Epitaphium: Precare Mihi

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423     -     424     -     425

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This is from the enormous anthology of distich poetry assembled by Barthold Nihus, Epigrammata Disticha, published in 1642; the poem is an epitaph.

Epitaphium: Precare Mihi
Tu quod es, hospes, eram; quod ego sum, tu quoque fies;
Quae tibi vis fieri iusta, precare mihi.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:

What you are (tu quod es), stranger (hospes), I was (eram); what I am (quod ego sum), you also will be (tu quoque fies); what things (quae) you want to happen (vis fieri) by right to you (iusta tibi), pray to happen for me (precare mihi).

ego meī mihi mē: I, me
fīō fierī factus sum: become
hospes hospitis m.: guest, guest-friend; stranger; host
iūstus -a -um: right, just, fair
precor -ārī: pray, invoke
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
quoque: also, too
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
volō velle voluī: wish, be willing

(Granary Burying Ground at Boston)

Epitaphium Puellae

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422     -     423     -     424

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These lines are from a Roman epitaph.

Epitaphium Puellae
Tu pater, et mater, lacrimis retinete dolorem,
nam fato raptam non potes eripere.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:

You, Father (tu pater), and you, Mother (et mater), restrain your tearful grief (retinete lacrimis dolorem) for you cannot (nam non potes) rescue your daughter (eripere) who was snatched (raptam) by fate (fato).

dolor -ōris m.: pain, grief
ēripio -ere -ripuī -reptum: snatch away, rescue, save
et: and
fātum -ī n.: fate
lacrima -ae f.: tear
māter, mātris f.: mother
nam: for, indeed, really
nōn: not
pater, patris m.: father, ancestor
possum posse potuī: be able
rapio rapere rapuī raptum: seize, tear away
retineo -ēre -uī retentum: hold back, keep
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)

(image by Scott Moore)

Morborum vitia...

These lines are from a Roman epitaph.

Morborum vitia et vitae mala maxima fugi:
nunc careo poenis, pace fruor placida.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:

careo -ēre -uī: lack (+ abl.)
et: and
fruor fruī frūctus sum: enjoy
fugio fugere fūgī fugitum: flee, escape
malus -a -um: evil
māximus -a -um: greatest; māximē, most, especially, very much
morbus -ī m.: sickness, disease
nunc: now
pāx pācis f.: peace
placidus -a -um: quiet, calm, gentle, kindly
poena -ae f.: penalty, punishment
vīta -ae f.: life
vitium -ī n.: flaw, fault, crime

(image source)

Olim non fuimus...

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425     -     426     -     427

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These lines are from a Roman epitaph. As often with Roman epitaphs, it speaks directly to the passer by, addressing the living viewer.

Olim non fuimus, nati sumus; unde quieti
nunc sumus, ut fuimus; cura relicta, vale.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:

cūra -ae f.: care, concern
nāscor nāscī nātus sum: be born; nātus, son
nōn: not
nunc: now
ōlim: formerly, at that time
quiēsco -ere quiēvī quiētum: keep quiet; sleep
relinquo -linquere -līquī -lictum: abandon
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
unde: from where
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)
valeo valēre valuī: be strong, excel, be valid, prevail; valē, farewell!

(image source)

Zoticus hic...

These lines are from a Roman epitaph; as the tomb indicates, the dead man's name was Zoticus.

Zoticus hic nomen nudum vanumque reliquit;
in cineres corpus et in aethera vita soluta est.


The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list, except for the one proper noun:

Zoticus - Zoticus


aethēr aetheris n.: pure upper air, ether, heaven, sky
cinis cineris m./f.: ashes, embers
corpus, corporis n.: body
et: and
hic, haec, hoc: this; hōc, on this account
in: in, on (+ abl.); into onto (+ acc)
nōmen -inis n.: name
nūdus -a -um: naked, bare
que: and (enclitic)
relinquo -linquere -līquī -lictum: abandon
solvo -ere solvī solūtum: release, set sail
vanus -a -um: empty; false, deceitful
vīta -ae f.: life

(image source)

Nostri Memores

These lines are from a Roman epitaph.

Nostri Memores
Vos qui transitis, nostri memores rogo sitis:
Quod sumus, hoc eritis; fuimus quandoque quod estis.

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

memor (memoris): mindful of, remembering
quandōque: at some time or other, whenever

hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
noster nostra nostrum: our
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
rogō -āre: ask
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
trānseō -īre -iī -itum: go across
vōs: you (pl.); (gen.) vestrum/vestrī, (dat./abl.) vobis, (acc.) vōs

(image source)

Sit Tibi Terra Levis

These lines are from a Roman epitaph.

Sit Tibi Terra Levis
Mater si possem, fili, vice morte subirem;
Nunc iacis hoc tumulo: sit tibi terra levis.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are two words in this poem that are not on the DCC list; note also that iacis here stands for iaces (a confusion often seen in tombstone inscriptions):

tumulus (tumulī, m.): mound, hill, tomb
vice: in turn, in exchange

filia -ae f.; filius -ī m.: daughter; son
hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
iaceō iacēre iacuī: lie
levis -e: light, trivial
māter mātris f.: mother
mors mortis f.: death
nunc: now
possum posse potuī: be able
sī: if
subeō -īre -iī -itum: go under; endure
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
terra -ae f.: land
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)

(S.T.T.L.)