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“Latin for the Illiterati is a perfect companion for every reader, student, and scholar on his or her lifelong journey.” – Ingram “Stone … has penned one of those rare reference works that is both highly affordable and highly useful … While many resources supply similar information … few sources also include such a range of sayings and phrases, in this case well over 5,000. In addition, the last section of Stone’s work is a real boon to reference librarians … Highly recommended.” – Library Journal “If you’re a student trying to improve your vocabulary, this is a great book. If you’re a law student trying to figure out what phrases meant before they meant what they mean, this is a great book. For those who have forgotten the three years of parochial-school Latin, this is a really great book.” – Publisher’s Weekly “Latin for the Illiterati will be a terminus ad quem (i.e.,finishing point) for many a question about the terra incognita (i.e.,unknown land) that even common Latin expressions are to many people today. [The book], of course, delves more deeply into the Latin lexicon than a polyglot source … and therein lies its value. Bene!” – Rettig on Reference “A ready reference dream come true …” – American Libraries
Also by Jon R. Stone More Latin for the Illiterati (1999) The Routledge Dictionary of Latin Quotations (2005) The Routledge Book of World Proverbs (2006) Dictionnaire Rose des Locutions Latines (2007) and A Guide to the End of the World (1993) On the Boundaries of American Evangelicalism (1997) Prime-Time Religion:An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting (1997) The Craft of Religious Studies (1998) Expecting Armageddon: Essential Readings in Failed Prophecy (2000) The Essential Max Müller: On Language, Mythology, and Religion (2002) Readings in American Religious Diversity (2007)
L AT I N F O R T H E I L L I T E R AT I A Modern Phrase Book for an Ancient Language Second Edition
Jon R. Stone
First published 1996 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Second edition published in 2009 Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2009 Jon R. Stone Introduction © 2009 Richard LaFleur Typeset by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 10: 0-415-77767-4 (pbk) ISBN 13: 978-0-415-77767-4 (pbk)
To my mother Bobbie Jean Stone who taught me my first Latin words: Amo, Amas, Amat
CONTENTS Foreword by Richard A. LaFleur
ix
Preface to the First Edition
xii
Preface to the Second Edition
xvi
References
xix
Pronunciation Guide
xxi
Latin for the Illiterati Verba (Common Words and Expressions)
1
Dicta (Common Phrases, Mottoes, and Familiar Sayings)
141
Abbreviations
261
Miscellaneous
277
English–Latin Index
295
F O R E WO R D by Richard A. LaFleur
“Latin was the parent tongue to every known language ever spoken by anyone on the planet earth!” Well, not quite true, but that’s what a student of mine exuberantly penned as part of his answer to a test question some years back. That bit of an overstatement made him an illiteratus, I suppose, but a well intentioned one. And I must admit I was partly to blame, because, like most of my discipuli (that’s Latin for “students,”), the poor lad had likely heard me referring to our beloved lingua Latina as “The Mother Tongue” at least twice or thrice weekly throughout the course of our semester together. My own first encounter with the immortal language was at age 12 in a 7th-grade elective Latin class. Then it was Charlton Heston in the 1959 blockbuster film Ben Hur, and Kirk Douglas’s Spartacus the next year, that had me hooked for life: I could hardly sit still in my seat, I was so enthralled by those chariot races and gladiatorial combats; forty years later Russell Crowe as General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator had much the same effect, and my wife Alice and I watched every single episode of HBO’s Rome mini-series multiple times. Gladiator swept the Oscars, capturing five awards including “Best Film” and “Best Actor” and demonstrating not merely the continuing enthusiasm of Americans for “sword and sandal” movies, but more generally the ix
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West’s widespread interest in ancient Roman civilization, not least for its vast influence on our own culture. A large part of that influence, and of our fascination with the Romans, derives not merely from gladiators and charioteers but from the intimate connection of our language to theirs. English is not, strictly speaking, a “Romance language” (the term denotes “Romans,” not “romantics”!), as are Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Romanian, which evolved out of the language of the conquerors, each in its own way in its own region of the Roman Empire. Nevertheless at least 60% of English is “Latinate,” deriving either directly or indirectly from Latin. Both languages are part of the vast Indo-European (IE) linguistic family, which includes languages throughout most of Europe as well as Iranian and languages of India deriving from the ancient Sanskrit. English is descended from the Germanic branch of the IE family, Latin from the ancient Italic, yielding a kind of “sibling” relationship that accounts for the vast number of cognates that exist in the two languages, such as “mother” and mater, “brother” and frater, “two” and duo, etc. But the majority of English words—like “maternal,” “fraternal,” and “duet”—that are actually “derived” from Latin flowed into the language due to a variety of circumstances, including the Roman occupation of Britain, the Norman invasion of England, when the Anglo-Saxons adopted much of the speech of their French conquerors into their own discourse, and by direct borrowing from Latin that continues even today, especially for medical and other bio-scientific terminology. The result, as Jon R. Stone notes in his Preface to this immensely helpful libellus (“little volume”), is that Latin is ubiquitous (from ubique “everywhere”) in our language and culture. Jon, now a professor of Religious Studies at the California State University at Long Beach, had studied lots of German and Greek by the time he commenced his doctoral study, but not much Latin, and so when he encountered the Latin cornucopia (cornu + copia) that turned up in the books he was faced with reading for his graduate exams—he cites Rudolf Otto’s The Idea of the Holy in particular—he found the experience, as most folks nowadays would, more than a little daunting. Like all good scholars, though, he did not shy away from the unfamiliar, but instead began compiling lists (a man after my x
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own heart!) of the countless Latin words, phrases, famous quotations, and abbreviations that he encountered in his extensive reading, lists that over several years he augmented and eventually formalized and that led ultimately to the first edition of Latin for the Illiterati (LFTI ) and then to the companion volumes, also published by Routledge, More Latin for the Illiterati, which focuses specifically on the Latin terminology common in the areas of medicine, law, and religion, and The Routledge Dictionary of Quotations: The Illiterati’s Guide to Latin Maxims, Proverbs, and Sayings, a wonderful collection of some 8,000 quotable quotes from the ancients in the tradition of Erasmus’s Adagia. Professor Stone’s main purpose in authoring these three books has been to make the vast treasure of Latin in English more accessible, to educate, inform, and entertain readers, while helping perpetuate the contributions of the Romans and their ennobling language to our own language and culture. Everyone who reads widely (or savors confronting the challenge of a New York Times crossword puzzle!) should own all three volumes and keep them near at hand. This edition of LFTI is much expanded from the first, and so offers up and illuminates an even richer trove of the Latin we encounter everywhere, every day in the English-speaking world. For the second edition, Professor Stone has added more than a thousand new entries, mostly to his collection of Dicta (“Common Phrases, Mottoes, and Familiar Sayings”), thus making that section about as extensive as his compilation of Verba (“Common Words and Expressions”). He has also done some useful reorganizing of these two main sections of the book, helpfully expanded the Index by some 500 entries, supplied a list of the writers identified as the sources of many of the quotations, and included a list of common prefixes, conjunctions, particles and prepositions. Let this invaluable handbook be the vade mecum (you can look that up right here and now, if you don’t know the meaning) for your adventures in 21st-century Latin, and, as Saint Augustine said, in a different context and of a different book, tolle lege, tolle lege! Richard A. LaFleur University of Georgia
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P R E FAC E TO T H E FIRST EDITION
A decade ago, while in my first years of graduate study, I was taking a seminar in which my fellow graduate students and I were required to read standard theoretical works in the History of Religions. Among the books on that long list of dry academic tomes were several titles in the philosophy of religion, including Rudolf Otto’s neo-Kantian work, The Idea of the Holy (or Das Heilige). It was here that I came face-to-face with the ghosts of a dead language: Latin. Though as an undergraduate I had encountered the usual i.e.s and e.g.s, along with the periodic cogito ergo sums and et tu, Brutes, Otto presented a nearly insurmountable challenge to a boy who had studied German and Greek. Indeed, the proliferation of Latin words and quotations began to haunt me as I struggled through Otto’s work. What was one to make of such things as the “numinous” experience (from the word numen) with its characteristic religious feelings of awful dread and awe-inspiring fascination that Otto called mysterium tremendum and mysterium fascinosum? Worse still were the seemingly innumerable phrases that came with no corresponding English translation, leaving me to ward off these menacing spirits as best I could with a moldy old Latin dictionary I had found for half a dollar in a downtown used bookstore. xii
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To help exorcize these daemons, I began keeping lists of the Latin words and phrases I continuously encountered in my reading. These lists began to grow over my several years of graduate study to the point that they filled a section of the weather-worn notebook I had used during my college days. It was at that point that I decided to type these lists into a handy reference book, not simply for my use but for the use of others likewise haunted. While I would not claim to have rid myself of these ghosts altogether—I still keep lists—I have become fairly comfortable with their presence in my life. What is more, one happy and incidental result of the struggle to deliver myself from my ignorance was a genuine love of Latin and an appreciation of its remarkable influence in the development of Western philosophical and cultural thought. But of greater importance, what I have learned over the past ten years is that one need not be haunted by the specter of Latin. Latin forms an integral part of our daily lives and its use is foundational to our major branches of knowledge from law and medicine to literature and commerce. To deal adequately with its ubiquitous presence, it is necessary to have access to helpful reference tools. Unfortunately, few reference works exist that focus on remedying the challenges faced by the modern reader whose educational experience—even at the college level—is not firmly grounded in the socalled Classical tradition. Sadly, most of the books that are available to the general reader, while sometimes amusing, are really of no practical value (for instance, few of us have the occasion—or the inclination—to give a toast or recite the Gettysburg Address in Latin; and fewer still have an audience of relatives or interested business associates willing to endure such novelty). This book seeks to correct this deficiency by giving the student and general reader a helpful and practical reference guide. Here, then, is a fairly comprehensive compendium of nearly 6,000 Latin words, phrases, and standard abbreviations taken from the world of art, music, law, philosophy, theology, medicine and the theater, as well as miscellaneous remarks and sagely advice from ancient writers such as Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, Terence, Juvenal, Seneca, and others, a vade mecum of sorts, that is meant to guide its users as well as instruct them. Because the specific aim of this book is not to teach Latin but to help the modern reader exorcize the ghosts of this ancient and xiii
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influential tongue, the various sections are arranged in alphabetical order, giving first the Latin word or phrase and then its common or usual meaning. In some cases, a literal translation of the word or phrase is given in brackets [ ], followed by its more specialized or colloquial meaning.An explanation of its origins or usage is sometimes given in parentheses. While most of the translations are not mine per se, having been culled from reference books and dictionaries over the years, many of the bracketed translations and most of the parenthetical remarks are my own, with the aid, that is, of Cassell’s Concise Latin Dictionary.Although I have carefully checked and rechecked both the spellings and tenses of words, I fear that inadvertent errors may still have crept into this text. If mistakes exist beyond the rare editorial lapses, they are my own fault (mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa). In addition, I have attempted to be gender-inclusive and gender-neutral wherever possible and whenever such modifications did not compromise grammatical integrity too greatly or run counter to the spirit of a word’s or phrase’s meaning. I must also point out that on occasion the reader may spot a Greek word or two.As with most languages, foreign words also crept into Latin as the Roman Empire began to expand its territories through conquest. Many of those listed in this work became fairly standard by the Christian era, including such words as logos (word), sophia (wisdom), soter (savior), hippodromos (race track), margarita (pearl), and sarcophagus (coffin). Finally, let me say a word or two about the insensitive or prejudicial sayings that occasionally appear in this work. In truth, I cringe at some of the phrases in the popular Roman “body of knowledge” that reveal a flagrant disregard of and disrespect for human cultural differences. However, in partial defense of the Romans, I think it is foolish for us moderns, with our greater historical and cultural perspective, to condemn a people who could not escape their own peculiar world with its illiberal views of women and its hostility toward all things foreign. We moderns certainly “know better” than the ancients did, though it did take us nearly two millennia to liberate ourselves from our unenlightened view of the world. Having said this, it must be remembered that, in the end, this book is a reference work, not an apology for Western xiv
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Roman culture. Though we cannot erase our cruel and ignorantly insensitive past, we can certainly learn from it and endeavor to live above and beyond it. Valeat Quantum Valere Potest. Jon R. Stone University of California, Santa Barbara February 1995
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Generally speaking, the publication of a new edition provides authors and editors an opportunity to add new material, to update existing information, to correct errors in the first edition, to answer their critics, or in other ways atone for various authorial sins—of omission as well as commission. Such is the case with this revised and expanded edition of Latin for the Illiterati. Since its publication by Routledge in 1996, this small reference text has enjoyed a measure of success in what, at that time, had been a crowded and highly competitive market for Latin books. While LFTI’s success has been gratifying, at the same time the mistakes in and shortcomings of this book have continued to vex my soul. Having been haunted by the ghosts of the Latin language in my graduate student years, now, as a graying member of Plato’s Academy, I find myself haunted and tormented by the specter of my inadvertent slips of the pen—in both the transmission and the translation of Latin words and phrases. Here, at long last, in this second edition, have I been able to exorcize these troublesome daemons. In preparing the second edition, I have endeavored to improve the text in a number of ways that would be both useful and appealing to the reader. For instance, I have added roughly 1,000 xvi
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entries to the Verba and 1,000 entries to the Dicta sections, as well as over 500 entries to the English–Latin Index. In addition, to the Miscellaneous section, I have added a list of common Latin prepositions, prefixes, conjunctions and particles, and have provided readers with a list of names and dates of Classical and medieval Latin authors, orators, statesmen, satirists, philosophers, and theologians, many of whose apt quotes and clever turns of phrase are found sprinkled throughout the pages of this book (rari nantes in gurgite vasto, as it were). Without unnecessarily duplicating the material in More Latin for the Illiterati, I have added what I deemed to be important extracts from the Roman Catholic liturgy, such as the ordinary of the Latin Mass, the Paternoster, and the Ave Maria. Readers will also notice my efforts at further clarifying the Pronunciation Guide. In making all these corrections and additions, it has been my aim to create a much more interesting and useful reference text. Over the years I have received a number of letters from alert readers and dedicated fans—both of this book and of the page-a-day calendars produced by Pomegranate—who have generously offered helpful comments. To these individuals and to all those who have bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen a copy of the first edition of this book, I wish to express my deepest appreciation. I wish also to offer my heartfelt thanks to the great number of editors, production managers and editorial assistants at Routledge who, since 1994, have helped make Latin for the Illiterati and my other Routledge books possible. Though I cannot name them all, and though many have since left Routledge, please allow me to acknowledge the following individuals: William Germano, Maura Burnett, Marlie Wasserman, Kevin Ohe,Adam Bohannon, Frederick Veith, Beth Mullen, Nick Street, Gayatri Patnaik, Damian Treffs, Rosie Waters, David Avital,Amanda Lucas, Rachel Sexton, Geraldine Martin, Katherine Davey, Matthew Byrnie, and Jennifer Strong. Penultimately, I would like to thank Professor Richard A. LaFleur of the University of Georgia for his eager support and helpful suggestions for this second edition, and especially for his willingness to pen an enthusiastic Foreword.
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Finally, my thanks always and forever to my family, friends, students, and colleagues—far too many to name but certainly not too many to remember with fondness and gratitude. Dei memor, gratus amicis Jon R. Stone Long Beach, Calif. July 2008
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REFERENCES
Angeles, Peter A. Dictionary of Christian Theology. NY: Harper & Row, 1985. ———. Dictionary of Philosophy. NY: Barnes & Noble Books, 1981. Anon. Latin for Lawyers (2nd ed.). London: Sweet and Maxwell, LTD, 1937. Boardman, John, et al. (eds.). The Oxford History of the Classical World. NY: Oxford University Press, 1986. Cassell’s Concise Latin–English/English–Latin Dictionary (compiled by D.P. Simpson). NY: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977. Grant, Michael. History of Rome. NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1978. Greenough, J.B., et al. (eds.). Allen & Greenough’s New Latin Grammar. New Rochelle, NY: Aristide D. Caratzas, 1983 [reprint of 1903 edition]. Hines, Sister Therese and Rev. Edward J. Welch, S.J. Our Latin Heritage. NY: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966. Horn, Annabel, John F. Gummere, and Margaret M. Forbes. Using Latin. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1961. Koller, Hermann. Orbis Pictus Latinus (3rd ed.). Zürich: Artemis Verlag, 1983. Lewis, James John. The Collegiate Law Dictionary. Brooklyn, NY: The American Law Book Co., 1925. Mawson, C.O. Sylvester and Charles Berlitz (eds.). Dictionary of Foreign Terms (2nd ed.). NY: Barnes & Noble Books, 1979. xix
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Meissner, C. Latin Phrase-Book (H. W. Auden, trans.). London: Macmillan & Co., 1938. Moreland, Floyd L. and Rita M. Fleischer. Latin:An Intensive Course. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1977. Muldoon, Hugh C. Lessons in Pharmaceutical Latin and Prescription Writing and Interpretation. NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1916. Novum Testamentum Latine: Textum Vaticanum (11th edn Eberhard Nestle, ed.). Stuttgart: Württembergische Biblelanstalt, 1971. Reese, W. L. (ed.). Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion: Eastern and Western Thought.Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1980. Sidwell, Keith. Reading Medieval Latin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Stearn, William T. Botanical Latin. NY: Haffner Publishing Co., 1966. Trayner, John. Latin Phrases and Maxims. Edinburgh: William Patterson, 1861. Webster’s II: New Riverside University Dictionary. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1984. Webster’s New World Dictionary (3rd College Edition). NY: Prentice Hall, 1988. Wheelock, Frederic M. and Richard A. LaFleur. Wheelock’s Latin (6th ed., revised). NY: HarperCollins, 2005.
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Pronouncing Latin words can seem mystifying at first, even daunting, but one need not utter Latin words and phrases with such tongue-tied trepidation. Most Latin sounds have corresponding standard American English sounds, but with the rules for long and short vowel sounds being more consistently applied. In fact, long and short vowel sounds refer simply to the duration of the sound, that is, how long the vowel should be voiced within its given syllable. For convenience, the basic Latin vowel sounds are pronounced accordingly: a = ah, e = eh, i = ee, o = oh, u = oo. As commonplace examples, the long a in father is the same sound as the long a in the Latin word pater. The short a in the English words par and far are very similar in sound to that of the Latin words pax and fax. The short e in pet is similar in sound to the Latin et, as is the short i in twig the same as the i in the Latin word signum. The long o in Ohio sounds very much like the o in the Latin word dolor. In the same way, the short o in pot is pronounced similarly to the short o in populus. Likewise, the Latin u in runa and pudicus, one long and the other short, sound the same as the long and short u vowels in rude and put. The reader should also keep in mind that in Latin, unlike English, all the syllables in a word are pronounced, including the final e and es, such as in the words arte and artes, duce and duces, fide and fides, opinione, and legiones. xxi
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With respect to Latin consonants, one should nearly always pronounce them as those in English (e.g., b = b, d = d, f = f, l = l, m = m, n = n, p = p, r = r, s = s, t = t, etc.), with the exception of c, g, h, and v, which are always pronounced like k (as in kirk), g (as in give, gave, and go), h (as in hard), and w (as in we and was) respectively. The letters i-j, when placed before another vowel, such as iam /jam and ius/jus, are pronounced like the consonant y (as in you, yam, and yes), not the consonant j. The convention of substituting the letter j for i, when used as a consonant, appeared after the Classical period. Although its use is vexing to most Latin purists today, for the sake of simplicity and ease in pronunciation, its use is retained here. Lastly, with respect to vowel diphthongs, most Classical Latin linguists prefer to pronounce them as follows: ae as if it was a long i (as in pine); oe as oi (as in boy); au as ou or ow (as in bough or now); ei as a long a (as in weight); eu as eu (as in feud); and ui as wee (as in the French oui). For further discussion, guidelines, and examples, please consult Wheelock’s Latin (6th ed.) or Allen & Greenough’s New Latin Grammar.
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VERBA Common Words and Expressions
A a bene placito: at pleasure a capite ad calcem [from head to heel]: from head to toe (i.e., completely or entirely) a cuspide corona [from the spear a crown]: honor for military exploits a datu: from the date a dextra: on the right a die: from that day a fortiori [with greater force]: more conclusively; in logic, an argument made from the lesser to the greater a latere: from the side a maximis ad minima: from the greatest to the least a mensa et toro (or thoro) [from table and bed]: (leg.) from bed and board a mille passibus [from a thousand passes]: a mile away a minori ad majus: from the lesser to the greater a posse ad esse: from possibility to realization or reality a posteriori [from after]: reasoning from specific instances to general conclusions (i.e., inductive or empirical knowledge) a primo: from the first a principio: from the beginning a priori [from before]: reasoning from premise to logical conclusion (i.e., deductive or presumptive knowledge) a pueris or a puero: from boyhood a quo: from which (opposite of ad quem) a re decedunt: they wander from the point a sinistra: on the left a te pro te: from thee for thee
VERBA a teneris annis
abnormis sapiens
a teneris annis [from tender years]: from childhood or youth a tergo [in the rear]: behind a verbis ad verbera: from words to blows a vinculo matrimonii [from the bonds of marriage]: an absolute divorce ab: from ab absurdo: from the absurd ab aeterno: from the beginning of time ab asino lanam [wool from an ass]: blood from a stone ab epistulis [of letters]: secretarial matters ab extra [from without]: from the outside ab imo pectore: from the bottom of the heart ab inconvenienti [from the inconvenience (involved)]: usually designating a law which should not be passed due to certain hardships or inconveniences it would create ab incunabulis [from the cradle]: from childhood ab infima ara: from the bottom of the altar ab initio (ab init.): from the beginning ab integro: anew ab intra: from within ab invito: unwillingly ab irato [from an angry man]: in a fit of anger (i.e., not to be taken too seriously) ab omni parte: from every side ab origine: from the origin or beginning ab ovo [from the egg]: from the beginning ab uno ad omnes: from one to all ab urbe condita (A.U.C.): from the founding of the city (i.e., Rome) abacus [a square board]: a hand-held calculating table aberrare a scopo: to miss the mark abest (pl. absunt): he/she is absent abiit ad plures or majores (pl. abierunt): he/she has gone to the majority (i.e., is dead) (Petronius) abnormis sapiens [unconventionally wise]: a natural-born philosopher (Horace) 4
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS abscissio infiniti
actus Dei
abscissio infiniti [cutting off the infinite or negative part]: in logic, the process by which the true conclusion is reached by a systematic comparison and rejection of hypotheses absente reo (abs. re.): (leg.) the defendant being absent absit invidia [let there be no ill-will]: no offense intended absit omen: may the omen augur no evil absolvo: I absolve absonus: out of tune absque [but for]: without absque hoc [without this]: a legal term used in a special traverse or formal denial absque ulla nota: without any mark abusus non tollit usum [abuse does not take away use]: (leg.) abuse is no argument against use abyssus abyssum invocat: deep calls unto deep Academia: The Academy (i.e., the grove near Athens where Plato taught his disciples) accedas ad curiam [you may approach the court]: in English law, a common-law writ to remove a case to a higher court accendere candelam: to light a candle accentus: part of a church service chanted or sung by the priest and his/her assistant at the altar, distinguished from concentus which is sung by the congregation or choir accepta [receipts]: credits accessio initium regni: ascension to the throne accessit (pl. accesserunt) [he/she came near]:“honorable mention” in a contest accessus et recessus: ebb and flow acervatim [in heaps]: summarily acta sanctorum: holy deeds of the martyred saints actum agere: to do what has already been done actum est: it is all over actus: an act in a play actus: (leg.) an action or an actuality actus Dei: an act of God 5
VERBA actus purus
ad gustum
actus purus [pure act]: (theo.) a reference to God as a complete and perfect being actus reus: (leg.) a criminal act acus: a needle ad: to or at; (med.) up to ad absurdum [to what is absurd]: an argument which demonstrates the absurdity of an opponent’s proposition ad amussim [according to a rule]: accurately or exactly ad annum: a year from now ad aperturam libri [at the opening of the book]: wherever the book opens (a reference to a certain type of prognostication) ad arbitrium: at will ad arma concurrere: to rush to arms ad astra [to the stars]: to an exalted place or to high renown (motto of University College, Dublin) ad baculum [to the rod]: an argument or appeal which resorts to force rather than reason ad captandum: an argument or appeal which is presented for the sake of pleasing the audience ad captandum vulgus [to catch or attract the crowd]: to please the rabble ad clerum: to the clergy ad crumenam [to the purse]: an argument or appeal to one’s personal interests ad eundem gradum (ad eund.): to the same degree or standing ad exiguum tempus: for a short time ad extra: in an outward direction ad extraneam: from or to the outside ad extremum [to the extreme]: to the last or to the end ad extremum tumulum: on the edge of the hill ad filum aquae: (leg.) to the center of the stream ad filum viae: to the center of the road ad finem (ad fin.) [to or at the end]: finally ad finem fidelis: faithful to the end ad gloriam: for glory ad gustum [to taste]: to one’s taste 6
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS ad hanc vocem ad modum
ad hanc vocem (a.h.v.): at this word ad hoc [to this]: an action taken for a specific purpose, case, or situation ad hominem [at the man]: an argument which appeals to personal prejudice or emotions rather than reason ad horam compositam: at the agreed hour ad hunc locum (a.h.l.): at this place ad idem: to the same point ad ignorantiam [to ignorance]: an argument or appeal that is ignorant of the needed facts ad inferos descendere: to descend into the lower world ad infinitum (ad inf. or ad infin.) [to infinity]: endless, limitless, or forever ad initium (ad init.): at the beginning ad instar [after the fashion of ]: like ad interim (ad int.): in the meantime ad internecionem: to the point of extermination ad invidiam [to envy]: an argument which appeals to prejudice or envy ad judicium [to judgment]: an argument which appeals to common sense ad libitum (ad lib.) [at pleasure]: in music, used as a direction to musicians to improvise a certain number of measures ad limina apostolorum or ad limina [to the threshold of the Apostles]: to the highest authority ad lineam: in a straight line or perpendicularly ad litem: (leg.) for the suit or action ad litteram or ad literam [to the letter]: literally ad locum (ad loc.): to or at the place ad lunam: by moonlight ad manum [at hand]: in readiness ad me: to my house ad meridiem: southward ad metam: to the mark ad misericordiam [to pity]: an argument which appeals to pity ad modum [in or after the manner of ]: like 7
VERBA ad multam noctem
ad verbum
ad multam noctem: until late at night ad multum diem: until late in the day ad multus annos: for many years ad nauseam [to nausea]: to the point of disgust ad occasum: westward ad occidentem: westward ad ostium ecclesiae [at the church door]: at the marriage ad patres [to the fathers]: dead or passed away ad paucos dies: for a few days ad perpendiculum: in a straight line or perpendicularly ad perpetuitatem: forever ad populum [to the people]: an argument which appeals to people’s prejudices or passions ad postremum: for the last time ad quem: at or to which (the opposite of a quo) ad quod damnum: (leg.) to what damage ad referendum [for reference]: for further consideration or for the approval of a superior ad rem [to the matter]: a legal term denoting something relevant to the point at issue ad sectam (ads.): (leg.) at the suit of ad summam [on the whole]: in general or in short ad summum: to the highest point or amount ad tempus [at the right time]: in due time or according to the circumstances ad ultimum: to the last ad unguem [to a fingernail]: to a T (i.e., perfectly) ad unum omnes [all to a one]: everyone without exception (i.e., unanimously) ad usum (ad us.): according to custom ad usum Delphini [for the Dauphin’s use]: a work expurgated to avoid offending a prince or other high official ad utrumque paratus [prepared for either event]: prepared for the worst ad valorem (ad val.): according to the value ad verbum [word for word]: literally or to the letter 8
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS ad verecundiam
aegis
ad verecundiam [to modesty]: an argument which appeals to modesty ad vicem: in place of or instead of ad vitam: for life ad vitam aeternam [for eternal life]: for all time ad vitam aut culpam [for life or until misbehavior]: during good behavior ad vivum [to the life]: lifelike adde (ad. or add.): (med.) let there be added (i.e., add) adde huc (or adde eo) [add to this]: consider this as well addendum (pl. addenda): an attachment to the end of a manuscript indicating the words to be added or corrections to be made additum (pl. addita): something added ades dum or adesdum: come hither Adeste Fideles: O Come, All Ye Faithful (a Christian hymn) adfatim: sufficiently adhuc sub judice lis est: (leg.) the case is still before the court adiectivum or adjectivum (adi. or adj.): an adjective adiratus: (leg.) lost or strayed adscriptus glebae (pl. adscripti glebae) [bound to the soil]: a serf adstrictus necessitate: bound by necessity (Cicero) adsum [I am present]: here! adumbratio: a sketch adumptio: in logic, the minor premise of a syllogism adversa fortuna: ill fortune adversaria [written observations]: a diary or journal adverso colle or adversus collem: uphill adverso flumine: against the stream adversus (adv.): against advocatus diaboli: the Devil’s advocate (opposite of promotor fidei in an ecclesiastical argument in favor of the beatification of a person) aeger [sick]: a medical excuse aeger amore: love sick aegis [a shield]: sponsorship or protection 9
VERBA aegra amans
agmen primum
aegra amans [lover’s disease]: love sick aegri somnia [a sick person’s dreams]: hallucination aegris oculis: with envious eyes aegrotat (pl. aegrotant) [he/she is ill]: a medical excuse aenigma: a riddle aequam servare mentem: to keep one’s cool aequanimiter [with equanimity]: with composure aeque tandem: equally at length aequi iniqui: friend and foe aequinoctium autumnale: the autumnal equinox aequinoctium vernum: the vernal equinox aequo animo [with an equal spirit]: with equanimity or resignation (i.e., calmly) aequo marte: a draw (i.e., an indecisive match) aequum est: it is just aere perennius [more lasting than bronze]: everlasting aes alienum [money belonging to another]: debt or debts aes publicum: a public inscription aes signatum: coined money aes triplex [triple brass]: a strong defense aestas: summer aestu incitato: at high tide aetate progrediente: with advancing years aetatis (aet. or aetat.): of the age or of one’s lifetime aetatis suae (A.S.): of his/her age or lifetime aeternum vale: farewell forever afflatus [breath or breeze]: poetic inspiration afflatus montium: mountain air Africus: the southwest wind (properly, ventus Africus) age dum: come now ager publicus: public land agere pro aliis: to act for others agita (agit.): (med.) shake agmen novissimum or agmen extremum: the rear guard agmen primum: the vanguard 10
Agnus Dei
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS altum silentium
Agnus Dei [Lamb of God]: an appellation of Christ and a section of the Latin Mass albae gallinae filius [a son of a white hen]: a fortunate son albo lapillo notare diem [to mark a day with a white stone]: a red letter day album calculum addere: to give a white stone (i.e., to cast a favorable vote) alea belli: the uncertainty of war alea judiciorum: the uncertainty of law alere flammam: to feed the flame alias dictus [otherwise called]: an alias alibi: at another place alieni appetens [eager for another’s property]: covetous alieni generis: of a different kind alieni juris: (leg.) subject to the authority of another alio intuitu: from another point of view alio pacto: in another way aliqua: in some way aliquid stat pro aliquo: something that stands for something else (i.e., the definition of a sign) aliud ex alio: one thing after another aliunde [from another source]: from elsewhere alius alias: one now, another later alius alio: in various directions alius aliter: in different ways alma mater [fostering mother]: a university or other institution where a person has been educated alter ego [one’s other self ]: a best friend or a bosom buddy alter idem [another of the same kind]: a second self alternis annis: every other year alternis diebus: every other day alternus: one after the other alterum tantum [as much again]: twice as much alteruter: one of two altum silentium: deep silence or silence from on high 11
VERBA alumna
animo fractus
alumna (pl. alumnae) [foster daughter]: a female graduate alumnus (pl. alumni) [foster son]: a male graduate amabilis insania: a fine frenzy amabo te or amabo [be so kind]: please amantium irae: lovers’ quarrels amari aliquid [something bitter]: a touch of bitterness ambigendi locus: room for doubt ambo [two together]: both ambrosia: the food or nectar of the gods amicissimus meus or amicissimus mihi: my best friend amiciter: in a friendly way amicus curiae [a friend of the court]: a disinterested advisor amicus humani generis: a friend of the human race amo: I love amor habendi: love of possessing amor nummi: love of money amor patriae: love of country (i.e., patriotism) amor proximi: love of one’s neighbor amor sui: self-love amplissimi viri: men of the highest position ancilla theologiae [the handmaid of theology]: philosophy ancora: an anchor anguis in herba [a snake in the grass]: an unsuspected danger aniles fabellae: “old wives’” tales anima or animus (pl. animae): breath, soul, or spirit anima bruta [the brute soul]: the vital principle of lower animals anima divina: the divine soul anima humana: the human soul anima mundi [the spirit of the universe]: the creative and energizing force that permeates all nature animal disputans: an argumentative person animal rationale: a reasoning person animo aeger: (med.) heart-sick physically animo et facto: (leg.) in intention and fact animo fractus: heartbroken 12
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS animo furandi annus luctus
animo furandi: (leg.) with the intention to steal animo testandi: (leg.) with the intention of making a will animus angustus: narrow-minded animus capiendi: (leg.) the intention of taking animus furandi: (leg.) the intention of stealing animus gratus: thankfulness annales (ann.): records or chronicles annis tribus: three years ago (properly abhinc annis tribus) anniversarius: yearly anno aetatis suae (A.A.S.): in the year of his/her age anno Christi: in the year of Christ anno Domini (A.D.): in the year of our Lord anno Hebraico (A.H.): in the Hebrew year (see also anno mundi) anno Hejirae or Hegirae (A.H.): in the year of the Hegira (the Prophet Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina and the first year of the Muslim era, 622 CE) anno humanae salutis (A.H.S.): in the year of man’s redemption anno interiecto or anno interjecto: after the interval of a year anno mundi (A.M.): in the year of the world since its creation (see also anno Hebraico) anno post Christum natum (A.P.C.N.): in the year after the birth of Christ anno post Roman conditam (A.P.R.C.): in the year after the building of Rome (c. 753 BCE) anno regni (A.R.): in the year of the reign anno salutis (A.S.): in the year of redemption anno urbis conditae (A.U.C.): in the year of the founded city (i.e., Rome, c. 753 BCE) anno vertente: in the course of the year annos prope XL natus: almost forty years old annos tres: three years ago (properly abhinc annos tres) annos vixit (a.v.): he/she lived (so many years) annua pecunia: an annuity annus (pl. anni): year annus bisextus: leap-year annus luctus: year of mourning 13
VERBA annus magnus
apparatus belli
annus magnus [great year]: the Platonic year; in astronomy, the year in which the celestial bodies make a complete cycle (about 26,000 years) annus mirabilis [wonderful year]: a year of wonders (a reference especially to the year 1666 CE, when the Great Fire ravaged most of London) ante: before ante bellum [before the war]: (hist.) before the American Civil War ante Christum (A.C.): before Christ ante Christum natum (A.Ch.N.): before Christ’s birth ante cibum (a.c.): (med.) before meals ante diem (a.d.): before the day ante litem motam: (leg.) before litigation has begun ante lucem: before daybreak ante meridiem or ante meridianus (A.M. or a.m.): before noon ante mortem: before death ante omnia [before all things]: in the first place ante partum or antepartum [before birth]: before childbirth ante tempus [too soon]: before its time ante urbem conditam: before the founding of the city (i.e., Rome) antecepta informatio: an innate idea antehac [before this time]: formerly antenna: a sail yard (i.e., the crosspiece of a ship’s mast from which a sail hangs) antiquam obtinens: possessing antiquity antiquitatis memoria: ancient history anxius: uneasy aper: a wild boar apiarium: a beehive apis: a bee apologia pro vita sua: a defense or justification of the conduct of one’s life apotheca: a wine cellar or storage room apotheosis [deification]: the transformation of a mortal into a deity at death apparatus belli: munitions or matériel of war 14
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS apparatus criticus arbitrio suo
apparatus criticus [critical apparatus]: reference texts used in scholarly work apparet: it is clear apricatio: sun-bathing apricus: sunny apud [according to]: in the writings of apud Ciceronem: in the works of Cicero apud me: at my house apud patres: in the time of our fathers aqua (aq.): water aqua bulliens (aq. bull.): boiling water aqua caelestis [celestial water]: pure rain water; also, a cordial aqua destillata (aq. dest.): distilled water aqua et igni interdictus [forbidden water and fire]: banished aqua et ignis [water and fire]: the necessary things of life aqua fontana: spring water aqua fortis [strong water]: nitric acid aqua mirabilis [wonderful water]: (pharm.) an aromatic cordial aqua pura [pure water]: distilled water aqua regia [royal water]: a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids aqua saliens: a jet of water aqua tofana [Tofana’s water]: a poison made by a certain Tofana, a 17th-century Sicilian woman infamous for its use aqua vitae [water of life]: alcohol (i.e., whiskey or brandy) aquarius: a water-carrier aquilo: the north wind ara: an altar aranea: a spider aratrum: a plow arbiter bibendi [the judge of the drinking]: master of the feast (i.e., a toastmaster) arbiter elegantiae or elegantiarum [a judge of elegance]: a judge in matters of taste arbiter formae: the judge of beauty arbitrio suo: (leg.) under his own control 15
VERBA arbor
argumentum ad crumenam
arbor: a tree arbor infelix [infelicitous tree]: the gallows arbor novella: a seedling Arcades ambo [Arcadians both]: two persons of similar tastes or two simpletons; two of a kind (Virgil) arcana caelestia [heavenly secrets]: celestial mysteries arcana imperii: state secrets arcanum arcanorum [secret of secrets]: a reference to the hidden keys that unlock the secrets of nature underlying alchemy, astrology, and magic arcanus: secret or esoteric arcus: a bow arcus pluvius: a rainbow ardelio: a busybody ardentia verba [words that burn]: glowing words ardor: a flame or heat from a flame area [an open or level space]: a courtyard arena sine calce [sand without lime]: an incoherent speech (Suetonius) argentum (ag.): silver argentum signatum: coined silver argentum vivum [quicksilver]: mercury argumentum [argument]: a proof argumentum ab auctoritate: in logic, a proof derived from authority argumentum ab inconvenienti: in logic, an appeal to hardship or inconvenience argumentum ad absurdum: in logic, an argument to prove the absurdity of an opponent’s argument argumentum ad baculum: in logic, an appeal to force or the threat of force (also argumentum baculinum) argumentum ad captandum: in logic, an appeal made by arousing popular passions argumentum ad crumenam [an argument to the purse]: in logic, an appeal to a person’s interests 16
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS argumentum ad hominem ars navigandi
argumentum ad hominem: in logic, an evasive argument that attacks an opponent’s character argumentum ad ignorantiam: in logic, an argument based on an opponent’s ignorance of the facts or on his or her inability to prove the opposite argumentum ad invidiam: in logic, an appeal to prejudices or base passions argumentum ad judicium: in logic, an appeal to judgment or common sense argumentum ad misericordiam: in logic, an appeal to pity argumentum ad populum [argument to the people]: in logic, an appeal to people’s lower nature rather than to their intellect argumentum ad rem: in logic, a proper argument that bears on the real point of the issue at hand argumentum ad verecundiam [also ipse dixit, or argument from authority]: in logic, an appeal to modesty or to a person’s sense of reverence (e.g., a reliance on the prestige of a great or respected person rather than on the independent consideration of the question itself) argumentum baculinum or ad baculum: in logic, an appeal to force or the threat of force argumentum ex concesso [argument from concession]: an argument based on points already held by one’s opponent aries: a ram arma accipere [to receive arms]: to be made a knight arrectus auribus [with ears pricked up]: on the alert ars amandi [the art of loving]: the art of love ars artium [art of arts]: philosophical logic ars artium omnium conservatrix [the art which preserves all arts]: printing ars dicendi [the art of speaking]: oratory ars fingendi: the art of sculpture ars grammatica: the art of grammar ars ludicra: the art of drama ars magica: sorcery ars moriendi: the art of dying ars navigandi: seamanship 17
VERBA ars poëtica
auritus
ars poëtica: the art of poetry ars Punica [the Punic art]: treachery arteria: a blood vessel artes ingenuae: the fine arts artes liberales: the liberal arts artes perditae: lost arts arthriticus: pain in the joints of the body (i.e., arthritis) articulorum dolor: (med.) a form of gout Artium Baccalaureus (A.B. or B.A.): Bachelor of Arts Artium Magister (A.M. or M.A.): Master of Arts asinus: a jackass asperges [thou shalt sprinkle]: the sprinkling with holy water at the beginning of the High Mass aspiro: I aspire assensio mentium [a meeting of the minds]: (leg.) mutual consent Assensus [assent]: an essential item in medieval Christian faith (together with Fiducia and Notitia) assumpsit [he undertook]: (leg.) a suit to recover damages for breach of a contract or actionable promise, either expressed or implied astrum: a star or constellation atra cura [black care]: (fig.) in mourning atrium: a hall auctor ignotus: an unknown author auctum ex vano: (fig.) idle exaggeration aucupia verborum: quibbling audita querela [the complaint having been heard]: (leg.) a common-law writ giving the defendant opportunity to appeal augustus: majestic aura (pl. aurae): wind, air, or breeze aura popularis [the popular breeze]: popular favor (Cicero) aurea mediocritas [the golden mean]: moderation in all things (Horace) aureae compedes: golden shackles auris: the ear auritus [long-eared]: attentive 18
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS aurora
belli ratio
aurora: dawn or the break of day aurora australis [southern dawn]: the southern lights aurora borealis [northern dawn]: the northern lights aurum (au.): gold auspex: an augur who observed the behavior of animals to foretell the future auster: the south wind australis (austr.): southern ave! [hail!]: greetings! Ave Maria: Hail Mary (salutation to the Virgin Mary) Ave Regina Caelorum: Hail, Queen of Heaven (salutation to the Virgin Mary) avis: a bird avunculus [mother’s brother]: an uncle (also patruus, father’s brother)
B babae!: wonderful! baccalaris: a young nobleman seeking knighthood baculum: a staff or walking stick Bancus Communium Placitorum: (leg.) Court of Common Pleas Bancus Regis: (leg.) King’s Bench Beata Maria (B.M.): the Blessed Mary Beata Virgo (B.V.): the Blessed Virgin Beata Virgo Maria (B.V.M.): the Blessed Virgin Mary beata vita: happiness or bliss beatae memoriae (B.M.): of blessed memory beati possidentes [happy are those who possess]: possession is nine-tenths of the law beatus (fem., beata; b.) (b.) [blessed]: a beatified individual and candidate for canonization in the Roman Catholic Church belli denuntiatio: a declaration of war belli ratio: (mil.) battle tactics 19
VERBA bellicum
bestia
bellicum: (mil.) the signal for march or attack bellua multorum capitum [a many-headed monster]: the mob bellum atrocissimum: a war of atrocities bellum civile: civil war bellum domesticum: civil war bellum internecinum [internecine war]: a war of extermination bellum intestinum: civil war bellum lethale: deadly war bellum omnium in omnes: a war of all against all bellus: pretty bene: well or good bene!: excellent! bene decessit [he died well]: he died naturally bene esse: well-being bene est: it is well bene exeat [let him/her go forth well]: a certificate of good character bene facis [I am obliged to you]: much obliged bene facta: good deeds bene habet: all right bene merenti (pl. merentibus): to the well-deserving bene meritus (pl. meriti): having well deserved bene tibi or bene te: your health! bene vale (b.v.): farewell bene vale vobis [farewell to you]: good luck benedicite!: bless you! Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (a section of the Latin Mass after St. Matthew 21: 9) beneficium [kindness or favor]: a benefice benevolentia: goodwill benigne dicis [much obliged]: thank you, or, no thank you benigno numine: by divine favor; by the favor of heaven bes: two-thirds bestia: a beast 20
bibliopola
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS bonum diffusivium sui
bibliopola: a bookseller bibliotheca: a library biduum: a period of two days biennium: a period of two years bifariam: in two parts bifurcus: having two forks or prongs bilibra: two pounds weight billa vera: (leg.) true bill bimulus: two years old bimus: lasting two years bini [twofold]: a pair bis [twice]: in music, to be repeated bis bina [twice two]: two pairs bis in die (b.i.d.): (med.) twice a day bona: (leg.) property bona aetas: youth bona fide [in good faith]: sincerely or genuinely (opposite of mala fide) bona fides [good faith]: honest intention (opposite of mala fides) bona fiscalia: (leg.) fiscal or public property bona gratia: in all kindness bona mixta malis: a mixture of good and evil bona mobilia: (leg.) movable goods bona notabilia: (leg.) noteworthy things bona pars: a considerable amount bona peritura: (leg.) perishable goods bona vacantia: (leg.) unclaimed goods bona verba: words of good omen bonae artes: good qualities bonae memoriae: of happy memory bonae notae: meritorious bonis avibus [with good birds]: under favorable auspices bono animo esse: to be of good cheer bonum diffusivium sui [diffusing his goodness]: (theo.) a reference to the inherent goodness of the divine creation 21
VERBA bonum omen
calx
bonum omen: a good omen bonum publicum (b.p.): the common good borealis (bor.): northern Boreas: the north wind bos in lingua [an ox on the tongue]: speechless or silent brassica: cabbage brevi praecidam: to put it briefly breviarium [summary or abridgement]: a medieval devotional book containing the Psalms and other sacred writings bruma: the winter solstice brutum fulmen (pl. bruta fulmina) [a harmless thunderbolt]: an empty threat bucina: a curved trumpet bulla [a seal]: a papal encyclical or declaration
C cacoëthes: a bad habit, an irrepressible desire or a mania cacoëthes carpendi: a tendency to find fault cacoëthes loquendi: a tendency to talk cacoëthes scribendi: an itch for writing or scribbling cadaver: a corpse cadit quaestio [the question falls on the ground]: the discussion has come to an end caduceus: a prophet’s or messenger’s staff caeco casu: accidentally caelum: the heavens calculus [a pebble]: a checker piece, voting pebble, or a counting piece calidus: hot caligo [fog or darkness]: mental darkness callida junctura [skillful joining]: craftsmanship (Horace) calvaria: the human skull calvus: bald calx: the heel 22
calx
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS capsa acuum
calx [limestone or chalk]: a goal marked with chalk (i.e., a finish line) calx viva: quicklime camera: a vaulted chamber or room Camera Stellata [Star Chamber]: a tribunal or inquisitorial council; (fig.) a severe and arbitrary court campus: a field or plain Campus Martius [Field of Mars]: a field used for military exercises cancer: a crab candelabrum: a candlestick candida Pax: white-robed Peace (Ovid) candidatus [white-robed]: the traditional Roman dress of applicants for public office candor [bright white]: (fig.) sincere canina facundia [dog eloquence]: to snarl at something (Appius) canis in praesepi [dog in a manger]: someone who keeps others from enjoying the use of what he or she is not using him or herself Canis Major [Greater Dog]: a constellation containing Sirius, the Dog Star Canis Minor [Lesser Dog]: a constellation to the east of Orion Cantabrigiensis (Cantab.): of Cambridge cantate Domino: sing unto the Lord cantillatio: chanted portions of a religious service, as in the Mass cantio or cantus: a song cantor: a singer cantoris: to be sung by the cantorial side of the antiphonal cantus firmus [fixed song]: Gregorian melody cantus planus [plain song]: Gregorian chant cape or capiat (cap.): (med.) take caper: a he-goat capillus: head of hair capistrum maritale: the matrimonial halter ( Juvenal) capitis nives: the snowy locks of the head (Horace) capra: a she-goat capricornus: a horned goat capsa acuum: a box or container in which to hold pins or needles 23
VERBA captatio benevolentiae
causa fiendi
captatio benevolentiae: reaching after or currying favor caput (pl. capita): head caput cenae: the main dish caput lupinum [wolf ’s head]: an outlaw or fugitive from the law caput mortuum [dead head]: worthless residue caput mundi [capital of the world]: Rome cardo: the north–south axis of an area divided into four sections by a crossroads cardo duplex [a double hinge]: a cardinal point; the ends of the earth’s axis (i.e., the poles) caret: it is wanting caritas: love or charity Carmen Christi [Hymn of Christ]: (theo.) referring to the Pauline hymn to the incarnation of Christ (Philippians 2: 5–11) carmen epicum: epic poetry carmen triumphale: a triumphal song carpe diem: seize the day carpere et colligere: to pick and gather casa: a cottage cassetur billa: (leg.) let the bill be set aside or tabled casus [a falling or fall]: an occasion, event, or occurrence casus belli: a cause justifying war casus conscientiae: a case of conscience casus foederis [a case of the treaty]: a case within the stipulations of a treaty casus fortuitus [a fortunate fall]: a chance happening casus omissus: (leg.) a case omitted or unprovided for Caurus or Corus: the northwest wind causa: a cause causa causans [the cause that causes all things]: the Great First Cause; the cause of an action causa causata [the cause resulting from a previous cause]: an effect causa cognoscendi: cause of knowledge causa essendi: cause of being causa fiendi: cause of becoming 24
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS causa finalis
certiorari
causa finalis: final cause causa immanens [immanent cause]: change produced from within causa latentis: hidden cause causa mali [an evil cause]: a cause of mischief causa privata: (leg.) a civil case causa proxima: immediate cause causa publica: (leg.) a criminal case causa remota: remote cause causa secunda: secondary cause causa sine qua non: an indispensable condition (also sine qua non) causa transiens [cause from beyond]: change imposed from without causa vera: a true cause cautim [cautiously]: with security or foresight cave canem: beware of the dog cave canibus: beware of the dogs caveat [let him beware]: a warning or caution caveat actor: let the doer beware (of the consequences) caveat emptor: let the buyer beware caveat venditor: let the seller beware caveat viator: let the traveler beware cavete a canibus: beware of the dogs celeritas: swiftness celeriter: swiftly cena: dinner Cena Domini: the Lord’s Supper cenatus [having dined]: after dinner censor morum: a censor of morals centum (cent.): a hundred centum anni [a hundred years]: a century centuplex: a hundredfold cera: wax cerebrum: the brain certamina divitiarum [struggles of riches]: strivings after wealth certiorari [to be certified]: (leg.) a writ calling up the records of a lower court 25
VERBA certitudo salutis
Civitas Terrena
certitudo salutis: (theo.) assurance of salvation certo [certainly]: yes cervix: the back of the neck cessio bonorum: (leg.) a surrender of goods cetera (or caetera) desunt: the rest is lacking ceteris (or caeteris) paribus (cet. par.): other things being equal ceteris (or caeteris) rebus: as regards the rest charismata: (theo.) spiritual gifts chimaera: a mythical fire-breathing creature usually depicted with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and whose tail is that of a serpent chorea scriptorum: writer’s cramp chorus [to dance in a circle]: in theater, a troupe of people singing and dancing Christianus: a Christian Christus: Christ cibus delicatus: delicacies cicatrix manet: the scar remains cingulum Veneris: the girdle of Venus circa (c. or ca.): about, near, or around circiter (c. or circ.): about circuitus verborum [a circuit of words]: circumlocution circulus in definiendo [a circle in defining]: a type of circular reasoning (i.e., a vicious cycle) circulus in probando [a circle in proving]: a type of circular reasoning (i.e., a vicious circle) circulus vitiosus [a vicious circle]: circular reasoning circum (c. or circ.): around or about citato equo: at full gallop civica corona [civic crown]: an award in recognition for those who had saved the life of a Roman in war civis bonus [a good citizen]: a patriot Civitas Dei: the City of God, in opposition to the Earthly City (St.Augustine) Civitas Terrena: the Earthly City, in opposition to the City of God (St.Augustine) 26
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS clamor bellicus comitia curiata
clamor bellicus: a war-cry classicum: a trumpet call clava: a club clavis (pl. claves) [key]: a glossary clepsydra: a water clock used to measure the time allotted to orators cochleare (coch.): (med.) a spoonful cochleare magnum (coch. mag.): a tablespoonful cochleare parvum (coch. parv.): a teaspoonful codex: a book codex rescriptus: a palimpsest coelum: the heavens coelum versus: heavenward cognati [connected by blood]: (leg.) relations on the mother’s side cognatus: related by birth cognitus: known or proven cognomen: a surname or family name cognovit or cognovit actionem [he has acknowledged the action]: (leg.) the defendant’s acknowledgement of the plaintiff ’s claim cohors: a battalion coitus interruptus [interrupted intercourse]: a method of natural birth control collato pede: hand to hand fighting collectanea: a miscellany or an anthology collegium (pl. collegia) [a college]: a body or society of persons with common interests or pursuits collis [high ground]: a hill collum or collus: the neck colluvies vitiorum [a collection of vices]: a den of iniquity collyrium: (med.) an eyewash columna Herculis: the Pillars of Hercules columna rostrata: a pillar in the Forum decorated with ships’ prows comata silva: in full leaf comitas inter gentes [comity of nations]: civility among peaceful nations comitia curiata: the original assembly of the Roman people 27
VERBA commentarii diurni
condiscipulus
commentarii diurni: a diary commisce: mix together commodum: at the right or at a suitable time commune bonum: the common good communi consensu: by common consent communibus annis: in common or average years communicatio essentiae [communication of essence]: (theo.) a doctrine which teaches that Christ the Son receives his divine essence from God the Father communicatio idiomatum [communication of similarities]: (theo.) the transference of divine qualities to humans communio sanctorum: communion of the saints communitas: community or fellowship complexio: in logic, the statement of a syllogism complexus [an embracing]: an aggregate of parts or a complicated whole componere lites: to settle disputes compos mentis [sound of mind]: in one’s right mind compos sui: master of himself compos voti: having obtained one’s wish concedo [I admit]: I grant (i.e., a concession made in an argument) concentus [concord or harmony]: part of the church service sung or chanted by the congregation or choir, distinguished from accentus, which is sung by the priest and his/her assistant at the altar concha: a seashell conchylium: a type of shellfish from which purple dye is extracted conciliatrix: a procuress concio ad clerum: discourse to the clergy concordia: harmony concordia discors [discordant harmony]: agreeing to differ (Horace and Ovid) concubia nocte: at dead of night condimentum: seasoning condiscipulus [fellow student]: a classmate 28
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS conditio sine qua non contra jus fasque
conditio sine qua non: an indispensable condition (also sine qua non) confer (cf.): compare confessio: the tomb of a martyred saint confido: I trust confiteor [I confess]: a prayer of public confession congius (c.): (med.) a gallon congressio or congressus: a meeting, an association, or a social encounter conjunctis viribus [with united powers]: a confederation; an alliance conjunx or conjux (con.): a marriage partner conlegium: a guild conlibitum est: it pleases; it is agreeable connubium: intermarriage consanguinitas: related by blood conscientia mala: a bad conscience conscientia recta: a good conscience consensus: agreement consensus audacium [agreement of the rash]: a conspiracy (Cicero) consensus gentium: consent of the nations consensus omnium: universal consent consilium: a council or assembly consortium: participation or a partnership constat: it is agreed consuetudo pro lege servatur [custom is held as law]: (leg.) where there are no specific laws, the issue should be decided by custom consul designatus: a consul-elect conterminus: bordering upon continuetur remedia: (med.) let the cure be continued contra (con.) [opposite]: against or on the opposite side (i.e., on the contrary) contra bonos mores (cont. bon. mor.): contrary to good manners contra formam statuti [against the form of the statute]: (leg.) against the letter of the law contra jus fasque: (leg.) against all law, human and divine 29
VERBA contra jus gentium
corpus humanum
contra jus gentium: (leg.) against the law of nations contra legem: (leg.) illegally contra mundum: against the world contra pacem: (leg.) against the peace contra rem publicam: to the disadvantage of the state contradictio in adjecto: a contradiction in terms contraria contrariis curantur [opposites are cured by opposites]: the principle of allopathy convenit [it is fitting]: it is agreed converso ad occidens: facing west conviva: a party guest convivium: a feast or banquet copia fandi: a great flow or abundance of talk copia verborum [abundance of words]: prolixity copula [a link or connection]: in logic, a form of the verb “to be” linking the subject and predicate terms of a proposition cor: heart coram [before]: face to face or in the presence of coram domine rege: before the lord our king coram judice: (leg.) before a judge coram nobis [before us]: (leg.) in the court of King’s Bench coram non judice [before a judge without jurisdiction]: (leg.) before one who is not the proper judge coram paribus [before equals]: before one’s peers coram populo [in public]: in the sight of spectators (Horace) cornu: a horn cornu copiae: the horn of plenty (symbol of abundance) corona: a crown or garland corona lucis [crown of light]: a circular chandelier hung from the central interior roof of a church or cathedral corpus [body or corpse]: a body or collection of writings Corpus Christi [body of Christ]: Christian festival in honor of the Holy Eucharist corpus delicti [the body of the crime]: the substance or fundamental facts of a crime corpus humanum: the human body 30
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS corpus inane crimen laesae majestatis
corpus inane: body without a soul corpus juris [body of law]: a collection of laws of a country or jurisdiction Corpus Juris Canonici: the body of canon law Corpus Juris Civilis: the body of civil or Roman law corpus omnis Romani juris: compendium of all Roman law corpus sine pectore: a body without a soul (Horace) corpus theologicum: a body of theological writings corpus vile: a worthless matter corrigendum (pl. corrigenda) [to be corrected]: corrections to be made in a book manuscript before publication cortina Phoebi: the oracle of Apollo cos ingeniorum: a whetstone for the wits cras: tomorrow cras mane: tomorrow morning cras mane summendus: (med.) to be taken the next morning cras mihi: my turn tomorrow cras nocte: tomorrow night cras vespere: tomorrow evening crassa neglegentia or crassa negligentia: (leg.) gross negligence crastinus: on the morrow creatio ex nihil [creation from nothing]: (theo.) the belief that God created the world from absolute nothingness crede Deo: trust God credendum (pl. credenda) [a thing to be believed]: an article of faith creditum: a loan credo [I believe]: a creed Credo in unum Deum [I believe in one God]: a section of the Latin Mass crepusculum: twilight or dusk crescens luna: a crescent moon cribrum: a sieve crimen (pl. crimina): (leg.) a crime crimen falsi: the crime or charge of perjury crimen laesae majestatis: the crime or charge of high treason 31
VERBA cruciatus tormentorum
cum laude
cruciatus tormentorum: the pains of torture crucis supplicium: crucifixion crus: a leg or shank crustum: bread, cake, or pie crux: a cross; a puzzle or a perplexing problem Crux: the Southern Cross crux ansata: the Egyptian ankh crux commissa: the tau (T) cross crux criticorum: the crux or puzzle of critics crux decussata: the chi (X) cross of St.Andrew or St. Patrick crux medicorum: the crux or puzzle of doctors crux stellata: a type of cross in which its arms extend into stars cubitum: the elbow cui bono? [for whose advantage?]: to what end? (Cicero) cui bono fuisset? or cui fuisset bono?: for whose advantage? cui malo?: whom will it harm? (Cicero) cuique suum: to each his own cuius or cujus (cuj.): of which or whose culmina Alpium: the Alpine summits culpa: (leg.) fault or negligence culpa lata: (leg.) gross negligence culpa levis [a slight fault]: (leg.) excusable negligence cultus animi [care of the soul]: education cultus dei: worship of the gods cultus deorum [care of the gods]: reverence or divine service cum (c ): with cum bona venia: with your good favor cum causa: with good reason cum corde: with the heart cum eo quod: on that condition cum grano salis [with a grain of salt]: with reservation (Pliny the Elder) cum imperio esse [to be vested with imperium]: to have unlimited power cum laude [with praise]: with distinction 32
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS cum maxime cyma recta
cum maxime: precisely cum multis aliis: with many others cum nimbo [with a cloud]: the halo surrounding the head of saints in sacred art cum notis variorum: with the notes of various commentators cum onere: (leg.) with the burden of proof cum privilegio: with privilege cum telo: armed cum uxoribus et liberis: with wife and child cumulus nimbus [a cloud heap]: rain clouds cunabula: a cradle cunae: a bird’s nest cuniculus: a rabbit cupido: longing or desire curatius: more carefully curia advisari vult (cur. adv. vult or c.a.v.): (leg.) the court wishes to be advised or to consider the matter curiosa felicitas: a nice felicity of expression (Petronius) currente calamo [with a running pen]: fluently; offhandedly curriculum vitae (c.v.) [course of life]: a résumé (also vitae curriculum) cursor [runner]: a messenger or courier custodia legis: (leg.) in the custody of the law custodia libera: (leg.) house-arrest custos: a custodian or guardian custos morum: a custodian of morals custos rotulorum (C.R.) [custodian of rolls]: the principal justice of the peace in an English county cutis anserina [goose flesh]: goose bumps or goose pimples cutis capitis: the scalp cyathus [a ladle used for filling wine glasses]: a fluid measure (i.e., a cupful) cyathus vinosus: a cupful of wine cyma recta: (arch.) a type of S-shaped cornice (concave above becoming convex below) 33
VERBA cyma reversa
de jure
cyma reversa: (arch.) a type of S-shaped cornice (convex above becoming concave below)
D da (d.): (med.) give damnosa haereditas [a damaging inheritance]: an inheritance that entails loss damnum (pl. damna) [damage]: physical harm or material loss damnum absque injuria [loss without injury]: (leg.) loss due to lawful competition dante Deo: by the gift of God dapes inemptae [unbought feasts]: home-made products dare cervices [give the neck]: submit to the executioner data et accepta [things given and received]: expenditures and receipts datio [giving]: (leg.) the right of alienation datus: given de auditu: from hearsay de bonis asportatis: (leg.) of goods carried away de bonis non administratis: (leg.) of the goods not yet administered de bonis propriis [out of his own goods]: (leg.) out of one’s own pocket de bono et malo [of good and bad]: for better or for worse de claro die: by the light of day de die: while still day de die in diem (de d. in d.): from day to day de facto [in fact]: in reality or actually the case de fide [of the faith]: (theo.) required as an article of faith de gratia: (leg.) by favor de industria [industriously]: intentionally de integro: afresh or anew de jure [by right]: (leg.) rightful or rightfully 34
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS de lana caprina decumanus
de lana caprina [about goat’s wool]: a nonexistent or worthless thing de lunatico inquirendo: (leg.) a writ to inquire into the sanity of a person de monte alto: from the high mountain de more: habitually de nocte: while still night de novo: anew or afresh de plano [with ease]: easily; (leg.) clearly, patently de plebe: one of the people de praesenti: of or for the present de profundis: out of the depths (Psalm 130: 1) de propaganda fide: for propagating the faith de proprio motu [of its own motion]: spontaneously De Sapientia Veterum [The Wisdom of the Ancients]: title of a book by Sir Francis Bacon de tenero ungui: from childhood de verbo in verbum or de verbo [word for word]: literally dea: a goddess debito justitiae: by debt of justice debitum (pl. debita): (leg.) a debt debitum naturae [the debt of nature]: death Decalogus [the Decalogue]: the Ten Commandments decani: in music, to be sung by the decanal side of the antiphonal decanta: pour off decanus [leader of ten]: a dean decem anni: a decade deceptio visus: an optical illusion decessit sine prole (d.s.p.): died without issue decet [it is fitting]: it is proper, either morally or physically decor: grace or beauty decretum (d.): a decree or an ordinance decuma (or decima) [a tenth part]: a tithe decumanus: the east–west axis of an area divided into four sections by a crossroads 35
VERBA dedimus potestatem
desertus
dedimus potestatem: we have given power dedita opera: intentionally dediticii [those having surrendered]: subjects of Rome without rights defectio lunae: a lunar eclipse defectio solis: a solar eclipse defectus sanguinis: (leg.) failure of issue defensor fidei: defender of the faith (a motto of the English monarchy) deficiunt vires: strength (or ability) is lacking definiendum [that which is defined]: in definitions, the term that is to be defined definiens [that which does the defining]: the definition of a term definitum: a defined thing Dei judicium [ judgment of God]: trial by ordeal Dei propitii: the favor of heaven delenda: things to be deleted delictum (pl. delicta) [fault or crime]: (leg.) an offense or misdemeanor delineavit (del.): he or she drew it deliramenta doctrinae [the madness of scholars]: delirious from too much learning delirium tremens (D.T.) [trembling delirium]: mental delusions caused by alcohol poisoning dementia: insanity dementia a potu [insanity from drinking]: delirium tremens dementia praecox: (med.) a form of early insanity deminutio capitis: loss of civil rights demissi capilli: hair growing long demonstratio: a type of oratory concerned with praise and censure demortuus: the late (i.e., deceased) denarius: a Roman silver coin dens (pl. dentis): a tooth dens theonina: a slanderous tooth descendere ex equo: to dismount a horse desertus: a solitary place 36
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS desideratum
dicitur
desideratum: something desired desiderium: a yearning or desire for something desilio ad pedes: to dismount desuetudo: disuse desunt caetera or desunt cetera: the rest is wanting (e.g., the missing part of a quotation) desunt multa: many things are wanting detur [let it be given]: a book prize given to undergraduates at Harvard University deus: a god Deus absconditus [the hidden God]: (theo.) the doctrine that God’s nature is not fully revealed to humanity, even after the advent of Christ (Martin Luther) Deus det!: God grant! deus ex machina [a god from a machine]: providential intervention, esp. in a play or a novel deus ignotus: an unknown or ignorant god deus incognitus: the unknown, unknowable God deus mobilis: a changing or changeable god deus philosophorum: the god of the philosophers (Lactantius) Deus pro nobis [God for us]: (theo.) those aspects and manifestations of God open to the finite human mind; God’s direct relation to humans through Christ deverticula flexionesque: twists and turns dextimus: on the right hand or side dextra: the right hand dextras dare [to give right hands]: to shake hands as a pledge of good faith dextro tempore [at the right time]: at the opportune moment di or dii majores [the greater gods]: men of outstanding merit di or dii minores [the lesser gods]: men of lesser merit di or dii penates: household gods diabolus: a devil dicis causa or dicis gratia [for form’s sake]: for the sake of appearances dicitur [it is said]: they say 37
VERBA dictis obscuris
dignus vindice nodus
dictis obscuris: obscure sayings dictum (pl. dicta) [a word or speech]: a truism or witty saying dictum de dicto [report upon hearsay]: second-hand story dictum factum: said and done diebus alternis: every other day diebus tertiis: every third day diem ex die: from day to day dies: daytime or day dies datus [a day given]: (leg.) a day appointed for hearing a lawsuit dies dominicus: the Lord’s day (i.e., Sunday) dies faustus or fasti: a lucky day (i.e., the days on which the praetor could administer justice) dies festus: a festival or holiday dies infaustus: an unlucky day (inauspicious days for civic affairs or for court judgments) Dies Irae [day of wrath]: Day of Judgment (a hymn sung during the Requiem Mass) dies juridicus: (leg.) a day on which the court sits dies natalis: a birthday dies nefasti or nefasti [forbidden days]: days on which no public business is transacted dies non juridicus or dies non: (leg.) a day on which the court does not sit dies profesti [common days]: weekdays (i.e., non-holy days) difficiles nugae: hard-earned trifles digitale: a thimble digito monstrari [be pointed out with the finger]: to be famous digitulus [little finger]: the touch of a finger digitus [finger]: a finger’s breadth (i.e., one inch) digitus anularius: the ring finger digitus auricularis: the little finger digitus index: the index finger digitus medius: the middle finger digitus pollex: the thumb or big toe dignus vindice nodus [a knot worthy of a liberator]: a difficulty needing divine intervention 38
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS diluculo
do ut facias
diluculo: in the morning twilight diluculum: dawn or daybreak dilue (dil.): (med.) dilute or dissolve diluvium: a flood or deluge dimidia pars: half dimidio minus [less by half ]: half as much dimissio: dismissal dira necessitas: cruel necessity (Horace) dirae: bad omens disciplina arcana [secret teaching]: rituals and doctrines known only to those fully initiated into a religion discursus: running to and fro disjecta membra: scattered parts or remains (i.e., fragments) disparatum: in rhetoric, the contradictory proposition dispendia morae: loss of time dispudet: it is a great shame dissolutio criminum: a refutation dissolutio naturae: death dissolutio navigii: shipwreck diverbium: in theater, dialogue on the stage dividatur (div.): let it be divided divina particula aurae [divine particle of light]: the divine spirit in the human person divinatio: (leg.) the selection of a prosecutor by the court divinitas [divinity]: the power of prophecy or divination Divinitatis Baccalaureus (D.B.): Bachelor of Divinity Divinitatis Doctor (D.D.): Doctor of Divinity (an honorary degree) divinitatis sensus: (theo.) an awareness of the divine presence in the world divinus: superhuman or divine dixi: I have spoken do ut des [I give that you may give]: (leg.) a type of commutative contract do ut facias [I give that you may do]: (leg.) a type of commutative contract 39
VERBA Doctor Chirurgiae
dudum
Doctor Chirurgiae (D.Ch.): Doctor of Surgery doctor utriusque legis: doctor of both canon and civil law doctrina: teaching or instruction doctus cum libro [learned with a book]: a person who lacks practical knowledge dodrans: three-fourths in length (i.e., nine inches of a standard foot) dogma: a philosophical doctrine dolor: pain or sorrow dolor artuum: (med.) gout dolus: (leg.) fraud or deceit dolus bonus: (leg.) permissible deceit dolus malus: (leg.) unlawful deceit domi [in the house]: at home domi meae: at my house domi militiaeque [at home and in the field of battle]: at war and at peace domicilium or domus: a house dominus et domina: lord and lady domitae naturae [of a tame nature]: domesticated (as opposed to ferae naturae) domo: from home domo carens: homeless domo profugus: homeless domum: homewards Domus Procerum (D.P. or Dom. Proc.): the House of Lords Dona Nobis Pacem: Grant Us Peace (concluding section of the Latin Mass) dono dedit (d.d.): given as a gift donum superadditum [additional endowment]: (theo.) refers to those divine gifts humans lost at the Fall, such as knowledge, eternal happiness, and love dorsum: the back dramatis personae (dram. pers.): the cast of characters in a play duces tecum [thou shalt bring with thee]: a subpoena ductus oris: the lineaments of the face dudum: some time ago 40
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS dulce “Domum” Ecce Homo
dulce “Domum”: sweet “Home” or sweet “Homeward” (English song sung at the end of the school term) dulcis unda: fresh water dum [while]: on the condition that dum sola [while alone]: (leg.) while unmarried dummodo [so long as]: provided that duo: two duo sextarii: a quart duodecim: a dozen duplex: double duplus [twice as much]: (leg.) a double penalty durante: during durante absentia: (leg.) during absence durante beneplacito or durante bene placito [during our good pleasure]: (leg.) appointments made and unmade at the pleasure of the magistrate durante minore aetate: (leg.) during minority durante vita: (leg.) during life dux: a leader or a guide dux gregis [leader of the flock]: the leader of the pack
E e contra: on the other hand e contrario: on the contrary e longinquo: from a distance e re nata [under the present circumstances]: as matters stand e re publica: in the interests of the state e republica [in the public interest]: for the benefit of the state e verbo [in word]: literally ebriolus: mildly intoxicated (i.e., tipsy) ebrius: drunk ecce: behold! Ecce Homo [behold the man!]: a representation of Christ crowned with thorns 41
VERBA ecce signum
emunctae naris
ecce signum [behold the sign!]: here is the proof eccere!: there you are! ecclesia: a church edere animam [to breathe (one’s last) breath]: to die edictum: a decree editicius judices: jurors chosen by a plaintiff editio cum notis variorum: an edition of a text with notes and commentary editio princeps (pl. editiones principes): the first printed edition of a book editio tribuum: (leg.) a proposal by a plaintiff for the choice of a jury Editio Vulgata [common edition]: the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible efferatus: stuffed full efficiens causa: in philosophy, the efficient cause ego: I ego ipse: I myself ejus modi [of this kind]: in that manner ejusdem farinae: of the same flour ejusdem generis: of the same kind elapso tempore: the time having elapsed elegantiae arbiter: the master of taste (Tacitus) elegit: he has chosen elixir vitae: elixir of life elogium: an epitaph on a tombstone or a codicil to a will emeritus (fem. emerita) [veteran]: a title of honor denoting long and distinguished service eminus: at or from a distance empiricis: a physician who relies on practical rather than scientific knowledge (i.e., a quack) emplastrum (pl. emplastra): (pharm.) a plaster emporium: a market or place of trade emptor: a buyer emunctae naris [of wiped nose]: a person of keen or mature judgment (Horace) 42
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS enim
et cetera
enim: namely enimvero [to be sure]: certainly enodis [without knots]: clear or plain ens (pl. entia): being or existence; an entity Ens Entium [Being of Beings]: the Supreme Being ens rationis [a creature of reason]: a product of mental action entia naturae: things of nature entia rationis: things of reason enuntiatum: a proposition enuntio: in logic, to state a proposition eo animo: (leg.) with that design or intention eo instanti: (leg.) at that instant; immediately eo intuitu: (leg.) with that view or intent eo ipso [by that itself ]: by that fact eo loci: at that very place eo nomine [by that name]: on this account episcopus: a bishop epistula: a letter equi biiugi or equi bijugi: two horses yoked abreast equis virisque [with horse and foot]: with all one’s might equo admisso: at full gallop equo incitato: at full gallop equo vecto: mounted on horseback equus: a horse equus bellator: a war-horse ergo: therefore erratum (pl. errata): an error or mistake errores Ulixis: the wanderings of Ulysses esse: being or existence (as opposed to posse) esse in oculis: to be visible esse in pretio: to be prized et: and or also et alibi (et al.): and elsewhere et alii (fem. aliae; et al.): and others et cetera (etc.): and so forth 43
VERBA et conjunx
ex composito
et conjunx (et conj.) [and husband or and wife]: and spouse et hoc genus omne: and everything of this kind et id genus omne: and everything of the kind et nunc et semper: now and always et omnes sancti: and all the saints et sequens (et seq.): and the following et sequentes (et seqq.): and what follows et sequentia (et seqq.): and what follows et sic de ceteris: and so of the rest et sic de similibus: and so of the like et similia: and the like et uxor (et ux.): and wife etiam: yes etiam atque etiam: again and again eu! or euge! [well done!]: bravo! Eurus: the southeast or east winds evangelium: the Gospel evocati: veterans called back to duty ex abrupto [abruptly]: without preparation ex abundante cautela: from excessive caution ex abundantia: out of the abundance ex acervo: out of a heap ex adverso [from the opposite side]: in opposition ex aequo: equally; on equal terms ex aequo et bono [according to what is right and good]: justly and equitably ex animo [from the heart]: sincerely ex animo effluere: to escape from the mind ex auctoritate mihi commissa: by virtue of the authority vested in me ex bona fide [in good faith]: on one’s honor; sincerely ex capite [out of the head]: from memory ex cathedra [from the chair]: officially; with authority ex commodo: conveniently ex composito: as agreed 44
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS ex concesso
ex officio
ex concesso [out of concession]: from what has been granted ex confesso: admittedly ex consuetudine mea: according to my custom ex contrario [on the other side]: on the contrary ex curia: (leg.) out of court ex delicto [from offense]: (leg.) by reason of an actionable wrong or a criminal deed ex diverso: in the opposite direction; on the contrary ex dono [by the gift]: as a present ex dono Dei: by the gift of God ex equo desilire: to dismount from a horse ex facie [from the face]: on its face; (leg.) evidently ex facili: easily ex gratia [of or by favor]: (leg.) in absence of legal right ex hypothesi: by hypothesis ex improviso: suddenly; unexpectedly; unawares ex industria: on purpose ex inopinato: unexpectedly; on the sly ex insperato: unexpectedly ex instituto: according to traditional usage ex integro: afresh ex intervallo: at some distance ex lege [arising from the law]: as a matter of law ex libris or e libris [from the books of ]: an inscription denoting ownership of a book (i.e., a bookplate) ex longinquo: from a distance ex memoria [from memory]: by heart ex mera gratia: through mere favor ex merito [according to one’s deserts]: from merit ex mero motu [of a mere impulse]: of one’s own accord ex morbo convalescere: to recover from a disease ex more [according to custom]: habitually ex necessitate rei [from the necessity of the case]: necessarily ex occulto: secretly ex officio (e.o.): by virtue of one’s office 45
VERBA ex opere operantis
exactio capitum
ex opere operantis [out of the work]: (theo.) refers to the efficacy of the sacrament coming from the goodness of the one dispensing it ex opere operato [out of the operation of the work]: (theo.) refers to the efficacy of the sacrament despite the moral condition of the one dispensing it ex parte [from one party]: in the interests of one side only; in part ex pede Herculem [from the foot we recognize Hercules]: from a part we may divine the whole ex post facto [after the deed is done]: after the fact ex professo [by declaration]: avowedly or openly ex proposito [by design]: purposely ex propriis: from one’s own resources ex proprio judicio: from its own judgment ex proprio motu: of his (or its) own accord ex pueris excedere [to leave boyhood behind]: to become a man ex quo: from which; since ex quo tempore: since that time ex quocunque capite: for whatever reason ex re et ex tempore: according to time and circumstance ex sanguis [without blood]: deathly pale ex sententia: as one would wish ex somnis: sleepless ex supervacuo: superfluously ex tacito: tacitly ex tempore: on the spur of the moment ex toto: on the whole; entirely ex tutu: safely ex usu [of use]: useful or advantageous ex utraque parte: on either side ex vano: falsely; without cause ex vero: truly; well-grounded ex vi termini: by force of the term, limit, or restriction ex voto: according to one’s vow ex vulnere mori: to die of wounds exactio capitum: a poll tax 46
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS exanimis
extremus
exanimis or exanimus: lifeless exceptis excipiendis: (leg.) due exceptions or objections being made excerpta [excerpts]: selections excessit ex ephebis [he exceeds twenty years]: to come to the age of manhood excitare fluctus in simplo: to make a tempest in a teacup excudit (exc.): he/she fashioned it excursus: a digression exeat: let him depart exempli causa: for instance exempli gratia (e.g.) [for the sake of example]: for example exemplum (pl. exempla): a sample or copy exeunt (sing. exit) [they go out]: they leave the stage exeunt omnes [all go out]: all leave the stage exinde or exin [after this]: in logic, consequently or accordingly exit (pl. exeunt): he/she leaves the stage exlex: outside the law expedit mihi: it is in my interest or to my advantage experimentum crucis: a crucial test or experiment explicit [here ends]: the end (written at the end of a book manuscript) exploratum habeo: I am sure expressio verbis: in express terms exstat liber: an extant book extra jocum [ joking apart]: all joking aside extra modum: beyond measure extra muros: beyond the walls extra ordinem: in an unusual manner; extraordinarily extra telorum jactum [beyond throwing range]: out of range extremum bonorum: the highest good extremum malorum: the highest evil extremus: the outermost 47
VERBA fabella
farrago libelli
F fabella: a fable or a little story faber ferrarius: a blacksmith faber tignarius: a carpenter fabula: a comedy or a farce fabulae!: nonsense! fac sciam: let me know fac simile [do the like]: a close imitation of an original fac ut sciam: tell me facere sacramentum: to swear an oath facies Dei revelata: (theo.) the revealed face of God facile princeps [easily chief ]: easily the first facio ut des [I do that you may give]: (leg.) a type of commutative contract facio ut facias [I do that you may do]: (leg.) a type of commutative contract factotum [a “do everything”]: a jack-of-all-trades factum: an act or a deed factum est: it is done faeneus homines: men of straw faex populi (pl. faeses populi) [dregs of the people]: the common rabble fallacia consequentis [fallacy of the consequent]: in logic, a non sequitur falsa lectio (pl. falsae lectiones): a false or erroneous reading falsa religio or religio falsa: false religion falsi crimen: (leg.) the crime of falsification fama clamosa [noisy rumor]: a current scandal fama est [it is rumored]: there is a rumor familia: household fanum [a temple and its grounds]: a holy place farina: meal or flour farrago libelli [the medley of that little book of mine]: a hodgepodge ( Juvenal) 48
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS fartum
fiat haustus
fartum: stuffing fas est [it is allowed]: it is lawful fasces [bundle of sticks with protruding axe]: symbol of high office, such as a Roman Magistrate or Consul (later a symbol of fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini) fasti [calendar of events]: annals fasti et nefasti dies: lucky and unlucky days faustis ominibus: with favorable omens Favonius: the west winds fax [a torch]: an instigator; a stimulus febris: a fever februum: religious purification fecerunt (ff.) [they made it]: appended to the artists’ names on a painting fecit (fec.) [he/she made it]: appended to an artist’s name on a painting feles: a cat feliciter [happily]: fortunately felix culpa! [O fault most fortunate!]: St. Augustine’s allusion to the Fall of humanity that necessitated the coming of the Redeemer felix hora [lucky day]: a blessed occasion; a golden opportunity felo-de-se (pl. felones-de-se): (leg.) suicide; also, an illegal act that results in the death of the felon femina (f. or fem.): a woman femininum or feminus (f. or fem.): (gram.) feminine femur: the thigh fenestra [a window]: (leg.) a loophole ferae naturae [of a wild nature]: undomesticated (as opposed to domitae naturae) ferrum (fe.): iron ferus [a wild animal]: wild or uncivilized fessa aetas: old age fessus de via: travel weary fessus viator: a weary traveler fiat (ft.): let it be so!; (med.) let it be made fiat haustus (ft. h. or ft. haust.): (med.) let a draft be made 49
VERBA fiat mistura
flagrante delicto
fiat mistura (ft. m. or ft. mist.): (med.) let a mixture be made fiat pulvis (ft. p. or ft. pulv.): (med.) let a powder be made fictilia: pottery fictilis (fict.) [earthen]: made of potter’s clay ficus: a fig tree; a fig fide mea: on my word of honor fidei defensor (F.D. or Fid. Def.): Defender of the Faith (a title of the English monarch) fideliter: faithfully fides publica: a promise of protection or of safe-conduct fides Punica [Punic faith]: treachery Fiducia [trust]: an essential item in medieval Christian faith (together with Assensus and Notitia) fiducia sui: self-confidence fieri facias (fi. fa.) [cause it to be done]: a writ commanding the sheriff to execute a judgment filatim: thread by thread filia: daughter filioque [and from the son]: the clause later added to the Nicene Creed by the Western Catholic Church that precipitated further schism between Roman and Byzantine Christianity filius: son filius nullius [a son of nobody]: an illegitimate son filius populi [a son of the people]: a bastard filius terrae [a son of the earth]: a man of low birth or unknown origin filiusfamilias: a son still under the power of his father filum (pl. fila) [a thread]: a filament; a filar structure finem respice [consider the end]: have regard for the outcome finis: the end firmamentum: in rhetoric, the main point of an argument fistula: pipe; tube; a water pipe flabellum or flabrum: a fan flagrante bello [while the war is blazing]: during hostilities flagrante delicto [while the crime is blazing]: in the very act of the crime (i.e., red-handed) 50
flatus vocis
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS forum holitorium
flatus vocis [a mere word]: not real (St.Anselm) flebile ludibrium [a lamentable mockery]: a tragic farce floreat: may it flourish flores (fl.): flowers floruit (fl. or flor.): flourished flos: a flower or blossom flos aetatis: the heyday flos juventutis: the flower of youth fluidum extractum (fldxt.): (med.) fluid extract fluidus [liquid]: fluid flumine adverso [against the stream]: upstream flumine secundo [with the stream]: downstream folio (f.; pl. folia, ff.): book page folio recto (f.r.): on the front of the page (i.e., the right-hand page) folio verso (f.v.): on the back of the page (i.e., the left-hand page) folium or frons: a leaf fons: a fountain or freshwater spring fons et origo: the source and origin fons malorum: the source of evils fons omnium viventium: the fountain of all living things foramen magnum [great opening]: (anat.) the passage from the cranial cavity to the spinal canal forceps: a pair of tongs forensis strepitus: the clamor of the forum forfex: a pair of scissors formica: an ant fortiter: boldly fortitudini: for bravery fortuna adversa: misfortune fortuna prospera: good fortune fortuna secunda: good fortune fortunae naufragium: a shipwreck of fortune (Apuleius) forum: an open market or a public square forum bovarium or boarium: the cattle market forum holitorium: the vegetable market 51
VERBA forum piscarium
gemma
forum piscarium or piscatorium: the fish market fossa: a ditch fossio: an excavation frater (pl. fratres): a brother frater germanus: one’s own brother (as opposed to a stepbrother) fratres: brothers and sisters fraus pia: a pious fraud freno remisso: (to ride) with loose reins frustillatim: bit by bit frustra: in error; in vain fuimus [we have been]: we have made our mark fulmine ictus: struck by lightning fumos vendere: to sell smoke (Martial) functus officio [having performed the office]: having resigned from office funditus [from the bottom]: completely or entirely fundus: the ground fundus animae: the basis or basic essence of the soul fungus: a mushroom furca [two-pronged fork]: a pitch-fork furnus: an oven furor: madness furor loquendi: a passion for speaking furor poëticus: poetic inspiration furor scribendi: a passion for writing fusus crines: flowing free
G Gallice [in Gaulish]: in French gaudeo: I rejoice gaudium certaminis: delight of battle geminus (pl. gemini): twin gemma: a gem or jewel 52
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS generalia
grege facto
generalia: general principles genesis [beginning]: the constellation that presides over one’s birth genitalis dies: birthday genius loci (pl. genii loci) [the spirit of the place]: a guardian deity gens togata [the togaed nation]: Roman citizens or civilians generally (Virgil) genus dicendi: a turn of speech or phrase glebae ascriptus: attached to the soil gloria: glory Gloria in Excelsis Deo: Glory be to God Most High (the “greater doxology”) Gloria Patri: Glory be to the Father (the “lesser doxology”) gloriae cupidus: one desirous of glory gluten: glue gluteus maximus: (anat.) the major muscle of the buttocks gradarius: going step by step gradatim (grad.) [step by step]: gradually or by degrees gradatim plena: full by degrees Gradus ad Parnassum or Gradus [a step to Parnassus]: an aid in writing Latin verse grandis natu: aged granum (gr.): (med.) a grain gratia praeveniens [prevenient grace]: a Christian doctrine holding that God not only provides Grace but also the desire within the individual believer to receive it (St. Augustine) gratias agere: to give thanks gratias tibi ago: thank you gratis dictum: a mere assertion gratuitus: without cost (also gratis) gratus animus: gratitude gravatim: reluctantly gravitas: seriousness or weightiness graviter ictus: severely wounded gregatim [in flocks or in herds]: in droves grege facto: (mil.) in close order 53
VERBA grex venalium
hemina
grex venalium: a venal throng (Suetonius) gubernaculum: a ship’s rudder gubernator [a pilot]: a governor or director gurges: a whirlpool or eddy guttae (gtt.): (med.) drops guttatim: drop by drop gyrus: a ring or a circle
H habeas corpus ad subjiciendum or habeas corpus (hab. corp.) [that you have the body]: (leg.) a writ requiring that officials bring a detained individual before a court to decide the legality of that individual’s detention or imprisonment habemus papam! [we have a father!]: the cheer of the people upon the election of a new Catholic pope habet! [he has it]: he is hit (the cheer of the crowd when a gladiator is wounded, also hoc habet!) hac lege [with this law]: with this proviso hactenus: up to this point haesitantia linguae: a speech impediment hallex: the thumb or the big toe hara: a pigsty haruspex: an augur who examined entrails of sacrificed animals or other natural phenomena, such as lightning, to foretell the future haud or haut: by no means haud dubie [not a doubt]: certainly haud longis intervallis [at intervals by no means long]: at frequent intervals haustum ex vano: drawn from an uncertain source haustus (haust.): (med.) a draught Hecatean: magical heliotropium: a sunflower helluo librorum [a devourer of books]: a bookworm hemina: half a pint 54
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS herba
hoc titulo
herba: grass heres (pl. heredes; her.): (leg.) heir heres ex asse: (leg.) a sole heir heres ex besse: (leg.) heir to two-thirds of the property heres ex dodrante: (leg.) heir to three-quarters of the estate heri: yesterday Hesperius: western Hesperus: the Evening Star hesterni quirites [citizens of yesterday]: slaves recently set free hesternus: yesterday heus: hello! hiatus [a gap]: a blank space; something that is lost or missing hibernus: for the winter hic et nunc: here and now hic et ubique: here and everywhere hic iacet or hic jacet (H.I.): here lies hic iacet sepultus (H.I.S.): here lies buried hic sepultus (H.S.): here [lies] buried hic situs est …: here lies … hinc atque illinc: on this side and on that hippodromos: a horse track or race course his non obstantibus: notwithstanding these things hoc age [this do]: mind what you are about (i.e., be attentive) hoc anno (h.a.): in this year hoc loco (h.l.): in this place hoc mense (h.m.): in this month hoc mihi placet: this pleases me hoc monumentum posuit (H.M.P.): he/she erected this monument hoc nocte [this night]: tonight hoc opus: this is (my) work hoc quaere (h.q.): look for this hoc sensu (h.s.): in this sense hoc tempore (h.t.): at this time hoc titulo (h.t.): under this title 55
VERBA hodie
homo studiosus
hodie [this day]: today; at present homicidium: murder hominis iussu: with the sanction of a person homo (pl. homines): human being or man homo ansatus: a person standing with arms akimbo homo dissolutus: a libertine homo doctus: a man of letters homo ebriosus: a drunkard homo elegans: a well-dressed person (i.e., a dandy) homo erectus [upright man]: an early species of humans which stood upright homo gloriosus: a braggart homo ingeniosus: a person of talent or genius homo liberalis: a generous or courteous person homo ludens [playful man]: a definition of humans and human culture in terms of play (Huizinga) homo montanus: a highlander homo multarum literarum [a man of many letters]: a man of great learning homo necans: man the violent killer homo nefarius: an evil person homo nullius coloris: a man of no party homo nullius libri [a man of no book]: an unlearned person homo plebeius: a man of the people Homo Religiosus: religious man (Eliade) homo reus: (leg.) an accused or guilty person homo Roma natus: a native of Rome Homo Sapiens [wise man]: the human species of the genus Homo homo scelestus: a scoundrel homo seditiosus: a rebel or insurrectionist homo sine censu [a man without property]: the unlanded classes; the homeless homo solitarius: a recluse homo studiosus: a partisan 56
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS homo stultus humili loco natus
homo stultus: a fool homo sum: I am a man homo trium literarum [a man of three letters]: a thief (i.e., fur, a thief; Plautus) homo unius libri [a man of one book]: a person who relies upon one source or authority homo urbanus [townsman]: a refined person; a man of the world homo viator: man the wanderer (Marcel) homo voluptarius: a self-indulgent person honoris causa (h.c.) [for the sake of honor]: with due respect; honorary honoris gratia: honorary hora (H. or hor.): (med.) hour hora decubitus (hor. decub.): (med.) at bedtime hora quota est?: what time is it? horae canonicae [canonical hours]: hours for prayer horae subsicivae: leisure hours horno: this year horologium: a timepiece horribile dictu: horrible to tell horribile visu: horrible to see horsum: in this direction hortus siccus [a dry garden]: an herbarium hospes: a guest hospes hostis: a stranger or enemy hostia [an animal given in sacrifice]: a victim hostis patriae: a rebel huc et illuc: hither and thither hui [hello!]: wow! hujus anni: of this year hujus mensis: of this month Humaniora: the Humanities humanitas: humanity humi: on the ground humili loco natus: of humble origin 57
VERBA hydra
illotis manibus
Hydra: a many-headed water snake hyperbole: an exaggeration hypogeum: an underground vault
I iam iam (or jam jam) [now now]: forthwith Iapyx or Japyx: the west-northwest wind ibidem (ib. or ibid.): in the same place (e.g., in a book) id aetatis: of that age id demum: that and that alone id est (i.e.) [that is]: that is to say id genus omne: all that sort (Horace) id temporis: at that time idem (id.) [the same]: the same as above idem quod (i.q.): the same as idem sonans [sounding alike]: having the same sound or meaning identidem: repeatedly idoneus homo [a fit man]: a man of proven ability iecur: the liver (thought to be the seat of the passions) ieiunitas: hunger; emptiness ieiunium: days of abstinence; a period of fasting ientaculum: breakfast ignis: fire ignobile vulgus [the lowborn multitude]: the great unwashed ignoramus: we are ignorant ignoratio elenchi [ignorant reasoning]: in logic, the fallacy of refutation by indirection (i.e., disputing a point not raised by one’s opponent) ignotus (ign.): unknown Ilias malorum [an Iliad of woes]: a series of calamities (Cicero) ilicet [forthwith]: immediately ilico: on the spot illiterati (sing. illiteratus): the unlettered; the uneducated illotis manibus [with unwashed hands]: unprepared 58
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS illuminati
in absoluto
illuminati (sing. illuminatus): the enlightened imagines majorum: portraits of ancestors imago Dei [the image of God]: the divine aspect of the human person (Genesis 1: 27) imago mundi: a symbolic representation of the world imitatio dei: religious rituals or other symbolic acts that replicate some divine action or sacred event (e.g., the Jewish Passover, the Christian Eucharist, the Hajj) immedicabile vulnus: an incurable wound (Ovid) immo: on the contrary immodicus: excessive immotus: immovable; unmoved immunis: exempt immutata oratio: an allegory imo pectore: from the bottom of the heart impari Marte: with unequal military strength impavide: fearlessly impendio: very much imperium: power; the right to command imperium singulare: absolute power impermissus: forbidden impietas: unbelief implicite: by implication impos animi [having no power over the mind]: an imbecile impotens sui [having no power over one’s self ]: unrestrained; passionate impotentia: poverty impraesentiarum: for the present imprimatur [let it be published]: official approval to print or publish a work imprimis (impr.): first of all; first in order; principally impulsu tuo: at your instigation imum mare: the bottom of the sea in absentia (i.a.): in absence in absoluto: absolutely 59
VERBA in abstracto
in dies singulos
in abstracto: in the abstract in actu [in act or in reality]: in the very act in adversum montem: up the mountain in aequo: on equal terms in aeternum [forever]: from everlasting to everlasting in alio loco: in another place in altum: toward heaven in ambiguo [in doubt]: in a doubtful manner in anima vili: on a subject of little worth in armis [in arms]: under arms in articulo mortis: at the point or moment of death in banco: (leg.) in full court in banco regis: in the King’s Bench in bello: in time of war in bonis: (leg.) in or among the goods or property in camera [in chamber]: (leg.) at chambers (i.e., in private, not in open court); a meeting that is held in secret in capite [in chief ]: (leg.) rights bestowed by a feudal lord in carcerem: in prison in cassum: in vain in commendam [in trust for a time]: (eccles.) a benefice held by a person in absence of an incumbent in concordia vocum: in unison in contrarium: in an opposite direction in contumaciam: (leg.) in contempt of court in corpore [in body]: in substance in cumulo: in a heap in curia: in open court in custodia legis: (leg.) in the custody of the law in custodiam: in prison in deposito [on deposit]: as a pledge in die: on the day in diem vivere [to live for today]: to live from hand to mouth in dies (in d.) [from day to day]: (med.) daily in dies singulos: from day to day 60
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS in directum
in incertum
in directum: in a straight line in discrimine esse: to be at stake in discrimine rerum [at the point of crisis]: at the turning point in dorso: in or on the back in dubio [in doubt]: undetermined in dubium vocare: to call into question in eo est [the position is such]: it depends on this in equilibrio: in equilibrium in esse [in being]: in actual existence (as opposed to in posse) in excelsis: in the highest in extenso: at full length (i.e., unabridged) in extremis: at the point of death in extremo libro: at the end of the book in facie curiae: (leg.) in the presence of or before the court in fieri [pending]: (leg.) in course of completion in flagrante delicto [while the crime is blazing]: (leg.) in the very act (i.e., caught red-handed) in folio [in leaves]: in a folio volume (i.e., in the form of a sheet folded once) in forma pauperis [as a poor man]: (leg.) not liable to costs in foro conscientiae: in the court or tribunal of conscience in foro domestico: in a domestic court (as opposed to a foreign court) in fumo: in smoke in futuro: in the future in futurum: for the future in genere: in kind in gremio legis [in the bosom of the law]: under the protection of the law in hac parte: on this part in horam vivere: to live for the moment in horas: hourly in illo tempore [in those days]: in the Golden Age (i.e., in the time when gods and goddesses walked the earth) in incertum: for an indefinite period 61
VERBA in infinitum
in omne tempus
in infinitum [to infinity]: forever in intellectu: in the mind in invidiam [in ill-will]: to excite prejudice in invitum [against the unwilling]: compulsory in itinere [on the journey]: by the wayside in jure: (leg.) according to the law in limine (in lim.) [on the threshold]: in the beginning in limine belli: at the outbreak of war in litteris (in litt.): in correspondence in litus or in litore: ashore in loco [in the place]: in the proper or natural place in loco citato (loc. cit.): in the place cited in loco parentis: in the place of a parent in longitudinem: length-wise in majus: to a higher degree in malam partem: in a bad sense in manibus [hand to hand]: on hand in medias res [into the midst of things]: into the heart of the matter (in literature, a story that begins in the midst of the plot) in mediis rebus: in the midst of things in medio: in the middle in meditatione fugae: (leg.) in contemplation of flight in melius mutari: to take a turn for the better in memoriam [in memory]: in memory of in meridiem: in or toward the south in mora [in delay]: (leg.) in default in naturalibus [in a state of nature]: in the nude in nomine: in the name of in nomine Domini: in the name of the Lord in notis: in the notes in nubibus [in the clouds]: befogged or confused in nuce: in a nutshell in obliquum [in an oblique direction]: sideways in oculis civium [in the eyes of citizens]: in public view in omne tempus: forever 62
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS in omnes partes in procinctu
in omnes partes: in all directions in omnia paratus: prepared for all things in omnibus [in all things]: in all respects in ovo [in the egg]: undeveloped in pace: in peace in pari causa: in an equal cause in pari delicto: (leg.) two equally at fault in pari materia: in an analogous case in partibus infidelium (i.p.i.) or in partibus (i.p.) [in the lands of the unbelievers]: a titular bishop whose title is that of an extinct Roman Catholic see in pectore [in the breast]: in secret; in reserve in periculo mortis: in danger of death in perpetuam rei memoriam: (leg.) in perpetual memory of the matter in perpetuum: forever in persona: in person in persona Christi: in the person of Christ in personam [against the person]: (leg.) against a particular person as distinguished from a particular thing (in rem) in pios usus: for pious uses in plano: on a plane or level surface in pleno: in full in pontificalibus [in pontificals]: in episcopal robes in posse [in possibility]: potentially (as opposed to in esse) in posterum [for the next day]: for the future in potentia [in possibility]: potentially in praesens: for the moment in praesens tempus: for the present time in praesenti: at the present time in praesentia: for the present in primis: first of all; principally; especially in principio (in pr.): in the beginning in privato: in private in procinctu [with loins girded]: in readiness for battle 63
VERBA in promptu
in testimonium
in promptu [in readiness]: at a moment’s notice in propatulo [in the open]: publicly in propatulo aedium: in the open court (Livy) in propria causa: (leg.) in his or her own suit in propria persona: (leg.) in one’s own person in prospectu: in prospect in publico [in the streets]: in public in puris naturalibus [in a purely natural state]: stark naked in re [in the matter of ]: concerning in rebus multis [in many things]: tending to many things; busy in a matter in rem [in or against a thing]: to one’s advantage; (leg.) against a particular thing as distinguished from a particular person (in personam) in rerum natura: in the nature of things in saecula saeculorum [for ages of ages]: forever and ever in se: in itself in singulos menses: in each month in situ [in its place]: in proper position in solidum or in solido [for the whole]: (leg.) jointly in somnis: in a dream in somno: asleep; in a dream in statu pupillari: in a state of pupilage in statu quo: in the state in which it was before in statu quo ante bellum: in the state in which it was before the war in tempore: at the right moment in time in tempore ipso: at the very instant in tempore opportuno: at the opportune time in tempus [for a time]: temporarily in tenebris [in darkness]: in a state of doubt in terminis [in express terms]: definitely in terram demergi: to sink into the earth in terrorem [in terror]: as a warning in testimonium: in witness 64
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS in totidem verbis
index
in totidem verbis: in so many words in toto [on the whole]: altogether in toto caelo: as far as possible in transitu (in trans.) [in transit]: on the way in transversum: across in tuto esse [to be in a position of safety]: in a safe place in unguem [to a fingernail]: to a T (i.e., perfectly) in universum [on the whole]: universal or universally in unum: in or into one place in usu: in use in utero (in ut.): in the womb in utramque partem: pro and con in utraque re: in both cases in utroque fidelis: faithful in both in utroque jure: (leg.) under both laws (i.e., civil and canon) in utrumque paratus: prepared for either event in vacuo: in a vacuum in vadio: in pledge in ventre: (leg.) in the womb in vicem or in vices [in turn]: alternately; reciprocally in vita esse: to be alive in vitro (in vit.): in a glass; in a test tube or petri dish in vivo: (med.) in the living organism inanis equus: riderless Incarnatus [incarnate]: a part of the Nicene Creed referring to the incarnation of Christ incipit: (lit.) here begins (i.e., the beginning of a literary text) incoctus [uncooked]: raw incognita causa: (leg.) without examination incommodo tuo: to your disadvantage incubus [nightmare]: a male spirit or demon believed to prey sexually on young women while asleep in their beds indeterminans or indeterminatus (indet.): unidentified; undefined index [a sign]: the forefinger 65
VERBA Index Expurgatorius
inibi
Index Expurgatorius: a list of books from which offending passages must be purged before they may be read by Catholics Index Librorum Prohibitorum: a list of prohibited books drawn up at the Roman Catholic Council of Trent, first published in 1557 and regularly updated index rerum [an index of matters]: a reference notebook index verborum: an index of words indicium (pl. indicia) [an indicating mark or sign]: a symptom indicta causa: (leg.) without a hearing indictum sit: be it unsaid indidem: from the same place or matter indolatus corpora: without funeral honors indolentia: free from pain inedita (sing. ineditus): unpublished compositions inemptus: unbought infamia: ill-fame infaustus: unlucky infelicitas: misfortune infernus [below]: of the lower world infidelis: unfaithful infima species (pl. infimae species): the lowest species of a genus or class infimo loco natus: from the lowest classes infimus mons: at the foot of the mountain infirmus [weak or feeble]: sickly inflatilia: (mus.) wind instruments inflatus [inflated]: puffed up; inspired; (med.) swollen infra (inf.) [below]: further on (e.g., in a book) infra dignitatem (infra dig.) [beneath one’s dignity]: unbecoming infrons: leafless ingens aequor: the vast ocean ingratus: thankless ingratus animus: ingratitude inhumatus: unburied inibi: near at hand 66
inimicus
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS intercus aqua
inimicus: a public enemy iniquus [uneven]: one-sided initio (init.): in or at the beginning or start (usu. referring to a passage in a book) initio anni: at the beginning of the year inlex: lawless inlicitus: illegal innuba or innupta: unmarried inolens: without smell inquirendo [by inquiring]: (leg.) authority to inquire into something for the Crown insalutato hospite [without saluting one’s host]: without saying goodbye insanabilis: incurable insculpsit: he or she engraved it insepultus: unburied insomnis: sleepless instar omnium: (leg.) equal to or worth all the others insula: an island insuper: above; besides integer vitae [blameless of life]: an upright person intempesta nox: the dead of the night inter: between or among inter alia: among other things inter alios: among other persons inter cenam: during dinner inter epulas [during the feast]: while feasting inter nos [between ourselves]: mutually inter pares: among equals inter pocula [between cups]: over a glass (Persius) inter regalia: among or part of the regalia inter se [between or among themselves]: reciprocally inter vivos: among the living intercus: under the skin intercus aqua: (med.) dropsy 67
VERBA interdictum
ipsissimis verbis
interdictum: a prohibition interdius [in the daytime]: by day interdum: now and then interim: meanwhile interiora vide: look within interlunium: the period of the new moon intermundia: the space between the worlds internus: inward; internal interregnum: a period between two reigns interrex: a regent or temporary chief magistrate interrogatio: in logic, an argument (i.e., syllogism) intertextus: interwoven intra: inside; within intra jactum: (mil.) within range intra muros: within the walls [of a city] intra parietes: within the walls [of a house] intra vires [within the powers]: within the legal authority of intrepidus: calm intro: inwards; within intuitu: in respect of intumulatus: unburied intus: from the inside; inwardly inurbanus: rude inutilis: useless invenit (inv.): he or she designed it inverso ordine: in inverse order inversus: overturned; upside down invictus: unbeaten invidia: envy or jealousy invitatu: by invitation invitatus a me: at my invitation invitatus a te: at your invitation ipse dixit [he himself has spoken it]: a dictum ipsissima verba: the very words ipsissimis verbis: in the very words 68
ipso facto
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS judicium Dei
ipso facto [by the fact itself ]: by that very fact ipso jure: by the law itself ira deorum: the wrath of god; divine retribution irrevocabile verbum: an irrevocably spoken word ita: yes; thus ita?: really? ita res est or ita est: it is so Italice [in Italian]: in the Italian manner item or itidem: likewise iter impeditum: an impassable road iter pedestre: going by foot iter terrestre: going by land iter unius diei: a day’s journey iterum [again]: anew; for the second time itinera diurna nocturnaque: traveling day and night Iudaeus: Jew iussu: by order or by command
J (N.B., the letter j, J was not known in Classical Latin but was created by Renaissance Italian humanists in order to distinguish consonanted from non-consonanted forms of i, I) jam jam (or iam iam) [now now]: forthwith jam satis: already enough januae mentis [gates of the mind]: inlets of knowledge januis clausis [with closed doors]: in secret joci causa: for the sake of the joke judex: a judge judex incorruptus: an impartial judge judicia nulla [lawlessness]: anarchy judicis: panel of jurors judicium: a trial or legal decision judicium Dei [the judgment of God]: trial by ordeal 69
VERBA judicium perversum
jus naturae
judicium perversum: a miscarriage of justice jugulum (also iugulum or iugulus): the throat jumentum: a beast of burden junior: younger Juppiter Tonans: Jupiter the Thunderer jurare in verba magistri [to swear the words of the master]: a confession jure: by right or by law jure coronae: by right of crown jure divino: by divine right or by divine law jure humano [by human law]: by the will of the people jure mariti [by a husband’s right]: by marital law jure non dono: by right, not by gift jure propinquitatis: by right of relationship jure sanguinis: by right of blood Juris or Jurum Doctor [ J.D.]: doctor of law (a professional degree) juris peritus: an expert in the law Juris Utriusque Doctor [ J.U.D.]: doctor of both canon and civil law jurisdictionis fundandae causa (or gratia): for the sake of establishing jurisdiction jus (pl. jures): law; legal right jus canonicum: canon law jus civile: civil law jus commune: common law jus divinum: divine law jus et norma loquendi [the law and rule of speech]: ordinary usage jus gentium [law of nations]: international law (Cicero) jus gladii [law of the sword]: supreme jurisdiction jus in re: a real right jus mariti: the right of a husband jus mercatorum: commercial or mercantile law jus naturae or jus naturale: natural law 70
jus nullum
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS lac concretum
jus nullum: absence of justice jus pignoris: the right of pledge jus possessionis [right of possession]: (leg.) hypothecation jus postliminii [law of postliminium]: (leg.) restoration or repatriation of goods or persons captured during war upon coming once again under the jurisdiction of the original nation from which the goods or persons were taken jus primae noctis: the right of the first night jus proprietatis: right of property jus regium: right of royalty jus relicti: the right of the widow jus sanguinis: the law of consanguinity (i.e., the citizenship of the parents determines the citizenship of the child) jus soli: the law of the soil (i.e., the place of birth determines the citizenship of the child) jusjurandum (pl. jusjuranda): an oath jussu: by order or by command justo tempore: at the right time juxta [close by]: equally juxta solem cadentem: in the west
K kalendae Graecae [the Greek calends]: never (the Greek calendar did not mark the calends) Kyrie eleison [Lord, have mercy on us]: a section of the Latin Mass
L labia or labium: the lip labor irritus: useless toil; vain labor labores solis: an eclipse of the sun labrum: a bath tub or wash basin lac: milk lac concretum: curdled milk 71
VERBA lac recens
legalis homo
lac recens: fresh milk lacerta: a lizard lacertus: the upper arm with its muscles lacrima Christi: the tear of Christ lacteus orbis (also orbis lacteus): the Milky Way lacuna (pl. lacunae): a gap or deficiency laesa majestas [lese majesty]: high treason laeva [left]: left-handed lana caprina [goat’s wool]: a nonexistent thing; a trifle lapidarius: a stonemason lapis (pl. lapides): a stone lapis philosophorum: the philosopher’s stone (an imaginary substance which alchemists believed would change base metals into gold) lapsus [a slip]: a lapse or blunder lapsus calami: a slip of the pen lapsus linguae: a slip of the tongue lapsus memoriae: a lapse of memory lar (pl. lares): a tutelary deity or beneficent ancestral spirit lar familiaris [household deity]: the spirit of the founder of the family lares et penates [household deities]: the home Latine [in Latin]: in the Latin manner or style Latine dictum: spoken in Latin Latissimus dorsi (pl. Latissimi dorsi): (anat.) the back muscle latitat: he lurks; he lies hid lato sensu: in a broad sense (the opposite of stricto sensu) latus: broad; wide laudatio funebris: a eulogy laudis cupidus: one desirous of praise lectio senatus: the roll call of senators lector benevole: gentle reader lectori benevolo (L.B.): to the gentle reader lectori salutem (L.S.): greetings to the reader legalis homo [legal man]: a person of full legal rights 72
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS legatus a latere
licet
legatus a latere: a papal legate legenda: things to be read leges nullae [lawlessness]: anarchy legis pacis: conditions of peace Legum Baccalaureus (LL.B.): Bachelor of Laws Legum Doctor (LL.D.): Doctor of Laws lene tormentum: gentle torment leo: a lion leonina societas: a leonine partnership (a legally invalid partnership in which the partner shares in the losses but not in the profits) lepus: a hare lex (pl. leges): law or statute lex aeterna: eternal law lex inrita est: a law is invalid lex loci: the law of the place lex mercatoria or lex mercatorum: mercantile law lex non scripta [unwritten law]: common law lex rata est: a law is valid lex salica [law of the Salian Franks]: the ancient law denying the French monarchy to women lex scripta [written law]: statute law lex talionis: the law of retaliation (e.g., an eye for an eye) lex terrae: the law of the land libellus: a letter or petition liber (pl. libri; L. or lib.): a book libertas: liberty or freedom liberum arbitrium [free will]: free choice libido (pl. libidines) [desire]: the sex instinct or sex drive libra: a pair of scales libra pondo (lb.) [scale according to weight]: a Roman pound (i.e., 12 oz) licentia: excessive liberty or license licentia poëtica: poetic license (Seneca) licentia vatum: poetic license licet [it is permitted]: it is legal 73
VERBA lignator
loco
lignator: a woodcutter limbus [limbo]: the border regions of hell limbus fatuorum: fools’ paradise limbus infantium [infants’ paradise]: limbo for unbaptized children limbus patrum [paradise of the Fathers]: the place for the souls of the righteous before the advent of the Christian Gospel limbus puerorum: children’s paradise limen: a threshold lingua [the tongue]: a language or tongue lingua Latina: the Latin language lingua vulgaris [common tongue]: vernacular language or colloquial expression lis pendens: (leg.) a pending lawsuit lis sub judice: (leg.) a lawsuit before a judge yet to be decided lite pendente: (leg.) during the trial litera canina or littera canina [the canine letter]: the letter R, possibly because of its sound literae Bellerophontis [a Bellerophon’s letter]: a letter requesting that the bearer be summarily punished for an offense literati or litterati [persons of letters]: the learned class literatim or litteratim [letter for letter]: literally literatus or litteratus [well-read]: learned or educated littera scripta manet: the written letter remains Litterae Humaniores (Lit. Hum.): the Humanities (e.g., the ancient Classics) litterae scriptae [written letters]: manuscripts Litterarum Doctor (Litt.D.): Doctor of Letters Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor (L.H.D.): Doctor of Humanities loca deserta: the desert lands loca inculta: uncultivated country loca longinqua: distant places loca plana [level country]: the plains locatio [a letting]: (leg.) leasing loci communes (sing. locus communis): public places loco: in the place 74
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS loco citato
lucubratus
loco citato (loc. cit. or l.c.): in the place cited loco laudato (loc. laud.): in the place cited with approval loco supra citato (l.s.c.): in the place cited above locum tenens (pl. locum tenentes): a substitute or deputy, esp. for a physician or a cleric locus (pl. loci) [a place]: a written passage locus citatus: the quoted passage locus classicus (pl. loci classici) [classical passage]: an oft-cited passage locus communis (pl. loci communes) [a common place]: a public place; a place of the dead locus criminis: the scene of the crime locus delicti: the scene of the crime locus in quo [place in which]: the place where a passage occurs locus poenitentiae: a place or opportunity for repentance locus pugnae: a battlefield locus sigilli (L.S.): the place of the seal locus standi [a place of standing]: recognized position; (leg.) right to appear before a court (i.e., a right to be heard by a judge) logos: word longitudo: length longo intervallo: by a long interval longus pedes sex: six feet long loquitur (loq.): he/she speaks lotio (lot.): (med.) a lotion lotis manibus: with washed hands lubricus: slippery lucescit [it grows light]: day is breaking lucet [it is light]: it is day lucidus ordo: a clear arrangement Lucifer [light-bringing]: the morning star lucri causa: for the sake of gain luctator: a wrestler lucubratus [work done by a night lamp]: late-night study 75
VERBA lucus a non lucendo
magister dixit
lucus a non lucendo [grove from not being light]: explanation by contraries (a play on words between lucus [grove] and lucre [to shine] which appear etymologically related but are not—hence the logical fallacy of drawing incorrect conclusions from seemingly related facts) ludus gladiatorius: a school for gladiators ludus literarum or ludus litterarius: an elementary school lues: a plague lues venerea: (med.) syphilis lumen fidei: light of faith lumen gratiae: light of grace lumen naturale [light of nature]: natural intelligence lumen naturale rationis [natural light of reason]: (theo.) knowledge of divine things without the direct assistance of God luna: the moon luna crescens: a waxing moon luna decrescens: a waning moon lunae lumen: moonlight lusus naturae: a freak of nature lux: light lux mundi: light of the world lux vitae: light of life
M mactatio [a sacrifice]: (theo.) referring to the sacrificial death of Christ macte!: well done!; good luck! maculis distinctus: spotted maculis interfusa: stained here and there magister: master or teacher Magister Artium (M.A.): Master of Arts magister ceremoniarum: master of ceremonies magister dixit: the master has spoken it (an invocation of the authority of Aristotle in medieval scholasticism) 76
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS magister internus malevolentia
magister internus: inward teacher magister ludi [master of the games]: an elementary school teacher Magisterium: The Roman Catholic tradition, its authority, teachings, and holy offices Magna Carta: the Great Charter of civil rights and freedoms signed by King John and the English nobility in 1215 CE magna cum laude: with great praise magna ex parte: to a great extent Magna Mater [the Great Mother]: a deity related to the ancient cult of Mithras magna voce: aloud magni momenti: a great moment (i.e., a turning point) magnificat [it magnifies]: a Christian hymn of praise (after St. Luke 1: 46) magno cum detrimento: with great loss (of life) magno cum fletu: with many tears magno opere [very much]: greatly magno pretio or magni pretii: at a high price (i.e., costly) magnum bonum: a great good magnum iter: (mil.) a forced march magnum opus or opus magnum (pl. magna opera) [a great work]: an author’s greatest work; a masterpiece magus (pl. magi): a wizard or magician Majestas Dei: (theo.) the majesty of God major natu: older child major pars: the majority majusculae [uncials]: large capital letters characteristic of early Latin manuscripts mala fide [in bad faith]: false or falsely; treacherously (opposite of bona fide) mala fides [bad faith]: dishonest intention (opposite of bona fides) mala in se: inherently evil mala praxis: malpractice male gratus: unthankful maledictum: cursing malevolentia: ill-will; malice 77
VERBA mali exempli
maritus
mali exempli [of bad example]: of bad precedent malis avibus [with unfavorable birds]: under bad auspices (Cicero) malleus: a hammer or mallet malo animo: with intent to do evil malo modo: in an evil manner malum (pl. mala): an evil malum in se [a thing evil in itself ]: (leg.) a thing unlawful in itself, regardless of statute malum prohibitum (pl. mala prohibita) [a prohibited evil]: (leg.) an act that is unlawful because it is forbidden by law (i.e., a legal crime though not necessarily a moral crime) malus pudor: false modesty mamma: the breast mandamus [we command]: in English law, a high court writ issued to a lower court ordering performance of a legal duty or enforcement of a legal directive mandatum: a message or commission manes: spirits of the dead manet [he/she remains]: he/she remains on stage manet cicatrix: the scar remains mania a potu [mania from drinking]: delirium tremens manica [manacles]: handcuffs manipulus: a handful manu [by the hand]: in the handwriting of manu forti [with a strong hand]: by force manu propria: with one’s own hand manumissio: emancipation from slavery manuscriptum (MS; pl. manuscripta, MSS): a manuscript mare clausum [closed sea]: a sea within the jurisdiction of a particular country mare liberum [open sea]: a sea open to all Mare Nostrum [our sea]: the Mediterranean Sea margarita: a pearl marginalia: marginal notes marita: a wife maritus: a husband 78
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS Marsicum bellum mediterraneus
Marsicum bellum: the Social War between Marius and Sulla (90–88 BCE) mas or masculus (m.): male or manly masculinum (m. or masc.): masculine mater: mother Mater dolorosa [the sorrowing Mother]: the Holy Mother sorrowing at the Cross materfamilias [a married woman]: the mother of the family or of the household materia medica: (med.) drugs and remedies used by physicians to heal patients maximam partem: for the most part maximus natu: the eldest child me absente: in my absence me auctore: by my advice me duce: under my leadership or direction me indicente: without my saying a word me invito: against my will me judice [I being judge]: in my opinion me libente: with my pleasure or goodwill me paenitet [I regret it]: I’m sorry me vivo: in my lifetime mea culpa [my fault]: by my fault mea de causa: on my account mea gratia: for my sake media acies: the center of the field of battle media nox: midnight media urbs: the city center media via: the middle of the road; the middle way Medicinae Doctor (M.D.): Doctor of Medicine medicus: a physician Medicus Veterinarius (M.V.): a veterinarian mediocris: middling; ordinary meditatio fugae: (leg.) contemplation of flight mediterraneus: inland 79
VERBA medius fidius!
mercatus
medius fidius!: so help me God! mel: honey meliora: better things; or, always better (motto of the University of Rochester, NY) meliores priores [the better, the first]: the better ones first melioribus annis [in the better years]: in happier times melioribus auspiciis: under more favorable auspices mellitus [honeyed]: sweetened with honey; sweet as honey membratim [limb by limb]: one by one; piecemeal membrum virile [the male member]: the penis memento mori [remember you must die]: an object serving as a reminder of death memor esto: be mindful of; think upon memorabilia: things worthy of remembrance memoria in aeterna: in everlasting remembrance memoria technica [artificial memory]: a system of memory (i.e., mnemonics) memoriter [from memory]: by heart mendicus: a beggar mens divinior [a mind of diviner cast]: an inspired soul (Horace) mens legis: the spirit of the law mens rea: a guily intent mensa: a table or altar mensa et toro (or thoro): (leg.) from bed and board mensa secunda: dessert mensis: month menstruus: monthly or month-long mente captus: beside oneself mentum: the chin meo judicio: in my judgment meo nomine: on my account meo periculo [by my peril]: at my own risk meo voto: by my wish mercator: a merchant mercatus: merchant business or trade 80
merda
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS Missa ad fugal
merda: excrement meretrix: a harlot meridies (M. or m.) [midday]: noon merum sal [pure salt]: genuine Attic wit messis ingrata: a poor harvest messis opima: a good harvest meum et tuum: (leg.) mine and thine (expressing rights of property) meus [mine]: my friend (e.g., Claudius meus: my friend Claudius) miles gloriosus: a boastful soldier militia: warfare mille passuum [a thousand paces]: a Roman mile minime vero: not at all minimum: a very little minimus: the smallest or the least minor natu: younger minus bene [less well]: unsatisfactorily minusculae [small letters]: lower-case Roman letters in later Latin manuscripts minutatim [bit by bit]: gradually minutia (pl. minutiae) [smallness]: a trifle mirabile dictu: wonderful to say mirabile visu: wonderful to behold mirabilia [wonders]: miracles mirum in modum [in a wonderful manner]: surprisingly misce: (med.) mix miserabile dictu: sad to relate miserabile vulgus: a wretched mob miserere mei: have mercy on me miserere nobis: have mercy on us misericordia [heart of mercy]: pity or compassion Missa (pl. Missae): the Mass Missa ad canones: (mus.) a Mass in canonic style Missa ad fugal: (mus.) a Mass in fugal style 81
VERBA Missa bassa
moles belli
Missa bassa: Low Mass Missa brevis: (mus.) a brief Mass Missa cantata: Mass sung, but without deacon and subdeacon Missa catechumenorum: Mass of the catechumens Missa fidelium: Mass of the faithful Missa in Tempore Belli: Mass in Time of War (composition by Franz Joseph Haydn) Missa pro defunctis [Mass for the dead]: a Requiem Mass Missa sine nomine: (mus.) Mass without a name Missa solemnis: High Mass mitis sapientia: gentle wisdom mitra [headdress]: a ceremonial hat worn by popes, bishops, and abbots mittimus [we send]: a warrant of commitment to prison; a writ to remove records from one court to another; a dismissal or a discharge mobile perpetuum: perpetual motion mobile vulgus (mob.): the fickle masses (i.e., the mob) modestia: sense of discipline modo et forma: in manner and form modo praescripto (mod. praesc.): (med.) as directed or prescribed modus (pl. modi): a mode, method, or manner modus operandi: a mode of operating modus ponendo tollens: in logic, a mode of reasoning that denies by affirming (e.g., either p or q [but not both]; p, therefore not q; or vice versa) modus ponens: in logic, a mode of reasoning that affirms by affirming (e.g., if p then q; p, therefore q) modus tollendo ponens: in logic, a mode of reasoning that affirms by denying (e.g., either p or q; not p, therefore q) modus tollendo tollens or modus tollens: in logic, a mode of reasoning that denies by denying (e.g., if p then q; not q, therefore not p) modus vivendi [manner of living]: (leg.) a temporary working agreement or compromise between two disputants pending a settlement of differences moles belli: siege machines 82
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS mollia tempora multa paucis
mollia tempora: favorable occasions momentum: movement or motion mone sale [advise with salt]: to give discreet advice mons: a mountain morbo corripi: racked with disease morbus comitialis: (med.) epilepsy morbus ingravescit: (med.) the disease grows worse mordax: biting; cynical mordicus [by biting]: with the teeth more [after the manner of ]: in the fashion of more Anglico: in the English fashion more dicto: in the manner directed more Hibernico: in the Irish fashion more meo [in my usual manner]: in my own way more Socratico [after the manner of Socrates]: dialectically more solito: in the usual manner more suo [in his usual manner]: in his own way mores (pl. mos) [customs, habits]: customary usages; (leg.) unwritten laws mors immatura or mors praematura: an untimely death mortis causa: by reason of impending death mortuus: dead; defunct morum praecepta: moral teaching mos majorum: ancestral custom mos pravus: a bad custom mos pro lege [custom for law]: usage has the force of law motu proprio [by one’s own motion]: of one’s own accord mox: soon mox nox: soon night mugitus labyrinthi [the bellowing of the labyrinth]: a weak and predictable theme from an amateur writer ( Juvenal) mulier: a woman multa de nocte or multa nocte: late at night multa gemens: with many a groan (Virgil) multa paucis [much in little]: many things in few words 83
VERBA multi
mysterium fascinosum
multi [the many]: the common crowd multimodis [in many ways]: variously multis cum lacrimis: with many tears multis partibus: many times multis rebus: in many respects multo mane: early in the morning multo post: much later multorum deorum cultus: polytheism multum demissus homo: a very modest or unassuming man (Horace) multum in parvo: much in little multum, non multa: much, not many (Pliny the Younger) multus sermo: a long conversation mundanus: a citizen of the world mundi universitas: the universe mundus: the world mundus imaginalis: the world of images mundus intelligibilis: the intelligible world mundus sensibilis: the sensible world muralis corona: the crown of honor given to the first person over the wall of a besieged city murus: a wall mus: a mouse musca: a fly muscae volitantes [flying flies]: (med.) specks before the eyes mutanda: things to be altered mutatis mutandis (m.m.): the necessary changes being made mutato nomine: the name having been changed mutuis officiis: by mutual assistance mutuus consensus: mutual consent mysteria: cultic mysteries or secret rites mysterium fascinosum [a fascinating mystery]: (theo.) the feeling of awe-inspiring fascination in the presence of the Almighty God (Otto) 84
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS mysterium stupendum
ne multa
mysterium stupendum [an astounding mystery]: (theo.) to be dumbfounded or thunderstruck by the awareness of the presence of the Almighty God (Otto) mysterium tremendum [a tremendous mystery]: (theo.) the feeling of awful dread in the presence of the Almighty God (Otto)
N nares or naris: the nose natale solum: native soil nati natorum [the children of our children]: posterity (Virgil) natu: by birth natura naturans [nature naturing]: (theo.) refers to God as the creative principle of created things (i.e., the infinite creating the finite) natura naturata [nature natured]: (theo.) refers to created things which find their principle being in God (i.e., the finite dependent on the infinite) naturae bona: natural advantages naturae bonitas: innate goodness naturalia: the sex organs natus (n.): born natus ad gloriam: born to glory natus nemo [not a born soul]: not a human being; (fig.) a nobody (Plautus) nauta: a sailor navis: a ship navis constrata: a decked ship navis longa: a man-of-war navis magister: a ship’s captain navis oneraria: a transport ship navis praetoria: a flagship ne admittas: do not admit ne exeat regno or ne exeat [let him not go out of the realm]: a writ of restraint ne multa: in brief 85
VERBA ne nimium
nihil
ne nimium [not too much]: do nothing in excess ne obliviscaris [lest ye forget]: do not forget ne plus ultra [not more beyond]: the highest point attainable or attained ne quid falsi: nothing false Ne Temere [not rashly]: a decree by the Roman Catholic Church invalidating all marriages not consecrated before a priest and the proper witnesses nebula: a fog; a vapor nebulo: a fog-headed person (i.e., good-for-nothing) nec caput nec pedes [neither head nor foot]: in confusion nec mora nec requies [neither delay nor rest]: without intermission (Virgil) nedum: not to say nefasti dies: unlucky days (in ancient Rome, assemblies did not convene and legal pronouncements were not made on these days) nego argumentum: I refuse the argument negotia publica: public affairs nemine contradicente: no one contradicting nemine dissentiente: no one dissenting nemo alius: no one else nemo doctus: no man of learning nemo est heres viventis: (leg.) no one is heir of a living man nemo non: everyone nepos: nephew or grandson neptis: a granddaughter nervus probandi [the sinew of proof ]: the chief argument nervus rerum [the sinew of things]: the strength of things nescio quid: I know not what neuter [neither]: of neither sex; in neither direction neutrum (n.): neuter nexus [a tying together]: connectedness niger cycnus [black swan]: a prodigy (v.i., rara avis) nigro notanda lapillo [to be marked with a black pebble]: a bad day nihil: nothing 86
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS nihil ad rem
noctiluca
nihil ad rem [nothing to the point]: beside the point (i.e., irrelevant) nihil alienum: nothing foreign nihil attinet: it is pointless nihil debet [he/she owes nothing]: (leg.) a plea denying a debt nihil dicit or nil dicit [he says nothing]: (leg.) a common-law judgment when the defendant declines to enter a plea or to answer a charge nihil non: everything nihil obstat: there is no objection nihil obstat quominus imprimatur [nothing hinders the work from being published]: the phrase that indicates acceptability to the Censor of the Roman Catholic Church, printed on the title page of a published work nihil omnino: not in the least nihil reliqui: nothing remains nihil verius: nothing truer nil admirari: to wonder (or marvel) at nothing (Horace) nil conscire sibi: to be conscious of no guilt nil debet: he owes nothing nil dicit [he says nothing]: (leg.) he has no defense to make nil ultra [nothing beyond]: the farthest point or utmost limit nimbus: a cloud; a rain cloud nimis: more than enough; too much ningit: it is snowing nisi [if not]: unless nisi prius [unless before]: (leg.) a trial held for civil cases before a judge and a jury nisus: effort; striving nisus formativus [creative effort]: the vital principle nitrum: soda nix: snow nobilis [of noble birth]: known or celebrated nobilis genere natus: of noble birth nocte (n.): at night nocte intempesta: at dead of night noctiluca [light of the night]: the moon 87
VERBA noctu
non est
noctu or nocturnus: by night nodo firmo: in a firm knot nolens volens [whether willing or not]: perforce (i.e., willy-nilly) nolle prosequi (nol. pros.) [to be unwilling to prosecute]: an entry into court records indicating a stay or discontinuance of proceedings, either wholly or in part nolo contendere (nol. cont.) [I do not wish to contest]: (leg.) a plea of “no contest” to criminal charges by the defendant without admitting guilt nolo episcopari [I do not wish to be made a bishop]: official refusal of a royal offer of a bishopric nomen (nom.; pl. nomina): name nomen genericum: a generic name nomen nudum (pl. nomina nuda) [naked name]: in biology, a mere name without a proper description nomen Romanum [the Roman name]: the Roman Power nomen specificum: a specific name nomenclator: a servant or slave who reminded his master of names nomine meo [in my name]: on my behalf non: no non adfici: to remain unaffected non assumpsit [he/she did not undertake]: (leg.) a general denial in an action of assumpsit non bis in idem [not twice for the same thing]: the legal principle of double jeopardy non causa pro causa [not a cause for a cause]: in logic, the fallacy of false cause non compos mentis: (leg.) not of sound mind non conscire sibi: conscious of no fault non constat [it does not appear]: (leg.) the evidence is not before the court non dolet: it does not hurt non ens [nonexistent]: a nonentity non esse [nonbeing]: nonexistence non est: he/she/it is not 88
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS non est inventus notandum
non est inventus [he/she has not been found]: (leg.) a statement by a sheriff on return of a writ of arrest when the defendant is not to be found non est meus actus: (leg.) it is not my act non est tanti: it is not worthwhile non ita: not particularly non laccessitus: unprovoked non legitimus: unconstitutional non libet: it is not pleasing non licet (n.l.): it is not permitted non liquet (n.l.) [it is not clear]: (leg.) the case is not proven non nihil: something non nimis: not very much; not particularly non obstante (non obs.): notwithstanding non obstante veredicto [notwithstanding the verdict]: (leg.) a verdict for the plaintiff setting aside a verdict for the defendant non olet: it does not smell non placet [it does not please]: a negative vote non possumus [we cannot]: a statement expressing inability to act in a matter non prosequitur (non pros.) [he/she does not prosecute]: a judgment where the plaintiff does not appear non sequitur (non seq.): it does not follow non sine causa [not without cause]: with good reason non temere: not rashly non visus: not seen nondum: not yet nondum editus: unpublished nondum natus: unborn norma: a rule; a standard nostri: our people nostro periculo: at our own risk nota bene (N.B. or n.b.) [note well]: take notice nota per experientiam: in logic, a proposition that is evident by experience as derived by the principle of induction notandum (pl. notanda): a memorandum 89
VERBA notatu dignum
numen loci
notatu dignum: worthy of note Notitia [understanding]: an essential item in medieval Christian faith (together with Assensus and Fiducia) notitia illata: acquired knowledge notitia innata: innate knowledge notitia intuitiva: intuitive knowledge nova luna: a new moon novae res: a political revolution novae tabulae [new ledgers]: a cancellation of debts novalis: fallow ground; also, a cultivated field novena (pl. novenae): a nine-day period of religious observance or devotion novissima verba: a person’s last words novus homo [a new man]: an upstart; a parvenu nox (pl. noctis): night nox luna inlustris: a moonlit night nucleus: a pit or stone nuda veritas: the naked truth (Horace) nudatum corpus: the naked body nudis verbis: in plain words nudius tertius: the day before yesterday nudum pactum [a nude pact]: (leg.) an informal contract or agreement without consideration or cause and therefore invalid unless under seal nugae [trifles]: trivial works nugae canorae [melodious trifles]: nonsense nulla bona [no goods]: (leg.) no effects nulli secundus: second to none (Apuleius) nullius filius [nobody’s son]: an illegitimate son nullo modo: by no means nullo negotio: without any trouble nullo pacto: by no means numen: a spirit or deity numen divinum: the will of heaven numen loci [spirit places]: sacred places 90
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS numen praesens
occultus
numen praesens: (theo.) the feeling of some spiritual presence numero (no. or No.): number; in number numerus clausus [closed number]: a quota nummi adulterini: bad money nummi boni: a genuine coin nunc: now nunc aut nunquam: now or never nunc dimittis: now dismiss nunc pro tunc [now for then]: in law, designating a delayed action which takes effect as if it were done at the proper time nupta: married nuptiae [nuptials]: marriage nutus et pondus: gravity nux: a nut
O ob rem: with advantage obesus: fat or swollen obiit (ob.): he/she died obiit sine prole (ob.s.p.): he/she died without issue obiter (ob.) [by the way]: incidentally; in passing obiter dictum (pl. obiter dicta) [an incidental remark]: an unofficial expression of opinion obiter scriptum (pl. obiter scripta): an incidental composition oblique: sideways obscuro loco natus: of unknown origin observandum (pl. observanda): a thing to be observed obsignator: (leg.) a witness to a will obsoletus [worn out]: out of date obviam: in or on the way occidens [setting]: the setting sun (i.e., the West) occidentalis (occ. or occid.): western occidui temporis umbra: a shadow at sunset occultus: hidden; concealed 91
VERBA occupatus
omni hora
occupatus: busy; engaged Oceanus: in ancient time, the ocean believed to encompass the earth octarius (o.): (med.) a pint octipes: having eight legs oculatus [having eyes]: conspicuous; catching the eye oculis et auribus captus: blind and deaf oculis opertis: a blindfold oculus: the eye oculus dexter (o.d.): the right eye oculus sinister (o.s.): the left eye odium: hatred; bitter dislike odium aestheticum [the hatred of artistic rivals]: the bitterness of aesthetical controversy odium medicum [the hatred of rival physicians]: the bitterness of medical controversy odium musicum [the hatred of rival musicians]: the bitterness of musical controversy odium theologicum [the hatred of rival theologians]: the bitterness of theological controversy odor lucri [the smell of profit]: the expectation of gain officina [workshop]: a laboratory officina gentium: the laboratory of the nations officium: sense of duty; a dutiful act oleo tranquillior: smoother than oil oleum (ol.): oil; olive oil oleum perdisti [you have lost oil]: you have wasted your time olim [at that time]: formerly; for a long time now olivum: olive oil omen faustum: a favorable omen omen infaustum: an evil omen omen sinistrum: an evil omen omne scibile: everything knowable omnes ad unum [all to a person]: unanimous omni ex parte: from every point of view omni hora (o.h.): every hour 92
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS omni mane vel nocte
opus Dei
omni mane vel nocte: every morning or night omni nocte (o.n.): every night omni quadranta hora (o.q.h.) [every quarter hour]: every fifteen minutes omnibus idem: the same to everyone omnibus rebus: in every respect omnigenus: of all kinds omnimodis: in every manner or way omnino [altogether]: in general; in all omniparens: all-producing omnipotens: all-powerful omnipotentia Dei: almighty God omnituens: all-seeing onus probandi: (leg.) the burden of proof onus quam gravissimus: a most heavy burden ope et consilio [with aid and counsel]: (leg.) an accessory to the crime opera mea: thanks to me operae pretium: worthwhile opere citato (op. cit. or o.c.): in the work cited opere in medio: in the midst of the work operis exactor: a task-master opinio dei: belief in god opinio vana: an illusion oportet [it is proper]: one should; one ought opposuit natura [nature has opposed]: it is contrary to nature opprobrium medicorum [the reproach of physicians]: (med.) an incurable disease optato: according to one’s wish optimas [one of the best]: aristocratic optimates [the aristocracy of ancient Rome]: the noble class optime [most excellent]: very good optimo jure: with full right opus (pl. opera; op.) [a work]: a musical composition opus Dei: the work of God 93
VERBA opus est
ore tenus
opus est [there is work]: there is need opus magnum or magnum opus [a great work]: a masterpiece opus operatum (pl. opera operata) [a work wrought]: in Christian theology, the inherent efficacy of the sacrament oraculum: an oracle orate fratres: pray, brothers orate pro anima: pray for the soul of … oratio composita: an elaborate speech oratio gravis: a weighty address oratio meditata: a prepared speech oratio obliqua [a second-hand report]: hearsay oratio subita: an extemporaneous speech orationem concludere: to end a speech Orbis Factor: Maker of the World orbis finiens: the horizon orbis lacteus (also lacteus orbis): the Milky Way orbis medius: the temperate zone Orbis Pictus: the World in Pictures (Comenius) orbis scientiarum: the circle of the sciences orbis signifer: the Zodiac orbis terrae or orbis terrarum: the world (i.e., all those countries comprising the Roman Empire) ordinandi lex: procedural law ordinatum est [it is ordered]: so ordered ordine [in turn]: in due order ordines majores [major orders]: the higher offices of the Catholic Church ordines minores [minor orders]: the lower offices of the Catholic Church ordo albus [white order]: the Augustinian Order ordo griseus [grey order]: the Cistercian Order ordo niger [black order]: the Benedictine Order ordo salutis: order of salvation ore rotundo [with a round mouth]: a nicely given speech (Horace) ore tenus [merely from the mouth]: by word of mouth 94
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS oremus
panacea
oremus: let us pray oriens [rising]: the rising sun (i.e., the East) orientalis (or.): eastern origo mali: (theo.) the origin of evil os (pl. ora) [mouth]: an opening os (pl. ossa): a bone oscillatio: swinging to and fro osculum pacis: kiss of peace ossa: a skeleton ossium compages: the skeletal system ostiatim: from door to door ostrinus: purple otiosus: at leisure otium [leisure]: free time ovis: a sheep ovum: an egg Oxoniensis (Oxon.): of Oxford
P pabulum animi [food of the soul]: learning pace [by leave of ]: with all deference to pace tua [by your leave]: with your approval pacta conventa [the conditions agreed upon]: a diplomatic agreement pactum (pl. pacta) [pact]: a contract or agreement pactum illicitum: an unlawful or illegal contract or agreement pactum vestitum: an enforceable contract or agreement paganus: rustic; rural pagina (p.; pl. paginae, pp.): the page of a book or letter pallida mors: pale Death (Horace) pallidus irae [pale with rage]: enraged; livid pallium: a ceremonial mantle worn over the shoulders by a priest panacea [a plant believed to heal all ailments]: a cure-all 95
VERBA panis
Pater Noster
panis: bread panis cibarius: common or ordinary bread pannis obsitus: in rags papae!: wonderful! papilio: a butterfly par [equal]: a match par bene comparatum: a well-matched pair par est: it is appropriate par oneri: equal to the task par pari refero [I return like for like]: tit for tat parabola: an application; a comparison paralysis agitans [shaking palsy]: (med.) Parkinson’s disease parens: a parent or ancestor parentalia: a festival honoring dead ancestors pares cum paribus: equals with equals pari passu [with equal pace]: equally and simultaneously; without partiality pari ratione [for a like reason]: neither is acceptable; an impasse pars adversa: the opposite party pars minima sui: the smallest part of itself pars pro toto: a part for the whole partes aequales (p.ae.): equal parts partes primae: the leading part in a story or play particeps criminis: (leg.) an accomplice in the crime participium (ptc.): a participle partim (p.): in part parum: too little; not enough passim (pass.) [here and there]: throughout (as in references found throughout the pages of a book) Passionale: a book containing the Acts of the Christian Martyrs passis crinibus: with tousled hair passus [a measure equal to five Roman feet]: in literature, a portion or division of a poem or story pater: father Pater Noster or Paternoster [Our Father]: the Lord’s Prayer 96
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS pater patriae
penates
pater patriae [father of his country]: a national hero paterfamilias [father of a family]: head of a household patres: forefathers patres conscripti (PP.C.) [conscript fathers]: a title of the Roman Senators patria potestas [parental authority]: in ancient Rome, the power of a father over the members of his family patriis virtutibus: by ancestral virtues patrimonium: (leg.) inherited property patris est filius [his father’s son]: like father, like son patruus [father’s brother]: an uncle (also avunculus, mother’s brother) pauca dixit: he said little paucis verbis: in or with few words pax: peace Pax Britannica: British peace Pax Dei: Peace of God (i.e., the Church’s protection of noncombatants during war) Pax Ecclesiae: Peace of the Church (i.e., the Church’s protection of noncombatants during war) pax in bello: peace in war pax orbis terrarum [the peace of the world]: universal peace pax regis: king’s peace Pax Romana: Roman peace (referring to the period from the emperors Augustus to Commodus, c. 27 BCE to 192 CE) peccavi (pl. peccavimus) [I have sinned]: a confession of guilt pecunia mutua: a loan pedalis: a foot long or wide pedes: going on foot pedes muscarum [flies’ feet]: (mus.) a system of musical notation pedibus [on foot]: by land pedibus nudis: barefoot pedilavium: ritual foot-washing (q.v., St. John 13: 2–17) pedis digitus: a toe peior or pejor: worse penates: Roman household gods 97
VERBA pendente lite
per mille
pendente lite: (leg.) pending the suit pendere filo: to hang by a thread penes: in possession of; belonging to penes se esse: to be in one’s senses penetralia mentis [the inner chambers of the mind]: a person’s innermost thoughts penis: a tail penna: a feather or a wing per [by or through]: by means of; throughout per accidens [by accident]: unintentionally; by chance per ambages [by circuitous ways]: indirectly per annum (p.a.) [by the year]: annually per capita [by heads]: for each individual per centum (per cent. or p.c. or pct.): by the hundred per contra: on the contrary per curiam: (leg.) by the court in toto per deos immortales!: for heaven’s sake! per diem [by the day]: daily per dolum: by craft per essentiam [by essential means]: essentially per eundem [by the judge]: (leg.) by the same judge per extensum: at length per gradus: step by step per hominem stare: (leg.) occurring through the fault of someone per impossibile: as is impossible per incuriam: through carelessness per infortunium: by accident per interim: in the meantime per jocum: in jest per Jovem: by Jove per ludibrium: in sport; in fun per mare per terram: by sea and by land per mensem [by the month]: monthly; for each month per mese: by the month per mille: by the thousand 98
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS per minas
pernox
per minas: by threats per obitum: through the death of … per os: by mouth per pares: (leg.) by one’s peers per procurationem (p.p. or per pro.) [by proxy]: by the action of per quod [through which]: by which per recto et recto: forward and backward per saltum [by a leap]: in a single bound per saturam: indiscriminately per se [by or in itself ]: intrinsically per se esse: to exist by its own being per se nota: in logic, a proposition, derived by the principle of deduction, that is evident by the meaning of its own terms per se subsistere: to subsist by itself per somnum [asleep]: in a dream per stirpes: (leg.) by families; by representation per studium: partially per totam curiam [by the entire court]: unanimously per viam: by way of per viam dolorosam: by the way of sorrows per vias rectas [by the straight road]: directly per vices [by retaliation]: reciprocally per vivam vocem: by the living voice perdiu: for a very long time perdudum: a long time ago peregrinatio [traveling abroad]: a foreign journey peregrinatio sacra: a pilgrimage perennis: lasting throughout the year perfervidum ingenium: an ardent temperament perfidia Punica: Punic treachery perfidus: treacherous; faithless perfugium [a shelter for fugitives]: a place of refuge permissu: by permission permissu superiorum: by permission of the superiors pernox [throughout the night]: lasting all night 99
VERBA perpetuum mobile
pictor
perpetuum mobile: perpetual motion perseverando: by persevering persona [a mask worn by stage players]: a person or personality persona ficta: a fictitious person persona grata (p.g.): an acceptable person persona gratissima: a most acceptable person persona muta: a silent actor personae mutae: silent characters in a play persona non grata (p.n.g.) [an unacceptable person]: a diplomatic representative who is not welcome by the government to which he or she is assigned persona prima: the hero or heroine in a play pervagatus: widespread; well-known pes or pedis: the foot pessimi exempli: of a very bad example pessimus: worst pestis: plague or pestilence petasus: a broad-brimmed hat petitio principii: (rhet.) begging the question phalanx: soldiers in close formation pharmaceutria: a sorceress Pharmaciae Doctor (Phar. D.): Doctor of Pharmacy pharmacopola: a druggist; also, a quack phiala prius agitata (p.p.a.): the bottle being first shaken philologia [love of learning]: philology philosophia [love of wisdom]: philosophy philosophia moralis [moral philosophy]: ethics philosophia mundi: philosopher of the world Philosophiae Baccalaureus (Ph.B.): Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.): Doctor of Philosophy philtrum: a love potion phrenesis: madness or frenzy physica or physiologia: physics or natural science pia fraus: a pious fraud (Ovid) pictor: a painter 100
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS pictor ignotus plus solito
pictor ignotus: an unknown painter pictura textilis: embroidery pietas: piety or devotion pietatis causa: for the sake of piety pila: a ball pilarius: a juggler pilosus: hairy pilula (pl. pilulae; pil.): (med.) a pill pinxit (pinx. or pxt.): he or she painted it pirum: a pear pirus: a pear tree piscator: a fisherman or fishmonger piscis: a fish pistor: a baker pistris: a sea-monster pius: godly or devoted placebo [I shall please]: (med.) a prescription given to please a patient; (eccles.) the first antiphon in the vespers for the dead placet [it seems good]: it is agreed placitum (pl. placita) [a decree]: (leg.) a decision plaudite, cives [citizens, applaud]: a curtain call at the end of a performance plebeius [of the people]: common plebiscitum: a decree of the people of Rome plebs: the common people plectrum: a stick used to play a stringed instrument plenilunium: a full moon pleno jure: with full right or authority pleno modio [in full measure]: abundantly plenus: full or complete plexus: braided or plaited plumbum (pb.): lead plumbum album [white lead]: tin pluralis (pl.): plural plus solito: more than usual 101
VERBA pluvia
post Christum natum
pluvia: rain pocula ex auro: gold cups poena damni [pain of the damned]: (theo.) refers to the anguish the damned experience in hell as a result of their separation from God poena sensus [pain of judgment]: (theo.) refers to the means by which humans will be tortured in hell (e.g., Dante’s Inferno) poëta epicus: an epic poet pollex: the thumb or big toe pollice verso [with thumb turned]: the “thumb’s down” signal by which spectators indicated the judgment of death to a beaten gladiator polus glacialis: the North Pole pomarius: a fruit vendor pompa: a solemn procession pompa funebris: a funeral procession pondere non numero: by weight not by number pons (pl. pontes) [a bridge]: (anat.) a part connecting two parts pons asinorum [bridge of asses]: a term applied to the fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, concepts difficult for the unlearned to grasp pons Varolii: (zool.) in higher species of vertebrates, a band of traverse fibers on the ventral surface of the brain pontifex: a priest Pontifex Maximus [the high priest of the Roman cultus]: a papal appellation pontificalia [pontificals]: the vestments and insignia of a bishop porca [pig]: a sow porcus [pig]: a hog portorium circumvectionis: port customs or transit duties portus: a port or harbor posse [to be able]: potential or possibility (as opposed to esse) posse comitatus [the power of the county]: a sheriff ’s posse posse videor [seem to be able]: I think I can post bellum auxilium [aid after the war]: assistance offered too late post Christum natum (P.Ch.N.): after Christ’s birth 102
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS post cibum
praetexta
post cibum (p.c.): (med.) after meals post diem: (leg.) after the appointed day post hoc ergo propter hoc [after this, therefore, on account of this]: in logic, a fallacy of cause and effect post litem motam: (leg.) after litigation began post meridiem (p.m.): after noon post mortem (P.M.): after death post obitum: after death post partum: after birth post postscriptum (PPS): an additional postscript post terminum: after the conclusion postpartor: an heir postremo: at last postremum: for the last time postridie [the day after]: on the next day postscriptum (PS): a postscript postulata [postulates]: fundamental assumptions postulatus: a legal complaint or suit potentia amoris: the power of love potestas est: it is possible prae: in front of; before prae quam: in comparison with praecognitum (pl. praecognita) [something foreknown]: a branch of knowledge necessary to the understanding of something else praecox: premature praedium [land]: landed property; an estate praefectus urbis: governor of the city of Rome praenomen: first name praesentia animi: presence of mind praestat [it is better]: it is preferable praeter: past, beyond, or beside praeteriti anni: bygone years praeterito anno: in the past year praetexta: a toga with purple borders worn by magistrates 103
VERBA praetorius cohors
pro certo
praetorius cohors: the bodyguard or military detail protecting a general prandium: lunch or brunch pretium: worth, value, price, or reward pretium affectionis [the price of affection]: (leg.) the sentimental value of a thing as distinct from its market value pretium periculi: an insurance premium pretium puellae [the price of a maiden]: the marriage price demanded by a young woman’s guardian pretium scientiae: the price of knowledge prex: a prayer pridie: on the day before prima facie [at first appearance]: a judgment based on the first impression prima inter pares: first among (her) equals prima luce [at first light]: early in the morning prima lux [first light]: the break of day primas partes: to play the leading part primitus: for the first time primo [in the first place]: first primo intuitu: at the first glance primo vere: in the beginning of spring primordium: origin or first beginnings primoribus labris: superficially primum cognitum: the first thing known primum mobile [the first moving thing]: in Ptolemaic astronomy, the prime source of the motion of the universe primus inter pares: first among (his) equals Primus Motor [the First Mover]: the Creator principia rerum: the principal elements priore anno: last year privatim [privately]: in private life pro: before pro bono publico [for the public good]: without charge (also known as pro bono) pro certo [for sure]: you bet! 104
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS pro certo habeo propositi tenax
pro certo habeo: I feel sure pro confesso [for the confession]: (leg.) as if confessed pro consule (or proconsul) [an officer in place of a consul]: the governor of a province pro eo quantum [in proportion as]: proportionally pro et contra: for and against pro forma [for the sake of form]: as a matter of form pro hac vice: for this occasion only pro mea parte [for my part]: to the best of my ability pro memoria [for memory]: for a memorial pro meritis: deservedly pro merito: according to merit pro nunc: for now pro rata [according to rate]: in proportion; proportionally pro re: according to circumstance pro re nata (p.r.n.): (med.) whenever necessary pro sua parte: to the best of one’s ability pro tanto [for so much]: so far; to that extent pro tempore (p.t. or pro tem.) [temporarily]: for the time being pro verbo [according to the word]: literally pro viribus [to the best of one’s ability]: as well as can be done pro virili parte [for a man’s part]: to the best of one’s ability probatum est: it has been proven procul dubio: without doubt procurator: a viceroy proelium justum: a pitched battle profanum vulgus [the profane rabble]: the ungodly multitude profanus [before the temple]: not sacred; ordinary; profane progenitor: an ancestor proletarius: a citizen of the lowest class promotor fidei: promoter of the faith (opposite of advocatus diaboli in an ecclesiastical argument in favor of the beatification of a person) propediem [at an early date]: very soon propositi tenax: firm of purpose 105
VERBA propositio
pulvis
propositio [a purpose]: in logic, the major premise of a syllogism propria natura: individuality propria quae maribus [things appropriate to males]: the rudiments of Latin propria vis: the literal sense; proper meaning proprio jure: of his own right proprio motu [by its own motion]: spontaneously proprio vigore [of its own strength]: independently; by its own power propter: on account of; because of propter hoc: on this account prosit [may it do you good]: to your health! prosit tibi: may it be well with thee! prospectus: an outlook or view providentia divina: by divine providence provisio [foresight]: a provision provocatio: (leg.) an appeal to a higher court proxime accessit (pl. accesserunt; prox. acc.) [he/she came very near (to winning)]: the runner-up in a contest proximo (prox.): in the following (month) proximo mense (prox. m.): in the following (month) proximum genus: the nearest kind prudens futuri: thoughtful of the future pruina: hoarfrost publice: publicly publicum juris: of the public right pudet me: I am ashamed puella: a female youth puer: a male youth pugil: a fighter pugna navalis: a naval battle pulex: a flea pullus: a chick or chicken pulmo (pl. pulmones): a lung pulvis (pulv.): dust; powder 106
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS punctatim
quaesitum
punctatim: point for point puncto temporis: in an instant punctum (pl. puncta): a point; a spot punctum caecum: (anat.) the blind spot of the eye punctum contra punctum [note against note]: counterpoint punctum quaestionis: the point at issue; the crux of the question punctum saliens: a salient point punctum temporis: a point of time punctum vegetationis: (bot.) the growing point of a plant Punica fides [Punic faith]: treachery pupa: a little girl; a doll purpuratus [clothed in purple]: a person of high rank puto or ut puto: I suppose (said parenthetically) pyorrhea alveolaris: (med.) Rigg’s disease
Q qua: as quadra or quadrum: a square Quadragesima [fortieth]: the forty-day period of fasting preceding Easter that begins on Ash Wednesday (i.e., Lent) quadriennium: a period of four years quadrimus: four years old Quadrivium [a crossroads]: the four principal subjects of advanced study in medieval universities (i.e., arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music), following the Trivium quadrupes: four-footed quadruplex: quadruple quae cum ita sint: in these circumstances quae est eadem: which is the same quae summa est?: what does it amount to? quae vide (qq.v.): (pl.) which see quaere (qu.): a question or query quaeritur [it is sought]: the question arises quaesitum [that which is sought]: the solution to a problem 107
VERBA quaestio vexata
quasi dictum
quaestio vexata (pl. quaestiones vexatae): a vexed or vexing question quaestiones perpetuae: (leg.) standing courts of justice qualibet: wherever you like; in any way you please qualis: of what kind? qualis ab incepto: such as from the beginning (Horace) quam celerrime: as fast as possible quam libet or quamlibet: as much as you please quam maxime: as much as possible quam primum or quamprimum: as soon as possible quam proxime: as nearly as possible quamvis [as much as you please]: ever so much quantum (pl. quanta): a concrete quantity or specified amount quantum [as much as]: how much quantum in me est: as far as in me lies quantum libet (q.l. or q.lib.) [as much as you please]: liberally quantum meruit: as much as he or she deserved quantum placet (q.pl. or q.p.): as much as you please quantum satis: as much as is sufficient quantum scio: as far as I know quantum sufficit (q.s. or quant. suff.) [as much as suffices]: a sufficient quantity quantum valeat: as much as it may be worth quantum valebat: as much as it is worth quantum vis (q.v.): as much as you will quaque hora (Q.H.): (med.) every hour quaque mane (Q.M.): (med.) every morning quare impedit [why does he hinder?]: (leg.) a writ issued against the objector to a disputed right or claim quarta pars: one quarter quarto die: on the fourth day quartus: the fourth; the fourth hour quasi [as it were; about]: a sort of quasi dicat (q.d.): as if one should say quasi dictum (q.d.): as if said 108
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS quasi dixisset
quoad
quasi dixisset: as if he had said quater [four times]: again and again quater in die (q.i.d.) (also quater die): four times a day quaterni: four each querela (pl. querelae) [bill of complaint]: (leg.) a court action qui tam [who as well]: (leg.) action to recover (brought by an informer in conjunction with the State) quia timet: because he fears quid agis?: how do you do? quid est rei?: what is the matter? quid est veritas?: what is truth? (Pontius Pilate, St. John 18: 38) quid faciendum?: what is to be done? quid hoc sibi vult?: what does this mean? quid ni? or quidni?: why not? quid novi? [what news?]: what’s new? quid nunc?: what now? quid pro quo [this for that]: something given in return for a favor quid rides?: why do you laugh? quid times? [what do you fear?]: what are you afraid of? quidam: a person known though unnamed (i.e., an unknown person) quidditas [whatness]: the essence of a thing Quinque Viae [The Five Ways]: the five arguments of St. Thomas Aquinas for the existence of God quinquennis: five years old quinquennium: a five-year period quis contra nos?: who is against us? quo animo?: with what spirit or intention? quo in genere: from this standpoint; from this point of view quo jure?: by what right? quo modo? or quomodo?: by what means?; in what way? quo tendis?: where are you going? quo vadis?: whither goest thou? (St. John 16: 5) quoad [as to]: as regards; so far as 109
VERBA quoad hoc
raptor
quoad hoc [as to this]: as regards this particular matter; as far as this goes quoad minus: as to the lesser matter quoad ultra: as regards the past quocunque modo [in whatsoever manner]: in whatever way quocunque nomine: under whatever name quod abominor!: God forbid! quod absurdum est: it is absurd quod ad hoc [as far as this]: to this extent quod ad me attinet: as far as I am concerned quod avertat Deus! [which may God avert!]: God forbid! quod bene notandum [which is to be well marked]: take especial notice quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.): which was to be demonstrated or shown quod erat faciendum (Q.E.F.): which was to be done quod est (q.e.): which is quod hoc sibi vult?: what does this mean? quod sciam: as far as I know quod vide (q.v.): which see quodlibet [what you please]: a subtle or debatable point quomodo vales? [how do you fare?]: hello quondam [former]: formerly; at times quot annis or quotannis: every year quota pars?: how large a part? quotidianus or quotidie: daily quousque tandem?: to what lengths? (Cicero) quovis modo: in whatever manner
R radicitus: by the roots radix: a root or foundation rana: a frog raptor: a robber or plunderer 110
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS rara avis
redux
rara avis (pl. rarae aves) [a rare bird]: a prodigy rari nantes [swimming here and there]: unconnected thoughts; poorly expressed ideas raro: seldom; rarely rata [rate]: an individual share ratio [a reckoning or reasoning out]: a calculation; a transaction ratione domicilii: (leg.) by reason of domicile ratione soli: (leg.) by reason of the land or soil re: regarding or concerning re infecta [the matter left undone]: the business being unfinished ( Julius Caesar) re vera or revera [in truth]: in fact rebus sic stantibus: things being the way they are recessim: backwards recipe (Rx): take recitatio: a reading; a recitation recta linea: a straight line recta via: straight ahead recte est: all is well recto or recto folio: the right-hand page of a book (opposite of verso) recto cursu: in a right course rector: a ruler; a director rectus (pl. recti): straight or upright rectus abdominis: (anat.) the abdominal muscles rectus femoris: (anat.) the major thigh muscle surrounding the femur bone rectus in curia [upright in court]: blameless rectus musculus or rectus: (anat.) any of various straight muscles redivivus [restored to life]: resuscitated; renewed reductio ad absurdum [reduction to the absurd]: in logic, to prove the falsity of a proposition or conclusion by reducing it to the point of absurdity reductio ad impossibile [reduction to the impossible]: in logic, an impossible conclusion redux: a bringing back; a restoring 111
VERBA refricare cicatricem
res
refricare cicatricem: to reopen a wound regina (R.): a queen Regina Caeli [Queen of Heaven]: the Virgin Mary regio meridiana: the south regium donum: a royal gift or grant regressus ad uterum [regression to the womb]: to return to a prenatal state rei publicae causa: for political reasons religio falsa or falsa religio: false religion religio illicita: in the Roman Empire, an unlawful or illegal religion religio laici: a layperson’s religion religio licita: in the Roman Empire, a lawful or legal religion religio loci: the sanctity of a place (Virgil) religio naturalis [natural religion]: religion according to the intuition of the heart as informed by the experience of nature religio rationalis [rational religion]: in philosophy, religion according to the dictates of reason religio vera or vera religio: true religion reliquiae [the remains]: relics remedium efficacissum: a sovereign remedy (i.e., an effective cure) remis velisque [with oars and sails]: with all one’s might remisso animo [the mind relaxed]: listlessly renes: the kidneys renovato nomine: by a revived name repertorium (pl. repertoria): a catalogue repetatur (rep. or repet.): (med.) let it be repeated Requiem [rest]: a Mass for the dead requiescat in pace (pl. requiescant; R.I.P.): may he/she rest in peace requiescit in pace (R.I.P.): he/she rests in peace rerum natura [things of nature]: the natural world; the universe rerum primordia: the first beginnings of things rerum progressio: evolution res (pl. res): a thing, matter, or circumstance; (leg.) a cause, action, or status 112
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS res adjudicata res vilissimae
res adjudicata [a matter already settled]: (leg.) a decided case res adversae: misfortune res alienae [things belonging to others]: debt res bene gesta: a successful military campaign or exploit res cogitans [a thinking thing]: the natural state of the mind without reference to space or time (Descartes) res communis [a common thing]: held in common; belonging to everyone res confecta est: the question is settled res corporales [corporeal things]: tangible things res discrepat: non agreement res divina [divine things]: sacrificial service to the gods res expedit: it is useful, expedient, or advantageous res extensa [an extended thing]: the body in motion (i.e., the natural state of the body, with reference to space and time, is motion; Descartes) res extraneae: extraneous things or concerns res fessae: distress res gesta: a deed res gestae [things done]: deeds, transactions; (leg.) the attendant circumstances; exploits in war res hereditaria: an heirloom res incorporales [things incorporeal]: nontangible things res inter alios: a matter between others res judicata [a matter already settled]: (leg.) a decided case res militaris: (mil.) military strategy res mobiles: movable things res nihili [a none thing]: a thing of little worth; trash res nullius [a none thing]: not belonging to anyone res publica: the state res repetundae: extortion res rustica: a rural affair res secundae: prosperity; success Res Tota Simul [the whole thing at the same time]: a medieval Christian definition of eternity (also Totum Simul) res vilissimae: a cheap or worthless thing (Cicero) 113
VERBA respice finem
rus in urbe
respice finem [look to the end]: consider the result respublica: commonwealth; republic respublica forum: public life resurgam: I shall rise again rete (pl. retia) [a net]: (anat.) plexus of nerves; vascular network retro: backwards retro Satana!: Satan, behind! reus: (leg.) an accused person rex (R.): a king rex bibendi [king of drinkers]: king of the revelers rex regum: king of kings rhombus: a magician’s circle rhythmus [measured motion]: rhythm ridicula imitatio: a parody ridiculus mus: a ridiculous mouse (Horace) rigor mortis [rigor of death]: the stiffening of the body after death risus [a laugh]: laughter rite: in proper form rituale: a ritual manual for priests rivus: a stream Romae natus: a native of Rome ros marinus: rosemary rosa: a rose; a garland of roses rosarium: a rose garden rota: a wheel rotula: a yo-yo rotundus: circular or round rubrica [red earth]: a law with its title written or printed in red ink rudera [rubbish]: debris ruri or rure: in the country rus in urbe: the country in a city (Martial) 114
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS sacer
sanctissimi
S sacer or sacra: holy; consecrated sacerdos: a priest Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus (S.T.B.): Bachelor of Sacred Theology Sacrum Romanum Imperium (S.R.I.): the Holy Roman Empire saeculum [life span]: a generation or age saeva indignatio: fierce wrath (Virgil) saga: a prophetess; a fortune-teller sagitta: an arrow sagittarius: an archer sal: salt sal amarus [bitter salt]: a cathartic (e.g., Epsom salt) sal Atticum [Attic salt]: a keen wit (also sal Atticus) sal catharticus: a cathartic (e.g., Epsom salt) sal culinarius [cooking salt]: table salt sal gemmae: rock salt saltem [at least]: at all events saltus ad funem: to play jump-rope (Brit. skipping) salus: health or welfare; safety or salvation salus mundi: the salvation or welfare of the world salus populi: the welfare of the people salus publica: the public good Salutem dicit! (Sal. or S.): Greetings! salve! [may you be safe]: God’s speed! salvo jure: without prejudice; (leg.) without infraction of law salvo ordine: with due regard to one’s rank salvo pudore: without offense to modesty salvo sensu: without violation of sense sanae mentis esse: to be in one’s right mind sanctio: (leg.) a clause in a law defining a penalty for breach sanctissimi (SS.): of the most holy 115
VERBA sanctum sanctorum
secunda mensa
sanctum sanctorum [holy of holies]: a private room; a place of retreat sanctus: holy or consecrated sane quam: exceedingly sanguine suffusus: bloodshot sanguis: blood sapientia: wisdom; discernment sarcophagus: a coffin; a grave sardonicus risus [a sardonic laugh]: a forced or scoffing laugh Sartor Resartus: the tailor retailored (title of a book by Thomas Carlyle) satis: enough Saturnalia: the winter festival Saturnia regna [the reign of Saturn]: the Golden Age (Virgil) saxum: a rock or stone saxum quadratum: hewn stone scala: a ladder scalae: a staircase scandalum magnatum (pl. scandala magnatum; scan. mag.) [scandal of magnates]: defamation or slander of notable or highranking persons scarabaeus: a beetle scienter [knowingly]: willfully scientia [knowledge]: science scilicet (sc.) [that is to say]: namely scintilla: a spark scire facias (sci. fa.) [cause it to be known]: (leg.) a writ to enforce, annul, or vacate a judgment, patent, charter, or other matter of record scorpio: a scorpion scribere scientes: skilled in writing scripsit: he/she wrote (it) scriptura: a composition or a piece of writing sculpsit (sc. or sculpt.): he/she carved or sculpted (it) se defendendo: in defending him/herself secunda mensa: dessert 116
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS secundo
sensu bono
secundo: secondly secundo flumine: downstream secundum (sec.): according to secundum artem (sec. art.) [according to art]: scientifically; artificially secundum formam statuti: (leg.) according to the form of the statute secundum genera: according to classes secundum legem (sec. leg.): according to law secundum naturam (sec. nat.) [according to nature]: naturally secundum ordinem [according to order]: in an orderly manner secundum quid [according to some one thing]: with limitations secundum regulam (sec. reg.): according to rule secundum usum: according to usage secundum veritatem [according to truth]: universally true sedes: a seat or chair selibra: half a pound semel: once; one time only semel et semper: once and always semel pro semper: once for all semen: seed semihora: half an hour seminex: half-dead semis (s s ): (med.) half or one half semper: always; at all times semper florens: perennials semper sic: always thus sempiterna gloria [everlasting glory]: immortality semuncia: half an ounce senatus consultum: a decree of the Roman Senate Senatus Populusque Romanus (S.P.Q.R.): the Senate and People of Rome (motto of the Roman Republic) senior: older seniores priores [elder ones first]: give place to your elders sensu bono: in a good sense 117
VERBA sensu malo
sexus muliebris
sensu malo: in a bad sense sententia legis: the spirit of the law sententiae judicum: (leg.) the finding of the jury separatio a mensa et toro (or thoro) [separation from room and board]: legal separation separatio a vinculo matrimonii [separation from the bond of marriage]: divorce septemtriones or septentrio: the north or north wind Septemviri epulones: a college of priests in charge of sacrificial feasts (previously Tresviri epulones) septimana: a week sepulchra: a cemetery sepultus (S.): buried sequens (seq.): the following sequentia (seqq.): the following things sequitur (seq.) [it follows]: a logical inference seriatim [in a series]: point by point; also, one volume in a series of publications serra: a saw servare modum: to keep within the bounds servus ad manum or servus a manu: a secretary; an amanuensis Servus Servorum Dei [Servant of the Servants of God]: a papal appellation sescenaris: a year and a half old sescenti [six hundred]: countless sesqui [one half more]: half as much again sesquialter: one and a half sesquihora: an hour and a half sesquipedalia verba [words a foot and a half in length]: very long words (Horace) sexangulus: hexagonal sexennis: six years old sexennium: a period of six years sextarius: a pint sexus: sex (i.e., gender) sexus muliebris: the female sex 118
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS sexus virilis
sine auxilio
sexus virilis: the male sex si modo: if only si opus sit (s.o.s.): (med.) if necessary si placet [if it pleases]: please si quis: if anyone sic [thus]: usually found in brackets following a doubtful word in a quotation to indicate that the original passage is being followed verbatim sic in originali: thus in the originals sic jubeo: thus I command sic passim [thus throughout]: here and there sic probo: thus I prove sic totidem verbis: thus in as many words sicarius: an assassin sicut ante: as before sicut columba: as a dove sicut lilium: as a lily sicut quercus: as the oak sigillum (sigill.): a seal signa (S. or Sig.) [write]: (med.) that which is to be written on the label of a prescription signum: a signet or seal silentio noctis: in the silence of night silentium altum: deep silence silex [a hard rock]: a flint stone silva: a wood or forest similiter: in like manner similitudo Dei: the likeness of God simpliciter [absolutely]: without reservation or reserve simul [at once]: at the same time simulare morbum: to feign illness sincerus: genuine; pure sine: without sine anno (s.a.): without date sine auxilio: unaided 119
VERBA sine causa
sine qua non
sine causa: without reason sine controversia: indisputably sine cortice natare [to swim without corks]: to need no assistance sine cura [without care]: all the benefits of office without all the responsibilities sine die (s.d.) [without a day]: without fixing a day for future action or meeting (e.g., indefinitely adjourned) sine dolore: painless sine dubio: without doubt sine fine: without end sine fraude [without deceit or offense]: honorably; without harm sine fuco [without pretense]: frankly sine ictu: without a blow sine invidia: without envy sine ira: without anger sine joco [without jesting]: seriously sine legitima prole (s.l.p.): without legitimate issue sine loco (s.l.): without place sine loco, anno, vel nomine (s.l.a.n.): without place, year, or name sine loco et anno (s.l.a.): without place and year sine maculis [without stain]: spotless sine mascula prole (s.m.p.): without male issue sine mora: without delay sine nervis [without strength]: weak sine nomine (s.n.) [without name]: anonymous sine odio: without hatred sine omni periculo: without any danger sine ope: without help sine praejudicio: without prejudice sine proba causa: without approved cause sine prole (s.p.): without issue sine prole supersite (s.p.s.): without surviving issue sine qua non [without which not]: something essential; an indispensable condition 120
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS sine sapore
somnium
sine sapore: tasteless sine ulla dubitatione: without any hesitation singillatim or singulatim: one by one singularis (sg. or sing.): singular singulis annis [year by year]: every year singulis diebus [day by day]: every day sinister: left sinistra manu: with the left hand sinus urbis: the heart of the city Sirius: the Dog Star Sitio: I thirst (one of the Seven Last Words of Christ; St. John 19: 28) sobrius: sober or sober-minded societas: a partnership or association socius criminis: (leg.) an associate in crime sodalis [a companion]: a member of a secret society sodes [if you please]: with your leave sol: the sun Sol Invictus [the Invincible Sun]: the Sun God of ancient Mithraism whose festival was celebrated annually on December 25th sol occidens: setting sun sol oriens: rising sun sola fide: faith alone (a doctrine of Martin Luther) sola gratia: grace alone (a doctrine of the Protestant reformers) sola scriptura: scripture alone (a doctrine of the Protestant reformers) solarium: a sundial; an open terrace solea (pl. soleae): a sandal solis defectio: a solar eclipse solis occasus: sunset solis ortus: sunrise solstitium: the summer or winter solstice solus: by oneself solutio (sol.): (med.) a solution solvendo non esse: to be insolvent somnium: a dream 121
VERBA somnus
sportula
somnus: sleep sonus: sound sonus dulcis: a sweet or pleasant sound (i.e., euphony) sophia: wisdom sorbilo [by sipping]: drop by drop soror: a sister sortes Biblicae [casting a fortune with the Book]: divination by the selection of random passages from the Christian Bible sortes Homericae [casting a fortune with Homer]: divination by the selection of random passages from Homer sortes Vergilianae (or sortes Virgilianae) [casting a fortune with Virgil]: divination by the selection of random passages from Virgil soter: a savior speciali gratia: by special favor specimen: a model or an example spectaculum: a spectacle or a show spectator (fem., spectatrix): a spectator; an observer speculum: a mirror speculum aeterni Patris: mirror of the eternal Father (a reference to the Crucifixion as an image of the eternal love of God) speravi: I have hoped spes: hope spina: a thorn spinosus: thorny or prickly spiritus: spirit spiritus asper: in Greek grammar, rough breathing (i.e., aspirated) spiritus lenis: in Greek grammar, smooth breathing (i.e., nonaspirated) spolia opima [the richest spoils]: a supreme achievement (originally, the spoils taken from a vanquished general by a victorious general in a single contest) spolia sua [from one’s own spoils]: out of one’s excess sponte sua or sua sponte [of one’s own accord]: unsolicited sportula (pl. sportulae) [small basket]: a present, gratuity, or largesse 122
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS Stabat Mater sub ferula
Stabat Mater [the Mother was standing]: Latin hymn inspired by the suffering of the Holy Virgin Mother at the Crucifixion stadium [a measure of distance]: a race course stannum (sn.): tin stans pede in uno [standing on one foot]: a certain posture taken by orators during a speech (Horace) statim (stat.) [immediately]: on the spot; at once statu quo: as things were before statua: a statue status in quo [the state in which]: an existing condition or unchanged position status quo [the state which]: an existing condition or unchanged position status quo ante bellum: the state existing before the war stella: a star stella comans: a comet stella crinita [long-haired star]: a comet sterilis: barren; fruitless stet [let it stand]: to leave as is (i.e., not to be changed or deleted) stomachus: the stomach stomachus bonus [good digestion]: good humor stratum super stratum: layer upon layer strena [a new year’s gift]: a favorable omen stricto sensu: in a strict sense (the opposite of lato sensu) strictum jus [strict law]: the strict letter of the law stultus: silly or foolish stylo inverso [with stylus inverted]: erasing or revising what has been written stylum vertere: to correct or change the style sua sponte or sponte sua [of one’s own accord]: unsolicited sub: under or underneath sub audi or subaudi (sub.) [to supply the missing word or words by subaudition]: to read between the lines sub colore juris: under color of law sub dio or sub divo [under the open sky]: in the open air sub ferula: under the rod 123
VERBA sub finem
sulfur
sub finem: toward the end sub initio: at the beginning sub Jove [under Jupiter]: in the open air sub Jove frigido [under cold Jupiter]: under the cold sky sub judice [before the judge]: under judicial consideration sub modo: in a qualified sense sub noctem: at nightfall sub poena: under penalty sub quocunque titulo: under whatever title sub reservatione Jacobaeo [with St. James’s reservation]: if the Lord wills (see St. James 4: 15) sub rosa [under the rose]: confidentially sub sigillo [under seal]: in the strictest confidence sub silentio [in silence]: privately sub spe rati: in the hope of a decision sub specie: under the appearance of sub verbo (s.v., pl. s.vv.): look under the word sub vino: under the influence of wine sub voce (s.v., pl. s.vv.): look under the word subito: suddenly subscriptio [a writing beneath]: a signature subter or subtus: beneath or below subterraneus: underground suburbanus: near the city succubus: a female spirit or demon believed to prey sexually on young men while they sleep sufficit (pl. sufficiunt): it is enough suffragium [a voting tablet]: the right to vote suggestio falsi [suggestion of a falsehood]: an indirect lie or misrepresentation sui generis [of its own kind]: unique; one of a kind; something in a class by itself sui impotens: beside oneself sui juris [in one’s own right]: of full legal capacity sulfur (s.): sulfur 124
Summa
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS supinus manus
Summa or Summae: a compendium of philosophical thoughts or theological conclusions, the most famous being the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas summa aestas: midsummer summa aqua: the surface of the water summa cum laude: with highest honors summa gloria: the height of glory summa pax: a great peace summa res publica: the welfare of the state summa summarum [the sum of sums]: the sum of all things (Plautus) summa urbs: the highest point of the city summa vitae: life span (also vitae summa) summo loco natus: of noble origin summum bonum: the highest or chief good summum genus (pl. summa genera): in logic, the highest genus summum jus: the highest law summus collis: the brow of a hill or ridge summus mons: the mountain summit sumptibus publicis or sumptu publico: at the public expense sumptio: in logic, the premise of a syllogism sumus: we are suo jure: in one’s own right suo loco: in its proper place suo Marte: by one’s own prowess suo motu: by its own motion suo periculo: at one’s own peril suo tempore: at its own time super: over or above super abissus ambulans: walking on precipices superas ad auras: to the light of day supercilium [an eyebrow]: (fig.) arrogance superiore anno: last year supinus: lying face-up supinus manus: lying on one’s back with palms facing upwards 125
VERBA suppositio terminorum
tacitus
suppositio terminorum [substitution of terms]: in logic, the claim that an affirmative proposition is true only when the subject and predicate terms stand for the same thing suppressio veri [a suppression of the truth]: concealment of facts supra (sup.): over, above, or on the top supra citato (sup. cit.): cited above supra vires: beyond one’s powers (Horace) supremo vitae die: on one’s last day supremum vale: a last farewell (Ovid) sursum: upwards sursum deorsum [up and down]: backwards and forwards sursum versus: upwards sus Minervam: a pig teaching Minerva (she being the goddess of wisdom and commerce) suspensio per collum (sus. per col.) [suspension by the collar]: execution by hanging suspenso gradu: on tiptoe suum cuique: to each his/her own
T tabella (tab.): (med.) a tablet tabellarius: a letter carrier tabernaculum: a tent tabernarius: a shopkeeper tabula: a map, record book, or register tabula ex naufragio (or tabula in naufragio): a plank from a shipwreck tabula rasa (pl. tabulae rasae) [a blank writing tablet]: the mind at birth (Locke) tabulae publicae: public archives tace!: be silent! tacet [it is silent]: in music, a direction indicating that a certain instrument (or instruments) is not played during a particular section or movement of a piece tacitus: silent; unmentioned 126
taedium
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS terminus a quo
taedium: boredom taedium vitae: weariness of life (Aulus Gellius) talis qualis or taliter qualiter: (leg.) such as it is tamquam alter idem or tanquam alter idem [as if a second self ]: a completely trustworthy person (Cicero) tandem: at length tandem denique: in the end tandi!: so much for that! tangere ulcus [to touch a sore]: to renew one’s grief Tantum Ergo [so great, therefore]: a Eucharistic hymn tantum quantum: just as much as is required taurus: a bull Te Deum, Laudamus: We praise Thee, O God (an ancient Christian hymn) Te Igitur [Thee, therefore]: part of the Eucharistic liturgy of the Latin Mass te judice [you being the judge]: in your judgment tempestas: bad weather; a violent storm templum: consecrated ground tempora matutina: the morning hours tempore (temp. or t.): in the time of tempore regis (T.R.): in the time of king … temporis causa: on the spur of the moment temporis puncto: in the twinkling of an eye tempus: time tempus in ultimum: to the last extremity tempus ludendi: the time for play tenax propositi: tenacious of purpose tendo calcaneus: (anat.) the Achilles tendon tenebrae aeternae: (theo.) eternal darkness tepidus: warm or lukewarm ter [thrice]: three times ter in die (t.i.d.): (med.) three times a day tere bene: (med.) rub well terminus a quo [the end from which]: the starting point 127
VERBA terminus ad quem
tibia
terminus ad quem [the end to which]: the finishing point; the destination terra: the earth terra firma [solid earth]: dry land; firm footing terra incognita (pl. terrae incognitae) [an unknown land]: an unknown region or subject terrae filius (pl. terrae filii) [son of the earth]: a person of lowly birth terrae motus: an earthquake terrestris: terrestrial Tersanctus [thrice holy]: the Trisagion tertia hora est: it is the third hour (i.e., 9 A.M.) tertium: for the third time tertium quid [a third something]: something in between two fixed points or positions; a third alternative or choice beyond two fixed choices tertius: third teste [by the evidence of ]: a witness testimonium internum [internal testimony]: (theo.) internal witness of the spirit of God testis gravis: (leg.) an important witness textor: a tailor or weaver textus receptus (text. rec.): the received text (i.e., the scriptural tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation) theologia crucis [theology of the cross]: the emphasis of Protestant Reformers on the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross (as opposed to theologia gloriae) theologia gloriae [theology of glory]: Martin Luther’s pejorative label for Church doctrines that did not lay proper stress on the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross (as opposed to theologia crucis) thermae: warm springs or baths thesaurus: a storehouse or treasury thorax: a breastplate thyrsus: a stalk of a plant, such as corn, symbolizing fertility tibia: the shinbone 128
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS tigris
tridens
tigris: a tiger tintinnabulum: a bell titulus: a label or inscription toga candida [white robe]: the white robe worn by Roman candidates for office toga praetexta: a white robe bordered with purple and worn by Roman magistrates and freeborn children toga virilis [the manly robe]: the toga worn by Roman freemen from age fourteen togata: a freed woman (sometimes, a prostitute) totidem verbis [in so many words]: in these very words toties quoties [as often as]: repeatedly or on each occasion totis viribus: with all one’s might toto caelo [by the whole heaven]: by a great distance; diametrically opposite totum: the whole Totum Simul [the whole at the same time]: a medieval Christian definition of eternity (also Res Tota Simul) toxicum: poison (as used for poisoned arrows) tractim [in managed bits]: by degrees trans: across, over, or beyond transfugium [going across]: desertion transitus vetitus: no trespassing transmarinus [from beyond the sea]: foreign tremulus: trembling Tresviri epulones: a college of priests who had charge of sacrificial feasts (later Septemviri epulones) Treuga Dei (or Treva Dei) [Truce of God]: during the Middle Ages, the suspension of hostilities and private warfare during certain religious holidays, on pain of excommunication triangulus [triangular]: three-cornered tribuni plebis: tribunes or magistrates of the people tributum: tax or taxation triceps: having three heads or three points of origin tricuspis: having three points tridens: having three teeth or three prongs 129
VERBA triduum
tutum refugium
triduum: a period of three days triennia: a festival celebrated every three years triennium: a period of three years trilibris: three pounds in weight trimus: three years old trinitas [trinity]: (theo.) the doctrine of the Christian Trinity (i.e., Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost) tripartito: having three parts tripedalis: three feet in length or width tripes: having three feet triplex or triplus [threefold]: triple triplex munus [triple service]: (theo.) referring to Christ as fulfilling the triple roles of prophet, priest, and king Trisagion: thrice holy tristes kalendae (or calendae) [the unhappy calends]: the day interest on borrowed money was due to the lender trium literarum homo [a man of three letters]: a thief (properly, homo trium literarum) triumvir (pl. triumviri): a ruling board of three members (referring specifically to the first and second Roman triumvirs: Julius Caesar, Pompeius, and Crassus; and Octavian, Marcus Antonius, and Lepidus) trivium: a junction where three roads meet Trivium: the three principal subjects of basic study in medieval universities (i.e., dialectic, grammar, and rhetoric), followed by the Quadrivium tu quoque [you as well]: (leg.) a statement accusing the accuser of the same charge tuba: a straight war trumpet tumor [a swelling]: a protuberance tumulus: a burial mound tunica: a sleeved garment turris: a tower tutamen (pl. tutamina) [protection]: a protective pact tutor et ultor: protector and avenger tutum refugium: a safe refuge 130
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS tuum
umbra
tuum [yours]: your property tuum est: it is yours tuum est?: is it yours? tyrannis: an absolute ruler
U uberrima fides [superabounding faith]: implicit trust ubi est mea?: where’s mine? ubi gentium?: where in the world? ubi sunt?: where are those (who lived before us)? ubi supra (u.s.) [where above]: in the place mentioned above ubique: everywhere ulcus tangere: to touch a sore ultima forsan: perhaps the last [moment] (an inscription on clocks) ultima ratio: the final argument (i.e., force) ultima ratio regum [the last argument of kings]: a resorting to arms ultima Thule [farthest Thule]: the utmost limit; an unknown region (Virgil) ultimo (ult.): last month ultimum: for the last time ultimum vale: a last farewell ultimus haeres [the last of the heirs]: the final heir (i.e., the Crown) ultimus regum: the last of the kings ultimus Romanorum: the last of the Romans ultra: beyond ultra licitum: beyond the legal limit ultra valorem: beyond the value ultra vires [beyond the powers]: transcending legal authority ultro: to the far side ultro citroque: to and fro ultro et citro [up and down]: hither and thither umbilicus: the navel umbra: shade or shadow 131
VERBA umerus
usque ad aras
umerus: the shoulder una sancta [one holy]: a reference to the divine nature of the Christian Church una voce [with one voice]: unanimously unanimus: of one mind or spirit uncia (oz): one twelfth (i.e., one ounce) unciatim: little by little unicus: sole or unique unigena [of the same race]: (theo.) only begotten unio mystica [mystical union]: (theo.) referring to the mystical union of the human consciousness with the divine consciousness unita: united unitas: unity Unitas Fratrum [Unity of Brethren]: official name of the Moravian Church unius diei: ephemeral uno animo [with one spirit]: unanimously uno consensu: unanimously uno ictu: at one blow uno impetu: in one motion uno ore [one mouth]: unanimously uno saltu [in one leap]: in a single bound uno tempore: at the same time uno verbo: in a word unus et alter: one and another; one or two unus et idem: one and the same urbanus [of a city]: elegant; refined urbi et orbi [to the city and to the world]: words traditionally occurring in a special papal benediction urbs: a walled city urceus [an earthen jug]: urn Ursa Major [Great Bear]: the Big Dipper Ursa Minor [Little Bear]: the Little Dipper usque a Romulo [ever since Romulus]: since the beginning of time usque ad aras [even to the altars]: to the last extremity 132
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS usque ad nauseam vadium mortuum
usque ad nauseam [even to nausea]: to the point of disgust usque Romam: as far as Rome usu venit [it comes]: it happens usus et fructus or ususfructus: (leg.) the use of the property of another usus loquendi: usage in speaking ut adsolet: as is usual ut dictum (ut dict.): (med.) as directed ut fata trahunt [as the fates pull]: at the mercy of fate ut infra (ut i. or ut inf.) [as below]: as stated or cited below ut pignus amicitiae: as a token of friendship ut prosim [that I may be of service]: that I may do good ut puto or puto: I suppose (said parenthetically) ut solet: as usual ut supra (ut sup. or u.s.): as above ut videtur: apparently uterlibet: whichever of the two you please uterus: a womb uti possidetis [as you possess]: (leg.) with the possessions held at the present time utilis: useful Utopia [no place]: title of Thomas More’s satirical book about a perfect world uva: a bunch of grapes uxor (ux.): a wife
V vacatio: freedom; immunity vacca: a cow vacuo: in a vacuum vacuum: an empty place vade mecum [go with me]: a companion; a reference volume vade retro: avaunt!; begone! vadium mortuum [a dead pledge]: a mortgage 133
VERBA vagina
verbatim et literatim
vagina: a sheath vagitus: (med.) the first cry of a newborn child vale or valete: farewell valgus: a bow-legged person varia lectio (pl. variae lectiones): a variant reading varicus: straddling variorum notae: notes of various commentators vas (pl. vasa) [utensil]: a vessel or duct vas deferens (pl. vasa deferentia): (anat.) the sperm duct vasculum: a small vessel vaticinium ex eventu [prophecy from the event]: a prophecy that pretends to have been given before an event took place velociter: quickly vena (pl. venae): a vein vena cava (pl. venae cavae): one of the large veins flowing into the heart venale pecus: the venal herd ( Juvenal) vendere fumos [to sell smoke]: to make empty promises venia sit dicto: pardon the expression (or remark) venire facias [to make to come]: (leg.) a writ from a judge ordering the sheriff to summon a jury Venite [O, Come]: a musical setting of Psalm 95 which begins Venite, exultemus Domino ventriculus: the belly or stomach ventus adversus [winds fore]: an unfavorable wind ventus Africus or Africus: the southwest wind ventus secundus [winds aft]: a favorable wind venus: love; a loved one ver: spring ver sacrum: an offering of the first fruits vera causa: a true cause vera religio or religio vera: true religion verba rebus aptare [to fit words to things]: to call something what it is verbatim et literatim [word for word and letter for letter]: exactly 134
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS verbatim et literatim et punctatim
via
verbatim et literatim et punctatim [word for word and letter for letter and point for point]: with the utmost accuracy verbi causa: for instance Verbi Dei Minister (V.D.M.): Minister of the Word of God verbi gratia (v.g.): for example verbo: in name only verbosus: wordy veri similis: probable veritas: truth (motto of Harvard University) veritas entis [truth of being]: metaphysical truth veritas signi: the truth of a symbol veritas victrix: truth the conqueror vermis: a worm or grub vero: truly, indeed verso or verso folio (v. or vo.) [reverse side]: the left-hand page of a book (opposite of recto) versus (v. or vs.): toward; against verte [turn]: turn the page over vertigo [whirling round]: dizziness or light-headedness verus: true vesania: (med.) insanity vesica piscis [a fish bladder]: the aura surrounding the heads of sacred figures in medieval and Renaissance Christian art (also, cum nimbo) vesper [evening]: the evening star vesperi: in the evening vestigia (sing. vestigium) [vestiges]: footsteps; footprints; traces vestigium Dei [vestige of God]: doctrine teaching that, despite the Fall, creation still reflects traces of its divine origins veteranus: an old soldier veterator: an experienced or skilled person (i.e., an old hand) veteres: the ancients; forefathers vexata quaestio: a vexed or disputed question (also quaestio vexata) via (pl. viae): a street or way 135
VERBA via affirmativa
vide
via affirmativa [the affirmative way]: (theo.) the way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained through affirmation of the positive aspects of the world (also known as via positiva) via amicabili: in a friendly way via compendiaria: a short cut Via Dolorosa [the way of sorrows]: the route taken by Jesus on his way to crucifixion via eminentiae [the way of eminence]: (theo.) the positive way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained by affirming those perfections in the world that point to the eminence of God (St. Thomas Aquinas) via illuminativa [the way of enlightenment]: (theo.) the way to God through illumination, whether mystical, inspirational, or relevatory via Lactea: the Milky Way via Matris: the Seven Sorrows of Mary, the Mother of God, en route to the crucifixion of Christ via media: the middle way via militaris: a military road via negativa or via negationes [the negative way]: (theo.) the way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained through negation of the world (Maimonides) via positiva [the positive way]: (theo.) the way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained through affirmation of the positive aspects of the world (also known as via affirmativa) via purgativa [the way of purgation]: (theo.) the way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained through purification by ascetic practices via strata: a street via trita: a well-traveled road via unitiva [the way of union]: (theo.) the way to knowledge of or union with God that is gained by perfection of the self viator: a wayfarer vice versa (V.V.) [with the meaning or order reversed]: conversely victus cotidianus: daily bread victus tenuis: a meager diet vide (v.): see 136
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS vide ante
vis
vide ante: see before vide infra (v.i.): see below vide post: see after this vide supra (v.s.): see above vide ut supra [see as above]: see the above comment videlicet (viz.): namely videtur [it appears]: it seems vigilantibus: to be watchful villa: a country estate vinarius: a vintner vinculum matrimonii: the bond of marriage vindex injuriae: an avenger of wrong vinitor: a vinedresser vinosus: full of wine; fond of wine vinum: wine vir: a man vir doctus: a scholar vir et uxor: husband and wife vir insignis: a celebrity vir literatus or vir litteratus [a man of letters]: a scholar vir privatus: a private person virago [a female warrior]: a heroine vires corporis: bodily strength virginibus puerisque: for young women and men virgo: a virgin or maiden girl Virgo: the Virgin Virgo Sapientissima: The Virgin Wisest of All Virgo Sponsa Dei: the Virgin Bride of God virgo vestalis: a vestal virgin viribus totis: with all one’s strength viribus unitis: with united strength viritim [man by man]: individually virtus [manly excellence]: virtue or valor virtute officii: by virtue of office vis (pl. vires): force, power, or strength 137
VERBA vis a fronte
vixit
vis a fronte: a propelling force from in front vis a tergo: a propelling force from behind vis amoris: the force of love vis comica: comic genius vis conservatrix: the preservative power vis inertiae [power of inertia]: the power of passive resistance vis insita [the innate force of matter]: an aspect of Newton’s first law of motion vis major [superior force]: (leg.) an inevitable accident (e.g., an act of God) vis medicatrix: healing power vis medicatrix naturae: the healing power of nature vis mortua [dead force]: force that does not work vis poëtica: poetic genius vis vitae: vital force vis viva [living force]: kinetic energy viscus (pl. viscera): internal organs (i.e., the guts) vita: life vita beata [the blessed life]: happiness vita honesta: a virtuous life vita occidens: the evening of life vita privata: private life vita turpis: an immoral life vitae curriculum [course of life]: a résumé (also curriculum vitae) vitae societas: social life vitae summa: life span (also summa vitae) vitellus: an egg yolk vitium: a fault or crime vitrum: a glass viva voce [by a living voice]: orally (i.e., by oral examination) vivarium [a fish pond]: an animal preserve vivendi causa [cause of living]: the source of life vivere parvo: to live on little vivida vis animi: the living force of the mind (Lucretius) vixit … annos (v.a.): he lived … years 138
vocis imago
COMMON WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS zonam solvere
vocis imago: an echo volumen (v. or vol.): volume voluntas: will; free will voluntas legis: the spirit of the law voluptates corporis [the pleasures of the body]: sensual pleasures vortex or vertex: a whirlpool vox (pl. voces): voice vox angelica: an organ stop producing a stringlike sound vox barbara [strange or barbaric voice]: (gram.) an incorrectly formed word (e.g., a hybrid) vox clandestina: a whisper vox humana: an organ stop producing a sound like a human voice vox populi (pl. voces populi): the voice of the people vox stellarum [voice of the stars]: music of the spheres vulgi opinio: public opinion vulgo: commonly or generally vulgus [the common people]: a mob vulneribus confectus: weakened by battle wounds vulnus: an injury or wound vulpes: a fox
Z zelotypus: jealousy zephyrus: a warm west wind zonam solvere [to untie the girdle]: to marry a maiden (during the Roman wedding ceremony, the woman’s apron is untied and laid aside as a rite symbolizing her change of marital status)
139
D I C TA Common Phrases, Mottoes, and Familiar Sayings
A a cruce salus: salvation comes from the Cross a crux nostra corona: the Cross is our crown a Deo et rege: from God and the king a Deo lux nostra: our light comes from God a fonte puro pura defluit aqua: from a pure spring pure water flows a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi [a precipice before (me), wolves behind (me)]: between a rock and a hard place a mari usque ad mare: from sea to sea (a motto of Canada) a minimis quoque timendum: one ought to fear even the tiniest of creatures a solis ortu usque ad occasum: from the rising to the setting of the sun a verbis legis non est recedendum: (leg.) from the words of the law there is no departure ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia: the usefulness of something is not invalidated by the consequences of its abuse ab actu ad posse valet illatio: it is possible to infer the future from the past ab hoc et ab hac et ab illa [from this and from this and from that]: from here, there, and everywhere (i.e., confusedly) ab igne ignem: fire from fire ab Jove principium: from Jove is the beginning (of all things) (Virgil) ab ovo usque ad mala [from the egg to the apples]: from appetizer to the dessert (i.e., from beginning to end) ab uno disce omnes [from one learn all]: from one sample we judge the rest abeunt studia in mores: pursuits become habits (Ovid)
DICTA abi in malam crucem
ad astra per ardua
abi in malam crucem: (fig.) to the devil with you! abscissa virescit: by pruning it grows green absens haeres non erit [the absent one will not be the heir]: out of sight, out of mind absque argento omnia vana: without money all is vain absque labore nihil: nothing without labor abundans cautela non nocet: abundant caution does no harm abundat dulcibus vitiis: he abounds with delightful faults (Quintilian) acerbus et ingens: fierce and mighty accidit in puncto, et toto contingit in anno: it happens in a moment, and happens all year long Acheruntis pabulum [food for Acheron]: marked for death (Plautus; referring to corrupt and depraved persons) acta deos nunquam mortalia fallunt: the deeds of men never escape the gods (Ovid) acta est fabula: the play is over (the dying words of Caesar Augustus) acta exteriora indicant interiora secreta: external actions indicate internal secrets acti labores jucundi: the remembrance of past labors is pleasant actio personalis moritur cum persona: (leg.) a personal right dies with the person actori incumbit onus probandi: (leg.) the burden of proof falls to the plaintiff actum est de me [it is all over with me]: all is lost! actum est de nobis [it is all over with us]: all is lost! actum est de republica [it is all over with the Republic]: the Republic is lost! actum ne agas [do not do what is done]: leave well enough alone (Terence) actus Dei nemini facit injuriam: (leg.) acts of God do injury to no one actus Dei nemini nocet: (leg.) acts of God bring harm to no one aculei irriti: ineffectual stings ad alta virtute: to the heights of my virtue ad astra per ardua: to the stars by steep paths 144
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ad astra per aspera adeo in teneris consuescere multum est
ad astra per aspera: to the stars through adversities (motto of Kansas) ad augusta per angusta: to honors through difficulties ad coelos volans: flying to the heavens ad coelum tendit: he directs his course toward heaven ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam: to God, who gives joy to my youth ad instar omnium: in the likeness of all ad kalendas (or calendas) Graecas [at the Greek calends]: never (the Greeks did not have a calends, only the Romans had) ad majorem Dei gloriam (A.M.D.G.): to the greater glory of God (motto of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits) ad mala quisque animum referat sua: let each recall his own woes (Ovid) ad meliora vertamur: let us turn to better things ad mortem fidelis: faithful till death ad nocendum potentes sumus: we all have power to do harm (Seneca) ad omnem libidinem projectus homo: a man addicted to every lust ad perniciem solet agi sinceritas: honesty is often goaded to ruin (Phaedrus) ad perpetuam rei memoriam: for the perpetual remembrance of the matter ad poenitendum properat, cito qui judicat: the one who judges in haste repents in haste (Publilius Syrus) ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora [eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow]: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ad unguem factus homo: a man accomplished to his fingertips (Horace) ad virtus astra: virtue to the stars addere legi justitiam Deo: to add the justice of God to the law adeo in teneris consuescere multum est: so much depends upon habit in the tender years (i.e., such are the advantages of an early education) (Virgil) 145
DICTA adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini
afflavit Deus et dissipantur
adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini: our help is in the name of the Lord adjuvante Deo labor proficit: with God’s help, work prospers adolescentem verecundum esse decet: it becomes a young man to be modest (Plautus) adulescentia deferbuit: the fires of youth have cooled adversae res admonent religionum: adversity reminds men of religion (Livy) adversus solem ne loquitor [neither speak against the sun]: do not dispute with what is obvious aedificatum solo, solo cedit: (leg.) the thing built on the land goes with the land aegis fortissima virtus: virtue is the strongest shield aegrescit(que) medendo [he grows worse with the treatment]: the remedy is worse than the disease (Virgil) aegri somnia vana: the idle or delusive dreams of a sick man (Horace) aequabiliter et diligenter: uniformly and diligently aequabit nigras candida una dies: one single white day will equal the black ones aequitas sequitur legem: equity follows the law aere quandoque salutem redimendam: safety must sometimes be bought with money aerugo animi, rubigo ingenii [rusty mind, blighted genius]: idleness is the blight of genius aes debitorem leve, gravius inimicum facit: a slight debt produces a debtor, a large one an enemy (Laberius) aetatem non tegunt tempora: our temples do not conceal our age aeternum inter se discordant: they are eternally in discord with each other (Terence) aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus: tending an eternal wound within the heart aevo rarissima nostro simplicitas: simplicity is nowadays very rare (Ovid) afflavit Deus et dissipantur: God sent forth his breath and they are scattered (an inscription commemorating the English defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588) 146
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS age officium tuum alter ipse amisuc
age officium tuum: act your office age quod agis [do what you are doing]: attend to the work you have at hand agedum virtus antecedat, tutum erit omne vestigium: if virtue precede us, every step will be safe (Seneca) alea jacta est: the die is cast ( Julius Caesar, after crossing the Rubicon in 49 BCE) alia res sceptrum, alia plectrum: ruling men is one thing, entertaining them is another alia tendanda via est: another way must be tried (Virgil) aliam excute quercum: go shake some other oak (for your acorns) aliena opprobria saepe absterrent vitiis: we are often deterred from crime by the disgrace of others (Horace) aliena optimum frui insania: it is best to profit by the madness of others aliena pericula, cautiones nostrae: others’ dangers are our warnings alieni temporis flores: flowers of other days alieno more vivendum est mihi: I must live according to another’s whim (Terence) alii sementem faciunt, alii metentem: some do the planting, others the reaping alio sub sole: under another sun alis volat propriis: she flies with her own wings (motto of Oregon) aliter catuli longe olent, aliter sues: puppies and pigs have a very different smell (Plautus) alitur vitium vivitque tegendo [vice is nourished and lives by being concealed]: vice lives and thrives by secrecy aliud est celare, aliud tacere: it is one thing to conceal, another to be silent alius peccat, alius plectitur: one man sins, the other is punished aliusque et idem: another, yet the same (Horace) alliciunt somnos tempus motusque merumque: time, motion, and wine cause sleep (Ovid) alter ego est amicus: a friend is another self (Zeno) alter ipse amicus: a friend is a second self 147
DICTA altera manu scabunt, altera feriunt
amor gignit amorem
altera manu scabunt, altera feriunt: they tickle with one hand and smite with the other alteri sic tibi: do to another as to thyself alterius non sit qui suus esse potest: let no man be slave of another who can be his own master (motto of Paracelsus) alterum alterius auxilio eget: one thing needs the help of another altiora peto: I seek higher things altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labuntur [the deepest rivers flow with the least noise]: still waters run deep (Curtius) ama et fac quod vis: love and do what you will (adapted from St.Augustine) amans iratus multa mentitur: an angry lover tells himself many lies (Publilius Syrus) amantes amentes (or amantes sunt amentes): lovers are lunatics (Terence) amarus vitiorum fructus: the fruit of sin is bitter amentium, haud amantium: of lunatics, not lovers amici, diem perdidi: friends, I have lost a day (Emperor Titus, as quoted by Suetonius) amicis semper fidelis: always faithful to friends amicitia reddit honores: friendship gives honors amicitia sine fraude: friendship without deceit amicos esse fures temporis: friends are thieves of time (Bacon) amicum laedere ne joco quidem licet: a friend must not be injured, even in jest (Publilius Syrus) amicus amico: a friend to a friend amicus animae dimidium: a friend is half of one’s soul amicus est tanquam alter idem: a friend is, as it were, a second self (Cicero) amicus humani generis: a friend of the human race amicus usque ad aras [a friend as far as the altar]: a friend in everything save religion amo ut invenio: I love as I find amor et honor: love and honor amor et pax: love and peace amor gignit amorem: love begets love 148
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS amor omnibus idem apex est autem senectutis auctoritas
amor omnibus idem: love is the same in all (Virgil) amor tussisque non celantur: love and a cough are not concealed (Ovid) amor vincit omnia: love conquers all things amore sitis uniti: be united in love anguillam cauda tenes [you hold an eel by the tail]: you have caught a lion by the tail anima in amicis una: one mind among friends animal bipes implume [a two-legged animal without feathers]: man (Plato’s definition of man) animis opibusque parati [prepared in spirit and resources]: ready for anything (a motto of South Carolina) animo aegrotanti medicus est oratio: kind words are as a physician to an afflicted spirit animo et fide: by courage and faith animo non astutia: by courage, not by craft animus et prudentia: courage and discretion animus hominis est anima scripti: (leg.) the intention of the person is the intention of the written instrument animus non deficit aequus [a well-balanced mind is not wanting]: equanimity does not fail us annona cara est [corn is dear]: the cost of living is high (also annonae caritas) annuit coeptis: He (God) has favored our beginning (a motto of the United States of America) ante tubam trepidat [he trembles before the trumpet sounds]: he cries before he is hurt (Virgil) ante victoriam ne canas triumphum: do not celebrate your triumph before you have conquered apage!: be off! apage Satanus!: away with you, Satan! aperit praecordia liber: wine opens the seals of the heart (Horace) aperto vivere voto [to live with unconcealed desire]: to live life as an open book (Persius) apex est autem senectutis auctoritas: the crown of old age is authority (Cicero) 149
DICTA apio opus est
asinum sub fraeno currere docere
apio opus est [there is need of parsley]: someone is dying (parsley being strewn over a person’s grave) apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto: one here and another there are seen swimming in the vast deep (Virgil) appetitus rationi pareat: let your desires be governed by reason (Cicero) aqua profunda est quieta: still water runs deep aquam a pumice nunc postulas: you are trying to get water from a stone (Plautus) aquila non capit muscas: an eagle does not catch flies aranearum telas texere [to weave spiders’ webs]: spinning a tall tale or weaving an intricate argument arbitrium est judicium: (leg.) an award is a judgment arma pacis fulcra: arms are the props of peace arma parata fero: I carry arms in readiness arma tuentur pacem: arms maintain peace arma virumque cano: I sing of arms and of a man (the opening lines of Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid) armat spinat rosas: the thorn arms the rose arrectis auribus adsto: I wait with listening ears (Virgil) ars aemula naturae: art is nature’s rival (Apuleius) ars est celare artem: true art is to conceal art (Ovid) ars est longa, vita brevis (or ars longa, vita brevis): art is long, life is short (Hippocrates) ars gratia artis: art for art’s sake (motto of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) ars naturam adjuvans: art aiding nature arte conservatus: preserved by skill arte magistra: by the aid of art (Virgil) arte perire sua [to perish by one’s own trickery]: to be caught in one’s own trap artes honorabit: he will adorn the arts artes, scientia, veritas: arts, science, truth (motto of the University of Michigan) ascendo: I rise asinum sub fraeno currere docere: to teach an ass to obey the rein (i.e., to labor in vain) 150
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS asinus ad lyram audentum Forsque Venusque juvant
asinus ad lyram [an ass at the lyre]: to be all thumbs asinus asino, et sus sui pulcher: as an ass is beautiful to an ass so a pig is to a pig asinus asinum fricat [the ass rubs the ass]: one fool rubs another fool’s back (i.e., mutual praise) assignatus utitur jure auctoris: (leg.) the assignee is possessed of the rights of the one he or she represents astra castra, numen lumen: the stars my camp, the divine Spirit my light astra regunt homines, sed regit astra Deus: the stars govern men, but God governs the stars astutior coccyge: craftier than a cuckoo (a bird that lays its eggs in another bird’s nest) at spes non fracta (or at spes infracta): but hope is not broken Athanasius contra mundum [Athanasius against the world]: referring to the stand made by St.Athanasius against heresy in the early 4th century CE auctor ego audendi: I am the author of my daring auctor pretiosa facit: the giver makes the gift precious (adapted from Ovid) audaces fortuna juvat: fortune helps the brave audacia et industria: boldness and diligence audacia pro muro habetur: courage protects like a wall (Sallust) audacter et sincere (or audaciter et sincere): boldly and sincerely audax et celer: bold and swift aude aliquid dignum: dare something worthy aude contemnere opes: dare to despise riches (Virgil) aude sapere: dare to be wise aude, tace, fuge: listen, be silent, flee audemus jura nostra defendere: we dare to defend our rights (motto of Alabama) audendo magnus tegitur timor: great fear is concealed under daring (Lucan) audentes Deus ipse juvat: God himself favors the brave (Ovid) audentes (or audaces) fortuna juvet: fortune favors the bold audentum Forsque Venusque juvant: Fortune and Love favor the brave (Ovid) 151
DICTA audi alteram partem
autumnus, libitinae quaestus acerbae
audi alteram partem: (leg.) hear the other side (the right of the defendant to answer a charge or to speak in his or her own defense) audio sed taceo: I hear, but say nothing audita et altera pars: let the other side be heard as well auditque vocatus Apollo: and Apollo hears when called upon (a reference to poetic inspiration) (Virgil) Augiae cloacas purgare [to cleanse the Augean stables]: to accomplish a difficult and disagreeable work (Seneca) aureo hamo piscari [to fish with a golden hook]: gold is the surest of lures auri sacra fames: accursed craving for gold (Virgil) auri sacra fames quid non?: what does the accursed greed for gold not drive men to do? auribus teneo lupum [I have a wolf by the ears]: I am in desperate trouble (Terence) auro quaeque janua panditur: a golden key opens any door aurora musis amica est: dawn is the friend of the muses auspicium melioris aevi [an omen of a better age]: a pledge of better times (motto of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) Austriae est imperare orbi universo (A.E.I.O.U.): all the world is to be ruled by Austria (motto of Frederick III) aut amat aut odit mulier; nil (or nihil) est tertium: woman either loves or hates; there is nothing in between (Publilius Syrus) aut bibat aut abeat: either drink or go away aut Caesar aut nihil [either Caesar or nothing]: either first or not at all aut disce aut discede: either learn or depart aut inveniam viam aut faciam: I will either find a way or make one aut mors aut victoria: either death or victory aut non tentaris, aut perfice: either do not try it or go through with it aut vincere aut mori [either to conquer or to die]: either victory or death autumnus, libitinae quaestus acerbae: autumn, the harvest of bitter death (Horace) 152
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS auxilium ab alto bello ac pace paratus
auxilium ab alto: help from on high auxilium meum a Domino: my help comes from the Lord auxilium meum ab alto: my help is from above auxilium non leve vultus habet: a pleasing countenance is no small advantage (Ovid) avaritia huius saeculi: the avarice of this generation ave atque vale: hale and farewell ave, Caesar, morituri te salutamus!: Hail, Caesar, we who are about to die salute you (salutation of the gladiators to the Roman emperors) ave Maria, gratia plena (also, ave Maria, plena gratia): hail, Mary, full of grace avi memorantur avorum [my ancestors recall their ancestors]: my ancestral line is long avitae gloriae memor: mindful of ancestral glory avito viret honore [he flourishes upon ancestral honors]: his honor is not of his own doing
B barbae tenus sapientes [men are wise as far as their beards]: referring to those who pretend to have knowledge they do not in fact possess basis virtutum constantia: constancy is the foundation of virtue beati monoculi in regione caecorum: blessed is the one-eyed person in the country of the blind beati pacifici: blessed are the peacemakers (St. Matthew 5: 9) beati pauperes spiritu: blessed are the poor in spirit (St. Matthew 5: 3) beati qui durant: blessed are they that endure beatus autem esse sine virtute nemo potest: no one can be happy without virtue (Cicero) bella, detesta matribus: war, the horror of mothers (Horace) bella gerant alii: leave war to others (Ovid) bella, horrida bella: wars, horrid wars (Virgil) bello ac pace paratus: prepared in war and peace 153
DICTA bello palmam fero
bonis omnia bona
bello palmam fero: I bear the palm in war bellum, pax rursus: a war, and again a peace (Terence) bene agendo nunquam defessus: never weary of doing good bene est tentare: it is as well to try bene orasse est bene studuisse: to have prayed well is to have striven well (Ovid) bene qui latuit bene vixit [well has he lived who has lived a retired life]: he who has lived in obscurity has lived in security (Ovid) benedictus qui tollit crucem: blessed is the one who bears the Cross beneficia plura recipit qui scit reddere: he receives the most favors who knows how to return them (Publilius Syrus) beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere: to accept a favor is to sell one’s liberty (Publilius Syrus) bibamus, moriendum est: let us drink, death is certain (Seneca the Elder) bibere venenum in auro: to drink poison from a golden cup bilingues cavendi: beware of the double-tongued bis dat qui cito dat: he gives twice who gives quickly bis dat qui temptestive donat: he gives twice who gives on time bis peccare in bello non licet: it is not permitted to err twice in war bis pueri senes: old men are twice children bis repetita placent: that which pleases is twice repeated (Horace) bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria: he conquers twice who conquers himself in victory (Publilius Syrus) bis vivit qui bene vivit: he lives twice who lives well blandae mendacia linguae: the lies of a flattering tongue bona fide polliceor: I promise in good faith bonae leges malis ex moribus proceantur: good laws grow out of evil acts (Macrobius) boni judicis est lites dirimere: (leg.) a good judge is one who prevents litigation bonis nocet quisquis pepercerit malis: the one who spares the bad injures the good (Publilius Syrus) bonis omnia bona: all things are good to the good 154
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS bonis quod bene fit haud perit candida pax homines, trux decet ira feras
bonis quod bene fit haud perit: whatever is done for good men is never done in vain (Plautus) bonitas non est pessimis esse meliorem: it is not goodness to be better than the worst (Seneca) bonum vinum laetificat cor hominis: good wine makes men’s heart rejoice bonus animus in mala re dimidium est mali: good courage in a bad circumstance is half of the evil overcome (Plautus) bonus dux bonum reddit militem: the good leader makes good soldiers bonus vir semper tiro: a good man is always learning (after Martial) bos lassus fortius figit pedem: the tired ox plants its foot more firmly brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio: in trying to be concise, I become obscure (Horace) brevis voluptas mox doloris est parens: short-lived pleasure is the parent of pain
C cadenti porrigo dextram: I extend my right hand to one who is falling cadit ira metu: fear causes anger to subside (Ovid) caeca invidia est: envy is blind (Livy) caeli enarrant gloriam Dei: the heavens are telling the glory of God caelitus impendet: it hangs in the heavens caelitus mihi vires: my strength is from heaven Caesar non supra grammaticos: Caesar has no authority over the grammarians calco sub pedibus: I trample it under my feet camelus desiderans cornua etiam aures perdidit: the camel, begging for horns, was deprived of its ears as well candida pax homines, trux decet ira feras: white-robed peace becomes men, savage anger of wild beasts (Ovid) 155
DICTA candide et caute
causa latet, vis est notissima
candide et caute: with candor and caution candide et constanter: frankly and firmly candide secure: honesty is the best policy candor dat viribus alas: sincerity gives wings to strength cane pejus et angue: worse than a dog or a snake cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator [the empty-handed traveler sings before the robber]: the penniless man fears not being robbed ( Juvenal) cantilenam eandem canis: he sings the same old song (Terence) capiat qui capere possit [let him take who can]: catch as catch can captantes capti sumus [we catchers have been caught]: the biter is bitten captus nidore culinae: caught by the odor of the kitchen caput inter nubia condo: I hide my head among the clouds (i.e., fame) (Virgil) caput super pedibus in amore: head over heels in love caret initio et fine: it lacks beginning and end carior est illis homo quam sibi: man is dearer to them (the gods) than to himself ( Juvenal) caritas fructum habet: charity bears fruit carpe diem [seize the day]: enjoy today; make the most of the present carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero: seize the day, trusting little in tomorrow (Horace) carpent tua poma nepotes: your descendants will pick your fruit carpere et colligere: to pick and gather Carthago delenda est: Carthage must be destroyed (Cato the Elder) cassis tutissima virtus [virtue is the safest helmet]: an honest person need not fear a thing castigat ridendo mores: it corrects manners by laughing at them (i.e., comedy) catus amat pisces, sed non vult tingere plantas: a cat likes fish, but it does not like to wet its paws causa latet, vis est notissima: the cause is hidden but its strength is well noted (Ovid) 156
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS cautis pericula prodesse aliorum solent cervus lacessitus leo
cautis pericula prodesse aliorum solent: prudent people are ever ready to profit from the experiences of others (Phaedrus) cautus metuit foveam lupus: the cautious wolf fears the snare cautus semper viret: the cautious man always flourishes cave a signatis: beware of those who are marked cave!, adsum: beware!, I am present cave!, Deus videt: beware!, God sees cave ignoscas: take care not to overlook (or forgive) cave ne cadas [take heed you do not fall]: beware of falling from your high position cave quid dicis, quando et cui: beware what you say, when, and to whom cavendi nulla est dimittenda occasio: no occasion to be alert is to be overlooked cavendo tutus: safe by taking heed cedamus amori: let us yield to love cedant arma togae [let arms yield to the toga]: let the military yield power to civil authority (motto of Wyoming) cede Deo: submit (or yield) to God (Virgil) cede nullis: yield to no one cedo nulli: I yield to no one celer et audax: swift and daring celeritas et veritas: swiftness and truth celsae graviore casu decidunt turres: lofty towers fall with a heavier crash (Horace) certa amittimus dum incerta petimus: we lose things certain in pursuing things uncertain (Plautus) certa salutis anchora: the sure anchor of salvation certum est quia impossibile est: it is true because it is impossible (Tertullian) certum pete finem [aim at a certain end]: aim at a sure thing certum scio: I know for certain certum voto pete finem: set a definite limit to your desire (Horace) cervus lacessitus leo: the stag provoked becomes a lion 157
cessante causa, cessat effectus
DICTA comes jucundus in via pro vehiculo est
cessante causa, cessat effectus: when the cause ceases, the effect ceases ceterum censo: but my decided opinion is (Cato the Elder) chaos, rudis indigestaque moles: chaos, a rough and unordered mass (Ovid) Christi crux est mea lux: the Cross of Christ is my light Christo et Ecclesiae: for Christ and for the Church cineri gloria sera est: glory paid to ashes comes too late (Martial) cita mors ruit: death is a swift rider (Horace) citius, altius, fortius: faster, higher, stronger (motto of the modern Olympic Games) cito maturum, cito putridum: soon ripe, soon rotten civilitas successit barbarum: civilization succeeds barbarism (territorial motto of Minnesota) civis Romanus sum: I am a citizen of Rome (Cicero) civium in moribus rei publicae salus: the welfare of the state (depends upon) the morals of its citizens (motto of the University of Florida) clarior ex obscuro: (I shine) more brightly from out of obscurity clarior ex tenebris (or clarior e tenebris): (I shine) more brightly from out of the darkness clariora sequor: I follow brighter things clarum et venerabile nomen: an illustrious and venerable name classicum canit: the trumpet sounds attack coelitus mihi vires: my strength is from heaven coelum (or caelum) non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt: those who cross the seas change their climate, but not their character (Horace) coetus dulces valete [happy meetings]: fare you well (Catullus) cogitationis poenam nemo meretur: no one deserves punishment for a thought cogito ergo sum (also ego cogito, ergo sum): I think, therefore I am (Descartes) colubrem in sinu fovere: to hold a snake in one’s bosom (Phaedrus) comes jucundus in via pro vehiculo est: a pleasant companion on the road is as good as a vehicle (Publilius Syrus) 158
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS commune periculum concordiam parit consule Planco
commune periculum concordiam parit: a common danger begets unity communia proprie dicere: to express commonplace things with propriety (said of accomplished actors) (Horace) communis error facit jus: (leg.) sometimes common error makes law compendia dispendia: short cuts are roundabouts compesce mentem: control your temper concordia insuperabilis: unconquerable harmony concussus surgo: though shaken I rise; when struck I rise confido et conquiesco: I trust and I am at rest conjunctio maris et foeminae est de jure naturae: the conjunction of man and woman is of the law of nature Consanguineus Lethi Sopor: Sleep, the Brother of Death conscia mens recti: a mind conscious of integrity (Ovid) conscientia mille testes: conscience is as a thousand witnesses consensus facit legem: consent makes law consensus tollit errorem: (leg.) consent takes away error consequitur quodcunque petit: he attains whatever he attempts consilia et facta: by thoughts and deeds consilio et animis: by wisdom and courage (also consilio et animo) consilio et prudentia: by wisdom and prudence consilio manuque: by work and wisdom consilio, non impetu: by wisdom, not impulse constans et fidelis: constant and faithful constantia et virtute: by constancy and courage consuetudinis magna vis est: great is the force of habit (Cicero) consuetudo est altera lex: custom is a second law consuetudo est secunda natura: custom is a second nature (St. Augustine) consuetudo pro lege servatur: custom is observed as law consuetudo quasi altera natura: habit is as second nature (Cicero) consule Planco [when Plancus was consul]: in my younger days (Horace) 159
DICTA Consummatum est
credite posteri
Consummatum est: It is finished (one of the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross; St. John 19: 30) continua messe senescit ager: a field becomes exhausted by constant tillage (Ovid) contra malum mortis, non est medicamen in hortis: against the evil of death there is no remedy in the garden contra stimulum calces [you kick against the goad]: your opposition is in vain (Terence) contraria contrariis curantur: opposite cures opposite contumeliam si dicis, audies: if you utter abuse, you must expect to receive it (or, if you speak insults, you will hear them) (Plautus) cor ad cor loquitur: heart speaks to heart (Cardinal Newman) cor et manus: heart and hand cor mundum crea in me Deus: create in me a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51: 10) cor nobile, cor immobile: a noble heart is an immovable heart cor unum, via una: one heart, one way corpora lente augescunt cito extinguuntur: bodies are slow in growth, rapid in decay (Horace) corpus non animae domicilium sed diversum est: the body is not the abode of the soul but its enemy corrumpunt mores bonos colloquia mala: bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15: 33) corruptio optimi pessima: the corruption of the best is the worst corruptissima re publica plurimae leges: in the most corrupt state exist the most laws (Terence) crambe repetita [warmed-over cabbage]: the same old thing ( Juvenal) cras amet qui numquam amavit: let those love now, who never loved before (Catullus) cras credemus, hodie nihil: tomorrow we will believe, not today credat Judaeus Apella [let Apella the Jew believe it]: only the credulous believe it (Horace) crede quod habes, et habes: believe that you have it, and you have it credite posteri: believe it, posterity (Horace) 160
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS credo, Domine culpam poena premit comes
credo, Domine: Lord, I believe credo quia absurdum (est): I believe it because it is absurd (Tertullian) credo quia impossibile (est): I believe it because it is impossible (attributed to Tertullian) credo ut intelligam [I believe so that I might understand]: belief precedes knowledge (St.Augustine) credula res amor est: a credulous thing is love (Ovid) crescat scientia, vita excolatur: where knowledge increases, life is enriched (motto of the University of Chicago) crescere ex aliquo: raising oneself through the fall of another crescit eundo: it grows as it goes (motto of New Mexico) crescit sub pondere virtus: virtue grows under oppression crescite et multiplicamini: increase and multiply (motto of Maryland) crescitur cultu: it is increased by cultivation cribro aquam haurire: to draw water with a sieve cruce, dum spiro, fido: while I have breath, I trust in the Cross crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit: a disorderly patient makes the physician cruel (Publilius Syrus) crux est si metuas quod vincere nequeas: it is torture to fear what you cannot overcome (Ausonius) crux mihi ancora: the Cross is my anchor cucullus non facit monachum: the cowl does not make the monk cui Fortuna ipsa cedit: to whom Fortune herself yields (Cicero) cui placet obliviscitur, cui dolet meminit: we forget our pleasures, we remember our pains (Cicero) cui prodest scelus, is fecit: he has committed the crime, who has derived the profit (Seneca) cuilibet in arte sua perito credendum est: every skilled man is to be trusted in his own art cujus regio, ejus religio [whose region, his religion]: the faith of the people is determined by their king culpam poena premit comes: punishment presses hard upon the heels of crime (Horace) 161
DICTA cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum
dabit Deus his quoque finem
cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum: with love for humanity and hatred of sins (St.Augustine) cum larvis non luctandum: one ought not to wrestle with ghosts cum odio sui coepit veritas: the first reaction to truth is hatred (Tertullian) cum quod datur spectabis, et dantem adspice: while you look at what is given, look also at the giver (Seneca) cum tacent, clamant [when they are silent they cry loudest]: silence speaks louder than words cum tempore mutamur: we change with time cuneus cuneum trudit: wedge drives wedge cura facit canos: care brings gray hairs curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent: light griefs find utterance, great ones hold silent (Seneca) curiosa felicitas: nice felicity of expression (Petronius) curiosis fabricavit inferos: he fashioned hell for the inquisitive (St.Augustine) currentem tu quidem: (fig.) you spur a willing horse currus bovem trahit [the cart draws the ox]: to put the cart before the horse cursus curiae est lex curiae: (leg.) the practice of the court is the law of the court curta supellex [scanty supply of furniture]: meager stock of knowledge custodi civitatem, Domine: keep the city, O Lord
D da fidei quae fidei sunt: give to faith that which belongs to faith da gloriam Deo: give glory to God da locum melioribus: give place to your betters (Terence) d-a p-e-c-u-n-i-a-m [give money]: the Vatican’s Ten Commandments in Ten Letters (C. J. Weber) da veniam lacrymis: forgive these tears dabit Deus his quoque finem: God will put an end to these troubles as well (Virgil) 162
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS dabit qui dedit de minimis non curat lex
dabit qui dedit: he who gave will give (again) damna minus consueta movent: losses to which one grows accustomed affect one much less ( Juvenal) damnant quod non intelligunt: they condemn what they do not understand damnum sentit dominus: (leg.) the master suffers the loss damnum sine injuria esse potest: (leg.) loss without injury is deemed possible dare fatis vela: to give the sails to fate (Virgil) dare pondus idonea fumo [fit only to give weight to smoke]: to give importance to trifles (Persius) dat Deus immiti cornua curta bovi: God gives short horns to the cruel ox data fata secutus: following what is decreed by fate (Virgil) date, et dabitur vobis: give and it shall be given to you (St. Luke 6: 38) date obolum Belisario: give alms to Belisarius (a Roman general who, according to legend, was reduced to poverty) Davus sum, non Oedipus [I am Davus, not Oedipus]: I am a simple man, not a genius de asini umbra disceptare [to argue about the shadow of an ass]: to argue over trifling matters de calceo sollicitus, at pedem nihil curans: anxious about the shoe, but careless about the foot de duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum: of two evils, always choose the lesser (Thomas à Kempis) de fide et officio judicis non recipitur quaestio: (leg.) concerning the good faith and duty of the judge, no question can be allowed de filo, pendet: it hangs by a thread de fumo in flammam [out of the smoke into the flame]: out of the frying pan and into the fire de gustibus non (est) disputandum: there is no disputing about tastes de minimis non curat lex: the law does not concern itself with trifles 163
DICTA de minimis non curat praetor
deficit omne quod nascitur
de minimis non curat praetor: a magistrate does not concern himself with trifles de mortuis nil nisi bene: of the dead say nothing but what is favorable de mortuis nil nisi bonum: of the dead say nothing but good de nihilo nihil: from nothing, nothing can come (Persius) de omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis [of all things knowable and certain others]: a “know-it-all” de omnibus rebus et quibusdam aliis [of all things and of certain others]: a book that rambles on and on de parvis grandis acervus erit: small things will make a large pile de pilo pendet [it hangs by a hair]: a precarious situation de publico est elatus: he was buried at the public expense (Livy) de similibus idem est judicium: (leg.) in similar cases, the judgment is the same de te fabula narratur: the story relates to you (Horace) debellare superbos: to overthrow the proud (Virgil) debile fundamentum fallit opus: a weak foundation destroys the work upon which it is built debit Deus his quoque finem: God will put an end to these as well (Virgil) decet imperatorem stantem mori: an emperor ought to die standing (i.e., at his post) (Vespasian) decet verecundum esse adolescentem: it becomes a young man to be modest (Plautus) decies repetita placebit: though repeated ten times, it is still pleasing (Horace) decipimur specie recti: we are deceived by the semblance of what is right (Horace) decipit frons prima multos: the first appearance deceives many decori decus addit avito: he adds honor to his ancestral honor decus et tutamen: an ornament and a safeguard (inscription on the edge of English pound coins to protect against clipping) decus et tutamen regni: the grace and safeguard of the realm (said of Queen Elizabeth I) deficit omne quod nascitur: everything which is born passes away (Quintilian) 164
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS degeneranti genus opprobrium Deo favente
degeneranti genus opprobrium: to the degenerate man his good family is a disgrace degeneres animos timor arguit: fear betrays ignoble souls (Virgil) Dei gratia: by the grace of God (a motto of Canada) Dei irati: the wrath of God Dei memor, gratus amicis: mindful of God, grateful to friends Dei plena sunt omnia: all things are full of God (Cicero) delectando pariterque monendo: by giving pleasure and at the same time instructing (Horace) delegatus non potest delegare: a delegate cannot delegate delenda est Carthago [Carthage must be destroyed]: the war must be carried on to the bitter end (Cato the Elder) deliberando saepe perit occasio: an opportunity (or occasion) is often lost through deliberation (Publilius Syrus) deliciae humani generis: the delight of mankind (a reference to the Emperor Titus) delphinum natare doces: you are teaching a dolphin to swim delphinum silvis appingit, fluctibus aprum [he portrays a dolphin in the woods and a boar in the waves]: he introduces objects unsuited to the scene (Horace) deme supercilio nubem [remove the clouds from your brow]: come down from your cloud denique caelum or denique coelum: heaven at last (Crusaders’ battle cry) dente superbo: with a disdainful tooth (Horace) Deo adjuvante non timendum: with God’s help, nothing need be feared Deo date: give unto God deo dignus vindice nodus [a knot worthy of a god to unloose]: a great dilemma Deo duce, ferro comitante: with God as my leader and a sword as my friend Deo ducente: with God’s guidance Deo et Patriae: for God and Country (motto of the University of Saskatchewan) Deo et regi fidelis: loyal to God and king Deo favente [with God’s favor]: by the grace of God 165
DICTA Deo gloria noster
Deus gubernat navem
Deo gloria noster: our glory to God Deo gratias: thanks be to God Deo honor et gloria: to God the honor and glory Deo ignoto: to the unknown God Deo juvante: with God’s help (motto of Monaco) Deo monente [with God’s warning]: a warning from God Deo, non fortuna: from God, not chance Deo, Optimo, Maximo (D.O.M.): to God, the Best, the Greatest (motto of the Benedictine Order) Deo, patriae, amicis: for God, homeland, and friends Deo volente (D.V. or d.v.): God willing deorum cibus est: it is food for the gods deos fortioribus adesse: the gods are said to aid the stronger (Tacitus) deprendi miserum est: it is wretched to be found out derelicta fertilius revivescunt: fields left fallow recover their fertility (Pliny the Elder) desipere in loco [to act foolishly at the proper time]: to unwind occasionally (Horace) despicio terrena: I despise earthly things detur digniori: let it be given to those more worthy detur pulchriori: let it be given to those more beautiful Deum cole, regem serva: worship God, serve the king Deum colit, qui novit: the one who knows God worships Him (Seneca) Deum esse credimus: we believe in the existence of God Deus avertat!: God forbid! Deus clypeus meus: God is my shield Deus dabit vela: God will fill the sails deus est in pectore nostro: there is a god within our heart (Ovid) Deus est regit qui omnia: there is a God who rules all things Deus est summum bonum: God is the greatest good (St. Thomas Aquinas) Deus est suum esse: God is his own being Deus fortitudo mea: God is my strength Deus gubernat navem: God pilots the ship 166
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS Deus misereatur dirige nos Domine
Deus misereatur: God be merciful Deus nobis haec otia fecit: God has given us this rest or leisure (Virgil) Deus nobiscum, quis contra?: God with us, who can be against us? Deus noster refugium: our God is our refuge Deus pastor meus: God is my shepherd Deus providebit: God will provide Deus scitur melius nesciendo: God is best known in not knowing him (St.Augustine) Deus sive natura: God or nature (Spinoza) Deus vobiscum: God be with you Deus vult: God wills it (the rallying cry of the First Crusade) di meliora: god forbid! di (or dii) pia facta vident: the gods see pious deeds (Ovid) dic bona fide: tell me in good faith (Plautus) dic quid sentias: give me your opinion dicamus bona verba: let us speak words of good omen (Terence) dicta docta pro datis: smooth words in place of gifts (Plautus) dicta fides sequitur: the promise is no sooner given than fulfilled (Ovid) dicta tibi est lex: the law is laid before you (Horace) dictis facta suppetant: let deeds suffice for words (Plautus) dictum ac factum [said and done]: no sooner said than done dictum sapienti sat est: a word to the wise is sufficient (Terence) diem perdidi [I have lost a day]: I have done nothing of worth (attributed to Titus) dies adimit aegritudinem: time cures our griefs difficilia quae pulchra: things that are beautiful are difficult to attain difficilis in otio quies: tranquility is difficult if one has leisure dignum et justum est: it is right and fitting diligentia ditat: industry enriches dimidium facti qui coepit habet: a work that is begun well is already half done (Horace) dirige nos Domine: direct us, O Lord 167
DICTA dirigo
domi manere convenit felicibus
dirigo: I direct (motto of Maine) dis (or diis) aliter visum: it seemed otherwise to the gods (Virgil) dis (or diis) bene juvantibus: with the help of the gods (Livy) dis (or diis) ducibus: under the direction of the gods (Livy) disce et doce: learn and teach (motto of the University of Sheffield) disce pati: learn to endure discere docendo: to learn through teaching disciplina praesidium civitatis: the instruction and protection of the state (motto of the University of Texas) discipulus est prioris posterior dies: each day succeeding is the student of the one preceding (Publilius Syrus) disjecti membra poëtae: limbs of a dismembered poet (Horace; sometimes said of plagiarized works) disputandi pruritas ecclesiarum scabies: an itch for disputation is the mange of the Church (Sir Henry Wotton) distantia jungit: it joins things that were apart ditat Deus: God enriches (motto of Arizona) divide et impera: divide and rule divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes: divine nature gave us the fields, human art built our cities (Latin version of the Spanish motto over the Santa Barbara County Court House) (Varro) divinitus accidit: it happened miraculously divitiae virum faciunt: riches make the man dixit Dominus: the Lord has spoken it do ut des: I give that you may give (a maxim of Otto von Bismarck) doce ut discas: teach that you may learn docendo discimus: we learn by teaching docta ignorantia: learned ignorance (Nicolas of Cusa) doleo quia doles: I suffer because you suffer (Cicero) dolium volvitur: an empty cask is easily rolled dolosus versatur in generalibus: a deceiver deals in generalities domi manere convenit felicibus: those who are happy at home should stay there 168
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS domina omnium et regina ratio ducitur, non trahitur
domina omnium et regina ratio: reason is the mistress and queen of all things (Cicero) Domine, dirige nos: O Lord, direct us (motto of the city of London) Domine, illuminatio mea: O Lord, my light! Domine, non sum dignus: O Lord, I am not worthy domini pudet, non servitutis: I am ashamed of my master, not of my servitude (Seneca) Domini quid reddam?: what shall I render unto the Lord? Domino, Optimo, Maximo (D.O.M.): to the Lord, the Best, the Greatest (an alternate rendering of the motto of the Benedictine Order) Dominus illuminatio mea: the Lord is my light (motto of Oxford University) Dominus illuminatio mea, et salus mea, quem timebo?: the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? (Psalm 26: 1) Dominus petra mea: the Lord is my rock Dominus providebit: the Lord will provide Dominus vobiscum: the Lord be with you domus amica domus optima: the house of a friend is the best house domus et placens uxor: home and a pleasing wife (Horace) donec eris felix multos numerabis amicos: as long as you are prosperous you will have many friends (Ovid) donec totum impleat orbem: until it fills the whole world (motto of the Knights of the Crescent) dormitat Homerus [even Homer nods off ]: sometimes even the best of us are caught napping (Horace) dormiunt aliquando leges, nunquam moriuntur: the law sometimes sleeps, but never dies dos est magna parentum virtus: the virtue of parents is a great dowry (Horace) dos est uxoria lites: strife is the dowry of a wife (Ovid) duabus sellis sedere: to sit in two saddles ducit amor patriae: love of country leads me ducit Dominus: the Lord leads ducitur, non trahitur: he is led, not drawn 169
ductor dubitantium
DICTA durate et vosmet rebus servate secundis
ductor dubitantium: a guide to those in doubt ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt: fate leads the willing and drags the unwilling (Seneca, after Cleanthes) dulce bellum inexpertis: war is sweet to the inexperienced (Erasmus) dulce est desipere in loco: it is sweet to be silly upon occasion (Horace) dulce et decorum est pro patria mori: sweet and seemly it is to die for one’s country dulce periculum: sweet danger dulce quod utile: what is useful is sweet dulce sodalicium [sweet society]: what a sweet thing is companionship dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos: dying he sweetly remembered Argos (the home of his youth) (Virgil) dulcia quandoque amara fieri: sometimes sweet things become bitter dulcior melle: sweeter than honey dulcis amor patriae: sweet is the love of one’s homeland dum fortuna fuit: while fortune lasted dum lego, assentior: whilst I read, I give assent (Cicero) dum loquor, hora fugit: time is flying while I speak (Ovid) dum potes vive: live, while you can dum spiro, spero: while I breathe, I hope (a motto of South Carolina) dum tacent clamant [though they are silent, they cry aloud]: their silence speaks loudly dum vita est, spes est: while there is life, there is hope dum vitant stulti vitia in contraria currunt: in shunning one kind of vice, fools run to the opposite extreme (Horace) dum vivimus, vivamus: while we live, let us live (motto of the Epicureans) duplici spe uti: to have a double hope (Terence) dura lex, sed lex: the law is hard, but it is the law dura usu molliora: difficult things become easier with practice durate et vosmet rebus servate secundis: carry on and preserve yourselves for better times (Virgil) 170
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS durum telum necessitas ego sum pastor bonus
durum telum necessitas: necessity is a hard weapon dux femina facti: the leader of the action was a woman (Virgil) dux vitae ratio: reason is the guide of life
E e flamma petere cibum [to snatch food out of the flame]: to live by desperate means (Terence) e fungis nati homines: men born of mushrooms (i.e., upstarts) e labore dulcedo: pleasure arises out of labor e pluribus unum: out of many one (motto of the United States of America) e tenui casa saepe vir magnus exit: a great man often steps forth from a humble cottage eamus quo ducit gula: let us go where our appetite prompts us (Virgil) Ecce Agnus Dei: Behold the Lamb of God! ecce iterum Crispinus [here’s that Crispin again]: here’s that bore again ( Juvenal) ecce quam bonum: behold, how good (motto of the University of the South) Ecclesia non moritur: the Church does not die Ecclesia plantanda: let the Church be planted edo, ergo ego sum (also, edo ergo sum): I eat, therefore I am ego ero post principia: I will keep behind the first rank (i.e., I will stay out of harm’s way) (Terence) ego et rex meus [my king and I]: I and my king (as rendered by Cardinal Wolsey) ego hoc feci: I have done this; this was my doing ego spem pretio non emo [I do not purchase hope for a price]: I do not buy a pig in a poke (Terence) ego sum, ergo omnia sunt: I am, therefore all things are ego sum lux mundi: I am the light of the world (St. John 8: 12) ego sum ostium ovium: I am the gate of the sheep (St. John 10: 7) ego sum pastor bonus: I am the good shepherd (St. John 10: 11) 171
DICTA ego sum resurrectio et vita
errare humanum est
ego sum resurrectio et vita: I am the resurrection and the life (St. John 11: 25) ego sum vitis vera: I am the true vine (St. John 15: 1) egomet mihi ignosco [I myself pardon myself ]: I overlook my own faults (Horace) egomet sum mihi imperator: I am my own ruler (Horace) eheu!, fugaces labuntur anni: alas!, the years glide swiftly away (Horace) elephantem ex musca facis: you are making an elephant out of a fly (i.e., making a mountain out of a molehill) emere malo quam rogare: I had rather buy than beg emitur sola virtute potestas: virtue alone can purchase power (Claudian) empta dolore docet experientia: experience bought with pain teaches enim vero di nos quasi pilas homines habent: truly the gods use us men as footballs (Plautus) ense et aratro: with sword and plow ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem: by the sword she seeks peaceful quiet under liberty (motto of Massachusetts) eodem collyrio mederi omnibus: to cure all by the same ointment eodem genere mali: in the same kind of evil Epicuri de grege porcus [a hog from the drove of Epicurus]: a glutton (Horace) epulis accumbere divum: to recline at the feast of the gods (Virgil) eques ipso melior Bellerophonte: a better horseman than Bellerophon himself (Horace) equo ne credite, Teucri: do not trust the horse, Trojans eripit interdum, modo dat medicina salutem: medicine sometimes snatches away health, sometimes restores it (Ovid) eripuit coelo fulmen sceptrumque tyrannis: he snatched the lightning from heaven and the scepter from tyrants (said of Benjamin Franklin) errantem in viam reductio: lead back the wanderer into the right way errare humanum est: to err is human 172
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS error qui non resistitur approbatur esurienti ne occurras
error qui non resistitur approbatur: an error that is not resisted is approved erubuit, salva res est: he blushed, the affair is safe (Terence) esse est percipi: to be is to be perceived (Berkeley) esse oportet ut vivas, non vivere ut edas: you should eat to live, not live to eat (Cicero) esse quam videri: to be rather than to seem (motto of North Carolina) est aliquid fatale malum per verba levare: it is some alleviation of an incurable disease to speak of it to others (Ovid) est ars etiam male dicendi: there is even an art of maligning est deus in nobis: there is a god within us (Ovid) est deus in nobis, et sunt commercia coeli: there is a god within us, and we hold commerce with heaven (Ovid) est in aqua dulci non invidiosa voluptas: there is no small pleasure in sweet water (Ovid) est ipsa cupiditati tarda celeritas: to passion, even haste is slow (Publilius Syrus) est mihi honori: it reflects well on me est modus in rebus: there is a method in all things (Horace) est natura hominim novitatis avida: it is human nature to hunt for novelty (Pliny the Elder) est nobis voluisse satis: to have willed suffices us (Tibullus) est nulla fallacia: there is no deceit est operae pretium: it is worthwhile est quaedam flere voluptas: there is a certain pleasure in weeping (Ovid) est voluntas Dei: it is the will of God esto perpetua [be thou eternal]: may she be everlasting (motto of Idaho) esto perpetuum: let it be everlasting esto prudens ut serpens et simplex scut columba: be as wise as the serpent and gentle as the dove (after Jesus, St. Matthew 10: 16) esto quod esse videris: be what you seem to be esurienti ne occurras: do not throw yourself in the way of a hungry man 173
DICTA et campos ubi Troja fuit
ex arduis perpetuum nomen
et campos ubi Troja fuit: and the fields where once was Troy (Virgil) et credis cineres curare sepultos?: and do you think that the ashes of the dead concern themselves with our affairs? (Virgil) et cum spiritu tuo: and with thy spirit (liturgical response to Dominus vobiscum, the Lord be with you) et decus et pretium recti: both the ornament and the rewards of virtue et ego in Arcadia: I, too, lived in Arcadia; or, even in Arcadia I am et genus et formam regina pecunia donat: like a queen, money bestows both rank and beauty (Horace) et manu et corde: with both hand and heart et nos quoque tela sparsimus [we too have hurled javelins]: we are also veterans et posita est cura cura repulsa nova: and passion was laid aside, the old (love) driven out by the new (Ovid) et sceleratis sol oritur: the sun shines even on the wicked (Seneca) et tu, Brute [and you too, Brutus!]: last words of Caesar indicating betrayal by a trusted ally (Shakesphere’s Julius Caesar) et vitam impendere vero: keep the truth at the hazard of life (a motto of Rousseau) eternitatem cogita: think on eternity etiam capillus unus habet umbram: even one hair has a shadow (Publilius Syrus) etiam ferocissimos domari: even the fiercest are overcome etiam fortes viros subitis terreri: even brave men are alarmed by sudden terrors (Tacitus) etiam innocentes cogit mentiri dolor: pain makes even the innocent man a liar (Publilius Syrus) etiam periere ruinae [even the ruins have perished]: there is nothing left (Lucan) etiam quod esse videris: be what you seem to be eventus stultorum magister: experience is the teacher of fools ex adyto cordis: from the bottom of the heart (Lucretius) ex Africa semper aliquid novi: out of Africa there is always something new ex arduis perpetuum nomen: from difficulties, lasting fame 174
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ex auribus cognoscitur asinus excitabat fluctus in simpulo
ex auribus cognoscitur asinus: an ass is known by its ears ex bello, pax: from war, peace ex campo victoriae: from the field of victory ex damno alterius, alterius utilitas: one man’s loss is another man’s gain ex desuetudine amittuntur privilegia: it is out of disuse that rights are lost ex facto jus oritur: the law goes into effect after the fact ex fide fortis: strong through faith ex granis fit acervus: many grains make a heap ex inimico cogita posse fieri amicum: think that you may make a friend of an enemy (Seneca) ex ipso ore procedit benedictio et maledictio: out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing (St. James 3: 10) ex malis moribus bonae leges natae sunt: from bad usages, good laws have sprung (Coke) ex nihilo nihil fit [from nothing, nothing is made]: nothing produces nothing ex ore parvulorum veritas: out of the mouth of little children comes truth ex scintilla incendium: from a spark a conflagration ex umbra in solem: from the shade into the sun ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem: from shadows and types to the reality (Cardinal Newman) ex ungue leonem [from a claw, the lion]: the lion is known by its claws (i.e., from a part one can determine the whole) ex uno disce omnes [from one learn all]: from one we judge the rest ex uno omnia: all things are from one ex urna resurgam: I shall rise again from the urn (i.e., from the tomb) ex vitulo bos fit: from a calf an ox grows up excelsior: ever higher (motto of New York State) exceptio probat regulam: the exception establishes the rule (i.e., gives greater definition) excitabat fluctus in simpulo: he was stirring up billows in a ladle (i.e., a tempest in a teapot) (Cicero) 175
DICTA excitari, non hebescere
extrema gaudii luctus occupat
excitari, non hebescere: to be spirited, not sluggish exclusa opes omnes: all hope is gone (Plautus) exegi monumentum aere perennius: I have raised a monument more lasting than bronze (Horace) exempla sunt odiosa: examples are odious exemplo plus quam ratione vivimus: we live more by example than by reason exercitatio optimus est magister: practice is the best teacher exercitatio potest omnia: perseverance conquers all things (also, practice makes perfect) exercitatio artem parat [exercise gives skill]: practice makes perfect exitus acta probat [the ending proves the deeds]: all’s well that ends well exoriare aliquis nostris ex ossibus ultor: an avenger shall arise from my bones (Virgil) expende Hannibalem: weigh the dust of Hannibal ( Juvenal) experientia docet: experience teaches (Tacitus) experientia docet stultos: experience teaches fools experto crede or experto credite: believe one who has had experience expertus dico: I speak from experience expertus dico, nemo est in amore fidelis: I say as an expert, no one is faithful in love (Propertius) expertus loquitur: he speaks from experience expertus metuit [having had experience, he is afraid]: once burnt, twice shy (Horace) explorant adversa viros: adversity tries men expressio unius est exclusio alterius: (leg.) the express mention of the one is the exclusion of the other extinctus amabitur idem: (though hated in life), the same man will be loved after he is dead (Horace) extra ecclesiam nulla salus: there is no salvation outside the Church extrema gaudii luctus occupat: grief treads on the confines of gladness 176
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS extrema primo nemo tentavit loco fallaces sunt rerum species
extrema primo nemo tentavit loco: no one tries extreme remedies at first (Seneca) extremis malis extrema remedia: extreme remedies for extreme evils
F fabas indulcet fames [hunger sweetens beans]: hunger makes everything taste good faber est quisque fortunae suae: everyone is the architect of his or her own fortune (Sallust) faber suae fortunae: the maker of his own fortune (Sallust) fabricando fabri fimus: we become workmen by working facere non possum quin: I cannot but … facies tua computat annos: your years are counted on your face ( Juvenal) facile est imperium in bonis: it is easy to rule over the good (Plautus) facile est inventis addere: it is easy to add to things already invented facile largiri de alieno: it is easy to be generous with what is another’s facilis descensus Averno: the descent to hell is easy (Virgil) facilius sit Nili caput invenire: it would be easier to discover the source of the Nile facinus majoris abollae [a crime of a very deep dye]: a crime committed by a respected person ( Juvenal) facit indignatio versum [indignation produces verse]: righteous anger flames into verse ( Juvenal) facit occasio furem (or occasio furem facit): opportunity makes the thief facta non verba: deeds not words faenum habet in cornu, longe fuge: flee far from the danger; beware, he is vicious (Horace) fallaces sunt rerum species: the appearances of things are deceptive (Seneca) 177
DICTA fallentis semita vitae
fax mentis incendium gloriae
fallentis semita vitae: the narrow path of an unnoticed life (Horace) falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus: false in one thing, false in everything fama crescit eundo: rumor grows as it goes (Virgil) fama fert: rumor runs away fama malum quo non aliud velocius ullum: there is no evil swifter than a rumor (Virgil) fama nihil est celerius: nothing is swifter than rumor (Livy) fama perennis erit: your fame shall be enduring fama semper vivat!: may his/her fame live forever! fama volat: the report (or rumor) flies (Virgil) famam extendere factis: to spread abroad his fame by deeds (Virgil) fames optimum condimentum: hunger is the best of seasonings fare fac: speak and act fari quae sentiat: to say what one feels (Horace) fas est ab hoste doceri: it is allowable to learn even from an enemy (Ovid) Fata obstant: the Fates oppose (Virgil) Fata viam invenient: the Fates will find a way (Virgil) Fata vocant: the Fates call (Virgil) Fata volentem ducunt, nolentem trahunt: the Fates lead the willing and drag the reluctant fatetur facinus qui judicium fugit: to flee the law is to confess one’s guilt fatigatis humus cubile est: to the weary the bare ground is a bed (Curtius) fatuis levia committito: entrust trifles to fools faveat fortuna: let fortune favor favente Deo: by God’s favor favete linguis [favor with your tongues]: be silent (Horace) fax mentis incendium gloriae: the passion for glory is the torch of the mind 178
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum? fide et fiducia
fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?: whom have flowing cups not made eloquent? (Horace) felices errore suo: happy in their error (Lucan) felicitas multos habet amicos: happiness (or prosperity) has many friends felicitate corrumpimur: we are corrupted by good fortune (Tacitus) felis demulcta mitis: the stroked cat is meek felix qui nihil debet: happy is the one who owes nothing felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas: happy is the one who understands the causes of all things (Virgil) ferendo non feriendo: by bearing not by striking feriunt summis fulmina (or fulgura) montes: lightning strikes the mountain tops ferrum ferro acuitur: iron is sharpened by iron ferto, fereris: forgive and you will be forgiven fervens difficili bile tumet jecur: my hot passion swells with savage wrath (Horace) fervet olla, vivit amicitia: while the pot boils, friendship lives (or endures) fervet opus: the work boils (Virgil) festina lente: make haste slowly (Suetonius, attributed to Caesar Augustus) festinatio tarda est: haste is late; haste is slow FIAT (Flatus Ignis Aqua Terra): air, fire, water, earth fiat Dei voluntas: God’s will be done fiat experimentum in corpore vili: let the experiment be done upon a worthless body (or object) fiat justitia, ruat caelum: let justice be done, though the heavens fall fiat lux: let there be light (Genesis 1: 3; motto of the University of California) fiat voluntas tua: Thy will be done (St. Matthew 6: 10) fictio cedit veritati: fiction yields to truth fide et amore: by faith and love fide et fiducia: by faith and confidence 179
DICTA fide et fortitudine
firmus maneo
fide et fortitudine: by faith and fortitude fide fortuna forti: faith is stronger than fortune fide, non armis: by faith, not by arms fide, sed cui vide: trust, but be careful in whom fidei coticula crux: the Cross is the touchstone of faith fideli certa merces: to the faithful one, reward is certain fidelis ad urnam [faithful to the urn]: true till death fidem qui perdit perdere ultra nil potest: the one who loses his honor has nothing else to lose (Publilius Syrus) fides ante intellectum: faith before understanding fides et justitia: faith and justice fides facit fidem [faith creates faith]: confidence begets confidence fides non timet: faith does not fear fides nos loricat: faith is our breastplate fides probata coronat: faith approved confers a crown fides quaerens intellectum (or fidens quaerens intellectum) [faith seeking understanding]: belief before understanding (St. Augustine) fides servanda est: faith must be protected or observed (Plautus) fides sit penes auctorem [credit this to the author]: let the person supplying the facts be responsible for their accuracy fides, spes, charitas: faith, hope, love (1 Corinthians 13: 13) fidus Achates [faithful Achates]: a trustworthy friend (Virgil) fidus et audax: faithful and courageous filius istarum lacrymarum: a child of those tears (St.Augustine) finem respice [look to the end]: consider the outcome finis coronat opus: the end crowns the work finis finem litibus imponit: (leg.) the end put an end to litigation finis unius diei est principium alterius: the end of one day is the beginning of another finitum non capax infiniti [the finite cannot contain the infinite]: (theo.) a doctrine reaffirming the humanity of Christ firmior quo paratior: the stronger the better prepared firmum in vita nihil: nothing in life is permanent (or certain) firmus maneo: I remain steadfast 180
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS fit fabricando faber forma viros neglecta decet
fit fabricando faber: a smith becomes a smith by working at the forge fit in dominatu servitus, in servitute dominatus: in masterhood is servanthood, in servanthood masterhood (also, in the master there is the servant, in the servant there is the master) (Cicero) fit scelus indulgens per nubila saecula virtus: in times of trouble leniency becomes crime fit via vi: a way is made by force flagiti principium est nudare inter cives corpora: the beginning of shame is baring the body in public (Ennius) flamma fumo est proxima [flame is close to smoke]: where there is smoke, there is fire (Plautus) flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo: if I cannot bend heaven then I’ll stir hell (Virgil) flecti, non frangi: to be bent, not broken floreat domus: may this house flourish floreat Etona: may Eton flourish (motto of Eton College) floreat qui laborat: let the one who labors flourish flores curat Deus: God takes care of the flowers floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant: as bees taste of everything in the flowery meadows (Lucretius) flos ipse civitatis: the very flower of the state (Apuleius) flos juvenum: the flower of young men (Livy) flosculi sententiarum: florets of thought fluctuat nec mergitur: she is tossed by the waves but she does not sink (motto of Paris, which has a ship as its emblem) fluctus in simpulo exitare: to raise a tempest in a teapot (Cicero) fluvius cum mari certas: you but a river, and contending with the ocean foedum inceptu, foedum exitu: foul in the beginning, foul in the end fontes ipsi sitiunt: even the fountains complain of thirst forma bonum fragile est [beauty is a fragile good]: beauty is a transitory blessing (Ovid) forma flos, fama flatus: beauty is a flower, fame is a breath forma viros neglecta decet: neglect of appearance becomes men (Ovid) 181
DICTA formosa facies muta commendatio est
fortuna meliores sequitur
formosa facies muta commendatio est: a handsome face is a silent recommendation (Laberius and Publilius Syrus) forte scutum, salus ducum: a strong shield is the safety of leaders fortem posce animum: pray for a strong will ( Juvenal) fortem te praebe: be brave! fortes fortuna [ad] juvat: fortune favors the strong (Terence) forti et fideli nihil difficile: to the brave and faithful, nothing is difficult fortis cadere, cedere non potest: the brave may fall, but they cannot yield fortis est ut mors dilectio: love is strong as death (Song of Solomon 8: 6) fortis est veritas: strong is the truth fortis et fidelis: brave and faithful fortis et liber: strong and free (motto of Alberta) fortis fortuna adjuvat: fortune aids the brave (Terence) fortissima minimis interdum cedunt: the strongest sometimes yield to the smallest fortiter et recte: bravely and uprightly fortiter et suaviter: firmly and mildly fortiter, fideliter, feliciter: fearlessly, faithfully, felicitously fortiter geret crucem: he will bravely bear the cross fortiter in re, suaviter in modo [strongly in deed, gently in manner]: resolute in deed, but gentle in manner fortitudine: with fortitude fortitudine et prudentia: by courage and prudence fortuna caeca est: fortune is blind fortuna favente: by the favor of fortune fortuna favet fatuis: fortune favors fools fortuna favet fortibus: fortune favors the brave fortuna magna magna domino est servitus: a great fortune is a great slavery to its owner (Publilius Syrus) fortuna mea in bello campo: the fortune is mine in a fair fight fortuna meliores sequitur: fortune follows the better man (Sallust) 182
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS fortuna multis dat nimium, nulli satis fumum et opes strepitumque Romae
fortuna multis dat nimium, nulli satis: to many fortune gives too much, to none does it give enough (Publilius Syrus) fortuna non mutat genus: fortune does not change (one’s) nature (Horace) fortuna sequatur: let fortune follow fortunae cetera mando: I commit the rest to fortune (Ovid) fortunae filius: a child of fortune (Horace) fortunae objectum esse: abandoned to fate fortunae vicissitudines: the vicissitudes of fortune fossoribus orti [sprung from ditch diggers]: from humble origins frangas, non flectes: you may break, you will not bend (me) fraus est celare fraudem: (leg.) it is fraud to conceal fraud fraus meretur fraudem: deceit deserves deceit frigidam aquam effundere: to throw cold water on a business frons est animi janua: the forehead is the door of the mind (Cicero) fronte capillata, post est occasio calva: hairy in front, occasion is bald behind (Dionysius Cato) fronti nulla fides: there is no trusting appearances ( Juvenal) fructo cognoscitur arbor: a tree is known by its fruit fructu non foliis arborem aestima: judge a tree by its fruit, not by its leaves (Phaedrus) fruges consumere nati: born merely to consume the fruits of the earth (Horace) frustra laborat qui omnibus placere studet: he labors in vain who tries to please everybody frustra operam [they work in vain]: labor lost (Terence) fugaces labuntur anni: the fleeting years glide by fugit hora: the hour flies (Ovid) fugit irreparabile tempus: irretrievable time flies (Virgil) fuimus Troës [we were once Trojans]: our day is over (Virgil) fuit Ilium [Troy once was]: its day is over (Virgil) fulmen brutum [a harmless thunderbolt]: an empty threat fumum et opes strepitumque Romae: the smoke, the wealth, the din of Rome ( Juvenal) 183
DICTA fundamentum justitiae est fides
gratia vobis et pax
fundamentum justitiae est fides: the fountain of justice is good faith (Cicero) furiosi absentis loco est: a madman is like a man who is absent furiosi solo furore punitur: (leg.) a madman is to be punished by his madness alone furiosus furore suo punitur: a madman is punished by his madness furor arma ministrat: rage supplies arms (Virgil)
G galea spes salutis: hope is the helmet of salvation gallus in sterquilinio suo plurimum potest: the cock is proudest on his own dungheap (Seneca) gaudeamus igitur ( juvenes dum sumus): let us be joyful (while we are young) gaudet tentamine virtus: virtue rejoices in trial gaudium adfero: I bring good tidings genti aequus utrique: worthy of both families genus est mortis male vivere: to live an evil life is a type of death (Ovid) genus irritabile vatum: the irritable race of poets (Horace) Gloria Tibi, Domine: Glory be to Thee, O Lord gloria virtutis umbra: glory is the shadow of virtue gradatim vincimus: we conquer by degrees gradu diverso, via una [with different pace, but on the same road]: the same way by different steps Graeculus esuriens [hungry young Greek]: a parasite ( Juvenal) grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est: the grammarians quibble and still the question is unresolved (Horace) grata testudo: the pleasing lyre gratia Dei: by the grace of God gratia gratiam parit: kindness produces kindness gratia, misericordia, et pax: grace, mercy, and peace gratia placendi: the grace of pleasing gratia vobis et pax: grace to you and peace 184
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS gratiam referendam habet salem
gratiam referendam: a favor ought to be returned gratias agimus Tibi: we give Thee thanks gratis asseritur: brought forth for nothing (i.e., it is asserted without being proved) grato animo: with grateful heart (or mind) graviora manent [more grievous perils remain]: the worst is yet to come graviora quaedam sunt remedia periculis: some remedies are worse than the disease (Publilius Syrus) gravis ira regum est semper: the wrath of kings is always severe (Seneca) gravissimum est imperium consuetudinis: the power of custom is most severe (Publilius Syrus) grex totus in agris unius scabie cadit: the entire flock in the fields dies of the disease introduced by one ( Juvenal) gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo: the drop hollows the stone, not by force but by constant dripping (Ovid)
H habemus confitentem reum: (leg.) we have an accused person who pleads guilty (Cicero) habent insidias hominis blanditiae mali: under the fair words of a bad man there lurks some treachery (Phaedrus) habent sua fata libelli: books have their own destiny (attributed to Horace) habeo non habeor: I hold but am not held habere derelictui rem suam: to neglect one’s affairs (Aulus Gellius) habere et dispertire: to have and to distribute habere, non haberi: to hold, not to be held habes confitentem reum: the robber confesses the crime (Petronius) habet et bellum suas leges: even war has its laws habet et musca splenem: even a fly gets angry habet salem [he has wit]: he is witty 185
DICTA habitarunt di quoque silvas
hiatus valde deflendus
habitarunt di quoque silvas: the gods also dwelt in the woods (Virgil) hac mercede placet: I accept the terms hac urget lupus hac canis: on one side a wolf menaces, on the other, a dog (Horace) hac virtutis iter: this is the path to virtue hae nugae in seria ducent mala: these trifles will lead to serious evils (Horace) haec generi incrementa fides: this faith will bring increase to our race haec olim meminisse juvabit: it will be a pleasure to remember these things hereafter (Virgil) haec omnia transeunt: all these things pass away haec studia oblectant: these studies are our delight haec tibi dona fero: these gifts I bear to thee (motto of Newfoundland) haeredis fletus sub persona risus est: the weeping of an heir is laughter under a mask haereditas nunquam ascendit: the right of inheritance never ascends haerent infixi pectore vultus verbaque: his face and words are imprinted upon her heart (Virgil) Hannibal ad portas [Hannibal is at the gate]: the enemy is close at hand (adapted from Cicero) haud ignota loquor [I speak of things by no means unknown]: I speak of well-known events haud nomine tantum: not in name alone haud passibus aequis [not with equal steps]: with unequal steps (Virgil) haud semper errat fama; aliquando et elegit: fame does not always err; sometimes it chooses well (Tacitus) heroum filii: sons of heroes (motto of Wellington College) heu pietas!, heu prisca fides!: alas for piety! alas for the ancient faith! (Virgil) hiatus valde deflendus [a gap much to be regretted]: a person whose achievements fall short of earlier promise (also used to denote a blank space in a work) 186
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS hibernicis ipsis hibernior hoc opus, hoc studium
hibernicis ipsis hibernior: more Irish than the Irish themselves hic domus, haec patria est [here is our home]: this is our country (Virgil) hic est enim sanguis meus novi testamenti: this is the new covenant in my blood (St. Matthew 26: 28) hic et ubique terrarum: here and everywhere throughout the world (motto of the University of Paris) hic finis fandi [here was an end of the speaking]: here the speech ended (Virgil) hic funis nihil attraxit [this line has taken no fish]: this scheme has failed hic haeret aqua! [here the water stops!]: here is the difficulty! hic jacet lepus [here lies the hare]: here lies the difficulty hic Rhodos, hic salta: here is Rhodes, here leap hic vigilans somniat: he sleeps awake (Plautus) hiems subest: winter is at hand hinc illae lacrimae: hence these tears (Terence) hinc lucem et pocula sacra: from hence we receive light and sacred drafts (motto of Cambridge University) hoc certum est: this much is certain hoc erat in more majorum: this was in the custom (or manner) of our ancestors hoc erat in votis [this was among my wishes]: this was one of my desires (Horace) hoc est corpus meum: this is my body (St. Matthew 26: 26) hoc est vivere bis, vita posse priore frui: it is to live twice, when you can enjoy recalling your former life (Martial) hoc fac et vives: do this and you shall live hoc genus omne: all of this class (Horace) hoc habeo quodcunque dedi: whatever I have given, I still possess (Caius Rabirius, as quoted by Seneca) hoc habet! [he has it!]: he is hit! (the cry of the spectators at gladiatorial contests) hoc indictum volo [I wish this unsaid]: I withdraw the statement hoc opus, hic labor est [this is the task, this is the toil]: there’s the rub (Virgil) hoc opus, hoc studium: this work, this pursuit (Horace) 187
DICTA hoc sustinete, majus ne veniat malum
homo mensura
hoc sustinete, majus ne veniat malum: endure this evil, lest a greater come upon you (Phaedrus) hoc tempore obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit: these days flattery wins friends, truth begets hatred (Terence) hoc tibi est honori: this reflects well on you hoc volo, hoc jubeo: this I wish, this I require ( Juvenal) hoc volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas: this I write, thus I command, let my will stand for reason Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso: Today, you shall be with me in Paradise (one of the Seven Last Words of Christ; St. Luke 23: 43) hodie mihi, cras tibi [today for me, tomorrow for thee]: my turn today, your turn tomorrow hodie, non cras: today, not tomorrow hodie tibi, cras mihi: today you, tomorrow me (Marlowe, in reference to execution) hominem quaero: I am looking for a man (Phaedrus) homines amplius oculis quam auribus credunt: men are readier to believe their eyes than their ears (Seneca) homines dum docent discunt: even while they teach, men learn (Seneca) homines, quo plura habent, eo cupiunt ampliora: the more men have, the more they want ( Justinian) homini necesse est mori: man must die (Cicero) homini plurima ex homine sunt mala: most of man’s misfortunes are due to man (Pliny the Elder) hominibus plenum, amicis vacuum: full of men, vacant of friends (Seneca) hominis est errare: to err is human homo antiqua virtute ac fide: a man of the old-fashioned virtue and loyalty homo doctus in se semper divitias habet: a learned person always has wealth (or riches) within (Phaedrus) homo homini aut deus aut lupus: to man, man is either a god or a wolf (Erasmus) homo homini lupus: man is a wolf to man homo mensura [man is the measure]: man is the measure of all things (Protagoras) 188
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS homo proponit, sed Deus disponit horror ubique
homo proponit, sed Deus disponit: man proposes, but God disposes (Thomas à Kempis) homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto: I am a man; nothing that relates to man do I deem alien to me (Terence) homo unius libri: a man of one book (Thomas Aquinas’s definition of a learned man) homo vitae commodatus non donatus: a man is lent, not given, to life (Publilius Syrus) homunculi quanti sunt: how insignificant men are homunculi quanti sunt!, cum recogito: how insignificant men are!, when I think of it (Plautus) honesta mors turpi vita potior: an honorable death is better than a dishonorable life (Tacitus) honesta quaedam scelera successus facit: success makes some crimes honorable (Seneca) honesta quam splendida [honorable things rather than brilliant ones]: reputable rather than showy honestum non est semper quod licet: what is lawful is not always respectable Honor est a Nilo: Honor is from the Nile (anagram for Admiral Horatio Nelson, who won the Battle of the Nile) honor sequitur fugientem: honor follows the one who flees from her honor virtutis praemium (or honor est praemium virtutis): honor is the reward of virtue honorat mors: death confers honor honores mutant mores: honors alter manners honos alit artes: honor nourishes the arts (Cicero) honos habet onus [honor has its burdens]: honor carries responsibility hora fugit: the hour flies horas non numero nisi serenas: I number none but shining hours (an inscription on a sundial) horresco referens: I shudder to relate it (Virgil; sometimes said facetiously) horror ubique: terror everywhere (motto of the Scots Guards) 189
DICTA hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores
ignem ne gladio fodito
hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores: I wrote these lines, another has taken the credit (Virgil) hostis honori invidia: envy is the foe of honor hostis humani generis: an enemy of the human race humani nihil alienum: nothing that relates to man is alien to me (Terence; a motto of the Stone family) humanius est deridere vitam quam deplorare: it is better for a man to laugh at life than to lament over it (Seneca) humanum est errare: to err is human humanum genus est avidum nimis auricularum: man suffers from the plague of itching ears (Lucretius) humiles laborant ubi potentes dissident: the humble are in danger when the powerful disagree (Phaedrus) humilitate: with humility hunc tu, Romane, caveto: of him, Romans, do thou beware (Horace) hypocritae progenies viperarum: hypocrites are the offspring of vipers hypotheses non fingo [I frame no hypothesis]: I deal entirely with the facts (Sir Isaac Newton)
I i secundo omine: go, and may all good go with you (Horace) iacta alea esto (also, jacta alea esto): let the die be cast ( Julius Caesar, as quoted by Suetonius) idem velle atque idem nolle: to like and dislike the same things (Sallust) Iesus Hominum Salvator (I.H.S.): Jesus, the Savior of Humanity Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum (I.N.R.I.) [ Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews]: the title placard appended to the Cross of Christ by Pontius Pilate at the Crucifixion (St. John 19: 20) ignavis precibus Fortuna repugnat: Fortune spurns the prayers of cowards (Ovid) ignavis semper feriae sunt: to the indolent it is always a holiday ignem ne gladio fodito: do not stir the fire with a sword 190
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros improbus a nullo flectitur obsequio
ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros: fire tests gold, adversity brave men (Seneca) ignis fatuus (pl. ignes fatui) [foolish fire]: a delusive hope; a willo’-the-wisp ignorantia judicis est calamitas innocentis: the ignorance of a judge is calamitous to an accused person ignorantia juris non excusat: (leg.) ignorance of the law does not excuse ignorantia legis neminem excusat: ignorance of the law excuses no one ignoscito saepe alteri nunquam tibi: forgive others often, yourself never ignosco tibi: I forgive you (Catullus) ignoti nulla cupido [no desire is felt for what is unknown]: ignorance is bliss ignotum per ignotius: the unknown explained by the unknown Ilias malorum: an Iliad of woes (Cicero) illa victoria viam ad pacem patefecit: by that victory he opened the way of peace illaeso lumine solum: an undazzled eye to the sun imago animi sermo est: speech is the mirror of the mind (Seneca) imitatores, servum pecus: ye imitators, servile herd (Horace) impavidum ferient ruinae [ruins strike him without dismay]: nothing can shatter the steadfastness of an upright man (Horace) imperat aut servit collecta pecunia cuique: money is either our master or our slave (Horace) imperium et libertas: empire and liberty imperium in imperio: an empire within an empire (former motto of Ohio) implacabiles plerumque laesae mulieres: women, when offended, are generally implacable imponere Pelion Olympo [to pile Pelion on Olympus]: to attempt to scale heaven (Virgil) imprimis venerare deos: before all things reverence the gods (Virgil) improbus a nullo flectitur obsequio: the wicked are not swayed by obsequiousness 191
DICTA impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat
in hoc signo spes mea
impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat: impunity is always an invitation to a greater crime in angustis amici boni apparent: good friends appear in difficulties in aqua scribis [you are writing in water]: it is without effect in arena aedificas [you are building on sand]: it will not last (i.e., it is in vain) in beato omnia beata: with the blessed, all things are blessed (Horace) in caducum parietem inclinare: to lean against a falling wall in caelo quies: in heaven is rest in caelo salus: in heaven is salvation in cauda venenum [in the tail is poison]: beware of danger in Christi nomine: in Christ’s name in coelum jacularis: you are aiming at the heavens (i.e., your anger is in vain) in concussa virtus: with unshaken virtue in cruce spero: I hope in the Cross in Deo confido: I trust in God in Deo speramus: in God we trust (motto of Brown University) in Deo speravi: in God have I trusted in dies meliora: better things to come in Domino confido: in the Lord we trust in dulci jubilo: now sing and be joyful (Peter of Dresden) in eburna vagina plumbeus gladius: a leaden sword in an ivory sheath (Diogenes, said of a finely dressed person) in ferrum pro libertate ruebant: for freedom they rushed upon the sword in flammam flammas, in mare fundis aquas: you add fire to fire, and water to the sea in generalibus latet dolus: in generalities lurks deception in generalibus latet error: in generalities lies error in hoc salus: there is safety in this in hoc signo spes mea: in this sign is my hope (a reference to the Cross of Christ) 192
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS in hoc signo vinces in silvam ligna ferre
in hoc signo vinces: by this sign you will conquer (Emperor Constantine’s vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, 312 CE, which, according to Eusebius, inspired the Chi-Rho [XP] monogram, the labarum) in ipso articulo temporis: in the nick of time in ipso periculi discrimine: at the critical moment in libris libertas: in books there is freedom (motto of the Los Angeles Public Library) in lumine tuo videbimus lumen: in Thy light shall we see the light (motto of Columbia University) in manus Tuas commendo spiritum meum: into Thy hands I commend my spirit (one of the Seven Last Words of Christ; St. Luke 23: 46) in maxima potentia, minima licentia: in the greatest power exists the least liberty in mediis malis: into the midst of evils (Seneca) in medio tutissimus ibis: safety is in going the middle course (Ovid) in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas: in things essential unity, in things doubtful liberty, in all things love (a motto of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ) in nocte consilium [in the night is counsel]: sleep on it in nomine Domini incipit omne malum: in the name of the Lord every evil begins in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti: in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in nova fert animus: my mind inclines to new things in nuce Iliad: an Iliad in a nutshell in omnibus caritas: in all things love in pace leones, in praelio cervi: in peace they are lions, in battle they are deer in pertusum ingerimus dicta dolium: we are pouring our words into a perforated cask (Plautus) in scientia veritas, in arte honestas: in science truth, in art honor in serum rem trahere [to draw out the matter to a late hour]: to drag on the discussion (Livy) in silvam ligna ferre: to carry wood to the forest 193
DICTA in solo Deo salus
infixum est mihi
in solo Deo salus: in God alone is salvation in te, Domine, speravi: in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust in te omnia sunt: everything depends on you in toto et pars continetur: in the whole the part is also contained in tuo lumine videbimus lumen: In Thy Light we shall see light (motto of Ohio Wesleyan University) in unoquoque virorum bonorum habitat Deus: God has his dwelling within every good man (Seneca) in utramvis dormire aurem: to sleep on both ears (i.e., to sleep soundly) in vino veritas [in wine is truth]: under wine’s influence, the truth is told inanis verborum torrens: an empty torrent of words (Quintilian) incendit omnem feminae zelus domum: the jealousy of a woman sets a whole house aflame incessu patuit dea: by her gait the goddess was revealed (Virgil) incredulus odi: being skeptical, I detest it (Horace) incudi reddere [to return to the anvil]: to revise or retouch (Horace) inde irae et lacrimae: hence this anger and these tears ( Juvenal) index animi sermo est: speech is an indicator of thought indignante invidia florebit justus: the just man will flourish in spite of envy indocilis pauperiem pati: one that cannot learn to endure poverty (Horace) indocilis privata loqui: one incapable of telling secrets (Lucan) indulgentia parentum, filiorum pernicies: the indulgence of parents is the bane of children industriae nil impossibile: to industry, nothing is impossible inest clementia forti: clemency belongs to the brave inest et formicae sua bilis: even the ant has its bile (i.e., even ants become angry) inest sua gratia parvis: even little things have a charm of their own infandum renovare dolorem: to renew an unspeakable grief (adapted from Horace) infecta pace: without effecting a peace (Terence) infixum est mihi [I have firmly resolved]: I am determined 194
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ingenii largitor venter inter malleum et incudem
ingenii largitor venter [the belly is the giver of genius]: poverty inspires genius (Persius) ingenio et labore: by natural ability and work (motto of the University of Auckland) ingeniorum cos aemulatio: rivalry is the whetstone of talent ingens telum necessitas: necessity is an enormous weapon ingentia marmora findet caprificus: the fig tree splits huge blocks of marble iniquissimam pacem justissimo bello antefero: I prefer the most unjust peace to the most just war (Cicero) injuria non excusat injuriam: one wrong does not justify another inopem me copia fecit: abundance made me poor (Ovid) inopiae desunt multa, avaritiae omnia: poverty is the lack of many things, but avarice is the lack of all things insanabile cacoëthes scribendi: an incurable passion to write ( Juvenal) insanus omnis furere credit ceteros: every madman thinks all others insane (Publilius Syrus) insita hominibus natura violentiae resistere: it is natural to man to resist violence (Tacitus) intaminatis honoribus: with unstained (or untarnished) honors integer vitae scelerisque purus: blameless of life and free from crime (Horace) integra mens augustissima possessio: a sound and vigorous mind is the highest possession integros haurire fontes: to drink from pure fountains integrum est mihi: I am at liberty intellectus merces est fidei: understanding is the reward of faith (St.Augustine) intelligenti pauca: to the understanding, few words suffice intemperans adolescentia effoetum corpus tradit senectuti: an intemperate youth transfers to old age a worn-out body (Cicero) intentio caeca mala: a hidden intention is an evil one inter arma leges silent: in time of war, the laws are silent (Cicero) inter canem et lupum [between dog and wolf ]: twilight inter malleum et incudem: between the hammer and the anvil 195
DICTA inter pueros senex
ira leonis nobilis
inter pueros senex: an old man among boys inter sacrum saxumque sto [standing between the knife and the victim]: to stand between the hammer and the anvil (Plautus) inter spem et metum: between hope and fear inter utrumque tene: keep between both extremes (Ovid) interdum requiescendum: sometimes we must rest interdum stultus bene loquitur: sometimes a fool speaks well interdum vulgus rectum videt: sometimes the common folk see correctly interminabilis humanae vitae labor: the unending labor of human life intra verba peccare: to offend in words only introibo ad altare Dei: I will go to the altar of God (from the Catholic Mass) intus si recte, ne labora: if inwardly right, don’t worry intuta quae indecora: what is unseemly is unsafe (Tacitus) invia virtuti nulla est via: no way is impassable to virtue (Ovid) invictus maneo: I remain unconquered invidia gloriae comes: envy is the attendant of glory (Ovid) invita Minerva [Minerva being unwilling]: lacking inspiration invitum sequitur honor: honors follow him unsolicited io Triumphe! [Hail, god of Triumph]: the shout of the Roman soldiers and populace on the occasion of a procession of a victorious general Ioannes est nomen eius: John is his name (St. Luke 1: 63; motto of Puerto Rico) ipsa quidem virtus pretium sibi: virtue is indeed its own reward (Claudian) ipsa scientia potestas est: knowledge itself is power (Sir Francis Bacon) ipse amicus: I am my own friend ipse dixit Dominus: the Lord himself has spoken it ipse fecit nos, et non ipsi nos: He (God) made us, and not we ourselves ira furor brevis est: anger is a brief madness (Horace) ira leonis nobilis: the anger of the lion is noble 196
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS irremeabilis unda judicium parium aut leges terrae
irremeabilis unda: the river from which there is no return (i.e., the river Styx) (Virgil) irritabis crabones: you will stir up the hornets (Plautus) it prex caeli: prayer goes heavenward ita et virtus: thus also virtue ita lex scripta est [thus the law is written]: such is the law ita voluerunt, ita factum est: so they willed, so it will be done ite, missa est: go, the Mass is over iterum virescit: again it grows green
J (N.B., the letter j, J was not known in Classical Latin but was created by Renaissance Italian humanists in order to distinguish consonanted from non-consonanted forms of i, I) jacta est alea or jacta alea est: the die is cast (words attributed to Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon) jam redit et Virgo: now returns the Virgin (the return of Astraea, goddess of Justice, was thought by Romans to be a signal for the return of the Golden Age) jamque opus exegi: and now I have finished the work (Ovid) jejunus raro stomachus vulgaria temnit: a hungry stomach rarely despises common things (Horace) Joannes est nomen ejus: his name is John (St. Luke 1: 63; motto of Puerto Rico) jocos et dii amant: even the gods love jokes (Plato) Jubilate Deo: rejoice in God jucunda rerum vicissitudo: a delightful change of circumstances jucundi acti labores: labors past are pleasant (Cicero) judex damnatur cum nocens absolvitur: the judge is condemned when the guilty is acquitted (Publilius Syrus) judex est lex loquens: a judge is the law speaking judicio acri perpendere: to weigh with keen judgment (Lucretius) judicium parium aut leges terrae: judgment of one’s peers or else the laws of the land (Magna Carta) 197
DICTA juncta juvant
laborum dulce lenimen
juncta juvant: union is strength juniores ad labores: the younger men for labors Jupiter est quodcumque vides, quocumque moveris: Jupiter is whatever you see, whichever way you move (Lucan) jurare est Deum in testem vocare: to swear is to call God to witness jus est ars boni et aequi: law is the art of the good and the just jus summum saepe summa malitia est: extreme law is often extreme wrong (Terence) justi ut sidera fulgent: the just shine as the stars justitia et pax: justice and peace justitia omnibus: justice for all (motto of the District of Columbia) justitiae soror fides: faith is the sister of justice justitiae tenax: tenacious of justice justum et tenacem propositi virum: one who is upright and firm of purpose (Horace) justus autem ex fide vivit: the just shall live by faith (Romans 1: 17) justus et fidelis: just and faithful juvante Deo: God helping juvenile vitium regere non posse impetum: it is the fault of youth that it cannot govern its own impulses (Seneca)
L labitur occulte, fallitque volubilis aetas: time rolls on steadily, and eludes us as it steals past (Ovid) labor est etiam ipsa voluptas: even pleasure itself is a toil (Manilius) labor ipse voluptas [work itself is a pleasure]: labor is its own reward labor omnia vincit: labor conquers all things (motto of Oklahoma) labor optimos citat: work summons forth the best men (Seneca) laborare est orare: to work is to pray labore et honore: by labor and honor laborum dulce lenimen: the sweet solace of my labors (Horace) 198
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS labuntur et imputantur legimus, ne legantur
labuntur et imputantur: the moments slip away and are entered into our account (a popular saying on a sundial) lacrimae rerum: the tears of things lacrimae simulatae [simulated tears]: crocodile tears lacrimus oculos suffusa nitentis: her glittering eyes filled with tears (Virgil) lambendo paulatim figurant: licking a cub into shape (Pliny the Elder) lapis qui volvitur algam non generat: a rolling stone gathers no moss largitio fundum non habet: giving has no bottom lascivi soboles gregis: the offspring of a wanton herd (Horace) lateat scintillula forsan: perchance a little spark of life may lie hidden (motto of the Royal Humane Society, founded in 1774 for the rescue of drowning persons) latet anguis in herba: a snake lies hid in the grass laudant quod non intelligunt: they praise what they do not understand laudari a laudato viro: to be praised by a man of praise (Cicero) laudator temporis acti [a praiser of times past]: one who prefers the good old days (Horace) laudatur ab his, culpatur ab illis: praised by some, blamed by others (Horace) laudem virtutis necessitati damus: we give to necessity the praise of virtue laudes cano heroum: I sing the praise of heroes laudis avidi, pecuniae liberales: greedy of praise, lavish of money (Sallust) laudumque immensa cupido [and an immense desire for praise]: passion for praise (Virgil) laus Deo: praise be to God laus propria sordet: self-praise is base lege, quaeso: I beg you read (a note appended to the top of student papers inviting tutors to read their work) leges mori serviunt: laws are subservient to custom (Plautus) legimus, ne legantur: we read that others may not read (Lactantius, referring to censors and reviewers) 199
DICTA legite et discite
lingua mali pars pessima servi
legite et discite: read and learn leone fortior fides: faith is stronger than a lion leporis vitam vivit: he lives the life of a hare (i.e., always full of fear) leve fit quod bene fertur onus: light is the load that is cheerfully borne (Ovid) levis est dolor qui capere consilium potest: light is the grief that can take counsel (Seneca) levis sit tibi terra: may the earth lie light upon you (a tombstone inscription) lex neminem cogit ad impossibilia: the law compels no one to do what is impossible lex orandi, lex credendi [the law of praying, the law of believing]: prayer expresses one’s beliefs libenter homines id quod volunt credunt: men willingly believe that which they wish for ( Julius Caesar) libera nos a malo: deliver us from evil (St. Matthew 6:13) liberae sunt enim nostrae cogitationes: our thoughts are free (Cicero) liberatem natura etiam mutis animalibus datam: liberty is given by nature even to mute animals (Tacitus) liberavi animam meam: I have freed my soul libertas et natale solum: liberty and native land libertas in legibus: liberty under the laws libertas inaestimabile res est: liberty is a thing of inestimable value ( Justinian) libertas sub rege pio: liberty under an upright king libido dominatur: the passions have gained control libra justa justitiam servat: a just balance preserves justice ligonem ligonem vocat [he calls a hoe a hoe]: to call a spade a spade limae labor et mora [the toil and delay of polishing]: the tedious revising of a literary work before publication (Horace) lingua mali loquax malae mentis est indicium: an evil tongue is the proof of an evil mind (Publilius Syrus) lingua mali pars pessima servi: the tongue is the worst part of a bad servant ( Juvenal) 200
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS linguae verbera ludus, luctus, luxus
linguae verbera: lashings of the tongue lis litem generat: strife begets strife litem lite resolvere [to settle strife by strife]: to clarify one’s obscurity by another litem quod lite resolvit: resolving one controversy by creating another (Horace) litera scripta manet, verbum ut inane perit: the written word remains, what is spoken perishes littera occidit, spiritus vivicat: the letter kills, the spirit gives life (after 2 Corinthians 3: 6) litterae non erubescunt: a letter does not blush (Cicero) litteris dedicata omnibus artibus: dedicated to the letters and all the arts (motto of the University of Nebraska) longe aberrat scopo [he wanders far from the goal]: to be wide of the mark longe absit [far be it from me]: God forbid longe lateque: far and wide longinquae nationes: distant tribes or nations longissimus dies cito conditur: the longest day soon comes to an end (Pliny the Younger) longo sed proximo intervallo: the next, but after a long interval (Virgil) lubrici sunt fortunae gressus: the footsteps of fortune are slippery luce lucet aliena: it shines with a borrowed light (e.g., the moon) lucernam olet: it smells of a lamp (i.e., of late-night toil) lucis et pacis: of light and peace lucri bonus (est) odor ex re qualibet: money smells good no matter its source (Emperor Vespasian, in reference to his tax on public latrines) lucrum malum aequale dispendio: an evil gain equals a loss (Publilius Syrus) ludere cum sacris: to trifle with sacred things ludibrium fortunae: the plaything of Fortune ludus, luctus, luxus: gambling, grief, debauchery (i.e., the fruits of drunkenness) 201
DICTA lugete, O Veneres Cupidinesque
magna est veritas et praevalebit
lugete, O Veneres Cupidinesque: weep, all you Venuses and Cupids (Catullus) lumenque juventae purpureum [the light of purple youth]: the radiant bloom of youth (Virgil) lupo ovem commisisti: you have entrusted the wolf with the sheep (Terence) lupum auribus tenere [to hold a wolf by its ears]: to hold onto something dangerous lupus est homo homini: man is a wolf to his fellow man lupus in fabula [the wolf in the fable]: speak of the devil lupus non curat numerum ovum: the wolf is not scared by the number of the sheep lupus pilum mutat, non mentem: the wolf changes its coat, not its disposition lux: light (motto of the University of Northern Iowa) lux esto: let there be light (motto of Kalamazoo College) lux et lex: light and law (motto of the University of North Dakota) lux et veritas: light and truth (motto of Yale University) lux hominum vita: light, the life of men (motto of the University of New Mexico) lux in tenebris: light in darkness lux in tenebris lucet: the light shines in the darkness lux sit: let there be light (motto of the University of Washington) lux sum mundi: I am the light of the world (St. John 9: 5) lux venit ab alto: light comes from above
M macte animo! [be increased in courage]: take courage! macte virtute! [be increased in virtue]: go on and prosper! magalia quondam: formerly humble huts stood here (Virgil) magis mutus quam piscis: quieter than a fish magistratus indicat virum: the office shows the man magna civitas, magna solitudo: great city, great solitude magna est veritas et praevalebit: truth is mighty and will prevail 202
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS magna est vis consuetudinis male irato ferrum committitur
magna est vis consuetudinis: great is the force of habit (Cicero) magna servitus est magna fortuna: a great fortune is a great slavery (Seneca) magnae fortunae comes adest adulatio: adulation is ever the attendant of great wealth magnae multae pecuniae: large sums of money magnae spes altera Romae [another hope of mighty Rome]: a youth of promise magnam fortunam magnus animus decet: a great mind becomes a great fortune (Seneca) magnas inter opes inops: poor amid great riches (Horace) magni nominis umbra: the shadow of a great name (Lucan) magnificat anima mea Dominum [my soul magnifies the Lord]: the Hymn of the Virgin at the Annunciation (St. Luke 1: 46) magno conatu magnas nugas [a great effort for great trifles]: so much for so little (Terence) magnum in parvo: a great amount in a small space magnum vectigal est parsimonia: economy is a great revenue (Cicero) magnus ab integro saeculorum nascitur ordo: the mighty cycle of the ages begins its turn anew (Virgil) magnus Alexander corpore parvus erat: the great Alexander was small in stature major e longinquo reverentia [greater reverence from afar]: no one is a hero in his or her own city (Tacitus) major ignotarum rerum est terror: greater is the terror of something unknown (Livy) majores pennas nido [wings greater than the nest]: to rise above the position in which one is born (Horace) mala gallina, malum ovum: bad hen, bad egg mala grammatica non vitiat chartam: (leg.) bad grammar does not vitiate a contract (or a deed) male cuncta ministrat impetus: anger manages everything badly (Statius) male irato ferrum committitur: do not trust an angry man with a sword (Seneca) 203
DICTA male parta male dilabuntur
mater artium necessitas
male parta male dilabuntur [things ill-gotten are ill-lost]: ill-gotten, ill-spent; easy come, easy go (Cicero) maledicat Dominus: may the Lord curse him malesuada fames: hunger that drives the crime (Virgil) mali principii malus finis: the bad end of a bad beginning malignum spernere vulgus: to scorn the wicked rabble (Horace) malo mihi male quam molliter esse: I would rather be ill than idle (Seneca) malo mori quam foedari: I had rather die than be dishonored malo nodo malus quaerendus cuneus: for a hard knot a hard tool must be sought malo undique clades: disaster awaits the wicked on every side malum consilium consultori pessimum: bad advice is often fatal to the advisor (Verrius Flaccus) malum (est) consilium quod mutari non potest: bad is the plan that is incapable of change (Publilius Syrus) malum vas non frangitur [a worthless vessel is seldom broken]: cheap things are safe from harm manebant vestigia morientis libertatis: there still remained traces of dying liberty (Tacitus) manet alta mente repostum: it remains stored deep in the mind (Virgil) manibus pedibusque [with hands and feet]: with might and main manu e nubibus [a hand from the clouds]: help from above manu et corde: with hand and heart manus haec inimica tyrannis: this hand is an enemy to tyrants manus manum fricat: one hand rubs the other manus manum lavat: one hand washes the other mare ditat, rosa decorat: the sea enriches, the rose adorns margarita e stercore: a pearl from a dunghill margaritas ante porcos: pearls before swine (after St. Matthew 7: 6) Mars gravior sub pace latet: a more severe war lurks under the guise of peace (Claudian) mater artium necessitas [necessity is the mother of the arts]: necessity is the mother of invention 204
