I'm in the process of providing audio and, eventually, little essays for all the proverbs used in Aesop's Fables in Latin, which is now available at Amazon.com. Please use this reference list to see if an essay is available for a proverb you have questions about - and if that proverb doesn't have an essay yet, then let a comment here with your question, and I'll be sure to do that essay next! :-)
p. 4. Noli irritare leones. (essay + audio) - Don't annoy the lions.
p. 5. Multum, non multa. (essay + audio) - Much, not many.
p. 8. Invidus a propria roditur invidia. (essay + audio) - The envious man is gnawed by his own envy.
p. 9. Invidia dolor animi est ex alienis commodis. (essay + audio) - Envy is a sickness of the soul from other people's advantages.
p. 10. Parva leves capiunt animos. (audio) - Unimportant things capture frivolous minds.
p. 10. Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. (essay + audio) - The mountains give birth; a silly mouse will be born.
p. 12. Ad omnia trepidat, licet vel mus movet. (essay + audio) - He shudders at everything, even if so much as a mouse moves.
p. 13. Mons parturibat, deinde murem prodidit. (essay + audio) - The mountain was giving birth; it finally brought forth a mouse.
p. 14. Ex parvo satis. (audio) - From little, plenty.
p. 14. Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam. (essay + audio) - Worry follows growing wealth.
p. 20. Ex granis acervus. (essay + audio) - From grains, a heap.
p. 21. Omnium rerum principia parva sunt. (audio) - The beginnings of all things are small.
p. 22. Avis a cantu dignoscitur. (audio) - A bird is known by its song.
p. 22. Est avis in dextra melior quam quattuor extra. (essay + audio) - A bird inside the hand is better than four outside.
p. 24. Nutrit et accipiter pullos suos. (essay + audio) - Even a hawk nourishes its chicks.
p. 25. Ne ad pugnam vocet aquilam luscinia. (essay + audio) - The nightingale should not challenge the eagle to a fight.
p. 26. Sine pennis volare haud facile est. (audio) - Without wings, flying is not easy.
p. 26. Homo ad laborem natus est et avis ad volatum. (essay + audio) - A man is born to work and a bird born to fly.
p. 34. Pardus maculas non deponit. (essay+ audio) - The leopard does not set aside his spots.
p. 34. Non formosus erat, sed erat facundus Ulixes. (essay + audio) - Ulysses was not handsome, but he was good with words.
p. 36. Forma bonum fragile est. (audio) - Beauty is a fragile thing.
p. 37. Quaelibet vulpes caudam suam laudat. (essay + audio) - Every fox praises its tail.
p. 38. Parva securi prosternitur quercus. (audio) - The oak is laid low by the little axe.
p. 38. Qui leviter credit, deceptus saepe redit. (essay + audio) - He who is quick to believe often ends up deceived.
p. 40. Nihil inimicius quam sibi ipse. (audio) - There is no more harmful thing to a person than himself.
p. 41. Serum est cavendi tempus in mediis malis. (audio) - In the midst of troubles, it's too late to be cautious.
p. 44. Sine labore non erit panis in ore. (essay + audio) - Without work there will be no bread in your mouth.
p. 45. Ora et labora, deus adest sine mora. (essay + audio) - Work and pray; god will aid you without delay.
p. 48. Lupus in fabula. (essay + audio) - The wolf in the conversation.
p. 49. Lupus non curat numerum ovium. (essay + audio) - The wolf does not care about the counting of the sheep.
p. 50. Ovium nullus usus, si pastor absit. (audio) - It's not good having sheep if the shepherd is absent.
p. 50. Vae miseris ovibus, iudex lupus est. (audio) - Alas for the poor sheep: the judge is a wolf.
p. 54. Fuge magna. (audio) - Flee from great things.
p. 54. Suam quisque pellem portat. (essay + audio) - Each person carries his own skin.
p. 56. Infra tuam pelliculam te contine. (essay + audio) - Keep yourself within your own skin.
p. 60. Latet anguis in herba. (audio) - A snake is lurking in the grass.
p. 61. Sibi parat malum, qui alteri parat. (audio) - The person who prepares evil for someone else is preparing it for himself.
p. 64. Ignavis semper feriae sunt. (audio) - Lazy people are always on holiday.
p. 65. Cicada cicadae cara, formicae formica. (essay + audio) - One grasshopper is dear to another, and ant to ant.
p. 72. Suo ipsius laqueo captus est. (audio) - He's been caught by his own snare.
