FINIS

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: FINIS.

Amori finem tempus, non animus facit. ~ Note: You put an end to something in the dative: amori finem facit. This is one of the sayings of Publilius Syrus. Note that animus here needs to mean something like mind or willpower - you cannot just decide to stop loving.

Omnium finis mors est. ~ Note: You can find a meditation on this saying in Thomas a Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, 1.

Veri amoris nullus est finis. ~ Note: This is the title John Owen gave to one of his epigrams, which reads: Numquam vera fuit caritas, quae desiit esse; / Nam nullus veri finish amoris erit (12.3). The phrase also appears in the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Certum pete finem. ~ Note: The word "finis" here has the sense of goal - you should pursue a goal that is certain, not something that is vague or undefined.

Sicut vita, finis ita. ~ Note: The charm of this saying depends on the nice rhyme: vita-ita.

Scribendi nullus finis. ~ Note: Here you have the gerund in the genitive: there is no end of writing, scribendi.

Si finis bonus est, totum bonum est. ~ Note: Compare this saying collected by Wegeler, 1236: Si finis bonus est, totum laudabile tunc est.

Cui licitus est finis, etiam licent media. ~ Note: Compare the English saying, ""The ends justify the means." Notice also here how the verb licet is not being used impersonally: finis is the subject of the perfect licitus est (hence the masculine form) and media is the subject of licent (hence the plural form). Note also the dative complement: Cui licitus est finis, (ei) etiam licent media.

Qualis vita, finis ita. ~ Note: This is a variation on the preceding proverb; both "sicut" and "qualis" can be used to introduce comparisons. It is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 977.

Nescit homo finem suum. ~ Note: The words are from the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, 9.

Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis. ~ Note: Here you see the gerund, faciendum ("making"), in the genitive case, with finis: There is no end of the making of books. (The accusative plures libros is the object of the gerund; just as participles can take direct objects, the same is true of gerunds.)

Mori enim naturae finis est, non poena. ~ Note: This is from the rhetorical exercises of the Elder Seneca.

Lauda finem. ~ Note: This proverb again emphasizes that you should wait until the finish of something before you praise it. Compare the proverb you saw earlier: Nemo ante mortem beatus est.

Totum laudatur, si finis laude beatur. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1365.

In omnibus rebus, respice finem. ~ Note: You can also find the saying in this shortened form: Respice finem.

Quidquid agas, semper respice finem. ~ Note: Here the subjunctive, agas, gives the saying a hypothetical quality: quidquid agas, "whatever you might do..."

Utilem pete finem. ~ Note: This a motto of the Marshall family.

Mali principii malus finis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 4.9.86.

Non statim cum principio apparet finis. ~ Note: Compare the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 4.5.55: Non statim finis apparet.

Finem vitae specta. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings that Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.3.37.

Est caro nostra cinis, modo principium, modo finis. ~ Note: Vita quid est hominis, nisi mors vallata ruinis, / est caro nostra cinis, modo principium, modo finis.

Quidquid agis, prudenter agas, et respice finem. ~ Note: Here the subjunctive, agas, has the force of a command, parallel with the imperative, respice.

Cursus in fine velocior. ~ Note: Note the masculine comparative form of velox, velocior, agreeing with cursus.

Omni fine, initium novum. ~ Note: You can supply an est to help make sense of the main clause in this sentence: initium novum est, "there is a new beginning." This is the class motto of the Virginia Tech class of 2005.

Moriendum est omnibus, estque finis miseriae in morte. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Laus in fine sonat, virtus in fine coronat. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 593.

Transit fine brevi puerilis flosculus aevi. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 252: Disce, puer, tenero dum flos tibi floret in aevo / transit fine brevi puerilis flosculus aevi.

Virtutis principium asperum, finis amoenus. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Satius mederi est initiis quam finibus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings that Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.2.40.