Seneca Commentary: Letter XV

Commentary by Angeline Chiu and Leanne Goulette, revised by J. Bailly

Text:

XV. SENECA LUCILIO SUO SALUTEM

[1] Mos antiquis fuit, usque ad meam servatus aetatem, primis epistulae verbis adicere 'si vales bene est, ego valeo'. Recte nos dicimus 'si philosopharis, bene est'. Valere enim hoc demum est. Sine hoc aeger est animus; corpus quoque, etiam si magnas habet vires, non aliter quam furiosi aut frenetici validum est. [2] Ergo hanc praecipue valetudinem cura, deinde et illam secundam; quae non magno tibi constabit, si volueris bene valere. Stulta est enim, mi Lucili, et minime conveniens litterato viro occupatio exercendi lacertos et dilatandi cervicem ac latera firmandi; cum tibi feliciter sagina cesserit et tori creverint, nec vires umquam opimi bovis nec pondus aequabis. Adice nunc quod maiore corporis sarcina animus eliditur et minus agilis est. Itaque quantum potes circumscribe corpus tuum et animo locum laxa. [3] Multa sequuntur incommoda huic deditos curae: primum exercitationes, quarum labor spiritum exhaurit et inhabilem intentioni ac studiis acrioribus reddit; deinde copia ciborum subtilitas impeditur. Accedunt pessimae notae mancipia in magisterium recepta, homines inter oleum et vinum occupati, quibus ad votum dies actus est si bene desudaverunt, si in locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis altius in ieiuno iturae regesserunt. [4] Bibere et sudare vita cardiaci est. Sunt exercitationes et faciles et breves, quae corpus et sine mora lassent et tempori parcant, cuius praecipua ratio habenda est: cursus et cum aliquo pondere manus motae et saltus vel ille qui corpus in altum levat vel ille qui in longum mittit vel ille, ut ita dicam, saliaris aut, ut contumeliosius dicam, fullonius: quoslibet ex his elige _usum rude facile_. [5] Quidquid facies, cito redi a corpore ad animum; illum noctibus ac diebus exerce. Labore modico alitur ille; hanc exercitationem non frigus, non aestus impediet, ne senectus quidem. Id bonum cura quod vetustate fit melius. [6] Neque ego te iubeo semper imminere libro aut pugillaribus: dandum est aliquod intervallum animo, ita tamen ut non resolvatur, sed remittatur. Gestatio et corpus concutit et studio non officit: possis legere, possis dictare, possis loqui, possis audire, quorum nihil ne ambulatio quidem vetat fieri. [7] Nec tu intentionem vocis contempseris, quam veto te per gradus et certos modos extollere, deinde deprimere. Quid si velis deinde quemadmodum ambules discere? Admitte istos quos nova artificia docuit fames: erit qui gradus tuos temperet et buccas edentis observet et in tantum procedat in quantum audaciam eius patientia et credulitate produxeris. Quid ergo? a clamore protinus et a summa contentione vox tua incipiet? usque eo naturale est paulatim incitari ut litigantes quoque a sermone incipiant, ad vociferationem transeant; nemo statim Quiritium fidem implorat. [8] Ergo utcumque tibi impetus animi suaserit, modo vehementius fac vitiis convicium, modo lentius, prout vox te quoque hortabitur _in id latus_; modesta, cum recipies illam revocarisque, descendat, non decidat; _mediatorisui habeat et hoc_ indocto et rustico more desaeviat. Non enim id agimus ut exerceatur vox, sed ut exerceat.

[9] Detraxi tibi non pusillum negotii: una mercedula et _unum graecum_ ad haec beneficia accedet. Ecce insigne praeceptum: 'stulta vita ingrata est, trepida; tota in futurum fertur'. 'Quis hoc' inquis 'dicit?' idem qui supra. Quam tu nunc vitam dici existimas stultam? Babae et Isionis? Non ita est: nostra dicitur, quos caeca cupiditas in nocitura, certe numquam satiatura praecipitat, quibus si quid satis esse posset, fuisset, qui non cogitamus quam iucundum sit nihil poscere, quam magnificum sit plenum esse nec ex fortuna pendere. [10] Subinde itaque, Lucili, quam multa sis consecutus recordare; cum aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot sequantur. Si vis gratus esse adversus deos et adversus vitam tuam, cogita quam multos antecesseris. Quid tibi cum ceteris? te ipse antecessisti. [11] Finem constitue quem transire ne possis quidem si velis; discedant aliquando ista insidiosa bona et sperantibus meliora quam assecutis. Si quid in illis esset solidi, aliquando et implerent: nunc haurientium sitim concitant. Mittantur speciosi apparatus; et quod futuri temporis incerta sors volvit, quare potius a fortuna impetrem ut det, quam a me ne petam? Quare autem petam? oblitus fragilitatis humanae congeram? in quid laborem? Ecce hic dies ultimus est; ut non sit, prope ab ultimo est. Vale.

Text from www.thelatinlibrary.com as submitted by Hansulrich Guhl (Frauenfeld, Switzerland) from an unidentified edition and (the later books) by Sally Winchester from the Reynolds edition. Typographical errors may have been corrected by J Bailly.

Commentary

[1] Mos antiquis fuit, usque ad meam servatus aetatem, primis epistulae verbis adicere 'si vales bene est, ego valeo'. Recte nos dicimus 'si philosopharis, bene est'. Valere enim hoc demum est. Sine hoc aeger est animus; corpus quoque, etiam si magnas habet vires, non aliter quam furiosi aut frenetici validum est.

Seneca starts with an aphorism, which will provide the springboard for his topic, intellectual and spiritual health versus physical health.

antiquis: Dative of possession.
servatus: this adjective is in apposition to and hence agrees with the most recent masculine singular noun.
primis…verbis: this infinitive phrase is a predicate nominative. Compound verbs with ad- often take dative (A&G 370).
si vales bene est, ego valeo: often abbreviated at the very start of letters as s.v.b.... (with appropriate changes sometimes the verbs are plural, sometimes a commander and his army are mentioned: for example, s.v.v.b.e.e.q.v. = si vos valetis benest, ego exercitusque valemus occurs at the start of Cic. ad. Fam. 15.1). Pliny still uses the formula occasionally, but its use seems to have waned over time.
si philosopharis, bene est: Seneca strives for cleverness and pithy sayings. Here he changes a common anodyne greeting into something with point. To drive that point home, he goes on to explain it with valere autem hoc demum est.
nos: nom. personal pronoun emphatic to emphasize the antithesis between what others say and what Seneca says.
aliter quam: this phrase involves a comparison, but it is not clear what is being compared. Two options seem possible. The most obvious choice is that the body of someone who does not philosophize is being compared with the body of an insane person. For the sentence to mean that, it is necessary to understand another corpus to go with furiosi and phrenetici, both genitives of possession. The sentence would read, fully spelled out: corpus quoque sine hoc validum est non aliter quam corpus furiosi aut frenetici validum est. Alternatively, furiosi and phrenetici could be nominatives with an understood sunt validi, in which case the states of being validus of the non–philosopher and insane people are being compared. That sentence would be as follows if fully spelled out: corpus quoque sine hoc validum est non aliter quam furiosi aut frenetici validi sunt.

[2] Ergo hanc praecipue valetudinem cura, deinde et illam secundam; quae non magno tibi constabit, si volueris bene valere. Stulta est enim, mi Lucili, et minime conveniens litterato viro occupatio exercendi lacertos et dilatandi cervicem ac latera firmandi; cum tibi feliciter sagina cesserit et tori creverint, nec vires umquam opimi bovis nec pondus aequabis. Adice nunc quod maiore corporis sarcina animus eliditur et minus agilis est. Itaque quantum potes circumscribe corpus tuum et animo locum laxa.

