The section divisions below are ad hoc, invented for this commentary, and should not be used to refer to the letter elsewhere.

LIBER I EPISTOLA XLV. BOETIO VIRO ILLUSTRI PATRICIO THEODORICUS REX. Dicit se rogatum esse a Burgundionum rege ut horologia aquatile et solare ad ipsum transmitteret; Boetiumque omnia mathesis miracula apprime callentem, ad hoc opus perficiendum invitat.

Spernenda non sunt quae a vicinis regibus praesumptionis gratia postulantur: dum plerumque res parvae plus praevalent praestare quam magnae possunt optinere divitiae. Frequenter enim quod arma explere nequeunt, oblectamenta suavitatis imponunt. Sit ergo pro republica et cum ludere videmur. Nam ideo voluptuosa quaerimus, ut per ipsa seria compleamus.

Spernenda non sunt quae ... : sc. something like ea as unexpressed antecedent of quae. Omitting the antecedent when it is nothing more specific than is, ea, id is the default option in Cassiodorus.  | dum: it looks as if dum = nam here. | plus ... praestare: plus is direct object of praestare. | quam (sc. ea quae) magnae possunt optinere divitiae: plus takes the comparative quam, which introduces magnae possunt optinere divitiae, much as in English "small things are able to offer more than (that which/ea quae) great riches can obtain." | imponunt: perhaps "lay upon," "impose" (as an obligation? a trick?) (cf. L&S II.B.2-3). | Sit: jussive; the subject is provided by et cum ludere videmur, and pro republica fulfills the same function as a predicate nominative, as in English, "Even when we seem to struggle, it is for the best." | et cum ...: et is adverbial "even." | ideo: prepares for the ut purpose clause.

[2] Another ruler has asked the king for clocks.

Burgundionum itaque dominus a nobis magnopere postulavit ut horologium quod aquis sub modulo fluentibus temperatur, et quod solis immensi comprehensa illuminatione distinguitur, cum magistris rerum ei transmittere deberemus: quatenus impetratis delectationibus perfruendo, quod nobis est quotidianum, illis videatur esse miraculum. Merito siquidem respicere cupiunt, quod legatorum suorum relationibus obstupescunt.

ut ... deberemus: indirect command, hence subjunctive. | horologium quod ... et quod: two types of clocks are requested: two relative clauses (referring to two separate objects) are attached to the one singular noun horologium without anything like "one of which" and "the other of which" to distribute the instances. | cum magistris rerum: cum prepositional phrase. Evidently, mechanics must accompany the clocks. | quatenus ... videatur: causal, subjunctive because reporting another's thought. | respicere cupiunt, quod: the antecedent of quod (which would be the direct object of respicere) is omitted: quod itself is direct object of the transitive obstupescunt.

This letter is primary evidence for whether Boethius went to school back East in Greece. The Athenian schools were to be closed by Emperor Justinian in 529 CE, shortly after Boethius' death in 524 CE. Boethius' prowess and the closing of the schools are a large part of why Boethius has been called the last of the great ancient philosophers.

In the list of Boethius' credits, translatio is not always to be taken as simply "translation" in the sense of being faithful to an original, but as the "bringing over" of an area of expertise into Latindom.
Pythagoras musicus perhaps refers to Boethius' De Institutione Musica
Ptolemaeus astronomus does not obviously correspond to a whole single work by Boethius, but perhaps rather to material found in some of his works
Nicomachus arithmeticus refers to De Institutione Arithmetica based on Nicomachus of Gerasa's work
Geometricus Euclides refers to his translation of Euclid
Plato theologus could refer to the Cosolatio Philosophiae or material in other works
Aristoteles logicus refers to Boethius' works on logic and his several commentaries on Aristotle's works
mechanicus Archimedes does not obviously refer to a whole single work by Boethius, but perhaps to material found in some of his works, and perhaps to expertise such as that clearly referred to in this letter and the following letter.

Hoc te, multa eruditione saginatum, ita nosse didicimus, ut artes quas exercent vulgariter nescientes in ipso disciplinarum fonte potaveris. Sic enim Atheniensium scholas longe positus introisti; sic palliatorum choris miscuisti togam, ut Graecorum dogmata doctrinam feceris esse Romanam. Didicisti enim qua profunditate cum suis partibus speculativa cogitetur; qua ratione activa cum sua divisione discatur: deducens ad Romuleos senatores quidquid Cecropidae mundo fecerant singulare. Translationibus enim tuis Pythagoras musicus, Ptolemaeus astronomus leguntur Itali. Nicomachus arithmeticus, geometricus Euclides audiuntur Ausoni, Plato theologus, Aristoteles logicus Quirinali voce disceptant. Mechanicum etiam Archimedem Latialem Siculis reddidisti. Et quascumque disciplinas vel artes facunda Graecia per singulos viros edidit, te uno auctore patrio sermone Roma suscepit. Quos tanta verborum luculentia reddidisti claros, tanta linguae proprietate conspicuos, ut potuissent et illi opus tuum praeferre, si utrumque didicissent. Tu artem praedictam, ex disciplinis nobilibus natam, per quadrifarias mathesis januas introisti. Tu illam in naturae penetralibus considentem, auctorum libris invitantibus, cordis lumine cognovisti, cui ardua nosse usus miracula monstrare propositum est.

hoc te nosse: hoc refers to expertise with the clocks just discussed. | ut artes quas exercent vulgariter nescientes ... potaveris: given the antithesis with the clause which follows, surely this means that there are people who practice these skills in a lowly way in ignorance of how to do it well, not that ignorant people actually practice these skills commonly, although the Latin could be used to mean the latter. potaveris is perfect subjunctive in a primary sequence result class. | positus: must modify Boethius: perhaps "while positioned," "while posted," or "while located." | palliatorum: palliatorum refers to Greek cloaks. | feceris: another perfect subjunctive in a result clause after a primary sequence perfect leading verb. | qua profunditate ... speculativa cogitetur; qua ratione ... activa discatur: indirect question, and antithesis of speculativa with activa, partibus with divisione. | quidquid ... singulare: direct object of fecerant. | audiuntur Ausoni, ... Quirinali voce disceptant:  two verbs, one active, one passive, and two adjectives of similar meaning: stylistic variety rather than any important distinction in meaning: understand voce with both Ausoni and Quirinali (later Latialem and Roma will add further variety of geographical description). | Mechanicum etiam Archimedem Latialem Siculis reddidisti: etiam signals this final element in the list as stepping things up a notch. | praedictam: Classical Latin would have used illam (cf. Ennis, P. 151). | cui ardua nosse usus (sc. est et) monstrare propositum est: the antecedent of cui is cordis. Cui is dative of ownership (like a possessive genitive) with usus, but it also applies to propositum est "to whom it is a way of life." usus (sc. est) and propositum est each have an infinitive phrase as a predicate nominative: ardua no(vi)sse goes with usus (sc. est), and miracula monstrare goes with propositum est. Each infinitive has a direct object: ardua  with nosse and miracula with monstrare. English would probably put "and" between usus and miracula.

[4] Praise of mechanical learning in general.

Molitur ostendere, quod obstupescant homines evenisse, miroque modo naturis conversis facti detrahit fidem, cum ostentet et oculis visionem. Facit aquas ex imo surgentes praecipites cadere, ignem ponderibus currere, organa extraneis vocibus insonare, et peregrinis flatibus calamos complet, ut minuta possint arte cantare. Videmus per eam defensiones jam nutantium civitatum subito tali firmitate consurgere, ut machinamentorum auxiliis superior reddatur, qui desperatus viribus invenitur. Madentes fabricae in aqua marina siccantur; dura cum fuerint, ingeniosa dispositione solvuntur. Metalla mugiunt, Diomedes in aere gravius bucinat, aeneus anguis insibilat, aves simulatae fritinniunt et quae vocem propriam nesciunt habere, dulcedinem probantur emittere cantilenae.

Molitur: subject is likely the ars just discussed. | quod: quod is a relative pronoun: its antecedent is the unexpressed direct object of ostendere. What is more, quod is both the accusative direct object of obstupescant and the nominative subject of detrahit. | naturis conversis: ablative absolute, refers to the sorts of things in the examples of the following sentences. | facti detrahit fidem: on the analogy of fidem demere, "undermine belief," here fidem detrahere means "undermine belief." facti is objective genitive dependent upon  fidem. | cum ostentet: concessive cum + subjunctive. | et oculis visionem: visio = "the sight (of the unbelievable things about to be mentioned)." et is adverbial "also" or "even." | facit aquas ... surgere: facio + infinitive, "cause" or "make." | ut ... possint: present subjunctive in primary sequence result clause. | videmus per eam defensiones ... consurgere: video + infinitive, like facio + inf. above. | ut ... reddatur: present subjunctive in primary sequence result clause. | superior reddatur, qui desperatus viribus invenitur: qui must refer to the subject of reddatur, which is a switch from the civitates of the previous clause to some masculine singular, perhaps an imagined person. invenitur must mean something like "is first found" or "on its discovery was desperatus viribus." viribus may be dative (despero can take dative), or perhaps an ablative of separation dependent on desperatus. | dura cum fuerint: perfect subjunctive in a concessive cum clause, primary sequence.

[5] Cassiodorus describes what seems to be an armillary sphere (a device which models celestial motions).

Parva de illa referimus, cui caelum imitari fas est. Haec fecit secundum solem in Archimedis sphaera decurrere; haec alterum zodiacum circulum humano consilio fabricavit. Haec lunam defectu suo reparabilem artis illuminatione monstravit parvamque machinam gravidam mundo, caelum gestabile, compendium rerum, speculum naturae ad speciem aetheris incomprehensibili mobilitate volutavit. Sic astra, quorum licet cursum sciamus, fallentibus tamen oculis prodire non cernimus. Stans quidam in illis transitus est et quae velociter currere vera ratione cognoscis, se movere non respicis. Quale est hoc homini etiam facere, quod vel intellexisse potest esse mirabile?

illa ... cui ... haec ... haec ... haec ... : all feminine in agreement with ars, which is still the topic. | parvamque machinam ... volutavit: ars is the subject of volutavit. | licet: "although," takes subjunctive. | fallentibus tamen oculis: ablative absolute: fallentibus means "deceiving (sc. us)." Quale est hoc homini etiam facere, quod vel intellexisse potest esse mirabile: the main clause is quale (subject nom.) + est + hoc facere (infinitive + direct object, predicate nominative). Hoc refers to the skill and knowledge of mechanisms and the structure of the world. Homini is dative of interest "for a man." quod has hoc as its antecedent and is the direct object of intellexisse, which is the nominative infinitive subject of potest esse. Potest esse seems equivalent to est, a sort of periphrastic use: cf. cuius non dicam proximitati, sed vel amicitiae coniunctum fuisse potest esse laudabile (Cassiodorus XVII Senatui Urbis Romae Athalaricus Rex) or nec minor nobis cura rerum moralium quam potest esse bellorum (XLIII Unigis Spathario Theodericus Rex).

[6] Request for two clocks. The first, a sundial: although immobile and small, it captures the far-ranging movement of the immense sun and shows the progress of the sun's wondrous light via shadow. A serious business. Cassiodorus concocts a seeming paradox out of the fact that a shadow created by light tells the time. The second, a clock which uses water to measure the hours, heaven's rotation, at night: again, a seeming paradox is created by the fact that water, not the stars, are used to measure the heavens' motion, whose measure is the time the water is made to measure.

Quare cum vos ornet talium rerum praedicanda notitia, horologia nobis publicis expensis sine vestro dispendio destinate. Primum sit, ubi stilus, diei index, per umbram exiguam horas consuevit ostendere. Radius itaque immobilis, et parvus, peragens quod tam miranda magnitudo solis discurrit, et fugam solis aequiparat, quod motum semper ignorat. Inviderent talibus, si astra sentirent, et meatum suum fortasse deflecterent, ne tali ludibrio subjacerent. Ubi est illud horarum de lumine venientium singulare miraculum, si has et umbra demonstrat? Ubi praedicabilis indefecta rotatio, si hoc et metalla peragunt, quae situ perpetuo continentur? O artis inaestimabilis virtus, quae dum se dicit ludere, naturae praevalet secreta vulgare! Secundum sit, ubi praeter solis radios hora dinoscitur, noctes in partes dividens; quod ut nihil deberet astris, rationem caeli ad aquarum potius fluenta convertit: quarum motibus ostendit, quod caelo volvitur, et audaci praesumptione concepta ars elementis confert, quod originis condicio denegavit.

cum ... ornet: causal cum takes the subjunctive. | praedicanda: gerundive: praedico (1) means "praise" here. | primum: sc. horologium. | sit: subjunctive of will, "let it be ... ." | ubi: sometimes ubi = the relative pronoun, which would have been in quo or the like. | stilus: the "style" of a sundial is the edge of the gnomon (the upright part that casts the shadow) that defines that edge of the shadow by which time is measured on the face of the sundial. Depending on the shape of the gnomon, there may be more than one style (e.g. if the gnomon has a squared off flat top side, one edge of that flat top side creates the shadow's edge before noon and another edge creates the shadow's edge after noon). | quod...quod: the first quod is accusative direct object of discurrit: its antecedent is an unexpressed direct object of peragens, while the second quod is the subject of ignorat and its antecedent is another  unexpressed object, one of the two accusative objects of aequiparat "makes x equal to y," "compares x to y." The other accusative object of aequiparat is fugam, of course. | inviderent ... si sentirent: present unreal, aka present contrary-to-fact," condition. | deflecterent, ne subjacerent: deflecterent continues the potential subjunctiveness of inviderent, while ne subjacerent is a purpose clause. | ubi ... si ... ? ubi ... si ... ? O ... dum se dicit ludere, naturae praevalet ... : anaphora, exclamation, paradox: highly emotional and florid to amplify importance and mechanical mystery of the clocks and the king's desire to gift them to another ruler. | rotatio/roratio: although roratio occurs in at least one modern edition, Mommsen says roratio has no manuscript support. | se dicit ludere: an interesting usage of dicit. |
Sentence structure:

• Secundum sit, (main clause: note that secundum sit ubi is exactly parallel to primum sit ubi...  above)
  
•  ubi praeter solis radios hora dinoscitur, (relative clause: ubi = in quo or the like: see ubi IIB in L&S)
  
• noctes in partes dividens; (participial phrase, part of main clause, agrees with secundum (sc. horologium), perhaps predicate nominative)
  
• quod ... (start of relative clause: antecedent is secundum (sc. horologium))
  
• ut nihil deberet astris, (result clause)
  
• ... rationem caeli ad aquarum potius fluenta convertit: (rest of relative clause)
  
• quarum motibus ostendit, (1st limb of relative clause: antecedent is aquarum)
  
• quod caelo volvitur, (quod, "that," the conjunction, introducing an object clause dependent on ostendit: cf. quod VIII in L&S: volvitur is impersonal)
• et (joins quarum motibus ostendit to ars elementis confert)
  
• audaci praesumptione concepta (ablative absolute)
  
• ars elementis confert, (second limb of relative clause: quarum motibus applies here as well as to ostendit)
  
• quod originis condicio denegavit. (relative clause: quod is direct object of denegavit, its antecedent is the omitted direct object of confert)
  

 | originis condicio denegavit: water and other earthly elements are not like the sun, which is perhaps being conceived of as outside of the ordinarily earthly realm and whose movements are measures of time (days and seasons: the sun moves across the sky to define the time of a day, and where it rises and falls defines seasons: there is no need of a heliocentric model to explain this sentence).

