Vehementer
delector
tuis
litteris. —
Cicero, Letters to Atticus
14.10.4
I am delighted very much by your letters.
Vehementer (adv.): strongly, very much. Dēlector is the first person singular passive form of dēlectō, dēlectāre, dēlectāvī, dēlectātum (1): to delight, please. Tuīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of tuus/tua/tuum (1/2): your, yours. Litterīs is the ablative plural form of littera, litterae (1f): letter. (Cicero is talking about several letters. But note that even a single letter is usually litterae, plural. That’s because littera really means a letter of the alphabet, and a letter that you send to someone is made up of many of those.)
You are pointed out as if you were the killer of the tyrant.
More literally: You are pointed out as if a tyrannicide.
Tamquam (conj.): just as, like; as if. Tyrannicīda, tyrannicīdae (1m): one who kills a tyrant, tyrannicide. Mōnstrāris is the second person singular passive form of mōnstrō, mōnstrāre, mōnstrāvī, mōnstrātum (1): to point out, show; teach; denounce.
A third is not given.
(Two options are provided; there is no third possibility. Either a proposition is true or its negation is true.) Tertius/tertia/ tertium (1/2): third. Nōn: not. Datur is the third person singular passive form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give. (This verb behaves a little differently from other first-conjugation verbs in the length of the a. Notice the short a in datur, just as in the infinitive.)
We are loved to the point of being spoiled.
Ūsque (adv.): all the way, right up (to). In (prep.): in; into (takes the accusative in the latter sense). Dēliciās is the accusative form of dēliciae, dēliciārum (1f, plural only): delight, pleasure, luxury. Amāmur is the first person plural passive form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love.
You are delighted most by your nearby estates.
(That is, near Rome.) Vōs: you (pl.). Propinquīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of propinquus/propinqua/propinquum (1/2): near, close. Vestrīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of vester/vestra/vestrum (1/2): your, yours (referring to a plural you as possessors). Praediīs is the ablative plural form of praedium, praediī (2n): farm, estate, manor. Maximē (adv.) most; very much. Dēlectāminī is the second person plural passive form of dēlectō, dēlectāre, dēlectāvī, dēlectātum (1): to delight, please.
They are not counted, but weighed.
(Applicable when the results of a vote are taken under advisement.) Nōn: not. Numerantur is the third person plural passive form of numerō, numerāre, numerāvī, numerātum (1): to count. Sed (conj.): but. Ponderantur is the third person plural passive form of ponderō, ponderāre, ponderāvī, ponderātum (1): to weigh.
Even now I am besieged.
Et (adv.): also, too; even. Nunc (adv.): now; as it is. Obsideor is the first person singular passive form of obsideō, obsidēre, obsēdī, obsessum (2): to besiege.
You seem to say this:
Hoc is the neuter accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Vidēris is the second person singular passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see (in the passive: to seem).
Now you seem to me to be showing good sense.
Nunc (adv.): now; as it is. Mihi is the dative form of ego. Vidēre is the (alternative) second person singular passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. Sapiō, sapere, sapīvī/sapuī, — (3, –iō): to be wise; show good sense.
We fear want.
More literally: Want is feared.
Timētur is the third person singular passive form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid. Inopia, inopiae (1f): want, lack, scarcity.
We seem to be at leisure.
Ōtiōsī is the masculine nominative plural form of ōtiōsus/ōtiōsa/ōtiōsum (1/2): idle, at leisure. Vidēmur is the first person plural passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see.
Nor do you seem to me to understand these things yet.
Neque/ nec: (as conj.) and not, nor; (as adv.) neither, not either, not even. Haec is the neuter accusative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Adhūc (adv.): still, yet. Mihi is the dative form of ego. Vidēminī is the second person plural passive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see. Intellegō, intellegere, intellēxī, intellēctum (3): to understand.
They possess, they are not possessed.
(He’s saying that you can’t use your passions as weapons because they’re too hard to control.) Habent is the third person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Nōn: not. Habentur is the passive third person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have.
Either I am mistaken or I am being wronged.
Alt. : Either I am deceived or I am (being) injured.
