Ad Quintilianum

PETRARCH AD FAMILIARES Liber XXIV

Commentary begun by Mari Tomanelli; revised, completed, and edited by Jacques Bailly

Introduction



Francesco Petrarcha (1304-1374 CE), also known as 'Petrarch,' is known as the founder of the Humanist movement and the Father of the Renaissance. In 1350, his friend Lapo di Castiglionchio gave him a partial copy of Quntilianus’s Institutio Oratoria—a twelve-volume textbook on the theory and practice of Roman rhetoric. This letter seems to be the result of reading that copy.

Petrarch had earlier written a personal letter to Cicero after finding a copy of and reading some of Cicero's letters. He also wrote  several more letters to other authors, including Seneca, Varro, Vergil, and others, which are part of the large collection of Petrarch's letters, which might have been much larger had Petrarch not thrown out thousands of pages of his personal letters to spare himself the task of sorting so many correspondences.

The complete text of Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria was not found until 1416, in the monastery of St. Gallen by Poggio Bracciolini, as he describes in a letter to Guarino of Verona (Latin text in Jacques Lefant, Poggiana, Part IV, pp. 309-13).

Those interested in more information about the non-Latin aspects of this letter might find it useful to consult Mario Emilio Cosenza's Petrarch's Letters to Classical Authors: translated from the Latin with a commentary, Chicago 1910, which is freely available at Project Gutenberg.

Commentary

A note about spelling: the spellings used here differ occasionally from Classical Latin. Don't be alarmed by the occasional y where you expect an i (e.g. epystola), ch for h (e.g. michi), e for ae (e.g. etas) or other changes. Language change is inevitable and interesting in itself.

Ad Quintilianum

[1] The text of Quintilianus' Institutes of Oratory Petrarch had was not good. Would that time could preserve things of quality and neglect inferior things, but it does not do that.

[1] Franciscus Quintiliano salutem. Olim tuum nomen audieram et de tuo aliquid legeram, et mirabar unde tibi nomen acuminis; sero ingenium tuum novi: Oratoriarum Institutionum liber, heu, discerptus et lacer, venit ad manus meas. Agnovi aetatem vastatricem omnium et dixi mecum: ‘Facis ut solita es; nil bona fide custodis, nisi quod perdere lucrum erat. O aetas segnis et insolens, tales michi remittis insignes viros cum ignavissimos colas! O sterilis et feda pars temporum tot rebus ediscendis ac scribendis dedita que melius nescirentur, opus hoc habere integrum neglexisti.’ 

The words nil bona fide custodis, nisi quod perdere lucrum erat echo pseudo-Quintilian's language at Declamationes Maiores "The Poor Man's Bees," 13.7.21, namely quaeritur, an damnum sit perdere, quod lucrum est habere ('one wonders whether it is a loss to lose what it is profitable to have': the context is a legalistic query).

Franciscus Quintiliano salutem: an epistolary formula omitting a verb, sc. dixit or the like (an epistolary past tense: it is past by the time Quintilian reads it, fictionally at least). | de tuo: sc. opere or the like. | unde tibi nomen acuminis: unde introduces an indirect question (supply esset); nomen = 'reputation' here; tibi goes with nomen (nomen mihi est = 'I have a reputation'). acuminis is a genitive of material identifying what the nomen consists of. | discerptus: perfect passive participle of discerpo, modifying liber. |  venit: surely perfect, like the surrounding verbs. | aetatem vastatricem omnium: aetatem is personified, described as a vastatricem omnium. | dixi mecum: literally "I spoke with myself," in better English "I said to myself." | Facis ut solita es: "you" is aetas personified, the addressee. | nil: nihil. | bona fide: ablative of manner. | nisi (sc. custodis) quod perdere lucrum erat: losing something might be profitable. quod is direct object of perdere, an infinitive which is subject of erat. | michi: mihi. | cum: 'although' or 'while' + subjunctive. | feda: foeda. | rebus ediscendis ac scribendis: gerundives in dative dependent on dedita. | dedita: participle modifying pars. | remittis: because in contrast to colas ("you take care of"), this verb must here mean something like 'neglect' (cf. English "be remiss"). | que melius (sc. esset, fuit, or est) nescirentur: que = quae: antecedent is rebus; relative clause , probably of characteristic (hence subjunctive understood esset, and secondary sequence (dependent on neglexisti)). melius neuter singular in impersonal melius + esse with a semi-independent subjunctive nescirentur (or perhaps contrary to fact?). Fully spelled out, and a bit clunkily, the thought is "which it is better they not be known."  | habere: 'hold,' 'preserve,' 'keep.' | neglexisti: subject is again aetas, 'time.'

[2] Petrarch hopes that anyone who has a good copy of Institutio Oratoria realizes what a precious treasure they hold.

Stylistically (and practically, to read more easily), take a moment to note the interlaced word order of the first sentence, abab. Such order is typical of Petrarch: is modifies liber, and veram modifies opinionem.

[2] Ceterum is michi de te veram liber opinionem attulit; diu tuis in rebus erraveram; errori finem advenisse gratulor. Vidi formosi corporis artus effusos; admiratio animum dolorque concussit; et fortasse nunc apud aliquem totus es, et apud talem forsitan qui suum hospitem habet incognitum. Quisquis in te reperiendo fortunatior fuit, sciat se rem magni precii possidere, quamque si noverit, primas inter divitias locet.

ceterum: adverbial 'moreover,' 'as for the rest.' | is: modifies liber, the poor copy Petrarch has of Quintilian's Institutiones. | tuis in rebus: rebus must refer to the contents of the liber which Petrarch read, and so tuis refers more to the liber personified than Quintilian the person. | totus es: continued personification of Quintilianus’s work, totus = 'intact.' | hospitem ... incognitum: the book is the hospes, 'visitor,' the value of the book may be unknown to the owner. | in te reperiendo: gerund or gerundive: the meaning is the same; te refers to the good copy of Institutio Oratoria, or perhaps Quintilian himself, what is left of him, his text. | sciat: hortatory subjunctive. | precii: pretii (cf. it's modern English derivative 'precious'), a genitive of material. | quamque si: quamque is not a form of quisque, but rather relative pronoun quam + enclitic -que 'and.' rem is the antecedent of quam, which is the direct object of locet: quam primas inter divitias locet is the apodosis of a future more vivid condition with si noverit as its protasis. | primas: equivalent to optimas.

[3] Petrarch suggests that Quintilian's doctrines are so exquisite, careful, and thorough that he surpassed Cicero as a teacher of orators by as much as Cicero surpasses Quintilian as an orator.

[3] Tu quidem in his libris, qui quot sint nescio sed hauddubie multi sunt, rem a Cicerone iam sene summo studio tractatam refricare ausus, quod factu impossibile iudicabam, post tanti viri vestigia novam non imitationis sed doctrine proprie preclarique operis gloriam invenisti. Adeo diligenter ab illo instructus orator a te comptus ornatusque est, ut multa ab illo vel neglecta vel non animadversa videantur, atque ita singulatim omnia colligis duci tuo elapsa, ut quantum vinci eloquio tantum diligentia vincere recto ni fallor iudicio dici possis.

Sentence structure clause by clause:

• Tu quidem in his libris, ... (start main clause, tu = Quintilian)
• qui ... (begin relative clause)
• quot sint (subjunctive in indirect question dependent on nescio)
• nescio (logically, qui would be acc. quos, an object of this verb, but it is nom. qui, subject of sunt)
  
• ... sed hauddubie multi sunt,: (conclude relative clause)
• ... rem a Cicerone iam sene summo studio tractatam refricare ausus, ... (continue main clause) 
• quod factu impossibile iudicabam, (substantive clause: the antecedent of quod is the whole idea of the previous clause, i.e. a refreshing of matters Cicero had already treated)
• post tanti viri vestigia novam non imitationis sed doctrine proprie preclarique operis gloriam invenisti. (conclusion of main clause)

• Adeo diligenter ab illo instructus orator a te comptus ornatusque est, (1st main clause)
• ut multa ab illo vel neglecta vel non animadversa videantur: (result clause)
• atque ita singulatim omnia colligis duci tuo elapsa, (2nd main clause)
• ut ... (begin result clause)
  
• quantum vinci eloquio (sc. dici possis)
  
•  ... tantum diligentia vincere recto ... (first half of a subjunctive result clause: later possis takes both vincere and dici as complementary infinitives)
• ni fallor (parenthetical)
• ... iudicio dici possis. (latter half of subjunctive result clause)

[4] Cicero leads would-be orators by example, and Quintilian by nurturing them from childhood.

[4] Ille enim suum oratorem per ardua causarum ac summos eloquentie vertices agit et iudicialibus bellis ad victoriam format; tu longius repetens, oratorem tuum per omnes longe vie flexus ac latebras ab ipsis incunabulis ad supremam eloquii arcem ducis; placet, delectat et mirari cogit; eo namque aspirantibus nichil utilius. Ciceroniana claritas provectos illuminat et celsum validis iter signat, tua sedulitas ipsos quoque fovet invalidos et optima nutrix ingeniorum, lacte humili teneram pascit infantiam.

Ille: Cicero. | ardua: substantive adjective. | causarum: a legal term, "of (legal) cases." | eloquentie: Classical Latin ae came to be spelled e. | iudicialibus bellis: ablative of place where. | tu: Quintilianus. | omnes... flexus ac latebras: direct objects of the main verb, ducis. | longe vie and nichil: ae came to be written as e and h by ch by Petrarch's time: there will be no more notes about these spelling norms. | placet, delectat, et mirari cogit: subject switches back to Cicero. | eo namque aspirantibus nichil utilius: sc. est. eo is abl. of comparison. | validis: substantive dative plural adjective. | optima nutrix: metaphorical. | lacte humili: ablative of means.

[5] Petrarch changes gears and critiques Quintilianus, because praising him might seem to be mere flattery.

In his critique, P brings up Cicero's harsh assessment of Hermagoras of Temnos, a teacher of rhetoric from the 1st century BCE whom Quintilian praised in spite of Cicero's criticism. Cicero says the following about Hermagoras at de Inventione I.VI, (the underlined part is quoted by P. in this letter), nam satis in ea videtur ex antiquis artibus ingeniose et diligenter electas res collocasse et nonnihil ipse quoque novi protulisse; verum oratori minimum est de arte loqui, quod hic fecit, multo maximum ex arte dicere, quod eum minime potuisse omnes videmus. 'For in his own manual, he [Hermagoras] seems to have cleverly and carefully assembled select matters from ancient manuals and himself to have brought forth no few new matters too: but for an orator the least important thing is to speak about the art [of oration], which he did, but by far the most important thing is to speak based on the art, which everyone sees that he was incapable of doing.'

[5] Sed ne tibi veritas blanda suspecta sit, mutandus est stilus. In te igitur re apparuit verum esse quod Cicero idem ait in Rhethoricis: “Oratori minimum de arte loqui, multo maximum ex arte dicere; ” non tamen ut ille Hermagore de quo agebat, sic ego tibi horum alterum concedo, alterum eripio; utrumque concesserim, sed hoc mediocriter illud eximie, atque adeo excellenter ut vix quicquam adici iam humano posse videatur ingenio.

suspecta sit: subjunctive in negative purpose. | mutandus est: future passive verb expresses necessity 'will have to be changed.' | in te: "as for you," "in your case." | re: 'in reality,' 'in truth': abl. of manner. | verum esse: complementary infinitive + predicate, dependent on apparuit. | quod ... idem: in English, one says "the same thing which." | minimum ... loqui, multo maximum ... dicere: infinitives act as the subject of each clause (supplement est) and the superlatives are predicate nominatives. | ille: Cicero. | Hermagore and tibi: dative sg. with concedo and eripio as indirect objects: note that with eripio the dative must mean 'from ...' rather than 'to ...': datives can relate advantage or disadvantage. | ut ... sic: 'as ... so' or 'in the same way as ..., ... .' | agebat: 'he was treating': 'he' is Cicero. | alterum ... alterum and hoc ... illud: "the one" and "the other"  and "the latter" and "the former" referring to the theory/teaching of oratory and the actual practice of oratory. | concesserim: 1st person potential subjunctives (perf. and pres. tenses are equivalent) are used in modest assertions, usually about the future, i.e. "I would ... " (A&G §446-7). | sed hoc mediocriter illud eximie, atque adeo excellenter: understand concesserim with each adverb. | adeo ... ut... videatur: subjunctive in result clause, prepared for by adeo. | adici: present passive infinitive of adicio, complementary with posse videatur.

[7] Petrarch means no insult to Quintilian, though, when he claims that he lacks oratorical experience; rather, his expertise is suited in shaping others for oratorical greatness.

