Scientia Sine Prudentia Nihil

Here is an emblem and distich by Bornitius, 69. I'm not quite sure what to make of the chickens: chickens are not especially wise - but I'm not quite sure how they represent a lack of forethought. Any suggestions?

Scientia Sine Prudentia Nihil
Quid rem scire iuvat, nisi scis quo tempore agenda
Prudenter, quo sit res quoque tuta loco?


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:

prūdenter: wisely, cautiously, carefully
prūdentia (prūdentiae, f.): foresight, wisdom

agō agere ēgī āctum: drive, do, act
iuvō iuvāre iūvī iūtum: help, assist; please, delight
locus -ī m.: place; loca (n. pl.) region
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
nisi/nī: if not, unless
que (enclitic) - and
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
rēs reī f.: thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)
scientia -ae f.: knowledge
sciō -īre -īvī/-iī -ītum: know
sine: without (+ abl.)
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tempus -oris n.: time
tutus -a -um: safe, protected

Non Casu Casus

Here is an emblem and distich by Bornitius, 55.

Non Casu Casus
Fortuitum in mundo nihil est; deus omne gubernat,
Et quod fortuita vi cecidisse putas.


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:

fortuitus, -a, -um: accidental, chance
gubernō, gubernāre: pilot, guide

cadō cadere cecidī cāsum: fall, be killed
cāsus -ūs m.: a fall; chance, accident;
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
et: and
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
mundus -ī m.: world, universe, heavens
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
nōn: not
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
putō -āre: think, suppose
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
vīs f.: force; (acc.) vim, (abl.) vī; (pl.) vīrēs, strength

Vanae Sine Viribus Irae

Here is an emblem and distich by Bornitius, 1.41. As you can see in the emblem, the squawking of the birds does them no good against the teeth and claws of the foxes!

Vanae Sine Viribus Irae
Quid iuvet iratos, et quid iuvet esse minaces?
Contra hostis vim nil ira minaeque valent.


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:

minae (minarum, f. pl.): threats
minax (minācis): threatening, menacing

contrā: against, opposite (adv. and prep. +acc.)
et: and
hostis -is m./f.: stranger, enemy
īra irae f.: wrath, anger
īrāscor īrāscī irātus sum: grow angry; īrātus -a -um: angry
iuvō iuvāre iūvī iūtum: help, assist; please, delight
nihil, nīl: nothing; not at all
qui quae quod: who, which, what / quis quid: who? what? which?
sine: without (+ abl.)
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
valeō valēre valuī: be strong, excel, be valid, prevail; valē: farewell!
vanus -a -um: empty; false, deceitful
vīs f.: force; (acc.) vim, (abl.) vī; (pl.) vīrēs, strength

Regio Haud Religio

Here is an emblem and distich by Bornitius, 1.15:

Regio Haud Religio
Non mihi religio cordi est, sed amor regionis;
Nimirum regio in religione latet.


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:

nīmīrum adv. - doubtless, surely, truly
religio -ōnis f.: sense of right, scruples, obligation; superstition

amor -ōris m.: love
cor cordis n.: heart; cordī est, it is pleasing to (+ dat.)
ego meī mihi mē: I, me
haud: not
in: in, on (+ abl.); into, onto (+ acc)
lateō latēre latuī: lie hidden, be hidden
nōn: not
regio -ōnis f.: boundary, region
sed: but
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist

Non Amor Omnia Vincit

Here is an emblem and distich by Bornitius, 1.50. The emblem plays with the traditional Latin saying, Omnia Vincit Amor (as made famous by Vergil, Eclogue 10). It turns out that somnus is stronger even than love, as shown by the sleeping Cupid in the emblem's illustration.

Non Amor Omnia Vincit
Omnia vincit amor, sed tandem somnus amorem;
Fortius imperium somnus amore gerit.




The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:

amor -ōris m.: love
fortis -e: brave
gerō gerere gessī gestum: bear, manage; bellum gerere, wage war
imperium -ī n.: command, power
nōn: not
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
sed: but
somnus -ī m.: sleep, slumber; (pl.) dreams
tandem: finally
vincō vincere vīcī victum: conquer

Qui Amat Periculum, In Isto Perit

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:27.

Qui Amat Periculum, In Isto Perit
Ignis ait: Noli me tangere; quisquis anhelat
Exitio, praeceps sponte perire solet.

Here is the vocabulary:

qui - who, which, that
amo - love
periculum - danger
in - in, into
iste - that, that one
pereo - perish, die
ignis - fire
aio - say
nolo - not want, don't
ego - I, me
tango - touch
quisquis - whoever
anhelo - breathe, exhale, pursue
exitium - destruction, ruin
praeceps - headlong, precipitous
sponte - freely, voluntarily
soleo - is accustomed, usually

Finitum Producit Infinitum

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:20. Of course, in just the same way that all the music of the world is produced by just a few notes, we get all the words of the world created by our tiny alphabet!

Finitum Producit Infinitum
Innumeros numerus numeros numerabilis edit,
Cantio ceu miris fert variata modis.

Here is the vocabulary:

finio - limit, end, finish
produco - bring out, produce
infinitus - unlimited, endless
innumerus - countless, innumerable
numerus - number
numerabilis - countable
edo - put forth, publish
cantio - song, singing
ceu - as, just as, just like
mirus - amazing, wonderful
fero - carry, bear
variatus - varied, wavering
modus - manner, measure, beat

Regio Haud Religio

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:15. The Latin poem plays on the similarity between the words regio and religio. The words are not related etymologically, but it is indeed true that the letters r-e-g-i-o are lurking there in the word r-e-l-i-g-i-o.

Regio Haud Religio
Non mihi religio cordi est, sed amor regionis;
Nimirum regio in religione latet.

Here is the vocabulary:

regio - area, region, country
haud - not
religio - religion
non - not, no
ego - I, me
cor - heart
sum - be, exist
sed - but
amor - love
nimirum - surely, without doubt
in - in, into
habeo - have

Sortes Humanae

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:14. Note the contrast between God and man, not just Deus and homo, but instead Deus and the homuncio, the little manikin. I wish I knew what game was depicted in the emblem here; if anyone has any clues about that, let me know!

Sortes Humanae
Sortes homuncio iacit:
Dei sed ad nutum cadunt.

Here is the vocabulary:

sors - lot, fate, oracular response
humanus - human
homuncio - little man, manikin
iacio - toss, cast
deus - god
sed - but
ad - to, towards
nutus - nod
cado - fall

Rex Regum Reges Regit

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 13. The image shows the heart of the king with rings, but it is nevertheless being turned where the hand of God wills - since he is the king of kings, after all, rex regum.

Rex Regum Reges Regit
Cor regis in manu Dei est;
Is flectit illo, quo velit.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There is only one word in this poem that is not on the DCC list:

flecto -ere, flexi, flexum - bend, curve, turn

cor cordis n.: heart; cordī est, it is pleasing to (+ dat.)
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
ille, illa, illud: that
in: in, on (+ abl.); into onto (+ acc)
is ea, id: he, she, it; eō, there, to that place
manus -ūs m.: hand; band of men
qui, quae, quod: who, which, what; quis quid: who? what? which?
rego regere rēxī rectum: guide, rule
rēx, rēgis m.: king
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
volo velle voluī: wish, be willing

Sic Portare Suos Deus Adsolet

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:11. This emblem is based on the story of Ganymede, whom Zeus carried into heaven, having disguised himself as an eagle. The eagle flies safely in the highest heights of the sky, and God himself is able to carry aloft his beloved on the wings of that eagle.

Sic Portare Suos Deus Adsolet
Quisne aquilam excelso fore credat in aethere tutam?
Et tutum, quem alis fert Deus ipse aquilae?

Here is the vocabulary:

sic - thus, in this way
porto - carry
suus - reflexive possessive
deus - god
adsoleo - be accustomed, be in the habit
quis - who
ne - question particle
aquila - eagle
excelsus - high, lofty
sum - be, exist
credo - believe
in - in, into
aether - upper air, sky, heaven
tutus - safe
et - and
qui - who, which, that
ala - wing
fero - carry, bear
ipse - intensifying adj/pronoun

Supra Naturam Praesto Est

Here is today's emblem and distich by Bornitius, 5:9. Of the various dangers mentioned in the epigram, it is definitely fire that is wreaking havoc in the image!

