Themistius ponders things of a timeless and higher order.

Nam quae rebus mundanis excelsiora sunt, generationem non habent.

For those things that are higher than worldly things, do not have an origin.

Nam: for

Quae: those things

Rebus: things

Mundanis: by, with or from worldly

Excelsiora: higher, loftier

Sunt: are

Generationem: birth, origin

Non habent: do not have

Livy records the rites before battle.

Romani consules, priusquam educerent in aciem, immolaverunt.

The Roman consuls, before they led out [their troops] into the line of battle, offered sacrifices. 

Romani: Roman

Consules: consuls

Priusquam: before

Educerent: they led out

In: into the

Aciem: the battle line

Immolaverunt: they offered sacrifice

Cicero recounts the brave standing up against injustice.

Agyrinenses, viri fortissimi, iudicio se passuros esse dicebant.

The Agyrinenses, bravest of men, said they would submit themselves to stand trial. 

Agyrinenses: The Agyrinenses or the people of Agyrium

Viri: men

Fortissimi: bravest, most courageous

Iudicio: to stand trial or for judgment

Se: themselves

Passuros esse: would submit

Dicebant: they said

Seneca finds happiness where others don’t look.

Honesta res est laeta paupertas.

Cheerful povery is an honourable thing.

Honesta: honourable

Res: thing

Est: is

Laeta: cheerful

Paupertas: poverty

Petronius begins a rant on new money.

Uxor, inquit, Trimalchionis, Fortunata appellatur, quae nummos modio metitur.

The wife of Trimalchio, he said, is called Fortunata, who measures out coins by the bushel.

Uxor: wife

Inquit: he said

Trimalchionis: of Trimalchio

Fortunata: proper noun name meaning fortunate

Appellatur: is called or named

Quae: who

Nummos: coins

Modio: by the bushel

Metitur: measures

Lucretius says nothing comes from nothing

Nullam rem e nihilo gigni divinitus umquam.

No thing is at any time to be created from nothing by divine power

Nullum: no

Rem: thing

E nihilo: from nothing

Gigni: to be born or created

Divinitus: by divine power

Umquam: Ever, at any time

Ausonius ponders the power of speech.

Modo intellego, quam mellea res sit oratio.

I understand only now how honey sweet a thing eloquence is.

Modo: only now

Intellego: I understand

Quam: how, what

Mellea: honey sweet

Res: thing

Sit: is

Oratio: speech, eloquence

Seneca looks inward and finds himself wanting.

Inquirenti mihi in me quaedam vitia apparebant.

To me, inquiring into myself, certain faults became apparent.

Inquirenti: As I was examining

Mihi: to me

In me: into myself

Quaedam: certain

Vitia: Faults

Apparebant: became apparent

Martial takes down an opponent with slight and wit.

Non scribit, cuius carmina nemo legit.

He writes not, whose poems no one reads.

Non: not

Scribit: he writes

Cuius: whose

Carmina: poems, songs

Nemo: no one

Legit: reads

Cato tells you what to do when buying a house

De domino bono bonoque aedificatore melius emetur.

A purchase will be better made from a good owner and a good builder.

De: from

Domino bono bonoque aedificatore: from a good owner and a good builder

Melius: better

Emetur: a purchase will be made