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Group 171: Latin

2205. In litus arenas fert.

2206. Ligna in silvam fert.

2207. In segetem spicas fert.

2208. Noctuas Athenas affert.

2209. Echinus partum differt.

2210. Tempus ipsum affert consilium.

2211. Machinas post bellum affert.

2212. Culicem elephanti confert.

2213. Canities non affert sapientiam.

2214. Sapiens sua bona secum fert.

2215. Fluvius non semper fert secures.

2216. Omnia fert aetas, animum quoque.

2217. Ausus maiores fert canis ante fores.

2218. Altera manu fert aquam, altera ignem.

2219. Altera manu fert lapidem, panem ostentat altera.

Study Guide

2206. He's carrying wood into the forest. (This is clearly a foolish thing to do, as this version of the proverb makes clear: ligna in silvam ferre stultum est.)

2207. He's bringing ears of corn into the field of grain. (You can find this listed as a futile gesture in Ovid's Tristia.)

2208. He's bringing owls to Athens. (This is another futile gesture; as owls notoriously abound in Athens, with the owl being the bird dear to Athena herself, there is no need to bring owls there.)

2209. The hedgehog postpones the process of giving birth. (You will find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 2.4.83. As Erasmus explains, this is a very poor strategy, even for the hedgehog. Because it delays giving birth to the children, they only become more and more spiny, making the birth all the more difficult when it does finally take place!)

2210. Time itself yields a plan. (This is another saying from the Latin legal tradition which obviously has an application to life in general. Waiting can sometimes be the best strategy, in the absence of any other plan.)

2211. He's bring the siege engines after the war is over. (You can find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 3.1.17.)

2212. He's comparing a gnat to an elephant. (You can find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 3.1.27.)

2213. Grey hair does not bring wisdom. (Here is a more elaborate expression of the same idea: Canities indicatio temporis est, non prudentiae.)

2214. The wise man carries his own goods with him. (You can find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 4.5.9.)

2215. A river does not always bear axes. (You can find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 4.3.57, based on the Aesopic fable about the man who lost his axe.)

Fluvius non semper fert secures.

2216. Time bears away all things, even the mind. (You will find this saying in Vergil's Eclogue 9.)

2217. A dog dares greater acts of boldness in front of his own door. (There are many variations on this saying, including this very simple one: Canis domi ferocissimus.)

2218. In one hand he bears water; in the other, fire. (You can find this saying in Erasmus's Adagia, 4.4.74.)

2219. In one hand he carries a stone; in the other, he offers bread. (You can find this saying in Plautus.)