Acheté à grand profit
Achever, accomplir
- I i 6Nodum solvere To undo the knot
- I ii 32Ad umbilicum ducere To bring to the scroll's end
- I ii 33Summum fastigium imponere To put on the coping-stone
- I ii 34Summam manum addere To add the final touch
- I ii 35Supremum fabulae actum addere To add a last act to the play
- I ii 38Cursu lampada trado I hand on the torch in the race
- I iii 37Finem vitae specta Look to the end of life
- I vi 26Domum cum facis, ne relinquas impolitam When you make your house, leave it not unplaned
- I vii 26Omnia octo All eights
- I ix 24Rudem accipere. Rude donare To be given a wooden sword. To present with a wooden sword
- I ix 29Tenedia bipennis An axe from Tenedos
- I x 65Si meus ille stilus fuisset Had I held the pen
- II i 48Ante mysteria discedere To leave before the mysteries
- II iii 45Colphonem addidit He added the colophon
- II iv 41Capere provinciam. Tradere provinciam To take on a department. To entrust a department
- II iv 49Ad Phasim usque navigavit He has sailed as far as Phasis
- II vi 86Circulum absolvere To complete the circle
- II viii 1Servatori tertius A third to the Deliverer
- III iii 68Toto devorato bove in cauda defecit He ate the whole ox and stopped short when he got to the tail
- III v 24Ad Herculis columnas To the pillars of Hercules
- III v 88Bellicum canere. Receptui canere To give the signal for war. To sound the retreat
- III ix 59Haud perficiet He will never finish
- III x 82Colophonium suffragium The Colophonian vote
- IV v 37Sarta tecta Windproof and watertight
- IV vi 20Ad Coronidem usque Right to the final flourish
- IV vi 47Hic telam texuit, ille deduxit One finished the web, the other took it apart
- IV vii 5Filum nevisti, et acu opus est You have spun the thread; now you want a needle
- IV vii 73Lunae radiis non maturescit botrus Moonbeams do not ripen grapes
- IV viii 4Nihil potest, nec addi nec adimi Nothing can be either added or taken away
- IV viii 35Quadratus homo A four-square man
- V i 65Sarcinator summum centonem The patcher with his last patch
Achever, accomplir - du début à la fin
- I i 8Prora et puppis Stem and stern
- I ii 37A capite usque ad calcem From head to heel
- I ii 39Principium dimidium totius Well begun is half done
- I vi 57A linea incipere To start from scratch
- I vi 58A carceribus From the start
- I vi 81Odorari, et similes aliquot metaphorae Scenting out, and sundry metaphors of this kind
- I vi 83Ab ipso lare Begin at home
- I vii 52A teneris unguiculis Since the time their nails were soft
- I vii 53Ab incunabulis From the cradle
- I x 89Ne inter apia quidem sunt They are not even in the celery
- II i 25Ea tela texitur Such is the web now woven
- II i 61Caput The head
- II iv 86Ab ovo usque ad mala From the eggs to the apples
- II v 94A carcere From the starting-pen
- II v 95A caelo ad terram From heaven to earth
- II vi 68Exordire telam To set up a web
- III i 38Toto organo With a full range
- III i 53A fronte atque a tergo Forward and backward
- III v 35Ad calcem pervenire To reach the chalk mark
- III v 95Scindere glaciem To break the ice
- III vi 3Quodcunque in solum venit Whatever falls on the ground
- III vi 46Minore finire pomoerio, et his similia To enclose with a smaller pomoerium, and sayings like these
- III vi 70Fores aperire To open doors
- III vii 56Venimus ad summam lineam We have come to the final line
Aide
- I vii 85Ficulnus Fig-wood
- III i 65Daedali alae The wings of Daedalus
- III viii 62AMutua defensatio Mutual defence
- IV vi 49Per fluvium traducere To take across the river
- IV vi 51Sacer manipulus A sacred band
- IV vii 18Coriaceum auxilium A leather prop
- IV vii 73Lunae radiis non maturescit botrus Moonbeams do not ripen grapes
- V ii 18Amentatae hastae Thonged spears
Air farouche
Amitié
- I i 1Amicorum communia omnia Between friends all is common
- I i 2Amicitia aequalitas. Amicus alter ipse Friendship is equality. A friend is another self
- I i 11Syncretismus Syncretism
- I i 12Qui circa salem et fabam Around salt and beans
- I i 43Abiit et taurus in sylvam The bull too went off into the wood
- I iii 16Ad felicem inflectere parietem To lean to the lucky side
- I iii 17Amico amicus A friend to his friend
- I iii 24Ubi amici, ibi opes Where there are friends, there is wealth
- I v 23Ollae amicitiae Cupboard love
- I vi 10Salem et mensam ne praetereas Transgress not salt and trencher
- I vii 51In aere meo est He is at my service
- I vii 69Intempestiva benevolentia nihil a simultate differt Goodwill untimely differs not from hate
- II i 26Multas amicitias silentium diremit Many's the friendship silence hath undone
- II i 71Conciliant homines mala Bad luck brings men together
- II i 72Ama tanquam osurus, oderis tanquam amaturus Love as in time to come you should hate, and hate as you should in time to come love
- II ii 75Amicus magis necessarius quam ignis et aqua A friend is more necessary than fire and water
- II iii 76Amicitia stabilium, felicitas temperantium Friendship is for the steadfast and happiness for those of moderate desires
- II iii 86Non sunt amici, amici qui degunt procul Friends dwelling far away are no true friends
- II v 16Secundis ventis With a fair wind
- II v 96Mores amici noveris, non oderis Know your friend's weaknesses but hate them not
- II vii 50Nudae Gratiae Naked are the Graces
- II viii 81Viri infortunati procul amici When a man's out of luck, his friends are out of reach
- III i 88Felicium multi cognati The fortunate have many kinsmen
- III i 89Amantium irae The falling-out of lovers
- III i 100Animo aegrotanti medicus est oratio To a sick spirit speech is a physician
- III ii 10Usque ad aras amicus A friend as far as the altar
- III iii 15Plures adorant solem orientem quam occidentem More men adore the rising than the setting sun
- III iii 51Non potes Tethydem simul et Galateam amare You cannot love Tethys and Galatea at one time
- III iii 57Lingua amicus A friend in word
- III iii 80Novos parans amicos ne obliviscere veterum When you make new friends, do not forget the old ones
- III iv 88Unus deus et plures amici One God and many friends
- III v 4Felicitas multos habet amicos Good fortune has many friends
- III v 97Sapientes tyranni sapientum congressu Kings become wise through association with the wise
- III vi 36Naaera et Charmione Naaera and Charmione
- III vi 37Neque nullis sis amicus, neque multis Be not a friend to none, nor to many
- III vii 6Amicitiae personam The mask of friendship
- III vii 15Baeta tum hyeme tum aestate bona A baeta is fine in winter and in summer
- III viii 47Nemo cogendus amicus No one may be forced to be a friend
- III x 17Fidus amicus A faithful friend
- III x 24Cum amico non certandum aemulatione Do not compete in rivalry with a friend
- IV ii 15Αμφιθαλής ἔρως Love blossoming on both sides
- IV iii 52Queruli in amicitia Critics don't make friends
- IV iii 76Praestat habere acerbos Bitter enemies are better
- IV v 5Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur Uncertainty sees a certain friend
- IV v 26Amicitias immortales esse oportet Friendships should last for ever
- IV v 29De manu in manum From hand to hand
- IV vi 81Nemo sibi nascitur No one is born just for himself
- IV vii 70Philotesius crater The cup of friendship
- IV viii 85Ipsis et Chiis And for the people of Chios too
- IV ix 17Vultu saepe laeditur pietas Even a look can strike a blow against filial respect
- IV ix 44Ex sinu illius His bosom friend
- IV ix 80Sal et mensa Salt and table
- IV x 96Verbis conceptis pejerare Perjure oneself in set form of words
- V i 26Χρήσει καὶ κτήσει By use and possession
- V i 100Navigationis socius A fellow-sailor
- V ii 50Oculus ferre et similia Carry in one's eyes, etc.
Amour
- I ii 79Ex adspectu nascitur amor Love comes by looking
- II iii 90Qui amant ipsi sibi somnia fingunt Lovers weave their own dreams
- II iv 25Aureae compedes Golden fetters
- II iv 90Venereum jusjurandum Lovers' vows
- II vii 32Parvus semper tuus pullus Your chick is always small
- II viii 28Liberorum amantior quam Gello As fond of children as Gello
- III ii 36Cestum habent Veneris They have the girdle of Venus
- III ii 44Caunius amor A passion for Caunus
- III viii 20Adamantis tenere Of one who loves tenderly
- IV iv 94E Creta raptus Booty from Crete
- IV v 15Musicam docet amor Desire is a teacher of the arts
- IV vi 10Iynge trahor A wryneck draws me to it
- IV vi 98Capite gestare To carry on our head
- IV vii 30Qui non zelat No jealousy, no love
- IV vii 79Injuria solvit amorem Scorn breaks up love
- IV vii 91Ut lupus ovem As the wolf loves the sheep
- IV x 52Omnes intus Everyone's inside
- IV x 73Ut Phrygius amavit Pieriam As Phrygius loved Pieria
- V i 61Mansum ex ore dare Give pap from your own mouth
- V i 62Medullitus, oculitus From one's very bones, as dear as one's eyes
Amour-propre
- I i 81Foenum habet in cornu He has hay on his horn
- I ii 16Patriae fumus igni alieno luculentior The smoke of home, brighter than others' fire
- I ii 21Simile gaudet simili Like rejoices in like
- I iii 92Φίλαυτοι Self-lovers
- I v 63Oleum in auricula ferre To carry oil in the ear
- I vi 90Non videmus manticae quod in tergo est We see not what is in the wallet behind
- I vi 91Festucam ex alterius oculo ejicere To cast a mote out of another man's eye
- II i 13Colophonia ferocitas Colophonian wantonnes
- II i 17Sine rivali diligere To love without a rival
- II ii 52Ne magna loquaris Do not talk big
- II iii 13Argenti fontes The springs of silver
- II iv 100Ipsis placet That is how they like it
- II v 39Tragice loqui To use tragic language
- II vii 59Te ipsum laudas You praise yourself
- II ix 91Ne intra vestibulum quidem Not even as far as the porch
- II x 26Multi te oderint, si teipsum amas Many will hate you if you love yourself
- III iii 85Ab Eteobutadis ducit genus He traces his line from the Eteobutadae
- III iv 2Suus cuique crepitus bene olet Everyone thinks his own fart smells sweet
- III v 51Papae Myxus Blow-me-down Myxus!
- III vi 90Amicos tragoedos aemulatur He's imitating his tragic friends
- III vii 34Pedere thus To fart frankincense
- III ix 46Turpis iactantia Boasting is ignoble
- III ix 92Fortuna reddit insolentes Good luck makes people arrogant
- III x 2Suo quisque studio gaudet Everyone rejoices in his own pursuit
- IV ii 83In armis accissat Looking coy in his armour
- IV ii 90Aut minus animi, aut plus potentiae Less ambition or more strength
- IV iii 27Teipsum inspice Have a good look at yourself
- IV iii 64Mendax Atraphaxis Lying atraphaxis
- IV iv 14Et me mater etc. And my mother said I was better than Pollux
- IV vii 16Quod volumus sanctum est Our wish is for what is holy
- IV viii 58Quae quia ipse facit What anyone does himself
- IV x 72Musopatagos Muse-struck
Application, diligence
- I ii 41Serere ne dubites Do not hesitate to plant
- I ii 82Ex umbra in solem Out of the shadow into sunlight
- I vi 17Dii facientes adiuvant The gods help those who help themselves
- I vi 18Cum Minerva manum quoque move Invoke Minerva, but use your own strength too
- I vi 62Neque mel neque apes No bees, no honey
- I vii 33Artem quaevis alit terra Skill fills your hand in every land
- II i 11Qui arat olivetum He who ploughs an olive-grove
- II ii 81Manum admoventi fortuna est imploranda Set your hand to the work before you appeal to Fortune
- II v 32Manum fingere To mould by hand
- II ix 35Qui e nuce nucleum esse vult, frangit nucem He who wants to eat the inside of a walnut breaks the shell
- II ix 88Ni purges et molas, non comedes Unless you clean and grind, you'll have nothing to eat
- III iii 42Lutum nisi tundatur, non fit urceus Unless you pound the clay, you get no jar
- III iii 59Qui vitat molam, vitat farinam He who runs from the mill runs away from the meal
- III iii 65Optimum obsonium labor senectuti Hard work best earns a dinner for old age
- III vi 14Proba est materia, si probum adhibeas artificem The material is good, if only you engage a good workman
- III vii 28Quid tandem non efficiant manus? What in the end cannot be done with hands
- III ix 55Industriam adiuvat deus God helps those who work hard
- IV iii 35Manum admovere To add your hand to
- IV iv 79Muli Mariani Marian mules
- IV ix 53Manus precium Labour costs, fee
Approuver
- I v 53Album calculum addere, et similes figurae To add a white stone, and similar metaphors
- I v 54Creta notare, carbon notare To mark with chalk, with coal
- I v 60Omne tulit punctum; Omnium calculis He obtained every point; With everyone's votes
- I v 74Momo satisfacere, et similia To satisfy Momus, and the like
- I viii 46Premere pollicem. Convertere pollicem Thumbs down. Thumbs up
- I ix 17Uno ore With one voice
- II i 33Si tibi amicum, nec mihi inimicum If it's agreeable to you, it's not disagreeable to me
- II vii 12Pedibus in sententiam discedere To vote with one's feet
- II vii 55Ne Jupiter quidem omnibus placet Even Jupiter does not please everybody
- III vii 89Servum haud veho I maintain no servant
- IV x 90Rectam instas viam You're on the right track
- V ii 43Ut Phidiae signum Like a statue by Phidias
Arrogance et vantardise
- I ii 74Fastuosis Maximus Haughty Maximus
- I ii 100Psaphonis aves Psapho's birds
- I vi 16Ne sutor ultra crepidam Let the cobbler stick to his last
- I vi 88Messe tenus propria vive Live up to your own harvest
- I vi 89Tuo te pede metire Measure yourself by your own foot
- I vi 93Pennas nido maiores extendere To spread wings greater than the nest
- I viii 49Attollere supercilium, ponere supercilium To raise the brows, to relax the brows
- I viii 68Tollere cornua To lift one's horns
- I viii 69Tollere cristas To lift one's crest
- I x 19Atticus in portum An Athenian entering harbour
- II i 49Ex uno multa facere To make many things out of one
- II ii 16Summis unguibus ingredi To walk on tiptoe
- II ii 62Homines frugi omnia recte faciunt Worthy men always do right
- II ii 67Sybaritae per plateas Sybarites in the streets
- II iii 30Sophocles. Laudiceni Sophocleses. Laodiceans
- II iv 6Caelum territat He affrights the sky
- II v 12Ne mihi Suffenus essem Not to be my own Suffenus
- II v 87Ipse dixit He said himself
- II vi 20Vino vendibili suspensa hedera nihil opus Good wine needs no bush
- II vi 71Homo bombylius A bumbling man
- II vii 29Philippi gallus Philip's cock
- II vii 53Nos decem Rhodienses, decem naves We ten Rhodians are ten ships
- II vii 76Jovis sandalium Jove's sandal
- II viii 26Magis sibi placet quam Peleus in machaera He is as pleased with himself as Peleus with his sword
- II viii 41Tanquam Argivum clypeum abstulerit, ita gloriatur He gives himself such airs, he might have stolen the shield from Argos
- II ix 98Nauphracton tueri To have a warship look
- III ii 69Hamaxiaea Wagon-loads
- III iii 16Auro loquente nihil pollet quaevis oratio When gold speaks, no words have any force
- III iii 28Hic Rhodus, hic saltus Here's Rhodes: let's see you jump
- III iii 95Cicadis pleni Full of grasshopers
- III iv 15Videberis, me videns, plane Martem videre You will seem, when you see me, to see Mars himself
- III iv 19Ex Academia venis You come straight out of the Academy
- III iv 52Imperitus anaxyride indutus omnibus id ostentat The ignorant man who has just put on trousers shows them off to everyone
- III v 37Phaniae ianua The doors of Phanias
- III v 46De pulmone revellere To pluck from the lung
- III v 62Ultra peram sapere To have tastes beyond one's wallet
- III vi 98Bullatae nugae Trifles and bubbles
- III vii 71Pyrrichen oculis prae se ferens To cast a Pyrrhic look
- III x 37Arrogantia non ferenda Intolerable arrogance
- III x 93Gigantum arrogantia The pride of the giants
- IV i 26Ingredi Iunonium Marching in the Junonium
- IV i 31Calliphanes Calliphanes
- IV i 80Caenei hasta Caeneus' spear
- IV iii 67Coelum digito attingere To touch the heavens with your finger
- IV iv 25Gallus in suo sterquilinio plurimum potest A cock has most power on its own dunghill
- IV iv 28Sellissare To act like Sellus
- IV v 30Mira de lente Wondrous words about a lentil
- IV v 35Divinum excipio sermonem I except the gods
- IV v 93Humeris sustinere To carry on one's shoulders
- IV vi 21Sine, ut incolumis redeat Let the man live
- IV vii 10Sybaritici sermones Sybaritic style
- IV viii 14Campana superbia Campanian arrogance
- IV viii 15Αὐτοβοᾶν Self-crying
- IV ix 6Pulcrum sepulcri elogio A fine thing to have upon one's tomb
- IV ix 24Dea excogitavit The goddess thought of it
- IV ix 54Decumanum Every tenth one
- IV ix 55Palmarium facinus A crowning deed
- IV ix 66Πομπεύειν Ribaldry
- IV ix 87Laureolam in mustaceis quaerere To look for the sprig of bay in the must-cake
- IV x 18Peristromata Campanica Campanian curtains
- IV x 35Αιξωνεύεσθαι Talk Aexonian
- IV x 42Ampullacea Flask-rich
- V i 10Basilica facinora Right royal doings
- V i 50Altius Oromedonte Higher than Oromedon
- V i 79Salacones Salacons
Assiduité
- I ii 51Taurum tollet, qui vitulum sustulerit He may bear a bull that hath borne a calf
- I iii 2Minutula pluvia imbrem parit A tiny rain gives birth to a rainstorm
- I iv 24Noctes diesque By night and day
- I v 6Latum unguem, ac similes hyperbolae proverbiales A nail's breadth, and similar proverbial hyperbolae
- I vi 30Dicendo dicere discunt By speaking men learn how to speak
- I viii 94Multis ictibus dejicitur quercus Many strokes fell great oaks
- I x 44Ne altero quidem pede Not one foot
- II i 74Purpura juxta purpuram dijudicanda Purple should be judged against purple
- II ii 53Exercitatio potest omnia Practice can do everything
- II v 99Bis septem plagis polypus contusus A polyp crushed with fourteen blows
- III ii 100Vitiat lapidem longum tempus Length of time wears the marble
- III iii 3Assidua stilla saxum excavat Constant dropping wears away a stone
- III iv 74Saxum volutum non obducitur musco A rolling stone gathers no moss
- III vii 51Velut umbra sequi Following like a shadow
Attention et son contraire
- II iv 94Purgatis auribus With well-washed ears
- II vii 84Praesens abest Though present he is far away
- III ii 56Auribus arrectis With ears pricked up
- III vi 47Mens peregrina A mind elsewehere
- III viii 11Consulendum et consiliis parendum Consider well and take advice
- III viii 45Ausculta et perpende Pay heed and consider
- IV iii 7Ceram auribus obdis Your ears are stopped with wax
- IV v 18Erecti To one's full height
- V i 19Hoc age Attend to the business in hand
Au risque d'autrui
- I iv 41Alienam metis messem You are reaping another's harvest
- II ii 88De alieno ludis corio You gamble with another man's hide
- II ix 71Innocuus alium aspiciam meum habentem malum Unhurt I shall watch another man enduring my trouble
- II x 4Non est meum negotium, multum valeat This is none of my business; away with it!
- III x 50De alieno liberalis Generous with others' goods
Audace
- I ii 45Fortes fortuna adiuvat Fortune favours the brave
- I vii 41Alter Hercules A second Hercules
- III ii 64Aqua praeterfluit Water pours by
- III iv 31Martis pullus A fledgling of Mars
- III viii 72Qui cum contemptu vitae invadunt Those who attack with no regard for their life
- III viii 84In discrimine apparet, qui vir A crisis reveals who is a man
- III viii 85Non cedendum malis Never yield to misfortunes
- III viii 95Improbitas muscae The depravity of the fly
- III ix 17Ne quid moveare verborum strepitu Don't be put off by loud words
- III ix 96Non abiicit animum Not losing heart
- III x 5Animus praesens A firm mind
- IV i 19Animus heptaboëus A heart of seven ox-hides
- IV viii 12Neque terrae motus timet, neque fluctus He fears neither earthquake nor raging sea
- V ii 3Cor calidum in re frigida A hot heart in a cold task
Avantage détourné
Avec aide ; sans aide
- I iii 42Columen familiae A pillar of the household
- I iii 43Ancora domus The anchor of the house
- I v 27Non absque Theseo Not without Theseus
- I v 40Unus vir, nullus vir One man, no man
- I vi 19Nostro Marte By our own prowess
- I vii 92Frater viro adsit Let a man's brother stand by him
- I vii 97Tradunt operas mutuas They help each other out
- I viii 42Sine cortice nabis You shall swim without cork
- II iii 47Titanas imploras You beg the help from the Titans
- II iii 95Multae manus onus levius reddunt Many hands make light work
- II v 51Ne gladium tollas mulier Woman must never draw a sword
- II vii 75Tanquam heros in clypeo excipere Like a hero to entertain in my shield
- III i 51Duobus pariter euntibus When two go together
- III ii 46Papyri fructus non postulat magnam spicam Papyrus seed asks not for a heavy ear
- III ii 66Ανερίναστος εἶ You need artificial fertilization
- III iii 82Chordae vice In place of a string
- III v 96Vivus fueris vel cepe solum accipiens You would have been alive if only you had accepted the onion
- III viii 25Alieno ferox praesidio Fierce with someone else's help
- III viii 30Summa vi defendere Strongest defence
- III viii 37Alieno auxilio potentes Strong with someone else's help
- III ix 7Re opitulandem, non verbis Help is in the deed, not in words
- III ix 54Sine ope divina nihil valemus Without divine help we avail nothing
- III ix 89Si deus voluerit God willing
- III x 56Qui per se sufficit A self-sufficient man
- IV ii 42Nihil profuerit bulbus An onion would be no good at all
- IV vi 2Pecunia absque peculio Money without savings
- IV viii 78Sine canibus et retibus Without dogs and nets
- IV ix 8Porrigere manus Extend a helping hand
- IV x 31Meis auspiciis Under my own auspices
Bagatelles
- I iv 91Nugas agere To play the fool
- II iv 10Siculae nugae. Gerrae. Persolae nugae Sicilian nonsense. Trash. Persian nonsense
- III x 87Canis You keep on singing
- IV iv 85Ne punctum quidem Not even a point
- IV vi 36Κρουνοχυτρολήραιον Nonsense-spouter
- IV vii 24Cape nihil, et serva bene Take nothing and watch it well
- IV vii 51Nihil inanius, quam multa scire Nothing is more useless than much knowledge
- IV ix 90Nugae theatri Stage nonsense
Bassesse et avarice
- I ix 43Lari sacrificant They sacrifice to the Lar
- I x 11Sacrum sine fumo A smokeless sacrifice
- I x 39Caninum prandium A dog's dinner
- I x 94Psyrice facta As they do in Psyra
- I x 96Cyprio bovi merendam Luncheon for a Cyprus ox
- II i 5Cumini sector A cummin-splitter
- II i 6Ficos dividere To split figs
- II iv 36Tribus minis insumptis duodecim imputat He spends three minas and charges twelve
- II vi 14Tantali poena The punishment of Tantalus
- II vii 33Phaselitarum sacrificium A sacrifice Phaselite-fashion
- II viii 80Victitant succo suo They live on there own juice
- II ix 3Tenuem nectis You weave a small web
- II ix 95Nephalia ligna Nephalian wood
- II ix 96Nephalian sacrum A Nephalian sacrifice
- II x 3Tolle tolle mazam quam ocissime scarabaeo A dung-cake for the beetle, quick as quick!
- II x 32In sinu manum habere To have one's hand in one's bosom
- III ii 31Carica victima A Carian victim
- III iii 50Nullus emptor difficilis bonum edit obsonium No hard bargainer eats good meat
- III iii 92Patroclo sordidior As sordid as Patroclus
- III iii 95Cicadis pleni Full of grasshopers
- III iv 39Psyra Bacchum Bacchus to Psyra
- III v 93Sacra nihil sunt The sacrifices are nothing
- III vii 61Tenuiter diducis You're combing it out thinly
- III ix 80Conviva non conviva Invited but not to take part
- IV i 55Telemachi olla A Telemachus pot
- IV i 71Cereri sacrificant They sacrifice to Ceres
- IV i 82Ρὑποκόνδυλος Dirty knuckles
- IV ii 34Canens vitae palmum Singing brief life away
- IV iii 37Parvo emtas carnes Cheap meat feeds the dogs
- IV iii 51Nihil de vitello None of the yolk
- IV iv 16Rore pascitur Feeding on dew
- IV iv 27Lingere salem To lick salt
- IV iv 33Lapsana vivere To live on charlock
- IV iv 40Immunem venire To come empty-handed
- IV iv 57Cochleae vita A snail's life
- IV iv 60E Patroclis domo venit He comes from the house of Patrocles
- IV v 56Philippide tenuius As skinny as Philippides
- IV vi 26Monophagi Single-diners
- IV vi 70Τρυγόβιοι Drinkers of dregs
- IV vi 83Cradophagus A figleaf-eater
- IV vii 23Macilentior Leotrephide As skinny as Leotrephides
- IV vii 64In ventrem insilire To kick in the belly
- IV vii 72Bathyclis poculum Bathycles' cup
- IV ix 73Duobus digitis primoribus With the tips of two fingers
- IV x 11Luto lutulentior Fouler than filth
- IV x 23Ex Phelleo To come from Phelleus
- IV x 65Pediculi Platonis Plato's lice
Bavardage
- I i 7Dodonaeum aes Dodonean bronze
- I i 14Sine capite fabula A story without a head
- I ii 99Non est eiusdem et multa et opportuna dicere Speaking much and speaking well are not the same thing
- I iii 3Citra vinum timulentia Intoxication without wine
- I v 30Turture loquacior As garrulous as a turtle-dove
- I v 72Quicquid in buccam venerit Whatever came into his mouth
- I v 73Quicquid in linguam venerit Whatever may come on the tongue
- I vi 44Balneator A bathman
- I vi 70Notum lippis ac tonsoribus Known to blear-eyed men and barbers
- I vii 16Cornicari To croak
- I vii 32Arabius tibicen An Arabian piper
- I ix 100Cicada vocalior As noisy as a cricket
- II i 55Quod in animo sobrii, id est in lingua ebrii What is in the heart of a sober man is in the mouth of the drunkard
- II i 63Ne in tonstrinis Not even at the barber's
- II i 92Battologia. Laconismus Vain repetition. Spartan brevity
- II ii 2Hirundinum musea Swallow-choirs
- II ii 3Lusciniae nugis insidentes Nightingales perching on trifles
- II ii 39Lingua quo vadis? Tongue, whither wouldst thou?
- II iv 32Apologus Alcinoi A story for Alcinous
- II iv 58Farcire centones To stuff a patchwork coat
- II vi 8Cane Tellenis cantilenas Sing Tellen's songs
- II vii 44Archytae crepitaculum Archytas' rattle
- II ix 32Littore loquacior As talkative as the seashore
- II x 12Meliacum navigium A Melian vessel
- III i 18Levissima res oratio Words are the lightest of things
- III iii 76Moschus canens Boeoticum Moschus singing a Boeotian strain
- III iii 100Intersecta musica The music is cut off
- III iv 47Os infrene An unbridled mouth
- III vi 26Tanquam suber Like cork
- III vi 53Caute loquacior As garrulous as a reef
- III vi 88Daulia cornix A Daulian crow
- III vii 57Saburratus Full of ballast
- IV i 94Si corvus possit tacitus pasci If the crow can eat quietly
- IV iii 32Telenicia echo An echo of Telenicus
- IV v 51Prolixius Iliade As long-winded as the Iliad
- IV vi 36Κρουνοχυτρολήραιον Nonsense-spouter
- IV vii 13Homo semper contradicens It is human never to stop arguing
- IV viii 44Citeria Citeria
- IV viii 49Tam multa quam sapiens As much as a man of sense
- IV ix 70Ad vinum diserti Orators over the bottle
- IV x 45Cribro crebius Through more slots than a sieve
- IV x 87Musarem aves Birds of the Muses' flock
- V i 75Cicadae sibi canent The cicadas will sing to themselves
Beaucoup de gens
Beaucoup de gens - contre les sots
- I ii 70Feles tartessia A Tartessian cat
- I iii 1Aut regem aut fatuum nasci oportere One ought to be born a king or a fool
- I iii 67Midas auriculas asini Midas has ass's ears
- I v 36Bis pueri senes Old men are children twice over
- I viii 36Phryx plagis emendatur It takes blows to mend a Phrygian
- I viii 51Bibe elleborum Drink hellebore
- I viii 52Naviget Anticyras Let him take ship for Anticyras
- I viii 53Strychnum bibit He has drunk strychnum
- I viii 54Ede nasturtium Why can't you eat cress?
- I viii 55Porcum immola Sacrifice a pig
- I x 6Boeotica sus Boeotian pig
- I x 80Corpus sine pectore Body without soul
- II i 19Naribus trahere To lead one by the nose
- II i 34Rana gyrina sapientior As wise as a tadpole
- II i 75Saturniae lemae Saturnian rheums
- II ii 7Septennis cum sit, nondum edidit dentes He's seven years old, and not yet cut his teeth
- II ii 31Minus habes mentis quam dithramborum poetae You have less sense than the men who write dithyrambs
- II iii 7Boeoticum ingenium Boeotian brains
- II iii 8Boeotica cantilena A Boeotian tune
- II iii 42Squillas a sepulchri vellas Pluck squills from a grave
- II iii 51Salsitudo non inest illi There is no saltiness in him
- II iii 71Margites Margites
- II v 26Lucerna pinguior, et Lecytho pinguior Oilier than a lamp, and Sleeker than an oil-bottle
- II v 68Antronius asinus An Antronian ass
- II v 89Terrae intestina The bowels of the earth
- II vii 6Nescit capitis et inguinis discrimen He does not know the difference between head and groin
- II vii 26Ovium nullus usus Sheep are no use
- II ix 1Stultior Morycho As big a fool as Morychus
- II ix 11Stupidior Praxillae Adonide As stupid as the Adonis of Praxilla
- II ix 20Servilior Messena As harshly enslaved as Messene
- II ix 64Stultior Coroebo As foolish as Coroebus
- II ix 67Stultitia est Jovem putare esse It's folly to believe that Jove exists
- II ix 89Nihil differs a Chaerephonte There's no difference between you and Chaerephon
- II ix 90Nihil ab elephante differs There's no difference between you and an elephant
- II x 8Mens non inest Centauris Centaurs have no brains
- II x 48Larus hians A cormorant open-mouthed
- III i 91Foenum esse. Ambrosia alendus To eat hay. He should be fed on ambrosia
- III i 95Ovium mores The character of a sheep
- III ii 48Boeotia auris A Boeotian ear
- III ii 62Arcadas imitans Doing as the Arcadians do
- III iii 27Arcadicum germen A scion of Arcadia
- III iii 58Saturni podex Saturn's anus
- III iv 40Caput vacuum cerebro A head devoid of brains
- III iv 51Becceselenus Moonstruck
- III v 5Stulto ne permittas digitum Don't let a fool have your finger
- III v 64Vir videbatur navis supplicans scopulo The man looked like a ship beseeching a rock
- III vi 18Pinguis venter non gignit sensum tenuem Fat stomach never bore fine feeling
- III vi 21Pistillo retusius As blunt as a pestle
- III vi 28Ne quis unquam Megarensibus Never anyone more than the Megarians
- III vii 39Κορυβαντιᾶν To be a Corybant
- III vii 97Ut Bagas constitisti You stood like Bagas
- III x 81Embarus sum I am Embarus
- III x 92Non inest illi dentale It has no tree
- III x 100Tibicines mente capti The delirium of flute-players
- IV i 38Fungus A mushroom
- IV i 76Asinum in rupes protrudere To push an ass over a cliff
- IV ii 85Desertum obtueri Staring at a desert
- IV iii 33Terebintho stultior As stupid as a turpentine-tree
- IV iii 41Caecus auribus ac mente Blind in ear and mind
- IV iv 69Stultior Melitide As stupid as Melitides
- IV vi 28Abderitica mens An Abderan mentality
- IV vi 35Auris Batava A Dutch ear
- IV vi 64Sacer piscis A sacred fish
- IV vi 71Loquax talpa A mole who never stops talking
- IV vi 90Bos marinus A sea-ox
- IV vii 19Tanagraeus cetus A Tanagran monster
- IV vii 36Asino fabulam Telling a story to an ass
- IV vii 90Vasis instar Like a pitcher
- IV vii 92In navibus educatus Reared on ships
- IV viii 31Colophonium calciamentum Colophonian footwear
- IV viii 38Asinus stramenta mavult quam aurum The ass prefers straw to gold
- IV x 55Tredicem cubitorum Over eight feet tall
- V i 18Vervecea statua A sheep-brained piece of statuary
- V i 35Mittere sanguinem Letting blood
Beauté, difformité
- I iii 72Pulchrorum etiam autumnus pulcher est Even the autumn of beauty is beautiful
- I iii 100Ex ovo prodiit He came out of an egg
- I vii 11Simia simia est, etiamsi aurea gestet insignia An ape is an ape, though clad in gold
- II i 7Myconius calvus Myconian baldpate
- II i 15Leporem non edit He has not eaten hare
- II ii 29Perdicis crura Legs like Mr Partridge
- II iii 99Naviges in Troezenem Take ship for Troezen
- II v 54Simiarum pulcherrima deformis est The prettiest ape is hideous
- II vi 65Aetnaeus cantharus An Etna beetle
- III ii 8Corytheo deformior As ugly as Corytheus
- III vi 57Multam sylvam gestas You're carrying a lot of undergrowth
- IV ii 7A Furiis oriundus Born of the Furies
- IV ii 17Pronomi barba Pronomus' beard
- IV ii 54Ominabitur aliquis te conspecto Anyone who sees you will read it as an omen
- IV iii 49Pistillo calvior As bald as a pestle
- IV iii 80Thersitae facies The look of Thersites
- IV iv 31Μονόγραμμοι Mere outlines
- IV vii 15Callipygos Beautifully-buttocked
- IV vii 81Quod pulchrum, idem amicum What is beautiful is also loved
- IV viii 43Aristylli more Like Aristyllus
Bien ou mal inattendu
- I i 68Deus ex improviso apparens Unexpected appearance of a god
- I i 69Homo homini deus Man is a god to man
- I i 71Coturnix Herculem A quail saved Hercules
- I ii 87Faciunt et sphaceli immunitatem Aches and pains too give exemption
- I iii 6Deorum manus Hands of the Gods
- II v 100Mopso Nisa datur Nisa is Mopsus' bride
- II viii 32Glaucus poto melle resurrexit Glaucus drank honey and came back to life
- II ix 99Negocium ex ocio Leisure to business turned
- II x 56Lavares Peliam You would give Pelias a bath
- III i 40Omnia secunda: saltat senex All's well: the old man dances
- III iv 57Insperabilem vitam vivis You live a life one could not hope for
- III viii 39Subitum remedium periculi Swift relief from danger
- III ix 4Eventus praeter expectationem An unexpected outcome
- IV vii 4Mercuriale A gift of Mercury
- IV viii 61Multa incredibilia Much that seems beyond belief
Bienfait retiré
Bonne fortune, abondance, bonheur ou présage
- I i 74Diis hominibusque plaudentibus With the applause of gods and men
- I i 75Bonis avibus, malis avibus With good or bad auspices (birds)
- I i 76Noctua volat The owl flies
- I i 78Albae gallinae filius A son of the white hen
- I i 79Laureum baculum gesto I bear the staff of bay
- I i 96Gygis anulus The ring of Gyges
- I i 97Virgula divina The magic wand
- I iii 9Semper feliciter cadunt Iovis taxilli The dice always fall out well for Jove
- I iii 26Ilias malorum An Iliad of troubles
- I iii 29Mare bonorum A sea of good things
- I iii 31Acervus bonorum A heap of good things
- I iii 32Bonorum myrmecia An ant-hill of good things
- I iii 33Dathos bonorum A Dathos of good things
- I iii 34Thasos bonorum A Thasos of good things
- I v 99Deum esse. Deum facere To be a god. To make a god of someone
- I v 100In coelo esse To be in heaven
- I vi 2Copiae cornu A horn of plenty
- I vi 3Lac gallinaceum Hen's milk
- I vi 5Sardi venales Sardinians for sale
- I vi 53Bonae fortunae, or Boni genii Here's to good luck, or A blessing on it!
- II i 39Bos ad praesepe An ox at the manger
- II ii 93Quaevis terra patria Home is everywhere
- II iv 37Oculus dexter mihi salit My right eye twitches
- II iv 92Bonorum glomi Reels of good things
- II iv 97Datyli dies The day of Datylus
- II v 2Contigit et malis venatio Rascals are sometimes lucky in the hunt
- II v 15Secundo aestu With a following tide
- II v 16Secundis ventis With a fair wind
- II v 58Asinus in paleas A donkey on the straw
- II vii 77Lux affulsit Light has dawned
- II vii 87Procridis telum Procris' weapon
- II viii 18Bonus e pharetra dies A good day out of the quiver
- II viii 46Iecit Achilles duas tesseras et quatuor Achilles has thrown two threes and a four
- II viii 73Ad satietatem To the point of saturation
- II ix 80Nunc illa advenit Datidis cantilena Now is the moment come for Datis' tune
- II ix 86Inveni, non quod pueri in faba I've made a find, and it's not what children find in beans
- II ix 87Midas in teseris consultor optimus Midas on the dice gives the best advice
- II x 74Orci galea The helmet of Orcus
- III i 2Effugi malum, inveni bonum I have escaped evil, I have found good
- III i 24Bona terrae Earth's bounty
- III i 90Primum recte valere, proxima forma, tertio loco divitiae Good health first, next good looks, and in the third place wealth
- III ii 51Boves messis tempus exspectantes Oxen looking towards harvest time
- III ii 53Bos apud acervum An ox at the heap
- III ii 71Extis pluit It rains black-puddings
- III viii 13Ingens rerum multitudo An enormous number of things
- III viii 14Quae divinitus contingunt Things which come by divine providence
- III viii 55In voti compotem On one whose wish is fulfilled
- III viii 94Omnia ex sententia cedunt Everything is happening as planned
- III ix 50Deus undecunque iuvat, si modo propitius God's help is everywhere, if only he is so inclined
- III ix 56Faustus exitus A lucky outcome
- III x 6Locupletum reditus The profits of the wealthy
- III x 36Bona spes ostensa Appearance of hope
- III x 40Auctoritas divinitus Prestige divinely given
- III x 76Capram coelestem orientem conspexerunt They have seen the heavenly she-goat rising
- IV i 62Horna messis This year's harvest
- IV ii 91Felicitas a Deo Success comes from God
- IV ii 92Hystricis seta A porcupine's spine
- IV iv 96Tranquillo quilibet gubernator est In a calm sea anyone can be a pilot
- IV v 9Sapiens sua bona secum fert The wise man carries his resources with him
- IV v 23Aut piscem olet, aut florem Smelling of fish or flower
- IV vi 24Gargara bonorum Heaps of possessions
- IV ix 68Sale nihil utilius Nothing more beneficial than salt
- IV ix 72Supercilium salit My eyebrow twitches
- IV x 44Rex sum I'm a king
- IV x 47Virtute duce, comite fortuna Guided by virtue, fortune attending
- V i 16Sale et aceto With salt and vinegar
Bouffonnerie
Brièveté du discours
- I vi 9Uno fasce complecti To bundle together
- II x 49Laconismus Laconic
- III vi 46Minore finire pomoerio, et his similia To enclose with a smaller pomoerium, and sayings like these
- III vii 50Tribus bolis In three throws
- III vii 58Numero dicis et similia You talk like 1 2 3
- III viii 77Pauciloquus, sed eruditus Sparing of words, but knowledgeable
- IV iv 84Tribus verbis In three words
- IV v 25Grata brevitas Brevity has charm
- IV ix 91Εν ἐπιτομῇ In brief
Bruyant
- I iii 97Septem convivium, novem convicium Seven make a feast, nine make a fray
- I v 96Apertis tibiis Using all the holes (With all the stops out)
- II iii 37Stentore clamosior Noisier than Stentor
- II v 23Abydena illatio Interruption, Abydos fashion
- II vii 22Clamosior lauro ardente As noisy as burning bay-leaves
- II ix 19Sarpedonium littus Sarpedon shore
- III ii 16Cyclobori vox A voice like the Cycloborus
- III ii 19Claudiana tonitrua Claudian thunder
- III viii 91In clamosos Against people who shout
- III ix 37Absit clamor in colloquio aut lusu Against brawling in conversation or in games
- IV i 19Animus heptaboëus A heart of seven ox-hides
- IV i 70Usque ad ravim Till I'm hoarse
- IV iii 77Columnas rumpere Shattering columns
- IV vi 33Calamoboas Pen-shouter
- IV ix 96Laryngizein To roar
- V i 77Boetissare Act Boeotian
Calomnie
- I iv 34Sub omni lapide scorpius dormit Under every stone sleeps a scorpion
- II ii 13Boliti poenam A penalty for turds
- II iii 81Sycophanta A sycophant
- II vi 29Non inest remedium adversus sycophantae morsum Against a blackmailer's bite there's no known remedy
- II vi 35Frustra Herculi Hopeless against Hercules
- III i 33Pattaecione calumniosior A worse blackmailer than Pattaecion
- III ii 14Cydi poenam debet He owes a penalty for abuse
- III iv 11Argiva calumnia Argive accusation
- III vii 18Albo rete aliena capiant bona They use a white net to hunt for other people's goods
- IV i 33Crater litium A basinful of disputes
- IV ii 6Eurymnus Eurymnus
- IV ii 38Chius A Chian
- IV iii 39Tragicus Theocrines A Theocrines, the tragic actor
- IV vi 15Samii mores Samian ways
- IV vi 17Abydus, Abydenus Abydus, an Abydenian
- IV ix 23Hoc municeps aut vicinus nunciavit Some fellow-townsman or a neighbour brought the news
- IV ix 82Falsum probum A sneer without foundation
Cause indéfendue
- I v 80Deserta causa Case undefended
- II x 92Heteromolia causa A one-sided case
- III i 50Ne de lite pronuncies Judge not a cause
- IV x 84Digitum quae proferat Nowhere to put a finger out
- V ii 15Causa cadere, formula cadere. Ex jure manu consertum To lose one's action, to lose one's case on a fault in the formula. To lay on hands according to law.
Ce qui dure longtemps
Chacun ses goûts
- I ii 15Suum cuique pulchrum What is one's own is beautiful
- I iii 7Quot homines, tot setentiae So many men, so many opinions
- II v 57Felix Corinthus, at ego sim Teneates Corinth is a fine town, but Tenea for me
- III viii 58Aliter cum aliis agendum Different people should be treated differently
- IV x 64Asinus asino et sus sui pulcer Ass looks lovely to ass and pig to pig
Changement de fortune
- I i 83Dionysius Corinthi Dionysius in Corinth
- I ii 36Catastrophe fabulae The dénouement of the play
- I vii 63Omnium rerum vicissitudo est All things do change
- I viii 45Ubi non sis qui fueris, non est cur velis vivere When you are not the man you were, why wish to go on living?
- I viii 64Ipsa dies quandoque parens, quandoque noverca One day's a stepmother and one's a mother
- I viii 65Nunc pluit et claro nunc Jupiter aethere fulget So Jove now rains, now shines in cloudless sky
- I ix 5Ad pristina praesepia To his old manger
- I ix 6Alia vita, alia diaeta Change your life and change your style
- II i 51Testulae transmutatio The turning of the potsherd
- II i 52Alterum pedem in cymba Charontis habere To have one foot in Charon's boat
- II iv 29Nemo mortualium omnibus horis sapit No mortal man is wise at all times
- III i 78Cum Deo quisque gaudet et flet Laughter and tears come by the will of God
- III iv 86A remo ad tribunal From the oar to the bench
- III vi 2Res in foro nostro vertitur There is activity in our market
- III vi 20Pitana sum I am Pitana
- III vi 69Fortuna aestuaria Fortune is like a tidal channel
- III ix 72Rerum omnium vicissitudo All things do change
- IV i 99Quod alius condivit coquus, aliter condiam What one cook has seasoned I shall season in another way
- IV iv 9Multae rotae volventur There's many a wheel to turn
- IV iv 80Osculana pugna An Osculan battle
- IV v 7Bona nemini hora est Time is good for no one
- IV v 28Per manus tradere To pass down from hand to hand
- IV v 29De manu in manum From hand to hand
- IV vii 12Flos cinis A flower is but ash
- IV viii 30Inter manum et mentum Between the hand and the chin
- IV x 19Fors domina campi Lady Luck, ruler of the hustings
- V i 45Multa in medio Much in between
- V ii 34Bene natis turpe est male vivere Shame it is for those well-born shamefully to live
Changer d'avis
- I v 55Calculum reducere To take back a move (or counter)
- I ix 59Palinodiam canere To sing a palinode
- I ix 60Vertere vela. Funem reducere To turn one's sails about. To pull in the rope
- III viii 97Consilium in melius commutandum Change your plan for a better one
- III ix 5Reprehensio cogitationis Censuring what we think
- IV i 98Imitabor Nepam I shall imitate the crab
- IV ix 75Talum reponere Put the counter back
Chasseurs d'héritage
Chasteté
Choses absurdes, inconvenantes ou déplacées
- I i 2Amicitia aequalitas. Amicus alter ipse Friendship is equality. A friend is another self
- I i 40Sus Minervam The sow (teaches) Minerva
- I i 41Sus cum Minerva certamen suscepit A sow competed with Minerva
- I ii 54Iugulare mortuos To cut a dead man's throat
- I ii 90Ad consilium ne accesseris antequam voceris Come not to counsel before you are called
- I iii 50Iungere vulpes To yoke foxes
- I iii 51Mulgere hircum To milk a he-goat
- I iii 70Ebur atramento candefacere To whiten ivory with ink
- I iii 71Sincerum vas incustrare To daub a sound vessel
- I iv 74In aere piscari, venari in mare To fish in the air, to hunt in the sea
- I iv 76Nudo vestimenta detrahere To drag the clothes off a naked man
- I iv 81Lupi alas quaeris You are looking for the wolf's wings
- I v 65Umbram suam metuere To be afraid of one's own shadow
- I v 93Lesbia regula By the Lesbian rule
- I vi 6Dasypus carnes desiderat A hairyfoot hungry for meat
- I vi 7Tute lepus es et pulpamentum quaeris A hare thyself, and goest in quest of game?
- I vi 15In dolio figularem artem discere To learn the potter's art on a big jar
- I vi 21Cantherium in fossa Donkey in a ditch
- I vi 51Ἡ ψελλὴ οὐ πιττεύει The girl who stammers doesn't b-b-believe
- I vii 24Anulus aureus in naribus suis A gold ring in a pig's snout
- I vii 28Plaustrum bovem trahit The cart before the horse
- I vii 58Lumen soli mutuas You lend light to the sun
- I vii 67Velocem tardus assequitur Slow catches up with fast
- I vii 83Qui se non habet, Samum habere postulat Who does not own himself would Samos own
- I viii 31Oculatae manus Hands with eyes in them
- I viii 71Vespa cicadae obstrepens Wasp buzzing against cricket
- I viii 72Pica cum luscinia certat, epopa cum cygnis Jay strives with nightingale, hoopoe with swans
- I viii 95Caudae pilos equinae paulatim vellere To pull out the mare's tail slowly hair by hair
- I ix 69Elephantum ex musca facis You make of a fly an elephant
- I ix 73Nil intra est oleam, nil extra est in duce duri Olive no kernel hath, nor nut no shell
- I ix 74Jupiter orbus Jupiter childless
- I ix 75In mari aquam quaeris You seek water in the sea
- II i 8Cum aqua fauces strangulet When water chokes you
- II i 56Virgultea scaphula Aegaeum transmittere To cross the Aegean in a wicker boat
- II iii 54Canem excoriatam excoriare To skin a dog that's skinned already
- II iv 77Delphinum sylvis appingit, fluctibus aprum Peoples his woods with dolphins, waves with boars
- II iv 78Cancer leporem capit The crab catching the hare
- II v 6Lucernam adhibes in meridie You use a lantern at midday
- II v 7Soli lumen inferre To hold a candle to the sun
- II v 27Ad mensuram aquam bibunt, citra mensuram offam comedentes They drink water by measure and eat meat without measure
- II v 28In toga saltantis personam inducere To put a dancer on the stage wearing a toga
- II v 29Inexploratus homo A man untried
- II v 77Caligare in sole To blink in the sunlight
- II v 88Te ipsum non alens canes alis You keep hounds though you cannot keep yourself
- II vi 10Capra nondum peperit, haedus autem ludit in tectis The she-goat has not yet given birth, but the kid is playing on the roof
- II vi 28Vulpes bovem agit Fox driving ox
- II vi 81Clavi findere ligna et securi fores aperire To split logs with a key and open a door with an axe
- II vii 45Aratro iacularis You shoot with a plough
- II vii 66Camelus saltat The camel dances
- II viii 10Anus eriphus An aged kid
- II viii 11Anus saltat An old woman dancing
- II ix 68Tuum tibi narro somnium I tell you your own dream
- II ix 76Nudo mandas excubias You post a naked man on sentry-duty
- II x 10Mercurius infans Mercury tongue-tied
- III i 43Fluvius quae procul absunt irrigat A river waters what is far away
- III i 54Gallos quid exsecas? Why castrate Galli?
- III ii 68Mari e fossa aquam Water out of a ditch into the sea
- III iii 10Ante barbam doces senes Before you've grown your beard you teach old men
- III iii 13Priusquam mactaris, excorias You flay the beast before you've killed it
- III iii 14Priusquam assa sit farina Before the meal is roasted
- III iii 30Mortuum unguento perungis You smear ointment all over a corpse
- III iii 69Juxta fluvium puteum fodit He digs a well alongside the river
- III iii 79Mus non ingrediens antrum cucurbitam ferebat The mouse that did not run into its hole was carrying a gourd
- III iii 86Ergini cani Erginus' white hairs
- III iv 30Smaragdus in luce obscurus An emerald, dark in the light
- III iv 45Exacta via viaticum quaerere To seek money for the journey already completed
- III iv 54Per parietem loqui Talking through a wall
- III iv 65Anus cothonissat The old woman is in her cups
- III v 14Cani das paleas, asino ossa You are giving chaff to the dog and bones to the ass
- III v 72Sus comessatur A swine revelling
- III v 98Leonis exuvium super crocoton A lion's skin over a saffron dress
- III vi 16Ranae aquam Water to a frog
- III vi 19Piscem natare doces You are teaching a fish to swim
- III vi 67Herculis cothurnos aptare infanti To put Hercules' boots on a baby
- III vii 24Asinus avis The ass is a bird
- III ix 20Frustra habet qui non utitur Possessions are worthless if not used
- III x 91Culicem colant Straining at a gnat
- IV i 100Odi puerulos, praecoci sapientia I hate striplings who are precociously wise
- IV ii 39Furari littoris arenas Stealing the sands of the sea-shore
- IV ii 44Sidera addere coelo Adding stars to the heavens
- IV iii 29ANocte lucidus, interdiu inutilis Bright at night, useless in daylight
- IV iii 30E Tantali horto fructus colligis Gathering fruit from the garden of Tantalus
- IV iii 93Faber cum sis etc. You are a carpenter, stick to your trade
- IV iii 94Aquam ignis miscere Mixing fire and water
- IV iii 98Prius antidotum quam venenum Antidote before poison
- IV iv 11Cervus canes trahit The stag drags off the hounds
- IV iv 21Dum virent genua While our knees are fresh
- IV iv 30Serenitati nubem inducit Bringing clouds to a clear sky
- IV iv 44Bove venari leporem, et similia To hunt a hare with an ox
- IV v 2Caput artis, decere quod facias The secret of artistic success is doing what suits you
- IV v 80In pace leones Peace-time lions
- IV vi 77More Carico In Carian fashion
- IV vi 94Accepta candela With candle in hand
- IV vii 39Lanam in officinam fullonis Wool to a fuller's workshop
- IV vii 80Diserte saltare To dance eloquently
- IV viii 21Eodem collyrio mederi omnibus One salve for all sores
- IV viii 25Solem adjuvare facibus Add light to the sun with torches
- IV viii 39Jocandum ut seria agas Play in order to be serious
- IV viii 57Trabem bajulans Carrying the plank
- IV viii 64Baccae egent oleo Olives need oil
- IV ix 94Agninis lactibus alligare canem Tie up a dog with lamb's chitterlings
- IV x 2E natali emortualem facere Turn birthday into funeral day
- IV x 20Fulmentum lectum Choice fulmentum
- V i 5Post rem devoratam ratio To start reckoning up when the money's been squandered
- V i 30Praepostere Back to front
- V i 80Archilochi melos Archilochus' song
- V ii 8Primas jactare hastas Throw the first spears
- V ii 9Omissis fontibus consectari rivulos Ignore the fountain-head and follow along the stream
- V ii 11Operarii Hired labourers
- V ii 22In herba luxuries Rank growth
- V ii 42Titius The 'Titius'
Choses cachées
- I iii 47In aurem dicere To speak in the ear
- I iv 82Quae apud inferos The things in Hades
- I vii 84Occultae musices nullus respectus Hidden music has no listeners
- I ix 40In tenebris saltare To dance in the dark
- II ii 28Nisi si qua vidit avis Unless some bird saw it
- II ii 73In simpulo In a ladle
- II iv 98Monstrum alere To breed a monster
- II v 66Attici Eleusinia The Athenians and their Eleusinia
- II ix 35Qui e nuce nucleum esse vult, frangit nucem He who wants to eat the inside of a walnut breaks the shell
- III iv 21Terra defossum habes You are keeping something hidden in the ground
- III v 18Ostium obdite profani Shut the door, ye profane
- III x 42Ubi cognitum est quod erat occultum When what was hidden becomes known
- IV iii 66Summis ingredi pedibus To walk on tiptoe
- IV iii 90Muris circumcurrentibus Surrounding walls
- IV iv 7Urit absque torre You don't need fire to burn someone up
- IV iv 65Admoto capite With head brought near
- IV v 67In angulo In a corner
- V i 93Non movenda loqui To speak what should be left undisturbed
Choses impossibles
- I iii 15Sursum versus sacrorum fluminum feruntur fontes The springs of the sacred rivers flow backwards
- I iii 25Terra volat The earth flies
- I iv 78Ex arena funiculum nectis You are twisting a rope of sand
- I iv 79Ab asino lanam Wool from a donkey
- I v 64Quid si coelum ruat? What if the sky should fall?
- I vii 59Fontes ipsi sitiunt The springs themselves are thirsty
- I vii 68Aquilam testudo vincit Tortoise defeats eagle
- I viii 84Prius testudo leporem praeverterit Ere that, the tortoise shall outrun the hare
- I x 7Impossibilia captas You pursue the impossible
- II i 89Prius locusta bovem pariet Sooner shall a grasshopper bring forth a cow
- II ii 80Simul sorbere et flare difficile It is hard to suck and blow at the same time
- II iii 16Citius in navi cadens a ligno exciderit Sooner would a man fall in a ship and not fall on wood
- II iv 21Augeae stabulum repurgare To cleanse the stable of Augeas
- II iv 71Mare prius vitem tulerit Sooner will vines grow in the sea
- II iv 83Prius duo echini amicitiam ineant Sooner would two urchins make friends
- II v 56Citius elephantum sub ala celes Sooner hide an elephant under your arm
- II vi 51Ex arena funiculum nectis You twist a rope of sand
- II vii 80Lupo agnum eripere postulant They want to snatch the lamb from the wolf
- II vii 96Capram portare non possum, et imponitis bovem I cannot carry a she-goat and you load me with an ox
- III v 43Sambucam citius caloni aptaveris Sooner tune a harp
- III v 52Lenticulam angulo tenes You've got hold of the lentil by the point
- III v 84Sine pennis volare haud facile est It is not easy to fly without feathers
- III vi 77Lusciniae deest cantio A nightingale without a song
- III vii 36Prius lupus ovem ducat uxorem Sooner a wolf would mate with a sheep
- III vii 38Nunquam efficies, ut recte ingrediantur cancri You'll never make crabs walk forwards
- IV ii 56Asini cauda non facit cribrum An ass's tail does not make a sieve
- IV ii 59Bos porrecto ultra Taygeton capite An ox putting its head over Taygetus
- IV ii 94Veste circumfers ignem You are putting a cloak round a fire
- IV vii 87Crisonem Himeraeum praecurre To run faster than Crison of Himera
- IV viii 17Scarabaeus citius faciet mel Sooner will a dung-beetle make honey
- IV viii 76Nec Deus, nec homo Neither god nor man
- IV viii 94Scarabaeo citius persuaseris You would sooner persuade a dung-beetle
- IV ix 3Vento vivere Live on the wind
- V i 58Esurienti leoni praedam exsculpere To prise the prey from a hungry lion
- V i 95Deo nemo potest nocere No one can injure God
- V ii 2Quod fieri non potest, nec incipiendum quidem est Do not even begin what cannot be achieved
Choses inopportunes et ineptes
- I ii 65Foras Cares, non amplius anthisteria Out you go, slaves, the festival's over
- I ii 72Feli crocoton A party-frock for the cat
- I iv 9Mense maio nubunt malae Bad women marry in May
- I iv 43Annosam arborem transplantare To transplant an aged tree
- I v 19Simulare cupressum To paint a cypress
- I vii 23In lente unguentum Perfume on the lentils
- I vii 69Intempestiva benevolentia nihil a simultate differt Goodwill untimely differs not from hate
- I ix 8Anus bacchatur The hag's on the hop
- I ix 9Anus hircissans A hag in heat
- I x 38Vir fugiens haud moratur lyrae strepitum But the man who runs away won't stop to hear the fiddler play
- I x 100Aestate penulam deteris You wear out your greatcoat in summer
- II i 95Mentam belli tempore neque serito neque edito Neither sow nor eat mint in time of war
- II iv 77Delphinum sylvis appingit, fluctibus aprum Peoples his woods with dolphins, waves with boars
- II vi 31Apage hospitem in tempestate Off with you, stranger, in the storm
- II vi 40Rosam quae praeterierit ne quaeras iterum Seek no more for the rose that's overblown
- II vii 73Ne unquam viri senis Never ... of an old man
- II viii 91Tragoedias in nugis agere To make tragedies out of trifles
- II x 6Molestum sapientem apud stultos loqui It is hard for a wise man to speak at length in foolish company
- III iii 96Quid de pusillis magna prooemia? Why such great prefaces on little themes?
- III viii 15In senem libidinosum For a salacious old man
- IV iii 2Malum est bonum A blessing can be a bane
- IV v 30Mira de lente Wondrous words about a lentil
- IV v 80In pace leones Peace-time lions
- IV vii 59Ibyci equus Ibycus' horse
- IV vii 60In crastinum seria Serious things are for the morrow
- IV x 94Posterius dictum Told too late
Choses louées
- I iii 13In sinu gaudere To rejoice in one's own bosom
- III v 3Silentii tutum praemium Safety is silence's reward
- III v 99Quod scis, nescis What you know, you do not know
- III ix 11Qui obticescit One who falls silent
- III x 20Alia commintenda, alia caelanda Some things must be trusted to others, some concealed
- III x 66Qui continet arcanum The man who keeps a secret
- IV i 97Mulierem ornat silentium Silence becomes a woman
- IV v 69Muti citius loquentur Sooner will a dumb man speak
- IV x 6Areopagita taciturnior Closer than an Areopagite
Choses mêlées
Choses nouvelles et étonnantes
- I iii 75Cornicum oculos configere To pierce crows' eyes
- I x 75Annnus clibanum Annus and the oven
- II ii 32Corcyraea scutica A whiplash from Corcyra
- II iv 54Magna civitas, magna solitudo A great city, a great solitude
- II vi 60Agamemnonii putei Agamemnon's wells
- II vi 75Tenui filo With slender thread
- II vii 31Pasetis semiobolus Pases' halfpenny
- II viii 30Glauci ars The art of Glaucus
- III i 73Cyziceni stateres Cyzicene staters
- III ii 30Carcini poemata Carcinus' verses
- III ii 81Ad id quod erat opus For a necessary purpose
- III vii 87Agas asellum You can drive the ass
- IV ii 29Απ᾽ ἀκροφυσίων Straight from the bellows
Choses opportunes
- I iv 8Domi Milesia Leave (Milesian) luxury at home
- I vii 70Nosce tempus Consider in due time
- II iv 88Sacra haec non aliter constant These rites cannot be performed otherwise
- II vii 23Nunc leguminum messis Now's the time to pick the beans
- III iii 63Phallus deo A phallus for the god
- III iv 24Dum cessat boreas Until the north wind stops
- III vi 25Oleum et salem oportet emere Buy both oil and salt
- III vii 15Baeta tum hyeme tum aestate bona A baeta is fine in winter and in summer
- III ix 32Aliam aetatem alia decent Different ages different conduct
- III ix 100Munus exiguum, sed opportunum A small gift, but a timely one
- III x 77Capra ad festum A she-goat to the festival
- IV i 75Nihil homini amico est opportuno amicius Nothing is more friendly for a man than a timely friend
- IV ii 53Audi chelidonem Listen to Chelidon
- IV ii 61Jovis tergus Jove's hide
- IV viii 81Herniosi in campum Up, ye castrated, and to the fields
- IV ix 77Praesentibus rebus consulendum Take thought for the here and now
- IV x 34Hyberno pulvere, verno luto Dust in winter, mud in spring
Choses récentes
Choses somptueuses
Choses très longues
- I i 21Caliga Maximini The boot of Maximinus
- I i 22Clematis Aegyptia The Egyptian clematis
- II iii 92Nullus malus magnus piscis No bad big fish
- II iv 32Apologus Alcinoi A story for Alcinous
- III iv 58Amens longus Big and foolish
- III v 57Pusillus quantus Molon Short as Molon
- III vi 18Pinguis venter non gignit sensum tenuem Fat stomach never bore fine feeling
Clarté
- I i 39Rudius ac planius More roughly and more plainly
- I vi 70Notum lippis ac tonsoribus Known to blear-eyed men and barbers
- I viii 93Vel caeco appareat A blind man might see that
- II i 42Et puero perspicuum est Even a child can see it
- II iii 50Tanquam in speculo. Tanquam in tabula As though in a mirror. As though in a picture
- IV iii 95Velut e specula As if from a watch-tower
- IV iv 71Electro lucidior As clear as amber
- IV v 12Mens videt, mens audit The mind sees, the mind hears
- IV v 95Archimedes non posset melius describere Archimedes could not describe it better
- IV vii 100Candidus fermo White speech
Colère
- I iv 14Mordere frenum To bite on the bit
- II x 76In fermento jacere To lie in the leaven
- III vii 69Mordere labrum To bite one's lip
- III ix 93Moderator negocii An arbitrator
- IV vi 40Fluctus mutus A soundless wave
- IV vi 89Iracundior Adria As angry as the Adriatic
- IV vi 99Demissis auriculus With ears lowered
- IV x 77Lucernam accendere possis You could light a lantern
- V ii 1Nuncio nihil imputandem Don't blame the messenger
Compensation inégale
- I ii 1Diomedis et Glauci permutatio Exchange between Diomede and Glaucus
- I vi 38Ad fractam canis You sing to a broken string
- I viii 73Pilos pro lana Bristles for wool
- II vi 5Si vinum postulet pugnos illi dato If he asks for wine, give him your fists
- II vi 6Pro perca scorpium Scorpion instead of perch
- II vi 16Ne verba pro farinis Flour, not fine words
- II x 80In parte vel ignem praedetur aliquis Let each man steal the fire too in his turn
- III i 25Palumbem pro columba A pigeon instead of a dove
- III ii 98Umbra pro corpore Shadow instead of substance
- III vi 12Pro malo cane suem reposcis You demand a sow for a sick dog
- III x 12Malum bono pensatum Misfortune compensated with good
- IV i 65Conos artoxya Bangles and baubles
Concorde
- I vii 97Tradunt operas mutuas They help each other out
- III i 5Pax redimenta Peace is worth paying for
- III vii 79Ut in velabro olearii Like oil merchants in the Velabrum
- III viii 62Elucet egregia virtus Exceptional virtue shines out
- III viii 62AMutua defensatio Mutual defence
- III viii 63Concordia fulciuntur opes etiam exiguare With unanimity even slender resources are strenghtened
- III viii 71Mutua defensio tutissima Mutual protection is the surest
- III ix 52Concordia Harmony
- III x 79Tinctura Cyzicena Cyzicene dye
- IV iii 96Velut in cratere The cup of friendship
- IV vi 46In idem conspirare To breathe in harmony for the same thing
- IV vii 70Philotesius crater The cup of friendship
- IV viii 84Pariter remum ducere All pull together
- IV viii 88Concinere To sing in concert, to agree
- IV ix 76Dorice concinere To sing together in Dorian mode
- IV x 7Αδελφίζειν To call brother
- IV x 9Eadem queri Make the same complaint
- V i 78Surculus surculum ferens Twig supporting twig
Condamner
- I v 54Creta notare, carbon notare To mark with chalk, with coal
- I v 56Theta praefigere To prefix a theta
- I v 57Stellis signare. Obelo notare To mark with stars. To brand with an obelus
- I v 58Notari ungui et similia To be marked with the finger-nail, etc
- II v 80Contra retiarium ferula A rod against a net-man
- II vii 16Ni pater esses Were you not my father
- III vi 76Aequales calculi Votes equal
- III vii 40Calculo mordere To bite with a voting token
- III viii 1Non probantis For a dissenter
- III viii 6In absurde locutum Against one who has spoken out of place
- IV iv 10Ne nomen quidem Not even the name
- IV iv 67Abjiciendum procul It must be cast far away
- IV x 85Tristis littera The sinister letter
Confiance et gravité
- I i 100Oculis magis habenda fides, quam auribus Better trust eyes than ears
- I vi 31Multi bonique Many good men and true
- I vii 90Ex tripode Straight from the tripod
- I vii 91Folium Sibyllae A leaf from the Sibyl's book
- I viii 23Dignus quicum in tenebris mices A man with whom you could play morra in the dark
- I viii 24Ex Jovis tabulas testis Evidence from Jove's own files
- I viii 25Atticus testis An Attic witness
- I viii 26Attica fides Athenian honesty
- I ix 23Veriora iis quae apud Sagram acciderunt As true as what happened at the Sagra
- II iii 6Domesticus testis Home-grown evidence
- II v 84Jovis suffragium Jupiter's vote
- II vi 33Iovem lapidem iurare To swear by Jupiter the stone
- II ix 31Rhadamanthi jusjurandum Rhadamanthys' oath
- III iii 43Viri jurejurando, pueri talis fallendi Cheat men with oaths and children with markers
- III iv 53Minervae suffragium Minerva's vote
- III v 31Amphictyonum consessus An assembly of Amphictyons
- III vi 85Dictum ac factum Said and done
- III viii 5Pollicentis se promissa re praestiturum Of one who promises to stand by what has been promised
- IV iii 54Dives promissis Rich in promises
- IV v 29De manu in manum From hand to hand
- IV vi 9Manu longa, et manu brevi tradere To give with a long reach and a short reach
- IV vi 68Recto pectore With an upright heart
- IV vii 20Legatus non caeditur, neque violatur An envoy is not beaten or violated
- IV ix 28Suffragium optimum To the best of one's judgment
- IV x 51Priscis credendum Believe the ancients
- IV x 78Semper aliquem virum magnum Ever for some great man ...
Conjectures
- I ii 20Aequalis aequalem delectat Everyone loves his own age
- I ii 78Ex uno omnia specta From one learn all
- I v 57Stellis signare. Obelo notare To mark with stars. To brand with an obelus
- I vi 50Qualis vir, talis oratio As the man is, so is his talk
- I vii 94Una hirundo non facit ver One swallow does not make summer
- I ix 34Leonem ex unguibus aestimare To know a lion by his claws
- I ix 35Cauda de vulpe testatur The fox is given away by his brush
- I ix 36E fimbria de texto iudico I judge the fabric from its border
- I ix 37De gustu cognosco I know by the taste
- I ix 38Aethiopem ex vultu judico I judge an Ethiopian by his face
- I ix 39De fructu arborem cognosco I know the tree by its fruit
- I ix 85De facie nosse To know by sight
- I ix 88Prima facie. Prima fonte At first sight. On the face of it
- I x 8Cribo divinare To divine by a sieve
- I x 30Scopum attingere To hit the target
- I x 41Ex stipula cognoscere To judge by the stubble
- I x 48Domi conjecturam facere To draw a home-grown conclusion
- II iii 78Qui bene conjiciet, hunc vatem He who guesses right is the prophet
- II iv 4Ex fronte perspicere To see on the face of it
- II iv 93Rem acu tetigisti You have touched the issue with a needle-point
- II v 43Non pluet post noctem, qua sus agrestis pepererit The wild sow's farrow will bring a fine morrow
- II ix 10Effoeminatorum etiam oratio effoeminata Womanish men's language is womanish too
- III iii 35Signum bonum aut certe malum An omen good or else bad
- III iv 91Quanquam non dixeris, tamen apparet e pelle You may say nothing, but it shows from your face
- III v 42Stellis signare To go by the stars
- III vi 40Mortuos videns Seeing the dead
- III vi 52Perendinum ventum praedicere To learn what the wind will be the day after tomorrow
- III vi 58Leonem videre hostium proelia portendit To see a lion portends battle with the enemy
- III ix 36Ex habitu bonum virum prae se fert Appearance tells you if a man is good
- III ix 61Vanae coniecturae Empty guesses
- III ix 62Certum prospicio I foresee it for certain
- IV i 18Mortuus per somnum vacabis curis If you dream that you die, you will be free of your cares
- IV ii 3E culmo spicam conjicere To guess from the stalk what the grain was like
- IV ii 13Protinus apparet, quae plantae frugiferae futurae Fruitful plants show it straightaway
- IV ii 18Omnibus vestigiis inquirere To investigate every trace
- IV ii 21E cantu dignoscitur avis The bird can be told by its song
- IV ii 47Crepitu probabis You will prove it by the sound
- V ii 45E nevo cognoscere To know by his birth-mark
Connu
- I ix 89Intus et in cute Inwardly and in the buff
- I ix 90Domestice notus Well-known at home
- III ix 84Principes inter se noti Rulers know each other
- IV viii 23In ore atque oculis Before the face, in the sight of
- IV viii 34Rumor publicus non omnino frustra est General report not always groundless
- IV viii 50Hoc jam et vates sciunt Even the seers know it now
- V i 76Fama prodit omnia Rumour makes all things known
Conseil
- I iii 96Porro a Iove atque fulmine Away from Jove and from the thunderbolt
- II i 47Res sacra consultor A counsellor is something sacred
- II iii 70Antequam incipias, consulta Think before you start
- III ix 90Suadeo, quod ipse facturus essem I am advising what I myself would do
- IV x 40Nihil est miserius quam animus conscius. Saepe etiam est olitor Nothing is more miserable than a guilty conscience
- V i 63Sapientia gubernator navis The ship is steered by judgment
- V i 96Auscultandum bene loquenti Listen to a man who says what is sound
Contagion des mœurs
- I i 2Amicitia aequalitas. Amicus alter ipse Friendship is equality. A friend is another self
- I x 73Si juxta claudum habites, subclaudicare disces If you live next to a cripple, you will learn to limp
- I x 74Corrumpunt mores bonos colloquia prava Evil communications corrupt good manners
- III iv 95Oscitante uno deinde oscitat et alter When one yawns another yawns too
- IV viii 37A bonis bona disce Learn goodness from the good
- IV ix 45Circumpedes Foot-servants
- IV x 27Εκφυλλοφορῆσαι To out-leaf
- V ii 31Mala malis eveniunt Evil grows out of evil
Correction d'une parole ou d'un acte
- I v 59Stilum vertere To reverse the pen
- II v 36Ad amussim applica lapidem, non ad lapidem amussim Gauge your stone against the ruler, not the ruler against the stone
- III viii 57Corrigentis quod dictum est ab alio For one who corrects what someone else has said
- III viii 90Correctio dicti Mending what we say
- III x 1Quo transgressus etc Where have I transgressed, etc
Corruption par les présents
- I iii 18Muneribus vel dii capiuntur Even the gods are won over by gifts
- I iii 87Pecuniae obediunt omnia Everything bows to money
- I vii 18Bos in lingua An ox on the tongue
- I vii 19Argentanginam patitur He has the silver-quinsy
- I vii 86Lupi illum priores viderunt The wolves have seen him first
- I x 18Vulpes haud corrumpitur muneribus A fox takes no bribes
- II ii 72Qui multa rapuerit, pauca suffragatoribus dederit, salvus erit He who helps himself on grand scale and gives his backers little, will be allright
- II iii 10Bovem in faucibus portat He carries an ox in his mouth
- II iv 70Malis ferire To pelt with apples
- II iv 87Virtutem et sapientiam vincunt testudines Virtue and wisdom bow before the turtles
- II v 45Dorica musa The Dorian muse
- II vii 43Argenteis hastis pugnare To fight with silver spears
- III viii 35Muneribus res agitur Gifts get the business done
- III ix 8Corrupta iudicia Corrupt judgments
- III ix 83Munerum corruptela Bribery with gifts
- IV viii 29Pecuniosus damnari non potest A rich man cannot be found guilty
- IV viii 54Salvete equorum filiae Hail, daughters of stallions
- IV x 89Guttam aspergere Add a drop of dressing
- V i 24Argentum accepi, dote imperium vendidi I took the money, sold my authority
- V i 36Faba nummus Bean-currency
- V i 92Vatum genus avarum Prophets are a greedy tribe
Courage
- I vii 41Alter Hercules A second Hercules
- I vii 43Adamantinus Adamantine
- III i 57Unum augurium optimum tueri patriam One omen is best of all: to fight for one's country
- III iv 7Moenia ferrea, non terrea Walls of iron, not earth
- III v 10Aut manenti vincendum aut moriendum He must stay and conquer or die
- III viii 28Reiicientis autorem formidinis Rejecting talk of fear
- III ix 6Praebere viros Prove yourselves men
- IV ii 84In Lipsydrio pugnas You fight in Lypsidrium
- IV iii 17Solae Lacaenae viros pariunt Only Spartan women produce men
- IV iii 65Inflige plagam ab aratro Land a plough punch
- IV vi 61Thurium lema A rushing resolve
- IV x 59Masculum Masculine
- V ii 26Equi generosi senectus A noble horse when old
Cruauté
- I x 85Opera Sylosontis ampla regio Plenty of room thanks to Syloson
- I x 86Phalaridis imperium To rule like Phalaris
- I x 87Manliana imperia Manlian orders
- II ii 27Non magis parcemus quam lupis We shall give them no more quarter than we would to wolves
- II vii 64Boni viri lachrymabiles Good men are prone to tears
- II x 39Lutum sanguine maceratum Clay kneaded with blood
- II x 44Lemnia manu With Lemnian hand
- III ii 25Cilicium exitium A Cilician ending
- III ii 47Budoro more In ox-flaying style
- III iii 93Omnis herus servo monosyllabus Every master speaks to his slave in words of one syllable
- III iv 41Crudelis Bacchus Bacchus is cruel
- III vii 72Non est oleum in lecytho There's no oil in the bottle
- IV ix 69Apud equum et virginem At `The Horse and Girl'
- V i 94Mortuos rursus occidere To slay the dead again
Curiosité
- I ii 2Multae regum aures atque oculi Many are the eyes and ears of kings
- I ii 44Corycaeus auscultavit A Corycaean was listening
- II iv 76Nodum in scyrpo quaeris You seek a knot in a rush
- II vii 52Mylus omnia audiens Mylus hearing everything
- II ix 39Qui apud Inferos sunt terniones The triplets that exist among the dead
- IV iv 23Scit quomodo Jupiter duxerit Junonem He knows how Jupiter married Juno
- IV vii 27Zenonium est et lentem coquere You are a Zeno even if you are cooking lentils
- IV ix 51Canes venatici Hunting dogs
- V i 42Nihil dulcius quam omnia scire Nothing nicer than being in the know
Danger
- I i 15Inter sacrum et saxum Between the shrine and the stone
- I i 16Inter malleum et incudem Between the hammer and the anvil
- I i 18In acie novaculae On the razor's edge
- I i 19Res est in cardine Things are at a turning point
- I ii 83Excubias agere in Naupacto To keep watch in Naupactus
- I iv 10Ovem lupo commisisti You have handed the sheep over to the wolf
- I v 20Flamma fumo est proxima Fire follows smoke
- I vii 93Ne temere Abydum Not rashly to Abydos
- I ix 72De pilo pendet. De filo pendet It hangs by a hair. It hangs by a thread
- II i 10In eadem es navi You are in the same boat
- II i 43Ne in Melampygum incidas Mind you don't fall in with Blackbottom
- II i 80Lepus pro carnibus A hare because of its meat
- II ii 60Aureo piscari hamo To fish with a golden hook
- II ii 85In foribus adesse To be at the door
- II ii 87Corpore effugere To dodge with the body
- II iii 55Perque enses perque ignem oportet irrumpere Through sword and fire we needs must break our way
- II iv 46Maleam legens quae sunt domi obliviscere When you double Cape Malea, forget what you left at home
- II iv 52Cave Thoracem Beware of Thorax
- II iv 55Ad scolon nec proficisceris ipse nec alterum comitaberis You will not go to Scolon, either alone or with someone else
- II v 18Ne puero gladium A sword in the hand of a child
- II v 85In nervum ire To go to the bowstring
- II vi 36Ne in nervum erumpat For fear it break the string
- II vii 27Periculum prorae selis The danger-point is the bench in the prow
- II vii 63Ex ore lupi From the wolf's mouth
- II viii 3Sus sub fustem Put the hog under the cudgel
- II viii 68Post folia cadunt arbores First the leaves fall, then the trees
- II viii 75Utinam domi sim How I wish I were at home!
- II ix 73Obiicere canibus agnos To throw lambs to the dogs
- II ix 77Nunc contingat servari May my luck save me now
- II x 83Sub cultro liquit He left me under the knife
- II x 85Apio opus est It's celery he needs
- II x 95Non certatur de oleastro No contest here for the wild olive
- III i 14Per hastae cuspidem currere To run through a spear-point
- III i 47Aegaeum navigat He sails the Aegaean
- III ii 88A bis septem undis By twice seven waves
- III iii 62Certamen non recipit excusationes A fight once started leaves no room for excuses
- III iii 77Filum contentionis tunc erat This, then, was the thread of the dispute
- III iv 60Fuge procul a viro maiore Run a long way from a bigger man
- III iv 94A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi An abyss in front, and wolves behind
- III vi 42Ascisce ad extremum scientiam Use knowledge in the last resort
- III vi 71Tua res agitur, cum proxibus ardet paries It is your concern when next door's wall is burning
- III viii 80Nocuit et nocebit It has done harm and will do so again
- III ix 14In periculoso negocio non est dormitandum In a dangerous affair you cannot afford to doze
- III ix 70Ingens discrimen An enormous difference
- III x 19Fuga tutior Flight is safer
- III x 94Per ignem incedis You are stepping into fire
- IV i 69De tuo capite aguntur comitia Your status is at stake in this meeting
- IV ii 20E canis podice Out of a dog's bottom
- IV ii 65In Pythii templo cacare To shit in the temple of Delphi
- IV iv 6Ne uni navi facultates Do not put all your wealth on one ship
- IV iv 19Ne fascines To avoid the evil eye
- IV iv 88E nassa escam petere To seek food from a fishtrap
- IV vi 39Undarum in ulnis In the arms of the waves
- IV vi 42Οἴολυκος Sheep-wolf
- IV vii 6Calvus quum fis Although you are bald
- V i 73Ad pila ubi ventum When it comes to the pikes
- V i 97Fortunae novacula On the razor's edge of fate
- V i 100Navigationis socius A fellow-sailor
Difficulté
- I iv 1Non est cuiuslibet Corinthum appellere It is not given to everyone to land at Corinth
- II i 12Difficilia quae pulchra Good things are difficult
- II iv 41Capere provinciam. Tradere provinciam To take on a department. To entrust a department
- II v 3Ire per extentum funem To walk the tightrope
- II vi 9Azanaea mala Azanian ills
- III iv 6Nemo malus hoc sciet Nobody who is wicked shall know this
- III viii 69Aegre quidem, sed facimus tamen With difficulty, but still we do it
- III x 23Aegre, sed tamen contigit It was difficult, but he achieved it
- III x 97Insania non omnibus eadem Not everyone is mad in the same way
- IV i 95Clavam extorque Herculi To snatch Hercules' club
- IV ii 41Praeter Sibyllam leget nemo Illegible to anyone but the Sibyl
- IV iii 88Centum plaustri trabes A wagon has a hundred planks
- IV v 32Omnes laqueos effugere To escape from every snare
- IV v 34Capere civitatem Capturing a city
- IV vii 32Trabs in omnibus A plank in everything
- V i 58Esurienti leoni praedam exsculpere To prise the prey from a hungry lion
Différences
- I ii 63Dis dia pason Double diapason
- I iii 79Quid distent aera lupinis What a difference between bronze coins and lupins!
- I x 70Longe lateque Far and away
- II iv 50Mysorum ac Phrygum termini discreti sunt The bounds of Mysia and Phrygia are distinct
- II ix 48Pastillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius hircum Rufillus reeks of lozenges, Gorgonius of he-goat
- III iv 37Seiuncta sunt Merrhae ac Siloam fluenta The waters of Merrha and Siloam are far apart
- III viii 65Quisquis is fuerit No matter who it might be
- III viii 81Ingens discrimen An enormous difference
- IV iii 74Ingens intervallum A long distance
- IV iv 36Valeat amicus cum inimico Away with friend as well as foe
- IV v 65Ne pictum quidem vidit He has not even seen a picture of it
- IV x 71Pilus in medio A hair in between
Dignité
- I iii 42Columen familiae A pillar of the household
- I viii 13Nec uno dignus Not worth a one
- I viii 14Dignus obelisco He deserves an obelisk
- I viii 15Aureus in Olympia stato You shall be set up at Olympia in gold
- I viii 16Quavis re dignus Worth everything
- I viii 17Dignus Argivo clypeo Worthy of the shield at Argos
- I viii 18Dignum propter quod vadimonium deseratur Worth breaking bail for
- I viii 23Dignus quicum in tenebris mices A man with whom you could play morra in the dark
- I viii 90Sapientum octavus Eighth of the Sages
- II i 93Batti silphium Battus' silphium
- II iv 15Utramque paginam facit She fills both pages
- II vi 3Digna canis pabulo The dog is worthy of his dinner
- II vi 4Canis digna sede The bitch is worthy of her basket
- II ix 25Regia vaccula A kingly cow
- II x 15Quasi locum in balneis Like a place in the baths
- III iv 16Bos in civitate An ox in the city
- III viii 48Omnibus antevertenda vitae cura Life comes before all else
- III viii 93Pro dignitate cuiusque To each according to his status
- IV i 22Decernetur equa Thessalica The prize will be the Thessalian mare
- IV i 54Digna Cedro Worthy of cedar
- IV i 63Glaucus comesa herba habitat in mari Glaucus has eaten grass and lives in the sea
- IV ii 86Esto promus Do your job as steward
- IV ii 89Jupiter aquilam delegit Jupiter chose the eagle
- IV iii 17Solae Lacaenae viros pariunt Only Spartan women produce men
- IV iii 18Myrteam coronam ambis You want a crown of myrtle
- IV iii 21Antiquior Codro As old as Codrus
- IV v 47Caecus et claudus non intrabunt templum The blind and the lame will not enter the temple
- IV vii 69Roscius A Roscius
- V i 51Primas tenere Hold first place
- V ii 44In numerum pervenire Begin to count for something
Diligence
- I ii 19Frons occipitio prior Forehead before occiput
- I iii 2Minutula pluvia imbrem parit A tiny rain gives birth to a rainstorm
- I iii 84Ultro citroque To and fro
- I v 6Latum unguem, ac similes hyperbolae proverbiales A nail's breadth, and similar proverbial hyperbolae
- I v 90Ad amussim By rule
- I v 91Ad unguem To the finger-nail
- I v 92Incudi reddere To put back on the anvil
- I vii 71Olet lucernam It smells of the lamp
- I vii 72Aristophanes et Cleanthis lucerna The lamp of Aristophanes and Cleanthes
- I x 3In quadrum regigere To square up
- II i 22Succisiva opera Odds and ends of time
- II ii 42Unum ad unum One to one
- II ii 43In nocte consilium Night is the mother of counsel
- II vi 62Ruris fons A spring in the field
- II viii 38Somnus absit ab oculis Be sleep far from your eyes
- II ix 40Neque quantum lusciniae dormiunt They do not sleep as much as nightingales
- II ix 42Fixis oculis intueri To gaze fixedly at
- III iii 41In occipitio oculos gerit He has eyes in the back of his head
- III iv 13Γοργὸν βλέπειν. Having a Gorgon's eye
- III v 12Thynni more Squinting like a tunny fish
- III v 86Iuxta melam With a probe
- III vi 68Grues lapidem deglutientes Cranes that swallow a stone
- III vi 96Caput scabere, et consimilia To scratch one's head, and similar phrases
- III vii 20Vel acum invenisses You would have found even a needle
- III vii 68Ruminare negocium To ruminate the business
- III viii 27Arripe negocii curam Seize control of the affair
- III x 4Mihi curae erit hoc negocium This business will be my concern
- III x 83Mihi ista curae futura sunt etc. These things will be my care, etc
- IV i 16Ithorus Ithorus
- IV iii 24Non navigas noctu You are not sailing at night
- IV v 31Non una manu capere Catch with both hands
- IV v 48Homini diligenti semper aliquid superest There is always something for a hard-working man to do
- IV v 86Metiri digitis To count up on one's fingers
- IV vi 74Ex perpendiculo With a plumb-line
- IV viii 99Funiculum ad lapidem Lay the line against the stone
- IV ix 22Ad libellam debere To owe according to the balance
- IV ix 45Circumpedes Foot-servants
- IV x 57Factum transactum Done and dealt with
- V i 12Somnum non vidit He never saw sleep
- V i 72Pleno gradu At a quick march
Diminué ici, rendu là
- II iii 94Non omnia possumus omnes We cannot all do everything
- II ix 49Claudus optime virum agit The lame man makes the best lecher
- III iii 26Marinam auditionem fluviali abluit sermone He washed the sea-salt from his ears with words like river-water
- III v 2Facta iuvenum, consilia mediocrum, vota senum Deeds of the young, advice of the middle-aged, prayers of the old
- III v 91Semper seni iuvenculam subiice To an old man always join a young girl
- III viii 70Quod alibi diminutum exaequatur alibi What is lacking in one way is made up for in another
- IV iv 20Non omnis fert omnia tellus All fields do not produce all things
- IV vi 30Pecuniae pedibus compensantur Feet make up for funds
Discorde
Dissemblance et incongruité
- I i 9Umbrae Shadows
- I ii 72Feli crocoton A party-frock for the cat
- I iii 66Induitis me leonis exuvium You are dressing me up in the lionskin
- I iv 35Asinus ad lyram An ass to the lyre
- I iv 37Nihil graculo cum fidibus A jackdaw has no business with a lute
- I iv 38Nihil cum amaracino sui A pig has nothing to do with marjoram
- I iv 39Quid cani et balneo? What has a dog to do with a bath?
- I v 43Asinus in unguento A donkey wearing perfume
- I v 45Nihil ad versum Nothing to do with the verse
- I v 46Nihil ad fides Nothing to do with the lyre
- I vii 10Simia in purpura An ape in purple
- I vii 22Graculus inter Musas A jackdaw among the Muses
- I vii 23In lente unguentum Perfume on the lentils
- I vii 25In eburnea vagina plumbeus gladius A leaden sword in an ivory sheath
- I viii 77Aliter catuli longe olent, laiter sues Dogs and hogs smell very different
- I ix 19Congregare cum leonibus vulpes To group foxes with lions
- I x 13Canis in praesepi Dog in the manger
- I x 45E diametro opposita. Diametro distans Diametrically opposite. Distant by a diameter
- II i 64Numquid et Saul inter prophetas? Is Saul also among the prophets?
- II ii 4Asinus portans mysteria An ass that bears the mysteries
- II ii 10Extra oleas Beyond the olive-trees
- II ii 47Extra cantionem Out of tune
- II iii 57Arena sine calce Sand without lime
- II iv 57Nihil ad Bacchum What has this to do with Bacchus?
- II v 18Ne puero gladium A sword in the hand of a child
- II v 59Alia voce psittacus, alia coturnix loquitur Parrot and quail speak with different voices
- II v 60Calvus comatus A bald man with long hair
- II viii 93Thrasybulo Dionysium dictis esse similem You say that Dionysius is like Thrasybulus
- II ix 21Servus cum sis, comam geris You wear your hair long, though you're a slave
- III i 36Extra organum Beyond the instrument
- III ii 55Aufer mothonem a remo Keep a dancer of hornpipes away from the oar
- III ii 74Aliud noctua sonat, aliud cornix The owl has one cry and the raven another
- III iii 73Syrus cum non sis, ne syrissa Not being a Syrian, do not behave like one
- III vii 54Quid caeco cum speculo? What's a blind man doing with a mirror?
- IV i 47Asinus ad tibiam An ass to the flute
- IV i 56Alia res sceptrum, alia plectrum A sceptre is one thing, a plectrum is another
- IV v 57Quae semel ancilla, nunquam hera Once a servant, never a mistress
- IV v 88In agro surculario capras Like goats in a young orchard
- V i 1Tu in legione, ego in culina You in camp, I in the kitchen
- V i 54Faciles partus Children that come easily
Docilité
- I x 62Bos alienus subinde foras prospectat A borrowed ox is always looking over the edge
- II vii 41Apertae Musarum ianuae The Muses' doors are open
- II viii 75Utinam domi sim How I wish I were at home!
- V i 84Doceat, qui didicit Let one who has learned teach others
- V i 96Auscultandum bene loquenti Listen to a man who says what is sound
Douceur
- I vii 35Oleo tranquillior As smooth as oil
- I vii 36Auricula infima mollior As soft as the tip of the ear
- I vii 37Apio mollior, aut mitior As soft, or as ripe, as a pear
- I vii 38Spongia mollior As soft as a sponge
- II v 64Mactata hostia lenior Gentler than a tested sacrifice
- III ii 33Cera tractabilior As pliable as wax
- III iii 48Ignis non extinguitur igni Fire is not quenched by fire
- III v 78Sedens columba A sitting dove
- III vi 48Mitior columba As gentle as a dove
Décret
Décret - contre les pris sur le fait
- I iii 68Hinc illae lachrymae Hence those tears
- I iii 69Haec Helena This is the Helen
- I iv 95Folio ficulno tenes anguillam You are holding an eel in a fig-leaf
- I iv 96Medius teneris You are gripped by the middle
- I x 16In laqueos lupus The wolf's fallen into the trap
- II i 36In easdem ansas venisti You are caught in the same grip
- II iv 17Tempus omnia revelat Time reveals all things
- II x 53Laciadae Laciadae
- III iii 20Laqueus laqueum cepit One snare has caught another
- III iv 92Decipula murem cepit The net catches the mouse
- III iv 97In area latitas Hiding on a threshing floor
- III vi 63In saltu uno duos apros capere To capture two boars in one copse
- III x 46Officium humilius An unworthy office
- III x 98Hydrus in dolio A snake in the jar
- IV v 84Cuculus Cuckoo!
- IV ix 18Culleo dignus, aut non uno culleo dignus Fit for the sack, or, One sack is not enough
Dégénérer en pire
- I ii 51Taurum tollet, qui vitulum sustulerit He may bear a bull that hath borne a calf
- I ii 58Mandrabuli more res succedit Things go to Mandraboulos' fashion
- I vi 32Heroum filii noxae Great men have trouble from their children
- I vii 19Argentanginam patitur He has the silver-quinsy
- I vii 29Ab equis ad asinos From horses to asses
- II vi 59Acesias medicatus est Treated by Acesias
- II ix 36Quis parentem laudabit, nisi infelices filii? Who shall praise a father except children who are failures?
- II x 94Haud canit paternas cantiones He does not play the same tune as his fathers
- III viii 59Ut nunc sunt homines That's how men are now
- III ix 3Filius degenerans A son going to the bad
- IV vi 27Eamus Athenas Let us go to Athens
- IV vii 65O Domus antiqua quam disparsi domino dominaris O house of Antius, what a different master rules you
- IV viii 51Novi nummi New coinage
Dénigrement et médisance
- I i 5Infixo aculeo fugere To flee after planting the dart
- I ii 53Cum larvis luctari To wrestle with ghosts
- I ii 54Iugulare mortuos To cut a dead man's throat
- I iv 6Tuis te pingam coloribus I'll paint you in your own colours
- I vi 26Domum cum facis, ne relinquas impolitam When you make your house, leave it not unplaned
- I vii 74Plaustra conviciis onusta Cartloads of abuse
- I viii 67Naves onustae conviciis Shiploads of abuse
- II ii 54Quid primum aut ultimum? What first, what last?
- II ii 55Dente Theonino rodi To be gnawed with Theon's tooth
- II ii 56Hipponacteum praeconium A testimonial in Hipponax' vein
- II ii 58Archilochi patria Archilochus' native land
- II ii 59Genuino mordere To gnaw with one's cheek tooth
- II ii 84Carpet citius aliquis quam imitabitur Sooner critized than imitated
- II iii 56Non impetam lingua I will not attack with my tongue
- II iv 80Pellem caninam rodere To gnaw dogskin
- II v 8Zoili Zoilus and his like
- II vi 19Vitilitigator A captious critic
- III i 85Morsus aspidis The bite of an asp
- III i 99Sphaeram inter sese reddere To throw the ball from one to another
- III vi 41Mortui non mordent Dead men do not bite
- III vi 87Dentata charta A document with teeth
- III x 10Vulgus suspicax Ordinary people are suspicious
- III x 69Mortuis non conviciandum Do not insult the dead
- III x 90Archilochum teris Wearing out Archilochus
- IV ii 92Hystricis seta A porcupine's spine
Déplaisant à cause de l'ancienneté
- I ii 98Piscis repositus A fish put by
- I v 24Antiquiora diphtera loqueris You are talking of things older than the diphthera
- II viii 19Res Cannacae Cannacas' things
- II viii 40Antiquior quam chaos et Saturnia tempora Older than chaos and the age of Saturn
- III iii 17Pellenaea tunica A tunic Pellene-style
- III v 58Per antiquum diem In olden time
- IV i 13Quantum ex Bacchanalibus As old as the Bacchanalia
- IV i 46A Nannaco Since Nannacus
- IV i 74Piscis nequam est, nisi recens A fish is no good unless it is fresh
- IV x 98Fungus putidus A rotten mushroom
- V ii 51Iapeto antiquior Older than Iapetus
Désespoir
- I iii 39Actum est All is over
- I iii 44Nullus sum I am nothing
- I v 21Ad restim res ediit It all comes back to the rope
- I x 21Suspendio deligenda arbor Choose your tree and hang yourself
- II vii 86Pinus in morem Like a pine-tree
- III ii 63A quinque scopulis desilire in fluctus To leap from five rocks into the waves
- III v 59Perierunt bona It is the end of good things
- III vi 49Ad porcellum da mihi mutuo tres drachmas Give me a loan of three drachmas to buy a piglet
- III vii 45Tenuis spes Slender hope
- III ix 19Omnibus armis praesidiisque destitutus Without arms or protection
- IV iv 1Phocensium desperatio Phocian desperation
- V i 86Nullus sum I am nothing
Effort
- I iii 81Mare coelo miscere To mingle sea and sky
- I iii 82Miscebis sacra profanis You will mix sacred and profane
- I iii 85Sursum ac deorsum Up and down
- I iv 15Manibus pedibusque With hands and feet
- I iv 16Omnibus nervis With every sinew
- I iv 18Remis velisque With oars and sails
- I iv 23Toto corpore, omnibus unguiculis With the whole body, with all one's nails (claws)
- I iv 25Terra marique By land and sea
- I iv 26Toto pectore With the whole heart
- I iv 28Omni telorum genere oppugnare To fight with every kind of weapon
- I iv 29Cominus atque eminus At close quarters and at long range
- I ix 16Ambabus manibus haurire To take with both hands
- II iii 24Summis uit velus To hoist topsails
- II vi 17Ancoras tollere To weigh anchor
- II viii 55In magnis et voluisse sat est In great enterprises even to have shown the will is enough
- II viii 66Cum hasta, cum scuto With spear and shield
- III i 34Omni pede standum One must put one's best foot forward
- III viii 36Frustratus conatus A vain attempt
- III viii 92Pro mea virili To the utmost of my ability
- III ix 68Omnibus nervis With every nerve
- III x 13Omni certaminis genere In any sort of contention
- III x 67Rem novam aggredior It is a new thing I begin
- IV v 72Omnes adhibere machinas To employ all one's artillery
- IV v 76Omni voce In full voice
- IV vi 1Plenis velis At full sail
- IV vi 57Omnem vocem mittere To use every kind of tone
- IV ix 56Commovere sacra To stir the holy objects
- IV x 26Aut terra aut mari By land or sea
- V i 28Virtutem omnem explica Lay out all your powers
Effort vain
- I ii 11Ululas Athenas Owl to Athens
- I ii 12Memorem mones, doctum doces, et similia You are reminding the mindful, teaching the taught, etc
- I ii 53Cum larvis luctari To wrestle with ghosts
- I ii 60Senis doctor A teacher of the old
- I ii 61Senis mutare linguam To teach an old man a new language
- I ii 75E multis paleis paulum fructus collegi From a lot of chaff I got little grain
- I ii 96Inter lapides pugnabant, mec lapidem tollere poterant They fought among stones but could not pick one up
- I iii 46Contra stimulum calces You are kicking against the goad
- I iii 52De asini umbra About an ass's shadow
- I iii 53De lana caprina About goat's wool
- I iii 54De fumo disceptare To dispute about smoke
- I iii 64De asini prospectu About the ass that poked its head in
- I iv 40Asinum sub freno currere doces You teach a donkey to race with a bit
- I iv 42Penelopes telam retexere To unravel Penelope's web
- I iv 44Arenam metiris You are measuring the sands
- I iv 45Undas numeras You are counting the waves
- I iv 46Surdo oppedere To break wind in front of a deaf man
- I iv 47Aranearum telas texere To spin spiders' webs
- I iv 48Laterem lavas You are washing a brick
- I iv 49Lapidem elixas You are boiling a stone
- I iv 50Aethiopem lavas; Aethiopem dealbas You are washing, or whitening, an Ethiopian
- I iv 51Arare littus To plough the seashore
- I iv 52Arenae mandas semina You are sowing seed in the sand
- I iv 53In aqua sementem facis You are sowing seed in the water
- I iv 54In saxis seminas You are sowing among rocks
- I iv 55Ignem dissecare To cleave fire
- I iv 56In aqua scribis You write in water
- I iv 57In arena aedificas You are building on the sand
- I iv 58Ventos colis You are tilling the winds
- I iv 59Ferrum natare doces You are teaching iron to swim
- I iv 60Cribro aquam haurire To draw water in a sieve
- I iv 61Apud fimum odorum vaporem spargis You are sprinkling scent on manure
- I iv 62Oleum et operam perdidi I have wasted both oil and toil
- I iv 63Reti ventos venaris You are chasing the winds with a net
- I iv 64Tranquillum aethera remigas You are plying windless air
- I iv 65Mortuum flagellas You are flogging a dead body
- I iv 66Ollam exornas You are decorating a cooking-pot
- I iv 67Ovum adglunitas You are sticking an egg together
- I iv 68Utrem caedis You are beating a wine-skin
- I iv 69Utrem vellis You are plucking a wine-skin
- I iv 70Actum agere To reopen a closed subject
- I iv 71Cotem alis You are feeding a whetstone
- I iv 72Hylam inclamas You are calling for Hylas
- I iv 73Inaniter aquam consumis You are wasting water (time)
- I iv 75Aquam e pumice postulas You are asking for water out of a pumice stone
- I iv 76Nudo vestimenta detrahere To drag the clothes off a naked man
- I iv 77Anthericum metere To reap asphodel-stalks
- I iv 79Ab asino lanam Wool from a donkey
- I iv 80Asinum tondes You are shearing a donkey
- I iv 83Contorquet piger funiculum The sluggard twists the rope
- I iv 84Littori loqueris You are talking to the seashore
- I iv 85Vento loqueris You are talking to the wind
- I iv 86Mortua verbo facit He addresses the dead
- I iv 87Surdo canis, surdo fabulam narras You are singing, or telling a story to the deaf
- I iv 88Frustra canis You sing in vain
- I iv 89Lapidi loqueris You are speaking to a stone
- I iv 90Parieti loqueris You are talking to the wall
- I iv 92In coelum iacularis You are shooting at heaven
- I iv 93Delphinum cauda ligas You are tying a dolphin by the tail
- I iv 94Cauda tenes anguillam You are holding an eel by the tail
- I iv 97Delphinum natare doces You teach a dolphin to swim
- I iv 98Aquilam volare doces You teach an eagle to fly
- I iv 99In eodem haesitas luto You are sticking in the same mud
- I v 75Coelo ac terrae loqui To call on heaven and earth
- I v 97Quid opus erat longis canere tibiis? What need was there to play on the long pipes?
- I vi 38Ad fractam canis You sing to a broken string
- I vi 39Utre territas You terrify with a wineskin
- I vi 40Leonem larva terres You terrify a lion with a mask
- I vi 78Mysorum ultimus navigat The last of the Mysians on a voyage
- I vii 57In silvam ligna ferre To carry wood to the forest
- I vii 65Invitis canibus venari To hunt with reluctant hounds
- I vii 66Invitos boves plaustro inducere To harness reluctant oxen to the cart
- I vii 78Excubiarum causa canens Singing at his post
- I viii 59Linum lino nectis You join thread with thread
- I ix 21Volantia sectari To pursue a flying quarry
- I ix 45Hic funis nihil attraxit This line's caught nothing
- I ix 84Austrum perculi I have belaboured the south wind
- I x 9Hydram secas You cut off a hydra's heads
- I x 23Versuram solvere To pay by a switching-loan
- II i 46Tantali horti Gardens of Tantalus
- II i 53Cavam Arabiam serere To sow the hollows of Arabia
- II i 58Cum plurimum laboraverimus, eodem in statu sumus Much hard work, and we're where we were
- II i 59Aquam in mortario tundere To beat water in a mortar
- II ii 40Ollas ostentare To make a display of pots
- II ii 80AUmbram metiri To measure the shadow
- II iii 33Influit quod exhauritur What you ladle out flows back again
- II iii 38In orbem circumiens Making a round tour
- II iv 40Saxum volvere To roll a stone
- II v 44Cum diis pugnare To fight against the gods
- II v 72Verberare lapidem To belabour a stone
- II vi 32Dentem dente rodere To grind one tooth on another
- II vi 51Ex arena funiculum nectis You twist a rope of sand
- II vii 28Impete peritum artis Attack a man skilled in the art
- II vii 91Ex inanibus paleis From empty chaff
- II viii 37Calvum vellis You pluck the hair from a bald man's head
- II x 16Milium torno sculpere To turn millet on a lathe
- II x 54Laborem serere To sow hard work
- II x 87Humi hauris You draw water from dry ground
- III i 1Herculei labores The labours of Hercules
- III i 42Alienum arare fundum To plough another man's land
- III i 79Cum Coryco luctari To wrestle with Corycus
- III i 84Frustra currit He runs in vain
- III ii 9Contra torrentem niti To strive against the stream
- III ii 86A lupi venatu From a wolf-hunt
- III iii 39Asini caput ne laves nitro Do not wash a donkey's head with soap
- III iii 44Aves quaeris You look for birds
- III iii 64Obturbas frustra velut unda You trouble me in vain as might a wave
- III iv 32Utrem mergis vento plenum You are trying to sink a bladder full of air
- III iv 44Bulbos quaerit He's looking for onions
- III vi 11Phrynichi lucta Fighting like Phrynichus
- III vi 38Nebulas diverberare To divide the clouds
- III vi 66Nihil agere To achieve nothing
- III vii 60Muscas depellere Keeping off the flies
- III vii 98Cancrum ingredi doces You're teaching a crab to walk
- III vii 99Mare exhauris You are emptying out the sea
- III viii 8Inanis conatus Vain effort
- III ix 22Cum diis non pugnandum You may not fight with the gods
- IV i 48Oresti pallium texere To weave a mantle for Orestes
- IV i 73Αλιτήριος A mugger
- IV ii 9Γύργαθον φυσᾷς You're blowing away the stocks
- IV ii 14Periit sus The pig has perished
- IV iii 6Volvitur dolium A barrel rolls easily
- IV iv 26Isthmum perfodere To dig through the Isthmus
- IV iv 50Asinus balneatoris A bath-keeper's mule
- IV iv 52Quasi Sutrium eant As if going to Sutrium
- IV iv 56Eundem calceum omni pedi inducere Putting the same shoe on every foot
- IV v 52Apud novercam queri To complain to a stepmother
- IV v 58Exurere mare To burn up the sea
- IV v 60Ver ex anno tollere To remove spring from the year
- IV vi 4Musarum aves Birds of the Muses
- IV vi 44Cui nullum negocium erat, Harmenen muro cinxit He who had nothing to do, built a wall round Harmene
- IV vi 48Σκιαμαχεῖν Shadow-boxing
- IV vi 92Canis ad cibum A dog to food
- IV vi 95Vacuam inhabitare To live in an empty house
- IV vii 1In frigidum furnum panes immitere To put loaves in a cold oven
- IV vii 24Cape nihil, et serva bene Take nothing and watch it well
- IV vii 35Corvus albus A white crow
- IV vii 36Asino fabulam Telling a story to an ass
- IV vii 38Milium terebrare To drill a hole in a grain of millet
- IV vii 51Nihil inanius, quam multa scire Nothing is more useless than much knowledge
- IV viii 16Sterilem fundum ne colas Don't cultivate barren land
- IV x 46Et operam et retiam perdere Waste both toil and net
- IV x 94Posterius dictum Told too late
- V i 94Mortuos rursus occidere To slay the dead again
- V ii 4Frustra niti dementiae est Folly it is to strive to no good purpose
- V ii 21Liber non est, qui non aliquando nihil agit A man is not free unless he sometimes does nothing
Embûches
- I iv 34Sub omni lapide scorpius dormit Under every stone sleeps a scorpion
- II v 73Inescare homines To dangle the bait before men
- II viii 88Tragulam iniicere To cast a spear
- III iii 67Oportet omnibus corydalis Every lark must have one
- III viii 3Caventis clancularias insidias Of someone wary of hidden treachery
- IV ii 1Δούρεος ἵππος A wooden horse
- IV ii 4Βυσσοδομεύειν To lay deep foundations
- IV v 22Pulcre fallit vulpem It's a fine thing to deceive a fox
- IV v 70In transennam in ducere To lure into the snare
- IV v 71Ab transenna cibum petere To go after food from a snare
- IV vi 92Canis ad cibum A dog to food
- IV vii 61Cuniculis oppugnare To assail with tunnels
Envie, rivalité
- I ii 25Figulus figulo invidet, faber fabro Potter envies potter and smith envies smith
- I ii 85Expertes invidentiae Musarum fores The doors of the muses are free from envy
- I vi 71Optat ephippia bos, piger optat arare caballus The ox would wear the trappings and the lazy nag would plough
- I vi 72Fertilior seges est alieno in arvo The crop is heavier in another man's field
- II ii 22Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos One bush does not support two robbins
- II ii 24Una domus non alit duos canes One household does not keep two dogs
- II v 8Zoili Zoilus and his like
- II vii 4Turpe silere Shame to be mute
- III i 7Edentulus vescentium dentibus invidet The toothless man looks askance at those who have teeth to eat with
- III i 22Inimicus et invidus vicinorum oculus Unfriendly and spiteful is the neighbour's eye
- III x 52Iactantiae comes invidia Envy is the companion of boasting
- IV iv 87Praestat invidiosum esse, etc Better envied than pitied
- IV viii 20Invidus vicini oculus Envious is the neighbour's eye
- IV viii 59Cognatio movet invidiam Kinship generates resentment
- IV x 53Esurienti ne occurras Don't go near a hungry man
Erreur au commencement
Erreur répétée
- I v 8Iterum eundem ad lapidem offendere To stumble twice over the same stone
- I v 9Eadem oberrare chorda To strike the same wrong note
- I ix 61Venia primum experienti Let a beginner off lightly
- II v 22Vulpes non iterum capitur laqueo No fox is caught twice in a trap
- III i 31Non licet bis in pello peccare In war it is not permitted twice to err
- III v 13Canis reversus ad vomitum A dog goes back to his vomit
- IV iii 62Sus in volutabro coeni A washed pig rolls in muck
- IV v 62Decipienti semel A once-deceiver
Espoir déçu
- I iii 62Ne per somnium quidem Not even in a dream
- I iv 14Mordere frenum To bite on the bit
- I v 33Aliena iacis You are making a bad throw
- I vii 15Corvum delusit hiantem He's tricked the gaping crow
- I ix 13Larus parturit The gull is about to lay
- I ix 30Thesaurus carbones erant The treasure consisted of coals
- I ix 45Hic funis nihil attraxit This line's caught nothing
- II i 91Concupivit assam farinam He lost his heart to wheaten loaves
- II ii 34Cepphus parturit The gull is about to lay
- II ii 76Lupus circum puteum chorum agit The wolf dances round the well
- II iii 58Lupus hiat The wolf's jaws are gaping
- II iv 5Spem precio emere To buy hope for good money
- II v 55Quaerens obsonium vestem perdidi Seeking a dinner, I have lost my coat
- II vi 48Ne quaere mollia, ne tibi contingant dura Seek not soft things, for fear your lot may prove hard
- II vi 69In caducum parietem inclinare To lean on a tottering wall
- II vi 70Scipioni arundineo inniti To lean upon a staff of reed
- II viii 8Simul et da et accipe Give and take at the same time
- II viii 87Foedum et mansisse diu vacuumque redisse It is a disgrace to stay too long and return empty-handed
- II ix 14Semper agricola in novum annum dives Farmers are always rich next year
- II ix 75Nucleum amisi, reliquit pignori putamina I've lost the kernel, and he's left the shell in pledge
- III i 19Non omnia eveniunt, quae in animo statueris All does not come to pass that you have set your heart on
- III i 20Murem ostendit pro leone He displayed the mouse instead of the lion
- III i 82Cretenses sacrum Cretans (perform) the sacrifice
- III iii 36Duos insequens lepores neutrum capit He that hunts two hares catches neither
- III iv 36Aurificem te futurum credebas You thought you were going to strike gold
- III vi 99Bolus eruptus e faucibus The morsel snatched from one's throat
- III viii 7In spem frustratam On disappointed hope
- III viii 36Frustratus conatus A vain attempt
- IV iii 5Inani spe flagrat Burning with empty hopes
- IV iii 19Praevertit ancorae jactum Deus God forestalls the dropping of the anchor
- IV iii 57Fluvius non semper fert secures A river does not always bring axes
- V ii 41Cadere in cursu Fall in the race
Espoir tenace
- II iii 90Qui amant ipsi sibi somnia fingunt Lovers weave their own dreams
- II iv 12Aegroto dum anima est, spes est While there's life in a sick man, there's hope
- III i 92Spes alunt exules Hopes are the food of exiles
- III vii 14Lucrum pudori praestat Profit before shame
- III ix 42Adhuc aliquis deus respicit nos Thus far some god has cared for us
- IV iv 8Adhuc coelum volvitur The heavens are still revolving
- IV iv 63Spes servat afflictos Hope preserves the afflicted
- IV v 90Ab ipsa messe From the actual harvest
- IV ix 99In herbis In the blade
Excellence, inégalité
- I i 10Nihil ad Parmenonis suem Nothing like Parmeno's pig
- I ii 63Dis dia pason Double diapason
- I iii 49Hinnulus leonem A fawn against a lion
- I iv 21Equis albis praecedere To lead the way with white horses
- I v 46Nihil ad fides Nothing to do with the lyre
- I v 47Formica camelus Ant or camel
- I v 94Indignus qui illi matellam porrigat Unworthy to hold out a chamber-pot to him
- I vi 28Haec potior This is sovereign
- I vi 42Post Lesbium cantorem But second fiddle to a Lesbian
- I viii 72Pica cum luscinia certat, epopa cum cygnis Jay strives with nightingale, hoopoe with swans
- I viii 74Tibiam tubae comparas You match flute against trumpet
- I viii 75Cicadae apem comparas You match a cricket against a bee
- I viii 76Testudinem Pegaso comparas You match a tortoise against Pegasus
- I viii 83Acanthida vincit cornix The raven sings sweeter than the finch
- I viii 85Cancros lepori comparas You match crab against hare
- I ix 18Aquilam noctuae comparas You match eagle and owl
- I ix 20Aquila in nubibus An eagle in the clouds
- I ix 56Aquilae senecta An eagle's old age
- I ix 57Aquilae senecta, corydi iuventa An old eagle is as good as a young lark
- I ix 58Camelus vel scabiosa complurium asinorum gestat onera Even a mangy camel bears the load of many donkeys
- I ix 76Fluvius cum mari certas You're only a river striving with the sea
- I x 22Minervae felem Minerva against a cat
- I x 43Monstrari digito To be pointed out
- II i 18Pedibus trahere To drag by the feet
- II i 41Quo properas, num ad ephebum? Whither away so fast? Not to see the young man?
- II i 99Alabanda fortunatissima Alabanda has all the luck
- II ii 45Plus apud Campanos unguenti quam apud caeteros olei fit More scent is made in Campania than oil elsewhere
- II ii 77Lydius currus A Lydian chariot
- II iii 53Solus sapit He alone is wise
- II iii 61Servus servo praestat, dominus domino Slave surpasses slave and master master
- II iii 82Multis parasangis praecurrere To be many parasangs ahead
- II iii 94Non omnia possumus omnes We cannot all do everything
- II iv 18Alpha paenulatorium Alpha of those that wear the cloak
- II iv 44Crotoniatarum postremus reliquorum Graecorum primus est He who is last in Croton is first in the rest of Greece
- II iv 79Ne caprea contra leonem Roedeer must not fight lions
- II vi 41Rosam cum anemona confers You match a rose with an anemone
- II vi 58Acesei et Heliconis opera Works worthy of Aceseus and Helicon
- II vi 76Tenui vena, divite vena, tenui canali A thin vein, a rich vein, a shallow channel
- II x 99Senecta leonis praestantior hinnulorum juventa A lion in old age is stronger than fawns in youth
- III i 27Culicem elephanti conferre To match a gnat against an elephant
- III i 55Quanto asinis praestantiores muli How much better mules are than asses
- III i 91Foenum esse. Ambrosia alendus To eat hay. He should be fed on ambrosia
- III ii 5Colossi magnitudine The size of a Colossus
- III ii 35Celmis in ferro Celmis with sword in the hand
- III iv 73Sedecim pedibus superavit He was the best by sixteen feet
- III iv 96Inter caecos regnat strabus Among the blind the cross-eyed man is king
- III v 9Hercules et simia Hercules and an ape
- III v 23Multi discipuli praestantiores magistris Many pupils surpass their teachers
- III v 96Vivus fueris vel cepe solum accipiens You would have been alive if only you had accepted the onion
- III viii 50Nec dignus, qui me intueatur Not worthy to look me in the eye
- III viii 53Unus multorum instar One who is equal to many
- III viii 62Elucet egregia virtus Exceptional virtue shines out
- III ix 13Alius aliis in rebus praestantior People excel in different ways
- III x 14Longe vicit First by far
- III x 15Antiquis debetur veneratio The ancients should be treated with reverence
- III x 85Nihil aliae civitates ad Crotonem Other cities are nothing beside Croton
- IV i 53Qui probus Atheniensis An Athenian who is honest
- IV ii 50Prodico doctior As learned as Prodicus
- IV ii 70Acarnici equi Acarnanian horses
- IV ii 73Gorgonem Perseus aggreditur Perseus approaches the Gorgon
- IV iii 8Corvi lusciniis honoratiores Crows are more revered than nightingales
- IV iii 22Hirundo totos schoenos anteibit A swallow will be miles ahead
- IV iii 29Cum fis nanus, cede Yield, since you are a dwarf
- IV iii 69Si tanti vitrum, quanti margaritum If glass is worth that much, what price pearls?
- IV iv 12Bubo canit luscinae The owl sings to the nightingale
- IV iv 18Nihil simile In no way similar
- IV iv 37Manica Worthy of a Manes
- IV iv 68Testudinem equus insequitur The steed is in pursuit of the tortoise
- IV v 35Divinum excipio sermonem I except the gods
- IV vi 3Rana cum locusta A frog against a locust
- IV vi 8Officere luminibus To obstruct someone's light
- IV vi 11Dii omnia possunt The gods are all powerful
- IV ix 9Optima quidem aqua Water is indeed the best of things
Exercice
Exil
Expérience favorable
Expérience ou mise à l'épreuve
- I i 23Res ad triarios rediit Back to the third line
- I i 24Sacram ancoram solvere To let go the sheet-anchor
- I i 25Movebo talum a sacra linea I will move the counter from the sacred line
- I iv 30Omnem movere lapidem To leave no stone unturned
- I iv 31Omnem rudentum movere To move every rope
- I iv 32Omnem iacere aleam To cast all the dice
- I iv 33Vela ventis permittere To spread the sails to the wind
- I vi 14In care periculum Risk it on a Carian
- I vi 15In dolio figularem artem discere To learn the potter's art on a big jar
- I ix 46Semper tibi pendeat hamus Keep your hook in the water
- I ix 83In arenam descendere To descend into the arena
- II ii 37Tentantes ad Troiam pervenerunt Graeci Trying got the Greeks to Troy
- II iii 66Aut ter sex aut tres tesserae Either three times six dice, or three
- II iii 67Quanta Mus apud Pisam The same as Mus at Pisa
- III v 41Rex aut asinus A king or an ass
- III viii 96Deo fortunaeque committo I trust to God and fortune
- IV iii 92Respublica virum docet Politics instruct a man
- IV iv 62E post malam segetem serendum est Even after a bad harvest we must sow
- IV v 39Pedem conferre To put foot to foot
- V ii 8Primas jactare hastas Throw the first spears
Extermination totale
- I ix 50Fuimus Troes We Trojans have ceased to be
- I x 26Ne ignifer quidem reliquus est factus No one was left even to carry fire
- I x 27Πανολεθρία i.e. internecionem Root and branch
- II ix 61Omitte vatem Hands off the holy man
- III i 23Totum subvertere Total overthrow
- III v 40Ne bolus quidem relictus Not one bite left
- III v 76Perdere naulum To throw away the fare
- III vii 86Lesbius Prylis Lesbius Prylis
- III x 71Qui iure perierunt Those who deserved to die
- IV iii 26Cum cane simul et lorum The leash as well as the dog
- IV viii 22Funditus, radicitus, etc. From the foundations, root and all, and similar phrases
Faim
- I iii 23Cestreus ieiunat The grey mullet is fasting
- II viii 60Fames et mora bilem in nasum conciunt Hunger and waiting fill the nose with bile
- III vi 43Miserrimum fame mori Nothing worse than death by starvation
- III vii 44Ventre pleno melior consultatio You can think better on a full stomach
- III viii 12Non interpellandus famelicus Don't hinder a hungry man
- III x 9Molestus interpellator venter The belly is a troublesome heckler
- IV i 51E flamma cibum petere Snatching a dinner out of the fire
- IV ii 98Etiam Baetylum devorares You would eat even the baetylus
- IV viii 32Manduces Jaws
Feinte, apparence trompeuse
Femmes
- I iii 12Thessala mulier A Thessalian woman
- II ii 48Ignis mare mulier, tria mala Fire, sea, and woman, here be three evils
- II x 21Mulieri ne credas, ne mortuae quidem Never trust a woman, even when she's dead
- II x 22Mulierum exitia Women's woes
- II x 66Tanquam Chalcidica nobis peperit uxor My wife breeds like a woman of Chalcis
- III iv 69Mulieris oculus A woman's eye
- III iv 77Sublata lucerna nihil interest inter mulieres When the lamp is removed there's no difference between women
- III ix 39Mulier pudica ne sola sit usquam A modest woman should not be alone anywhere
- III ix 88Male coniugati Unhappily married
- III x 21Foemina nihil pestilentius Nothing is more noxious than a woman
- IV ii 35Qui non litigat, coelebs est If he has no disputes, he's a bachelor
- IV iii 45Υπεψηνισμένη Bitten by the bug
- IV iv 89Nec mulieri, nec gremio credendum Trust neither a woman nor your lap
- V i 47Libero lecto nihil jucundius Nothing nicer than a bed to oneself
Flatterie
- I vii 96Mutuum muli scabunt One mule scratches another
- I viii 58Letale mulsum A deadly honey-brew
- I x 54Χρηστολόγος Fair-spoken
- I x 55Pulchre dixit. Belle narras Fine words! A likely story!
- II i 66Haud quaquam difficile Atheniensem Athenis laudare To praise an Athenian in Athens is no problem
- II iii 3Ficut cupit It's figs he wants
- II iv 26Herculana scabies Hercules' itch
- II iv 28Io Paean Io Paean
- II v 86Ipse semet canit He sings his own praises
- II vi 61De fera comedisti You have been eating venison
- II vii 37Cercopissare Cercopian tricks
- II vii 58Polycrates matrem pascit Polycrates looks after my mother
- II viii 25Magis ipse Phryx The Phrygian wins
- III i 37Demulcere caput To stroke a man's head
- III v 89Pithon formosus Pretty monkey
- III vi 95In ostio formosus 'Good-looking' on the doorpost
- III viii 2Refutantis laudem immodicam For one who rejects excessive praise
- III viii 43Blanduis alloqui Speaking with gentler words
- IV i 32Cauda blandiri Wagging the tail
- IV i 35Palpo percutere Piercing with a caress
- IV i 92Cura esse, quod audis Take care to be what you are said to be
- IV ii 25Benignior pellace vulpe As kind as a cunning fox
- IV iii 76Praestat habere acerbos Bitter enemies are better
- IV iv 35Climacides Little stairs
- IV v 94Arcem ex cloaca facere To make a citadel out of a sewer
- IV v 99Glossogastores Bellytalkers
- IV vii 25Μυοσόβαι Fly-flappers
- IV viii 54Salvete equorum filiae Hail, daughters of stallions
- IV viii 90Verbis coquinariis With cookery words
- IV ix 16Gallonius Gallonius
- IV ix 52Mercenarium praeconium Self-interested commendation
- IV x 76Ex cohorte Praetoris The governor's squad
- V i 29Clemens lanista A soft-hearted manager of gladiators
- V i 31Concessis in Talario ludo A music-hall assembly
Flatterie - parmi les favoris
Force injuste
- I vi 28Haec potior This is sovereign
- I vi 61Non movenda moves You move what should not be moved
- I vii 89Leonina societas The lion's share
- I x 69Cyclopica vita To live like the Cyclops
- II i 73Atticus advena A new neighbour from Athens
- II iii 77Leonis catulum ne alas Rear not a lion's whelp
- II vi 46Rus civitas City turned country
- II vi 85Cescon habitas You dwell in Cescos
- II vii 42Martis campus The field of Mars
- II ix 29Rapina rerum Cinnari Despoiling Cinnarus of his possessions
- III i 74Cyrnia terra A land like Cyrnus
- III ii 26Centaurice Centaur-like
- III iii 60Αγεωμέτρητος οὐδείς εἰσίτω No admission without a knowledge of geometry
- III iii 83In caput praecipitari To be pitched head foremost
- III iv 90In antrum haud legitimum stimulum impingis To push the goad into an unlawful hole
- III iv 100Hospes indigenam The foreigner drove out the native
- III v 18Ostium obdite profani Shut the door, ye profane
- III vi 1Priusquam sortiaris, communia devoras You devour the commons even before you get your share
- III x 43Abstinenda vis a regibus Never do violence to kings
- IV i 4Mars Rex Mars is king
- IV i 76Asinum in rupes protrudere To push an ass over a cliff
- IV vii 50Lex in manibus The law in one's hands
- IV viii 10Ad saga On with the soldier's cape
- IV viii 40Cyclopum more Like the Cyclopes
- IV ix 50Obtorto collo With one's neck in a noose, by the throat
- IV ix 84Capillis trahere Seize by the hair
- IV x 25Oculum excludere Knock my eye out
- V ii 6Civitas non civitas A city and no city
Frugalité
- I viii 61Vita doliaris Life in a tub
- II viii 51Tanquam in phiditiis Like a Spartan dinner
- II ix 66Phormionis thori Phormio's camp beds
- III ii 27Cilicii imperatores Cilician generals
- III iv 89Si caseum haberem, non desiderarem opsonium If I had cheese, I wouldn't want meat
- III v 33Xenocratis caseolus Xenocrates' scrap of cheese
- III vii 33Salem lingere To lick salt
- III x 27Aspera vita, sed salubris A hard life, but a healthy one
- IV v 11Hecatae coena A Hecate dinner
- IV v 13Thymbra victitans Living on savory
- IV v 16Sicyon arrodens uxor lacernam texe Gnaw on your gourd, wife, and weave the cloak
- IV v 87Salem et caseum edere To eat salt and cheese
- IV vi 75Acolo non ficu Morsels, not figs
- IV vi 78Μυσικαρφί Choking on straw
- IV vii 9Allium in retibus Garlic in nets
- IV vii 28Olivam ne comedas Don't eat an olive
- IV vii 45De sportula coenare A basket dinner
Gain par le crime
Gens insupportables
- II viii 65Ut fici oculis incumbunt As warts grow on the eye
- II x 29Manivoro vinculo With fetters that gnaw the arm
- III ii 90Athos celat latera Lemniae bovis Athos darkens the flanks of the Lemnian cow
- III iii 25Onus navis A burden on the ship
- III v 47Quos non tollerent centum Aegyptii They wouldn't be lifted by a hundred Egyptians
- III v 48Aegyptius laterifer An Egyptian brick-carrier
- III vii 32Agi et ferri Driving and carrying off
- III vii 46Anno senior fio I become a year older
- III viii 95Improbitas muscae The depravity of the fly
- III ix 95Qui conturbat omnia He causes havoc everywhere
- IV iii 71In culmo arare To plough among the stubble
- IV iv 39Aetna, Athon An Etna, an Athos
- IV ix 40Ne bestiae quidem ferre possent Not even wild beasts could stand it
- IV x 75Tota hulcus est The whole thing is a festering sore
- IV x 100Lippo oculo similis Like a runny eye
- V i 27Ferire frontem Beat one's brow
- V i 81ὁλοέχινος All-spiny
Grande importance
- I viii 18Dignum propter quod vadimonium deseratur Worth breaking bail for
- III ix 29Magna de re discepatur A great matter being debated
- IV vi 56Vel Megaram usque To go even to Megara
- IV viii 80Larinum verbum A fat and lardy word
- V ii 29E paucis verbis ingens bonum aut malum A few words can be the source of great good or great evil
Gratitude
- I i 34Gratia gratiam parit One favour begets another
- I x 1Αντιπελαργεῖν To cherish in one's turn
- I x 84Sylosontis chlamys Syloson's cloak
- III v 83Pro bonis glomi Reels for good deeds
- III vii 42Lingua seorsum inciditur His tongue is cut out separately
- III ix 79Obtestatio veterum meritorum Invoking past deserts
- III x 68Benefactorum memoria The memory of good deeds
- IV vii 63Qui lucerna egent, infundunt oleum Those who need a lamp pour oil in it
- IV viii 36Merces constituatur Let the price be agreed for a friend
Générosité
- I vii 88Bona Porsenae Porsena's property
- I viii 91Bis dat qui cito dat He that gives quickly gives twice
- I ix 14Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus The mountains labour, forth will creep a mouse
- II i 16Plena manu In handfuls
- II i 85Communis Mercurius Share Mercury
- II iv 73Promus magis quam condus More spender than saver
- II x 70Excubias agere, aut ditari To keep watch or to become rich
- III ii 11Codali choenix Codalus' measure
- III v 63Virgo primum Like a virgin the first time
- III vi 59Larus in paludibus A gull in the swamps
- III vi 61Ipso horreo By the granaryful
- III x 50De alieno liberalis Generous with others' goods
- IV i 45Maras Maras
- IV viii 98Quod recte datum est What's once given
- IV ix 93Pleno modio In full measure
- IV x 61Pingui mensura With fat measure
Haine
- I ii 50Fratrum inter se irae sunt acerbissimae The bitterest quarrels are between brothers
- I vii 13Ira omnium tardissime senescit Resentment is the last thing to grow old
- II i 78Odium agreste Rustic hatred
- II ii 46Ne via quidem eadem cum illo vult ingredi He will not even walk the same road with him
- II ii 94Odium Vatinianum Hate worthy of Vatinius
- II ii 95Odium novercale Stepmotherly hatred
- II vi 53Empedoclis simultas A feud worthy of Empedocles
- II ix 62Oderint, dum metuant Let them hate, so long as they fear
- II ix 63Odit cane peius et angue Hates worse than dog and snake
- III iii 29Archidamicum bellum An Archidamian war
- III iii 84Ασπονδος πόλεμος A truceless war
- III vii 64Cui ista arrident, meis ne gaudeat Who enjoys such things can have no pleasure in what I do
- III ix 77Principum favor necessarius Support from influential people is essential
- IV v 100Pereant amici etc. May my friends perish . . .
- IV vii 91Ut lupus ovem As the wolf loves the sheep
- IV viii 79Et scelii filium abominor I can't bear Scellius' son either
- V i 21Non magis quam canem No more than a dog
Heureuse nouvelle
- II v 75Vulcanus tibi vaticinatus est You have it from Vulcan's mouth
- II viii 5Siren amicum nunciat, apis hospitem A bee foretells a stranger and a wasp foretells a friend
- II viii 16Quid tibi Apollo cecinit? What tune has Apollo played for you?
- III i 16Haud annuncias bellum Your news is not of war
- III vi 8Provolvitur ad milvios He kneels to the kites
Honneur accordé à qui ne le mérite pas
- I iii 66Induitis me leonis exuvium You are dressing me up in the lionskin
- I vii 10Simia in purpura An ape in purple
- I x 63Septimus bos The seventh ox
- II ii 91In seditione vel Androclides belli ducem agit In civil war even Androclides is a general
- II viii 95Tragica simia A tragical ape
- II x 15Quasi locum in balneis Like a place in the baths
- IV vi 93Bos in quadra argentea An ox on a silver plate
- IV viii 13Calceos mutare Change one's shoes
- IV ix 38Malus choraules, bonus symphoniacus Bad accompanist, great chorister
- IV x 62Fato metelli By fate the Metelli
- V i 44Strumam dibapho tegere Cover a swelling with a purple robe
Honte, gloire
- I ii 93Quem Fortuna pinxerit Black-listed by Fortune
- I vi 25Non omnino temere est, quod vulgo dictitant What is in every man's mouth is not spoken wholly without cause
- I viii 92Honos alit artes Honours nourish arts
- I x 81Cerite cera dignus Fit to be registered in Caere
- II viii 15Cur non suspendis te? Why not hang yourself?
- III i 72Cythonymi probrum Cythonymis' disgrace
- III ii 39Scarabaeo nigrior As black as a beetle
- III v 74Sutorium atramentum Cobbler's blacking
- III vii 74Hic bonorum virorum est morbus This is a malady of good men
- III viii 74Dedecus publicum Public shame
- III viii 82Adhortantis ad gloriam For someone giving encouragement to seek fame
- III ix 26Gloriosum et apud posteros A deed glorious to postery too
- III x 96Gloria futuri Glory is for the future
- IV vii 22Αποσκυθισαι A Scythian shave
- IV vii 34Fractis auribus Cauliflower ears
- IV x 38Macula, Labes Stain, blot
- V i 76Fama prodit omnia Rumour makes all things known
- V i 83Virtus aeterna Virtue lives forever
Hospitalité
- I i 99Scindere penulam To tear the cloak
- II ii 14Haud unquam arcet ostium The door is never barred
- II ii 15Semper aliquis in Cydonis domo There's always someone in Cydon's house
- II x 84Fores habet tritas, ut pastorum casae He has a doorway as well trodden as a sheperd's cottage
- III ix 98Hospitis habenda cura A stranger must be cared for
Hâte
- I ii 42Talaria induere To put wings on one's feet
- I iv 17Velis equisque With sail and horse
- I iv 19Navibus atque quadrigis With ships and chariots
- I iv 20Citis quadrigis; Iovis quadrigis With swift chariots; with the chariots of Jove
- I iv 21Equis albis praecedere To lead the way with white horses
- I vi 35Duobus pedibus fugere To put your best foot first
- I ix 65Matura satio saepe decipit, sera semper mala est Sow early and be often sorry, sow late and always lose
- I ix 80Ut canis e Nilo Like a dog drinking out of the Nile
- I x 40Vir fugiens et denuo pugnabit He that fights and runs away may live to fight another day
- II ii 12Aphya in ignem Whitebait on the fire
- II ii 85In foribus adesse To be at the door
- II v 50Ne nimium callidum hoc sit modo It may be too cunning this way
- II vi 92Celerius quam Butes As fast as Butes
- II vi 98Lupinum potum A drink snatched from the wolves
- II vii 30Parit puella, etiam si male adsit viro A girl has a baby, even if she consorts badly with her husband
- II viii 83Vivit, incende ignem It's alive, kindle the fire
- II ix 72Simul et dictum et factum No sooner said than done
- II x 71Intra septimam Before the seventh
- II x 82Ignem palma Fire on the hand
- III ii 87A subeunte portum navi From a ship as she enters harbour
- III iii 4Salaminia navis A ship of Salamis
- III iii 6ἄζελος πλοῦτος Unenvied wealth
- III iv 71Altera navigatio The next best way to sail
- III vii 5Citius quam asparagi coquuntur As quick as boiled asparagus
- III vii 66Prius quam gallus iterum cecinerit Before the cock crows twice
- III vii 87Agas asellum You can drive the ass
- III viii 88Ocyor accipitre As swift as a hawk
- III ix 47Prior occupat He who acts first wins
- III ix 48Sacra celerius absolvenda Perform sacred rites promptly
- IV ii 46Pegaso velocior As fast as Pegasus
- IV vi 22E vestigio On the spot
- IV vii 89Quantum pedibus potes As fast as your feet can carry you
- IV viii 95Alienis soleis uti Wear someone else's slippers
- V i 85Celeritas in malis optima When evils strike, speed is best
Ignorance
- I ii 97In alio mundo In another world
- I vi 99Albus an ater sis, nescio I know not whether you are dark or fair
- I vi 100Non novit natos He does not know that they exist
- I ix 87Nomine tantum notus Known by name alone
- II ii 90In alieno foro litigare To plead in a strange court
- II x 50Late vivens Live in obscurity
- III vi 62In tua ipsius harena In your own arena
- III ix 24Prorsus ignotus Utterly unknown
- IV v 65Ne pictum quidem vidit He has not even seen a picture of it
- IV ix 92Juxta cum ignarissimis No more than the most ignorant of men
- IV ix 100Nullius coloris Of no colour
Il faut céder à la foule
- I v 39Ne Hercules quidem adversus duos Not even Hercules can take on two
- I v 40Unus vir, nullus vir One man, no man
- III v 100Nec aures habeo, nec tango I neither hear nor touch
- III ix 60Cedendum multitudini Yield to numbers
- IV iii 44Plurium calculus vincit The vote of the majority prevails
- V ii 30Uni cum duobus non est pugnandum One should not take on two
Il faut se servir de son prochain
- I viii 43Ut possumus, quando ut volumus non licet As best we can, since as we would we may not
- II iii 44Auloedus sit qui citharoedus esse non possit Let him be a flute-player who could not play the lyre
- II iv 61Bona est etiam offa post panem After bread barley-cake too is not a bad thing
- II iv 62Si non adsunt carnes, taricho contentos esse oportet Those who have no meat must make do with salt fish
- II vii 81Viam qui nescit ad mare etc He who knows not the way to the sea, etc
- II viii 4Si bovem non possis, asinum agas If you cannot drive an ox, drive an ass
- II ix 33Praesentem fortunam boni consule Take your present fortune in good part
- III ii 91Praesentem mulge; quid fugientem insequeris? Milk the one that's handy; why pursue him that runs away?
- III iv 71Altera navigatio The next best way to sail
- III x 34Quod adest, boni consule Accept things as they are in good part
- IV ii 43Quae dantur What is given ...
- IV v 46Extrema linea The finishing line
- V i 40Quod datur What you're given
Il n'est pas le seul
Ils furent, ils ne sont plus
- I vi 1Saepe etiam est olitor valde opportuna locutus Even a gardner oft speaks to the point
- I ix 49Fuere qoundam strenui Milesii The Milesians were valiant in days of yore
- I ix 50Fuimus Troes We Trojans have ceased to be
- II ix 24Summaria indicatura A grab bag
- II ix 37Nam iam illi non sunt, at qui sunt, mali For they are no longer alive, and those who are alive are no good
- II ix 60Omnia bonos viros decent Everything comes well from a good man
- IV x 40Nihil est miserius quam animus conscius. Saepe etiam est olitor Nothing is more miserable than a guilty conscience
Impostures
- I ii 100Psaphonis aves Psapho's birds
- I v 48Os sublinere To smear someone's face
- I v 49Dare verba To give empty words
- I v 50Addere manum To make sport of someone
- I v 51Circumtondere comam To cut the hair all round
- I v 52Fucum facere To play a trick
- I vi 59Nova hirundo The first swallow
- I x 5In laqueum inducere To draw into the net
- II vii 31Pasetis semiobolus Pases' halfpenny
- II vii 40Obolum reperit Parnoetes Parnoetes invented the obol
- II viii 49Ephesiae litterae Ephesian letters
- III v 75Surda testimonia Deaf testimonies
- III vi 27Obtrudere palpum To smother with caresses
- III viii 51Cavendum ab eo, qui semel imposuit Beware of the man who has cheated once
- V i 59Halopanta Romancer
- V ii 49Χαρωνῖται Dead man's men
Impudence
- I viii 47Faciem perfricare. Frontis perfrictae To wipe off your blushes. To put a bold front on it
- I ix 42Atticus aspectus The Attic look
- III i 63Dea impudentia Impudence is a goddess
- III iv 67Nudo capite Barefaced
- III vi 56Aegis venit There's a storm coming
- IV vi 38Manci pera Cripplemari's Pouch
- IV vii 83Lingua non redarguta The tongue is not refuted
Impudicité
Incertain et douteux
- I ii 48In trivio sum I am at the crossroads
- I iii 45Nolens volens Willy-nilly
- I v 26Necessarium malum A necessary evil
- I vii 4Unica filia duos parare generos To make two sons-in-law of one daughter
- I viii 66Plus aloes quam melis habet More aloes than honey in it
- I x 59Aut mortuus est aut docet litteras He must be either dead or teaching school
- I x 60Oportet testudinis carnes aut edere aut non edere When you are offered turtle-meat, either eat or do not eat
- I x 68Quocunque pedes ferent Wherever your feet take you
- I x 99Polypi caput An octopus' head
- II ii 54Quid primum aut ultimum? What first, what last?
- II iii 1Aut quinque bibe aut treis aut ne quatuor Drink either five or three or anything but four
- II iii 69Delphicus gladius A Delphian sword
- II vii 49Aut cucurbitae florem aut cucurbitam Either the gourd-flower or the gourd
- II vii 71Aut Plato philonissat aut Philo platonissat Either Plato philonizes or Philo platonizes
- II vii 82Volens nolente animo Willingly, but with a heavy heart
- II ix 44Psecas aut ros Drizzle or dew
- II ix 92Neque cum malis neque sine malis Neither with bad things nor without them
- II ix 100Navis aut galerus Ship or cap
- II x 70Excubias agere, aut ditari To keep watch or to become rich
- II x 96Hasta caduceum Spear and herald's staff
- III ii 54Aut oportet tragoedias agere omneis aut insanire All men must either act tragedies or go mad
- III iv 93Iisdem e literis comoedia ac tragoedia componitur Comedy and Tragedy are written with the same letters
- III v 32Etiam capillus unus Even a single hair
- III vi 84Utroque nutans sententia Wavering both ways in his opinion
- III vii 90Tertium caput A third head
- III vii 95Triceps Mercurius Three-headed Mercury
- III viii 33Ad utrumvis paratus Ready for good or bad
- III viii 67Ancipitis consilii In two minds
- III viii 89Ancipitis animi In two minds
- III ix 74Qui nocere potest, et idem prodesse One who can both harm and benefit
- III x 61Gaudium dolori iunctum Joy is linked to pain
- IV ii 37Utrumque Both
- IV ii 67Inter pueros senex An old man among boys
- IV v 44Neque intus, neque foris Neither inside nor outside
Inciter
- I vii 40Aurem vellere To pluck by the ear
- I viii 92Honos alit artes Honours nourish arts
- I x 51Frigidam aquam suffundere To pour cold water
- III v 88Bellicum canere. Receptui canere To give the signal for war. To sound the retreat
- III viii 98Modis omnibus incitat By every means he urges
- IV iv 66Cur cessatum est? Why have we stopped?
- IV v 21Feri puer Shoot, child
- IV vi 54Ignarium dare To give a firestone
- IV vii 71Cithara incitat ad bellum The lyre incites to war
- IV viii 86Alas addere To lend wings
Inconstance, perfidie, ruse
- I i 93Polypi mentem obtine Adopt the outlook of a polyp
- I i 94Cothurno versatilior As versatile as a buskin
- I i 95Magis varius quam hydra As variable as the hydra
- I iii 10Thessalorum commentum A trick of the Thessalians
- I v 18Multa novit vulpes, verum echinus unum magnum The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog one big thing
- I vii 2Duabus sedere sellis To sit on two stools
- I vii 3Duos parietes de eadem dealbare fidelia To whitewash two walls out of the same bucket
- I vii 4Unica filia duos parare generos To make two sons-in-law of one daughter
- I viii 27Graeca fide On Greek credit
- I viii 28Punica fides Punic faith
- I viii 29Altera manu fert lapidem, altera panem ostentat He bears a stone in one hand and offers a loaf in the other
- I viii 30Ex eodem ore calidum et frigidum efflare Out of one mouth to blow hot and cold
- I ix 62Euripus homo Man's a Euripus
- I x 28Thracium commentum A Thracian stratagem
- I x 31Simia non capitur laqueo No monkey was ever caught in a trap
- II ii 9Non Chius sed Cius From Ceos he, not Chios
- II ii 74Proteo mutabilior As many shapes as Proteus
- II iii 60Megaricum machinamentum A Megarian device
- II iii 62Daedali opera The works of Daedalus
- II iv 7Subere levior Lighter than cork
- II iv 66Pardi mortem adsimulat He shams death like a leopard
- II v 25Laconicae lunae Spartan moons
- II v 33Locrense pactum Locrian loyalty
- II v 34Cassioticus nodus The Cassius knot
- II v 41Lingua juravit My tongue did swear it
- II v 69Ventorum stationes Where the wind lies
- II v 70Venti campus A field for wind
- II vi 57Admirabiles in nectendis machinis Aegyptii The Egyptians have a wonderful gift for weaving webs
- II vi 89Thraces foedera nesciunt The Thracians do not know the rules
- II vii 54Obliquus cursus A devious course
- II viii 79Ulysseum commentum An invention worthy of Ulysses
- II viii 82Vias novit quibus effugit Eucrates He knows by what roads Eucrates escaped
- II ix 47Panagaea Diana Panagaean Diana
- II ix 49Claudus optime virum agit The lame man makes the best lecher
- II x 23Multa noris oportet, quibus Deum fallas You need great knowledge, if you would deceive God with it
- III i 11Duodecim artium Up to a dozen tricks
- III i 12Duplices viros Double men
- III i 62Dextrum pedum in calceo, sinistrum in pelvi Right foot in a sandal, left foot in a basin
- III ii 15Cnips in loco A flea in its place
- III ii 42Cantharo astutior As cunning as Cantharus
- III ii 67Repariazare To break treaties like the Parians
- III iii 5Pyrrhandri commentum One of Pyrrhander's tricks
- III iii 56Aliud stans, aliud sedens One thing on his feet and another sitting down
- III iii 70Mutabilior Metra Erisichthonis As changeable as Metra, Erisichthon's daughter
- III iv 1Chamaeleonte mutabilior As changeable as a chameleon
- III iv 3E poculo perforato bibere To drink from a cup with a hole in it
- III iv 42Hoc calciamentum consuit Histiaeus, Aristagoras induit This shoe was stitched by Histiaeus, Aristagoras put it on
- III iv 82Magnus versator in re pusilla A big mover in a little affair
- III v 39Αἰγυπτιάζειν To talk Egyptian
- III v 56Phoenicum pacta Phoenicians' bargain
- III v 81Si leonina pellis non satis est, vulpina addenda If the lion's skin is not enough, a fox's must be added
- III v 87Non idem sunt scriptura et Leucaeus Leucaeus and his writings are not the same
- III vi 51Mulieris animus Heart of a woman
- III vi 84Utroque nutans sententia Wavering both ways in his opinion
- III vii 8Libyca fera An African beast
- III vii 9Semper adfert Libya mali quippiam Africa always produces something evil
- III vii 10Semper Africa novi aliquid apportat Africa always produces something novel
- III vii 25Sisyphi artes The wiles of Sysiphus
- III vii 31Quibus nec ara, neque fides Fot those who hold to either altar nor oath
- III vii 37Sphondyla fugiens pessime pedit When the polecat flees it makes a dreadful smell
- III vii 48Expedit habere plura cognomina It's useful to have several names
- III vii 94Quae ex antiqua What comes from the old city
- III viii 24Diversarum partium Conflicting loyalties
- IV i 34Lampon jurat per anserem Lampon swears by a gander
- IV ii 77Volaticum iusiurandum A fleeting oath
- IV iv 43Ex se fingit velut araneus Spinning tales like a spider
- IV v 45De toga ad pallium From the toga to the pallium
- IV vi 29Maritimi mores As temperamental as the sea
- IV vi 65Φελλίνας Cork-man
- IV viii 9Modo palliatus, modo togatus Now in pallium, now in toga
- IV viii 27Trochi in morem Like a whipping-top
- IV viii 87Χηναλώπηξ Fox-goose
- IV ix 14Lacryma nihil citius arescit Nothing dries faster than a tear
- IV ix 36Vespertilio A bat
- V i 41Chimaera A chimaera
- V i 43De statu demigrare Abandon one's position
- V ii 38Latini tibicinis more Like a Latin flute player
Inexpérience
- I ix 54Illotis pedibus ingredi To enter with unwashed feet
- II ii 23Pedibus ingredior, natare enim non didici I go on foot, for I have not learned to swim
- III v 55Pedum visa est via The path has been looked at
- IV i 1Dulce bellum inexpertis War is a treat for those who have not tried it.
- V ii 11Operarii Hired labourers
- V ii 23Lacinia tenere Hold by the hem
- V ii 24Surculum defringere Break off a twig
- V ii 40Απάλαιστοι Untrained
Ingratitude
- I x 52In senem ne quod collocaris beneficium Never do a kindness to an old man
- II i 86Ale luporum catulos Keep wolf-cubs
- II iv 1Nemo bene merito bovem immolavit praeter Pyrrhiam Nobody sacrificed an ox to his benefactor except Pyrrhias
- II v 92Aries nutricationes mercedem persolvit The ram paid for its upbringing
- II vi 6Pro perca scorpium Scorpion instead of perch
- II vi 7Pro beneficentia Agamemnonem ulti sunt Achivi In return for kindness the Achaeans punished Agamemnon
- III i 83Simul et misertum est et interiit gratia No sooner is he pitied than his gratitude is dead
- III iii 46Qui canem alit externum He who feeds a stranger's dog
- III iv 63Hostis non hostis No enemy, but still an enemy
- III ix 82Ingratitudo vulgi Public ingratitude
- IV vi 87Arietis ministerium Doing a good turn to a ram
- IV x 99Vivum noveris Know a man while he's alive
Injustice
Insalubrité
Intempérance, désir
- I i 4Adonidis horti Gardens of Adonis
- I vi 11Baceli similis Like Bacelus
- I vi 12Batalus Batalus
- I viii 33Lentiscum mandere Munching mastic
- I viii 34Unico digitulo scalpit caput He scratches his head with a single finger
- I viii 35Summo digito caput scalpere To scratch one's head with the tip of one's finger
- II ii 79Quae sub alis fiunt Underarm actions
- II iii 34Tibicinis vitam vivis You live the life of a flute-player
- II iii 87Persaepe sacra haud sacrificata devorat Offerings unblest full oft devours
- II iv 63Agathonis cantio Agathon's tune
- II vi 94Lydus in meridie A Lydian at noon
- II vi 95Caprarius in aestu A goatherd in the heat
- II vi 96Lydus cauponatur The Lydian is a shopkeeper
- II vii 38Vale carum lumen Farewell, beloved light
- II ix 23Samiorum flores The flowers of Samos
- II ix 69Sponsi vita A wooer's life
- II x 9Melle temetipsum perungis You anoint yourself with honey
- II x 18Complura masculi canis cubilia Here there and everywhere, the randy dog will find his pair
- II x 37Lydio more In Lydian fashion
- II x 43Lesbiis digna Fit for Lesbians
- III i 94Ιππομανεῖν To go a-horsing
- III ii 18Κλειτοριάζειν To touch the clitoris
- III ii 22Clisthenem video I spy Cleisthenes
- III ii 23Cleocritus Cleocritus
- III ii 40Chalcidissare To play the Chalcidian
- III ii 41Phicidissare To 'phicidize'
- III ii 99Sinopissas You behave like Sinope
- III iii 9Πτερυγίζειν To try one's wings
- III iv 66Anus hircum olet The old woman smells like a goat
- III v 85Siphniassare To give a Siphnian wave
- III vi 39Myconius vicinus A Myconian neighbour
- III vi 92Aries cornibus lasciviens A ram frisking with its horns
- III vii 23Sus per rosas A pig among the roses
- III vii 27Sardanapalus A Sardanapalus
- III vii 70Lesbiari To behave like a Lesbian
- III vii 84Samiorum laura The Laura at Samos
- III vii 88Samium comatum A long-haired Samian
- III vii 91Ut Corinthia videris You seem like a Corinthian woman
- III x 26Voluptas foeda Abominable pleasures
- III x 94Per ignem incedis You are stepping into fire
- III x 99E Massilia venisti You're from Massilia
- IV i 77Videre mihi labda I think you are a lambda
- IV i 81Pepones Water-melons
- IV ii 24Herniosus usque ad gulam Circumcised up to the neck
- IV iii 68Corinthiari To play the Corinthian
- IV iv 53Αὐτολήκυθοι Those who carry their own oil-flask
- IV ix 15Ex potestate exisse Gone out of control
- IV ix 89Hedera lascivior More wanton than ivy
- IV x 36Gallam bibere oportet He needs to drink gall-nut
- V ii 19Discum quam Philosophum audire malunt They would rather hear the discus than a philosopher
Intervention soudaine
Irréprochable
- I v 74Momo satisfacere, et similia To satisfy Momus, and the like
- II iv 95Purior clavo As clean as a rudder
- III ii 57Aurum Colophonium Colophon gold
- III ii 85A puro pura defluit aqua Water poured over what is clean stays clean
- IV i 58Aurum igni probatum Gold tested in the fire
- IV ix 19Ratio quidem apparet etc. The accounts are clear enough
Issue incertaine
- I ii 13Si crebro iacias, aliud alias ieceris If you throw often, you'll throw this way and then that
- I iv 32Omnem iacere aleam To cast all the dice
- I v 1Multa cadunt inter calicem supremaque labra There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip
- I v 2Inter os et offam Between mouth and morsel
- I vii 5Nescis quid serus vesper vehat Who knows what evening in the end will bring?
- II ii 89In herba esse To be in the blade
- II iv 5Spem precio emere To buy hope for good money
- III v 45Nullo scopo iaculari Shooting aimlessly
- III ix 28Anceps eventus rei Two possible outcomes
- IV vii 49Mars communis Mars is on everyone's side
Issue incertaine - jugement d'après l'issue
- I i 29Piscator ictus sapiet Once stung, the fisherman will be wiser
- I iii 40Rem factum habere To consider a thing done
- I iii 99Post mala prudentior Sadder and wiser
- I v 17Cocta numerabimus exta We shall count the entrails when cooked
- I x 76Magistratus virum indicat 'Tis the place that shows the man
- III iv 49Res indicabit The facts will show
- III x 78Mox sciemus melius vate Soon we shall know better than the prophet
- IV ix 86Mali principii malus finis Ill beginning, an ill ending
Jamais
- I v 83Cum mula pepererit When the mule foals
- I v 84Ad Graecas calendas At the Greek calends
- I v 85Acessaei luna The moon of Acessaeus
- I v 86Ubi per Harma fulgurarit When lightning strikes through Harma
- III iii 47Cum Nibas coccyssaverit When the cock crows at Nibas
- IV x 15Post homines natos Since the human race began
- IV x 16Post hominum memoriam In all human memory
Jeunesse
Juger
- I iv 36Sus tubam audivit The pig heard the trumpet
- I v 87Lydius lapis, sive Heraclius lapis The Lydian, or Heraclian, stone
- I v 88Amussis alba An unmarked rule
- I v 94Indignus qui illi matellam porrigat Unworthy to hold out a chamber-pot to him
- I vi 81Odorari, et similes aliquot metaphorae Scenting out, and sundry metaphors of this kind
- I vi 98Novit quid album, quid nigrum He knows white from black
- II i 60Gnomon et regula Set-square and right rule
- II i 74Purpura juxta purpuram dijudicanda Purple should be judged against purple
- II iv 51Quod index auro, id aurum homini What the touchstone is to gold, gold is to men
- II vi 64Manum ferulae subduximus I have withdrawn my hand from the cane
- II viii 58In quinque iudicium genibus situm est It lies on the knees of five judges
- II viii 59Emunctae naris. Muccosis naribus With nose well wiped. Thick in the head
- III i 32Panidis suffragium The judgement of Panides
- III viii 34Nullus delectus No discrimination
- III x 57Novit mala et bona He knows the bad and the good
- IV i 6Tenedius homo A man of Tenedos
- IV i 7Tenedius patronus A Tenedian defender
- IV vi 35Auris Batava A Dutch ear
- IV vii 35Corvus albus A white crow
- IV vii 58Caeci praescriptio The orders of a blind man
- IV viii 26Censoria virgula The obelus of censure
Justice
- I v 15Eadem pensari trutina To be weighed on the same scales
- I v 90Ad amussim By rule
- I ix 97Ne moveto lineam Move not the line
- II i 67Exigua res est ipsa justitia Justice itself is nothing much
- II ii 62Homines frugi omnia recte faciunt Worthy men always do right
- II iii 73Justitia in se virtutem complectitur omnem Justice comprises in itself all virtue
- II v 36Ad amussim applica lapidem, non ad lapidem amussim Gauge your stone against the ruler, not the ruler against the stone
- II v 82Trutina justius As fair as a pair of scales
- II vii 65Bocchyris Bocchyris
- II ix 30Rhadamantheum iudicium The verdict of Rhadamanthys
- II x 63Zaleuci lex A law of Zaleucus
- III i 28Dum clavum rectum teneam As long as I my tiller fortright hold
- III iii 91Urbanus nihil aequi cogitat A city-dweller has no righteous thoughts
- III iv 27Haec iustitia This is justice
- III iv 43Quae non posuisti, ne tollas Do not take away what you did not put in place
- III v 16Rectam ingredi viam To walk a straight path
- III v 27Nemo quenquam ire prohibet publica via No one stops anyone from walking on the public road
- III v 50Rhamnusius Rhamnusius
- III v 73Dat veniam corvis, vexat censura columbas The laws absolve ravens and harass doves
- III vi 9Prienensis iustitia Prienian justice
- III vi 22Partitio non praefocatio Don't choke, share
- III ix 33Quod aliis vitio vertas, ipse ne feceris Don't do yourself what you criticize in others
- III ix 45A sacris abstinendae manus Do not lay hands on sacred things
- IV i 4Mars Rex Mars is king
- IV i 11Iustitiae oculus A paragon of justice
- IV i 12Iustitia iustior More just than justice
- IV ii 80Ex aequo partire Sharing equally
- IV ii 96Aequalitas haud parit bellum Equality never gives rise to war
- IV vii 99Orphica vita An Orphic life
- IV viii 5Virtus simplex Virtue is simple
- IV x 90Rectam instas viam You're on the right track
L'attrait du mal
La peur comme châtiment
- I ii 67Funiculum fugiunt miniatum They flee from the reddened cord
- I iii 19Manum de tabula Hands off the picture
- III iv 61Absque baculo ne ingreditor Never walk without a staff
- III ix 31Metus infamiae Fear of disgrace
- III ix 64In tempore cavenda poena mali Beware in good time of the penalty for wrongdoing
- IV i 89Samiorum mala metuis You fear the punishment of the Samians
- IV i 93Cautus enim metuit, etc. The cautious wolf goes in fear, etc.
- IV x 56Volam pedis ostendere Show the sole of one's foot
- V i 98Exemplum utile A useful example
La vie de l'homme, misérable et brève
- II i 9Dimidio vitae nihil differunt felices ab infelicibus For half their lives there is no difference between the happy and the unhappy
- II ii 69Spithama vitae Brief span of life
- II ii 70Temporis punctum A point of time
- II iii 48Homo bulla Man is but a bubble
- II iii 49Optimum non nasci Not to be born is best
- II ix 58Omnia similia They're all the same
- II ix 65Stupa seniculus An old man is but chaff
- II x 90Fictilis homo A man of clay
- III i 87Nihil est ab omni parte beatum Nought is at all points blessed
- III x 63Vita mortalium brevis The life of mortals is short
- IV ii 87Ephemeri vita To live as long as Ephemerus
- IV ix 98Ut herba solstitialis Like the solstice plant
- V i 8Salillum animae A little salt-cellarful of soul
- V ii 35Mortui non dolent The dead have no pain
Lassitude due à la répétition
- I v 38Crambe bis posita mors Twice-served cabbage is dead
- I v 89Eadem per eadem Over and over again
- I vi 5Sardi venales Sardinians for sale
- I viii 59Linum lino nectis You join thread with thread
- I ix 98Eandem tundere incudem To pound the same anvil
- II i 50Jovis Corinthus Corinthus son of Jove
- II ii 5Iterum tranquillitatem video Again I spy a calm
- II iv 84Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo The leech that won't let go till full of blood
- II v 17Parni scaphula Parnis' skiff
- II v 76Cantilenam eandem canis You sing the same song
- II vi 44Rhodiorum oraculum An oracle for the Rhodians
- II viii 2Hyperi vertigo The twirling of a pestle
- II viii 73Ad satietatem To the point of saturation
- II x 57Iterum atque iterum ad Pythum via Over and over again the Pytho road
- III i 68Date mihi pelvim Give me a basin
- III ii 32Callicyriis plures More than the Callicyrians
- III v 19Ad restim funiculum Cord to rope
- IV vii 31Lens Deus God Lentil
- IV viii 18Terram video I see land
- IV viii 96Longum proemium audiendi cupido The preamble is long when one is eager to hear
Le contraire de l'amour-propre
Le privilège des riches
- I i 3Nemo bene imperat, nisi qui paruerit imperio No one is a good commander who has not been under command
- I i 9Umbrae Shadows
- I i 44Annus producit, non ager The year, not the field, produces the yield
- I ii 17Viva vox The living word
- I vii 39Felicibus sunt et trimestres liberi How happy he who has a three-months' child
- I viii 100Bonus dux bonum reddit comitem A good leader makes for good following
- II vii 7Multitudo imperatorum Cariam perdidit Excess of generals ruined Caria
- III i 86Arbore dejecta quivis ligna colligit When the tree is felled, everyone gathers the firewood
- III ii 72Aliis lingua, aliis dentes Some have a tongue, others have teeth
- III x 73Recipere animum Regaining courage
- IV v 10Citius Telegorae donarim I would sooner give it to Telegoras
- IV v 97Deorum concio The assembly of the gods
Le tout, sans rien laisser
- I vi 91Festucam ex alterius oculo ejicere To cast a mote out of another man's eye
- II vi 26Una cum ipsis manipulis Sheaves and all
- II ix 51Omnia chnaumata Every scrap
- IV iv 38Ruta caesa Minerals and timber excluded
- IV iv 90Una cum templis et aris Along with temples and altars
- IV vii 98Principium, medium, finis Beginning, middle, and end
- IV x 1Et praedam et praemium Plunder and prize
- IV x 58Maeandri Meanders
- V i 69Cum ramento Filings and all
Lenteur et retard
- I iii 60Inter caesa et porrecta Between the slaying and the offering
- I v 85Acessaei luna The moon of Acessaeus
- I v 86Ubi per Harma fulgurarit When lightning strikes through Harma
- I vi 43Callipides Callipides
- I vi 77Mysorum postremus Lowest of the Mysians
- I viii 95Caudae pilos equinae paulatim vellere To pull out the mare's tail slowly hair by hair
- I ix 11Celerius elephanti pariunt Elephants breed faster
- I ix 52Post festum venisti You have come too late for the feast
- I x 29Romanus sedendo vincit Rome wins by sitting still
- II i 1Festina lente Make haste slowly
- II i 2Pedetentim One step at a time
- II i 3Placide bos Slowly the ox
- II i 4Tacito pede With silent foot
- II v 4Annus est Years ago
- II vi 73Bunas iudex est Bunas is the judge
- II vii 74Amaea Azesiam reperit Amaea has found Azesia
- II ix 17Sero venisti, sed in Colonum ito You're late; off with you to Colonus
- II ix 52Sic est ad pugnae partes re peracta veniendum That's the way to take part in a battle, when it's all over
- II x 61Hyperberetaea Hyperberetaean
- III i 17Machinas post bellum adferre To bring up the artillery when the war is over
- III i 52Manu serendum, non thylaco Sow with the hand and not with the whole sack
- III ii 3Corvus aquat A crow in search of water
- III iv 8Nemo nos insequitur Nobody is chasing us
- III iv 34Profectus ad Apaturia Gone to the Apaturia
- III iv 55Intervallo perit fames, et optime perditur Time kills hunger and is the best way to overcome it
- III iv 80Expecta bos aliquando herbam You can expect grass sometime, ox
- III iv 81Expecta anus Old woman, wait
- III vii 63Ζοφοροδόρπιδες et similia A Dusk-diner and similar expressions
- III vii 83Ad aras At the altars
- III viii 10Quae sero contingunt, sed magnifica Rewards coming late, but generously
- III viii 46Non statim decernendum Not to be resolved at once
- III x 84Festum multas habens A festival has many
- IV i 29Hercules hospitatur Being a host to Hercules
- IV ii 75Diu delibera Take a long time to think
- IV iii 66Summis ingredi pedibus To walk on tiptoe
- IV iii 97Sero venisti You have come too late
- IV v 38Pulmo prius venisset A sea-lung would have come more quickly
- IV v 84Cuculus Cuckoo!
- IV v 96Porta itineri longissima est Going through the gate is the longest part of a journey
- IV vi 23Quisquis tarde venit ad coenam Whoever comes late to a dinner ...
- IV viii 82Μελλονικιᾶν Hang about like Nicias
- IV x 97Agones Agones
- V i 22Gralatorius aut testudineus gradus Stilt-walk or tortoise walk
- V ii 27Cunctatio noxia Hesitation is fatal
- V ii 28In arduis contanter agendum Go cautiously in difficult enterprises
Les malhonnêtes
- I ii 71Ferre iugum To bear the yoke
- I ii 86Eurybatizare To play Eurybatus
- I vii 42Bipedum nequissimus Vilest of two-legged creatures
- I ix 99Lacerat lacertum Largi mordax Memmius Man-eating Memmius lacerates Largius' limbs
- II iii 28Servilis capillus A slave haircut
- II iv 48Lerii mali The Lerians are a bad lot
- II v 29Inexploratus homo A man untried
- II v 49Novi Simonem et Simon me I know Simon and Simon knows me
- II v 90Tenedius tibicen A flute-player from Tenedos
- II vi 99Lupi decas Lupus' gang of ten
- II vii 11Non es laudanus ne in coena quidem You deserve no praise, even at a feast
- II vii 35Cercopum coetus An assembly of Cercopes
- II vii 38Vale carum lumen Farewell, beloved light
- II ix 34Qui omni in re et in omni tempore He who in everything and at every season
- II x 28Magis impius Hippomene As impious as Hippomenes
- II x 38Lydi mali, post hos Aegyptii, etc Lydians are rascals, and Egyptians second, etc
- II x 62Ulyssis remigium Ulysses' crew
- III ii 6Mali commatis Of a bad stamp
- III ii 97Compendiaria res improbitas Rascality takes the short cuts
- III iv 5Κίβδηλος. id est adulterinus Adulterated
- III iv 9Mare proluit omnia mortalium mala The sea washes away all mortal ills
- III iv 72Diagoras Melius Diagoras of Melos
- III vi 81Duplex cappa Double kappa
- III vi 82Tria cappa pessima Nothing worse than three 'C's
- III vii 22Phrynondas alter Another Phrynondas
- III vii 43Non capit somnum, nisi hoc, aut illud fecerit He gets no sleep if he hasn't done this or that
- III vii 65Βωμολοχός, βωμολοχεύεσθαι An altar-scrounger. To Lurk around the altar
- III x 97Insania non omnibus eadem Not everyone is mad in the same way
- IV i 73Αλιτήριος A mugger
- IV i 91Dii tibi dent tuam mentem May the gods give you the mind you deserve
- IV vi 7Cum sacco adire To come with a sack
- IV vi 25Onobatis Ass-rider
- IV vii 57Bestia bestiam novit Beast knows beast
- IV viii 1Ambrones Ambrones
- IV ix 47Ballio Ballio
- IV ix 58Βεργαΐζειν To romance
- V ii 48Aetoli Aetolians
Les puissants
- III viii 38Cavendum a potentiore Beware of a more powerful man
- III ix 69Cum principe non pugnandum Do not dispute with a ruler
- IV iv 5In omnia potentes Powerful over all things
- IV ix 39Nutu atque renutu By a nod or shake of the head
- V i 13Manum ad os apponere Put one's fingers to one's lips
- V i 46Preces armatae Requests backed by force
- V ii 5Principi obtemperandum in omnibus The prince must be obeyed in all things
- V ii 6Civitas non civitas A city and no city
Les vicissitudes du devoir
Liberté, vérité
- I iii 88Veritatis simplex oratio The plain speech of truth
- I vii 17In vino veritas Wine speaks the truth
- I vii 73De plaustro loqui Wagon-language
- I x 46Audi quae ex animo dicuntur Listen to a man who speaks from the heart
- II iii 5Ficus ficus, ligonem ligonem vocat He calls figs figs and a spade a spade
- II ix 5Ter Thrice
- II ix 53Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit Flattery wins friends and truth engenders hate
- II ix 70Et fama fuit eras et eras So ran the tale, and such you were
- III i 48Liberi poetae et pictores Poets and painters are not subject to audit
- III i 80Curetum os So speak the Curetes
- III ii 95Philoxeni Non Philoxenus's No
- III v 34Aperto pectore Open-heartedly
- III viii 4Iubentis aperte loqui Of one who commends frank speech
- III ix 71Aperte simpliciterque loqui Speaking literally and simply
- III ix 75Asseverantius dicere Speaking out firmly
- III x 29Non possum non dicere I cannot help speaking
- IV i 21Libera Corcyra, caca ubi licet Corcyra is free, shit where you will
- IV ii 11Byzeni libertas The freedom of Byzenus
- IV ii 23Profundum sulcum A deep furrow
- IV ii 60Ad cribrum dicta Pronouncements according to the sieve
- IV iii 56Os inest orationi The speech has bones
- IV ix 2Vero verius Truer than truth
- IV x 69Vera fronte With honest brow
- IV x 80Oracula loqui Speak oracles
- V i 14Emendus cui imperes If you want to give orders, you must buy a slave
- V i 48Benefactis pensare delicta Make up for failings with noble deeds
Loisir
Longue vie
- I ii 59Mature fias senex Be old early
- I v 37Sexagenarios de ponte deicere To throw the sexagenarians off the bridge
- I vi 64Cornicibus vivacior As long-lived as the crows
- I vi 65Tithoni senecta The old age of Tithonius
- I vi 66Nestorea senecta As old as Nestor
- I vi 67Ultra pensum vivit He outlives his allotted span
- I x 77Idem Accii quod Titii Accius and Titius take alike
- II i 52Alterum pedem in cymba Charontis habere To have one foot in Charon's boat
- II i 57Phoenice vivacior Living longer than the phoenix
- II iv 3Vivum cadaver. Vivum sepulcrum A living corpse. A living sepulchre
- II vi 15Viro seni maxilla baculus To the old man his jaws are a crutch
- II vii 9Facies tua computat annos Your years are counted in your face
- II vii 61Hesiodi senecta The old age of Hesiod
- II viii 67Viri senis astaphis calvaria An old man's skull is as dry as raisins
- II ix 16Senex bos non lugetur No mourning for an aged ox
- II x 46Limen senectae The treshold of old age
- III i 39Ultra linum Beyond the thread spun
- III ii 100Vitiat lapidem longum tempus Length of time wears the marble
- III iv 22Senescit bos The ox is getting old
- III v 61Ultra catalogum Beyond the count
- III vii 96Danace A copper
- III ix 40Fatale vitae tempus exactum His allotted span fulfilled
- III ix 43Mors optima rapit, deterrima relinquit Death snatches away the best and leaves the worst
- III x 22Effoeta senecta The weakness of old age
- III x 62Mala senium accelerant Misfortunes hasten age
- IV i 50Sibylla vivacior More long-lived than the Sibyl
- IV ii 76Epimenideum corium Epimenides' skin
- IV iii 17Solae Lacaenae viros pariunt Only Spartan women produce men
Luxe et mollesse
- I iii 11Thessalorum alae The wings of the Thessalians
- I iii 22Semper Leontini iuxta pocula Always at their cups, the Leontini
- I v 69Risus ionicus An Ionian laugh
- I vi 56Sybaritica oratio The language of Sybaris
- I viii 63Vita macerata Living softly
- II i 45Amazonum cantilena A song for the Amazons
- II ii 11Coronam quidem gestans, caeterum siti perditus Wearing a garland, yet destroyed by thirst
- II ii 61Sapientia vino ombumbatur Wine darkens wisdom
- II ii 65Sybaritica mensa A Sybaritic table
- II ii 67Sybaritae per plateas Sybarites in the streets
- II ii 68Syracusana mensa A Syracusan table
- II iii 17Episcythizare To drink like a Scythian
- II iii 18Vinum claret clavo Wine hath no rudder
- II iii 19Vinum senem etiam vel nolentem saltare compellit Wine compels an old man to dance even against his will
- II iii 97Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus Without Ceres and Bacchus Venus grows cold
- II iii 98Naviges in Massiliam You should take ship for Massilia
- II iv 74Indulgere genio To indulge one's genius
- II iv 75Curare cuticulam To cultivate one's dainty skin
- II v 30Abronis vita A life like Abron's
- II vii 3Ventrem mihi objicis You taunt me with my belly
- II viii 24Maschalam tollere To lift the elbow
- II viii 78Ventres Idle bellies
- II viii 84Venter auribus caret The belly has no ears
- III i 14AMacerata vita Soft living
- III i 61Teneri calidis balneis Softened by hot baths
- III ii 37Pontificalis coena A dinner for a pontiff
- III iii 40Asini mandibula The jawbone of an ass
- III iii 53Thericlei amicus A friend of the Thericleian
- III iii 71Catella Melitaea A Maltese lapdog
- III iii 90Heterognathus es You use both jaws
- III iv 56Statuam faucibus colas You are trying to drink a statue
- III iv 70Decempes umbra The ten-foot shadow
- III v 66Vixit, dum vixit, bene While he lived, he lived well
- III v 77Siculissare To behave like a Sicilian
- IV i 25Ficus avibus gratae Birds like figs
- IV i 64Pergraecari To live like a Greek
- IV ii 16Ex amphitheto bibisti You have drunk from the amphithetos
- IV ii 33Amphidromiam agis You are celebrating the Amphidromia
- IV v 19E clibano boves Pot-roast oxen
- IV vi 53Utres Thylaci Wine skins, flour sacks
- IV vi 66Methysocottabi Cottabus-drunk
- IV vi 79Μύτης A mutterer-fish
- IV vi 82Piraeus non fert vasa inania The Piraeus does not have empty vessels
- IV vi 91Bos in stabulo An ox in the stable
- IV vii 21Herculani lecti Herculean couches
- IV vii 76Per Satyram A hodge-podge
- IV viii 42Matrem sequimini porci Piglets, after your mother
- IV x 70Porcus Trojanus A Trojan pig
Mal attiré ou retourné
- I i 50Suo iumento sibi malum accersere To fetch trouble for oneself on one's own beast
- I i 51Suo sibi hunc iugulo gladio, suo telo I am cutting his throat with his own sword, with his own weapon
- I i 52Indicit in foveam quam fecit He fell into the pit which he had made
- I i 53Suo ipsius laqueo captus est He was caught in his own noose
- I i 54Hanc technam in teipsum struxisti You constructed this device against yourself
- I i 55Turdus ipse sibi malum cacat The thrush's droppings are its own harm
- I i 56Ipse sibi mali fontem reperit He himself discovered the source of his woe
- I i 57Capra gladium The goat (found) the sword
- I i 58Cornix scorpium The crow (caught) the scorpion
- I i 59Calidum prandium comedisti You have eaten a hot dinner
- I i 60Irritare crabrones To stir up hornets
- I i 61Leonem stimulas You are goading the lion
- I i 62Malum bene conditum ne moveris Do not disturb a well-surpressed evil
- I i 63Octipedem excitas You are waking up Eight-feet
- I i 64Movere Camarinam To move Camarina
- I i 65Anagyrum commoves You are moving Anagyrus
- I i 66Capra contra sese cornua The goat (turns) its own horns against itself
- I i 67Atlas coelum Atlas (supported) the sky
- I i 82Cornutam bestiam petis You attack a horned beast
- I i 85Tute hoc intristi, omne tibi exedundum est You made this dish and you must eat it all up
- I i 86Faber compedes quas fecit, ipse gestet Let the smith who made the fetters wear them
- I i 87Ipsi testudines edite, qui cepistis Eat the turtles you caught yourselves
- I ii 14Malum consilium Bad advice
- I ii 77Ex ipso bove lora sumere To make the leash from the bull's own hide
- I iii 65Suo ipsius indicio periit sorex The shrew-mouse gave itself away
- I v 62Mala attrahens ad sese, ut caecias nubes Attracting trouble as the north-easter draws clouds
- I vi 52Nostris ipsorum alis capimur We are shot with our own feathers
- I vi 73Fecem bibat, qui vinum bibit He must drink the dregs that drank the wine
- I vii 56Omnes attrahens, ut magnis lapis Attracting all men, like the magnet stone
- I vii 60Ipsa olera olla legit The pot picks its own greens
- I ix 28Cicadam ala corripuisti You have taken a grasshopper by the wing
- I ix 51Pyraustae interitus The death of a fire-worm
- I x 14Captantes capti sumus We were made prisoners as we prisoners made
- I x 15In venatu periit The hunt was her undoing
- II i 81Carpathius leporem The Carpathian and the hare
- II i 86Ale luporum catulos Keep wolf-cubs
- II ii 41Puer glaciem The Child and the Ice
- II iii 11Boeotis vaticinare Prophesy to the Boeotians
- II iii 88Chius dominum emit The man from Chios has bought his master
- II iv 35Iliensis tragoedos conduxit The man from Ilium hired the tragic actors
- II iv 56Oenoë charadram Oenoë and the ravine
- II iv 82Echinus partum differt The urchin puts off the birth of its young
- II v 11Leonem radere To shave a lion
- II v 78Bos adversus seipsum pulverem movet The ox raises the dust to its own harm
- II vi 82Bellerophontes litteras A Bellerophon letter
- II vi 83Coeno puram aquam turbans nunquam invenies potum Foul the clear water with mud and you'll never find any to drink
- II vi 87Calidam veruti partem The hot end of the spit
- II vii 72Viro Lydo negocium non erat A man from Lydia was free of troubles
- II vii 100Suem irritat He provokes the boar
- II viii 39Phoci convivium Phocus' dinner-party
- III i 58Ne quid suo suat capiti For fear he might stitch a cap for his own head
- III i 69Dares Entellum provocas You are Darus challenging Entellus
- III ii 2In tuum ipsius malum lunam deduces You will bring down the moon to your own hurt
- III ii 61Arcadiam me postulas You ask me for Arcadia
- III iv 84Docui te urinandi artem I taught you how to dive
- III iv 87In coelum expuis You are spitting against heaven
- III v 8Camelus desiderans cornua etiam aures perdidit The camel asked for horns and lost his ears too
- III vi 13Prudens in flammam mitto manum To put one's hand in the flame intentionally
- III vi 34Nihil grave passus es, nisi etc. You have not been badly hurt unless ...
- III vi 72Fontibus apros, floribus austrum Pigs to springs, the south wind to flowers
- III viii 86Ipse sibi perniciem accersivit He brought calamities on himself
- III x 65Sibi malum repperit He invented his own misfortune
- IV i 39Eurycles Eurycles
- IV i 59Lunam detrahere To pull down the moon
- IV i 79Corvus serpentem Crow and serpent
- IV i 96Bis interimitur, qui suis armis perit He dies twice who dies by his own arms
- IV ii 5Arcessitum malum Evil brought on oneself
- IV ii 19Apros immittere fontibus To allow boars in springs
- IV ii 40Colubrum in sinu fovere Nourishing a serpent in one's bosom
- IV ii 57Ipso cratere Basin and all
- IV v 8Spontanea molestia Trouble of one's own making
- IV v 33Hostis domesticus An enemy within
- IV vi 80Qui inspuerit in cavernam formicarum, etc Whoever spits on an ants' nest ...
- IV vi 88In tuum ipsius caput On your own head may it fall
- IV viii 56Sibi parat malum, qui alteri parat He that plots ill for another lays up ill for himself
- IV ix 67Securim injicere Lay the axe
- IV x 68Talia gignit bellum Such things are born of war
Mal habituel
- II v 5Dies adimit aegritudinem Time tempers grief
- II ix 85Nota res mala optima An evil thing known is best
- III i 35Callum ducere To grow thick-skinned
- III ix 91Malorum assuetudo Familiarity with misfortune
- III x 49Assuevit malis He has grown used to ills
- III x 58Neque enim ignari sumus For we are no strangers
- IV viii 94Scarabaeo citius persuaseris You would sooner persuade a dung-beetle
- IV ix 25Usus est altera natura Habit is a second nature
Mal incurable
Mal mal évité
- I v 4Evitata Charybdi in Scyllam indici Having escaped Charybdis I fell into Scylla
- I v 5Fumum fugiens, in ignem indici Fleeing from the smoke I fell into the fire
- III iii 72Ne cinerem vitans in prunas incidas Avoiding the ashes, do not fall into the red-hot coals
- III iii 89Cucurrit quispiam ne pluvia madesceret, et in foveam praefocatus est To avoid getting wet a man ran through the rain,/Fell into a pit, and was ne'er seen again
Mal qui tourne en bien
Mal redoublé ou renouvelé
- I ii 6Malum malo medicari To heal one evil with another
- I ii 7Morbum morbo addere To add sickness to sickness
- I ii 8Ignem igni ne addas Do no add fire to fire
- I ii 9Oleum camino addere To pour oil on the fire
- I ii 10Oleo incendium restinguere To quench fire with oil
- I vi 80Refricare cicatricem To rub up a sore
- I viii 99Litem parit lis, noxa item noxam parit Quarrel will quarrel breed, and hurt breed hurt
- I x 9Hydram secas You cut off a hydra's heads
- I x 67Lutum luto purgare To purge away mud with mud
- II ii 63Fallacia alia aliam trudit One fraud treads on the heels of another
- II viii 45Est Pylus ante Pylum Pylos there is before Pylos
- II x 41Lis litem serit One quarrel breeds another
- III vii 35Pro caeco exoculatus est Not blind but eyeless
- III viii 78Duobus malis resistere difficillimum Against two evils it is very difficult to stand firm
- IV ii 36Praestat uni malo obnoxium esse quam duobus It is better to be exposed to one evil that two
- IV iii 13Post Marathonem pugna Another battle follows Marathon
- IV iv 55Illco hyems erit Suddenly it will be winter
- IV vii 40De fumo ad flammam From the smoke into the fire
Malheur ou ruine
- I i 20Novacula in cotem The razor against the whetstone
- I i 72Genius malus An evil genius
- I i 80Graviora Sambico patitur He suffers worse tortures than Sambicus
- I ii 68Fortuniatur Strobilis Carcini Luckier than the Strobili of Carcinus
- I ii 73Mustelam habes You have a weasel in your house
- I iii 26Ilias malorum An Iliad of troubles
- I iii 27Lerna malorum A Lerna of troubles
- I iii 28Mare malorum A sea of troubles
- I iii 30Thesaurus malorum A store of evils
- I v 41Asinus inter simias A donkey among apes
- I v 42Asinus inter apes A donkey among bees
- I vi 34Alio relinquente fluctu alius excepit One wave left me and another caught me up
- I vi 54Ad aquam malus A rascal at the water
- I ix 7Per medium annulum traharis oportet You might well be dragged through a ring
- I ix 27Lemnium malum As bad as Lemnos
- I x 36In puteo cum canibus pugnare To fight with dogs in a well
- I x 97Equum habet Sejanum He must keep Sejus' horse
- I x 98Aurum habet Tolossanum He has gold from Toulouse
- II i 31In lapicidinas To the quarries
- II i 90Per tenebras quae apud quercum By the darkness around the oak
- II i 96Ad corvos Off with you to the crows
- II i 97Mitte in aquam Throw him in the water
- II i 98In beatam To blessedness
- II ii 66Sybaritica calamitas A Sybarite calamity
- II v 91Cyrbes malorum Whole statute-books of wrong
- II vi 79Diolygium malum A resounding disaster
- II vii 47Argi collis Argus' hill
- II vii 67Canis in vincula The dog asks for his chain
- II viii 22Charontis Janua Charon's gate
- II viii 23Minxit in patrios cineres He has made water on the ashes of his ancestors
- II viii 34Cadmea victoria A Cadmean victory
- II ix 4Terrestria balnea Subterranean baths
- II ix 41Cuiusmodi portento me involvit fortuna With what a portent fortune has embroiled me!
- II ix 50Ogygia mala Ogygian disasters
- II x 17Magnetum mala The misfortunes of the Magnesians
- II x 20Militavit cum Erasinades He fought under Erasinades
- II x 27Malorum panegyris A throng of misfortunes
- II x 45Lepus apparens infornutatem facit iter A hare appearing makes your path unlucky
- II x 52Labore laboriosus In labour laborious
- II x 68In Orci culum incidas May you fall into Orcus' anus
- II x 70Excubias agere, aut ditari To keep watch or to become rich
- II x 73In apes irruisti You have charged into the bees
- II x 78Inus dolores The sorrows of Ino
- II x 98Ardens vestis A blazing robe
- III i 3Aegypti nuptiae Aegyptus' wedding
- III i 70Ad Cynosargus Off with you to Cynosarges
- III i 71Cythnicae calamitates Cythnian disasters
- III iii 7Dicas tria ex curia May you say your three words from the court
- III iii 29Archidamicum bellum An Archidamian war
- III iii 33Niobes mala The woes of Niobe
- III iii 88Extrema extremorum mala Of ultimate disasters the ultimate
- III iv 59Antiopae luctus Antiope's sorrow
- III iv 64Nephasti dies Unpropitious days
- III v 69E tribus malis unum One of three penalties
- III vi 60Issa Issa!
- III vi 75Vel hosti miserandus To be pitied even by an enemy
- III vii 85Taenarium malum A Taenarian bane
- III vii 92Cyrnia iactura A Cyrnian disaster
- III vii 94Quae ex antiqua What comes from the old city
- III viii 26Fortuna prorsus adversa Absolutely hostile fortune
- III ix 15Mens laeva Wrong-headed
- III ix 97Malis mala succedunt One misfortune after another
- III x 80Servabis bovem You will keep watch on the ox
- IV i 20Semper Ilio mala Troy is ill-fated ever
- IV i 41Rupta ancora His hook has broken
- IV ii 62Mala ultra adsunt Evils come of their own accord
- IV ii 64My fortitus es You have drawn M
- IV iii 9Commune naufragium A shipwreck shared
- IV iii 40Tragicum malum A tragic misfortune
- IV iii 75Vivus, vidensque Though alive and seeing
- IV iv 72Tam perit, quam extrema faba As precarious as a bean on the edge
- IV v 40Qui multum obfuit He who did great harm as an enemy
- IV v 59Obedientia felicitatis mater Obedience is the mother of prosperity
- IV vii 8Malo asino vehitur Riding on a wretched ass
- IV vii 26Miserior monomachis As doleful as a duellist
- IV vii 48Aqua et terra reddamini May you become water and earth
- IV vii 56Victus spinosus A thorny life
- IV viii 46Hodie nihil succedit Nothing's going right today
- V i 49Tempestas rerum A stormy situation
- V ii 32Numinis ira inevitabilis The wrath of God cannot be escaped
Malice d'esprit et son origine
- I vii 54Cum lacte nutricis With our mother's milk
- I x 90Podex lotionem vincit The arse beats all efforts to wash it
- II i 68Occasione dumtaxat opus improbitati Rascals have all they need to save opportunity
- II iv 11Qui semel scurra, nunquam paterfamilias Once a buffoon, never a honest family man
- II iv 19Salivam imbibere To acquire a taste
- II iv 20Quo semel est imbuta Long will a crock
- II vii 14Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurrit Though you cast out nature with a fork, it still returns
- II x 42Lignum tortum haud unquam rectum A twisted branch, never straight
- III iii 19Lupus pilum mutat, non mentem A wolf may change his hair, but not his heart
- III x 88Aethiops non albescit The African cannot become white
- V ii 31Mala malis eveniunt Evil grows out of evil
Manque d'éloquence
Maudire
- I ii 84Devotionis templum Temple of cursing
- I vi 55Phocencium exsecratio Phocaean imprecations
- I vii 61Oedipi imprecatio The curse of Oedipus
- II viii 76Utinam male, quemadmodum invienisti, eiicias May you disgorge in disgrace your disgraceful gains
- II x 79In omni fabula et Daedali exsecratio In every story there's a curse on Daedalus
- III iv 64Nephasti dies Unpropitious days
- III viii 9Adiurantis se facturum aliquid Of one who swears to perform some act
- IV x 67In ultimas terras To the ends of the earth
- V i 34In dierectum Get crucified
Mauvaise vue
- I iii 55Talpa caecior As blind as a mole
- I iii 56Caecior leberide As blind as a sloughed skin
- I iii 57Tiresia caecior As blind as Tiresias
- I iii 58Hypsea caecior As blind as Hypsea
- I viii 40Caecus caeco dux The blind leading the blind
- I viii 41Caeca speculatio A blind man's watch
- II i 28Eiusdem Musae aemulus A suitor of the selfsame muse
- II i 29Lolio victitant They live on darnel
- II i 75Saturniae lemae Saturnian rheums
- II i 76Cucurbitas lippis Your eyes run pumpkins
- II i 77Ollas lippere Your eyes run pots
- II ii 36In canis podicem inspicere To look into a dog's anus
- II vi 34Cimmeriae tenebrae Cimmarian gloom
- II ix 43Pulverem oculis offundere To throw dust in a man's eyes
- III i 6E duobus tria vides You see three in place of two
- III iii 78Neque caecum ducem neque amentem consultorem Neither a blind guide nor a witless counsellor
- III vi 30Nox humida A damp night
- III vii 59Palpari in tenebris Groping in the dark
Menacer
- I ii 88Et meum telum cuspidem habet acuminatam My weapon too has a sharpened point
- I x 88Complurium thriorum ego strepitum audivi I have heard the sound of many fig-leaves
- II ii 30Tolle calcar Raise your spur
- II ix 13Si tibi est machaera, et nobis urbina est domi You may have a sword, but I too have a spit of my own
- III iv 38Ψευδόπυρα. False fires
- III vi 24Ollam alere To keep the pot full
- III viii 83Qui paratus ad resistendum Someone ready to resist
- IV iii 28Ne mihi vacuam abstergas Don't level off what is empty
- IV viii 11Igni ferroque minari Threaten with fire and sword
- IV x 13Ferrum et flamma Sword and flame
- IV x 91Aeacidinae minae Threats worthy of Achilles
Modestie et mesure
- I ii 91Jucundissima navigatio iuxta terram, ambulatio iuxta mare The most delightful sailing is by the land, and walking by the sea
- I v 3Ita fugias, ne praeter casam Run away, but not beyond the house
- I v 67Funem abrumpere nimium tendendo To stretch the rope till it breaks
- I vi 86In se descendere To venture down into oneself
- I vi 87Tecum habita To be your own lodger
- I vi 88Messe tenus propria vive Live up to your own harvest
- I vi 92Intra tuam pelliculam te contine Keep inside your own skin
- I vi 94In tuum ipsius sinum inspue Spit into your own bossom
- I vi 95Nosce teipsum Know thyself
- I vi 96Ne quid nimis Nothing to excess
- I vii 32Arabius tibicen An Arabian piper
- I vii 62Efficimus pro nostris opibus moenia We build the walls we can afford
- I vii 64Jucunda vicisstudo rerum Variety's the spice of life
- I ix 95Dimidium plus toto The half is more than the whole
- II iii 25Summum cape et medium habebis Grasp the summit, and halfway will be yours
- II iii 26Iniquum petendum ut aequum feras Ask an unfair share to get a fair share
- II v 46Ne supra pedem calceus Let not the shoe be too big for the foot
- II viii 52Equo senescenti minora cicela admove On ageing horses set a lighter brand
- II ix 48Pastillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius hircum Rufillus reeks of lozenges, Gorgonius of he-goat
- III i 52Manu serendum, non thylaco Sow with the hand and not with the whole sack
- III vii 4Nihil minus expedit quam agrum optime colere Nothing pays less well than really good farming
- III viii 87Ultra vires nihil aggrediendum Do not engage in what is beyond your powers
- III x 3Demittere sese ad aliorum mediocritatem Coming down to the level of others
- IV iii 14Ne vities Musicam Don't ruin the music
- IV iv 22Neque pessimus, neque primus Neither worst nor first
- IV iv 24Ubi paveris impera Give orders to those you have fed
- IV iv 97Neque Lydorum carycas Neither Lydian black-puddings
- IV v 3Domus recta A good home
- IV v 77Arcus tensus rumpitur The bow breaks if strung too tight
- IV v 89Oportet agrum imbecilliorem esse The land should be more feeble
- IV vii 97Psallium injicere To put on a curb-chain
- IV viii 67Ne quaeras Deus esse Seek not to become God
- V i 32Contrahere vela Take in one's sails
Moquerie
- I ii 80E sublimi me derides You are mocking me from your lofty heigth
- I viii 22Naso suspendere To turn up the nose
- II x 77In eo ipse stas lapide, in quo praeco praedicat You stand on the very block where the cryer cries his wares
- III ii 21Loripedem rectus derideat Let the healthy man mock the cripple
- III iii 87Εσκιμαλίχθαι To be a target for the finger
- IV i 78Postica sanna A face behind your back
- IV viii 97Omnia praeclara dicis Well said, all of it
- V i 67Curre denuo Take another run
Médisance
- II ii 57Archilochia edicta Archilochian edicts
- IV i 30Etiam in Deorum coetu Even in the assembly of the gods
- IV iii 61Ultra Hyperbolum Worse than Hyperbolus
- IV iii 81Picifer A jay-bearer
- IV vi 85Ιαμβίζειν To iambicize
- IV vi 96Στηνιῶσαι To Steniacize
- IV vii 47Exsecrationes serere To sow curses
- IV vii 54Maesonica dicteria Maesonian quips
- V i 71Quam Clinia ex Demetrio More than Clinia heard from Demetrius
Méfiance
- I i 70Homo homini lupus Man is a wolf to man
- I iii 35Hostium munera, non munera Gifts of enemies are no gifts
- I viii 31Oculatae manus Hands with eyes in them
- I viii 32Caeca dies, et Oculata dies A blind day, and A day with eyes
- I x 50Confringere tesseram To break one's token
- II i 14Nemini fidas, nisi cum quo prius modium salis absumpseris Trust no man, unless you have eaten a peck of salt with him first
- II iii 31Quot servos habemus, totidem habemus hostes We have as many enemies as we have slaves
- II vi 54Pluris est oculatus testis unus quam auriti decem One eye-witness is worth more than ten ear-witnesses
- II vi 93Lydus ostium clausit A Lydian shut the door
- II vii 56Non persuadebis, ne si persuaseris quidem Even if you persuade me, I'll never believe you
- II viii 8Simul et da et accipe Give and take at the same time
- III iii 55Fiducia pecunias amisi Credulity has cost me money
- III viii 51Cavendum ab eo, qui semel imposuit Beware of the man who has cheated once
- IV iv 17Tuam ipsius terram calca Walk on your own land
- IV v 61Etiam si Cato dicat Even if Cato were to say it
- IV vii 3Ne Mercurio quidem credere Not even Mercury would be believed
Mémoire
- I vii 40Aurem vellere To pluck by the ear
- II ii 44Ubi quis dolet, ibidem et manum habet Where the sore is, there is the hand
- II iii 43Jucundi acti labores Past labour is pleasant
- II iv 91Tanquam meum nomen. Tanquam digitos As well as I know my own name, or, my fingers
- IV i 57Quae dolent, ea molestum est contingere It is unkind to touch on things that give pain
- IV vi 54Ignarium dare To give a firestone
- IV ix 27Jucunda malorum praeteritorum memoria The remembrance of past sorrows is pleasurable
Mépris et bassesse
- I ii 43Tricae; apinae Stuff and nonsense
- I iii 21Manum non veterim. Digitum non porrexerim I would not turn a hand. I would not raise a finger
- I iii 77Frusto panis For a crust of bread
- I iii 83Susque deque Neither here nor there
- I v 68In matellam immeiere To make water in a chamber-pot
- I v 94Indignus qui illi matellam porrigat Unworthy to hold out a chamber-pot to him
- I vi 41Principatus Scyrius Sovereignty in Scyros
- I vi 77Mysorum postremus Lowest of the Mysians
- I vii 21Etiam corchorus inter olera Blue pimpernel too is a vegetable
- I vii 31AAb asino delapsus Fallen off the donkey
- I vii 31BTelluris onus A burden on the earth
- I vii 76Oppedere, et Oppedere contra tonitrua To fart in someone's face, or To fart against the thunder
- I vii 79Sale emptum mancipium A slave not worth his salt
- I vii 85Ficulnus Fig-wood
- I viii 4Pili non facio I count it not worth a hair
- I viii 5Nauci non facio I care not a mite
- I viii 6Flocci non facio, aut Flocci facio I care not a wisp of wool, or, a wisp of wool and no more
- I viii 7Huius non facio I make it not worth a snap of the fingers
- I viii 8Vitiosa nuce non emam I would not buy it for a rotten walnut
- I viii 9Ne teruncium quidem insumpsit He did not spend a farthing
- I viii 10Homo trioboli A three-ha'penny fellow
- I viii 11Homo tressis A threepenny man
- I viii 12Dignus pilo Worth a hair
- I viii 13Nec uno dignus Not worth a one
- I viii 37Nihil sacri es You're nothing sacred
- I viii 38Nihil sanum Rotten to the core
- I viii 39Dionis gry Dion's grunt
- I viii 56Multa Syrorum olera Syria is not short of herbs
- I viii 79Carica musa Carian music
- I ix 2Timidior es prospiciente You are as frightened as the peeper
- I ix 11Celerius elephanti pariunt Elephants breed faster
- I ix 53Merx ultronea putet Goods given away will soon decay
- I ix 70Elephantum non capit murem The elephant does not catch mice
- I ix 71Aquila thripas aspiciens An eagle confronted with a thrips
- I ix 86Ne umbram quidem eius novit He does not know even the shadow of it
- I x 4De fece haurire To drain the dregs
- I x 10Ne ramenta quidem. Ne festuca quidem Not a splinter. Not even a straw
- I x 12Non est cura Hippoclidi Hippocleides doesn't care
- I x 63Septimus bos The seventh ox
- II i 65In foribus urceum The water-jar on the doorstep
- II i 79Megarenses neque tertii neque quarti The Megarians are neither the third nor the fourth
- II ii 20Cochleare crescet The spoon will grow
- II ii 21Connae calculus Connas' vote
- II ii 92Inter indoctos etiam corydus sonat In tuneless company the lark can sing
- II iii 23Numerus A mere cypher
- II iii 55Perque enses perque ignem oportet irrumpere Through sword and fire we needs must break our way
- II iii 79Panus lacer Shreds and tatters
- II iv 2Fumi umbra A shadow of smoke
- II iv 8Cubito emungere To wipe one's nose on one's forearm
- II iv 38Nebula in pariete A shadow on the wall
- II iv 67Mandare laqueum To bid one go hang
- II iv 68Medium ostendere digitum To show the middle finger
- II iv 69Barbam vellere To pull by the beard
- II v 10Plumbeo jugulare gladio To cut a man's throat with a leaden sword
- II v 79Tragicus rex A tragedy king
- II vi 30Indoctior Philonide More ignorant than Philonides
- II vi 45Rusticanum oratorem ne contempseris Do not despise a country speaker
- II vi 47Cinernus Bacchus A chickpea Bacchus
- II vii 1Pomarius Hercules Hercules eating apples
- II vii 48Asinus esuriens fustem negligit A hungry ass does not notice the stick
- II vii 90Fulgur ex pelvi A flash in the pan
- II viii 9Semper me tales hostes insequantur O that I always had such enemies
- II viii 27Generosus es ex crumena You owe your blood to your purse
- II viii 42Tanquam conchylium discerpere To tear in pieces like a shell-fish
- II viii 62Locrensis bos A Locrian ox
- II viii 63Ficulnus gladius A figwood sword
- II viii 64Ficum Mercurio A fig to Mercury
- II viii 89Trium literarum homo A three-letter man
- II viii 96Tineas pascere To feed the worms
- II viii 98Tithymallus Laconicus Laconian spurge
- II viii 100Quam curat testudo muscam More than a tortoise minds a fly
- II ix 2Quatuor obolis non aestimo I wouldn't give four obols for it
- II ix 22Servorum civitas Slave city
- II ix 28Inertium chorus A party of lazybones
- II ix 46Extritum ingenium A worn-out brain
- II ix 48Pastillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius hircum Rufillus reeks of lozenges, Gorgonius of he-goat
- II x 5Abominandus scarabaeus An abominable dung-beetle
- II x 30Malum Hercules Hercules and the apple
- II x 77In eo ipse stas lapide, in quo praeco praedicat You stand on the very block where the cryer cries his wares
- II x 89Olerum appositiones Greens on the table
- III i 29Incus maxima non metuit strepitus The heaviest anvil has no fear of noise
- III i 67De lapide emptus Bought off the block
- III i 76Minus de istis laboro quam de ranis palustribus These things trouble me less than frogs in the marsh
- III ii 12Concha dignus Worth a shell
- III ii 45Scarabei umbrae Shades of a dung-beetle
- III ii 52Bos Homolottiorum An ox of the Homolottians
- III ii 59Asinus compluitur An ass can stand the rain
- III ii 65Aquila non captat muscas An eagle does not hunt flies
- III ii 94Quis usus cepis putridi? What use are rotten onions?
- III iii 12Antehac putabam te habere cornua Before this, I thought you had horns
- III iii 18Aquilam cornix provocat The crow irritates the eagle
- III iii 49Ne terra quidem juvit He did not help even with earth
- III v 22Munus Levidensae A threadbare present
- III v 26Ciceris emptor A buyer of chickpeas
- III v 54Exiguum oboli precium Small value even for an obol
- III v 82Siculus milus A Sicilian soldier
- III vi 45Minimo provocare To challenge with the little finger
- III vi 73Ollaris deus An earthenware god
- III vi 94Calabri hospitis xenia Gifts of a Calabrian host
- III vi 97Caricus hircus A Carian goat
- III vii 52Ne nummus quidem plumbeus Not a lead penny
- III vii 67Ne allii quidem caput Not even a head of garlic
- III vii 75Ne guttam quidem Not even a drop
- III vii 80Imi subsellii Belonging to the lowest bench
- III viii 21Contemnentis dicterium For one who is not troubled by mockery
- III viii 50Nec dignus, qui me intueatur Not worthy to look me in the eye
- III viii 54Contemnentis inimicum Of a man who despises his enemy
- IV i 5Attagen Woodcock
- IV i 23Canis vivens e magdalia A dog living on a breadcrumb
- IV i 64Pergraecari To live like a Greek
- IV i 66Ne ligula quidem dignus Not worth a tiddler
- IV i 72Inutilior blace As useless as a catfish
- IV ii 55Non admodum misces You are not exactly shaking everything
- IV ii 79Βατακάρας Droopy head
- IV iii 23Nihil cocio est Haggling brings no money
- IV iii 43Asinos non curo I have no interest in asses
- IV iii 55Uterque ambo Each is both
- IV iii 81Picifer A jay-bearer
- IV iii 100Hoc noveram priusquam Theognis natus est I knew this before Theognis was born
- IV iv 29Cecidis et Buphoniorum Cecides and tbe Buphonia
- IV iv 41Soterichi lecti Couches of Soterichus
- IV iv 75Vapula papiria You be hanged, Papiria
- IV iv 99Quod non opus est, ass carum est What you do not need to have is dear at a penny
- IV v 42Non pluris quam simias Worth as little as monkeys
- IV vi 18Αθερίζειν Not worth harvesting
- IV vi 41Caricum vinum Carian wine
- IV vii 17Ne crepitu quidem digiti dignum Worth not even the snap of a finger
- IV vii 95Coenum barbaricum Barbaric filth
- IV viii 3Titivillitium A tinker's cuss
- IV viii 48Ut luti bajuli Like carriers of mortar
- IV viii 55Mithragyrtes, non dadachus An itinerant priest of Mithras, no Torchbearer
- IV viii 83Fumus Smoke
- IV ix 1Nummo addicere To knock down for a penny
- IV ix 33Diobolares Twopenny fellows
- IV ix 42Menia columna The Maenian Column
- IV ix 98Ut herba solstitialis Like the solstice plant
- IV x 5Obolo dignus Worth a penny
- IV x 22Scraptae Gob-hawkers
- IV x 43Cyatho non emam I wouldn't give a dram
- IV x 98Fungus putidus A rotten mushroom
- V i 9Nummus plumbeus A lead penny
- V i 17Cassa glande An empty acorn
- V i 21Non magis quam canem No more than a dog
- V i 37Nihil est, aut nihil cura est He is nothing, or cares for nothing
- V i 68Nutricis pallium A nurse's dress
- V i 70Mortuo vilior Of less account than a corpse
Noblesse / obscurité
- I viii 86Terrae filius A son of earth
- II viii 33Generosior Codro As nobly born as Codrus
- II viii 61Generosior Sparta As spirited as Sparta
- II x 14Matris ut capra dicitur He's called after his mother like a she-goat
- III i 45Ne patris quidem nomen dicere possit He could not even tell you his father's name
- IV iii 46Subditius es You are counterfeit
- IV iv 51Lychnobii Livers-by-lamplight
- IV viii 8Quanta vix coelo capi possit More than the heavens can contain
- IV viii 23In ore atque oculis Before the face, in the sight of
- IV viii 65Avis ex avibus Bird of a long line of birds
- IV viii 71Virtus gloriam parit Virtue begets glory
- IV viii 73E domo in domum From home to home
- IV ix 49Domi nobilis A man of standing in his locality
- IV ix 79Fumosae imagines Smoke-darkened portraits
- IV x 12Διακωδωνίζειν Shake the bell at
- IV x 82Cymbalum mundi The world's cymbal
- IV x 86Jovis germen Scion of Jove
Nouveauté
Nulle part
Nécessité
- I iii 14Feras non culpes, quod vitari non potest What can't be cured, must be endured
- I ix 4Diomeda necessitas To have Diomede on your track
- II iii 32Vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit God will be there whether you summon him or no
- II iii 40Ingens telum necessitas Necessity's a mighty weapon
- II iii 41Adversum necessitatem ne dii quidem resistunt Against necessity even the gods can make no stand
- II iii 72Quod factum est, infectum fieri non potest What's done cannot be undone
- II viii 92Transversum agere To drive off course
- II ix 57Omnia esculenta obsessis The besieged find all things edible
- III i 65Daedali alae The wings of Daedalus
- III ii 82Adactum iusiurandum An imported, or imposed, oath
- III v 65Viro esurienti necesse est furari A hungry man must needs be a thief
- III vi 54Lepori esurienti etiam placentae fici To a starving hare even cakes are figs
- III viii 16Fatis imputandum Put it down to fate
- III ix 12Mors omnibus communis Death is the common lot
- III ix 18Cibo opus duraturis in labore Those who face a long task need food
- III ix 49Ne dii quidem a morte liberant Not even the gods free us from death
- III ix 53Fatum immutabile Destiny cannot be changed
- III ix 86Fatum inevitabile Destiny is unavoidable
- III ix 87Fatis adactus Driven by fate
- III x 7Inevitabile fatum Unavoidable fate
- III x 11Nemo cogendus officii causa Do not force anyone by kindness
- III x 35Officium ne collocaris in invitum Do not place an obligation on someone who does not want it
- IV i 27Volentem bovem ducito Lead a willing ox
- IV vii 55Necessitas magistra Necessity is a teacher
- IV viii 47Nec currimus, nec remigamus Neither running nor rowing
- IV ix 26Necessitas molesta Necessity is disagreeable
- IV ix 65Deserere vadimonium Break bail
- IV x 37Sontica causa Compelling reason
- V i 90Fato non repugnandum Fight not against fate
- V ii 32Numinis ira inevitabilis The wrath of God cannot be escaped
Négligence
- I iii 63Per nebulam, per caliginem, per somnium Through cloud, through darkness, as in a dream
- I iv 27Molli brachio, levi brachio With a gentle touch, a light touch
- I ix 80Ut canis e Nilo Like a dog drinking out of the Nile
- I ix 91A limine salutare To greet from the treshold
- I ix 92Primoribus labiis degustare To taste with the tip of one's tongue
- I ix 93Summis labiis With the tip of the lips
- I ix 94Extremis digitis attingere To touch with the fingertips
- I x 64Summis naribus olfacere To smell with the tip of one's nose
- II i 23Compressis manibus With folded hands
- II vii 70Phani ostium Phanus' front door
- III i 49Per transennam inspicere To see through a lattice
- III x 48Princeps indiligens The negligent ruler
- IV i 40Si quis juxta civitatem clypeus Some shield for the town!
- IV ii 52Malus janitor A bad gatekeeper
- IV iv 2Suspensa manu With a limp hand
- IV iv 48Subito alius Suddenly another person
- IV iv 83In transcursu On the run
- IV vii 76Per Satyram A hodge-podge
- IV ix 11Moriendum priusquam etc. One must die before ...
