Latin Phrase-Book

23. Business – Leisure – Inactivity – Idleness

negotium suscipere– to undertake an affair.

negotium obire, exsequi– to execute, manage a business, undertaking.

negotium conficere, expedire, transigere– to arrange, settle a matter.

negotia agere, gerere– to be occupied with business, busy.

multis negotiis implicatum, districtum, distentum, obrutum esse– to be involved in many undertakings; to be much occupied, embarrassed, overwhelmed by business-claims.

negotiis vacare– to be free from business.

occupatum esse in aliqua re– to be engaged upon a matter.

intentum esse alicui rei– to be engaged upon a matter.

negotium alicui facessere (Fam. 3. 10. 1) – to give a person trouble, inconvenience him.

magnum negotium est c. Inf. – it is a great undertaking to…

nullo negotio– without any trouble.

otiosum esse– to be at leisure.

in otio esse or vivere– to be at leisure.

otium habere– to be at leisure.

otio frui– to be at leisure.

otio abundare– to have abundance of leisure.

otium sequi, amplexari– to be a lover of ease, leisure.

otiosum tempus consumere in aliqua re– to spend one's leisure hours on an object.

otio abūti ⁸⁶ or otium ad suum usum transferre– to use up, make full use of one's spare time.

(in) otio languere et hebescere– to grow slack with inactivity, stagnate.

otio diffluere– to grow slack with inactivity, stagnate.

desidiae et languori se dedere– to abandon oneself to inactivity and apathy.

ignaviae ⁸⁷ et socordiae se dare– to abandon oneself to inactivity and apathy.

per luxum et ignaviam aetatem agere– to pass one's life in luxury and idleness.

24. Pleasure – Recreation

voluptatem ex aliqua re capere or percipere– to derive pleasure from a thing.

voluptate perfundi– to revel in pleasure, be blissfully happy.

voluptatibus frui– to take one's fill of enjoyment.

voluptates haurire– to take one's fill of enjoyment.

se totum voluptatibus dedere, tradere– to devote oneself absolutely to the pursuit of pleasure.

homo voluptarius (Tusc. 2. 7. 18) – a devotee of pleasure; a self-indulgent man.

voluptatis illecebris deleniri– to be led astray, corrupted by the allurements of pleasure.

voluptatis blanditiis corrumpi– to be led astray, corrupted by the allurements of pleasure.

in voluptates se mergere– to plunge into a life of pleasure.

animum a voluptate sevocare– to hold aloof from all amusement.

voluptates (corporis)– sensual pleasure.

voluptatis or animi causa (B. G. 5. 12) – for one's own diversion; to satisfy a whim.

deliciis diffluere– to wanton in the pleasures of sense.

animum relaxare, reficere, recreare or simply se reficere, se recreare, refici, recreari (ex aliqua re)– to recruit oneself, seek relaxation.

animum or simply se remittere– to indulge oneself.

animo or simply sibi indulgere– to indulge oneself.

VI. The Mind; its Functions

1. Genius – Talent – Intelligence

magno animo esse– to be magnanimous, broad-minded.

animum attendere ad aliquid– to turn one's attention to a thing.

diligenter attendere (aliquid)– to attend carefully.

alias res or aliud agere– to be inattentive.

animo adesse ⁸⁸– (1) to be attentive; (2) to keep one's presence of mind.

vir magno ingenio, ingeniosus– a man of ability.

vir magno ingenio praeditus– a man of ability.

ingenio valere– to be talented, gifted.

ingenio abundare– to be very talented.

natura et ingenium– natural gifts.

ingenium acuere– to sharpen the wits.

ingenii acumen– penetration; sagacity.

ingenii tarditas (opp. celeritas) – dulness of intellect.

ingenii infirmitas or imbecillitas– weakmindedness.

mentis compotem esse– to be of sane mind.

mente captum esse, mente alienata esse– to be out of one's mind.

sanae mentis esse– to be of sound mind.

mentis quasi luminibus officere (vid. sect. XIII. 6) or animo caliginem offundere– to obscure the mental vision.

intellegentia or mente multum valere⁸⁹– to possess great ability.

ad intellegentiam communem or popularem accommodare aliquid– to accommodate something to the standard of the popular intelligence.

