Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #152: More -o datives

The focus for today's lesson is more practice with the 2nd-declension dative ending, -o. To get ready, here are the dative sayings you saw yesterday:

Alcinoo poma.
Et pilo sua umbra.
Servo non est otium.
Deo nihil impossibile.
Flamma fumo est proxima.

You already know most of the words in today's sayings, as you will see in today's slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

So, now you're ready; here are today's proverbs:

1. Ne puero gladium.
Don't (give a) sword to-a-boy.
ne PU-ero GLA-dium.

You already know all the words in this saying!

The word puero is the dative form of the noun puer.

Notice that the verb is missing, but the use of the dative phrase puero, "to a boy," makes it clear that the missing verb is "give."

The negative ne is used with negative commands, as in a saying you say previously: Canem sopitum ne excita, "Don't arouse a sleeping dog." You'll see another ne example in the next saying.

Here's a version in English without a verb: "No sword for a boy."

2. Caelo ne fide sereno.
Don't trust (the) clear sky.
caelo ne fide se-RE-no.

The word caelo is the dative form of caelum, which you have seen before.

The word sereno is the dative form of the neuter adjective serenum, "clear, fair, bright," agreeing with caelum. This Latin word gives us English "serene."

Notice how the noun phrase caelo sereno wraps around the entire sentence.

The word fide is the imperative form of the verb fidit, "trust, have faith in," which takes a dative complement. You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen a related adjective: fida.

The idea is that while the weather might look good now, it cannot be trusted: a clear sky can turn to stormy weather without warning (remember: the ancient Romans did not have The Weather Channel). This saying is literally true, and it can also apply metaphorically to any changeable situation.

3. Asinus asino pulcher est.
(A) donkey is beautiful to-a-donkey.
A-sinus A-sino pulcher est.

You also know all the words in this saying. The word asino is the dative form of asinus.

The idea is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder: to one donkey, another donkey might look very good indeed.

A fuller version of the saying is Asinus asino et sus sui pulcher, "Donkey to donkey is beautiful, and pig to pig." The word sui is a dative from the 3rd declension; you'll be learning that 3rd-declension dative ending soon.

4. Aegroto dum anima est, spes est.
While (there) is life to-a-sick (person), (there) is hope.
ae-GRO-to dum A-nima est, spes est.

The word aegroto is the dative form of the adjective aegrotus, "sick, ill." The adjective is being used as a noun here: "a sick (person)."

Remember how the dative can be used for possession? That is the idea here: aegroto dum anima est, "while the sick person still has life..."

Compare a similar saying that you've already seen: Dum vita est, spes est.

5. Equo donato noli respicere in os.
Don't look (a) donated horse in (the) mouth.
equo do-NA-to noli re-SPI-cere in os.

It's a long saying, but you know all the words in this one too. And you know a famous English version of the saying also: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." In other words, don't look at the horse's teeth to see how old the horse is; just be grateful for someone giving you a horse no matter how old the horse might be.

The word equo is the dative form of the masculine noun equus, and the masculine adjective donato agrees with equo. This is another example of the dative of possession. Whose mouth? The horse's mouth! Latin regularly uses the dative of possession with body parts.

The word os is the accusative form of the neuter noun os used with the preposition in, meaning "in, into."

Here's a recap: