Seneca LXXII
Commentary by David Bates, revised by J. Bailly
Introduction
In this letter Seneca suggests that we should spend as much of our
time philosophizing as possible. By philosophizing is meant
perfecting our souls, and the perfected soul is both what makes a
person a wise person and is their very self. Once attained,
perfection of soul is permanent and self-sufficient, Seneca
maintains. The wise person needs nothing more for contented
well-being and will be unconcerned with all worldly things and
distractions.
The first part of the letter concerns the effort to find time to
philosophize: Seneca suggests that given its importance, we should
do so every day in spite of any other calls on our attention. In
the second part of the letter, Seneca expands on what it means to
be wise and how the wise person is invulnerable to fortune. He
concludes by suggesting that given the distance we have to cover
to become wise, we ought not to waste time on other business.
Text
LXXII. SENECA LUCILIO SUO SALUTEM
[1] Quod quaeris a me liquebat mihi - sic rem edidiceram - per se;
sed diu non retemptavi memoriam meam, itaque non facile me sequitur.
Quod evenit libris situ cohaerentibus, hoc evenisse mihi sentio:
explicandus est animus et quaecumque apud illum deposita sunt
subinde excuti debent, ut parata sint quotiens usus exegerit. Ergo
hoc in praesentia differamus; multum enim operae, multum diligentiae
poscit. Cum primum longiorem eodem loco speravero moram, tunc istud
in manus sumam. [2] Quaedam enim sunt quae possis et in cisio
scribere, quaedam lectum et otium et secretum desiderant.
Nihilominus his quoque occupatis diebus agatur aliquid et quidem
totis. Numquam enim non succedent occupationes novae: serimus illas,
itaque ex una exeunt plures. Deinde ipsi nobis dilationem damus:
'cum hoc peregero, toto animo incumbam' et 'si hanc rem molestam
composuero, studio me dabo'. [3] Non cum vacaveris philosophandum
est, sed ut philosopheris vacandum est; omnia alia neglegenda ut
huic assideamus, cui nullum tempus satis magnum est, etiam si a
pueritia usque ad longissimos humani aevi terminos vita producitur.
Non multum refert utrum omittas philosophiam an intermittas; non
enim ubi interrupta est manet, sed eorum more quae intenta
dissiliunt usque ad initia sua recurrit, quod a continuatione
discessit. Resistendum est occupationibus, nec explicandae sed
summovendae sunt. Tempus quidem nullum est parum idoneum studio
salutari; atqui multi inter illa non student propter quae studendum
est. [4] 'Incidet aliquid quod impediat.' Non quidem eum cuius
animus in omni negotio laetus atque alacer est: imperfectis adhuc
interscinditur laetitia, sapientis vero contexitur gaudium, nulla
causa rumpitur, nulla fortuna; semper et ubique tranquillus est. Non
enim ex alieno pendet nec favorem fortunae aut hominis exspectat.
Domestica illi felicitas est; exiret ex animo si intraret: ibi
nascitur. [5] Aliquando extrinsecus quo admoneatur mortalitatis
intervenit, sed id leve et quod summam cutem stringat. Aliquo,
inquam, incommodo afflatur; maximum autem illud bonum fixum est. Ita
dico, extrinsecus aliqua sunt incommoda, velut in corpore interdum
robusto solidoque eruptiones quaedam pustularum et ulcuscula, nullum
in alto malum est. [6] Hoc, inquam, interest inter consummatae
sapientiae virum et alium procedentis quod inter sanum et ex morbo
gravi ac diutino emergentem, cui sanitatis loco est levior accessio:
hic nisi attendit, subinde gravatur et in eadem revolvitur, sapiens
recidere non potest, ne incidere quidem amplius. Corpori enim ad
tempus bona valetudo est, quam medicus, etiam si reddidit, non
praestat - saepe ad eundem qui advocaverat excitatur: <animus>
semel in totum sanatur. [7] Dicam quomodo intellegas sanum: si se
ipse contentus est, si confidit sibi, si scit omnia vota mortalium,
omnia beneficia quae dantur petunturque, nullum in beata vita habere
momentum. Nam cui aliquid accedere potest, id imperfectum est; cui
aliquid abscedere potest, id imperpetuum est: cuius perpetua futura
laetitia est, is suo gaudeat. Omnia autem quibus vulgus inhiat ultro
citroque fluunt: nihil dat fortuna mancipio. Sed haec quoque
fortuita tunc delectant cum illa ratio temperavit ac miscuit haec
est quae etiam externa commendet, quorum avidis usus ingratus est.
[8] Solebat Attalus hac imagine uti: 'vidisti aliquando canem missa
a domino frusta panis aut carnis aperto ore captantem? quidquid
excepit protinus integrum devorat et semper ad spem venturi hiat.
Idem evenit nobis: quidquid exspectantibus fortuna proiecit, id sine
ulla voluptate demittimus statim, ad rapinam alterius erecti et
attoniti.' Hoc sapienti non evenit: plenus est; etiam si quid
obvenit, secure excipit ac reponit; laetitia fruitur maxima,
continua, sua. [9] Habet aliquis bonam voluntatem, habet profectum,
sed cui multum desit a summo: hic deprimitur alternis et extollitur
ac modo in caelum allevatur, modo defertur ad terram. Imperitis ac
rudibus nullus praecipitationis finis est; in Epicureum illud chaos
decidunt, inane sine termino. [10] Est adhuc genus tertium eorum qui
sapientiae alludunt, quam non quidem contigerunt, in conspectu tamen
et, ut ita dicam, sub ictu habent: hi non concutiuntur, ne defluunt
quidem; nondum in sicco, iam in portu sunt. [11] Ergo cum tam magna
sint inter summos imosque discrimina, cum medios quoque sequatur
fluctus suus, sequatur ingens periculum ad deteriora redeundi, non
debemus occupationibus indulgere. Excludendae sunt: si semel
intraverint, in locum suum alias substituent. Principiis illarum
obstemus: melius non incipient quam desinent. Vale.
Text from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/: Epistulae Morales ad
Lucilium- submitted by Hansulrich Guhl (Frauenfeld, Switzerland)
from an unidentified edition and (the later books) by Sally
Winchester from the Reynolds edition.
Commentary
1 Lucilius asked Seneca a
question whose answer Seneca once knew, but Seneca has not thought
about for so long that he can no longer remember it. Seneca
suggests that the contents of one's soul must be periodically
dusted off.
[1] Quod quaeris a me liquebat mihi - sic rem edidiceram - per
se; sed diu non retemptavi memoriam meam, itaque non facile me
sequitur. Quod evenit libris situ cohaerentibus, hoc evenisse mihi
sentio: explicandus est animus et quaecumque apud illum deposita
sunt subinde excuti debent, ut parata sint quotiens usus exegerit.
Ergo hoc in praesentia differamus; multum enim operae, multum
diligentiae poscit. Cum primum longiorem eodem loco speravero
moram, tunc istud in manus sumam.
Quod
quaeris
a me: there is no way to know exactly to what
item or items Seneca refers.
itaque… sequitur: this is equivalent in meaning to a
grammatical result clause, but it is not one.
Quod: the following hoc is
its antecedent.
hoc ... sentio: indirect
statement.
explicandus est: passive
periphrastic, translate with necessity and obligation. An example
of the construction is as follows: “mihi hic liber legendus est”
means "this book must be read by me."
quaecumque ... deposita sunt:
this indefinite relative clause is the subject of debent
and parata sint.
ut parata sint: purpose
clause, in primary sequence with debent.
exegerit: philosophic
future perfect.
in praesentia differamus:
independent jussive subjunctive (when it is first person, some
call it a "hortatory" subjunctive).
hoc: refers to the item or
items which Lucilius asked about and Seneca cannot recall
adequately.
multum: used
substantivally here, it takes genitive.
2 Seneca says that while
some studies require seclusion and undivided attention,
nonetheless in the course of everyday activities, one can still
engage in philosophical pursuits. Letter 15§6 has similar thoughts
about engaging in productive activity while doing other things.
[2] Quaedam enim sunt quae possis et in cisio
scribere, quaedam lectum et otium et secretum desiderant.
Nihilominus his quoque occupatis diebus agatur aliquid et
quidem totis. Numquam enim non succedent occupationes novae:
serimus illas, itaque ex una exeunt plures. Deinde ipsi nobis
dilationem damus: 'cum hoc peregero, toto animo incumbam' et
'si hanc rem molestam composuero, studio me dabo'.
quaedam,
quae: both refer to studies
possis: generic impersonal
second person. Why subjunctive?
et in cisio: adverbial use of et,
“even.”
diebus: why ablative?
agatur: jussive
subjunctive.
illas: modifies an
understood noun: supply it from the preceding clause.
itaque ex una exeunt plures:
another clause equivalent to a grammatical result clause.
cum … incumbam: the
structure is that same as that of a future-less-vivid conditional.
si hanc…dabo: Future less
vivid condition.
3 Seneca insists that one
must constantly philosophize.
[3] Non cum vacaveris philosophandum
est, sed ut philosopheris vacandum est; omnia alia
neglegenda ut huic assideamus, cui nullum tempus satis
magnum est, etiam si a pueritia usque ad longissimos
humani aevi terminos vita producitur. Non multum refert
utrum omittas philosophiam an intermittas; non enim ubi
interrupta est manet, sed eorum more quae intenta
dissiliunt usque ad initia sua recurrit, quod a
continuatione discessit. Resistendum est occupationibus,
nec explicandae sed summovendae sunt. Tempus quidem nullum
est parum idoneum studio salutari; atqui multi inter illa
non student propter quae studendum est.
non
cum vacaveris philosphandum est, sed ut philosopheris vacandum
est: a chiastic sentence (a b b a). The periphrastics are
impersonal. The sentiment is aphoristic and typically Senecan.
neglenda: sc. sunt.
ut huic adsideamus:
purpose clause in primary sequence.
utrum…ommittas…intermittas:
indirect questions in primary sequence with refert. The use of two
compounds of -mitto is typically Senecan.
recurrit: sc. philosophia.
quod: "because."
resistendum
est…explicandae…submovendae sunt: three passive
periphrastics, the first impersonal. Explicandae shares sunt
with submovendae.
Tempus quidem nullum est parum
idoneum studio salutari: aphoristic. Typically Senecan.
parum idoneum: adverb
modifying idoneum, which takes a dative.
non student propter quae
studendum est: student takes an understood eis
(or something similar), which is the (omitted) antecedent to quae.
Seneca often uses pointed formulations that repeat a word with a
different inflection.
4 This section makes a
transition from talking about the necessity to philosophize even
if one thinks there is no time to talking about well-being and its
status. Moving from the hypothetical objection that inevitably
something occurs to disturb one's philosophical activity, Seneca
claims that there is nothing that can interrupt and hence prevent
the wise from being happy and unperturbed and philosophizing. The
wise person's well-being is not dependent on anything that belongs
to or affects anyone else.
[4] 'Incidet aliquid quod
impediat.' Non quidem eum cuius animus in omni negotio
laetus atque alacer est: imperfectis adhuc
interscinditur laetitia, sapientis vero contexitur
gaudium, nulla causa rumpitur, nulla fortuna; semper
et ubique tranquillus est. Non enim ex alieno pendet
nec favorem fortunae aut hominis exspectat. Domestica
illi felicitas est; exiret ex animo si intraret: ibi
nascitur.
quod inpediat: relative
clause of characteristic. Impediat is used absolutely
(i.e. it lacks an object).
non quidem eum: sc. aliquid
impediet, with eum as its object.
eum cuius animus in omni negotio
laetus atque alacer est: clearly a stoic wise person fits
this description.
imperfectis: i.e. those
who are not wise according to the stoic idea of what makes a
person wise.
nulla causa...nulla fortuna:
ablatives.
alieno: alienus means
"belonging to, of, relating to another," where "another" is
someone other than the wise person.
domestica: used
figuratively here, meaning "interior to the wise person's self."
illi: dative of
possession.
exiret ex animo, si intraret:
present contrary to fact condition. The idea is that if one's
happiness is dependent on external things, then it is likely not
to last, whereas the wise person's happiness is entirely internal
and so entirely in that person's control.
ibi: namely, in the soul
of the wise person.
5 Seneca claims that the
outside forces that greatly affect other
people are merely minor distractions to the wise, for the wise are
fully satisfied with their own inner contentedness
and nothing external is of moment to them.