[7] Further praise of mechanical learning and Boethius in particular.

Universae disciplinae, cunctus prudentium labor naturae potentiam, ut tantum possint, nosse perquirunt. Mechanisma solum est, quod illam ex contrariis appetit imitari et, si fas est dicere, in quibusdam etiam nititur velle superare. Haec enim fecisse dinoscitur Daedalum volare: hoc ferreum Cupidinem in Dianae templo sine aliqua alligatione pendere. Haec hodie facit muta cantare, insensata vivere, immobilia moveri. Mechanicus, si fas est dicere, paene socius est naturae. Occulta reserans, manifesta convertens, miraculis ludens, ita pulchre simulans, ut quod compositum non ambigitur, veritas aestimetur. Haec quia te studiosius legisse cognovimus, praedicta nobis horologia quantocius transmittere maturabis, ut te notum in illa mundi parte facias, ubi aliter pervenire non poteras. Agnoscant per te exterae gentes tales nos habere nobiles, quales leguntur auctores. Quotiens non sunt credituri quod viderint? Quotiens hanc veritatem lusoria somnia putabunt? Et quando fuerint ab stupore conversi, non audebunt se aequales nobis dicere, apud quos sciunt sapientes talia cogitasse.

universae disciplinae: plural, universi, -ae, -a means "all, all together" and singular universus, -a, -um means "every," which amounts to much the same thing. | cunctus labor: in apposition to universae disciplinae. | ut tantum possint, nosse perquirunt: potentiam nosse should probably also be understood with possint, which usually has a complementary infinitive. perquiro, however, seems to have a direct object usually, not a complementary infinitive, and so perhaps the comma should be after nosse. Perhaps ut tantum possint means "as only they could" with tantum = "only," and possint potential subjunctive: or perhaps "insofar as they could," "to the extent that they could." | Mechanisma: derived from Greek μηχά̆νημα. | nititur velle superare: velle seems superfluous. | Haec enim fecisse dinoscitur Daedalum volare: facio + inf., as above. | pendere: sc. fecisse dinoscitur. | reserans ... convertens ... ludens ... simulans: there is no finite main verb: perhaps it should be part of the preceding sentence. | ut ... aestimetur veritas: veritas is predicate nominative describing the subject of aestimetur, which is th antecedent of quod. veritas cannot mean "truth": it must mean "reality," as when we say "that robot looks real." | maturabis: future for imperative. | poteras: this use of the indicative seems unusual. | agnoscant: jussive subjunctive. | fuerint conversi: either an alternative form of the future perfect passive, erint conversi, or a future perfect fuerint plus an adjectival perfect passive participle, which amounts to the same thing.

LIBER I EPISTOLA XLVI. GUNDIBABO REGI BURGUNDIONUM THEODORICUS REX. Horologia solare, et aquatile a Boetio fabricata cum eorum dispositoribus illi mittit.

[1] Amplectenda sunt munera quae probantur omnimodis expetita: quando non est abjectum, quod potest explere desiderium. Nam per quaslibet pretiosas res ad illud tantum tenditur, ut cupientis animus expleatur. Quapropter salutantes gratia consueta, per harum portitores illum et illum oblectamenta prudentiae vestrae, horologia cum suis dispositoribus credidimus destinanda: unum, in quo humana sollertia videtur colligi, quod totius caeli noscitur spatia pervagari; aliud, ubi solis meatus sine sole cognoscitur et aquis guttantibus horarum spatia terminantur. Habetote in vestra patria, quod aliquando vidistis in civitate Romana. Dignum est ut bonis nostris vestra gratia perfruatur, quae nobis etiam affinitate conjungitur. Discat sub vobis Burgundia res subtilissimas inspicere et antiquorum inventa laudare: per vos propositum gentile deponit et dum prudentiam regis sui respicit, jure facta sapientium concupiscit. Distinguat spatia diei actibus suis, horarum aptissime momenta constituat. Ordo vitae confusus agitur, si talis discretio sub veritate nescitur. Beluarum quippe ritus est ex ventris esurie horas sentire et non habere certum, quod constat humanis usibus contributum.

illud ... ut : the whole nominal ut clause is in apposition to illud. | tantum: adverbial. | tenditur: impersonal passive of an intransitive verb (A&G 208d). | gratia consueta: ablative of manner. | harum ... illum et illum oblectamenta: perhaps refers to pretiosas res, which refers indirectly to the clocks: illum et illum "this and that" and oblectamenta agree with and refer directly to the horologia. | noscitur ... pervagari: a periphrastic use, = pervagatur (Ennis, p. 153 refers to Skahill 154ff. and McCormick 127ff.: look for instances of monstrare, cognoscere, noscere, and probare that fit this bill: TIE TO NOTE ON POTEST ESSE ABOVE?: constat contributum may be another in the last sentence of this letter). | ubi: = in quo. | quod aliquando: quod relative pronoun whose antecedent is the omitted object of habetote. | dignum est ut ...: the whole nominal ut clause is the subject of dignum est. | ordo vitae confusus agitur: time-words + ago = "spend time, pass time." | habere certum: = literally "have a certain thing" and in better English "know," "be certain." Here quod refers back to certum "certain thing." | constat ... contributum: a "periphrastic" construction: that is, contribuit means the same thing as constat contributum.

On one type of sundial, see Richard J. A. Talbert, Roman Portable Sundials: The Empire in your Hand. Oxford; New York:  Oxford University Press, 2017.  Pp. xxiii, 236.  ISBN 9780190273484, as well as Riggsby's review of Talbert in Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2017.09.56.

abjectus, -a, -um, low, worthless
ab(j)icio, ab(j)icere, abjeci, abjectum, cast away, cast aside

activus, -a, -um, practical (as opposed to speculativus/comtemplativus)

actus, -us, m., action, motion

aeneus, -a, -um, of bronze, of copper

aequalis, -e, equal

aequiparo (1), make equal, put on an equal footing; compare

aer, aeris, m., air

aes, aeris, n., brass, bronze, copper, (base) metal

aestimo (1), deem, judge

aether, aetheris, m., firmament, heaven

affinitas, -atis, f., relationship, alliance, family connection

agnosco, agnoscere, agnovi, agnotus, realize, know; acknowledge, declare

ago, agere, egi, actus, do, drive, act (good English translation must take its cue for meaning from context: for example, vita agitur = "life is lived")

aliter, otherwise

alligatio, -onis, f., tying, binding

ambigo, ambigere, dispute, debate

amplector, amplecti, amplexus sum, cherish, embrace

anguis, anguis, m. and f., snake

animus, -i, m., soul

appeto appetere, appetivi, appetitus, strive, try, seek

aptus, -a, -um, fitting, suited, proper, appropriate

apud (+acc.), among

arduus, -a, -um, steep, elevated, lofty, difficult, hard

ars, artis, f., skill

astrum, -i, n., star

Atheniensis, -e, from Athens, Athenian

auctor, -oris, m., originator, authority, author

audax, audacis, daring, bold

audeo, audere, ausus sum, dare

Auson, -onis, m., son of Calypso and Odysseus, founder of Ausonians (southern Italians): used here as an adjective

auxilium, -i, n., help, aid

avis, avis, f., bird

belua, -ae, f., beast, animal

buccino (1), (also bucino), sound a trumpet, honk a horn

cado, cadere, cecidi, casum, fall

calamus, -i, m., reed

cantilena, -ae, f., an old song, an old saw

canto (1), sing, play, produce music

Cecropidae, -arum, m. pl., Athenians (Cecrops was the most ancient king of Athens)

cerno, cernere, crevi, cretum, discern, perceive, distinguish (by senses, especially sight)

chorus, -i, m., crowd, multitude

circulus, -i, m., circle, circuit

civitas, -atis, f., city, state, nation

clarus, -a, -um, illustrious

caelum, -i, n., heavens, the vault of heaven, the sky

cogito (1), consider, reflect upon, think

cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum, become acquainted with, learn, examine, investigate; (perfect senses) know

colligo, colligere, collegi, collectum, gather, collect

compendium, -i, n., abbreviation, short version, small version

compleo, complere, complevi, completum, fill; supply, furnish

compono, componere, composui, compositum, put together, fit, join, unite

comprehendo, comprehendere, comprehensi, comprehensum, grasp

concipio, concipere, concepi, conceptum, conceive, imagine

concupisco, concupiscere, concupivi, concupitum, long for, desire

condicio, -onis, f., situation, condition, nature

confero, conferre, contuli, collatus, unite, join, connect

confundo, confundere, confudi, confusum, jumbled together, in disorder

conjungo, conjungere, conjunxi, conjunctum, join

consido, considere, consedi, consessum, hold session, pitch camp, take up one's post, take a seat

conspicuus, -a, -um, clear, obvious, apparent

constat, is fixed, immovable, unchanging (impersonal from consto)

constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum, establish, arrange, draw up

consuesco, consuescere, consuevi, consuetus, be habituated, be/become used to

consuetus, -a, -um, accustomed, usual

consurgo, consurgere, consurrexi, consurrectum, rise up, stand up

contineo, continere, continui, contentus, hold

contrarius, -a, um, opposite, opposed

contribuo, contribuere, contribui, contributum, arrange, dispose, classify

converto, convertere, converti, conversum, turn around, reverse, change direction of; interchange, transpose; change, convert

cor, cordis, n., heart

credo, credere, credidi, creditus, believe, trust

cunctus, -a, -um, all, entire

Cupido, Cupidinis, m., Cupid (feminine when it means 'desire, longing')

cupio, cupire, cupivi, cupitum, desire, want, wish for, long for

curro, currere, cucurri, cursum, run

cursus, -us, m., course, passage

debeo, debere, debui, debitum, ought; owe

decurro, decurrere, decucurri, decursum, set, go down (of sun, moon, stars, etc.)

deduco, deducere, deduxi, deductus, bring back

defectus, -us, m., disappearance; eclipsing

defensio, -onis, f., a defending, defense

deflecto, deflectere, deflexi, deflectum, turn aside, turn away;

delectatio, -onis, f., pleasure, enjoyment

denego (1), refuse, deny

depono, deponere, deposui, depositum, lay aside, entrust, commit to, put down

desiderium, -i, n., desire

desperatus, -a, -um, hopeless, desperate, giving up

destino (1), send, compose, arrange, design, set apart (the word meant 'establish, resolve, make fast, fix upon, aim at, intend to buy' in Classical Latin: see Ennis, P. 57 and 133)

detraho, detrahere, detraxi, detractum, remove, take away

dies, diei, m., day
dignosco, see dinosco

dinosco, dinoscere (also dignosco), distinguish, discern

dignus, -a, -um, worthy

discepto (1), debate, discuss

disciplina, -ae, f., science, discipline

disco, discere, didici, learn

discretio, -onis, f., distinction

discurro, discurrere, dis(cu)curri, discursum, traverse, run through

dispendium, -i, n., cost, expense

dispositio, -onis, f., arrangement, composition

dispositor, -oris, m., arranger, manager, dispenser

distinguo, distinguere, distinxi, distinctum, divide

distinguo, distinguere, distinxi, distinctum, make distinct, separate

divido, dividere, dividi, divisum, separate, divide

divisio, -onis, f., division (refers to logical/rhetorical division, a technical term in Cicero and Quintilian)

divitiae, -arum, f. pl. , riches, wealth

doctrina, -ae, f., teaching, learning, knowledge

dogma, -atis, n, dogma, tenets (of a philosophy)

dominus, -i, m., lord, master

dulcedo, dulcedinis, f., agreeableness, delightfulness, charm

dum, while

durus, -a, -um, hard

edo, edere, edidi, editum, put forth, bring forth

elementum, -i, n., element, first principle

emitto, emittere, emisi, emissum, emit, put forth

ergo, therefore

eruditio, -onis, f., knowledge, learning

esuries, -ei, f., hunger

evenio, evenire, eveni, eventum, happen, occur

exerceo, exercere, exercui, exercitum, work at, exercise; employ, occupy

exiguus, -a, -um, small

expensum, -i, n., money paid, expense (ppp of expendo)

expeto, expetere, expetivi, expetitum, desire, covet, wish, seek after

expleo, explere, explevi, expletum, complete, execute; fill, fulfill

exter(us), -a, -um, foreign, external

extraneus, -a, -um, external, extraneous, foreign

fabrica, -ae, f., products of skill

fabrico (1), build, construct, erect

facundus, -a, -um, eloquent

fallo, fallere, fefelli, falsus, fail, deceive, disappoint, cheat, mistake

fas, right, proper, fit, allowable

fecundus, -a, -um, fertile

ferreus, -a, -um, made of iron, iron

fides, -ei, f., belief, trust, confidence

firmitas, -atis, f., solidity, strength, vigor

flatus, flatus, m., blowing, breathing

fluo ,fluere, fluxi, fluxum, flow

fons, fontis, m., source, spring

fortasse, perhaps

frequenter, frequently

fritinnio (likely a variant of fringultio/frigutio, twitter)

fuga, -ae, f., flight; swift motion, swift course

gens, gentis, f., people, nation

gentilis, -e, heathen, pagan

gestabilis, -e, portable

gratia (with preceding genitive), on account of, for the sake of, out of (when it means "because of")

gratia, -ae, f., (appears to be used of a person, as in "your grace," although dictionaries don't seem to record this usage for the time)

gratia, -ae, f., esteem, regard

gravidus, -a, -um, laden, full, swollen

hodie, today

homo, hominis, m., human being, human

hora, -ae, f., hour

horologium, -i, n., clock, sundial, waterclock

ideo, for that reason, on that account

ignis, ignis, m., fire

ignoro (1), not know; disregard, take no notice of

ille et ille, illa et illa, illud et illud, such and such; that and that

illuminatio, -onis, f., light

immensus, -a, -um, vast, immense, boundless

immobilis, e, unmoving, stationary

impetro (1), obtain, procure, get

impono, imponere, imposui, impositum, impose, impart, lay on

imus, -a, -um, lowest (superlative of inferus)

inaestimabilis, -e, invaluable, uncalculable

incomprehensibilis, -e, ununderstandable, incomprehensible

indefectus, -a, -um, unfailing

index, indicis, index finger; indicator

ingeniosus, -a, -um, crafty, ingenious

injungo, injungere, injunxi, injunctum, join, fasten, unite; impose inflict, occasion

