Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Somnia

Here is another distich by Cato (so-called), 2.31, with English translations by Duff and Chase.

Somnia
Somnia ne cures, nam mens humana, quod optat
Dum vigilans sperat, per somnum cernit id ipsum.

Trust not in dreams, which make seem real and true
Just what awake was most desired by you.
(Chase)

Reck not of dreams; in things which men pursue,
Sleep sees the hopes of waking hours come true.
(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:

somnium (somnii, n.): dream, daydream
vigilō, vigilāre: be awake, be on guard

cernō cernere crēvī crētum: discern, separate
cūrō -āre: care for (+ acc.)
dum: while (+ indic.); until (+ subj.); provided that (+ subj.)
hūmānus -a -um: human
ipse ipsa ipsum: him- her- itself
is ea id: he, she, it
mēns mentis f.: mind
nam or namque: for, indeed, really
nē: lest, that not
optō -āre: choose, select
per: through (+acc.)
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
somnus -ī m.: sleep, slumber; (pl.) dreams
spērō -āre: to hope