Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Daily Latin

Aeneid 6.129

Hoc opus, hic labor est.

Hoc: this

opus: work, task

hic: this

labor: labor, toil

est: is

This task, this is the toil.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Ep. 47.15

Sibi quisque dat mōrēs, ministeria cāsus adsignat.

Sibi: to/for himself etc

quisque: each one

dat: gives

mōrēs: character

ministeria: service, duty

cāsus: chance, circumstance

adsignat: assigns, allots

Each one gives himself his character; chance assigns his duties.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Satires 3.8.20

Nōbilitās sōla est atque ūnica virtūs.

Nōbilitās: nobility

sōla: alone, only

est: is

atque: and

ūnica: sole, unique

virtūs: virtue, excellence

Virtue is indeed the only nobility.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Aeneid 5.231

… possunt, quia posse videntur.

possunt: they are able

quia: because

posse: to be able

videntur: they seem

They are able because they are seen to be able

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

De Optimo Genere Oratore Section 18

Quid istās potius legam quam Graecās?

Quid: why

istās: these (of yours)

potius: rather

legam: am I to read

quam: than

Graecās: Greek (ones)

Why am I to read these rather than the Greek ones?

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Odes Book 1 Poem 2.21 

… audiet pugnās vitiō parentum rāra iuventūs.

audiet: will hear

pugnās: battles, fights

vitiō: through the fault (of)

parentum: ancestors, forebears

rāra: scant, thinned, diminished

iuventūs: youth

… by the fault of his forebears, the diminished youth will hear of the battles. 

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales

Letter 76. 9 - 10 

Quid in homine proprium? Ratiō.

Quid: what

in: in

homine: man

proprium: characteristic

Ratiō: reason

What is characteristic of man? Reason.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Aeneid, 2.12

Quamquam animus meminisse horret, luctūque refugit, incipiam.

Quamquam: although

animus: mind, spirit

meminisse: to remember

horret: shudders

luctū: with or from grief

-que: and

refugit: recoils

incipiam: I shall begin

Though the mind shudders to remember, and recoils from grief, I shall begin.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Liber I.17

Cōnscius ipse sibi dē sē putat omnia dīcī.

Cōnscius: one who is aware

ipse: himself (nom.)

sibi: to himself (dat. sg.)

dē: about

sē: himself (abl. sg.)

putat: he thinks

omnia: all things

dīcī: to be said

Someone conscious of his own wrongdoing thinks all things to be said concern himself.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Ep 2.1.117 

Scrībimus indoctī doctīque poēmata passim.

Scrībimus: we write

indoctī: the unlearned

doctīque: and the learned

poēmata: poems

passim: everywhere

We write poems everywhere, the unlearned and the learned alike. 

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Academica 1.16 

… ipse sē nihil scīre id ūnum sciat …

ipse: he himself (nom.)

sē: himself (acc.)

nihil: nothing

scīre: to know

id: this

ūnum: one

sciat: should know

… he should know this alone, that he himself knows nothing …

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Ep. 82.3

Ōtium sine litterīs mors est et hominis vīvī sepultūra

Ōtium: leisure

Sine: without

Litterīs: letters, literary learning

Mors: death

Est: is

Et: and

Hominis: of a man

Vīvī: living

Sepultūra: burial, entombment

Leisure without learning is death and the entombment of a living man.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Ep. 26.10

Quī morī didicit, servīre dēdidicit.

Quī: who

Morī: to die

Didicit: has learned

Servīre: to serve, to be enslaved 

Dēdidicit: has unlearned

He who has learned to die has unlearned to be enslaved.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Epigram LXX

Nōn est vīvere, sed valēre vīta est

Nōn: not

Est: is

Vīvere: to live

Sed: but

Valēre: to thrive, to flourish

Vīta: life

Est: is

Not to live, but to flourish, is life. 

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Tusculan disputations Book 5.5

Est autem ūnus diēs bene et ex praeceptīs tuīs āctus peccantī inmortālitātī antepōnendus.

Est: is

autem: but, for

ūnus: one

diēs: day

bene: well, good

et: and

ex: according to

praeceptīs: precepts, teachings

tuīs: your

āctus: spent, conducted

peccantī: sinning

inmortālitātī: immortality

antepōnendus: must be preferred

For one day lived well and according to your precepts must be preferred to an immortality spent sinning.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

Aeneid 10.467

Stat sua cuique diēs, breve et inrēparābile tempus omnibus est vītae.

