Archimedes sets the standard for focusing on a problem.

Noli, obsecro, istum disturbare.

Do not, I beg, disturb that (figures in the sand)

Noli: do not

Obsecro: I beg

Istum: that

Disturbare: to disturb or disrupt

Martial makes sense of staying up late.

Quod nimio gaudes noctem producere vino, ignosco.

That you take pleasure to prolong the night with too much wine, I forgive.

Quod: that

Nimio: of too much

Vino: of wine

Gaudes: you take pleasure

Noctem: night

Producere: to prolong

Ignosco: I forgive

While Rome fights its enemy, its enemy bribes Rome’s rulers. Sallust comments on true power’s place in one’s mind.

Sed dux atque imperator vitae mortalium animus est.
However the leader and commander of mortal life is the mind.

Sed: but, however

Dux: leader

Atque: and also

Imperator: commander, ruler

Vitae: of life

Mortalium of mortals

Animus: mind

Est: is

Medea, betrayed, lets loose at the injustice.

Merita contempsit mea qui scelere flammas viderat vinci et mare?

Has he despised my merits—who by treachery had seen flames and sea to be conquered?

Merita mea: my merits

Contempsit: he despised

Qui: who

Scelere: by treachery

Flammas: flames

Viderat: had seen

Vinci: to be conquered

Et mare: and sea

Cassian chastises the lazy

In desideriis est omnis otiosus, et iterum: desideria pigrum occidunt.

Every idle person is given over to desires; and again: desires kill the lazy.

In desideriis: given over to desires.

Est: is

Omnis otiosus: every idle person.

Et iterum: and again.

Desideria: desires

Pigrum: the lazy (person)

Occidunt: (it) kills

Seneca bores of rhetorical games 

Fatebor vobis, iam res taedio est.
I will confess to you all, this matter is now tiresome.

Fatebor: I will confess.

Vobis: to you (all).

Iam: now or already.

Res: thing, matter, situation

Taedio: a source of weariness or tiresome.

Est: is

Sidonius is grateful to have his life spared, and doesn’t care what others say about that.

Vincant eloquio, dummodo nos domino.
Let them prevail in eloquence, as long as we are for our lord.

Vincant: Let them prevail.

Eloquio: in eloquence.

Dummodo: as long as.

Nos: we

Domino: for our lord

The great Ulysses knows to avoid the once great Ajax who has lost his mind.

Videre mentis compotem compos queam.

I wish to see him in possession of his mind and self-controlled.

Videre: to see

Mentis: of (his) mind

Compotem: in control of, in possession of.

Compos: self-controlled, possessing control.

Queam: I wish to.

Martial challenges your expectations with this pithy line.

Quid nunc saeua fugis placidi, lepus, ora leonis?

Why do you now flee the fierce jaws of the gentle lion, hare?

Quid nunc: why now?

Saeua: fierce

Fugis: you flee

Placidi: gentle, calm

Lepus: hare

Ora: mouth

Leonis: of the lion

Horace reminds us that no fate surpasses any station we may hold in life

Aequa lege Necessitas sortitur insignis et imos.

Necessity assigns according to a fair law, to the high and low born alike. 

aequa: with a fair; in the feminine singular ablative

Lege: with a law; in the feminine singular ablative

Together, aequa lege are an ablative of manner meaning ‘with a fair law’ or ‘according to a fair law’

Necessitas: Necessity; personified as a force of fate, in the feminine singular nominative

Sortitur: assigns or distributes; a deponent verb in the third person singular present indicative

Insignis: distinguished, noble or of high status; in the plural accusative

Et: and

Imos: lowest, most humble; in the plural accusative