Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Cara Nocitura Relinque

Here is another distich by Cato (so-called), 1.6, with English translations by Duff and Chase.

Cara Nocitura Relinque
Quae nocitura tenes, quamvis sint cara, relinque;
Utilitas opibus praeponi tempore debet.

Shun that which harms, e'en tho thy love is caught;
Before mere wealth should safety first be sought.
(Chase)

Gear that may harm forgo, however dear:
Wealth yields to usefulness in time of fear.
(Duff)

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

praepōnō, praepōnere: place in front, prefer
ūtilitas (ūtilitātis, f.): usefulness, advantage

cārus -a -um: dear
dēbeō dēbēre dēbuī dēbitum: owe, be obliged
noceō nocēre nocuī: harm
ops opis f.: assistance, resources
quamvīs: however you like; although
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
relinquō -linquere -līquī -lictum: abandon
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tempus -oris n.: time
teneō -ēre -uī tentum: hold