Tag Archives: Formulaic Latin

Pancake Day, Roman Style

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

It’s Pancake Day! Would you like to celebrate it, Roman style? Here is a quick and easy recipe from the late antique Roman cook book De re coquinaria, ascribed to one Apicius (7.11.8, transl. W. M. Hill, adapted): Ova spongia … Continue reading →

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First Things First

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Peter Kruschwitz

Gaius Caelius Donatus of Oppidum Novum in the province of Mauretania Caesariensis (now Ain Defla, Algeria) was really looking forward to New Year’s Day. An auspicious day, the Romans marked New Year’s Day with religious ceremonies and sacrifice (as T. … Continue reading →

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Fruit of the Doom: an Image of Life, Death, and Letting Go in Roman Poetry

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Peter Kruschwitz

Death has been on my mind lately, having recently learnt of the untimely passing of two of my colleagues at the University of Reading. Whether death was imminent or came suddenly, whether it hits the old or the young – … Continue reading →

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Oh the Humanity!

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Peter Kruschwitz

Several months ago, I received a letter from the Vatican which had been sent by His Eminence Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Secretary of State. The letter included my appointment to the position of Academicus Ordinarius of the Pontifical Academy for Latin … Continue reading →

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To a very special mother!

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Peter Kruschwitz

Unlike in most other places of the world, it’s Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday, to be precise) in Britain today. Time to celebrate a very special mother then ……… no, not my own (she’ll be celebrated when it’s Mother’s Day … Continue reading →

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Latin Greeting Rituals: ‘How are you’ vs. ‘Hope you’re well’

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Peter Kruschwitz

My son has an excellent, inspirational Latin teacher. Two months of Latin at school, and he has already written his first little (as in: six-act) play – called Quintus et Flavia – entirely in Latin. If only I could acquire … Continue reading →

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Looks right, therefore is right, or: the treacherous force of linguistic habit

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Peter Kruschwitz

An unexpected encounter On occasion of the 17th International Colloquium on Latin Linguistics, held at the Università degli Studi di Roma 2 ‘Tor Vergata’, I had the delightful opportunity to see the Roman funerary inscription CIL VI 11677. The inscription … Continue reading →

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