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owlfish at 12:08pm on 24/01/2003
owlfish at 12:08pm on 24/01/2003My latin word of the week: priscus. adj. old, ancient former.
I encountered this one this week - in the undergraduate lecture, no less - in the phrase prisca theologica, meaning works written before theology, in this case, referring to Hermes Trismegistus' works. (i.e. the Egyptian priest reputed to have written lots of useful astrological and alchemical works back in ancient Egypt, but of which there are no traces before about 4 AD. His writings were a big hit in the Renaissance and Reformation eras.)
I encountered this one this week - in the undergraduate lecture, no less - in the phrase prisca theologica, meaning works written before theology, in this case, referring to Hermes Trismegistus' works. (i.e. the Egyptian priest reputed to have written lots of useful astrological and alchemical works back in ancient Egypt, but of which there are no traces before about 4 AD. His writings were a big hit in the Renaissance and Reformation eras.)