Si vis pacem, para bellum.

I saw this wise proverb from the fifth century writer Vegetius in a letter in the Sunday Telegraph on Sunday, 27th January.  In Engish, the advice is "If you want peace, prepare for war".  Sadly, the converse is also true, and worryingly relevant to the UK's present circumstances.

vis is the second person singular of the present indicative of the irregular verb volo and means you (s) want.  para is the singular imperative of the verb paro, parare, paravi, paratum to prepare.  It simply means prepare.