2. Imagination – Thought

animo, cogitatione aliquid fingere (or simply fingere, but without sibi), informare– to form an idea of a thing, imagine, conceive.

animo concipere aliquid– to form an idea of a thing, imagine, conceive.

animo, cogitatione aliquid praecipere (Off 1. 23. 81) – to form a conception of a thing beforehand.

cogitatione sibi aliquid depingere– to picture to oneself.

ingenium, cogitatio– imagination.

ingenii vis or celeritas– vivid, lively imagination.

rerum imagines– creatures of the imagination.

res cogitatione fictae or depictae– creatures of the imagination.

opinionum commenta, ineptiae, monstra, portenta– extravagant fictions of fancy.

animo, mente, cogitatione aliquid comprehendere, complecti– to grasp a thing mentally.

in eam cogitationem incidere– to happen to think of…

haec cogitatio subit animum– an idea strikes me.

illud succurrit mihi– an idea strikes me.

mihi in mentem venit alicuius rei– something comes into my mind.

aliquid animo meo obversatur (cf. sect. III, s. v. oculi) – a vague notion presents itself to my mind.

aliquem ad eam cogitationem adducere ut– to induce a person to think that…

alicuius animum ab aliqua re abducere– to draw away some one's attention from a thing.

cogitationem, animum in aliquid intendere (Acad. 4. 46) – to direct one's attention…

omnes cogitationes ad aliquid conferre– to give all one's attention to a thing.

mentem in aliqua re defigere– to fix all one's thoughts on an object.

in cogitatione defixum esse– to be deep in thought.

cogitationes in res humiles abicere (De Amic. 9. 32) (Opp. alte spectare, ad altiora tendere, altum, magnificum, divinum suspicere) – to study the commonplace.

3. Conceptions – Ideals – Perfection

notiones animo (menti) insitae, innatae– innate ideas.

intellegentiae adumbratae ⁹⁰ or incohatae (De Leg. 1. 22. 59) – vague, undeveloped ideas.

notionem or rationem alicuius rei in animo informare or animo concipere– to form a conception, notion of a thing.

absolutus et perfectus– absolutely perfect.

omnibus numeris absolutus (N. D. 2. 13) – perfect in every detail.

ad summum perducere– to bring to the highest perfection.

perficere et absolvere– to bring to the highest perfection.

ad perfectionem, (ad summum) pervenire– to attain perfection.

absolutio et perfectio (not summa perfectio) – ideal perfection.

cogitatione, non re– ideally, not really.

undique expleta et perfecta forma– an ideal.

species optima or eximia, specimen, also simply species, forma– an ideal.

comprehensam quandam animo speciem (alicuius rei) habere– to have formed an ideal notion of a thing.

singularem quandam perfectionis imaginem animo concipere– to conceive an ideal.

imaginem perfecti oratoris adumbrare– to sketch the ideal of an orator.

civitas optima, perfecta Platonis– Plato's ideal republic.

illa civitas Platonis commenticia– Plato's ideal republic.

illa civitas, quam Plato finxit– Plato's ideal republic.

4. Opinion – Prejudice – Conjecture

in sententia manere, permanere, perseverare, perstare– to abide by, persist in one's opinion.

illud, hoc teneo– I abide by this opinion.

a sententia sua discedere– to give up one's opinion.

de sententia sua decedere– to give up one's opinion.

(de) sententia desistere– to give up one's opinion.

de sententia deici, depelli, deterreri– to be forced to change one's mind.

de sententia aliquem deducere, movere– to make a man change his opinion.

aliquem ad suam sententiam perducere or in suam sententiam adducere– to win a man over to one's own way of thinking.

ad alicuius sententiam accedere, sententiam alicuius sequi– to adopt some one's opinion.

idem sentire (opp. dissentire ab aliquo) – to hold the same views.

sententiam suam aperire ⁹¹– to freely express one's opinions.

sententiam fronte celare, tegere– not to betray one's feelings by one's looks.

dic quid sentias ⁹²– give me your opinion.

in hac sum sententia, ut…putem– I think that…

plura in eam sententiam disputare– to discuss a subject more fully on the same lines.

ut mea fert opinio– according to my opinion.

ut mihi quidem videtur– according to my opinion.

mea (quidem) sententia– according to my opinion.

quot homines, tot sententiae– many men, many minds.

opiniones falsas animo imbibere– to be imbibing false opinions.

opinionibus falsis imbui– to be imbibing false opinions.

opinionis error– erroneous opinion.

opinio praeiudicata, also simply opinio (not praeiudicium = a preliminary decision) – prejudice.

opinio confirmata, inveterata– a rooted opinion.

