Chapter 6: Imperatives

Dā mihi factum, dabo tibi ius. — legal maxim
Translation

Give (sg.) me the fact, I will give you the law.

Details

(The parties provide the facts; the court decides what to do with them.) Dā is the singular imperative form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg. —but the form needed here doesn’t differ from the regular conjugation): to give; assign, attribute. Mihi: (to) me—the dative form of ego: I. Factum is the accusative singular form of factum, factī (2n): act; fact. Dabō is the first person singular future form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give; assign, attribute. Tibi is the dative form of tū: you. Iūs is the accusative singular form of iūs, iūris (3n): law.


Removē existimationem hominum. — Seneca, Epistles 26.6
Translation

Away with the assessments of other people.

More literally: Take (sg.) away the opinion of men!

Details

Removē is the singular imperative form of removeō, removēre, remōvī, remōtum (2): to remove, take away. Exīstimātiōnem is the accusative singular form of exīstimātiō, exīstimātiōnis (3f): judgment, opinion. Hominum is the genitive plural form of homō, hominis (3m): man, human; (in pl.) people.


Omnia putā, expectā. — Seneca, On Anger 2.31.4
Translation

Think (sg.) of everything, expect everything.

Details

Omnia is the neuter accusative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every; (n. pl. used substantively) all things, everything. Putā is the singular imperative form of putō, putāre, putāvī, putātum (1): to think, suppose, imagine. Expectā is the singular imperative form of expectō, expectāre, expectāvī, expectātum (1): to wait; expect.


Audī, vidē, tacē. — Masonic motto
Translation

Hear, see, be silent (sg.).

Details

Audī is the singular imperative form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear. Vidē is the singular imperative form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. Tacē is the singular imperative form of taceō, tacēre, tacuī, tacitum (2): to be silent.


Venīte, miseri, et hodie primum vobis rogāte. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 10.4.6
Translation

Come, wretches, and today for the first time ask something for yourselves.

Details

Venīte is the plural imperative form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Miserī is the masculine vocative plural form of miser/misera/miserum (1/2): miserable, pitiful, wretched. Et (conj.): and. Hodiē (adv.): today. Prīmum (adv.): first; for the first time. Vōbīs is the dative form of vōs: you (pl.) (used reflexively: yourselves). Rogāte is the plural imperative form of rogō, rogāre, rogāvī, rogātum (1): to ask, request.


Pōne hoc loco piratam. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 7.1.17
Translation

Put (sg.) a pirate in this position.

Details

Pōne is the singular imperative form of pōnō, pōnere, posuī, positum (3): to place, put, set. Hōc is the m/n ablative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (adj.): this. Locō is the ablative singular form of locus, locī (2m): place, position. Pīrātam is the accusative singular form of pīrāta, pīrātae (1m): pirate.


Convivas tuos ipse nārrā. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 9.2.11
Translation

Tell us yourself about your guests.

Details

Convīvās is the accusative plural form of convīva, convīvae (1m/f): table companion, one who feasts with another, guest. Tuōs is the masculine accusative plural form of tuus/tua/tuum (1/2): your, yours. Ipse /ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): himself/herself/itself/etc. ; the very (agrees with the implied second-person subject of the imperative). Nārrā is the singular imperative form of nārrō, nārrāre, nārrāvī, nārrātum (1): to narrate, report, tell (about).


Cōgitā animi mille labes. — Seneca, Consolation to Marcia 22.2
Translation

Think (sg.) of the thousand taints of the soul!

Details

Cōgitā is the singular imperative form of cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think (about), reflect (on); plan, intend. Animus, animī (2m): mind, soul. Mīlle: thousand. Lābēs is the accusative plural form of lābēs, lābis (3f): fall, collapse; disaster; fault, defect; taint.


Age quod agis. — Jesuit motto
Translation

Do (sg.) what you are doing.

Details

(Concentrate on the work at hand.) Age is the singular imperative form of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, push, cause to move; do, perform, carry out, deal with, engage in; act, behave. Quod is the neuter accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Agis is the second person singular form of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, push, cause to move; do, perform, carry out, deal with, engage in; act, behave.


Si istum vis tollere, tolle. — 1 Sam. 21:9
Translation

If you (sg.) want to take it, take it.

Details

(Referring to a sword: gladius, gladiī (2m).) Sī (conj.): if. Istum is the masculine accusative singular form of iste/ista/istud (pron.): that, this; he, she, it. Vīs is the second person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Tollō, tollere, sustulī, sublātum (3): to pick up, lift, raise; take away, remove. Tolle is the singular imperative form of the same verb.


Bibite ex hoc omnes. — Matt. 26:27
Translation

Drink from it, all of you.

Alt. : Drink ye all of this.

Details

Bibite is the plural imperative form of bibō, bibere, bibī, bibitum (3): to drink. Ex /ē (prep.): from, out of (takes the ablative). Hōc is the m/n ablative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this, this one; he, she, it. Omnēs is the m/f nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every.


Recitā omnium testimonia. — Cicero, Against Verres 2.1.94
Translation

Read the evidence given by all of them.

More literally: Read (sg.) the testimonies of (them) all.

Details

Recitā is the singular imperative form of recitō, recitāre, recitāvī, recitātum (1): to read aloud, recite. Omnium is the m/f/n genitive plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every. Testimōnia is the accusative plural form of testimōnium, testimōniī (2n): testimony; evidence, proof.


Adversus haec me docē aliquid. — Seneca, Epistles 49.10
Translation

Teach me something I can use against that!

More literally: Teach (sg.) me something against these things.

Details

(Against the onset of death and waning of life.) Adversus (prep.): facing, opposite; toward; against (takes the accusative). Haec is the neuter accusative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it (these things). Mē: me—the accusative form of ego: I. Docē is the singular imperative form of doceō, docēre, docuī, doctum (2): to teach. Aliquid is the neuter accusative singular form of aliquis/aliqua/aliquid (pron.): someone, something.


Perfice igitur aliquid. — Cicero, Letters to Atticus 12.44.2
Translation

So get (sg.) something settled.

Details

Perfice is the singular imperative form of perficiō, perficere, perfēcī, perfectum (3, –iō): to finish, complete; execute; bring about, achieve. Igitur (conj.): therefore, so. Aliquid is the neuter accusative singular form of aliquis/aliqua/aliquid (pron.): someone, something.


Exī, et vāde hinc. — Luke 13:31
Translation

Get out, and depart from here.

More literally: Get out, and go from here (sg.).

Details

Exī is the singular imperative form of exeō, exīre, exīvī/exiī, exitum (irreg. —but the imperative is formed as in the fourth conjugation): to depart, exit, go or get out. Et (conj.): and. Vāde is the singular imperative form of vādō, vādere, vāsī, — (3): to go; rush. Hinc (adv.): from here.


Bonas facite vias vestras. — Jer. 7:3
Translation

Make (pl.) your ways good.

Details

Bonās is the feminine accusative plural form of bonus/bona/bonum (1/2): good. Facite is the plural imperative form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Viās is the accusative plural form of via, viae (1f): way, road. Vestrās is the feminine accusative plural form of vester/vestra/vestrum (1/2): your, yours (with reference to a plural you).


Pacem habēte cum eis. — 1 Thess. 5:13
Translation

Have (pl.) peace with them.

Details

Pācem is the accusative singular form of pāx, pācis (3f): peace. Habēte is the plural imperative form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Eīs is the m/f/n (here m) ablative plural form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that.


Scītō esse hunc amicum omnibus. — Seneca, Epistles 6.7
Translation

You may be sure that such a man is a friend to all mankind.

More literally: Know (sg.) him (this man) to be a friend to all.

Details

Scītō is the singular future imperative form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (the future imperative of this verb is generally used instead of the present one, which rarely occurs). Esse: to be. Hunc is the masculine accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this, this one (this man, this woman, etc.); he, she, it. Amīcum is the accusative singular form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. Omnibus is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every; (m. pl. used substantively) all (people), everyone.