Ex Meritis Propriis
Non datur ex meritis maiorum gloria vera;
Ex propriis meritis gloria vera datur.
Source: Anton Moker (1540-1605), Decalogus Metricus. Meter: Elegiac. Note the use of maiores to mean the elders, the ancestors; ex meritis maiorum, "as a result of your ancestors' merits."
True glory (gloria vera) is not awarded (non datur) thanks to the merits of your ancestors (ex meritis maiorum); true glory is given (gloria vera datur) thanks to your own merits (ex meritis propriis).
The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:
dō dare dedī datum: give
ex ē: out of, from (+ abl.)
glōria -ae f.: glory, fame
māior -ius: greater, older; maiōres -um: ancestors
mereō merēre meruī meritum: deserve, merit; serve as a soldier
nōn: not
proprius -a -um: one’s own, peculiar
vērus -a -um: true; vērē, truly
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