Thursday, June 30, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SEMPER
Today's word is the adverb SEMPER meaning "always" or "forever."
Not surprisingly, the world of proverbs abounds in universal statements marked with semper. Here are just some examples of semper in proverbs I have tentatively selected to include in the Scala Sapientiae!
Semper fidelis.
Otiosi semper egentes.
Avarus semper eget.
Avarus semper est pauper.
Semper inops, quicumque cupit.
Semper spero meliora.
Sic semper tyrannis.
Simia semper est simia.
Non semper Bacchanalia.
Non semper Saturnalia erunt.
Ignavis semper feriae sunt.
Vive ut semper vivas.
Nemo est qui semper vivat.
Ver non semper viret.
Nec semper lilia florent.
Non semper aestas erit: venit hiems.
Aestas non semper durabit; condite nidos.
Memento semper finis.
Medius locus semper tutus.
Qui semel furatur, semper fur est.
Qui semel furatur, semper fur vocatur.
Qui semel mendax, semper mendax.
Qui semel malus, semper malus.
Cretenses semper mendaces.
Mendacia curta semper habent crura.
Nec semper arcum tendit Apollo.
Non semper laetus ridet Apollo.
Non semper idem spirat ventus.
Semper flamma fumo proxima est.
In omni re semper grata varietas.
Senesco semper aliquid addiscens.
Scopae recentiores semper meliores.
In Venere semper dulcis est dementia.
Semper odoriferis proxima spina rosis.
Ibi semper est victoria, ubi concordia est.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SUB
Today's word is the preposition SUB which takes the ablative and also the accusative (to express motion towards). Its basic meaning is that of "under" or "beneath." There are hundreds of English words which involve this Latin element, from submarine to suburb, along with many more.
In compounds, the "b" is often assimilated to the following consonant. The "b" remains unchanged before b, d, j, l, n, s, t, v, but before m and r it is often (but not always) assimilated, and before c, f, g, p, it is usually assimilated, e.g summoveo, surrepo, succedo, suffero, suggero, suppono, suscipio, etc. Sometimes before c, p, t, the "b" becomes "bs" and then just "s," e.g. suscipio, suspicio, sustineo, etc.
In addition to its basic meaning of "under" it can also be used with reference to time. With the ablative, it means something like "during" or "within" in English, e.g. sub eodem tempore, "within the same period of time." With the accusative, it means something like "towards" or "shortly before," e.g. sub noctem, "just before nightfall."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Nihil sub sole novum.
Sub pace, copia.
Sub sole, sub umbra, crescens.
Sub sole nihil perfectum.
Saepe sub nomine pacis bellum latet.
Bos semper sub iugo.
Vidi sub sole nec velocium esse cursum nec fortium bellum.
Elephantum sub alis celas.
Mane sub aurora res vertitur ad meliora.
Rebus tranquillis, metuas adversa sub illis.
Invenies multos, mores qui pelle sub agni celant luporum.
Sub ovium pellibus lupi.
Sub omni lapide scorpius dormit.
Sub pondere, sursum.
Gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas.
Multae sub tegulis cubant noctuae.
Pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina.
Lucerna sub modio.
Quos vult, sors ditat; quos non vult, sub pede tritat.
Omnia sub unam Myconum.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SCIO
Today's word is the verb SCIO (scire), meaning "to know." This can take a direct object in the accusative (to know someone or something). It can also introduce indirect statement in Latin (accusative+infinitive construction) as well as take an infinitive complement in the sense of "know how to." You will also see it used with the preposition de to mean something like the English "to know about."
From this Latin root come English words like "science" and "conscience" along with their various derivatives (scientist, scientific, conscientious, conscious, etc.)
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs - these are proverbs I have tentatively selected to include in the Scala Sapientiae!
Scito teipsum.
Mus salit in stratum, dum scit abesse cattum.
Antiquus passer scit cuncta foramina templi.
Multi scire volunt, sed vere discere nolunt.
Non vult scire satur, quid ieiunus patiatur.
Beneficia plura recipit, qui scit reddere.
Improbus est ille, qui scit mendacia mille.
Qui scit, laudatur; qui nescit, vituperatur.
Animus vereri qui scit, scit tuto ingredi.
Nil aliud scit necessitas quam vincere.
Nemo potest scire, quis primus debet abire.
Viventes sciunt se esse morituros; mortui vero nihil noverunt amplius.
Minus saepe pecces, si scias, quid nescias.
Si sciret equus se esse equum, optaret esse homo.
Noli de mortuo gaudere, sciens quoniam omnes morimur.
Sciens cavebo.
Scienter utor.
