Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #117: 3rd-Declension Ablative

Here is the ablative ending for the 3rd declension, at last! The ending is: -e.

So, now you have the ablative ending for the three main declensions:

-a. 1st declension: de vita "about life"
-o. 2nd declension: de asino "about the donkey"
-e. 3rd declension: de morte "about death"

Each of the sayings today has a 3rd declension noun or adjective in the ablative case, so look for that -e ending.

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Nihil sine labore.
Nothing without work.
nihil sine la-BO-re.

The word labore is the ablative form of the noun labor.

This is a widely used motto, especially of schools.

You can also see it with this word order: Sine labore nihil.

2. A capite foetet piscis.
(A) fish stinks from (the) head.
a CA-pite foetet piscis.

The word capite is the ablative form of the noun caput.
You haven't seen the verb foetet, "stinks," before, but you have seen a related noun: foetorem.

No, fish don't really stink from the head, but the point of this saying is its metaphorical application: corruption begins at the top! There's a similar English saying: "Shit rolls downhill."

3. In propria pelle quiesce.
Rest in your-own skin.
in PRO-pria pelle qui-ES-ce.

The word pelle is the ablative form of the noun pellis. It is a feminine noun, so it takes a feminine adjective in the ablative case: propria (propriā).

The word quiesce, "rest!" is the imperative form of the verb quiescit. You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen a related noun: quies.

The idea is to be happy with who you are: just relax! You are who you are! Don't try to be someone else, i.e. don't put on someone else's skin.

4. E parvo semine multa messis.
From (a) small seed, much harvest.
e parvo SE-mine multa messis.

The word semine is the ablative form of the noun semen. It is a neuter noun, so it takes a neuter adjective in the ablative case: parvo.
You haven't seen the feminine adjective multa before, but you have seen the masculine and neuter forms: multus and multum.

This saying depends on the paradox of parvo and multo, small and big. Seeds are small; harvests are big! That is literally true of seeds you put in the ground, and it is true of metaphorical things: a small effort can lead to something big.

5. Procul a Iove, procul a fulmine.
Far from Jupiter, far from (his) thunderbolt.
procul a Iove, procul a FUL-mine.

The adverb procul means "far," and combined with the preposition a, "from," the phrase procul a means "far from."

The word Iove is the ablative form of the noun Iuppiter, "Jupiter." So, if you've ever wondered why we say both "Jupiter" and "Jove" in English, this is why! The nominative Iuppiter is actually a compound word: Iū-piter, "Jove-Father," i.e. Father Jove.

The word fulmine is the ablative form of the noun fulmen, "thunderbolt." You can see this root in English "fulminate."

Jupiter was a sky-god, and he did indeed wield a thunderbolt. The message of this proverb is to stay away from high and mighty people; if you don't stay away from them, you run the risk of being blasted by one of their thunderbolts.

Here's a recap: