Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #68: Compound Sentences

There are two sentences in today's sayings that are worth your special attention because they are compound sentences, but without a conjunction to connect the two ideas; instead, the sentences are coordinated by a parallel verb. Here's an analysis of those two sentences to show you how they are two sentences combined in one.

This sentence combines two statements that share the same object and verb, but with different subjects:

Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia.
a) Vitam regit fortuna. Luck rules life.
b) (Vitam) non (regit) sapientia. Wisdom doesn't rule life.
Luck, not wisdom, rules life.

This sentence combines two statements that share the same verb, but the subjects and the objects are different:

Otium stultitiam, labor scientiam generat.
a) Otium stultitiam (generat). Leisure produces stupidity.
b) Labor scientiam generat. Work produces knowledge.
Leisure produces stupidity; work (produces) knowledge.

This omission of words, which is far more common in Latin than in English, is called ellipsis; you can find out more at Wikipedia: Ellipsis (linguistics).

And here is a little slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

And now, here are today's proverbs:

1. Psittacus senex ferulam neglegit.
(The) old parrot ignores the stick.
PSIT-tacus senex FE-rulam NEG-legit.

The noun psittacus, "parrot," is a borrowing from Greek, as you can guess from the initial ps- which is a letter of its own in Greek, ψ psi. The word is masculine, and so it takes a masculine adjective: senex (3rd-declension adjective).

The word ferulam is the accusative of ferula, which is a stick or rod used to discipline people, especially schoolboys. Literally, ferula was a giant fennel stalk, and it is the scientific name of the giant fennel.
The verb neglegit is the origin of English "neglect." The verb is a compound, literally meaning to not pick something up, to not gather: nec-legit, "not-gather."

So, the idea behind this saying is that the old parrot, unlike a young schoolboy, doesn't care if he is struck with a stick; he's stubborn, and is going to do whatever he wants, even if you try to discipline him. Compare this similar saying: Asinus esuriens fustem negligit, "A hungry donkey neglects the cudgel."

2. Non rudit onager cum herbam habet.
(The) onager doesn't bray when (he) has grass.
non rudit O-nager cum herbam habet.

The verb rudit means "roars, brays." In Latin, lions do this (so "roar") and donkeys do this too (so "bray"). The onager is a type of wild donkey; you can find out more at Wikipedia: Onager.
The verb habet, "has," is new to you, but you've seen the verbal noun habendum, "having."

The idea is that when someone has food to eat (or, metaphorically, anything that they greatly desire), then it will absorb their full attention and they will fall silent.

3. Exiguus ignis quantam silvam incendit!
How-much forest (a) small fire burns!
ex-I-guus ignis quantam silvam in-CEN-dit!

The masculine adjective exiguus, "tiny, small, petty," is the origin of English "exiguous." The masculine adjective agrees with the masculine noun, ignis.

The verb incendit, "burns, set fires to," is the origin of English "incense."

The word quantam is the accusative form of quanta, a feminine adjective meaning "how much." You can see this Latin root in English "quantity."

The feminine noun silva, "woods, forest," is the origin of the name Sylvia. The feminine noun takes a feminine adjective: quanta.

This saying is based on the paradox of a tiny fire causing a great disaster; it's literally true about forests, and metaphorically true about other disasters too.

4. Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia.
Luck, not wisdom, rules life.
vitam regit for-TU-na, non sapi-EN-tia.

The verb regit, "rules, directs, controls," is new, but you've seen a related word: regula. You can see the root of this Latin verb in English "direct" and "correct."

There is a kind of competition in Latin sayings between the advocates of fortuna, "luck," and the advocates of sapientia, "wisdom." Some proverbs insists that wisdom is the most important thing, the most valuable thing, the most powerful thing (Scientia potentia!), but there are proverbs that insist instead on luck as being in charge, as in this saying.

5. Otium stultitiam, labor scientiam generat.
Leisure produces stupidity; work (produces) knowledge.
O-tium stul-TI-tiam, labor sci-EN-tiam GE-nerat.

The word stultitiam is the accusative of the noun stultitia, "foolishness," which is formed from the root stult-, "foolish." You can see this root in the English "stultify."
The Latin noun labor gives us the English noun "labor" too!

The verb generat, "produces, creates," gives us the English verb "generate."

The charm of this saying depends on the word-play between the words stultitiam and scientiam.

Here's a recap: