I always aspired to do in my own classes too. I'm glad you're similarly inspired!

Show threadDavid NashFeb 20
@Minimus Centurio: Non dixi "testudinem invenite", dixi "testudinem facite"! Dei non estis! Testudinem vivam facere non potestis! *Cadete, et date mihi viginti!*