[7] Id ne ad iniuriam trahas velim sed intelligas in te ipso inque aliis nunquam sic ingenium unum par ad omnia, ut non aliqua in parte se vinceret. Magnus fateor vir fuisti, sed instituendis formandisque magnis viris maximus et qui si materiam ydoneam nactus esses, te maiorem ex te facile gigneres, doctus nobelium cultor ingeniorum.
trahas velim sed intelligas: velim is the main verb, a potential subjunctive: the subjunctive trahas is in a negative purpose statement dependent on velim, and intelligas is also in a purpose statement dependent on velim (it is normal not to have ut with velim/volo: called a "semi-independent subjunctive). injuriam trahere 'suffer injury,' 'have received injury.' | in te ipso inque aliis nunquam sic ingenium unum par ad omnia: indirect discourse dependent on intelligas: understand esse. | vinceret: subjunctive in result clause. se vincere 'overmatch/outstrip itself.' | fateor: a parenthetical, having no effect on the syntax around it. | instituendis formandisque magnis viris: gerundive construction dependent on maximus, 'very great at ....' | qui: antecedent is the subject of fuisti, (sc. tu). | ydoneam: idoneam. | nactus esses: contrary to fact protasis. | gigneres: present contrary to fact. | te: ablative of comparison with maiorem. | doctus nobelium cultor ingeniorum: abab order, and in apposition to subject of the whole sentence tu (fuisti).

[8] Petrarch thinks Seneca and Quintilian were rivals. The chronology does not work, however: Seneca the Younger was born in 4 BCE and died in 65 CE and Quintilian was born in 35CE and died in 100 CE, so they were of completely different generations. Petrarch, nonetheless, says that although Seneca judged Quintilian harshly (see next section for why P. is mistaken), Quintilian was more kind. Petrarch (acts as if he) hesitates to weigh in on the matter for fear of being judged himself, but he will do so anyway.

[8] Fuit autem tibi emulatio non levis magni cuiusdam viri alterius, Anneum Senecam dico; quos etas, quos professio, quos natio iunxerat, seiunxit parium pestis, livor; qua in re nescio an tu modestior videare: siquidem nec tu illum pleno ore laudare potes, et ille de te contemptissime loquitur. Ego si tantas inter partes iudex sim, quanquam iudicari a parvis magis verear, quam iudicare de magnis merear, meum iudicium dicam tamen.
tibi: a 'dative of reference,' perhaps meaning 'on your part' or the like. | emulatio non levis magni cuiusdam viri alterius: non levis, litotes, 'no trivial' modifying emulatio, which takes an objective genitive (magni cuiusdam viri alterius). | dico: dico can mean "mean" as well as "say." Annaeum Senecam dico must be parenthetical, because it has no syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence: it would be introduced by a subordinating conjunction  and would take indirect speech if it were syntactically integrated. | videare: subjunctive in indirect question, dependent on nescio an, 'perhaps.' | pleno ore laudare: idiomatic: de Officiis 1.61.12 has pleniore ore laudamus 'we praise more heartily.' 

Sentence structure clause by clause:

• Ego ... (begin future less vivid apodosis)
  
• si tantas inter partes iudex sim, (future less vivid protasis)
  
• quanquam iudicari a parvis magis verear,  (concessive subjunctive clause)
  
• quam iudicare de magnis merear, (comparative subjunctive: subjunctive because magis verear is subjunctive)
  
• ... meum iudicium dicam tamen. (end of future less vivid apodosis)
  

[9] The styles of Seneca and Quintilian are compared. A certain Seneca's prediction that a certain Quintilian's reputation would die with Quintilian has not come true.

Petrarch is mistaken about Senecas and Quintilians. He quotes one 'Seneca' disparaging one 'Quintilian' as an orator. Seneca the Elder wrote the following about orators named Lucius Asprenas and Quintilianus: transeo istos, quorum fama cum ipsis extincta est ('I omit those whose reputation died with them'). Petrarch quotes those words as Seneca talking about Quintilian. Two problems arise: Seneca the Elder (54 BCE - 39 CE), not Seneca the Younger (4 BCE - 65 CE), whom Petrarch is talking about, wrote those words (Controversiae10.2.6), and so, given that the elder Seneca died when our Quintilian was about 4 years old, the Quintilian whose oratory Seneca the Elder disparages must have been another Quintilian: that other Quintilian is perhaps a male relative of the Quintilian addressed in this letter. So neither the Seneca nor the Quintilian Petrarch is referring to are likely to be the people he thinks they are: and yet, putting that aside, it is possible to compare their styles nonetheless.

[9] Ille uberior tu acutior, ille altior tu cautior; et tu quidem ingenium eius et studium et doctrinam laudas, electionem ac iudicium non laudas, stilum vero corruptum et omnibus vitiis fractum dicis; ille autem te inter eos numerat “quorum cum ipsis fama” sepulta est, cum necdum tua fama sepulta sit, nec tu illo scribente aut sepultus esses aut mortuus.

ille ... tu: ordinarily, nominal personal pronouns are not expressed, but when they are contrasted with another subject, they are quite regularly expressed. | laudas ... non laudas ... dicis: three clauses in asyndeton (no conjunctions) in fine Latin style. | dicis: 'call' or perhaps 'say' with indirect speech (corruptum sc. esse ... fractum sc. esse), both of which amount to much the same thing. | numerat: 'counts' or 'numbers' + acc. + inter eos. | cum ... sepulta sit, ... sepultus esses aut mortuus (sc. esses): concessive cum clauses take subjunctive. sepulta sit refers to Petrarch's own time while sepultus esses aut mortuus (sc. esses) refers to the time when Seneca was alive (illo scribente).

[10] Some facts about Quintilian's life are reported.
Seneca was asked by Nero to commit suicide in 65 CE (Cassius Dio 62.25 and Tacitus XV.62), while Quintilian evidently lived until around 100CE. Nero died in 68 CE, and Galba reigned from 68-69 CE. Quintilian came from Spain to Rome to study, left, and then returned to Rome in 68 CE, after which he opened a rhetoric school and later became tutor to Domitian's grand-nephews. Interestingly, the quotation tuorum adolescentium temeritas in te refunditur, which P. thinks were from Plutarch to Trajan occur for the first time in a letter purportedly from Plutarch to Trajan at the beginning of book V of Policratus, by John of Salisbury (12th c. CE) and are unlikely to be authentic Plutarch.

[10] Ille etenim sub Nerone obit, tu post illius et Neronis obitum sub Galba Romam ex Hispania venisti, multosque ibi post annos sororis Domitiani principis nepotum curam ipso mandante suscipiens morumque et studiorum iuvenilium censor factus, utriusque rei eximia spe ostensa, quod in te fuit, credo fidem impleveris; tamen, ut statim post Plutarchus ad Traianum scribit, “tuorum adolescentium temeritas in te refunditur. ” Nichil modo quod scriberem aliud fuit; opto te incolumem videre, et sicubi totus es, oro ne diutius me lateas. Vale.

Sentence structure, clause by clause:

• Ille etenim sub Nerone obit, main clause (Ille is Seneca the Younger)
  
• tu post illius et Neronis obitum sub Galba Romam ex Hispania venisti, 2nd main clause, asyndeton
  
• multosque ibi post annos sororis Domitiani principis nepotum curam ipso mandante suscipiens morumque et studiorum iuvenilium censor factus, ... begin 3rd main clause, joined by -que. ipso = Domitiano.
  
• utriusque rei eximia spe ostensa, ablative absolute
  
• quod in te fuit, relative clause (no apparent antecedent: quod = 'insofar as') with impersonal verb 'it was,' or translate the whole clause more loosely as 'as you were able' or 'as much as you could.'
  
• credo parenthetical clause having no effect on surrounding syntax
  
• ... fidem impleveris; end of 3rd main clause
  
• tamen, ... introduces 4th main clause
  
• ut statim post Plutarchus ad Traianum scribit, adverbial clause, ut = 'as' + indicative
  
• ... “tuorum adolescentium temeritas in te refunditur. ” 4th main clause
  
• Nichil modo ... begin 1st main clause
  
• quod scriberem relative clause of characteristic/purpose: aliud is the antecedent.
  
• ... aliud fuit; end 1st main clause
  
• opto te incolumem videre, 2nd main clause: te incolumem refers to Quintilian's work.
  
• et ... introduce 3rd main clause
  
• sicubi totus es, protasis to lateas clause: indicative referring to possible actual fact.
  
• ... oro third main clause
  
• ne diutius me lateas. indirect command, hence subjunctive: latet + acc. me = 'it is hidden from me.'

Romam ex Hispania venisti: note that cities, towns, and one-town islands do not need the preposition ad. | ipso: = Domitian. | utriusque rei: i.e. both the character/morals and the studies of Domitian's grand-nephews. | impleveris: the future perfect tense is unusual, perhaps epistolary. | scribit: a historic present? | fuit: an epistolary tense: from the point of view of the recipient, the time has past.

Postscript: Date and place of the writing of this letter.

Vocabulary
ac = atque
acumen, acuminis, n., sharpness (of wit or intellect)
acutior, -ius, more sharp
ad(j)icio, ad(j)icere, adieci, adiectum, add
adeo, to such a degree, so
admiratio, -onis, f., wonder
adolescens, -entis, m., adolescent
advenio, advenire, adeveni, adventum, reach, arrive at
aemulatio, -onis. f., imitation
aetas, -atis, f., time, age
affero, afferre, attuli, allatus, bring
agnosco, agnoscere, agnovi, agnitum, recognize
ago, agere, egi, actus, treat, handle, deal with, talk about, expend one's effort, do; drive, push
aio, say
altus, -a, -um, high, elevated
an, whether (introducing question)
animadverto, animadvertere, animadverti, animadversus, pay attention to; observe
animus, -i, m, soul
annus, -i, m., year
appareo, apparere, apparui, apparitum, appear
apud + acc., at ___'s house, in____'s mind
arc, arcis, f., citadel, stronghold
arduus, -a, um, difficult, hard
ars, artis, f., skill: rhetoric manual
artus, artus, m., joint
aspiro (1), aspire, desire to reach
atque, and; as; than
audeo, audere, ausus sum, dare
audio, audire, audivi, auditum, hear
autem, however, but
blandus, -a, um, alluring, attractive; flattering
causa, -ae, f., case, law case
cautus, -a, -um, careful
celsus, -a, -um, elevated, lofty
censor, -oris, m., rigid judge, censor, critic
ceterum, adv., moreover, besided, as for the rest, in other respects
Ciceronianus, -a, -um, Ciceronian
claritas, -atis, f, clearness, distinctness; reputation, renown
cogo, cogere, coegi, coactus, make, force (+ inf.)
colligo, colligere, collegi, collectus, gather, assemble
colo, colere, colui, cultus, take care of
como, comere, compsi, comptus, adorn, deck, embellish
concedo, concedere, concessi, concessum, grant, yield, concede
concutio, concutere, concussi, concussum, strike
confero, conferre, contuli, collatus, compare, bring together
constat, it is established, it is settled, it is confirmed
contemptus, -a, -um, despicable, vile
corpus, corporis, n., body
corruptus, -a, -um, spoiled, corrupted, bad
cos, cotis, f., whetstone, flint
credo, credere, credidi, creditum, believe; trust
cultor, -oris, m., cultivator, grower, producer (agricultural, but applied elsewhere)
cura, -ae, f., care
custodio, custodire, custodivi, custoditus, guard, protect, preserve
dedo, dedere, dedidi, deditum, surrender, deliver, consign
delecto (1), delight
diligenter, carefully
diligentia, -ae, f., carefulness, earnestness, diligence
discerpo, discerpere, discerpsi, discerptum, rend, tear in pieces
diu, for long, for a long time
diutius, adv., longer, for more time
divitiae, -arum, f. pl., riches
doctrina, -ae, f., teaching, instruction
doctus, -a, -um, learned
dolor, doloris, m., grief
Domitianus, Domitian, Roman emperor
dubius, -a, -um, wavering, doubtful
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus, lead
dux, ducis, m., leader
edisco, ediscere, edidici, learn by heart, commit to memory
edo, edere, edidi, editum, bring forth, produce, publish
effundo, effundere, effusi, effusum, spread out
elabor, elabi, elapsus, slip away, escape, glide away
electio, -onis, f., selection, choice
eloquentia, -ae, f., eloquence
eloquentie, = eloquentiae
eloquium, -i, n., eloquence; declaration, communication
emulatio = aemulatio
equidem, has the same meaning as ego + quidem, I for my part, I indeed
eripio, eripere, erepi, ereptum, snatch away, take away
erro (1), wander; err
error, erroris, m., wandering, going astray
