Chapter 23: The Third Declension

Inimīcī nostri sunt iūdicēs. — Deut. 32:31
Translation

Our enemies are judges.

Details

Inimīcī is the nominative plural form of inimīcus, inimīcī (2m): enemy. Nostrī is the masculine nominative plural form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): our, ours. # our% Sunt: (they) are. Iūdicēs is the nominative plural form of iūdex, iūdicis (3m/f): judge, juror.


Da ferrum testī meo. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 7.5.9
Translation

Give my witness a sword.

Details

is the singular imperative form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give. Ferrum is the accusative singular form of ferrum, ferrī (2n): iron; sword. Testī is the dative singular form of testis, testis (3m/f): witness. Meō is the m/n dative singular form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine.


Non haec in foedera veni. — legal maxim
Translation

I did not enter into such a compact.

More literally: I did not come into these agreements.

Details

(In other words, one claims I never promised that —as when circumstances have made performance of a contract insuperably difficult. Adapted from Virgil, Aeneid 4.339.) Nōn: not. Haec is the neuter accusative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (adj.): this. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Foedera is the accusative plural form of foedus, foederis (3n): agreement, contract. Veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.


Si cūnctātiōne deliqui, virtūte corrigam. — Tacitus, Annals 15.2
Translation

If I have erred by hesitancy, I shall make amends by valor.

Details

(Quoting a speech of Vologases, a king of Parthia—part of modern Iran.) (conj.): if. Cūnctātiōne is the ablative singular form of cūnctātiō, cūnctātiōnis (3f): delay; hesitation. Dēlinquō, dēlinquere, dēlīquī, dēlictum (3): to fail, be lacking; err, do wrong, misbehave. Virtūte is the ablative singular form of virtūs, virtūtis (3f): virtue; valor. Corrigam is the first person singular future form of corrigō, corrigere, corrēxī, corrēctum (3): to straighten; put right, correct, amend.


Corpora nostra rapiuntur flūminum mōre. — Seneca, Epistles 58.22
Translation

Our bodies are hurried along like flowing waters.

More literally: Our bodies are hurried along in the manner of streams.

Details

Corpora is the nominative plural form of corpus, corporis (3n): body. Nostra is the neuter nominative plural form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): our, ours. Rapiuntur is the third person plural passive form of rapiō, rapere, rapuī, raptum (3, –iō): to snatch, carry off, carry away, sweep along, hurry along. Flūminum is the genitive plural form of flūmen, flūminis (3n): river, stream, current. Mōre is the ablative singular form of mōs, mōris (3m): habit, custom; (habitual) manner; (in the plural) morals, character.


Nox caedibus fīnem fecit. — Livy, History of Rome 24.32.9
Translation

Night put an end to the slaughter.

More literally: Night made an end to the killings.

Details

Nox, noctis (3f): night. Caedibus is the dative plural form of caedēs, caedis (3f): slaughter, killing, murder; the act of cutting off. Fīnem is the accusative singular form of fīnis, fīnis (3m): end; limit; purpose. Fēcit is the third person singular perfect form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.


Habeo plurima, frāter mi. — Gen. 33:9
Translation

I have much, my brother.

More literally: I have very many things, my brother.

Details

Habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. # I have% Plūrima is the neuter accusative plural form of plūrimus/plūrima/plūrimum (1/2): most; very many, very much—the superlative form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Frāter is the vocative singular form of frāter, frātris (3m): brother. is the masculine vocative singular form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine.


Omnis ōrdinis h ominēs suggerent, omnis fortūnae, omnis aetātis. — Seneca, Epistles 24.11
Translation

They will supply us with people of every station, every class, every time of life.

More literally: They will supply men of every station, every fortune, every age.

Details

(He’s saying that his own times provide many examples of people who took death lightly.) Omnis is the m/f/n genitive singular form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every. Ōrdō, ōrdinis (3m): rank, class, station, condition; order, arrangement. Hominēs is the accusative plural form of homō, hominis (3m): man, human. Suggerent is the third person plural future form of suggerō, suggerere, suggessī, suggestum (3): to pile up; bring, supply; suggest. Fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. Aetās, aetātis (3f): age.


Ab hoc enim impetus venient mentis. — Seneca, Epistles 71.32
Translation

From this will come the impulses of the mind.

Details

(From good judgment—iūdicium, iūdiciī (2n).) Ab /ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). Hōc is the m/n ablative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Impetūs is the nominative plural form of impetus, impetūs (4m): impulse; attack, assault. Venient is the third person plural future form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Mēns, mentis (3f): mind; intention.


Vitiat lapidem longum tempus. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

Length of time wears away marble.

More literally: A long time spoils stone.

Details

(All things are worn away by time.) Vitiat is the third person singular form of vitiō, vitiāre, vitiāvī, vitiātum (1): to spoil, vitiate, make faulty. Lapidem is the accusative singular form of lapis, lapidis (3m): stone. Longus/longa/ longum (1/2): long; far off. Tempus, temporis (3n): time.


Remedia in remissiōnibus prosunt. — Seneca, On Anger 3.39.2
Translation

Remedies are effective when the malady subsides.

Alt. : Remedies work in periods of remission.

Details

(So try to cure anger only after it settles down.) Remedia is the nominative plural form of remedium, remediī (2n): remedy, cure, medicine. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Remissiōnibus is the ablative plural form of remissiō, remissiōnis (3f): release, relaxation; remission. Prōsunt is the third person plural form of prōsum, prōdesse, prōfuī, prōfutūrus (irreg.): to benefit, serve, be helpful.


