BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTS FROM LATIN AUTHORS. AUSONIUS EVERYTHING HUMAN PERISHES. Miremur periisse homines? monumenta fatiscunt, Can we wonder that men perish and are forgotten when their noblest and most enduring works decay? Death comes even to monumental brass. WHATEVER THOU DOEST, DO IT QUICKLY. 83, 1. Si bene quid facias, facias cito: nam cito factum If thou intendest to do a good act, do it quickly, and then thou wilt excite gratitude: a favour, if it be slow in being conferred, causes ingratitude. THE UNGRATEFUL. Nil homine terra pejus ingrato creat. The earth produces nothing worse than an ungrateful man. FICKLENESS OF FORTUNE. 143, 1. Fortuna nunquam sistit in eodem statu: Fortune is never stable, is always turning, always changing; throws down the prosperous and raises the humble. A NUMBER OF ENEMIES INCREASED. 312, 4. Multis terribilis, caveto multos. If you are the cause of fear to many, then be on your guard against many. PRESERVE EQUANIMITY. 312, 5. Si fortuna juvat, caveto tolli; FEAR CONSCIENCE. 315, 1. Turpe quid ausurus, te sine teste time. If you are about to commit any base deed, fear yourself if you have no witness. TO FEAR WHAT YOU CANNOT OVERCOME. 315, 4. Crux est si metuas, quod vincere metuas. LARGE DOWRY CAUSE OF MISCHIEF. 342, 1. Sæpe in conjugiis fit noxia, cum nimia sit dos. When the dowry is too large, it is often the cause of much mischief. BEGUN HALF DONE. Incipe quicquid agas: pro toto est prima operis pars. Set about whatever you intend to do: the beginning is half the battle. CÆSAR PUNISHMENT OF WICKEDNESS. B. G. i. 14. Consuêsse deos immortales, quo gravius homines ex commutatione rerum doleant, quos pro scelere eorum ulcisci velint, his secundiores interdum res, et diuturniorem impunitatem concedere. The gods are accustomed sometimes to grant greater prosperity and a longer period of impunity to those whom they wish to punish for their crimes, in order that they may feel the heavier affliction from a change of circumstances. RIGHTS OF WAR. B. G. i. 36. Jus esse belli, ut qui vicissent, iis quos vicissent, quemadmodum vellent, imperarent. It is the right of war for conquerors to treat those whom they have conquered according to their pleasure. WINE. Nihil pati vini, reliquarumque rerum ad luxuriam pertinentium, inferri, quod his rebus relanguescere animos et remitti virtutem existimarent. They allowed no wine or other luxuries to be used, because they believed they had a tendency to enervate the mind and make men less brave in battle. GAULS. Sunt Gallorum subita et repentina consilia. GAULS. Omnes fere Gallos novis rebus studere et ad bellum mobiliter celeriterque excitari, omnes autem homines naturâ libertati studere et conditionem servitutis odisse. All the Gauls are fond of change, and are easily excited to war, while they are at the same time attached to liberty and hate slavery. BELIEF. B. G. iii. 18. Quod fere libenter homines id, quod volunt, credunt. Men willingly believe what they wish. IMITATIVE CHARACTER OF THE GAULS. Est summæ genus solertiæ atque ad omnia imitanda atque efficienda, quæ ab quoque tradantur, aptissimum. They are a race of consummate ingenuity, and possess wonderful powers to imitate whatever they see done by others. FEAR. B. G. vii. 26. In summo periculo timor misericordiam non recipit. TRIVIAL CAUSES IN WAR. In bello parvis momentis magni casus intercedunt. CATULLUS THE GRAVE. Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum, SILLY LAUGHTER. Risu inepto res ineptior nulla est. |