Chapter 12: The Future Tense

Alii sementem faciunt, alii metent. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

Some sow, others will reap.

More literally: Some do the sowing, others will reap.

Details

Aliī. . . aliī is the masculine nominative plural form of alius/alia/aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another. Sēmentem is the accusative singular form of sēmentis, sēmentis (3f): sowing. Faciunt is the third person plural form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Metent is the third person plural future form of metō, metere, messuī, messum (3): to reap, harvest.


Dēlīberābō cum amicis. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 2.3.6
Translation

I will consult with my friends.

Details

Dēlīberābō is the first person singular future form of dēlīberō, dēlīberāre, dēlīberāvī, dēlīberātum (1): to deliberate, consult. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Amīcīs is the ablative plural form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend.


Sed ubi tam aequum iudicem inveniēs? — Seneca, On Anger 2.28.7
Translation

But where will you (sg.) find such a fair judge?

Details

Sed (conj.): but. Ubi (interrog. adv.): where? Tam (adv.): so, so much, to such an extent. Aequum is the m/n accusative singular form of aequus/aequa/aequum (1/2): level, even, flat; equal; just, fair; tranquil, calm, enduring. Iūdicem is the accusative singular form of iūdex, iūdicis (3m/f): judge. Inveniēs is the second person singular future form of inveniō, invenīre, invēnī, inventum (4): to find; invent; discover.


Nam virtutes caelorum movēbuntur. — Luke 21:26
Translation

For the powers of heaven shall be moved.

More literally: . . . of the heavens. . .

Details

Nam (particle): for. Virtūtēs is the nominative plural form of virtūs, virtūtis (3f): virtue; courage; power. Caelōrum is the genitive plural form of caelum, caelī (2n, but m in the plural): heaven, sky. Movēbuntur is the third person plural future passive form of moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum (2): to move.


Nisi properamus, relinquēmur. — Seneca, Epistles 108.24
Translation

Unless we hasten, we shall be left behind.

Details

(He’s offering ways to interpret a line from Virgil.) Nisi (conj.): unless, if not. Properāmus is the first person plural form of properō, properāre, properāvī, properātum (1): to hasten. Relinquēmur is the first person plural future passive form of relinquō, relinquere, relīquī, relictum (3): to relinquish, abandon, leave behind.


Memoriam Milonis retinēbitis, ipsum ēiciētis? — Cicero, In Defense of Milo 101
Translation

Will you retain Milo’s memory and cast forth his person?

More literally: Will you (pl.) retain Milo’s memory, (and) expel him himself?

Details

Memoriam is the accusative singular form of memoria, memoriae (1f): memory. Milō, Milōnis (3m): Roman cognomen. Retinēbitis is the second person plural future form of retineō, retinēre, retinuī, retentum (2): to hold back, retain. Ipsum is the m/n accusative singular form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (pron.): (he) himself, (she) herself, (it) itself, that very person or thing. Ēiciētis is the second person plural future form of ēiciō, ēicere, ēiēcī, ēiectum (3, –iō): to expel, throw out, drive out.


Erō in publico filius. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 2.1.5
Translation

In public I shall be your son.

Details

Erō is the first person singular future form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Pūblicō is the m/n (here n, used substantively) ablative singular form of pūblicus/pūblica/pūblicum (1/2): public. Fīlius, fīliī (2m): son.


Nec sciet quisquam. — Martial, Epigrams 1.66.12
Translation

Nobody will be the wiser.

More literally: Nor will anyone know.

Details

Neque/ nec (conj.): and not, neither, nor. Sciet is the third person singular future form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Quisquam /quicquam (pron. ; the neuter form can also be spelled quidquam): anyone, anything.


Nihil de condicione mea querar. — Seneca, Consolation to Helvia 18.6
Translation

I will make no complaint about my circumstances.

More literally: I will complain nothing about my situation.

Details

Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Condiciōne is the ablative singular form of condiciō, condiciōnis (3f): agreement; condition; situation. Meā is the feminine ablative singular form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine. Querar is the first person singular future form of queror, querī, questus sum (3, deponent): to complain.


Ipsam autem philosophiam non dēbēbis iactare. — Seneca, Epistles 103.5
Translation

But this very philosophy must never be vaunted by you.

Alt. : But you should not (at any future point) brag about your philosophy.

Details

Ipsam is the feminine accusative singular form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (adj.): himself/herself/itself/oneself/myself/etc. ; in person; the very. Autem (particle): but, however; and, moreover. Philosophiam is the accusative singular form of philosophia, philosophiae (1f): philosophy. Nōn: not. Dēbēbis is the second person singular future form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought; be bound (to). Iactō, iactāre, iactāvī, iactātum (1): to throw; boast (about), show off.


Tu tamen nihil patiēris, si modo tecum erit virtus. — Seneca, Epistles 71.7
Translation

If only virtue dwells with you, you will suffer nothing.

More literally: Yet you will suffer nothing, if only virtue will be with you.

Details

(Paraphrasing Socrates.) : you. Tamen (adv.): nevertheless, yet, still. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Patiēris is the second person singular future form of patior, patī, passus sum (3, deponent): to suffer; endure; allow. (conj.): if. Modo (adv.): just now, recently; just, only. Tēcum: with you ( = you; cum = with). Erit is the third person singular future form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Virtūs, virtūtis (3f): virtue; courage; power, strength.


Si quis autem ignōrat, ignōrābitur. — 1 Cor. 14:38
Translation

But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

Alt. : But if any man know not, he shall not be known.

Details

(conj.): if. Quis /qua/quid (indef. pron.): anyone, anything; replaces aliquis/aliqua/aliquid in some contexts (especially after , nisi, num, or ). Autem (particle): but, however; and, moreover. Ignōrat is the third person singular form of ignōro, ignōrāre, ignōravi, ignōratum (1): to not know, be ignorant of; ignore, disregard. Ignōrābitur is the third person singular future passive form of the same verb.


Iam istum spiritum expuēmus. — Seneca, On Anger 3.43.5
Translation

Soon shall we spew forth this frail spirit.

Alt. : Any time now we’ll cough up our last breath.

Details

Iam (adv.): already; now; soon. Istum is the masculine accusative singular form of iste/ista/istud (adj.): that, this. Spīritum is the accusative singular form of spīritus, spīritūs (4m): breath; spirit. Expuēmus is the first person plural future form of expuō, expuere, expuī, expūtum (3—also exspuō): to spit out, eject.


Alia minora, alia maiora erunt. — Seneca, Epistles 71.34
Translation

Some will be less, others greater.

Details

(Talking about the goods—bonum, bonī (2n)—of the body.) Alia. . . alia is the neuter nominative plural form of alius/alia/aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another. # some. . . others% Minōra is the neuter nominative plural form of minor/minor/minus (3), the comparative form of parvus/parva/parvum (1/2): small, little; unimportant. Maiōra is the neuter nominative plural form of maior/maior/maius (3), the comparative form of magnus/magna/magnum (1/2): large, great; important. Erunt is the third person plural future form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be.


Intellegētis cui paraverim. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 7.3.1
Translation

You (pl.) will realize whom I prepared it for.

Details

Intellegētis is the second person plural future form of intellegō, intellegere, intellēxī, intellēctum (3): to understand; realize. Cui is the m/f/n dative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Parāverim is the first person singular perfect subjunctive form of parō, parāre, parāvī, parātum (1): to prepare, arrange (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).


Minābor, deinde ignōscam. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 10.3.9
Translation

I shall threaten, then pardon.

Details

Minābor is the first person singular future form of minor, minārī, minātus sum (1, deponent): to threaten. Deinde (adv.): thereafter, next, then, afterward. Ignōscam is the first person singular future form of ignōscō, ignōscere, ignōvī, ignōtum (3): to forgive, pardon.


Habēbimus nihilominus voluptatem. — Seneca, On the Happy Life 14.1
Translation

We will nevertheless have pleasure.

Details

(But we will be masters of it, not vice versa.) Habēbimus is the first person plural future form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Nihilōminus (adv.): nevertheless. Voluptātem is the accusative singular form of voluptās, voluptātis (3f): pleasure.


Iam hominem deo mētientur. — Seneca, Epistles 71.6
Translation

They will soon measure man by the standard of God.

More literally: Soon they will measure man by God.

Details

Iam (adv.): already; now; soon. Hominem is the accusative singular form of homō, hominis (3m): human, man. Deō is the ablative singular form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god. Mētientur is the third person plural future form of mētior, mētīrī, mēnsus sum (4, deponent): to measure.


Uter melior dīcētur orator? — Quintilian, The Orator’s Education 12.1.9
Translation

Which of the two is to be called the better orator?

More literally: Which of the two will be said the better orator?

Details

Uter /utra/utrum (interrog. pron. , 1/2, irreg.): which (of two)? Melior /melior/melius (3) is the comparative form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Dīcētur is the third person singular future passive form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Ōrātor, ōrātōris (3m): orator, speaker.


Malam valetudinem tolerābit, bonam optābit. — Seneca, On the Happy Life 22. 2
Translation

He will tolerate his health being poor, but he will wish it to be good.

More literally: He will tolerate bad health, desire good.

Details

(He’s talking about the sage’s attitude toward things that aren’t good or evil in themselves.) Malam is the feminine accusative singular form of malus/mala/malum (1/2): bad; evil. Valētūdinem is the accusative singular form of valētūdō, valētūdinis (3f): health. Tolerābit is the third person singular future form of tolerō, tolerāre, tolerāvī, tolerātum (1): to tolerate, bear, endure. Bonam is the feminine accusative singular form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Optābit is the third person singular future form of optō, optāre, optāvī, optātum (1): to wish for, desire.


Summa rei in utroque eadem est: non torquēberis. — Seneca, Epistles 119.2
Translation

The important principle in either case is the same—freedom from worry.

More literally: The point of the matter is the same in either: you (sg.) will not be tormented.

Details

(Why not wanting something is just as good as having it.) Summa, summae (1f): sum; principal thing, chief point; whole issue. Rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair. # of the matter% In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Utrōque is the m/n (here n) ablative singular form of uterque/utraque/utrumque (1/2, irreg.): each of two, either (sometimes best translated as both). Īdem/ eadem /idem (pron. or adj.): the same. Est: is. Nōn: not. Torquēberis (or torquēbere) is the second person singular future passive form of torqueō, torquēre, torsī, tortum (2): to twist; torment, torture.


Ego ostendam tibi quid sint haec. — Zech. 1:9
Translation

I will show you what these are.

Details

Ego: I. Ostendam is the first person singular future form of ostendō, ostendere, ostendī, ostentum/ostēnsum (3): to show, exhibit. Tibi is the dative form of tū: you. Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Sint is the third person plural subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Haec is the neuter nominative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it.


Nuptiae ad unam pertinēbunt, mors ad omnes. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 1.5.7
Translation

Marriage will affect one girl; death all.

More literally: Marriage will pertain to one, death to all.

Details

(From a rhetorical exercise. Any raped girl is entitled—by a fictitious law—to demand either the death of her rapist, or that he marry her without a dowry. But what if one man has raped several girls? Since he can’t marry them all, his death is the only way to render justice to all victims.) Nūptiae, nūptiārum (1f, plural only): wedding, nuptials; marriage. Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Ūnam is the feminine accusative singular form of ūnus/ūna/ūnum (1/2, irreg.): one; alone; only, sole, single (used substantively: one girl). Pertinēbunt is the third person plural future form of pertineō, pertinēre, pertinuī, — (2): to reach; pertain, apply, affect; belong. Mors, mortis (3f): death. Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Omnēs is the m/f (here f) accusative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all.


Ei porro ab invitis non ementur. — Cicero, On the Agrarian Law 1.15
Translation

They will not be bought from those who do not want to sell.

More literally: Moreover, they will not be bought from the unwilling.

Details

(Referring to lands: ager, agrī (2m).) is the masculine nominative plural form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Porrō (adv.): further; moreover. Ab /ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). Invītīs is the m/f/n (here m) ablative plural form of invītus/invīta/invītum (1/2): unwilling. Nōn: not. Ementur is the third person plural future passive form of emō, emere, ēmī, ēmptum (3): to buy.

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