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mordet — she bites / he bites / it bites
- mordetur — is bitten
- morde! — bite! (command)
- mordere — to bite
To get started, here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before, and you've seen almost all of the words in today's sayings before!
And here are today's proverbs:
1. Ave atque vale.
Be-well and be-strong.
ave atque vale.
This is a famous Latin phrase which is often rendered in English as "Hail and farewell."
1. Ave atque vale.
Be-well and be-strong.
ave atque vale.
This is a famous Latin phrase which is often rendered in English as "Hail and farewell."
The word ave is the infinitive form of the verb avet, "be well." So the infinitive means "be well!" and it was also used as a salutation in Latin, either as a greeting or as a goodbye. This word famously appears in the Christian phrase Ave, Maria ("Hail, Mary!"), which you can read about at Wikipedia: Ave Maria.
The word vale is also an imperative of a verb you have seen before: valet.
The word vale is also an imperative of a verb you have seen before: valet.
The Roman poet Catullus used these words to close a poem in which he mourned the death of his brother; you can find the poem in Latin and English at Wikipedia: Catullus 101.
2. Fortunam reverenter habe.
Hold (your) luck with-respect.
for-TU-nam reve-REN-ter habe.
The word habe is the imperative form of the verb habet.
The word Fortunam is the object of the verb, and reverenter is an adverb meaning "respectfully, with respect." This same Latin root gives us English words like "revere" and "reverend." You've also seen the Latin verb based on this same root: veretur; in the Roman world, the basis of respect was fear!
The phrase comes from a poem by the Roman poet Ausonius, writing about Agathocles of Syracuse, who was born as the son of a potter but rose to immense power and wealth; even when he was wealthy, he kept reminders of his poverty around him so that he would treat his good luck with respect. You can see Ausonius's poem here: Exhortation to Modesty.
3. Etiam tacere est respondere.
Even to-be-silent is to-reply.
ET-iam ta-CE-re est respon-DE-re.
The word tacere is the infinitive form of the verb tacet, and the word respondere is the infinitive form of respondet, "answers, responds." You haven't seen this noun before, but you have seen a related noun: responsio.
3. Etiam tacere est respondere.
Even to-be-silent is to-reply.
ET-iam ta-CE-re est respon-DE-re.
The word tacere is the infinitive form of the verb tacet, and the word respondere is the infinitive form of respondet, "answers, responds." You haven't seen this noun before, but you have seen a related noun: responsio.
As often, the infinitive is more like a verb than a noun, so you could also render this saying in English as: "Silence is also an answer."
4. Rara barba facile tondetur.
(A) thin beard is-shaved easily.
rara barba FA-cile ton-DE-tur.
The verb tondetur is the passive form of the verb tondet. The word facile, "easily," is an adverb modifying this verb. You haven't seen this adverb before, but it is the neuter form of an adjective you have seen before: facilis.
You've also seen the adjective rara before, meaning "uncommon, rare," but in this saying it has a slightly different meaning: "sparse, thin. " A beard that is not thick with hair is a rara barba.
4. Rara barba facile tondetur.
(A) thin beard is-shaved easily.
rara barba FA-cile ton-DE-tur.
The verb tondetur is the passive form of the verb tondet. The word facile, "easily," is an adverb modifying this verb. You haven't seen this adverb before, but it is the neuter form of an adjective you have seen before: facilis.
You've also seen the adjective rara before, meaning "uncommon, rare," but in this saying it has a slightly different meaning: "sparse, thin. " A beard that is not thick with hair is a rara barba.
Metaphorically, then, this means that something that is not fully developed is easily managed or even undone. If you wait until a beard gets thick and long, it is going to be a lot harder to shave!
5. Plus valet passer in dextra quam quattuor extra.
(A) sparrow in the-hand is-worth more than four outside (the hand).
plus valet passer in dextra quam QUAT-tuor extra.
The only new word in this saying is passer, which means "sparrow." You can see this Latin root in the scientific word "passerine," and Latin passer is also the origin of Spanish pájaro, meaning "bird."
5. Plus valet passer in dextra quam quattuor extra.
(A) sparrow in the-hand is-worth more than four outside (the hand).
plus valet passer in dextra quam QUAT-tuor extra.
The only new word in this saying is passer, which means "sparrow." You can see this Latin root in the scientific word "passerine," and Latin passer is also the origin of Spanish pájaro, meaning "bird."
The verb valet is the same verb whose imperative you saw above: Ave atque vale.
You've already seen another version of this same saying in Latin already: Est avis in dextra melior quam quattuor extra, both equivalent to the English "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
The dextra...extra rhyme shows that this is a medieval Latin proverb (the ancient Romans did not like rhyme, but it is frequently found in medieval Latin poetry and proverbs).
Here's a recap:
Plus the LOLCats!
Here's a recap:
- Ave atque vale.
- Fortunam reverenter habe.
- Etiam tacere est respondere.
- Rara barba facile tondetur.
- Plus valet passer in dextra quam quattuor extra.
Plus the LOLCats!
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