Aut (conj.): or (aut. . . aut: either. . . or). Ego: I. Fallor is the first person singular passive form of fallō, fallere, fefellī, falsum (3): to deceive. Aut (conj.): or. Ego: I. Laedor is the first person singular passive form of laedō, laedere, laesī, laesum (3): to hurt, injure.
That is happening: you are being pursued.
(He has asked his friend to imagine how fast he would go if he were being chased by an enemy; Seneca’s point is that death is coming.)
Fit is the third person singular form of fīō, fierī (irreg.): to become; be made; happen. Hic/haec/ hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it (it’s sometimes natural to translate it less literally as that). Premeris is the second person singular passive form of premō, premere, pressī, pressum (3): to press, compress; pursue. (The future passive form is similar— premēris —but context makes clear that the usage here is present.)
You are said to have been fashioned from Promethean clay.
(Speaking to a woman.) Ficta (esse) is the feminine perfect passive infinitive form of fingō, fingere, fīnxī, fictum (3): to form, fashion (see Chapter 14 of The Latin Tamer). Promēthēō is the m/n ablative singular form of Promēthēus/Promēthēa/Promēthēum (1/2): Promethean. Dīceris is the second person singular passive form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Esse: to be (part of a phrase with ficta). Lutō is the ablative singular form of lutum, lutī (2n): clay, soil.
It is known by its associates.
(That is, the meaning of an ambiguous word can be gathered from other nearby words associated with it.) Nōscitur is the third person singular passive form of nōscō, nōscere, nōvī, nōtum (3): to get to know; recognize. Ab/ ā (prep.): from; by (takes the ablative). Sociīs is the ablative plural form of socius, sociī (2m): friend; associate.
E
e
Life is changed, not taken away.
Vīta, vītae (1f): life. Mūtātur is the third person singular passive form of mūtō, mūtāre, mūtāvī, mūtātum (1): to change. Nōn: not. Tollitur is the third person singular passive form of tollō, tollere, sustulī, sublātum (3): to lift up, raise; take away, remove.
We are taken with our own wings.
(From the tale of an eagle shot with an arrow made from a feather. “We be now caught not of others, but even of our own feathers.” It’s a little hard to express literally in English: we are captured by our wings ipsorum — of (our)selves.) Nostrīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): our, ours. Ipsōrum is the m/n genitive plural form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): himself/herself/itself/myself/etc. ; in person; the very. Ālīs is the ablative plural form of āla, ālae (1f): wing. Capimur is the first person plural passive form of capiō, capere, cēpī, captum (3, –iō): to capture; take; receive.
You yourselves are regarded and treated as enemies.
More literally: You yourselves are regarded (as) in the place and number of enemies.
Ipsī is the masculine nominative plural form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): himself/herself/itself/myself etc. ; in person; the very. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Hostium is the genitive plural form of hostis, hostis (3m/f): enemy. Locō is the ablative singular form of locus, locī (2m): place; topic, point. Numerōque: numerō is the ablative singular form of numerus, numerī (2m): number; body, number of persons; class (the enclitic conjunction – que adds and). Dūciminī is the second person plural passive form of dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductum (3): to lead; think, consider, regard.
They are slain.
Occīduntur is the third person plural passive form of occīdō, occīdere, occīdī, occīsum (3): to kill, slay.
Meanwhile days are consumed.
Cōnsūmuntur is the third person plural passive form of cōnsūmō, cōnsūmere, cōnsūmpsī, cōnsūmptum (3): to consume; waste; spend; exhaust; kill. Interim (adv.): meanwhile. Diēs is the nominative plural form of diēs, diēī (5m/f): day.
I am more harshly punished now.
Gravius is the comparative form of graviter (adv.): heavily; harshly. Pūnior is the first person singular passive form of pūniō, pūnīre, pūnīvī/pūniī, pūnītum (4): to punish. Nunc (adv.): now; as it is.
You are heard, father.
Audīris is the second person singular passive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear; listen to. Genitor is the vocative singular form of genitor, genitōris (3m): begetter, father.
He is punished under his own statute.
