Latin Lesson #145: Oportet plus infinitive

The focus for today's lesson is another verb that takes an infinitive: oportet. The verb is the equivalent of English "it behooves," "it is fitting, "it is proper," etc. For example:

• Piscem natare oportet. It behooves a fish to swim.

As you can see, oportet takes an infinitive complement, natare. Also, as you would expect, the subject of the infinitive is in the accusative case: piscem is the accusative of piscis. 

Of course, that phrase "it behooves" sounds quite archaic. It represents the Latin grammar, but you could also translate it with a more common verb like "must," making the fish the subject of the main verb, even though in Latin, piscem is the accusative subject of the infinitive:

• Piscem natare oportet. A fish must swim.

And don't forget: the infinitive of est is esse. You will see a couple of sayings today with esse. 

This little slideshow (with cats!) can help you to review the other familiar words you'll see in today's sayings:

And now here are today's proverbs:

1. Piscem natare oportet.
(It) behooves (a) fish to-swim.
piscem na-TA-re o-POR-tet.

The word natare is the infinitive form of natat, complementing the verb oportet. 

The word piscem is the accusative form of piscis, providing the subject of the infinitive.

This phrase shows up in Petronius's Satyricon in the context of the host Trimalchio encouraging everybody to drink the wine: drinking the wine is as natural as fish swimming (in water).


2. Mendacem memorem esse oportet.
(It) behooves (a) liar to-be mindful.
men-DA-cem ME-morem esse o-POR-tet.

You can also translate this as: A liar must have a good memory.

The word esse is the infinitive form of est, complementing the verb oportet.

The word mendacem is the accusative form of mendax, providing the subject of the infinitive.

This saying appears in the writings of the Roman rhetorician Quintilian. The idea is that telling the truth is much easier than lying: if you lie, you have to be careful to make sure you remember every detail of the lie you have told.


3. Non oportet in urbe nutrire leonem.
(It) isn't proper to-raise (a) lion in (the) city.
non o-POR-tet in urbe nu-TRI-re le-O-nem.

The word nutrire is the infinitive form of nutrit, "nourish, raise," and it gives us English "nutrition." The infinitive goes with the verb oportet.

The word leonem is the accusative form of leo, which is the object of the infinitive: nutrire leonem, "to raise a lion." That's a tricky thing about infinitives: they have a subject in the accusative case, and if the infinitive has an object, the object goes in the accusative case too.
The word urbe is the ablative form of the noun urbs, "city," which gives us English "urban."

This is a Greek proverb that became well known in Latin as well; you can find it, for example, in the writings of the Roman author Valerius Maximus. This saying is literally true, of course (no actual lions in the city!), and metaphorically it refers to encouraging any kind of "wild" behavior that would disturb the civilized peace of the city.


4. Adversus deum non oportet contendere.
(It) isn't proper to-fight against (a) god.
ad-VER-sus deum non o-POR-tet con-TEN-dere.

The word adversus is one of those prepositions that take the accusative case, and deum is the accusative form of deus.

Compare a similar saying that you saw earlier: Pugnare cum deo atque fortuna grave.


5. Avidum esse oportet neminem, minime senem.
(It) behooves nobody to-be greedy, least-of-all (an) old-man.
A-vidum esse o-POR-tet NE-minem, MI-nime senem.

You can also translate this as: No one should be greedy, least of all an old man.

The word neminem is the accusative form of nemo, and it is the accusative subject of the infinitive esse. The word senem is the accusative form of senex, and it is the subject of an implied infinitive: minime (oportet) senem (esse avidum).

The word avidum is the accusative form of avidus, "greedy," providing the predicate for the infinitive esse, "to be greedy" = avidum esse. You haven't seen the word avidus before, but you have seen a similar word: avarus. Both words come from the same root.

This is one of the sayings of Publilius the Syrian. Of course, being greedy is bad at any time, but an old man should know better: people might be eager to pile up riches early in life, but when the end of life draws near, it's time to stop hoarding wealth and start sharing it instead.

 

Here's a recap:

• Piscem natare oportet.
• Mendacem memorem esse oportet.
• Non oportet in urbe nutrire leonem.
• Adversus deum non oportet contendere.
• Avidum esse oportet neminem, minime senem.

And here is today's audio:



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Week 37 Vocabulary Review

Like last time, this vocabulary review includes all kinds of noun and verb forms! So, see if you can figure out the correct form of the noun or verb to use to fill in the blank(s) for each saying, and then check yourself by looking at the cat that follows. Then repeat the saying (with the English prompt) out loud, and repeat out loud one final time (no English on the slide this time). 

And remember: on the slides with the English, the English is linked to the original blog post if you want some help in understanding the grammar of the saying.

Here is a link to the full-size show, and the show is embedded in the blog post below. You can view the slides from start to finish so that the "quiz" slide comes first, or you can run the show starting from the last slide and working backwards, which gives you the "quiz" slide at the end of each set.

If you want to do even more reviewing (you can never review too much!), here are the vocabulary review slideshows from previous weeks.

And... here's a random cat:

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Latin Lesson #144: More genitive+infinitive

The focus for today's lesson is more practice with the genitive-infinitive construction that you saw yesterday.

One thing to remember about infinitives for today's sayings: the infinitive is like a verb (for example, it can take an accusative object), but it is also a noun. Specifically, it is a neuter noun, so that means it takes a neuter adjective. Here are a few sayings you have already seen with neuter adjectives that agree with an infinitive (I've linked each one to the lesson it comes from if you want to review the notes):

• Iucundum nil agere.
• Domi manere tutum.
• Durum tondere leonem.
• Miserum est venire post festum.
• Dare melius est quam accipere.

And here is the little slideshow (with cats) of the words in today's sayings that you have seen before:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Occasionem rapere prudentis est.
(It) is of-the-prudent-person to-seize (the) opportunity.
occasi-O-nem RA-pere pru-DEN-tis est.

You know all the words in this saying!

The word rapere is the infinitive form of the verb rapit, and it has an accusative object, occasionem, from the noun occasio.

The word prudentis is the genitive of the adjective prudens, being used here as a noun: "prudent (person)."

The idea is that the prudent person (pro-videns) is able to recognize the moment that is full of potential, the opportunity that will pay off in the future.

2. Boni iudicis est ampliare iustitiam.
(It) is of-the-good judge to-expand justice.
boni IU-dicis est ampli-A-re ius-TI-tiam.

The word ampliare is the infinitive form of the verb ampliat, "expands," and as in English "ample" and "amplify." The infinitive has an accusative object, iustititam, from the noun iustitia.

The word iudicis is the genitive of the masculine noun index, and the genitive boni is from the masculine bonus.

There is always a need for more justice in the world! 

3. Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere.
(It) is of-the-good sheperd to-shave, not flay, (the) sheep.
boni pas-TO-ris est ton-DE-re pecus, non de-GLU-bere.

You have two infinitives in this saying: tondere, which is the infinitive of the verb tondet, "shaves," as in English "tonsure," and deglubere, which is the infinitive of the verb deglubit, "flays, skins."

Notice that tondet / tondere is a 2nd-conjugation verb, so the infinitive stress is on the ending: tond-Ere. The verb deglubere is a 3rd-conjugation verb, stress on the stem: deGLUB-ere.

The word pecus is the accusative form of pecus (yes, it's a neuter noun!), and it is the object of both infinitives.

The word pastoris is the genitive of the masculine noun pastor, which we have taken on in English as "pastor," now most commonly used with its Christian Latin meaning as the "shepherd" of a religious "flock."  

The historian Suetonius reports this saying in his biography of the Emperor Tiberius, although "good shepherd" is not the first phrase that comes to mind when you think of Tiberius!

4. Hominis est errare, insipientis vero perseverare.
(It) is of-the-person to-err; (it is) of-the-fool, in fact, to-persist.
HO-minis est er-RA-re, insipi-EN-tis vero perseve-RA-re.

You have two familiar infinitives here: errare and perseverare.

The word hominis is the genitive of the noun homo, while the word insipientis is the genitive of the adjective insipiens, "foolish," being used here as a noun, "foolish (person)." You haven't seen this word before, but you have seen the root word, sapiens; the word insipiens is a compound, in-sapiens, "not-wise, foolish." 
The word vero is a form of verum, "true (thing), truth," and means "in truth, in fact, actually." It is a postpositive participle, which means it comes in second position in its clause, never first: insipientis vero. 

This is yet another variation on a type of saying that you have already seen before in various forms, such as Humanum est errare, divinum condonare and Errare humanum est, perseverare autem diabolicum.

5. Errare humanum est, sed in errore perseverare dementis.
To-err is human, but (it is) of-the-madman to-persist.
er-RA-re hu-MA-num est, sed in er-RO-re perseve-RA-re de-MEN-tis.

The adjective humanum is neuter, agreeing with the infinitive errare. You can see this same root in the  word errore, which is the ablative of the noun error, as in English "error. The ablative is being used with the preposition in.

The word dementis is the genitive of the adjective demens, "mad," being used here as a noun, "mad(man)." This is a compound: de-mens, "out-of one's mind, demented." You haven't seen this adjective before but you have seen the related noun: dementia. 

This is yet another variation on the errare / perseverare type of saying.

Here's a recap:

• Occasionem rapere prudentis est.
• Boni iudicis est ampliare iustitiam.
• Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere.
• Hominis est errare, insipientis vero perseverare.
• Errare humanum est, sed in errore perseverare dementis.

And here is today's audio:



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Latin Lesson #143: Genitive plus infinitive

The focus for today's lesson is a new use of the genitive together with the infinitive. Here's an example:

Est sapientis providere.
It is of a wise person to see into the future.

The word providere is the infinitive of providet, "see in advance, foresee, see the future" and sapientis is the genitive of sapiens, "wise person."

That phrase, "of a wise person," sounds awkward in English, but you get the idea: it is a wise person's job, duty, responsibility, ability, choice, etc. to see into the future, to anticipate what is going to happen. You can even add a word like "job," "duty," etc. into your translation if you want. The goal, of course, is to understand the Latin — and especially when the vocabulary is familiar (you know most of the words in today's sayings already!), you can just understand the Latin on its own without having to force it into English.  And by practicing the five sayings in today's lesson, repeating them out loud in Latin, the genitive-plus-infinitive pattern will sink in, becoming something familiar to you in Latin.

To get ready, here is a little slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Est sapientis providere.
(It) is of-the-wise-person to-see-the-future.
est sapi-EN-tis provi-DE-re.

The word sapientis is the genitive of sapiens, which you know already.

The word providere is the infinitive of providet, which is a compound of videt, pro-videt, "fore-see, see in advance." This is where we get English "providence" and also "provision."

Since this is a 2nd-conjugation verb, the stress goes on the ending: provi-DEre.

The idea is that someone who is foolish just reacts to things as they happen, but a wise person can foresee what is coming, which gives them time to make plans and get ready. The words come from the Roman philosopher and politician Cicero.

2. Pauperis est numerare pecus.
(It) is of-the-poor-person to-count (the sheep).
PAU-peris est nume-RA-re pecus.

The word pauperis is the genitive of pauper, which you know already.

The word numerare is the infinitive of numerat, "counts, numbers," which you have not seen before, but you have seen the noun numerus.

The word pecus is the accusative form of the neuter noun pecus, meaning "sheep, cattle, herd animal," and it is the object of the infinitive. (Don't forget that every neuter noun has the same form in both the nominative and accusative cases.) This word is ultimately at the root of English "peculiar." 

The idea behind this saying is that if a rich person loses some sheep to thieves or to the attack of a wolf, it's not a problem; they have so many sheep that it doesn't matter. But a poor person has to count their sheep because losing even just one sheep is a disaster. This saying is quoted by the Roman poet Ovid.

3. Sapientis est mutare consilium.
(It) is of-the-wise-person to-change (their) plan.
sapi-EN-tis est mu-TA-re con-SI-lium.

The word mutare is the infinitive of mutat, another word you know already.

The word consilium is the accusative form of the neuter noun consilium, which you have seen before, and it is the object of the infinitive.

The idea is that when someone is wise, they are ready to admit they have made a mistake and change their plans as needed. Compare a similar saying that you saw earlier: Propositum mutat sapiens, at stultus inhaeret.

4. Prudentis est nonnumquam silere.
(It) is of-the-prudent-person to-be-silent sometimes.
pru-DEN-tis est non-NUM-quam si-LE-re.

The word prudentis is the genitive of prudens, which you know already. This word is actually derived from the verb providet: prudens is a contraction of the participle providens, "foreseeing."

The word silere is the infinitive of silet, which you know already. Since this is a 2nd-conjugation verb, the stress goes on the ending: si-LEre.

The adverb nonnumquam, "not never, sometimes," is new, but it is a compound of an adverb you already know: numquam.

This is yet another saying about the value of keeping silent; others you have seen include Sapiens, sile, and Sape et tace.

5. Iudicis est ius dicere, non dare.
(It) is of-the-judge to-pronounce justice, not to-produce (justice).
IU-dicis est ius DI-cere, non dare.

The word iudicis is the genitive of iudex, which you know already. 

The words dicere and dare are both infinitives, from dicit and dat respectively, both of which you know. Don't forget that dicere is a 3rd-conjugation infinitive, so the stress is on the stem: DIC-ere.

