Tuesday, July 24, 2012

De Aliis Narrare, Silere de Se

Here is another distich by Cato (so-called), 1.15, with English translations by Duff and Chase.

De Aliis Narrare, Silere de Se
Officium alterius multis narrare memento,
At quaecumque aliis benefeceris ipse, sileto.

Fail not another's kindness to proclaim;
Thine own good deeds 't is better not to name.
(Chase)

Let others' kindness frankly be revealed;
Your own good turns to others keep concealed.
(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:

benefaciō, benefacere, benefeci: benefit, do good
sileō, silēre: be silent, not speak

alius -a -um: other, another; alias: at another time
alter altera alterum: other of two
at: but, but yet
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
meminī meminisse: remember, recollect
multus -a -um: much, many; multō, by far
narrō -āre: relate, recount
officium -ī n.: service, duty
quī- quae- quodcumque: who-, whatever