LATN002: ELEMENTARY LATIN

Seneca the Younger, Dialogī IV.31.4: By Phrase

Notationes
Context: The philosopher advises Novatus on what kind of behavior he may expect from
human beings.

quid enim mīrum est

malōs mala facinora ēdere?

quid novī est quid novī: an idiom.

sī inimīcus nocet,
amīcus offendit,
fīlius lābitur,
servus peccat?

turpissimam: what degree of the

turpissimam aiēbat Fabius adjective? It obviously agrees
[turpissimam] imperātōrī excūsātiōnem esse “nōn putāvī.” with excūsātiōnem and so is part
of the indirect statement. Why do
you think Seneca moved it to the
start of the sentence?
ego turpissimam hominī putō. [N.B. Economy!]
omnia putā, expectā:

etiam
in bonis mōribus
aliquid existet asperius.

fert hūmāna nātūra īnsidiōsōs animōs,

fert ingrātōs,
fert cupidōs,
fert impiōs.
 cum: what type of cum clause is this?
cum
dē ūnīus mōribus
iudicābis,
dē pūblicīs cōgitā.

ubi maximē gaudēbis,

maximē metuēs;

ubi tranquilla tibi omnia videntur,

ibi nocitūra nōn dēsunt
sed quiēscunt.

semper futūrum aliquid futūrum: remember that “to be” is

frequently suppressed in
quod tē offendat periphrastics.
exīstimā. offendat: what mood is the verb?
What type of clause is it?

Transfer in Latīnam: [this is Seneca’s conclusion to the passage]

"Above all, bear this in mind, that the power of injury is vile and detestable and most unnatural for man, by whose kindness even fierce
beasts become tamed."