1. Tempora Concessa

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Index     -     1     -     2

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Tempora Concessa

Quae vitae concessa tibi sint tempora, nescis:
   Ergo fac citius quae facienda vides.

Source: Urbano Appendini (1777-1834), De Educatione Disticha. Meter: Elegiac. Note that in the first line, quae is an interrogative (nescis quae tempora...), while in the second line it is a relative pronoun with an implied antecedent (fac [haec] quae...).

You do not know (nescis) what time of life (quae tempora vitae) has been allowed to you (tibi concessa sint); therefore (ergo), do speedily (fac citius) the things which you see (quae vides) must be done (facienda).

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

cītus -a -um: swift; citō swiftly
concēdō -cēdere -cessī -cessum: yield, withdraw
ergo: therefore
faciō facere fēcī factum: do, make
nesciō -scīre: not know, be ignorant
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tempus -oris n.: time
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
videō vidēre vīdī vīsum: see
vīta -ae f.: life

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2. Scire Futura

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Scire Futura
Cursus fatorum nescit mens ulla virorum;
   Solius est proprium scire futura Dei.

Source: Florilegium Gottingense (ed. Voigt), 250. Meter: Elegiac. Note the rhyme: fatorum-virorum. Note also that cursus is plural: cursūs, object of nescit. The contrast in this poem is between the world of men in the first line and the power that belongs to God alone in the second line. Notice the lovely way that the noun phrase solius Dei wraps around the entire pentameter line. God is all-encompassing in the line!

No mind of man can know (nescit ulla mens virorum) the course of fate (cursus fatorum); it is properly for God alone (proprium est solius Dei) to know the future (scire futura).

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

cursus -ūs m.: course, advance
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
fātum -ī n.: fate
mēns mentis f.: mind
nesciō -scīre: not know, be ignorant
proprius -a -um: one’s own, peculiar
sciō -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
sōlus -a -um: only, alone; sōlum (adv.), only, merely
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ūllus -a -um: any, anyone
vir virī m.: man

(Waterhouse - Crystal Ball)

3. Tempus

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Tempus
Omnia fert aetas secum, aufert omnia secum;
   Omnia tempus habent, omnia tempus habet.

Age all things brings, all things bears hence with it:
All things have Time, and Time hath all things fit.

Source: John Owen (c.1564-c.1628), Epigrammata, 3.131. Meter: Elegiac. The English version is by Thomas Harvey. In the first line, the poem plays on the contrast between fert and aufert; in the second line, the contrast is between tempus as object and tempus as subject. The poem is inspired by the famous words of Vergil in Eclogue 9: Omnia fert aetas.

Age (aetas) brings all things (omnia fert) with it (secum), it takes away all things with it (aufert omnia secum); all things have their time (omnia habent tempus), time has all things (tempus habet omnia).

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

aetās -tātis f.: age, time of life
auferō auferre abstulī ablātum: take away
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
ferō ferre tulī lātum: bear, carry
habeō habēre habuī habitum: have, hold
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
sui, sibi, sē: him- her- itself
tempus -oris n.: time

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4. Dies Longa

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Dies Longa
Omnia fert aetas; naturam, nomina, formam
   Fortunamque solet vertere longa dies.

Source: Hugo Grotius (1583-1645), Anthologia Graeca, vol. I. The Greek poem is attributed to Plato (Αἰὼν πάντα φέρει· δολιχὸς χρόνος οἶδεν ἀμείβειν / οὔνομα καὶ μορφὴν καὶ φύσιν ἠδὲ τύχην). Meter: Elegiac. Compare also the famous words of Vergil in Eclogue 9: Omnia fert aetas.

Age carries off all things (omnis fert aetas); nature, names, beauty and fortune (naturam, nomina, formam Fortunamque) - the long day (longa dies) is wont to overturn them (solet vertere).

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

aetās -tātis f.: age, time of life
diēs diēī m./f.: day
ferō ferre tulī lātum: bear, carry
fōrma -ae f.: shape; beauty
fortūna -ae f.: fortune
longus -a -um: long, far; longē: far, far off
nātūra -ae f.: nature
nōmen -inis n.: name
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
que (enclitic) - and
soleō -ēre -uī -itum: be accustomed
vertō vertere vertī versum: turn

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5. Sic Vult Ire

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Sic Vult Ire
Sicut it, ire sinas, nam sic vult, sicut it, ire;
Sicut enim nunc it, semper sic ivit et ibit.

