C. MEISSNER LATIN PHRASE BOOK - Salvete amici!

C. MEISSNER LATIN PHRASE BOOK

Translated from the sixth German edition with the addition of supplementary phrases and references by

H.W. AUDEN

Transcribed by

Carolus Raeticus

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................2 I. THE WORLD AND NATURE .................................................................................3 II. SPACE AND TIME .............................................................................................7 III. PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY ........................................................................ 15 IV. PROPERTIES OF THE HUMAN BODY ................................................................ 18 V. HUMAN LIFE; ITS VARIOUS RELATIONS AND CONDITIONS ............................... 25 VI. THE MIND; ITS FUNCTIONS ........................................................................... 43 VII. THE ARTS AND SCIENCES ............................................................................. 52 VIII. SPEECH AND WRITING ................................................................................ 67 IX. THE EMOTIONS ............................................................................................. 80 X. VIRTUES AND VICES ....................................................................................... 90 XI. RELIGION ..................................................................................................... 96 XII. DOMESTIC LIFE.......................................................................................... 100 XIII. COMMERCE AND AGRICULTURE ................................................................. 109 XIV. THE STATE................................................................................................ 114 XV. LAW AND JUSTICE ...................................................................................... 128 XVI. WAR ......................................................................................................... 133 XVII. SHIPPING ................................................................................................ 147 APPENDIX ........................................................................................................ 150

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Introduction

Carl Meissner's ,,Lateinische Phraseologie", first published in 1878, is a rich source of Latin idioms. I chose to transcribe its English translation by H.W. Auden, the ,,Latin Phrase-Book"1 to supplement Walter Ripman's ,,Classified Vocabulary", an equally useful book for Latin vocabulary, also transcribed by me and freely available. Meissner's book of Latin phrases is based on his own collections and excerpts from Cicero, Caesar, and Livy, as well as various secondary literature. But let Carl Meissner himself tell us about his work:2

,,It cannot be denied that, while grammatical competence is rightly aimed at in the classical secondary schools [the German ,,Gymnasien"], and probably successfully so, the ability to freely use the language has not always kept abreast of it. The explanation for this can be found in one-sided concentration on purely formal aspects which lead to a neglect of the language in its expressions and phrases. It is, however, not enough to merely educate the pupils concerning grammar and style. Instead, one also has to methodically aim at enabling them to have at least some command of the language material. This goal, however, will not be attained either by time-consuming dictation of the phrases, or by leaving it up to the pupil to collect them. Instead the pupil has to be offered a definite but narrow stock of phrases for firm and sure acquisition which will then be available to him in the composition exercises. Accordingly, only the most common and frequent phrases have been included in this phraseology, whereas all phrases have been omitted for which the student probably will have no use. It is then up to the pupil to broaden the material offered in this phraseology based on his reading matter." As for the structure and content of the book: ,,The phrases themselves are arranged in seventeen rather comprehensive categories, and these in turn have been divided into smaller groups for easier overall view. In doing so I have followed practical rather than strictly logical considerations. Furthermore, I found it appropriate to proceed from the Latin phrases in order not to stray too often into comparative stylistics which would have been unavoidable due to the differences of Latin and German idioms. I solely endeavoured to show which words can be combined in Latin, not how this or that German idiom might be best expressed in Latin." Based on the curricula for the German ,,Gymnasien", Meissner suggested the following sequence: Sections 1, 2, 16, 17 (The World and Nature; Space and Time; War; Shipping). Sections 3, 4, 5, 12 (Parts of the Human Body; Properties of the Human Body; Human Life, its various Relations and Conditions; Domestic Life). Sections 14, 15, 11, 13, 6 (The State; Law and Justice; Religion; Commerce and Agriculture; The Mind, its Functions). Sections 7, 8, 9, 10 (The Arts and Sciences; Speech and Writing; The Emotions; Virtues and Vices). In the hope that this work will be of use,

29 October 2015 ? Carolus Raeticus

1 1894, London, Macmillan and Co., based on the 6th edition of the German original. 2 Translation (more or less free) made by the transcriber.

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I. The World and Nature

1. The World--Creation

rerum or mundi universitas rerum natura or simply natura haec omnia, quae videmus totius mundi convenientia et consensus deus mundum aedificavit, fabricatus est,

effecit (not creavit) 3 deus est mundi procreator (not creator),

aedificator, fabricator, opifex rerum elementa; initia or principia rerum elementa et tamquam semina rerum nutus et pondus or simply nutus ()

the universe. creation; nature. the visible world. the perfect harmony of the universe. God made the world.

God is the Creator of the world.

the elements. the elements and first beginnings. gravity.

2. The Earth and its Surface

orbis terrae, terrarum 4 (terra) continens (B. G. 5. 8. 2) terra (regio) mediterranea interior Asia; interiora Asiae sinus urbis (Sall. Cat. 52. 35) in ipsam or intimam Graeciam penetrare terra effert (more rarely fert, 5 but not

profert) fruges terra fundit fruges animata (animalia) inanimaque (not

inanimata) ea, quae terra gignit ea, quae e terra gignuntur ea, quae a terra stirpibus continentur ea quorum stirpes terra continentur (N. D. 2.

10. 26) arbores stirpesque, herbae stirpesque (De

Fin. 5. 11. 33) radices agere (De Off. 2. 12. 73) gemmas agere gemmae proveniunt

the earth; the globe the continent. an inland region; the interior. the interior of Asia. the heart of the city. to penetrate into the heart of Greece. the earth brings forth fruit, crops.

the earth brings forth fruit abundantly. animate and inanimate nature.

the vegetable kingdom. the vegetable kingdom. the vegetable kingdom. the vegetable kingdom.

the vegetable kingdom.

to take root. to bud, blossom. the trees are budding.

3 Creare is usually employed in the sense of producing, originating, causing, e.g. similitudo creat errorem; periculum alicui creare. It has, however, occasionally the meaning to create, e.g. De Fin. rerum quas creat natura. 4 To the Romans orbis terrarum (more rarely orbis terrae) meant all those countries which made up the Roman Empire. 5 ferre is also used metaphorically, to produce, e.g. haec aetas perfectum oratorem tulit (Brut. 12. 45).

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arbores frondescunt rami late diffunduntur montes vestiti silvis summus mons culmina Alpium sub radicibus montis, in infimo monte, sub

monte superare Alpes, Pyrenaeum, Apenninum 6

(both always in the sing.) altissimis montibus undique contineri prospectus est ad aliquid collis leniter ab infimo acclivis (opp. leniter a

summo declivis) ad extremum tumulum loca edita, superiora loca aspera et montuosa (Planc. 9. 22) loca plana or simply plana saxa praerupta loca inculta loca deserta (opp. frequentia) loca amoena, amoenitas locorum

the trees are coming into leaf. the twigs are shooting out, spreading. wooded hills. the top of a mountain. the summits of the Alps. at the foot of the mountain.

to cross the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines.

to be shut in on all sides by very high mountains.

one has a view over...; one is able to see as far as...

a gentle ascent.

on the edge of the hill. heights, high ground. rough and hilly ground. level country; plains. steep rocks. uncultivated districts. deserts. pleasant districts; charming surroundings.

3. Water--Rivers--Sea

summa aqua ex aqua exstare aqua est umbilco tenus aqua pectus aequat, superat (se) ex aqua emergere 7 aquam ex flumine derivare aquam ducere per hortum aquae ductus (plur. aquarum ductus) 8 agros irrigare aqua viva, profluens (opp. stagnum) aqua iugis, perennis frigid, calid lavari (Plin. Ep. 3. 5. 11) aquae, aquarum inops fluctuare or fluctuari fluctibus iactari fluctibus (undis) obrui, 9submergi

the surface of the water. to stand out of the water. the water reaches to the waist. the water is up to, is above, the chest. to come to the surface.

to draw off water from a river. to bring a stream of water through the

garden. a conduit; an aqueduct.

to irrigate fields. running water. a perpetual spring. to take a cold, warm, bath. ill-watered. driven by the waves. tossed hither and thither by the waves. to be engulfed.

6 But Pyrenaei montes, saltus occur (B. G. 1. 1. 7; B.C. 1. 37. 1). 7 Also used metaphorically, e.g. (se) emergere ex malis (Nep. Att. 11. 1) to recover from misfortune. So emergere e fluctibus servitutis (Harusp. Resp. 23. 48). 8 aquae ductio = the action, process of drawing off the water; canalis = the water-pipe, channel, conduit. 9 So metaphorically, aere alieno obrutum esse, to be over head and ears in debt; nomen alicuius obruere perpetua oblivione, to drown a person's name in oblivion.

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gurgitibus hauriri flumen citatum fertur flumen imbribus auctum flumen super ripas effunditur flumen extra ripas diffluit flumen agros inundat 10 flumen vado transire flumine secundo flumine adverso Rhenus oritur or profluit ex Alpibus accessus et recessus aestuum decessus aestus aestus maritimi mutuo accedentes

recedentes (N. D. 2. 53. 132) aestus ex alto se incitat (B. G. 3.12) aestu rursus minuente mare ventorum vi agitatur et turbatur mare medium or internum 11

to be drowned in the eddies. the rivers flows with a rapid current. a river swollen by the rain. the river is over its banks, is in flood. the river is over its banks, is in flood. the river floods the fields.

to wade across, to ford a river. with the stream; downstream. against the stream; upstream. the Rhine rises in the Alps. ebb and flow (of tide). the ebb. et the alternation of tides.

the tide is coming in. when the tide begins to go down. there is a storm at sea. the Mediterranean Sea.

4. Fire

ignem facere, accendere ignem tectis inferre, subicere ignem concipere, comprehendere ignem excitare (pro Mur. 25. 51) ignem alere accendere, incendere aedificia inflammare urbem flammis corripi incendio flagrare, or simply conflagrare,

ardere (Liv. 30. 7) incendio deleri, absmi igni cremari, necari ignem conclamare ventus ignem distulit (B. G. 5. 43)

to light, make a fire. to set fire to houses. to take fire. to make up, stir up a fire. to keep up a fire. to set buildings on fire. to set fire to a city. to be devoured by the flames. to be on fire, in flames.

to be burned to ashes. to perish in the flames. to raise an alarm of fire. the wind spread the conflagration.

5. Air--Sky--Climate--Heavenly Bodies

aer terrae circumiectus or circumfusus aer qui est terrae proximus suspicere 12 (in) caelum oculos tollere, attollere ad caelum

the atmosphere. the atmosphere. to raise the eyes to heaven; to look up to

the sky.

to raise the eyes to heaven; to look up to the sky.

10 Inundation = eluvio, not inundatio which is post-classical. 11 The Romans called it mare nostrum (B.G. 5.1). Similarly mare Oceanus (B. G. 3. 7), the Atlantic; mare superum, the Adriatic (Att. 8. 16. 1); mare inferum, the Etruscan Sea (Att. 8. 3. 5). 12 suspicere is also used figuratively, to look up to, esteem, honour, e.g. viros, honores. Similarly despicere.

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