Seneca recomends that Lucilius not engage in weight-lifting, but rather care for his mind. The idea that a larger body might destroy (eliditur) the soul is strange, especially given what Seneca has to say about the soul at LVII.7: it is not able to be destroyed or contained or crushed.The soul is, however, made up of matter according to Seneca and the stoics, and so there is at least a possibility that other matter might impinge on it.

cura: imperative.
hanc valetudinem...illam secundam: hic and its forms often refer to the nearer of two items, or to the one immediately present, while ille and its forms refer to the further of two items (similar to English use of “former” and “latter,” but they emphasize the order rather than the proximity of items). Thus hanc valetudinem refers to mental health and wisdom, the thing being discussed immediately here, while illam secundam (valetudinem) refers to corporeal health, which is more remote.
quae non …: this is a linking relative. Such relative pronouns do not introduce relative clauses, but rather serve to link something in the previous sentence(s) with the current sentence. That something agrees in gender and number with the relative, which helps the reader to identify it.
magno tibi constabit: consto (“cost”) takes a dat. of the person making the expenditure and an abl. of price.
constabit...si volueris: fut. perf. protasis + fut. apodosis = fut. more vivid condition.
litterato viro: Dative with convenio (“to agree with, harmonize with”).
exercendi…dilatandi…firmandi: Gerunds are active nouns, but they are also verbal. As verbals, they can take objects, as these three do. As nouns, however, they are genitives of quality to describe the occupatio stulta.
tibi: Dative of reference.
cum: cum temporal referring to the future with fut. perf. (A&G 547).
adice nunc quod: this phrase is exceedingly common in Seneca’s letters, and apparently was common in everyday Latin.
quod: quod = “the fact that...” takes the indicative (A&G 572).
maiore…sarcina: Ablative of means/instrument.
circumscribe…laxa: Imperatives. Circumscribe literally means “to draw around,” which here means “set limits to.”

[3] Multa sequuntur incommoda huic deditos curae: primum exercitationes, quarum labor spiritum exhaurit et inhabilem intentioni ac studiis acrioribus reddit; deinde copia ciborum subtilitas impeditur. Accedunt pessimae notae mancipia in magisterium recepta, homines inter oleum et vinum occupati, quibus ad votum dies actus est si bene desudaverunt, si in locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis altius in ieiuno iturae regesserunt.

Seneca describes the ills of pursuing physical health too much.

Primum exercitationes: understand sunt.
reddit: reddo is a so-called “factitive” verb. Such verbs take two accusatives. English examples which also take two objects are “to make water wine,” “to boil eggs hard,” and “to call him Teddy.”
Intentioni ac studiis acrioribus: Dative with inhabilis, a word of fitness (A&G 384).
copia: ablative of means/instrument.
pessimae notae: genitive of quality.
in magisterium: teachers were often slaves.
homines … occupati: nominative because the whole phrase is in apposition to mancipia.
oleum: olive oil was used by wrestlers on their skin, hence “olive oil” is used figuratively here for “wrestling.”
quibus..., si..., si....: two protases with one apodosis. The two protases are in asyndeton (A&G 601c).
quibus: dative of reference.
ad votum: “acording to (their) desire/wish.”
si in locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis altius in jejuno iturae regesserunt: the English word order would be: si regesserunt multum potionis iturae altius in jejuno in locum eius quod effluxit.
multum potionis iturae: multum can take the genitive; in general, Seneca is free in his use of the future participle.

[4] Bibere et sudare vita cardiaci est. Sunt exercitationes et faciles et breves, quae corpus et sine mora lassent et tempori parcant, cuius praecipua ratio habenda est: cursus et cum aliquo pondere manus motae et saltus vel ille qui corpus in altum levat vel ille qui in longum mittit vel ille, ut ita dicam, saliaris aut, ut contumeliosius dicam, fullonius: quoslibet ex his elige _usum rude facile_.

Seneca now turns to physical exercises that are worth doing.

bibere et sudare: Infinitives used as nouns.
et…et …: et X et Y (where X and Y can be anything) means “Both X and Y.”
lassent…parcant: subjunctives in a relative clause of purpose. Remember that parco takes the dat.
ratio: ratio has many meanings which center around reason or thought. Here, perhaps “principle.”
habenda est: passive periphrastic, with the force of necessity (A&G 106-108).
ut ita Dicam: a common idiom used parenthetically similar to English “so to speak.” Apparently  in form it is a purpose clause. In what follows, ut contumeliosius dicam is a variant on it made up for this particular occasion.
saliaris...fullonius: the Salii were dancing priests of a war god in Rome, whose uniform included a red tunic and a bronze breastplate. They were all of the nobility. A fullo, or “fuller,” makes, dyes, and cleans cloth. Launderers stomped on clothing as part of the washing. Socrates, in Diogenes Laertius 2.32, is said to have danced to keep his physical health.
contumeliosius: comparative adverb.
usum rude facile: in some editions, this phrase is placed between daggers, or “obelized,” to indicate that it is a corrupt spot in the text, and no satisfactory solution has yet been found.

