Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #119: More ablative practice

The focus for today's lesson is more practice with the ablative; specifically, the 3rd-declension ablative ending -e. As in previous weeks, these ablative nouns come with prepositions, which is the most common use of the ablative in Latin. All those prepositions are definitely worth learning, and you've seen all the prepositions in today's sayings before.

Here's the slideshow (with cats) of those prepositions and also the other words you have seen before:

So, here are today's proverbs:

1. Non sine sole iris.
No rainbow without (the) sun.
non sine sole iris.

The word sole is the ablative form of the noun sol, which you have seen before. The ablative is used here with the preposition sine.
The feminine noun iris means "rainbow," and it is also the origin of the English word "iris" (so-called because of the many colors in that part of the eye). The word is Greek in origin; Iris, the rainbow, was the messenger of the gods; you can read more about the goddess Iris at Wikipedia.

This Latin motto can be seen in the famous "Rainbow portrait" of Elizabeth, the Sun Queen; find out more here: Wikipedia: Portraits of Elizabeth the First. Look closely, and you'll see it on the far left-hand side of the portrait:

2. Mel in ore, fel in corde.
Honey in (the) mouth, bile in (the) heart.
mel in ore, fel in corde.

The word ore is the ablative form of the noun os, which you have seen before.

The word corde is the ablative form of the noun cor, which you have also seen before.

Each of these ablatives is being used with the preposition in.

You've seen this contrast between sweet mel and bitter fel in two previous sayings: Ubi mel, ibi fel and Paulum fellis disperdit multum mellis. In this saying, mel and fel are used to describe someone acting hypocritically, speaking sweetly but having bitter thoughts in their heart / mind.

3. Mens sana in corpore sano.
(A) healthy mind in (a) healthy body.
mens sana in COR-pore sano.

The feminine adjective sana, "healthy," agrees with the feminine noun mens. You haven't seen this adjective before, but you've seen a related verb: Santa.
The word corpore is the ablative form of the neuter noun corpus, which you have seen before. The word sano is the ablative form of the neuter adjective sanum, agreeing with the neuter noun. The preposition again is in.

This famous saying has its own article at Wikipedia: Mens sana in corpore sano.

4. In medio Tantalus amne sitit.
In mid-stream Tantalus thirsts.
in ME-dio TAN-talus amne sitit.

The word amne is the ablative form of the masculine noun amnis, meaning "stream, river." The word medio is the ablative form of the masculine adjective medius, agreeing with the masculine noun, once again with the preposition in.

The name Tantalus gives us the word "tantalize" in English, based on exactly this myth: for his outrageous crimes, Tantalus was punished in the afterlife by standing in water he could never drink.
The verb sitit means "thirst." In addition to thirsting, Tantalus also had to look at fruit that he could not eat. Both the food and the drink were "tantalizing." You can find out more about Tantalus at Wikipedia.

5. Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus.
Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus grows-cold.
sine CE-rere et Baccho friget Venus.

The word Cerere is the ablative form of the name Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. You can see this root in the English word "cereal."

The word Baccho is the ablative form of the noun Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.

Both of these ablatives are used with the preposition sine.

The verb friget means "grow cold, chill," as in English "frigid" and "refrigerator."

In this saying, the names of the gods are being used as shorthand: the idea is that without food (Ceres) and alcohol (Bacchus), love (Venus) grows cold. Compare a similar saying you've seen before: Ubi Bacchus regnat, Venus saltat.

Here's a recap: