Chapter 24: The Fourth Declension

Mucius ignibus manum imposuit. — Seneca, Epistles 24.5
Translation

Mucius put his hand on the flames.

Details

(Mucius was said to have put his hand into a fire without flinching to show his mettle to an Etruscan enemy.) Mūcius /Mūcia/Mūcium (1/2): a family name (especially of Gaius Mucius Cordus, a Roman hero). Ignibus is the dative plural form of ignis, ignis (3m): fire. Manum is the accusative singular form of manus, manūs (4f): hand. Imposuit is the third person singular perfect form of impōnō, impōnere, imposuī, impositum (3): to place (an accusative thing) in or on (something often mentioned in the dative case); impose upon, fix, assign.


Quid tan to turbantur moenia lūctū? — Virgil, Aeneid 12.620
Translation

What is this great sorrow that shakes the walls?

More literally: Why are the walls shaken by such great lamentation?

Details

Quid (adv.): why? Tantō is the m/n ablative singular form of tantus/tanta/tantum (1/2): so great, such great, so much. Turbantur is the third person plural passive form of turbō, turbāre, turbāvī, turbātum (1): to agitate, stir up, disturb, upset. Moenia, moenium (3n, plural only): (defensive) walls. Lūctū is the ablative singular form of lūctus, lūctūs (4m): grief or the expression of it, mourning, lamentation.


Alii adfectūs apparent, hic eminet. — Seneca, On Anger 1.1.7
Translation

Other emotions show, anger stands out.

More literally: Other emotions are visible, this stands out.

Details

Aliī is the masculine nominative plural form of alius/alia/aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another. Adfectūs is the nominative plural form of adfectus, adfectūs (4m—also affectus): emotion, feeling. Apparent is the third person plural form of appāreō, appārēre, appāruī, appāritum (2): to be visible; appear; be obvious. Hic /haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Ēminet is the third person singular form of ēmineō, ēminēre, ēminuī, — (2): to stand out, project.


Illius manibus in urbem perlatus sum. — Seneca, Consolation to Helvia 19.2
Translation

I was carried to Rome in her arms.

More literally: I was carried into the city by her hands.

Details

Illīus is the m/f/n genitive singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it. Manibus is the ablative plural form of manus, manūs (4f): hand. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Urbem is the accusative singular form of urbs, urbis (3f): city. Perlātus sum is the first person masculine singular perfect passive form of perferō, perferre, pertulī, perlātum (3, irreg.): to carry, convey; maintain, keep up; endure.


Punivi ambitum, non innocentiam. — Cicero, In Defense of Murena 67
Translation

I punished bribery, not innocence.

Details

Pūniō, pūnīre, pūnīvī /pūniī, pūnītum (4): to punish. Ambitum is the accusative singular form of ambitus, ambitūs (4m): bribery. Nōn: not. Innocentiam is the accusative singular form of innocentia, innocentiae (1f): innocence.


Spīritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma. — Matt. 26:41
Translation

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Details

Spīritus, spīritūs (4m): breath; spirit. Quidem (particle): indeed, certainly, in fact. Prōmptus /prōmpta/prōmptum (1/2): readily available; prompt, ready, willing—originally the perfect passive participle of prōmō, prōmere, prōmpsī, prōmptum (3): to take out, fetch out, bring forth. Est: is. Carō, carnis (3f): flesh. Autem (particle): on the other hand, but, however; and, moreover. Īnfirmus/ īnfirma /īnfirmum (1/2): weak, feeble, infirm.


Non potest arbor bona malos frūctūs facere. — Matt. 7:18
Translation

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.

More literally: A good tree is not able to make bad fruits.

Details

Nōn: not. Potest is the third person singular form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Arbor, arboris (3f): tree. Bonus/ bona /bonum (1/2): good. Malōs is the masculine accusative plural form of malus/mala/malum (1/2): bad; evil. Frūctūs is the accusative plural form of frūctus, frūctūs (4m): fruit; product; profit; enjoyment. Faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.


Primi eius ictūs acres sunt. — Seneca, On Anger 1.17.6
Translation

Its first blows are fierce.

Details

(Speaking of anger.) Prīmī is the masculine nominative plural form of prīmus/prīma/prīmum (1/2): first. Eius is the m/f/n genitive singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Ictūs is the nominative plural form of ictus, ictūs (4m): blow; sting. Ācrēs is the m/f nominative plural form of ācer/ācris/ācre (3): sharp, violent, fierce. Sunt: (they) are.


Stābat Drusus silentium manū poscens. — Tacitus, Annals 1.25
Translation

Drusus stood, beckoning with his hand for silence.

