As for me, I’m enjoying life to the full, which means I am thoroughly idle.
More literally: I myself am living a most pleasant (that is, most idle) life.
Ipse /ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): himself/herself/itself/oneself/myself/etc. ; in person. Vītam is the accusative singular form of vīta, vītae (1f): life. is the feminine accusative singular form of (1/2): very/most pleasant—the superlative form of iūcundus/iūcunda/iūcundum (1/2). Is/ea/ id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Est: is (id est is often used in this same way in English with the abbreviation i.e., : that is). is the feminine accusative singular form of (1/2): very/most idle—the superlative form of ōtiōsus/ōtiōsa/ōtiōsum (1/2). Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.
He who feeds the newest athletes?
(He’s asking who is really living rather than wasting time.) Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Āthlētās is the accusative plural form of āthlēta, āthlētae (1m): athlete; wrestler. is the masculine accusative plural form of (1/2): newest, latest; last—the superlative form of novus/nova/novum (1/2). Pāscit is the third person singular form of pāscō, pāscere, pāvī, pāstum (3): to feed, or attend to the feeding of; nourish, cultivate.
He covered it with pure gold.
More literally: . . . with cleanest gold.
Vestīvit is the third person singular perfect form of vestiō, vestīre, vestīvī/vestiī, vestītum (4): to clothe; cover. Illud is the neuter accusative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it. Aurō is the ablative singular form of aurum, aurī (2n): gold. is the m/n ablative singular form of (1/2): very clean/cleanest—the superlative form of mundus/munda/mundum (1/2).
To every man his own country is most agreeable.
Patria, patriae (1f): fatherland, country. Suus/ sua /suum (1/2): his (own). Cuique is the m/f/n dative singular form of quisque/quaeque/quidque (pron.): each one, each person, each thing. Iūcundissimus/ /iūcundissimum (1/2): very/most pleasant—the superlative form of (1/2). (The verb est is implied.)
You mourn the loss of our most illustrious fellow countrymen.
More literally: You are missing (our) most illustrious citizens.
Dēsīderātis is the second person plural form of dēsīderō, dēsīderāre, dēsīderāvī, dēsīderātum (1): to desire; miss; long for something lost or not possessed. is the masculine accusative plural form of (1/2): very/most clear, very bright/brightest; very/most famous, very/most renowned, very/most illustrious—the superlative form of clārus/clāra/clārum (1/2). Cīvīs is the accusative plural form of cīvis, cīvis (3m/f): citizen.
. . . he approached Cluvius. What kind of man? a trifler? No, most serious. Pliable? No, most firm.
Vēnit is the third person singular perfect form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Cluvium is the m/n (here m) accusative singular form of the family name Cluvius/Cluvia/Cluvium (1/2). Quem is the masculine accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (interrog. adj.): which. . . ? what. . . ? what kind of. . . ? Hominem is the accusative singular form of homō, hominis (3m): man, human being. Levem is the m/f accusative singular form of levis/levis/leve (3): light; trifling; fickle. Immō (particle): nay, rather; on the contrary. is the m/n accusative singular form of (1/2): very heavy/heaviest; very/most serious—the superlative form of gravis/gravis/grave (3). Mōbilem is the m/f accusative singular form of mōbilis/mōbilis/mōbile (3): movable; mobile; flexible; inconstant, fickle. is the m/n accusative singular form of (1/2): very/most constant or firm—the superlative form of cōnstāns, cōnstantis (3, adj.), which is originally the present active participle of cōnstō, cōnstāre, cōnstitī, cōnstātūrus (1): to stand together; stand firm; be consistent; exist.
So the last shall be first, and the first last.
Sīc (adv.): thus, so. Erunt is the third person plural future form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. is the masculine nominative plural form of (1/2): newest; last—the superlative form of novus/nova/novum (1/2). Prīmī is the masculine nominative plural form of prīmus/prīma/prīmum (1/2): first. Et (conj.): and. Prīmī is the masculine nominative plural form of prīmus/prīma/prīmum (1/2): first. is the masculine nominative plural form of (1/2): newest; last—the superlative form of novus/nova/novum (1/2).
The thought of my kind old father kept me back.
More literally: The old age of my very kind father held me back.
(He’s talking about why he didn’t kill himself when he was miserably ill, probably from asthma.) Pater, patris (3m): father. Mē is the accusative form of ego. is the m/n genitive singular form of (1/2): very/most kind, very/most indulgent—the superlative form of indulgēns, indulgentis (3, adj.), which is originally the present active participle of indulgeō, indulgēre, indulsī, indultum (2): to indulge. Senectūs, senectūtis (3f): old age. Retinuit is the third person singular perfect form of retineō, retinēre, retinuī, retentum (2): to hold back, restrain.
They counteract the venom of the most vicious serpents.
More literally: They stand against the most wicked of snakes.
(He’s talking about the good effects of blueberries.) Adversantur is the third person plural form of adversor, adversārī, adversātus sum (1, deponent): to stand against, resist, oppose, counteract (takes the dative). Serpentium is the genitive plural form of serpēns, serpentis (3m/f): serpent, snake—originally the present active participle of serpō, serpere, serpsī, serptum (3): to creep, crawl. is the m/f/n dative plural form of (1/2): very/most accursed; very/most wicked, very/most criminal—the superlative form of scelerātus/scelerāta/scelerātum (1/2).
He brought forth streams from the hardest rock.
Ēdūxit is the third person singular perfect form of ēdūcō, ēdūcere, ēdūxī, ēductum (3): to lead forth, bring forth, draw out. Rīvōs is the accusative plural form of rīvus, rīvī (2m): stream of water. Dē (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Petrā is the ablative singular form of petra, petrae (1f): rock. is the feminine ablative singular form of (1/2): very hard/hardest—the superlative form of dūrus/dūra/dūrum (1/2).
The law does not concern itself with trifles.
More literally: The law does not care about the smallest/very small things.
Dē (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). is the m/f/n (here n) ablative plural form of (1/2—used substantively): very small/smallest, least—the superlative form of parvus/parva/parvum (1/2). Nōn: not. Cūrat is the third person singular form of cūrō, cūrāre, cūrāvī, cūrātum (1): to look after, attend to; care. Lēx, lēgis (3f): law; rule.
He gave the purest gold.
Aurum is the accusative singular form of aurum, aurī (2n): gold. is the m/n accusative singular form of (1/2): very pure/purest—the superlative form of pūrus/pūra/pūrum (1/2). Dedit is the third person singular perfect form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give.
Sometimes pain, at other times chance, makes the weak equal to the strongest.
is the masculine accusative plural form of imbēcillus/imbēcilla/imbēcillum (1/2): weak. is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of (1/2): very strong/strongest; very healthy/healthiest—the superlative form of valēns, valentis (3, adj.)—originally the present active participle (being strong) of valeō, valēre, valuī, valitum (2): to be healthy or strong. Aliās (adv.): at another time or times (aliās. . . aliās = sometimes. . . at other times). Dolor, dolōris (3m): pain, grief, sorrow. Aliās (adv.): at another time or times. Cāsus, cāsūs (4m): fall; accident; disaster; chance. Exaequat is the third person singular form of exaequō, exaequāre, exaequāvī, exaequātum (1): to make level or equal, balance, equalize.
And I will raise him up in the last day.
Et (conj.): and. Ego: I. Resuscitābō is the first person singular future form of resuscitō, resuscitāre, resuscitāvī, resuscitātum (1): to revive, raise again. Eum is the masculine accusative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. is the m/n ablative singular form of (1/2): newest; last—the superlative form of novus/nova/novum (1/2). Diē is the ablative singular form of diēs, diēī (5m/f): day. (Time when is usually conveyed in classical Latin by the ablative without the preposition in; but the addition of in isn’t rare in ecclesiastical and later writings. See Chapter 29 of The Latin Tamer.)
What a quantity of sagacious verses lie buried in the mime!
More literally: How much of the most cleverly expressed verses lies among the mimes!
(He’s saying there is often great wisdom buried in the plays that are put on by comic actors; “mimes” weren’t silent in those days.) Quantum, quantī (interrog. pron.): how great an amount? how much? is the m/n genitive plural form of (1/2): most well-spoken; most clearly, cleverly or skillfully expressed—the superlative form of disertus/diserta/disertum (1/2). Versuum is the genitive plural form of versus, versūs (4m): a line (esp. of verse); verse. Inter (prep.): between; among (takes the accusative). Mīmōs is the accusative plural form of mīmus, mīmī (2m): mime. Iacet is the third person singular form of iaceō, iacēre, iacuī, iacitum (2): to lie (in a certain place or state).