Chapter 21: The First Declension

De fortūnā nihil queror. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies (excerpts) 5.1.1
Translation

I make no complaints about fortune.

Details

(prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Fortūnā is the ablative singular form of fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Queror, querī, questus sum (3, deponent): to complain.


Diu anceps pugna stetit. — Livy, History of Rome 33.18.16
Translation

For a long time it was an even fight.

More literally: For a long time the fight remained uncertain.

Details

Diū (adv.): long, for a long time. Anceps, ancipitis (3, adj.): twofold, double; uncertain, wavering. Pugna, pugnae (1f): fight, battle. Stetit is the third person singular perfect form of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand; remain.


Non habui pecūniam. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 1.7.3
Translation

I didn’t have the money.

Alt. : I had no money.

Details

Nōn: not. Habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. # I had% Pecūniam is the accusative singular form of pecūnia, pecūniae (1f): money.


Ea est enim nātūrae vis. — Cicero, On Laws 1.19
Translation

For it is the force of nature.

Details

(He’s talking about law—lēx, lēgis (3f).) Is/ ea /id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Est: is. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Nātūra, nātūrae (1f): nature. Vīs, vīs (3f): strength, power, force.


Neronianas is refrigerat thermās. — Martial, Epigrams 3.25.4
Translation

He chills the warm baths of Nero.

Details

Nerōniānās is the feminine accusative plural form of Nerōniānus/Nerōniāna/Nerōniānum (1/2): Neronian, of or pertaining to Nero. Is /ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Refrīgerat is the third person singular form of refrīgerō, refrīgerāre, refrīgerāvī, refrīgerātum (1): to cool, make cold. Thermās is the accusative form of thermae, therm ārum (1f, plural only): hot baths.


Et murmur multum erat in turbā de eo. — John 7:12
Translation

And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him.

Details

Et (conj.): and. Murmur, murmuris (3n): murmur, murmuring. Multus/multa/ multum (1/2): much, many. Erat is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Turbā is the ablative singular form of turba, turbae (1f): crowd. (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). is the m/n ablative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that.


Debes mihi nāta nepotes. — Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.482
Translation

Daughter, you owe me grandsons.

Details

Dēbēs is the second person singular form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought. Mihi is the dative form of ego. Nāta is the vocative singular form of nāta, nātae (1f): daughter—originally the feminine perfect participle of nāscor, nāscī, nātus sum (3, deponent): to be born; spring forth. Nepōtēs is the accusative plural form of nepōs, nepōtis (3m/f): grandchild; descendant.


Sunt geminae somni portae. — Virgil, Aeneid 6.89 3
Translation

There are two gates of sleep.

Details

Sunt: there are. Geminae is the feminine nominative plural form of geminus/gemina/geminum (1/2): twin; double; two. Somnus, somnī (2m): sleep. Portae is the nominative plural form of porta, portae (1f): gate.


Expecta bos aliquando herbam. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

Expect grass sometime, ox.

Details

(When something is coming late. Also recorded with the first word as expectat: The ox expects grass sometime.) Expectā is the singular imperative form of expectō, expectāre, expectāvī, expectātum (1): to wait (for), await; expect. Bōs is the vocative singular form of bōs, bovis (3m/f): ox; bull; cow. Aliquandō (adv.): sometimes; sometime; finally. Herbam is the accusative singular form of herba, herbae (1f): grass; weeds.


Alia claritas solis, alia claritas lūnae, et alia claritas stēllārum. — 1 Cor. 15:41
Translation

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.

Details

Alius/ alia /aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another (alia. . . alia = one. . . another). Clāritās, clāritātis (3f): clarity, brightness; fame, reputation, glory. Sōl, sōlis (3m): sun; sunlight. Alius/ alia /aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another. Clāritās, clāritātis (3f): clarity, brightness; fame, reputation, glory. Lūna, lūnae (1f): moon. Et (conj.): and. Clāritās, clāritātis (3f): clarity, brightness; fame, reputation, glory. Stēllārum is the genitive plural form of stēlla, stēllae (1f): star. (The verb est is implied.)


Nihil opinionis causā, omnia cōnscientiae faciam. — Seneca, On the Happy Life 20.4
Translation

I will do nothing for the sake of people’s opinions, but everything for the sake of my conscience.

More literally: I will do nothing for the sake of opinion, all things (for the sake) of conscience.

Details

Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Opīniō, opīniōnis (3f): opinion, belief; reputation. Causā is the ablative singular form of causa, causae (1f): cause, reason; in the ablative preceded by a genitive word: for the sake of. Omnia is the neuter accusative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all; (n. pl. used substantively) all things, everything. Cōnscientia, cōnscientiae (1f): conscience; consciousness. Faciam is the first person singular future form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.


Fortūna quoque saepe substituitur culpae. — Quintilian, The Orator’s Education 7.4.15
Translation

Fortune too is often made the scapegoat.

More literally: Fortune also is often substituted for fault.

Details

Fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. Quoque (adv.): also, likewise, too. Saepe (adv.): often. Substituitur is the third person singular passive form of substituō, substituere, substituī, substitūtum (3): to substitute, place instead of. Culpae is the dative singular form of culpa, culpae (1f): blame, fault, guilt.


Dives nūptiās fecit. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 8.6. pr
Translation

The rich man married her.

More literally: . . . made/did nuptials (i.e., marriage).

Details

Dīves /dīvitis (3, adj.): rich, wealthy (used substantively). Nūptiās is the accusative form of nūptiae, nūptiārum (1f, plural only): nuptials, wedding; marriage. Fēcit is the third person singular perfect form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.


Multis debeo misericordiam. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 1.1.12
Translation

I owe pity to many.

Details

Multīs is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe, be indebted; ought. Misericordiam is the accusative singular form of misericordia, misericordiae (1f): pity, mercy.


Doctrīna nulla esse sine nātūrā poterit. — Quintilian, The Orator’s Education 2.19.2
Translation

Without nature there can be no teaching.

More literally: No teaching will be able to exist without nature.

Details

(By “nature,” he means some natural aptitude for eloquence; instruction can add to it but can’t be effective on its own.) Doctrīna, doctrīnae (1f): teaching, instruction; doctrine; learning. Nūllus/ nūlla /nūllum (1/2, irreg.): no, not any. Esse: to be. Sine (prep.): without (takes the ablative). Nātūrā is the ablative singular form of nātūra, nātūrae (1f): nature. Poterit is the third person singular future form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can.


Nam nos vītā vivimus tantum. — Sir. 48:12
Translation

For we live only in our life.

Alt: For we live only for a lifetime.

Details

Nam (particle): for. Nōs: we. Vītā is the ablative singular form of vīta, vītae (1f): life. Vīvimus is the first person plural form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live. Tantum (adv.): so much; only.


Magnus ille qui in dīvitiīs pauper est. — Seneca, Epistles 20.10
Translation

Great is the man who is a pauper in his wealth.

More literally: Great (is) that one who in riches is poor.

Details

(In other words, not spoiled by contact with riches.) Magnus /magna/magnum (1/2): great, large; important. Ille /illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it. Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Dīvitiīs is the ablative form of dīvitiae, dīvitiārum (1f, plural only): riches, wealth. Pauper, pauperis (3, adj.): poor. Est: is.


Leges autem philosophiae breves sunt et omnia alligant. — Seneca, Epistles 94.15
Translation

But the laws of philosophy are concise and are binding in all cases.

More literally: But the laws of philosophy are brief and bind all things.

Details

Lēgēs is the nominative plural form of lēx, lēgis (3f): law. Autem (particle): on the other hand, but, however; and, moreover. Philosophia, philosophiae (1f): philosophy. Brevēs is the m/f nominative plural form of brevis/brevis/breve (3): short, brief. Sunt: (they) are. Et (conj.): and. Omnia is the neuter accusative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all; (n. pl. used substantively) all things, everything. Alligant is the third person plural form of alligō, alligāre, alligāvī, alligātum (1): to bind, fetter; hinder; oblige.


Quem me dicunt esse turbae? — Luke 9:18
Translation

Whom do the people say that I am?

More literally: The crowds say me to be whom?

Details

Quem is the masculine accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the accusative form of ego. Dīcunt is the third person plural form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Esse: to be. Turbae is the nominative plural form of turba, turbae (1f): crowd.

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