NULLUS

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: NULLUS.

Unius dictum, dictum nullius. ~ Note: This Latin legal maxim expresses the principle that one witness is not enough; you need corroborating evidence. As a result, the word of just one person is no better than no word at all. This saying is also a great way to remember the genitive singular endings of unus and nullus; they both take that -ius ending.

Qui sibi malus, nulli bonus. ~ Note: Note that the unambiguously dative sibi gives you a nice little reminder that the form nulli is also dative. (Nullus is one of those sneaky adjectives that takes mostly first-second declension endings, but which has -ius in the genitive and -i in the dative.)

Nullus agenti dies longus est. ~ Note: This proverb looks similar to the previous one, but it is actually turned inside-out by using nullus instead of nil. Nullus agrees with dies and give you the subject: "no day is long" for the person who is working (agenti).

Vir quidem unus, nullus est. ~ Note: Compare the proverb cited earlier: Unus vir non omnia videt. Compare also the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 1.5.40: Unus vir, nullus vir.

Malum quidem nullum sine aliquo bono. ~ Note: The words are adapted from Pliny the Elder's Natural History, 27.

Nulli malum pro malo. ~ Note: See the previous proverb; with with the information provided by the cases (dative, accusative), it is possible to express this idea without a stated verb.

Nullus omnia scire potest. ~ Note: You can also find the saying in these forms: "Nemo enim potest omnia scire" and "Nemo est, cui omnia scire datum sit."

Nec nulli sis amicus, nec omnibus. ~ Note: If you are friendly towards someone in Latin, that requires the use of the dative as you can see here: omnibus is dative plural, and nulli is dative singular. Note also the nec... nec... construction, which is equivalent to "neither... nor..." in English.

Multus amicus, nullus amicus. ~ Note: Compare the saying you saw earlier: Amicus omnibus, amicus nemini. The idea is once again is that someone who has too many friends is really no friend at all.

Amici nec multi, nec nulli. ~ Note: Compare the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 3.6.37: Neque nullis sis amicus, neque multis.

Vox unius, vox nullius. ~ Note: The Latin word "vox" expresses a whole range of meaning, including what we call "sound" in English, as well as "voice" and also the idea of "word" (hence "vocabulary," referring to a collection of words).

Nulli secundus. ~ Note: Note here that nullis dative singular: second to no one.

Fortuna nulli plus quam consilium valet. ~ Note: Note the dative of nullus here: nulli. So the idea is that "For no one (nulli) is luck more powerful than planning."

Lex mala, lex nulla. ~ Note: This saying supposes that there is a higher law, a perfect natural justice - and flawed human laws that fall short of that standard are no law at all. This particular formulation of the notion is attributed to the medieval theologian and philosopher, Thomas Aquinas.

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).

Veri amori nullus est finis. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

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

Ratio fatum vincere nulla valet. ~ Note: Notice how the noun phrase "ratio nulla" elegantly wraps around the infinitive phrase "fatum vincere" - that kind of intertwined word order is so easy in Latin but basically impossible in English.

Nulli malum pro malo reddete. ~ Note: This saying is not only good advice, but provides a nice way to remember the dative form of nullus: nulli.

Aut Caesar aut nullus. ~ Note: In this variation on the saying "Aut Caesar aut nihil," instead of nihil, you now find nullus: nobody.

Cedo nulli. ~ Note: Remember that nullus has "nulli" for its dative singular form, so this motto means "I yield to no one."

Nulla sine sole umbra. ~ Note: Here is another way to look at the existence of shadows: you cannot have a shadow without the sun.

Dum fortuna perit, nullus amicus erit. ~ Note: See the earlier saying about money and friendship: Amicos pecuniae faciunt. This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1353: Tempore felici multi numerantur amici; dum fortuna perit, nullus amicus erit.

A nullo diligitur qui neminem diligit. ~ Note: Compare a similar idea in a saying you saw earlier: Si vis amari, ama.

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.)

Nulla salus bello. ~ Note: The words are from Vergil's Aeneid, 11: nulla salus bello, pacem te poscimus omnes, Turne.

Nulli nimium credite. ~ Note: Note the sneaky dative form of nullus: nulli, with the verb credite, which takes a dative complement. Nimium, as in the previous proverb, is adverbial: trust no one overmuch.

Nullum consilium est quod mutari non potest. ~ Note: This is a variation on the preceding saying, which asserts that any plan can be changed!

Mors nulli parcit honori. ~ Note: Here the dative complement, nulli honori, is wrapped very elegantly around the verb.

Tunc mors optetur, cum nullus amicus habetur. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1381.