More literally: Drusus stood, demanding silence with (his) hand.

Details

Stābat is the third person singular imperfect form of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand. Drūsus, Drūsī (2m): Roman cognomen, here of a famous commander. Silentium is the accusative singular form of silentium, silentiī (2n): silence. Manū is the ablative singular form of manus, manūs (4f): hand. Poscēns, poscentis (3) is the present active participle of poscō, poscere, poposcī, — (3): to ask, demand.


Sed abeo a sēnsibus. — Cicero, Lucullus 91
Translation

But I am getting away from the senses.

Details

Sed (conj.): but. Abeō, abīre, abiī, abitum (irreg.): to go away, depart. Ab/ ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). Sēnsibus is the ablative plural form of sēnsus, sēnsūs (4m): sensation, perception, feeling; sense.


Exercitūs partem ipse, relicuos Marius ducebat. — Sallust, The War with Jugurtha 55.5
Translation

He personally led part of the army, and Marius the rest.

More literally: Of the army, part (he led) himself, the remaining Marius led.

Details

Exercitus, exercitūs (4m): army. Partem is the accusative singular form of pars, partis (3f): part. Ipse /ipsa/ipsum (pron.): (he) himself, (she) herself, (it) itself; in person. Relicuōs is the masculine accusative plural form of relicuus/relicua/relicuum (1/2—also reliquus): remaining, left over. Marius /Maria/Marium (1/2): family name. Dūcēbat is the third person singular imperfect form of dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductum (3): to lead.


Capra contra sese cornua. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

The goat turns its horns against itself.

More literally: The goat the horns against itself. (The verb turns is implied.)

Details

(From a fable in which a goat is shot by a bow made from a goat’s horns.) Capra, caprae (1f): female goat. Contrā (prep.): against. Sēsē is a variant of , the accusative form of the reflexive pronoun (sēsē was perhaps originally more emphatic, but there is little difference in classical Latin). Cornua is the accusative plural form of cornū, cornūs (4n): horn.


Timent praeterea contemptum. — Seneca, On Mercy 1.7.3
Translation

They are furthermore afraid of being despised.

More literally: Furthermore, they fear contempt.

Details

(Why people pursue revenge.) Timent is the third person plural form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid. Praetereā (adv.): in addition, besides, furthermore, moreover. Contemptum is the accusative singular form of contemptus, contemptūs (4m): contempt.


Si totum corpus oculus, ubi audītus? — 1 Cor. 12:17
Translation

If the whole body were the eye, where would be the hearing?

More literally: If the whole body (were) an eye, where the hearing?

Details

(conj.): if. Tōtus/tōta/ tōtum (1/2, irreg.): whole, entire, all. Corpus, corporis (3n): body. Oculus, oculī (2m): eye. Ubi (interrog. adv.): where? Audītus, audītūs (4m): listening, sense of hearing; hearsay.


De frūctū manuum suarum plantavit vīneam. — Prov. 31:16
Translation

From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard.

Details

(prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Frūctū is the ablative singular form of frūctus, frūctūs (4m): fruit; product; profit; enjoyment. Manuum is the genitive plural form of manus, manūs (4f): hand. Suārum is the feminine genitive plural form of suus/sua/suum (1/2). Plantāvit is the third person singular perfect form of plantō, plantāre, plantāvī, plantātum (1): to plant. Vīneam is the accusative singular form of vīnea, vīneae (1f): vineyard.


Itaque meo et hostium exercituī par condicio est. — Sallust, Fragment on Pompey 32
Translation

Thus the condition of the enemy’s army and mine is the same.

More literally: Therefore the situation is the same (or there is the same situation) for my and the enemy’s army.

Details

(From Pompey’s speech to the Senate.) Itaque (adv.): and so, therefore. Meō is the m/n dative singular form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine. Et (conj.): and. Hostium is the genitive plural form of hostis, hostis (3m/f): enemy. Exercituī is the dative singular form of exercitus, exercitūs (4m): army. Pār, paris (3, adj.): even; equal. Condiciō, condiciōnis (3f): condition, situation. Est: is.


Non enim servit, sed imperat s ēnsibus. — Seneca, Epistles 66.32
Translation

For it is not a slave to the senses, but a ruler over them.

Details

(He’s talking about reason.) Nōn: not. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Servit is the third person singular form of serviō, servīre, servīvī/serviī, servītum (4): to serve; be a slave (takes a dative object). Sed (conj.): but. Imperat is the third person singular form of imperō, imperāre, imperāvī, imperātum (1): to command; rule (over) (takes a dative object). Sēnsibus is the dative plural form of sēnsus, sēnsūs (4m): sensation, perception, feeling; any of the physical senses.

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