RES

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: RES.

Res tuas tibi habe. ~ Note: This is a phrase in Roman legal language that a spouse could use to request a divorce.

Est modus in rebus. ~ Note: The word "modus" here expresses the idea of a limit or a measure, as in the English word "moderation." The idea is that there is a limit to things, a measure that is proper to each thing.

Sunt quidam non re, sed nomine homines. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Tuas res tibi habeto, tuas res tibi agito. ~ Note: This was a formula for requesting a divorce; both habeto and agito are future imperatives, commonly found in ritualistic expressions.

Non verbis, sed rebus. ~ Note: This is an even more emphatic version of the previous proverb, beginning with the negative, and then affirming the positive: we don't need words - what we need are the things themselves.

Rebus, non verbis. ~ Note: The superiority of things to words - mere words as it were - is a popular theme in Latin proverbs. The use of the ablative without an expressed verb can be understood in all kinds of ways, depending on the context, e.g. (opus est) rebus, non verbis - we need real things, not mere words.

Non opus est verbis; credite rebus. ~ Note: The phrase opus est takes an ablative complement, verbis, while credite takes a dative complement: rebus.

Rem tene; verba sequentur! ~ Note: Note the future tense: sequuntur. (It's all a matter of vowels: sequuntur, present indicative; sequantur, present subjunctive; sequenter, future indicative.)

Plures sunt res quam verba. ~ Note: Note that in the previous proverb plus was being used as an adverb (plus vident), while here you have plus being used as an adjective: plures sunt res. The idea here is that language falls short of reality: we can make words and then more words, but there will always be more things than words.

Natura rerum omnium mater. ~ Note: Of course, we also speak about "Mother Nature" in English, too!

in medias res ~ Note: This Latin phrase refers to a literary technique of plunging the audience into the middle of the action - note the accusative with "in" here, meaning "into." You can read more about this literary technique at Wikipedia.

Res plus valent quam verba. ~ Note: The plural verb, valent, gives you a clue here that "res" is plural, as does the plural "verba."

Habenda est ratio hominum, rei et temporis. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Magna est res scire vivere, maior scire mori. ~ Note: Notice how the infinitive phrases are being used as nouns: scire vivere and scire mori.

Res autem durissima vivere solum. ~ Note: The infinitive phrase, vivere solum, "to live alone, live on your own" is the subject, with res durissima as the predicate.

Quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu. ~ Note: The verb refert, "it matters," introduces an indirect question, hence the subjunctive vivas here: it matters not how long you live (non quam diu) but how well (quam bene).

Melior est res quam spes. ~ Note: This proverb plays nicely on the sound similarity between "res" and "spes" - they may sound similar, but this proverb asserts that a thing itself is better than mere hope.

Spes mea, res mea. ~ Note: This is a motto of the Drummond family.

Sua cuique res est carissima. ~ Note: You could also just say "sua cuique res est cara," but the use of the superlative - carissima - makes the statement even more emphatic.

Tempus rerum imperator. ~ Note: This is a motto of the Clockmakers' Company.

Dominus videt plurimum in rebus suis. ~ Note: This is from one of the fables of Phaedrus, the story of the stag in the stable.

Caput rerum Roma est. ~ Note: This expresses the same idea once again, but this time with "res" (plural) instead of "mundus."

Non refert quam multos, sed quam bonos libros habeas ac legas. ~ Note: The subjunctives habeas and legas are because of the indirect questions introduced by quam. Note also that refert is a contraction of re and fert ("it has to do with, it is a matter of"); it is not from the compound verb re-fero, "bring back."

O quam bonum tempus in re mala perdis! ~ Note: The words are from Seneca's treatise On Anger. The angry person is someone who did not heed the advice of the sundial from the previous saying! Instead of making good use of time, the angry person wastes time in a truly bad way.

Alius in aliis rebus praestantior. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.9.13. It is another of those "aliud…aliud" sayings. The word "praestantior" is the comparative form ("more outstanding") of the participle, praestans.

Apud paucos post rem manet gratia. ~ Note: The words are from Seneca, De Beneficiis: Apud paucos post rem manet gratia; plures sunt, apud quos non diutius in animo sunt donata quam in usu.

Ne tu aliis faciendum trade, factam si quam rem cupis. ~ Note: Note that quam here has the force of aliquam: if you want anything (aliquam rem) to get done (factam).

Pax optima rerum. ~ Note: The line from Silius Italicus, Punica, 11, reads: Pax optima rerum quas homini novisse datum est.

