Most of these problems call on you to fill in the specific form used in the passage and also the basic forms of the participle itself (nominative and genitive singular), which can be derived from the verb. The first problem that follows contains an exception (the basic form is given in the notes) for a participle that is irregular.
Nature strips you as bare at your departure as at your entrance.
More literally: Nature strips the returning person just as the entering.
Excutit is the third person singular form of excutiō, excutere, excussī, excussum (3, –iō): to shake out, cast off; empty, strip bare; inspect. is the m/f accusative singular form of , the present active participle of redeō, redīre, rediī, reditum (irreg.): to go back, return. Nātūra, nātūrae (1f): nature. Sīcut (conj.): just as. is the m/f accusative singular form of , the present active participle of intrō, intrāre, intrāvī, intrātum (1): to enter.
Their friends had offered congratulations and taken their leave.
More literally: The friends, congratulating, had just left.
Modo (adv.): only, just; just now, just lately, recently. is the m/f nominative plural form of , the present active participle of grātulor, grātulārī, grātulātus sum (1, deponent): to congratulate. Amīcī is the nominative plural form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. Recesserant is the third person plural pluperfect form of recēdō, recēdere, recessī, recessum (3): to recede, retreat, withdraw, leave.
That is why we only believe statements on oath.
More literally: For that reason we do not believe (anyone) except the swearing. Or: . . . we do not believe (them) unless swearing.
Ideō (adv.): for that reason, therefore. Nōn: not. Nisi (conj.): unless; except. is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of , the present active participle of iūrō, iūrāre, iūrāvī, iūrātum (1): to swear, vow. Crēdimus is the first person plural form of crēdō, crēdere, crēdidī, crēditum (3): to believe (the person believed goes in the dative).
For there is a natural prejudice in favor of people who have difficulties.
More literally: For there is a natural partiality for the suffering.
Est: there is. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Nātūrālis /nātūrālis/nātūrāle (3): natural. Favor, favōris (3m): favor, partiality. Prō (prep.): in front of, before; in exchange for, instead of; for, on behalf of (takes the ablative). is the m/f/n (here m) ablative plural form of , the present active participle of labōrō, labōrāre, labōrāvī, labōrātum (1): to labor, toil, work; suffer, be in trouble, have difficulties.
She was the one member of my family I saw dying.
More literally: I saw her alone of mine dying.
Hanc is the feminine accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Sōlam is the feminine accusative singular form of sōlus/sōla/sōlum (1/2, irreg.): alone, only. Ex /ē (prep.): from, out of, of (takes the ablative). Meīs is the m/f/n (here m) ablative plural form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine. is the m/f accusative singular form of , the present active participle of morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die. Videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see.
How can a wise man help another wise man?
Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? accusative used adverbially: in what respect? how? , is the present active participle (discerning, being wise) of sapiō, sapere, sapīvī, — (3, –iō): to have good sense; be wise—as an adjective: wise; as a noun: wise man, sage. is the m/f/n (here m) dative singular form of the same participle. Prōderit is the third person singular future form of prōsum, prōdesse, prōfuī, prōfutūrus (irreg.): to benefit, be useful, be helpful (takes the dative).
For what is baser than philosophy courting applause?
Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Enim (particle): for, indeed. Turpior/turpior/ turpius (3) is the comparative form of turpis/turpis/turpe (3): ugly; disgraceful, shameful. Philosophiā is the ablative singular form of philosophia, philosophiae (1f): philosophy. is the m/f/n ablative singular form of , the present active participle of captō, captāre, captāvī, captātum (1): to grasp at, seek to obtain. Clāmōrēs is the accusative plural form of clāmor, clāmōris (3m): shout, shouting, clamor; acclamation. (The verb est is implied.)
Pity is a weakness of the mind that is over-much perturbed by suffering.
More literally: Pity is a fault of minds being too frightened by misfortune.
Misericordia, misericordiae (1f): pity. Vitium, vitiī (2n): vice, fault. Est: is. Animōrum is the genitive plural form of animus, animī (2m): mind, soul. Nimis (adv.): too (much), excessively. Miseriā is the ablative singular form of miseria, miseriae (1f): misfortune, affliction. is the m/f/n genitive plural form of , the present active participle of paveō, pavēre, pāvī, — (2): to be frightened or terrified, dread, fear (greatly).
He defends him even though he is guilty.
More literally: He defends (him) however harming.
Dēfendit is the third person singular form of dēfendō, dēfendere, dēfendī, dēfēnsum (3): to defend. Quamvīs (rel. adv.): however (much); though. is the m/f accusative singular form of , the present active participle of noceō, nocēre, nocuī, nocitum (2): to harm—as an adjective: guilty.
Let us retreat from the objects that allure.
More literally: Let us withdraw from the inviting things.
Ab /ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). is the m/f/n (here n) ablative plural form of , the present active participle of invītō, invītāre, invītāvī, invītātum (1): to invite. Recēdāmus is the first person plural subjunctive form of recēdō, recēdere, recessī, recessum (3): to recede, retreat, withdraw (subjunctive because it’s hortatory).
Have I not seen many men break the thread of life?
More literally: Have I not watched many severing life?
Nōn: not. Multōs is the masculine accusative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Spectō, spectāre, spectāvī, spectātum (1): to watch, look at; aim at; consider. (or ) is the m/f accusative plural form of , the present active participle of abrumpō, abrumpere, abrūpī, abruptum (3): to break or cut off, sever; cut short. Vītam is the accusative singular form of vīta, vītae (1f): life.
No one withstood their attack.
More literally: No one withstood them coming.
Nēmō, nēminis (3m): no one. Illīs is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it. is the m/f/n dative plural form of , the present active participle of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Restitit is the third person singular perfect form of resistō, resistere, restitī, — (3): to halt, stop; resist, oppose; withstand (often takes a dative object).
To pursue a flying quarry.
More literally: To pursue flying things.
(E. g. , to write about subjects that are elusive.) is the neuter accusative plural form of , the present active participle of volō, volāre, volāvī, volātum (1): to fly. Sector, sectārī, sectātus sum (1, deponent): to run after, chase, pursue.
We have seen the putrefying body.
Vīdimus is the first person plural perfect form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. is the neuter accusative singular form of , the present active participle of fluō, fluere, flūxī, flūxum (3): to flow; liquefy; decay, putrefy. Corpus is the accusative singular form of corpus, corporis (3n): body.
He counts himself happy in his last moments.
More literally: He seems to himself to be happy dying.
(Speaking of Epicurus.) Beātus /beāta/beātum (1/2): happy; prosperous—originally the perfect passive participle of beō, beāre, beāvī, beātum (1): to make happy or prosperous (the adjective is much more common than the verb). Sibi is the dative form of the reflexive pronoun. Vidētur is the third person singular passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see; (in passive) seem. Esse: to be. , is the present active participle of morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –io): to die.
But what is more foolish than a man afraid of words?
More literally: But what more foolish than a man fearing words?
Quis/quis/ quid (pron.): who? what? Autem (particle): on the other hand, but, however; and, moreover. Stultior/stultior/ stultius (3) is the comparative form of stultus/stulta/stultum (1/2): foolish, stupid. Homine is the ablative singular form of homō, hominis (3m): man, human being. Verba is the accusative plural form of verbum, verbī (2n): word. is the m/f/n ablative singular form of , the present active participle of metuō, metuere, metuī, metūtum (3): to fear, be afraid, dread (homine. . . metuente is the ablative of comparison). (The verb est is implied.)