VOLO-VELLE

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: VOLO.

Deo Volente ~ Note: This Latin phrase (an ablative absolute!) is often abbreviated: D.V. Compare the Arabic Insha'Allah.

Deus dat cui vult. ~ Note: This was the royal motto of King Eric XIV of Sweden.

Si vis, potes. ~ Note: You can find this saying invoked in Horace, Satire 2.6.

Aliud est velle, aliud posse. ~ Note: This is another of those "aliud…aliud" sayings. You can see here that the infinitive is like a noun, "to want is one (thing), and to be able to do it is another (thing)."

Quod vis videri, esto. ~ Note: This plays on the same idea as in the previous proverb: BE what you want to be, and appearances will take care of themselves!

Si non ut volumus, tamen ut possumus.

Sic dii voluerunt. ~ Note: Note the perfect past form of the verb, voluerunt: "Thus have the gods willed" or "Such was the will of the gods."

Cum dixeris quod vis, audies quod non vis. ~ Note: Note the nice parallel structure: dixeris/audies and vis/non-vis. You can find a similar saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 1.1.27: Qui quae vult dicit, quae non vult audiet.

Si vis amari, ama. ~ Note: You can find this sentiment in a variety of ancient sources, including Publilius Syrus and Seneca.

Da, si vis accipere. ~ Note: You can also find this saying with an "ut" clause: Da, ut accipias.

Nos iubere volumus, non iuberi.

Id quod volunt, credunt quoque. ~ Note: The idea here is that when someone wants something, they are quick to believe it.

Vivimus, non ut volumus, sed ut possumus. ~ Note: Note that this is the use of "ut" to mean simply "as" - ut possumus, "as we are able." Although Latin textbooks emphasize the use of ut with subjunctive verbs to create purpose and result clauses, it is also quite common to find "ut" used with indicative verbs simply to mean "as."

Quod tibi vis fieri, hoc fac alteri. ~ Note: This is a fuller version of the previous saying, with the verbs stated explicitly. Notice how fieri serves as the passive of facere: That which you want done to you, do to another.

Quod tibi non vis, alteri ne facias. ~ Note: This is the negative version of the Golden Rule: What you don't want for yourself, don't do to another! You can also see this with the perfect instead of the present subjunctive to express the negative command: Quod tibi non vis, alteri ne feceris.

Si vis scire, doce. ~ Note: Of course, every teacher knows that teaching is the best way to expand your own knowledge.

Volo, non valeo. ~ Note: Here "valeo" has the sense of being able to do something, or, in this case, not being able! Note also the sound play between "volo" and "valeo," something we cannot easily render in English.

Fac bene dum vivis, post mortem vivere si vis. ~ Note: The rhyme, vivis - si vis, reveals the medieval provenance of this saying. This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 792: O dives, dives, non omni tempore vives! / Fac bene dum vivis, post mortem vivere si vis.

Bene vivere omnes volumus, at non possumus.

Bene vixit is, qui potuit, cum voluit, mori. ~ Note: Notice how the verbal phrase, potuit...mori, wraps around the cum clause. Very elegant!

Tales simus, quales videri et haberi vellimus.

Qualis vis videri, talis esto. ~ Note: This offers a twist on the previous saying; now the idea is that you should be (esto) what you want to seem to be (vis videri). So, for example, if you want to seem wise, be wise! If you want to seem to be generous, then be generous!

Homo, diu vivendo, multa, quae non vult, videt. ~ Note: You have the gerund in the ablative case: diu vivendo, "by living a long time, as a result of living a long time."

Si vis vincere, disce pati. ~ Note: Note that vis is the second person singular form of the verb volo (velle): si vis vincere, "if you want to win." Compare the version in Wegeler, 251: Disce pati, civis, victorum si fore tu vis.

Beatus est qui vivit ut vult. ~ Note: Here the word ut, with the indicative, means "as" - qui vivit ut vult, "he who lives as he wants."

Satis est beatus, qui potest, cum vult, mori. ~ Note: In addition to modifying verbs, adverbs can also modify adjectives, as here: satis beatus, "sufficiently blessed." This is another one of the sayings of Publilius Syrus.

Quod volumus, facile credimus. ~ Note: Note that the antecedent of the relative pronoun is implied but not stated: (Hoc), quod volumus, facile credimus.