Source: Giuseppe Gatti, Sales Poetici, Proverbiales, et Iocosi (1703). Meter: Dactylic hexameter. Note the use of the subjunctive as a command: ire sinas, you should let it go.

You should let it go (ire sinas) as it goes (sicut it), for it wants to go thus (nam sic vult ire) as it goes (sicut it); indeed (enim), as it now goes (sicut nunc it), thus it always has gone (semper sic ivit) and will go (ibit).

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

enim: for, indeed
eo īre iī/īvī itum: go
et: and
nam or namque: for, indeed, really
nunc: now
semper: always, ever
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sīcut: just as
sinō sinere sīvī situm: allow, let go
volō velle voluī: wish, be willing

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6. Temporibus Suis

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Temporibus Suis

Tempore, quae non sunt, sunt; quae sunt, tempore non sunt:
Omnia temporibus sunt pereuntque suis.

Source: Adagiorum Maxime Vulgarium Thesaurus (1730). Meter: Elegiac. I haven't printed the poem here in the larger font because the first line is unusually long and I didn't want it to run over! The Latin tempore here means something like the English expression "with time" or "in time, in the course of time." Note also the implied antecedents for the relative pronoun: [haec], quae non sunt, sunt; [haec] quae sunt...

In time (tempore), those things which are not (quae non sunt), are (sunt); those things which are (quae sunt), in time are not (tempore non sunt): all things are and are gone (sunt pereuntque) in their own time (temporibus suis).

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

nōn: not
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
pereō -īre -iī -itum: perish, be lost
que (enclitic) - and
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

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7. Hora Nulla Sine Fructu

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Hora Nulla Sine Fructu
Sic fac ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora:
   Sic erit hora brevis et labor ipse levis.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 1340. Meter: Elegiac. Note the rhyme: levis-brevis.

Make it so that (sic fac ut) no hour (nulla hora) passes (transeat) without fruit (sine fructu): thus (sic) the hour will be brief (hora erit brevis) and the work itself (labor ipse) light (levis).

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

brevis -e: short, shallow, brief; adv. breviter
faciō facere fēcī factum: do, make
frūctus -ūs m.: fruit, crops; enjoyment, delight
hōra -ae f.: hour
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
labor -ōris m.: toil, exertion
levis -e: light, trivial
nūllus -a -um: not any, no one
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sine: without (+ abl.)
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
trānseō -īre -iī -itum: go across
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)

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8. Sic Mihi Vita

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Sic Mihi Vita
Fessa prius somno quam tradas lumina, dices:
   Fugit ut ista dies, sic mihi vita fugit.

Source: François Oudin (1673-1752), Silva Distichorum, 107. Meter: Elegiac. Note the use of the future dices as a kind of command.

Before you consign (prius quam tradas) your tired eyes (fessa lumina) to sleep (somno), you will say (dices): As the day speeds away (ut ista dies fugit), thus my life speeds away (sic mihi vita fugit).

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

dīcō dīcere dīxī dictum: say; causam dicere, plead a case; diem dicere, appoint a day
diēs diēī m./f.: day
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
fessus -a -um: weary, tired
fugiō fugere fūgī fugitum: flee, escape
iste ista istud: that, that of yours; adv. istīc or istūc: over there; istinc: from over there
lūmen luminis n.: light
prior -ius: earlier, preceding; prius or priusquam: before
quam: how?; (after comparative) than
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
somnus -ī m.: sleep, slumber; (pl.) dreams
trādō -dere -didī -ditum: hand over, yield
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)
vīta -ae f.: life

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9. Adversa Caveto

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Adversa Caveto
Cum fueris felix, quae sunt adversa caveto:
Non eodem cursu respondent ultima primis.

When fortune smiles, beware lest some ill strike;
End and beginning often are unlike.
(Chase)

In happy hours beware the hapless lot:
What the start promises, the end is not.
(Duff)

Source: The Distichs of Cato (4th century), 1.18. Meter: Dactylic hexameter. Note the implied referent of the relative pronoun: caveto [haec] quae sunt adversa.

When you are happy (cum fueris felix), beware (caveto) of things that have turned against you (quae sunt adversa): the final situation (ultima) does not match the start (non respondent primis) in the same way (eodem cursu).

