uxor, -oris f.
wife. As the first word, in the vocative case, it announces the poet's focus, underscored by the spondaic first two feet.
vivo, -ere, vixi, victum
live; enjoy life; vivamus is an independent subjunctive (hortatory).
ut adverb
as; considering how; according to. The MSS. have two variant readings: quod (in the late classical sense of sicut) and ceu, both meaning just as.
teneo, -ere, -ui, tentum
keep, hold; maintain; an independent subjunctive (hortatory).
nomen, -inis n.
name; title. The poet is speaking not of their legal names but the private endearments they exchanged.
primo adverb
on the first occasion.
sumo, -ere, sumpsi, sumptum
assume; use; take up; lay hold of.
thalamus, -i m.
bedroom; marriage-bed; marriage; note the internal rhyme with primo.
fero, ferre, tuli, latum
bring (with ut = bring it about that); produce; show; allow; independent subjunctive (hortatory). See Ovid, Amores 3.6.18: nec tulit haec umquam nec feret ulla dies.
commuto (1)
change; interchange; replace; substitute. Note the mood following ut and the voice.
quin conjunction
but that; rather; followed by the subjunctive sim.
iuvenis, -is m. f.
young man; youth; young woman. Note the word order, both interlocking and chiastic.
puella, -ae f.
girl. In elegiac poetry this word carries the meaning of "girlfriend" as well.
Nestor, -is m.
Nestor of Pylos, eldest of the Greek heroes whom Homer describes as "a speaker of words and a doer of deeds." This is an ablative of comparison. Click on SPQR for an image on pottery of the old king.
quamvis conjunction
however much; although; translate with provectior, followed by the subjunctives sim and vincas. Note the internal rhyme with –que annis.
provectus, -a, -um
advanced; a comparative, formed from the 4th principle part of proveho.
aemulus, -a, -um
rivaling; striving earnestly after; vying with; followed by annis, ablative of respect, it modifies the unexpressed subject of vincas.
vinco, -ere, vici, victus
surpass; outlive; conquer.
Cumanus, -a, -um
of Cumae. Deiphobe, the Sibyl of Cumae, was known for her extreme old age (cf. Vergil, Aeneid 6.36, Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.130 f.). Click on the SPQR for Michaelangelo's depiction of her on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
ignoro (1)
disregard; not know. Note the mood and reason for it. It is followed by the indirect question quid sit. What is the effect of the spondees in the first two feet?
maturus, -a, -um
seasonable; timely; ripe.
senectus, -utis f.
old age, extreme age.
meritum, -i n.
reward; benefit, favor, service, kindness; object of scire.
numero (1)
count; number; understand annos as the direct object.
decet, -ere, -uit
it is seemly, comely; proper, right; followed by the infinitives scire and numerare.
hactenus adverb
until now; so far, thus far. The subject and predicate (cecinit nenia nostra) are in the next line. Line 3 introduces a far different reaction, with nunc.
ut . . .ita idiom
although . . . nevertheless; just as . . .so.
iustus, -a, -um
fair; rightful; proper; i.e., expected or natural, as opposed to sudden and early.
funus, -eris n.
death (metonymy); (lit.) funeral; ablative of respect.
fleo, -ere, -evi, -etum
weep; lament; mourn for; modifies the substantive caros, object of cecinit.
fungor, fungi, functum + ablative
perform; discharge; do; modifies nenia nostra.
pius, -a, -um
dutiful; devoted; tender; with modis it encloses the subject and predicate.
cano, -ere, cecini
sing; celebrate.
nenia, -ae f.
a dirge; song of lamentation.
modus, -i m.
measure; manner; Ausonius speaks at once of his poetic meter and his attitude.
crux, -cis f.
torment; trouble, misery; (lit. cross). Repeated on line 19.
contrectabilis, -e
treatable; touchable; able to be handled.
fulmen, -inis n.
disaster; thunderbolt. Together with dolor and cruces, the three are in apposition with mors.
coniunx, -iugis m.f.
wife; spouse; husband; i.e., Sabina, who died at 27 years of age.
eripio, -ere, -repi, -reptum
tear away; rob; snatch; translate with coniugis, using a relative clause.
memoro (1)
mention; recall; speak of. Supply est for this passive periphrastic construction with the dative of agent (mihi).
proavus, -i m.
ancestor; this is an ablative of origin or source, as is origine and moribus. This line begins the poet's direct address to his long-deceased wife.
origo, -inis f.
ancestry; descent; source; followed by the genitive.
clarus, -a, -um
distinguished; bright; clear. Together with nobilis, it modifies Sabina here and on the next line. During the Empire the word came to signify senatorial status.
senatus, -us m.
Senate; Sabina's male ancestors had been members of the local senate.
mos, -oris m.
nature, custom; in pl. behavior, character, morals.
usque adverb
always; at all times; continuously; supply erat.
magis adverb
more; it modifies the adjective clara, making the point that her fame was earned, not only inherited. Note the rhyme with bonis, primis, annis.
iuvenis, -is m. f.
young man, youth, young woman; i.e., Ausonius, the subject of luxi. It recurs in line 22, in reference to both of them.
lugeo, lugere, luxi, luctum
mourn, lament.
decipio, decipere, decepi, deceptum
deceive, cheat; elude. The verb is repeated again in line 13, where it modifies his gray hair.
caelebs, -libis m.
widower; unmarried bachelor; the word recurs again in line 13. Note the word order: the object te is enclosed by the subject caelebs and its predicate fleo.
Olympias, -adis f.
Olympiad; i.e., four years, the interval between Olympic games, times nine.
obduco, -ducere, -duxim, -ductum
overwhelm; cover over, surround; swallow up.
senium, -ii n.
feebleness of old age; decline; ablative of means.
sopio, -ire, -ivi (-ii), -itum
settle; calm; put to sleep; infinitive after the impersonal verb licet.
crudesco, -ere, -ui
increase; grow worse; grow harsh/violent.
poena, -ae f.
punishment; penalty; i.e., the impact of her death.
recens, -entis
fresh, recent; supply est.
admitto, -ere, misi, missum
allow, permit, admit; the subject is alii ... aegri.
solacium, -i n.
consolation; relief; comfort.
aeger, -gra, -grum
suffering; unwell, sick, diseased; feeble.
gravis, -e
oppressive; painful; serious; a comparative adjective modifying vulnera.
vulnus, -eris n.
wound; calamity; misfortune. Translate longa with dies (here, time, space of time, period). The word recurs in line 15 with an alternate spelling (volnus).
torqueo, -ere, torsi, tortum
twist; tear; torture.
canus, -a, -um
grey hairs of the aged; white.
quoque = et quo adverb.
by what, by as much as, in how great a degree. A correlative with hoc expressing degree of difference with a comparative: quoque magis . . . hoc mage. Note the asymmetry: magis modifies solus while mage (an alternate spelling) modifies ago.
maestus, -a, -um
sad, sorrowful; dejected, melancholy, gloomy, despondent.
ago, -ere, egi, actum
live, spend life; do.
alo, -ere, alui, altum/alitum
increase, strengthen; nourish; cherish; note the oxymoron with volnus.
quod conjunction
that, in that; because, since; it is repeated as an explanation for his suffering in lines 16, 19-20, 22.
sileo, -ere, -ui
be still; keep silent, noiseless.
algeo, -ere, -si
be cold, feel cold.
quisquam, quidquam
anyone, anything; dative of person after participo.
participo (1)
share; inform of; participate in; followed by direct objects (mala ... bona).
maereo, -ere, -ui
mourn, grieve, lament.
contra adverb
on the other hand; likewise; in turn; supply alii est (dative of possession) and continue to the next line for si mala.
exemplum, -i n.
model; pattern; image; with ad, in respect to, as.
adsum, -esse, -fui
be present, be at hand; here mihi is the dative of respect. Ausonius continues this thought in the next two lines, where venis like ades is virtual not actual.
uterque, utraque, utrumque pronoun
singular: each (of two), both (considered separately); either; supply coniunx with all of the following adjectives.
sive . . .seu conditional particle
whether . . . or if; it distinguishes mala [coniunx] dissimilis from bona [coniunx] similis.
ops, opis f.
wealth, treasures, power. Make note of the chiasmus which separates non ego from plango.
cassus, -a, -um
empty, hollow, useless.
inanis, -e
worthless; vain; unprofitible.
plango, -ere, -xi, -ctum
bewail, lament; supply in the next line: sed plango quod.
pudicus, -a, -um
modest, virtuous, pure; with the exception of laeta, these are traditional praises of the matrona.
genus, -eris n.
family, birth, descent; accusative of respect following inclita. See his reference to her birth in line 5.
inclitus, -a, -um
celebrated, famous, glorious. Followed by the accusative of respect with genus and the ablative of description with forma. A fully dactylic line, note the chiasmus at its end.
decus, -oris n.
ornament, grace, splendor, honor, dignity.
quae= Sabina (the subject is in liquisti).
quater
four times; Ausonius is the source for Sabina's death at 27 years of age.
inmpleo, -ere, -evi, -etum
fill up; fill full; future active participle.
linquo, -ere, liqui
forsake, leave, depart from.
natus, -a, -um
child; born, made; perfect form of nascor. They produced three children but one boy died in infancy, leaving a boy and a girl.
pignus, -eris n.
security, pledge.
favor, -oris m.
good will; support; favor.
floreo, -ere, -ui
blossom, flourish, be prosperous, be eminent; the subject is illa [pignera].
accumulo (1)
increase, heap up, multiply; the perfect passive participle modifies vota.
vigeo, -ere, -ui
live, thrive; subjunctive after ut as also nuntiet.
tandem adverb
at length; at last; in the end.
superstes, -itis
surviving; superstite utroque, referring to their children, is an ablative absolute.
nuntio (1)
announce, report, relate; the subject is nostra favilla, the direct object is hoc.
cinis, -eris n.
ash. Note the chiastic word order: Sabina’s cold ash surrounds his warm ember.
favilla, -ae f.
glowing ash, ember; the nostra, as earlier, refers to Ausonius alone.
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