Contra, aliquando vultus asper dolorem occultum ostendit, et tunc amicum consolari oportet.

Here contra means something like on the other hand, by contrast, or conversely.

It is not being used here as a preposition with an object. Instead, it works more like a sentence adverb, introducing a contrast with what came before.

So Contra, ... signals: Now in contrast to that previous idea...

Aliquando means sometimes or at times.

It tells you that the statement is not always true, but true on some occasions:

• aliquando = sometimes
• tunc later in the sentence = then, at that time

So the sentence has a nice logical flow:

• sometimes a harsh expression reveals hidden pain,
• and then one ought to comfort a friend.

Vultus means expression, look, or facial expression.

In this sentence, vultus is the subject of ostendit, so it is nominative singular.

A common point of confusion is that vultus belongs to the 4th declension, where the nominative singular often ends in -us, but not in the same way as a 2nd-declension noun like servus.

For vultus, vultūs:

• nominative singular: vultus
• accusative singular: vultum
• genitive singular: vultūs

So here:

• vultus asper = a harsh expression

Asper is an adjective meaning rough, harsh, stern, or grim.

It agrees with vultus in:

• gender: masculine
• number: singular
• case: nominative

So:

• vultus = nominative singular masculine
• asper = nominative singular masculine

Together they form the subject:

• vultus asper = a harsh expression

Because they are the direct object of ostendit.

The verb ostendere means to show, to reveal, or to display, and what is being shown is hidden pain:

• dolorem = pain, sorrow, grief
• occultum = hidden

The adjective occultum agrees with dolorem:

• masculine
• singular
• accusative

So:

• dolorem occultum = hidden pain

Ostendit comes from ostendere, meaning to show, to reveal, or to indicate.

Here it is best understood as present tense:

• ostendit = shows / reveals

A useful thing to know is that ostendit can sometimes be ambiguous in form:

• it can be present: he/she/it shows
• or perfect: he/she/it showed

But in this sentence, the general statement and the surrounding words make present tense the natural reading:

• sometimes a harsh expression reveals hidden pain

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because the endings show grammatical function.

English depends heavily on position:

• the expression reveals pain

Latin can move words around more easily because case endings tell you what each word is doing.

In this sentence:

• vultus asper is the subject
• dolorem occultum is the object
• ostendit is the verb

Latin often places words for emphasis or rhythm rather than following a rigid subject-verb-object pattern. So although the order may feel unusual to an English speaker, the grammar is still clear from the forms.

This is a very common Latin pattern.

• oportet = it is proper, it is necessary, one ought
• consolari = to comfort
• amicum = a friend

So the construction is:

• accusative + infinitive + oportet

That means the person affected by the necessity is often put in the accusative, and the action itself is expressed with an infinitive.

So:

• amicum consolari oportet = it is necessary to comfort a friend / one ought to comfort a friend

The accusative here is not the direct object of oportet in the English sense; it is part of the standard Latin construction used with this impersonal verb.

Yes, semantically a friend is the one being comforted, so in that sense it is the object of consolari.

And grammatically, it is indeed in the accusative, which is exactly what you would expect for the object of the infinitive.

What may feel strange is that the whole phrase is governed by oportet, an impersonal verb. Latin often uses an infinitive phrase after oportet, and any object belonging to that infinitive stays in the case it normally requires.

So:

• consolari amicum = to comfort a friend
• the sentence has simply placed amicum before consolari

Because consolari is a deponent verb.

A deponent verb:

• has passive-looking forms
• but an active meaning

So consolor, consolari, consolatus sum means:

• I comfort
• to comfort

Its infinitive is therefore consolari, not consolare.

This is very common in Latin and often surprises English-speaking learners. Even though consolari looks passive, here it means to comfort, not to be comforted.

That is normal with oportet.

Oportet is an impersonal verb, meaning it does not need to name a specific subject like I, you, or they. The sense is general:

• one ought to comfort a friend
• it is necessary to comfort a friend
• a friend should be comforted in context, though that is less literal

So the doer is left unspecified and understood generally.

Et tunc means and then.

It connects the two ideas in a cause-and-response sequence:

1. sometimes a harsh expression reveals hidden pain
2. and then one ought to comfort a friend

So tunc points to the moment when the hidden pain becomes evident. It means something like:

• at that point
• in that case
• then

Yes. Vultus can mean:

• facial expression
• look
• appearance
• sometimes even countenance

So vultus asper suggests more than just the physical face; it can convey the idea of a stern, grim, or hard look.

That fits the sentence well, because the point is that an outwardly harsh look may actually reveal inward suffering.

Yes, and it is a nice stylistic point.

• asper describes what is outward and visible: a harsh expression
• occultum describes what is inward and hidden: hidden pain

So the sentence contrasts:

• external appearance
• internal feeling

Latin often expresses this kind of idea compactly. The harsh exterior is not the real problem; it may be a sign of concealed suffering.