2014-06-27 14:57:00

Saint Gregory the Great


(Vatican Radio) When our popular 'Latin Lover' Carmelite Father Reginald Foster was asked by Veronica Scarisbrick to share  a chat about Saint Gregory the Great, perhaps he wasn't expecting to be asked about this pope's physical appearance or which Roman emperor he might resemble, but about his letters and literary style.

Listen to our popular 'Latin Lover ' Carmelite Father Reginald Foster in a programme produced by Veronica Scarisbrick: 

So when our Latinist finally gets to speak about his field of interest he splashes out and claims he would recognise Gregory the Great's literary style blindfolded: "..because he has a certain style which is very very pleasing and his homilies are out of this world". But he then goes off on a tangent and begins to praise the writings of Plautus and his landmark colloquial Latin:"you can hear him  talking and saying things like 'please get lost, just go away' and my students love his style.

When you teach young people Latin, Father Foster insists, you need to study the writings of authors like Plautus as they are sparkling, lively and brilliant: '..vivissimum et  lucidum et splendidum".








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