Author Archives: sententiaeantiquae

    “I fear the very foolish fate of the moth.”   δέδοικα μῶρον  κάρτα πυραύστου μόρον.   The English doesn’t reflect the Greek word here for “moth” which indicates the way that it dies….”burnt by fire”.

“Fortune is glass; just when it shines bright it breaks.” Fortuna vitrea est: tum cum splendet frangitur. Publilius Syrus.

“The fate of books depends on the reader’s comprehension.” pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli. Maurus

  “She was contriving a trick as she carred water in one hand and fire in the other.”     τῆι μὲν ὕδωρ ἐφόρει δολοφρονέουσα χειρί, θἠτέρηι δὲ πῦρ.   Plutarch (in The Principle of Cold) says that this is … Continue reading →

  “Men are amazed more at those who could have [great] things but look down on them than those who actually have them.”   θαυμάζουσι γοῦν τῶν ἐχόντων αὐτὰ μᾶλλον τοὺς δυναμένους ἔχειν καὶ διὰ μεγαλοψυχίαν ὑπερορῶντας  

  “The one who has begun has completed half the task.”   “dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet.”