opinionum pravitate infici– to be filled with absurd prejudices.

opinionum commenta (N. D. 2. 2. 5) – chimeras.

monstra or portenta– marvellous ideas; prodigies.

coniectura assequi, consequi, aliquid coniectura colligere– to conjecture.

quantum ego coniectura assequor, auguror– as far as I can guess.

coniecturam alicuius rei facere or capere ex aliqua re– to infer by comparison, judge one thing by another.

de se (ex se de aliis) coniecturam facere– to judge others by oneself.

aliquid in coniectura positum est– it is a matter of conjecture, supposition.

aliquid coniectura nititur, continetur (Div. 1. 14. 24) – it is a matter of conjecture, supposition.

probabilia coniectura sequi– to try to conjecture probabilities.

aliquid mihi nec opinanti, insperanti accidit– a thing has happened contrary to my expectation.

5. Truth – Error

verum dicere, profiteri– to speak the truth, admit the truth.

omnia ad veritatem ⁹³ dicere– to be truthful in all one's statements.

veritatis amans, diligens, studiosus– truthful; veracious.

a vero aversum esse (Catil. 3. 1. 29) – to be averse to truth.

a veritate deflectere, desciscere– to swerve from the truth.

veri videndi, investigandi cupiditas– love of truth.

veri inquisitio atque investigatio– zealous pursuit of truth.

a vero abduci– to be led away from the truth.

proxime ad verum accedere– to be very near the truth.

a vero non abhorrere– to be probable.

veri simile esse– to be probable.

haec speciosiora quam veriora sunt– this is more plausible than true.

vera et falsa (a falsis) diiudicare– to distinguish true and false.

vera cum falsis confundere– to confuse true with false.

veritas– veracity.

re (vera), reapse (opp. specie) – in truth; really.

in errore versari– to be mistaken.

magno errore teneri– to be in gross error, seriously misled.

in magno errore versari– to be in gross error, seriously misled.

vehementer errare– to be in gross error, seriously misled.

erroribus implicari (Tusc. 4. 27. 58) – to fall into error.

per errorem labi, or simply labi– to take a false step.

aliquem in errorem inducere, rapere– to lead a person into error.

errorem animo imbibere– to get a mistaken notion into the mind.

errorem cum lacte nutricis sugere (Tusc. 3. 1. 2) – to imbibe error from one's mother's breasts.

error longe lateque diffusus– a wide-spread error.

errorem tollere– to banish an error, do away with a false impression.

errorem amputare et circumcīdere– to banish an error, do away with a false impression.

errorem stirpitus extrahere– to totally eradicate false principles.

errorem deponere, corrigere– to amend, correct one's mistake.

alicui errorem demere, eripere, extorquere– to undeceive a person.

nisi fallor– if I am not mistaken.

nisi (animus) me fallit– if I am not mistaken.

nisi omnia me fallunt– unless I'm greatly mistaken.

6. Choice – Doubt – Scruple

optionem alicui dare (Acad. 2. 7. 19) – to give a person his choice.

optionem alicui dare, utrum…an– to offer a person the alternative of… or…

in dubium vocare– to throw doubt upon a thing.

in dubio ponere– to throw doubt upon a thing.

in dubium venire– to become doubtful.

quod aliquam (magnam) dubitationem habet (Leg. Agr. 1. 4. 11) – a thing which is rather (very) dubious.

dubitatio mihi affertur, inicitur– a doubt arises in my mind.

dubitationem alicui tollere– to relieve a person of his doubts.

aliquid in medio, in dubio relinquere (Cael. 20. 48) – to leave a thing undecided.

aliquid dubium, incertum relinquere– to leave a thing undecided.

sine dubio (not sine ullo dubio) – without doubt, beyond all doubt.

sine ulla dubitatione– without any hesitation; without the least scruple.

scrupulum ex animo alicuius evellere (Rosc. Am. 2. 6) – to relieve a man of his scruple.

unus mihi restat scrupulus (Ter. Andr. 5. 4. 37) (cf. too religio, sect. XI. 2) – one thing still makes me hesitate.

7. Knowledge – Certainty – Persuasion

certo (certe) scio ⁹⁴ (Arch. 12. 32) – I know for a fact.

probe scio, non ignoro– I know very well.

non sum ignarus, nescius (not non sum inscius) – I know very well.

me non fugit, praeterit– I am not unaware.

quantum scio– as far as I know.

quod sciam– as far as I know.

hoc (not tantum) certum est– this much is certain.

aliquid compertum habere– to know a thing for certain.

illud pro certo affirmare licet– this much I can vouch for.

mihi exploratum est, exploratum (certum) habeo– I am quite certain on the point.

inter omnes constat– it is a recognised fact.

mihi persuasum est ⁹⁵– I am persuaded, convinced.

mihi persuasi– I am persuaded, convinced.

sic habeto– convince yourself of this; rest assured on this point.

persuade tibi– convince yourself of this; rest assured on this point.

velim tibi ita persuadeas– convince yourself of this; rest assured on this point.

sic volo te tibi persuadere– convince yourself of this; rest assured on this point.

addūcor, ut credam– I am gradually convinced that…

non possum adduci, ut (credam)– I cannot make myself believe that…

ex animi mei sententia (vid. sect. XI. 2) – according to my strong conviction.

suo iudicio uti– to act in accordance with one's convictions.

8. Plan – Advice – Deliberation

consilium capere, inire (de aliqua re, with Gen. gerund., with Inf., more rarely ut) – to form a plan, make a resolution.

consilio desistere– to give up a project, an intention.

consilium abicere or deponere– to let a plan fall through.

a consilio deterreri aliqua re– to be deterred from one's intention by something.

mediocribus consiliis uti– to adopt half-measures.

consilium, sententiam mutare– to alter one's views, intentions.

suo consilio uti ⁹⁶– to go one's own way, proceed independently.

magna moliri– to be busy with ambitious projects.

consilia cum aliquo communicare ⁹⁷– (1) to communicate one's plans to some one; (2) to make common cause with a person. Similarly c. causam, rationem.

consilia inter se communicare– to take common counsel.

aliquem in or ad consilium adhibere– to consult a person, take his advice.

consilium habere (de aliqua re)– to deliberate together (of a number of people).

consultare or deliberare (de aliqua re)– to deliberate, consider (of individuals).

consiliis arcanis interesse (Liv. 35. 18) – to be present at secret consultations.

consilium dare alicui– to give a person advice.

auctorem esse alicui, ut– to give a person advice.

aliquem consilio (et re) iuvare– to give a person the advantage of one's advice (and actual support).

consilii mei copiam facio tibi– I put myself at your disposal as regards advice.

consilium petere ab aliquo– to apply to a person for advice.

consilii inopem esse– to be perplexed.

omnia consilia frigent (Verr. 2. 25) – advice is useless in this case; the situation is very embarrassing.

nullo consilio, nulla ratione, temere– without reflection; inconsiderately; rashly.

secum (cum animo) reputare aliquid– to think over, consider a thing.

considerare in, cum animo, secum aliquid– to think over, consider a thing.

agitare (in) mente or (in) animo aliquid– to think over, consider a thing.

aliquid cadit in deliberationem (Off. 1. 3. 9) – a subject becomes matter for reflection.

re diligenter considerata, perpensa– after mature deliberation.

omnibus rebus circumspectis– after mature deliberation.

inita subductaque ratione– after mature deliberation.

9. Resolve – Design – Intention

in animo habeo or mihi est in animo c. Inf. – I am resolved; it is my intention.

certum (mihi) est– I am determined.

certum deliberatumque est– I am firmly resolved.

stat mihi sententia (Liv. 21. 30.) – I am firmly resolved.

incertus sum, quid consilii capiam– I am undecided…

mihi non constat (with indirect question) – I have not made up my mind.

propositum est mihi c. Inf. – I intend, propose to…

propositum, consilium tenere (opp. a proposito deterreri) – to abide by one's resolution.

propositum ⁹⁸ assequi, peragere– to carry out one's plan.

magna sibi proponere or magna spectare– to have a high object in view; to be ambitious.

in incepto or conatu perstare– to persevere in one's resolve.

in proposito susceptoque consilio permanere– to persevere in one's resolve.

incepto or conatu desistere– to give up one's project.

parare aliquid– to take measures for…

animum inducere c. Inf. (not in animum inducere) – to persuade oneself to…

a me impetrare non possum, ut– I cannot bring myself to…

descendere ad aliquid, ad omnia (vid. sect. V. 9, note Similarly descendere…) – to consent to… lend oneself to…

descendere ad extrema consilia (Fam. 10. 33. 4) – to have recourse to extreme measures.