[5] Aliquando extrinsecus quo admoneatur
mortalitatis intervenit, sed id leve et quod summam cutem
stringat. Aliquo, inquam, incommodo afflatur; maximum autem
illud bonum fixum est. Ita dico, extrinsecus aliqua sunt
incommoda, velut in corpore interdum robusto solidoque
eruptiones quaedam pustularum et ulcuscula, nullum in alto
malum est.
extrinsecus:
adverb.
quo admoneatur: relative
clause of characteristic, equivalent to a purpose clause
(remember, "anything that ut can do, qui can do
better"). Primary sequence with intervenit.
intervenit: the subject of
intervenit is the omitted antecedent of quo:
something like aliquid.
id leve: sc. est.
quod ... stringat:
relative clause of characteristic.
aliquo, inquam, incommodo:
inquam is parenthetical. aliquo modifies incommodo.
maximum ... illud bonum: i.e. the
well-being of the wise person.
ita dico: dico
sometimes takes direct speech. Here, it seems almost
parenthetical, like inquam in the next sentence. As Latin
developed, this sort of usage became more common.
extrinsecus: an adverb
modifying the entire sentence that follows, placed in the initial
position for emphasis. Compare English, "Necessarily, dogs are canines, cats are felines,
and nothing is both," in which necessarily
modifies the whole sentence, not just one part of it.
incommoda: predicate.
velut ... eruptiones quaedam
pustularum et ulcuscula: in apposition to incommoda.
interdum: although interdum
is placed in the middle of a prepositional phrase, and so ought in
the normal course of things to modify something in that phrase,
nonetheless, it makes best sense for interdum to modify
the whole clause. I.e. translate interdum as if it came
right after velut.
nullum in alto malum est:
adversative asyndeton: i.e. there is an understood sed.
in alto: altus, -a,
-um is originally spatial, but here it is used figuratively:
in alto, "profoundly, seriously," modifying malum.
malum: predicate.
6 Seneca compares the wise
to those who are still becoming wise: it is similar to the
relationship between a healthy man and one recovering from a
disease, since the one who is recovering can at any point relapse,
while the fully healthy man is safe (for the time being). In
contrast to the body, once a soul becomes wise, it is reliably
whole and healthy (if it should slip back, that means it was not
truly wise).
[6] Hoc, inquam, interest inter
consummatae sapientiae virum et alium procedentis quod
inter sanum et ex morbo gravi ac diutino emergentem, cui
sanitatis loco est levior accessio: hic nisi attendit,
subinde gravatur et in eadem revolvitur, sapiens recidere
non potest, ne incidere quidem amplius. Corpori enim ad
tempus bona valetudo est, quam medicus, etiam si reddidit,
non praestat - saepe ad eundem qui advocaverat excitatur:
<animus> semel in totum sanatur.
consummatae
... procedentis: both are genitives of description.
Understand sapientiae with procedentis as well as
consummatae.
quod inter sanum et ex morbo
gravi ac diutino emergentem (sc. interest): hoc
is the antecedent of quod.
cui: antecedent is emergentem
(virum).
sanitatis loco: cf.
English "in place of" or French "au lieu de."
hic: also refers to emergentem
(virum) and stands in contrast to sapiens later in
the sentence.
his nisi adtendit…revolvitur:
simple conditional.
sapiens ... : another
adversative asyndeton.
corpori: dative of
possession.
ad tempus: idiomatic, "for
a time."
si reddidit, non praestat:
simple conditional.
qui advocaverat:
antecedent of qui is eundem (sc. virum).
animus ... sanatur:
another adversative asyndeton.
7 Seneca defines
'sanum' as perfection of the soul, a condition to which nothing can
be added nor anything taken away and which is permanent and
self-sufficient. He says further that although the wise person has
no need of external things, the wise person nonetheless feels some
delight (delectant) in them. Seneca even suggests that the wisdom
(ratio) of the wise is what makes externals agreeable, for greedy
people cannot enjoy externals.
[7] Dicam quomodo intellegas sanum: si
se ipse contentus est, si confidit sibi, si scit omnia
vota mortalium, omnia beneficia quae dantur petunturque,
nullum in beata vita habere momentum. Nam cui aliquid
accedere potest, id imperfectum est; cui aliquid abscedere
potest, id imperpetuum est: cuius perpetua futura laetitia
est, is suo gaudeat. Omnia autem quibus vulgus inhiat
ultro citroque fluunt: nihil dat fortuna mancipio. Sed
haec quoque fortuita tunc delectant cum illa ratio
temperavit ac miscuit: haec est quae etiam externa
commendet, quorum avidis usus ingratus est.
intellegas: why subjunctive?
si ... si ... si ... :
triple parallelism. Typically Senecan.
si confidit sibi: compare the language of Letter 31§3,
which says that the firmamentum of beatae vitae is sibi
fidere.
si scit omnia vota ..., omnia
beneficia, ... habere ...: scit introduces indirect
speech. Omnia vota is the subject of the infinitive habere.
cui ... cui ... cuius ... :
triple parallelism. Typically Senecan.
cui: the antecedent is id
of the following clause.
suo: "his/her own" what?
Omnia autem quibus vulgus inhiat
ultro citro fluunt; nihil dat fortuna mancipio: aphoristic.
The slave spoken of here is the person who is enslaved to external
things and has not been freed of them through philosophy.
inhiat: what case do verbal
compounds with in- typically take?
haec: what is the
antecedent? It is not n. pl.
commendet: relative clause
of characteristic.
quorum: another objective
genitive (with usus).
8 The sections illustrates
the thought of the last section with an illustrative image which
Seneca's own teacher, Attalus, used to use.
[8] Solebat Attalus hac imagine uti:
'vidisti aliquando canem missa a domino frusta panis aut
carnis aperto ore captantem? quidquid excepit protinus
integrum devorat et semper ad spem venturi hiat. Idem
evenit nobis: quidquid exspectantibus fortuna proiecit, id
sine ulla voluptate demittimus statim, ad rapinam alterius
erecti et attoniti.' Hoc sapienti non evenit: plenus est;
etiam si quid obvenit, secure excipit ac reponit; laetitia
fruitur maxima, continua, sua.
Attalus: the stoic Attalus was the most important teacher
of Seneca. Not a great deal is known about him. Seneca mentions and
quotes him frequently, however (in Letters 9.7, 63.5, 67.15,
81.22, 108.3, 108.13, 108.23, 110.14-20).
uti: this verb takes what
case?
canem missa a domino frusta panis
aut carnis aperto ore captantem: to untangle this slew of
substantives, start by asking what does the sentence's verb (vidisti)
need? a direct object. Canem! Does anything agree with canem?
captantem! Captantem is a participle of a transitive
verb, which means it needs an object too. Frusta! Does
anything modify frusta? missa! What is left? 1) a domino
(what could "by/from the master" go with?, 2) panis aut carnis
(genitive of "bread" and "meat": what could that go with?), and 3) aperto
ore (an ablative substantive and participle: what construction
typically consists of two such ablatives?).
captantem: "frequentative"
verb. Frequentatives are formed by affixing -to, -tare, -tavi,
-tatum to a verb stem (such as cap-io). Their meanings
usually involve frequent action, repetition, or some other
intensiveness.
quidquid ... quidquid ... :
note the parallelism here:
quidquid (canis) excepit ... (id)
devorat
quidquid (nobis) fortuna proiecit, id demittimus
integrum:
modifies the understood object of devorat. That object
is understood from quidquid excepit.
alterius: objective
genitive with rapinam. An 'objective' genitive is the
'object' of the verbal notion inherent in the noun it goes with
(e.g. in "My love of my dog," dog is an objective genitive).
erecti et attoniti:
modify the subject of demittimus.
plenus est: i.e. he has
no particularly strong desires for things external to him.
maxima, continua, sua:
triplicate, decrescendo. Typically Senecan.
9 One may have a good
will and have made some progress, but even in that case, one is
far from the secure goal of wisdom.
[9] Habet aliquis bonam
voluntatem, habet profectum, sed cui multum desit a
summo: hic deprimitur alternis et extollitur ac modo
in caelum allevatur, modo defertur ad terram.
Imperitis ac rudibus nullus praecipitationis finis
est; in Epicureum illud chaos decidunt, inane sine
termino.
Habet aliquis bonam voluntatem, habet profectum, sed cui
multum desit a summo: this is a hypothetical example,
as in "Let's assume that x, y, and z...." The verb in the
initial place is emphatic.
multum desit a summo: Summo
refers to perfection. The subjunctive indicates that this is a
relative clause of characteristic, but it also confirms the
hypothetical nature of the preceding two clauses.
alternis: adverb.
modo ... modo ...: these
two adverbs correlate their clauses together. Translate "at one
point ... at another ... ."
nullus: modifies finis.
Epicureum illud chaos: Epicureum
and illud modify chaos (inane does too,
but in predicate position). Epicurus posited that only two
things exist, void and atoms. Chaos refers to the void,
which has no limits. Stoics also accept that void exists, but
the void of the Epicureans was a commonplace.
10 In addition to the
wise and the person who has made some progress, there are those
who have not reached wisdom, and yet are somehow nearer to it
than the masses. The language Seneca uses to describe this third
category is largely figurative and thus hard to interpret with
analytical exactitude.
[10] Est adhuc
genus tertium eorum qui sapientiae alludunt, quam
non quidem contigerunt, in conspectu tamen et, ut
ita dicam, sub ictu habent: hi non concutiuntur,
ne defluunt quidem; nondum in sicco, iam in portu
sunt.
genus tertium:
the first two are the wise and those who are referred to in
section 9 (they have a bonam voluntatem).
qui adludunt: the choice of this verb is puzzling. It
means something like "play around with" or "sport with."
ut ita dicam:
parenthetical.
sub ictu: i.e. it is
almost in their grasp.
concutiuntur: being
disturbed is a bad thing for stoics. They are supposed to be
above that.
defluunt: meant
figuratively, this verb indicates that this third sort of person
has made enough progress that he or she will not slip back into
utter vice.
11 Given that there is such a wide gap between us and
wisdom, and it is the most important thing, we ought to
concentrate on it to the exclusion of other occupations.
[11]
Ergo cum tam magna sint inter summos imosque
discrimina, cum medios quoque sequatur fluctus
suus, sequatur ingens periculum ad deteriora
redeundi, non debemus occupationibus
indulgere. Excludendae sunt: si semel
intraverint, in locum suum alias substituent.
Principiis illarum obstemus: melius non
incipient quam desinent. Vale.
cum ... cum ... :
causal cum clauses: hence verbs in subjunctive. The
third clause, although not introduced by cum, must also
be a causal clause.
periculum ad deteriora redeundi:
redundi depends on periculum. ad deteriora
depends on redeundi.
indulgere: takes what
case?
si semel intraverint:
introduces what kind of conditional sentence?
obstemus: why
subjunctive? Takes what case?
Vocabulary:
abscedo, abscedere, abscessi,
abscessum, be removed, be taken away
ac, and
accedo, accedere, accessi, accessum, come to in addition, be added
to
accessio, -onis, f., onset (of fever or illness)
adl-, see all-
admoneo, admonere, admonui, admonitum, remind (+ gen.)
adsideo, adsidere, adsedi, adsessum, pay attention to (+dat.)
advoco (1), summon, invite
aevum, -i, n., lifetime
afflo (1), blow upon, blast
agatur
alacer, alacris, alacre, lively, brisk
aliquando, sometimes
allevo (1), lift up, raise
alludo, alludere, allusi, allusum, allude to (+ dat.)
alternis, by turns, alternately
animus, -i, m., soul, mind
apertus, -a, -um, open
apud (+acc.), at the house of; in
ass-, see ads-
atque, and
atqui, and yet, all the same
attendo, attendere, attendi, attentum, pay close attention
attono, attonare, attonui, attonitum, strike with lightning; drive
crazy, distract
avidus, -a, -um, greedy
beata
beneficium, -i, n., benefit
caelum, -i, n., heaven, sky
canis, canis, m. or f., dog
capto (1), be eager to get, try to get
caro, carnis, f., flesh
cisium, -i, n., a light two-wheeled carriage
citro, see ultro
cohaereo, cohaerere, cohaesi, cohaesum, stick together, adhere
commendo (1), render agreeable
compono, componere, composui, compositum, settle, arrange,
organize, dispose
concutio, concutere, concussi, concussum, weaken, shake; upset,
disturb
confido, confidere, confisus sum, be confident in (+ dat.)
conspectus, -us, m., sight
consummatus, -a, -um, complete, perfect
contentus, -a, -um, content, fulfilled
contexo, contexere, contexui, contextum, connect, link
contingo, contingere, contigi, contactum, touch
continuatio, -onis, f., continuity
cutis, cutis, f., skin
decido, decidere, decidi, fall down
defero, deferre, detuli, delatus, carry down
defluo, defluere, defluxi, defluxum, glide down, slip down, sink
deinde, then, next, what is more
delecto (1), cause delight
demitto, demittere, demisi, demissum, thrust down (the throat)
depono, deponere, deposui, depositus, entrust to for safekeeping
deprimo, deprimere, depressi, depressus, wiegh down, bring down,
lower, reduce
desidero (1), need
desino, desinere, desivi, desitum, stop
desum, deesse, defui, defuturum, fall short of, be lacking
deterior, deterior, deterius, lower, poorer, worse
devoro (1), devour
differo, differre, distuli, dilatum, delay, postpone
dilatio, -onis, delay, postponement
diligentia, -ae, f., carefulness
discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, move away from
discrimen, discriminis, n., difference
dissilio, dissilire, dissilui, spring apart
diutinus, -a, -um, chronic, lasting
do, dare, dedi, datus, give; cause, create
domesticus, -a, -um, within one's household, interior
edisco, ediscere, edidici, get to know; learn by heart
emergo, emergere, emersi, emersum, emerge
erigo, erigere, erexi, erectum, refresh, revive, restore;
stimulate
eruptio, -onis, f., discharge (of bodily fluid), outbreak (of a
rash, etc.)
evenio, evenire, eveni, eventum, happen, occur
excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptus, get
excito (1), stir up, stimulate, rouse
excludo, excludere, exclusi, exclusum, deny entry to, keep out
excutio, excutere, excussi, excussum, shake or knock off
exigo, exigere, exegi, exactum, demand
exeo, exire, exivi, exitum, emerge, come out
explico (1), unfold
exspecto (1), await
extollo, extollere, lift up, raise
extrinsecus, from without, externally
facile, readily, easily
favor, favoris, m., favor
felicitas, -atis, f., happiness
finis, finis, m., end
figo, figere, fixi, fixum, firmly established
fluctus, -us, m., flow
fluo, fluere, fluxi, fluxum, flow
fortuitus, -a, -um, chance, accidental
fruor, frui, fructum, enjoy (+abl.)
frustum, -i, n., crust
gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum, enjoy (+dat.)
gaudium, -i, n., joy
genus, generis, n., kind, type
gravo (1), grow heavy, worsen
hio (1), gape after
ictus, -us, m., blow, stroke, thrust, impact
idoneus, -a, -um, suitable (+ dat.)
imago, imaginis, f., image, illustration
imus, -a, -um, lowest
impedio, impedire, impedivi, impeditum, obstruct, hinder
imperfectus, -a, -um, imperfect, incomplete
imperitus, -a, -um, unskilled, ignorant
inanis, inane, empty, void
incido, incidere, incidi, incasum, happen, arise; fall into, lapse
into
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptum, begin
incommodum, -i, n., discomfort, disadvantage, annoying
incumbo, incumbere, incubui, apply oneself vigorously, devote
one's energies to (+dat.)
indulgeo, indulgere, indulsi, indultum, indulge (+ dat.)
ingens, ingentis, huge
ingratus, -a, -um, unwelcome, displeasing
inhio (1), be avid for (+ dat.); gape for (+ dat.)
initium, initii, n., beginning
inquam, I say
integer, integra, integrum, whole
intendo, intendere, intendi, intentum, stretch
interdum, meanwhile, for the time being
interest, interesse, interfuit, be the difference (between: +
inter + acc. et acc.)
