PHRASES IN LATIN AND ITALIAN IN THE
BAGATTI VALSECCHI MUSEUM

ENTRYWAY TO FAUSTO’S APARTMENTS

AMICIS PATEO AETERNUMQUE PATEBO
I am, and always will be, open to friends

ENTRYWAY TO THE BEVILACQUA ROOM

on the door
VIRTUTE DUCE
COMITE FORTUNA
Virtue as guide, Fortune as companion

LIBRARY

OMNIA LABUTUR VIRTUS VIRESCIT
Everything else is consumed, Virtue grows back

FERENDUM ET SPERANDUM
One must bear up, and hope

NE SPODETO NIHIL DEBETO
Promising nothing, one owes nothing

IN MEDIO VIRTUS
Virtue lies in the middle way

VIGILANDUM CONIVENDUM
One must be vigilant and longsuffering

FALSA PLURIMA VULGUS AMAT
Common folk love false things

GLORIA CUIQUE SUA EST
To each his own glory

SPEM FAVET VITAM
Hope nourishes life

LEONEM NE TODETO
Don’t tease (the) lion

STATERAM NE TRASILITO
Don’t go beyond your limits

UMBRAM NE METIARE
Don’t measure shadows

IGNEM GLADIO NE FODITO
Don’t fight fire with swords

TEMPUS FACIT EXPERIENTIAM
Time produces experience

IN ACTIONE VIRTUS
Virtue lies in the doing

NEC SCIRE FAS EST OMNIA
To know everything isn’t possible

HEU FUGACES LABUTUR ANI
How quickly time flies

label indicating the restoration of 1958
PAX DE BAGATIS REFICIENDA CURAVIT ROCCATAGLIATA OPUS PERFECIT ANNO DOMINI MCMLVIII
Pasino Bagatti saw to the restoration, Roccatagliata finished it in 1958

on the bookcase to the right of the door
LABOR SEMPER AMOR
Work (is) always love

at the bottom of the furniture, on the left as entering
HODIE MIHI CRAS TIBI
Today (it’s my turn), tomorrow (it’s) yours

flanking the closed door on the left
VIRTUS
Valor

RESPICE FINEM
Keep your eye on the goal

3rd pilaster on the lower right
Don’t judge eveningtime by the morning

2nd pilaster to the right of the bookstand
BONIS ET VITA ET MORS DULCIS EST
For good people, both life and death are sweet

BEVILACQUA ROOM

under the Bevilacqua painting
AVE, SPONSA DIVINITATIS, QUIS SIMILIS TUI PRAESERVATUS A MACULA ORIGINALI
Hail wife of the Lord, who, other than you, was conceived without original sin?

on the entryway to the Room of the Valtellinese Bed

left side
FIDES (Faith) / LABOR (Work) / GLORIA (Glory)

right side
VIRTUS (Virtue) / AMOR (Love) / HONOR (Honor)

ROOM OF THE VALTELLINESE BED (FAUSTO'S BEDROOM)

entryway, wooden door to the left
VITA SI SCIAS UTI LONGA EST
Life, if you know how to use it, is long

over the door (in the lunette)
AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA
Hail Mary, full of grace

in the fireplace
DUM MEUS ASSIDUO LUCEAT IGNE FOCUS
As long as my fire may burn with a continuous flame

frieze
AEDIFICA TAMQUAM SEMPER VIVITURUS ET VIVE QUASI PROTINUS MORITURUS. QUOD SI FECERIS TIBI VITAM IN PERPETUO APUD DEUM ET MORTALES POLLICEOR
Build as if you were destined to live forever, and live as if you were to die, very soon. If you will have done this, I promise you eternal life with God and mortals.

FAUSTO'S BATHROOM

to the right, on the tub
LIMPIDA FLUIT
Clean [it] flows

to the left, on the fireplace
SORDIDA PURGAT
[It] burns/purges filth

ROOM OF THE LABYRINTH

on the ceiling
PRINCIPIUM EST PLUSQUAM DIMIDIUM SED NOSCE TE IPSUM ET CONSULE ANTE FACTUM
A good beginning is half of the work, but know yourself, and think, before acting

DILIGENTIA AUGET OPUS
Diligence increases the value of the undertaking

QUOD DIFFICILIUS HOC PRAECLARIUS
That which is more difficult is more worthy of honor

LABOR IMPROBUS OMNIA VINCIT
Hard work wins over all

VIRTUS IN ACTIONE CONSISTIT GLORIAMQUE PARIT
Virtue is in the action, and generates glory

RARA QUIDEM EST VIRTUS QUAM NON FORTUNA GUBERNET ET EST VIRTUTIS OPUS NON AD IACTANTIAM SED AD PATRIAE DECUS FAMAM EXTENDERE FACTIS
Rare is the value unsustained by Fortune, and it is the task of value to increase, with actions, it’s own name, not for the sake of vain glory, but for fame for the homeland

SIC ITUR PER ANGUSTA AD AUGUSTA
One goes thus from difficulties to august achievements

ROOM OF THE VALTELLINESE STOVE

QUISQUIS AMAT DICTIS ABSENT[I]UM RODERE VITAM HANC FLAMAM VETITAM NOVERAT ESSE SIBI
May whoever loves to speak badly of those not present know that this fireplace is forbidden to them

RED ROOM (CAROLINA'S BEDROOM)

door to the right of the bed
ARS GAUDET
Happy is art

porta a sinistra
HUMILITAS
Humility
(the motto of the Borromeo family to which Carolina belonged)

GREEN ROOM (GIUSEPPE'S BEDROOM)

frieze
NEC CENSUS NEC CLARUM NOMEN AVORUM SED PROBITAS MAGNOS INGENIUM FACIT
Neither wealth, nor the illustrious name of one’s ancestors, rather honesty and intelligence make one great

over the fireplace
BRAMO ASSAI POCO SPERO E NULLA CHIEDO
(the meaning depends on where you put the pauses/commas)
I desire rather little, I hope, and I ask for nothing
or
I desire rather a lot, hope little, and ask for nothing

CUPOLA

on the cloth doorhanging
OPEROSIOR UNDE SPLENDIDIOR
More dedicated, thus more splendid

on the diptych above the doorhanging
ORATE NOSTRA OMNIUMQUE SALUTE
Pray for our salvation and that of everyone

GRAND SALON

on the wooden revetment frieze running all around the room, beginning from the left of the fireplace
LAUDAMUS VETERES SED NOSTRIS UTIMUR ANNIS
We praise the past, but live in our own time

CARPE DIEM QUAM MINIMUM CREDULUS POSTERO
Sieze the moment according to how little you believe in the future

NOSCE TE IPSUM
Know yourself

ARS SECULOR VICTRIS
Art, victor of the centuries

ARS SIBI PREMIUM
Art is a prize unto itself

RESPICE FINEM
Keep your eye on the end (goal)

AMICUM SECUNDAE RES PARANT ADVERSAE PROBANT
Fortune gets you a friend, Calamity tests him

REBUS ANGUSTIS ANIMOSUS ATQUE FORTIS APPARE[T]
The courageous and strong man is revealed by adversity

QUAERERE VERUM
Seek the Truth

ARS PATRIAE DECUS
Art, honor of the homeland

ARS VOX AMORIS
Art, the voice of love

FESTINA LENTE
Hurry up, slowly

pilaster of the door to the left of the revetment seating area (coro)
ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS
Art (is) long-lived, life (is) short

frontispiece of the book sculpted on the pilaster of the door to the right of the fireplace
AEPISCOPORUM VERON ANTIQUA MONUMENTA QUORUM CORPORA VERONA HABENTUR PER RAPHAELEM DE BAGATIS ARCHIPRESB S.S. APOSTOLORUM VENETIIS MDLXXVI
Antique monuments in which the bodies of the bishops of Verona are conserved in Verona by Raphael Bagatti, Archpriest of SS. Apostoli, Venice, 1576

on the pilaster of the door to the left of the fireplace
IN LABORE VIRTUS
Virtue in work

SCRIPTA MANENT VERBA VOLANT
Things written down remain, the spoken word flies away

CURRIT FEROX AETAS
Time flies ferociously

on the pilaster of the door to the right of the fireplace

JO DE BAGATTIS FORMIS
Designed by Giuseppe Bagatti [Valsecchi]

on the book held by the Lion of S. Mark, over the reventment seating area (coro)
PAX TIBI MARCE EVANGELISTA MEUS
Peace unto you, Mark, my Evangelist

