Varro: DE LINGVA LATINA

Difficilia sunt explicatu poetarum vocabula. Saepe enim significationem aliquam prioribus temporibus impositam repens ruina operuit, aut verbum quod conditum est e quibus litteris oportet inde post aliqua dempta, sic obscurior fit voluntas impositoris. Non reprehendendum igitur in illis qui in scrutando verbo litteram adiciunt aut demunt, quo facilius quid sub ea voce subsit videri possit: ut enim facilius obscuram operam Myrmecidis ex ebore oculi videant, extrinsecus admovent nigras setas.

The poets’ vocabulary is difficult to explain. For often a sudden ruin has covered over some signification imposed in earlier times, or a word which was composed from the letters it ought to have, later, after some have been removed, thus renders the intention of the impositor more obscure. Therefore those are not to be reproved who, in scrutinizing a word, add or remove a letter, so that what lies beneath that voice may be seen more easily: for just as, that the eyes may more easily see the obscure workmanship of Myrmecides in ivory, they bring up black bristles from the outside.

Cum haec amminicula addas ad eruendum voluntatem impositoris, tamen latent multa. Quod si poetice quae in carminibus servavit multa prisca quae essent, sic etiam cur essent posuisset, fecundius poemata ferrent fructum; sed ut in soluta oratione sic in poematis verba non omnia quae habent etuma possunt dici, neque multa ab eo, quem non erunt in lucubratione litterae prosecutae, multum licet legeret. Aelii hominis in primo in litteris Latinis exercitati interpretationem Carminum Saliorum videbis et exili littera expeditam et praeterita obscura multa.

Although you add these little supports to unearth the will of the imposer, nevertheless many things lie hidden. But if the poet, who in his songs preserved many ancient things as they were, had likewise set down why they were, the poems would bear a more fecund fruit; but as in loose oration, that is, in prose, so in poems, not all the words can have their etyma stated, nor will many things be pursued by one whom Letters have not attended in lucubration, though he should read much. You will see the interpretation of the Salian Songs by Aelius—a man among the first exercised in Latin letters—both dispatched with meager scholarship and with many things left obscure.

Nec mirum, cum non modo Epimenides sopore post annos L experrectus a multis non cognoscatur, sed etiam Teucer Livii post XV annos ab suis qui sit ignoretur. At hoc quid ad verborum poeticorum aetatem? Quorum si Pompili regnum fons in Carminibus Saliorum neque ea ab superioribus accepta, tamen habent DCC annos.

Nor is it a wonder, since not only is Epimenides, awakened from sleep after 50 years, not recognized by many, but even Teucer, in Livy, after 15 years is not known by his own as to who he is. But what has this to do with the age of poetic words? Of which, if the reign of Pompilius is the source in the Songs of the Salii, and they were not received from those before, nevertheless they have 700 years.

Quare cur scriptoris industriam reprehendas qui herois tritavum, atavum non potuerit reperire, cum ipse tui tritavi matrem dicere non possis? Quod intervallum multo tanto propius nos, quam hinc ad initium Saliorum, quo Romanorum prima verba poetica dicunt Latina.

Why, then, do you reproach a writer’s industry because he could not discover the hero’s great-great-great-great-grandfather and great-great-great-grandfather, when you yourself cannot name the mother of your own great-great-great-great-grandfather? And that interval is far closer to us than the distance from here back to the beginning of the Salii, at which they say the first Latin poetic words of the Romans were spoken.

Igitur de originibus verborum qui multa dixerit commode, potius boni consulendum, quam qui aliquid nequierit reprehendendum, praesertim quom dicat etymologice non omnium verborum posse dici causam, ut qui ac qua re res utilis sit ad medendum medicina; neque si non norim radices arboris, non posse me dicere pirum esse ex ramo, ramum ex arbore, eam ex radicibus quas non video. Quare qui ostendit equitatum esse ab equitibus, equites ab equite, equitem ab equo neque equus unde sit dicit, tamen hic docet plura et satisfacit grato, quem imitari possimusne ipse liber erit indicio.

Therefore, one who has said many things suitably about the origins of words is rather to be given favorable consideration than to be reproached because he has been unable to do something, especially since he says that, etymologically, the cause of not all words can be stated—just as with one who tells by whom and for what reason the thing useful for healing is the medicine; nor, if I do not know the roots of a tree, am I thereby unable to say that the pear is from the branch, the branch from the tree, the tree from the roots which I do not see. Wherefore, he who shows that the cavalry is from the horsemen, the horsemen from the horseman, the horseman from the horse—and does not say whence the horse is—nevertheless teaches more and satisfies the grateful, whether we can imitate him the book itself will be the indication.

II.

Dicam in hoc libro de verbis quae a poetis sunt posita, primum de locis, dein quae in locis sunt, tertio de temporibus, tum quae cum temporibus sunt coniuncta, sed is ut quae cum his sint coniuncta, adiungam, et si quid excedit ex hac quadripertitione, tamen in ea ut comprehendam.

I will speak in this book about the words that have been set by the poets, first about places, then about the things that are in places, third about times, then about the things that are conjoined with times; and to these I will add the things that are conjoined with them; and if anything exceeds this quadripartition, nevertheless I will comprehend it within it.

Incipiam hinc:

I will begin from here:

Unus erit quem tu tolles in caerula caeli Templa.

There will be one whom you will raise into the cerulean Temples of the sky.

Templum tribus modis dicitur: ab natura, ab auspicando, a similitudine; ab natura in caelo, ab auspiciis in terra, a similitudine sub terra. In caelo templum dicitur, ut in Hecuba:

Temple is called in three ways: from nature, from taking auspices, from similitude; from nature in heaven, from auspices on earth, from similitude under the earth. In heaven it is called “temple,” as in Hecuba:

O magna templa caelitum, commixta stellis splendidis.

O great temples of the celestials, commixed with splendid stars.

In terra, ut in Periboea:

On earth, as in Periboea:

Scrupea saxea Bacchi
Templa prope aggreditur.

He approaches the craggy, stony temples of Bacchus
close by.

Sub terra, ut in Andromacha:

Under the earth, as in Andromache:

Acherusia templa alta Orci, salvete, infera.

Acherusian temples of lofty Orcus, hail, infernal ones.

Quaqua intuiti erant oculi, a tuendo primo templum dictum: quocirca caelum qua attuimur dictum templum; sic:

Wheresoever the eyes had looked, from “tueri” (to watch) “temple” was first named: wherefore the heaven, in so far as it is looked at, is called a “temple”; thus:

Contremuit templum magnum Iovis altitonantis,

The great temple of Jove the high-thundering shuddered,

id est, ut ait Naevius,

that is, as Naevius says,

Hemisphaerium ubi concavo
Caerulo septum stat.

Hemisphere where by the concave
cerulean it stands enclosed.

Eius templi partes quattuor dicuntur, sinistra ab oriente, dextra ab occasu, antica ad meridiem, postica ad septemtrionem.

The four parts of his temple are said [to be], the left on the east, the right on the west, the anterior toward the south, the posterior toward the north.

In terris dictum templum locus augurii aut auspicii causa quibusdam conceptis verbis finitus. Concipitur verbis non isdem usque quaque; in Arce sic:

The temple called “on earth” is a place for augury or auspice, bounded by certain set words. It is conceived with words not the same everywhere; on the Citadel thus:

Templa tescaque me ita sunto, quoad ego ea rite lingua nuncupavero.
Olla vera arbos quirquir est, quam me sentio dixisse, templum tescumque me esto in sinistrum.
Olla vera arbos quirquir est, quam me sentio dixisse, templum tescumque me esto in dextrum.

Let the temples and the tesca be thus for me, so long as I shall have duly, by the tongue, proclaimed them.
That indeed tree is “quirquir,” which I feel that I have said: let the temple and the tescum be for me on the left.
That indeed tree is “quirquir,” which I feel that I have said: let the temple and the tescum be for me on the right.

Inter ea conregione conspicione cortumione, utique ea rite dixisse me sensi.

Among these, with co-region, co-spection, and co-termination, assuredly I perceived that I had duly spoken these things.

In hoc templo faciundo arbores constitui fines apparet et intra eas regiones qua oculi conspiciant, id est tueamur, a quo templum dictum, et contemplare, ut apud Ennium in Medea:

In the making of this templum it is apparent that trees are set as boundaries, and within those regions where the eyes may look out, that is, “let us watch” (tueamur), from which temple is said, and “to contemplate,” as in Ennius in the Medea:

Contempla et templum Cereris ad laevam aspice.

Contemplate, and look upon the temple of Ceres to the left.

Contempla et conspicare idem esse apparet, ideo dicere tum, cum templum facit, augurem conspicione, qua oculorum conspectum finiat. Quod cum dicunt conspicionem, addunt cortumionem, dicitur a cordis visu: cor enim cortumionis origo.

To contemplate and to conspicate appear to be the same; therefore they say that, when he makes a templum, the augur does so by conspicion, by which he sets a boundary to the conspect of the eyes. And when they say conspicion, they add cortumion, said to be from the sight of the heart: for the heart is the origin of cortumion.

Quod addit templa ut sint tesca, aiunt sancta esse qui glossas scripserunt. Id est falsum: nam Curia Hostilia templum est et sanctum non est; sed hoc ut putarent aedem sacram esse templum, eo videtur esse factum quod in urbe Roma pleraeque aedes sacrae sunt templa, eadem sancta, et quod loca quaedam agrestia, quae, alicuius dei sunt, dicuntur tesca.

As to his addition that temples be tesca, those who wrote glosses say that they are sancta. That is false: for the Curia Hostilia is a templum and it is not sanctum; but that they supposed a sacred aedes to be a templum seems to have been brought about by this: that in the city of Rome most sacred aedes are templa, the same being sancta, and that certain rustic places, which are of some god, are called tesca.

Nam apud Accium in Philocteta Lemnio:

For in Accius’s Lemnian Philoctetes:

Quis tu es mortalis, qui in deserta et tesca te apportes loca?

Who are you, mortal, who bring yourself into desert and tesca places?

Ea enim loca quae sint designat, cum dicit:

For he designates what those places are, when he says:

Lemnia praesto
Litora rara, et celsa Cabirum
Delubra tenes, mysteria quae
Pristina castis concepta sacris.

At hand the Lemnian
shores, rare, and the lofty shrines
of the Cabiri you hold, the mysteries
pristine, conceived with chaste rites.

Dein:

Then:

Volcania iam templa sub ipsis
Collibus, in quos delatus locos
Dicitur alto ab limine caeli.

The Vulcanian temples now beneath those very
hills, into which places he is said to have been borne down
from the lofty threshold of heaven.

Et:

And:

Nemus expirante vapore vides,
Unde ignis cluet mortalibus clam
Divisus.

You see a grove exhaling vapor,
Whence fire is known, clandestinely to mortals,
Divided.

Quare haec quod tesca dixit, non erravit, neque ideo quod sancta, sed quod ubi mysteria fiunt attuentur, tuesca dicta.

Wherefore, in that she called them “tesca,” she did not err, and not for this reason that they are sacred, but because where mysteries are performed they are gazed at, they are called “tuesca.”

Tueri duo significat, unum ab aspectu ut dixi, unde est Ennii illud:

Tueri signifies two things, one from sight, as I said, whence is that line of Ennius:

Tueor te, senex? Pro Iupiter!

Do I behold you, old man? By Jupiter!

Et:

And:

Quis pater aut cognatus volet vos contra tueri?

What father or kinsman will wish in return to protect you?

Alterum a curando ac tutela, ut cum dicimus, "vellet tueri villam," a quo etiam quidam dicunt illum qui curat aedes sacras aedituum, non aeditumum; sed tamen hoc ipsum ab eadem est profectum origine, quod quem volumus domum curare dicimus "tu domi videbis," ut Plautus cum ait:

The other is from caring and tutelage, as when we say, "he would wish to guard the villa," whence some also call him who cares for the sacred shrines an aedituus, not an aeditumus; but nevertheless this very thing has proceeded from the same origin, because when we want someone to take care of the house we say "you will see to it at home," as Plautus says when he says:

Intus para, cura, vide. Quod opust fiat.

Within, prepare, care, see. What needs to be done.

Sic dicta vestispica, quae vestem spiceret, id est videret vestem ac tueretur. Quare a tuendo et templa et tesca dicta cum discrimine eo quod dixi.

Thus she was called a vestispica, who would inspect the garment—that is, would see the garment and keep it under tutelage. Wherefore from watching over (tuendo) both temples (templa) and tesca are so called, with the distinction which I mentioned.

Etiam indidem illud Ennii:

Likewise from the same place, that of Ennius:

Extemplo acceptam me necato et filiam.

At once kill me and the accepted daughter.

Extemplo enim est continuo, quod omne templum esse debet continuo septum nec plus unum introitum habere.

For “extemplo” is “immediately,” since every temple ought to be continuously enclosed and not have more than one entrance.

Quod est apud Accium:

Which is in Accius:

Pervade polum, splendida mundi
Sidera, bigis, bis continuis
Sex expicti signis,

Pervade the sky, splendid of the world
Stars, in two-horse chariots, twice continuous
Six signs depicted,

polus Graecum, id significat circum caeli: quare quod est pervade polum valet vade peri polon. Signa dicuntur eadem et sidera. Signa quod aliquid significent, ut libra aequinoctium; sidera, quae quasi insidunt atque ita significant aliquid in terris perurendo aliave qua re: ut signum candens in pecore.

polus is Greek; it signifies the circuit of the sky: therefore what is “pervade polum” is equivalent to “go peri polon.” The same things are called signs and stars. They are called signs (signa) because they signify something, as Libra (signifies) the equinox; (they are called) stars (sidera), because they, as it were, sit upon (things) and thus signify something on earth by scorching or by some other means: as a glowing brand-mark on livestock.

Quod est:

Which is:

Terrarum anfracta revisam,

Shall I revisit the windings of the lands,

anfractum est flexum, ab origine duplici dictum, ab ambitu et frangendo: ab eo leges iubent in directo pedum VIII esse viam, in anfracto XVI, id est in flexu.

Anfract is a flexure, so called from a double origin, from ambit and from breaking: from this the laws bid that in a straight course the road be 8 feet, in an anfract 16, that is, in a flexure.

Ennius:

Ut tibi
Titanis Trivia dederit stirpem liberum.

That to you
the Titaness Trivia may grant a stirp of children.

Titanis Trivia Diana est, ab eo dicta Trivia, quod in trivio ponitur fere in oppidis Graecis, vel quod luna dicitur esse, quae in caelo tribus viis movetur, in altitudinem et latitudinem et longitudinem. Titanis dicta, quod eam genuit, ut ait Plautus, Lato; ea, ut scribit Manilius,

Titanis Trivia is Diana, called Trivia from this: because she is set at the crossroads in Greek towns for the most part; or because she is said to be the moon, which moves in the sky by three ways—in altitude, latitude, and longitude. She is called Titanis, because, as Plautus says, Lato begot her; she, as Manilius writes,

Est Coeo creata Titano.

She was begotten by Coeus the Titan.

Ut idem scribit:

As the same writes:

Latona pariet casta complexu Iovis
Deliadas geminos,

Latona will bear, from the chaste embrace of Jove,
the Delian twins,

id est Apollinem et Dianam. Dii, quod Titanis Deli eos peperit, Deliadae.

that is, Apollo and Diana. The gods, because the Titaness of Delos bore them, are the Deliads.

Eidem:

To the same:

O sancte Apollo, qui umbilicum certum terrarum optines.

O holy Apollo, who hold the fixed navel of the earth.

Umbilicum dictum aiunt ab umbilico nostro, quod is medius locus sit terrarum, ut umbilicus in nobis; quod utrumque est falsum: neque hic locus est terrarum medius neque noster umbilicus est hominis medius. Itaque pingitur quae vocatur antichthon Pythagora, ut media caeli ac terrae linea ducatur infra umbilicum per id quo discernitur homo mas an femina sit, ubi ortus humanus similis ut in mundo: ibi enim omnia nascuntur in medio, quod terra mundi media. Praeterea si quod medium id est umbilicus pilae terrae, non Delphi medium; et terrae medium — non hoc, sed quod vocant — Delphis in aede ad latus est quiddam ut thesauri specie, quod Graeci vocant omphalon, quem Pythonos aiunt esse tumulum; ab eo nostri interpretes omphalon umbilicum dixerunt.

They say the Umbilicus is so called from our umbilicus, because that is the middle place of the lands, as the umbilicus is in us; which both are false: neither is this place the middle of the lands nor is our umbilicus the middle of a human being. And so that which is called by Pythagoras the Antichthon is depicted, so that a middle line of sky and earth is drawn below the umbilicus through that by which a human is distinguished whether he be male or female, where human birth is similar as in the world: for there all things are born in the middle, because the earth is the middle of the world. Moreover, if what is middle is the umbilicus of the ball of the earth, Delphi is not the middle; and the middle of the earth — not this, but what they call — at Delphi in the temple at the side there is a certain something with the appearance of a treasury, which the Greeks call the omphalon, which they say is the tumulus of Python; from this our interpreters have rendered omphalon as “umbilicus.”

Pacuius:

Pacuvius:

Calydonia altrix terra exsuperantum virum.

Calydonia, nurse-land of surpassing men.

Ut ager Tusculanum, sic Calydonius ager est, non terra; sed lege poetica, quod terra Aetolia in qua Calydon, a parte totam accipi Aetoliam voluit.

Just as it is “the Tusculan field,” so it is “the Calydonian field,” not “land”; but by a poetic law, since the Aetolian land is that in which Calydon lies, he wished the whole Aetolia to be taken from a part.

Acci:

Of Accius:

Mystica ad dextram vada
Praetervecti.

Mystic shallows on the right
having sailed past.

Mystica a mysteriis, quae ibi in propinquis locis nobilia fiunt.

Mystic, from the mysteries, which there in the neighboring places are performed, notable.

Ennii:

Ennius:

Areopagitae quia dedere aequam pilam.

The Areopagites, because they gave a fair ballot.

Areopagitae ab Areopago; is locus, Athenis.

Areopagites from the Areopagus; that is a place at Athens.

Musae quae pedibus magnum pulsatis Olympum.

Muses who with your feet beat great Olympus.

Caelum dicunt Graeci Olympum, montem in Macedonia omnes; a quo potius puto Musas dictas Olympiadas: ita enim ab terrestribus locis aliis cognominatae Libethrides, Pipleides, Thespiades, Heliconides.

The Greeks call the sky Olympus; all call a mountain in Macedonia by that name; whence I rather think the Muses are called Olympiads: for thus from other terrestrial places they have been cognominated Libethrides, Pipleides, Thespiades, Heliconides.

Cassi

the Cassi

Hellespontum et claustra.

Hellespont and the barriers.

Claustra, quod Xerxes quondam eum locum clausit: nam, ut Ennius ait,

The barriers, because Xerxes once closed that place: for, as Ennius says,

Isque Hellesponto pontem contendit in alto.

And he extended a bridge upon the deep Hellespont.

Nisi potius ab eo quod Asia et Europa ibi concluditur mare; inter angustias facit Propontidis fauces.

Unless rather from the fact that the sea is enclosed there by Asia and Europe; between the narrows it forms the straits of the Propontis.

Pacui:

Linqui in Aegeo fretu.

to be left in the Aegean strait.

Dictum fretum ab similitudine ferventis aquae, quod in fretum saepe concurrat aestus atque effervescat. Aegeum dictum ab insulis, quod in eo mari scopuli in pelago vocantur ab similitudine caprarum aeges.

The strait is so called by the similitude of fervent water, because in a strait the tide often concurs and effervesces. The Aegean is so called from the islands, because in that sea the crags in the pelagic deep are called aeges from the similitude of goats.

Ferme aderant aequore in alto ratibus repentibus.

They were nearly at hand on the high sea, the rafts creeping along.

Mare appellatum aequor, quod aequatum cum commotum vento non est. Ratis navis longas dixit, ut Naevius cum ait:

The sea is called “aequor,” because it is level when it is not stirred by the wind. He used ratis for long ships, as Naevius does when he says:

Ut conferre queant ratem aeratam qui
Per liquidum mare sudantes eunt atque sedentes.

So that they may be able to propel the bronze-plated ship, who
through the liquid sea go, sweating, and while seated.

Ratis dicta navis longa propter remos, quod hi, cum per aquam sublati sunt dextra et sinistra, duas rates efficere videntur: ratis enim, unde hoc tralatum, illi ubi plures mali aut asseres iuncti aqua ducuntur. Hinc naviculae cum remis ratariae dicuntur.

Ratis, a long ship, is so called on account of the oars, because these, when lifted through the water on the right and on the left, seem to make two rafts: for a ratis, whence this is transferred, is that where several poles or planks, joined together, are carried along by the water. Hence little boats with oars are called ratariae.

III.

*** hostias agrestis ab agro dictas apparet; infulatas hostias, quod velamenta his e lana quae adduntur, infulae: itaque tum, quod ad sepulcrum ferunt frondem ac flores, addidit:

*** it appears that agrestic victims are called from ager, “field”; infulate victims, because the veils of wool that are added to them are infulae: and so then, as to what they carry to the sepulcher, frond and flowers, he added:

Non lana sed velatas frondenti coma.
Cornuta taurum umbra in pugnam lacit.

Not with wool but veiled with frondent hair.
A horned shadow drives the bull into the fight.

Dicere apparet cornutam a cornibus; cornua a curvore dicta, quod pleraque curva.

It appears they say horned from horns; horns from curvature, because most are curved.

Musas quas memorant nosces nos esse
Camenas.

The Muses whom they mention, you will recognize us to be
the Camenae.

Casmenarum priscum vocabulum ita natum ac scriptum est alibi; Carmenae ab eadem origine sunt declinatae. In multis verbis in quo antiqui dicebant S, postea dicunt R, ut in Carmine Saliorum sunt haec:

The archaic vocable Casmenae has thus arisen and is written elsewhere; Carmenae are declined from the same origin. In many words in which the ancients said S, later they say R, as in the Carmen of the Salii there are these:

Cozeui oborieso. Omnia vero ad Patulcium
commissei.
Ianeus iam es, duonus Cerus es, duonus Ianus.
Venies potissimum melios eum recum ***

Arise, Cozeui. Truly all things have been
committed to Patulcius.
Janus, you are now; you are the good Creator; you are good Janus.
You will come most especially, better with success ***

*** foedesum foederum, plusima plurima, meliosem meliorem, asenam arenam, ianitos ianitor. Quare e Casmena Carmena, e Carmena R extrito Camena factum. Ab eadem voce canite, pro quo in Saliari versu scriptum est cante, hoc versu:

*** “foedesum” for “foederum,” “plusima” for “plurima,” “meliosem” for “meliorem,” “asenam” for “arenam,” “ianitos” for “ianitor.” Wherefore from “Casmena” came “Carmena,” from “Carmena,” with the R scraped out, “Camena” was made. From the same word, “canite,” for which in the Salian verse it is written “cante,” in this verse:

Divum em pa cante, divum deo supplicate.

Sing, come now, of the gods, supplicate the god of the gods.

In Carmine Priami quod est:

In the Song of Priam, which is:

Veteres Casmenas cascam rem volo profarier,

I wish to speak forth an old matter in ancient chants,

primum cascum significat vetus; secundo eius origo Sabina, quae usque radices in Oscam linguam egit. Cascum vetus esse significat Ennius quod ait:

First, cascum signifies “old”; secondly, its origin is Sabine, which has driven its roots all the way into the Oscan language. Ennius signifies that cascum is “old,” in that he says:

Quam Prisci casci populi tenuere Latini.

which the pristine archaic Latin peoples held.

Eo magis Manilius quod ait:

All the more so Manilius, in that he says:

Cascum duxisse cascam non mirabile est,
Quoniam cariosas conficiebat nuptias.

It is no marvel that an old man has married an old woman,
since he was making carious nuptials.

Item ostendit Papini epigrammation, quod in adolescentem fecerat Cascam:

Likewise he exhibits Papinius’s epigram, which he had made against the adolescent Casca:

Ridiculum est, cum te Cascam tua dicit amica,
Filia Potoni, sesquisenex puerum.
Dic tu illam pusam: sic fiet "mutua muli":
Nam vere pusus tu, tua amica senex.

It is ridiculous, when your girlfriend calls you, Casca,
the daughter of Poton, a boy—you, a sesqui-old man.
Do you, say, call her a little girl: thus it will be “the mules’ mutual.”
For truly you are a little boy, your girlfriend an old woman.

Idem ostendit quod oppidum vocatur Casinum (hoc enim ab Sabinis orti Samnites tenuerunt) et nostri etiam nunc Forum Vetus appellant. Item significat in Atellanis aliquot Pappum, senem quod Osci casnar appellant.

The same shows that a town is called Casinum (for this the Samnites, sprung from the Sabines, held), and our people even now call it Forum Vetus. Likewise he indicates that in some Atellans “Pappus” means an old man, which the Oscans call casnar.

Apud Lucilium:

In Lucilius:

Quid tibi ego ambages Ambivi scribere coner?

Why should I try to write to you, Ambivius, in circumlocutions?

Profectum a verbo ambe, quod inest in ambitu et ambitioso.

Derived from the word ambe, which is present in ambit and ambitious.

Apud Valerium Soranum:

In Valerius Soranus:

Vetus adagio est, O Publi Scipio,

It is an old adage, O Publius Scipio,

quod verbum usque eo evanuit, ut Graecum pro eo positum magis sit apertum: nam idem est quod paroimian vocant Graeci, ut est:

which word has evanesced to such an extent that the Greek put in its place is more apparent: for it is the same as what the Greeks call a paroimian, as is:

Auribus lupum teneo;
Canis caninam non est.

I hold a wolf by the ears;
A dog does not eat canine flesh.

Adagio est littera commutata ambagio, dicta ab eo quod ambit orationem, neque in aliqua una re consistit sola. Ambagio dicta ut ambustum, quod circum ustum est, ut ambegna bos apud augures, quam circum aliae hostiae constituuntur.

An adage is an ambage with a letter changed, so called from the fact that it encircles the oration, nor does it consist solely in any one single thing. Ambage is so named as ambustum is, which is burned around, as the ambegna cow among the augurs, around which other sacrificial victims are set.

Cum tria sint coniuncta in origine verborum quae sint animadvertenda, a quo sit impositum et in quo et quid, saepe non minus de tertio quam de primo dubitatur, ut in hoc, utrum primum una canis aut canes sit appellata: dicta enim apud veteres una canes. Itaque Ennius scribit:

Since three things are conjoined in the origin of words that must be observed—by whom it has been imposed, and upon what, and what it is—often there is doubt about the third no less than about the first, as in this case, whether at first a single dog was called canis or canes: for among the ancients one dog was said una canes. And so Ennius writes:

Tantidem quasi feta canes sine dentibus latrat.

Just the same as a pregnant bitch barks without teeth.

Lucilius:

Nequam et magnus homo, laniorum immanis canes ut.

A worthless and great man, like the monstrous dogs of butchers.

Impositio unius debuit esse canis, plurium canes; sed neque Ennius consuetudinem illam sequens reprehendendus, nec is qui nunc dicit:

The imposition for one ought to be ‘canis’, for several ‘canes’; but neither is Ennius, following that consuetude, to be reprehended, nor he who now says:

Canis caninam non est.

A dog does not eat canine flesh.

Sed canes quod latratu signum dant, ut signa canunt, canes appellatae, et quod ea voce indicant noctu quae latent, latratus appellatus.

But dogs, because by their barking they give a signal, as trumpets chant signals, are appellated dogs; and because with that voice they indicate by night the things which lie hidden, the barking is called barking.

Sic dictum a quibusdam ut una canes, una trabes:

Thus it was said by some: as one, the dogs; as one, the beams:

Trabes remis rostrata per altum.

A rostrate ship with oars through the deep.

Ennius:

Utinam ne in nemore Pelio securibus
Caesa accidisset abiegna ad terram trabes,

Would that in the Pelian grove the fir-wood beam,
cut by axes, had not fallen to the ground,

cuius verbi singularis casus rectus correptus ac facta trabs.

of which word the singular nominative case has been shortened, and 'trabs' has been made.

In Medo:

In Median:

Caelitum camilla, expectata advenis: salve, hospita.

Handmaid of the celestials, long-awaited you arrive: hail, guest.

Camillam qui glossemata interpretati dixerunt administram; addi oportet, in his quae occultiora: itaque dicitur nuptiis camillus qui cumerum fert, in quo quid sit, in ministerio plerique extrinsecus nesciunt. Hinc Casmilus nominatur Samothreces mysteriis dius quidam amminister diis magnis. Verbum esse Graecum arbitror, quod apud Callimachum in poematibus eius inveni.

Those who in glosses have interpreted camilla as a female minister (attendant) ought to add this, in matters that are more occult: thus at weddings a camillus is so called who carries the basket, the contents of which, in the ministration, most people from outside do not know. Hence Casmilus is named in the mysteries of Samothrace as a certain divine under-minister to the Great Gods. I judge the word to be Greek, which I have found with Callimachus in his poems.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Subulo quondam marinas propter astabat plagas.

Once a piper stood beside the maritime coasts.

Subulo dictus, quod ita dicunt tibicines Tusci: quocirca radices eius in Etruria, non Latio quaerundae.

Called Subulo, because the Tuscans thus call tibicines; wherefore his roots are to be sought in Etruria, not in Latium.

Versibus quos olim Fauni vatesque canebant.

Verses which the Fauns and vates once sang.

Fauni dei Latinorum, ita ut et Faunus et Fauna sit; hos versibus quos vocant Saturnios in silvestribus locis traditum est solitos fari futura, a quo fando Faunos dictos. Antiqui poetas vates appellabant a versibus viendis, ut de poematis cum scribam ostendam.

Fauns, gods of the Latins, so that there is both a Faunus and a Fauna; it has been handed down that these, in verses which they call Saturnians, in sylvan places were wont to speak the future, whence from speaking they are called Fauns. The ancients called poets vates from the weaving of verses, as I shall show when I write about poems.

Corpore Tartarino prognata Paluda virago.

Sprung from a Tartarean body, the marsh-virago Paluda.

Tartarino dictum a Tartaro. Plato in IIII de fluminibus apud inferos quae sint in his unum Tartarum appellat: quare Tartari origo Graeca. Paluda a paludamentis.

Tartarine is said from Tartarus. Plato in the 4th, concerning the rivers in the infernal regions, calls one of these Tartarus; wherefore the origin of Tartarus is Greek. Paluda from paludamenta (military cloaks).

Haec insignia atque ornamenta militaria: ideo ad bellum cum exit imperator ac lictores mutarunt vestem et signa incinuerunt, paludatus dicitur proficisci; quae propter quod conspiciuntur qui ea habent ac fiunt palam, paludamenta dicta.

These are insignia and military ornaments: therefore, when the imperator goes out to war and the lictors have changed their dress and the standards have struck up the signal, he is said to set out paludatus; which, because those who have them are conspicuous and things are done openly, are called paludamenta.

Plautus:

Epeum fumificum, qui legioni nostrae habet
Coctum cibum.

Epeus the smoke-making, who for our legion has
Cooked food.

Epeum fumificum cocum, ab Epeo illo qui dicitur ad Troiam fecisse Equum Troianum et Argivis cibum curasse.

Epeus, a smoke‑making cook, from that Epeus who is said at Troy to have made the Trojan Horse and to have cared for the Argives’ food.

Apud Naevium:

In Naevius:

Atque prius pariet lucusta Lucam bovem.

And sooner will a locust bear a Luccan ox.

Luca bos elephans; cur ita sit dicta, duobus modis inveni scriptum. Nam et in Cornelii Commentario erat ab Libycis Lucas, et in Vergilii, ab Lucanis Lucas; ab eo quod nostri, cum maximam quadripedem quam ipsi haberent vocarent bovem et in Lucanis Pyrrhi bello primum vidissent apud hostis elephantos, id est item quadripedes cornutas (nam quos dentes multi dicunt sunt cornua), Lucanam bovem quod putabant, Lucam bovem appellassent.

Luca ox, the elephant; why it has been so called, I have found written in two ways. For both in the Commentary of Cornelius it was that Lucas is from the Libyans, and in that of Vergilius, that Lucas is from the Lucanians; from this: that our people, since they called the greatest quadruped that they themselves had an ox, and in Lucania, in the war of Pyrrhus, first had seen among the enemy the elephants, that is likewise horned quadrupeds (for what many call teeth are horns), thinking it a Lucanian ox, they called it a Luca ox.

Si ab Libya dictae essent Lucae, fortasse an pantherae quoque et leones non Africae bestiae dicerentur, sed Lucae; neque ursi potius Lucani quam Luci. Quare ego arbitror potius Lucas ab luce, quod longe relucebant propter inauratos regios clupeos, quibus eorum tum ornatae erant turres.

If the Lucas had been named from Libya, perhaps panthers too and lions would not be called beasts of Africa, but Lucas; nor would bears be called rather Lucanian than Luci. Wherefore I think rather that the Lucas are from light, because they shone from afar on account of the gilded royal shields with which their towers were then adorned.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Orator sine pace redit regique refert rem.

The envoy returns without peace and reports the matter to the king.

Orator dictus ab oratione: qui enim verba haberet publice adversus eum quo legabatur, ab oratione orator dictus; cum res maior erat actioni, legebantur potissimum qui causam commodissime orare poterant. Itaque Ennius ait:

Orator was said from oration: for he who had words publicly against the one to whom he was being commissioned as envoy was called orator from oration; when the matter was greater than for an action, they were chosen chiefly who could orate the cause most commodiously. And so Ennius says:

Oratores doctiloqui.

Doctiloquent orators.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Olli respondit suavis sonus Egeriai.

To him responded the sweet sound of Egeria.

Olli valet dictum illi ab olla et ollo, quod alterum comitiis cum recitatur a praecone dicitur olla centuria, non illa; alterum apparet in funeribus indictivis, quo dicitur

Olli is validly said for illi from olla and ollo, because the one at the comitia, when it is recited by the praeco, is called the olla of the century, not illa; the other appears in indictive funerals, where it is said

Ollus leto datus est,

That man was given to death,

quod Graecus dicit lethei, id est oblivioni.

which the Greek calls lethei, that is, to oblivion.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Mensas constituit idemque ancilia primus.

He constituted the tables, and he himself first constituted the Ancilia.

Ancilia dicta ab ambecisu, quod ea arma ab utraque parte ut Thracum incisa.

The Ancilia are called from ambecisus, because those arms are incised on both sides, like those of the Thracians.

Libaque, fictores, Argeos et tutulatos.

And liba-cakes, the cake-makers, the Argei, and the tutulati.

Liba, quod libandi causa fiunt. Fictores dicti a fingendis libis. Argei ab Argis; Argei fiunt e scirpeis, simulacra hominum XXVII; ea quotannis de Ponte Sublicio a sacerdotibus publice deici solent in Tiberim.

Liba, because they are made for the sake of libating. Fictores are so called from the fashioning of liba. The Argei, from Argos; the Argei are made from rushes, effigies of men, 27 in number; these are accustomed each year to be cast down from the Sublician Bridge by the priests, publicly, into the Tiber.

Tutulati dicti hi, qui in sacris in capitibus habere solent ut metam; id tutulus appellatus ab eo quod matres familias crines convolutos ad verticem capitis quos habent vitta velatos, dicebantur tutuli, sive ab eo quod id tuendi causa capilli fiebat, sive ab eo quod altissimum in urbe quod est, Arcs, tutissimum vocatur.

Tutulati, so called, are those who in sacred rites are accustomed to have on their heads something like a turning-post (meta); that is called a tutulus from the fact that matrons (matres familiae) have their hair rolled up to the vertex of the head, which they have bound with a fillet (vitta); these were called tutuli, either from the fact that this was made for the guarding (tuendi) of the hair, or from the fact that the highest thing in the city, the Citadel (Arx), is called most safe.

Eundem Pompilium ait fecisse flamines, qui cum omnes sunt a singulis deis cognominati, in quibusdam apparent etyma, ut cur sit Martialis et Quirinalis; sunt in quibus flaminum cognominibus latent origines, ut in his qui sunt versibus plerique:

He says that the same Pompilius established the flamines, who, since all are surnamed from individual gods, in some the etyma are apparent, as why there is a Martialis and a Quirinalis; there are some in which, in the cognomina of the flamines, the origins lie hidden, as in those which most set forth in verses:

Volturnalem, Palatualem, Furinalem,
Floralemque Falacrem et Pomonalem fecit
Hic idem,

The Volturnal, the Palatual, the Furinal,
and the Floral and the Falacrine and the Pomonal he instituted
this same man,

quae obscura sunt; eorum origo Volturnus, diva Palatua, Furrina, Flora, Falacer pater, Pomona.

which are obscure; their origin is Volturnus, the goddess Palatua, Furrina, Flora, Father Falacer, Pomona.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Iam cata signa ferae sonitum dare voce parabant.

Already the fixed signals were preparing to give forth a sound with a savage voice.

Cata acuta: hoc enim verbo dicunt Sabini: quare

Cata 'acute': for by this word the Sabines say: wherefore

Catus Aelius Sextus

Sextus Aelius Catus

non, ut aiunt, sapiens, sed acutus, et quod est:

not, as they say, sapient, but acute, and what it is:

Tunc coepit memorare simul cata dicta,

Then he began at once to recount shrewd dicta,

accipienda acuta dicta.

acute dicta are to be received.

Apud Lucilium:

In Lucilius:

Quid est? Thynno capto cobium excludunt foras,

What is it? With a tuna caught, they shut the gobies out of doors,

and

Occidunt, Lupe, saperdae te et iura siluri

They’re killing you, Lupus—the saperdae and the juices of the silurus.

and

Sumere te atque amian.

To consume you and the amia.

Piscium nomina sunt eorumque in Graecia origo.

The names of fishes and their origin in Greece.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Quae cava corpore caeruleo cortina receptat.

Which the hollow cauldron with a cerulean body takes in.

Cava cortina dicta, quod est inter terram et caelum ad similitudinem cortinae Apollinis; ea a corde, quod inde sortes primae existimatae.

It is called the hollow cortina, because it is between earth and heaven after the similitude of Apollo’s cortina; this [name is] from cor, “heart,” because from it the first lots were thought to come.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Quin inde invitis sumpserunt perduellibus.

Nay, from there they took them, the public enemies unwilling.

Perduelles dicuntur hostes; ut perfecit, sic perduellis, a per et duellum: id postea bellum. Ab eadem causa facta Duellona Bellona.

Perduelles are called enemies; just as “perfecit,” so “perduellis,” from “per” and “duellum” — which later was “bellum.” From the same source “Duellona” became “Bellona.”

Apud Plautum:

In Plautus:

Neque Iugula, neque Vesperugo, neque Vergiliae occidunt.

Neither Iugula, nor Vesperugo, nor the Vergiliae set.

Iugula signum, quod Accius appellat Oriona, cum ait:

The sign Iugula, which Accius calls Orion, when he says:

Citius Orion patefit.

Orion appears sooner.

Huius signi caput dicitur ex tribus stellis, quas infra duae clarae, quas appellant Umeros; inter quas quod videtur iugulum, Iugula dicta. Vesperugo stella quae vespere oritur, a quo eam Opillus scribit Vesperum itaque dicitur alterum:

The head of this sign is said to be from three stars, below which are two bright ones, which they call the Shoulders; between which that which is seen as the throat is called Iugula. Vesperugo is the star which rises in the evening, from which Opillus writes it as Vesper, and thus the other is called:

Vesper adest,

Vesper is here,

quem Graeci dicunt divum hesperion.

whom the Greeks call the gods’ Hesperion.

Naevius:

Patrem suum supremum optumum appellat.