Multi scire volunt, sed vere discere nolunt. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 645. You can also find the saying in this form: Omnia scire volunt omnes, sed discere nolunt.

Virtutem, si vis nobilis esse, cole. ~ Note: Compare this saying you saw earlier: Animus facit nobilem.

Aude aliquid, si vis aliquid esse. ~ Note: The words are adapted from Juvenal's first satire.

Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt. ~ Note: The proverb is built on a parallelism: ducunt/trahunt and volentem/nolentem, with a chiastic inversion. Fata is the subject of both verbs.

Facile volentem trahas. ~ Note: The subjunctive trahas gives the sense of possibility: you could drag, you can drag. The adverb facile goes with trahas; volentem is the object of the verb.

Si vis pacem, para bellum. ~ Note: You can find a Wikipedia article dedicated to this saying.

Qui totum vult, totum perdit.

Sic demus, quomodo vellemus accipere.

Cito fit quod di volunt. ~ Note: You can find these words in Petronius's Satyricon.

Quod valde volumus, facile credimus.

Os qui non claudit, quod non vult, saepius audit. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 832. Note the two different relative clauses, with different implied antecedents: (Is), qui os non claudit, saepius audit (hoc), quod non vult.

Si portari vis, porta et alium. ~ Note: Note the adverbial "et" here - rather than connecting two things as a conjuction, et here is an adverb, equivalent to English "too," "also," "even," etc.

Metuendum est semper, esse cum tutus velis. ~ Note: The idea is that metuendum est semper tibi, "you must always be afraid."

Si nihil velis timere, metuas omnia. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings recorded by Publilius Syrus.

Sapientior omnibus eris, si ab omnibus discere volueris. ~ Note: The rhyme, eris-volueris, reveals the medieval provenance of this saying.

Dilige virtutem, si vis retinere salutem.

Si vis regnare, divide. ~ Note: Note the stylistic variation here: instead of the imperative as in the previous saying (regna), you now have a simple hypothetical: si vis regnare.

Volens nocere aliis, nocet sibi. ~ Note: Here you see dative complements again with the verb nocere: nocere aliis and nocet sibi.

Discere si vultis, prodest sapientia multis.

Audi, vide, tace, si vis vivere in pace. ~ Note: The internal rhyme (tace-pace) reveals the medieval origins of this saying. You can see the words "Audi Vide Tace" inscribed on the Freemason's Hall in London: image.

Vis loqui? Disce tacere primo. ~ Note: Note the use of the ablative, primo, to mean "in the beginning, at first, in the first place."

Audi, cerne, tace, si vis tu vivere pace. ~ Note: Another rhyming medieval saying: tace-pace. This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 75.

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.

Quod vis taceri, prior tace.

Fac bene, dic parum, si te vis reddere carum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 408. The rhyme, parum-carum, reveals the medieval origins of this saying.

Potentis est facere quod velit. ~ Note: This construction in Latin - genitive (potentis) with an infinitive (facere) - is usually best rendered in English by taking the genitive as the subject of your English sentence: The powerful man (potentis) can do (facere) what he wants (quod velit). The idea is that the infinitive is something, a capacity, a power, that is in the possession of the person - hence the use of the genitive.

Libens, volens, potens. ~ Note: This is a great personal motto - compare the English saying, "Ready, willing, and able."

Scire aliquid laus est, culpa est nil discere velle.

Perdere magis vellem quam accepisse turpiter.

Quod vis taceri, cave ne cuiquam dixeris.

Quod nimis miseri volunt, hoc facile credunt. ~ Note: The words are from Seneca's tragedy, Hercules Furens.

Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. ~ Note: Here is the same idea, now expressed with the logical "ergo."

Si mundus vult decipi, decipiatur. ~ Note: You can also find this saying abbreviated as "mundus vult decipi," the world wants to be deceived. You can also find the statement made about some unspecified person: Qui vult decipi, decipiatur.

Populus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. ~ Note: You can find this saying invoked by John Adams in one of his letters.

Non pudor est non scire; pudor, nil discire velle.

Imperium habere vis magnum? Impera tibi. ~ Note: Careful with vis here: this is not the noun vis, but the verb, second-person singular from volo.

Mortis linque metus, si tu vis vivere laetus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 638.

Si vulgus vult decipi, decipiatur.

Volentem bovem ducito. ~ Note: The form ducito is another example of a future imperative, this time from the verb duco.

Volentem bovem ducito. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 4.1.27.

Qui obesse, cum potest, non vult, prodest tibi.

Te ipsum non alens, canes vis alere. ~ Note: This expresses the same idea as in the previous saying and, once again, the participial phrase (te ipsum non alens) agrees with the subject of the main verb (vis). Here is the same notion in the third person: Se ipsum non alens, canes alit! Compare the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 2.5.88: Te ipsum non alens, canes alis.

Libertatis proprium est, sic vivere ut velis.

Piscis captivus vinum vult; flumina vivus.

Ne vile velis.

Consuetudo volentes ducit, lex nolentes trahit. ~ Note: Note the parallel structure: consuetudo/lex, volentes/nolentes, ducit/trahit.

Spiritus, ubi vult, spirat.

Si pace frui volumus, bellum gerendum est.

Quo volunt reges, vadunt leges. ~ Note: Here the relative pronoun quo is directional: (Eo), quo volunt reges, vadunt leges, "The laws go where the kings want" (for the laws to go).

Si vis pacem, cole iustitiam. ~ Note: This is the motto of the International Labor Organization: image.

Alium silere quod voles, primus sile. ~ Note: This is from Seneca's tragedy, Phaedra. Note the way primus agrees with the implied: subject of the infinitive sile, tu: you, first of all, should keep silent.

Stultum facit Fortuna, quem vult perdere. ~ Note: As often, the antecedent of the relative pronoun is omitted: Stultum facit Fortuna (eum), quem...

Cui mens est stulta, pro paucis vult dare multa. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 178. Notice how the dative, cui, is used here to express what would be possession in English: cui mens est stulta, (he) whose mind is foolish.

Audi doctrinam, si vis vitare ruinam. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 76.

Scire volunt omnes, studiis incumbere pauci.

Quem fata pendere volunt, non mergitur undis.

Arbore deiecta, qui vult ligna colligit.

Nil volentibus arduum. ~ Note: Careful with the "nil" here - it is not the object of the participle, but is instead the subject of the sentence: Nothing is difficult for those who are willing (volentibus).

Volo vos sapientes esse in bono, et simplices in malo.

Si vis regnare, nobilis iudicare. ~ Note: From a letter of Remigius to King Clovis. Note the nice rhyme, regnare-iudicare, but don't forget that while regnare is an infinitive, iudicare is a present passive imperative, "be judged, be considered."

Nihil est difficile volenti. ~ Note: Volenti is the present active participle, dative, of the verb volo: Nothing is difficult for the one who is willing.

Amare volo; potiri nolo. ~ Note: Note the wonderful parallel structure: amare/potiri and volo/nolo.

Vix placet ambobus qui vult servire duobus.

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

Vult et non vult piger. ~ Note: This saying comes from the Biblical Book of Proverbs, 13.

Necessitas ab homine, quae vult, impetrat.

Ut nulli nocuisse velis, imitare columbam; serpentem, ut possit nemo nocere tibi.

Si quis non vult operari, nec manducet. ~ Note: Note that quis here has the force of aliquis.

Stultum est vicinum velle ulcisci incendio.

Magnus qui volet esse, solum natale relinquat: civibus est gratus nemo propheta suis.

Bos ad aquam tractus non vult potare coactus.

Quod vult, cupiditas cogitat, non quod decet.

Non vult scire satur, quid ieiunus patiatur. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 771.

Inops, potentem dum vult imitari, perit.

Inops, potentem dum vult imitari, perit.

Irritare canem noli dormire volentem. ~ Note: The first infinitive, irritare, is the complement of noli (noli irritare, do not disturb) and the second infinitive, dormire, is the complement of volentem (volentem dormire, wanting to sleep).

Irritare canem noli dormire volentem, nec moveas iram post tempora longa latentem. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 571. You have two different negative imperatives here: the first is expressed with noli (noli irritare) and the second is expressed by a subjunctive (nec moveas). The nice rhyme, volentem-latentem, lets you know that this is a medieval saying.

Si non potes ut vis, utcumque potes facito.

Nemo surdior eo qui audire non vult.

Qui vult videre dies bonos, coerceat linguam suam a malo.

Leonem tondere ne velis.

Dum excusare velis, accusas.

Si non vis esse lupus, noli eius pelle vestiri.

Quando voles verbis alios mordere protervis, foeda tui cordis respice, mutus eris.