Omni in re modus est optimus. ~ Note: Note the phrase wrapped around the preposition: omni in re = in omni re. This is the sense of "modus" as moderation or limit again, cf. the earlier proverb: Omnis in modo est virtus.

Omnium rerum mors est extremum. ~ Note: Again, extremum is being used substantively, as a predicate noun: the extreme end, the limit.

Amici probantur rebus adversis. ~ Note: This something like the idea of a "fair weather friend" in English - you find out who your true friends are when things are not going well, rebus adversis.

Verba rebus proba. ~ Note: The opposition between words and things is a recurring theme in the world of proverbs; compare the saying cited earlier: Non verbis, sed rebus.

Re magis quam specie. ~ Note: There is an implied verb here to go with these ablative nouns - something like "(you should judge) more by the thing itself than by its appearance."

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

Res age quae prosunt. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the distichs attributed to the so-called "Cato." Here is the complete distich: Res age quae prosunt; rursus vitare memento, / in quis error inest nec spes est certa laboris.

Res age quae prosunt. ~ Note: The relative pronoun quae is very ambiguous by itself (feminine nominative plural? neuter nominative plural? neuter accusative plural?) - the neuter forms are more commonly found, but here you can see that the quae goes with res, making it feminine plural. You can find this sentiment expressed in one of the distichs of Cato (so-called).

Cum re opus est, nihil prosunt verba. ~ Note: Note that here the word cum means "when," and the ablative re is a complement to the phrase opus est.

Tua quod nil refert, ne cures. ~ Note: Notice that refert is actually a compound of re and fert, meaning "to have to do with something, be your business." The word tua agrees with the re in refert: Tua quod nil re-fert, "That which has nothing to do with you..."

Domina rerum humanarum Fortuna. ~ Note: As often, the verb is implied by not expressed: Domina rerum humanarum (est) Fortuna.

Levissima res oratio. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.1.18.

Rerum sapientia custos. ~ Note: You can see this saying illustrated with an emblem here: image.

Amicus res rara. ~ Note: As the philosopher Seneca observes: Amicus res rara, quae non alibi magis deest, quam ubi creditur abundare, "A friend is a rare thing which is never more lacking than when you think you have many of them."

Irascere ob rem gravem. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the monostichs attributed to the so-called "Cato."

Res est magna tacere. ~ Note: Be careful here separating the subject and predicate here, since "res...magna" is wrapped around the verb: It is a great thing (res magna) to keep quiet (tacere). You can find this observation in Martial's Epigrams, 4.80.

Damna fleo rerum, sed plus fleo damna dierum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 211.

Varia sors rerum. ~ Note: This saying is a good way to remember the gender of sors: feminine, hence the adjective varia. The saying itself can be found in Tacitus, Histories 2.

Memoria est thesaurus omnium rerum et custos. ~ Note: This is a fuller expression of the previous saying. The words are inspired by Cicero's De Oratore, 1: Quid dicam de thesauro rerum omnium, memoria? Quae nisi custos inventis cogitatisque rebus et verbis adhibeatur, intellegimus omnia, etiam si praeclarissima fuerint in oratore, peritura.

Thesaurus rerum omnium memoria. ~ Note: As often, the verb "est" has been omitted, so you are left with the two noun phrases, subject and predicate: Thesaurus rerum omnium | memoria (est).

Necessitas rerum omnium potentissima. ~ Note: The statement here is taken to superlative extremes: Necessity is the most powerful of all things.

Plus in negotiis gerendis res, quam verba, prosunt. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re. ~ Note: This expands on how suaviter and fortiter can be combined, as in the previous saying.

In verbo suavis, in re gravis. ~ Note: Here is a similar idea, but now expressed with rhyme: suavis-gravis.

Salus rei publicae suprema lex. ~ Note: Instead of populus or patria, now you have the well-being of the "res publica" as the highest law.

Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur. ~ Note: This saying expresses the same idea, but with a different play on words: "certus in re incerta." This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 4.5.5.

Mors est res certa, nihil est incertius hora. ~ Note: The word hora is in the ablative, as part of the comparison: incertius hora, "more uncertain than the hour (of death)."

Rebus incertis amor est probandus. ~ Note: Compare the saying you saw earlier about love being tested in a difficult time: Noscitur adverso tempore verus amor.

Corruptissima res publica plurimae leges. ~ Note: This is the form of the expression in Tacitus's Annals, 3.

Rem tuam custodi. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings included in the monostichs attributed to the so-called "Cato."

