Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: 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: