2. Scire Futura

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1     -     2     -     3

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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)

7. Hora Nulla Sine Fructu

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6     -     7     -     8

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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.)

(image source)

Vos Qui Docetis

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77     -     78     -     79

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Vos Qui Docetis
Exemplum detis, alios quicumque docetis;
Si non servatis quae praecipitis, taceatis.

Source: Josephus Perez (1627-1694), Hortulus Carminum. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhymes in both lines: detis-docetis, servatis-taceatis.

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

You who teach others (quicumque docetis alios) should set an example (detis exemplum); if you cannot heed (si non servatis) your own teachings (quae praecipitis), keep silent (taceatis).

alius -a -um: other, another; alias: at another time
dō dare dedī datum: give
doceō -ēre -uī doctum: teach
exemplum -ī n.: example, sample, copy
nōn: not
praecipiō -cipere -cēpī -ceptum: anticipate, advise, warn
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
quī- quae- quodcumque: who-, whatever
servō -āre: save, watch over
sī: if
taceō -ēre -uī -itum: be silent; tacitus -a -um, silent

(image source)

Numina Vana

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294     -     295     -     296

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Numina Vana
Non sunt audentes animas superosque timentes;
Ardua nulla geris, si numina vana vereris.

Source: Florilegium Gottingense (ed. Voigt), 266. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhymes: audentes-timentes and geris-vereris.

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:

Those who fear (timentes)  spirits and gods (animas superosque) are not bold (non sunt audentes); you do not do any bold deeds (ardua nulla geris) if you fear (si vereris) empty divinities (numina vana).

arduus, -a, -um: steep, lofty, difficult

anima -ae f.: breath, spirit
audeō audēre ausus sum: dare, be eager
gerō gerere gessī gestum: bear, manage; bellum gerere, wage war
nōn: not
nūllus -a -um: not any, no one
nūmen -inis n.: divine will, deity
que (enclitic) - and
sī: if
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
superus -a -um: situated above, upper; superī -ōrum m. pl.: those above, i.e. the gods
timeō -ēre -uī: to fear, to dread
vanus -a -um: empty; false, deceitful
vereor verērī veritus sum: fear, stand in awe of

(image source)

Surge puer vigila...

Here is another Rhyming Distich, and here are some more posts with Rhyming Distichs. I found this poem in the collection Philosophia Patrum edited by Julius Wegeler.

Surge puer, vigila, canta, lege, disce vel ora,
Sic fac, ut nulla sine fructu transeat hora.

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:

canto -āre - sing

disco -ere didicī: learn
facio facere fēcī factum: do, make
frūctus -ūs m.: fruit, crops; enjoyment, delight
hōra -ae f.: hour
lego legere lēgī lēctum: gather, choose, read
nūllus -a -um: not any, no one
ōro -āre: pray
puer, puerī m.: boy; slave
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut, in the same way as
sine: without (+ abl.)
surgo -ere surrēxī surrēctum: rise
trānseo -īre -iī -itum: go across
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)
vel: or else, or; even; vel . . . vel, either… or
vigilo -āre: be awake, be on guard

(image source)

Frustra lingua laborat...

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442     -     443     -     444

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Here is another Rhyming Distich, and here are some more posts with Rhyming Distichs. I found this poem in the collection Philosophia Patrum edited by Julius Wegeler.

Frustra lingua laborat, si cor non simul orat;
Non clamor, sed amor cantat in aure Dei.

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:

canto -āre - sing

amor -ōris m.: love
auris -is f.: ear
clāmor -ōris m.: outcry, shout
cor cordis n.: heart; cordī est, it is pleasing to (+ dat.)
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
frūstrā: in vain
in: in, on (+ abl.); into onto (+ acc)
labōro -āre: toil, work; be in trouble
lingua -ae f.: tongue; language
nōn: not
ōro -āre: pray
sed: but
sī: if
simul: at the same time

(image source)

Fidelis Amicus

Here is another Rhyming Distich, and here are some more posts with Rhyming Distichs. I found this poem in the collection Philosophia Patrum edited by Julius Wegeler.

Fidelis Amicus
Antiquus gladius, vetus atque fidelis amicus
Sunt tibi pro muro, cum stas in tempore duro.

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

amīcus -a -um: friendly; (as subst.) friend
antiquus -a -um: ancient, old-time, former
atque, ac: and in addition, and also, and; (after comparatives) than; simul atque, as soon as
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
dūrus -a -um: hard, tough, harsh
fidēlis -e: faithful
gladius -ī m.: sword
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
mūrus -ī m.: wall
prō: for, on behalf of, in proportion to (+abl.)
stō stāre stetī statum: stand
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tempus -oris n.: time
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
vetus veteris: old

(image source)

Paries Aures Fert

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347     -     348     -     349

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Paries Aures Fert
Aures fert paries, oculos nemus: ergo cavere
Debet, qui loquitur, ne possint verba nocere.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 81. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhyme: cavere-nocere.

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 wall (paries) has ears (aures fert); the woods (nemus) have eyes (oculos): therefore (ergo) the person who speaks (qui loquitur) must be careful (cavere debet) so that his words (verba) cannot do harm (ne possint nocere).

pariēs (parietis, m.): wall

auris -is f.: ear
caveo -ēre cāvī cautum: be on guard, beware
dēbeo -ēre dēbuī dēbitum: owe, be obliged
ergo: therefore
fero ferre tulī lātum: bear, carry
loquor loquī locūtus sum: speak, talk
nē: lest, that not
nemus nemoris n.: grove, forest
noceo nocēre nocuī: harm
oculus -ī m.: eye
possum posse potuī: be able
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
verbum -ī n.: word

(painting by Rémy Cogghe)

Dives et Pauper

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359     -     360     -     361

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Dives et Pauper
Tempus adhuc veniet, quo dives, qui modo gaudet,
Assidue flebit, dum pauper grata videbit.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 1358. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhyme flebit-videbit.

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 time will yet come (tempus adhuc veniet) when the rich man (quo dives) who now rejoices (qui modo gaudet) will weep bitterly (assidue flebit), while the poor man (dum pauper) will see delightful things (grata videbit).

assiduus, -a, -um: constant, incessant; assidue, adv.

adhūc: thus far, to this point
dīves, dīvitis: rich (poet. dīs, dītis)
dum: while (+ indic.); until (+ subj.); provided that (+ subj.)
fleo flēre flēvī flētum: weep
gaudeo -ēre gāvīsus sum: rejoice
grātus -a -um: pleasant; grateful
modo: just, just now
pauper -eris: poor, lowly
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
tempus -oris n.: time
venio -īre vēnī ventum: come
video -ēre vīdī vīsum: see

(Lazarus and the Rich Man)

Medium Tenendum

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349     -     350     -     351

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Medium Tenendum
Nec nimium taceas, nec verba superflua fundas:
Sed medium teneas, quo bene semper eas.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 662. 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:

superfluus, -a, -um: superfluous, unnecessary

bene: well
eo īre iī/īvī itum: go
fundo -ere fūdī fūsum: pour, scatter
medius -a -um: middle, central
neque, nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
nimius -a -um: too much, excessive; nimis or nimium, excessively
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
sed: but
semper: always, ever
taceo -ēre -uī -itum: be silent; tacitus -a -um, silent
teneo -ēre -uī tentum: hold
verbum -ī n.: word

(image source)

Noli Canem Irritare

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270     -     271     -     272

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Noli Canem Irritare
Irritare canem noli dormire volentem,
Nec moveas iram post tempora longa latentem.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 571. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhyme: volentem-latentem.

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:

Do not disturb (noli irritare) a dog wishing to sleep (canem dormire volentem), and do not stir up (nec moveas) an anger that has been in hiding (iram latentem) for a very long time (post tempora longa).

irrīto -āre - provoke, annoy, irritate

canis -is m./f.: dog
dormio -īre: sleep
īra, irae f.: wrath, anger
lateo -ēre latuī: lie hidden, be hidden
longus -a -um: long, far; longē, far, far off
moveo -ēre mōvī mōtum: move
neque, nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
nōlo nōlle, nōluī: be unwilling
post: after (adv. and prep. +acc.)
tempus -oris n.: time
volo velle voluī: wish, be willing

(image source)

Funde Abunde

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220     -     221     -     222

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Funde Abunde
Funde vinum, funde, tanquam sint fluminis undae;
Nec quaeras unde, sed fundas semper abunde.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 458. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhymes in both lines: funde-undae (that requires medieval pronunciation) and unde-abunde.

Pour the wine, pour (funde vinum, funde), as if it were (tanquam sint) waves of a river (fluminis undae); don't ask from where (nec quaeras unde), but pour (sed fundas) always in abundance (semper abunde).

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:

abundus, -a, -um: copious, abundant; adv. abundē

flūmen -inis n.: stream, river
fundo -ere fūdī fūsum: pour, scatter
neque, nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
quaero -ere -sīvī -situm: seek, inquire
sed: but
semper: always, ever
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tamquam: so as, just as
unda -ae f.: wave, flowing water, water
unde: from where
vīnum -ī n.: vine, wine

(image source)

Fallitur insipiens...

Here is another Rhyming Distich, and here are some more posts with Rhyming Distichs. I found this poem in the collection Philosophia Patrum edited by Julius Wegeler.

Fallitur insipiens vitae praesentis amore,
Sed sapiens noscit, quantum sit plena dolore.

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:

insipiens, insipientis - foolish, without intelligence, unwise

amor -ōris m.: love
dolor -ōris m.: pain, grief
fallo fallere fefellī falsum: deceive
nōsco nōscere nōvī nōtum: learn, know
plēnus -a -um: full
praesēns -ntis: present, in person, ready
quantus -a -um: how great? as great
sapiens -ntis: wise, sensible
sed: but
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
vīta -ae f.: life

(image source)

Res Dulcissimae

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383     -     384     -     385

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Res Dulcissimae
Dulce merum, dulcis coniunx, mens optima dulcis:
Dulcius his iunctis in rebus nil puto cunctis.

Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 270. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhyme: iunctis-cunctis.

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:

Wine is sweet (dulce merum), a spouse is sweet (dulcis coniunx), an excellent state of mind is sweet (mens optima dulcis): I think (puto) there is nothing sweeter (nil dulcius) in all the world (in rebus cunctis) than these joined together (his iunctis).

merum (merī, n.): wine

coniunx, coniugis m./f.: spouse, husband, wife
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
dulcis -e: sweet
hic, haec, hoc: this; hōc, on this account
in: in, on (+ abl.); into onto (+ acc)
iungo -ere iūnxī iūnctum: join
mēns mentis f.: mind
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
optimus -a -um: best, excellent; adv. optimē
puto -āre: think, suppose
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)

(image source)

Cedas saepe pari

This rhyming distich comes from the Florilegium Gottingense edited by Voigt.

Cedas saepe pari, quamvis nequeas superari;
Hoc ideo dico, quia sic fit amicus amico.

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:

nequeo, -īre, nequīvī - be unable, cannot

amīcus -a -um: friendly; (as subst.) friend
cēdo cēdere cessī cessum: yield
dīco dīcere dīxī dictum: say; causam dicere, plead a case; diem dicere, appoint a day
fīo fierī factus sum: become
hic, haec, hoc: this; hōc, on this account
ideō: for this reason
pār, paris: equal
quamvīs: however you like; although
quia: because
saepe: often
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut, in the same way as
supero -āre: overcome, surpass, defeat

(image source)

Dives divitias non congregat...