Bona res quies. ~ Note: Here you get a nice sound play with res and quies. In English, you could say something like, "Rest is best."

In minimis rebus saepe res magnae deprehenduntur. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Rem omnem considera. ~ Note: Here omnis means something like "whole" or "entire" - you need to take the whole thing into account, not just look at part of the thing.

Contentus propriis sapiens vivit rebus, nec cupit alterius. ~ Note: Notice the way the phrase "propriis...rebus" wraps nicely around the subject-verb, sapiens vivit.

Amore, more, ore, re firmantur amicitiae. ~ Note: Notice the amazing play on words, as one letter is dropped each time: amore-more-ore-re. In addition to being incredibly elegant, the meaning is quite profound, too, as friendship really does depend on affection (amore), good character (more), the words friends speak (ore) and the things that they do (re).

Omnium rerum a diis immortalibus principia ducuntur. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

In rebus humanis, nihil firmum. ~ Note: The indeclinable neuter nihil is treated as a neuter noun, hence the neuter adjective: nihil (est) firmum.

Fallaces sunt rerum species. ~ Note: Here species must be nominative plural, agreeing with the clearly plural adjective, fallaces.

O fallax rerum copia! ~ Note: Here is a fuller explanation of this sentiment: O fallax rerum copia quae, cum possessorem suum felicem facere deberet, infelicissimum reddit, quae nec eum dormire nec saltem unam horam in gaudio consummare permittit (from the life of Edward II by Thomas More).

Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem. ~ Note: This item is listed in Tosi, 1704.

Ardua res homini mortali vincere numen. ~ Note: The infinitive phrase, vincere numen, is being used as a noun: ardua res (est)... vincere numen.

Labitur e mente cito res bona, sed mala lente. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 580.

Studiis ac litteris res secundae ornantur, adversae adiuvantur. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Alii aliis rebus delectantur. ~ Note: This restates the previous saying, but this time with a passive verb: Different people are delighted by different things, aliis rebus.

Ex rebus minimis surgit discordia grandis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 405.

Iuvare amicos rebus afflictis decet. ~ Note: The impersonal verb decet takes an infinitive complement, as you can see here: iuvare amicos.

Non operando, peris; res age, tutus eris. ~ Note: Notice the nice rhyme: peris-eris. Note also the use of the gerund in the ablative: non operando, "by not working, by failing to act."

In omni re semper grata varietas. ~ Note: Compare the phrases you saw earlier: "In varietate voluptas" and "Varietas delectat."

A rebus alienis manus abstine. ~ Note: Here you see the idea expressed more concretely, with manus as a direct object of abstine: keep your hands (manūs, plural) from other people's things.

Pessima res publica, plurimae leges. ~ Note: Note the nice alliteration: pessimae / plurimae.

Concordia res crescunt. ~ Note: Be careful here, res must be the plural subject of crescunt, so concordia must be ablative: concordiā.

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

Res humanae fragiles caducaeque sunt. ~ Note: You can find these words in Cicero's De Amicitia.

Rebus tranquillis, metuas adversa sub illis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1130. The subjunctive, metuas, is used here to express the idea of a command: you should fear, you must fear. The rhyme, tranquillis-illis, reveals the medieval provenance of this saying.

Grata rerum novitas. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.9.38 (Grata novitas).

Sententiam re incognita feras cave. ~ Note: This is a saying by Joachim Camerarius; his sayings were sometimes published together with the ancient sayings of Publilius Syrus.

De re terrena procedunt mille venena. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 232.

Tua res agitur, cum proximus ardet paries. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 3.6.71.

Aut non rem tentes, aut perfice. ~ Note: You can find this "all or nothing" advice in Ovid's Art of Love, 1.

Post rerum eventum omnes facile sapientes sunt. ~ Note: Note that omnes here is the subject, while sapientes is the predicate.

Iucunda vicissitudo rerum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.7.64.

Omnium rerum vicissitudo est. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 1.7.63 (compare also 3.9.72).

Salva res est saltante sene. ~ Note: This saying is included by Polydorus in his Adagia, A140.

Consilium verum docet experientia rerum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 157.

In omnibus rebus mediocritas est optima. ~ Note: This is included by André Rouillé in his anthology of Cicero's notable sententiae.

Res est imperiosa timor. ~ Note: Notice how the predicate noun phrase, res...imperiosa, wraps around the verb. Very elegant!

De rebus minimis fit saepe molestia grandis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 231.

Gratia regalis non est res perpetualis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 475.

Res satis est nota: foetent plus stercora mota. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1143.