He calls his father Supreme and Optimum.

Supremum ab superrumo dictum: itaque Duodecim Tabulae, dicunt:

Supreme, said from ‘superrumus’: and so the Twelve Tables, say:

Solis occasu diei suprema tempestas esto.

At the sun's setting, the day's supreme time shall be.

Libri Augurum pro tempestate tempestutem dicunt supremum augurii tempus.

The Books of the Augurs, in place of “tempestate,” say “tempestutem”: the supreme time of augury.

In Cornicularia:

In the Cornicularia:

Qui regi latrocinatus decem annos Demetrio.

Who for King Demetrius practiced latrociny for ten years.

Latrones dicti ab latere, qui circum latera erant regi atque ad latera habebant ferrum, quos postea a stipatione stipatores appellarunt, et qui conducebantur: ea enim merces Graece dicitur latron. Ab eo veteres poetae nonnunquam milites appellant latrones. At nunc viarum obsessores dicuntur latrones, quod item ut milites sunt cum ferro, aut quod latent ad insidias faciendas.

Robbers are said to be named from the side, those who were around the sides of the king and had steel at their sides, whom afterwards, from escort, they called stipatores, and those who were hired: for that wage in Greek is called latron. From this the ancient poets sometimes call soldiers “latrones.” But now “latrones” are called besiegers of the roads, because, just like soldiers, they are with iron, or because they lie hidden to make ambushes.

Apud Naevium:

In Naevius:

Risi egomet mecum cassabundum ire ebrium.

I laughed to myself at the inebriate, reeling as he went.

Cassabundum a cadendo. Idem:

Cassabundum from falling. The same:

Diabathra in pedibus habebat, erat amictus epicroco.

He had diabathra on his feet, and was cloaked in a saffron-dyed garment.

Utrumque vocabulum Graecum.

Both vocables are Greek.

In Menaechmis:

In the Menaechmi:

Inter ancillas sedere iubeas, lanam carere.

You might order her to sit among the maidservants, to lack wool.

Idem hoc est verbum in Cemetria Naevii. Carere a carendo, quod eam tum purgant ac deducunt, ut careat spurcitia; ex quo carminari dicitur tum lana, cum ex ea carunt quod in ea haeret neque est lana, quae in Romulo Naevius appellat asta ab Oscis.

The same word is in the Cemetria of Naevius. Carere from carendo, because then they purge and draw it off, so that it may be free of filth; whence the wool is then said to be carminated, when they “car” out from it what sticks in it and is not wool, which in the Romulus Naevius calls asta from the Oscans.

In Persa:

In the Persa:

Iam pol ille hic aderit, credo, congerro meus.

Now, by Pollux, that fellow will be here, I believe, my comrade.

Congerro a gerra; hoc Graecum est et in Latina cratis.

Congerro from gerra; this is Greek and in Latin cratis.

In Menaechmis:

In the Menaechmi:

Idem istuc aliis ascriptivis fieri ad legionem solet.

The same thing is wont to happen to other ascriptives enrolled to the legion.

Ascriptivi dicti, quod olim ascribebantur inermes armatis militibus qui succederent, si quis eorum deperisset.

Ascriptivi were so called, because in former times the unarmed were ascribed to the armed soldiers to succeed them, if any of them had perished.

In Trinummo:

In the Trinummus:

Nam illum tibi
Ferentarium esse amicum inventum intellego.

For that man, I understand,
has been found to be a Ferentarian friend to you.

Ferentarium a ferendo id quod non est inane ac sine fructu; aut quod ferentarii equites hi dicti qui ea modo habebant arma quae ferrentur, ut iaculum. Huiuscemodi equites pictos vidi in Aesculapii aede vetere et ferentarios ascriptos.

Ferentarium from bearing (ferre): that which is not empty and without fruit; or because ferentarii horsemen are so called who had only those weapons which are carried, like a javelin. Horsemen of this kind I have seen painted in the old temple of Aesculapius, and labeled as ferentarii.

In Frivolaria:

In the Frivolaria:

Ubi rorarii estis? En sunt. Ubi sunt accensi?

Where are you rorarii? See, there they are. Where are the accensi?

Ecce sunt.

Here they are.

Rorarii, dicti ab rore qui bellum committebant, ideo quod ante rorat quam pluit. Accensos ministratores Cato esse scribit; potest id ab censione, id est ab arbitrio: nam idem ad arbitrium eius cuius minister.

Rorarii, so called from “dew,” who would join battle, for this reason that dew falls before it rains. Cato writes that the Accensi are ministers; the name can be from censio, that is, from arbitrium: for he likewise is at the arbitrium of the one whose minister he is.

Pacuvius:

Cum deum triportenta ***

When the threefold portents of the gods ***

In Mercatore:

In The Merchant:

Non tibi istuc magis dividiaest quam mihi hodie fuit.

That isn’t more vexation to you than it was to me today.

(Eadem vi hoc est in Corollaria Naevius usus.) Dividia ab dividendo dicta, quod divisio distractio est doloris: itaque idem in Curculione ait:

(By the same force, that is, Naevius used it in the Corollaria.) Dividia is said from “dividing” (dividendo), because division is a distraction of pain: and so the same in the Curculio he says:

Sed quid tibi est? — Lien enecat, renes dolent,
Pulmones distrahuntur.

But what is it with you? — The spleen is killing me, the reins ache,
The lungs are being torn apart.

In Pagone:

Honos syncerasto periit, pernis, glandio.

Honor has perished, with the wine-mixer, with hams, with acorns.

Syncerastum est omne edulium antiquo vocabulo Graeco.

Syncerastum is every comestible, by an ancient Greek vocable.

In Parasito Pigro:

On the Lazy Parasite:

Domum ire coepi tramite in dextra via.

I began to go home along the path on the right-hand way.

Trames a transverso dictus.

A byway is called from “transverse.”

In Fugitivis:

On Fugitives:

Age ergo specta, vide vibices quantas. — Iam
inspexi. Quid est?

Come then, look, see how great the welts are. — I have already inspected. What is it?

Vibices alte excitatum verberibus corpus.

Weals: the body raised high by beatings.

In Cistellaria:

In the Cistellaria:

Non quasi nunc haec sunt hic limaces, lividae.

Not as though these here now are slugs, livid.

Limax ab limo, quod ibi vivit.

Limax from slime, because it lives there.

Diobolares, schoenicolae, miraculae.

Two-obolers, reed-dwellers, miracles.

Diobolares a binis obolis. Schoenicolae ab schoeno, nugatorio unguento. Miraculae a miris, id est monstris; a quo Accius ait:

Diobolares from two obols. Schoenicolae from schoenus, a nugatory ointment. Miraculae from miris, that is monsters; from which Accius says:

Personas distortis oribus deformis miriones.

Misshapen buffoons with distorted mouths, wearing masks.

Ibidem:

In the same place:

Scratiae, scrupipedae, strittabillae, tantulae.

Scabby ones, corn-footed ones, bandy-legged ones, tiny ones.

Ab excreando scratiae siccas significat. Scrupipedam Aurelius scribit ab scauripedao; Iuventius comicus dicebat a vermiculo piloso, qui solet esse in fronde cum multis pedibus; Valerius a pede ac scrupea. Ex eo Acci positum curiose: itaque est in Melanippo:

From excreting, scratiae signifies “the dry ones.” Aurelius writes scrupipeda from “scauripedao”; Juventius the comic used to say it [comes] from a little hairy worm, which is wont to be on foliage with many feet; Valerius [derives it] from “foot” and scrupea. From this there is something set down by Accius, curiously: and thus it is in the Melanippus:

Reicis abs te religionem? Scrupeam imponas tibi.

Do you cast religion away from yourself? Put a scruple upon yourself.

Strittabillas a strettillando; strittare ab eo qui sistit aegre.

Strittabillas from strettillando; strittare from him who stands with difficulty.

In Astraba:

In the Astraba:

Acsitiosae annonam caram e vili concinnant viris.

Accititious women contrive the grain-supply dear out of cheap, for men.

Ideo in Sitellitergo idem ait:

Therefore in the Sitellitergo the same says:

Mulier est uxorcula;
Ut ego novi, scio acsitiosa quam siet.

The woman is a wifelet;
As I know her, I know how adscititious she is.

Claudius scribit axitiosas demonstrari consupplicatrices. Ab agendo axitiosas: ut ab una faciendo factiosae, sic ab una agendo axitiosae, ut actiosae, dictae.

Claudius writes that axitiosae are shown to be co-suppliants. From acting (agere), axitiosae: just as from doing together (una faciendo) they are factious (factiosae), so from acting together (una agendo) they are axitiosae, that is, actiosae, so called.

In Cesistione:

In Cession:

Dis stribula aut de lumbo obscena viscera.

Tear apart with a stribula, or from the loin, the obscene entrails.

Stribula, ut Opillus, scribit, circum coxendices, sunt bovis; id Graecum est ab eius loci versura.

Stribula, as Opillus writes, are the ox’s parts around the hip-joints; the term is Greek, from the turning of that place.

In Nervolaria:

Scobina ego illunc actutum adrasi senem.

I, Scobina, at once abraded that old man.

Scobinam a scobe: lima enim materiae fabrilis est.

Scobina from scobs: for a file is a tool for working material.

In Poenulo:

In the Little Carthaginian:

Vinceretis cervum cursu vel grallatorem gradu.

You would outstrip a stag in running, or a stilt-walker in stride.

Grallator a gradu magno dictus.

Grallator is said to be named from a great step.

In Truculento:

In the Truculentus:

Sine virtute argutum civem mihi habeam pro praefica.

Without virtue, let me count the sharp-tongued citizen as a praefica.

Praefica dicta, ut Aurelius scribit, mulier ab luco quae conduceretur quae ante domum mortui laudis eius caneret. Hoc factitatum Aristoteles scribit in libro qui inscribitur Nomima barbarika, quibus testimonium est, quod in Freto est Naevii:

“Praefica” is said, as Aurelius writes, of a woman from the grove who would be hired, who before the house of the dead would sing his praise. Aristotle writes that this was habitually practiced in the book entitled Nomima barbarika, to which there is testimony in what is in Naevius’s Fretum:

Haec quidem hercle, opinor, praefica est: nam
mortuum collaudat.

This one indeed, by Hercules, I opine, is a praefica: for
she lauds the dead man.

Claudius scribit:

Claudius writes:

Quae praeficeretur ancillis, quemadmodum
lamentarentur, praefica est dicta.

She who was set over the maidservants, how
they should lament, was called a praefica.

Utrumque ostendit a praefectione praeficam dictam.

Both show that the praefica is called from prefection.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Decem Coclites quas montibus summis
Ripaeis fodere.

Ten Cyclopes who dug them in the highest Rhipaean mountains.

Ab oculo cocles, ut ocles, dictus, qui unum haberet oculum: quocirca in Curculione est:

From oculus cocles, as ocles, is called, one who would have one eye: wherefore in the Curculio there is:

De Coclitum prosapia te esse arbitror:
Nam hi sunt unoculi.

I consider you to be of the progeny of the Coclites:
for these are one-eyed.

IV.

Nunc de temporibus dicam. Quod est apud Cassium:

Now I will speak about tenses. What is in Cassius:

Nocte intempesta nostram devenit domum,

At the dead of night, he arrived at our house,

intempesta nox dicta ab tempestate, tempestas ab tempore; nox intempesta, quo tempore nihil agitur.

the 'intempestive night' is said from 'tempest' (tempestas), 'tempest' from 'time'; 'night intempesta', at which time nothing is done.

Quid noctis videtur? — in altisono
Caeli clipeo temo superat
Stellas sublimen agens etiam
Atque etiam noctis iter.

What of the night does it seem? — on the high-sounding
Shield of Heaven the pole overpasses,
the Stars, driving them aloft, again
And again, the journey of night.

Hic multam noctem ostendere volt a temonis motu; sed temo unde et cur dicatur latet. Arbitror antiquos rusticos primum notasse quaedam in caelo signa, quae praeter alia erant insignia atque ad aliquem usum, ut culturae tempus, designandum convenire animadvertebantur.

Here he wishes to show late night from the motion of the temo; but whence and why it is called “temo” lies hidden. I judge that the ancient rustics first noted certain signs in the sky, which, beyond others, were insignia and were observed to be fitting for designating some use, such as the time of culture (cultivation).

Eius signa sunt, quod has septem stellas Graeci ut Homerus vocant hamaxan, et propinquum eius signum booten, nostri eas septem stellas triones et temonem et prope eas axem: triones enim et boves appellantur a bubulcis etiam nunc, maxime cum arant terram; e quis ut dicti

Its tokens are these: that the Greeks, as Homer, call these seven stars the hamaxa (“wagon”), and its neighboring constellation Boötes; our people call those seven stars the triones and the temon, and near them the axis: for “triones” and “oxen” are terms used by oxherds even now, especially when they plow the earth; whence, as they are said, they were named.

Valentes glebarii,

Able glebe-men,

qui facile proscindunt glebas, sic omnes qui terram arabant a terra terriones, unde triones ut dicerentur E detrito.

who easily plow up the glebes, thus all who were plowing the earth were, from terra, terriones, whence, by detrition, they would be called triones.

Temo dictus a tenendo: is enim continet iugum et plaustrum, appellatum a parte totum, ut multa. Possunt triones dicti, VII quod ita sitae stellae, ut ternae trigona faciant.

The temo is said to be so from holding: for it holds together the yoke and the wagon, the whole appellated from a part, as many things are. The triones can be said to be so called, because the stars, 7 in number, are so situated that sets of three make triangles.

Aliquod lumen — iubarne? — in caelo cerno.

Some light — is it the morning radiance? — I discern in the sky.

Iubar dicitur stella Lucifer, quae in summo quod habet lumen diffusum, ut leo in capite iubam. Huius ortus significat circiter esse extremam noctem. Itaque ait Pacuius:

Iubar is called the star Lucifer, which at its summit has a diffused light, as a lion has a mane on its head. The rising of this one signifies that the night is about at its extreme. And so Pacuvius says:

Exorto iubare, noctis decurso itinere.

With the morning-star arisen, the night’s journey run.

Apud Plautum in Parasito Pigro:

In Plautus, in the Lazy Parasite:

Inde hic bene potus, primulo crepusculo.

Then this fellow, well-drunk, at the very first twilight.

Crepusculum ab Sabinis, et id dubium tempus noctis an diei sit. Itaque in Condalio est:

Crepuscle from the Sabines, and that it is a doubtful time whether of night or of day. And so in the Condalio it is:

Tam crepusculo, ferae ut amant, lampades accendite.

At such twilight, as wild beasts love, light the lamps.

Ideo dubiae res creperae dictae.

Therefore dubious things are called creperae.

In Trinummo:

In the Trinummus:

Concubium sit noctis priusquam ad postremum perveneris.

Let it be bedtime of night before you arrive at the last.

Concubium a concubitu dormiendi causa dictum.

Concubium is so called from concubitus, for the purpose of sleeping.

In Asinaria:

In the Asinaria:

Videbitur, factum volo: redito conticinio.

It will be seen to; I want it done: return at the hour of silence.

Putem a conticiscendo conticinium sive, ut Opillus scribit, ab eo cum conticuerunt homines.

I think “conticinium” is from “conticiscere”; or, as Opillus writes, from that time when men have become silent.

Nunc de his rebus quae assignificant aliquod tempus, cum dicuntur aut fiunt, dicam.

Now I will speak about those matters which signify some time, when they are said or when they are done.

Apud Accium:

In Accius:

Reciproca tendens nervo equino concita
Tela.

Reciprocal, stretching, by a horsehair string excited,
Missiles.

Reciproca est cum unde quid profectum redit eo; ab recipere reciprocare fictum, aut quod poscere procare dictum.

Reciprocal is when that whence something has set out returns to it; from recipere “to receive” reciprocate is fashioned, or because procare is said from poscere “to ask.”

Apud Plautum:

In Plautus:

Ut transversus, non proversus cedit quasi cancer solet.

As sideways, not forwards, he yields, as a crab is wont.

Proversus dicitur ab eo qui in id quod est ante, est versus, et ideo qui exit in vestibulum, quod est ante domum, prodire et procedere; quod cum leno non faceret, sed secundum parietem transversus iret, dixit "ut transversus cedit quasi cancer, non proversus ut homo."

Proverse is said of one who is turned toward that which is in front; and therefore he who goes out into the vestibule, which is before the house, is said to go forth and to proceed. Since the pimp was not doing this, but was going transversely along the wall, he said, "as he gives way transversely like a crab, not proverse like a man."

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Andromachae nomen qui indidit, recte indidit.

He who assigned the name Andromache assigned it rightly.

Item:

Likewise:

Quapropter Parim pastores nunc Alexandrum vocant.

Wherefore the shepherds now call Paris Alexander.

Imitari dum voluit, Euripiden et ponere etymon, est lapsus; nam Euripides quod Graeca posuit, etyma sunt aperta. Ille ait ideo nomen additum Andromachae, quod andri machetai: hoc Ennium, quis potest intellegere in versu significare

While he wished to imitate Euripides and to set forth an etymon, he slipped; for in Euripides, because he set them down in Greek, the etyma are open. He says that for this reason a name was added to Andromache, because “andri machetai”: as for Ennius, who can understand him to signify this in a verse?

Andromachae nomen qui indidit, recte indidit,

He who assigned the name to Andromache assigned it rightly,

aut Alexandrum ab eo appellatum in Graecia qui Paris fuisset, a quo Herculem quoque cognominatum alexikakon, ab eo quod defensor esset hominum?

or that Alexander was named in Greece from him who had been Paris, from whom Hercules too was surnamed alexikakon, from this, that he was a defender of men?

Apud Accium:

In Accius:

Iamque Auroram rutilare procul
Cerno.

And now Aurora reddening afar
I discern.

Aurora dicitur ante solis ortum, ab eo quod ab igni solis tum aureo aer aurescit. Quod addit rutilare, est ab eodem colore: aurei enim rutili, et inde etiam mulieres valde rufae rutilae dictae.

Aurora is said to be before the sun’s rising, from the fact that from the fire of the sun, then aureate, the air becomes aureate. As to his adding ‘to rutilate,’ it is from the same color: for the aureate are rutilous, and from this even very red-haired women are called rutilous.

Apud Terentium:

In Terence:

Scortatur, potat, olet unguenta de meo.

He whores, he drinks, he smells of unguents at my expense.

Scortari est saepius meretriculam ducere, quae dicta a pelle: id enim non solum antiqui dicebant scortum, sed etiam nunc dicimus scortea ea quae e corio ac pellibus sunt facta; in aliquot sacris ac sacellis scriptum habemus:

To scortate is to lead about rather often a little prostitute, the term being said from “skin”: for not only did the ancients call it “scortum,” but even now we call “scortea” those things which are made from hide and skins; in several sacred places and little chapels we have it written:

Ne quod scorteum adhibeatur,

Lest any leathern thing be used,

ideo ne morticinum quid adsit. In Atellanis licet animadvertere rusticos dicere se adduxisse pro scorto pelliculam.

therefore, so that no carrion be present. In the Atellan farces one may observe the rustics say that they have brought, in place of a harlot, a little pelt.

Apud Accium:

In Accius:

Multis nomen
Vestrum numenque ciendo.

For many, by invoking
Your name and numen.

Numen dicunt esse imperium, dictum ab nutu, quod cuius nutu omnia sunt, eius imperium maximum esse videatur: itaque in Iove hoc et Homerus et Accius aliquotiens.

They say that numen is imperium, said to be from the nod (nutus), since he at whose nod all things are seems to have the greatest imperium: and thus in Jove both Homer and Accius several times.

Apud Plautum:

In Plautus:

Nisi unum: epityrum estur insane bene.

Except one thing: epityrum is eaten insanely well.

Epityrum vocabulum est cibi, quo frequentius Sicilia quam Italia usa. Id vehementer cum vellet dicere edi, dixit insane, quod insani omnia faciunt vehementer.

