2251. In tempestate cognoscitur gubernator.
[gubernator: helsman, pilot] Compare this fuller form of the saying: Medicus in desperatione, gubernator in tempestate cognoscitur.
2252. Sapientia gubernator navis.
[navis: ship, boat] This is one of the sayings collected by Erasmus in his Adages, 5.1.63.
2253. Noli committere omnia uni navi.
This is a good reminder of the unusual declension of unus, with the dative uni for all genders, as here: uni navi.
2254. Uni navi ne committas omnia.
This is a variation on the previous saying, using "ne committas" as a way to express a negative command.
2255. In eadem sumus navi.
Notice how the prepositional phrase, "in eadem navi" wraps elegantly around the verb.
2256. Idem egoque tuque ducimus pariter iugum.
[iugum: yoke] Note the -que...-que construction, which is like the et...et construction: "both... and..." You can also find the saying in this shortened form: Idem iugum ducimus.
2257. Bos semper sub iugo.
For an Aesop's fable about the hard-working ox, see the story of the ox and the heifer.
2258. Ego ac tu idem trahimus iugum.
[ac: and, and also] The word "ac" is a variant form of "atque" and conveys the sense here of "and you also" or "and you likewise," expressing a closer and more emphatic connection than a single "et."
2259. Doce ac disce meliora.
Meliora is neuter plural: "better (things)," things that are very good, etc.
2260. Spem sicut anchoram habemus animae, tutam ac firmam.
The words are from the Biblical letter to the Hebrews, 6.
2261. Cave canem ac dominum.
This expands on the usual "cave canem" warning!
2262. Pueri ac vinum vera profantur.
[profor: speak out, proclaim] This expands on the idea of "in vino veritas." Compare also the English expression "out of the mouths of babes."
2263. Vivis piscibus aqua, mortuis vinum.
[vivus: live, alive, living] Note the parallel construction: vivis/mortuis and aqua/vinum, with piscibus doing double duty.
2264. Multum viva vox facit.
The words are quoted in one of Seneca's letters to Lucilius, 4.33.
2265. viva voce
In England and elsewhere, this phrase is still used in its shortened form - "viva" - to refer to an oral exam.
2266. Vivis sperandum.
Here you have the gerundive being used impersonally to express necessity, with the dative case - vivis - being used to express agency: The living must have hope.
2267. De vivis nil nisi verum.
Compare the saying you saw earlier: De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
2268. Estis templum Dei vivi.
[templum: temple, shrine, holy place] The words are from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, 6.
2269. Mundus ipse est ingens deorum omnium templum.
[ingens: huge, vast, unnaturally large] The words are adapted from one of Seneca's letters, 14.90.
2270. Vos estis lumen mundi.
[lumen: light, lamp] You can also find this idea expressed with the word lux: Vos estis lux mundi. For the use of lumen, see Augustine's Confessions, 13: vos enim estis lumen mundi nec estis sub modio.
2271. Oculi vasa luminis.
Here is Comenius's definition of oculi in his Grammatica Ianualis: vasa luminis, viva rerum specula, animi fenestrae, corporis duces, cogitationum indices, amoris illices, tanquam speculatores altissimum obtinent locum.
2272. Luminis umbra comes.
From one of the emblems of von Fürstenberg, showing a sundial: Nulla dies umquam tam laeto sole refulsit, / quin fuerit clari luminis umbra comes, / nullaque tam magno surrexit gloria plausu, / invidiae ut saevo libera dente foret.
2273. Lumen Dei, lex diei.
This is a sundial inscription which plays nicely with the genitives "dei" and "diei" - I'm not sure how to capture that in English!
2274. Ratio est radius divini luminis.
[radius: ray, rod] I really like the sound play between "ratio" and "radius" in this definition.
2275. Deus est ratio quae cuncta gubernat.
[guberno: pilot, guide, direct, control] You can find these words in Manilius's Astronomicon, 2. Compare also the use of "logos" in the Gospel of John (Greek "logos" being equivalent both to Latin verbum and also to ratio).
2276. Deus gubernat navem.
This is a Leckie family motto.
