if you want peace, prepare for warVisibly preparing for a fight can deter one's enemies from opening hostilities, by not giving the appearance of an easy target.
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kingEven someone with limited abilities or opportunities is dominant over, and considered special by, those who have even fewer abilities and opportunities; the value of any ability depends on its prevalence.
in wine, there is truthStatements made or expressed under the influence of alcohol reveal true beliefs that are not expressed when sober.
iron ageThe most recent and debased of the four or five classical Ages of Man; hence, any period characterized by wicked behavior.
Japanese irisA group of iris flower species native to or cultivated in East Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, China, Russia, and Mongolia. Scientifically, the three primary species are Iris ensata, Iris laevigata, and Iris sanguinea.
let the buyer bewareIt is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure the soundness of goods or services prior to their purchase.
liberal artsThe academic course of instruction intended to provide general knowledge and usually comprising the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, as opposed to professional or technical subjects.
location arithmeticA device and technique described in Napier's treatise Rabdologiæ for performing multiplication, division and extraction of square roots by using counters to represent numbers in binary.
love conquers allLove is a powerful force that overcomes all obstacles.
magic lanternAn early light projector and precursor to the slide projector that could achieve simple animation by moving and merging images.
male memberUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see male, member.
man is a wolf to manHumans are often cruel, predatory, and inhumane towards each other.
metrical footThe basic unit of the underlying rhythm of verse.
middle scalene muscleA muscle arising from the transverse processes of the lower six cervical vertebrae, inserting on the upper surface of the first rib, and functioning to bend the neck forward and laterally and to rotate it to the side.
money does not smellThe value of money is not affected by the business it comes from, even from the most unpleasant one.
no contestA type of plea in a criminal proceeding where the defendant neither admits nor denies guilt but consents to the imposition of punishment as if guilty.
nominative absolutein English; realized as a noun phrase and a participle or adjective
Pelagian IslandsA group of three islands (Lampedusa, Lampione, and Linosa) belonging to Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia, south of Sicily.
Pentelic marbleA white marble with a uniform, faint yellow tint, quarried on Mount Pentelicus near Athens.
perfect numberA number that is the sum of all of its divisors except itself.
Pillars of HerculesThe two promontories at the Strait of Gibraltar, and thus the western limit of the Mediterranean world.
pious fraudAn act of innocent deceit, technically using the methods of a fraudster but for an honest, honorable purpose.
pole starThe star visible to the naked eye which was in the past, is now, or will be in the future nearest a celestial pole of a planet.
presence of mindFocused alertness, good sense, quick-thinking resourcefulness, or stability of feeling and thought, especially in spite of circumstances which are distracting, stressful, or otherwise challenging.
temporal hourA unit of time defined as ¹⁄₁₂ of a day's daylight or nighttime, varying according to season, latitude, and local weather.
the die is castA conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner; the point of no return has been passed; the future is determined; there are no more options.
there is nothing new under the sunThere is nothing truly novel in existence; every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.
there's no accounting for tasteIn subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions; disagreements about matters of taste cannot be objectively resolved.
these presentsThis document (formerly used in official documents and decrees; now mainly confined to university diplomas).
tribune of the plebsThe first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, with the power to convene and preside over the Concilium Plebis (people's assembly); to summon the senate; to propose legislation; to intervene on behalf of plebeians in legal matters and to veto the actions of the consuls and other magistrates.
turnskinSomeone who can change their skin at will, especially into that of a wolf; a werewolf.
tympanic boneA bone of the skull which encloses part of the tympanum and supports the tympanic membrane. In humans it is part of the temporal bone, whereas in other animals it is separate.
vale of tearsThe world, a place where difficulties and the sorrows of life are felt, especially (Christianity) as a place to be left behind when one dies and goes to heaven.
vine staffA cane originally made of twisted grapevine trimmings and used by Roman centurions to beat the soldiers under their command; the various mushroom-headed batons later borne by them as a mark of office.