10. Object – Aim – Hesitation – Delay

consilium est c. Inf. or ut– my intention is…

id sequor, ut– my intention is…

spectare aliquid or ad aliquid– to have an object in view.

res eo spectat, ut– the matter tends towards… has this object.⁹⁹

res spectat ad vim (arma)– there seems a prospect of armed violence; things look like violence.

id quod voluit consecutus est– he attained his object.

ad id quod voluit pervenit– he attained his object.

quid tibi vis?– what do you mean to do?

quid hoc sibi vult?– what is the meaning of this?

quid hoc rei est?– what is the meaning of this?

eo consilio, ea mente, ut– with the intention of…

de industria, dedita opera (opp. imprudens) – designedly; intentionally.

ad id ipsum ¹⁰⁰– with this very object.

infecta re (Liv. 9. 32) – to no purpose; ineffectually.

moram alicui rei afferre, inferre, facere– to retard, delay a thing.

in mora alicui esse– to detain a person.

nullam moram interponere, quin (Phil. 10. 1. 1) – to make all possible haste to…

sine mora or nulla mora interposita– without delay.

diem ex die ducere, differre– to put off from one day to another.

11. Remembrance – Forgetfulness

memoriā tenere aliquid– to remember a thing perfectly.

memoriam alicuius rei tenere– to remember a thing perfectly.

recenti memoria tenere aliquid– to have a vivid recollection of a thing.

memoriā (multum) valere (opp. memoriā vacillare) – to have a good memory.

memorem esse (opp. obliviosum esse) – to have a good memory.

memoria tanta fuit, ut– he had such an extraordinary memory that…

memoriā labi– to make a slip of the memory.

memoriae mandare aliquid ¹⁰¹– to impress on the memory.

ex memoria (opp. de scripto) – from memory; by heart.

memoriter– (1) with good memory; (2) from personal recollection.

memoria custodire– to keep in mind.

memoriam alicuius rei renovare, revocare (redintegrare)– to recall a thing to one's recollection.

memoriam alicuius rei repetere– to recall to mind a thing or person.

in memoriam alicuius redire– to recall to mind a thing or person.

in memoriam alicuius redigere, reducere aliquid (not revocare) – to recall a thing to a person's mind.

memoria et recordatio– vivid recollection.

grata memoria aliquem prosequi ¹⁰²– to show a thankful appreciation of a person's kindness.

nomen alicuius grato animo prosequi– to think of a person with a grateful sense of his goodness.

memoriam alicuius rei repraesentare (opp. memoriam alicuius rei deponere, abicere) – to picture to oneself again.

memoriam alicuius rei conservare, retinere– to retain the recollection of a thing.

memoriam alicuius pie inviolateque servare– to show an affectionate regard for a person's memory.

gratam (gratissimam) alicuius memoriam retinere– to retain a (most) pleasant impression of a person.

numquam ex animo meo memoria illius rei discedet– the memory of this will never fade from my mind.

aliquid in memoria nostra penitus insidet– a thing has been vividly impressed on our¹⁰³ memory.

memoriam eius nulla umquam delebit (obscurabit) oblivio (Fam. 2. 1) – nothing will ever make me forgetful of him.

semper memoria eius in (omnium) mentibus haerebit– nothing will ever make me forgetful of him.

nomen suum posteritati aliqua re commendare, propagare, prodere– to win renown amongst posterity by some act.

memoriam nominis sui immortalitati tradere, mandare, commendare– to immortalise one's name.

post hominum memoriam– within the memory of man.

post homines natos– within the memory of man.

memoriae causa, ad (not in) memoriam¹⁰⁴ (Brut. 16. 62) – in memory of…

oblivio alicuius rei me capit– I forget something.

aliquem in oblivionem alicuius rei adducere (pass. in oblivionem venire) – to make a person forget a thing.

aliquid excidit e memoria, effluit, excidit ex animo– a thing escapes, vanishes from the memory.

memoria alicuius rei excidit, abiit, abolevit– the recollection of a thing has been entirely lost.

obliterari ¹⁰⁵ (Liv. 26. 41) – to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

memoria alicuius rei obscuratur, obliteratur, evanescit– to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

oblivioni esse, dari– to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

in oblivionem adduci– to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

oblivione obrui, deleri, exstingui– to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

in oblivione iacēre (of persons) – to be forgotten, pass into oblivion.

aliquid ab oblivione vindicare– to rescue from oblivion.

mementote with Acc. c. Inf. – do not forget.