Suō is the m/n ablative singular form of suus/sua/suum (1/2): his (own). Iūre is the ablative singular form of iūs, iūris (3n): law. Pūnītur is the third person singular passive form of pūniō, pūnīre, pūnīvī/pūniī, pūnītum (4): to punish.
We are heard!
Audīmur is the first person plural passive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear; listen to.
By this kindly feeling, you are truly devoted to each other.
More literally: You both are truly bound by this kindness by both.
Hōc is the m/n ablative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (adj.): this. Beneficiō is the ablative singular form of beneficium, beneficiī (2n): a kindness, service, benefit. Utrīque is the masculine nominative plural form of uterque/utraque/utrumque (1/2, irreg.): each of two; both. Ab /ā (prep.): (away) from; by (takes the ablative). Utrīsque is the m/f/n ablative plural form of uterque/utraque/utrumque (1/2, irreg.): each of two; both. Vērō (adv.): truly. Dēvincīminī is the second person plural passive form of dēvinciō, dēvincīre, dēvīnxī, dēvīnctum (4): to bind together, unite closely. The singular uterque literally means either, each of two, but often translates into English as both. Plural forms (like utrīque and utrīsque) usually refer to two sets of things or groups of people. The line here is about “respectable” women and their husbands.
Every day all these things are either reproved or punished.
Cotīdiē (adv.): every day. Omnia is the neuter nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every; all. Haec is the neuter nominative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Aut (conj.): or (aut. . . aut: either. . . or). Castīgantur is the third person plural passive form of castīgō, castīgāre, castīgāvī, castīgātum (1): to castigate, rebuke, reprove. Aut (conj.): or. Pūniuntur is the third person plural passive form of pūniō, pūnīre, pūnīvī/pūniī, pūnītum (4): to punish.
How they love to be praised!
Quam (interrog. adv.): how (much)? to what degree? Cupiunt is the third person plural form of cupiō, cupere, cupīvī/cupiī, cupītum (3, –iō): to desire. Laudārī is the passive infinitive form of laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum (1): to praise.
If you want to be loved, love.
(He’s quoting Hecaton, a Stoic philosopher.) Sī (conj.): if. Vīs is the second person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Amārī is the passive infinitive form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love, like. Amā is the singular imperative form of the same verb.
E
e
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.
Fīlius is the nominative singular form of fīlius, fīliī (2m): son. Homō, hominis (3m): human, man. Nōn: not. Vēnit is the third person singular perfect form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Ministrārī is the passive infinitive form of ministrō, ministrāre, ministrāvī, ministrātum (1): to attend, wait upon, serve; supply. Sed (conj.): but. Ministrō, ministrāre, ministrāvī, ministrātum (1): to attend, wait upon, serve; supply.
E
e
Do not be terrified.
Nōlīte is the plural imperative form of nōlō, nōlle, nōluī, — (irreg.): to no want, be unwilling, refuse; it’s completed by an infinitive. Terrērī is the passive infinitive form of terreō, terrēre, terruī, territum (2): to frighten, terrify.
To this one may reply:
More literally: It can be replied:
Respondērī is the passive infinitive form of respondeō, respondēre, respondī, respōnsum (2): to respond, reply. Potest is the third person singular form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can.
To be rather than to seem.
More literally: To be (rather) than to be seen.
(Adapted from Sallust, The War with Catiline 54.6: Esse quam videri bonus malebat (he preferred to be virtuous rather than to seem so —speaking of Cato the Younger).) Esse: to be. Quam (rel. adv.): as; than. Vidērī is the passive infinitive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see.
It refuses to be ruled.
Alt. : It does not want to be ruled.
Nōn: not. Vult is the third person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Regī is the passive infinitive form of regō, regere, rēxī, rēctum (3): to rule; govern; steer.
To be is to be perceived.
(The phrase sums up Berkeley’s view that things exist to the extent that they are perceived by minds. What he actually said was “their esse is percipi”.) Esse: to be. Est: is. Percipī is the passive infinitive form of percipiō, percipere, percēpī, perceptum (3, –iō): to perceive; seize; understand.