The word ius is the accusative form of the neuter noun ius, which means "justice, the law." This word is new, but you already know a related noun: iustitia. 

The idea here is that the judge's job is pronounce the just decision (dicere) but not to be issuing (dare) new laws; that's for the legislature to do. So, as you can see here, the debate about activist judges goes back... way back! 


Here's a recap:

• Est sapientis providere.
• Pauperis est numerare pecus.
• Sapientis est mutare consilium.
• Prudentis est nonnumquam silere.
• Iudicis est ius dicere, non dare.

And here is today's audio:



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Week 36 Catch-Up Day

Below is this week's catch-up post to help you review any lesson(s) you missed over the past two weeks and/or to work on whatever kind of practice is most useful to you. These are the lessons covered in today's review:

• #139: Potest with infinitives
• #140: More practice with potest
• #141: Nescit with infinitives
• #142: Decet plus infinitives

And this is the slideshow with all the sayings from the week. You can read out loud, first with the English to remind you of the vocabulary... and then with the cat!

I also made a printable crossword PDF ... with an emphasis on infinitives as the answers! Screenshots below.

And here's a random cat:

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Latin Lesson #142: Decet plus infinitives

The focus for today's lesson is another verb, decet, "it is fitting, it is proper," that takes a complementary infinitive. You will also see a compound form, dedecet, "it is not fitting, not appropriate." This Latin root gives us English "decent."

If the infinitive needs a subject, remember that the subject of an infinitive goes into the accusative case. When that happens in the sayings today, you'll see a comment about that in my notes.

To get ready, here is a little slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Decet regem discere legem.
It-is-appropriate (that the) king know (the) law.
decet regem DIS-cere legem.

You know all the words in this saying except from today's new word, decet, "it is appropriate, it is fitting."
The word discere is the infinitive form of discit, which you have seen before.

The word regem is the accusative of rex, and it is the subject of the infinitive.

The word legem is the accusative of lex, and it is the object of the infinitive.

Compare a saying you saw earlier: Legem servare est regnare. The king is not above the law! The king should learn the law and preserve it.


2. Domi manere virum fortunatum decet.
It-is-appropriate (that the) lucky man stay at-home
domi ma-NE-re virum fortu-NA-tum decet.

The word domi is an adverb meaning, "at home," a special form of the noun domus. 

The word manere is the infinitive form of manet, which you have seen before.

The word virum is the accusative form of vir, which is a masculine noun, the accusative subject of the infinitive.

The adjective fortunatum is the accusative form of masculine fortunatum, "fortunate, lucky," agreeing with virum. You haven't seen this adjective before, but you know the noun that it comes from: fortuna.

The idea is that if you are living the good life at home, stay there; don't risk your good luck by going somewhere else. This is one of the sayings of Publilius Syrus.
 

3. Dedecet philosophum abjicere animum.
It-is-not-appropriate (that the) philosopher lose heart.
DE-decet phi-LO-sophum ab-JI-cere A-nimum.

The verb dedecet means "it is inappropriate, it is not proper," and just like decet, it takes a complementary infinitive.

The word abjicere is the infinitive form of abjicit, "throws away, casts down, discards." 

The word philosophum is the accusative form of philosophus, and it is subject of the infinitive.

The word animum is the accusative form of animus, and it is the object of the infinitive.

In other words, a philosopher should be calm in the face of troubles, not being discouraged by life's difficulties. The advice comes from the Roman philosopher Cicero.


4. Monere, non punire stultitiam decet.
It-is-appropriate to-admonish foolishness, not to-punish (it).
mo-NE-re, non pu-NI-re stul-TI-tiam decet.

The word monere is the infinitive form of monet, "admonish, advise, warn."

The word punire is the infinitive form of punit, "punish," and it is where we get English "punitive." You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen a related word: impunitum.

The word stultitiam is the accusative form of stultitiam, the object of the infinitives.

This is another one of the sayings of Publilius Syrus.


5. Non decet principem solidam dormire noctem.
It-is-not appropriate (that the) prince sleep (the) entire night.
non decet PRIN-cipem SO-lidam dor-MI-re noctem.

The word dormire is the infinitive form of dormit, which you have seen before.

The word principem is the accusative form of the noun princeps, "prince," and it is related to the word primus; "first," in the sense of first and foremost, primary, chief. It is the subject of the infinitive.
The word solidam is the accusative form of the feminine adjective solida, agreeing with noctem, the accusative form of nox, a feminine noun. The phrase solidam noctem is the object of the infinitive.

This saying comes from a scene in the Iliad when Zeus sends a dream to Agamemnon, rebuking him for sleeping.


Here's a recap:

• Decet regem discere legem.
• Domi manere virum fortunatum decet.
• Dedecet philosophum abjicere animum.
• Monere, non punire stultitiam decet.
• Non decet principem solidam dormire noctem.

And here is today's audio:



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Latin Lesson #141: Nescit with infinitives

The focus for today's lesson is a verb you have seen before: nescit, "doesn't know." It's a compound: ne-scit, not-knows, i.e. "knows not, doesn't know." 

This verb can be used on its own, as in these sayings that you have already seen:

• Nemo scit quantum nescit. Nobody knows how much he doesn't know.
• Nescit homo finem suum. A person doesn't know his end (i.e. the end of his life, how he will die).
• Timendi causa est nescire. The cause of fear is not-knowing (i.e. ignorance causes fear).

This same verb can also take a complementary infinitive: nescit pugnare, "doesn't know how to fight," nescit natare, "doesn't know how to swim," nescit canere, "doesn't know how to sing," etc. You will see an example of nescit + infinitive in each of today's sayings!

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Stultus tacere nescit.
(A) fool doesn't-know-how to-keep-quiet.
stultus ta-CE-re nescit.

You already know all the words in this saying!

The word tacere is the infinitive form of the verb tacet.

The word stultum is an adjective, "foolish," but here it is being used substantively as a noun: "(a) foolish (person)," i.e. "a fool."

This is yet another proverb that associates talking too much with foolishness while silence is a sign of wisdom. Here are some sayings you've seen before about wisdom and silence: Sapiens, sile and Sape et tace.


2. Nescit amor habere modum.
Love doesn't-know-how to-have (a) limit.
nescit amor ha-BE-re modum.

You know all the words in this saying too!

The word habere is the infinitive form of the verb habet.

The word modum is the accusative form of modus; it is the object of the infinitive.

Notice that the word order, as always in Latin, is completely free: the infinitive can come after nescit as in this saying, nescit habere, or it can come before, as in the previous saying, tacere nescit. 

Compare the English sayings "Love knows no boundaries" or "Love knows no limits."


3. Modum nescit ponere voluptas.
Please doesn't-know-how to-put (a) limit.
modum nescit PO-nere vo-LUP-tas.

The word ponere is the infinitive form of the verb ponit, "puts." You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen this compound form: deponit, "puts down."

The word modum is the object of the infinitive in this saying also, but notice how it comes before the infinitive this time: modum ponere, a different word order choice than in the previous saying, habere modum.

Notice that ponere is a 3rd-conjugation verb, so the stress is on the stem: PONere. This is a different stress pattern than the 4th-conjugation verbs like habere and tacere which are stressed on the ending.

Compare the English saying "Pleasure knows no bounds" or "Limitless pleasure."


4. Ingenium suum vulpecula mutare nescit.
(The) fox doesn't-know-how change her nature
inGE-nium suum vul-PE-cula mu-TA-re nescit.

The word mutare is the infinitive form of the verb mutat, which you know already.

The word ingenium is the accusative form of the neuter noun ingenium which you have seen before; it is the object of the infinitive mutare. 

The root of ingenium is gen-, "birth," so literally the word means something that is in-gen, "in-born," i.e. "nature, innate quality." Over time, the word took on other meanings, like "character, personality, way of thinking," and eventually "talent, ingenuity," etc. (You can see the same root in "genius.")

The adjective suum is neuter accusative, agreeing with ingenium. (Remember: neuter nouns and adjectives always have the same form for the nominative and the accusative).

The feminine noun vulpecula means "fox, vixen." You haven't seen this word before, but it is a diminutive of the word vulpes, "fox," which you have seen before. (Latin has lots of diminutive forms; you can learn more about dimunitives at Wikipedia.)

Compare the English saying "The leopard cannot change its spots."

5. Ire catenatus nescit canis inveteratus.
(An) old dot doesn't-know-how to-go on-a-leash.
ire cate-NA-tus nescit canis invete-RA-tus.

The word ire is the infinitive form of the verb it, "goes." You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen two compounds: anteit, "goes before, precedes" and transit, "goes across, crosses, passes."
The masculine adjective catenatus means "chained, on a leash," from the noun catena, "chain." You can see that Latin root in English "concatenate." The masculine adjective agrees with the masculine noun canis.

The masculine adjective inveteratus means "grown old, aged," which gives us English "inveterate." You can see the same root in English "veteran." 

The rhyme of catenatus and inveteratus lets you know that this is a medieval Latin saying!

Compare the English saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Here's a recap:

• Stultus tacere nescit.
• Nescit amor habere modum.
• Modum nescit ponere voluptas.
• Ingenium suum vulpecula mutare nescit.
• Ire catenatus nescit canis inveteratus.

And here is today's audio:



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Week 35 Vocabulary Review

This week the vocabulary review includes all kinds of noun and verb forms! So, see if you can figure out the correct form of the noun or verb to use to fill in the blank(s) for each saying, and then check yourself by looking at the cat that follows. Then repeat the saying (with the English prompt), and repeat one final time (no English on the slide). On the slides with the English, the English is linked to the original blog post if you want some help in understanding the grammar of the saying.

Here is a link to the full-size show, and the show is embedded in the blog post below. And remember: you can run the show from start to finish so that the "quiz" slide comes first, or you can run the show starting from the last slide and working backwards, which gives you the "quiz" slide at the end of each set.

If you want to do even more reviewing (and all learning really IS review), here are the vocabulary review slideshows from previous weeks.

And... here's a random cat:

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Latin Lesson #140: More practice with potest

The focus for today's lesson is more practice with the word potest and infinitives, and you will learn a new infinitive: esse, "to be," the irregular infinitive of the verb est. Just like in English, this verb is very irregular in Latin. At least in Latin, you can see some connection between est and esse. Trying to see a connection between "is" and "be" in English is much harder!

Keep an eye out for the infinitives with potest in today's sayings — and don't be surprised to see the infinitive esse, "to be."

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Odium numquam potest esse bonum.
Hatred can never be (a) good (thing).
O-dium numquam potest esse bonum.

Here's the infinitive esse, "to be," with potest in the phrase protest esse, "can be."

This is one of the propositions of the philosopher Spinoza.


2. Uno nemo potest in pede stare diu.
Nobody can stand for-a-long-time on one foot.
uno nemo potest in pede stare diu.

The word stare is the infinitive form of stat, "stands," a root you can see in English words like "statue" and "stature." You have not seen this verb before, but you have seen the compound praestat.  

The word pede is the ablative form of the masculine noun pes, and uno is the masculine ablative form of unus, agreeing with pede in the phrase: uno in pede, "on one foot."

This is the second line of a Latin epigram, and the first line explains the metaphor: Cur similis similem sibi quaerit, amicus amicum? "Why do friends seek each other, like to like?" So the idea is that just as you cannot stand long on one fit, you cannot live long without a friend.

3. Miles fugiens iterum pugnare potest.
(A) soldier fleeing can fight again.
miles FU-giens I-terum pug-NA-re potest.

The word pugnare is the infinitive form of pugnat, in the phrase pugnare potest, "can fight."

The word iterum is an adverb with pugnare, "to fight again."

The word miles means "soldier," and you can see this root in English "military." You haven't seen this word before, but you see this related word: militia. 

The word fugiens, "fleeing, running away" is a masculine adjective, agreeing with miles. It is a participle of a verb you have seen before: fugit.

Compare the English saying, "He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day."

4. Hic esse et illic simul nullus potest.
No (one) can be here and there at-the-same-time.
hic esse et illic simul nullus potest.

You've seen the word hic, "here," before, and now you can see its opposite: illic, "there."

The adverb simul means "at the same time," as in the English word "simultaneous."

The saying is adapted from the Roman comic playwright Plautus.


5. Plus potest negare asinus quam probare philosophus.
(A) donkey can negate more than (a) philosopher (can) prove.
plus potest ne-GA-re A-sinus quam pro-BA-re phi-LO-sophus.

The word negare is the infinitive form of the verb negat, "deny, say no," which you can see in English "negate."

The verb probare is the infinitive form of the verb probat, which you have seen before. Both of these infinitives go with potest: "can negate," potest negare, and "(can) prove," (potest) probare. 

The idea is that it is far easier to be an ignorant critic (the donkey), denying things you do not understand, as opposed to being a wise man (philosopher) who strives to understand the truth.

Here's a recap:

• Odium numquam potest esse bonum.
• Uno nemo potest in pede stare diu.
• Miles fugiens iterum pugnare potest.
• Hic esse et illic simul nullus potest.
• Plus potest negare asinus quam probare philosophus.

And here is today's audio:



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Latin Lesson #139: Potest

The focus for today's lesson is a new use for the infinitive, combining it with the Latin word potest, "can, is able." 

