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date: 18 February 2025

Virgil 70–19 bc
Roman poet 

  1. Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris
    Italiam fato profugus Laviniaque venit
    Litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto
    Vi superum, saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram.
     
    I sing of arms and the man who first from the shores of Troy came destined an exile to Italy and the Lavinian beaches, a man much buffeted on land and on the deep by force of the gods because of fierce Juno's never-forgetting anger.
    Aeneid bk. 1, l. 1; see Dryden
  2. Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit.
     
    Maybe one day it will be cheering to remember even these things.
    Aeneid bk. 1, l. 203
  3. Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt.
     
    There are tears shed for things even here and mortality touches the heart.
    Aeneid bk. 1, l. 462
  4. Equo ne credite, Teucri.
    Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.
     
    Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts.
    Aeneid bk. 2, l. 48
  5. Una salus victis nullam sperare salutem.
     
    The only safe course for the defeated is to expect no safety.
    Aeneid bk. 2, l. 355
  6. Dis aliter visum.
     
    The gods thought otherwise.
    Aeneid bk. 2, l. 428
  7. Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,
    Auri sacra fames!
     
    To what do you not drive human hearts, cursed craving for gold!
    Aeneid bk. 3, l. 56
  8. Agnosco veteris vestigia flammae.
     
    I feel again a spark of that ancient flame.
    Aeneid bk. 4, l. 23; see Dante
  9. Varium et mutabile semper
    Femina.
     
    Fickle and changeable always is woman.
    Aeneid bk. 4, l. 569
  10. Hos successus alit: possunt, quia posse videntur.
     
    These success encourages: they can because they think they can.
    Aeneid bk. 5, l. 231
  11. Bella, horrida bella,
    Et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno.
     
    I see wars, horrible wars, and the Tiber foaming with much blood.
    Aeneid bk. 6, l. 86; see Powell
  12. Facilis descensus Averno:
    Noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis;
    Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras,
    Hoc opus, hic labor est.
     
    Easy is the way down to the Underworld: by night and by day dark Hades' door stands open; but to retrace one's steps and to make a way out to the upper air, that's the task, that is the labour.
    Aeneid bk. 6, l. 126
  13. Stabant orantes primi transmittere cursum
    Tendebantque manus ripae ulterioris amore.
     
    They stood begging to be the first to make the voyage over and they reached out their hands in longing for the further shore.
    Aeneid bk. 6, l. 313
  14. Spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per artus
    Mens agitat molem et magno se corpore miscet.
     
    The spirit within nourishes, and mind instilled throughout the living parts activates the whole mass and mingles with the vast frame.
    Aeneid bk. 6, l. 726
  15. Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento
    (Hae tibi erunt artes), pacique imponere morem,
    Parcere subiectis et debellare superbos.
     
    You, Roman, make your task to rule nations by your government (these shall be your skills), to impose ordered ways upon a state of peace, to spare those who have submitted and to subdue the arrogant.
    Aeneid bk. 6, l. 851
  16. Geniumque loci…precatur.
     
    He prays…to the spirit of the place.
    Aeneid bk. 7, l. 136; see Pope
  17. Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.
     
    If I am unable to make the gods above relent, I shall move Hell.
    Aeneid bk. 7, l. 312
  18. Macte nova virtute, puer, sic itur ad astra.
     
    Blessings on your young courage, boy; that's the way to the stars.
    Aeneid bk. 9, l. 641
  19. Audentis Fortuna iuvat.
     
    Fortune assists the bold.
    often quoted as ‘Fortune favours the brave’
    Aeneid bk. 10, l. 284; see Terence
  20. Experto credite.
     
    Trust one who has gone through it.
    Aeneid bk. 11, l. 283
  21. Latet anguis in herba.
     
    There's a snake hidden in the grass.
    Eclogues no. 3, l. 93
  22. Ultima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas;
    Magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo.
    Iam redit et virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna,
    Iam nova progenies caelo demittitur alto.
     
    Now has come the last age according to the oracle at Cumae; the great series of lifetimes starts anew. Now too the virgin goddess returns, the golden days of Saturn's reign return, now a new race is sent down from high heaven.
    Eclogues no. 4, l. 4
  23. Ambo florentes aetatibus, Arcades ambo.
     
    Both in the flower of their youth, Arcadians both.
    Eclogues no. 7, l. 4
  24. Nunc scio quid sit Amor.
     
    Now I know what Love is.
    Eclogues no. 8, l. 43
  25. Non omnia possumus omnes.
     
    We can't all do everything.
    Eclogues no. 8, l. 63; see Lucilius
  26. Omnia vincit Amor: et nos cedamus Amori.
     
    Love conquers all things: let us too give in to Love.
    Eclogues no. 10, l. 69; see Chaucer
  27. Ultima Thule.
     
    Farthest Thule.
    Georgics no. 1, l. 30
  28. Ter sunt conati imponere Pelio Ossam
    Scilicet atque Ossae frondosum involvere Olympum.
     
    Three times they endeavoured to pile Ossa on Pelion, no less, and to roll leafy Olympus on top of Ossa.
    Georgics no. 1, l. 281
  29. O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint,
    Agricolas!
     
    O farmers excessively fortunate if only they recognized their blessings!
    Georgics no. 2, l. 458
  30. Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
     
    Lucky is he who has been able to understand the causes of things.
    Georgics no. 2, l. 490
  31. Sed fugit interea, fugit inreparabile tempus.
     
    But meanwhile it is flying, irretrievable time is flying.
    usually quoted as ‘tempus fugit [time flies]’
    Georgics no. 3, l. 284