Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Alexander Pope Epigram "Know Then Thyself"

"Know then thyself, presume not God to Scan

The proper study of mankind is man"

--Alexander Pope


I.


gnosce igitur tēt(ē) ipse/a, deōs perpendere nōlī;

na(m) in mortālia nōs incubuisse decet.


II.

gnosce igitur tēt(ē) ipse/a, deōs perpendere nōlī;

hūmānīs oper(am) est cūra dedisse tua


III.


omnes nōscant; mittantque deīs studuisse; hūmānīs dar(e) opus't, uōs, hominēs, operam.


IV.


omnes se noscant; parcantque deīs studuisse;

indāgār(e) homines est opus apt(um) homini.


V.

gnosce ergō tēt(ē) atqu(e) ad caelicolās ne tendas

hūmānō generī tē studuisse decet.


VI.


te gnoscas ips(e)/(a), ad caelestia tendere nolis/mitte/omitte

rebus humanis/ in res humanas incubuisse decet/te studuisse decet












Sunday, December 08, 2019

Another go...

mē pŏsitō pŭdĕat dēsuescĕrĕ pangĕre plectrō
     carmĭnă, frūstrāta est Mūsa rĕlictă sĭtū
at rĕvŏcārĕ dĭū lătĭtantēs pectŏre causās
     jam lĭbĕat: nam nōn pungĭt ămārus Ămor.
Orsus enim cecinī tener usque ā tē, Annă Marīă,
     docta pŏēta mea scrīpta relīqueram amans.
A, thĕsis est ŏcŭlīs victa et cēssēre capillīs
     Nostra tuīs studia; et vōce loquente tuā;
Quae mala passus erās, eadem sum, magne Catulle,
       Vix poteram tactus stare labante genu.

Friday, December 06, 2019

De Coetibus Doctissimorum Hominum

Concĭlĭum doctī, reverenda Scientia, adībunt
ut tē commendent; per sŭă scrīptă, mihi;
Scrībent, ut semper, tantă volūmĭnă totque
Juppiter! – et placeat cuique Minerva sua;

They'll come, revered Science, to the convention, learned throngs
to commend you to me, through their writings;
They'll write, as they always do, such great tomes, and so many
--Good god!  Let each be proud of their clever skill;

Tuesday, December 03, 2019


mē pŏsitō pŭdĕat dēsuescĕrĕ pangĕre plectrō


mē pŏsitō pŭdĕat dēsuescĕrĕ pangĕre plectrō
     carmĭnă, frūstrāta est Mūsa relictă sĭtū
ast rĕvŏcārĕ dĭū lătĭtantēs pectŏre causās
     jam libeat: nam nōn pungit ămārus Ămor.


Let me feel shame at growing unaccustomed to writing songs, 
my guitar pick put aside; 
the Muse frustrated, left behind in the dust.
Ah, but let it please me to recall the causes, 
long hidden in my heart,
For now bitter love doesn't prick.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Another Beginning


Jam dēsuēsse lĭbet claudae sŭă pangĕrĕ Mūsae
carmĭnă, nōn dĭgĭtīs iam nŭmĕrārĕ sŭīs
quot oscillantēs alternantēs căpĭant tŭă lūmĭnă pēdēs
an căpĭant crīnēs, Annă Mărīă, tuōs.



Friday, August 03, 2018

La Liga Española,
Prooemium

Lūdentes homines pedibusque globōque canāmus,
Suscipite, O, nostram fingendi nōmina causam,
Musae, nam volumus pedefollī quemque secundā
classe gregem Hispanā, Latiīs verbīs recitāre.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

ἀσκήσεως χάριν

Here lies my wife/husband, here let her/him lie
Now s/he's at rest, and so am I.

--Dryden tribuitur; quadam a Petro Lichoa addita


i. 

Hic, mea Galla, iaces; licet hîc requiescere tandem:

Cui cum sit requies, et mihi grata venit!

ii.

Hic, mea Galla, iaces; licet hîc requiescere tandem:
morte serêna jaces, ipse quiête fruar!


iii.

Hic, mea vita, iaces; Lydia, aeternum requiesce:
morte serêna jaces, ipse quiête fruar!