ILLY REASON TO LEARN LATIN #56: For creative anachronisms, such as this collection of carols translated into Latin – including Sanctus Wenceslaus rex and the XII Dies Natalis.
Of course there are many carols actually written in Latin, which are lots of fun to sing – Angelus ad Virginum, Personent hodie, Puer natus, Puer nobis nascitur, and my kids’ favourite Gaudete. You don’t really need much Latin to enjoy these. But to take a mundane, secular ditty and do it over in an ancient tongue is a good party trick.
For further fun with Latin, Laura Gibbs has a collection of renderings of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. She collects all sorts of handy bits for Latinists, well worth a look.
Now Eyolf Østrem has gone one step further with this setting of Reno erat Rudolphus:
Happy getting-ready-for-Christmas-tide!
