Sunday, July 24, 2011

Scala 52 (2551-2600)

<== Go back to Scala 51 (2501-2550)

(click image for a larger view)


2551. Time tonitrua, ut evites fulmina.

[tonitrus: thunder] Note the subjunctive, evites - that lets you know that the ut is introducing a purpose clause.


2552. Confide, et noli timere.

[confido: trust, believe, be confident] The words are from the Biblical book of Second Esdras.


2553. Qui confidit in Deo, fortis est ut leo.

The rhyme, deo-leo, reveals the medieval provenance of this saying.


2554. Bonum est potius confidere in domino, quam in homine.

The words are from Psalms, 117.


2555. Recte agens, confido.

You can also see this idea expressed as an imperative: Confide, recte agens.


2556. Nemo decipitur, nisi qui confidit.

Here is a fuller statement of the saying in the form of a verse couplet: Nemo decipitur nisi qui confidit, et ergo / paucis confidens hic sapienter agit.


2557. Nemo confidat nimium secundis.

[secundus: second, following, favorable] The words are from Seneca's Thyestes. Note that the word nimium here is functioning as an adverb (not uncommon for neuter singular adjectival forms).


2558. Metuo secundis.

This is a motto of the Hodgeson family. Note that metuo takes an accusative object; the word "secundis" here gives the circumstances: when things are favorable, I am afraid (i.e. I do not let down my guard even when things are going well).


2559. Adversis maior, par secundis.

This is a motto of the Bulwer family. As in the previous saying, the words "adversis" and "secundis" describe the circumstances - in bad times, and in good ones.


2560. In secundis time, in adversis spera.

This amplifies on the idea you saw in a previous saying: metuo secundis.


2561. Secunda felices, adversa magnos probant.

Note that the neuter plural nouns secunda and adversa are being used substantively here, and they are the subject of the verb probant.


2562. Primus beatus qui per se sapiat, secundus qui sapientem audiat.

Here secundus has the meaning of "second," as you can see from the parallel with primus: primus beatus qui... secundus (beatus) qui...


2563. Nulli secundus.

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


2564. Consuetudo est secunda natura.

[consuetudo: custom, tradition, experience] Here again secunda has the meaning of second: secunda natura, "second nature."


2565. Consuetudo natura potentior est.

Here natura is in the ablative, expressing the comparison: potentior natura, stronger than nature.


2566. Consuetudo volentes ducit, lex nolentes trahit.

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


2567. Magna est vis consuetudinis.

Here is the passage in Cicero's Tusculan Disputations, 2: Consuetudinis magna est vis: pernoctant venatores in nive, in montibus uri se patiuntur.


2568. Gravissimum est imperium consuetudinis.

[imperium: authority, rule, command] This is an even stronger statement of the same idea as in the previous saying: Magna est vis consuetudinis.


2569. Imperare sibi maximum imperium est.

Note that infinitive phrase, "imperare sibi," is functioning like a noun here, an dis the subject of the verb.


2570. Imperium habere vis magnum? Impera tibi.

Careful with vis here: this is not the noun vis, but the verb, second-person singular from volo.


2571. Argentum accepi, imperium perdidi.

[argentum: silver, money] Compare this similar saying: dotem accepi, imperium perdidit. You can also find the saying in this form, with both argentum and dote: Argentum accepi, dote imperium perdidi.


2572. Super argentum et aurum gratia bona.

The expression "bona super" expresses the same idea as "melior." The words are from the Biblical book of Proverbs, 22.


2573. Multos perdidit aurum atque argentum.

The words are from the Biblical book of Sirach, 8.


2574. Argento oboediunt omnia.

[oboedio: listen to, obey, submit] Note that oboediunt takes a dative complement, as you can see here: argento.


2575. Magis homines oboediunt auro quam Christo.

Note again the dative complements with the verb oboediunt: auro and Christo, which are being compared - magis oboediunt auro quam (oboediunt) Christo.


2576. Qui nescit oboedire, is nesciet imperare.

Note the future tense: nesciet.


2577. Pecuniae oboediunt omnia.

Compare the saying you saw earlier: Argento oboediunt omnia.


2578. Quid tibi pecunia opus est, si uti non potes?

[opus: work; opus est - need] Note that pecunia here is in the ablative, since opus est takes an ablative complement. Note also the infinitive uti, from the deponent verb utor (uti, usum).


2579. magnum opus

This Latin phrase is still commonly used in English! It's also a good way to remember the gender of the third-declension noun opus: magnum, neuter.


2580. Magna opera Domini.

The words are from Psalms, 110.


2581. Quid opus est verbis?

The phrase opus est takes an ablative complement: verbis. We would say in English, "What need is there of words?"


2582. Non opus est verbis; credite rebus.

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


2583. Agunt opus suum fata.

The words are from Seneca's De Consolatione.


2584. Melior est vox operis, quam vox oris.

This is a metaphorical way to contrast words (vox oris) and deeds (vox operis).


2585. Quod non opus est, carum est.

The word carum here has the sense of expensive, costly. You can also find this phrase with the addition of "at a penny," asse: Quod non opus est, asse carum est.


2586. Cum re opus est, nihil prosunt verba.

Note that here the word cum means "when," and the ablative re is a complement to the phrase opus est.


2587. Divisum sic breve fiet opus.

The participle divisum refers to the opus: the work, when it is divided into pieces (divisum).


2588. Non luctu, sed remedio opus in malis.

Here opus (opus est) again takes ablative complements: luctus (fourth declension) and remedio (second declension).


2589. Nummis mihi opus est, non consiliis.

In addition to an ablative complement (nummis, consiliis), the phrase opus est can also take a dative complement: mihi opus est, "I need."


2590. Non est opus valentibus medico, sed male habentibus.

Here you see the ablative complement with opus est (medico), as well as the dative complements (valentibus, male habentibus).


2591. Reddes unicuique secundum opus suum.

Note the future tense, reddes, which has the force of a command. The words are from Psalms, 62.


2592. Deus reddet unicuique secundum opera eius.

Here you have the future tense again, reddet, now in the third person. The words are from Paul's letter to the Romans, 2.


2593. Equo currenti non opus calcaribus.

Here you have both the dative (equo currenti) and ablative (calcaribus) complements of the phrase opus est.


2594. Cibo opus duraturis in labore.

Again you have both the dative (duraturis in labore) and ablative (cibo) complements of the phrase opus est. This is one of the sayings collected by Erasmus in his Adages, 3.9.18.


2595. Qui nihil amat, quid ei homini opus vita est?

Once again you have both the dative (ei homini) and ablative (vita) complements of the phrase opus est.


2596. Durat opus vatum.

[vates: bard, poet] The words are from one of Ovid's love elegies, Amores 3.9.


2597. Mirandum naturae opus.

[miror: be amazed at, wonder at, admire] Note the use of the gerundive, mirandum, which has the force of necessity or a command, agreeing in gender and number with the subject of the sentence: opus.


2598. Natura maxime miranda in minimis.

Again, note the use of the gerundive, miranda, which has the force of necessity or a command, agreeing in gender and number with the subject of the sentence: natura.


2599. Maiora perdes, minima ni servaveris.

[ni: if...not, unless] Note the future tense, perdes, and the use of "ni" for the more familiar "nisi."


2600. Quem diligis, ni recte moneas, oderis.

This is another one of the sayings collected by Publilius Syrus.


Scala 53 (2601-2650)

No comments: