In the U.S. yesterday was Memorial Day, which was a day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. For the U.S. Army and Navy, there is a special celebration called a \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d. The \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d is a formal dining celebration where old commanders are honored and new commanders are welcomed in the unit. Although the \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d isn\u2019t always necessarily celebrated on Memorial Day, the phrase \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d reminded me of one of Catallus\u2019s mourning poems. It was a poem about his brother who died before him. Since Memorial Day is a day of mourning those who died, I think Catallus\u2019s poem is appropriate in this situation. There\u2019s a band called Dargaard. They are a classical and rock band rolled in one. They have a song titled \u201cAve Atque Vale\u201d, which means \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d in Latin. The lyrics come straight from Catallus\u2019s poem \u201cAve Atque Vale\u201d<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gFHpQ6gmvNE<\/p>\n
Mult<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>s per gent<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>s et multa per aequora vectus <\/strong><\/p>\n (Carried through many nations and over many seas,)<\/p>\n Adveni<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong> h<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>s miser<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>s, fr<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>ter, ad <\/strong>\u012b<\/strong>nferi<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>s, <\/strong><\/p>\n (I arrive, brother, for these miserable funeral rites,)<\/p>\n Ut t<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong> postr<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>m<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong> d<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong>n<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>rem m<\/strong>\u016b<\/strong>nere mortis <\/strong><\/p>\n (so that I might finally bestow the service of the dead)<\/p>\n Et m<\/strong>\u016b<\/strong>tam n<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>qu<\/strong>\u012b<\/strong>quam alloquerer cinerem, <\/strong><\/p>\n (And salute in vain to your silent ashes,)<\/p>\n Quandoquidem fort<\/strong>\u016b<\/strong>na mih<\/strong>\u012b<\/strong> t<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>t<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong> abstulit ipsum. <\/strong><\/p>\n (Since Fortune has deprived me of you in the flesh.)<\/p>\n Heu miser indign<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong> fr<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>ter ad<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>mpte mihi, <\/strong><\/p>\n (Ah, poor brother, undeservedly lost to me,)<\/p>\n Nunc tamen intere<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong> haec, pr<\/strong>\u012b<\/strong>sc<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong> quae m<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong>re parentum <\/strong><\/p>\n (Now at least for the meantime, these things which in the time-honored way of our parents)<\/p>\n Tr<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>dita sunt tr<\/strong>\u012b<\/strong>st<\/strong>\u012b<\/strong> m<\/strong>\u016b<\/strong>nere ad <\/strong>\u012b<\/strong>nferi<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>s,<\/strong><\/p>\n (Are handed down in mournful service to the rites)<\/p>\n Accipe fr<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>tern<\/strong>\u014d<\/strong> multum m<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>nantia fl<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>t<\/strong>\u016b<\/strong>,<\/strong><\/p>\n (Receive, utterly sodden by a brother’s tears)<\/p>\n Atque in perpetuum, fr<\/strong>\u0101<\/strong>ter, av<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong> atque val<\/strong>\u0113<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n (And for eternity, brother, a tribute and farewell.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the U.S. yesterday was Memorial Day, which was a day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. For the U.S. Army and Navy, there is a special celebration called a \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d. The \u201cHail and Farewell\u201d is a formal dining celebration where old commanders are…<\/p>\n