Chapters 42-43: The Gerund and Supine

Hoc est discendī tempus. — Seneca, Epistles 36.4
Translation

Now is the time to learn.

More literally: This is the time of learning.

Details

Hic/haec/ hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Est: is. Discendī is the genitive gerund of discō, discere, didicī, discitūrus (3): to learn. Tempus, temporis (3n): time.


Multis ad philosophandum obstitere divitiae. — Seneca, Epistles 17.3
Translation

Many have found riches an obstacle to the philosophical life.

More literally: Riches have stood in the way of many for philosophizing.

Details

Multīs is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Ad (prep.): to, toward; for, for the purpose of; according to (takes the accusative). Philosophandum is the accusative gerund of philosophor, philosophārī, philosophātus sum (1, deponent): to study philosophy, philosophize. Obstitēre is the third person plural perfect form of obsistō, obsistere, obstitī, obstitum (3): to set oneself before or against, stand in the way (of); resist, oppose, impede (takes a dative object). Dīvitiae, dīvitiārum (1f, plural only): wealth, riches.


Dictū foedis tulerunt famem. — Seneca, Epistles 17.7
Translation

They have fought starvation with things disgusting even to name.

More literally: They have borne hunger with things disgusting to say.

Details

(He’s talking about what soldiers endure for the sake of kings.) Dictū is the ablative supine of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Foedīs is the m/f/n (here n) ablative plural form of foedus/foeda/foedum (1/2): foul, disgusting. Tulērunt is the third person plural perfect form of ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum (3, irreg.): to carry, bear; endure. Famem is the accusative singular form of famēs, famis (3f): hunger.


Ōrātum ierunt deam. — Plautus, The Little Carthaginian 1134
Translation

They’ve gone to pray to the goddess.

Details

Ōrātum is the accusative supine of ōrō, ōrāre, ōrāvī, ōrātum (1): to plead, beg; pray (to). Iērunt is the third person plural perfect form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go. Deam is the accusative singular form of dea, deae (1f): goddess.


Nolebat in agendō discere. — Cicero, Against Verres 2.2.17
Translation

He was not content to discover these methods on the spot.

More literally: He did not want to learn in doing.

Details

Nōlēbat is the third person singular imperfect form of nōlō, nōlle, nōluī, — (irreg.): to be unwilling, refuse, not want. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into, against. Agendō is the ablative gerund of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, put in motion; do; act. Discō, discere, didicī, discitūrus (3): to learn.


Quae causa est dis bene faciendī? natura. — Seneca, Epistles 95.49
Translation

What reason have the gods for doing deeds of kindness? It is their nature.

More literally: What is the reason (or what reason is there) for the gods of doing good? Nature.

Details

Quī/ quae /quod (interrog. adj.): which. . . ? what. . . ? Causa, causae (1f): cause, reason; case; claim. Est: is. Dīs is the dative plural form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god. Bene (adv.): well. Faciendī is the genitive gerund of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Bene facere = to act well, do a good thing, do good.


Mittit etiam trullam gemmeam rogātum. — Cicero, Against Verres 2.4.63
Translation

He also sent to ask for the ladle carved out of precious stone.

Details

Mittit is the third person singular form of mittō, mittere, mīsī, missum (3): to send; throw (a historical present). Etiam (particle): still; also; even. Trullam is the accusative singular form of trulla, trullae (1f): ladle. Gemmeam is the feminine accusative singular form of gemmeus/gemmea/gemmeum (1/2): jeweled; made of precious stone. Rogātum is the accusative supine of rogō, rogāre, rogāvī, rogātum (1): to ask (for), request.


Ad immortalitatem moriendō venerunt. — Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind 16.4
Translation

They reached immortality by dying.

More literally: They came to immortality by dying.

Details

Ad (prep): to (takes the accusative). Immortālitātem is the accusative singular form of immortālitās, immortālitātis (3f): immortality. Moriendō is the ablative gerund of morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die. Vēnērunt is the third person plural perfect form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.


Quaeramus ergo quid optimum factū sit. — Seneca, On the Happy Life 2.2
Translation

Therefore let us find out what is best to do.

Details

(Not what is most common.) Quaerāmus is the first person plural subjunctive form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to ask; seek (subjunctive because it’s hortatory). Ergō (particle): therefore, then. Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Optimus/optima/ optimum (1/2) is the superlative form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Factū is the ablative supine of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Sit is the third person singular subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).


Peritos luctandī usus exercet. — Seneca, Epistles 109.2
Translation

Skilled wrestlers are kept up to the mark by practice.

More literally: Practice trains the skillful of wrestling.

Details

Perītōs is the masculine accusative plural form of perītus/perīta/perītum (1/2): skillful, expert, experienced (can take the genitive of the area of experience). # the skillful% Luctandī is the genitive gerund of luctor, luctārī, luctātus sum (1, deponent): to wrestle, struggle. Ūsus, ūsūs (4m): use, utility; practice. Exercet is the third person singular form of exerceō, exercēre, exercuī, exercitum (2): to train, exercise.


Multa vidi errandō. — Sir. 34:12
Translation

I have seen much in my wanderings.

Alt. : I have seen many things by traveling.

Details

Multa is the neuter accusative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. Errandō is the ablative gerund of errō, errāre, errāvī, errātum (1): to err; wander; go astray.


Non unum est imperandī genus. — Seneca, On Mercy 1.16.2
Translation

There is more than one kind of power.

Alt. : There is not (just) one kind of commanding.

Details

Nōn: not. Ūnus/ūna/ ūnum (1/2, irreg.): one (often implying only one). Est: there is. Imperandī is the genitive gerund of imperō, imperāre, imperāvī, imperātum (1): to command; rule. Genus, generis (3n): kind, type; birth, descent.


Bonorum praemia ēreptum eunt. — Sallust, The War with Jugurtha 85.42
Translation

They proceed to snatch away rewards belonging to the virtuous.

More literally: They go to snatch away the rewards of the good (of good men).

Details

Bonōrum is the m/n (here m) genitive plural form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Praemia is the accusative plural form of praemium, praemiī (2n): reward. Ēreptum is the accusative supine of ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēreptum (3, –iō): to snatch away. Eunt is the third person plural form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go.


Et consurrexerunt ad standum. — Neh. 9:3
Translation

And they rose up to stand.

More literally: And they rose up for the purpose of standing.

Details

Et (conj.): and. Cōnsurrēxērunt is the third person plural perfect form of cōnsurgō, cōnsurgere, cōnsurrēxī, cōnsurrēctum (3): to rise up. Ad (prep.): to; for, for the purpose of; (with gerund) in order to. Standum is the accusative gerund of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand.


Admonere genus adhortandī est. — Seneca, Epistles 94.25
Translation

Advice is, in fact, a sort of exhortation.

More literally: To advise is a kind of exhorting.

Details

Admoneō, admonēre, admonuī, admonitum (2): to warn, advise. Genus, generis (3n): kind, type. Adhortandī is the genitive gerund of adhortor, adhortārī, adhortātus sum (1, deponent): to exhort, urge, encourage. Est: is.


Quicquid accidit benigne interpretandō levat. — Seneca, Epistles 81.25
Translation

He makes light of all mishaps by interpreting them in a generous way.

More literally: He lightens whatever happens by interpreting (it) kindly.

Details

Quisquis/ quicquid (rel. pron. ; the neuter form is also spelled quidquid): whoever, whatever. Accidit is the third person singular form of accidō, accidere. accidī, — (3): to happen. Benignē (adv.): kindly, favorably. Interpretandō is the ablative gerund of interpretor, interpretārī, interpretātus sum (1, deponent): to explain; interpret; translate. Levat is the third person singular form of levō, levāre, levāvī, levātum (1): to lift; lighten.


Atque id cuivis facile intellēctū est. — Gellius, Attic Nights 17.6.6
Translation

And this is easy for anyone to understand.

Details

Atque /ac (conj.): and, and also, and then. Is/ea/ id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Cuivīs is the m/f/n (here m) dative singular form of quīvīs/quaevīs/quidvīs (pron.): anyone, anything. Facilis/facilis/ facile (3): easy; good-natured, courteous. Intellēctū is the ablative supine of intellegō, intellegere, intellēxī, intellēctum (3): to understand. Est: is.


Sententias suas repetendō corrumpit. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 9.5.17
Translation

He spoils his own epigrams by repetition.

More literally: He spoils his own epigrams by repeating (them).

Details

Sententiās is the accusative plural form of sententia, sententiae (1f): opinion, thought, feeling; sentence; pithy saying, epigram; meaning. Suās is the feminine accusative plural form of suus/sua/suum (1/2). Repetendō is the ablative gerund of repetō, repetere, repetīvī/repetiī, repetītum (3): to return to, make for again; attack again; demand back; recover, get back; repeat. Corrumpit is the third person singular form of corrumpō, corrumpere, corrūpī, corruptum (3): to ruin, spoil, destroy.


Supplicātum iere frequentes viri feminaeque. — Livy, History of Rome 10.23.2
Translation

The people went in throngs to offer their prayers, both men and women.

Details

Supplicātum is the accusative supine of supplicō, supplicāre, supplicāvī, supplicātum (1): to make propitiatory offerings; pray (for forgiveness); beg. Iēre is the third person plural perfect form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go. Frequentēs is the m/f (here m) nominative plural form of frequēns, frequentis (3, adj.): closely packed; crowded; multitudinous, in great numbers; frequent. Virī is the nominative plural form of vir, virī (2m): man. Fēminaeque is the nominative plural form of fēmina, fēminae (1f): woman (the enclitic conjunction –que adds and).


Vim vi arcendī ius esto. — Livy, History of Rome 38.38.16
Translation

He will have the right to fend off force with force.

More literally: Let there be the right of repulsing force with force.

Details

(From the Treaty of Apamea between Rome and Antiochus III, ca. 188 bc.) Vim is the accusative singular form of vīs, vīs (3f, irreg.): power; force; violence. is the ablative singular form of the same word. Arcendī is the genitive gerund of arceō, arcēre, arcuī, arcitum (2—it’s uncertain whether the fourth principal part was ever really in use; it was only mentioned once by the grammarian Priscian): to enclose; hold off, repulse; defend. Iūs, iūris (3n): law; right; power, authority. Estō is the singular future imperative form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be. (Singular future imperative forms like estō can be either third person— let him/her/it be, so be it —or second person— be! The estō here is third person.)

Default Statcounter code for Latin Tamer Online https: //latinlanguage. org