They can’t be useful if they come with infamy.
More literally: They won’t be able to be useful with infamy.
(Talking about riches—opēs (f. pl.).) Nōn: not. Poterunt is the third person plural future form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. is the m/f nominative plural form of ūtilis/ūtilis/ūtile (3): useful, helpful, beneficial. Esse: to be. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Īnfāmiā is the ablative singular form of īnfāmia, īnfāmiae (1f): bad reputation; disgrace; infamy.
No other passion’s features are more disturbed.
More literally: Not of any feeling is the face more disturbed.
Nōn: not. Est: is. is the m/f/n genitive singular form of (1/2, irreg.): any. Adfectus, adfectūs (4m—also affectus): emotion, feeling. Faciēs, faciēī (5f): face. Turbātior/ turbātior /turbātius (3): more disturbed—the comparative form of turbātus/turbāta/turbātum (1/2): disturbed, which is originally the perfect passive participle of turbō, turbāre, turbāvī, turbātum (1): to disturb.
He never wore the same garment twice.
More literally: He put on no garment twice.
is the feminine accusative singular form of (1/2, irreg.): no, none, not any. Vestem is the accusative singular form of vestis, vestis (3f): garment, clothing. Bis (adv.): twice. Induit is the third person singular perfect form of induō, induere, induī, indūtum (3): to put on (clothes); assume (a part).
It cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
Dē (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Dēsertō is the ablative singular form of dēsertum, dēsertī (2n): desert—originally the neuter form of dēsertus/dēserta/dēsertum (1/2), the perfect passive participle (deserted, forsaken) of dēserō, dēserere, dēseruī, desertum (3): to leave, desert, forsake, abandon. Venit is the third person singular form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Terrā is the ablative singular form of terra, terrae (1f): land; region; earth. is the m/f/n ablative singular form of horribilis/horribilis/horribile (3): terrifying, frightful, terrible.
The beginning of a good way is to do justice.
Initium, initiī (2n): beginning. Via, viae (1f): way, road. is the feminine genitive singular form of (1/2): good. Faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Iūstitiam is the accusative singular form of iūstitia, iūstitiae (1f): justice, fairness. (The verb est is implied.)
Unhappy man, you will see the bitter funeral of your son!
is the m/f/n vocative singular form of īnfēlīx, īnfēlīcis (3, adj.): unhappy, unfortunate, unlucky. Nātus, nātī (2m): son—originally the masculine perfect participle of nāscor, nāscī, nātus sum (3, deponent): to be born; spring forth. Fūnus is the accusative singular form of fūnus, fūneris (3n): funeral; death. is the neuter accusative singular form of crūdēlis/crūdēlis/crūdēle (3): cruel. Vidēbis is the second person singular future form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see.
Bad beginnings, bad endings.
More literally: Of a bad beginning, a bad ending.
is the m/n genitive singular form of malus/mala/malum (1/2): bad; evil. Prīncipium, prīncipiī (2n): beginning, origin. Malus /mala/malum (1/2): bad; evil. Fīnis, fīnis (3m): bound, boundary, borders, limit; end, ending.
They really are subject to forgetfulness of many things, but they also pretend forgetfulness of many.
More literally: They indeed experience forgetfulness of many things, but they also pretend (forgetfulness) of many.
is the feminine genitive plural form of (1/2): much, many. Quidem (particle): at any rate; indeed. Rērum is the genitive plural form of rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair; fact; circumstance; property. Oblīviōnem is the accusative singular form of oblīviō, oblīviōnis (3f): forgetfulness, a forgetting; oblivion. Sentiunt is the third person plural form of sentiō, sentīre, sēnsī, sēnsum (4): to feel; perceive; experience, undergo; think, opine. Sed (conj.): but. is the feminine genitive plural form of (1/2): much, many. Et (adv.): also; even. Imitantur is the third person plural form of imitor, imitārī, imitātus sum (1, deponent): to imitate; pretend, simulate.
“Those things,” he said, “are the same for everyone, equally difficult.”
(The reply of Alexander’s teacher when he asked to learn the easy parts of geometry; Seneca is saying the problems of life work the same way.) Ista is the neuter nominative plural form of iste/ista/istud (pron.): that, that one (of yours); he, she, it. Inquit is the third person singular form of inquam (irreg. and defective): to say (inquit = he/she says or said). Omnibus is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of (3): all; every; (m. pl. used substantively) all (people), everyone. Eadem is the neuter nominative plural form of īdem/eadem/idem (adj.): the same. Sunt: (they) are. Aequē (adv.): equally, just as. is the neuter nominative plural form of (3): difficult.
It is the only immortal thing that falls to mortal lot.
More literally: This alone is granted immortal to mortals.
(The real good: wisdom and virtue.) Hic/haec/ hoc (pron.): this, this one; he, she, it. Ūnus/ūna/ ūnum (1/2, irreg.): one; alone; only. Contingit is the third person singular form of contingō, contingere, contigī, contāctum (3): to touch; reach, extend to; happen, be granted to, fall to the lot of (someone in the dative). Inmortālis/inmortālis/ inmortāle (3—also immortālis): immortal. is the m/f/n dative plural form of mortālis/mortālis/mortāle (3): mortal (used substantively).
We are devoid of every good.
More literally: . . . of all goods (all good things).
is the m/f nominative plural form of inānis/inānis/ināne (3): empty, void; devoid; vain, futile; foolish, inane. is the m/f/n genitive plural form of (3): all; every. Bonōrum is the genitive plural form of bonum, bonī (2n): a good; benefit; (in pl.) possessions. Sumus: we are.
Why did he give eternal life?
Quō (interrog. adv.): whither? where to? to what place? to what end? Vītam is the accusative singular form of vīta, vītae (1f): life. Dedit is the third person singular perfect form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give. is the feminine accusative singular form of aeternus/aeterna/aeternum (1/2): eternal; permanent.
Any vein in your body.
(Beforehand: “Do you ask what is the highway to liberty?”) Quīlibet/ quaelibet /quodlibet (adj.): any (you like). In (prep.): (with abl.) in; (with acc.) into. Corpore is the ablative singular form of corpus, corporis (3n): body. is the m/n ablative singular form of (1/2): your, yours. Vēna, vēnae (1f): vein, blood vessel.
He obtained every point.
(That is, he got every vote; this refers to the practice of recording votes with a dot on a wax tablet. The expression is used by Horace at The Art of Poetry 343.) is the neuter accusative singular form of (3): all; every. Tulit is the third person singular perfect form of ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum (3): to carry; endure; produce; win, obtain. Pūnctum is the accusative singular form of pūnctum, pūnctī (2n): point, dot, puncture—originally the neuter perfect passive participle of pungō, pungere, pupugī, pūnctum (3): to prick, pierce, puncture; trouble, vex, annoy.
Other boats were with him.
is the feminine nominative plural form of [alius / alia / aliud] (1/2, irreg.): another, other; different. Nāvēs is the nominative plural form of nāvis, nāvis (3f): ship, boat. Erant is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Illō is the m/n ablative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it.
What city is like unto this great city!
More literally: Which one (i.e., which city) (is) similar to this great city?
Quī/ quae /quod (interrog. pron.): which (one)? Similis/ /simile (3): similar. Cīvitātī is the dative singular form of cīvitās, cīvitātis (3f): citizenship; state, city-state, city; citizenry, citizens collectively. Huic is the m/f/n dative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (adj.): this. is the feminine dative singular form of (1/2): great, large; important.
Nothing has an ending.
More literally: There is an end of no thing.
is the m/f/n genitive singular form of (1/2, irreg.): not any, no, none. Rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair; fact; circumstance; property. Fīnis, fīnis (3m): bound, boundary, border, limit; end. Est: there is.
But the friends of the rich are many.
Amīcī is the nominative plural form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. Vērō (particle): truly; but, on the other hand; moreover, indeed. is the m/f/n (here m) genitive plural form of dīves, dīvitis (3, adj.): rich (used substantively). is the masculine nominative plural form of (1/2): much, many. (The verb sunt is implied.)
A good leader makes a good follower.
(That is, a good leader makes his followers good.) /bona/bonum (1/2): good. Dux, ducis (3m/f): guide; leader. is the m/n accusative singular form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Reddit is the third person singular form of reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum (3): to give back, return; hand over, deliver; render; make or cause a thing to be so and so; make, produce. Comitem is the accusative singular form of comes, comitis (3m/f): companion, partner; follower.
In another world.
(Of someone who is very different.) In (prep.): (with abl.) in; (with acc.) into. is the m/n ablative singular form of (1/2, irreg.): another, other; different. Mundō is the ablative singular form of mundus, mundī (2m): universe; world.
You must accumulate many proofs of madness.
is the neuter accusative plural form of (1/2): much, many. Dēbēs is the second person singular form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought, should, must. Dēmentia, dēmentiae (1f): madness, insanity. Signa is the accusative plural form of signum, signī (2n): sign, mark; signal; emblem; statue; (in Christian usage) miracle. Colligō, colligere, collēgī, collēctum (3): to gather, collect, assemble.
The city was unsightly from former fires and fallen buildings.
Dēfōrmis/ dēfōrmis /dēfōrme (3): deformed, ugly, unsightly; shameful. Urbs, urbis (3f): city. is the m/f/n ablative plural form of vetus, veteris (3, adj.): old, ancient. Incendiīs is the ablative plural form of incendium, incendiī (2n): fire, conflagration. Atque/ ac (conj.): and, and also, and then. Ruīnīs is the ablative plural form of ruīna, ruīnae (1f): a falling down, fall, collapse; ruin; (pl.) fallen building, ruins (here it could refer to the fallen buildings or to their past collapses). Erat is the third person singular imperfect form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be.
You fornicate, Sextilianus, by means of my presents.
(His friend is seducing girls with gifts that he used to give to Martial.) Mūneribus is the ablative plural form of mūnus, mūneris (3n): gift, present; office; duty. Futuis is the second person singular form of futuō, futuere, futuī, futūtum (3): to have sex (with) (vulgar). Sextiliāne is the vocative singular form of the proper name Sextiliānus, Sextiliānī (2m). is the m/f/n ablative plural form of (1/2): my, mine.
A liar should have a good memory.
More literally: It is necessary (for) the lying man to be memorious.
(Because it’s hard to stay consistent when you veer from the truth.) is the m/f accusative singular form of mendāx, mendācis (3, adj.): untruthful, lying. is the m/f accusative singular form of memor, memoris (3, adj.): remembering, having a good memory (the English word for which is memorious). Esse: to be. Oportet, oportēre, oportuit, — (2): it is fitting, it is necessary (impersonal verb; it can go—as it does here—with an accusative-and-infinitive clause).
The fortunate have many kinsmen.
More literally: The kinsmen of the fortunate (are) many.
is the m/f/n (here m) genitive plural form of fēlīx, fēlīcis (3): lucky, fortunate; prosperous; successful. is the masculine nominative plural form of (1/2): much, many. Cognātī is the nominative plural form of cognātus, cognātī (2m): blood relation, kinsman (a substantive use of cognātus/cognāta/cognātum (1/2): related by birth; kindred; akin). (The verb sunt is implied.)
First among equals.
(Someone formally equal to others but given more respect.) /prīma/prīmum (1/2): first; foremost; chief. Inter (prep.): between; among (takes the accusative). is the m/f (here m) accusative plural form of (3, adj.): equal.
The laws they framed were not for one state only, but for the whole human race.
More literally: (. . . laws. . .) which they brought in not for one state, but for the whole human race.
(He’s talking about the laws—lēx, lēgis (3f)—given by the first Stoic philosophers.) Quās is the feminine accusative plural form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Nōn: not. is the m/f/n dative singular form of (1/2, irreg.): one; alone; only. Cīvitātī is the dative singular form of cīvitās, cīvitātis (3f): citizenship; state, city-state, city; citizenry, citizens. Sed (conj.): but. is the m/f/n dative singular form of (1/2, irreg.): whole, entire. is the m/n dative singular form of (1/2): human. Generī is the dative singular form of genus, generis (3n): kind, type; race; birth, descent. Tulērunt is the third person plural perfect form of ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum (3, irreg.): to carry, bear; endure; produce; bring in, propose or pass (a law).