intermitto, intermittere, intermisi, intermissum, interrupt,
temporarily leave off, take up at intervals
interrumpo, interrumpere, interrupi, interruptum, make
discontinuous, interrupt
interscindo, interscindere, interscidi, interscissum, interrupt
intervenio, intervenire, interveni, interventum, occur, crop up
intro (1), enter
laetitia, -ae, f., joy
laetus, -a, -um, glad, happy, joyful
lectus, -i, m, couch (used for study or writing)
liqueo, liquere, licui/liqui, appear clear
mancipium, -i, n., slave; property
maneo, manere, manui, mansum, remain
medicus, -i, m., doctor
mitto, mittere, misi, missum, throw
modo ... modo, at one point, at another point
molestus, -a, -um, annoying
momentum, -i, n., movement, impulse
mora, -ae, f., delay
morbus, -i, n., illness
mos, moris, m., manner, habit
nascor, nasci, natus, be born
neglego, neglegere, neglexi, neglectum, neglect, ignore
nihilominus, nonetheless
nondum, not yet
novus, -a, -um, new
obsto, obstare, obsteti, obstatum, block (+ dat.)
obvenio, obvenire, obveni, obventum, turn up, happen, occur
occupatio, -ionis, f., activity, job, preoccupation
occupatus, -a, -um, busy
omitto, ommittere, ommisi, ommissum, omit, leave out
opera, -ae, work
os, oris, n., mouth
otium, otii, n., leisure
panis, panis, m., bread
paro (1), prepare, get ready
parum, insufficiently
pendeo, pendere, pependi, depend
perago, peragere, peregi, peractum, complete
periculum, -i, n., danger, peril
perpetuus, -a, -um, perpetual
peto, petere, petivi, petitum, seek
philosophor (1), engage in philosophy, study philosophy, think
hard
plenus, -a, -um, full, satiated
plus, pluris, more
portus, portus, m., port
posco, poscere, poposci, demand, call for
praecipitatio, -onis, f., headlong descent
praesentia (in praesentia, for the moment)
praesto, praestare, praesteti, praestatum, furnish
principium, -i, n., origin, start
procedo, procedere, procedi, processus, make progress (toward
virtue)
produco, producere, produxi, productum, stretch out
profectus, -us, m., progress
proicio, proicere, proieci, proiectum, throw forth
protinus, straightforth
pueritia, -ae, f., boyhood
pustula, -ae, f., blister, pustule, pimple
quidquid, whatever
quomodo, how
quotiens, as often as, as many times as
rapina, -ae, f., plunder, booty; carrying off of a person
ratio, -onis, f., reason
recido, recidere, recidi, lapse, sink back into
recurro, recurrere, recurri, recursum, return, run back
reddo, reddere, redditi, redditus, return, give back
redeo, redire, redivi, reditus, return, revert
refert, it matters (impersonal)
repono, reponere, reposui, repositum, put away
resisto, resistere, restiti, oppose, offer resistance
retempto (1), try again, test again
revolvo, revolvere, revolvi, revolutum, relapse
robustus, -a, -um, strong, robust
rudis, rude, uncultivated, uncouth
rumpo, rumpere, rupi, ruptum, break, interrupt,
salutaris, -e, that promotes one's well-being
sano (1), cleanse
sanitas, -atis, f., health
sanus, -a, -um, healthy
sapiens, -ientis, wise
sapientia, -ae,f., wisdom
secretum, -i, n., seclusion, retirement
secure, without fear, unconcernedly
semel, once
sequor, sequi, secutus, accompany
sero, serere, sevi, satum, sow
siccus, -a, -um, dry
situs, situs, m, the condition of lying undisturbed, neglect
soleo, solere, solitus, be accustomed to
solidus, -a, -um, strong
spero (1), hope for (+ acc.)
statim,
stringo, stringere, strinxi, strictum, graze, scratch
studeo, studere, studui, devote oneself to, concern oneself with
(+dat.)
subinde, once in a while
submoveo, submovere, submovi, submotum, remove
substituo, substituere, substitui, substitutum, substitute
succedo, succedere, successi, successum, follow
summus, -a, -um, top of, surface of
sumo, sumere, sumpsi, sumptum, take
summoveo, see subm-
tam, so
tempero (1), temper, moderate
tempus, temporis, n., time; ad tempus, on time, at the right time
terminus, -i, m., endpoint
tertius, -a, -um, third
tranquillus, -a, -um, peaceful, unperturbed
ulcusculum, -i, n., small sore, ulcer
ultro ... citro, to and fro, on both sides, ambiguously
usque ad, up to, until, all the way to,
usus, us, m., need, use
vaco (1), have free time
votum. -i, n., wish, hope
vulgus, -i, n., the crowd, the masses