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

adversus -a -um: facing, opposed; unfavorable; adversus (-um): (adv. and prep.) facing, opposite, against, opposed (to)
caveō cavēre cāvī cautum: be on guard, beware
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
cursus -ūs m.: course, advance
fēlīx -īcis: lucky; adv. fēlīciter
īdem eadem idem: the same
nōn: not
prīmus -a -um: first; adv. prīmum: at first, firstly
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
respondeō -spondēre -spondī -spōnsum: answer
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ūltimus -a -um: farthest, final, last, ultimate

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10. Non Omnibus Annis

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Non Omnibus Annis
Diversos diversa iuvant; non omnibus annis
   Omnia conveniunt: res, prius apta, nocet.

Source: Giuseppe Gatti, Sales Poetici, Proverbiales, et Iocosi (1703). Meter: Elegiac. Note the use of annus here to mean a season or time of life.

Different things (diversa) benefit different people (iuvant diversos); not all things are suitable (non omnia conveniunt) for all ages (omnibus annis): a thing (res), previously appropriate (prius apta), can be harmful (nocet).

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

annus -ī m.: year
aptus -a -um: fit, suitable
conveniō -venīre -vēnī -ventum: assemble, meet; agree
dīversus -a -um: different, diverse
iuvō iuvāre iūvī iūtum: help, assist; please, delight
noceō nocēre nocuī: harm
nōn: not
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
prior -ius: earlier, preceding; prius or priusquam: before
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)

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Sancta Catharina Christo Domino

This is from the enormous anthology of distich poetry assembled by Barthold Nihus, Epigrammata Disticha, published in 1642; the poem is by Franciscus Remondus (c.1558-1631). The poem is about Saint Catherine of Siena.

Sancta Catharina Christo Domino
Sive mori me, Christe, iubes, seu vivere mavis,
Dulce mihi tecum vivere, dulce mori.

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

Catharina (Catharinae, f.): Catharina, Catherine
Christus (Christī, m.): Christ

cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
dominus -ī m.; domina -ae f.: household master, lord; mistress
dulcis -e: sweet
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
iubeō iubēre iūssī iūssum: bid, order
mālō mālle māluī: prefer
morior morī mortuus sum: die
sānctus -a -um: sacred, inviolable
sīve seu: whether; sīve . . . sīve: whether . . . or
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
vīvō vīvere vīxī victum: live

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Adversa Non Semper Fugienda

This poem is from a book published in 1624 by Jean Pignewart (Iohannes Pignevvart), a Cistercian monk and scholar. He attributes his collection of distich poetry to "Cato Bernardinus," invoking both the legendary "Cato" of Latin distich fame and also Saint Bernard of Clairveax who was famously associated with the Cistercian order.

Adversa Non Semper Fugienda
Non semper fugiens vincas adversa, sed ultro
Sis patiens; meritum grandius istud habet.

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

grandis, -e (grandis): great, large, grand
ultrō: beyond, farther, further

adversus -a -um: facing, opposed; unfavorable; adversus (-um): (adv. and prep.) facing, opposite, against, opposed (to)
fugiō fugere fūgī fugitum: flee, escape
habeō habēre habuī habitum: have, hold
iste ista istud: that, that of yours; adv. istīc or istūc: over there; istinc: from over there
mereō merēre meruī meritum: deserve, merit; serve as a soldier
nōn: not
patior patī passus sum: permit, endure
sed: but
semper: always, ever
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
vincō vincere vīcī victum: conquer

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Rectus Ordo Diligendi

This poem is from a book published in 1624 by Jean Pignewart (Iohannes Pignevvart), a Cistercian monk and scholar. He attributes his collection of distich poetry to "Cato Bernardinus," invoking both the legendary "Cato" of Latin distich fame and also Saint Bernard of Clairveax who was famously associated with the Cistercian order.

Rectus Ordo Diligendi
Quod supra, quod es, et quod iuxta, deinde quod infra
Te fuerit, rectus diligere ordo docet.

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

infrā: below, beneath
iuxtā: close by, near

deinde: then, next
dīligō -ligere -lēxī -lēctum: choose, cherish, love
doceō -ēre -uī doctum: teach
et: and
ōrdo -īnis m.: order, rank
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
rectus -a -um: straight, direct
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
suprā: above, beyond (adv. and prep. +acc.)
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)

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Quod Facis, Fac Libenter

This poem is from a book published in 1624 by Jean Pignewart (Iohannes Pignevvart), a Cistercian monk and scholar. He attributes his collection of distich poetry to "Cato Bernardinus," invoking both the legendary "Cato" of Latin distich fame and also Saint Bernard of Clairveax who was famously associated with the Cistercian order.

Quod Facis, Fac Libenter
Rectum si quid agas, ut agas curato libenter;
Nil agis invitus, si bona multa facis.

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

invītus, -a, -um: unwilling, reluctant
libenter: freely, gladly, with pleasure

aliquis -quae -quod: some, any; si quis, si quid: anyone who, anything that
bonus -a -um: good
cūrō -āre: care for (+ acc.)
faciō facere fēcī factum: do, make
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
rectus -a -um: straight, direct
sī: if
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)

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Qui Servit Iniquo

This is from the so-called Anonymous Neveleti. It is the moral to the story of the old dog and his master.

Qui Servit Iniquo
Se misere servire sciat, qui servit iniquo;
Parcere subiectis nescit iniquus homo.

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

inīquus, -a, -um: unequal, unjust, unfair
subiectus, -a, -um: made subject to; subject

homo hominis m.: human being
miser misera miserum: wretched, pitiable
nesciō -scīre: not know, be ignorant
parcō parcere pepercī: spare, be sparing of (+ dat.)
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sciō -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
serviō -īre: be a slave, serve (+ dat.)
sui, sibi, sē: him- her- itself

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Mors Christi

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

Mors Christi
Morti morte tua mortem moriendo dedisti,
Et tua sit mortis, Christe, medela meae.

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

Christus (Christī, m.): Christ
medēla (medēlae, f.): cure, healing

dō dare dedī datum: give
et: and
meus -a -um: my
morior morī mortuus sum: die
mors mortis f.: death
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tuus -a -um: your

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Alexander Magnus

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

Alexander Magnus
Sufficit huic tumulus, cui non suffecerat orbis;
Res brevis huic ampla est, cui fuit ampla brevis.

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

sufficiō, sufficere, suffēcī: be sufficient, be enough
tumulus (tumulī, m.): mound, hill, tomb

amplus -a -um: large, spacious
brevis -e: short, shallow, brief; adv. breviter
hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
māgnus -a -um great
nōn: not
orbis -is m.: circle; orbis terrārum: world
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist

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Dic Spartae

This is from the enormous anthology of distich poetry assembled by Barthold Nihus, Epigrammata Disticha, published in 1642; the poem is anonymous. The men speaking to us here are the Spartans who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae.

Dic Spartae
Dic, hospes, Spartae, nos te hic vidisse iacentes,
Dum sanctis patriae legibus obsequimur.

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

obsequor, obsequī: yield to, comply with
Sparta (Spartae, f.): Sparta

dīcō dīcere dīxī dictum: say; causam dicere, plead a case; diem dicere, appoint a day
dum: while (+ indic.); until (+ subj.); provided that (+ subj.)
hic haec hoc: this; hōc: on this account
hospes hospitis m.: guest, guest-friend; stranger; host
iaceō iacēre iacuī: lie
lēx lēgis: f. law
nōs nostrum/nostrī nobis nōs: we
patria -ae f.: fatherland, country
sānctus -a -um: sacred, inviolable
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
videō vidēre vīdī vīsum: see

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Per Mundum Eo

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

Per Mundum Eo
Hospes eram mundo, per mundum semper eundo;
Sic suprema dies fit mihi summa quies.

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

quies (quiētis, f.): calm, rest, quiet
suprēmus, -a, -um: highest, greatest, last

diēs diēī m./f.: day
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
eo īre iī/īvī itum: go
fīō fierī factus sum: become
hospes hospitis m.: guest, guest-friend; stranger; host
mundus -ī m.: world, universe, heavens
per: through (+acc.)
semper: always, ever
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
summus -a -um: highest, farthest, last

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Facienda et Fugienda

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

Facienda et Fugienda
Quid iuvat innumeros scire atque evolvere casus,
Si facienda fugis, si fugienda facis?

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

ēvolvō, ēvolvere: roll out, unfold, read
innumerus, -a, -um: countless, without number

atque, ac: and in addition, and also, and; (after comparatives) than; simul atque, as soon as
cāsus -ūs m.: a fall; chance, accident;
faciō facere fēcī factum: do, make
fugiō fugere fūgī fugitum: flee, escape
iuvō iuvāre iūvī iūtum: help, assist; please, delight
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sciō -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
sī: if

(Jerry Lewis: Nutty Professor)