Latin Via Proverbs: Home - Previous - Next

Group 165: Latin

2119. Tempus invenit, docet, mutat omnia.

2120. Haurit ille aquam cribro qui discit sine libro.

2121. Suum custodit quasi thesaurum draco.

2122. Qui se ipse laudat, cito derisorem invenit.

2123. Nemo liber est qui corpori servit.

2124. Pecuniae imperare oportet, non servire.

2125. Ira odium generat, concordia nutrit amorem.

2126. Ingenium suum vulpecula mutare nescit.

2127. Non oportet in urbe nutrire leonem.

2128. Fera quaevis in sua silva superbit.

2129. Irretit muscas, transmittit aranea vespas.

2130. Dum felis dormit, mus gaudet et exsilit antro.

2131. Venit post multas una serena dies.

2132. Saepe dat una dies quod non evenit in anno.

2133. Semel in anno licet insanire.

2134. Aliquando et insanire iucundum est.

Study Guide

2119. Time discovers, teaches, changes all things. (There are an enormous number of Latin proverbs about the powers of time.)

2120. He who learns without a book is gathering water with a sieve. (Here is a similar saying which rhymes: Fundit aquam cribro qui discere vult sine libro.)

2121. He guards his own as a dragon guards his treasure. (The stereotypical dragon and treasure can be found in a speech of Cicero, and in this Aesop's fable.)

2122. The man who praises himself quickly finds a scoffer. (This is a saying found in Publilius Syrus.)

2123. No one is free who is a slave to the body. (You can find this saying in Seneca.)

2124. You should command money, not serve it. (You will find this saying in Publilius Syrus.)

2125. Anger spawns hatred; agreement nourishes love. (This is one of the sayings attributed to Cato.)

2126. The fox does not know how to change her nature. (Compare this similar saying about the wolf: Lupus pilum mutat, non animum.)

2127. You should not raise a lion in the city. (This saying is derived from Aristophanes, Frogs. You can find the Latin saying in Valerius Maximus.)

2128. Every beast exults in its forest. (Compare a similar saying about a rooster: Gallus in suo sterquilinio plurimum potest.)

2129. The spider traps flies in her net, and lets the wasps go through. (The idea is that great thieves can get away, while little ones are caught: lex est araneae tela, quia si in eam inciderit quid debile, retinetur; grave autem pertransit tela rescissa. The idea comes from Plutarch, in his Life of Solon.)

2130. While the cat sleeps, the mouse rejoices and leaps out of its hole. (Here is a rhyming version of the same idea: fele comprehensa, saltant mures in mensa.)

2131. After many days, a clear day arrives. (This is a line from Tibullus.)

2132. Often a single day bestows what does not happen in a year. (Compare this similar saying: accidit in puncto, quod non contingit in anno.)

2133. It is permitted to go mad once a year. (You can find a similar sentiment in Augustine: Tolerabile est semel anno insanire.)

2134. Sometimes it is even pleasant to go mad. (You can find this saying cited in Seneca.)