For, as to draw a Circle, with our hand,And here is a close-up view of the wise men in the background; the circles of this earth are but a reflection of the celestial perfection of the circular form, drawn by the compass:
We cause the brazen Compasses to stand
With one foot firmely fixed one the ground;
And move the other in a Constant-round:
Right so, when we shall purpose to proceed
In any just, and profitable deed,
We first, should by a constant-resolution,
Stand firme, to what we put in execution:
And, then, with perseverance, labour out
Those workings, which we are employ'd about.
Labore Et Constantia
Omnia perficies constante labore, nec ullum
Difficile est illi, qui bene pergit, opus.
Good Hopes, we best accomplish may
By lab'ring in a constant-Way.
By lab'ring in a constant-Way.
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:
constantia, f. - steadiness, constancy, agreement
perficiō -ficere -fēcī -fectum: bring to a conclusion, accomplish
bene: well
cōnstō -stāre -stitī: agree; constat, it is established that (+ infin.)
difficilis -e: not easy, hard, difficult
et: and
ille illa illud: that
labor -ōris m.: toil, exertion
neque nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
opus operis n.: work
pergō pergere perrēxī perrēctum: continue, proceeed; awaken
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
ūllus -a -um: any, anyone