Et Cetera: An Illustrated Guide to Latin Phrases

Latin may be a “dead” language, but it’s all around us–in science, philosophy, religion, and literature. From ” carpe diem” to the more obscure ” alea iacta est,” classicist Maia Lee-Chin examines the deeper meanings of many Latin phrases still in use–as well as those lost to the ages.

Illustrated in artist Marta Bertello’s haunting style, this unique compendium illuminates ancient Roman history and culture like never before.

Maia Lee-Chin is a lover of casual conversations with the ancient world and is convinced that all translations are autobiographical. She claims she was born to be a classicist, citing her Greek goddess namesake and her lineage, which includes some of the earliest African Americans to obtain college degrees. When not writing, Maia plays video games, cooks, cleans (begrudgingly), works in urban education, and tries not to use epic poetry as a road map for life. She has other work featured in Eidolon and Ancient Exchanges.

Marta Bertello is grew up in Turin, Italy, where she graduated with honors from the Albertina Fine Art Academy. Her work focuses on suspended, slightly unsettling atmospheres, with special attention given to composition and visual storytelling. She lives and works in Venice.