DUO

The notes here are taken from the actual Scala, so be warned that references to the "previous" proverb refer to its order in the Scala, not its order here. You can read more about the word at the Verbosum blog: DUO.

Mundus non capit duos soles. ~ Note: Be careful with the word, soles: it is from the noun sol, "sun," and is here in the accusative plural, as you can tell from the adjective duos.

Nos duo turba sumus. ~ Note: The words are from Ovid's Metamophoses, 1, as Deucalion speaks to Pyrrha, when he realizes they are the only two people left on the earth after the flood.

Unus nihil, duo plurimum possunt. ~ Note: Note the parallel structure: unus/duo and nihil/plurimum, with the verb serving for both.

E duobus malis, eligendum est minus. ~ Note: The gerundive is being used to express a sense of necessity or a command: eligendum est minus (malum), "choose the lesser (evil)!"

Duobus dominis ne servias. ~ Note: This takes the same idea as in the previous saying, and turns it into a prohibition: ne servias.

Nemo potest duobus dominis servire. ~ Note: The verb servire takes a dative complement: duobus dominis. The words are from the Gospel of Matthew, 6.

Nemo potest dominis digne servire duobus. ~ Note: Notice that the dative phrase, dominis duobus, wraps around the infinitive phrase, digne servire. Very elegant!

Nemo potest dominis pariter servire duobus. ~ Note: Note the adverbial form, pariter. You have seen similarly formed proverbs already, as in this motto: Fortiter, fideliter, feliciter.

Noli pugnare duobus. ~ Note: Notice that the verb pugnare can take a dative complement: to fight against two (opponents), pugnare duobus. The verb can also be used with a preposition such as cum, to fight with; for an example see the following proverb.

Uni cum duobus non est pugnandum. ~ Note: Here you have the same idea expressed impersonally, with the gerundive in the neuter singular: pugnandum. Now the dative expresses agency with the gerundive: uni non est pugnandum, one person should not fight. This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 5.2.30.

Una domus non alit duos canes. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Erasmus in his Adagia, 2.2.24.

Duobus malis resistere, difficillimum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.8.78.

Deficit ambobus, qui vult servire duobus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 227.

Duo illa nos maxime movent, similitudo et exemplum. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nemo potest dominis simul inservire duobus. ~ Note: This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, B47.

Bonum est duabus niti ancoris. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 4.8.72.

Duos insequens lepores, neutrum capit. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.3.36.

Ne Hercules quidem adversus duos. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.5.39.

Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 2.2.22.

Plus Federicus uno oculo vidit quam ceteri principes duobus. ~ Note: This was presumably a saying originally associated with "Frederick the One-Eyed," Duke of Swabia in the 12th century. This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A152, and he comments: de hominibus prudentissimis dicitur.

Non vult verna probus dominis servire duobus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 772.

Hic duos parietes de eadem fidelia dealbat. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.7.3; it is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A281.

Duo boves aequaliter trahunt ad unum iugum. ~ Note: You can find this saying in the famous debate between Marcolf and King Solomon.

Uno in saltu lepide apros capiam duos. ~ Note: Compare the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 3.6.63: In saltu uno duos apros capere.

Concordes duo sunt in caelo sidera fratres; in terra unanimes vix reor esse duos. ~ Note: An epigram by Owen: Concordes duo sunt in caelo sidera fratres; / in terra unanimes vix reor esse duos.