Nothing can be made without time.
Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here nom.): nothing. Sine (prep.): without (takes the ablative). Tempore is the ablative singular form of tempus, temporis (3n): time. is the third person singular form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be made; be done; happen; become. .
You wish to live; well, do you know how to live?
(Chicago:) You wish to live; do you really know how?
Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live. is the second person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Scīs is the second person singular form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know; know how to. Enim (particle): for, indeed; really.
You began better than you end.
is the second person singular perfect form of coepī, coepisse, coeptum (3, –iō, defective; usually occurs only in the perfect, pluperfect and future perfect tenses): to begin. Melius (adv.) is the comparative form of bene (adv.): well. Quam (rel. adv.): as; than. Dēsinis is the second person singular form of dēsinō, dēsinere, dēsiī/dēsīvī, dēsitum (3): to end, cease.
I will explain the difference.
More literally: I will say what differs.
Dīcam is the first person singular future form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular subjunctive form of intersum, interesse, interfuī, interfutūrus (irreg.): to be between, lie between; differ, constitute a difference; (impersonally) matter, make a difference (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
You will go where all things go.
More literally: You (sg.) will go to that place where all things go.
(So don’t be afraid of death.) Eō (adv.): there (with motion), thither, to that place. is the second person singular future form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go. Quō (rel. adv.): where (with motion), whither. Omnia is the neuter nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all. is the third person plural (present-tense) form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go.
Of how many days has that defendant robbed you?
More literally: That defendant has stolen how many days?
(He’s arguing that we have plenty of time but allow people to take it from us.) Ille /illa/illud (adj.): that. Reus, reī (2m): defendant. Quot (indeclinable interrog. adj.): how many? Diēs is the accusative plural form of diēs, diēī (5f/m): day. is the third person singular perfect form of auferō, auferre, abstulī, ablātum (3, irreg.): to carry away; take away; steal.
Whether you know these things or not, they will take place.
Alt. : They will happen whether you know about them or not.
More literally: You may know these things, you may not know: they will happen.
(What does it matter whether you foresee things you can’t avoid?) Sciās is the second person singular subjunctive form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (the subjunctive can be used to express concessions). Ista is the neuter accusative plural form of iste/ista/istud (pron.): that; he, she, it. Nesciās is the second person singular subjunctive form of nesciō, nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know (subjunctive because it’s a concession). is the third person plural future form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be made; be done; happen; become.
Therefore distress will keep far away from the wise man.
is the third person singular future form of absum, abesse, āfuī, āfutūrus (irreg.): to be away, be absent, be distant. Igitur (conj.): therefore, so, then. Ab/ ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). # from% Sapiente is the ablative singular form of sapiēns, sapientis (3m): wise man, sage. Aegritūdō, aegritūdinis (3f): sorrow, grief, distress.
We can call it madness.
is the first person plural form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Īnsāniam is the accusative singular form of īnsānia, īnsāniae (1f): insanity, madness. Vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon.
Nevertheless, he wanted to appear learned.
(So he bought slaves and made them memorize Homer.) Nihilōminus (adv.): nevertheless. Ērudītus /ērudīta/ērudītum (1/2): learned, educated—originally the perfect passive participle of ērudiō, ērudīre, ērudiī/ērudīvī, ērudītum (4): to instruct, train, educate. is the third person singular imperfect form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Vidērī is the passive infinitive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see; (in the passive) seem.
Misfortunes come uninvited.
More literally: Misfortunes are present spontaneously.
Mala is the nominative plural form of malum, malī (2n): a bad thing; evil; trouble, misfortune. Ultrō (adv.): spontaneously, without being asked. is the third person plural form of adsum, adesse, adfuī, adfutūrus (irreg.): to be present.
Let them flow naturally.
More literally: Let them go of their own accord.
(Tears of grief.) is the third person plural subjunctive form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Suā is the feminine ablative singular form of suus/sua/suum (1/2). Sponte is the ablative singular form of spōns, spontis (3f): free will; impulse (suā sponte = by one’s own free will, of one’s own accord).
Would you rather have much, or enough?
More literally: Do you (sg.) prefer to. . .
Utrum (interrog. particle): starts a question, usually one with two parts separated by an. is the second person singular form of mālō, mālle, māluī, — (irreg.): to prefer. Habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Multum is the accusative singular form of multum, multī (2n): a large amount, much. An (interrog. particle): whether; or (in a question); it can also start a direct question. Satis (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): enough.
Nothing comes from nothing.
More literally: Out of nothing, nothing is made.
(Appears in slightly different form in Lucretius.) Ex /ē (prep.): from, out of; according to (takes the ablative). Nihilō is the ablative singular form of nihilum, nihilī (2n): nothing—an obviously similar word to nihil that nevertheless is distinct and declinable. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here nom.): nothing. is the third person singular form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be made; be done; happen; become.
But she will bring some trouble, some adversity.
More literally: But she will bring something of distress, something of adversity.
(He’s speaking of fortune.) At (conj.): but. Aliquid is the neuter accusative singular form of aliquis/aliqua/aliquid (pron.): someone, something. Vexātiō, vexātiōnis (3f): vexation, distress, discomfort. is the third person singular future form of afferō, afferre, attulī, allātum (3, irreg.): to bring, deliver; produce. Adversī is the m/n (here n) genitive singular form of adversus/adversa/adversum (1/2): turned toward; opposite; adverse.
He will do the same thing as soon as he acquires the same powers.
More literally: He will do the same when he will have been able to do the same.
(He’s ridiculing someone who complains about abuses of power.) Idem is the neuter accusative singular form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron.): the same. Faciet is the third person singular future form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Cum (conj.): when; since; while; although. is the third person singular future perfect form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can.
Of course I prefer that war should not occur.
More literally: Why would I not prefer war not to befall?
Quidnī (interrog. adv.): why not? —starts a rhetorical question with a verb in the potential subjunctive. Ego: I. is the first person singular subjunctive form of mālō, mālle, māluī, — (irreg.): to prefer. Nōn: not. Incidō, incidere, incidī, incāsum (3): to fall into; come upon, meet; happen, occur, befall. Bellum is the accusative singular form of bellum, bellī (2n): war.
The wise man carries his own resources with him.
(Or his goods.) Sapiēns, sapientis (3m): wise man, sage. Sua is the neuter accusative plural form of suus/sua/suum (1/2). Bona is the accusative plural form of bonum, bonī (2n): a good; (in pl.) possessions. Sēcum: with him(self) (sē = himself; cum = with). is the third person singular form of ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum (3, irreg.): to carry, bear; endure.
I’ll go not where they send me but where they lead me.
(In other words, I’ll do as they do, not as they say. He’s talking about Stoic teachers.) Nōn: not. Quō (rel. adv.): where (with motion), whither. Mīserint is the third person plural future perfect form of mittō, mittere, mīsī, missum (3): to send, dispatch; throw. Mē is the accusative form of ego. Illī is the masculine nominative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it. Sed (conj.): but. Dūxerint is the third person plural future perfect form of dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductum (3): to lead; think, consider, regard. is the first person singular future form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go.
This sort of thing goes on while the arena is empty.
More literally: These things happen while the arena is empty.
(He’s describing horrors that go on in gladiatorial games even when the audience is meager.) Haec is the neuter nominative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. is the third person plural form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be made; be done; happen; become. Dum (conj.): while; as long as; until. Vacat is the third person singular form of vacō, vacāre, vacāvī, vacātum (1): to be empty; be at leisure, have time. Harēna, harēnae (1f—also arēna): sand; arena.
He who does not wish to die cannot have wished to live.
More literally: He did not wish to live who does not wish to die.
Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): live. is the third person singular perfect form of nōlō, nōlle, nōluī, — (irreg.): not to want, not to wish, refuse, be unwilling. Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die. Nōn: not. is the third person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish.
I will say it, if I can, in Latin.
Dīcam is the first person singular future form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Sī (conj.): if. is the first person singular future form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Latīnē (adv.): in Latin; in good or plain Latin.
Consider how much we are helped by good examples.
More literally: Consider how much good examples are helpful to us.
Cōgitā is the singular imperative form of cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think, reflect, consider; plan, intend. Quantum (interrog. adv.): how much? Nōbīs is the dative form of nōs: we. Exempla is the nominative plural form of exemplum, exemplī (2n): example. Bona is the neuter nominative plural form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. is the third person plural subjunctive form of prōsum, prōdesse, prōfuī, prōfutūrus (irreg.): to be helpful (takes the dative; subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
For from all the ships chosen men advanced.
More literally: For (men) chosen from all the ships went.
Cūnctīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of cūnctus/cūncta/cūnctum (1/2): all, the whole of. Nam (particle): for. Lēctī is the masculine nominative plural form of lēctus/lēcta/lēctum (1/2), the perfect passive participle of legō, legere, lēgī, lēctum (3): to read; choose; collect. Nāvibus is the ablative plural form of nāvis, nāvis (3f): ship. is the third person plural imperfect form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go.
Don’t consider what he’s worth.
More literally: Don’t consider of how much (value) the man is.
is the singular imperative form of nōlō, nōlle, nōluī (irreg.): not to want, be unwilling, refuse; in the imperative: do not. . . Spectō, spectāre, spectāvī, spectātum (1): to watch; consider; aim at. Quantum, quantī (interrog. pron.): how much? Homō, hominis (3m): man, human. Sit is the third person singular subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
Let us become intimate with poverty.
More literally: Let poverty become familiar to us.
is the third person singular subjunctive form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be made; be done; happen; become (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Nōbīs is the dative form of nōs: we. Paupertās, paupertātis (3f): poverty. Familiārīs/ familiāris /familiāre (3): familiar, friendly, intimate.
There are times when we ought to die and are unwilling.
More literally: Often we ought to die and do not wish (it).
Saepe (adv.): often. Dēbēmus is the first person plural form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought. Morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die. Nec (conj.): and not, neither, nor. is the first person plural form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish.