Ego
non
puto. —
Cicero, Letters to Atticus
8.7.1
I don’t think so.
Ego (the o is occasionally long but more often short): I. Nōn: not. Putō, putāre, putāvī, putātum (1): to think, regard, suppose. (The use of ego adds emphasis but doesn’t change the meaning.)
I think, therefore I am.
Cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think. Ergō (particle): therefore, then. Sum: I am.
You err, Lucilius.
Errās is the second person singular form of errō, errāre, errāvī, errātum (1): to err; wander; go astray. Lūcīlī is the masculine vocative singular form of the family name Lūcīlius/Lūcīlia/Lūcīlium (1/2).
What have you in mind?
What are you planning?
More literally: What are you thinking?
Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? what? Cōgitās is the second person singular form of cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think, reflect; plan, intend.
He is in love.
More literally: He loves.
Amat is the third person singular form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love.
Aeneas calls (me) alone.
(Turnus is speaking.) Sōlum is the m/n (here m) accusative singular form of sōlus/sōla/sōlum (1/2, irreg.): alone, only. Aenēās, Aenēae (1m, with some unusual features because it’s from Greek): Aeneas. Vocat is the third person singular form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon.
We love you very much.
Multum (adv.): much, a lot, greatly. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Amāmus is the first person plural form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love.
We assign it to the mind.
More literally: We give that to the mind.
(He’s speaking of the good, and of where Stoics think it resides.) Illud is the neuter accusative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it; the former. Animō is the dative singular form of animus, animī (2m): mind, soul. Damus is the first person plural form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give; assign, attribute. (Note that this verb has some irregularities, notably in the length of the a, which is short in some forms where it’s long in other first-conjugation verbs.)
You love Verres!
Verrem is the accusative singular form of the proper noun Verrēs, Verris (3m). Amātis is the second person plural form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love.
You therefore do greatly err.
Vōs: you (pl.). Ergō (particle): therefore, then. Multum (adv.): much, a lot, greatly. Errātis is the second person plural form of errō, errāre, errāvī, errātum (1): to err; wander; go astray.
Many praise you.
Multī is the masculine nominative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Laudant is the third person plural form of laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum (1): to praise.
Do they fight to the death? That is not enough!
(He continues with irony: Let them be crushed by animals of monstrous bulk! ) Dēpugnant is the third person plural form of dēpugnō, dēpugnāre, dēpugnāvī, dēpugnātum (1): to fight violently, fight to the end. Parum (indeclinable neuter noun, only used in the nominative and accusative singular; here it’s nominative): (too) little, not enough. Est: it is.
I have an enemy.
Inimīcum is the accusative singular form of inimīcus, inimīcī (2m): enemy (a common substantive use of inimīcus/inimīca/inimīcum (1/2): unfriendly). Habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have.
I see and I keep silent.
Videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. Et (conj.): and. Taceō, tacēre, tacuī, tacitum (2): to be silent.
You owe it nothing.
More literally: You owe nothing to this.
(He’s talking about the appetite for trivial pleasures.) Huic is the m/f/n dative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Nihil (n, indeclinable, singular only, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Dēbēs is the second person singular form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought.
You are afraid to die.
Morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent—a type of verb we’ll consider later): to die. Timēs is the second person singular form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid.
No one is stopping you.
A more literal alternative: No one restrains you.
Nēmō, nēminis (3m—rarely f; singular only): no one. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Tenet is the third person singular form of teneō, tenēre, tenuī, tentum (2): to hold; keep; restrain.
No one prevents you.
Nēmō, nēminis (3m): no one. Prohibet is the third person singular form of prohibeō, prohibēre, prohibuī, prohibitum (2): to prevent, hold back, restrain; forbid; defend.
We suffer according to opinion.
Ad (prep.): to, toward; according to (takes the accusative). Opīniōnem is the accusative singular form of opīniō, opīniōnis (3f): opinion, belief. Dolēmus is the first person plural form of doleō, dolēre, doluī, dolitum (2): to suffer; grieve.
We have Trebatius with us.
Trebātium is the m/n (here m) accusative singular form of the family name Trebātius/Trebātia/Trebātium (1/2). Nōbīscum: with us (nōbīs = us; cum = with). Habēmus is the first person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have.
Why are you sitting?
Quid (interrog. adv.): why? Sedētis is the second person plural form of sedeō, sedēre, sēdī, sessum (2): to sit.
You have the easy parts.
Facilēs is the m/f accusative plural form of facilis/facilis/facile (3): easy. Habētis is the second person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Partēs is the accusative plural form of pars, partis (3f): part, share.
They are silent.
Tacent is the third person plural form of taceō, tacēre, tacuī, tacitum (2): to be silent.
They give a life its structure.
More literally: They hold a life together.
(He’s talking about ethical principles.) Continent is the third person plural form of contineō, continēre, continuī, contentum (2): to hold together, connect; keep; restrain; contain. Vītam is the accusative singular form of vīta, vītae (1f): life.
I’m barely alive!
Vix (adv.): barely; with difficulty. Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.
After so many deaths I triumph still.
Post (prep.): after; behind (takes the accusative). Tot (indeclinable adj.): so many. Quoque (adv.): also, too, as well; even, still. Fūnera is the accusative plural form of fūnus, fūneris (3n): funeral; corpse; death. Vincō, vincere, vīcī, victum (3): to conquer; surpass; win, be victorious.
You sing in vain.
(In other words, nobody listens to your advice.) Frūstrā (adv.): in vain; uselessly. Canis is the second person singular form of canō, canere, cecinī, cantum (3): to sing.
You’re wasting effort.
Perdis is the second person singular form of perdō, perdere, perdidī, perditum (3): to destroy; lose; waste, squander. Operam is the accusative singular form of opera, operae (2f): work, effort.
That which annoys us does not necessarily injure us.
More literally: Not everything that offends us also injures (us).
Nōn: not. Quisquis/ quidquid (pron. ; the second form is also spelled quicquid): whoever, whatever; everyone who, everything that. Nōs is the accusative form of nōs: we. Offendit is the third person singular form of offendō, offendere, offendī, offēnsum (3): to strike; offend. Et (adv.): also, too; even. Laedit is the third person singular form of laedō, laedere, laesī, laesum (3): to injure, hurt.
E
e
Is he still alive?
More literally: He still lives?
The word adhūc is one of the rare exceptions to the rule that a two-syllable Latin word is stressed on the first syllable. Adhūc is stressed on the second: ad-hūc. That’s because the word used to be adhūce—ad-hū-ce according to the usual rules—and retained its original accent even after losing its final e. The same thing happened in a few other words that used to end in –ce (an enclitic particle that adds emphasis to a demonstrative word). One of the most common ones is illīc (adv.): there, in that place. And there are a few others, such as illūc (adv.): there (with motion), to that place, thither; istīc (adv.): there (where you are), in the place where you are; and istūc (adv.): there (where you are, with motion), to the place where you are. A final c is often a telltale sign that a word may not receive the accent where you would normally expect.
Adhūc (adv.): still, yet. Vīvit is the third person singular form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.
For how little it is that we lose!
Quantulus/quantula/ quantulum (1/2, interrog. adj.): how little? how small? Enim (particle): for, indeed. Est: it is. Quod is the neuter accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (pron.): who, which, that, what. Perdimus is the first person plural form of perdō, perdere, perdidī, perditum (3): to destroy; lose; waste.
It is enough if we are alive.
Satis (indeclinable neuter noun, only used as nom. or acc. sg. ; here it’s nom.): enough. Est: it is. Sī (conj.): if. Vīvimus is the first person plural form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.
You do not say anything of the sort.
More literally: You say nothing such.
Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Tāle is the neuter accusative singular form of tālis/tālis/tāle (3): such, of such a kind. Dīcitis is the second person plural form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say.
E
e
How do you not yet understand?
Quōmodo (interrog. adv.): how? Nōndum (adv.): not yet. Intelligitis is the second person plural form of intelligō, intelligere, intellēxī, intellēctum (3—also intellegō): to understand.
This is what they say.
Hic/haec/ hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Est: is. Quod is the neuter accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Dīcunt is the third person plural form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say.
They injure no one.
(He’s quoting a debate about riches—dīvitiae, dīvitiārum (1f, usually occurs only in the plural).) Illae is the feminine nominative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she, it; the former. Nēminem is the accusative form of nēmō, nēminis (3m): no one. Laedunt is the third person plural form of laedō, laedere, laesī, laesum (3): to injure, hurt.
But they do the same thing.
Sed (conj.): but. Idem is the neuter accusative singular form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron.): the same. Faciunt is the third person plural form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.
They produce much.
Multum is the accusative singular form of multum, multī (2n): a large amount, much (a common substantive use of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many). Efficiunt is the third person plural form of efficiō, efficere, effēcī, effectum (3, –iō): to make, produce; bring about, cause; accomplish.
I sleep hardly at all.
Dormiō, dormīre, dormīvī/dormiī, dormītum (4): to sleep. Minimum (adv.): least; very little.
I think differently.
More literally: I think to the contrary.
Ego: I. Contrā (adv.): on the other side; against one, opposite, to the contrary; in response. Sentiō, sentīre, sēnsī, sēnsum (4): to feel; think.
As it is now, you keep watch on yourself.
More literally: Now you yourself guard you(rself).
Nunc (adv.): now; as it is. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you (used reflexively: yourself). Ipse/ ipsa /ipsum (pron. or adj.): (he) himself, (she) herself, (it) itself, that very person or thing. Custōdīs is the second person singular form of custōdiō, custōdīre, custōdīvī/custōdiī, custōdītum (4): to guard. (It isn't certain whether the u at the start of custōdiō was long or short. In cases of that kind, this book doesn't put a macron over the letter.)
You alone know how to live.
Sōlus /sōla/sōlum (1/2, irreg.): alone, only. Scīs is the second person singular form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know; know how to. Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.
For fear means slavery.
More literally: For that which fears is in slavery.
Nam (particle): for. Quī/quae/ quod (pron.): who, which, that, what (that which). Timet is the third person singular form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid. Servit is the third person singular form of serviō, servīre, servīvī/serviī, servītum (4): to serve; be a slave.
Death is coming to you.
Mors, mortis (3f): death. Ad (prep.): to, toward (takes the accusative). Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Venit is the third person singular form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.
We feel neither.
Neutra is the neuter accusative plural form of neuter/neutra/neutrum (1/2, irreg.): neither. (He’s talking about two sets of things; that’s why the word is plural. If it had been about only two things, it would usually have been singular: neutrum.) Sentīmus is the first person plural form of sentiō, sentīre, sēnsī, sēnsum (4): to feel; think.
Indeed we know.
Scīmus is the first person plural form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Nempe (particle): indeed, certainly, of course.
E
e
Why come ye with me?
Cūr (interrog. adv.): why? Venītis is the second person plural form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Mēcum: with me (mē = me; cum = with).
E
e
Why do you listen to him?
Quid (interrog. adv.): why? Eum is the masculine accusative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Audītis is the second person plural form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear; listen to.
They are ignorant of their knowledge.
More literally: They do not know themselves to know.
Sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Sē: themselves—the accusative form of the reflexive pronoun. (That word can mean himself, herself, itself, themselves, or oneself; see Chapter 34. Only the immediately relevant translation will be given when the word appears in future illustrations.) Nesciunt is the third person plural form of nesciō, nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know, be ignorant.
E
e
The same things happen to all men.
Eadem: the same things—the neuter nominative plural form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron.): the same. Cūnctīs: to all—the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of cūnctus/cūncta/cūnctum (1/2): all, the whole of. Ēveniunt is the third person plural form of ēveniō, ēvenīre, ēvēnī, ēventum (4): to happen, occur.
I know it, I don’t deny it.
Scio, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (the o ending of first person singular verbs is sometimes shortened; here the meter tells us that it is). Nōn: not. Negō, negāre, negāvī, negātum (1): to deny; refuse.
Unless you seize it, it flees.
(He’s talking about seizing the day.) Nisi (conj.): if not, unless; except. Occupās is the second person singular form of occupō, occupāre, occupāvī, occupātum (1): to occupy; seize. Fugit is the third person singular form of fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus (3, –iō): to flee, run away.
Spoken words fly away, writings remain.
Verba is the nominative plural form of verbum, verbī (2n): word. Volant is the third person plural form of volō, volāre, volāvī, volātum (1): to fly. Scrīpta is the nominative plural form of scrīptum, scrīptī (2n): writing. Manent is the third person plural form of maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsum (2): to remain, stay.
The gods attend to great matters; they neglect small ones.
More literally: The gods look after the great, neglect the small.
Magna is the neuter accusative plural form of magnus/magna/magnum (1/2): great, large, big. Dī is the nominative plural form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god. Cūrant is the third person plural form of cūrō, cūrāre, cūrāvī, cūrātum (1): to attend to, look after, care (for or about); cure. Parva the neuter accusative plural form of parvus/parva/parvum (1/2): small; unimportant. Neglegunt is the third person plural form of neglegō, neglegere, neglēxī, neglēctum (3): to neglect; ignore.
Even if they do not harm us, they are fleeting.
(On pleasures.) Etiam (particle): even. Sī (conj.): if. Nōn: not. Nocent is the third person plural form of noceō, nocēre, nocuī, nocitum (2): to injure, hurt. Fugiunt is the third person plural form of fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus (3, –iō): to flee, run away.