Nulli ad aliena respicienti sua placent. ~ Note: Note that the main verb and its subject, sua placent, takes a dative complement: nulli ad aliena respicienti. In English, that dative would be the subject of the sentence: "No one who gazes at other people's stuff likes his own stuff."

Utrumque vitium est: et omnibus credere et nulli. ~ Note: Note that the two verb phrases, "omnibus credere" and "nulli credere," are acting as nouns here, coordinated by et...et... (both... and...).

Vitium est et omnibus credere et nulli. ~ Note: Here the infinitive credere is being used as a noun: It is a fault both to believe everybody (omnibus credere) and also to believe nobody (nulli credere).

Nulli nocendum. ~ Note: You can see here that the verb noceo takes a dative complement, nulli. The neuter gerundive has the force of an imperative here: "Harm no one."

Nulla scientia melior est illa, qua cognoscit homo se ipsum. ~ Note: The words are from Saint Augustine's treatise De Spiritu et Anima.

Nulla aetas ad discendum tarda. ~ Note: Here you see the gerund, discendum, in the accusative case: No time of life is too late for learning (ad discendum).

Voluptate animi nulla potest esse maior. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Post mortem nulla voluptas. ~ Note: A fuller form urges us to "eat, drink and be merry" now, before we die: Ede, bibe, lude; post mortem nulla voluptas.

Nulli tacuisse nocet. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Rumores fuge neu studeas novus auctor haberi; / nam nulli tacuisse nocet, nocet esse locutum.

Quidquid vis esse tacitum, nulli dixeris. ~ Note: Note that the subjunctive here, dixeris, has the force of a command. This is yet another one of the sayings collected by Publilius Syrus.

Nullum otium servis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 2.3.46.

Sic fac ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1340: Surge puer, vigila, canta, lege, disce vel ora, / sic fac ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora; sic erit hora brevis, sic labor ipse levis.

Nullius lacrimis umquam revocatur ab umbris. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 780.

Nulli inimicus ero. ~ Note: As noted earlier, the word "inimicus" takes a dative complement, as you can see again here: nulli. This is a motto of the Donaldson family.

Crimen nullum vini est, sed culpa bibentis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Quae potus peccas, ignoscere tu tibi noli; / nam crimen vini nullum est, sed culpa bibentis.

Sine amicitia vita est nulla. ~ Note: This is another way of stating the essential value of friendship: without it, life is nothing!

Nullus praeteritas revocabit temporis horas. ~ Note: Wegeler collected the first line of this couplet, 781: Nullus praeteritas revocabit temporis horas. / Desidia an quicquam foedius esse potest?

Certandum est: nulli veniunt sine Marte triumphi. ~ Note: From Mantuanus: Certandum est: nulli veniunt sine Marte triumphi, / et nisi certanti nulla corona datur.

Nulli est homini perpetuum bonum. ~ Note: Notice how the dative phrase, nulli...homini, wraps nicely around the verb.

Contra vim mortis nulla herba in hortis. ~ Note: You can also see it expressed with a diminutive of herba, herbula: Contra vim mortis non herbula crescit in hortis.

Nulli iniuria facienda. ~ Note: Here you have the gerundive being used to express a command; the form agrees in gender with the subject of the sentence, iniuria: "You should injure no one" (nulli is dative).

Illum nullus amat, qui semper: Da mihi! clamat. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 522.

Hodie nullus, cras maximus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Erasmus in his Adagia, 4.1.88.

Ovium nullus usus si pastor absit. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 2.7.26.

Nisi certanti nulla corona datur. ~ Note: From Mantuanus: Certandum est: nulli veniunt sine Marte triumphi, / et nisi certanti nulla corona datur.

Gratia nulla datur, si munere munus ematur. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 476.

Cavendi nulla est dimittenda occasio. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Publilius Syrus.

Ad discendum nulla aetas sera. ~ Note: Here you can see a gerund used in the accusative, ad discendum, "for learning" - No time of life is too late for learning. This item is listed in Tosi, 385.

Nulla valet tantum virtus, patientia quantum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 776: The idea here is that nulla virtus, "no (other) virtue" is as powerful as the virtue of patience.

Testis unus, testis nullus. ~ Note: This reiterates the idea of corroborating testimony, as you have seen in earlier sayings: "Unus vir non omnia videt," "Unius dictum, dictum nullius," etc.

Testis in uno falsus, in nullo fidem meretur. ~ Note: This is another version of the preceding saying. A witness either has "fides" or not - and the witness who lies in one thing "in nullo fidem meretur."

In nullum avarus bonus est, in se pessimus. ~ Note: Note the parallel structure: nullum/se and bonus/pessimus.

Avarus animus nullo satiatur lucro. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Publilius Syrus.

Ad ignavis nulla corona datur. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Egregia musica quae sit abscondita, nulli rei est. ~ Note: This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A196.