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS materiam superabat opus memor et fidelis
materiam superabat opus: the workmanship surpassed the material (Ovid) matre pulchra filia pulchrior: a daughter more beautiful than her beautiful mother (Horace) matrem timidi flere non solere: the mother of a timid man seldom has reason to weep (Cornelius Nepos) maturas coelo non cadit ante diem: he who is ripe for heaven falls not before his day maturato opus est: there is need of haste (Livy) mature fias senex: may you early prove an old man (i.e., may you learn wisdom beyond your years) maxima debetur puero reverentia: the greatest respect is due to a child ( Juvenal) maximus in minimis [greatest in the least]: very great in little things maximus novator tempus: time is the greatest innovator me, me adsum qui feci: it is I, here before you, who did the deed (Virgil) mea nihil interest: it is all the same to me mea virtute me involvo: I wrap myself up in my virtue (Horace) medicas adhibere manus: to touch with a healing hand (Serenus Samonicus) medice, cura te ipsum: physician, heal thyself (St. Luke 4: 23) medio maxima turba mari est: the roughest seas are far from land (Propertius) medio tutissimus ibis: a middle course will be safest (Ovid) mediocria firma [the middle course is most secure]: moderation is safer than extremes medium tenuere beati: blessed are they who have kept a middle course medius fidius!: so help me God! mellitum venenum, blanda oratio: flattering speech is honeysweetened poison meminerunt omnia amantes: lovers remember everything (Ovid) memor et fidelis: mindful and faithful 205
DICTA mendacem memorem esse oportet
minima de malis
mendacem memorem esse oportet: a liar should have a good memory (Quintilian) mens aequa in arduis [a mind undisturbed in adversities]: equanimity in difficulties mens agitat molem [mind moves the mass]: mind moves matter (Virgil; motto of the University of Oregon) mens conscia recti: a mind conscience of uprightness (or integrity) (after Horace) mens et manus: mind and hand (motto of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) mens interrita Lethi: a mind undaunted by death (Ovid) mens invicta manet: the mind remains unconquered mens sana in corpore sano: a sound mind in a healthy body ( Juvenal) mens sibi conscia recti [a mind conscious of its own uprightness]: a good conscience (Horace) mens sine pondere ludit: the mind is playful when unburdened mentis gratissimus error: a most delightful hallucination (Horace) mercenarius fugit a grege: the hired hand flees from the flock merces virtutis laus est: applause is the reward of virtue meret qui laborat: he is deserving who is industrious merum sal [pure salt]: genuine Attic wit messe tenus propria vive: live within the harvest (i.e., live within your means) metus autem non est, ubi nullus irascitur: there is no fear where none is angry (Lactantius) mihi cordi est [it is in or on my heart]: I like it mihi cura futuri: my care is for the future (motto of Hunter College) mihi non constat: I have not made up my mind mihi persuasum est [I am persuaded]: I firmly believe militat omnis amans: every lover serves as a soldier (Ovid) militiae species amor est: love is a kind of military service (Ovid) mille animos excipe mille modis: treat a thousand dispositions in a thousand ways (Ovid) minima de malis [the least of evils]: choose the lesser of two evils 206
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS minor est quam servus, dominus qui servos timet mores multorum vidit
minor est quam servus, dominus qui servos timet: a master who fears his servants is lower than a servant minor jurare non potest: (leg.) a minor cannot swear (i.e., serve on a jury) minuentur atrae carmine curae: black care will be soothed by song (Horace) minuit praesentia famam: presence diminishes fame (Claudian) miramur ex intervallo fallentia: we admire at a distance the things that deceive us misce stultitiam consiliis brevem: mix a little foolishness with your wisdom (Horace) miscebis sacra profanis: you will mix sacred things with profane (Horace) misera est magni custodia census: the custody of a large fortune is a wretched business ( Juvenal) miseris succurrere disco: I am learning to help the distressed (Virgil) moderata durant: things used in moderation endure (Seneca) modo vir, modo femina: now as a man, now as a woman (Ovid) mole ruit sua [it falls down of its own bulk]: it is crushed under its own weight (Horace) mollia tempora fandi: favorable occasions for speaking (a misquotation of Virgil) mollissima fandi tempora: the most favorable occasions for speaking (Virgil) molliter ossa cubent: let his bones softly rest (Ovid) montani semper liberi: mountaineers are always free (motto of West Virginia) montes auri pollicens: promising mountains of gold (Terence) monumentum aere perennius: a monument more lasting than bronze (Horace) mora omnis odio est, sed facit sapientiam: all delay is hateful, but it produces wisdom (Publilius Syrus) more majorum: after the custom (or manner) of our ancestors morem fecerat usus: habit had made the custom (Ovid) mores multorum vidit: he saw the customs of many men (Horace, of Ulysses) 207
DICTA mori est felicis antequam mortem invocet
multae manus onus levius faciunt
mori est felicis antequam mortem invocet: happy is the one who dies before he must call on death (Publilius Syrus) moribus antiquis stat Roma: Rome stands by its ancient morals morituri morituros salutant: those about to die salute those about to die morituri te salutamus: we who are about to die salute thee mors et fugacem persequitur virum: death pursues the man as he flees from it (Horace) mors janua vitae: death is the gate of life mors laborum ac miseriarum quies est: death is repose from all our toils and miseries (Cicero) mors omnia solvit: death dissolves all things mors omnibus communis: death is common to all persons mors sceptra ligonibus aequans: death makes scepters equal with hoes mors sola fatetur quantula sint hominum corpuscula: death alone reveals how small are men’s bodies ( Juvenal) mors tua, vita mea [your death, my life]: you die that I might live mors ultima linea rerum est: death is the final goal of things (Horace) mortui non mordant [the dead do not bite]: dead men tell no tales mortuo leoni et lepores insultant: even hares dance upon (or insult) a dead lion motus in fine velocior: motion drawing to its end is swifter mox nox in rem: night is approaching, let’s get on with the matter multa acervatim frequentans: crowding together a number of thoughts multa cadunt inter calicem supremaque labra: many things fall between the cup and the lip (Laberius) multa docet fames: hunger teaches many things multa fidem promissa levant: many promises weaken faith (Ovid) multa petentibus desunt multa: to those who seek many things, many things are lacking (Horace) multa tulit fecitque: much has he suffered and done multae manus onus levius faciunt: many hands make work light 208
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS multae regum aures et oculi nam risu inepto res ineptior nulla est
multae regum aures et oculi: kings have many ears and eyes multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi: many are called but few are chosen (St. Matthew 22: 14) multi te oderint, si teipsum ames: many will hate you, if you love yourself multis e gentibus vires: from many peoples, strength (motto of Saskatchewan) multis minatur, qui uni facit injuriam: the person who injures one threatens many (Publilius Syrus) multitudinem decem faciunt: (leg.) ten constitute a crowd multitudo sapientium sanitas orbis: a multitude of the wise is the health of the world (motto of the University of Victoria, British Columbia) munditiis capimur: we are captivated by neatness (Ovid) mundus vult decipi: the world wishes to be deceived munit haec et altera vincit: this one defends and the other conquers (motto of Nova Scotia) munus Apolline dignum: a gift worthy of Apollo (Horace) murus aeneus conscientia sana: a sound conscience is a wall of brass mus in pice [a mouse in tar]: struggling in vain mus non uni fidit antro: a mouse does not rely on just one hole (Plautus) musicam diis curae esse: music is in the care of the gods mutare vel timere sperno: I scorn to change or to fear mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur [the name being changed, the story is told of you]: with only the change of a name, the story applies to you (Horace) mutum est pictura poëma: a picture is a silent poem
N nam et ipsa scientia potesta est: for knowledge is itself power (Sir Francis Bacon) nam risu inepto res ineptior nulla est: for there is nothing sillier than a silly laugh (Catullus) 209
DICTA nam tanto brevius omne, quanto felicius tempus
ne te quaesiveris extra
nam tanto brevius omne, quanto felicius tempus: the happier the moments, the shorter the time (Pliny the Younger) nam tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet: (fig.) you too are in danger when your neighbor’s house is on fire (Horace) nascentes morimur: from birth we begin to die nascentes morimur, finisque ab origine pendet: we are born but to die, the end hangs from the beginning (Manilius) natio comoeda est: it is a nation of comics ( Juvenal, referring to the Greeks) natura abhorret a vacuo: nature abhors a vacuum natura appetit perfectum: nature desires perfection natura non facit saltum [nature makes no leaps]: there are no gaps in nature (Linnaeus) naturae vis maxima: the greatest force is that of nature naturalia non sunt turpia: natural things are without shame naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret: you may drive out nature with a pitchfork, but she will keep coming back (Horace) naufragium in portu facere: to become shipwrecked in port (Quintilian) ne Aesopum quidem trivit [neither has he encountered Aesop]: he knows nothing ne cede malis: yield not to misfortune (after Virgil) ne e quovis ligno Mercurius fiat: not every wood is fit for a statue of Mercury (Erasmus) ne fronti crede: trust not to appearances ne Hercules quidem contra duos: not even Hercules could contend against two at once ne Juppiter quidem omnibus placet: not even Jupiter can please everyone ne me perdas: let me not be lost ne puero gladium: do not entrust a sword to a boy ne quid detrimenti respublica capiat: (fig.) take care to protect the republic from harm ne quid nimis [not anything too much]: avoid excess (Terence) ne te quaesiveris extra: seek not yourself from outside yourself 210
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ne tentes, aut perfice nec timeo nec sperno
ne tentes, aut perfice [attempt not, or accomplish]: do not attempt what you do not intend to accomplish ne teruncius quidem: (fig.) not a penny! ne vile fano: bring no vile thing to the temple ne vile velis: incline to nothing base nec amor nec tussis celatur: neither love nor a cough can be hidden nec aspera terrent: not even hardships deter us nec cito, nec tarde: neither swiftly nor slowly nec cupias nec metuas: neither desire nor fear nec grata est facies cui gelasinus abest: unpleasing is the face that does not smile (Martial) nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo: I have not, I want not, I care not nec male notus eques [a knight of no stigma]: a knight of good repute nec morti esse locum: there is no room for death (Ovid) nec obolum habet unde restim emat: neither has he a penny left to buy a rope (i.e., he doesn’t even have money enough to hang himself) nec omnia, nec semper, nec ab omnibus: neither all, nor always, nor by all nec placida contentus quiete est: nor is he content with calm repose nec pluribus impar [not equal to many]: a match for the whole world (motto of Louis XIV of France) nec prece nec pretio: neither by entreaty nor by bribery nec quaerere nec spernere honorem: neither to seek nor to shun honors nec scire fas est omnia: nor is it permitted to know all things (Horace) nec sidera pacem semper habent: nor is heaven always at peace (Claudian) nec soli cedit: he yields not even to the sun nec tecum possum vivere, nec sine te: neither can I live with you nor without you nec temere nec timide: neither rashly nor timidly nec timeo nec sperno: I neither fear nor despise 211
DICTA nec vultu destrue dicta tuo
neque culpa neque lauda teipsum
nec vultu destrue dicta tuo: do not discredit your words by your looks (Ovid) necessitas non habet legem [necessity has no law]: necessity knows no law (Publilius Syrus) nega, si fecisti (also si fecisti, nega): if you did it, deny it neglecta virescunt: neglected things flourish nemo agit in se ipsum: no one sues himself nemo bis punitur pro eodem delicto: no one is punished twice for the same crime nemo dat quod non habet: no one can give what he does not have nemo (enim) potest personam diu ferre fictam: no one can wear a mask for very long (Seneca) nemo est haeres viventis: no one is heir of the living nemo in amore videt: no one in love sees (Propertius) nemo liber est qui corpori servit: no one is free who is a slave to the body (Seneca) nemo malus felix: no bad (or evil) person is happy ( Juvenal) nemo me impune lacessit: no one attacks me with impunity (a motto of Scotland) nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit: no mortal is wise at all times (Pliny the Elder) nemo potest duobus dominis servire: no one can serve two masters (St. Matthew 6: 24) nemo repente fuit turpissimus [no one ever was suddenly base]: no one ever became a villain all at once ( Juvenal) nemo sibi nascitur: no one is born for himself nemo solus satis sapit [no one is sufficiently wise alone]: two heads are better than one (Plautus) nemo sua sorte contentus: no one is satisfied with his lot nemo tam pauper vivit quam natus est: no one is so poor in life as he was at birth (Seneca) nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare: no one is bound to accuse himself neque culpa neque lauda teipsum: neither blame nor applaud yourself 212
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS nervi belli pecunia infinita nil desperandum
nervi belli pecunia infinita: war’s strength lies in an unlimited supply of money nervis alienis mobile lignum: a puppet moved by sticks in the hands of another nescit vox missa reverti: the word once spoken can never be recalled (Horace) nihil amanti durum: nothing is hard for one who loves nihil amori injuriam est: there is no wrong that love will not forgive nihil cum fidibus graculo: jackdaws have nothing to do with a lute (Aulus Gellius) nihil dat qui non habet: a person gives nothing who has nothing nihil est ab omni parte beatum [nothing is blessed in all its parts]: there is no perfect happiness nihil est annis velocius!: nothing is swifter than the years! (Ovid) nihil est quod Deus efficere non possit: there is nothing that God cannot do (Cicero) nihil ex nihilo: nothing comes from nothing nihil hic nisi carmina desunt: nothing is wanting here except a song (Virgil) nihil inimicius quam sibi ipse: man is his own worst enemy (Cicero) nihil potest rex nisi quod de jure potest: the king can do nothing but what the law allows nihil quod tetigit non ornavit: he touched nothing which he did not adorn nihil sine labore: nothing without labor nihil sub sole novum: there is nothing new under the sun (after Ecclesiastes 1: 9) nihil unquam peccavit, nisi quod mortua est: she never once sinned but when she died (inscription on a wife’s tomb in Rome) nil admirari: to wonder (or marvel) at nothing (Horace) nil clarius astris: nothing brighter (or clearer) than the stars nil consuetudine majus: nothing is greater than custom (Ovid) nil desperandum [nothing must be despaired of ]: never despair (Horace) 213
DICTA nil est amore veritatis celsus
nitor in adversum
nil est amore veritatis celsus: nothing is loftier than the love of truth (Prudentius) nil feret ad manes divitis umbra suos: the spirit of the rich man will carry nothing to the shades below (Ovid) nil homini certum est: there is nothing assured to men (Ovid) nil impossibile: nothing is impossible nil magnum nisi bonum: nothing is great unless it is good nil mortalibus arduum est: nothing is too difficult for mortals (Horace) nil nisi bonum [nothing unless good]: say nothing but good about the dead nil nisi Cruce: nothing except by the Cross nil novi sub sole: there is nothing new under the sun (after Ecclesiastes 1: 9) nil penna sed usus: not the wing, but its use nil sine causa: nothing without a cause nil sine Deo: nothing without God nil sine magno labore: nothing without great labor (motto of Brooklyn College) nil sine magno vita labore debit mortalibus: life has given nothing great to mortals without labor nil sine numine: nothing without divine will (motto of Colorado) nil solidum: nothing is solid or firm nil temere: nothing rashly nimium ne crede colori [trust not too much in a beautiful complexion]: trust not too much in appearances nimium ne laetare secundis: do not rejoice too much in prosperity nisi Dominus frustra: except the Lord [build it, those who build it build] in vain (motto of Edinburgh after Psalm 127; motto of the city of Edinburgh, whimsically translated:“you can do nothing here unless you are a lord”) nisi pariter, non pugnant: there is no battle unless there be two (Seneca) nitamur semper ad optima: let us always strive for the best nitor in adversum: I strive against opposition (Ovid) 214
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus non erat his locus
nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus: only nobility is the one virtue above all ( Juvenal) nobilitatis virtus non stemma character: virtue, not pedigree, is the mark of the most noble nocet empta dolore voluptas: pleasure bought by pain is injurious noctemque diemque fatigant: they wear out night and day (Virgil) noli barbam vellere mortuo leoni: do not pluck the beard of a dead lion ( Juvenal) noli irritare leones: do not provoke the lions noli me tangere: touch me not (St. John 20: 17; sometimes said of a person who complains too much) noli tuba canere eleemosynam: do not trumpet your almsgiving (after St. Matthew 6: 2) nolite aliquid a Deo quaerere nise Deum: ask nothing of God but God himself (St.Augustine) nomen atque omen: a name and also an omen (Plautus) nomina stultorum parietibus haerent [fools’ names stick to the walls]: fools’ names and fools’ faces are always found in public places nominis umbra: the shadow of a name non Angli sed angeli: not Angles but angels (Pope Gregory the Great, upon seeing English youths for sale in the slave market at Rome) non credis mihi?: don’t you believe me? (Catullus) non crux, sed lux: not the Cross, but its light non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum [not all men are fortunate enough to go to Corinth]: not everyone is blessed with an easy and luxurious life non datur tertium [no third is given]: there is no third choice non decipitur qui scit se decipi: the one who knows he/she has been deceived is not deceived non deficiente crumena [the purse not failing]: while the money holds out (Horace) non deficit alter: another is not wanting (Virgil) non erat his locus: that was not the appropriate place for them 215
non est sine pulvere palma
DICTA non possidentem multa vocaveris recte beatum
non est sine pulvere palma: the palm is not obtained without toil non est vivere, sed valere, vita: life is not mere living but the enjoyment of health (Martial) non generant aquilae columbas: eagles do not beget doves non ignara mali, miseris succerrere disco: not unacquainted with misfortune, I learn to give aid to those in misery (Virgil) non inferiora secutus: having followed nothing inferior (Virgil) non licet omnibus adire Corinthum [not everyone is permitted to go to Corinth]: we cannot all be wealthy (after Horace) non locus virum, sed vir locum ornat: not the place the man, but the man adorns the place non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis: not for you, not for me, but for us non mihi sed Deo et regi: not for myself but for God and the king non multa, sed multum: not many things, but much non nobis, Domine: not to us, Lord (Psalm 115: 1) non nobis solum nati sumus: not for ourselves alone are we born (Cicero) non nova sed nove: not new but a new way non omne licitum honestum: not every lawful thing is honorable non omnes eadem mirantur amantque: all men do not admire and love the same things (Horace) non omnes qui habent citharam sunt citharoedi: not all who own a lyre are lyre-players (Varro) non omnia possumus omnes: we cannot all do all things (Virgil) non omnibus aegris eadem auxilia conveniunt: the same remedies do not suit every patient (Celsus) non omnis moriar: not all of me shall die (Horace, referring to his works) non opus est verbis, credite rebus: there is no need of words, believe the facts (Ovid) non parcit populis regnum breve: a short reign brings no respite to the masses (Statius) non parvum est seipsum noscere: it is not a little thing to know oneself non passibus aequis: not with equal steps (Virgil) non possidentem multa vocaveris recte beatum: you cannot correctly call happy the one who possesses many things (Horace) 216
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS non progredi est regredi nondum victoria, jam discordia erat
non progredi est regredi: not to go forward is to go backward non pugnat sed dormit: instead of fighting, he sleeps non purgat peccata qui negat: the one who denies his sins does not atone for them non quis sed quid: not who but what non quo sed quomodo: not by whom but how non relinquam vos orphanos: I will not leave you orphans (St. John 14: 18) non revertar inultus: I shall not return unavenged non semper erit aestas: it will not always be summer (Hesiod) non semper erunt Saturnalia [it will not always be Saturnalia]: the carnival will not last forever non sibi sed omnibus: not for himself but for all non sibi sed patriae: not for himself but for his country non sibi sed suis: not for one’s self but for one’s people (motto of Tulane University) non sine anchora: not without an anchor non sine numine: not without divine aid non subito delenda: not to be hastily destroyed non sufficit orbis: the world does not suffice non sum qualis eram: I am not what I once was (Horace) non tali auxilio: not for such aid as this (Virgil) non turbetur cor vestrum: let not your heart be troubled (St. John 14: 1) non ut edam vivo, sed ut vivam edo: I do not live to eat, but I eat to live (Quintilian) non vitae, sed scholae discimus: in school, we learn not the lessons of life, but of school (Seneca) non vobis solum: not for you alone non vultus, non color [neither countenance, nor color]: these two do not compare nondum omnium dierum sol occidit: the sun of all days has not yet set nondum victoria, jam discordia erat: not yet victory, and there was already dissension (Tacitus) 217
DICTA nonum(que) prematur in annum
nullum simile quatuor pedibus currit
nonum(que) prematur in annum: let it be kept back from publication until the ninth year (Horace) nos duo turba sumus: we two are a multitude (Ovid) nosce te ipsum or nosce teipsum: know thyself nosce tempus [know your time]: make hay while the sun shines noscitur a sociis (also noscitur e[x] sociis) [it is known by its associates]: a person is known by the company he keeps nosse volunt omnes, mercedem solvere nemo: all wish to know, but no one wishes to pay the fee ( Juvenal and Terence) novacula in cotem [the razor against the whetstone]: he has met his match novos amicos dum paras, veteres cole: while you seek new friendships, take care to cultivate the old ones (Hermes) novus ordo seclorum: a new order for the ages (a motto of the United States) novus rex, nova lex: new king, new law nox senatum dirimit [night breaks upon the session]: the meeting is called on account of darkness noxiae poena par esto: let the punishment equal the crime (Cicero) nugis addere pondus: to add weight to trifles (Horace) nugis armatus: armed with trifles nulla aconita bibuntur fictilibus [no poison is drunk from earthenware]: the poor and powerless need not fear being poisoned ( Juvenal) nulla dies maerore caret: there is no day without sorrow (Seneca) nulla dies sine linea [no day without a line]: no day without something done nulli desperandum, quamdiu spirat [no one is to be despaired of, as long as he breathes]: while there is life there is hope nullo meo merito: I had not deserved it nullum quod tetigit non ornavit: he touched nothing which he did not adorn nullum saeculum magnis ingeniis clausum est: no era is closed to great intellects (Seneca) nullum simile quatuor pedibus currit [no simile runs on all fours]: not all comparisons are applicable in every case 218
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS nullum sine nomine saxum O mihi praeteritos referat si Juppiter annos!
nullum sine nomine saxum [no stone without a name]: no stone without a tale to tell (Lucan, said of the fate of Troy) numero omnia impare gaudet: odd numbers bring luck (Virgil) numini et patriae asto: I stand on the side of God and my country Nunc Dimittis servum tuum, Domine: now let Thy servant depart, Lord (Simeon’s holy prayer of rejoicing at the sight of the Christ child; St. Luke 2: 29) nunc est bibendum: now is the time for drinking (Horace) nunc ille vivit in sinu Abraham: now he lives in Abraham’s bosom (St. Augustine) nunc vino pellite curas!: now drive away your cares with wine! (Horace) nunquam aliud natura, aliud sapientia dicit: nature never says one thing and wisdom another ( Juvenal) nunquam dormio [I never sleep]: I am always on guard nunquam minus solus quam cum solus: never less alone than when alone (Cicero) nunquam non paratus [never unprepared]: always ready nunquam retrorsum: never go back nusquam est qui ubique est: the man who is everywhere is never anywhere (Seneca) nusquam tuta fides: nowhere is there true honor (Virgil)
O O dea certe!: O Thou, who are a goddess surely! (Virgil) O fama ingens, ingentior armis!: great in fame, greater still in deeds! O imitatores, servum pecus! [O servile herd of imitators!]: miserable apes! (Horace) O laborum dulce lenimen: O sweet solace of labors (Horace, in reference to Apollo’s lyre) O mihi praeteritos referat si Juppiter annos!: O that Jupiter would give me back the years! 219
DICTA O Salutaris Hostia
omne bonum desuper
O Salutaris Hostia: O saving Victim (first words of the hymn used at the beginning of the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament) O sancta simplicitas!: O sacred simplicity! O si sic omnis! [O, if all things were thus!]: O that he had always done or spoken thus! O tempora! O mores!: O times! O customs! O ubi campi! [O, where are those fields!]: O for life in the country! (Virgil) obscuris vera involvens: shrouding truth in darkness (Virgil) obscurum per obscurius: explaining an obscure thing by something more obscure obsta principiis: resist the beginning (more properly, principiis obsta) occasio furem facit: opportunity makes the thief occasionem cognosce: know your opportunity occupet extremum scabies: plague, take the hindmost (Horace) occurrent nubes: clouds will intervene oderint dum metuant: let them hate, so long as they fear (Cicero) oderint dum probent: let them hate, provided they approve (attributed to Emperor Tiberius) odi et amo: I hate and I love (Catullus) odi profanum vulgus et arceo: I detest the ungodly rabble and keep them at a distance odora canum vis: the strong scent of the hounds ohe!, jam satis est: hey there!, that is enough (Horace) olet lucernam [it smells of the lamp]: it bears the mark of nightly toil oleum addere camino [to pour oil onto the fire]: add fuel to the flame (i.e., to make things worse) (Horace) oleum et operam perdidi: I have lost both oil and labor (i.e., to lose both time and trouble) (Plautus) olla male fervet: the pot boils badly (i.e., it does not look hopeful) omina sunt aliquid: there is something in omens (Ovid) omissis jocis: leaving aside joking (Pliny the Younger) omne animal seipsum diligit: every animal loves itself (Cicero) omne bonum desuper: all good is from above 220
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS omne homini natale solum omnibus hoc vitium est
omne homini natale solum: the whole world is a man’s native soil (Statius) omne ignotum pro magnifico (est): all things unknown are thought to be magnificent (Tacitus) omne solum forti patria: to a brave man, all soil is his homeland omne trinum perfectum: every perfect thing is threefold omne vivum ex ovo: every living thing comes from an egg omnem movere lapidem: to leave no stone unturned omnes sub regno graviore regnum est: every monarch is subject to a mightier one (Seneca) omni aetati mors est communis: death is common to every age (Cicero) omnia ad Dei gloriam: all things for the glory of God omnia bona bonis: to the good all things are good omnia desuper or omnia de super: all things are from above omnia mea mecum porto: everything that is mine I carry with me omnia mors aequat: death levels all things (Claudian) omnia munda mundis: to the pure all things are pure omnia mutantur, nihil interit: all things merely change, nothing perishes (Ovid) omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis: all things change and we change with them omnia orta occident: all things that rise also set (Sallust) omnia praeclara rara: all excellent things are rare (Cicero) omnia Romae cum pretio: all things at Rome (may be bought) for a price ( Juvenal) omnia suspendens naso: turning up his nose at everything omnia tuta timens: fearing all things, even those that are safe (Virgil) omnia vanitas: all is vanity omnia venalia Romae: all things can be bought at Rome omnia vincit amor: love conquers all things omnia vincit labor: labor overcomes all things omnia vincit veritas: truth conquers all things omnibus hoc vitium est: all have this vice (Horace) 221
DICTA omnibus invideas, livide, nemo tibi
otia dant vitia
omnibus invideas, livide, nemo tibi: you may envy everyone, envious one, but no one envies you omnis amans amens: every lover is demented omnis ars imitatio est naturae: all art is an imitation of nature (Seneca) omnium rerum principia parva sunt: the beginnings of all things are small (Cicero) onus segni impone asello: lay the burden on the lazy ass ope et consilio: with help and counsel opera illius mea sunt: his works are mine operae pretium est [there is a reward for work]: it is worth doing (Terence) operose nihil agunt: they are busy about nothing (Seneca) opes parit industria: industry produces riches opinione asperius est: it is harder than I thought optima mors Parca quae venit apta die: the best death is that which comes on the day that Fate determines (Propertius) optimi consiliarii mortui: the best counselors are the dead optimum obsonium labor [work is the best of relishes]: work is the best means to eating opum furiata cupido: frenzied lust for wealth (Ovid) opus artificem probat [the work proves the craftsman]: the worker is known by his work ora et labora: pray and work ora pro nobis: pray for us orando laborando: by prayer and by toil (motto of Rugby School, England) orare est laborare, laborare est orare: to pray is to work, to work is to pray orate pro invicem: pray for one another (St. James 5: 16) orator fit, poëta nascitur: the orator is made, the poet is born ornat spina rosas, mella tegunt apes: the rose is guarded by thorns, and honey is protected by bees osculo Filium hominis tradis?: you betray the Son of Humanity with a kiss? (St. Luke 22: 48) otia dant vitia: leisure begets vices 222
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS otiosa sedulitas parcere personis, dicere de vitiis
otiosa sedulitas: leisurely zeal otiosi semper egentes: the idle are always needy otiosis nullus adsistit deus: no god assists the idle otium cum dignitate [leisure with dignity]: dignified leisure (Cicero) otium omnia vitia parit: leisure is the mother of all evil otium sine dignitate: leisure without dignity otium sine litteris mors est: leisure without literature is death
P pabulum Acheruntis [food for Acheron]: one deserving of death (Plautus) pace tanti viri [by leave of so great a man]: if so great a man will pardon me (said ironically) pacem hominibus habe, bellum cum vitiis: maintain peace with men, war with their vices palmam qui meruit ferat: let him bear the palm who has deserved it (motto of Lord Nelson and the University of Southern California) panem et circenses [bread and the games of the circus]: food and amusement (according to Juvenal, the sole interests of the ancient Roman plebeian class) par in parem imperium non habet: an equal has no authority over an equal par negotiis, neque supra: equal to his business and not above it (Tacitus) par nobile fratrum [a noble pair of brothers]: two people just alike (Horace) par pari refero [I return like for like]: tit for tat par sit fortuna labori: let the success be equal to the labor par ternis suppar: the two are equal to the three parce, parce, precor: spare me, spare me, I pray parcere personis, dicere de vitiis: to spare persons, to condemn crimes (Martial) 223
DICTA parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos
pax paritur bello
parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos: to spare the vanquished and subdue the proud (Virgil) parem non fert: he endures no equal parendo vinces: you will conquer by obedience paritur pax bello: peace is produced by war pars sanitatis velle sanari fuit: it is a step to the cure to be willing to be cured (Seneca) parsimonia est magnum vectigal: thrift is a great revenue (Cicero) Parthis mendacior: more mendacious than the Parthians parva componere magnis: to compare small things with great parva leves capiunt animas: little minds are captured by little things (Ovid) parva sub ingenti: the small under the protection of the great (motto of Prince Edward Island) parvis componere magna: to compare great things with small (Virgil) parvum parva decent: small things benefit the small (Horace) Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum: Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit (one of the Seven Last Words of Christ; St. Luke 23: 46) patria cara, carior libertas: the nation is dear, but liberty is dearer patriae fumus igne alieno luculentior: the smoke of one’s own country is brighter than any fire in a foreign land patriae infelici fidelis [faithful to my misfortunate homeland]: (fig.) It is my country, wrong or right pauca sed bona [few things, but good]: quality, not quantity paulo majora canamus: let us sing of somewhat greater things (Virgil) pauper ubique jacet: everywhere the poor man is despised (Ovid) paupertas omnium artium repertrix: poverty is the inventor of all the arts pauperum solatio: for the solace of the poor pax Domini sit semper vobiscum: the peace of the Lord be with you always pax huic domui: peace be to this house pax paritur bello: peace is produced by war 224
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS pax potior bello periculosior casus ab alto
pax potior bello: peace is more powerful than war (Cornelius Nepos) pax quaeritur bello: peace is sought by war (motto of the Cromwell family) pax vobiscum: peace be with you peccare pauci nolunt, nulli nesciunt: few are unwilling to sin, all know how (Publilius Syrus) pectus est quod disertos facit: it is the heart that makes one eloquent (Quintilian) pecunia non olet: money does not smell pecunia obediunt omnia: all things are obedient to money pecunia regimen est rerum omnium: money controls all things (Publilius Syrus) pedibus timor addidit alas: fear gave wings to his feet (Virgil) Pelio imponere Ossam [to pile Ossa on Pelion]: to attempt to scale heaven (after Virgil) Pelion imposuisse Olympo: to have piled Pelion on Olympus (Horace) Penelopae telam retexens: unraveling the web of Penelope (Cicero) per acria belli: through the bitterness of war per acuta belli: through the perils of war per angusta ad augusta: through adversity to honor per ardua ad astra: through difficulties to the stars (motto of the R.A.F.) per aspera ad astra (a variation of ad astra per aspera): through adversities to the stars per fas et nefas [through right and wrong]: by fair means or foul per tot discrimina rerum: through all manner of calamitous events (Virgil) per undas et ignes fluctuat nec mergitur: through water and fire she goes plunging but is not submerged (a motto of Paris, whose symbol is a boat) per viam dolorosam: by the way of sorrows pereunt et imputantur: they (the hours) pass away and are reckoned against us (Martial; a saying used for a sundial) periculosior casus ab alto: even more dangerous is a fall from high 225
DICTA periculum fortitudine evasi
poëta nascitur, non fit
periculum fortitudine evasi: by courage I have escaped danger periculum in mora: there is danger in delay periturae parcite chartae: spare the paper which is fated to perish (adapted from Juvenal) perjuria ridet amantum Juppiter: Jupiter laughs at lovers’ deceits permitte divis caetera: leave the rest to the gods (Horace) pernicibus alis: with swift wings persta atque obdura: be steadfast and endure perstare et praestare: to persevere and to surpass (motto of New York University) pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes: flatterers are the worst type of enemies philosophia vero omnium mater artium: philosophy, the true mother of all the arts (Cicero) pia desideria: the desire after things religious (motto of the Pietistic movement) piscem natare docere: to teach a fish how to swim placeat homini quicquid deo placuit: whatever is God’s pleasure should be man’s pleasure (Seneca) ploratur lacrimis amissa pecunia veris: the loss of money is bewailed with true tears ( Juvenal) plures crapula quam gladius: drunkenness kills more than the sword pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus: a person engaged in various pursuits minds none well pluris est oculatus testis unus quam auriti decem: one eyewitness is of more weight than ten who give evidence from hearsay (Plautus) plus aloës quam mellis habet [s/he has more aloes than honey]: the bitter outweighs the sweet ( Juvenal) plus animi est inferenti periculum, quam propulsanti: there is always more spirit in attack than in defense (Livy) plus in posse quam in actu: more in possibility than in actuality plus salis quam sumptus [more of good taste than expense]: more tasteful than costly (Cornelius Nepos) poësis est vinum daemonum: poetry is the wine of demons poëta nascitur, non fit: a poet is born, not made 226
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS ponderanda sunt testimonia, non numeranda praevalent illicita
ponderanda sunt testimonia, non numeranda: testimonies are to be weighed, not counted populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo: the people boo me, but I applaud myself (Horace) populus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur: the people wish to be deceived, therefore let them be deceived porro unum est necessarium: there is still one necessary thing possunt quia posse videntur: they can because they think they can post cineres gloria sera venit [glory comes after one is reduced to ashes]: fame comes too late for one to enjoy it post equitem sedet atra cura [behind the horseman sits dark cares]: even the nobleman cannot escape his worries (Horace) post est occasio calva: occasion is bald behind (Dionysius Cato) post factum nullum consilium: counsel is of no effect after the fact post festum venisti: you have come after the feast post nubila, Phoebus: after the clouds, the sun post proelia praemia: after battles come rewards post tenebras lux: after darkness, light post tot naufragia portum: after so many shipwrecks, then the harbor postera crescam laude: I shall grow in future praise (motto of the University of Melbourne) potestas vitae necisque: power over life and death potius ingenio quam vi: rather by skill than by force potius mori quam foedari: rather to die than to be dishonored potius sero quam nunquam: better late than never (Livy) praefervidum ingenium Scotorum: the fervently serious disposition of the Scots praemonitus, praemunitus: forewarned, forearmed praestat opes sapientia: wisdom excels wealth praestat sero quam nunquam: better late than never praesto et persto: I stand in front and I stand firm praevalent illicita: things forbidden have a secret charm (Tacitus) 227
DICTA preces armatae
pro rege et patria
preces armatae [armed prayers]: prayers with weapons to back them up precibus infirmis: with ineffective prayers (Livy) pretiosum quod utile: what is useful is valuable pretium laborum non vile: no cheap reward for the labors (motto of the Order of the Golden Fleece) prima caritas incipit a seipso: charity begins at home primus inter pares: first among his equals principia, non homines: principles, not men principibus placuisse viris non ultima laus est: to have won the approval of important people is not the lowest of praise (Horace) principiis obsta [resist the beginnings]: nip the evil at the bud (Ovid) prior tempore, prior jure [first by time, first by right]: first come, first served pristinae virtutis memores: mindful of the courage of earlier times pro aris et focis [for our altars and our hearths]: for civil and religious liberty pro Deo et Ecclesia: for God and the Church pro Deo et patria: for God and country pro Deo et rege: for God and king pro Ecclesia et patria: for the Church and the country (motto of the Trinity College) pro Ecclesia et Pontifice: for Church and Pope pro Ecclesia, pro Texana: for the Church, for Texas (motto of Baylor University) pro libertate patriae: for the liberty of my country pro mundi beneficio: for the benefit of the world (motto of Panama) pro patria [for the country]: for one’s country pro patria et rege: for country and king pro patriae amore: for the love of country pro pelle cutem: the hide for the sake of the fir (motto of the Hudson Bay Company) pro rege et patria: for king and country 228
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS pro rege, lege, et grege quae fuerunt vitia mores sunt
pro rege, lege, et grege [for king, law, and the people]: for ruler, rule, and ruled pro salute animae: for the welfare of the soul pro scientia et sapientia: for knowledge and wisdom (motto of the University of Mississippi) pro veritate: for truth pro virtute bellica: for valor in war probitas laudatur et alget: honesty is praised and is left to freeze to death ( Juvenal) probitas verus honor: honesty is true honor probum non poenitet: the honest man does not repent prodesse quam conspici [to be of service instead of being stared at]: get busy! proh pudor!: for shame! (properly pro pudor) proprie communia dicere: to speak commonplace things as if they were original proximus ardet Ucalegon: Ucalegon’s house, the one next door, is on fire (Virgil) proximus sum egomet mihi: I am my nearest neighbor (or nearest of kin); also, I am my own best friend (Terence) prudens quaestio dimidium scientiae: half of science is putting forth the right questions (Sir Francis Bacon) prudens qui patiens: he is prudent who has patience prudens ut serpens, simplex ut columba: wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove (after St. Matthew 10: 16) pugna pro patria: fight for (your) country pugnis et calcibus [with fists and heels]: with all one’s might pulvis et umbra sumus: we are but dust and shadow (Horace)
Q qua vincit victos protegit ille manu: with the same hand which he conquers he protects the conquered (Ovid) quae amissa salva: things lost are safe quae fuerunt vitia mores sunt: what were once vices are now customary (Seneca) 229
DICTA quae nocent docent
quem metuit quisque, perisse cupit
quae nocent docent: that which hurts teaches quae sursum volo videre: I desire to see the things that are above quaere adolescens, utere senex: youth seek, the old use quaere verum: seek after truth quaerite prime (or primum) regnum Dei: seek ye first the kingdom of God (a motto of Newfoundland, after St. Matthew 6: 33) quaevis terra alit artificem: every land supports the artisan qualis artifex pereo: what an artist dies in me (dying words of Emperor Nero) qualis pater, talis filius: like father, like son qualis rex, talis grex: like king, like people qualis vita, finis ita: as is the life, so is the end quam magnum vectigal sit parsimonia!: what a wonderful revenue lies in thrift! (Cicero) quam male conveniunt: how ill-matched they are quam parva sapientia mundus regitur!: with how little wisdom the world is governed! quam te Deus esse jussit: what God commanded you to be quamdiu se bene gesserit: so long as he conducts himself well quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus: sometimes even good Homer nods off (Horace) quanti est sapere!: what a great thing it is to be wise! (Terence) quanti fama?: at what price fame? quantum mutatus ab illo!: how changed from what he once was! (Virgil) quantum religio potuit suadere malorum!: to how many evils does not religion persuade! (Lucretius) quasi vestigias nostras insistere [as if to tread in our tracks]: as if walking in our footsteps quem di diligunt adolescens moritur: the one whom the gods esteem dies young quem Juppiter vult perdere, prius dementat: the one whom Jupiter desires to destroy is first driven insane quem metuit quisque, perisse cupit: everyone wishes that the man whom he fears would perish (Ovid) 230
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS qui alta contemplantur, cadere qui socius est in malo, consors erit in supplicio
qui alta contemplantur, cadere: those who contemplate the heights, fall qui bene amat bene castigat: the one who loves well chastises well qui capit ille facit [if the hat fits, put it on]: if the shoe fits, wear it qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum: the one wishing peace must prepare for war qui docet discit: he who teaches learns qui facit per alium facit per se: a man is responsible for the deeds he does through another qui fugiebat, rursus proeliabitur: the one who flees will fight again (Tertullian) qui honeste fortiter: he who acts honestly acts bravely qui invidet minor est: he who envies is the lesser of the two qui laborat orat: he who labors prays (St.Augustine) qui male agit, odit lucem: the one who commits evil, shuns the light qui nimium probat nihil probat: he who proves too much proves nothing qui non improbat, approbat: the one who does not disapprove, approves qui non laborat, non manducet: the one who does no work, shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3: 10) qui non proficit deficit: he who does not make progress loses ground qui nucleum vult, nucem frangat: who so wishes the kernel must crack the nut (after Plautus) qui parcit virgae odit filium: the one that spares the rod hates the child qui peccat ebrius luat sobrius: let the one who sins when drunk be punished when sober qui scribit bis legit: the one who writes reads twice qui se exaltat, humiliabitur: the one who exalts himself will be humbled qui socius est in malo, consors erit in supplicio: a partner in evil will also be a partner in punishment 231
DICTA qui spe aluntur, pendent, non vivunt
quieta non movere
qui spe aluntur, pendent, non vivunt: those who feed on hope, they hang on, but they do not live qui stat, caveat ne cadat: let the one who stands be careful lest he or she fall (1 Corinthians 10: 12) qui tacet consentit: he who is silent consents qui timide rogat docet negare: he who asks timidly courts denial (Seneca) qui transtulit sustinet: he who transplanted sustains (motto of Connecticut) qui uti scit ei bona: one should profit who knows how to use it quicquid coepit, et desinit: whatever begins, also ends (Seneca) quicquid servatur, cupimus magis: we covet what is guarded (Ovid) quicunque vult servari: whoever will be saved (the beginning of the Creed of Athanasius, or the Quicunque Vult) quid clarius astris?: what is brighter than the stars? quid enim salvis infamia nummis?: what does disgrace matter when the money is safe? ( Juvenal) quid leges sine moribus vanae proficiunt?: what good are laws when there are no morals? quid leone fortius?: what is stronger than a lion? quid non dedit Fortuna non eripit: Fortune cannot take away what she did not give (Seneca) quid non ebrietas designat?: what does drunkenness not effect? (Horace) quid opus est verbis?: what need is there for words? quid si nunc coelum ruat?: what if the sky should now fall? (Terence) quid sit futurum cras, fuge quaerere: avoid asking what the future will bring (Horace) quid verum atque decens: what is true and becoming quidquid agas prudenter agas: whatever you do, do so with caution quidquid praecipies, esto brevis: whatever you teach, be brief (Horace) quieta non movere [not to move quiet things]: (fig.) let sleeping dogs lie 232
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS quis custodiet ipsos custodes? quot capita, tot sensus
quis custodiet ipsos custodes?: who shall guard the guards? ( Juvenal) quis fallere possit amantem: who can deceive a lover? (Virgil) quis separabit?: who shall separate? (motto of the Order of St. Patrick; referring to Britain and Ireland) quis vitia odit, homines odit: the one who hates vice, hates humanity (Pliny the Younger) quisque sibi proximus: everyone is nearest to himself quisque suos patimur manes: everyone suffers from the spirits of his or her own past quo celerius eo melius: the faster the better quo fas et gloria ducunt: where duty and glory lead quo Fata vocant: whither the Fates call quo pax et gloria ducunt: where peace and glory lead quo spinosior fragrantior: the greater the thorns, the greater the fragrance quo vadis, Domine?: whither goest Thou, Lord? quod Anglicana ecclesia libera sit: that the English Church shall be free (from the Magna Carta) quod avertat Deus! [which may God avert!]: God forbid! quod cito fit, cito perit: what is done quickly, perishes quickly quod Deus bene vertat!: may God grant success! quod dixi dixi: what I have said I have said quod eorum minimis mihi: as to the least of them, so to me (St. Matthew 25: 40) quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi: what is allowed to Jove is not allowed to the ox quod non legitur non creditur: what is not read is not believed quod sapit, nutrit: what pleases, nourishes quod scripsi scripsi: what I have written I have written (Pontius Pilate; St. John 19: 22) quorum pars magna fui: of which things I was an important part (Virgil) quos laeserunt et oderunt: whom they have injured they also hate (Seneca) quot capita, tot sensus: so many heads, so many opinions (Terence) 233
DICTA quot homines tot sententiae
renovate animos
quot homines tot sententiae: so many men, so many opinions (Terence) quot rami, tot arbores: so many branches, so many trees (motto of the University of Allahabad) quot servi tot hostes: so many servants, so many enemies quum Romae fueris, Romano vivite more: when you are at Rome, live after the Roman fashion
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R radit usque ad cutem: he shaves down to the skin radix omnium malorum est cupiditas: the love of money is a root to all evil (1 Timothy 6: 10) raram facit misturam cum sapientia forma: rarely are beauty and wisdom found together rari nantes in gurgite vasto: swimming one here and another there in the vast deep (Virgil) ratio est legis anima: reason is the spirit and soul of the law ratio est radius divini luminis: reason is a ray of divine light rebus cunctis inest quidam velut orbis: in all things there is a kind of law of cycles (Tacitus) recedant vetera: let old things recede recte et suaviter: justly and mildly reddite Deo: render unto God redintegratio amoris: the renewal of love redire ad nuces [to return to the nuts]: resume childish interests redolet lucerna or redolet lucernam: it smells of the lamp (a reference to a literary work whose labor was great) regnant populi: the people rule (motto of Arkansas) relata refero: I tell it as it was told to me (whether true or untrue) religentem esse oportet, religiosum nefas: a man should be religious, not superstitious (quoted by Aulus Gellius) rem acu tetigisti [you have touched the thing with a needle]: you have hit the nail on the head renascentur: they will rise again renovate animos: renew your courage 234
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS repente nemo fit turpissimus respice finem
repente nemo fit turpissimus: no one becomes extremely wicked all at once reperit Deus nocentem: God finds out the guilty repetitio est mater studiorum: repetition is the mother of study requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: grant them eternal rest, O Lord rerum cognoscere causas: to understand the causes of all things (motto of the London School of Economics and Political Science) rerum concordia discors: the harmonious discord of things (Horace) rerum sapientia custos: wisdom is the guardian of all things res accedent luminis rebus: one light shines upon others res age, tute eris: be busy and you will be safe (Ovid) res amicos invenit: fortune finds us friends (Plautus) res angusta domi: in straitened circumstances at home ( Juvenal) res est ingeniosa dare: giving requires good sense (Ovid) res est sacra miser: (fig.) a person in misery is a sacred matter (Ovid) res est solliciti plena timoris amor: love is full of anxious fears (Ovid) res in cardine est [the matter is on the hinge]: the matter is hanging in the balances res integra est: the matter is still undecided res ipsa loquitur: the thing speaks for itself res judicata pro veritate accipitur: (leg.) a case decided is accepted as just res mihi integra est [I have not decided the matter]: I am still undecided res mihi probatur: it meets my approval res non posse creari de nilo: it is not possible to create matter from nothing res non verba: facts not words res perit suo domino: (leg.) the loss falls upon its owner respice, adspice, prospice: examine the past, examine the present, examine the future (motto of the City University of New York) respice finem [look to the end]: consider the result 235
DICTA respondeat superior
sal sapit omnia
respondeat superior [let the superior answer]: (leg.) let the principal answer for the actions of his agent retinens vestigia famae [retracing the footsteps of fame]: the achievements of an honorable ancestry revocate animos: recover your courage (Virgil) rex non potest peccare: the king can do no wrong rex nunquam moritur: the king never dies rex regnat sed non gubernat: the king reigns but does no govern ride si sapis: laugh, if you are wise rident stolidi verba Latina: fools laugh at the Latin language (Ovid) ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?: what prevents a person from speaking the truth while laughing? (Horace) ridere in stomacho [to laugh inwardly]: to laugh up one’s sleeve risum teneatis, amici?: could you help laughing, friends? (Horace) risus abundat in ore stultorum: laughter abounds in the mouth of fools rivalem patienter habe: bear patiently with a rival (Ovid) rixatur de lana saepe caprina [he often quarrels about goat’s wool]: he argues about everything, whether right or wrong (Horace) ruat caelum [though the heavens fall]: let the heavens fall! rudis indigestaque moles: a rude and disorderly mass (Ovid)
S saepe stilum vertas [often turn the stylus]: correct freely, if you want to write anything of merit saepius in auro bibitur venenum: poison is more often drunk from a gold cup saevis inter se convenit ursis: even savage bears agree among themselves ( Juvenal) saevus tranquillus in undis: calm amid the raging waters (motto of William I of Orange) sal sapit omnia: salt seasons everything 236
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS salus per Christum Redemptorem satius est recurrere, quam currere male
salus per Christum Redemptorem: salvation through Christ the Redeemer salus populi est suprema lex: the welfare of the people is the supreme law (Cicero) salus populi suprema lex esto: let the welfare of the people be the supreme law (motto of Missouri) salus ubi multi consiliarii: there is safety in many advisors salva conscientia [the conscience being preserved]: without compromising one’s conscience salva dignitate: without compromising one’s dignity salva fide: without compromising one’s word salva res est: the matter is safe (Terence) salvam fac reginam, O Domine: God save the queen salvum fac regem, O Domine: God save the king sancte et sapienter: with holiness and wisdom sanguinis pretium sanguis: blood is the price of blood sapere aude: dare to be wise (Horace) sapere aude, incipe: dare to be wise, begin at once sapiens dominabitur astris: the wise will rule the stars sapiens qui prospicit: the one who is wise looks ahead sapientia et doctrina: wisdom and doctrine (motto of Fordham University) sapientia humana, stultitia est apud Deum: human wisdom is folly before God sat cito, si sat bene: soon enough, if but well enough (Cato the Elder, as quoted by St. Jerome) sat pulchra, si sat bona [beautiful enough, if she is good enough]: beauty is as beauty does satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum: enough eloquence but too little wisdom satis quod sufficit: what suffices is enough satis superque [enough and too much]: enough and some to spare satis verborum [enough of words]: enough said satius est recurrere, quam currere male: it is better to run back than to run on the wrong way 237
DICTA scelere velandum est scelus
semper bonus homo tiro
scelere velandum est scelus: one crime has to be concealed by another (i.e., a crime committed to mask a greater crime) (Seneca) scientia est potentia: knowledge is power scientia sol mentis: knowledge is the light of the mind (motto of the University of Delaware) scientia ultima stat pretio ultime: ultimate knowledge costs the ultimate price scio enim cui credidi: I know in whom I have believed (2 Timothy 1: 12) scribere est agere: to write is to act scribere jussit amor: love bade me write (Ovid) scribimus indocti doctique: learned and unlearned, we all write (Horace) scribit in marmore laesus: the injured man writes in marble scripta manent: writings remain scuto amoris divini: with the shield of divine love scuto bonae voluntatis tuae coronasti nos: with the shield of Thy good will you have surrounded us secundo amne defluit: he floats with the stream securus judicat orbis terrarum: the whole earth judges in safety (i.e., not swayed by fear; St. Augustine) sed haec hactenus: but so much for this sedato corde: with calm heart seditio civium hostium est occasio: the dissatisfaction of the citizenry gives occasion to the enemy semel abbas, semper abbas: once an abbot, always an abbot semel et omnes simul: all together at one and the same time semel et simul: once and together; one and the same time semel in anno licet insanire: it is allowed once in the year to be mad semel insanivimus omnes: we have all been mad once semper ad eventum festinat: he always hastens to the crisis (Horace) semper avarus eget: the greedy are always in need (Horace) semper bonus homo tiro: a good man is always learning (Martial) 238
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS semper eadem serum auxilium post praelium
semper eadem (fem.): always the same (motto of Queen Elizabeth I) semper et ubique: always and everywhere semper felix [always happy]: ever fortunate semper fidelis (pl. semper fideles): always faithful (motto of the U.S. Marine Corps) semper idem (masc. and neuter): always the same semper inops, quicunque cupit: always poor is the one who desires more (Claudian) semper paratus: always ready (motto of the U.S. Coast Guard) semper praesto esse infortunia: misfortunes are always at hand semper sitiens: always thirsty semper timidum scelus: crime is always fearful semper vigilans: always watchful semper vivit in armis: he lives ever in arms senectus insanabilis morbus est: old age is an incurable disease (Seneca) senex bis puer: an old man is twice a boy septem convivium novem convitium: seven is a banquet, nine a brawl sequitur(que) patrem non passibus aequis: he follows his father but not with equal steps (after Virgil) sequor non inferior: I follow, but I am not inferior sera in fundo parsimonia: thrift is too late when you are at the bottom of your purse (Seneca) serit arbores quae alteri saeclo prosint: he plants trees to benefit another generation (Statius) serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam: sooner or later we hasten to one home (Ovid) sermo datur cunctis, animi sapientia paucis: speech is given to all, wisdom to few (Cato) sero sapiunt Phryges: the Phrygians became wise, but too late sero sed serio: late, but in earnest sero venientibus ossa [bones for all those who come late]: first come, first served serum auxilium post praelium: help comes too late when the fight is over 239
DICTA serus in caelum redeas
si peccavi, insciens feci
serus in caelum redeas [late may you return to heaven]: long may you live serva jugum [preserve the yoke]: preserve the bond of love servabo fidem: I will keep faith servata fides cineri: faithful to the memory of my ancestors serviendo guberno: I govern by serving; by ruling I serve servus curru portatur eodem: the slave rides in the same chariot ( Juvenal) sexu foemina, ingenio vir: in sex a woman, in natural ability a man (epitaph of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria) si caput dolet omnia membra languent: if the head aches all the members languish si claudio cohabites, subclaudicare disces: if you live with a lame man you will learn to limp si componere magnis parva mihi fas est: if I may be allowed to compare small things with great (Ovid) si Deus nobiscum, quis contra nos?: if God be with us, who shall be against us? (after St. Paul) si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos?: if God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8: 31) si dis placet or si diis placet: if it pleases the gods si duo dicunt idem, non est idem: if two languages say the same thing, it is not the same thing si fallor, sum: if I am deceived, then I exist (St.Augustine’s refutation of skepticism through one’s self-awareness of deception) si fecisti, nega (also nega, si fecisti): if you did it, deny it si finis bonus est, totum bonum erit: if the end is good, all will be good si fortuna juvat: if fortune favors si monumentum requiris, circumspice: if you seek his monument, look around you (epitaph of Sir Christopher Wren, architect of London) si parva licet componere magnis: if it be allowable to compare small things to great (Virgil) si peccavi, insciens feci: if I have sinned, I have done so unknowingly (Terence) 240
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS si post fata venit gloria, non propero similia similibus curantur
si post fata venit gloria, non propero: if glory comes after death, then I am in no hurry si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice: if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you (motto of Michigan) si sic omnes!: if all did thus! si sit prudentia: if there be prudence si vis amari ama: if you want to be loved, then love (Seneca) si vis pacem para bellum: if you desire peace, then prepare for war sibi servire gravissima est servitus: the most severe slavery is to be a slave to oneself (Seneca) sic eunt fata hominum: so go the destinies of men sic frustra: thus in vain sic itur ad astra [thus is the way to the stars]: such is the way to immortal fame sic me servavit Apollo: thus Apollo preserved me (Horace) sic semper tyrannis: thus always to tyrants (motto of Virginia) sic transit gloria mundi: thus passes away the glory of the world (traditionally recited during the coronation of a new pope) sic viresco: thus I flourish sic vita humana: thus is human life sic volo sic jubeo: thus I will, thus I command ( Juvenal) sic vos non vobis [thus do ye, but not for yourselves]: you do the work, another takes the credit (Virgil, as a challenge to Bathyllus who claimed authorship of a set of verses that Virgil himself had composed) sica inimicis: a dagger to his enemies sicut meus est mos: as is my habit (Horace) sicut patribus, sit Deus nobis: as with our fathers, may God also be with us (motto of the city of Boston) sidere mens eadem mutato: although the constellations change, the mind is constant (motto of the University of Sydney) sile et philosophus esto: be silent and you will pass for a philosopher silent leges inter arma: the laws are silent during war (Cicero) simile gaudet simili: like delights in like similia similibus curantur: like cures like 241
DICTA simplex munditiis
solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant
simplex munditiis: elegant in simplicity (Horace) simplex sigillum veri or simplex signum veri: simplicity is the seal of truth simul astu et dentibus utor: I use my cunning and my teeth simultaneously sine cruce, sine luce: without the Cross, without light sine ira et studio: without anger and without partiality sis pacem, para bellum: if you want peace, then prepare for war siste, viator!: stop, traveler! sit jus liceatque perire poëtis: leave poets free to perish as they will (Horace) sit pro ratione voluntas: let goodwill stand for reason sit tibi terra levis: may the earth lie lightly upon you (a Roman epitaph, after Martial) sit tibi terra levis, mollique tegaris arena: light lie the earth upon you, soft be the sand that covers you (Martial) sit tua terra levis: may the earth rest lightly upon you (Seneca; a Roman epitaph) sit ut est, aut non sit: let it be as it is, or let it not be sit venia verbis: pardon my words situ et tempore: in place and time socius fidelis anchora tuta est: a faithful companion is a sure anchor sol lucet omnibus: the sun shines on all sola juvat virtus: virtue alone assists sola nobilitas virtus: virtue alone is true nobility sola salus servire Deo: our only salvation is in serving God sola virtus invicta: virtue alone is invincible solem fero: I bear the sun solem quis dicere falsum audeat?: who would dare to call the sun a liar? (Virgil) soli Deo gloria: to God alone be glory solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant [they make a solitude and call it peace]: they crush a rebellion by killing the population (Tacitus) 242
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS solventur Spiritus Sanctus in corde
solventur (or solvuntur) risu tabulae [the bills of indictment are dismissed with a laugh]: the case breaks down and you are laughed out of court (Horace) solvitur ambulando [it is solved by walking]: the problem is solved by action (i.e., the theory is proven by practice) somnus est imago mortis: sleep is the image of death (Cicero) spargere voces in vulgam ambiguas: spreading ambiguous rumors among the common crowd (Virgil) spe: with hope (motto of the State University of New York, Buffalo) spectas et tu, spectaberis: you see, and you shall be seen spectemur agendo: let us be judged by our actions spem pretio non emo: I do not give money for mere hopes (Terence) spem reduxit: hope restored (motto of New Brunswick) spera in Deo: hope in God sperat infestis, metuit secundis: he hopes in adversity and fears in prosperity (after Horace) spero infestis metuo secundis: in prosperity I fear, in adversity I hope spero meliora: I hope for better things (Cicero) spes alit: hope nourishes spes anchora vitae: hope, the anchor of life spes bona: good hope (motto of Cape Colony) spes gregis: the hope of the flock or the common herd (Virgil) spes infracta: my hope is unbroken spes mea Christus: my hope is in Christ spes mea in Deo: my hope is in God spes sibi quisque [let each be a hope unto himself ]: each must rely on him/herself alone spes tutissima coelis: the safest hope is in heaven spiritus durissima coquit: a noble mind digests even the most painful injuries spiritus intus alit: the spirit within nourishes (Virgil) spiritus quidem promptus (est), caro autem infirma: the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak (St. Matthew 26: 41) Spiritus Sanctus in corde: the Holy Spirit in the heart 243
DICTA splendide mendax
sua munera mittit cum hamo
splendide mendax [splendidly false]: untruthful for a good purpose (Horace) splendor sine occasu: splendor without diminishment (motto of British Columbia) spretae injuria formae: the insult to her slighted beauty (Virgil) sta, viator, heroem calcas: stop, traveler, you trample upon a hero stare super antiquas vias: to stand on the old ways stat fortuna domus: the fortune of the household stands stat fortuna domus virtute: the fortune of the household stands by its virtue stat magni nominis umbra: he stands, the shadow of a great name (Lucan) stat pro ratione voluntas: goodwill stands for reason stat promissa fides: the promised faith remains stat veritas: truth stands stella monstrat viam: the star shows the way stemmata quid faciunt?: what do pedigrees matter? ( Juvenal) stet fortuna domus: may the fortune of the house endure stet pro ratione voluntas: let goodwill stand for reason stillicidi casus lapidem cavat: a constant drip hollows a stone stipendia enim peccati mors est: for the wages of sin is death (after Romans 6: 23) sto pro veritate: I stand in the defense of truth strenua inertia: energetic idleness (Horace) studiis et rebus honestis: by honorable pursuits and studies (motto of the University of Vermont) studium immane loquendi: an insatiable desire for talking (Ovid) stulti sunt innumerabiles: fools are without number (Erasmus) stultitia est timore mortis mori: it is folly to die of the fear of death (Seneca) stultitiam patiuntur opes: riches allow one to be foolish (Horace) sua cuique sunt vitia: everyone has his or her own vices sua cuique utilitas: to everything its own use (Tacitus) sua cuique voluptas: to everyone his or her own pleasure sua munera mittit cum hamo: he sends his gift with a hook attached 244
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS suave mari magno sumptus censum ne superet
suave mari magno: how pleasant when on a great sea (Lucretius) suaviter et fortiter: gently and firmly suaviter in modo, fortiter in re: gentle in manner, resolute in the matter sub cruce candida: under the pure white Cross sub cruce salus: salvation under the Cross sub hoc signo vinces: under this sign you will conquer (variation of in hoc signo vinces) sub lege libertas: liberty under the law sub specie aeternitatis: under the aspect of eternity (Spinoza) sub tegmine fagi: beneath the canopy of the spreading beech (Virgil) sublata causa, tollitur effectus: when the cause is removed, the effect ceases sublato fundamento cadit opus: remove the foundation and the structure falls sublimi feriam sidera vertice: with head lifted, I shall strike the stars (Horace) sublimiora petamus: let us seek higher things sufficit unum (lumen) in tenebris: a single (light) suffices in the darkness sui cuique fingunt fortunam: one’s character fashions his fate (Cornelius Nepos) suis stat viribus: he stands by his own strength sum quod eris, fuit quod es: I am what you will be, I was what you are (sometimes used as a tombstone inscription) sum quod sum: I am what I am summa petit livor: it is the highest things that envy attacks summa sedes non capit duos: the highest seat does not hold two summo studio: with the greatest zeal (Cicero) summum bonum medicinae sanitas: the chief good of medicine is (our) health summum jus, summa injuria [extreme law, extreme injury]: (fig.) the law, strictly interpreted, may be the greatest of injustices (Cicero) sumptus censum ne superet: let not your spending exceed your income 245
superstitio mentes occupavit
DICTA tanto brevius omne, quanto felicius tempus
superstitio mentes occupavit: superstition has taken hold of their minds superstitione tollenda religio non tollitur: religion is not abolished by abolishing superstition (Cicero) suppressio veri suggestio falsi: suppression of the truth is the suggestion of falsehood surgit amari aliquid [something bitter rises]: no joy without alloy (Lucretius) sursum corda: lift up your hearts suspendens omnia naso: turning up one’s nose at everything (Horace) suspiria de profundis: sighs from the depths of the soul sustine et abstine: bear and forbear sutor, ne supra crepidam [cobbler, stick to your last]: mind your own business suum cuique pulchrum: to each one’s own beauty suus cuique mos [everyone has his/her own custom]: different strokes for different folks (Terence)
T tacent satis laudant: their silence is praise enough (Terence) tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus: the unuttered wound lies deep within the breast (Virgil) taedet me: I am bored tam facti quam animi: as much in action as in intention tam Marte quam Minerva [as much by Mars as by Minerva]: as much by war as by wisdom tandem fit surculus arbor: a shoot at length becomes a tree tantae molis erat [so vast a work it was]: so great was the difficulty of the undertaking tantaene animis caelestibus irae?: can so great a wrath abide in celestial minds? tantas componere lites: to settle such great disputes tanto brevius omne, quanto felicius tempus: the happier the moments, the shorter the time (Pliny the Younger) 246
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS tanto fortior, tanto felicior! teres atque rotundus
tanto fortior, tanto felicior!: the more pluck, the better luck! tanto monta: so much does he excel tantum series juncturaque pollet: of so much force are system and connection (Horace) tantus amor scribendi: so great a passion for writing (Horace) tarde sed tute: slow but sure tarde venientibus ossa [to all those who come late go the bones]: first come, first served te hominem esse memento: remember that you are a man te nosce: know thyself tecum habita [live with yourself ]: live within your means telum imbelle sine ictu [a feeble spear thrown to no effect]: a weak and ineffectual argument (Virgil) templa quam dilecta!: how lovely are Thy temples! tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis: times change and we change with them tempore cuncta mitiora: everything becomes mellower with time tempori parendum: one must move with the times temporis ars medicina fere est: time is the best of the healing arts (Ovid) tempus abire tibi est: it is time for you to depart (Horace) tempus anima rei: time is the essence of the thing tempus edax rerum: time, the devourer of all things (Ovid) tempus fugit: time flies tempus omnia revelat: time reveals all things tempus omnia terminat: time ends all things tempus rerum imperator: time is sovereign over all things tenax et fidelis: steadfast and faithful tene fortiter: hold firmly teneat, luceat, floreat: may it hold, may it shine, may it flourish tenere lupum auribus [to hold a wolf by the ears]: to hold danger in your hands tentanda via est: the way must be tried (Virgil) ter quaterque beatus: thrice and four times blest (Virgil) teres atque rotundus [smooth, polished, and rounded]: a polished and complete person (Horace) 247
DICTA terra es, terram ibis
totum in eo est
terra es, terram ibis: you are dust, and to dust you will return (Genesis 3: 19) terras irradient: they shall illuminate the earth (motto of Amherst College) testimonium internum (or testimonium Spiritus Sanctus internum) [internal testimony]: (theo.) the internal witness of the Holy Spirit that inspires faith within those who seek the truth of the Gospel testis unus, testis nullus: (leg.) one witness is no witness tetigisti acu [you have touched it with a needle]: you have hit the nail on the head (Plautus) tibi seris, tibi metis [you sow for yourself, you reap for yourself ]: as you sow, so shall you reap (Cicero) time Deum, cole regem: fear God, honor the king timeo Danaos et dona ferentes: I fear the Greeks, even when they bear gifts (Virgil) timeo hominem unius libri: I fear the man of one book (St. Thomas Aquinas) timet pudorem: he fears shame timidus se vocat cautum, parcum sordidus: the coward calls himself cautious, the miser thrifty (Publilius Syrus) timor addidit alas: fear gave him wings (Virgil) timor Domini initium sapientiae: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (or, humorously, the fear of the master/lecturer is the beginning of wisdom) (motto of the University of Aberdeen) timor mortis morte pejor: the fear of death is worse than death tolle lege, tolle lege: take up and read, take up and read (St. Augustine) tot homines quot sententiae: so many men, so many opinions (after Terence) tota hujus mundi concordia ex discordibus constat: the complete harmony of this world consists in discords (Seneca) tota vita nihil aliud quam ad mortem iter est: the whole of life is nothing but a journey to death (Seneca) totum in eo est: all depends on this 248
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS totus in toto, et totus in qualibet parte turpe est odisse quam laudes
totus in toto, et totus in qualibet parte: wholly complete and complete in every part (i.e., the human heart) totus mundus agit histrionem: all the world plays the actor (i.e., all the world’s a stage; reputedly the words on a sign hung at Shakespeare’s Globe theater) totus mundus exercet histrionem (or mundus universus exercet histrioniam): all the world plays the comedian (or actor) (Petronius) totus teres atque rotundus [entire, smooth, and round]: complete in itself trahit sua quemque voluptas [each one is drawn by his own delight]: each is led by his or her own tastes (Virgil) tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas: the man who has suffered shipwreck shudders even at a calm sea (Ovid) transeat in exemplum: let it become an example or a precedent translata proficit arbos: a tree makes progress when transplanted trea faciunt collegium [three make a college]: without three students, there can be no class tria juncta in uno: three joined in one (a motto of King James I, and the Order of the Bath) tristis eris si solus eris: (fig.) you will be sad if you keep company with only yourself (Ovid) triumpho morte tam vita: I triumph in death as in life Troja fuit: Troy was truditur dies die: one day is urged on by another day (Horace) Tu, Domine, gloria mea: Thou, O Lord, are my glory Tu est Christus, filius Dei vivi:You are the Christ, the son of the living God (St. Matthew 16: 16) tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito: yield not to misfortune, but go boldly against it (Virgil) tu quoque, Brute!: you too, Brutus! (a variation of et tu, Brute) Tu solus sanctus: Thou alone art holy tu vincula frange: break your chains tuebor: I will defend turpe est odisse quam laudes: it is disgraceful to hate the one whom you praise 249
DICTA turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur hospes
unguis in ulcere
turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur hospes: it is more disgraceful to turn a guest out than not to admit one (Ovid) tuta scelera esse possunt, non secura: wickedness may be safe, but not secure (Seneca) tuta timens: fearing even safety (Virgil)
U ubi amici, ibi opes: where there are friends, there is wealth (Plautus) ubi bene, ibi patria: where it is well with me, there is my country ubi desinit philosophus, ibi incipit medius: where the philosopher ends, the physician begins ubi dolor, ibi digitus: where the pain is, there the finger will be ubi homines sunt, modi sunt: where there are persons, there are manners ubi jus, ibi remedium: where there is law there is remedy ubi jus incertum, ibi jus nullum: where the law is uncertain, there is no law ubi lapsus? quid feci?: where have I fallen into error? What have I done? ubi libertas, ibi patria: where there is liberty, there is my country ubi mel, ibi apes: where there is honey, there are bees ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant: where they make a desolation they call it peace (Tacitus) ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt?: where are those who lived before us? ubique patriam reminisci: everywhere to remember our country ulterius ne tende odiis: do not go forward in your hatred (Virgil) ultra posse nemo obligatur: no one is obligated to do more than he or she is able una et eadem persona: one and the same person undique mors est: death is everywhere unguibus et rostro [with claws and beak]: tooth and nail unguis in ulcere [a claw in the wound]: a knife in the wound (Cicero) 250
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS uni aequus virtuti, atque ejus amicis ut pictura poësis
uni aequus virtuti, atque ejus amicis: equally a friend to virtue and to the friends of virtue unica virtus necessaria: virtue is the only thing necessary unicumque homo est, ibi beneficio locus est: wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for a kindness (Seneca) unitate fortior: stronger by being united unius compendium, alterius dispendium: the gain of the one is the loss of the other unius dementia dementes efficit multos: the madness of one makes many mad unum nihil, duos plurimum posse: one man can do nothing, two can do much unus atque unicus amicus: one and only friend (Catullus) unus vir, nullus vir [one man, no man]: two are better than one urbem latericiam invenit, marmoream reliquit: he found the city brick and left it marble (Suetonius, referring to the emperor Augustus) urbs in horto: a city in a garden (motto of the city of Chicago) usque adeone mori miserum est?: is it then so very wretched a thing to die? (Virgil) usus est optimum magister: experience is the best teacher usus est tyrannus: custom is a tyrant usus libri, non lectio prudentes facit: the use, not the reading, of a book makes men wise usus me docuit: experience has taught me usus promptos facit: practice makes one ready ut ameris, amabilis esto: to receive love, be lovable (Ovid) ut amnis vita labitur: like a brook, life flows away ut apes geometriam: as bees practice geometry ut homo est, ita morem geras: as the man is, thus adapt your conduct (Terence) ut incepit fidelis sic permanet: as loyal as she began, so she remains (motto of Ontario) ut mos est: as the custom is ( Juvenal) ut nunc res se habet [as things are now]: as things stand ut pictura poësis: as in painting so in poetry (Horace) 251
DICTA ut quisque suum vult esse, ita est
varia vita est
ut quisque suum vult esse, ita est: as everyone wishes his offspring to be, so it is (Terence) ut quocunque paratus: prepared on every side ut reficiar: that I may be refreshed ut saepe summa ingenia in occulto latent!: how often does it happen that great genius is hidden in obscurity! (Plautus) ut sunt humana, nihil est perpetuum: as human affairs go, nothing is everlasting (Plautus) utcumque placuerit Deo (or utcunque placuerit Deo): as it shall please God uti non abuti: to use, not to abuse utile dulci: the useful with the delightful (Horace) utilem pete finem: seek a useful end utinam noster esset: would that he were ours utrum horum mavis accipe: take whichever you prefer
V vacuus cantat coram latrone viator: the traveler who has nothing sings before the robber vade in pace: go in peace vade in pacem: go into peace (i.e. eternal rest) vade post me, satana: get thee behind me, you satan! (St. Matthew 16: 23) vade retro me, Satana: get thee behind me, Satan vae soli: woe to the solitary person (Ecclesiastes 4: 10) vae victis: woe to the conquered valeat quantum valere potest: let it pass for what it is worth valeat res ludicra: farewell to the drama (Horace) valet ancora virtus or valet anchora virtus: virtue is a strong anchor valete ac plaudite: farewell and applaud (the final line given by Roman actors at the end of a performance) vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas: vanity of vanities, all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1: 2) varia vita est: life is changeable (Plautus) 252
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS varietas delectat verba facit mortuo
varietas delectat: variety delights (Phaedrus) varii hominum sensus: various are the opinions of men varium et mutabile semper femina: a woman is ever a fickle and changeable thing (Virgil) vectigalia nervos esse rei publicae: taxes are essential to the strength of the republic (Cicero) vehimur in altum: we are carried out into the depths vel caeco appareat: it would be obvious to the blind vel prece vel pretio [with either prayer or price]: for either love or for money velis et remis [with sails and oars]: with all possible strength velocem tardus assesquitur: the slow overtakes the swift velut aegri somnia: like the dreams of the sick (Horace) velut arbor aevo: as a tree with the passage of time (motto of the University of Toronto) veluti in speculum: even as in a mirror venalis populus venalis curia patrum [the people and the senators are equally venal]: everyone has his or her price vendidit hic auro patriam: this man sold his country for gold (Virgil) venenum in auro bibitur: poison is drunk from a golden cup (Seneca) veni, vidi, vici: I came, I saw, I conquered ( Julius Caesar’s message to the Roman Senate declaring his victory over the king of Pontus in Asia Minor) venia necessitati datur: (fig.) necessity knows no law venienti occurrite morbo [confront disease at the onset]: prevention is better than cure (Persius) Venite, adoremus Dominum: Come, let us adore the Lord Venite, exultemus Domino: Come, let us exult the Lord ventis secundis [winds aft]: with favorable winds vento intermisso: the wind having died down ventum seminabant et turbinem metent: they were sowing the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8: 7) verba facit mortuo [he is talking to a dead man]: he is wasting his words (Plautus) 253
DICTA verba ligant homines, taurorum cornua funes
vestigia terrent
verba ligant homines, taurorum cornua funes: words bind men, cords the horns of a bull verba volant, scripta manent: spoken words fly away, written ones remain verbera, sed audi: whip me, but hear me verbis ad verbera: from words to blows verbum caro factum est: the Word was made flesh (after St. John 1: 14) verbum sapienti (verb. sap.): a word to the wise verbum sat sapienti (verb. sat.): a word to the wise is sufficient veritas et virtus vincunt: truth and virtue conquer veritas liberabit: truth will liberate veritas nihil veretur nisi abscondi: truth fears nothing save concealment veritas nimium altercando amittitur: truth is lost through too much altercation veritas nunquam perit: truth never dies veritas odium parit: truth begets hatred veritas omnia vincit: truth conquers all things veritas praevalebit: truth will prevail veritas temporis filia: truth is the daughter of time veritas victrix: truth the conqueror veritas vincit: truth conquers veritas vos liberabit: the truth shall make you free (motto of Johns Hopkins University, after St. John 8: 32) veritatem dies aperit: time reveals the truth (Seneca) veritatis simplex oratio est: the language of truth is simple (Seneca) vero nihil verius: nothing truer than truth verus ad finem: true to the end vestibulum domus ornamentum est: the hall is the ornament of a house (i.e., the first impression makes a lasting impression) vestigia morientis libertatis: the footsteps of dying liberty (Tacitus) vestigia nulla retrorsum: footsteps do not go backward vestigia terrent: the footprints frightened me (Horace) 254
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS vestis virum facit vincere aut mori
vestis virum facit: the garment makes the man veteris vestigia flammae: the traces of my former flame (Virgil) vetus consuetudo naturae vim obtinet: an ancient custom obtains force of nature (Cicero) vi et armis [by strength and by arms]: by force of arms via crucis, via lucis: the way of the Cross is the way of light via trita est tutissima: the beaten path is the safest one via trita, via tuta: the beaten path, the safe path vicarius non habet vicarium: a vicar cannot have a vicar vicisti, Galilaee:You have conquered, O Galilean (the dying words of Julian the Apostate) victi vicimus: conquered, we conquer victis honor: honor to the vanquished victor volentes per populos dat jura: the victor dictates his laws to a willing people victoria concordia crescit: victory is increased by concord victoriae gloria merces: glory is the reward of victory victrix fortunae sapientia: wisdom is the victor over fortune ( Juvenal) victus vincimus: conquered, we conquer (Plautus) vide et crede: see and believe video, et taceo: I see, and I am silent video meliora proboque deteriora sequor: I see and approve the better things but I follow the worse things vidit et erubit lympha pudica Deum: the modest water saw God and blushed (a reference to Christ’s first miracle, the turning of water into wine, St. John 2: 1–11) vigilate et orate: watch and pray vigor aetatis fluit ut flos veris: the vigor of youth passes away like a spring flower vile latens virtus: virtue when concealed is a worthless thing (Claudian) vilius argentum est auro, virtutibus aurum: as silver is cheaper than gold, so gold than virtue vincam aut moriar: I will conquer or die vincere aut mori: to conquer or die 255
DICTA vincit amor patriae
virtus non stemma
vincit amor patriae: love of homeland conquers (Virgil) vincit omnia veritas: truth conquers all things vincit qui patitur: he conquers who endures (a motto of the Stone family) vincit qui se vincit: he conquers who conquers himself vincit veritas: truth conquers vincit virtute: virtue conquers vincula de linguae vel tibi linguae dabit: bind your tongue or your tongue will have you bound vindictae trahit exitium: revenge brings with it ruin vino diffugiunt mordaces curae: wine diffuses the bite of cares (adapted from Horace) vino tortus et ira: tormented by wine and anger vinum incendit iram: wine kindles wrath (Seneca) vir bonus dicendi peritus: a good man skilled in rhetoric vir sapit qui pauca loquitur: wise is the person who talks little vires acquirit eundo: it gathers strength as it goes along (i.e., fame) (Virgil) virescit vulnere virtus: virtue flourished from a wound viret in aeternum: it flourishes forever Virgilium vidi tantum: so far I have only seen Virgil (Ovid) viri infelicis procul amici: friends stay far away from an unfortunate person virtus ariete fortior: virtue is stronger than a battering ram virtus est militis decus: valor is the soldier’s honor virtus in actione consistit: virtue consists in action virtus in arduis: virtue in difficulties virtus in astra tendit, in mortem timor: courage leads to heaven; fear, to death (Seneca) virtus incendit vires: virtue kindles one’s strength virtus laudatur et alget: virtue is praised and is left out to freeze ( Juvenal) virtus mille scuta (or virtus millia scuta): virtue is a thousand shields (Martial) virtus nobilitat: virtue ennobles virtus non stemma: virtue, not pedigree 256
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS virtus post nummos vita cedat, uti conviva satur
virtus post nummos: virtue after money virtus probata florescit: virtue flourishes in trial virtus semper viridis [virtue is always green]: virtue never fades virtus sola nobilitat: virtue alone can ennoble virtus vincit invidium: virtue overcomes envy virtute et armis: by valor and arms (motto of Mississippi) virtute et fide: by virtue and faith virtute et labore: by virtue and toil virtute et opera: by virtue and hard work virtute fideque: by virtue and faith virtute me involvo: I wrap myself in my virtue virtute, non astutia: by virtue, not by craft virtute, non verbis: by virtue, not by mere words virtute, non viris: by virtue, not by men virtute officii: by virtue of office virtute quies: by virtue there is tranquility virtute res parvae crescunt: small things increase by virtue virtute securus: secure through virtue virtutem sequitur fama: fame follows virtue virtuti nihil obstat et armis: nothing can stand against valor and arms virtuti non armis fido: I trust to virtue not to arms virtutis amore: from love of virtue virtutis avorum praemium: the reward of the valor of my ancestors virtutis fortuna comes: fortune is the companion of valor (motto of the Duke of Wellington) virum volitare per ora [to fly through the mouths of men]: to spread like wildfire vis consilii expers mole ruit sua: force lacking judgment collapses under its own weight (Horace) vis unita fortior: union is strength vita brevis, ars longa: life is short, art is long (Seneca) vita cedat, uti conviva satur: let him take leave of life, as a guest satisfied with his entertainment (Horace) 257
DICTA vita enim mortuorum in memoria vivorum est posita
volat hora per orbem
vita enim mortuorum in memoria vivorum est posita: the life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living (Cicero) vita est hominum quasi quum ludas tesseris: the life of man is like a game of dice (Terence) vita, si scias uti, longa est: life, if you know how to use it, is long enough (Seneca) vita sine litteris mors est: life without literature is death vitae via virtus: virtue is the way of life vitam impendere vero: to risk one’s life for the truth ( Juvenal) vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia: fortune, not wisdom, rules this life (Cicero) vitiis nemo sine nascitur: no one is born without faults viva vox: living voice (possibly a reference to the “still small voice” in 1 Kings 19: 12) vivamus atque amemus: let us live and love one another (Catullus) vivant rex et regina: long live the king and queen vivat regina: long live the queen vivat respublica: long live the republic vivat rex: long live the king vive hodie: live for today vive memor Lethi: live mindful of death (Lethe, a reference to the underworld, was the river whose waters brought forgetfulness of the past) (Persius) vive ut vivas: live that you may truly live vive, vale (or vive, valeque): long life to you, farewell (Horace) vivere est cogitare: to live is to think (Cicero) vivere sat vincere: to conquer is to live enough vivimus in posteris: we live in our posterity vivit post funera virtus: virtue lives on after the grave (Emperor Tiberius) vivitur ingenio: he lives by skill vix ea nostra voco: I can scarcely call these things our own (Ovid, an allusion to one’s ancestry) vixere fortes ante Agamemnona: there lived great men before Agamemnon (Horace) volat hora per orbem: time flies through the world 258
COMMON PHRASES, MOTTOES, AND FAMILIAR SAYINGS volens et potens zonam perdidit
volens et potens: willing and able volens et valens: willing and able volente Deo: God willing volenti non fit injuria: (leg.) no injury is done to consenting parties volo, non valeo: I am willing but unable voluntas habetur pro facto: the will is taken for the deed volventibus annis [with revolving years]: as the years roll on vota vita mea: my life is devoted vox audita perit, litera scripta manet: the voice that is heard perishes, the letter that is written remains vox clamantis in deserto: the voice of one crying in the desert (St. John 1: 23) vox et praeterea nihil [a voice and nothing more]: sound without sense vox faucibus haesit [the voice stuck in throat]: dumbstruck; dumbfounded (Virgil) vox manet: the voice remains (Ovid) vox nihil aliud quam ictus aër: the voice is nothing but beaten air (Seneca) vox populi, vox Dei: the voice of the people is the voice of God vox, veritas, vita: voice, truth, life (motto of the California State University) vulgare amici nomen, sed rara est fides: the name of friend is common, but a faithful friend is rare (Phaedrus) vulgus amicitias utilitate probat: the common crowd seeks friendships for their usefulness vulneratus non victus: wounded but not conquered vultus est index animi: the face is the index of the soul
Z zonam perdidit [he has lost his money belt]: he is ruined (Horace)
259
A B B R E V I AT I O N S
A A.A.S. [anno aetatis suae]: in the year of his/her age A.B. or B.A. [Artium Baccalaureus]: Bachelor of Arts ab init. [ab initio]: from the beginning abs. re. [absente reo]: (leg.) the defendant being absent A.C. [ante Christum]: before Christ a.c. [ante cibum]: (med.) before meals A.Ch.N. [ante Christum natum]: before Christ’s birth A.D. [anno Domini]: in the year of our Lord a.d. [ante diem]: before the day ad: (med.) up to; so as to make ad. or add. [adde]: (med.) let there be added (i.e., add) ad eund. [ad eundem (gradum)]: to the same (degree or standing) ad fin. [ad finem]: finally ad inf. or ad infin. [ad infinitum]: to infinity (i.e., forever) ad init. [ad initium]: at the beginning ad int. [ad interim]: in the meantime; meanwhile; temporarily ad lib. [ad libitum]: at will (i.e., to improvise) ad loc. [ad locum]: to or at the place ad us. [ad usum]: according to usage ad val. [ad valorem]: according to value adi. or adj. [adiectivum]: adjective ads. [ad sectam]: (leg.) at the suit of adv. [adversus]: against A.E.I.O.U. [Austriae est imperare orbi universo]: all the world is to be ruled by Austria aet. or aetat. [aetatis; anno aetatis suae]: of the age; in his/her lifetime ag. [argentum]: silver agit. [agita]: (med.) shake
ABBREVIATIONS A.H.
B.M.
A.H. [anno Hebraico]: in the Hebrew year (see also A.M.) A.H. [anno Hegirae]: in the year of the Hegira (Muhammad’s flight to Medina, which marked year one of Islam) a.h.l. [ad hunc locum]: at this place A.H.S. [anno humanae salutis]: in the year of humanity’s redemption a.h.v. [ad hanc vocem]: at this word A.M. [anno mundi]: in the year of the world since its creation A.M. or a.m. [ante meridiem]: before noon A.M. or M.A. [Artium Magister]: Master of Arts A.M.D.G. [ad majorem Dei gloriam]: to the greater glory of God (motto of the Jesuits) A.P.C.N. [anno post Christum natum]: in the year after the birth of Christ A.P.R.C. [anno post Roman conditam]: in the year after the building of Rome (c. 753 BCE) aq. [aqua]: water aq. bull. [aqua bulliens]: boiling water aq. dest. [aqua destillata]: distilled water A.R. [anno regni]: in the year of the reign A.S. [aetatis suae]: of his/her age or lifetime A.S. [anno salutis]: in the year of redemption au. [aurum]: gold a.u.c. [ab urbe condita]: from the founding of the city A.U.C. [anno urbis conditae]: in the year or from the time of the founded city (Rome, founded about 753 BCE) austr. [australis]: southern a.v. [ad valorem]: according to the value a.v. [annos vixit]: he/she lived (so many years)
B b. [beatus]: blessed; deceased b.i.d. [bis in die]: (med.) twice a day B.M. or B.V. [Beata Maria or Beata Virgo]: the Blessed Virgin 264
ABBREVIATIONS B.M.
c.v.
B.M. [beatae memoriae]: of blessed memory bor. [borealis]: northern b.p. [bonum publicum]: the common good b.v. [bene vale]: farewell B.V.M. [Beata Virgo Maria]: the Blessed Virgin Mary
C c. or ca. [circa]: about c. or circ. [circiter or circum]: about c. [congius]: (med.) gallon c [cum]: (med.) with Cantab. [Cantabrigiensis]: of Cambridge cap. [cape or capiat]: (med.) take c.a.v. [curia advisari vult]: the court wishes to be advised or to consider cent. [centum]: hundred cet. par. [ceteris paribus]: other things being equal cf. [confer]: compare coch. [cochleare]: (med.) a spoonful coch. mag. [cochleare magnum]: a tablespoonful coch. parv. [cochleare parvum]: a teaspoonful con. [conjunx]: wife con. [contra]: against cont. bon. mor. [contra bonos mores]: contrary to good manners C.R. [custos rotulorum]: the principal justice of the peace in an English county cuj. [cuius or cujus]: of which cur. adv. vult [curia advisari vult]: the court wishes to be advised or to consider c.v. [curriculum vitae]: a résumé 265
ABBREVIATIONS d.
ex. gr.
D d. or D. [da]: (med.) give d. [decretum]: a decree or an ordinance D.B. [Divinitatis Baccalaureus]: Bachelor of Divinity D.Ch. [Doctor Chirurgiae]: Doctor of Surgery D.D. [Divinitatis Doctor]: Doctor of Divinity (an honorary degree) d.d. [dono dedit]: given as a gift de d. in d. [de die in diem]: from day to day del. [delineavit]: he/she drew it dil. [dilue]: (med.) dilute or dissolve div. [divide or dividatur]: divide; let it be divided D.O.M. [Deo, Optimo, Maximo]: to God, the Best, the Greatest D.O.M. [Domino, Optimo, Maximo]: to the Lord, the Best, the Greatest D.P. or Dom. Proc. [Domus Procerum]: the House of Lords dram. pers. [dramatis personae]: the cast of characters in a play d.s.p. [decessit sine prole]: died without issue D.T. [delirium tremens]: an acute delirium caused by alcohol poisoning D.V. or d.v. [Deo Volente]: God willing
E e.g. [exempli gratia]: for example e.o. [ex officio]: by virtue of office et al. [et alibi]: and elsewhere et al. [et alii or et aliae]: and others etc. [et cetera]: and so forth et conj. [et conjunx]: and spouse (either husband or wife) et seq. [et sequens]: and the following et seqq. [et sequentes or et sequentia]: and what follows et ux. [et uxor]: and wife exc. [excudit]: he/she fashioned it ex. gr. [exempli gratia]: for example 266
ABBREVIATIONS f.
haust.
F f. or fem. [femininum or femina]: feminine; female f. [folio]: page f.d. or F.D. [fidei defensor]: Defender of the Faith fe. [ferrum]: iron fec. [fecit]: he/she made or did it ff. [fecerunt]: they made or did it ff. [folia]: pages fict. [fictilis]: made of potter’s clay fid. def. or Fid. Def. [fidei defensor]: Defender of the Faith fi. fa. [fieri facias]: cause it to be done fl. [flores]: flowers fl. or flor. [floruit]: flourished fldxt. [fluidum extractum]: (med.) fluid extract f.r. [folio recto]: on the front of the page (i.e., the right-hand page) ft. [fiat]: (med.) let it be made ft. h. or ft. haust. [fiat haustus]: let a draught be made ft. m. or ft. mist. [fiat mistura]: let a mixture be made ft. p. or ft. pulv. [fiat pulvis]: let a powder be made f.v. [folio verso]: on the back of the page (i.e., the left-hand page)
G gr. [granum]: (med.) a grain grad. [gradatim]: step by step; gradually gtt. [guttae]: (med.) drops
H H. [hora]: (med.) hour h.a. [hoc anno]: in this year hab. corp. [habeas corpus]: (leg.) a writ of habeas corpus haust. [haustus]: (med.) a draught 267
ABBREVIATIONS h.c.
in trans.
h.c. [honoris causa]: for the sake of honor her. [heres]: heir H.I. [hic iacet or hic jacet]: here lies H.I.S. [hic iacet sepultus]: here lies buried h.l. [hoc loco]: in this place h.m. [hoc mense]: in this month H.M.P. [hoc monumentum posuit]: he/she erected this monument hor. decub. [hora decubitus]: (med.) at bedtime h.q. [hoc quaere]: look for this H.S. [hic sepultus]: here [lies] buried h.s. [hoc sensu]: in this sense h.t. [hoc tempore]: at this time h.t. [hoc titulo]: under this title
I i.a. [in absentia]: in absence ib. or ibid. [ibidem]: in the same place (e.g., in a book) id. [idem]: the same or the same as above i.e. [id est]: that is ign. [ignotus]: unknown IHS [Iesus Hominum Salvator]: Jesus, the Savior of Humanity impr. [imprimis]: first of all; first in order in d. [in dies]: (med.) daily indet. [indeterminans]: unidentified inf. [infra]: below infra dig. [infra dignitatem]: beneath one’s dignity init. [initio]: in or at the beginning (referring to a passage in a book) in lim. [in limine]: in the beginning in litt. [in litteris]: in correspondence in pr. [in principio]: in the beginning I.N.R.I. [Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum]: the title placard appended to the Cross of Christ by Pontius Pilate at the Crucifixion (St. John 19: 20) in trans. [in transitu]: in transit; on the way 268
ABBREVIATIONS in ut.
l.s.c.
in ut. [in utero]: in the womb inv. [invenit]: he/she designed it in vit. [in vitro]: in a glass i.p.i. [in partibus infidelium]: a titular bishop whose title is that of an extinct Roman Catholic see i.q. [idem quod]: the same as
J J.D. [ Juris or Jurum Doctor]: Doctor of Law (a professional degree) J.U.D. [ Juris Utriusque Doctor]: Doctor of both canon and civil law
L l. or lib. [libra; pl. libri]: a book L.B. [lectori benevolo]: to the gentle reader lb. [libra or libra pondo]: a pound in weight l.c. [loco citato]: in the place cited L.H.D. [Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor]: Doctor of Humanities Lit. Hum. [Litterae Humaniores]: the Humanities (e.g., the ancient Classics) Litt.D. [Litterarum Doctor]: Doctor of Letters LL.B. [Legum Baccalaureus]: Bachelor of Laws LL.D. [Legum Doctor]: Doctor of Laws loc. cit. [loco citato]: in the place cited loc. laud. [loco laudato]: in the place cited with approval loq. [loquitur]: he/she speaks lot. [lotio]: (med.) a lotion L.S. [lectori salutem]: greetings to the reader L.S. [locus sigilli]: the place of the seal l.s.c. [loco supra citato]: in the place cited before 269
ABBREVIATIONS m.
non seq.
M m. [mas or masculus]: male or manly m. or masc. [masculinum]: masculine m. or M. [meridies]: noon M.A. [Magister Artium]: Master of Arts M.D. [Medicinae Doctor]: Doctor of Medicine m.m. [mutatis mutandis]: with the necessary changes being made mob. [mobile vulgus]: the fickle masses (i.e., the mob) mod. praesc. [modo praescripto]: (med.) as prescribed or directed MS [manuscriptus]: manuscript MSS [manuscripta]: manuscripts M.V. [Medicus Veterinarius]: a veterinarian
N n. [natus]: born n. [neutrum]: neuter n. [nocte]: at night N.B. or n.b. [nota bene]: note well n.l. [non licet]: it is not permitted n.l. [non liquet]: it is not clear; it is not proven no. or No. [numero]: number; in number nol. cont. [nolo contendere]: a plea of “no contest” to criminal charges by the defendant without admitting guilt nol. pros. [nolle prosequi]: an entry into court records indicating a stay or discontinuance of proceedings, either wholly or in part nom. [nomen]: name non obs. [non obstante]: notwithstanding non pros. [non prosequitur]: a legal judgment where the plaintiff does not appear non seq. [non sequitur]: it does not follow 270
ABBREVIATIONS o.
p.g.
O o. [octarius]: (med.) a pint ob. [obiit]: he/she died ob. [obiter]: incidentally ob.s.p. [obiit sine prole]: he/she died without issue o.c. [opere citato]: in the work cited occ. or occid. [occidentalis]: western o.d. [oculus dexter]: right eye o.h. [omni hora]: every hour ol. [oleum]: (med.) oil o.n. [omni nocte]: every night op. [opus]: a musical compostion op. cit. [opere citato]: in the work cited o.q.h. [omni quadranta hora]: every fifteen minutes or. [orientalis]: eastern o.s. [oculus sinister]: left eye Oxon. [Oxoniensis]: of Oxford oz. [uncia]: an ounce
P p. [pagina]: the page of a book or letter p. [partim]: in part p.a. [per annum]: by the year p.ae. [partes aequales]: equal parts pass. [passim]: throughout; here and there pb. [plumbum]: lead p.c. [post cibum]: (med.) after meals P.Ch.N. [post Christum natum]: after Christ’s birth pct. [per centum]: by the hundred per cent. or p.c. [per centum]: by the hundred per pro. [per procurationem]: by proxy; by the action of p.g. [persona grata]: an acceptable or welcome person 271
ABBREVIATIONS Phar. D.
Q.E.F.
Phar. D. [Pharmaciae Doctor]: Doctor of Pharmacy Ph.B. [Philosophiae Baccalaureus]: Bachelor of Philosophy Ph.D. [Philosophiae Doctor]: Doctor of Philosophy pil. [pilula; pl. pilulae]: (med.) a pill pinx. [pinxit]: he/she painted this pl. [pluralis]: plural P.M. or p.m. [post meridiem]: after noon P.M. [post mortem]: after death p.n.g. [persona non grata]: an unacceptable or unwelcome person p.o. [per os]: by mouth pp. [paginae]: the pages of a book or letter p.p. [per procurationem]: by proxy; by the action of p.p.a. [phiala prius agitata]: the bottle being first shaken PP.C. [patres conscripti]: a title of the Roman Senators PPS [post postscriptum]: an additional postscript p.r.n. [pro re nata]: (med.) whenever necessary or as the situation demands pro tem. [pro tempore]: temporarily prox. [proximo]: in the following (month) prox. acc. [proxime accessit]: he/she came very near (to winning) prox. m. [proximo mense]: in the following month PS [postscriptum]: a postscript p.t. [pro tempore]: temporarily ptc. [participium]: a participle pulv. [pulvis]: (med.) a powder pxt. [pinxit]: he/she painted this
Q q.d. [quasi dicat]: as if one should say q.d. [quasi dictum]: as if said q.e. [quod est]: which is Q.E.D. [quod erat demonstrandum]: which was to be demonstrated or proved Q.E.F. [quod erat faciendum]: which was to be done 272
ABBREVIATIONS Q.H.
scan. mag.
Q.H. [quaque hora]: every hour q.i.d. [quater in die]: (med.) four times a day q.l. or q.lib. [quantum libet]: liberally Q.M. [quaque mane]: every morning q.p. or q.pl. [quantum placet]: as much as you please qq.v. [quae vide]: (pl.) which see q.s. or quant. suff. [quantum sufficit]: as much as suffices qu. [quaere]: a question or query q.v. [quantum vis]: as much as you will q.v. [quod vide]: (sing.) which see
R R. [regina]: queen R. [rex]: king rep. or repet. [repetatur]: let it be repeated R.I.P. [requiescat in pace]: may he/she rest in peace R.I.P. [requiescit in pace]: he/she rests in peace Rx [recipe]: take
S S. [sepultus]: buried S. or Sig. [signa]: (med.) that which is to be written on the label of a prescription s [sine]: (med.) without s. [sulfur]: sulfur s.a. [sine anno]: without date Sal. or S. [Salutem dicit!]: Greetings! sc. [scilicet]: that is to say; namely sc. or sculpt. [sculpsit]: he/she carved or sculpted [it] scan. mag. [scandalum magnatum; (pl.) scandala magnatum]: the defamation of notables or of high-ranking persons 273
ABBREVIATIONS sci. fa.
sup. cit.
sci. fa. [scire facias]: (leg.) a writ to enforce, annul, or vacate a judgment, patent, charter or other matter of record s.d. [sine die]: indefinitely sec. [secundum]: according to sec. art. [secundum artem]: scientifically; artificially sec. leg. [secundum legem]: according to law sec. nat. [secundum naturam]: naturally sec. reg. [secundum regulam]: according to rule seq. [sequens]: (sing.) the following seq. [sequitur]: it follows seqq. [sequentia]: (pl.) the following sg. or sing. [singularis]: singular sigill. [sigillum]: seal; signet s.l. [sine loco]: without place s.l.a. [sine loco et anno]: without place and year s.l.a.n. [sine loco, anno, vel nomine]: without place, year, or name s.l.p. [sine legitima prole]: without legitimate issue s.m.p. [sine mascula prole]: without male issue s.n. [sine nomine]: anonymous sn. [stannum]: tin sol. [solutio]: (med.) a solution s.o.s. [si opus sit]: (med.) if necessary s.p. [sine prole]: without issue S.P.Q.R. [Senatus Populusque Romanus]: The Senate and the People of Rome (motto of Rome) s.p.s. [sine prole supersite]: without surviving issue S.R.I. [Sacrum Romanum Imperium]: the Holy Roman Empire SS. [sanctissimi]: of the most holy s s [semis]: (med.) one half stat. [statim]: immediately; on the spot S.T.B. [Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus]: Bachelor of Sacred Theology sub. [subaudi]: to read between the lines sup. [supra]: above sup. cit. [supra citato]: cited above 274
ABBREVIATIONS sus. per col.
viz.
sus. per col. [suspensio per collum]: execution by hanging s.v. (pl. s.vv.) [sub verbo or sub voce]: look under the word
T t. or temp. [tempore]: in the time of tab. [tabella]: (med.) a tablet text. rec. [textus receptus]: the received text t.i.d. [ter in die]: (med.) three times a day T.R. [tempore regis]: in the time of king
U ult. [ultimo]: last month u.s. [ubi supra]: in the place mentioned above ut dict. [ut dictum]: (med.) as directed ut inf. or ut i. [ut infra]: as stated or shown below ut sup. or u.s. [ut supra]: as above ux. [uxor]: wife
V v. or vo. [verso]: reverse side v. or vs. [versus]: against v. [vide]: see v. or vol. [volumen]: volume v.a. [vixit … annos]: he lived … years V.D.M. [Verbi Dei Minister]: Minister of the Word of God verb. sap. [verbum sapienti]: a word to the wise verb. sat. [verbum sat sapienti]: a word to the wise is sufficient vet. [veteres]: the ancients; forefathers v.g. [verbi gratia]: for example v.i. [vide infra]: see below viz. [videlicet]: namely 275
ABBREVIATIONS v.s.
V.V.
v.s. [vide supra]: see above V.V. or v.v. [vice versa]: conversely
276
MISCELLANEOUS
SELECTED WRITERS, RULERS,AND SAGES OF THE CLASSICAL PERIOD Author Accius (or Attius) Afranius St.Ambrose Appius Claudius Caecus Apuleius St.Augustine Augustus Aulus Gellius Ausonius Caecilius Statius Caligula (Gaius) Calvus Cato the Elder Catullus Celsus Cicero Claudian Cornelius Nepos Curtius St. Cyprian Dionysius Cato Domitian Ennius Erasmus Florus
Dates 170 – c. 86 BCE c. 160 – 120 BCE 340 – 397 CE fl. 312 – 280 BCE
Type/Genre of Work Tragedy, Poetry Poetry, Comedy Ecclesiastical writings Oratory
c. 125 – ? CE 354 – 430 CE 63 BCE – 14 CE c. 130 – 180 CE c. 310 – 395 CE c. 219 – 166 BCE 12 – 41 CE 82 – 47 BCE 234 – 149 BCE c. 84 – 54 BCE fl. c. 14 – 37 CE 106 – 43 BCE c. 370 – 404 CE c. 100 – 25 BCE 1st century CE c. 200 – 258 CE fl.c. 200 CE 51 – 96 CE 239 – 169 BCE 1466 – 1536 2nd century CE
Novel Ecclesiastical writings Emperor Criticism,Anecdotes Poetry Poetry Emperor Oratory, Poetry Oratory, History Poetry Encyclopedia Oratory Poetry History History Ecclesiastical writings Ethical Prose Emperor Poetry, Tragedy Classical scholar History
MISCELLANEOUS Selected Writers, Rulers, and Sages Selected Writers, Rulers, and Sages
Gellius (Aulus Gellius) Horace St. Jerome (Hieronymus) Jesus Christ Julius Caesar Justinian Juvenal Laberius Lactantius Livy Lucan Lucretius Macrobius Manilius Martial Naevius Nero Ovid Pacuvius St. Paul Persius Petronius Phaedrus Plautus Pliny the Elder Pliny (the Younger) Propertius Prudentius Publilius Syrus Quintilian Sallust Scipio Africanus
c. 130 – 180 CE
Criticism,Anecdotes
65 – 8 BCE c. 347 – 420 CE
Poetry Ecclesiastical writings
c. 4 BCE – 30 CE 102 – 44 BCE 482 – 565 CE c. 60 – 140 CE c. 105 – 43 BCE c. 245 – 325 CE 59 BCE – 17 CE 39 – 65 CE c. 98 – 55 BCE fl. c. 400 CE c. 10 BCE – 30 CE c. 40 – 104 CE c. 270 – 190 BCE 37 – 68 CE 43 BCE – 18 CE c. 220 – 130 BCE c. 10 – 64 CE 34 – 62 CE c. 26 – 66 CE c. 15 BCE – 50 CE c. 254 – 184 BCE 23 – 79 CE 61 – 113 CE
Sermons and Parables History Emperor Satire Poetry, Mimes Ecclesiastical writings History Poetry Poetry, Philosophy Scholar Poetry Poetry Poetry, Drama Emperor Poetry Poetry Ecclesiastical writings Poetry Poetry, Satire Poetry, Fables Comedy History, Biography Oratory
c. 50 – 16 BCE c. 348 – 405 CE fl. 40 BCE c. 35 – 95 CE 86 – 35 BCE 236 – 183 BCE
Poetry Poetry Poetry, Epigrams, Mimes Oratory History Military
280
MISCELLANEOUS Selected Writers, Rulers, and Sages Common Latin Prepositions
Seneca the Elder Seneca (the Younger) Sidonius Apollinaris Silius Italicus Statius Suetonius Symmachus Tacitus Terence Tertullian Tiberius Tibullus Titus Valerius Maximus Varro Vegetius Verrius Flaccus Vespasian Virgil (Vergil)
c. 55 BCE – 40 CE c. 4 BCE – 65 CE
Oratory, Rhetoric Rhetoric, Philosophy
430 – 480 CE
Poetry
c. 25 – 101 CE c. 45 – 96 CE c. 70 – 140 CE c. 340 – 402 CE c. 55 – 118 CE 185 – 159 BCE c. 160 – 230 CE 42 BCE – 37 CE c. 55 – 19 BCE 39 – 81 CE fl. c. 15 – 35 CE
Poetry Poetry History Oratory History Comedy Ecclesiastical writings Emperor Poetry Emperor History
116 – 27 BCE fl. c. 380 CE fl. c. 10 BCE – 14 CE 9 – 79 CE 70 – 19 BCE
Scholar Military Scholar / Critic Emperor Poetry
COMMON LATIN PREPOSITIONS, PREFIXES, CONJUNCTIONS,AND OTHER PARTICLES a or ab: from; by ad: to; at; up to ambo: both ante: before bis: twice circa: about; near; around circum: around or about contra: against 281
MISCELLANEOUS Common Latin Prepositions
Common Latin Prepositions
coram: before; in the presence of cui: to whom cum: with de: of; concerning; from dum: while durante: during e or ex: from; out of et: and; also extra: without; outside of; in addition to hac, hic, hoc: this ibi: there in: in; into infra: below; beneath inter: between; among intra: inside; within juxta (iuxta): near; next to; according to ne: lest; not nec: neither; not nihil (or nil): nothing nisi: unless non: no; not ob: for; on account of omne (omnis): all per: by; through post: after pre (prae): before pro: for; before prope: near propter: because of qua: as quasi: as if re: regarding; concerning retro: behind; backward semis: half; one half semper: always 282
MISCELLANEOUS Common Latin Prepositions
The Calendar Month
si: if; supposing that sic: thus; so sine: without sub: under super: over; above supra: over; above totus: all; the whole trans: across; through ubi: where ultra: beyond ut: as; so that
THE CALENDAR YEAR (Mensis) Januarius: January Februarius: February Martius: March Aprilis: April Maius: May Iunius: June Quinctilis or Iulius (after Julius Caesar): July Sextilis or Augustus (after Caesar Augustus):August September: September October: October November or Novembris: November December: December
THE CALENDAR MONTH Idus [the Ides]: the fifteenth day in March, May, July, and October; the thirteenth day in all other months Kalendae or Calendae [the Calends]: the first day of a Roman month Nonae [the Nones]: the seventh day in March, May, July, and October; the fifth day in all other months 283
MISCELLANEOUS The Days of the Week (Septimana)
Roman Numerals
THE DAYS OF THE WEEK (Septimana) Dies Dominica or Dies Solis: Sunday Dies Lunae: Monday Dies Martis: Tuesday Dies Mercurii: Wednesday Dies Iovis: Thursday Dies Veneris: Friday Dies Saturni: Saturday
Die Soli: on Sunday Die Lunae: on Monday Die Martis: on Tuesday Die Mercurii: on Wednesday Die Jovis: on Thursday Die Veneris: on Friday Die Saturni: on Saturday
ROMAN NUMERALS CARDINALS unus (I): one duo (II): two tres (III): three quattuor or quatuor (IV): four quinque (V): five sex (VI): six septem (VII): seven octo (VIII): eight novem (IX): nine decem (X): ten undecim (XI): eleven duodecim (XII): twelve tredecim (XIII): thirteen quattuordecim (XIV): fourteen quindecim (XV): fifteen sedecim (XVI): sixteen septemdecim (XVII): seventeen duodeviginti/octodecim (XVIII): eighteen
ORDINALS primus: first secundus: second tertius: third quartus: fourth quintus: fifth sextus: sixth septimus: seventh octavus: eighth nonus: ninth decimus/decumus: tenth undecimus: eleventh duodecimus: twelfth tertius decimus: thirteenth quartus decimus: fourteenth quintus decimus: fifteenth sextus decimus: sixteenth septimus decimus: seventeenth duodevicesimus/ octavusdecimus: eighteenth
284
MISCELLANEOUS Roman Numerals
Roman Numerals
undeviginti/novemdecim (XIX): nineteen viginti (XX): twenty unus et viginti (XXI): twenty-one duoetviginti (XXII): twenty-two duodetriginta (XXVIII): twenty-eight undetriginta (XXIX): twenty-nine triginta (XXX): thirty duodequadraginta (XXXVIII): thirty-eight undequadraginta (XXXIX): thirty-nine quadraginta (XL): forty duodequinquaginta (XLVIII): forty-eight undequinquaginta (XLIX): forty-nine quinquaginta (L): fifty sexaginta (LX): sixty septuaginta (LXX): seventy octoginta (LXXX): eighty nonaginta (XC): ninety centum (C): one hundred centum (et) unus (CCI): one hundred and one ducenti (CC): two hundred ducenti quinquagenta (CCL or E): two hundred and fifty trecenti (CCC): three hundred quadringenti (CD): four hundred
undevicesimus/ novemdecimus: nineteenth vicesimus: twentieth unetvice(n)simus: twenty-first duoetvice(n)simus: twenty-second duodetriginta: twenty-eighth undetrice(n)simus: twenty-ninth trice(n)simus: thirtieth duodequadrage(n)simus: thirty-eighth undequadrage(n)simus: thirty-ninth quadrage(n)simus: fortieth duodequinquage(n)simus: forty-eighth undequinquage(n)simus: forty-ninth quinquage(n)simus: fiftieth sexage(n)simus: sixtieth septuage(n)simus: seventieth octoge(n)simus: eightieth nonage(n)simus: ninetieth centesimus: the hundredth centesimus (et) primus: hundred and first ducentesimus: two hundredth ducentesimus (et) quinquage(n)simus: two hundredth and fiftieth trecente(n)simus: three hundredth quadringente(n)simus: four hundredth
285
MISCELLANEOUS Roman Numerals
quingenti (D): five hundred sescenti (DC): six hundred septingenti (DCC): seven hundred octingenti (DCCC): eight hundred nongenti (DM): nine hundred mille (M): one thousand duo milia/millia (MM): two thousand
The Seven Hills of Rome
quingente(n)simus: five hundredth sescente(n)simus: six hundredth septingente(n)simus: seven hundredth octingente(n)simus: eight hundredth nongente(n)simus: nine hundredth mille(n)simus: one thousandth bis mille(n)simus: two thousandth
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY COLORS albus: white caeruleus: blue caesius: blue-grey flavus: yellow fulvus: brown glaucus: green-grey niger: black puniceus: pink purpureus: purple ruber: red viola: violet viridis: green
THE SEVEN HILLS OF ROME Collis Quirinalis Collis Viminalis Mons Aventinus Mons Caelius 286
MISCELLANEOUS The Seven Hills of Rome
Geographical Features
Mons Capitolinus Mons Esquilinus Mons Palatinus
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES Aegyptus: Egypt Aethiops: Ethiopia Africa: north Africa Alpes: the Alps Ancyra: Ankara Antipodes: the Antipodes Aquincum: Budapest Arelate: Arles Augusta Treverorum: Trier Augusta Vindelicorum: Augsburg Augustodunum: Autun Batavia: Holland Bononia: Bologna Britannia: Britain Burdigala: Bordeaux Caesar Augusta: Saragossa Caledonia: Scotland Camulodunum: Colchester Carales: Cagliari Carthago: Carthage Colonia Agrippina: Cologne Creta: the Island of Crete Danuvius: the Danube river Deva: Chester Eboracum or Eburacum:York Emerita Augusta: Merida Etruria: Tuscany (i.e., the land of the Etruscans) Florentia: Florence 287
MISCELLANEOUS Geographical Features
Geographical Features
Gades: Cadiz Gallia: France Genua: Genoa Germania: Germany Graecia: Greece Helvetia: Switzerland Hiberia: Spain Hibernia: Ireland Hispalis: Seville Hispania: Spain Ilium: Troy Illyricum: the Balkans (region of the former Yugoslavia) Italia: Italy Iudaea: Judea (i.e., Palestine) Lacus Lemannus: Lake Geneva Latium: central Italy (i.e., Rome and its environs) Lindum: Lincoln Londinium: London Lugdunum: Lyons Lugdunum Batavorum: Leiden Lusitania: Portugal Lutetia: Paris Malaca: Malaga Mare Caspium: the Caspian Sea Mare Inferum or Mare Tyrrhenum: the Tyrrhenian Sea Mare Internum or Mare Nostrum: the Mediterranean Sea Mare Superum or Mare Adriaticum: the Adriatic Sea Massilia or Massillia or Massuia: Marseilles Mazaca Caesarea: Kayseri Mediolanum: Milan Melita: Malta Moguntiacum: Mainz Neapolis: Naples Nemausus: Nîmes Nilus: the Nile 288
MISCELLANEOUS Geographical Features
Geographical Features
Oceanus Germanicus: the North Sea Olisipo: Lisbon Panormus: Palermo Patavium: Padua Pontus Euxinus: the Black Sea Portus Dubris: Dover Pygmaei: the Pygmies of Africa Regiones Torrides: the Tropics Rhenus: the Rhine river Rhodanus: the Rhône river Roma: Rome Salmantica: Salamanca Sarmatia: Russia Scotia: Scotland Sequana: the Seine Seres: China (or the Chinese) Sicilia: the Island of Sicily Sinus Arabicus: the Red Sea Tamesa or Tamesis: the Thames Tanais: the Don river Thessalonica: Salonika Tiberis: the Tiber river Tibur: Tivoli Toletum: Toledo Tolosa: Toulouse Transalpinus: southern France Tridentum: Trent Trinacria: Sicily Troia: the city of Troy Valentia: Valencia Via Appia: the Appian Way Vindobona: Vienna 289
MISCELLANEOUS The Ordinary of the Latin Mass The Ordinary of the Latin Mass
THE ORDINARY OF THE LATIN MASS 1. Kyrie (Lord): Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. 2. Gloria (Glory): Gloria in excelsis Deo; Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te; benedicimus te; Adoramus te; glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe; Domine Deus,Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis; Qui tollis peccata mundi, Suscipe deprecationem nostram: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus: tu solus Dominus: Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, Cum Sancto Spiritu, In gloria Dei Patris.Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to God in the highest, And peace on earth to men of good will. We praise you; we bless you; We adore you; we glorify you. We give you thanks for your great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son: O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us: You who takes away the sins of the world, Receive our prayer: You who are seated at the right hand of the Father, Have mercy on us. For only you are Holy: you alone are the Lord: You alone, O Jesus Christ, are Most High, Together with the Holy Spirit, In the glory of God the Father. Amen. 290
MISCELLANEOUS The Ordinary of the Latin Mass The Ordinary of the Latin Mass
3. Credo (I Believe): Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Factorem coeli et terrae, Visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. Deum de Deo; Lumen de Lumine; Deum verum de Deo vero; Genitum non factum; Consubstantialem Patri, Per quem omnia facta sunt; Qui propter nos homines, Et propter nostram salutem, Descendit de coelis, Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, Ex Maria Virgine: Et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis: Sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die Secundum Scripturas; Et ascendit in coelum, Sedet ad dexteram Patris: Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, Judicare vivos et mortuos:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, The only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all ages. God of God; Light of Light; True God of true God; Begotten not made; Consubstantial with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men, And for our salvation, Came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Spirit Of the Virgin Mary; And was made man. He was crucified also for us, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, [died], and was buried. And the third day he rose again According to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven And is seated at the right hand of the Father: And he will come again with glory, To judge the living and the dead: 291
MISCELLANEOUS The Ordinary of the Latin Mass The Ordinary of the Latin Mass
Cujus regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, Qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio Simul adoratur et conglorificatur; Qui locutus est per Prophetas; Et in unam Sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma In remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum; Et vitam venturi saeculi.Amen.
4. Sanctus (Holy): Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Spirit, The Lord and Giver of life. Who proceeds from the Father and from the Son; Who together with the Father and the Son Is worshipped and glorified; Who has spoken by the Prophets. And (I believe) in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism For the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead; And the life of the world to come.Amen.
Osanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
5. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God): Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us. 292
MISCELLANEOUS The Ordinary of the Latin Mass
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Dona nobis pacem.
General-Use Prayers
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Grant us peace.
GENERAL-USE PRAYERS 1. Pater Noster (Our Father) [from St. Matthew 6: 9–13] Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum; Fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Sed libera nos a malo.Amen.
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.Amen.
