DICTIONARY OF CLASSICAL AND FOREIGN QUOTATIONS. 1. A aucun les biens viennent en dormant. (Fr.) Prov.Good things come to some people while they sleep. 2. Ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia. (L.) Law Max. The abuse of anything is no argument against its proper use. 3. Ab actu ad posse valet illatio. (L.)—From what has taken place we may infer what will happen. The uniformity of nature furnishes a ground of induction, upon which we may conclude that a similar condition of things being given, what has happened once will happen again. In the same way a man's habits afford presumption for the recurrence of certain eventualities in his life. A. B. left the turf for the stock exchange; it is likely that he will speculate on the one as he did on the other, ab actu ad posse, etc. 4. Ab alio expectes alteri quod feceris. (L.) P. Syr. ap. Sen. Ep. 94.-As you have done to others, expect others to do to you. Cf. Vulg. Luc. 6, 31. 5. A barbe de fol on apprend à raire. (Fr.) Prov.-Men learn to shave by beginning on the beard of a fool. Similar to Fiat experimentum, etc., q.v. 6. A ben conoscer la natura dei popoli, convien esser principe, ed a conoscer ben quella dei principi convien esser popolare. (It.) Mach. ?-To be well acquainted with the dispositions of a people, one should be a prince; and to know well the disposition of a prince, one should be of the people. 7. Abends wird der Faule fleissig. (G.) Prov.-Towards evening the lazy man begins to be busy. 8. Abeunt studia in mores. (L.)-Pursuits grow into habits. One can by habit get absorbed in what was at first most distasteful. 9. Abi hinc in malam crucem! (L.) Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 163. -Go and be hanged! (2.) Abi in malam rem! Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 7.-Go to the deuce! 10. Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit. (L.) Cic. Cat. 2, 1, 1.— He has departed, retreated, escaped, broken away. Said of Catiline's flight from the senate on the discovery of his conspiracy. A good description of any one absconding. 11. Abi, ludis me, credo. (L.) Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 32.-Of with you, you are fooling me, I guess. 12. Ab initio. (L.)—From the beginning. Anything which has been irregularly done must be begun ab initio, afresh, as though nothing had been done in the matter. 13. Ab inopia ad virtutem obsepta est via. (L.) Prov.Poverty obstructs the road to virtue. It is so easy to be good when one is well off. 14. Abnormis sapiens crassaque Minerva. (L.) Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 3.--Of plain good sense, untutored in the school. Full of mother-wit. A shrewd sensible fellow. 15. A bon chat bon rat. (Fr.) Prov.-A good rat for a good cat. Opponents should be well matched. Set a thief to catch a thief. An old poacher makes the best gamekeeper. 16. Ab ovo Usque ad mala. (L.) Hor. S. 1, 3, 6.-From eggs to apples. From the beginning to the end: eggs and apples being respectively the first and last courses at a Roman dinner. The phrase applies to any topic, or speaker, monopolising the whole of the conversation at dinner from soup to dessert, or at any other time. 17. Abracadabra. Ancient cabalistic word of Persian origin, said to contain the name of Mithras the sun-god. A paper written with the letters of the spell, so as to form an inverted pyramid, was anciently worn as an amulet against fevers and ague, viz. : abracadabra abracada b abracad abrac a 18. Absente auxilio perquirimus undique frustra, Sed nobis ingens indicis auxilium est. (L.)? Use of an index. Without a key we search and search in vain, But a good index is a monstrous gain.-Ed. (See Notes and Queries, 2d Ser. 6, 146.) 19. Absentem qui rodit amicum, Qui non defendit alio culpante, solutos. Qui captat risus hominum, famamque dicacis; A blackguard. The man that will malign an absent friend Who blabs a secret- -Roman, friend, take care, 20. Absint inani funere noniæ, Luctusque turpes et querimoniæ ; Mitte supervacuos honores. (L.) Hor. C. 2, 20, 21. Weep not for me. No dirges for my fancied death; No weak lament, no mournful stave; All clamorous grief were waste of breath, And vain the tribute of a grave.—Conington. 21. Absit invidia. (L.)-All offence apart. 22. Absit invidia verbo. (L.) Liv. 9, 19, 15.—I say it with out offence. 23. Absit omen. (L.)-May the omen mean nothing! there be no ugly meaning in it! I pray 24. Abstineto a fabis. (L.)-Abstain from beans. I.e., keep clear of elections: where, as at Athens, the election of public magistrates was balloted for with beans. 25. Abundans cautela non nocet. (L.) Law Max.-Excessive precaution cannot do any harm. E.g., in the purchase of property the buyer cannot be too careful in requiring a good title with the estate he is treating for. 26. Abundant dulcibus vitiis. (L.) Quint. 10, 1, 129.-They abound in seductive faults. Said of any one whose very errors are charming. 27. Ab uno ad omnes. (L.)-From one to all. Motto of Earl of Perth and Melfort. 28. Ab urbe conditâ, or A. U. C. (L.)-From the building of the City. The date from which the Romans reckoned : generally considered as being 752 B.C. 29. Abyssus abyssum invocat. (L.) Ps. 41, 7.-Deep calleth unto deep. 30. A causa perduta parole assai. plenty when the cause is lost. (It.) Prov.- Words in Plenty of advice when it 31. Accedas ad curiam. (L.) Law Term.-You may go to the Courts. A writ which removes a plaint from an inferior court (generally the county court) to a higher one. 32. Accede ad ignem hunc; jam calesces plus satis. (L.) Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 5.-Approach this fire, you will soon be warmer than you like. Said of the beauty of Thaïs. 33. Acceptissima semper Munera sunt, auctor quæ pretiosa facit. (L.) Ov. H. 17, 71.-Those presents which derive their value from the donor, are always the most acceptable. Cf. Shakesp. Hamlet, 3, 1, 98: You gave-with words of so sweet breath composed, As made the things more rich. 34. Accipe nunc Danaum insidias, et crimine ab uno Disce omnes. Now listen while my tongue declares The tale you ask of Danaan snares, And gather from a single charge (L.) Virg. A. 2, 65. Their catalogue of crimes at large. -Conington. You may judge of the defendant's character from a single charge established against him. Crimine ab uno disce omnes. 35. Accipe nunc victus tenuis quid quantaque secum Affert. Imprimis valeas bene. (L.) Hor. S. 2, 2, 70. Now listen for a space while I declare The good results that spring from frugal fare. Imprimis, health.-Conington. 36. Accipe quæ nimios vincant umbracula soles; Sit licet et ventus te tua vela tegent. (L.) Mart. 14, 28. Umbrellas. An umbrella for the sun you'll handy find, Or it may serve as shelter from the wind.-Ed. 37. Acclinis falsis animus meliora recusat. (L.) Hor. S. 2, 2, 6. The mind that's ta'en with outward shows Will always truthful things refuse.-Ed. 38. Accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. (L.) Law Max. -No man is bound to accuse himself unless it be before his God. When culprits wish to make confession, it is not received without their being cautioned by the court as to the consequences and permitted to put in a plea of not guilty. 39 Acer, et indomitus: quo spes, quoque ira vocasset, Numinis: impellens quicquid sibi summa petenti Julius Cæsar. (L.) Luc. 1, 146. Undaunted, keen: where Hope or Passion called (If Fortune smiled), and overturn all odds That kept him from the prize-such was his plan : 40. Acheruntis pabulum. (L.) Plaut. Cas. 2, 1, 12.-Food for Acheron. A vicious abandoned character. A ne'erdo-weel. 41. Ach! warum, ihr Götter, ist unendlich Alles, alles, endlich unser Glück nur? (G.) Goethe, Pandora.-Alas! why, ye gods, is all, all eternal, our happiness alone fleeting! 42. Ach wie glücklich sind die Todten! (G.) Schill. Das Siegesfest.-Ah! how happy are the dead! 43. A cœur vaillant rien d'impossible. (Fr.)-Nothing is impossible to a valiant heart. Motto of Jeanne d'Albret of Navarre, mother of Henry IV., and adopted by him as his own devise. 44. A confesseurs, médecins, avocats, la vérité ne cèle de ton cas. (Fr.) Prov.-From confessors, physicians, and lawyers, do not hide the truth of your case. Tell them the worst, that the remedy may be all the more speedy and effectual. 45. Acribus, ut ferme talia, initiis, incurioso fine. (L.) Tac. A. 6, 17.—As is generally the case with such movements, an impulsive beginning and a careless termination. It is comparatively easy to launch a movement amid every sign of excitement and zeal, the difficulty is to sustain action when the first novelty of the thing has worn off. |