This rhyming distich comes from the Florilegium Gottingense edited by Voigt.

Dives divitias non congregat absque labore,
Non tenet absque metu, non deserit absque dolore.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are three words which are not on the DCC list:

absque - without, apart from, away from
congrego -āre - collect, assemble, bring together
dīvitiae, dīvitiārum - riches, wealth

dēsero -ere dēseruī dēsertum: leave, desert, abandon
dīves, dīvitis: rich (poet. dīs, dītis)
dolor -ōris m.: pain, grief
labor -ōris m.: toil, exertion
metus -ūs m.: fear, dread
nōn: not
teneo -ēre -uī tentum: hold

(image source)

Finitur more solito...

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492     -     493     -     494

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This rhyming distich comes from the Florilegium Gottingense edited by Voigt.

Finitur more solito res laeta dolore;
Post rem, quae lenit, res mala saepe venit.

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:

lēnio, -īre, lēnīvī, lēnītum - alleviate, ease, moderate

dolor -ōris m.: pain, grief
fīnio -īre: limit, bound
laetus -a -um: glad, joyful
malus -a -um: evil
mōs mōris m.: custom, habit; (pl.) character
post: after (adv. and prep. +acc.)
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)
saepe: often
soleo -ēre -uī -itum: be accustomed
venio -īre vēnī ventum: come

(image source)

Ipse laborato...

This rhyming distich comes from the Florilegium Gottingense edited by Voigt. This little saying about non per cornua taurum is a bit like our saying "money doesn't grow on trees" - in this case, good things aren't just dangling from the bull's horns for you to grab.

Ipse laborato! Non dicas "dat deus aurum;"
Dat deus omne bonum, sed non per cornua taurum.

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:

taurus, taurī m. - bull

aurum -ī n.: gold
bonus -a -um: good
cornu -ūs n.: horn
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
dīco dīcere dīxī dictum: say; causam dicere, plead a case; diem dicere, appoint a day
do dare dedī datum: give
ipse, ipsa, ipsum: him- her- itself
labōro -āre: toil, work; be in trouble
nōn: not
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
per: through (+acc.)
sed: but

(image source)

Mors Nulli Parcit

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393     -     394     -     395

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Mors Nulli Parcit
Mors fera, mors nequam, mors nulli parcit et aequam
Dat cunctis legem, miscens cum paupere regem.

Source: Florilegium Gottingense (ed. Voigt), 110. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhymes: nequam-aequam and legem-regem.

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:

nequam: worthless, good for nothing


aequus -a -um: equal; aequē, equally
cum: with (prep. + abl.); when, since, although (conjunction + subj.)
cūnctus -a -um: entire all together
do dare dedī datum: give
et: and
ferus -a -um: wild, fierce; fera: wild beast
lēx lēgis: f. law
mīsceo -ēre mīscuī mīxtum: mix
mors mortis f.: death
nūllus -a -um: not any, no one
parco -ere pepercī: spare, be sparing of (+ dat.)
pauper -eris: poor, lowly
rēx, rēgis m.: king

(image source)

Ad mensam dum quis...

This rhyming distich comes from the Florilegium Gottingense edited by Voigt.

Ad mensam dum quis sedeat, nil turpe loquatur,
Sed mensae semper ingens honor exhibeatur.

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:

exhibeo -ēre, exhibuī, exhibitum - present, produce, furnish

ad: to, up to, towards (+acc.)
aliquis -quae -quod: some, any; si quis, si quid: anyone who, anything that
dum: while (+ indic.); until (+ subj.); provided that (+ subj.)
honor -ōris m.: honor, glory; office, post
ingēns, ingentis: huge, enormous
loquor loquī locūtus sum: speak, talk
mensa -ae f.: table
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
sed: but
sedeo -ēre sēdī sessum: sit
semper: always, ever
turpis -e: ugly, unsightly; disgraceful

(image source)