Auctores Veteres et Recentes
Auctores miror veteres, mirorque recentes:
Pulchra mihi, quisquis dixerit illa, placent.
Source: Urbano Appendini (1777-1834), De Educatione Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. Note the use of the subjunctive dixerit in the hypothetical sense with quisquis: whoever might have said them. Note also the substantive use of pulchra, meaning "pretty (things), beautiful (words)."
I am amazed (miror) at the ancient authors (auctores veteres) and I am amazed (mirorque) at the newer authors (recentes): lovely things (pulchra) please me (mihi placent), whoever might have said them (quisquis dixerit illa).
The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list!
auctor -ōris m.: originator, founder
dīco dīcere dīxī dictum: say; causam dicere, plead a case; diem dicere, appoint a day
ego me mihi mē: I, me
ille, illa, illud: that
mīror mīrārī mīrātus sum: wonder at, marvel at (+ acc.)
placeo -ēre placuī placitum: please
pulcher -chra -chrum: beautiful
que: and (enclitic)
quisquis quidquid: whoever, whichever
recēns -ntis: fresh, new
vetus veteris: old
