Septuagesimus Primus: July 23, 2008: Euax
Theme for this week: Interjections. Yay!
euax
Definition: yay! hurrah!
Sententia(e): A commerical for the Baths of Caracalla!
Salvete vos omnes, optimi cives Romae! Debes ire ad Thermas Caracallae, in Roma! Habemus eos quos aliae thermae habent, et plus magno! Sumus modo secunda therma qua bibliothecam habet, ut et legere ET lavare possim! Et nunc, verba e hominibus similissimis vobis ipsis!
Senator: "Thermae Caracallae praestant!"
Alter: "Tantum possum dicere 'EUAX'!"
Uxor: "Etiam possum ire lavandum, quod sunt horae feminis!"
Atque, veni une, venite omnes thermis optimis!
Hello all you, the best citizens of Rome! You ought to go to the Baths of Caracalla, in Rome! We have those things which the other baths have, and much more! We are only the second bath which has a library, so that you may be able both to read AND to wash! And now, words from people most similar to you yourselves!
A senator: "The Baths of Caracalla are superior!"
Another: "I am able to say only 'Yay!'"
A wife: "Even I am able to go for the purpose of washing, because there are hours for women!"
And so, come one, come all, to the best baths!
This word is not very common--it isn't found at all on the syllabi. Nevertheless, it is an absolutely ESSENTIAL word for expressing joy in Latin! The only other word which I thought meant "yay" in Latin is "eugepae," but in looking it up just now it means "well done" (not as in meat, but as in "good job"). "Yay" is SO much of a better meaning than "well done" (and that "well done" is sometimes even mean and ironic). Anyways, I shall just have to use "euax" more! And a good example of how important it is to have the word "yay" is in the theme for this week itself--"Yay!" is an integral part of it! Non sequitur time--this is a parody of Ecce Romani which you might enjoy reading (though I have found that I have forgotten much of the story :'( perhaps I should borrow a Latin 1 book!).
NB: Bold and underline == macron