- IV ix 59Summo pede Dip the toes
Obscurité
- I iii 36Davus sum, non Oedipus I am Davus, not Oedipus
- I iii 63Per nebulam, per caliginem, per somnium Through cloud, through darkness, as in a dream
- I vi 29Delius natator A delian diver
- II ii 36In canis podicem inspicere To look into a dog's anus
- II iii 9Boeotica aenigmata Boeotian riddles
- III vi 32Numeris Platonicis obscurius As obscure as Plato's math
- IV v 78Ne Apollo quidem intelligat Not even Apollo would understand it
Obstination
- I iii 76Gladiatorio animo With a gladiator's spirit
- I iv 21Equis albis praecedere To lead the way with white horses
- I iv 22Mordicus tenere To hold fast with one's teeth
- I iv 23Toto corpore, omnibus unguiculis With the whole body, with all one's nails (claws)
- III ii 95Philoxeni Non Philoxenus's No
- III viii 44Inexorabilis Unbending
- IV v 83Nisi crura fracta etc. Unless his legs are broken
- IV viii 45Ostrei in morem haeret Sticks like a limpet
- IV ix 64Alios tragoedos provocat He challenges the other tragedians
- V i 52Auriculam mordicus Bite off an ear
- V i 99Pervicacia stultitiae dat poenas Stubbornness pays the penalty that its folly deserves
Occasion
- I iv 3Fenestram aperire, et similes metaphorae To open a window, and similar metaphors
- III i 41Gladium dedisti, qui se occideret You have given him a sword with which he could kill himself
- III ix 67Premenda occasio Seize the opportunity
- III x 41Tollenda mali occasio Remove the opportunity for evil
- IV i 36Eximere e manu manubrium To strike the handle out of his hand
- IV iii 86Non semper erit aestas Summer will not last forever
- IV iv 100Nunc tuum ferrum in igni est Now your iron is in the fire
- IV x 39Capere crines Seize the locks
Occupation
- II iii 15Ne ad aures quidem sculpendas otium est He has no leisure even to scratch his ear
- II iii 46Nullum ocium servis Slaves have no leisure
- III iv 98Cum licet fugere, ne quaere litem When you can run away, don't look for a quarrel
- III ix 94Tacite stomachari Silent vexation
- IV ii 74Vincula Tyrrhena Tyrrhenian bonds
Origines
- I iii 68Hinc illae lachrymae Hence those tears
- I iii 73Magnorum fluminem navigabiles fontes Great rivers have navigable springs
- I iii 74Generosioris arboris statim planta cum fructu est The slip of a noble tree bears fruit at once
- I vi 33Nunquam ex malo patre bonus filius Never good son from bad father
- I viii 87Ex quercubus sive saxis nati Born of oaktrees or rocks
- I ix 25Mali corvi malum ovum An ill crow lays an ill egg
- I ix 26Ab impiis egressa est iniquitas Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked
- I x 61Bonae leges ex malis moribus procreantur Ill manners produce good laws
- II iii 93E squilla non nascitur rosa No rose blooms on a squill
- II v 65Exiguum malum, ingens bonum A small evil and a great good
- II vi 66Ex tua officina From your workshop
- II viii 47E tardigrades asinis equus prodiit The plodding donkeys have produced a horse
- II x 75Initium belli The start of the war
- III v 28Hinc belli initium This is where the war begins
- III viii 23Ex minimis initiis maxima Greatest things from small beginnings
- III ix 23Autor omnium et fons Author and source of everything
- III x 89Annas clibanum Annas and the oven
- IV ii 97Piscis primum a capite foetet The head of a fish is the first part to smell
- V ii 14E circulo Out of a group in the street
- V ii 37A capite arcessere, a fonte ducere Fetch from the fountain-head; draw from the source
Oubli
- I ii 52Vivorum oportet meminisse One should remember the living
- I vii 1Odi memorem compotorem I hate a pot-companion with a good memory
- II i 94Ne malorum memineris Remember no wrongs
- II iii 96Proprii nominis oblivisci To forget one's own name
- II ix 55Oblivionis campus Oblivion Fields
- III iv 46Ventis tradere To cast to the winds
- III viii 22Malorum oblivio Forgetting wrongs
- IV iii 84Imis ceris eradere To scrape away to the lowest level of wax
- IV v 64Bibere mandragoram To drink mandrake
- IV vii 33Ex libro gubernatores Steersmen from a book
Ouvertement et grossièrement
- I i 37Crassa Minerva. Pingui Minerva. With a stupid Minerva, a crass Minerva
- I i 38Crassiore Musa Of the more clumsy Muse
- II x 33Praemansum in os inserere Spoonfeeding
- III vii 61Tenuiter diducis You're combing it out thinly
- IV v 98Camarine loqui To speak Camarinian
- IV ix 13More Romano In blunt Roman fashion
Parasites
Pauvreté
- I i 26Nudior leberide As bare as a snake's sloughed skin
- I iii 48Nec obolum habet, unde restim emat He hasn't a farthing left to buy himself a rope
- I v 7Pedem ubi ponat non habet He has no place to set his foot
- I v 16Zonam perdidit He's lost his belt
- I v 22Paupertas sapientiam sortita est Poverty has drawn wisdom as her lot
- I vi 76Iro, Codro pauperior As poor as Irus or Codrus
- I ix 66Fames Melia A Melian famine
- I ix 67Saguntina fames Famine at Saguntum
- I ix 68Famis campus Famine field
- I x 24Animam debet He owes his own soul
- II ii 78Cinclus Wagtail
- II iii 56Non impetam lingua I will not attack with my tongue
- II v 83Sterilius agrippo More barren than a wild-olive
- II vi 2Aquam bibens nihil boni parias Water-drinkers are not powerful thinkers
- II viii 44Nudus tanquam ex matre Naked as he came from his mother
- II viii 90Trium dierum commeatum Three days' rations
- II ix 3Tenuem nectis You weave a small web
- II ix 6Theagenis pecuniae Theagenes' wealth
- II ix 38Quaerendae facultates, deinde virtus Seek riches first, then virtue
- II ix 93Ne in pelle quidem Not even in skin
- II x 100Nudior paxillo As naked as a peg
- III iii 31Mortuus jacet pedens The dead man lies there farting
- III iv 62Omnem facultatem indutus est He is wearing all his wealth
- III vii 49Λιμοδωριεῖς Limodorians
- III x 45Qui eget, in turba versetur The needy man should keep with the crowd
- III x 51Pauper, sed ingeniosus Poor but talented
- IV ii 48Multa docet fames Hunger teaches many things
- IV ii 51Mendico ne parentes quidem amici sunt For a beggar not even parents are friends
- IV iii 29Cum fis nanus, cede Yield, since you are a dwarf
- IV iii 31Telenico pauperior As poor as Telenicus
- IV iii 48Pistillo nudior As naked as a pestle
- IV iii 53Cleomenes superat cubile Cleomenes is too big for his bed
- IV iii 58Non est Dithyrambus, si bibat aquam There is no dithyramb if he drinks water
- IV iii 60Pausone mendicior As poor as Pauson
- IV iii 85Macilenta manu pinguem pedem Thin hand, swollen foot
- IV iii 87Cum exossis suum rodit pedem When a polypus gnaws its own foot
- IV iii 89Araneas ejicere To cast out spiders' webs
- IV iv 95Euparyphus ex comoedia Like Euparyphus in comedy
- IV v 81Certissima paupertas The surest poverty
- IV vii 67Ad incitas To a standstill
- IV vii 68Centro et spatio circumscripta Limited by centre and radius
- IV ix 20Omnia praeter animam Everything bar the soul
- IV ix 46Ne tempestas quidem nocere possit Not even a storm can harm
- IV ix 48Ostiatim Seriatim, in detail
- IV x 41Celei supellex Celeus' goods and chattels
- IV x 63Non habet, cui indormiat He hasn't a thing to sleep on
- V i 57Ut ex bulga matris As from our mother's bag
- V i 79Salacones Salacons
Penchant (contre)
- I i 17Nunc meae in arctum coguntur copiae Now my forces are pressed into a narrow space
- I i 42Invita Minerva Against Minerva's will
- I ii 46Currentem incitare To cheer on the runner
- I ii 47Calcar addere currenti To spur on the running horse
- I iv 11Mustelae sevum Suet for the weasel
- I v 28Sphaera per praecipitium A ball runs downhill
- I vi 13Bene plaustrum perculit He gave the cart a good shove downhill
- I vi 21Cantherium in fossa Donkey in a ditch
- I viii 82In planiciem equum The horse to the plain
- II i 35In puteo constrictus Caught in a well
- II iii 85Tarichus assus est simul atque viderit ignem Salt fish is baked as soon as it has seen the fire
- II viii 97Titio ad ignem A log onto the fire
- II x 65Una scutica omneis impellit One whip drives them all
- III iv 76Lydum in planiciem provocas You are calling a Lydian onto the plain
- III v 70Quam facile vulpes pyrum comest As easily as a fox eats a pear
- III vi 64Ignis ad torrem Fire to a torch
- III viii 32Incitare currentem Cheering on a willing runner
- IV ii 63A vicinis exemplum habent They have the examples of their neighbours
- IV iii 82In numerato Ready cash
- IV iv 15Suade lupis ut insaniant Persuade wolves to go mad
- IV iv 61Tam in proclivi quam imber As easy as rain can fall
- IV iv 78Uno digitulo With one little finger
- IV iv 98Tanquam de narthecio As if from the medicine box
- IV v 36Una pertica By the same pole
- IV v 82Mercator naviga et expone Merchant, just sail in and sell
- IV vii 11Maturior moro As soft as a ripe fig
- IV vii 29Olla lenticulam attigit The pot has grasped the lentils
Penchant pour la boisson
- II i 55Quod in animo sobrii, id est in lingua ebrii What is in the heart of a sober man is in the mouth of the drunkard
- III iv 26Sale perunctus hic adiuvabitur A rub with salt will do this man good
- III vi 16Ranae aquam Water to a frog
- IV ii 79Βατακάρας Droopy head
- IV vi 62Nic elephantus ebiberet Not even an elephant could empty it
- IV vi 63Κυαθιζειν To be a wine-ladler
- IV vi 69Cothonisare To be in one's cups
- IV vii 7Argenteus puteus A silver well
- IV vii 41Calicum remiges Rowers of wine-cups
- IV viii 2Vinaria angina Wine-quinsy
- IV ix 74Madusa A booze-up
- IV x 21Parthi quo plus biberint The more a Parthian drinks
Perfidie
- I viii 27Graeca fide On Greek credit
- I viii 28Punica fides Punic faith
- I viii 29Altera manu fert lapidem, altera panem ostentat He bears a stone in one hand and offers a loaf in the other
- I viii 30Ex eodem ore calidum et frigidum efflare Out of one mouth to blow hot and cold
- IV iv 74Altera manu fert aquam, etc He carries water in one hand, etc
- IV vi 58Magadari To play the Lydian flute
- IV viii 52Θράττειν To play Thracian
- IV ix 95Superavit dolum Trojanum Better than that Trojan trick
- IV x 96Verbis conceptis pejerare Perjure oneself in set form of words
Perplexe
- I i 17Nunc meae in arctum coguntur copiae Now my forces are pressed into a narrow space
- I iii 98De gradu deiicere To upset, disconcert
- I iv 100In aqua haeret He is stuck in the water
- I v 25Auribus lupum teneo I hold the wolf by the ears
- II i 35In puteo constrictus Caught in a well
- II v 21Ventus neque manere sinit neque navigare This wind will let me neither stay nor sail
- II vi 49Ne Execestides quidem rectam viam invenerit The right way not Execestides himself could find
- II x 51Labyrinthus A labyrinth
- III i 64De possessione deiicere To eject from possession
- III viii 40Perplexus animique consternati Entangled and fearful at heart
- III x 30Perplexus Trapped
- IV iii 70Haeret in vado He is stuck in shallow water
- IV iv 42Peribis, si non feceris Dead if you don't
- IV vi 50Gangamon A gangamon
- IV viii 47Nec currimus, nec remigamus Neither running nor rowing
- V i 11Nec caput, nec pedes Neither head nor feet
Perspicacité
Peur due à la conscience coupable
Peur vaine
- I vi 39Utre territas You terrify with a wineskin
- II iii 80Metum inanem metuisti You were afraid where no fear was
- II x 19Multa in bellis inania Many are the illusions of war
- III ii 60Aspersisti aquam You've sprinkled me with water
- III iii 54Theagenis Hecataeum Theagenes and his shrine of Hecate
- III iv 4In pulicis morsu deum invocat He calls on God for a flea bite
- III vii 3Panicus casus A panic attack
- III vii 100Canes timidi vehementius latrant Nervous dogs bark louder
- IV viii 66De lapidi volam Give the rock a kick
Prodigalité
- I ii 69Festo die si quid prodegeris Wasteful in holiday time
- I ii 92Cupidinum crumena porri folio vincta est The purse of desire is fastened with a leaf of leek
- I iii 5Relinque quippiam et Medis Leave something for the Medes too
- I ix 44Proterviam fecit He has made a clean sweep
- I x 32Largitio non habet fundum Bounty has no bottom
- II i 16Plena manu In handfuls
- II i 87E dolio hauris You draw from the cask
- II i 88Una cum ipso canistro Basket and all
- II x 97Gallorum incusare ventres To blame cocks' guts
- III i 10Drachmae grando A hail of drachmas
- III ii 50Immolare boves To kill oxen
- III iii 37Cui multum est piperis etiam oleribus immiscet The man who has plenty of pepper sprinkles it even on the salad
- III vi 61Ipso horreo By the granaryful
- IV ii 27Non navigamus ad Hippolaïtas We are not sailing to the Hippolaïtas
- IV ii 72Glaucus alter Another Glaucus
- IV iii 3Caricum sepulcrum A Carian tomb
- IV iv 58Bello parta Spoils of war
- IV vii 74Calliae defluunt pennae Callias is shedding his feathers
- IV x 54Opus ad opus Toil on toil
Progresser vers le mieux
- I iv 2Satis quercus Acorns have had their day
- I vii 30Ab asinis ad boves transcendere To rise from asses to oxen
- II vii 20Meliores nancisci aves To be given better auspices
- II viii 36Dives factus iam desiit gaudere lente Rich now, he has ceased to enjoy lentils
- II ix 81Non enim spinae No more thorns
- III i 81Melius nobis est quam heri We're better off than yesterday
- III vi 44I modo venare leporem, nunc itym tenes Go hunt for a hare, now you have a pheasant
- III vi 78Ego ex bono in bonum traductus sum I have been led from one good to another
- IV i 68Iuxta cubitum profecit He has progressed by the cubit
- IV i 88Hodie nullus, cras maximus Today a nobody, tomorrow the greatest
- IV v 49Fuit et Mandroni ficulna navis Mandro too had a ship made of fig-wood
Promesses magnifiques
- I vi 97Sponde, noxa praesto est Stand surety, and ruin is at hand
- I viii 15Aureus in Olympia stato You shall be set up at Olympia in gold
- I ix 15Aureos montes polliceri To promise mountains of gold
- II i 27Ad pileum vocare To call one to his cap of liberty
- II ii 34Cepphus parturit The gull is about to lay
- II v 9Bona Cillicon Cillicon is doing well
- II vi 84Charetis pollicitationes Chares and his promises
- II vi 100Verba importat Hermodorus Hermodorus is an importer of words
- II x 7Modio demetiar May I measure by the peck
- III i 9Solidos e clibano boves Whole pot-roast oxen
- III ii 76Album panem pinso tibi I knead you a white loaf
- III iii 54Theagenis Hecataeum Theagenes and his shrine of Hecate
- III iv 15Videberis, me videns, plane Martem videre You will seem, when you see me, to see Mars himself
- III v 25Ariolari Crystal-gazing
- III vi 80Ego faciam omnia more Nicostrati I shall do everything as Nicostratus did
- IV i 37Alybantis hospitis munera Gifts of an Alybantian host
- IV ii 81Επαύλια δῶρα Wedding gifts
- IV iii 16Hesperidum mala The apples of the Hesperides
- IV x 14Montes frumenti Mountains of grain
- V i 33Εσπετε νῦν μοι Tell out now
Provoquer
- I i 60Irritare crabrones To stir up hornets
- I iv 29Cominus atque eminus At close quarters and at long range
- I vi 79Tangere ulcus To touch on a sore place
- II iii 12Arietem emittit He sends out a ram
- II vi 90Thunnissare Spearing tunny-fish
- II vii 97Nunquam enim meas boves abegerunt nec equos For they have never driven off my cows nor yet my horses
- III i 21Pugnis et calcibus Punching and kicking
- III vi 83Temulentus dormiens non est excitandus Let a sleeping drunk lie
- III viii 29Omni conatu invadere Attack with every effort
- IV ii 26Non ut prior laedam, sed ut injuriam retaliem I shall not be the first to strike, but I shall repay an insult
- IV vii 91Ut lupus ovem As the wolf loves the sheep
- V i 91Vati non conviciandum Do not revile a prophet
- V i 93Non movenda loqui To speak what should be left undisturbed
Prudence
- II iii 2Siculus mare The sicilian and the sea
- II iii 29Amyris insanit Amyris is off his head
- II iii 52Acetum habet in pectore He has vinegar in his bossom
- II iii 70Antequam incipias, consulta Think before you start
- II iii 78Qui bene conjiciet, hunc vatem He who guesses right is the prophet
- II viii 56In holmo cubabo I shall sleep in a hollow stone
- II ix 56Omnia sapientibus facilia To the wise all things are easy
- III i 53A fronte atque a tergo Forward and backward
- III vi 52Perendinum ventum praedicere To learn what the wind will be the day after tomorrow
- III vii 26Homo Thales A man like Thales
- III vii 86Lesbius Prylis Lesbius Prylis
- III viii 52Amicorum est admonere mutuum It is the duty of friends to admonish each other
- III viii 79A fronte simul et occipitio With both the front and the back of the head
- IV ii 93Alter Ianus Another Janus
- IV iv 70Non pluit etc It stops raining the night the wild sow farrows
- IV vi 12Timidi mater non flet A cautious man's mother sheds no tears
- IV vi 84Sapiens divinat A wise man prophesies
- IV viii 60Sapiens non eget The wise man is never in need
- IV ix 10Non oportet hospitem semper hospitem esse The stranger must not ever stranger be
- IV ix 77Praesentibus rebus consulendum Take thought for the here and now
- IV x 95Tanquam de specula As if from a watch-tower
- V i 4Mus non uni fidit antro A mouse keeps more than one hole
- V i 63Sapientia gubernator navis The ship is steered by judgment
- V i 87Prima felicitatis pars sapere Wisdom the chief part of happiness
- V ii 7Mens coeli, terraeque regina Mind, queen of heaven and earth
- V ii 28In arduis contanter agendum Go cautiously in difficult enterprises
Prudence alliée à la force
Prudence de la vieillesse
- I iii 8Eum ausculta, cui quatuor sunt aures Listen to him who has four ears
- I viii 42Sine cortice nabis You shall swim without cork
- I viii 60Senesco semper multa addiscens Age comes upon me learning all the time
- I x 17Annosa vulpes haud capitur laqueo An old vixen is not caught in a trap
- II viii 12Anus subsultans multum excitat pulveris An old hag's capers raise a power of dust
- III ix 57Aetate prudentiores reddimur Age makes us wiser
- III ix 66Senum prudentia Wisdom of the aged
- III ix 93Moderator negocii An arbitrator
- III x 74Senum prudentia Wisdom of the aged
- IV ii 49Multorum festorum Jovis glandes comedit He has eaten acorns at many feasts of Jupiter
- IV ii 68In sola Sparta expedit senescere Only in Sparta does it pay to grow old
- IV x 49Barbati Wearers of the beard
Précipitation excessive
- I vii 55Ante victoriam encomium canis You triumph before the victory
- I x 100Aestate penulam deteris You wear out your greatcoat in summer
- II i 1Festina lente Make haste slowly
- II ii 35Canis festinans caecos parit catulos The hasty bitch brings forth blind whelps
- II v 13Siculus omphacizat A Sicilian picking unripe grapes
- III i 97Ante lentem augere ollam To exalt one's dish beyond lentils
- III ii 70Muscum demetere To mow the moss
- III iii 10Ante barbam doces senes Before you've grown your beard you teach old men
- III iii 86Ergini cani Erginus' white hairs
- III v 15Praemovere venatum To disturb the prey
- III v 60Qui nimium properat, serius absoluit More haste less speed
- IV i 100Odi puerulos, praecoci sapientia I hate striplings who are precociously wise
- IV v 55Non statim finis apparet The end is not immediately in sight
- V i 2Citius quam formicae papaver Quicker than ants move poppy-seed
- V i 23Daedaleum remigium Oarage of Daedalus
Présager
- III ii 2In tuum ipsius malum lunam deduces You will bring down the moon to your own hurt
- III ii 79Adsint dii beati The blessed gods be on our side
- III vi 89Cum Musis With the Muses
- III vi 100Bene sit May it be for the best
- IV vi 55In morbo consumat Let him use it in sickness
- IV vii 2Mercurio dextro May Mercury be with me
- IV ix 88Si tu proreta If you're the look-out
Pudeur
- I ii 64Ubi timor, ibi et prudor Where there is fear, there is modesty
- II i 70Pudor in oculis Shame is in the eyes
- II vii 2Verecundia inutilis viro egenti Bashfulness is useless to a man in want
- II viii 99Tinctura Sardonica Sardinian dye
- III i 98Pudebat recusare et non audebant suscipere They were ashamed to refuse and did not dare accept
- III ix 10Pudor et metus Shame and fear
- III x 79Tinctura Cyzicena Cyzicene dye
- V i 7Apud mensam verecundari neminem decet No one ought to hold back at table
- V ii 46Nepudeat artem Declare your occupation without shame
Querelleur
- I viii 98Litem movebit, si vel asinus canem momorderit He will have the law on you, if an ass has so much as bitten his dog
- II iv 31Insana laurus adest We have a mad baytree among us
- II iv 34Canina facundia The eloquence of a barking dog
- II v 19Lindii sacrum A Lindian sacrifice
- II vi 43Rhodii sacrificium A Rhodian sacrifice
- II vii 60Syrbenae chorus A band from Syrbene
- II viii 53Eretriensium rho The Eritrian rho
- III vi 7Ptolemaica lis Ptolemaic dispute
- III viii 41Litem incipere To start a dispute
- IV i 17Ne allia comedas et fabas Eat neither garlic nor beans
- IV iii 61Ultra Hyperbolum Worse than Hyperbolus
- IV v 17Tetigit lapidem a cane morsum He has touched a stone that a dog has bitten
- IV viii 92Spirat caecias Blowing north-easterlies
Qui implore, qui abhorre
- II i 38Dulcis cubitus Sweet elbow
- III i 59Terra mihi prius dehiscat Sooner may the earth open beneath me
- III ii 1Si quid mali, in Pyrrham If there's anything bad, on Pyrrha's head
- III ii 78In capras sylvestres To the wild goats
- III ii 84Procul auribus nuntius veniat May this news may be far from my ears
- III x 25Reiicientis culpam For one who won't accept blame
- III x 31Abhorrentis ac detestantis For one who loathes and detests
- IV vii 44Baeon malus piscis A tiddler is a worthless fish
- IV x 66Vates secum auferat omen Let the prophet keep his doom
- V i 25Despuere malum Spit away the evil
- V i 74Velatis manibus orare Pray with veiled hands
Qui se critique soi-même
Qui se mêle des affaires d'autrui
- I vi 69Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos The things that are above us are nothing to us
- I vi 85Aedibus in nostris quae prava aut recta geruntur The good or ill that's wrought in our own halls
- I viii 89Tertius Cato A third Cato
- II ii 51In alieno choro pedem ponere To set foot in other men's dances
- II v 38Aliorum medicus, ipse ulceribus scates You physic others, full of sores yourself
- II ix 1Stultior Morycho As big a fool as Morychus
- III iii 11Bellum Cononi cura fuerit War shall be Conon's business
- III vii 7Utere curru, de asinis nihil laborans Use a cart and you won't have to worry about asses
- III viii 75Ne depugnes in alieno negocio Don't contend in other peoples business
Qui se mêle des affaires d'autrui - choses pertinentes
- I vi 85Aedibus in nostris quae prava aut recta geruntur The good or ill that's wrought in our own halls
- II iv 93Rem acu tetigisti You have touched the issue with a needle-point
- II ix 79Nunc in regionem veni Now I've arrived
- II x 60Ipsi curandum It's his own business
- III iii 21Ipsum ostii limen tetigisti You have touched the very treshold of the door
- III ix 30Omissis nugis rem experiamur Trifling aside, let's put it to the test
- IV v 39Pedem conferre To put foot to foot
- IV vii 42Ab unguibus incipere To begin with the nails
Rapacité et avarice
- I ii 70Feles tartessia A Tartessian cat
- I vi 27Ne a chytropode cibum nondum sacrificatum rapias Snatch not food as yet unblest out of the dish
- I vii 88Bona Porsenae Porsena's property
- I ix 12A mortuo tributum exigere To exact tribute from the dead
- I x 33Inexplebile dolium A great jar that cannot be filled
- II i 69Vel a mortuo tributum auferre To exact tribute even from the dead
- II ii 33Larus Seamew
- II iii 84Voracior purpura Greedier than purple
- II iii 87Persaepe sacra haud sacrificata devorat Offerings unblest full oft devours
- II iii 91Polypi Polyps
- II iv 16Nec omnia, nec passim, nec ab omnibus Not everything, nor everywhere, nor from everybody
- II iv 24Canis circum intestina A dog sniffing offal
- II iv 64Edax currus Greedy as a racing-car
- II iv 99Non curat numerum lupus The wolf heeds not your counting
- II v 24Mendici pero non impletur A beggar's satchel is never filled
- II v 74Vorare hamum To swallow the hook
- II vi 26Una cum ipsis manipulis Sheaves and all
- II vi 72Buthus obambulat Buthus walks to and fro
- II vii 18Megaricae sphinges Megarian sphinxes
- II vii 46Atticus moriens porrigit manum An Athenian holds his hand out on his deathbed
- II vii 57Novit haec Pylaea et Tyttygias Pylaea knows this and Tyttygias
- II vii 83Vulturis umbra A vulture's shadow
- II vii 94Pecuniarum cupiditas Spartam capiet, praetera nihil Love of money will be Sparta's undoing, and nothing else
- II viii 85Cum pulviscolo Dust and all
- II ix 29Rapina rerum Cinnari Despoiling Cinnarus of his possessions
- II x 11Mendicorum loculi semper inanes Beggars' wallets are always empty
- II x 48Larus hians A cormorant open-mouthed
- II x 55Labrax Milesius A Milesian bass
- III ii 77Candidum linum lucri causa ducis You marry white flax for the sake of gain
- III ii 89Exigit et a statuis farinas He makes even the statues give him food
- III iii 61Serpens ni edat serpentem, draco non fiet A serpent, unless it devours a serpent, will not become a dragon
- III v 30Nutricum more male Badly, like foster mothers
- III vi 1Priusquam sortiaris, communia devoras You devour the commons even before you get your share
- III vi 22Partitio non praefocatio Don't choke, share
- III vii 12Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere A good shepherd should shear his sheep, not skin them
- III vii 13Lucri bonus est odor ex re qualibet Profit smells good whatever it comes from
- III vii 14Lucrum pudori praestat Profit before shame
- III vii 41Charybdis. Barathrum A Charybdis. A Barathrum
- III vii 79Ut in velabro olearii Like oil merchants in the Velabrum
- III vii 81Manticulari Rifling wallets
- III vii 93Rapina Cotytiis Pillage at the Cotytia
- III ix 81Undecunque lucrum captant No matter where from, it's profit they're after
- IV i 3Argivi fures Argive thieves
- IV i 84Laudant ut pueri pavonem Like children admiring a peacock
- IV ii 45Pamphili furtum Pamphilus pilfering
- IV iv 4Ημερόκοιτος Daysleeper
- IV vi 19Manuari To put one's hand to
- IV vi 37Fabarum arrosor Gnawer of beans
- IV vii 93Quod utile honestum What is useful is virtuous
- IV viii 7Communis tanquam Sisapo Jointly owned like Sisapo
- IV x 8Veterata vaticinari Trot out the same stale prophecy
- IV x 28Lacunam explere Fill up the gap
- IV x 29Nullam corporis partem No part of his body
- V i 92Vatum genus avarum Prophets are a greedy tribe
Rareté
- I v 86Ubi per Harma fulgurarit When lightning strikes through Harma
- I vi 3Lac gallinaceum Hen's milk
- II i 21Rara avis A rare bird
- II i 44Noctuinum ovum An owl's egg
- II ii 50Alba avis A white bird
- II vii 10Phoenice rarior As rare as the phoenix
- III x 39Non omnibus contingit It is not given to everyone
Recherche de son propre intérêt
- I iii 89Tunica pallio propior est The tunic is nearer than the cloak
- I iii 90Genu sura propius The knee is closer than the calf
- I iii 91Omnes sibi melius esse malunt, quam alteri Everyone wants things to go better for himself than for others
- I vi 20Nequicquam sapit, qui sibi non sapit He's wise in vain that's not wise for himself
- I x 37Mihi ipsi balneum ministrabo I'll fix my own bath
- II i 30Intus canere. Aspendius citharoedus To play privately to oneself. A lyre-player from Aspendus
- II vii 39Veniat hospes quisquis profuturus est A welcome to any stranger who will be profitable
- II vii 85Una lavabor I will bathe with you
- II ix 12Simonidis cantilenae Songs of Simonides
- III ii 28Civitates ludimus We play cities
- III v 6Opta vicino, ut habeat, magis autem ollae Wish for something for the neighbour, but more for the pot
- III v 80Sibi canere Singing your own song
- III vi 79Anguillas captare To hunt eels
- III vii 19Ad suum quemque quaestum aequum est esse callidum Each for his own advantage is rightly hard-headed
- III ix 81Undecunque lucrum captant No matter where from, it's profit they're after
- IV i 14Mercator est He's a shopkeeper
- IV i 42Suam quisque homo rem meminit Each man thinks of his own business
- IV ii 10Decora teipsum You should adore yourself
- IV iii 15Astutior coccyce As crafty as a cuckoo
- IV iii 35Manum admovere To add your hand to
Remède tardif ou opportun
Rendre le mal pour le mal
- I i 27Qui quae vult dicit, quae non vult audiet He who says what he would will hear what he would not
- I i 89Termeria mala Termerian evils
- I i 90Neoptolemi vindicta The revenge of Neoptolemus
- I viii 81Eodem bibere poculo To drink of the same cup
- II ii 83Dedi malum et accepi I got as bad as I gave
- III iii 48Ignis non extinguitur igni Fire is not quenched by fire
- III vi 6Caedimus inque vicem praebemus crura sagittis Now we strike, and now expose our shins to arrows
Repentir tardif
- I i 28Sero sapiunt Phryges The Phrygians learn wisdom too late
- I i 29Piscator ictus sapiet Once stung, the fisherman will be wiser
- I i 30Factum stultus cognoscit When a thing is done, a fool can see it
- I i 31Malo accepto stultus sapit Trouble experienced makes a fool wise
- I i 68Deus ex improviso apparens Unexpected appearance of a god
- I ii 60Senis doctor A teacher of the old
- I v 61Cumani sero sapiunt The people of Cumae learn wisdom late
- I ix 32Satius est recurrere quam currere male Better run backwards than runn all awry
- II ii 64Sera in fundo parsimonia It's too late to spare when the bottom is bare
- II iii 39Optimum aliena insania frui It is best to profit by another man's madness
- II iv 59Quod dedi, datum nollem I'm sorry I gave what I did
- III iv 18Hedera post Anthisteria Ivy after the Anthisteria
- III iv 28Atqui non est apud aram consultandum But the place for deliberation is not before the altar
- III vi 17Post bellum auxilium Help when the war is over
- IV iii 59Post acerba prudentior Sadder but wiser
- V i 88Sero vidit justitiam He has too late recognized the right
Repousser
Richesses
- I i 73Dextro Hercule, aut amico Hercule With Hercules at my side, or Hercules being my friend
- I vi 22Tantali talenta The talents of Tantalus
- I vi 23Pelopis talenta The talents of Pelops
- I vi 24Midae divitiae The riches of Midas
- I vi 74Croeso, Crasso ditior As rich as Croesus or Crassus
- I vi 75Pactoli opes The wealth of Pactolus
- I ix 31Octopedes Eight-feet
- I ix 47Dives aut iniquus est aut iniqui heres A rich man is either wicked himself or the heir of a wicked man
- I x 56Figuli opes A potter's wealth
- II iii 27Ad ambas usque aures Up to both ears
- II iv 45Ne decima quidem Syracusanorum pars Not a tenth part of the Syracusans
- II vii 17Magnum os anni A good year talks big
- II viii 31Noctuae Laurioticae Lauriotic owls
- II viii 35Pecuniae vir Money makes the man
- II viii 71Ultra res Callicrates Beyond the standard of Callicrates
- II ix 74Nullius indigens Deus God is in need of nothing
- II x 64Zopyri talenta The talents of Zopyrus
- III i 60Vestis virum facit Clothes make the man
- III i 75Cinyrae opes The riches of Cinyras
- III iv 78Lysicrates alter A second Lysicrates
- III iv 79Lysistrati divitias habes You have the wealth of Lysistratus
- III vi 5Quantum non milvus oberret More than a hawk could fly around
- III vii 53Satietas ferociam parit Luxury breeds brutality
- III vii 77Unde excoquat sevum He could get dripping from it
- III vii 82Auro habet suppactum solum He has gold-plated soles
- III viii 68Praedives Very wealthy
- III ix 99Divitiae non semper optimis contingunt Wealth is not always the lot of the best
- III x 55Adminicula vitae The comforts of life
- IV iii 73Attagenae novilunium A francolin's new moon
- IV iii 83Quantum habet Each is only as good as he's worth
- IV iv 95Euparyphus ex comoedia Like Euparyphus in comedy
- IV vi 5Ad pedes, ad caput At my feet, up to my head
- IV vi 16Λακκόπλουτοι Pit-rich
- IV x 93Herculis quaestus Hercules' profits
- V i 53Φαινοπροσωπεῖν Put on an appearance
Rigueur
- I x 25Summum jus, summa injuria Extreme right is extreme wrong
- II i 100Rubo arefacto praefractior Harsher than a dry bramble
- II iv 13Ad vivum resecare To cut to the quick
- III iii 34Radit usque ad cutem He shaves close to the skin
- III iv 33Durus alloquiis Deaf to entreaty
- III vii 12Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere A good shepherd should shear his sheep, not skin them
- IV vii 78Ex syngrapha agere To act by the letter of the law
- IV viii 26Censoria virgula The obelus of censure
- IV ix 22Ad libellam debere To owe according to the balance
- IV ix 50Obtorto collo With one's neck in a noose, by the throat
- IV ix 69Apud equum et virginem At `The Horse and Girl'
Rire
- I v 69Risus ionicus An Ionian laugh
- I v 70Risus Megaricus A Megarian laugh
- I v 71Risus Chius The laugh of Chios
- I vii 46Ajacis risus To laugh like Ajax
- II vi 39Risus syncrusius Shaking with laughter
- III v 1Risus Sardonius A sardonic laugh
- IV i 86Emori risu To die laughing
- IV ii 12Αχρειόγελως A trifler
- IV iv 69Stultior Melitide As stupid as Melitides
- IV x 60Intra labia risit He kept his laughter within his mouth
Rudesse, morosité
- I vi 46A lasso rixa quaeritur Weariness loves a wrangle
- I vii 44Ferreus, Aheneus Hard as iron, Tough as bronze
- I vii 45Cornea fibra Heart-strings of horn
- I viii 89Tertius Cato A third Cato
- II i 100Rubo arefacto praefractior Harsher than a dry bramble
- II iii 35Scytharum oratio Scythian language
- II iv 42Corinthus et collibus surgit et vallibus deprimitur Corinth is hilly here and hollow there
- II iv 81Echino asperior Rougher than an urchin
- II v 63Agamemnonis hostia Agamemnon's victim
- II ix 59Totus echinus asper A sea-urchin is rough all over
- III i 56Difficilis vir A formidable man
- III ii 83Scabrosior leberide As prickly as a snake's slough
- III iii 74Ne move festucam Stir not a twig
- III iv 33Durus alloquiis Deaf to entreaty
- III x 72Inexorabilis Unbending
- IV i 9Versatilis Artemon An Artemon, going the rounds
- IV i 49Pandeletias sententias Pandeletian maxims
- IV ii 100Etiam quercus bacchatur Even the oak dances for Bacchus
- IV iii 12Matioloechus Matioloechus
- IV iii 91Κερασβόλος Horn-struck
- IV iv 49In durum et implacabilem Unyielding and implacable
- IV v 13Thymbra victitans Living on savory
- IV ix 85Scytha malus An evil Scythian
- V i 81ὁλοέχινος All-spiny
Ruine soudaine
Répétition sans lassitude
Rétribution d'un bienfait ou d'un devoir
- I i 33Manus manum fricat One hand rubs another
- I i 34Gratia gratiam parit One favour begets another
- I i 35Par pari referre To render like for like
- I i 36Eadem mensura By the same measure
- I vii 95Da mihi mutuum testimonium Lend me your evidence
- I vii 98Senes mutuum fricant Old men rub another
- I vii 99Fricantem refrica You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
- I vii 100Ferrum ferro acuitur Iron sharpeneth iron
- I viii 78Ut sementem feceris, ita et metes As you have sown, so also shall you reap
- I x 42Eodem cubito With the same yardstick
- II iv 14Hostimentum est opera pro pecunia Work for the money is a fair exchange
- III ii 49Botrus oppositus botro maturescit Graves ripen cluster against cluster
- III v 83Pro bonis glomi Reels for good deeds
- IV iii 20Pro Delo Calauriam Calauria for Delos
- V i 48Benefactis pensare delicta Make up for failings with noble deeds
S'échapper
S'échapper - de soi-même
S'égarer
- I i 48Tota erras via You are entirely on the wrong road
- I i 49Toto coelo errare To be entirely astray (by the whole sky)
- I vi 36Quis aberret a janua? Who could miss the gate?
- II vi 78Nec propius ferire Nowhere near the mark
- II ix 47Panagaea Diana Panagaean Diana
- IV vi 73Extra calcem Off course
- V ii 33Quo terrarum raperis Where on earth are you off to?