2277. Serviendo guberno.
This is one of those paradoxical proverbs, since servire and gubernare would normally be considered opposites! Note also the gerund in the ablative case: "by serving, by being a slave."
2278. Non est loquendum, sed gubernandum.
Note the impersonal use of the gerundive to express necessity: There is no need for speaking, but for steering" (i.e. steering the ship of state, governing).
2279. Domum tuam guberna.
You can sometimes find this saying attributed to Chilon of Sparta, one of the legendary "Seven Sages."
2280. Domi suae quilibet rex.
[quilibet: whoever, everybody] Compare the saying you saw earlier: Omnis est rex in domo sua.
2281. Quaelibet vulpes caudam suam laudat.
For more about foxes and their tales, see the famous Aesop's fable about the fox without a tale.
2282. Tranquillo mari quilibet gubernator est.
Compare the saying you saw earlier: In tempestate cognoscitur gubernator.
2283. Tranquillo quilibet gubernator est.
This is an abbreviated form of the previous saying.
2284. Regnant qualibet urbe lupi.
[urbs: city] You can find these words in the moral to the fable of the wolf and the lamb at the stream.
2285. Lupus in fabula.
[fabula: story, tale, talk, conversation] This is equivalent to the English, "Speak of the devil." The word "fabula" here means conversation, speaking, talking (from the verb for, fari); it does not have the specific meaning of "story" here. (Note that the Spanish hablar ultimately derives from the Latin verb fabulari.)
2286. Asino fabulam.
This is an example of ellipsis, when a word is implied but not stated. The accusative (fabulam) and dative (asino) together imply the verb: you are telling "a story to a donkey" - which is a fool's errand, of course.
2287. Fabulae decent pueros.
Although you are more likely to see decet in an impersonal expression, it is also a verb which can take a personal subject, including a third-person plural subject as here: fabulae.
2288. Acta est fabula.
Here fabula refers to a stage play: acta est fabula, the play is over! The actor (also from the verb agere) might ask for applause as well: Acta est fabula; plaudite.
2289. Abeamus a fabulis; propiora videamus.
Note the subjunctives: abeamus, videamus; "let us leave... let us look at..." You can find these words in Cicero's treatise on Divination, 2.
2290. Fabula, sed vera.
A fuller form of the saying is: Non ficta fabula, sed vera historia. Compare this similar saying: Publica fama non semper vana.
2291. Factum, non fabula!
You have seen the tension between words and deeds before, e.g. Factis, non verbis.
2292. Factum autem stultus cognovit.
[autem: but, on the other hand, however] The idea is that a wise man can reason things out in advance, but a fool can understand something only after it has actually happened. Compare this saying which you saw earlier - Eventus docet: stultorum iste magister est.
2293. Qui autem sapiens est, audit consilia.
The "autem" implies a comparison - the wise man listens to advice, but the fool does not. You can see the full context in the Biblical book of Proverbs, 12: via stulti recta in oculis eius qui autem sapiens est audit consilia.
2294. Nemo autem regere potest, nisi qui et regi.
Notice the lovely play on words with regere (active infinitive) and regi (passive infinitive). Compare this earlier motto: Serviendo guberno.
2295. Divitiae meae sunt, tu autem divitiarum es.
The genitive, divitiarum, implies possession - something like being the slave of your own wealth!
2296. Homo videt in facie, deus autem in corde.
Note the nice parallel structure: homo/deus, facie/corde, with the verb videt doing double duty.
2297. Tu autem quis es, qui iudicas proximum?
The words are from the Biblical letter of James, 4.
2298. Sit omnis homo velox ad audiendum, tardus autem ad loquendum.
Note the use of the gerund in the accusative with ad to express something like the English infinitive: velox ad audiendum, "quick to listen." Note also the subjunctive, sit omnis homo, "let each person be..." (the subjunctive, of course, because people really are just the opposite: quick to speak, and slow to pay attention!).
2299. Res autem durissima vivere solum.
The infinitive phrase, vivere solum, "to live alone, live on your own" is the subject, with res durissima as the predicate.
2300. Rem omnem considera.
[considero: examine, inspect, consider] 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.
Scala 47 (2301-2350)
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