Stat: stands, stands fixed

sua: his own

cuique: for each

diēs: day

breve: short

et: and

inrēparābile: irrecoverable

tempus: time

omnibus: for all

est: is

vītae: of life

To each his day stands fixed; brief and irrecoverable for all is the time of life.

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

De ira 2.22.3

Dandum semper est tempus; vēritātem diēs aperit.

Dandum: must be given

semper: always

est: is

tempus: time

vēritātem: truth

diēs: day

aperit: opens, reveals

Time must always be given, for the day reveals the truth. 

Support the show, buy the book, enjoy the read: Nostoi, the homecomings Homer left untold, reconstructed for the first time in over a 1000 years.

The Stoics and Epicureans agree philosophy is the way.

Philosophiae servias oportet, ut tibi contingat vera libertas.

It is necessary that you must serve philosophy, so that you may gain true freedom.

Philosophiae: to philosophy

Servias: may you serve, you must serve

Oportet: it is necessary

Ut contingat: so that it may happen

Tibi: to you

Vera libertas: true freedom

Virgil prophesies Carthage’s avenger.

Exoriare aliquis nostris ex ossibus ultor

May someone arise, an avenger, out of our bones

Exoriare: may you arise

Aliquis: someone

Nostris: our (abl. pl.)

Ex ossibus: from (our) bones

Ultor: avenger

Ausonius shows battles won without weapons, or anything else really.

Armatam vidit Venerem Lacedaemone Pallas.

“Nunc certemus,” ait, “iudice vel Paride.”

Cui Venus: “Armatam tu me, temeraria, temnis,

quae, quo te vici tempore, nuda fui?”

Minerva saw Venus armed in Sparta.

“Now let us fight,” she said, “with Paris as judge, even.”

To whom Venus: “reckless are you to scorn me, now I am armed, 

I, who at the time when I last defeated you, was naked?”

Armatam: armed

Vidit: she saw

Venerem: Venus

Lacedaemone: in Sparta

Pallas: Pallas Athene / Minerva

Nunc: now

Certemus: let us compete

Ait: she said

Iudice vel Paride: even with Paris as judge

Cui: to whom

Te: you

Me: me

Temeraria: reckless

Temnis: you scorn

Quae: who, which, that (relative pronoun)

Quo … tempore: at the time when

Te vici: I defeated you

Nuda fui: I was naked

Statius on the power of dignity and justice.

Vade, atra dature supplicia, extremique tamen secure sepulcri.

Go, you who are destined to suffer dark punishments, yet without fear of your final tomb.

Vade: Go!

Atra: black, gloomy

Dature: about to give, suffer

Supplicia: punishments

Extremi sepulcri: of the final tomb

Tamen: yet, nevertheless

Secure: without fear, safely

Lucretius on how to live in the world.

Quod siquis vera vitam ratione gubernet, divitiae grandes homini sunt vivere parce aequo animo; neque enim est umquam penuria parvi.

That if anyone should govern their life with true reason, there are great riches to a man who may live simply with a calm mind; for indeed one lacks not, who has little.

Quod: but, because, that

Siquis: if anyone

Vera: true

Ratione: reason

Vitam: life

Gubernet: should govern

Divitiae grandes: great riches

Homini sunt: are to a man

Vivere parce: to live frugally, simply

Aequo animo: with a calm mind

Neque enim: for indeed not

Est umquam: as ever

Penuria: poverty, lack

Parvi: of little

Ovid drinks to oblivion

Aut nulla ebrietas, aut tanta sit, ut tibi curas eripiat

Either no drunkenness, or let it be so great that it dispels your worries

Aut … aut: either … or

Nulla: no

Ebrietas: drunkenness

Tanta: so great, much

Sit: let it be

Ut: so that

Tibi: for you 

Curas: cares, worries

Eripiat: takes away, dispels

Martial says the rich get richer.

Dantur opes nullis nunc nisi divitibus.

Wealth is now given to no one but the rich.

Dantur: are given

Opes: wealth

Nullis: to no one

Nunc: now

Nisi: except, unless

Divitibus: to the rich

Statius on the fatalism of epic warfare.

Huc mecum ad manes.

Come here, with me, to the spirits of the dead.

Huc: to here

Mecum: with me

Ad: to, toward

Manes: the spirits of the dead

Seneca is circumspect on success.

Non est tuum, fortuna quod fecit tuum.

It is not yours, what Fortune has made yours.

Non est: it is not

Tuum: yours

Fortuna: the goddess of luck

Quod: what

Fecit: made

Tuum: yours

Gellius sets the stage for a morality tale.

"In Circo Maximo," inquit, "venationis amplissimae, pugna populo dabatur."

“In the Circus Maximus,” he said, “a most magnificent hunt and fight was being given to the people.”

In Circo Maximo: in the Circus Maximus

Inquit: he said

Venationis: of a hunt

Amplissimae: most magnificent (superlative agreeing with venationis)

Pugna: fight, combat

Populo: for the people

Dabatur: was being given

Aeneas makes landfall in Italy having lost his father.

Hic labor extremus, longarum haec meta viarum.

This, our final struggle, the last of our long wanderings.

Hic: this

Labor: labour, effort, struggle, trial

Extremus: last, final

Longarum: long

Haec: demonstrative pronoun referring to meta

Meta: goal, end point

Viarum: of the roads/journeys

Martial’s irony captures the essence of wealth.

Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes.

The only riches you will always have, you will have given away.

Quas: relative pronoun referring to opes

Dederis: you will have given

Solas: only

Semper: always

Habebis: you will have

Opes: wealth, riches

Statius is no self-help guru.

Invida Fata piis et Fors ingentibus ausis rara comes.

Fate spites the righteous and Fortune rarely attends to the daring.

Invida: jealous, spiteful

Fata: fates, destinies

Piis: to the righteous, dutiful

Et: and

Fors: Fortune

Ingentibus: mighty, vast

Ausis: daring deeds, bold ventures

Rara: rare

Comes: companion, attendant

Seneca’s secret to be content.

Nisi sapienti sua non placent

Unless to the wise person, his own things are not pleasing

Or more idiomatically: 

The wise alone are content with what is theirs

Nisi: unless

Sapienti: to the wise man/woman/person

Sua: his own things

Non placent: are not pleasing

Virgil, on the sorrow lived and seen as one wanders the world.

Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt.

There are tears for such things, and mortal things that touch the heart.

Sunt: there are

Lacrimae: tears

Rerum: of things, events, affairs

Et: and

Mentem: mind, heart

Mortalia: mortal things, human affairs, things subject to death

Tangunt: touch

Why rush fame, if the price is death? Martial is in no hurry.

Si post fata venit gloria, non propero.

If after the fates glory comes, I am not rushing.

Si: if

Post fata: after the fates (i.e. after death)

Venit: comes, arrives

Gloria: glory

Non propero: I do not hurry, I am not rushing

Love is a battlefield, says Ovid.

Bella mihi, video, bella parantur.

Wars against me, I see, wars are being prepared.

Bella: wars

Mihi: for me, against me

Video: I see

Parantur: are being prepared

Ausonius plays on passion ungoverned.

Nymphis quae Hylam merserunt furtim:

Naides amore saevo et irrito:

ephebus iste flos erit.

To the nymphs who secretly drowned Hylas, 

 the Naiads’ with savage and unfulfilled love, 

 that young man will be a flower.

Nymphis: to the nymphs

Quae: who

Hylam: accusative of Hylas

Merserunt: they drowned, plunged

Furtim: secretly, stealthily

Naides: the Naiads

Amore: with love

Saevo et irrito: savage and unfulfilled (ablative)

Ephebus: young man (from the Greek)

Iste: that

Flos erit: will be a flower

One friend is a stage, for Seneca.

Satis enim magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus.

Indeed, we are a large enough stage for one another.

Satis: enough, quite

Enim: for, indeed

Magnum: great, large, impressive (agrees with theatrum)

Alter … alteri: one … for the other (reciprocal pronouns)

Theatrum: theatre (literal), stage, spectacle, audience (metaphorical)

Sumus: we are

Ovid speaks of the daring love requires.

Per Styga detur, Stygias transabimus undas; sunt mihi naturae iura novanda meae.

If passage be granted through the Styx, we will cross over Stygian waves; the laws of my nature must be changed

Per: through

Styga: Styx (accusative singular)

Detur: if it be granted

Stygias: Stygian (plural adjective)

Undas: waves

Transabimus: we will cross over

Sunt mihi: I have

Naturae meae: of my nature

Iura: laws

Novanda: must be changed

Seneca emphasises that philosophy is to be lived

Zenonem Cleanthes non expressisset, si tantummodo audisset.

Cleanthes would not have imitated Zeno if he had merely heard him

Zenonem: Zeno (accusative singular)

Cleanthes: proper noun (nominative singular)

Non: not

Expressisset: would have imitated

Si: if

Tantummodo: only, merely

Audisset: had heard

Statius shows the trauma of war. 

Tydea consumpsi! Quanam hoc ego morte piabo?

I have destroyed Tydeus! By what kind of death will I atone this?