etas, = aetas
etatem, = aetatem
etenim, in fact
excellenter, excellently, virtuously
eximie, very much, exceedingly
eximius, -a, -um, extraordinary, excellent
facilis, -e, easy
factu, a supine of facio
fallo, fallere, fefelli, falsim, deceive
fama, -ae, f., reputation
fateor, fateri, fassus, confess, admit, grant
feda, = foeda
fides, fidei, f., trust, faith
finis, finis, m., end
flexus, -us, m., bending, turning, transition
foedus, foeda, foedum, loathesome, detestable, base, vile
formo (1), shape, fashion, form
formosus, -a, -um, beautiful
forsitan, perhaps (usually with subjunctive)
fortasse, perhaps (usually with indicative)
fortunatus, -a, -um, lucky
foveo, fovere, fovi, fotum, support, assist
fractus, -a, -um, broken
fungor, fungi, functus, function as (takes abl.)
Galba, Galba, Roman emperor
gigno, gignere, genui, genitum, bear, beget, produce
gladium, -i, n., sword
gratulor (1), give thanks
habeo, habere, habui, habitus, hold, keep x y (+ double acc.), keep x in a certain condition (y)
haud, hardly
hauddubie, = haud dubie
heu, alas
Hispania, -ae, f., Spain
hospes, hospitis, m., visitor, stranger
humilis, -e, lowly
iam, at this point (always a fine translation), now (sometimes a good translation), already (sometimes a good translation)
idcirco, for that reason,
idem, eadem, idem, same
idoneus, idonea, idoneum, suitable, fitting, apt
igitur, therefore (usually after first word of a clause)
ignavus, -a, -um
illumino (1), illuminate, enlighten
imitatio, -onis, f., imitation
impleo, implere, implevi, impetus, fulfill, fill
impossibilis, -e, impossible
incognitus, -a, -um, unknown
incolumis, -e, safe, whole
incunabula, -orum, n. pl., swaddling clothes
infantia, -ae, f., infancy
ingenium, -i, n., character, mind, genius, nature, temper, character
iniuria, -ae, f.,
insignis, -is, renowned, famous
insolens, unaccustomed; extravagant, prodigal
instituo instituere, institui, institutum, set up, establish, teach, train, educate
instructus, -a, -um, taught, prepared, provided
integer, integra, sound, whole, entire, untouched
intelligo, intelligere, intellexi, intellectus, understand
inter + acc., among
invalidus, -a, -um, weak
invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum, find, discover
iter, itineris, n., way, path
iudex, iudicis, m., judge
iudicialis, -e, judicial
iudicium, -i, n., judgement
iudico (1), judge, deem
iungo, iungere, iunxi, iunctus, join
iuvenilis, -e, youthful, in youth, juvenile
lac, lactis, n., milk
lacer, lacera, lacerum, mangled, torn in pieces
latebra, -ae, f., hiding place
lateo, latere, latui, lie hid, lurk
laudo (1), praise
lego, legere, legi, lectum, read
levis, e, trifling, trivial, inconsiderable
liber, libri, m., book
livor, -oris, m., spite, ill-will
loco (1), put, place, locate
longe, far, by far
longius, longer, farther
loquor, loqui, locutus sum, speak, say
lucrum, lucri, n., greed, gain, profit
magis, adv., more
magnificus, -a, -um, great
maior, maius, greater, older
mando (1), entrust, hand over, deliver
materia, -ae, f., material, matter
maximum, most, most important
mediocris, -e, middling, unremarkable,
mediocriter, to a medium degree, halfway,
melior, melius, better
mereor, mereri, meritus sum, deserve
minimum, least, least important
miror (1), wonder at, marvel at, be amazed at
modestus, -a, -um, temperate
modo, at all
mortuus, -a, -um, dead
mos, moris, m., habit, custom, manner; character (plural)
multo, adverbial, far, by far, much
muto (1), change
nanciscor, nancisci, nactus, find, obtain, receive
natio, -onis, f., country
necdum, not yet
neglego, neglegere, neglexi, neglectus, not take care of, neglect
negligens, negligentis,
nepos, -otis, m., grandson
Nero, Neronis, m., Nero, Roman emperor
nescio, nescire, nescivi, nescitum, not know, be ignorant
ni, = nisi
nichil, = nihil
nil, = nihil
nisi, except; unless, if ... not
nobelis = nobilis
nobilis, nobile, noble
nomen, nominis, n., name; reputation
novi, perfect of nosco, noscere, novi, notum, the perfect means 'know' whereas the present means 'get to know'
numero (1), number, count
nunc, now, at this moment
nunquam, never, = numquam
nutrix, -icis, f., nurse
obeo, obire, obivi, obitus, die
officium, -i, n., role, function
olim, once
opinio, -onis, f., belief
optimus, -a, -um, best
opto (1), wish, want
opus, operis, n., work
ornatus, -a, -um, furnished, provided, equipped
oro (1), beg, ask
os, oris, n., mouth
ostensus, =a, -um, shown
par, equal
pars, partis, f., area; part; side (in a dispute or rivalry)
parvus, -a, -um, small
pasco, pascere, pavi, pastum, cause to eat, feed
pateo, patere, patui, be obvious
perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditus, lose, ruin, destroy
pereo, perire, peri(v)i, peritum, perish, die
pestis, -is, f., plague
placet, placere, placuit, placitum, it pleases
plenus, -a, -um, full
Plutarchus
possideo, possidere, possedi, possessum, have and hold, possess
post, after, then, later (adv.); after (+ acc.)
potentius, more ably
potes, 2sg. pres. act. of possum
praeclarus, -a, -um, very illustrious, excellent
precii, = pretiu
precipue, especially
preclarus, = praeclarus
presto, praestare, praestiti, praestitum, show (oneself) as
pretium, -i, n., price, value
princeps, principis, m, title of Roman emperors, first, leader
professio, -onis, f., profession
proprius, -a, -um, one's own, proper
proveho, provehere, provexi, provectus, advance, carry forward, proceed
quam, than
quanquam, although
quantum, how much!
quidem, indeed
quisquam, quicquam, anything
quisquis, quicquid, whoever, whatever
quot, how many
rectus, -a, -um, correct, straight
refrico (1), refresh, renew, excite again
refundo, refundere, refudi, refusum, return, flow back, pour out, overflow
remitto, remittere, remisi, remissus, send back, give out, yield
reperio, reperere, repperi, repertum, find
repeto, repetere, repetivi, repetitus, renew, repeat, resume
res, rei, f., thing, affair, matter; reality
Rhethoricus, m., rhetorician
salus, salutis, f., health: salutem dico, greet, bid good health
satis, enough
scio, scire, scivi, scitum, know
sedulitas, -atis, f., zeal, earnestness
segnis, segne, slow, unenergetic
seiungo, seiungere, seiunxi, seiunctus, separate, unjoin
senex, senis, m., old man
sepultus, -a, -um, buried
sero, late, too late
sicubi, if anywhere; wheresoever
signo (1), indicate
singulatim, one by one, singly
siquidem, if indeed
soleo, solere, solitus, be accustomed, be wont
soror, -oris, f., sister
spes, spei, f., hope
statim, at once, immediately
sterilis, -e, unproductive, fruitless, empty, barren
stilus, -i, m., manner of speaking, mode of expression
studium, -i, n., zeal, industry
summus, -a, -um, highest
suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum, undertake
suspicio, suspicere, suspexi, suspectus, mistrust
talis, tale, such
tamen, nevertheless
temeritas, -atis, f., recklessness
tempus, temporis, n., time
tener, tenera, tenerum, delicate
tot, so many
totus, -a, -um, whole, entire
tracto (1), handle, treat, investigate
traho, trahere, traxi, tractus, get, obtain, have received, have taken
Traianus, -i, m., Trajan (Roman emperor)
uberior, -ius, more rich, fatter
unde, from where, whence
uterque, utraque, utrumque, each (of two)
utilior, -ius, more useful
vale, valere, valui, be well, be strong
validus, -a, -um, powerful, robust
vastatrix, -icis, f., ravager, destroyer
vel, either, or
velim, I would like, subj. of volo
vereor, vereri, veritus sum, fear
veritas, -atis, f., truth
vero, but, however, truly
vertex, -icis, m., peak, summit
verus, -a, -um, true
vestigium, -i, n., footprint, track
victoria, -ae, f., victory
video, videre, vidi, visus, see
vie, = viae
vinco, vincere, vici, victus, exceed, overmatch, overcome
vitium, -i, n., vice, fault
vix, hardly
ydoneam = idoneam