Si fore vis sanus, ablue saepe manus. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1237.

Somniat ea quae vigilans voluit.

Volenti nihil impossibile.

Volenti nil insuperabile.

Scire volunt omnes, mercedem solvere nemo.

Prava revelare si vis, noli properare. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 944.

Quae sursum volo videre.

Quae sursum, volo videre. ~ Note: This is a motto of the Macqueen family.

Nullam ex magnitudine utilitatem camelus cepit: quo vult, eo convertit eum puer.

Si deus formicam perdere vult, alas duas ei dat.

Leonem radere ne velis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings Erasmus included in his Adagia, 2.5.11.

Benefac, si vis ut benefiat tibi.

Sic voluere Parcae.

Haurit aquam cribro qui discere vult sine libro. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 488.

Felis amat piscem, sed non vult tangere flumen.

Felis amat piscem, sed non vult tangere flument. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 420.

Quod reticere voles alios, prius ipse taceto. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1106.

Qui vult caedere canem, facile invenit fustem.

Ditescere omnes volumus, at non possumus.

Spiritus flat, ubi vult.

Deus, quem punire vult, dementat.

Quos deus perdere vult, dementat prius.

Quos vult Iuppiter perdere dementat.

Cum languebat lupus, agnus ut esse volebat; postquam convaluit, talis ut ante fuit.

Daemon languebat; languens bonus esse volebat; postquam convaluit, talis ut ante fuit.

Lupus languebat, monachus tunc esse volebat; sed cum convaluit, lupus ut ante fuit.

Lupus languebat, monachus tunc esse volebat; sed cum convaluit, peior quam ante fuit.

Daemon languebat, monachus bonus esse volebat; postquam convaluit, manet ut ante fuit. ~ Note: Compare the saying collected by Wegeler, 459: Furax languebat, monachus tunc esse volebat; ast ubi convaluit, mansit ut ante fuit.

Animo ventrique imperare debet, qui frugi esse vult.

Frangat nucleum qui vult nucem.

Qui vult nucleum, frangat nucem. ~ Note: Compare the saying in the Adagia of Erasmus, 2.9.35: Qui e nuce nucleum esse vult, frangit nucem.

Cattus amat pisces, sed non vult tingere pedes.

Catus amat pisces, sed non vult tingere plantas.

Qui bene vult fari, debet bene praemeditari. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1001.

Luxuriat vitis, nisi falce putare velitis. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 614.

Nemo feli tintinnabulum annectere vult.

Ebibe vas totum, si vis cognoscere potum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 307.

Deo volente etiam salicum fasciculis navigares.

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

Malefacere qui vult, numquam non causam invenit.

Cattus piscari non vult, sed pisces cibari.

Hic offendit herum, qui vult nimis edere verum. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 496.

Quos vult, sors ditat; quos non vult, sub pede tritat. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1121.

Qui pedit dum vult, pedet dum pedere non vult. ~ Note: This is one of the sayings collected by Wegeler, 1050.

Libenter volumus alios perfectos, et tamen proprios non emendamus defectus.

Asinus in scamno, se vult similare magistro.

Cattus comedit pisces sed non vult humectare pedes.

Esuriens venter non vult studere libenter.

Ferre minora volo, ne graviora feram.

Haud cane confido qui vult omnes comitari.

Humanae sapientiae pars est, quaedam aequo animo nescire velle.

Ieiunus venter non vult cantare libenter.

Nequam illud verbum est, Bene vult, nisi qui bene facit.

Nescire velle quae magister maximus docere non vult, erudita inscitia est.

Nil habeat mere, vult qui omnia solus habere.

Quem Iuppiter vult perdere, dementat prius.

Qui non vult serere fructus, non debet habere.

Si invitus pares, servus es; si volens, minister.

Si vultis nihil timere, cogitate omnia esse timenda.

Sumere vult pisces cattus sed flumen abhorret.

Fatuum volens ridere se ipsum rideat.

Cum minime velles, truncabit stamina Clotho.

Qui vult in caelo cumulare divitias, hic det pauperibus.

Aut prodesse volunt, aut delectare poetae.

Credite: qui terrena volunt, caelestia nolunt.

Cui quae vult non licent, ea faciat quae potest.

Non vult annosus canis ire in reste molossus.

Quod tacitum esse velis, verbosis dicere noli.

Si non possis quod velis, velis id quod possis.