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Friday, June 24, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: DIGNUS
Today's word is the adjective DIGNUS, meaning "worthy." It can take an ablative complement, e.g., summa laude dignus, "worthy of the highest praise." It can also take an infinitive complement, dignus elegi (worthy to be chosen). There are some other constructions you can find as well, including a genitive complement, along with ut clauses and relative clauses. For a complete overview, see the entry in the Lewis & Short Latin dictionary.
In English, we get words like "dignity" and "dignified" from this Latin root, as well as the negative "indignation." The English words "deign" and "disdain" also come from Latin dignus. The word "dainty" derives (via French) from Latin dignitas.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs - these are proverbs I have tentatively selected to include in the Scala Sapientiae!
Venia dignus tiro.
Dignus est operarius mercede sua.
Dignus est operarius cibo suo.
Digna dignis eveniunt.
Aude aliquid dignum.
Digna imitatione, non invidia, virtus.
Beneficium dando accepit, qui digno dedit.
Dignus erit magno, qui parva capit iubilando.
Omnes aequo animo parent, ubi digni imperant.
Agens et consentiens eadem poena digni.
Perdere est dignus bona, qui nescit uti.
Dignus es, qui in tenebris mices.
Detur digniori.
Detur dignissimo.
Nemo potest dominis digne servire duobus.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: NOX
Today's word is NOX (gen. noctis), which means "night" in Latin, and which also gives us some nighttime words in English, such as "nocturnal" and "equinox."
Note that while this is a standard third-declension noun in Latin, you will also find the irregular ablative form noctu, meaning "at night" or "by night."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Noctem dies sequitur.
Nox dabit consilium.
Nox tibi longa venit nec reditura dies.
Diem nox premit, dies noctem.
Nunc nox, mox lux.
Omnes una manet nox.
Luna oculus noctis.
Dies imago vitae, nox mortis est.
Nox pudore vacat.
Nox est perpetua una dormienda.
Nocte laboratum non est opus undique gratum.
Quantum mortalia pectora caecae noctis habent!
Urget diem nox, et dies noctem.
Nocte latent fures.
Dies nihil est; dum versas te, nox fit.
Festina, mox nox.
Carpe noctem.
Nox furibus, lux veritati convenit.
Ut sis nocte levis, sit tibi cena brevis.
Lux sequitur noctem; fulget post nubila Phoebus.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: IUVENIS
Today's word is IUVENIS, which is an adjective meaning "young," and which is most often used substantively to mean a "young person," older than adulescentes and younger than seniores, which would mean people in their twenties and thirties. Note also the irregular comparative form: iunior.
In English, we get the word "juvenile" from this Latin root, and we have also adopted the Latin word "junior." You can also see the Latin root in the English word "rejuvenate."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Iuveni parandum , seni utendum.
Iuvenum lanceae, senum consilia.
Officia iuvenum, imperia seniorum.
Vinum lac senum, iuvenum venenum.
Quae peccamus iuvenes, ea luimus senes.
Quod iuvenis suescit, senex dimittere nescit.
Senectus primum et ante iuvenes consulenda.
Plus valet umbra senis quam gladius iuvenis.
Facta iuvenum, consilia virorum, vota senum.
Plura loquuntur iuvenes, sed utiliora senes.
Iuniores ad labores, seniores ad honores.
Potentia est in iunioribus, prudentia autem in senioribus.
Quem amat deus, moritur iuvenis.
Quem diligunt di, iuvenis ille tollitur.
Sunt pueri pueri; vivunt iuveniliter illi.
Laetare, ergo, iuvenis, in adulescentia tua.
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: QUISQUE
Today's word is one of those sneaky Latin pronouns, QUISQUE, which declines in the first part, while the second part does not change: quis-que, quod-que, quae-que, cuius-que, etc. The word means something like "everyone," "whoever," "each and every," and so on, although there is no exact English equivalent. The best way to get a sense of the meaning of the Latin is just by looking carefully at each instance of the word and trying to discern the special meaning that it adds to the sentence. You can find the word used in one of my favorite Latin sayings of all time: Cuique suum, which is usually translated into English as "To each his own."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Unicuique dedit vitium natura creato.
Unicuique iuxta opera sua.
Suum unicuique pulchrum est.
Unicuique suum.
Unaquaeque arbor de fructu suo cognoscitur.
Unusquisque facere se beatum potest.
In unoquoque virorum bonorum habitat deus.
Unusquisque in arte sua sapiens est.
Est locus unicuique suus.
Ius suum unicuique tribue.
Unusquisque onus suum portabit.
Reddet deus unicuique iuxta illius opera.
Neque Iuppiter ipse, sive pluat, seu non, unicuique placet.
Est unusquisque faber ipse suae fortunae.
Unusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundum suum laborem.
Reddet unicuique secundum operam eius.