This Latin word is a compound of the adjective potis, "able, capable," and the verb you already know: est. So, potest is pot(is)-est, "is able, can." Just like in English, you combine the verb with an infinitive: potest dicere, "can speak, is able to speak," potest ambulare, "can walk, is able to walk," etc.

You can see the root of Latin potest in English words like "potent" and "potential." It is also the origin of the English word "power." So, potest means you have the "power" to do something. 

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Nemo stultus tacere potest.
No fool can keep quiet.
nemo stultus ta-CE-re potest.

The word tacere is the infinitive of tacet, a verb you know already, being used with potest.

The word nemo, "no one, nobody," is being used as an adjective here: nemo stultus, "no(body who is) foolish" = "no fool." It is the subject of the verb potest.

Compare the English saying, "It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubts." The Latin saying observes that exactly because someone is foolish, he cannot keep silent!


2. Fortunam nemo vitare potest.
Nobody can evade Fate.
for-TU-nam nemo vi-TA-re potest.

The word vitare is the infinitive of vitat, "avoids, evades," which is a new verb, but you have seen a compound form previously: evitat. 

The word Fortunam is the accusative of Fortuna, and it is the object of the infinitive: Fortunam vitare, "to evade Fate, to avoid Fortune."

To understand this saying, you have to remember that Fortuna is sometimes good (in the sense of "fortune, fortunate"), but sometimes bad ("misfortune, unfortunate"). This saying is about the negative kind of "fortune," the "(mis)fortune" that you might want to avoid... but which you cannot escape.

3. Mortem effugere nemo potest.
Nobody can escape death.
mortem ef-FU-gere nemo potest.

The word effugere is the infinitive of effugit, a verb you know already. The word mortem is the accusative of mors, and it is the object of the infinitive: mortem effugere, "to escape death."

This saying is a variation on the previous saying, but with one of the most dreaded misfortunes: Death.


4. Avaritiam quid potest satiare?
What can satisfy avarice?
ava-RI-tiam quid potest sati-A-re?

The word satiare is the infinitive of satiat, a verb you know already. The word avaritiam is the accusative of avaritia, and it is the object of the infinitive: avaritiam satiare, "to satisfy avarice, to quench greed."
The word quid means "what?" and it is the subject of the verb potest. 

This is a rhetorical question which does not expect an answer because nothing can satisfy avarice. Greed is a desire that has no limits. Compare other sayings you've seen about greed in Latin: Avarus semper eget, and Avarum irritat, non satiat pecunia.


5. Nihil non potest fortis animus.
(There is) nothing (a) strong soul cannot (do).
nihil non potest fortis A-nimus.

The adjective fortis means "strong, brave," as in English "fortitude."

This double negative in Latin, nihil non potest, has a positive result: "There is nothing that a strong soul cannot do," or in other words, "A strong soul can do everything."


Here's a recap:

• Nemo stultus tacere potest.
• Fortunam nemo vitare potest.
• Mortem effugere nemo potest.
• Avaritiam quid potest satiare?
• Nihil non potest fortis animus.

And here is today's audio:



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Week 34 Catch-Up Day

Below is this week's catch-up post to help you review any lesson(s) you missed over the past two weeks and/or to work on whatever kind of practice is most useful to you.

These are the lessons covered in today's review:

• #135: 4th-Conjugation Infinitives
• #136: All the Infinitives
• #137: More Infinitives
• #138: More Mixed Infinitives

This is the slideshow with all the sayings from the week. You can read out loud, first with the English to remind you of the vocabulary... and then with the cat!

I also made a printable crossword PDF with infinitives as the answers! Screenshots below.

And here's the random cat:

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Latin Lesson #138: More Mixed Infinitives

The focus for today's lesson is another collection of sayings that have multiple infinitives, so you can keep practicing your infinitive-recognition skills! When you encounter the infinitives, see if you can identify the conjugation.

There is also an example of a construction that is very common in Latin, but not common in modern English: the accusative subject of an infinitive. Here's an example in English: "I know her to be a good cook." In that English sentence, "her" is the accusative subject of the infinitive "to be." 

Of course, in English, we usually create a subordinate clause instead: "I know that she is a good cook." But in Latin, this construction, where the infinitive has a subject in the accusative case, is very common; you will see lots of examples in the future, and there is one example in today's sayings, as you'll see below.

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Dicere perfacile est, opus exercere molestum.
To-say (something) is very-easy, to-accomplish (the) work is burdensome.
DI-cere per-FA-cile est, opus exer-CE-re mo-LE-stum.

The word discere is the infinitive form of the verb dicit, which you have seen before.   

The neuter adjective perfacile is a compound: per-facile, "very easy." You haven't seen the neuter form before, but you have seen the masculine and feminine form: facilis, and you've also seen the comparative neuter form, facilius, "easier." 

The adjective is neuter in form here to agree with the infinitive dicere, a neuter noun.

The word exercere is the infinitive form of the verb exercet, "practices, accomplishes," which gives us English "exercise."

The word opus is the accusative form of the neuter noun opus, which you have seen before; it is the object of the infinitive exercise.

The neuter adjective molestum, "burdensome, troublesome," gives us English "molest." 

Compare the English saying, "Easier said than done."

2. Praestat in terra egere quam divitem navigare.
(It) is-better to-be-needy on land than to-sail (as a)-rich-(man).
praestat in terra e-GE-re quam DI-vitem navi-GA-re.

The word egere is the infinitive form of the verb eget, which you have seen before, and it is the subject of the verb praestat.

The word terra is the ablative form (terrā) of the feminine noun terra, with the preposition in. 

The word navigare is the infinitive form of the verb navigat, "sails," which gives us English "navigate." The verb is a compound from the word navis, "ship," which you have seen in the words nauta and naufragus.

The word divitem is the accusative form of the adjective dives, which is being used as a noun here: "a rich (man)." It is the subject of the infinitive navigate.

The idea is that it's better to be a poor man on the land, where life is safe, than to be a rich man who sails the seas, where dangers are ever-present. You can also find the saying in this form: Praestat in terra pauperem esse quam divitem navigare, "It is better to be a poor man (pauperem esse) on land than to sail as a rich man."

3. Laetificat stultum nil dare, promittere multum.
(It) delights (the) fool to-give nothing (and) to-promise much.
lae-TI-ficat stultum nil dare, pro-MIT-tere multum.

The verb laetificat, "makes happy, delights," and it is a compound from the adjective laetus, "happy." You haven't seen this adjective before, but you have seen a related noun: laetitia.

The word stultum is the accusative form of the adjective stultus, which is being used as a noun here: "a fool." It is the object of the verb laetificat.
The word dare is the infinitive form of the verb dat, which you have seen before. It is the subject of the verb laetificat.

The word nil is the accusative form of the noun nil (= nihil), and it is the object of the infinitive dare.

The word promittere is the infinitive form of the verb promittit, which gives us English "promises." It is also the subject of the verb laetificat.

The word multum is the accusative form of the adjective multum, and it is the object of the infinitive promittere. 

Compare the English saying, "Talk is cheap."

4. Difficilius est sarcire concordiam quam rumpere.
(It) is more-difficult to-repair (an) agreement than to-break (it).
diffi-CI-lius est sar-CI-re con-COR-diam quam RUM-pere.

The neuter adjective difficilius is the comparative form of difficile, "more difficult." It is neuter because it agrees with the infinitive sarcire.
The word sarcire is the infinitive form of the verb sarcit, "stitches together, repairs." You can see this Latin root in English "sartorial."

The word concordiam is the accusative form of concordia, "agreement, harmony," which gives us English "concord." It is a compound formed from con-cord, "unity of heart (mind)."

The word rumpere is the infinitive form of the verb rumpit, "breaks, bursts" and gives us English "rupture."

The metaphor is that of tearing (rumpere) a piece of cloth as opposed to the skill it takes to sew it back together (sarcire).

5. Satis est superare inimicum, nimium est perdere.
(It) is enough to-defeat (an) enemy; to-destroy (him) is too-much.
satis est supe-RA-re ini-MI-cum, NI-mium est PER-dere.

The word superare is the infinitive form of the verb superat, "overcome, defeat." You haven't seen this verb before, but it is formed from super, which you have seen before.

The word inimicum is the accusative form of inimicum. It is the object of the infinitive superare.
The word perdere is the infinitive form of the verb perdit, which you have seen before.  The word nimium is neuter in gender, agreeing with the infinitive.

This is another one of the sayings of Publilius the Syrian.


Here's a recap:

• Dicere perfacile est, opus exercere molestum.
• Praestat in terra egere quam divitem navigare.
• Laetificat stultum nil dare, promittere multum.
• Difficilius est sarcire concordiam quam rumpere.
• Satis est superare inimicum, nimium est perdere.

And here is today's audio:



Plus the LOLCats!

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