The focus for today's lesson is more practice with those 3rd-declension verbs in the 1st person: some end in -o and some end in -io. You'll see examples of both below!
To get started, here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before, and you've seen all but two of the words in today's sayings before.
1. Dum vivo, spero.
While I-live, I-hope.
dum vivo, spero.
The verb vivo is the 1st-person form of the verb vivit.
You also have a 1st-conjugation verb here: spero, the 1st-person form of the verb sperat.
This saying reminds me of my personal favorite Latin saying: Spes ultima dea, "Hope is the last goddess." As long as you are alive, the goddess Hope might still come to your rescue, no matter what.
2. Contentus vivo parvo.
I-live, content with-a-little.
con-TEN-tus vivo parvo.
The word parvo is the ablative form of parvum, an adjective being used as a noun here, completing the adjective contentus. Notice how that adjectival phrase wraps around the verb: contentus...parvo, "content with a little."
2. Contentus vivo parvo.
I-live, content with-a-little.
con-TEN-tus vivo parvo.
The word parvo is the ablative form of parvum, an adjective being used as a noun here, completing the adjective contentus. Notice how that adjectival phrase wraps around the verb: contentus...parvo, "content with a little."
You've seen other sayings that praise the simple, modest life; for example: Ex parvo satis and Parva domus, parva cura.
3. Respicio sine luctu.
I-look-back without grief.
re-SPI-cio sine luctu.
The verb respicio is the 1st-person form of the verb respicit.
3. Respicio sine luctu.
I-look-back without grief.
re-SPI-cio sine luctu.
The verb respicio is the 1st-person form of the verb respicit.
The word luctu is the ablative form of the noun luctus, "grief." You haven't seen this noun before, but you have seen the verb that it comes from: lugeo. It's in the ablative case with the preposition sine.
This is the Dendy family motto.
4. Auream mediocritatem diligo.
I-cherish the-golden mean.
AU-ream mediocri-TA-tem DI-ligo.
The verb diligo, "I love, I cherish, I choose," is the 1st-person form of the verb diligo. This verb is the origin of English "diligent" and you can also see it in "predilection."
The word mediocritatem is the accusative form of mediocritas, a feminine noun, so the adjective is also feminine accusative: auream.
While "mediocrity" in English has negative connotations, in Latin mediocritas is very much a "happy medium," safely in the middle, avoiding extremes. You can read more about the Golden Mean at Wikipedia.
5. Facio de necessitate virtutem.
I-make a-virtue from necessity.
FA-cio de necessi-TA-te vir-TU-tem.
The verb facio is the 1st-person form of the verb facit.
5. Facio de necessitate virtutem.
I-make a-virtue from necessity.
FA-cio de necessi-TA-te vir-TU-tem.
The verb facio is the 1st-person form of the verb facit.
The word necessitate is the ablative form of the noun necessitas. It's in the ablative case because of the preposition de.
The word virtutem is the accusative form of the noun virtus. It's in the accusative case because it's the object of the verb.
This phrase appears in the writings of Saint Jerome. Compare the English saying "making a virtue of necessity." In other words, if you have to do something anyway, you can try to turn it to your benefit.
Here's a recap:
- Dum vivo, spero.
- Contentus vivo parvo.
- Respicio sine luctu.
- Auream mediocritatem diligo.
- Facio de necessitate virtutem.
Plus the LOLCats!
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