Latin Via Proverbs 153

I hope these notes will help you tackle this group of proverbs in Latin Via Proverbs. This group includes more sayings with third conjugation verbs, present active indicative.

Please note: to read the proverbs in Latin, you need to acquire a copy of the book from lulu.com! What I am providing here in the blog are notes to help people who are making their way through the book either in a Latin class or on their own. You can find more Study Guide material at the LatinViaProverbs.com wiki website.

Group 153

1955. The one who is able to conquer himself is strong. (This is a popular family motto.)

1956. The one who conquers himself, conquers. (Although this is a pointedly masculine relative pronoun, you can find this used as the motto for the Philadelphia High School for Girls.)

1957. He who conquers himself, conquers twice. (A fuller form of this saying is Bis vincit, qui se vincit in victoria: primum hostem, deinde animum, "The one who conquers himself conquers twice in his victory: first over the enemy, then over his soul." You can also find this saying in Publilius Syrus.)

1958. He who lives well, lives twice. (I cannot find a way to capture the nice sound play between bis...bene in English, alas.)

1959. Wise is the one who looks ahead. (This is the motto of Malvern College.)

1960. The wise person makes their own luck. (The version is Plautus reads sapiens quidem pol ipsus fingit fortunam sibi.)

1961. Each person makes their own luck. (You can find many variants on this saying: Fortunam suam quisque parat, Fortunam suam sibi quisque ipse parat, etc.)

1962. Each person reaps in his own field. (You can find this saying in Plautus.)

1963. No one injures me with impunity. (This is the motto of the Order of the Thistle, and is found on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom in Scotland. You can read more at wikipedia.)

1964. War nourishes itself. (In English we might say "war feeds on itself." The saying is attributed to Cato in Livy.)

1965. He's afraid of his own shadow. (You can find this saying, umbram suam metuere, in Erasmus's Adagia, 1.5.65.)

1966. Nothing dries more quickly than a tear. (You can find this saying in Cicero. A fuller form of the phrase is Lacrima nihil citius arescit, praesertim in alienis malis, "Nothing dries faster than a tear, especially a tear for other people's troubles.")

1967. Nature does nothing rashly. (Compare the similar saying #1923. Natura non facit saltus.)

1968. Nature does nothing in vain. (You can find this principle listed in Newton's Principia.)

1969. That which is in excess is harmful. (There are many sayings which warn against the dangers of excess: Nemini nimium bene est, Omne nimium non bonum, etc.)

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This blog post is part of an evolving Study Guide for users of the book Latin Via Proverbs.

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