Nec Sperno, Nec Metuo

Here is today's emblem and distich by Joachim Camerarius, 3:26. The two birds you see in the emblem are an eagle and a swan; according to Aristotle, the swan is an example of a dangerously aggressive bird, ready even to fight a swan. An eagle, on the other hand, displays greater restraint, not starting a fight as the swan does, but the eagle is ready to defend itself if attacked.

Nec Sperno, Nec Metuo
Nec pugnam occipias, sed te oppugnantibus offer:
Sic hostis poteris victor abire tui.

Here is the vocabulary:

nec - and not, nor
nec...nec... - neither...nor...
sperno - scorn, despise
metuo - fear
pugna - fight
occipio - begin
sed - but
tu - you
oppugno - attack, assault
offero - offer, present
sic - thus
hostis - enemy
possum - can, be able
victor - victor, winner
abeo - go away
tuus - your, yours