It seemed to me that you were looking for a mediator.
More literally: You (pl.) seemed to me to be looking for a mediator.
is the second person plural imperfect passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see; (in the passive) seem. Mihi is the dative form of ego: I (to me). Quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek, look for; seek to know, ask, inquire. Intercessōrem is the accusative singular form of intercessor, intercessōris (3m): one who vetoes; one who intervenes; intermediary; mediator.
You were content to retain the mere breath of life.
More literally: You (pl.) had (i.e., held/considered) (it) enough to retain breath/life.
Satis (n, indeclinable, only used as nom. or acc. sg. ; here it’s acc.): enough. is the second person plural imperfect form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have; hold; consider. Animam is the accusative singular form of anima, animae (1f): breath; soul, spirit; breath of life, life. Retineō, retinēre, retinuī, retentum (2): to hold back, restrain; hold fast, retain, keep.
For we took pride in having the same friends and mourned their loss together.
More literally: For we gloried in the same friends, mourned the same (when they were) lost.
Īsdem (or iīsdem or eīsdem) is the m/f/n ablative plural form of īdem/eadem/idem (adj.): the same. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Amīcīs is the ablative plural form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. is the first person plural imperfect form of glōrior, glōriārī, glōriātus sum (1, deponent): to glory, pride oneself, boast. Eōsdem is the masculine accusative plural form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron. or adj.): the same. Āmissōs is the masculine accusative plural form of āmissus/āmissa/āmissum (1/2), the perfect passive participle of āmittō, āmittere, āmīsī, āmissum (3): to lose; let go. is the first person plural imperfect form of lūgeō, lūgēre, lūxī, lūctum (2): to mourn.
Things that I ought not to have wanted to do, I now cannot do.
More literally: Whatever I had a duty not to want (to do), I cannot (do).
(On the advantages of old age.) Quicquid is the neuter accusative singular form of quisquis/quidquid (rel. pron. ; the neuter form is also spelled quidquid): whoever, whatever. is the first person singular imperfect form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought, have a duty (to); be bound (to). Nōlō, nōlle, nōluī, — (irreg.): not to want, be unwilling, refuse. Nōn: not. Possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can; be able to do, be capable of.
We were all poor along with Jove.
Omnēs is the m/f nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Iove is the ablative singular form of Iuppiter, Iovis (3m): Jove, Jupiter. Pauperēs is the m/f nominative plural form of pauper, pauperis (3, adj.): poor. is the first person plural imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be.
For what was he buying, when he was buying you?
Nam (particle): for, because; certainly. Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular imperfect form of emō, emere, ēmī, ēmptum (3): to buy. Cum (conj.): when; since; while; although. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. is the third person singular imperfect form of emō, emere, ēmī, ēmptum (3): to buy.
For that is how the ancients spoke.
More literally: For so the ancients spoke.
Sīc (adv.): thus, so, in this/that way, in such a way. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Antīquī is the masculine nominative plural form of antīquus/antīqua/antīquum (1/2): old, ancient. is the third person plural imperfect form of loquor, loquī, locūtus sum (3, deponent): to speak.
The dogs had stopped barking and the cities were silent.
Dēsierant is the third person plural pluperfect form of dēsinō, dēsinere, dēsiī/dēsīvī, dēsitum (3): to end, cease, stop (with infinitive). Lātrō, lātrāre, lātrāvī, lātrātum (1): to bark. Canēs is the nominative plural form of canis, canis (3m/f): dog. Urbēsque: urbēs is the nominative plural form of urbs, urbis (3f): city; the enclitic conjunction – que adds and. is the third person plural imperfect form of sileō, silēre, siluī, — (2): to be silent.
You have buried one whom you loved.
Quem is the masculine accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. is the second person singular imperfect form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love. Extulistī is the second person singular perfect form of efferō, efferre, extulī, ēlātum (3, irreg.): to carry or bring out; carry out for burial, bear to the grave, bury; lift up, elevate.
There were a number of highly regarded young men.
More literally: There were many respected young men.
is the third person plural imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Complūrēs /complūrēs/complūra (3, plural only): many; several. Honestī is the masculine nominative plural form of honestus/honesta/honestum (1/2): honorable, noble, respectable; respected, highly regarded, of good repute. Adulēscentēs is the nominative plural form of adulēscēns, adulēscentis (3m/f): youth; young man or (more rarely) young woman.
I knew that I had begotten a mortal.
More literally: I knew me to have begotten a mortal.
(The response of Anaxagoras when told of his son’s death.) is the first person singular imperfect form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Mē is the accusative form of ego: I (me, myself). Genuisse is the perfect infinitive form of gignō, gignere, genuī, genitum (3): to beget; give birth to; create; produce; cause. Mortālem is the m/f accusative singular form of mortālis/mortālis/mortāle (3): mortal.
We were journeying to the temple on Parnasus.
More literally: . . . the Parnassian temple(s).
Templa is the accusative plural form of templum, templī (2n): temple, sanctuary (plural used poetically for the singular). is the first person plural imperfect form of petō, petere, petīvī/petiī, petītum (3): to direct one’s course to, make one’s way to, make for, travel to; seek; ask for; attack. Parnāsia is the neuter accusative plural form of Parnāsius/Parnāsia/Parnāsium (1/2): Parnassian, of or connected with Mount Parnassus.
You were stronger yesterday.
Here (adv.): yesterday. Fortior /fortior/fortius (3): braver; stronger—the comparative form of fortis/fortis/forte (3): brave; strong. is the second person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be.
He made only one start, and only one stop.
More literally: He used to begin once, end once.
(He’s talking about a bad orator who never paused.) Semel (adv.): once, a single time. is the third person singular imperfect form of incipiō, incipere, incēpī, inceptum (3, –iō): to start, begin. is the third person singular imperfect form of dēsinō, dēsinere, dēsiī/dēsīvī, dēsitum (3): to end, cease, stop.
I denied it.
Ego: I. is the first person singular imperfect form of negō, negāre, negāvī, negātum (1): to deny; refuse.
These were put forward as the causes of war.
More literally: These causes of war were cited. Or: These were cited (as) the causes of war.
Hae is the feminine nominative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron. or adj.): this. Causae is the nominative plural form of causa, causae (1f): cause; case; situation. Bellum, bellī (2n): war. is the third person plural imperfect passive form of ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum (3, irreg. —but the form needed here is regular): to carry; bring forth; produce; say, tell, narrate, cite, mention.
You (sg.) had influence with the enemy.
is the second person singular imperfect form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Apud (prep.): at, near; with, among; in front of; at the house of (takes the accusative). Hostēs is the accusative plural form of hostis, hostis (3m/f): enemy. Auctōritātem is the accusative singular form of auctōritās, auctōritātis (3f): authority, influence.
He was walking out of the house.
is the third person singular imperfect form of ēgredior, ēgredī, ēgressus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to walk out, go out. Domō is the ablative singular form of domus, domūs (2/4f): house, home.
I was really your husband!
More literally: I was (your) true husband!
Vērus /vēra/vērum (1/2): true; real; proper, right. is the first person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Coniūnx, coniugis (3m/f): spouse; husband or wife.
The consul meantime kept his men quiet.
More literally: . . . kept his own (men) in silence.
Cōnsul, cōnsulis (3m): consul. Interim (adv.): meanwhile, in the meantime; for the time being. Silentiō is the ablative singular form of silentium, silentiī (2n): silence, quiet; inaction. is the third person singular imperfect form of contineō, continēre, continuī, contentum (2): to hold together; keep; contain; restrain. Suōs: his (own)—the masculine accusative plural form of suus/sua/suum (1/2); masculine plural forms can be used substantively to mean one’s (own) people, family, friends, men, followers, etc. .
You ran well.
Alt: You (pl.) were running well.
is the second person plural imperfect form of currō, currere, cucurrī, cursum (3): to run. Bene (adv.): well.
They used to call him a prosperous man; what of it?
More literally: They called (him) fortunate: so what?
Fēlīcem is the m/f accusative singular form of fēlīx, fēlīcis (3, adj.): lucky, fortunate. is the third person plural imperfect form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon. Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Ergō (particle): therefore, so, then.
Of Caelius I hear nothing.
More literally: About Coelius we (the plural is used for the singular) were hearing nothing.
(We were hearing nothing: understand at the time of writing. Latin writers sometimes adopted the temporal point of view of their addressees in their letters, putting in the past tense things that would be past by the time the letter was received.) Dē (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Coeliō is the m/n (here m) ablative singular form of the family name Coelius/Coelia/Coelium (1/2). Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. is the first person plural imperfect form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear.
How mighty a bull was he, to whom a bull was as a dummy!
More literally: How great a bull was he, to whom a bull was a ball!
(He’s writing about a rhinoceros who was put into the ring with a bull and treated the bull like a pila —a leather ball used in games.) Quantus /quanta/quantum (1/2, interrog. adj. , here used in an exclamatory way): how great? how much? is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Taurus, taurī (2m): bull. Cui is the m/f/n dative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Pila, pilae (1f): ball. Taurus, taurī (2m): bull. is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be.
I pictured to myself the sack, the serpents, the deep.
(A man charged with killing his father; the punishment was to be sewn into a sack with snakes and cast into the sea.) is the first person singular imperfect form of imāginor, imāginārī, imāginātus sum (1, deponent): to picture to oneself, imagine. Mihi is the dative form of ego: I (to me, to myself). Culleum is the accusative singular form of culleus, culleī (2m—also cūleus): leather sack. Serpentīs is the accusative plural form of serpēns, serpentis (3m/f): serpent, snake. Profundum is the accusative singular form of profundum, profundī (2n): the deep, depths, abyss (a substantive use of profundus/profunda/profundum (1/2): deep).