2. Ave Maria (Hail Mary): Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum; Benedicta tu in mulieribus, Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora pro nobis peccatoribus, Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with you; Blessed are you among women, And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, Now and in the hour of our death.Amen. 293
E N G L I S H – L AT I N I N D E X
A a nobody: natus nemo a word to the wise is sufficient: dictum sapienti sat (est) above: supra absence of justice: jus nullum absolute power: imperium singulare absolutely: in absoluto abuse does not take away use: abusus non tollit usum acceptable: nihil obstat accidentally: caeco casu accomplice in the crime: particeps criminis according to: secundum according to circumstance: pro re according to custom: ad usum or ex more according to law: secundum legem according to merit: pro merito according to nature: secundum naturam according to rule: ad amussim or secundum regulam according to the law: in jure according to the value: ad valorem
according to truth: secundum veritatem according to usage: secundum usum across: in transversum or trans act of God: actus Dei action: actus add: adde add fuel to the flame: oleum addere camino add to this: adde huc adjourned indefinitely: sine die afresh: de integro after: post after birth: post partum after death: post mortem or post obitum after dinner: cenatus after litigation began: post litem motam after meals: post cibum afternoon: post meridiem after the appointed day: post diem after the conclusion: post terminum after the fact: ex post facto after the fashion of: ad instar after the manner of: ad modum or more
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX against
as above
against: adversus or contra or versus against my will: me invito against the peace: contra pacem against the stream: adverso flumine against the world: contra mundum aged: grandis natu agreement: consensus alcohol: aqua vitae all is well: recte est all kidding aside: extra jocum or sine joco all-powerful: omnipotens all right: bene habet all that sort: id genus omne all things being equal: ceteris paribus all thumbs: asinus ad lyram almighty God: omnipotentia Dei alone: solus aloud: magna voce already enough: jam satis also: et alternately: alternus or in vicem or in vices altogether: in toto always: semper always ready: nunquam non paratus or semper paratus among equals: inter pares among other persons: inter alios among other things: inter alia
among the goods: in bonis among the living: inter vivos among us: inter nos and: et and all the saints: et omnes sancti and elsewhere: et alibi and from the Son: filioque and husband: et vir and others: et alii and so forth: et cetera and spouse: et conjunx and the following: et sequens and the like: et similia and what follows: et sequentes or et sequentia and wife: et uxor anew: ab integro or de novo annually: anniversarius or per annum annuity: annua pecunia anonymous: sine nomine archer: sagittarius aristocratic: optimas armed: cum telo around: circa art of love: ars amandi as: qua as a matter of form: pro forma as a matter of law: ex lege as a token of friendship: ut pignus amicitiae as a warning: in terrorem as above: ut supra
298
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX as directed
at one’s own peril
as directed: more dicto or ut dictum as far as I know: quantum scio or quod sciam as far as in me lies: quantum in me est as far as possible: in toto caelo or quam celerrime as if confessed: pro confesso as if said: quasi dictum as is impossible: per impossibile as is usual: ut adolet as it were: quasi as matters stand: e re nata as much as is sufficient: quantum satis as much as it is worth: quantum valebat as much as it may be worth: quantum valeat as much as possible: quam maxime as much as required: tantum quantum as much as suffices: quantum sufficit as much as you please: quam libet or quamlibet or quantum placet as much as you will: quantum vis as nearly as possible: quam proxime as regards the past: quoad ultra as regards the rest: ceteris rebus as soon as possible: quam primum or quamprimum
as stated below: ut infra as to the lesser matter: quoad minus as usual: ut solet as well as can be done: pro viribus ashore: in litus or in litore asleep: in somno or per somnum at: ad at a high price: magna pretio or magni pretii at a moment’s notice: in promptu at bedtime: hora decubitus at chambers: in camera at dead of night: nocte intempesta at first glance: primo intuiti at first light: prima luce at frequent intervals: haud longis intervallis at full length: in extenso at hand: ad manum at high tide: aestu incitato at home: domi at its own time: suo tempore at leisure: otiosus at length: per extensum or tandem at my own risk: meo periculo at night: nocte at nightfall: sub noctem at once: simul at one blow: uno ictu at one’s own peril: suo periculo
299
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX at our own risk
before
at our own risk: nostro periculo at pleasure: a bene placito or ad libitum at present: hodie at that instant: eo instanti at that time: id temporis at the agreed hour: ad horam compositam at the beginning: ad initium or initio or sub initio at the beginning of the year: initio anni at the critical moment: in ipso periculi discrimine at the end of the book: in extremo libro at the foot of the mountain: infimus mons at the man: ad hominem at the marriage: ad ostium ecclesiae at the mercy of fate: ut fata trahunt at the opportune time: in tempore opportuno at the outbreak of war: in limine belli at the place: ad locum at the point of death: in articulo mortis or in extremis at the present time: in praesenti at the public expense: sumptibus publicis or sumptu publico at the right moment: in tempore
at the right time: justo tempore at the same time: simul or uno tempore at the suit of: ad sectam at the turning point: in discrimine rerum at the very instant: in tempore ipso at this place: ad hunc locum at this time: hoc tempore at this word: ad hanc vocem at what price fame?: quanti fama? at will: ad arbitrium at your instigation: impulsu tuo attentive: auritus augur: auspex or haruspex
B backwards: retro backwards and forwards: sursum deorsum bad: malus bad conscience: conscientia mala bad money: nummi adulterini bald: calvus banquet: convivium barefoot: pedibus nudis bastard child: filius populi battlefield: locus pugnae beast of burden: jumentum because he fears: quia timet before: ante or pro
300
before all things
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX blessed are the peacemakers
before all things: ante omnia before childbirth: ante partum before daybreak: ante lucem before death: ante mortem before its time: ante tempus before meals: ante cibum before noon: ante meridianus or ante meridiem before the court: in facie curiae before the judge: sub judice before the war: ante bellum beggar: mendicus beginning: genesis behind: a tergo Behold the Lamb of God!: Ecce Agnus Dei Behold the Man!: Ecce Homo below: infra beneath one’s dignity: infra dignitatem beside oneself: mente captus or sui impotens beside the point: nihil ad rem best friend: alter ego better late than never: potius sero quam nunquam better things to come: in dies meliora between: inter between a rock and a hard place: a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi between hope and fear: inter spem et metum
between the hammer and the anvil: inter malleum et incudem between two reigns: interregnum between us: inter nos beware!, God sees: cave!, Deus videt beware!, I am present: cave!, adsum beware of danger: in cauda venenum beware of dog: cave canem beware of the dogs: cavete a canibus beyond: ultra beyond measure: extra modum beyond one’s powers: ultra vires or supra vires beyond the legal limit: ultra licitum beyond the value: ultra valorem beyond the walls: extra muros Big Dipper: Ursa Major bird: avis birthday: dies natalis or genitalis dies bishop: episcopus bit by bit: frustillatim blacksmith: faber ferrarius blameless: rectus in curia blank slate: tabula rasa bless you!: benedicite! blessed: beatus blessed are the peacemakers: beati pacifici
301
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX blessed are the poor in spirit
blessed are the poor in spirit: beati pauperes spiritu Blessed Virgin (Mary): Beata Virgo (Maria) blood: sanguis blood relative: consanguinitas bodily strength: vires corporis body: corpus body of Christ: Corpus Christi body of law: corpus juris body of the crime: corpus delicti boiling water: aqua bulliens bond of marriage: vinculum matrimonii book: codex or liber bookseller: bibliopola bookworm: helluo librorum born: natus born to glory: natus ad gloriam both: ambo bottom of the sea: imum mare bound by necessity: adstrictus necessitate braggart: homo gloriosus brain: cerebrum bread: panis breakfast: ientaculum bridge: pons bringing back: redux British peace: Pax Britannica broad: latus brother: frater bull: taurus burden of proof: onus probandi
by itself
buried: sepultus busy: occupatus busybody: ardelio butterfly: papilio buyer: emptor by a leap: per saltum by accident: per accidens or per infortunium by birth: natu by chance: per accidens by command: iussu or jussu by common consent: communi consensu by courage and faith: animo et fide by craft: per dolum by day: interdius by degrees: gradatim or tractim by design: ex proposito by divine providence: providentia divina by divine right: jure divino by fair means or foul: per fas et nefas by families: per stirpes by favor: de gratia by force: manu forti by heart: ex memoria or memoriter by implication: implicite by invitation: invitatu by its own motion: suo motu by its own power: proprio vigore by itself: per se
302
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX by Jove
by what means?
by Jove: per Jovem by land: pedibus by law: jure by marital law: jure mariti by means of: per by moonlight: ad lunam by mouth: per os by mutual assistance: mutuis officiis by my advice: me auctore by my fault: mea culpa by night: noctu or nocturnus by no means: nullo modo or nullo pacto by one’s own prowess: suo Marte by one’s peers: per pares by oneself: solus by order: iussu or jussu by permission: permissu by persevering: perseverando by proxy: per procurationem by reason of domicile: ratione domicilii by reason of soil: ratione soli by retaliation: per vices by right: de jure or jure by right, not by gift: jure non dono by right of blood: jure sanguinis by right of crown: jure coronae by right of relationship: jure propinquitatis by sea and by land: per mare per terram
by special favor: speciali gratia by that very fact: ipso facto by the court: per curiam by the day: per diem by the entire court: per totam curiam by the favor of God: Deo favente by the gift of God: ex dono Dei by the grace of God: Dei gratia by the hundred: per centum by the judge: per eundem by the law itself: ipso jure by the light of day: de claro die by the living voice: per vivam vocem by the month: per mensem or per mese by the roots: radicitus by the straight road: per vias rectas by the thousand: per mille by the way: obiter by the way of sorrows: per viam dolorosam by the wayside: in itinere by the will of the people: jure humano by this sign conquer: in hoc signo vinces by threats: per minas by virtue of one’s office: ex officio or virtute officii by way of: per viam by what means?: quo modo? or quomodo?
303
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX by what right?
companion volume
by what right?: quo jure? by which: per quod by word of mouth: ore tenus by your leave: pace tua bygone years: praeteriti anni
C cabbage: brassica calendar of events: fasti cancellation of debts: novae tabulae canon law: jus canonicum cardinal point: cardo duplex Carthage must be destroyed: Carthago delenda est carved by: sculpsit cast of characters: dramatis personae cattle market: boarium or forum bovarium cause it to be done: fieri facias celebrity: vir insignis celestial mysteries: arcana caelestia censor of morals: censor morum century: centum anni certainly: certo, vero, enimvero charity begins at home: prima caritas incipit a seipso children’s paradise: limbus puerorum Christian: Christianus church: ecclesia
circular reasoning: circulus vitiosus citizen: civis citizen of the world: mundanus city: urbs city center: media urbs City of God: Civitas Dei civil law: jus civile civil war: bellum civile or bellum domesticum or bellum intestinum close by: juxta close formation: phalanx coffin: sarcophagus coined money: aes signatum coined silver: argentum signatum college: collegium comic genius: vis comica comity of nations: comitas inter gentes common bread: panis cibarius common folk: plebs common good: bonum publicum or commune bonum common law: jus commune or lex non scripta common rabble: faex populi or profanum vulgus commonwealth: res publica or respublica communion of the saints: communio sanctorum community: communitas companion volume: vade mecum
304
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX compare
dead men tell no tales
compare: confer comparison: parabola compassion: misericordia completely: funditus compulsory: in invitum concerning: in re or re conditions of peace: legis pacis confidentially: sub rosa confused: in nubibus connectedness: nexus conscious of no fault: non conscire sibi consider the outcome: finem respice constellation: astrum contemplation of flight: meditatio fugae contract: pactum contradiction in terms: contradictio in adjecto contrary to good manners: contra bonos mores contrary to nature: opposuit natura conversely: vice versa corpse: cadaver corrections: corrigenda costly: magno pretio cottage: casa court action: querela crab: cancer craftier than a cuckoo: astutior coccyge credits: accepta creed: credo
crescent moon: crescens luna or luna crescens crime: delictum criminal act: actus reus crocodile tears: lacrimae simulatae cross: crux crown: corona cruel necessity: dira necessitas cure-all: panacea cursing: maledictum custodian of morals: custos morum customs: mores cynical: mordax
D daily: in dies daily bread: victus cotidianus dandy: homo elegans dare to be wise: aude sapere or sapere aude daughter: filia dawn: aurora day: dies day is breaking: lucescit Day of Judgment: Dies Irae day’s journey: iter unius diei daybreak: diluculum daytime: dies dead: ad patres or mortuus dead men tell no tales: mortui non mordant
305
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX dead of the night
door to door
dead of the night: concubia nocte or intempesta nox death: mors death is a swift rider: cita mors ruit death is everywhere: undique mors est debt: aes alienum or debitum or res alienae deceased: demortuus decided case: res judicata decree: edictum deed: factum deeds not words: facta non verba deep calls unto deep: abyssus abyssum invocat deep silence: altum silentium or silentium altum defendant being absent: absente reo Defender of the Faith: fidei defensor or defensor fidei defense of one’s life conduct: apologia pro vita sua definitely: in terminis deification: apotheosis delight of battle: gaudium certaminis deliver us from evil: libera nos a malo den of iniquity: colluvies vitiorum deputy: locum tenens deservedly: pro meritis desire: libido
desirous of praise: laudis cupidus dessert: mensa secunda or secunda mensa devil: diabolus Devil’s advocate: advocatus diaboli diametrically opposite: toto caelo diary: adversaria or commentarii diurni dictum: ipse dixit died: obiit died without issue: obiit sine prole different kind: alieni generis digression: excursus diplomatic agreement: pacta conventa directly: per vias rectas divide and rule: divide et impera divination: divinatus divine food: ambrosia divine law: jus divinum divine soul: anima divina dizziness: vertigo do not admit: ne admittas do unto another as to thyself: alteri sic tibi dog eloquence: canina facundia dog in a manger: canis in praesepi domesticated: domitae naturae door to door: ostiatim
306
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX double
everywhere
double: duplex double jeopardy: non bis in idem downstream: secundo flumine dozen: duodecim draught: haustus drop by drop: guttatim drops: guttae drunkard: homo ebriosus during absence: durante absentia during dinner: inter cenam during hostilities: flagrante bello during life: durante vita during the trial: lite pendente
E each day: per diem ear: auris early in the morning: multo mane earth: terra Earthly City: Civitas Terrena earthquake: terrae motus easily the first: facile princeps eastern: orientalis ebb and flow: accessus et recessus echo: vocis imago eclipse of the sun: labores solis egg: ovum either victory or death: aut vincere aut mori
eldest child: maximus natu empty threat: brutum fulmen enemy: hospes hostis enough: satis envy is blind: caeca invidia est equal: par equal parts: partes aequales equal to the task: par oneri equally: juxta equally at fault: in pari delicto equally at length: aeque tandem equals with equals: pares cum paribus error: erratum especially: in primis essentially: per essentiam eternal darkness: tenebrae aeternae eternal law: lex aeterna eulogy: laudatio funebris evening of life: vita occidens evening star: Hesperus everlasting: aere perennius everlasting glory: sempiterna gloria every hour: omni hora or quaque hora every morning: quaque mane every night: omni nocte every other day: alternis diebus every other year: alternis annis everyone: nemo non everything: nihil non everywhere: ubique
307
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX evil
fish market
evil: malum evil omen: omen infaustum or omen sinistrum evil person: homo nefarius evolution: rerum progressio exactly: verbatim et literatim exceedingly: sane quam excellent!: bene! excessive: immodicus exempt: immunis eye: oculus eyewash: collyrium
F fable: fabella face to face: coram facts not words: res non verba faith alone: sola fide faith, hope, love: fides, spes, charitas faithful till death: ad mortem fidelis faithful to the end: ad finem fidelis faithfully: fideliter fallacy of cause and effect: post hoc ergo propter hoc false modesty: malus pudor false reading: falsa lectio farce: fabula farewell: bene vale or vale or valete farewell forever: aeternum vale
farewell to the drama: valeat res ludicra farthest point: nil ultra father: pater favorable omen: omen faustum fearlessly: impavide fellowship: communitas female: femina feminine: femineus or femininum festival: dies festus fig: ficus finally: ad finem finishing point: terminus ad quem fire: ignis fire from fire: ab igne ignem firm of purpose: propositi tenax first: primo first act: actus primus first among her equals: prima inter pares first among his equals: primus inter pares first come, first served: prior tempore, prior jure first impression: prima facie first light: prima lux first mover: primum mobile first name: praenomen first of all: imprimis or in primis fish: piscis fish market: forum piscarium or piscatorium 308
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX Five Ways
Five Ways: Quinque Viae flood: diluvium florets of thought: flosculi sententiarum flourished: floruit flower: flos flower of youth: flos juventutis flowing free: fusus crines fluid: fluidus following: in sequens food for Acheron: Acheruntis pabulum food of the soul: pabulum animi fool: homo stultus fools’ paradise: limbus fatuorum foot-washing: pedilavium for a few days: ad paucos dies for a memorial: pro memoria for a short time: ad exiguum tempus for a time: in tempus for all time: ad vitam aeternam or in omne tempus for an indefinite period: in incertum for and against: pro et contra for better or for worse: de bono et malo for bravery: fortitudini for each individual: per capita for each month: per mensem for example: exempli gratia for glory: ad gloriam
for the sake of gain
for God and country: pro Deo et patria for God and king: pro Deo et rege for instance: exempli causa or verbi causa for life: ad vitam for many years: ad multus annos for my part: pro mea parte for my sake: mea gratia for now: pro nunc for pious uses: in pios usus for political reasons: rei publicae causa for reference: ad referendum for sure: pro certo for the first time: primitus for the future: in futurum or in posterum for the last time: ad postremum for the love of country: pro patriae amore for the moment: in praesens or pro tempore for the most part: maximam partem for the present: de praesenti or impraesentiarum or in praesentia for the present time: in praesens tempus for the public good: pro bono publico for the sake of gain: lucri causa 309
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX for the sake of honor
from one to all
for the sake of honor: honoris causa for the sake of piety: pietatis causa for the sake of the joke: joci causa for the second time: iterum for the solace of the poor: pauperum solatio for the third time: tertium for the time being: pro tempore for the winter: hibernus for truth: pro veritate forbidden: impermissus force of love: vis amoris forced laughter: sardonicus risus forefathers: patres or veteres forever: ad infinitum or ad perpetuitatem or in aeternum or in perpetuum forever and ever: in saecula saeculorum formerly: quondam forthwith: iam iam or jam jam fortunate fault: felix culpa fortune favors the bold: audaces fortuna juvet or audentes fortuna juvet fortune favors the strong: fortes fortuna [ad] juvat forward and backward: per recto et recto four times: quater four times a day: quater die or quater in die
freak of nature: lusus naturae free: liber free time: otium free will: liberum arbitrium free will: voluntas friend and foe: aequi iniqui friend of the court: amicus curiae friendship without deceit: amicitia sine fraude from: ab from a distance: e longinquo or ex longinquo from anger: ab irato from bed and board: mensa et toro from beginning to end: ab ovo usque ad mala from boyhood: a pueris or a puero from cause to effect: a priori from childhood: a teneris annis or ab incunabulis from day to day: de die in diem or diem ex die or in dies singulos from door to door: ostiatim from effect to cause: a posteriori from every perspective: omni ex parte from head to toe: a capite ad calcem from home: domo from one to all: ab uno ad omnes
310
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX from possibility to reality
from possibility to reality: a posse ad esse from sea to sea: a mari usque ad mare from table and bed: a mensa et toro from tender years: a teneris annis from that day: a die from the absurd: ab absurdo from the beginning: a principio or ab initio or ab origine or ab ovo from the beginning of time: ab aeterno from the bonds of marriage: a vinculo matrimonii from the bottom: funditus from the bottom of the heart: ab imo pectore or imo pectore from the date: a datu from the first: a primo from the founding of the city: ab urbe condita from the greatest to the least: a maximis ad minima from the heart: ex animo from the high mountain: de monte alto from the inconvenience involved: ab inconvenienti from the inside: intus from the lesser to the greater: a minori ad majus from the library of: ex libris or e libris
God be with you
from the outside: ab extra from the side: a latere from the spear a crown: a cuspide corona from thee for thee: a te pro te from war, peace: ex bello, pax from which: a quo from within: ab intra from words to blows: a verbis ad verbera from youth: a teneris annis full by degrees: gradatim plena
G gallows: arbor infelix gap: lacuna gentle reader: lector benevole gentle torment: lene tormentum give: da give glory to God: da gloriam Deo Glory be to God Most High: Gloria in Excelsis Deo Glory be to the Father: Gloria Patri glory: gloria go in peace: vade in pacem go, the Mass is over: ite, missa est goat: capricornus god: deus God be with you: Deus vobiscum
311
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX God forbid!
hare
God forbid!: quod abominor! or quod avertat Deus! God is the greatest good: Deus est summum bonum God save the king: salvum fac regem, O Domine God save the queen: salvam fac reginam, O Domine God’s speed!: salve! God willing: Deo volente or volente Deo goddess: dea going step by step: gradarius gold: aurum golden opportunity: felix hora golden shackles: aureae compedes good: bene or bonus good conscience: conscientia recta good deeds: bene facta good fortune: fortuna prospera or fortuna secunda good luck: bene vale vobis or macte! goodbye: vale or valete goods: bona goodwill: voluntas or benevolentia goose bumps: cutis anserina Gospel: evangelium gout: dolor artuum grace alone: sola gratia grace to you and peace: gratia vobis et pax gradually: minutatim
Grant Us Peace: Dona Nobis Pacem grass: herba gratitude: gratus animus gravity: nutus et pondus great good: magnum bonum Great Mother: Magna Mater great unwashed: ignobile vulgus great year: annus magnus greatly: magno opere Greetings!: Ave! or Salutem dicit! or Salve! gross negligence: culpa lata guardian deity: genius loci guest: hospes guild: conlegium guilty person: homo reus guily intent: mens rea
H habitually: de more Hail!: ave! Hail Mary: Ave Maria half: semis half a pint: hemina hallucination: aegri somnia halo: cum nimbo or vesica piscis handful: manipulus happily: feliciter happiness: beata vita or vita beata hare: lepus
312
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX harmony
house-arrest
harmony: concordia haste is late: festinatio tarda est have mercy on us: miserere nobis having resigned from office: functus officio he is hit: habet! or hoc habet! he owes nothing: nihil debet he says nothing: nihil dicit or nil dicit head: caput healing power: vis medicatrix healing power of nature: vis medicatrix naturae heart: cor heart and hand: cor et manus heart speaks to heart: cor ad cor loquitur heartbroken: animo fractus heavenward: coelum versus height of glory: summa gloria held in trust: in commendam hello!: heus or hui here!: adsum here and everywhere: hic et ubique here and now: hic et nunc here and there: passim or sic passim here begins: incipit here lies: hic iacet or hic jacet here lies …: hic situs est … here lies buried: hic iacet sepultus or hic sepultus heroine: virago heyday: flos aetatis
hidden: occultus High Mass: Missa solemnis high priest: Pontifex Maximus high treason: laesa majestas highest evil: extremum malorum highest good: extremum bonorum or summum bonum highest law: summum jus highest point: ne plus ultra hither and thither: huc et illuc or ultro et citro holy deeds: acta sanctorum holy of holies: sanctum sanctorum holy place: fanum Holy Roman Empire: Sacrum Romanum Imperium homeless: homo sine censu honesty is the best policy: candide secure honorable mention: accessit honorary: honoris gratia hope: spes hope in God: spera in Deo horn of plenty: cornu copiae horse: equus horse track: hippodromos hot: calidus hour: hora hourly: in horas house: domicilium or domus House of Lords: Domus Procerum house-arrest: custodia libera
313
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX household
in a folio volume
household: familia how do you do?: quid agis? human being: homo human body: corpus humanum human soul: anima humana humanity: humanitas hundred: centum hunger: fames husband: vir husband and wife: vir et uxor
I I: ego I absolve: absolvo I am a man: homo sum I am ashamed: pudet me I’m sorry: me paenitet I am what I am: sum quod sum I came, I saw, I conquered: veni, vidi, vici I eat, therefore I am: edo, ergo ego sum or edo ergo sum I forgive you: ignosco tibi I have sinned: peccavi I hope in the Cross: in cruce spero I know not what: nescio quid I love: amo I love as I find: amo ut invenio I myself: ego ipse I refuse the argument: nego argumentum
I rejoice: gaudeo I think I can: posse videor I think, therefore I am: cogito ergo sum if necessary: si opus sit if you did it, deny it: si fecisti, nega ignorance of the law does not excuse: ignorantia juris non excusat Iliad in a nutshell: in nuce Iliad Iliad of woes: Ilias malorum illegal: inlicitus illegally: contra leges illegitimate son: filius nullius or nullius filius ill-will: malevolentia image of God: imago Dei imbecile: impos animi immediately: ilicet or eo instanti immoral life: vita turpis impartial judge: judex incorruptus impasse: pari ratione implicit trust: uberrima fides important witness: testis gravis in a bad sense: in malum partem or sensu malo in a broad sense: lato sensu in a domestic court: in foro domestico in a dream: in somnis or per somnum in a firm knot: nodo firmo in a folio volume: in folio
314
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX in a friendly way
in every respect
in a friendly way: amiciter or via amicabili in a good sense: sensu bono in a heap: in cumulo in a nutshell: in nuce in a right course: recto cursu in a safe place: in tuto esse in a series: seriatim in a single bound: per saltum or uno saltu in a state of doubt: in tenebris in a state of nature: in naturalibus in a straight line: ad lineam or ad perpendiculum or in directum in a strict sense: stricto sensu in a test tube: in vitro in a vacuum: in vacuo or vacuo in a word: uno verbo in absence: in absentia in all directions: in omnes partes in all respects: in omnibus in all things love: in omnibus caritas in an analogous case: in pari materia in an equal cause: in pari causa in an evil manner: malo modo in an instant: puncto temporis in an opposite direction: in contrarium in an orderly manner: secundum ordinem
in an outward direction: ad extra in another place: in alio loco in another way: alio pacto in bad faith: mala fide in being: in esse in body: in corpore in both cases: in utraque re in brief: ne multa in Christ’s name: in Christi nomine in close order: grege facto in confidence: sub rosa in confusion: nec caput nec pedes in contemplation of flight: in meditatione fugae in contempt of court: in contumaciam in darkness: in tenebris in default: in mora in different ways: alius aliter in doubt: in ambiguo or in dubio in droves: gregatim in due time: ad tempus in each month: in singulos menses in episcopal robes: in pontificalibus in equilibrium: in equilibrio in error: frustra in everlasting remembrance: memoria in aeterna in every respect: omnibus rebus
315
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX in fact
in silence
in fact: de facto in few words: paucis verbis in French: Gallice in full: in pleno in full court: in banco in full leaf: comata silva in full measure: pleno modio in fun: per ludibrium in general: ad summam in God we trust: in Deo speramus in good faith: bona fide in happier times: melioribus annis in his own way: more suo in ill-will: in invidiam in intention and fact: animo et facto in inverse order: inverso ordine in Italian: Italice in its place: in situ in its proper place: suo loco in itself: in se or per se in jest: per jocum in kind: in genere in like manner: similiter in many respects: in rebus multis in many ways: multimodis in memory: in memoriam in mourning: atra cura in my absence: me absente in my judgment: meo judicio in my lifetime: me vivo in my opinion: me judice
in my own way: more meo in name only: verbo in one motion: uno impetu in one place: in unum in one’s own person: in propria persona in one’s own right: suo jure in open court: in curia in opposition: ex adverso in part: ex parte in passing: obiter in peace: in pace in perpetual remembrance: in perpetuam rei memoriam in person: in persona in place and time: situ et tempore in plain words: nudis verbis in pledge: in vadio in prison: in carcerem or in custodiam in private: in privato in private life: privatim in prospect: in prospectu in public: in propatulo or in publico in public view: in oculis civium in readiness: in promptu in reality: in actu in reserve: in pectore in respect of: intuitu in secret: in pectore or januis clausis in short: ad summam in silence: sub silentio
316
in smoke
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX in the silence of the night
in smoke: in fumo in so many words: in totidem verbis or totidem verbis in sport: per ludibrium in substance: in corpore in the abstract: in abstracto in the back: in dorso in the beginning: in limine or in principio in the clouds: in nubibus in the course of the year: anno vertente in the court of conscience: in foro conscientiae in the custody of the law: in custodia legis in the egg: in ovo in the end: tandem denique in the English fashion: more Anglico in the evening: vesperi in the first place: ante omnia or imprimis in the following month: proximo or proximo mense in the future: in futuro in the Golden Age: in illo tempore in the highest: in excelsis in the Irish fashion: more Hibernico in the Italian manner: Italice in the Latin manner: Latine in the living organism: in vivo in the meantime: ad interim or per interim
in the middle: in medio in the midst of the work: opere in medio in the midst of things: in mediis rebus in the mind: in intellectu in the name of: in nomine in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti in the name of the Lord: in nomine Domini in the nature of things: in rerum natura in the nick of time: in ipso articulo temporis in the notes: in notis in the nude: in naturalibus in the open air: sub dio or sub divo or sub Jove in the original state: in statu quo in the past year: praeterito anno in the place: loco in the place cited: in loco citato or loco citato in the place mentioned above: ubi supra in the place of a parent: in loco parentis in the proper place: in loco in the rear: a tergo in the same place: ibidem in the silence of night: silentio noctis 317
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX in the south
in the south: in meridiem in the usual manner: more solito in the very act: in actu in the very act of crime: in flagrante delicto in the very words: ipsissimis verbis in the womb: in utero or in ventre in the work cited: opere citato in the year of our Lord: anno Domini in the year of the reign: anno regni in the year of the world since the creation: anno mundi in this direction: horsum in this month: hoc mense in this place: hoc loco in this sense: hoc sensu in this year: hoc anno in time of war: in bello in transit: in transitu in truth: re vera or revera in turn: in vicem or in vices in unison: in concordia vocum in use: in usu in vain: frustra or in cassum in various directions: alius alio in whatever manner: quovis modo in witness: in testimonium in your judgment: te judice indeed: vero
inwards
indirectly: per ambages indiscriminately: per saturam indispensable condition: causa sine qua non or conditio sine qua non or sine qua non indisputably: sine controversia individuality: propria natura individually: viritim ineffectual stings: aculei irriti inherently evil: mala in se inherited property: patrimonium inland: mediterraneus innate goodness: naturae bonitas innermost thoughts: penetralia mentis insanity: dementia inside: intra instead of: ad vicem intelligible world: mundus intelligibilis intentionally: de industria intermarriage: connubium internal witness: testimonium internum international law: jus gentium interwoven: intertextus into the heart of the matter: in medias res intrinsically: per se invalid law: lex irrita est inward teacher: magister internus inwards: intro 318
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX iron
last year
iron: ferrum island: insula it does not follow: non sequitur it does not hurt: non dolet it hangs by a thread: de filo, pendet it happens: usu venit it has been proven: probatum est it is all over: actum est it is day: lucet it is done: factum est it is finished: consummatum est it is fraud to conceal fraud: fraus est celare fraudem it is lawful: fas est it is legal: licet it is pointless: nihil attinet it is proper: oportet it is rumored: fama est it is so: ita res est or ita est it is the third hour: tertia hora est it is useful: res expedit it seems: videtur itch for writing: cacoëthes scribendi
J jack-of-all-trades: factotum jealousy: zelotypus Jew: Iudaeus jointly: in solido or in solidum
journal: adversaria judge: judex judge of beauty: arbiter formae judgment of God: Dei judicium or judicium Dei
K keen wit: sal Atticum kinetic energy: vis viva king: rex king of kings: rex regum king’s peace: pax regis kiss of peace: osculum pacis know thyself: nosce te ipsum or nosce teipsum know your time: nosce tempus knowledge is power: scientia est potentia known: cognitus
L labor lost: frustra operam laboratory: officina laboratory of nations: officina gentium Lamb of God: Agnus Dei language: lingua lapse of memory: lapsus memoriae last farewell: ultimum vale last of the heirs: ultimus haeres last of the kings: ultimus regum last year: priore anno 319
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX late at night
like father, like son
late at night: multa de nocte or multa nocte late-night study: lucubratus Latin language: lingua Latina law: jus or lex law of consanguinity: jus sanguinis law of nations: jus gentium law of retaliation: lex talionis law of the land: lex terrae law of the place: lex loci law of the soil: jus soli law of the sword: jus gladii lawless: inlex lawlessness: leges nullae leader of the pack: dux gregis leaf: folium leap-year: annus bisextus learn and teach: disce et doce learned: literatus or litteratus learned class: literati or litterati least: minimus leave war to others: bella gerant alii leave well enough alone: actum ne agas left: sinister left eye: oculus sinister left-hand page [the backside]: folio verso or verso folio legal detention: habeas corpus legal right: jus leisure: otium length-wise: in longitudinem Lent: Quadragesima
lest ye forget: ne obliviscaris let fortune favor: faveat fortuna let him depart: exeat let it be so!: fiat let me know: fac sciam let the buyer beware: caveat emptor let there be light: fiat lux let us be joyful (while we are young): gaudeamus igitur ( juvenes dum sumus) let us drink: bibamus let us pray: oremus let us yield to love: cedamus amori letter: epistula letter of the law: strictum jus liberally: quantum libet liberty: libertas library: bibliotheca life: vita life span: vitae summa lifelike: ad vivum lift up your hearts: sursum corda light: lux light of faith: lumen fidei light of grace: lumen gratiae light of life: lux vitae light of nature: lumen naturale light of the world: lux mundi like delights in like: simile gaudet simili like father, like son: patris est filius or qualis pater, talis filius
320
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX likeness of God
make it so
likeness of God: similitudo Dei likewise: item or itidem limb by limb: membratim lion: leo liquid: fluidus literally: ad litteram or ad verbum or e verbo or literatim or litteratim or pro verbo Little Dipper: Ursa Minor little by little: unciatim live for today: vive hodie loan: pecunia mutua long conversation: multus sermo long live the king: vivat rex long live the king and queen: vivant rex et regina long live the queen: vivat regina long live the republic: vivat respublica look for this: hoc quaere look within: interiora vide loophole: fenestra Lord have mercy on us: Kyrie eleison Lord, I believe: credo, Domine Lord’s Day: dies dominicus Lord’s Prayer: Paternoster or Pater Noster Lord’s Supper: Cena Domini loss: damnum lost: adiratus love: amor or caritas
love begets love: amor gignit amorem love conquers all things: amor vincit omnia or omnia vincit amor love of country: amor patriae love of money: amor nummi love of money is a root to all evil: radix omnium malorum est cupiditas love of one’s neighbor: amor proximi love of self: amor sui love potion: philtrum love sick: aegra amans or aeger amore lovers’ quarrels: amantium irae Low Mass: Missa bassa lower class: proletarius lucky and unlucky days: fasti et nefasti dies lucky day: dies faustus lucky occasion: felix hora lukewarm: tepidus lunar eclipse: defectio lunae lunch: prandium
M made of pottery: fictilis magical: Hecatean magician: magus maiden: virgo majority: major pars make it so: fieri facias
321
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX Maker of the World
month
Maker of the World: Orbis Factor male: mas or masculus malpractice: mala praxis man: homo or vir man is a wolf to man: homo homini lupus or lupus est homo homini man is the measure of all things: homo mensura man of letters: homo doctus or vir literatus or vir litteratus man of the people: homo plebeius manly: mas or masculus manner of living: modus vivendi many times: multis partibus many-headed snake: Hydra market: emporium married: nupta Mass: Missa Mass for the dead: Missa pro defunctis Mass of the faithful: Missa fidelium master: magister master of ceremonies: magister ceremoniarum master of taste: elegantiae arbiter masterpiece: magnum opus or opus magnum matrimonial halter: capistrum maritale may it flourish: floreat
may the omen augur no evil: absit omen may this house flourish: floreat domus meanwhile: interim memorandum: notandum men of straw: faeneus homines mercantile law: lex mercatoria or mercatorum mercury: argentum vivum mere assertion: gratis dictum mere word: flatus vocis meritorious: bonae notae middle of the road: media via or via media middle way: media via or via media middling: mediocris midnight: media nox milk: lac Milky Way: lacteus orbis or via Lactea mine and thine: meum et tuum Minister of the Word of God: Verbi Dei Minister miscarriage of justice: judicium perversum misfortune: fortuna adversa or infelicitas or res adversae mix: misce mob: mobile vulgus mode of operating: modus operandi money does not smell: pecunia non olet month: mensis
322
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX monthly
no
monthly: menstruus or per mensem moon: luna or noctiluca moonlight: lunae lumen more lasting than bronze: aere perennius more than usual: plus solito Morning Star: Lucifer most excellent: optime mother: mater mountain: mons mountain air: afflatus montium much in little: multa paucis or multum in parvo much later: multo post much obliged: bene facis murder: homicidium music of the spheres: vox stellarum mutual consent: assensio mentium or mutuus consensus mutually: inter nos mystical union: unio mystica mythical creature: chimaera
N naked body: nudatum corpus naked truth: nuda veritas name having been changed: mutato nomine namely: scilicet or videlicet narrow-minded: animus angustus
national hero: pater patriae native soil: natale solum natural advantages: naturae bona natural intelligence: lumen naturale natural law: jus naturae natural world: rerum natura nature abhors a vacuum: natura abhorret a vacuo near: circa near at hand: inibi necessary changes being made: mutatis mutandis necessity is the mother of invention: mater artium necessitas necessity knows no law: necessitas non habet legem needle: acus negative vote: non placet neither: neuter neither delay nor rest: nec mora nec requies neither desire nor fear: nec cupias nec metuas neither head nor foot: nec caput nec pedes never go back: nunquam retrorsum new king, new law: novus rex, nova lex new moon: nova luna night: nox nightlong: pernox no: non 323
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX no contest
oil
no contest: nolo contendere no offense intended: absit invidia no one else: nemo alius no salvation outside the Church: extra ecclesiam nulla salus no sooner said than done: dictum ac factum no trespassing: transitus vetitus noble class: optimates non agreement: res discrepat nonexistence: non esse nonsense!: fabulae! noon: meridies North Pole: polus glacialis north wind: Boreas northern: borealis not a doubt: haud dubie not at all: minime vero not in the least: nihil omnino not of sound mind: non compos mentis not particularly: non ita not permitted: non licet not pleasing: non libet not rashly: non temere not sacred: profanus not too much: ne nimium not very much: non nimis note well: nota bene nothing: nihil nothing false: ne quid falsi nothing foreign: nihil alienum nothing is impossible: nil impossibile
nothing new under the sun: nihil sub sole novum nothing rashly: nil temere nothing remains: nihil reliqui nothing truer: nihil verius nothing without labor: nihil sine labore notwithstanding: non obstante notwithstanding these things: his non obstantibus now: nunc now and always: et nunc et semper now and later: alius alias now and then: interdum now or never: nunc aut nunquam
O O Come,All Ye Faithful: Adeste Fideles of a tame nature: domitae naturae of his own right: proprio jure of low birth: filius terrae of one mind or spirit: unanimus of one’s own accord: ex proprio motu or motu proprio of that age: id aetatis of the faith: de fide of the lower world: infernus of the people: plebeius off the record: obiter dictum officially: ex cathedra oil: oleum
324
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX old age
painless
old age: fessa aetas old wives’ tales: aniles fabellae older child: major natu on a level surface: in plano on alert: arrectus auribus on deposit: in deposito on equal terms: ex aequo or in aequo on foot: pedibus on hand: in manibus on my account: mea de causa or meo nomine on my behalf: nomine meo on my word of honor: fide mea on purpose: ex industria on the back: in dorso on the contrary: e contrario or ex contrario or per contra on the ground: humi on the left: a sinistra on the other hand: e contra on the right: a dextra on the spot: ilico on the spur of the moment: ex tempore or temporis causa on the way: in transitu or obiter on the whole: ad summam or ex toto or in toto on tiptoe: suspenso gradu once for all: semel pro semper one and the same: unus et idem one by one: membratim one of a kind: sui generis one of two: alteruter one or two: unus et alter
one quarter: quarta pars one thing after another: aliud ex alio one witness is no witness: testis unus, testis nullus one-sided: iniquus only-begotten: unigena opportunity makes the thief: occasio furem facit opposite: contra opposite cures opposite: contraria contrariis curantur optical illusion: deceptio visus orally: viva voce oratory: ars dicendi origins: primordium our light comes from God: a Deo lux nostra our people: nostri out of court: ex curia out of date: obsoletus out of sight, out of mind: absens haeres non erit out of the depths: de profundis out of tune: absonus over: super over a glass: inter pocula
P pain: dolor pain of judgment: poena sensus pain of the damned: poena damni painless: sine dolore
325
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX painted by
power
painted by: pinxit painter: pictor pair of scales: libra pair of scissors: forfex pair of tongs: forceps pale Death: pallida mors pale with rage: pallidus irae palimpsest: codex rescriptus panel of jurors: judicis papal encyclical: bulla pardon the expression: venia sit dicto part for the whole: pars pro toto partially: per studium partnership: consortium party: convivium passion for writing: furor scribendi patriot: civis bonus peace: pax peace be with you: pax vobiscum peace in war: pax in bello Peace of God: Pax Dei Peace of the Church: Pax Ecclesiae pearl from a dunghill: margarita e stercore pearls before swine: margaritas ante porcos pending: in fieri pending lawsuit: lis pendens pending the suit: pendente lite perennials: semper florens
perfectly: ad unguem or in unguem perforce: nolens volens perpendicularly: ad lineam perpetual motion: mobile perpetuum or perpetuum mobile person of full legal rights: legalis homo petition: libellus philosopher’s stone: lapis philosophorum physician, heal thyself: medice, cura te ipsum pilgrimage: peregrinatio sacra pint: octarius pious fraud: fraus pia place of the seal: locus sigilli please: amabo or amabo te or si placet poetic genius: vis poëtica poetic inspiration: furor poëticus poetic license: licentia poëtica or licentia vatum point for point: punctatim point of time: punctum temporis political revolution: novae res posse: posse comitatus posterity: nati natorum postscript: postscriptum potentially: in posse or in potentia poverty: impotentia power: vis
326
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX power of inertia
ram
power of inertia: vis inertiae power of love: potentia amoris practice makes perfect: exercitatio artem parat pray for the soul of …: orate pro anima … pray for us: ora pro nobis prepared for all things: in omnia paratus prepared for either event: in utrumque paratus prepared for the worst: ad utrumque paratus presence of mind: praesentia animi pretty: bellus prevenient grace: gratia praeveniens price of knowledge: pretium scientiae priest: pontifex principle elements: principia rerum private life: vita privata private person: vir privatus privately: privatim or sub silentio pro and con: in utramque partem probable: veri similis procedural law: ordinandi lex prodigy: niger cycnus or rara avis prohibition: interdictum promise of protection: fides publica
promoter of the faith: promotor fidei property: bona proportionally: pro rata providential intervention: deus ex machina public affairs: negotia publica public archives: tabulae publicae public enemy: inimicus public inscription: aes publicum public land: ager publicus public life: respublica forum public opinion: vulgi opinio public place: locus communis public square: forum pure act: actus purus puzzle: crux
Q queen: regina Queen of Heaven: Regina Caeli quicksilver [mercury]: argentum vivum quota: numerus clausus
R race track: hippodromos rain clouds: cumulus nimbus rainbow: arcus pluvius ram: aries
327
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX raw
scene of the crime
raw: incoctus read and learn: legite et discite read between the lines: sub audi ready for battle: in procinctu really?: ita? rear guard: agmen extremum or agmen novissimum received text: textus receptus reciprocally: inter se recitation: recitatio recluse: homo solitarius records: annales red-handed: flagrante delicto redundant act: actum agere reference volume: vade mecum regarding: re regent: interrex rejoice in God: Jubilate Deo reluctantly: gravatim render unto God: reddite Deo renown: ad astra repeatedly: identidem or toties quoties republic: res publica or respublica rest in peace: requiescat in pace restored to life: redivivus résumé: curriculum vitae or vitae curriculum reverse side: folio verso or verso or verso folio riddle: aenigma right: jus right eye: oculus dexter right hand: dextra
right of pledge: jus pignoris right of possession: jus possessionis right of property: jus proprietatis right of royalty: jus regium right of the first night: jus primae noctis right of the widow: jus relicti right-hand page [the front side]: folio recto or recto or recto folio robber: raptor Roman mile: mille passuum Roman peace: Pax Romana room for doubt: ambigendi locus rub well: tere bene rumor: fama clamosa runner-up: proxime accessit rural: paganus
S safe refuge: tutum refugium said and done: dictum factum salient point: punctum saliens salt seasons everything: sal sapit omnia salvation is by the Cross: a cruce salus same old thing: crambe repetita scandal: fama clamosa scene of the crime: locus criminis or locus delicti
328
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX scholar
so help me God!
scholar: vir doctus science: scientia scorpion: scorpio scripture alone: sola scriptura sculpted by: sculpsit seasoning: condimentum second self: alter idem second to none: nulli secundus secret teaching: disciplina arcana secretarial matters: ab epistulis secretly: ex occulto see: vide see above: vide supra see after this: vide post see before: vide ante see below: vide infra see the above comment: vide ut supra seize the day: carpe diem self-confidence: fiducia sui sense of duty: officium sensible world: mundus sensibilis sensual pleasures: voluptates corporis sentimental value: pretium affectionis series of calamities: Ilias malorum seriousness: gravitas severely wounded: graviter ictus sex drive: libido shade: umbra shake: agita
shipwreck of fortune: fortunae naufragium short cut: via compendiaria siblings: fratres sick: aeger sickly: infirmus sideways: in obliquum siege machines: moles belli sieve: cribrum silent: tacitus silent actor: persona muta silent characters in a play: personae mutae silver: argentum sincerely: bona fide sinew of proof: nervus probandi sinew of things: nervus rerum sing unto the Lord: cantate Domino sister: soror sketch: adumbratio slanderous tooth dens theonina sleep on it: in nocte consilium sleepless: ex somnis or insomnis slip of the pen: lapsus calami slip of the tongue: lapsus linguae slow but sure: tarde sed tute smell of profit: odor lucri snake in the grass: anguis in herba so far: pro tanto so help me God!: medius fidius!
329
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX so ordered
supreme jurisdiction
so ordered: ordinatum est social life: vitae societas solar eclipse: defectio solis sole heir: heres ex asse solid earth: terra firma someone significant: aliquid something significant: aliquid son: filius son of the earth: terrae filius soon: mox sorcery: ars magica sorrow: dolor soul: anima or animus sound of mind: compos mentis sounding alike: idem sonans source of evils: fons malorum source of life: vivendi causa southern: australis southward: ad meridiem southwest wind: ventus Africus speak of the devil: lupus in fabula speech impediment: haesitantia linguae speechless: bos in lingua spirit: numen spirit of the law: mens legis or sententia legis or voluntas legis spirits of the dead: manes spoken in Latin: Latine dictum sponsorship: aegis spontaneously: de proprio motu or proprio motu spoonful: cochleare
spouse: conjunx or conjux SPQR [the Senate and the People of Rome]: Senatus Populusque Romanus spring: ver spring water: aqua fontana star: astrum stark naked: in puris naturalibus starting point: terminus a quo state secrets: arcana imperii statute law: lex scripta step by step: gradatim or per gradus still water runs deep: aqua profunda est quieta stone: lapis or saxum straight ahead: recta via straight line: recta linea stranger: hospes hostis strength: vis struck by lightning: fulmine ictus such as it is: talis qualis or taliter qualiter suicide: felo-de-se sum of all things: summa summarum summarily: acervatim summer: aestas sunflower: heliotropium sunny: apricus superior force: vis major supreme achievement: spolia opima supreme jurisdiction: jus gladii
330
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX surname
this do
surname: cognomen sweet as honey: mellitus sweeter than honey: dulcior melle syphilis: lues venerea
T table salt: sal culinarius take courage!: macte animo! take notice: nota bene task-master: operis exactor tasteless: sine sapore teacher: magister tear of Christ: lacrima Christi tell me: fac ut sciam temperate zone: orbis medius tempest in a teapot: fluctus in simpulo temporarily: in tempus or pro tempore Ten Commandments: Decalogus tendency to find fault: cacoëthes carpendi tendency to talk: cacoëthes loquendi terror everywhere: horror ubique thank you: benigne dicis or gratias tibi ago thankfulness: animus gratus thankless: ingratus thanks be to God: Dei gratias or Deo gratias thanks to me: opera mea
that and that alone: id demum that is: id est that is to say: id est the cure is worse than the disease: aegrescit(que) medendo the die is cast: alea jacta est or jacta alea est or jacta est alea the end: explicit or finis the finding of the jury: sententiae judicum the following: sequens the following things: sequentia the many: multi the master has spoken it: magister dixit the play is over: acta est fabula the public good: salus publica the question is settled: res confecta est the same: idem the same as: idem quod the time for play: tempus ludendi the voice remains: vox manet the whole: totum there is need: opus est therefore: ergo they leave the stage: exeunt thigh: femur think on eternity: eternitatem cogita third choice: tertium quid this day: hodie this do: hoc age 331
this for that
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX to the best of one’s ability
this for that: quid pro quo this is my body: hoc est corpus meum this pleases me: hoc mihi placet thoughtful of the future: prudens futuri thread by thread: filatim three times: ter three times a day: ter in die thrice holy: Tersanctus or Trisagion through carelessness: per incuriam throughout: passim thumb’s down: pollice verso thus: sic thus I prove: sic probo thus in vain: sic frustra thus is human life: sic vita humana time: tempus time flies: tempus fugit time reveals all things: tempus omnia revelat time reveals the truth: veritatem dies aperit tit for tat: par pari refero or quid pro quo to: ad to a great extent: magna ex parte to a higher degree: in majus to and fro: ultro citroque to call into question: in dubium vocare
to descend into the lower world: ad inferos descendere to die: abiit ad plures or ad majores to each his/her own: cuique suum or suum cuique to err is human: errare humanum est or hominis est errare or humanum est errare to feed the flame: alere flammam to give thanks: gratias agere to go by foot: iter pedestre to go by land: iter terrestre to hang by a thread: pendere filo to infinity: in infinitum to live for the moment: in horam vivere to live for today: in diem vivere to my house: ad me to one’s advantage: in rem to one’s taste: ad gustum to remain on stage: manet to reopen a wound: refricare cicatricem to rush to arms: ad arma concurrere to sell smoke: vendere fumos to swear an oath: facere sacramentum to take a turn for the better: in melius mutari to that extent: pro tanto to the best of one’s ability: pro sua parte or pro virili parte 332
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX to the centre of the road
to the center of the road: ad filum viae to the center of the stream: ad filum aquae to the extreme: ad extremum to the gentle reader: lectori benevolo to the greater glory of God: ad majorem Dei gloriam to the highest authority: ad limina or ad limina apostolorum to the highest point: ad summum to the last: ad ultimum to the light of day: superas ad auras to the mark: ad metam to the matter: ad rem to the people: ad populum to the place: ad locum to the point of disgust: ad nauseam or usque ad nauseam to the point of extermination: ad internecionem to the same degree: ad eundem gradum to the same point: ad idem to this: ad hoc to touch a sore: ulcus tangere to what end?: cui bono? to your disadvantage: incommodo tuo toastmaster: arbiter bibendi today: hodie tomorrow: cras
two pairs
tomorrow evening: cras vespere tomorrow morning: cras mane tomorrow night: cras nocte tongue: lingua tonight: hoc nocte touch of bitterness: amari aliquid tragic farce: flebile ludibrium travel weary: fessus de via traveling day and night: itinera diurna nocturnaque trial by ordeal: Dei judicium triple brass defense: aes triplex true: verus true to the end: verus ad finem truism: dictum truly: vero trust God: crede Deo trust not to appearances: ne fronti crede truth: veritas truth conquers all things: vincit omnia veritas truth stands: stat veritas truth will prevail: veritas praevalebit turn of phrase: genus dicendi turning point: magni momenti twice a day: bis in die twice as much: alterum tantum twilight: crepusculum twins: gemini two: duo two pairs: bis bina 333
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX unabridged
until late at night
U unabridged: in extenso unaided: sine auxilio unanimously: ad unum omnes or per totam curiam or una voce or uno animo or uno consensu or uno ore unbeaten: invictus unbelief: impietas unborn: nondum natus unburied: inhumatus or insepultus or intumulatus uncertainty of law: alea judiciorum uncertainty of war: alea belli unchanged: status quo uncle: avunculus or patruus unconstitutional: non legitimus unconventionally wise: abnormis sapiens uncooked: incoctus under: sub under another sun: alio sub sole under arms: in armis under bad auspices: malis avibus under my direction: me duce under penalty: sub poena under the influence of wine: sub vino under the protection of the law: in gremio legis under the skin: intercus under this title: hoc titulo underground: subterraneus
undeveloped: in ovo undomesticated: ferae naturae unexpectedly: ex improviso or ex inopinato or ex insperato unfaithful: infidelis unidentified: indeterminans union is strength: vis unita fortior unique: sui generis unity: unitas universal consent: consensus omnium universal peace: pax orbis terrarum universally: in universum universe: mundi universitas unknown: ignotus unknown land: terra incognita unknown painter: pictor ignotus unknown person: quidam unlucky: infaustus unlucky day: dies infaustus or nefasti dies unmarried: innuba or innupta unprepared: illotis manibus unprovoked: non laccessitus unpublished: nondum editus unrestrained: impotens sui unsatisfactorily: minus bene unsolicited: sponte sua or sua sponte unthankful: male gratus until late at night: ad multam noctem
334
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX until late in the day
until late in the day: ad multum diem unwelcome person: persona non grata unwillingly: ab invito up and down: sursum deorsum up the mountain: in adversum montem up to: ad up to this point: hactenus uphill: adverso colle or adversus collem upside down: inversus upstart: novus homo upwards: sursum useful: ex usu useless: inutilis useless toil: labor irritus
V valid law: lex rata est vanguard: agmen primum variant reading: varia lectio vegetable market: forum holitorium venal herd: venale pecus venal throng: grex venalium very little: minimum very much: impendio vestal virgin: virgo vestalis veteran: emeritus vexing question: quaestio vexata
western
victim: hostia virtuous life: vita honesta vital force: vis vitae vital principle: nisus formativus voice of one crying in the desert: vox clamantis in deserto voice of the people: vox populi volume: volumen
W war cry: clamor bellicus war horse: equus bellator warning: caveat watch and pray: vigilate et orate water: aqua water-carrier: aquarius way of sorrows: Via Dolorosa we are ignorant: ignoramus we cannot: non possumus we change with time: cum tempore mutamur we have a pope!: habemus papam! We praise Thee, O God: Te Deum, Laudamus weariness of life: taedium vitae weary traveler: fessus viator weightiness: gravitas well-being: bene esse well-read: literatus or litteratus western: occidentalis or Hesperius 335
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX westward
with limitations
westward: ad occasum or ad occidentem what does this mean?: quid hoc sibi vult? what is to be done?: quid faciendum? what is truth?: quid est veritas? what now?: quid nunc? what’s new?: quid novi? what time is it?: hora quota est? whenever necessary: pro re nata where are you going?: quo tendis? where in the world?: ubi gentium? where’s mine?: ubi est mea? wherever the book opens: ad aperturam libri wherever you like: qualibet which is: quod est which is the same: quae est eadem which see (sing.): quod vide which see (pl.): quae vide while feasting: inter epulas while still day: de die while still night: de nocte while unmarried: dum sola whirlpool: vortex whisper: vox clandestina whither goest thou?: quo vadis? why do you laugh?: quid rides? why not?: quid ni? or quidni? wide: latus wife: uxor
wild: ferus will of heaven: numen divinum willy-nilly: nolens volens wine: vinum winter solstice: bruma wisdom: sapientia with: cum with a grain of salt: cum grano salis with advancing years: aetate progrediente with advantage: ob rem with all one’s might: totis viribus or viribus totis with ease: de plano with envy: aegris oculis with equal pace: pari passu with evil intent: malo animo with favorable omens: faustis ominibus with few words: paucis verbis with full right: optimo jure or pleno jure with good reason: non sine causa with great loss (of life): magno cum detrimento with great praise: magna cum laude with greater force: a fortiori with hand and heart: manu et corde with highest honors: summa cum laude with limitations: secundum quid
336
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX with many tears
without this
with many tears: magno cum fletu or multis cum lacrimis with my pleasure: me libente with praise: cum laude with regard to rank: salvo ordine with the heart: cum corde with the left hand: sinistra manu with the stream: flumine secundo with the teeth: mordicus with the utmost accuracy: verbatim et literatim et punctatim with this proviso: hac lege with tousled hair: passis crinibus with unequal steps: haud passibus aequis with united strength: viribus unitis with unshaken virtue: in concussa virtus with unwashed hands: illotis manibus with washed hands: lotis manibus with what intent?: quo animo? within: intra within range: intra jactum within the walls: intra muros without: sine without a blow: sine ictu without anger: sine ira
without any danger: sine omni periculo without care: sine cura without charge: pro bono publico without cost: gratis or gratuitus without date: sine anno without deceit: sine fraude without delay: sine mora without doubt: sine dubio without end: sine fine without envy: sine invidia without hatred: sine odio without help: sine ope without issue: sine prole without jesting: sine joco without legitimate issue: sine legitima prole without male issue: sine mascula prole without objection: nihil obstat without offending modesty: salvo pudore without partiality: pari passu without place: sine loco without prejudice: salvo jure or sine praejudicio without pretense: sine fuco without reservation: simpliciter without smell: inolens without stain: sine maculis without strength: sine nervis without surviving issue: sine prole supersite without this: absque hoc
337
ENGLISH–LATIN INDEX without violating sense
Zodiac
without violating sense: salvo sensu witness to a will: obsignator woman: femina or mulier wonderful year: annus mirabilis word for word: ad verbum or de verbo wordy: verbosus work: opus work of God: opus Dei world: mundus or orbis terrae or orbis terrarum world of images: mundus imaginalis world soul: anima mundi worse: peior or pejor worst: pessimus worthy of note: notatu dignum wow!: hui wrath of god: ira deorum
writer’s cramp: chorea scriptorum written by: scripsit
Y year: annus year from now: ad annum yearlong: perennis yes: certo or etiam or ita yesterday: heri or hesternus yield not to misfortunes: (tu) ne cede malis younger: junior or minor natu youth: bona aetas
Z Zodiac: orbis signifer
338