Latin Lesson #236: More spes, more hope!

The focus for today's lesson is more about spes, hope! The word spes is the nominative form, spem is accusative, and spe is ablative. You will see examples of those three forms in today's sayings.

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

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Non deest spes.
Hope is-not lacking.
Non deest spes.

The new word in this saying is deest, de+est, which is a compound of est. It means to "be without," and thus "lack." So, hope is not lacking, or, in other words: There is still hope.


2. Spem Fortuna alit.
Luck nourishes hope.
Spem For-TU-na alit.

You know all the words in this saying! The idea is that when you can enjoy a little luck, some good fortune, it's easier to feel hopeful. 

The word spem is the accusative form of spes, the object of the verb.

You can see it here in the Gardiner family coat of arms:

3. Spe melioris amittitur bonum.
With-the-hope of-something-better, a-good-thing is-lost.
Spe meli-O-ris a-MIT-titur bonum.

You know all the words in this saying too. 

The word amittur, "is lost," is the passive form of amittit, "loses."

The word spe is the ablative form of spes, answering the question "how?" 

So, how is a good thing lost? It is lost with the hope of something better. The word melioris is the genitive form of the neuter adjective melius, being used here as a noun. It is also the comparative form of bonum which is the point of the saying: don't give up the good, bonum, for something melius, "better."

Compare the English saying, "The better is the enemy of the good."

4. In spe et labore transigo vitam.
In hope and labor, I-pass (my) life.
In spe et la-BA-re TRAN-sigo vitam.

The new word in this saying is the verb transigo, "I pass, I pass through." It's a compound of trans+ago, and the phrase ago vitam means "I conduct my life, I live my life."
The word spe is the ablative of spes and the word labore is the ablative of labor, both being used with the preposition in.

The idea is that you should keep on hoping, but you need to keep on working too!


5. Cum spes frustratur, non spes, sed poena vocatur.
When hope disappoints, it-is-not called hope, but suffering.
Cum spes frus-TRA-tur, non spes, sed poena vo-CA-tur.

The new word here is the verb frustratur, "disappoints." This is a deponent verb: it has no active forms, only passive forms. You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen a related adverb, frustra, "in vain."

The verb vocatur is truly passive: vocat means "calls," while vocatur means "is called."

Notice the internal rhyme, marking this as a medieval saying: frustratur ... vocatur.

For the idea that hope can frustrate or deceive you, consider a saying you saw previously: Spes alit et fallit.


Here's a recap:

• Non deest spes.
• Spem Fortuna alit.
• Spe melioris amittitur bonum.
• In spe et labore transigo vitam.
• Cum spes frustratur, non spes, sed poena vocatur.

And here is today's audio:



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