Hoc fuit mortī contumēlia m facere. — Seneca, Epistles 70.20
Translation

That was truly to insult death!

More literally: This was to make an insult to death.

Details

Hic/haec/ hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Fuit is the third person singular perfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Mortī is the dative singular form of mors, mortis (3f): death. Contumēliam is the accusative singular form of contumēlia, contumēliae (1f): insult, abuse, affront. Faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Contumēliam facere = to insult (lit. , to make an insult). Cicero disapproved of contumēliam facere as an expression (“Who talks like that?” — Philippics 3.22), but it was not uncommon.


Rēgum nobis induimus animos. — Seneca, Epistles 47.20
Translation

We don the temper of kings.

More literally: We put on ourselves the spirits of kings.

Details

Rēgum is the genitive plural form of rēx, rēgis (3m): king. Nōbīs is the dative form of nōs: we. Induimus is the first person plural form of induō, induere, induī, indūtum (3): to don, put (an accusative thing) on (a dative person); assume (a part). Animōs is the accusative plural form of animus, animī (2m): mind, soul, spirit. .


Scire cupis nōmen? — Martial, Epigrams 11.8.13
Translation

Do you wish to know his name?

Details

Sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Cupis is the second person singular form of cupiō, cupere, cupīvī/cupiī, cupītum (3, –iō): to desire, long for, wish. Nōmen is the accusative singular form of nōmen, nōminis (3n): name.


Ingratus est qui iniūriam vocat fīnem voluptātis. — Seneca, Consolation to Polybius 10.2
Translation

It is an ungrateful person, who calls the termination of pleasure an injustice.

Details

Ingrātus /ingrāta/ingrātum (1/2): unpleasant, disagreeable; ungrateful. Est: he is. Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Iniūriam is the accusative singular form of iniūria, iniūriae (1f): injury, wrong, injustice. Vocat is the third person singular form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon. Fīnem is the accusative singular form of fīnis, fīnis (3m): end; limit; purpose. Voluptās, voluptātis (3f): pleasure.


In m ōrēs fortuna iūs non habet. — Seneca, Epistles 36.6
Translation

Fortune has no jurisdiction over character.

Details

In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into, against, toward, (in specific contexts) over. Mōrēs is the accusative plural form of mōs, mōris (3m): custom, habit; (in pl.) morals, character, conduct. Fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. Iūs is the accusative singular form of iūs, iūris (3n): law, right, authority, jurisdiction. Nōn: not. Habet is the third person singular form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have.


Sine cortice nabis. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

You will swim without cork.

Details

(Cork was tied to people learning how to swim.) Sine (prep.): without (takes the ablative). Cortice is the ablative singular form of cortex, corticis (3m): the bark of a tree; cork. Nābis is the second person singular future form of nō, nāre, nāvī, — (1): to swim.


Recitas mala carmina, laudo. — Martial, Epigrams 12.40.1
Translation

You recite bad poems, I praise them.

Details

Recitās is the second person singular form of recitō, recitāre, recitāvī, recitātum (1): to recite, read aloud. Mala is the neuter accusative plural form of malus/mala/malum (1/2): bad; evil. Carmina is the accusative plural form of carmen, carminis (3n): poem. Laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum (1): to praise.


Infinita est vēlōcitās temporis. — Seneca, Epistles 49.2
Translation

Infinite is the speed of time.

Details

Īnfīnītus/ īnfīnīta /īnfīnītum (1/2): infinite, endless. Est: is. Vēlōcitās, vēlōcitātis (3f): speed, rapidity. Tempus, temporis (3n): time.


Ad iūdicēs vocat iūdicem suum. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 2.3.5
Translation

He summons his own judge before the judges.

Details

Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Iūdicēs is the accusative plural form of iūdex, iūdicis (3m/f): judge. Vocat is the third person singular form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon. Iūdicem is the accusative singular form of iūdex, iūdicis (3m/f): judge. Suum is the m/n accusative singular form of suus/sua/suum (1/2).


Aliquis hoc rēgī negat? — Seneca, Trojan Women 748
Translation

Does anyone refuse a king this favor?

More literally: Does anyone refuse this to a king?

Details

Aliquis/ aliqua/aliquid (pron.): someone, something; anyone, anything. # anyone% Hoc is the neuter accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Rēgī is the dative singular form of rēx, rēgis (3m): king. Negat is the third person singular form of negō, negāre, negāvī, negātum (1): to deny; refuse.


Mortibus vivimus. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 10. pr.9
Translation

It is on deaths that we live.

More literally: We live by means of deaths.

Details

(That is, we survive by eating things that have died: “Every bird that flies, every fish that swims, every beast that roams finds burial in our stomachs.”) Mortibus is the ablative plural form of mors, mortis (3f): death. Vīvimus is the first person plural form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.


Erat multo inferior numero n āvium Brutus. — Caesar, The Civil War 1.57.1
Translation

Brutus was greatly outnumbered in ships.

More literally: Brutus was much inferior in number of ships.

Details

Erat is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Multō (adv.): much, by much; far, by far. Īnferior /īnferior/īnferius (3): lower; later; inferior—the comparative form of īnferus/īnfera/īnferum (1/2): situated below. Numerō is the ablative singular form of numerus, numerī (2m): number. Nāvium is the genitive plural form of nāvis, nāvis (3f): ship. Brūtus, Brūtī (2m): cognomen of Marcus Junius Brutus.

Default Statcounter code for Latin Tamer Online https: //latinlanguage. org