Epityrum is the name of a food, which Sicily has used more frequently than Italy. When he wished to say that it is eaten vehemently, he said “insanely,” because insane men do all things vehemently.

Apud Pacuium:

In Pacuvius:

Flexanima tamquam lymphata aut Bacchi sacris
Commota.

Flexanimous, as if nymph-mad or by Bacchus’s sacred rites
stirred.

Lymphata dicta a lympha; lympha a Nympha, ut quod apud Graecos Thetis, apud Ennium:

Lymphata is said from lympha; lympha from Nymph, as what among the Greeks is Thetis, in Ennius:

Thelis illi mater.

Thetis was his mother.

In Graecia commota mente quos nympholeptous, appellant, ab eo lymphatos dixerunt nostri. Bacchi, qui et Liber, cuius comites a Baccho Bacchae, et vinum in Hispania bacca.

In Greece, those with mind in commotion whom they call nympholeptous, from this our people called lymphatics. Of Bacchus, who is also Liber, whose companions from Bacchus are the Bacchae, and wine in Spain bacca.

Origo in his omnibus Graeca, ut quod apud Pacuium:

The origin in all these is Greek, as that which in Pacuvius:

Alcyonis ritu litus pervolgans feror.

In the manner of the Halcyon, skimming the shore, I am borne.

Haec enim avis nunc Graece dicitur halkyon, nostri alcedo; haec hieme quod pullos dicitur tranquillo mari facere, eos dies alcyonia appellant. Quod est in versu "alcyonis ritu," id est eius instituto, ut cum haruspex praecipit, ut suo quique ritu sacrificium faciat, et nos dicimus XV viros Graeco ritu sacra, non Romano facere. Quod enim fit rite, id ratum ac rectum est; ab eo Accius

For this bird is now called in Greek halcyon, by our people alcedo; because in winter it is said to make its chicks when the sea is calm, they call those days “halcyon days.” What is in the verse “alcyonis ritu,” that is, according to its institution, as when the haruspex prescribes that each man perform the sacrifice according to his own rite, and we say that the 15 men perform the sacred rites in the Greek rite, not the Roman. For what is done rite is ratified and right; from this Accius

rite perfectis sacris

with the rites duly perfected

recte volt accipi.

he wishes it to be properly understood.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Si voles advortere animum, comiter monstrabitur.

If you will advert your mind, it will be demonstrated courteously.

Comiter hilare ac lubenter, cuius origo Graeca komos, inde comissatio Latine dicta et in Graecia, ut quidam scribunt, komoidia.

Affably, cheerfully, and gladly, whose origin is the Greek komos, thence comissation said in Latin, and in Greece, as some write, komoidia.

Apud Atilium:

In Atilius:

Cape, caede, Lyde, come, condi.

Take, slaughter, Lyde, consume, season.

Cape, unde accipe; sed hoc in proximo libro retractandum.

Take, whence accept; but this is to be gone over again in the next book.

Apud Pacuium:

In Pacuvius:

Nulla res
Neque cicurare neque mederi potis est neque rem
reficere.

No thing
can either tame or remedy, nor refashion the
matter.

Cicurare, mansuefacere: quod enim a fero discretum, id dicitur cicur, et ideo dictum

To cicurare, to domesticate; to mansuefacere, to make gentle (mansuet): for whatever is separated from "ferus" (wild) is called "cicur," and for that reason it is so named.

cicur ingenium optineo

I possess a gentle temperament

mansuetum; a quo Veturii quoque nobiles cognominati Cicurini. Natum a cicco cicur videtur; ciccum dicebant membranam tenuem, quae est ut in malo Punico discrimen; a quo etiam Plautus dicit:

tame; from which the noble Veturians also were surnamed the Cicurini. Cicur seems born from ciccum; they used to call ciccum a thin membrane, which is as a partition in the pomegranate; from which Plautus also says:

Quod volt demensum, ciccum non interduo.

Whatever he wants measured out, I don’t split a ciccum.

Apud Naevium:

In Naevius:

Circumveniri videor ferme iniuria.

I seem almost to be circumvented by injustice.

Ferme dicitur quod nunc fere; utrumque dictum a ferendo, quod id quod fertur est in motu atque adventat.

Ferme is said for what is now fere; both are said from bearing, since that which is borne is in motion and is approaching.

Apud Plautum:

In Plautus:

Euax, iurgio uxorem tandem abegi a ianua.

Hurrah, by a quarrel I have at last driven my wife away from the door.

Euax verbum nihil significat, sed effutitum naturaliter est, ut apud Ennium:

Euax the word signifies nothing, but is naturally a blurted-out effusion, as in Ennius:

Hahae,
Ipse clipeus cecidit;

Aha,
The very shield has fallen;

apud Ennium:

with Ennius:

Eu, mea puella, e spe quidem id successit, tibi;

Well, my girl, that has indeed succeeded as hoped, for you;

apud Pompilium:

in Pompilius:

Heu, qua me causa, Fortuna, infeste premis?

Alas, by what cause, Fortune, do you press me so hostilely?

Quod ait iurgio, id est litibus: itaque quibus res erat in controversia, ea vocabatur lis: ideo in actionibus videmus dici

What he means by iurgio, that is, by lawsuits: and so, for those among whom the matter was in controversy, that was called a lis: therefore in actions we see it said

quam rem sive litem dicere oportet.

which one ought to call the matter or the lawsuit.

Ex quo licet uidere iurgare esse ab iure dictum, cum quis iure litigaret; ab quo obiurgat is qui id facit iuste.

From which it is permitted to see that “to litigate” is said to be derived from ius (right/law), when someone litigates by right; and from which “he upbraids” (obiurgat) is said of one who does this justly.

Apud Lucilium:

In Lucilius:

Atque aliquot sibi si ab rebus clepsere foro qui.

And several, if they klept (stole) for themselves from the affairs in the Forum, who—

Clepsere dixit, unde etiam alii clepere, id est corripere, quorum origo a clam, ut sit dictum clapere, unde clepere E ex A commutato, ut multa. Potest vel a Graeco dictum kleptein clepere.

He said “clepsere,” whence others also “clepere,” that is, “to snatch up,” whose origin is from “clam” (secretly), as if it were said “clapere,” whence “clepere,” with E swapped from A, as in many cases. Or “clepere” can be said to be from the Greek kleptein.

Apud Matium:

In Matius:

Corpora Graiorum maerebat, mandier igni.

He mourned that the bodies of the Graians were being devoured by fire.

Dictum mandier a mandendo, unde manducari, a quo et in Atellanis Dossenum vocant Manducum.

It is said that mandier is from mandendo (“chewing”), whence manducari (“to chew, to manducate”); and from this too, in the Atellans they call Dossenus “Manducus.”

Apud Matium:

In Matius:

Obscaeni interpres funestique ominis auctor.

Interpreter and author of an obscene and funereal omen.

Obscaenum dictum ab scaena; eam, ut Graeci, et Accius scribit scenam. In pluribus verbis A ante E alii ponunt, alii non, ut quod partim dicunt scaeptrum, partim sceptrum, alii Plauti Faeneratricem, alii Feneratricem; sic faenisicia ac fenisicia, ac rustici pappum Mesium, non Maesium, a quo Lucilius scribit:

Obscene is said from scene; that, as the Greeks do, Accius also writes scenam. In many words some place an A before an E, others do not, as some say scaeptrum, others sceptrum, some Plautus’s Faeneratricem, others Feneratricem; thus faenisicia and fenisicia, and rustic folk [say] grandpa Mesius, not Maesius, from which Lucilius writes:

Cecilius pretor ne rusticus fiat.

Let Cecilius the praetor not become rustic.

Quare turpe ideo obscaenum, quod nisi in scaena, palam dici non debet.

Wherefore the shameful is therefore “obscene,” because, unless on the scene, it ought not to be said openly.

Potest vel ab eo quod pueris turpicula res in collo quaedam suspenditur, ne quid obsit, bonae, scaevae causa scaevola appellata. Ea dicta ab scaeva, id est sinistra, quod quae sinistra sunt bona auspicia existimantur; a quo dicitur comitia aliudve quid, sicut dixi, scaeva fieri avi, sinistra quae nunc est. Id a Graeco est, quod hi sinistram vocant scaian; quare, quod dixi, obscaenum omen est omen turpe; quod unde id dicitur os, osmen, e quo S extritum.

It can even be from this: that for boys a somewhat shameful little thing is hung on the neck, lest anything harm, for a good, left-hand cause, called scaevola. This is said from scaeva, that is, “left,” because things on the left are considered good auspices; whence it is said that the comitia or anything else, as I said, is done with a left-hand bird (scaeva avi), which now is sinistra. That is from the Greek, because they call the left skaia; wherefore, as I said, an obscaenum omen is a foul omen; because “omen” is said from os, osmen, from which the S has been rubbed away.

Apud Plautum:

In Plautus:

Quia ego antehac te amavi et mihi amicam esse
crevi.

Because I have loved you before now, and I deemed
you to be my mistress.

Crevi valet constitui: itaque heres cum constituit se heredem esse, dicitur cernere, et cum id fecit, crevisse.

I have decided has the force of I have constituted: therefore, when an heir constitutes himself heir, he is said to discern, and when he has done that, to have decided.

Apud eundem quod est:

In the same author there is:

Mi frequentem operam dedistis,

You have given me frequent attention,

valet assiduam: itaque qui adest assiduus fere et quom oportet, is frequens, cui infrequens opponi solet. Itaque illud quod eaedem mulierculae dicunt:

it has the force of “assiduous”: and so he who is present assiduously, for the most part and when it is proper, is “frequent,” to whom “infrequent” is wont to be opposed. And so that thing which those same womenfolk say:

Pol isto quidem nos pretio facile
Optanti est frequentare:
Ita in prandio nos lepide ac nitide
Accepisti,

By Pollux, indeed at that price it is easy for one desiring it to have us frequent;
so at luncheon you received us pleasantly and neatly,

apparet dicere: facile est curare ut adsidue adsimus, cum tam bene nos accipias.

it is apparent they mean to say: it is easy to see to it that we are assiduously present, since you receive us so well.

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Decretum est stare atque fodari corpora telis.

It has been decreed to stand, and for bodies to be pierced by weapons.

Hoc verbum Ennii dictum a fodiendo, a quo fossa.

This word of Ennius is said to be from digging, from which comes “fossa.”

Apud Ennium:

In Ennius:

Vocibus concide, fac si musset obrutum.

Cut down with voices, see if, buried, he would mutter.

Mussare dictum, quod muti non amplius quam my dicunt; a quo idem dicit id quod minimum est:

Mussare is termed thus, because mutes say no more than “my”; whence the same says that which is minimum:

Neque, ut aiunt, my facere audent.

Nor, as they say, do they dare to make "my".

Apud Pacuium:

In Pacuvius:

Di monerint meliora atque amentiam auerruncassint
tuam.

May the gods admonish better things and ward off
your madness.

Ab avertendo averruncare, ut deus qui in eis rebus praeest Averruncus. Itaque ab eo precari solent, ut pericula avertat.

From averting (avertendo) comes averruncare, since the god who presides over these matters is Averruncus. Therefore they are accustomed to pray to him, that he may avert dangers.

In Aulularia:

In the Aulularia:

Pipulo te differam ante aedis,

I’ll denounce you to the populace before the house,

id est convicio, declinatum a pipatu pullorum. Multa ab animalium vocibus tralata in homines, partim quae sunt aperta, partim obscura; perspicua, ut Ennii:

that is, with reviling, declined from the peeping of chicks. Many things have been translated from the voices of animals to human beings, partly which are open, partly obscure; the perspicuous, as of Ennius:

Animus cum pectore latrat.

The spirit barks with the breast.

Plauti:

Plautus:

Gannit odiosus omni totae familiae.

He yaps, odious to every member of the entire household.

Caecilii:

of Caecilius:

Tantum rem dibalare ut pro nilo habuerit

So much did he babble away the matter that he has held it for nil

Lucilii:

Of Lucilius:

Haec, inquam, rudet ex rostris atque heiulitabit.

This one, I say, will bellow from the Rostra and will yelp.

Eiusdem:

Of the same:

Quantum hinnitum atque equitatum.

How much neighing and cavalry.

Minus aperta, ut Porcii ab lupo:

Less apert, as piglets from a wolf:

Volitare ululantis.

The howling ones flit about.

Ennii a vitulo:

Ennius’s “from a calf”:

Tibicina maximo labore mugit.

The flute-girl bellows with very great effort.

Eiusdem a bove:

Of the same, from an ox:

Clamore bovantes.

Bellowing with clamor.

Eiusdem a leone:

Of the same, from the lion:

Pausam fecere fremendi.

They made a pause in roaring.

Eiusdem ab haedo:

Of the same from a kid:

Clamor ad caelum volvendus per aethera vagit.

The clamor, to be rolled through the ether, wails to heaven.

Suei a merula:

Of the sow, from the merle:

Frendit e fronde et fritinnit suaviter.

It gnashes from the frond and trills sweetly.

Macci in Casina, a fringuilla:

Of Maccius in Casina, by a chaffinch:

Quid fringuttis? Quid istuc tam cupide cupis?

What are you chirping? Why do you so eagerly covet that?

Suei a volucribus:

Of a pig, by the birds:

Ita tradet aeque in rem neque in
Iudicium Aesopi nec theatri trittiles.

Thus he will deliver equally to the matter, neither into Aesop’s judgment nor the theater’s third‑raters.

In Colace:

Against Colax:

Nexum ***

Bond ***

Nexum Manilius scribit omne quod per libram et aes geritur, in quo sint mancipia; Mucius, quae per aes et libram fiant ut obligentur, praeter quom mancipio detur. Hoc verius esse ipsum verbum ostendit, de quo quaeritur: nam id aes quod obligatur per libram neque suum fit, inde nexum dictum. Liber qui suas operas in servitutem pro pecunia quam debebat nectebat, dum solveret, nexus vocatur, ut ab aere obaeratus.

Manilius writes that nexum is everything that is transacted by the scale and bronze, in which there are mancipia; Mucius [says it is] the things which are done by bronze and scale so as to be obligated, except when it is given by mancipation. The very word itself, about which the inquiry is made, shows this to be truer: for that bronze which is obligated under the scale and does not become one’s own—hence it is called nexum. A free man who bound his own labors into servitude for the money he owed, until he should pay, is called a nexus, as one from aes is called an obaeratus.

Hoc C. Poetelio Libone Visolo dictatore sublatum ne fieret, et omnes qui Bonam Copiam iurarunt, ne essent nexi dissoluti.

This was removed, lest it be done, under the dictator Gaius Poetelius Libo Visolus, and all who swore Good Means were released, that they might not be nexi.

In Casina:

Sine amet, sine quod lubet id faciat,
Quando tibi domi nihil delicuum est.

Let him love, let him do what he pleases,
since at home there is no deficiency for you.

Dictum ab eo, quod ad deliquandum non sunt, ut turbida quae sunt deliquantur, ut liquida fiant. Aurelius scribit delicuum esse ab liquido: Claudius ab eliquato. Si quis alterutrum sequi malet, habebit auctorem.

Said to be from this: that they are not for deliquating, so that the things which are turbid may be deliquated, so that they may become liquid. Aurelius writes that delicuum is from liquid; Claudius, from eliquated. If anyone should prefer to follow either, he will have an authority.

Apud Atilium:

In Atilius:

Per laetitiam liquitur
Animus.

Through joy is liquefied
the mind.

Ab liquando liquitur fictum.

By straining, the feigned thing is clarified.

VI.

Multa apud poetas reliqua esse verba quorum origines possint dici, non dubito, ut apud Naevium in Aesiona mucro gladii "lingula" a lingua; in Clastidio "vitulantes" a Vitula; in Dolo "caperrata fronte" a caprae fronte; in Demetrio "persibus" a perite: itaque sub hoc glossema "callide" subscribunt; in Lampadione "protinam" a protinus, continuitatem significans; in Nagidone "clucidatus" suavis, tametsi a magistris accepimus mansuetum; in Romulo "consponsus" contra sponsum rogatus; in Stigmatia "praebia" a praebendo, ut sit tutus, quod sint remedia in collo pueris; in Technico "confictant" a conficto convenire dictum;

I do not doubt that among the poets many words remain whose origins can be told, as with Naevius: in Aesiona the sword’s point “lingula,” from the tongue; in Clastidius “vitulantes” from Vitula; in Dolus “with a goatish brow” from the brow of a she-goat; in Demetrius “persibus” from skillfully: and so beneath this they subscribe the gloss “cleverly”; in Lampadion “protinam” from “immediately,” signifying continuity; in Nagido “clucidatus” pleasant, although from the masters we have received “tame”; in Romulus “consponsus,” asked opposite the promiser; in Stigmatia “praebia” from providing, in order that he may be safe, because there are remedies on boys’ necks; in Technicus “confictant” from “confictum,” said to mean “to agree”;

In Tarentilla "praelucidum" a luce, illustre; in Tunicularia:

In Tarentilla "praelucidum" from light, illustrious; in Tunicularia:

ecbolicas aulas quassant

they shake the ecbolic halls

quae eiciuntur, a Graeco verbo ekbole dictum; in Bello Punico:

which are ejected, said from the Greek word ekbole; in the Punic War:

nec satis sardare

nor to mend enough

ab serare dictum, id est aperire; hinc etiam sera, qua remota fores panduntur.

said to be from serare, that is, to open; hence also the sera, on the removal of which the doors are opened.

VII.

Sed quod vereor ne plures sint futuri qui de hoc genere me quod nimium multa scripserim reprehendant quam quod reliquerim quaedam accusent, ideo potius iam reprimendum quam procudendum puto esse volumen: nemo reprensus qui e segete ad spicilegium reliquit stipulam. Quare institutis sex libris, quemadmodum rebus Latina nomina essent imposita ad usum nostrum:

But because I fear lest there will be more who, concerning this kind, reprehend me for having written too many things than who accuse me for having left certain things, therefore I think the volume is now rather to be repressed than hammered out further: no one is reprehended who from the standing crop, for gleaning, has left the straw. Wherefore, with six books instituted, how Latin names have been imposed upon things for our use:

e quis tris scripsi Po. Septumio qui mihi fuit quaestor, tris tibi, quorum hic est tertius, priores de disciplina verborum originis, posteriores de verborum originibus. In illis, qui ante sunt, in primo volumine est quae dicantur, cur etymologike neque ars sit neque ea utilis sit, in secundo quae sint, cur et ars ea sit et utilis sit, in tertio quae forma etymologiae.

of which three I wrote to Po. Septumius, who was my quaestor, and three to you, of which this is the third, the earlier on the disciplina of the origin of words, the later on the origins of words. In those which are before, in the first volume is what is said, why etymologikē is neither an art nor useful; in the second, what they are, why both it is an art and it is useful; in the third, what the forma of etymologia is.

In secundis tribus quos ad te misi item generatim discretis, primum in quo sunt origines verborum locorum et earum rerum quae in locis esse solent, secundum quibus vocabulis tempora sint notata et eae res quae in temporibus fiunt, tertius hic, in quo a poetis item sumpta ut illa quae dixi in duobus libris soluta oratione. Quocirca quoniam omnis operis de Lingua Latina tris feci partis, primo quemadmodum vocabula imposita essent rebus, secundo quemadmodum ea in casus declinarentur, tertio quemadmodum coniungerentur, prima parte perpetrata, ut secundam ordiri possim, huic libro faciam finem.

In the latter three, which I likewise sent to you, likewise separated by kind: the first, in which are the origins of the words of places and of those things which are wont to be in places; the second, with which vocables the times have been marked and the things which are done in times; this third, in which likewise things taken from the poets, as those which I said in two books in loose speech, prose. Wherefore, since I have made the whole work On the Latin Language into three parts—first, how vocables were imposed upon things; second, how these were declined into cases; third, how they were conjoined—the first part having been accomplished, that I may be able to begin the second, I shall make an end to this book.