Tydea: Tydeus (the person) in the accusative singular

Consumpsi: I have destroyed

Quanam: by what kind of

Hoc: this

Ego: I

Morte: death (ablative of means)

Piabo: I will atone

Juvenal satirises insatiable ambition.

‘Acti,’ inquit, ‘nihil est, nisi Poeno milite portas frangimus et media vexillum pono Subura.’

‘Nothing is achieved’, he said, ‘unless we break the gates with a Carthaginian soldier and I plant the banner in the heart of Subura.’

Acti: driven, led. In context here, it means an action that has happened.

Inquit: he says

Nihil est: nothing is

Nisi: unless

Poeno: by means of Carthaginian

Milite: by means of soldier

Portas: gates

Frangimus: we break 

Et: and

Media: in the middle of

Vexillum: military standard, banner

Pono: I place, plant

Subura: ablative of the district of Rome

Martial laments Vesuvius

Hic est pampineis viridis modo Vesbius umbris

Here is Vesuvius, recently green with the shadows of vine leaves.

Hic: this, here is (nominative singular)

Est: is

Papineis: with vine covered, leafy

Viridis: green

Umbris: with shadows

Modo: recently

Vesuvius: proper noun in the nominative singular

Hermes Trismegistus seeks out the esoteric.

Cupio, inquam, rerum naturam dicere: deumque cognoscere

I wish, I said, to speak of the nature of things, and to know God.

Cupio: I desire, wish

Inquam: I said

Rerum: of things

Naturam: nature

Dicere: to say, speak, explain

Deum: God

-que: and

Cognoscere: to know, learn

Hecato, via Seneca, goes full stoic.

Desines timere, si sperare desieris.

You will cease to fear if you have ceased to hope.

Desines: you will cease

Timere: to fear

Si: if

Sperare: to hope

Desieris: you will have ceased

Ausonius recalls the Spartan ethos

Mater Lacaena clipeo obarmans filium,

“Cum hoc," inquit, "aut in hoc redi.”

A Spartan mother, arming her son with a shield, said: “With this, or on this, return”.

Mater: mother

Lacaena: Spartan, Lacedaemon

Clipeo: with a shield

Obarmans: arming

Filium: son

Cum hoc: with this

Inquit: she said

Aut in hoc: or on this

Redi: return

Augustine condemns the slave traders.

Mercatores autem si non essent, illa non fierent.

However, if there were not the merchants, those things would not happen

Mercatores: merchants

Autem: however

Si non essent: if they were not

Illa: those things

Non fierent: would not happen

Caesar dominates.

Iubet arma tradi, principes produci.

He orders the weapons to be handed over and the chiefs to be brought forth.

Iubet: he orders

Arma: the weapons

Tradi: to be handed over

Principes: the chiefs, leaders

Produci: to be brought forth

Obsoquens records an ancient UFO sighting

C. Mario L. Valerio coss.

Sub occasu solis orbis clipei similis ab occidente ad orientem visus perferri. 

C. Mario L. Valerio coss.: In the consulship of Gaius Marius and Lucius Valerius (c. 100 BCE)

Under the setting of the sun, a shield-like disc was seen to be moving from the west to the east.

Sub: under

Occasu: the setting (ablative of time)

Solis: of the sun

Orbis: disc

Clipei: of shield

Similis: similar to, like appearance

Ab: from

Occidente: the west

Ad: to

Orientem: the east

Visus: was seen

Perferri: to be moving

Themistius ponders things of a timeless and higher order.

Nam quae rebus mundanis excelsiora sunt, generationem non habent.

For those things that are higher than worldly things, do not have an origin.

Nam: for

Quae: those things

Rebus: things

Mundanis: by, with or from worldly

Excelsiora: higher, loftier

Sunt: are

Generationem: birth, origin

Non habent: do not have

Livy records the rites before battle.

Romani consules, priusquam educerent in aciem, immolaverunt.

The Roman consuls, before they led out [their troops] into the line of battle, offered sacrifices. 

Romani: Roman

Consules: consuls

Priusquam: before

Educerent: they led out

In: into the

Aciem: the battle line

Immolaverunt: they offered sacrifice

Cicero recounts the brave standing up against injustice.

Agyrinenses, viri fortissimi, iudicio se passuros esse dicebant.

The Agyrinenses, bravest of men, said they would submit themselves to stand trial. 

Agyrinenses: The Agyrinenses or the people of Agyrium

Viri: men

Fortissimi: bravest, most courageous

Iudicio: to stand trial or for judgment

Se: themselves

Passuros esse: would submit

Dicebant: they said