DINING ROOM

above the door from the corridor leading from the Gallery of Arms
ASSAI PIU’ PER LA GOLA CHE NON FANNO PER LA RIA SPADA A MORTE HUOMINI VANNO
Rather more for the throat (taste buds) than for the straight sword do men go to their death

above the door in the corner to the left of the fireplace
DI RARO AVVIEN CHE STOMACO DIGIUNO SPREZZE PER VIL CHE SIA CIBO VERUNO
It is rare that a fasting stomach denigrates as vile that which is real food

over the door in the corner to the right of the fireplace
STIMA L’IMMONDO PORCO UN CIBO VILE PIU’ CH’UNA NON FARIA GEMMA GENTILE
The filthy pig appreciates a vile food more than a woman would a pleasing gem

over the door to the Study
CIBO NON E’ PER GRATO CH’EGLI SIA CHE TROP(P)O USATO AL FIN TEDIO NON DIA
There is no food, as much as it might be pleasing, that, if consumed too much, would not be tedious

ARMIGERI ATRIUM

above the fountain
SITIENTES VENITE AD AQUAS
Thirsty ones, come to the waters

inside the fireplace
QUID LAEVIUS VENTO : FLAMEN / QUID FLAMINE : FUMUS / QUID FUMO : MULIER / QUID MULIERE : NIHIL
What is lighter than the wind? The flame / What is lighter than the flame? Smoke / What is lighter than smoke? A woman / What is lighter than a woman? Nothing

above the door between the Armigeri Atrium stairs and the study
AMICIS SEMPER LIBENS PATEBO
I always will be open for friends

COURTYARDS

courtyard on the via Gesù, n°5, side

in the alcove, above the fountain and statue
SITIENTES VENITE AD AQUAM
Thirsty ones, come to the water

above the door to the right upon entering the courtyard from via Gesù
ANNO.DOMINI
(In the) Year of Our Lord

above the door to the museum
M.DCCC.LXX.VII
1877

on the 1st level frieze around the via Gesù, 5, courtyard
HAS AEDES PATRUM FAUSTUS ET JOSEPH FRATES DE BAGATIS POLITIORI CULTU IN ANTIQUUM RITUM IPSI OPUS CURANTES INSTAURABANT ET PERFICIEBANT ANNO A NATIVITATE DOMINI MDCCCLXXVIII
The brothers Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti [Valsecchi], following in person the undertaking of renewing this house of their ancestors in (a) more elegant ancient style, finished the work in the year of our Lord 1878

in the covered passage between the two courtyards

FATO PRUDENTIA MINOR
Prudence is less important than Fate

courtyard on the via S. Spirito, n°10, side

pavement (very worn) just inside the the via Santo Spirito, n° 10, courtyard, in front of the "new" (1885 ca.) entrance
AGE HOSPES EST TIBI AMICA DOMUS
Greetings, guest, this house is a friend to you

on the 1st level frieze around the courtyard
AEDES AVORUM FAUSTUS DE BAGATIS UT NOVA LAETARETUR DOMINA AMPLIANDAS LIBENTISSIME CURAVIT. JOSEPHUS FRATER UXOREM DUCENS GRAVIOREM ANTIQUITATIS RITUM FLORE PULCHERRIMO EXORNAVIT CAROLAM DE BOROMEIS REGINAM FECIT ANNO DOMINI MDCCCLXXXII
Fausto Bagatti [Valsecchi], with great pleasure, saw to the enlargement of the house of his ancestors so that the new lady (of the house) might be gladdened. His brother, Giuseppe, taking a wife, decorates the most serious trappings of antiquity with a beautiful flower. (He) made Carolina Borromeo queen in the year of Our Lord 1882

above the loggia
NON DOMUI DOMINUS SED DOMINO DOMUS
Not a lord for a house, but a house for a lord

frieze on the second floor
HIC LARES HIC QUIES HIC VETERUM MEMORIAE Here, the gods of the house; here, tranquility; here, the memory of the ancient ones

opposite frieze on the second floor
ISTE TERRARUM NOBIS PRAETER OMNES ANGULUS RIDET
For us, this corner of earth laughs above any other thing

FACADE ON VIA S. SPIRITO N° 7
(the Bagatti Valsecchi palazzo across the street from the museum)
CONCORDIA FRATRUM AEDIFICABITUR DOMUS
Brotherly harmony built (this) house.