Post-defeat(s) aenigmata

Last night as I sadly watched the Cubs implode… a long tradition there… I became melancholy, which always drives me to being also aenigmatic.  Thus I posted this, which no one bit into…

I’ll set the stage…  Keep in mind that the night before last I watched the hated ChiSox beat the noble Twins in the one game tiebreaker.

TOP OF 9th
LAD 7
CHC 2

Iamque meum tibi quod narro mirabile dictu
fatum: nam geminis constat mihi robur in armis,
captandi sub rictibus est fiducia grandis;
non praedura uel aspera neu me feruida terrent;
rictibus intrepidis sed cuncta capessere tempto.

[Tatuinus Aenigmata 27]

What is it about?

Since its a riddle, you are supposed to figure out what object is speaking to you. 

And why did I put those words in bold?

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in SESSIUNCULA. Bookmark the permalink.

11 Comments

  1. bryan says:

    Of course, after the mighty Red Sox finish off the Angels…the National League farm team that ends up still standing will still have a long row to hoe.

  2. Raphaela says:

    Why the words in bold? By way of declaring that adversity doesn’t scare the Twins?

    As for what the object is… I hesitate to guess. Those rictus intrepidi wanting to cuncta capessere suggest the jaws of a trap to me (metal, since it isn’t afraid of hard or hot things), but if that were what it was I’d have expected some allusion to its lying in wait in concealment. I’ll be watching this thread with interest!

    Where would one look for the text of these Aenigmata?

  3. Paul S says:

    Since my team was eliminated on 9/30 I do want to see the Cubs as world champs; it would be wild to have them repeat after last winning in 1908, Centpeat?
    I’m obviously a Mets fan, Father would you be adverse to performing an exorcism on them, the demonic must be at work! BTW Sorry about that whole black cat thing back in ’69.

  4. joye says:

    I know the answer, but not through Latin ability. It rang a bell and some Googling confirmed my hunch.
    Hint: The author usually isn’t known by the name Tatuinus.
    The riddles are available in the Latin on Google Books, here: http://books.google.com/books?id=GtqQOxkIevMC&pg
    NB, all the riddles have the answer on TOP of them, which rather ruins the fun.

  5. joye: yah… thanks for that.

  6. bobd says:

    Ah, baseball. What a noble game Father. The best game in the world ever. I think it’s Bates College that is offering a course called “Red Sox Nation.” Taught by a woman who knows didly squat about baseball but loves the team and its social implications.

  7. Gerard E. says:

    How good and pleasant it was that Cole Hamels pitched eight masterful innings against the Brewers yesterday. How nail-biting it was to listen to Brad Lidge rattle through the 9th inning before blowing away Corey Hart on called strike 3. Phils might be ready for further play. Brewers need CC to pump them up or bad mojo in Milwaukee Saturday night. Go Phils.

  8. dcs says:

    I think the World Series victories of wild-card teams are invalid. Baseball is about winners, not second-place teams.

    Still, baseball does have a way of casting the mighty from their thrones (1988, 1990, 2001, 2003, 2006).

  9. dcs says:

    Go Phils.

    Indeed! Although when the World Series rolls around I will root for whoever the National League team is (since the hated Mets won’t be taking part … again ;-)).

  10. Steve says:

    Father,

    I once was a sports fanatic. Grew up playing all sports and followed all the Boston teams pretty closely. When the Red Sox lost the ’86 World Series to the Mets, I statred asking myself the following: If the Sox won the next five World Series, how would my life be better? The simple answer is, my life wouldn’t change one bit.

    Since then, I could care less about following sports in general. Didn’t watch any of the Red Sox World Series wins or Patriot Super Bowl wins.

    I’m a little surprised that a serious priest like yourself would take a Cubs win or loss to heart.

  11. Dove says:

    Good grief, Steve. A fallen-away baseball fan? Baseball is the one true sport, as Fr. Z knows, of cosmic importance, with its annual cycle from spring training through the world series. Open your heart once more as we celebrate our national heroes.

Comments are closed.