Fatum Venturum
Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati:
Non metuit mortem, qui scit contemnere vitam.
Let not death's sure approach thee terrify;
Who life despises doth not fear to die.
(Chase)
For fated hours to come show small concern:
He fears not death who knows how life to spurn.
(Duff)
Who life despises doth not fear to die.
(Chase)
For fated hours to come show small concern:
He fears not death who knows how life to spurn.
(Duff)
Source: The Distichs of Cato (4th century), 4.22. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the use of multum as an adverb here: multum ne cures, "don't be much concerned..."
Do not worry too much (ne cures) about the times of the fate yet to come (tempora venturi fati: he does not fear death (non metuit mortem) who knows how to scorn life (qui scit contemnere vitam).
The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list!
contemno -ere -tempsī -temptum: despise, scorn, disdain
cūro -āre: care for (+ acc.)
fātum -ī n.: fate
metuo -ere metuī: to fear, to dread
mors mortis f.: death
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
nē: lest, that not
nōn: not
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
scio -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
tempus -oris n.: time
venio -īre vēnī ventum: come
vīta -ae f.: life