Nulla dies sit sine linea. ~ Note: This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A60.

Ne cuivis credas, neque nulli. ~ Note: Note the negative command with a subjunctive: ne credas. You can't believe just anybody (cuivis) - but it is also a mistake to believe no one at all (nulli, dative).

Nummus honoratur; sine nummo nullus amatur. ~ Note: Note the nice grammatical rhyme: honoratur-amatur.

Nulla rosa sine spinis. ~ Note: This is a motto of the Hilbert family.

Optima medicina nulla uti medicina. ~ Note: The infinitive uti, "to use," is being used like a noun here, taking an ablative complement, nulla medicina: The best medicine is to use no medicine. (Notice how the phrase nulla medicina wraps nicely around the infinitive.)

Nulla medicina aliquando optima medicina. ~ Note: Compare the saying you saw earlier: Optima medicina nulla uti medicina.

Sapiens nullo tempore vivit inops. ~ Note: This is from one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus: Si fueris sapiens, Croesi superaveris aurum / nam sapiens nullo tempore vivit inops.

Nulla longi temporis felicitas. ~ Note: The initial adjectives "nulla" and "longi" obviously do not agree with one another - but as you get the rest of the proverb, it all sorts itself out: nulla felicitas and longi temporis. So, no happiness is of long duration. Alas!

Nullus dies omnino malus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 4.10.88.

Omnia mors tollit, quam nulla potentia mollit. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 807.

Nullum theatrum virtuti conscientia maius est. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nulla ditari ratione potestis avari. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 775: Nulla ditari ratione potestis avari; / vos faciunt inopes, quas cumulatis opes.

Vestigia nulla retrorsum. ~ Note: This is a motto of the Buckinghamshire family.

Nullum mendacium semper occultum. ~ Note: This is yet another variation on the same idea but this time, instead of saying that the truth will emerge, the idea is that a lie cannot stay covered up.

Nullum mendacium sine teste. ~ Note: This is one of the things that makes lies so hard to detect: they may seem to come with testimonials! Just think of all the testimonials in ads for fraudulent products, for example.

Insipientia nullum maius malum est. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nulla valet vita, nisi sit virtute polita. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 777.

Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nulla viris doctis iactura est tempore maior. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Nulla carent visco munera; virus habent. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Dum de te loqueris, gloria nulla tua est. ~ Note: This is one of the moral sayings of Michael Verinus.

Nullus tam parcus, quin prodigus ex alieno. ~ Note: This is a saying by Joachim Camerarius; his sayings were sometimes published together with the ancient sayings of Publilius Syrus.

Iactura nulla gravior est, quam temporis. ~ Note: This is a saying by Janus Anysius (Giovanni Aniso); his sayings were sometimes published together with the ancient sayings of Publilius Syrus.

Nullus gravior hostis, quam amicus subdolus. ~ Note: This is a saying by Janus Anysius (Giovanni Aniso); his sayings were sometimes published together with the ancient sayings of Publilius Syrus.

Nulla fides rerum: sequitur post mella venenum. ~ Note: Nulla fides rerum: sequitur post mella venenum, / et claudit nox atra diem, nebulaque serenum.

Tam male nil cusum, quod nullum prosit ad usum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1346.

Nullus stultus beatus et sapiens non beatus. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Scientia nulla res est praestantior. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nulla potest esse iucunditas, sublata amicitia. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Nullus est casus pro dignitate et libertate patriae non ferendus. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Liber est is aestimandus, qui nulli turpidtudini servit. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Conveniet nulli, qui secum dissidet ipse. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Sperne repugnando tibi tu contrarius esse: / Conveniet nulli, qui secum dissidet ipse.

Si prodest, sensum nullius tempseris umquam. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Utile consilium dominus ne despice servi / si prodest, sensum nullius tempseris umquam.

Nulli carus eris, si copia deficit aeris. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 779.

Nulla videt cupidus, nisi quae cupit aspiciendo. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 778: Nulla videt cupidus, nisi quae cupit aspiciendo; / visa cupit cupidus, quae sola videt cupiendo.

Surge, puer, vigila, canta, lege, disce vel ora, sic fac ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1340: Surge puer, vigila, canta, lege, disce vel ora, sic fac ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora; sic erit hora brevis, sic labor ipse levis.

Si bene barbatum faceret sua barba beatum, nullus in hoc circo queat esse beatior hirco. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1211.

Exsilia, tormenta, bella, morbos, naufragia meditare, ut nullo sis malo tiro. ~ Note: Note the imperative form of this deponent verb: meditare. The noun tiro is in agreement with the implied subject of the verb sis: ut nullo sis malo tiro, "so that you not be a novice to any kind of evil."