p. 73. Adiuvat accipitrem impetus, columbam fuga. (audio) - Attack works for the hawk, retreat for the dove.
p. 82. Asinus stramen mavult quam aurum. (essay + audio) - A donkey prefers straw to gold.
p. 82. Non faciunt meliorem equum aurei freni. (essay + audio) - Golden reins don't make a better horse.
p. 84. In quo nascetur asinus corio morietur. (essay + audio) - The donkey will die in the skin in which he's born.
p. 86. Alter alterius auxilio eget. (audio) - One person needs the help of another.
p. 86. Facta plus valent quam dicta. (audio) - Deeds are worth more than words.
p. 88. Auxilium peto, non consilium. (audio) - I'm looking for help, not advice.
p. 92. Mors lupi, agnis vita. (audio) - The death of the wolf is life for the lambs.
p. 97. Bos iugo ducendo natus. (audio) - The ox is born for guiding the yoke.
p. 98. Grave est fidem fallere. (audio) - It is a serious business to break faith.
p. 98. Simulans amicum inimicus inimicissimus. (audio) - The enemy who pretends to be a friend is the most inimical.
p. 100. Semel malus, semper malus. (essay + audio) - Once wicked, always wicked.
p. 101. Falsum in uno, falsum in toto. (essay + audio) - False in one thing, false in the whole thing.
p. 102. Nulli nimium credite. (audio) - Don't trust anyone too much.
p. 102. Lupus pilum mutat, non mentem. (essay + audio) - A wolf can change his coat but not his character.
p. 104. Homo homini lupus. (essay + audio) - Man is a wolf to man.
p. 105. Furem fur cognoscit, et lupum lupus. (audio) - A thief knows a thief, and a wolf knows a wolf.
p. 108. A deo est omnis medela. (essay + audio) - All healing is from god.
p. 109. Homo proponit, sed deus disponit. (audio) - Man proposes, but god disposes.
p. 112. Canis mordens non latrat. (audio) - A dog who bites does not bark.
p. 113. Cave tibi a cane muto et aqua silenti. (audio) - You need to watch out for a silent dog and quiet water.
p. 117. Edentulus vescentium dentibus invidet. (essay + audio) - The poor toothless person envies the teeth of the diners.
p. 120. Bonis nocet qui malis parcet. (audio) - He who spares the bad people is hurting the good people.
p. 122. Hodie mihi, cras tibi. (audio) - Today it's me; tomorrow, it's you.
p. 122. Ex amico fit inimicus, hostis ex socio. (audio) - A friend becomes an enemy, an ally becomes a foe.
p. 125. Ut tibi, sic alteri. (audio) - As for yourself, so for another.
p. 126. Estote simplices sicut columbae. (audio) - Be simple as doves.
p. 126. Sub nomine pacis bellum latet. (audio) - War is hiding under the name of peace.
p. 128. Novus rex, nova lex. (audio) - New king, new law.
p. 132. Timor mortis morte peior. (audio) - Fear of death is worse than death.
p. 133. Nemo est tam senex qui se annum non putet posse vivere. (audio) - No one is so old that he doesn't think he could live a year longer.
p. 134. Absente domino, res male geritur. (audio) - When the boss is gone, business goes badly.
p. 134. Stercus optimum vestigium domini. (essay + audio) - The master's footstep is the best fertilizer.
p. 138. Serpens eiiciendus e domo. (audio) - A snake should be cast out of the house.
p. 138. Nihil homine ingrato peius. (audio) - Nothing is worse than an ungrateful man.
p. 141. In sinu colubrum habet. (audio) - He's got a snake in his bosom.
p. 150. Neminem pecunia divitem fecit. (essay + audio) - Money has never made anyone wealthy.
p. 150. Gallus in sterquilinio suo plurimum potest. (essay + audio) - The rooster can do plenty in his own dungheap.
p. 154. Iam testudo volat. (audio) - Now the turtle's flying.
p. 154. Aquilam testudo vincit. (audio) - The turtle's beating the eagle.
p. 161. In propria pelle quiesce. (essay + audio) - Be at peace in your own skin.
p. 173. Gratia gratiam parit. (essay + audio) - One kindness gives birth to another.
p. 182. Leo fortissimus bestiarum. (audio) - The lion is the strongest of the beasts.
p. 182. Leonina societas periculorum plena. (audio) - Being in the company of the lion is full of danger.
p. 184. Alienis malis discimus. (essay + audio) - We learn from other people's problems.
p. 185. Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum. (audio) - Happy is the man who learns caution from other people's risks.
p. 186. Dolo illuditur dolus. (audio) - Fraud is tricked by fraud.
p. 186. Oportet vulpinari cum vulpibus. (audio) - You've got to play the fox with the foxes.
p. 194. Cavendo tutus eris. (audio) - By being cautious you will be safe.
p. 194. Est sapientis providere. (audio) - A wise man looks ahead.
p. 196. Sapiens a se ipso pendet. (audio) - A wise man depends on his own self.
p. 198. Si satis est, multum est. (essay + audio) - If it's enough, it's a lot.
p. 198. Vivis piscibus aqua, mortuis vinum. (essay + audio) - Water for the living fish, wine for the dead ones.
p. 206. Fortuna belli fluxa. (audio) - War's fortunes fluctuate.
p. 206. Malo ad campanam quam ad tubae surgere clangorem. (audio) - I prefer to rise to the clanging of the church-bell rather than the war-trumpet.
p. 210. Agnos lupi vorant. (essay + audio) - Wolves gobble the lambs.
p. 210. Regnant qualibet urbe lupi. (essay + audio) - Wolves reign in every city.
p. 218. Dives est qui nihil cupit. (audio) - Rich is the man who desires nothing.
p. 218. Avarus ipse miseriae causa est suae. (audio) - The greedy man is the cause of his own misery.
p. 222. Cupiditati nihil satis est. (audio) - Nothing is enough for desire.
p. 222. Avarus aurum deum habet. (audio) - The greedy man has gold as a god.
p. 230. Flecti, non frangi. (audio) - To bend, not to break.
p. 230. Nec invideamus altius stantibus. (audio) - Let us not envy our higher-ups.
p. 234. Sciens cavebo. (audio) - Being aware, I will take care.
p. 234. Sero in periculis est consilium quaerere. (audio) - It's too late to get advice in the midst of dangers.
p. 250. Cum vulpe habens commercium, dolos cave. (audio) - If you are doing business with a fox, watch out for tricks.
p. 250. Quod est venturum, sapiens quasi praesens cavet. (audio) - The wise man is wary of what is to come as if it were already here.
p. 254. Personam, non faciem, gerit. (audio) - He's wearing a mask, not a face.
p. 254. Calidum et frigidum ex eodem ore efflat. (essay + audio) - He's blowing hot and cold from the same mouth.
p. 262. Vis unita fortior. (audio) - Strength, united, is stronger.
p. 262. Si vis regnare, divide. (audio) - If you want to rule, divide.
p. 266. Quid leoni cum mure? (audio) - What's lion got to do with a mouse?
p. 266. Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur. (audio) - A sure friend is seen in an unsure situation.
p. 274. Semper metuendo sapiens evitat malum. (audio) - By always being afraid, the wise man avoids evil.
p. 274. Dum stertit cattus, nunquam sibi currit in os mus. (essay + audio) - When the cat's snring, no mouse ever runs into its mouth.
p. 278. Lupus hiat. (audio) - The wolf is gaping.
p. 278. Quae volumus, et credimus libenter. (audio) - What we gladly want, we gladly believe as well.
p. 286. Ars varia vulpi. (essay + audio) - The fox has many a trick.
p. 286. Scit multa vulpes, magnum echinus unicum. (audio) - The fox knows many things; the hedgehog knows one big thing.
p. 290. Quid leone fortius? (audio) - What thing is stronger than a lion?
p. 290. Nunquam est fidelis cum potente societas. (essay + audio) - The company of the powerful man is never to be trusted.
p. 302. Hospitium verendum. (audio) - Hospitality is a sacred duty.
p. 302. Post tres dies piscis vilescit et hospes. (essay + audio) - After three days the fish stinks, as does the houseguest.
p. 306. Quid libertate pretiosius? (audio) - What thing is more valuable than freedom?
p. 306. Nemo nisi sapiens liber est. (essay + audio) - No man is free, except the wise man.
p. 314. Medice, cura te ipsum! (audio) - Physician, cure yourself!
p. 315. Medico male est, si nemini male est. (audio) - It's bad news for the doctor if no one's feeling bad.
p. 315. Morborum medicus omnium mors ultimus. (audio) - Death is the lst doctor of all diseases.
p. 320. Libertas optima rerum. (audio) - Freedom is the best of things.
p. 320. Liber inops servo divite felicior. (audio) - A free man without wealth is happier than a rich servant.
p. 324. Omnes homines aut liberi sunt aut servi. (audio) - All men are either free, or slaves.
