The remedies which are most helpful are those which are not interrupted.
More literally: Continued remedies help most.
Plūrimum (adv.): very much; most; generally. Remedia is the nominative plural form of remedium, remediī (2n): remedy. is the neuter nominative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of continuō, continuāre, continuāvī, continuātum (1): to connect; continue; practice without interruption. Prōficiunt is the third person plural form of prōficiō, prōficere, prōfēcī, prōfectum (3, –iō): to advance, make progress; profit, accomplish; help.
He then underwent the ordained penalty.
Tum (adv.): then. is the feminine accusative singular form of , the perfect passive participle of iubeō, iubēre, iussī, iussum (2): to order, command, bid. Poenam is the accusative singular form of poena, poenae (1f): penalty, punishment. Subiit is the third person singular perfect form of subeō, subīre, subiī, subitum (irreg.): to go under; submit to, undergo.
In an angry man you will find none of these things.
More literally: Of which you will find nothing in the angered (man).
Quōrum is the m/n (here n) genitive plural form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Inveniēs is the second person singular future form of inveniō, invenīre, invēnī, inventum (4): to find. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. is the m/n (here m) ablative singular form of , the perfect active participle (having become angry, angered, enraged) of īrāscor, īrāscī, īrātus sum (1, deponent): to be or become angry—used as an adjective: angry. .
Much of the work has already been done.
More literally: There is already a lot of finished work.
Iam (adv.): already; now; soon. Multum, multī (2n): a large amount, much, a lot. Opus, operis (3n): work. is the m/n genitive singular form of , the perfect passive participle of efficiō, efficere, effēcī, effectum (3, –iō): to complete, finish; produce, bring about; carry out, accomplish. Est: there is.
I was bewildered, driven on by my grief.
More literally: Pain drove me, stunned.
Ēgit is the third person singular perfect form of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, put in motion; do; act. Mē is the accusative form of ego. is the m/n accusative singular form of , the perfect passive participle of attonō, attonāre, attonuī, attonitum (1): to strike with lightning; stun, stupefy, amaze (forms other than the perfect passive participle are rare). Dolor, dolōris (3m): pain.
He has risen from the dead.
Surrēxit is the third person singular perfect form of surgō, surgere, surrēxī, surrēctum (3): to rise, get up. Ab/ ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). is the m/f/n (here m) ablative plural form of , the perfect active participle (having died) of morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die—as an adjective: dead.
Your great-great-grandfather spared the vanquished.
Ignōvit is the third person singular perfect form of ignōscō, ignōscere, ignōvī, ignōtum (3): to forgive, pardon (takes a dative object). Abavus, abavī (2m): great-great-grandfather. Tuus /tua/tuum (1/2): your, yours. is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of vincō, vincere, vīcī, victum (3): to conquer, vanquish, defeat; win, be victorious.
The mind often tries not to notice even that which lies before our eyes.
More literally: Often the mind ignores even things uncovered.
Saepe (adv.) often. Animus, animī (2m): mind, soul. Etiam (particle): still; also; even. is the neuter accusative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of aperiō, aperīre, aperuī, apertum (4): to open; uncover. Dissimulat is the third person singular form of dissimulō, dissimulāre, dissimulāvī, dissimulātum (1): to conceal, hide; ignore.
Let our hands pummel our bruised breast.
More literally: Let the hands be made to fall repeatedly on the lacerated breast.
(. . . if it will help bring back the dead person we’re grieving; but since it won’t, let’s not.) Ingerantur is the third person plural passive subjunctive form of ingerō, ingerere, ingessī, ingestum (3): to carry into (something in the dative); press or thrust upon or into; inflict upon; heap on; cause to fall repeatedly on, rain (missiles or blows) (subjunctive because it’s jussive). is the m/n dative singular form of , the perfect passive participle of lacerō, lacerāre, lacerāvī, lacerātum (1): to tear to pieces, lacerate; batter; torture. Pectorī is the dative singular form of pectus, pectoris (3n): chest, breast. Manūs is the nominative plural form of manus, manūs (4f): hand.
All of us are chained to fortune.
More literally: We are all coupled with fortune.
Omnēs is the m/f nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Fortūnā is the ablative singular form of fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. is the masculine nominative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of cōpulō, cōpulāre, cōpulāvī, cōpulātum (1): to connect, couple, tie. Sumus: we are.
To drink from a cup with a hole in it.
(Speaking of those who can’t keep secrets.) Ex/ ē (prep.): out of, from (takes the ablative). Pōculō is the ablative singular form of pōculum, pōculī (2n): drinking cup. is the m/n ablative singular form of , the perfect passive participle of perforō, perforāre, perforāvī, perforātum (1): to pierce (through). Bibō, bibere, bibī, bibitum (3): to drink.
Here is the reward for sharing your happiness.
More literally: Accept the rewards of delight having been imparted.
Accipe is the singular imperative form of accipiō, accipere, accēpī, acceptum (3, –iō): to receive, accept, take. is the feminine genitive singular form of , the perfect passive participle of committō, committere, commīsī, commissum (3): to commit, entrust, impart; begin. Mūnera is the accusative plural form of mūnus, mūneris (3n): gift, favor; service, office. Laetitia, laetitiae (1f): joy, pleasure, delight.
The condition of all who are engrossed is wretched.
(Especially when engrossed in work dictated by others.) Omnium is the m/f/n genitive plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all. Quidem (particle): at any rate; indeed, certainly, in fact. is the m/n (here m) genitive plural form of , the perfect passive participle of occupō, occupāre, occupāvī, occupātum (1): to occupy; seize. Condiciō, condiciōnis (3f): condition. Miser/ misera /miserum (1/2): wretched, unfortunate, miserable. Est: is.
Dwarfs placed on the shoulders of giants see more than the giants themselves.
(Sometimes attributed to Bernard of Chartres in the 12th century; made most famous by Isaac Newton.) Pigmaeī is a misspelling of Pygmaeī, the nominative plural form of Pygmaeus, Pygmaeī (2m): Pygmy, one of a legendary race of dwarfs (a loanword from Greek). Gigantum is the genitive plural form of gigās, gigantis (3m): giant (also from Greek). Humerīs is the dative plural form of humerus, humerī (2m—also umerus): shoulder. is the masculine nominative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of impōnō, impōnere, imposuī, impositum (3): to place upon (something in the dative). Plusquam: more than (two words written as one; plūs is the accusative form of plūs, plūrīs (3n): more; and quam (rel. adv.), meaning than). Ipsī is the masculine nominative plural form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (adj.): himself/herself/itself/myself/etc. ; in person; the very, the actual. # themselves% Gigantēs is the nominative plural form of gigās, gigantis (3m): giant. Vident is the third person plural form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see.
How often has the unexpected happened!
More literally: How many things not expected have come!
Quam (interrog. adv.): how (much)? to what degree? Multa is the neuter nominative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Nōn: not. is the neuter nominative plural form of , the perfect passive participle of exspectō, exspectāre, exspectāvī, exspectātum (1—also expectō): to wait for; expect. Vēnērunt is the third person plural perfect form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.