女儿从七年级开始选修第二外语课，人家无需多少考虑，自己就定下了拉丁文，尽管还有其他那么多的候选课：法语，西班牙语，中文。。。

开学没多久，告诉咱们，参加了学校的拉丁兴趣小组（Latin Club），需要到学校接送。最近这好几个月，忙的是不亦乐乎。上个星期，她们小组代表学校参加田州的Mid-state 拉丁比赛，领回了一大堆的奖。咱也不知道比赛的规模算多大，得奖是不是很容易？咱看她写的这首获了某项（比赛项目名目繁多）第一名的小诗挺值得收藏，那就放到咱的博客里作个纪念吧。

要求诗的内容和古罗马的历史故事有关。这首小诗的背景故事或说明：One day, when Jupiter was bored, he and Mercury went to Phrygia to find out how hospitable the people were. This was important to him because all who seek shelter were under his especial protection. Jupiter and Mercury took the appearance of poor wayfarers and knocked on each house’s door, asking for food and a place to stay. Hundreds of people turned them down, but finally, they came to a hut shabbier than they had come to. A kind old man and woman named Baucis and Philemon welcomed them in. Baucis and Philemon made them very comfortable and gave them the best meal they could provide with wine. Finally, when the old couple realized the wine bowl kept full, Jupiter and Mercury told them that they were gods and that they were the only hospitable people in all of Phrygia. As a reward, they received a grand temple and anything else they wanted. So Baucis and Philemon wished to become priests and guardians of the temple for Jupiter and Mercury. Also, they wished to stay with each other for the rest of their lives. So, when they became extremely old, they began to turn in trees, still together. They grew as an oak and a linden from the same trunk.

Baucis and Philemon

In the hilly Phrygian country side,

A single tree is their pride.

An oak and a linden from the same trunk,

And I’m not lying or saying junk.

When Jupiter got sick of eating ambrosia up,

Or drinking nectar from a cup,

If he got tired of listening to Apollo’s lyre,

He searched for fun on earth from far to near.

With Mercury they dressed as mortals and went on many adventures.

One day, they went to Phrygia, an average town like yours,

To find out how hospital were they.

But hundreds had turned down throughout the day.

Finally, in a shack poorer than they had seen,

An old man and woman, Philemon and Baucis, neither bitter nor mean,

Took them in for a hearty meal,

Throwing a wine in the deal.

When they realized the wine bowl kept full,

They knew and tried to catch the gods a goose, a task hard to pull.

It was time for them to reveal their secret.

Telling them they would get a reward that would cheer them up a bit.

Before their eyes, a magnificent temple appeared.

One wish allowed them to be priests of Jupiter and Apollo; they almost teared.

Another wish would grant them an eternity together.

Even when they become so old, their faces like leather.

One day when talking about their former life without fear,

They saw the end would be near.

They visioned each other putting forth leaves, the bark would appear.

The linden and oak grew from one trunk, still each other’s dear.

2009．02．26