Redde unicuique secundum vias suas.
Deus reddet unicuique secundum opera eius.
Reddes unicuique secundum opus suum.
Unicuique delectabile est quod amat.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: IPSE
Today's word is the marvelous little IPSE, which has no exact equivalent in English. It is an intensifying demonstrative adjective which is frequently used also as a pronoun. It can be used to express favor or distinction (something we cannot really do with pronouns in English), and also the emphatic sense of "very" or "selfsame." The best way to get a sense of how Latin ipse is used is simply by reading the Latin and looking at what the word adds to the meaning whenever it is used.
You also need to be familiar with the declension of ipse, which features the -ius ending in the genitive singular, ipsius, and the -i ending in the dative singular, ipsi. Its other forms follow the usual first and second declension endings. One fascinating thing about the adjectival ipse is that it can even take a superlative form, as you can see in this phrase: ipsissima verba. Note also that you will sometimes see compound words formed with ipse and the other pronouns: teipsum, seipsum, etc.
In English, this Latin word has not been very influential - the only borrowing I can think of is the word "solipsism," which is a compound of Latin solus and ips- with the nominalizing suffix -ism. You can also sometimes find the Latin phrase ipse dixit used in English writing, referring to a source of absolute authority; the phrase was reportedly used by the disciples of Pythagoras to invoke the words of their master. You can also see a glimmer of Latin ipse in the nonsensical "lorem ipsum" which is used as dummy text in typesetting.
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs:
Alter ipse amicus.
Iuvat ipse labor.
Ipse fecit cui prodest.
Assiduos deus ipse iuvat.
Audentes deus ipse iuvat.
Fortes adiuvat ipsa Venus.
Sibi ipse auctor malorum.
Ipse sibi malum cacat.
Nihil inimicius quam sibi ipse.
Prima caritas incipit a seipso.
Piger ipse sibi obstat.
Ipsa virtus pretium suum.
Nequitia ipsa est poena sui.
Ipsa scientia potestas est.
Senectus ipsa est morbus.
Nosce te ipsum.
Te ipsum inspice.
Vince te ipsum.
Bis vincit qui se ipsum vincit.
Medice, cura te ipsum.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: MOS
Today's word is MOS, which is also commonly found in the plural, mores. The Latin word covers an enormous range of English words, including "manner" or "custom," as well as the "habits" or "character" of an individual person. For details about the meanings of this word, see the Lewis & Short dictionary entry. This Latin word is at the root of English words like "moral" and "morality" and also "morose." Via French, we also get the form "morale."
Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:
Mala vita, mali mores.
O tempora, O mores!
Suus cuique mos.
Alia tempora, alii mores.
Alii homines, alii mores.
Suus est mos cuique genti.
Ex malis moribus fiunt bonae leges.
Quid leges sine moribus?
Cum fueris Romae, Romano vivito more.
Mos regit legem.
Tempore mutato, mores mutantur.
Honores mutant mores.
Sui cuique mores fingunt fortunam.
Leges moribus serviunt.
Vultus indicat mores.
Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque.
Antiqui mores serventur.
Ex malis moribus bonae leges natae sunt.
Terrae, ad quam pergis, cape mores, quos ibi cernis.
Oratio mores animi sequitur.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Verbum Hodiernum: SEU (SIVE)
Today's word is SEU, a contracted form of SIVE, which is in turn a combination of si and vel, meaning "or if." It is what is called a "disjunctive (either/or) conditional (if) particle" - something we don't exactly have in English! The word is usually used after a preceding si to introduce another condition or it is used in parallel.
Here are some examples of seu and sive in Latin sayings and proverbs. As you will see, most are examples of the word used in parallelism, either sive...sive... or seu...seu or sive...seu in a mix-and-match combination.
Sive velis, sive nolis
Sive publice, sive occulte.
Sive publice, sive privatim.
Sive vocaliter, sive mentaliter.
Ebrietas prodit quod amat cor, sive quod odit.
Prodest et linguam compescere, sive ligare.
Sive dolo, seu vi, vel aperte confice, vel clam.
In arbitrio viri erit ut faciat, sive non faciat.
Magna est vis fortunae seu ad res secundas, seu adversas.
Maza, sive offa esurienti homini carior et auro et ebore.
Neque Iuppiter ipse - sive pluat seu non - unicuique placet.
Falsa orthografia, sive falsa grammatica non vitiat chartam.
Cor hominis immutat faciem illius, sive in bona, sive in mala.
Veniet tempus mortis et quidem celeriter, sive retractabis, sive properabis.
In utrumque paratus: seu versare dolos, seu certae occumbere morti.
Quotiens cum stercore certo - vinco, seu vincor - semper ego
maculor.
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