cxlvii

Theme for this month: Inchoative verbs

convalesco, convalescere, convaleui

Definition: to grow strong, thrive; (of persons, opinions, etc.) to gain in power or influence; to regain one's strength after an illness, recover; (legal) to become valid

Sententia: Si Iulia aegrescat, debet ire ad fundum similis ei Catulli, ut convalescat otioque et urtica

If Julia should grow sick, she ought to go to a farm similar to that of Catullus, so that she may grow strong by means of leisure and nettle [as in teas and other curative things].

NB: If you have never read Catullus 44, what better time than now, so that you can understand the reference made to it in this LVD!

I must admit, "convalesco" is rarely found in Latin literature. In its uncompounded (but still inchoative!) form, it is even less common (according to Perseus, by no means a comprehensive listing of all of the works of Latin literature, but a significant listing, 47 occurrences in the first form and 10 in the second). The non-inchoative form, "valeo," however, is very common--I personally use the present active imperative form for signing off of almost all emails and chat conversations (because I am a complete Latin nerd)--occurring 1751 times, by the same source. And I suppose that having just explained the relative frequencies of the words making up the derivation, explaining it is a bit redundant, but nevertheless, "convalesco" is "con-," indicating a feeling of intensification/completeness, + "valeo," meaning "to be strong," + "-sco," that good ol' inchoative indicator (just like in chem!). And I leave you with the motto of my newly-assigned residential college, Trumbull--"fortuna favet audaci", "fortune favors the bold" (though for some reason all of the official translations translate "audaci" as "brave." This is not quite an accurate translation, since "audax" comes directly from "audeo," meaning "to dare." hmph).