Sunday, July 22, 2012

Prodest Amor et Obest

This is one of the emblems of Joachim Camerarius, 3.76. The emblem shows the starling (Latin sturnus) eating the cicuta plant, hemlock, which is poisonous to humans, but which is food for the starling.

Prodest Amor et Obest
Est uni iucundus amor, nocet alteri amasse;
Quodque uni prodest, alteri obesse potest.



The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are only two words in this poem that are not on the DCC list:

iūcundus, -a, -um: pleasant agreeable
obsum, obesse: be an obstacle, hinder, hurt

alter altera alterum: other of two
amō -āre: to love; amans -ntis m./f.: lover
amor -ōris m.: love
noceō nocēre nocuī: harm
possum posse potuī: be able
prōsum -desse -fuī: be of use, do good, help (+ dat.)
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ūnus -a -um: one