February Answer for Roman Calendar

If you have not already done so, check the inside back cover of our 2015-16 Roman Calendar for a reproducible worksheet that asks students to engage with the mythology-oriented artwork included in the calendar.

For those completing the worksheet, here is January's image, question, and answer.
To add your name to our mailing list for the Roman Calendar, email orders@bolchazy.com with the subject line "Roman Calendar"; be sure to include your name and mailing address in the body of the mail. Calendars are mailed annually in August.

Question: Following a convention of fifteenth-century Florence, Venus (second from left) is here depicted with wings on her head. What Greek words are written on the apple that Paris is about to give Venus? Translate those words into Latin.

Answer: The text on the golden apple is ΤΗ ΚΑΛΗ (τῂ καλῇ, transliterated as tē kalē), “for the beautiful (one).” Traditionally the phrase is given as τῂ καλλίστῃ (superlative, “for the most beautiful”), but one can understand why the artist chose to use the much shorter positive degree of the adjective. In Latin, this could be translated as pulchrae, formōsae, etc.

Think your students know the answer to the March question on the worksheet? Tweet @BCPublishers the answer by March 25th for a chance to win five of our new buttons. We'll announce our answers, as well as the winner, at the beginning of April. Submit an answer for your class, or better yet, encourage students to participate individually.

To add your name to our mailing list for the Roman Calendar, email orders@bolchazy.com with the subject line "Roman Calendar"; be sure to include your name and mailing address in the body of the mail. Calendars are mailed annually in August.