Sunday, February 19, 2012

Invidiam nimio cultu...

Here is today's distich by Cato (so-called), with English translations by Duff and Chase, 2:13.

Invidiam nimio cultu vitare memento:
Quae si non laedit, tamen hanc sufferre molestum est.


Though envy roused by pomp doth not destroy,
Forbear to stir it, for it doth annoy.
(Chase)

Proud pomp will rouse men's jealousy, be sure:
Though it mayn't hurt, it's irksome to endure.
(Duff)

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are three words which are not on the DCC list:

cultus, cultūs m. - cultivation, refinement, elegance
molestus -a -um - annoying, troublesome, tiresome
suffero, sufferre, sustulī, sublātum - carry under, support, endure

hic, haec, hoc: this; hōc, on this account
invidia -ae f.: envy, jealousy, hatred
laedo -ere laesī laesum: injure by striking, hurt
meminī meminisse: remember, recollect
nimius -a -um: too much, excessive; nimis or nimium, excessively
nōn: not
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
sī: if
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tamen: nevertheless, still
vīto -āre: avoid, shun