Supra Naturam Praesto Est
Crede tibi noceat, nec terra, nec unda, nec ignis,
Si tibi naturae Rector et Auctor adest.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are two words which are not on the DCC list:

praestō, adverb - at hand, ready, nearby
rector, rectōris m. - guide, director, driver

adsum adesse affuī: be present
auctor -ōris m.: originator, founder
crēdo -ere crēdidī crēditum: believe
īgnis -is m.: fire
nātūra -ae f.: nature
neque, nec: and not, nor; neque . . . neque, neither . . . nor
noceo nocēre nocuī: harm
sī: if
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
suprā: above, beyond (adv. and prep. +acc.)
terra -ae f.: land
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
unda -ae f.: wave, flowing water, water

Fata Viam Invenient

Here is today's emblem and distich by Jakob Bornitz, 5.3. We are used to the metaphor of a "ship of state," but in this emblem Bornitz has drawn a "ship of church" that is being tossed on the worldly waves. The phrase fata viam invenient is from Vergil's Aeneid, Book 4.

Fata Viam Invenient
Iactatur mundi mediis ecclesia in undis:
Sed tamen in portum ducit agetque Deus.

The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. There are three words which are not on the DCC list:

ecclēsia f. - assembly, religious assembly, church
iacto -āre - toss, throw out, boast
portus, portūs m. - harbor, haven, port

ago agere ēgī āctum: drive, do, act
deus -ī m.; dea -ae f. god; goddess
dūco dūcere dūxī ductum: lead; uxōrem ducere, marry
fātum -ī n.: fate
in: in, on (+ abl.); into onto (+ acc)
invenio -venīre -vēnī -ventum: find; discover
medius -a -um: middle, central
mundus -ī m.: world, universe, heavens
que: and (enclitic)
sed: but
tamen: nevertheless, still
unda -ae f.: wave, flowing water, water
via -ae f.: way, street

Veritas Mire Patescit

Here is today's emblem by Bornitius, 5:100. The spirit of this emblem is equivalent to the English saying, "out of the mouths of babes." Yet if you look at the emblem, the child is speaking to an old woman, telling her that she either is a whore (lupa), or else she will be one! Not exactly the kind of sentiment that comes to mind when thinking of the wondrous revelation of truth! In the commentary to the emblem, Bornitius makes no direct reference to the girl and the woman in the image, but there is perhaps an allusion to the old woman in his invocation of the debate about truth in I Esdras 3: unus scripsit: fortius est vinum; alius scripsit: fortior est rex; tertius autem scripsit: fortiores sunt mulieres, super omnia autem vincit veritas.

Veritas Mire Patescit
Saepe etiam est fatuus vel simplex pusio vates,
Abdita cum Fatum vera aperire volet.

Vocabulary:

veritas - truth
mire - wondrously, wonderfully
patesco - is open, extends, is known
saepe - often
etiam - and, also, even
sum - be, exist
fatuus - fool, idiot
vel - or
simplex - simple, simpleton
pusio - boy, lad
vates - bard, inspired poet
abditus - hidden, concealed
cum - when
Fatum - Fate
verus - true
aperio - open
volo - want, wish, will

Phoenix

Here is today's emblem by Jakob Bornitz, 5:92. As you can see, Bornitz has chosen a French motto as the title for this emblem about the legendary phoenix. The poem plays on the paradox of life and death that is embodied in the phoenix, which was a famous legend in the ancient world and which gained a new lease on life, as it were, thanks to the importance of rebirth and resurrection in the world of Christian symbols.

Viure Pour Mourir, Mourir Pour Vivre
Ut moriar, vivo, moriorque, ut postmodo vivam;
Nam cinere exusto mox redivivus ero.

Here is the vocabulary:

ut - so, so as, in order to
morior - die
vivo - live
-que - and
postmodo - afterwards, after
nam - for, because
cinis - ash
exustus - burnt up, incinerated
mox - soon, shortly, next
redivivus - renewed, living again
sum - be, exist