Saturday, July 31, 2010

NOS

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: NOS.

Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis. ~ Note: This is the motto of the borough of Battersea in London, England.

Non nobis, sed omnibus. ~ Note: This is the motto of Soham Village College in Soham (Cambridgeshire), England.

Nos iubere volumus, non iuberi. ~ Note: Note the contrast between the active infinitive, iubere, and the passive infinitive, iuberi.

Frater est amicus quem nobis dedit Natura. ~ Note: You can also find this saying with the words: Frater est amicus quem donat natura.

Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? ~ Note: You can find these words in Paul's letter to the Romans, 8, and the saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, B10. You can also find the idea expressed in this way: Si Deus nobiscum; quis contra?

Nemo enim nostrum sibi vivit. ~ Note: The words are from Paul's Letter to the Romans, 14. Note the use of nostrum as the genitive form of the pronoun nos: nemo nostrum, "no one of us."

Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori. ~ Note: This is a fuller form of the previous saying; the words are from Vergil's Eclogues, 10.

Hora horis cedit; pereunt sic tempora nobis. ~ Note: This is a sun-dial inscription, which is also in the form of a dactylic hexameter if you elide the "h" - 'ora 'oris - at the beginning of the line.

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.

Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. ~ Note: This proverb is in the form of a dactylic hexameter. For more about this saying, see the Wikipedia article.

Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. ~ Note: This is a variation on the previous, this time with "omnia" instead of "tempora."

Adhuc aliquis deus respicit nos. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.9.42. When the god gazes upon you, showing you "respect" as it were, it is a sign of favor. For example, "Fortuna Respiciens" was a favorable representation of the goddess Fortuna, who was notoriously fickle in her favors.

Uterque nostrum idem simul trahit iugum. ~ Note: Note how the form "nostrum" is used as the genitive here for the pronoun "nos" - uterque nostrum, "both of us."

Ultima nos omnes efficit hora pares. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1393. Notice how the noun phrase (ultima...hora) wraps around the verb (nos omnes efficit), with the predicate adjective dramatically at the end: pares, rhyming with omnes.

Patria est communis omnium nostrum parens. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Non nobis solum nati sumus. ~ Note: You can also find this saying in an abbreviated form: Non nobis solum. Note that the neuter solum is adverbial here, "non nobis solum," "not only for us/ourselves." This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A204.

Non nobis nascimur. ~ Note: This is the Lucy family motto.

Vita est nobis aliena magistra. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Multorum disce exemplo, quae facta sequaris, / quae fugias: vita est nobis aliena magistra.

Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings attributed to Publilius Syrus.

Quis nostrum sine vitiis est? ~ Note: The word nostrum is used as the partitive genitive of the pronoun nos: Quis nostrum... Which of us...?

Quod supra nos nihil ad nos. ~ Note: This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A6.

Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.6.69.

Libera nos a malo. ~ Note: This forms part of the Lord's Prayer as given in the Gospel of Matthew, 6.

A morte aeterna libera nos, Domine! ~ Note: These words can be found in the Catholic liturgy.

Omnia transibunt; nos ibimus, ibitis, ibunt. ~ Note: Wegeler collected the first line of this couplet, 808: Omnia transibunt; nos ibimus, ibitis, ibunt, / cari et non cari condicione pari.

Natura semina nobis scientiae dedit, scientiam non dedit. ~ Note: The words are from Seneca's letters, 120.

Tempus nos avidum devorat. ~ Note: The adjective avidum agrees with the subject of the verb, tempus. In English, we would probably render that with an adverb: "greedily devours."

Arbor honoretur, cuius nos umbra tuetur. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 56.

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

Accipiter praedam sequitur, nos gloriam. ~ Note: This is the motto of the Hawker family, appropriately!

Sicut equos domitant et ducunt frena, capistra: sic docet ac ducit nos consuetudo magistra. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1228.

Tempus novi aliquid semper in nobis parit. ~ Note: This is a saying by Janus Anysius (Giovanni Aniso); his sayings were sometimes published together with the ancient sayings of Publilius Syrus.

Conscientia a diis immortalibus accepimus, quae a nobis avelli non potest. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Commorandi nobis natura diversorium, non habitandi dedit. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Non paranda nobis solum, sed fruenda etiam sapientia est. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.


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