[5] Quidquid facies, cito redi a corpore ad animum; illum noctibus ac diebus exerce. Labore modico alitur ille; hanc exercitationem non frigus, non aestus impediet, ne senectus quidem. Id bonum cura quod vetustate fit melius.

Seneca moves on to the exercise of the mind. Because the mind is less subject to the influences of the external world, it is more in a person’s control. One’s excellence ought to be fully under one’s own control, and hence excellence of the mind is superior to excellence of body, which is more easily removed by old age, injury, etc.

cito: adverb, “quickly.”
redi: imperative.
exerce: imperative.
noctibus ac diebus: ablatives of time when or within which.
labore modico: ablative of means/instrument.
ne senectus quidem: ne X quidem means “not even X.”
cura: imperative.
id...quod: be sure to note that id is the antecedent of quod.
vetustate: ablative of time when or within which.

[6] Neque ego te iubeo semper imminere libro aut pugillaribus: dandum est aliquod intervallum animo, ita tamen ut non resolvatur, sed remittatur. Gestatio et corpus concutit et studio non officit: possis legere, possis dictare, possis loqui, possis audire, quorum nihil ne ambulatio quidem vetat fieri.

Seneca extols the benefits of gestatio (being carried around in a litter or other means of transportation) for body and mind.

imminere: + dat.
dandum est: passive periphrastic.
resolvatur…remittatur: subjunctives of result.
gestatio: “being carried” by boat, cart, litter, or any other means of being transported.
et…et: “both…and.”
studio: dat. with officio.
possis: potential subjunctives (A&G 445,6).
nihil: abverbial.

[7] Nec tu intentionem vocis contempseris, quam veto te per gradus et certos modos extollere, deinde deprimere. Quid si velis deinde quemadmodum ambules discere? Admitte istos quos nova artificia docuit fames: erit qui gradus tuos temperet et buccas edentis observet et in tantum procedat in quantum audaciam eius patientia et credulitate produxeris. Quid ergo? a clamore protinus et a summa contentione vox tua incipiet? usque eo naturale est paulatim incitari ut litigantes quoque a sermone incipiant, ad vociferationem transeant; nemo statim Quiritium fidem implorat.

 Seneca moves on to vocal practice.

contempseris: hortatory subjunctive (aka “jussive”). “Perfect” subjunctive is to be translated as present. The hortatory perfect subjunctive is rare, and occurs mostly, as here, in prohibitions (A&G 439n.1)
extollere...deprimere: indirect statement with te as the subject. Exercising one’s voice takes physical effort, and various techniques were practiced. Seneca is forbidding Lucilius from using certain specific technique(s).
quid si velis...discere: direct question which consists of a future less vivid condition whose apodosis is not fully expressed, as in English, “What (sc. would you do) if I should help you?”
deinde: after learning how to talk by using prescribed techniques, "next" you would have to learn how to walk using techniques.
ambules: subjunctive of indirect question introduced by quemadmodum.
admitte: this imperative is almost the equivalent of a protasis to a condition: try translating si admiseris istos, erit qui gradus tuos temperet to get the sense of this sentence.
quos … fames: Seneca is implying that certain novel techniques have been invented not because they are worthwhile, but because someone needed to make a living and so came up with a gimmick to sell to the gullible. In other words, their necessity led to invention of a less than useful sort.
nova: in typical Roman misoneist fashion, novus, -a, -um is not just “new,” but also “unheard of,” “strange,” or “ridiculous.”
temperet...observet...procedat: subjunctives of characteristic.
edentis:  genitive singular participle of edo, edere, edi, esum.
in tantum...in quantum: correlative phrases like these join two clauses, as in English “He had sunk AS MUCH into depravity AS is humanly possible.”
produxeris: perfect subjunctive: perfect because the sentence is in primary sequence, and the action referred to by produxeris is prior to the action of the clause it depends on (procedat); subjunctive by attraction to the mood of the verb it is dependent on (procedat again).
audaciam eius patientia et credulitate: it might help to make this clearer if you supply tua with both patientia and credulitate.
usque eo: to such an extent (naturale est paulatim incitari).
incipiant...transeant: result clause.
quiritium: Summers thinks this particular use refers to an orator appealing to passersby by raising his voice even more than in the rest of his speech. The Quirites were the Sabine inhabitants of the town of Cures. The term is used of Romans as citizens generally, but it alludes to the Sabine element in Romans.

[8] Ergo utcumque tibi impetus animi suaserit, modo vehementius fac vitiis convicium, modo lentius, prout vox te quoque hortabitur _in id latus_; modesta, cum recipies illam revocarisque, descendat, non decidat; _mediatorisui habeat et hoc_ indocto et rustico more desaeviat. Non enim id agimus ut exerceatur vox, sed ut exerceat.

The first sentence is corrupt and hard to understand: see Reynolds’ and Summer’s apparatus criticus for textual details. Although it does not make perfect sense, what is being discussed, namely moderation in exercising one's voice, is not entirely unclear.

suaserit: perfect subjunctive  in an indirect question with utcumque (“however”).
modo...modo...: correlating adverbs, “at one time....at another.”
fac vitiis convicium: the idiom convicium alicui facere means “mock, insult, abuse, make a specimen of someone or something.”
in id latus: Reynolds thinks this can hardly be right and obelizes it (i.e. puts “daggers” on either side of it to indicate it is corrupt). id in particular seems to have no referent. Summers suggests an emendation to the text: inclinatus instead of in id latus. Inclinatus would modify the subject of fac, namely Lucilius.
modesta: “moderated” or “controlled," modifying what recent feminine noun which has to be supplied?
recipies illam revocarisque: The passage is corrupt. Summers claims revocaris does not work with recipies. One manuscript has revocabis, which is easier. Perhaps recipies refers to getting back one's breath, and revocaris/revocabis refers to bringing one's tone back to normal.
descendat, non decidat: a typical Senecan play on sound. The difference is between sudden (decidat) and gradual (descendat) action. Both are hortatory (aka “jussive”) subjunctives.
mediatorisui habeat: mediatorisui makes little sense. Possibly the original was media oris via habeat; a hortatory subjunctive with media via as the subject of habeat.
desaeviat: hortatory.
exerceatur . . . exerceat: present passive and active subjunctives juxtaposed for effect, both in purpose clauses. The juxtaposition is very Senecan. The subject of exerceat is vox, and the object is nos.

[9] Detraxi tibi non pusillum negotii: una mercedula et _unum graecum_ ad haec beneficia accedet. Ecce insigne praeceptum: 'stulta vita ingrata est, trepida; tota in futurum fertur'. 'Quis hoc' inquis 'dicit?' idem qui supra. Quam tu nunc vitam dici existimas stultam? Babae et Isionis? Non ita est: nostra dicitur, quos caeca cupiditas in nocitura, certe numquam satiatura praecipitat, quibus si quid satis esse posset, fuisset, qui non cogitamus quam iucundum sit nihil poscere, quam magnificum sit plenum esse nec ex fortuna pendere.

Fools live in desire and worry about the future: they do not realize that a state of needing nothing and not depending on being fortunate is the best state. Seneca here touches on the notion common to stoicism and epicureanism that the good life is one of being undisturbed, free of pain and fear.

una mercedula et _unum graecum_: Another corrupt passage. Summers suggests "Detraxi tibi non pusilum negotii: una mercedula et. Nunc peculium ad haec beneficia accedet." The words must refer to the praeceptum he is about to bestow upon Lucilius in the next sentence.
haec beneficia: this must refer to previously bestowed 'beneficia' in this letter, such as "non pusillum negotii" above.
stulta...est: possibly stulti vita ingrata est.
in futurum fertur: the subject is vita from the previous line. Fertur must be understood as a mental act such as concentrating, paying attention to, vel sim.
idem qui supra: this probably refers to Epicurus, who is referred to in the previous letter, XIV.
quam: interrogative adjective in agreement with vitam.
dici: present passive infinitive of indirect discourse; stultam is the subject accusative.
Stultam: a predicate accusative (no, it's not a direct object): why would it be accusative?
Babae et Isionis: Baba is mentioned at Apocolocynthosis 3 as a court fool of this period. Isio is otherwise unknown.
in nocitura ... (in) satiatura: future active participles in accusative plural.
quibus: refers to nos of nostra, just as quos did, and just as the qui that is coming up will.
posset: imperfect subjunctive of a present contrary to fact condition.
fuisset: pluperfect subjunctive of a past contrary to fact condition.
quam: interrogative adverb, "how."
sit ... sit: present active subjunctives in indirect questions introduced by quam.
nihil poscere: subject of sit.
plenum esse: subject of sit: the subject of the infinitive is in accusative as usual.
ex fortuna pendere: another subject of sit.