insensatus, -a, -um, non-sensible

insibilo (1), hiss, hiss in, breathe with a hissing noise

insono (1), sound loudly, resound

inspicio, inspicere, inspexi, inspectum, look upon, inspect, contemplate

intelligo, intelligere, intellexi, intellectus, understand

introeo, introire, introi(v)i, introitum, enter, go into

invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum, find, discover

invito (1), invite, urge, allure, attract

itaque, thus, accordingly

jam (also iam), now, at the time, already

janua, -ae, f., door, entrance, approach

jure, rightly

labor, -oris, m., work, labor

Latialis, -e, of Latium, Latin

laudo (1), praise

legatus, -i, m., delegate

lego, legere, legi, lectus, read

lingua, -ae, f., tongue, language

longe, far (off), a long way

luculentia, -ae, f., brilliance, beauty

ludibrium, -i, n., jest, sport

ludo, ludere, lusi, lusum, play

lumen, luminis, n., light

luna, -ae, f., moon

lusorius, -a, -um, playful, in sport, apparent (not real),

machina, -ae, f., machine, engine, contrivance

machinamentum, -i, n., machine, engine,

madeo, madere, madui, be wet, drenched, drip, flow

magister, magistri, m., master, teacher

magnitudo, -inis, f., size

magnopere, strongly, very much, greatly

manifestus, -a, -um, clear, obvious, manifest

marinus, -a, -um, of the sea

mathesis, is, f., mathematics

maturo (1), hurry

meatus, -us, m., wandering

mechanicus, -i, m., a mechanic

mechanisma, -atis, n., contrivance

merito, deservedly, justly

metallum, -i, n., metal

minutus, -a, -um, small

mirabilis, -e, amazing, wondrous

miraculum, -i, n., wondrous thing, marvel

miror (1), wonder at, be amazed at

mirus, -a, -um, amazing

misceo, miscere, miscui, mixtum, mix, mingle

mobilitas, -atis, f., mobility

modulus, -i, m., a measure; a water meter

modus, -i, m., manner, way

molior, moliri, molitus sum, strive, exert oneself

momentum, -i, n., moment, short bit of time; movement, revolution

monstro (1), show, demonstrate

motus, -us, m., movement, motion

moveo, movere, movi, motus, move

mugio, mugire, mugivi, mugitum, bellow, trumpet, bray

mundus, -i, m, the world, humankind

munus, -eris, n., service, duty; present, gift

musicus, -a, -um, musical; poetic; scientific; artistic (all the meanings are muse-related)

mutus, -a, -um, mute

nascor, nasci, natus sum, be born, begin life, be begotten

natura, -ae, f., essence, character, nature

nequeo, nequere, nequivi, nequitum, be unable, not be able

nescio, nescire, nescivi, nescitum, not know, be ignorant

nitor, niti, nisus/nixus sum, strive, try

nobilis, -e, noble

nosco, noscere, novi, notum, get to know, come to know, learn: in perfect tenses know; also used in "periphrastic" phrases in Cassiodorus (see notes)

nosse (= novisse, perf. inf. of nosco)

notitia, -ae, f., knowledge, idea, conception

nox, noctis, f., night

nuto (1), nod, stagger, shake, waver, doubt, falter

oblectamentum, -i, n., amusement, pleasure, delight

obstupesco, obstupescere, opbstupui, (also obstip-), be astounded, amazed; be astounded at, be amazed at (L&S cites this text for the transitive use)

optineo, optinere, optinui, optentum, (also obtineo) acquire, obtain

occultus, -a, um, hidden

oculus, -i, m., eye

omnimodis, wholly, fully

ordo, ordinis, m., order

organum, -i, n., instrument, device, engine; (especially used of hydraulic things) engine, water-organ

origo, -inis, f., origin, beginning

orno (1), adorn, distinguish, honor, embellish

ostendo, ostendere, ostendi, ostensum, show

ostento (1), show, display

palliatus, -a, -um, cloaked (with Greek garb)

pars, partis, f., part, element

patrius, -a, -um, paternal; of one's native country

pendo, pendere, pependi, pensum, suspend, cause to hang down

paene, almost

penetrabilis, -e, penetrable; penetrating

penetralis, -e, inner, inward, interior, innermost

per (+ acc.), through, by means of

perago, peragere, peregi, peractus, accomplish, go thru

peregrinus, -a, -um, strange, foreign, exotic

perfruor, perfrui, perfructus, enjoy thoroughly

perpetuus, -a, -um, everlasting

perquiro, perquirere, perquisivi, perquisitum, search diligently, seek carefully

pervagor (1), range through, rove around

pervenio, pervenire, perveni, perventum, arrive at, reach

plerumque, often, mostly, generally

plus, adv., more

pondus, ponderis, n., weight; plural pondera, balance, equipoise

pono, ponere, posui, positus, place, situate, post, put, locate

portitor, -oris, m., bearer

postulo (1), demand, request

potentia, -ae, f., power

potius, rather

poto (1), drink

praeceps, praecipitis, headlong, precipitous
praedico, praedicare, praedicavi, praedicatus, praise; vaunt; proclaim, announce

praedicabilis, -e, predictable, fixed

praedictus, -a, -um, aforesaid, mentioned before

praefero, praeferre, praetuli, praelatum, prefer

praesumptio, -onis, f., presumption, assurance

praeter (+ acc.), beyond

praevaleo, praevalere, praevalui, be superior, have greater power/worth; be able to

