There are a lot of familiar words in today's proverbs too, so here is a slideshow (with cats) to help you review the words that you've seen before. Remember that you can always click on the Sayings list or Dictionary list to get more information about any saying:
And here are today's proverbs:
1. Etiam prudentissimus peccat.
Even (the) smartest (person) makes-mistakes.
etiam pruden-TIS-simus peccat
The adverb etiam is a compound: et-iam, "and already, now again." Unlike et, which can be used as a conjunction or as an adverb, etiam is always an adverb, meaning "even, also, too."
Pronunciation note: etiam is just two syllables because the i is a semivowel, "et-yam."
The adjective prudentissimus, "smartest," is the superlative of prudens, "smart, prudent, wise." That's a 3rd-declension adjective, stem prudent-. As you can see, the superlative is formed from the stem: prudent-issimus. You can add this word to the other superlatives you've seen before: sapientissimus and acutissimus.
The adjective prudentissimus, "smartest," is the superlative of prudens, "smart, prudent, wise." That's a 3rd-declension adjective, stem prudent-. As you can see, the superlative is formed from the stem: prudent-issimus. You can add this word to the other superlatives you've seen before: sapientissimus and acutissimus.
This saying is a variation on one that you saw yesterday: Sapientissimus et peccat, "The wisest person also makes mistakes." Notice that the et goes with the peccat: "also makes mistakes." In today's saying, the etiam goes with prudentissimus: "even the smartest person."
2. Sola pecunia regnat.
Money alone rules.
sola pe-CU-nia regnat
The feminine adjective sola, "alone, sole," modifies the feminine noun pecunia. This Latin adjective is the origin of English "sole" and you can see this root in many other English words, like "solitary."
2. Sola pecunia regnat.
Money alone rules.
sola pe-CU-nia regnat
The feminine adjective sola, "alone, sole," modifies the feminine noun pecunia. This Latin adjective is the origin of English "sole" and you can see this root in many other English words, like "solitary."
This saying is a variation on a saying you saw yesterday: Nummus regnat ubique. That saying used the adverb ubique, "everywhere," to assert the power of money. Today's saying emphasizes that money stands alone in its rule of the world: sola pecunia.
3. Brevis aetas, vita fugax.
Time (is) short, life (is) fleeting.
brevis aetas, vita fugax
The feminine noun aetas (stem aetat-) can be translated with many English words; you might want to take a look at the Logeion Latin dictionary online to see the range of meanings. It can mean "age" in the sense of a human lifetime, but also "age" in the sense of a longer "time," like a generation, or just "time" in general.
3. Brevis aetas, vita fugax.
Time (is) short, life (is) fleeting.
brevis aetas, vita fugax
The feminine noun aetas (stem aetat-) can be translated with many English words; you might want to take a look at the Logeion Latin dictionary online to see the range of meanings. It can mean "age" in the sense of a human lifetime, but also "age" in the sense of a longer "time," like a generation, or just "time" in general.
And... Latin aetas is actually the origin of English "age" (see the Wiktionary for details).
Notice the elegant chiastic criss-cross structure: adjective-noun || noun-adjective. You can find out more about this poetic device at Wikipedia: Chiasmus.
4. Qualis avis, talis cantus; qualis vir, talis oratio.
As (the) bird, so (the) song; as (the) man, so (his) speech.
qualis avis, talis cantus; qualis vir, talis o-RA-tio
The 3rd-declension noun oratio has the stem oration-, which gives us English "oration."
You've see these qualis...talis... sayings before, but this is the first one that combines two of them in parallel: birds all have their own way of singing, just as people have their own way of speaking.
5. Est servitus cupidinis durissima.
Being (the) slave of-desire is (the) harshest.
est SER-vitus cu-PI-dinis du-RIS-sima
Look, it's another superlative! Durissima, "harshest," is the superlative of dura, "harsh, hard." You can see this root in many English words like "duress" and "endure." The feminine adjective agrees with the feminine 3rd-declension noun, servitus.
5. Est servitus cupidinis durissima.
Being (the) slave of-desire is (the) harshest.
est SER-vitus cu-PI-dinis du-RIS-sima
Look, it's another superlative! Durissima, "harshest," is the superlative of dura, "harsh, hard." You can see this root in many English words like "duress" and "endure." The feminine adjective agrees with the feminine 3rd-declension noun, servitus.
The idea here is that if you are desire's slave, desire will make you work and work, without rest and without reward. Desire is a harsh mistress!
The feminine noun cupido means "desire," while the masculine Cupido is the name of the god of desire, "Cupid," the son of the goddess of love, Venus (Aphrodite). So, the "desire" in this saying can be the desire for money, and it can also be sexual desire: being the slave of any kind of desire is hard to endure.
Here's a recap:
- Etiam prudentissimus peccat.
- Sola pecunia regnat.
- Brevis aetas, vita fugax.
- Qualis avis, talis cantus; qualis vir, talis oratio.
- Est servitus cupidinis durissima.
Plus the LOLCats!
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