E
e
Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
Tunc (adv.): then. Pīlātus, Pīlātī (2m): Pilate. Iussit is the third person singular perfect form of iubeō, iubēre, iussī, iussum (2): to order, command, bid. Reddī is the passive infinitive form of reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum (3): to give back, return. Corpus is the accusative singular form of corpus, corporis (3n): body.
I would rather the matter were broken off.
More literally: I prefer the thing to be prevented.
Rem is the accusative singular form of rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair. Impedīrī is the passive infinitive form of impediō, impedīre, impedīvī/impediī, impedītum (4): to impede, obstruct, prevent. Mālō, mālle, māluī, — (irreg.): to prefer.
Many things seem to be heard, many things seem to be said.
(He’s describing dreams.) Multa is the neuter nominative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Audīrī is the passive infinitive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear; listen to. Dīcī is the passive infinitive form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Videntur is the third person plural passive form of video, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see (they seem, they appear).
E
e
Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found.
Quaerite is the plural imperative form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to ask; search for, seek. Dominum is the accusative singular form of dominus, dominī (2m): lord, master. Dum (conj.): while. Invenīrī is the passive infinitive form of inveniō, invenīre, invēnī, inventum (4): to find; invent; discover. Potest is the third person singular form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can.
It is the superfluous things for which we sweat.
More literally: It is sweated for superfluous things.
The first translation above is known as a cleft sentence: a sentence that could have been simple but is made complex to emphasize something—e. g. , It was you who found the book (instead of simply you found the book). Sometimes, as in this case, you’ll see cleft sentences used in English to convey an emphasis that Latin creates with word order.
Ad (prep.): to; for (takes the accusative). Supervacua is the neuter accusative plural form of supervacuus/supervacua/supervacuum (1/2): superfluous, unnecessary; useless (used substantively: superfluous things, superfluities). Sūdātur is the third person singular passive form of sūdō, sūdāre, sūdāvī, sūdātum (1): to sweat (an intransitive verb used impersonally).
Thus one goes to the stars.
More literally: Thus is it gone to the stars; in this way going to the stars is done.
(This is the path to immortality/the highest things.) Sīc (adv.): thus, so, in such manner. Ītur is the third person singular passive form of eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum (irreg.): to go (an intransitive verb used impersonally). Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Astra is the accusative plural form of astrum, astrī (2n): star.
As it is, increases are of sluggish growth, but the way to ruin is rapid.
More literally: As it is, increases grow slowly, it is hastened toward loss.
Nunc (adv.): now; as it is. Incrēmenta is the nominative plural form of incrēmentum, incrēmentī (2n): increase, growth. Lentē (adv.): slowly. Exeunt is the third person plural form of exeō, exīre, exiī/exīvī, exitum (irreg.): to exit, go out; rise, grow, develop. Festīnātur is the third person singular passive form of festīnō, festīnāre, festīnāvī, festīnātum (1): to hurry, hasten; pass swiftly (an intransitive verb used impersonally). In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Damnum is the accusative singular form of damnum, damnī (2n): injury, loss.
The wheel of fortune turns.
Fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, luck; fate. Rota, rotae (1f): wheel. Volvitur is the third person singular passive form of volvō, volvere, volvī, volūtum (3): to roll, turn round. (The wheel of fortune is turned wouldn’t be wrong, but in this case the passive use of the verb has a reflexive meaning.)
That which is always in motion is eternal.
Quī/quae/ quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Semper (adv.): always. Movētur is the third person singular passive form of moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum (2): to move. Aeternus/aeterna/ aeternum (1/2): permanent, eternal. Est: is. (That which is always moved is eternal wouldn’t be wrong, but in this case the passive use of the verb has a reflexive meaning.)
Everything changes, nothing dies.
Omnia is the neuter nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): all; every (neuter plural used substantively to mean all things, everything). Mūtantur is the third person plural passive form of mūtō, mūtāre, mūtāvī, mūtātum (1): to change. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here nom.): nothing. Interit is the third person singular form of intereō, interīre, interiī, interitum (irreg.): to die, perish; be ruined. (Everything is changed wouldn’t be wrong, but in this case the passive use of the verb has a reflexive meaning.)