[10] Subinde itaque, Lucili, quam multa sis consecutus recordare; cum aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot sequantur. Si vis gratus esse adversus deos et adversus vitam tuam, cogita quam multos antecesseris. Quid tibi cum ceteris? te ipse antecessisti.

In terms of the things you have achieved and want to achieve, striking the proper attitude is important: do not dwell on how far short of your goals you are. Keep in mind how much you have already achieved.

multa: this substantive adjective can be translated "many things," but given the context, the "things" must be something like "objects of (your) ambition."
sis consecutus: perfect subjunctive of conse-quor, -qui, -cutus in indirect question.
recordare: imperative form of recordor, -ari.
aspexeris: perfect active subjuctive temporal clause introduced by cum.
quot ... quot: an indeclinable adjective, these refer to the same "things" as multa did. They too must be something like "objects of (your) ambition."
antecedant: present active subjunctive of indirect question introduced by quot.
sequantur: present subjunctive of indirect question introduced by quot.
adversus: preposition with accusative case meaning "towards."
antecesseris: perfect active subjunctive of indirect question introduced by quam.
quid tibi cum ceteris: a colloquial expression (see OLD quis 7), meaning something like "What have you to do with other people?" or "What are other people to you?"

[11] Finem constitue quem transire ne possis quidem si velis; discedant aliquando ista insidiosa bona et sperantibus meliora quam assecutis. Si quid in illis esset solidi, aliquando et implerent: nunc haurientium sitim concitant. Mittantur speciosi apparatus; et quod futuri temporis incerta sors volvit, quare potius a fortuna impetrem ut det, quam a me ne petam? Quare autem petam? oblitus fragilitatis humanae congeram? in quid laborem? Ecce hic dies ultimus est; ut non sit, prope ab ultimo est. Vale.

A philosophical exhortation to stop coveting possessions, honors, etc. all of which are fleeting and less satisfying to those who have them than they are falsely attractive to those who don't have them. The solution is to make oneself not want those things, and then one will be satisfied. Live life as though there is no tomorrow (an ambiguous sentiment: Seneca does not mean "live with wild abandon").

constitue: imperative form of constit-uere, -ui, -utum.
ne...quidem: "not...even."
possis ... velis: present subjunctives in a future less vivid conditional.
aliquando: this word usually means "at some time," but here in a jussive command, it means "now at last," or "while there is time."
discedant: jussive subjunctive with ista insidiosa bona as the subject.
et: this "et" makes little sense as a simple "and." It makes better sense as "and indeed" or just "indeed" adding a reinforcing afterthought.
sperantis meliora quam assecutis: assecutis is an assimilated alternative way to spell adsecutis. Both participles are datives dependent on meliora, which is a predicate term agreeing with bona.
si...esset...impleret: imperfect subjunctive of a contrary to fact present condition.
quid: quid = aliquid, and it takes a genitive. Aliquid boni, for example, means "some/any goodness."
mittantur: jussive subjunctive.
quare...impetrem: present active subjunctive of indirect question.
ut...det: impetro, as a verb of effecting, takes an ut clause. The ut clause can be constructed as either result or purpose (which is why the negative is sometimes ne, sometimes ut ... non: in the next clause, the ne identifies it as a purpose clause). Whether it is purpose or result depends on the thought of whoever writes the clause rather than any "real" situation.
quam: comparative "than" corresponding to potius.
quam a me (impetrem) ne petam? Quare autem petam: Seneca is suggesting that there are two ways of "satisfying" my desires for good fortune: one is to ask fortune to grant them to me; the other is simply to drop the issue and not want it any more. The second petam is deliberative subjunctive.
oblitus: perfect participle of obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus.
congeram: normally transitive, this verb is here used absolutely.
laborem: deliberative subjunctive.
Ecce hic dies ultimus est: ut non sit (ultimus dies), prope ab ultimo (die) est: The thought is that one should live as if today is one's last day, whether it is or not. The ut is concessive "even if" or "although."

Vocabulary

accedo, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, add
ad(i)icio, -(i)icere, -ieci, -iectum, add, attach
adse-quor, -qui, -cutus, to follow after, attain
aeger, -ri, ill, weak
aequo (1), be equal to
aestus, -us, m., heat
aetas, aetatis, f., time, age
agilis, e, nimble, mobile
aliquando, at any time, once; (in commands) while there is time, now at last, before it is too late
aliter, otherwise.
ambulatio, -onis, f., walk
ambulo (1), walk
antece-do, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, go before, precede, outstrip, excel over
apparatus, us, m., paraphernalia, trappings
artificium, -i, n., craft, art
aspicio, aspicere, aspexi, aspectum, look at
audacia, -ae, f., courage
bibo, bibere, bibi, --, drink
bos, bovis, m. or f., cow, ox
bucca, -ae, f., cheek
cardiacus, -i, m., dyspeptic (someone who has heartburn a lot)
cedo, cedere, cessi, cessus, turn out well, succeed
cervix, -cis, f., neck
cibus, -i, m., food; nourishment
cito, quickly
clamor, -oris, m., loud shouting, cry
concito (1), excite
concutio, -tere, -ssi, -ssum, shake, rouse
cong-ero, -ere, -essi, -estum, collect, bring together
conse-quor, -qui, -cutus, to follow, obtain
constitu-o, -ere, -i, -tum, establish, fix
consto, -are, -iti, -atum, cost (+dat. of person + abl. of price)
contem-no, -nere, -psi, -ptum, despise, contemn
contentio, -onis, f., effort, striving
contumeliosus, insulting, outrageous
convenio, -ire, eni, -entum, agree, harmonize (+ dat.)
convicium, -i, n., shout, clamour
credulitas, -atis, f., credulity
cresco, crescere, crevi, cretus, grow, increase
curo (1), care for, attend to
cursus, -us, m., the action of running
decid-o, -ere, -idi, fall down, sink
ded-o, -ere, -idi, -itum, devote oneself to (+dat.)
deinde, then
demum, precisely
depr-imo, -imere, -essi, -essum, press down, depress
desaev-io, -ire, -ii, -itum, to rage violently
descen-do, -dere, -di, -sum, come down, descend
desudo, -are, -avi, -atus, exert oneself
detra-ho, -here, -xi, -ctum, remove, pull away
dilato, -are, -avi, -atus, expand, broaden
discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, depart, be separated, leave
ecce, look!, here
edo, edere, edi, esum, eat, devour
effluo, -ere, -xi, run out, issue
elido, -dere, -si, -sum, dash out, destroy
eligo, -ere, -egi, -ectus, choose
ergo, therefore
exerc-eo, -ere, -ui,- itum, cultivate, employ, exercise, keep busy
exercitatio, -onis, f., exercise, practice
exhaurio, -rire, -si, -stum, exhaust, drain
existimo (1), consider
extoll-o, -ere, raise, elevate
fames, -is, f., hunger, famine
feliciter, successfully
fides, fidei, f.., loyalty, confidence
firmo, -are, -avi, -atus, strengthen
fragilitas, -atis, f., frailty, weakness
freneticus, mad, delirious
frigus, -oris, n., cold, winter, inactivity
fullonius, of a fuller (a worker in the cloth industry), i.e. a launderer
furiosus, mad, frantic
gestatio, -onis, f., being carried
gradus, -us, m., step
Graec-us, -a, -um, Greek
hau-rio, -rire, -si, -stum, drink up, absorb
ieiunum, -i, n., hungry, empty
immineo, -ere, -ui, hang/bend over, pore over (+dat.)
impedio, -ire, -i(v)i, -itum, hamper, hinder
impetr-o, -are, -avi, -atum, obtain by request; succeed in gaining, obtain
impetus, -us, m., impulse, passion
impl-eo, -ere, -evi, -etum, fulfill, satisfy
imploro (1), invoke, entreat
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptum, begin
incito (1), excite, inspire
incommodum, -i, n., inconvenience, trouble
indoct-us, -a, -um, untaught, unskilled
ingratus, -a, -um, unwelcome; disagreeable
inhabilis,, -e, unfit (+dat.)
insidios-us, -a, -um, deceitful, treacherous
insignis, -e, distinguished
intentio, -onis, f., concentration, attention; forcing, exertion, straining (of the voice)
intervallum, -i, n., interval, space
lacertus, -i, m.,upper arm; muscle
lasso (1), tire, fatigue
latus, -eris, n., side, flank, body
laxo (1), loosen
lent-us, -a, -um, calm, mild
levo (1), lighten, ease
litigo (1), dispute, quarrel
litteratus, -a, -um, educated, learned
magisterium, -i, n., instruction
mancipium, -i, n., slave
mediatorisui, *see commentary
mercedula, -ae, f., low wages, rent
mitto, mittere, misi, missum, release, let go; set aside, abandon
modest-us, -a, -um, moderate, orderly
modicus, moderate, middling
mos, moris, 3m., custom
naturalis, -e, natural
negotium, -i, n., business, task, job
noc-eo, -ere, -ui, -itum, harm, hurt (+dat.)
nota, ae, 1f., quality, character (of persons or things)
obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus, forget
observ-o, -are, -avi, -atum, observe, attend to
occupatio, -onis, f., business
officio, -icere, -eci, -ectum, obstruct, interfere with (+dat.)
oleum, -i, n., olive oil; wrestling school
opimus, -a, -um, fat, rich, in top condition
parco, -cere, peperci, -sum, (+ dat.), spare, forego
patientia, -ae, f., endurance
paulatim adv., gradually, little by little
peculium, i, n., money or property managed as his own by one who is incapable of legal ownership
pendeo, pendere, pependi, depend on
pet-o, -ere, -ivi, -itum, seek, request
philosophor, -ari, -atus, philosophize
phreneticus, -a, -um,mad, frantic
pondus, -eris, n., weight, mass
posco, poscere, poposci,request, call upon
potio, -onis, f., drink, draught
praecipit-o,- are, -avi, -atum, hurry along
praecipue, especially
praecipuus, -a, -um, special, outstanding
proce-do, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, proceed, advance
produco, -cere, -xi, -ctum, produce, promote
prope adv., near
protinus adv., further, continuously
prout, just as, according as
pugillaris, e, hand-sized (m. pl. and n. pl., notebooks)
pusill-us, -a, -um, tiny, petty
quemadmodum, in what manner, how
quiris, quiritis m., Roman citizen
recordor (1), remember, recollect
recte, well, properly
reddo, -ere, -idi, -itum, render, make (+ dbl. acc.)
redeo, redire, redii, reditum, return, go back
regero, -ere, -essi, -stum, restore; carry or throw back
remitto, -ittere, -isi, -issum, rest, send back
resolvo, -vere, -vi, -utum, loosen, unstring
rudis, -is, plain, coarse
sagina, -ae, f., stuffing, rich food: diet (of gladiators)
saliaris, of the Salii (Roman priests who danced); sumptuous
sarcina, -ae, f., bundle, burden
satio (1), satisfy, fill
secundus, a, um, second
servo (1), preserve
solid-us, -a, -um, solid, complete
sors, sortis, f., prophecy, oracular response
specios-us, -a, -um, beautiful, handsome
spero (1), hope, expect
statim, at once, immediately
stultus, -a, -um, stupid
sua-deo, -dere, -si, -sum, recommend, advise
subinde, adv., now and again, repeatedly
subtilitas, -atis, f., attention to detail, precision of argument
sudo (1), sweat
tempero (1), moderate
torus, -i, m., bulge, muscle
trepid-us, -a, -um, agitated, disturbed
usque, all the way (adv. with ad)
utcumque, whenever, however
valeo, valere, valui, --, to be strong, to be well
valetudo, valetudinis, f., health
validus, -a, -um, strong, sound, healthy
vel, either, or; perhaps
veto (1), forbid, oppose
vetustas, -atis, f., age, old age, antiquity
vociferatio, -onis, f., loud calling, shouting
vol-vo, -vere, -vi, -utum, wind, twist around