Salubrité
Sans effort
- I iii 59Sine sacris haereditas Inheritance without rites
- I v 79Citra pulverem Without dust
- I v 81Citra arationem citraque sementem Without ploughing and without sowing
- I v 82Dormienti rete trahit The sleeper's net makes a catch
- II i 40Ne genu quidem flexo Without even bending a knee
- II viii 77Ultro Deus subjicit bona God gives good things of his own free will
- III vi 63In saltu uno duos apros capere To capture two boars in one copse
- IV vii 37Sub aliena arbore fructum Picking fruit under someone else's tree
Se conformer, obéir
- II ii 38Deum sequere Follow God
- II vii 99Ad digit crepitum At the snap of a finger
- II ix 82Non statuar leaena in machaera I'll not be set up as a lioness on a sword-hilt
- III vi 55Lex et regio Law and country
- III viii 19Cum uterque concedit alteri When each yields to the other
- IV v 59Obedientia felicitatis mater Obedience is the mother of prosperity
- IV vii 14Insanire cum insanientibus To take on the madness of the mad
Se plier aux circonstances
- I i 91Servire scenae To be a slave to your theatre
- I i 92Uti foro To take the market as you find it
- I i 93Polypi mentem obtine Adopt the outlook of a polyp
- I iii 86Omnium horarum homo A man for all hours
- I vi 47Gladiator in arena consilium capit A gladiator plans his fight in the ring
- I x 47Aut bibat aut abeat He must either drink or quit
- II v 1Spartam nactus es, hanc orna Sparta is your portion; do your best for her
- IV vii 86Aut abi aut exuere Either go off or strip off
Servitude
- III i 67De lapide emptus Bought off the block
- IV iii 47Subjugus homo A man under the yoke
- IV v 73Leo cordula vinctus A lion tied up with a thread
- IV v 91Cum sarcinis enatare To swim to shore with your baggage
- IV vi 14Samii litterati Lettered Samians
- IV ix 35Spartae servi maxime servi Nowhere more a slave than at Sparta
- V i 23Daedaleum remigium Oarage of Daedalus
- V i 24Argentum accepi, dote imperium vendidi I took the money, sold my authority
Silence non loué
- I ii 18Muti magistri Silent teachers
- I v 14Acanthia cicada The grasshopper of Acanthus
- I v 29Magis mutus quam pisces As dumb as the fishes
- I v 31Rana Seriphia A Seriphian frog
- I vi 45Bacchae more Like a Bacchant
- I viii 3Ne gry quidem Not a grunt
- I ix 1Amyclas perdidit silentium Silence destroyed Amyclae
- I x 78Muta persona A walk-on part
- I x 79Caput sine lingua No tongue in your head
- II vii 93Mutus Hipparchion Hipparchion loses his voice
- II viii 43Mutus magis quam scapha As dumb as a boat
- IV i 52Reddidit Harpocratem He turned him into Harpocrates
- IV iii 72Taciturnior Pythagoreis As silent as Pythagoreans
- IV iii 99Statua taciturnior As mute as a statue
- IV v 14Doryphorematis ritu Like a bodyguard
- IV ix 71Sicco junco With a dry rush
Similitude et convenance
- I i 98Stultus stulta loquitur Fools in their folly speak
- I ii 4Clavum clavo pellere To drive out one nail by another
- I ii 5Malo nodo malus quaerendus cuneus A hard wedge must be sought for a hard knot
- I ii 20Aequalis aequalem delectat Everyone loves his own age
- I ii 21Simile gaudet simili Like rejoices in like
- I ii 22Semper similem ducit deus ad similem God always leads like to like
- I ii 23Semper graculus adsidet graculo Jackdaw always sits by jackdaw
- I ii 24Cicada cicadae cara, formicae formica Cicada loves cicada, ant is dear to ant
- I ii 26Cretensis Cretensem Cretan and Cretan
- I ii 27Cretensis cum Aegineta A Cretan with a man of Aegina
- I ii 28Vulpinari cum vulpe To play the fox with the fox
- I ii 29Cretiza cum Cretensi To play Cretan with a Cretan
- I ii 30Cum Care Carizas You are Carizing with a Carian
- I ii 62Cascus cascam ducit An old man takes an old bride
- I v 10Non tam ovum ovo simile As like as one egg to another
- I v 11Non tam lac lacti simile As like as milk to milk
- I v 12Non tam aqua similis aquae As like as water to water
- I v 13Quam apes apum similes As like as bees to bees
- I v 95Scopae dissolutae; Scopas dissolvere Loose broom-twigs; To untie a broom
- I vii 27Omnia idem pulvis All is the same dust
- I vii 34Non eras in hoc albo You were not on this roster
- I vii 60Ipsa olera olla legit The pot picks its own greens
- I viii 1Aequalem uxorem quaere Seek a wife of your own sort
- I ix 77Balbus balbum rectius intelligit One stammerer better understands another
- I x 2Uno tenore Even tenor
- I x 35Boni ad bonorum convivia ultro accedunt Good men with good men dine, nor wait for an invitation
- I x 71Similes habent labra lactucas Like lips like lettuce
- I x 72Dignum patella operculum The cover is worthy of such a cup
- I x 77Idem Accii quod Titii Accius and Titius take alike
- II i 28Eiusdem Musae aemulus A suitor of the selfsame muse
- II iii 21Ovo prognatus eodem Hatched from the same egg
- II iii 63Furemque fur cognoscit et lupum lupus Thief knoweth thief and wolf to wolf is known
- II iii 64Terra amat imbrem Earth loves the rain
- II iii 75Malus cum malo colliquescit voluptate Bad man with bad man fused in mutual glee
- II iv 47Omnia sub unam Myconum One Myconos to cover everything
- II iv 89Sequitur ver hiemem Spring follows winter
- II v 35Bonus cantor, bonus cupediaris A good fiddler or a good pastrycook, all's one
- II v 48Non sum ex istis heroibus I'm am not one of that class of heroes
- II v 49Novi Simonem et Simon me I know Simon and Simon knows me
- II v 97Bithus contra Bacchium Bithus against Bacchius
- II v 98Esernius cum Pacidiano Esernius versus Pacidianus
- II vi 13Catulae dominas imitantes A lapdog takes after its mistress
- II vii 51Crobyli iugum Crobylus' yoke
- II vii 68Chius ad Coum Chiot against Coan
- II viii 7Similior ficu As like as two figs
- II viii 14Aphyarum honos Whitebait glory
- II viii 50Eodem in ludo docti Taught in the same school
- II viii 57Eadem cera One and the same wax
- II x 2Nauson Naucrati Nauson to Naucrates
- II x 35Mali thripes, mali ipes Worm's bad, grub's bad
- III i 8Iisdem vescentium cepis Eating the same onions
- III ii 4Convenerat Attabas et Numenius Attabas and Numenias have met
- III ii 13Conto navigare To navigate with a pole
- III iii 45Mons cum monte non miscetur Mountains never meet
- III iv 29Mars haud concutit sua ipsius arma Mars never shuffles his own weapons about
- III iv 48Ego ac tu idem trahimus iugum You and I bear the same yoke
- III iv 83Surdaster cum surdastro litigabat Hard-of-hearing versus Nearly deaf
- III v 29Inanium inania consilia Futile advice from futile people
- III v 44Nostrae farinae Same flour as we are
- III vi 86De grege illo est He is from that flock
- III ix 34Aut ipse fuisti aut tui simillimus It was either you or someone very like you
- IV i 24Ficus post piscem Figs after fish
- IV iii 25Mores hominum regioni respondent Human character matches habitat
- IV iii 36Patris est filius He is his father's son
- IV iv 45Ab diagrammate In one key
- IV iv 46Non filius Achillis You are not the son of Achilles
- IV iv 56Eundem calceum omni pedi inducere Putting the same shoe on every foot
- IV v 20Sequitur perca sepiam A perch follows a cuttle-fish
- IV v 23Aut piscem olet, aut florem Smelling of fish or flower
- IV v 43Aspis a vipera An asp borrows poison from a viper
- IV v 63Qualis hera, tales pedissequae Like mistress, like maids
- IV v 85Arator nisi incurvus praevaricatur The ploughman is no ploughman unless he is bent
- IV vii 86Aut abi aut exuere Either go off or strip off
- IV viii 33Ubi tu Cajus, ibi ego Caja Where you are Gaius, there I am Gaia
- IV ix 62Doribus Dorice loqui Dorians may speak the Doric
- IV x 30Purus putus Clean and clear
- IV x 32Vestigiis inhaerere Tread in the tracks of
- IV x 64Asinus asino et sus sui pulcer Ass looks lovely to ass and pig to pig
- V i 64Novum cribrum, novo paxillo A new sieve on a new peg
- V ii 39In quadrum redigere To square up
Simulation, dissimulation
- I ii 31Cretensis mare The Cretan and the sea
- I ii 95Barba tenus sapientes Bearded, therefore wise
- I vi 4Non omnibus dormio I'm not asleep to everyone
- I vi 63Tussis pro crepitu A cough for a fart
- I vii 6Multi thyrsigeri, pauci bacchi Many feel the wand, few feel the god
- I vii 7Non omnes qui habent citharam sunt citharoedi Not all that hold the lyre can play it
- I vii 8Plures thriobolos, paucos est cernere vates Many the casters of lots, but few can you find that are prophets
- I vii 9Multi qui boves stimulent, pauci aratores Few men can plough, though many ply the goad
- I vii 10Simia in purpura An ape in purple
- I vii 12Asinus apud Cumanos An ass at Cumae
- I viii 29Altera manu fert lapidem, altera panem ostentat He bears a stone in one hand and offers a loaf in the other
- I viii 50Connivere To wink
- I viii 57Melle litus gladius A sword smeared with honey
- I ix 10Flere ad novercae tumulum To weep at your stepmother's funeral
- I x 57Lepus dormiens A hare asleep
- II ii 85In foribus adesse To be at the door
- II ii 86Lacon, alia asinus illius portat Lacon one thing, his ass carries others
- II ii 99Accissare To feign indifference
- II ii 100Scytha accissans asinum The Scythian fighting shy of the donkey
- II iv 60Crocodili lachrymae Crocodile tears
- II v 20Megarensium lacrymae Megarian tears
- II v 37Extra quaerere sese To seek outside oneself
- II vi 50Hermonium officium A kindness like Hermon's
- II vi 55Vulpi esurienti somnus obrepit The hungry fox grows drowsy
- II vii 52Mylus omnia audiens Mylus hearing everything
- II ix 45Haesitantia cantoris tussis A singer in difficulties means a cough
- III ii 7Benevolus trucidator Well-wishing murderer
- III iii 1Sileni Alcibiadis The Sileni of Alcibiades
- III iii 30Mortuum unguento perungis You smear ointment all over a corpse
- III iii 31Mortuus jacet pedens The dead man lies there farting
- III iii 94Penicissare To wear a wig
- III v 20Salem et fabam Salt and a bean
- III v 53Patrocli occasio The opportunity of Patroclus
- III v 79Simia barbata seu caudata A monkey with a beard, or with a tail
- III vi 15Illo respiciens, sed hic remitte bona You may look back that way, but pass the goods this way
- III vi 23Paries dealbatus A whited wall
- III vi 91Aesopicus graculus Aesop's jackdaw
- III vii 6Amicitiae personam The mask of friendship
- III vii 62Simia fucata A painted monkey
- III viii 17Diu dissimulatum aperientis For someone revealing what he has long concealed
- III ix 35Audiens non audit He has ears and hears not
- III x 53Verbo tenus amicus A friend in words alone
- III x 64Verissimiliter mentiens Lies that sound like truth
- IV iii 50Aurum subaeratum There's copper beneath the gold
- IV vi 43Ναικισσορεύειν To squawk like a jay
- IV vi 52Postico discedere To leave by the back door
- IV vii 88Charadrion imitans Imitating a curlew
- IV ix 21De reduvia queritur He complains of a whitlow
- V i 55Praeficarum more Like hired mourners
- V ii 25Mandacium utile An advantageous lie
Solitude
Somnolence
Somptuosités
- I vi 60Jovis et regis cerebrum Jove's brain and the king's
- I viii 88Deorum cibus Food of the gods
- II i 37Qui possim ab hoc epulo abesse? How could I be absent from this feast
- II iii 65Herculanea balnea Hercules' baths
- II iii 89Anima et vita Life and soul
- II iii 100Attica bellaria Attic dainties
- II iv 23Dubia coena A doubtful dinner
- II vi 77Υπερμαζᾶν To eat too much barley-bread
- II vi 97Lydorum carycae Lydian black-puddings
- II vii 19Mellis medulla Marrow of honey
- II vii 69Optimum condimentum fames Hunger is the best sauce
- II x 72In cotyla gestaris You are carried piggy-back
- III ii 17Thasium infundis You pour in Thasian
- III ii 24Coturnissare To feed on quails
- III vii 11Afra avis An African bird
- III ix 51De lautiis On sumptuous displays
- IV iii 1Vita molita Living on milled fare
- IV iii 11Ματτυάζειν To eat mattya
- IV vii 53Jovis lac Jove's milk
- IV viii 41In leporinis Live on hare-pie
- IV x 81Non ab Hymetto Not from Hymettus
- V i 6Coena popularis A dinner for the people
Sottise heureuse
Souci
Surdité
Sécurité et sûreté
- I i 13Duabus ancoris fultus Secured by two anchors
- I i 45In vado In shallow water
- I i 46In portu navigare To navigate in harbour
- I ii 81Extra lutum pedes habes You have your feet out of the mire
- I iii 40Rem factum habere To consider a thing done
- I iii 93Extra telorum iactum Out of range
- I iii 94Post principia Behind the front rank
- I iii 95Procul a pedibus equinis Far from the horses' hooves
- I iii 96Porro a Iove atque fulmine Away from Jove and from the thunderbolt
- I vii 20Equus me portat, alit rex A horse to carry me, a king to feed me
- I vii 48In tuo regno In your kingdom
- I vii 49In tuo luco et fano est situm It's put in your grove and shrine
- I vii 50Intra suas praesepes Safe in his own fold
- I viii 19In utravis dormire aurem To sleep sound on either ear
- I viii 20In dexteram aurem On the right ear
- I viii 21Porrectis dormire pedibus To sleep a full stretch
- I viii 62In diem vivere. Ex tempore vivere To live from one day to the next. To live for the moment
- II ii 6In tranquillio est In calm water
- II v 67Hermionis vice Instead of Hermion
- II vi 52Halcedonia sunt apud forum These are halcyon days in the market
- II viii 100Quam curat testudo muscam More than a tortoise minds a fly
- II x 67His medus non insidiabitur The Persians shall not lie in wait for these
- III ii 43Canis tanquam Delum navigans You sing as if you were sailing to Delos
- III ii 93Quid Achivos a turre judicatis? Why judge the Achaeans from the tower?
- III viii 64Extra periculum ferox Brave when there is no danger
- III ix 58Otiosus esto Relax!
- III x 8Aliud cura Worry about something else
- IV i 43In utrumvis dormire oculum To sleep on either eye
- IV ii 66In terra pauperem A poor man on dry land
- IV ii 82In pedes retrocedit He's going back on his tracks
- IV iii 1Vita molita Living on milled fare
- IV iii 34Moenia Semiramidis The walls of Semiramis
- IV iii 78Leporis vita A hare's life
- IV iv 76Quasi millus cani Like a hound's collar
- IV v 13Thymbra victitans Living on savory
- IV v 37Sarta tecta Windproof and watertight
- IV v 41Non vulgari ancora nititur Depending on no ordinary anchor
- IV vi 12Timidi mater non flet A cautious man's mother sheds no tears
- IV vii 20Legatus non caeditur, neque violatur An envoy is not beaten or violated
- IV vii 82Mortuo leoni et lepores insultant Even hares attack a lion when it's dead
- IV vii 84Pugno tenere To hold in one's fist
- IV viii 6Extra fumum et undam Away from the smoke and the swell
- IV viii 72Bonum est duabus niti ancoris Safe riding at two anchors
- IV ix 7Primum apes abigendae First you must drive off the bees
- IV ix 29Tanquam ad aram As if to an altar
- IV ix 30Ad asylum confugere Flee to sanctuary
- IV ix 31Arx Citadel
- IV x 79Ne si ad Jovis quidem aulam Not even if to Jove's temple
- V i 38E terra spectare naufragium View the shipwreck from the shore
Tempérance
Timidité
- I ii 89Ignavi vertitur color The coward changes color
- I iii 78Quem mater amictum dedit observare To keep to the clothes one's mother gave one
- I v 65Umbram suam metuere To be afraid of one's own shadow
- I v 66Vel muscas metuit praetervolitantes He is afraid of the very flies fluttering past
- I viii 2Ne my quidem facere audet He does not even dare say mu
- I viii 70Animus in pedes decidit My heart is in my boots
- I ix 2Timidior es prospiciente You are as frightened as the peeper
- I ix 3Timidior Pisandro As big a coward as Pisander
- I x 34Cum adsit ursus, vestigia quaeris Confronted with the bear you go looking for his tracks
- I x 40Vir fugiens et denuo pugnabit He that fights and runs away may live to fight another day
- I x 92Mysorum praeda The Mysians are fair game
- II i 82Γρύζειν To grumble
- II ii 26Trepidat in morem galli cuiuspiam He cowers like a cock
- II ii 97Abjecit hastam. Rhipsaspis He threw away his spear
- II iii 68Mus picem gustans A mouse tasting pitch
- II v 81Mulier imperator et mulier miles A woman as commander-in-chief and women soldiers
- II vi 25Timidi nunquam statuerunt tropaeum Faint hearts never set up a trophy
- II vii 36Cervinus vir A man with the heart of a deer
- II viii 48Epeo timidior As great a coward as Epeus
- II viii 69Ante tubam trepidas You're frightened before you hear the trumpet sound
- II ix 27Rheginis timidior As frightened as the Rhegians
- II x 47Lingua bellare To fight with the tongue
- III iii 22Gallus insilit The cock jumps in
- III iv 4In pulicis morsu deum invocat He calls on God for a flea bite
- III iv 12Initio confidens, in facto timidus Bold at the start, timid in the act
- III vi 29Nulla candidorum virorum utilitas White-skinned men are no use
- III vii 2Timidus Plutus Plutus is a coward
- III viii 42In formidolosum For a man dismayed
- III ix 16Verbis pugnas, non re You are fighting with words, not facts
- III ix 21In fugituum For a runaway
- IV i 44Corinthiis non indignatur Ilium Troy is not angry with the Corinthians
- IV i 60Leonis vestigia quaeris It's only the tracks of the lion you look for
- IV i 85Δευκηπατίας Liver-pale
- IV ii 2Cum adsit via, semitam quaeris When the road is before you, you look for a track
- IV v 34Capere civitatem Capturing a city
- IV v 66Scrupulum injicere To cast a small stone
- IV v 80In pace leones Peace-time lions
- IV vi 13Teuthidum more Like squids
- IV vi 32Non incedis per ignem You are not walking on fire
Tolérance
Toutes choses
Tristesse, joie
- I vii 77In antro Trophonii vaticinatus est He has consulted the oracle in Trophonius' cave
- I viii 48Frontem exporrigere. Frontum contrahere To smooth the forehead. To wrinkle the forehead
- I ix 41Areopagita An Areopagite
- II ii 1Tristis scytale A depressing despatch
- II iv 39Ne sis patruus mihi. Sapere patruos Don't play the wise old uncle to me. As full of wise saws as an uncle
- II iv 65Sanguine flere To weep tears of blood
- II v 40Tragicum tueri To have that tragic look
- II v 62Irrisibilis lapis The laughless rock
- II vi 22Admeti nenia Admetus' dirge
- II vi 88Titanicus aspectus A titanic glare
- II vii 92Atrei oculi The eyes of Atreus
- II x 93Harmodii cantilena The Harmodius song
- III ii 38Cepas edere aut olfacere To eat, or to sniff, onions
- III iii 2Sarone magis nauticus More of an old sailor than Saron
- III iii 8Pyraustae gaudes gaudium Your joy is that of the fire-worm
- III iv 10Canere de Telamone Sing the song of Telamon
- III iv 75Lityersam cantionem canis You are singing the Lityerses
- III v 71Contrahere supercilium, inflare buccas Contracting the brow, inflating the cheeks
- III vii 47Tauricum tueri To glare like a bull
- III vii 73Magis gaudet eo qui senectam exuit As happy as someone casting off old age
- III ix 73Festivus sermo Lively conversation
- IV i 2Argivos vides You are seeing Argives
- IV ii 78Superatus es a gallo quopiam You have been beaten by some gamecock
- IV ii 95Erinnys ex Tragoedia A Fury from tragedy
- IV v 53Animus habitat in auribus The mind lives in the ears
- IV v 74Sinapi victitare To live on mustard
- IV ix 12Sustollere manus Raise hands on high
- IV ix 57Quasi dies dicta sit As if waiting for one's case to come to trial
- IV ix 78Mutare vestem To change one's clothes
- IV x 79Ne si ad Jovis quidem aulam Not even if to Jove's temple
Tromperie d'un ami
Tumulte
Témérité
- I ii 74Fastuosis Maximus Haughty Maximus
- I ix 54Illotis pedibus ingredi To enter with unwashed feet
- I ix 55Illotis manibus With unwashed hands
- II ii 60Aureo piscari hamo To fish with a golden hook
- II ii 82Quam quisque norit artem, in hac se exerceat Each man had best employ what skill he has
- II iv 33Andabate Blindfold fighters
- III i 4Aedilitatem geris sine populi suffragio A self-appointed aedile
- III v 49Coenare me doce Teach me to eat
- III viii 60Non suscipiendum negocium temere A deal not to be undertaken rashly
- III ix 85Periculum ne temere subeas Do not take a rash risk
- IV v 54Inscitia confidentiam parit Ignorance begets overconfidence
- IV vi 31Ne incalceatus in montes Don't climb a mountain unshod
- IV vii 62Exitii nulla ratio Death deprives us of our wits
- IV vii 77Ne praeceps fueris ad jurandum Do not rush to swear an oath
- V ii 3Cor calidum in re frigida A hot heart in a cold task
Ténacité
Un ajout minime ou excessif
- II viii 29Gleba arvum Clod and field
- II x 89Olerum appositiones Greens on the table
- III i 44Magno flumini rivulum inducis You lead a rivulet into a great river
- IV ii 58Gutta vini A drop of wine
- IV ii 69Ne maior thylaco accessio Beware the load is not bigger than the bag
- IV viii 63Piscis eget sale Fish needs salt
- IV x 48Croesi pecuniae teruncium addere Add a penny to Croesus' millions
Un commencement loué
- II v 61Primum Aegina pueros optimos alit Of old, Aegina bears the most noble sons
- III iii 75Cum parvula est, bona videtur spina While it is small a thorn seems good
- III vi 10Primum Mars in filiis laudatus est Mars was honoured initially in his sons
- IV viii 68Operi incipienti favendum Applaud the first beginnings
- IV viii 70In hoc calceamento pedem habet He has his foot in this shoe
- IV x 50Vestigium ponere To tread on
Un lien indissoluble
Un mauvais voisin
- I i 32Aliquid mali, propter vicinum malum Something bad from a bad neighbour
- I vi 37Salsuginosa vicinia A brackish neighbourhood
- I x 73Si juxta claudum habites, subclaudicare disces If you live next to a cripple, you will learn to limp
- IV v 1Ne bos quidem pereat Not even an ox would be lost
- V ii 36Omnibus modens nocens Harming in every way
Un présent convenable ou inconvenant
- II iii 20Ranis vinum praeministras You are offering wine to frogs
- II iii 83Putre salsamentum amat origanum Rotting salt fish is fond of marjoram
- II v 47Ne a quovis ligno Mercurius fiat Do not make a Mercury out of any and every wood
- II vi 74Bos sub iugum An ox under the yoke
- II vii 15Navis annosa haudquaquam navigabit per mare An old ship will not sail the open sea
- II ix 18Ad pedem To fit the foot
- II ix 84Non nostrum onus: bos clitellas? Not my burden: a saddle on the ox?
- III i 30Veneri suem immolavit He has sacrificed a pig to Venus
- III ix 9Apta provincia A suitable function
- III ix 78Negotium non aptum An unsuitable undertaking
- III x 46Officium humilius An unworthy office
- IV i 67Iuxta navem Ship-shape
- IV i 90Pygmaeorum acrothinia Colosso adaptare Using the spoils of the pygmies for the Colossus
- V ii 13A Deo ficti Fashioned by heaven
Un présent qui n'en est pas un
- I iii 35Hostium munera, non munera Gifts of enemies are no gifts
- I iv 5Cyclopis donum The gift of the Cyclops
- II vi 50Hermonium officium A kindness like Hermon's
- II x 58Cum Delphis sacrificaverit, ipse carnes absumit After offering sacrifice at Delphi, he eats the meat himself
- IV iii 4Malum munus A bad gift is as good as a loss
Un présent à prendre en bonne part
- II vii 5Munerum animus optimus In gifts the spirit is what matters
- III ix 76Arripienda quae offeruntur Seize what is offered
- III x 54Nihil recusandum, quod donatur Never refuse a gift
- IV i 15Donum quodcunque dat aliquis proba For any gift that is given be grateful
- IV v 24Equi dentes inspicere donati Looking a gift horse in the mouth
Une coutume changée
- I v 35Nuces relinquere To leave the nuts behind
- II iii 4Longum valere jussit He bade a long farewell
- II iv 96De calcaria in carbonariam From the lime-kiln to the charcoal-burner's fire
- II v 93A Dorio ad Phrygian From Dorian to Phrygian
- III iii 32Rudentes et remos cum armis commutavit He has changed rigging and oars for arms
- III iv 85Pro eleganti medico malus poeta Instead of an exclusive physician, a bad poet
- III v 11Maritimus cum sis, ne velis fieri terrestris Since you are a seaman, don't try to become a landsman
- III x 32Sui dissimilis A different face
- IV iv 47Ulysses pannos exuit Ulysses has stripped off his rags
- IV iv 48Subito alius Suddenly another person
- IV v 27Ad bonam frugem To good harvests
- IV v 40Qui multum obfuit He who did great harm as an enemy
- IV v 45De toga ad pallium From the toga to the pallium
- IV ix 43Circeo poculo Circean cup
Une perte honorable
Usure
- I x 24Animam debet He owes his own soul
- II vi 91Citius usara currit quam Heraclitus Interest runs faster than Heraclitus
- II vii 98Felix qui nihil debet Happy is he that owes nothing
- II viii 45Est Pylus ante Pylum Pylos there is before Pylos
- III v 90Semel rubidus ac decies pallidus Once flushed, but ten times pale
Vaincre et être vaincu
- I iii 4Palmam ferre To bear the palm
- I ix 33Solus currens vicit He was the only runner and he won
- I ix 78Herbam dare To proffer grass
- I ix 79Dare manus To put one's hand up
- I ix 81Hastam abjicere To throw away one's spear
- I ix 82Arena cedere To leave the arena
- II iv 85Mea est pila It's my ball
- II vi 1Quid nisi victis dolor? Losers must expect to suffer
- III iv 14Tolle digitum Raise your finger
- III iv 25Invulnerabilis ut Caeneus Invulnerable like Caeneus
- III v 17Αὐτόθην κατάβαλλε Lay it down on the spot
- IV iii 79Victi non audent hiscere The conquered dare not even mutter
- IV iv 3Extremum occupet scabies The last one's a scab
- IV x 74Vita hominis peregrinatio The life of man is a time of exile
- V i 66Praelio victus non bello Lose the battle but not the war
Vanité
- I ii 29Cretiza cum Cretensi To play Cretan with a Cretan
- I iii 41Fumos vendere To sell smoke
- I iv 82Quae apud inferos The things in Hades
- II i 46Tantali horti Gardens of Tantalus
- II i 62Somnium A dream
- II ii 98Mentiuntur multa cantores Singers tell many lies
- II iii 74Mendacem memorem esse oportet A liar should have a good memory
- II iv 9Hiberae neniae A Hiberian rigmarole
- III i 26Cilix haud facile verum dicit A Cilician finds it hard to speak the truth
- III i 46Ne si bos quidem vocem edat Not if an ox were to speak
- III i 66Deinde expergiscebar And then I awoke
- III ii 58Asini mortes The deaths of a donkey
- III vii 16Anicularum deliramenta Ravings of silly old women
- III vii 21Subventanea parit His progeny are full of wind
- IV ii 28Epiphyllides Small grapes
- IV iii 10Cyparissi fructus The fruit of the cypress
- IV iii 42Caecum insomnium A blind dream
- IV v 68Calidum mendacium A hot lie
- IV v 92Dosones Shall-givers
- IV vi 6Psydracia Lie pimples
- IV vii 85Haud solide No firm notion
- IV viii 53Neque dicta neque facta Never said and never done
- IV ix 63Somnium hybernum A winter dream
- IV ix 83Ne insciens quidem verum dicit He doesn't tell the truth even by accident
- IV x 24In foro veritas No deception in the market-place
- V i 82Apologus Alcinoi A story for Alcinous
Vengeance d'un méfait
- I i 47Bos lassus fortius figit pedem The tired ox treads the more firmly
- I i 84In me haec cudetur faba These beans will be pounded on me
- I i 88Aderit Temessaeus genius The Temessaean spirit will be there
- I ii 3Longae regum manus Kings have long hands
- I iv 7Ornatus ex tuis virtutibus Adorned according to your virtues
- I vii 47Canis vindictam A dog's revenge
- I vii 80Salis onus unde venerat, illuc abiit Salt to water whence it came
- I vii 82Male parta male dilabuntur Ill gotten ill spent
- I viii 96Virum improbum vel mus mordeat Even a mouse will fasten its teeth in a rascal
- I viii 97Vel capra mordeat nocentem Even a she-goat will bite a villain
- I ix 22Ibyci grues The cranes of Ibycus
- I x 53Stultus est qui patre caeso liberis pepercit He's a fool who kills the father and spares the children
- I x 58Sero Jupiter diphtheram inspexit Jupiter was slow looking into his records
- I x 82Dii laneos habent pedes The gods have feet of wool
- II ii 13Boliti poenam A penalty for turds
- II ii 17Haud impune vindemiam facies You will not gather the vintage without paying for it
- II iv 30Sui cuique mores fingunt fortunam Every man's character moulds his fortune
- II v 14Anus simia sero quidem An aged ape needs time
- II v 31Inest et formicae et serpho bilis Even ant and gnat have their gall
- II vi 10Capra nondum peperit, haedus autem ludit in tectis The she-goat has not yet given birth, but the kid is playing on the roof
- II vi 11Reperit Deus nocentem God finds the guilty
- II vi 38Adrastia Nemesis. Rhamnusia Nemesis Nemesis of Adrastus, of Rhamnus
- II vi 56Ad deorum aures pervenit It came to the ears of the gods
- II vi 63Aesopicus sanguis Aesop's blood
- II vii 24Nunc dii beati Now the gods are happy
- II vii 88Promeri canes Promerus' hounds
- II ix 15Semper virgines Furiae The Furies, ever virgins
- II x 34Mala proditio Treason without reason
- II x 36Mali bibunt improbitatis fecem Evil men drink the dregs of their wickedness
- II x 69Invitus Jupiter novit Jupiter has no wish to know
- II x 91Hipparchorum tabula The hipparchs' list
- III ii 29Cissamis cous Cissamis of Cos
- III ii 73Improbi consilium in extremum incidit malum The counsel of the wicked has incurred utter disaster
- III iii 98Malis ter mala Evil thrice over to the evil
- III iii 99Canis peccatum sus dependit The dog offended, the sow paid the penalty
- III iv 23Sus acina dependes You are a pig who will pay for the grapes
- III iv 99In tergore bovis desedit Seated on the ox's hide
- III v 7Habet et musca splenem Even a fly has a spleen
- III v 67Fumantem nasum ursi ne tentaveris Do not touch the nose of a bear when it is fuming
- III vi 35Ne spina quidem vulnerabit bonos Not even a thorn will harm the good
- III vi 74Oetaeus genius The Oetaean spirit
- III vi 93Ductus per phratores canis A dog among the phratry members
- III vii 1Scarabaeus aquilam quaerit A dung-beetle hunting an eagle
- III vii 55Miseram messem metere To reap a wretched harvest
- III viii 49Evenit malo male Wrong to the wrong-doer
- III ix 27Vindicta tarda, sed gravis Vengeance falling late, but heavily
- III ix 63Deus ulciscetur God will punish
- III x 16Flagitiorum turpis exitus Crime has an ugly outcome
- III x 47Vitandae potentum offensae Avoid the rancours of the powerful
- III x 95Fortis in alium fortiorem incidit One strong man meets another who is stronger
- IV i 10Placiadae Placiadae
- IV i 28Habet He's got it!
- IV ii 22Canis saeviens in lapidem A dog getting angry with the stone
- IV ii 30Super te haec omnia Leparge The whole load on your back, Lepargus
- IV iii 63Ob textoris erratum Paying for the weaver's mistake
- IV iv 44Bove venari leporem, et similia To hunt a hare with an ox
- IV iv 82Sero molunt Deorum molae The gods' mill grinds slow
- IV iv 92Dulce pomum cum abest custos Sweet is the apple that has no guard
- IV vii 66Sortem et usuram persolvere To pay off both principal and interest
- V i 39Qui prior laesit The first to wound
- V i 52Auriculam mordicus Bite off an ear
- V i 89Vindicta velox Swift recompense
Victoire triste des deux côtés
Vieillesse prématurée ou mort
Vivre chez soi
- III i 13Domi manere oportet belle fortunatum He who is well off should stay at home
- III iii 38Domus amica, domus optima A loved home is the best home
- III ix 44Domi manendum Better stay at home
- III x 18Patria sua cuique iucundissima To every man his own country is most agreeable
- III x 38Domus optima Home is best
- IV viii 77Apud matrem manere Tied to his mother's apron-strings
Volontiers
Véhémence, langueur
- II iv 72Betizare. Lachanizare To wilt like beet or salad
- II viii 54Oestro percitus Smitten by an oestrus
- II x 31Manum habere sub pallio To have one's hand in one's pocket
- III vii 71Pyrrichen oculis prae se ferens To cast a Pyrrhic look
- III viii 61Vehementer cupientis For someone with a powerful longing
- IV vi 72Non contis, aut ramulis Not by poles or branches
Vœu
- I v 98Utinam mihi contingantea, quae sunt inter Corinthum et Sicyonem If only I had what lies between Corinth and Sicyon!
- I vii 87Quaecunque in somnio videntur What we see in a dream
- II iv 90Venereum jusjurandum Lovers' vows
- II viii 17Quid non fies profectus Arbelas? Make for Arbelae and you'll do great things
- II viii 74Votum munificum Wishes make wealthy
- II ix 83Ne contra bovem opta Pray not against your ox
- III iii 66Omne aes alienum cepe et mulcta allium All my debts onions and my taxes garlic
- III iii 81Etiam dormiens somniat He dreams even when he's asleep
- III v 92Semper superioris anni proventus melior Last year's harvest was always the best
- III viii 55In voti compotem On one whose wish is fulfilled
- III ix 1Alia dantur, alia negantur Some things are given, some are denied
- III x 60Non quidvis continget, quod optaris Not everything you wish for happens
- III x 86Canis panes somnians A dog dreaming of bread
- IV i 28Habet He's got it!
Égalité
Éloquence
- I ii 55Cygnea cantio Swan-song
- I ii 56Nestorea eloquentia The eloquence of Nestor
- I ii 57Lepos Atticus, Eloquentia Attica Attic wit, Attic eloquence
- I viii 80Attica musa The Attic muse
- II vi 42Rosas loqui To speak roses
- II vi 76Tenui vena, divite vena, tenui canali A thin vein, a rich vein, a shallow channel
- III iii 23Nunc ipsa vivit sapientia Now wisdom itself is alive
- III iii 24Nunc ipsa floret Musa Now is the Muse herself in flower
- III iii 97Tunc canent cygni, cum tacebunt graculi The swans will sing when the jackdaws are silent
- III vi 33Nihil ex agro dicis Your words are never rustic
- IV viii 19Incantatione quavis efficacius More effective than any spell
- IV ix 97Oculis ac manibus By eye and hand
- V ii 17Lapides flere Make stones weep
- V ii 18Amentatae hastae Thonged spears
Équanimité
- I x 66Indus elephantus haud curat culicem An Indian elephant does not notice a gnat
- II vii 89Magistratum gerens, audi et juste et injuste When in office expect both just and unjust criticism
- II ix 56Omnia sapientibus facilia To the wise all things are easy
- III iv 68In re mala, animo si bono utare, adjuvat In an evil pass it helps if you face it with courage
- III vi 4Quando id fieri non potest When it cannot be done
- III vii 78Iactare iugum To shake the yoke
- IV x 3Catone hoc contenti fumus Satisfied with Cato as he is
Étranger au sujet
- I iii 80Me mortuo terra misceatur incendio When I am dead the earth can burn up
- I v 44Neque coelum neque terram attingit It touches neither heaven nor earth
- I v 45Nihil ad versum Nothing to do with the verse
- I v 46Nihil ad fides Nothing to do with the lyre
- I vi 82Mihi istic nec seritur nec metitur The sowing and reaping there are none of mine
- I x 93Ultra septa transilire To overleap the pit
- II ii 10Extra oleas Beyond the olive-trees
- II ii 49Falces postulabam Sickles I asked for
- II iii 22De curru delapsus Fallen from his chariot
- II iv 57Nihil ad Bacchum What has this to do with Bacchus?
- II vi 67Extra chorum saltare To dance outside the ring
- III i 15Alia Menecles, alia porcellus loquitur Menecles tells one story and the pig another
- III ii 92Quid ad Mercurium? What's that to Mercury?
- III ii 96Meos corymbos necto I twine my ivy-clusters
- III iv 35Ego tibi de alliis loquor, tu respondes de cepis I talk to you about garlic, and you answer about onions
- III iv 50Omissa hypera, pedem insequeris You let go the brace and run after the sheet
- III vi 31Quid ad farinas? How does that help with daily bread?
- III ix 41Non luctu, sed remedio opus in malis Misfortunes need healing not mourning
- III x 33Nihil ad rem Nothing to do with the subject
- IV iv 34Haud contra ostium Not against the door
- IV iv 86Incita equum juxta nyssam Ride your horse close to the turning point
- IV v 30Mira de lente Wondrous words about a lentil
- IV viii 89Respublica nihil ad Musicum Politics is not for the man of culture
- IV x 17Εξορχεῖσθαι Dance off
- V i 20Quam in tragoedia Comici Comic characters in a tragedy
Être puni à la place d'un autre
Être sage pour autrui
- I i 77Quarta luna nati Born on the fourth day of the new moon
- I vi 68Facile, cum valemus, recta consilia aegrotius damus Good counsel to the sick is cheap enough, when we ourselves are well
- II v 38Aliorum medicus, ipse ulceribus scates You physic others, full of sores yourself
- III viii 73Aliis prospiciens, non sibi Foresight for others, not for oneself
- IV iv 32Aliorum medicus A doctor to others