pretiosus, -a, -um, costly, valuable

pro, + abl., on behalf of, favorable to

probo (1), approve, esteem fit, deem servicable, test, try, prove

prodeo, prodire, prodivi, proditus, go, proceed, move, advance

profunditas, -atis, f., depth

propositum, -i, n, way of life; plan, resolution, intention

proprietas, -atis, f., proper meaning, proper signification

proprius, -a, -um, one's own, proper

prudens, -ntis, wise, prudent

prudentia, -ae, f., wisdom, prudence

publicus, -a, -um, public, of the state

pulchre, beautifully

puto (1), think

quadrifarius, -a, -um, fourfold

quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum, seek

qualis, quale, of which sort, of the sort which

quando, when

quantocius, as quickly as possible

quapropter, for which reason

quare, for which reason, which is why

quatenus, seeing that, since

quicunque, quaecunque, quodcunque, also quicumque, whoever/whatever, whosoever/whatsoever

quidam, quaedam, quoddam,

quilibet, quaelibet, quodlibet, any whatsoever

quippe, namely, indeed (often used to mark a clause as causal)

Quirinalis, -e, of/belonging to Quirinus (i.e. Romulus, founder of Rome)

quisquis, quidquid, whoever/whatever

quotidianus, -a, -um, daily

quoties, (also quotiens), how many times

radius, -i, m., ray

ratio, -onis, f., system, method; account, explanation

reddo, reddere, reddidi, redditum, render, return

refero, referre, retuli, relatus, report, bring back

relatio, -onis, f., report, narration

reparabilis, -e, reparable, that can be repaired

res publica, state, republic

resero (1), unlock, open, lay bare

respicio, respicere, respexi, respectum, look at, be mindful of; observe, perceive, notice

rex, regis, m., king

ritus, -us, m., manner, way, mode

roratio, -onis, f., a falling (of water) in the clepsydra
rotatio, -onis, f., revolving, turning

sagino (1), nourish, fill full, fatten

saluto (1), greet, wish health to

sapiens, sapientis, wise

schola, -ae, f., school, place of learning; school, sect

scio, scire, scivi, scitum, know

secretus, -a, -um, hidden, secret

secundus, -a, -um, second

sentio, sentire, sensi, sensus, feel, sense

serius, -a, -um, serious, important

sermo, -onis, m., speech, conversation, disourse

sicco (1), dry

Siculi, -orum, m., Sicilians

simulo (1), pretend, imitate

sine (+abl.), without

singularis, -e, unique

singulus, -a, -um, individual

siquidem, if indeed; since

situs, -us, m., station, placement, location

socius, -a, -um, ally

sol, solis, m., sun

sollertia, -ae, f., ingenuity, cleverness

solvo, solvere, solui, solutus, dissolve, loosen, unfasten, undo

somnium, -i, n., dream

spatium, -i, n., space, extent

species, -ei, f., appearance, exterior; a likeness, an apparition

speculativus, -a, -um, contemplative, theoretical

speculum, -i, n., mirror, reflector

sperno, spernere, sprevi, spretus, reject, scorn, spurn

sphaera, -ae, f., globe, sphere

studiosus, -a, -um, zealous, eager

stupor, stuporis, m., dullness, numbness; stupidity

stilus, -i, m., column; pen; long, thin, pointed instrument (presumably on a sundial)

suavitas, -atis, f., pleasantness, agreeableness

subito, suddenly

subjaceo, subjacere, subjacui, belong to, be subject to

subtilis, -e, refined, precise, exact, nice

superior, -oris, better, superior

supero (1), overcome, surpass

surgo, surgere, surrexi, surrectum, surge, leap

suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum, receive

talis, tale, such

tamen, nevertheless, however

tempero (1), regulate

templum, -i, n., temple

tendo, tendere, tetendi, tensum, extend, aim, try, endeavor

termino (1), bound, mark off, limit

toga, -ae, f., toga (Roman)

transeo, transire, transivi, transitum, cross over

transitus, -us, m., a passing over

translatio, -onis, f., translation; a transferring

transmitto, transmittere, transmisi, transmissum, hand over, give

umbra, -ae, f., shadow

universus, -a, -um, all, entire, whole, all taken collectively

usus, -us, m., custom, habit; usage, practice, employment

uterque, utrumque, each, both

vel, or; even

velociter, swiftly, quickly

venter, ventris, m., belly, stomach

veritas, -atis, f., truth; reality

verus, -a, -um, true

vicinus, -a, -um, neighboring

vir, viri, m., man

vires, virium (pl. of vis), force

virtus, -utis, f., virtue, excellence

visio, -onis, f., image, sight, vision

vita, -ae, f., life

vivo, vivere, vixi, victus, live, be alive

volo (1), fly

volo, velle, volui, want, desire

voluptuosus, -a, -um, pleasant

voluto (1), cause to revolve, turn, roll

volvo, volvere, volvi, volutum, roll, turn round, make revolve

vox, vocis, f., voice, sound, tone

vulgariter, in the common manner

vulgo (1), let all share in, spread, divulge

zodiacus, -a, -um, zodiacal