Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #257: Plural Review

After working on all these plural nouns and verbs (starting back in Lesson 242), we'll do some review this week and next. Today's focus is the plural ending of neuter nouns and adjectives: -a. We're starting with the neuter nouns because the plural -a ending is the same both for 2nd-declension neuter nouns and adjectives and also for 3rd-declension neuter nouns and adjectives!

This also happens to be the Latin plural ending that we see in English words like data, media, curricula, symposia, and bacteria (which are treated as plural nouns in English too), along with words like agenda and propaganda (which were originally plural in Latin, but which have come to be treated as singular nouns in English).

To get started, here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Bella, horrida bella!
Wars, dreaded wars!
bella, HOR-rrida bella!

The word bella is the plural form of bellum, a word you know already.

The word horrida is the plural form of horridum, "terrible, dreadful," agreeing with bella.

These words come from the Sibyl's prophecy to Aeneas in Book VI of Vergil's Aeneid.

2. Intellegenti pauca.
For-the-one-who-understands, a few (words are enough).
intelle-GEN-ti pauca.

The word pauca is the plural form of paucum, so it means "few things" or "a few things." In the context of this saying, though, it is usually understood as pauca (verba), "a few (words)." You haven't seen pauca before, but you have seen the masculine plural: pauci.

The word intellegenti is the dative form of intellegens, literally "the one understanding," i.e. the one who understands, the one who is "intelligent." This is the participle form of a verb you have seen before: intellegit.

Compare the English saying, "A word to the wise," which is inspired by Latin saying very similar to this one: Dictum sapienti sat est, "A word to the wise is enough." The idea is that if someone is wise, you do not have to explain things in detail; just a word or two will be enough for them to understand.

3. Grata brevissima.
Pleasant-things (are) extremely brief.
grata bre-VIS-sima.

The word grata is the plural form of gratum, "pleasing." The adjective is being used substantively here: "pleasing, pleasant (things)."

The word brevissima is the plural form of brevissimum, "the most brief, extremely brief," agreeing with grata. You haven't seen this word before, but you have seen the form breve.

Of course, there is no rule that says you cannot flip the subject and predicate here, interpreting the saying as "The shortest-things are pleasant." Compare the English saying, "Brevity is the soul of wit" (a saying found in Shakespeare's Hamlet).

In a different context, you can also interpret "grata brevissima" not as neuter plural, but instead as feminine singular; that's what happens when you find these words inscribed on a sundial, where the implied feminine noun is ora, "the hour." So, if you saw this written on a sundial, you could interpret it as Grata (ora) brevissima, "The pleasant hour is extremely brief." Compare the English saying, "Time flies when you're having fun."

So, when it comes to very short statements like this in Latin, you might need to look to the context to pin down the meaning.

4. Omnia vanitas.
All-things (are) vanity.
OM-nia VA-nitas.

The word omnia is the plural form of omne, a word you know already.

The word vanitas literally means "emptiness," an abstract noun formed from the adjective vanus, "empty."

So, literally, the Latin statement means "all things are emptiness, all things are nothing."

But English now has its own word, "vanity," from Latin vanitas, so that is usually how the word vanitas is translated. It comes from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible: Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas, "Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity." You can find out more at Wikipedia: Vanitas.

5. Omnia idem pulvis.
All-things (are) the-same dust.
OM-nia idem pulvis.

The word pulvis means dust, and it is a masculine noun. This Latin word gives us English "pulverize" and also "powder."

The adjective idem, "same," is also masculine, agreeing with pulvis. You haven't seem the masculine form of this adjective before, but you have seen the neuter form, which is also idem. This Latin word is at the root of English "identity."
The idea here is that all things come from dust, and to dust all things shall return. Compare the English saying "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" from the English Book of Common Prayer.

Here's a recap: