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 done; be made; 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; well!
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.): better—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): all; every; (n. pl. used substantively) all things, everything. 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: Know these things, don’t know (them): 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 jussive subjunctive can be used to express concessions). Ista is the neuter accusative plural form of iste/ista/istud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. Nesciās is the second person singular subjunctive form of nesciō, nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know. is the third person plural future form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be done; be made; happen; become.
Therefore distress will keep far away from the wise man.
More literally: Therefore distress will be 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). 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): madness, insanity. 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, appear.
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/proceed of their own accord.
(Tears of grief.) is the third person plural subjunctive form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go, proceed, make one’s way (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Suā: by their (own)—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 form of multum, multī (2n): a large amount, much. An (interrog. particle): whether (starting an indirect question); 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.
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 done; be made; 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): the act of agitating violently; harassment, persecution; distress, hardship. is the third person singular future form of afferō, afferre, attulī, allātum (3, irreg.): to bring. Adversī is the m/n (here n, used substantively) genitive singular form of adversus/adversa/adversum (1/2): turned toward; opposite; adverse.
Then we’ll be able to take revenge on this filthy fellow the way we want.
Tum (adv.): then, at that time or moment. Hunc is the masculine accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (adj.): this. Inpūrātum is the m/n (here m, used substantively) of inpūrātus/inpūrāta/inpūrātum (1/2—also impūrātus): polluted, filthy (especially as a term of abuse). is the first person plural future form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Nostrō is the m/n ablative singular form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): our, ours, our own. Modō is the ablative singular form of modus, modī (2m): measured amount, measure; proper measure; limit; way, manner. Ulcīscor, ulcīscī, ultus sum (3, deponent): to avenge; take revenge on.
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 or upon; come upon, meet; happen, occur, befall. Bellum is the accusative singular form of bellum, bellī (2n): war.
The wise man carries his goods with him.
Sapiēns, sapientis (3m): wise man, sage. Sua: his (own)—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: I (me). Illī is the masculine nominative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; 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 as. 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 the interludes of gladiatorial games.) Haec is the neuter nominative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this, this one; he, she, it. is the third person plural form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be done; be made; 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 vacant, be unoccupied; 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): to 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.
More literally: . . . if I will be able. . .
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 help 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: (to) us—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, do good, help, benefit (takes the dative) (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
Two mules were traveling, burdened with packs.
Mūlī is the nominative plural form of mūlus, mūlī (2m): mule. Gravātī is the masculine nominative plural form of gravātus/gravāta/gravātum (1/2), the perfect passive participle of gravō, gravāre, gravāvī, gravātum (1): to load, burden, weigh down. Sarcinīs is the ablative plural form of sarcinā, sarcniae (1f): pack, bundle; baggage, luggage. is the third person plural imperfect form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go, proceed, travel, make one’s way. Duo /duae/duo (irreg.): two.
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 great an amount? how much? (it can go in the genitive of value to mean of how much value? ) 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 done; be made; happen; become (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Nōbīs is the dative form of nōs: we (to us). Paupertās, paupertātis (3f): poverty. Familiāris/ 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 adv.): and not, nor; neither, not either, not even. is the first person plural form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish.