Divitiae Sunt Causae Periculorum

---

363     -     364     -     365

---

Divitiae Sunt Causae Periculorum
Cum sint divitiae manifesta pericula vitae,
Cur voto a cunctis sic cupiuntur opes?

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

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

manifestus, -a, -um: in plain view, evident

ā ab abs: from, by (+abl.)
causa -ae f.: cause, reason
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
cupiō -ere -īvī -ītum: desire
cūr: why?
dīvitiae -ārum f. pl.: riches, wealth
ops opis f.: assistance, resources
perīculum -ī n.: danger
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
vīta -ae f.: life
votum -ī n.: solemn promise, vow; hope

(image source)

Sine Debitis

---

364     -     365     -     366

---

Sine Debitis
Praestat habere parum nec quid debere cuiquam
Quam multa et multis aere subesse viris.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 939. Meter: Elegiac.

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

subsum, subesse: be under, be underneath

aes aeris n.: copper, bronze
aliquis -quae -quod: some, any; si quis, si quid: anyone who, anything that
et: and
habeō habēre habuī habitum: have, hold
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
neque nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
parum: too little
praestō -stāre -stitī -stitum: excel, exhibit
quam: how?; (after comparative) than
quis- quicquam/quidquam: any (single) person, anyone at all
sine: without (+ abl.)
vir virī m.: man

(image source)

Mortis Mors

---

453     -     454     -     455

---

I found this poem in the collection Philosophia Patrum edited by Julius Wegeler.

Mortis Mors
Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset,
Caelorum nobis ianua clausa foret.

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

iānua (iānuae, f.): door, doorway

caelum -ī n.: sky, heavens
claudō claudere clausī clausum: close, shut
dō dare dedī datum: give
mors mortis f.: death
nisi/nī: if not, unless
nōs nostrum/nostrī nobis nōs: we

(image source)

Quare Dat Deus?

---

437     -     438     -     439

---

This is from Hans Walther and Paul Gerhard Schmidt's Proverbia Sententiaeque Latinitatis Medii Aevi (1963-1986) - not available online, unfortunately.

Quare Dat Deus?
Dat deus ut detur; nil actio nostra meretur:
Si das, ipse dabit; si non das, ipse negabit.

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

actio (actiōnis, f.): doing, action, act

deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
dō dare dedī datum: give
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
mereō merēre meruī meritum: deserve, merit; serve as a soldier
negō -āre: deny, refuse
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
nōn: not
noster nostra nostrum: our
quārē: how? why?
sī: if
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)

(image source)

Qui Dat Inopi Sua

---

354     -     355     -     356

---

Qui Dat Inopi Sua
Qui bene divitias inopi donabit amico,
   Hic omni felix tempore dives erit.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

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

inops (inopis): needy, lacking, destitute

amīcus -a -um: friendly; (as subst.) friend
bene: well
dīves, dīvitis: rich (poet. dīs, dītis)
dīvitiae -ārum f. pl.: riches, wealth
dō dare dedī datum: give
dōnō -āre: present with a gift (+ acc. of person and abl. of thing)
fēlīx -īcis: lucky; adv. fēlīciter
hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
suus -a -um: his own, her own, its own
tempus -oris n.: time

(image source)

Quis Sit Dives

---

351     -     352     -     353

---

Quis Sit Dives
Non est, crede mihi, multos qui possidet agros
   Dives, sed dives cui satis unus ager.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

He is not rich (non est dives), believe me (crede mihi), he who possesses (qui possidet) many fields (multos agros), but he is rich (sed dives) for whom (cui) one field (unus ager) is enough (satis).

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

possideō, possidēre: seize, occupy, possess

ager agrī m.: field
crēdō crēdere crēdidī crēditum: believe
dīves, dīvitis: rich (poet. dīs, dītis)
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
nōn: not
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
satis/sat: enough, sufficient
sed: but
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ūnus -a -um: one

(image source)

Quod Scimus, Docere Debemus

---

326     -     327     -     328

---

Quod Scimus, Docere Debemus
Edoceas quod scis, fit enim sapientia dando
   Maior; at est, contra, facta retenta minor.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

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

ēdoceō, ēdocēre: teach thoroughly, instruct

at: but, but yet
contrā: against, opposite (adv. and prep. +acc.)
dēbeō dēbēre dēbuī dēbitum: owe, be obliged
dō dare dedī datum: give
doceō -ēre -uī doctum: teach
enim: for, indeed
fīō fierī factus sum: become
māior -ius: greater, older; maiōres -um: ancestors
minus -oris n.: a smaller number or amount, less; (adv.) minus: to a smaller extent, less
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
retineō -tinēre -tinuī -tentum: hold back, keep
sapientia -ae f.: wisdom
sciō -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist

(image source)

Quod Non Sumus Mancipia Corporis

---

301     -     302     -     303

---

Quod Non Sumus Mancipia Corporis
Cum sit missa tibi mens alto libera caelo,
Num vis mancipium corporis esse tui?

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

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

When your mind (cum sit tibi mens) is free (libera), directed to the high heaven (missa alto caelo), surely you don't want (num vis) to be the slave (mancipium esse) of your body (corporis tui)?

mancipium (mancipii, n.): property, possession, slave

altus -a -um: high, lofty; deep
caelum -ī n.: sky, heavens
corpus corporis n.: body
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
līber lībera līberum: free; līberī (m. pl.): freeborn children
mēns mentis f.: mind
mittō mittere mīsī missum: send, let go
nōn: not
num: interrogative particle implying negative answer
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
tuus -a -um: your
volō velle voluī: wish, be willing

(Statue of Padmasambhava)

Pulchra Vestis

---

266     -     267     -     268

---

Pulchra Vestis
Si modo me spernis, mutata veste redibo;
Quod mihi non dederis, vestibus ipse dabis.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac.

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

If now you reject me (si modo me spernis), I will return (redibo) having changed my clothes (mutata veste); that [respect] which (quod) you would not give to me ( mihi non dederis), you will give to my clothes (estibus ipse dabis).

spernō, spernere: scorn, reject, despise

dō dare dedī datum: give
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
modo: just, just now
mūtō -āre: change
nōn: not
pulcher -chra -chrum: beautiful
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
redeō -īre -iī -itum: go back, return
sī: if
vestis -is f.: garment, robe, clothing

(image source)

Omnes Sunt Felices, Ubi Omnes Amici

---

251     -     252     -     253

---

Omnes Sunt Felices, Ubi Omnes Amici
Quam felix et quanta foret res publica, cives,
Si cunctos unus conciliasset amor?

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. Note the sadly contrary-to-fact hypothetical statement: si conciliasset - "if only one love could have united everyone" (but, alas, it has not!).

How happy (quam felix) and how great would the republic be (et quanta foret res publica), O citizens (cives), if a single love (si unus amor) reconciled us all (cunctos conciliasset)?

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

conciliō, conciliāre, conciliāvī: unite, bring together

amīcus -a -um: friendly; (as subst.) friend
amor -ōris m.: love
cīvis -is m./f.: citizen
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
et: and
fēlīx -īcis: lucky; adv. fēlīciter
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
pūblicus -a -um: public, belonging to the state
quam: how?; (after comparative) than
quantus -a -um: (interr.) how great? (rel.) of what size, amount, etc.
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)
sī: if
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ubi: where, when
ūnus -a -um: one

(image source)

Lex et Iustitia

---

191     -     192     -     193

---

Lex et Iustitia
Vis legis prohibere malum est, permittere honestum;
Iustitia est semper ius dare cuique suum.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. Note that malum and honestum are being used substantively, as the objects of the infinitives malum prohibere and honestum permittere.

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

The power of law (vis legis est) is to prohibit what is wicked (prohibere malum), and to allow what is honorable (permittere honestum); justice is (iustitia est) to always give to each (semper dare cuique) what is rightfully theirs (ius suum).

iustitia (iustitiae, f.): justice, righteousness

dō dare dedī datum: give
et: and
honestus -a -um: honorable
iūs iūris n.: right, justice, law
lēx lēgis: f. law
malus -a -um: bad, evil; male: (adv.) badly
permittō -mittere -mīsī -missum: yield, allow, permit
prohibeō -ēre -uī -itum: restrain, keep away
quis- quae- quidque: each one, everyone
semper: always, ever
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
suus -a -um: his own, her own, its own
vīs f.: force; (acc.) vim, (abl.) vī; (pl.) vīrēs, strength

(image source)

Virtuti Mors Nocere Non Potest

---

185     -     186     -     187

---

Virtuti Mors Nocere Non Potest
Sola potest homines aeternos reddere virtus;
Huic soli e cunctis non Libitina nocet.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. The phrase huic soli (dative) in the second line refers back to virtus in the first line.

Only excellence (sola virtus) can make (potest reddere) men immortal (homines aeternos); among all things (e cunctis) Libitina does not harm (non Libitina nocet) this thing alone (huic soli).

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

Libitīna (Libitīnae, f.): Libitina, goddess of corpses

aeternus -a -um: everlasting, eternal
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
ex ē: out of, from (+ abl.)
hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
homo hominis m.: human being
mors mortis f.: death
noceō nocēre nocuī: harm
nōn: not
possum posse potuī: be able
reddō -dere -didī -ditum: return, give back
sōlus -a -um: only, alone; sōlum (adv.), only, merely
virtūs -ūtis f.: valor, manliness, virtue

(image source)

Verus Amicus

---

163     -     164     -     165

---

Verus Amicus
Invenies multos, si res tibi floret, amicos;
Si fueris pauper, quis tibi amicus erit?

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. Note the subjunctive used to express the hypothetical condition: si fueris...

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

flōreō, flōrēre: blossom, flourish, be prosperous

amīcus -a -um: friendly; (as subst.) friend
inveniō -venīre -vēnī -ventum: find; discover
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
pauper -eris: poor, lowly
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)
sī: if
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
vērus -a -um: true; vērē, truly

(image source - full size poster; poster made with AutoMotivator)

Nil Magis Nostrum Est Quam Tempus

---

132     -     133     -     134

---

Nil Magis Nostrum Est Quam Tempus
Nil magis est nostrum volucris quam temporis usus,
Sed multis tamquam res aliena volat.

Source: Michaelis Verinus (c.1469-c.1487), Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. The quam here expresses the comparison: nil magis est nostrum ... quam....

There is nothing more our own (Nil magis est nostrum) than the use of time (quam temporis usus) as it flies (volucris), but for many (sed multis) it flies (volat) as if it was a thing that belonging to someone else ( tamquam res aliena).

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

volō, volāre: fly

aliēnus -a -um: foreign, strange
magis: more
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
noster nostra nostrum: our
quam: how?; (after comparative) than
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)
sed: but
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tamquam: so as, just as
tempus -oris n.: time
ūsus -ūs m.: use, experience
volucer -cris -cre: flying; volucris -is m./f.: bird

(image source - full size poster; poster made with AutoMotivator)

Hora Finalis

---

415     -     416     -     417

---

This is from The Book of Sun-Dials by Mrs. Alfred Gatty [aka Margaret Scott Gatty], which you can read online at this University of Pennsylvania website.

Hora Finalis
Hora horis cedit, pereunt sic tempora nobis;
Ut tibi finalis sit bona, vive bene.

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

fīnālis, -e (fīnālis): last, final

bene: well
bonus -a -um: good
cēdō cēdere cessī cessum: yield
hōra -ae f.: hour
nōs nostrum/nostrī nobis nōs: we
pereō -īre -iī -itum: perish, be lost
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tempus -oris n.: time
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)
vīvō vīvere vīxī victum: live

(image source)

In Aeternos Dies

---

412     -     413     -     414

---

This is from The Book of Sun-Dials by Mrs. Alfred Gatty [aka Margaret Scott Gatty], which you can read online at this University of Pennsylvania website.

In Aeternos Dies
Ista velut tacito cursu dilabitur umbra,
Transit in aeternos sic tua vita dies.

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

dīlābor, dīlābī: fall apart, decay, melt away

aeternus -a -um: everlasting, eternal
cursus -ūs m.: course, advance
diēs diēī m./f.: day
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
iste ista istud: that, that of yours; adv. istīc or istūc: over there; istinc: from over there
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
taceō -ēre -uī -itum: be silent; tacitus -a -um, silent
trānseō -īre -iī -itum: go across
tuus -a -um: your
umbra -ae f.: shade, shadow
velut: even as, just as
vīta -ae f.: life

(image source)

Aenigma: Deus

---

460     -     461     -     462

---

This is one of the riddles collected by Nikolaus Reusner, which you can read online at the University of Mannheim.

Aenigma: Deus
Principium cunctis, cunctis do denique finem;
Ipse ego fine simul principioque carens.

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

aenigma (aenigmatis, n.): riddle, enigma

careō -ēre -uī: lack (+ abl.)
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
dēnique: finally
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
dō dare dedī datum: give
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
fīnis -is m.: end, boundary
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
principium -iī n.: beginning
que (enclitic) - and
simul: at the same time

(image source)

In Aeternos Dies

This is from The Book of Sun-Dials by Mrs. Alfred Gatty [aka Margaret Scott Gatty], which you can read online at this University of Pennsylvania website.

In Aeternos Dies
Ista velut tacito cursu dilabitur umbra,
Transit in aeternos sic tua vita dies.

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

dīlābor, dīlābī: fall apart, decay, melt away

aeternus -a -um: everlasting, eternal
cursus -ūs m.: course, advance
diēs diēī m./f.: day
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
iste ista istud: that, that of yours; adv. istīc or istūc: over there; istinc: from over there
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
taceō -ēre -uī -itum: be silent; tacitus -a -um, silent
trānseō -īre -iī -itum: go across
tuus -a -um: your
umbra -ae f.: shade, shadow
velut: even as, just as
vīta -ae f.: life

(image source)

Ad Torquatulum

---

247     -     248     -     249

---

Ad Torquatulum
Non vivit sibi, qui soli, Torquatule, vivit;
Si vere tibi vis vivere, vive aliis.

Source: Stephanus Paschasius (1528-1615), in Nihus (1642). Meter: Elegiac. Note that soli here is in the dative: qui [sibi] soli vivit.

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

Torquātulus (Torquātulī, m.): Torquatulus, diminutive of the name Torquatus

He who lives for himself alone (qui soli vivit), Torquatulus (Torquatule), does not live for himself (non vivit sibi); if you really want (si vere vis) to live for yourself (tibi vivere), live for others (vive aliis).

ad: to, up to, towards (+acc.)
alius -a -um: other, another; alias: at another time
nōn: not
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sī: if
sōlus -a -um: only, alone; sōlum (adv.), only, merely
sui, sibi, sē: him- her- itself
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
vērus -a -um: true; vērē, truly
vīvō vīvere vīxī victum: live
volō velle voluī: wish, be willing

(www.metmuseum.org)

In Vitium Per Verba

---

344     -     345     -     346

---

In Vitium Per Verba
Sermo brevis tibi sit, quoniam qui multa loquuntur
   Saepius in vitium per sua verba ruunt.

Source: Josephus Perez (1627-1694), Hortulus Carminum. Meter: Elegiac.

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

ruō, ruere: rush, fall, go to ruin

brevis -e: short, shallow, brief; adv. breviter
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
loquor loquī locūtus sum: speak, talk
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
per: through (+acc.)
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
quoniam: since, seeing that
saepe: often
sermo -ōnis m.: conversation, discourse
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
suus -a -um: his own, her own, its own
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
verbum -ī n.: word
vitium -ī n.: flaw, fault, crime

(image source)