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It’s just a common, off the street Latin dictionary. Just it’s not quite only common and off the street. Most of the ones you find out there look like they were just pulled off the shelf from the bookstore. Mine has several creases in the cover (which has been taped back on more than once), the binding is falling apart, pages are dog-eared, and some well-loved pages have been taped back in. As tattered and young as it is, this worn dictionary contains some of my favorite stories and memories. It can often unlock those stories for me.
It is the translator’s most efficient tool and the Latin geek’s best friend. There is no word that our friend Julius used that isn’t in there: all of his words and many more. However, it’s more than just words: almost polygonal in nature, it’s an adventure, just without the plot.
Among the enormous pool of things it can do is bring back the memories of its owner. The dictionary can’t just tell you outright, but just using the dictionary can revive memories in its reader. The mere act of searching inside it may pull out several memories. Almost every time I open it, I try to look for a word in the wrong section. This is mainly because I seem to have failed to pay attention to learning my alphabet in kindergarten (although I can tell you that alphabet is derived from Greek). It is at times such as these that I can hear it laughing at me. Yes, I can actually hear it laughing. Then, it laughs at me even harder. “Ha, ha!” it pesters, “You still cannot remember what itaque means?” There are some times when I look up that word about three times in an hour. No other person (or thing) has the right to criticize me for that.
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