group160


 

Latin Via Proverbs: Home - Previous - Next

 

Group 160: Latin

 

2052. Verba docent, exempla trahunt.

2053. Quod video, id credo mihi.

2054. Mihi ego video, mihi ego sapio.

2055. Multum deliro, si cuique placere requiro.

2056. Plurima qui tenet, plura tenere cupit.

2057. Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere.

2058. Non vivere sed valere vita est.

2059. Qui petit excelsa, debet vitare ruinam.

2060. Dicere perfacile est, opus exercere molestum.

2061. In dubiis melius est tacere quam dicere.

2062. Amicum laedere ne ioco quidem licet.

2063. Adversus deum non oportet contendere.

 

Study Guide

 

2052. Words teach, examples tug. (You can also find this saying in a variant form: Verba movent, exempla trahunt.)

2053. I put my trust in what I can see. (You can find this in Otto under the entry for oculus.)

2054. What I see for myself, I know for myself. (You can find this saying in Plautus.)

2055. I'm completely out of my mind if I try to please everybody. (Compare this rhyming proverb with other Latin sayings on this same theme, such as amicus omnibus, amicus nemini, etc.)

2056. The person who has got lots, wants to get more. (There are many variants on this saying, for example: homines, quo plura habent, eo ampliora cupiunt.)

2057. A good shepherd shears the sheep, he does not flay them. (You can find this cited by Suetonius.)

2058. Life is not living, but being well. (You will find this saying in Martial.)

2059. The person who seeks high places must be careful of crashing down. (The saying is cited by Tosi, 987.)

2060. It's very easy to something, but to accomplish the job is hard work. (This is a medieval saying, cited by Tosi, 24, following Walther 5590.)

2061. In doubtful matters it is better to be silent than to speak. (You can find this saying in Albertanus of Brescia.)

2062. You should not wound a friend, not even in jest. (You can find this in Publilius Syrus).

2063. It is not proper to strive against god. (Compare the entry in Erasmus's Adagia, Cum diis non pugnandum, 3.9.22.)

 

I'm adding new Study Guides at the Latin Via Proverbs blog. You can subscribe to that blog to get the latest updates on what's available.