Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #128: More -are infinitives

The focus for today's lesson is more practice with infinitives. Remember how I mentioned yesterday that the infinitive is a noun? Specifically, it is a neuter noun, and you will see some neuter adjectives in today's saying — neuter adjectives because they agree with the infinitive, a neuter noun.

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Cum Deo ambulare est animam salvare.
To-walk with God is to-save (your) soul.
cum Deo ambu-LA-re est A-nimam sal-VA-re.

The infinitive salvare is from the verb salvat, "saves," which also gives us English "salvation."

The word animam is the accusative form of anima, and it is the object of the infinitive salvare.

The infinitives make this a rhyming proverb, ambulare - salvare, showing that this is a medieval, not a classical, Latin proverb.

2. Pugnare cum deo atque fortuna grave.
To-fight with god and (with) fortune is (a) serious (thing).
pug-NA-re cum deo atque for-TU-na grave.

The infinitive pugnare is from the verb pugnat, "fights," which also gives us English "pugnacious" and "impugn."

The infinitive is the subject of the verb, and the neuter adjectives grave, "heavy, serious," is the predicate. You haven't seen this neuter adjective before, but you have seen gravior, "more heavy, more serious."

The conjunction atque, "and," is not as common as et, but it is still very common: et is the single most commonly used word in Latin, and atque is the 19th most common. (You can use the Logeion dictionary online to get Latin frequency statistics.)

Remember that fortuna was a goddess in her own right: Fortuna, the personification of "luck" ("Lady Luck") or even "fate." That's why fighting with both God and Fate is a serious business; you are not likely to win.

3. Durum est contra stimulum calcitrare.
(It) is (a) hard thing to-kick against (the) goad.
durum est contra STI-mulum calci-TRA-re.

The infinitive calcitrare is from the verb calcitrat, "kicks," which also gives us English "recalcitrant." The word durum is a neuter adjective; it is the predicate, and the infinitive is the subject of the sentence.
The word stimulum is the accusative form of stimulus, a Latin word that we use in English: "stimulus." The preposition contra takes an accusative complement: contra stimulum.

The stimulus here is a sharp cattle goad; when the ox fought against it, the goad got stuck even deeper in its flesh: the more you resisted, the more you suffered.

This saying is actually found in the Biblical Book of Acts. Saul (Paul) has a vision of Jesus, and Jesus says these words to him: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

4. Amare pulchrius palam quam clanculum.
(It is) more-beautiful to-love openly than secretly.
a-MA-re PUL-chrius palam quam CLAN-culum.

The neuter adjectives pulchrius, "more beautiful," is the comparative form of the neuter adjective pulchrum, which you have seen before. The neuter adjective agrees with the neuter noun, the infinitive amare.

The adverb palam means "openly," and the adverb clanculum means "secretly." You can see that root in English "clandestine."

5. Humanum est errare, divinum condonare.
To-err is human, to-forgive divine.
hu-MA-num est er-RA-re, di-VI-num condo-NA-re.

The infinitive condonare is from the verb condonat, "kicks," which also gives us English "condone."

The neuter adjective humanum can be seen in English "human," and the neuter adjectives divinum in English "divine" (you've seen the masculine form divinus before).

This is one of the most famous Latin sayings, and we will see different variations on it in the coming weeks!

Here's a recap: