10.03.27: Level 4; literature; the Pater Noster of Juvencus [2]; notes on Latin poetry [1] metre

Some basics of Latin poetry were first discussed here:

04.09.25: The best place to start Latin poetry is … in a cave! [2]; some basics concerning Classical Latin poetry

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/774016828542921/

[i] In print, you will either come across completely unscanned versions of verse or, as I have written below, edited texts with naturally long vowels marked (see the next post: identifying long and short syllables)

Sīdereō genitor residēns in vertice caelī

Nōminis ōrāmus venerātiō sānctificētur

In nōbīs Pater alte tuī: tranquillaque mundō

Adveniat rēgnumque tuum lūx alma reclaudat

In caelō ut terrīs fīat tua clāra voluntās

Vītālisque hodiē sānctī substantia pānis

Prōveniat nōbīs; tua mox largītiō solvat

Innumera indulgēns errōris dēbita prāvī

Et nōs haut aliter concēdere foenora nostrīs

Tētrī saeva procul temptātiō daemonis absit

Aequē malīs tua nōs in lūcem dextera tollat

[ii] A fully scanned version would have this or a similar format:

l.1: Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī

l.2: Nō-mĭ-nĭs ¦ ōr-ā- ¦ mūs vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rā- tⁱō ¦ sānc- tĭ- fĭ- ¦ cē-tŭr

l.3: Īn nō- ¦ bīs pă- tĕr ¦ āl-tĕ tŭ- ¦ ī: trān- ¦ qu-īl-lă-quĕ ¦ mūn-dō

l.4: Ād-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt rēg- ¦ nūm-quĕ tŭ- ¦ ūm lūx ¦ āl-mă rĕ- ¦ clāu-dăt

l.5: Īn cāe- ¦ l(o) ͜   ūt tēr- ¦ rīs fī- ¦ āt tŭ-ă ¦ clāră vŏ- ¦ lūn-tās

l.6: Vī-tā- ¦ līs-qu(e) ͜   (h)ŏ-dĭ- ¦ ē sānc- ¦ tī sūb- ¦ stān-tĭ-ă ¦ pā-nĭs

l.7: Prō-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt nō- ¦ bīs; tŭ-ă ¦ mōx lār- ¦ gī-tⁱō ¦ sōl-văt

l.8: Īn-nŭ-mĕ- ¦ r(a) ͜   īn-dūl- ¦ gēns ēr- ¦ rō-rīs ¦ dē-bĭ-tă ¦ prāvī

l.9: Ēt nōs ¦ hāut ă-lĭ-¦ tēr cōn- ¦ cē-dĕ-rĕ ¦ fōe-nŏ-ră ¦ nōs-trīs

l.10: Tē-trī ¦ sāe-vă prŏ- ¦ cūl tēmp- ¦ tā-tⁱō ¦ dāe-mŏ-nĭs ¦ āb-sĭt

l.11: Āe-quĕ mă- ¦ līs tŭ-ă ¦ nōs īn ¦ lū-cēm ¦ dēx-tĕ-ră ¦ tōl-lăt

As an example. The links below are to a poem V by Catullus:

[i] The first link takes you to a completely unscanned version

http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/l5.htm

[ii] The second takes you to a scanned version

http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/sc5.htm

[1] Metre

References are made here to long and short syllables; that is discussed in the next post

Vincent describes the verse as dactylic hexameter:

(1) a dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables: — UU

Line 1: SĪ-DĔ-RĔ- ¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī

(2) Two short syllables can equal one long syllable i.e. — UU = — — ; a combination of two long syllables is known as a spondee

Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ (2) DĒNS ĪN ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī

Combinations, six feet of six dactyls or spondees, is known as hexameter.

[1] Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ [2] ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ [3] tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ [4] dēns īn ¦ [5] vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ [6] cāe-lī

(3) The last syllable of a line can be long or short; this is usually indicated by X i.e. — X; a syllable of this type is called an anceps

[i] In the first line, the final syllable is long:

Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-LĪ

[ii] In Line 2 the final syllable is short:

Nō-mĭ-nĭs ¦ ōr-ā- ¦ mūs vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rā- tⁱō ¦ sānc- tĭ- fĭ- ¦ cē-TŬR

When a poem is scanned, sometimes no mark is given above an anceps because it makes no difference.

[iii] Note that /i/ when it is with another vowel e.g. -iō- or -ia- can, depending on the rhythm, be [a] similar to English /y/ and not scanned separately,  or [b] a separate vowel sound

[a]

[l.2] vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rā- tⁱō [imagine ve-ne-¦ ra-tyo (or -tjo- as written in some scans)]

[l.7] lār- ¦ gī-tⁱō

[l.10] tēmp- ¦ tā-tⁱō

[b]

[l.4] the /i/ is scanned as an independent vowel: Ād-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt i.e. it is pronounced distinctly seperately from the following /a/

[l.6] sūb- ¦ stān-tĭ-ă

[l.7] Prō-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt

08.04.27: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [11] (2)

CȲRUS (2)

Post paucōs annōs Cȳrus, Persārum prīnceps, cōpiās in Mēdōrum agrōs dūxit, et tōtam regiōnem celeriter vīcit. Itaque et Mēdiae et Persiae, ingentis rēgnī, rēx erat.

Croesus, ubi cīvēs Cȳrī facta nūntiāvērunt, "Sī Cȳrus," inquit, "adhūc adolēscēns, tam celeriter Mēdōs superāvit, sine dubiō ego, rēx maximus dīvitissimusque, Cȳrum superābō."

Cōpiās igitur cito collēgit et in fīnitimōs agrōs dūxit. Sed nōn bene rem gessit. Nōn diū rēgis exercitus hostium impetum sustinēbat. Persae Croesī mīlitēs fugāvērunt. In Lȳdiam contendērunt et omnia loca ferrō et ignī vastāvērunt; hominēs necāvērunt; vīcōs et frūmentum incendērunt. Rēx perterritus rēgiam petīvit. Eō intrāvit Cȳrus. Cȳrus, vehementer īrātus, "Cūr, Ō Croese," rogāvit, "sine causā bellum in agrōs meōs intulistī? Tū igitur stultitiae tuae poenās gravissimās mihi dabis. Servī meī rogum ingentem trabibus validīs aedificābunt; tē in rogum impōnent; tum tē rogumque incendent."

Media, -ae [1/f]: Media, a country south of the Caspian Sea

[i]

cōpiae, -ārum [1/f pl.]: forces

ferrum, -ī [2/n]: iron, sword

impetus, -ūs [4/m]: attack

Medī, -ōrum [2/m pl.]: Medes

Persae, -ārum [1/m pl.]: Persians

rogus, -ī [2/m]: funeral pile

trabs, trabis [3/f]: beam

[ii]

maximus, -a, -um: greatest, very great

[iii]

colligō, -ere [3]: collect

gerō, -ere [3]: carry on; rem bene gerō: succeed

inferō, inferre: bring into, inflict on

nūntiō, -āre [1]: announce

superō, -āre [1]: overcome

sustineō, -ēre [2]: hold up, sustain

vastō, -āre [1]: devastate, destroy

____________________

After a few years Cyrus, leader of the Persians, led an army into the territory of the Medes and quickly conquered the whole region. Therefore he became king of both Media and Persia, a vast kingdom.

When the subjects of Cyrus reported these deeds, Croesus said:

"If Cyrus, still a young man, has conquered the Medes so quickly, then surely I, the greatest and richest of kings, shall conquer Cyrus."

Accordingly, he quickly gathered his forces and led them into the neighbouring territory. But he was not successful. The king's army did not withstand the enemy's attack for long. The Persians put Croesus' soldiers to flight. They advanced into Lydia and laid waste all places with fire and sword; they killed people and burned villages and grain crops. Terrified, the king made for the royal palace.

Cyrus entered it. Greatly angered, Cyrus asked:

"Why, O Croesus, did you without cause bring war upon my lands? Therefore you shall pay me the severest penalty for your folly. My slaves will build a huge funeral pyre from sturdy beams; they will place you upon the pyre; then they will set fire to both you and the pyre."

09.03.27: Level 4; literature; the Pater Noster of Juvencus [1] text and translation

Vincent recites the Pater Noster of Juvencus (c. 330 AD)

[l.1] Sīdereō genitor residēns in vertice caelī │ Creator / Father sitting in the starry summit of heaven

• genitor, -tōris [3/m]: father; parent (m); creator
• sīdereus, -a, -um: starry; filled with stars < sīdus, -eris [3/n]: star
• vertex, verticis [3/m]: highest point; summit

[l.2] Nōminis ōrāmus venerātiō sānctificētur │ May the reverence of (your) name, we pray, be sanctified

A prayer by its nature is often expressing what someone wants to happen e.g. in English “May he rest in peace”. In Latin this is conveyed by the subjunctive, and the verse contains many examples of it: sānctificētur: May (the reverence of your name) be sanctified.

[l.3] In nōbīs ¦ Pater alte ¦  tuī: tranquillaque mundō │ Father on High, (bring) peaceful things of yours / your peace in us and in the world

pater alte: vocative case < altus, -a, -um: high

[l.4] Adveniat rēgnumque tuum lūx alma reclaudat │ May your kingdom come and the nourishing light disclose.

• almus, -a, -um: nourishing; kind
• reclaudō, -ere [3] = reclūdō, -ere [3]: reveal; disclose

Adveniat rēgnum … tuum: May your kingdom come; subjunctive

lūx alma reclaudat: may the nourishing light disclose

[l.5] In caelō ut terrīs fīat clāra voluntās │ In heaven as on earth (the lands) may your will be made / become clear

• voluntās, -tātis [3/f]: will; desire; free will; Eng. deriv. (via French) volunteer < La: voluntārius, -a, -um: willing

fīat clāra voluntās: May (your) will become clear; subjunctive

[l.6] Vītālisque hodiē sānctī substantia pānis │ And today the vital substance of the holy bread

• substantia, -ae [1/f]: material; contents; (here) substance

Note the word order:

(1) Vītālisque hodiē (2) sānctī (1) substantia (2) pānis

(1) (and) the vital substance (2) of the holy bread

Because of the case endings, Latin words – especially in verse – are often not written together; in poetry this is known as hyperbaton; a writer may do this to conform to the rhythm and / or to create a particular effect e.g. to emphasise certain words or ideas or, in this line (I suspect), to produce alliteration (the repetition of the same initial sound, usually a consonant) i.e. sānctī substantia (pānis)

[l.7] Prōveniat nōbīs; tua mox largītiō solvat │ May it come (forth) to us; may your generosity soon bestow it

• solvō, -ere [3]: (various meanings) loosen; release; pay; grant

[l.8] Innumera indulgēns errōris dēbita prāvī │ Indulging (i.e. being lenient towards / pardoning / forgiving) the countless debts of wicked error

• prāvus, -a, -um: wicked; crooked; depraved; improper etc.

Again, note the word order as an example of hyperbaton (see the note to l.6)

(1) Innumera ¦ indulgēns ¦  (2) errōris (1) dēbita prāvī

indulging ¦ the (1) countless debts (2) of wicked error

And again, you see the word order manipulated to create alliteration: Innumera ¦ indulgēns; the repetition of vowel and consonants extends throughout the line:

Innumera ¦ indulgēns ¦  (2) errōris (1) dēbita prāvī

For reference, there are three terms used to describe this poetic device:

1. Alliteration: repetition of initial sounds, usually consonants: silent seas swell slowly
2. Assonace: repetition of vowel sounds inside words: rise high in the bright sky
3. Consonance: repetition of consonants (not always initial): stroke of luck

However, they rarely appear in such strict divisions, but, like line 8 above, as a combination of devices. One example alone from our era shows how effective such poetic devices can be, an example of sheer genius:  excerpt from the “Witch’s Rap” in the Sondheim musical Into the Woods. The Baker’s father steals from the Witch’s garden; note how she growls, hisses, fumes and spits her words!

Greens greens and nothing but greens! / Parsley, peppers, cabbages, and celery, / Asparagus and  watercress / And fiddleferns and lettuce. / He said "Alright!" / But it wasn't quite. / Cause I caught him / In the autumn / In my garden one night!

You’re not often going to come across such relentless intensity, but it’s useful to know the terms when instances of such poetic devices occur.

[l.9] Et nōs haut aliter concēdere foenora nostrīs │ no differently than we grant debts to our own (people) [i.e. we do not treat others using different terms]; Compare ll8-9 with the standard version of the prayer (Church of Scotland): Forgive us our debts / as we forgive our debtors

The same lines from the Book of Cerne (9^th century): Forgive countless debts of our wicked errors, / no different than we pardon our debtors.

• aliter: otherwise; differently
• concēdō, -ere [3]: (here) allow; grant
• foenus = faenus, -oris [3/n]: (literally) interest on a loan
• haut = haud: not

[l.10] Tētrī saeva procul temptātiō daemonis absit │ May the savage temptation of the foul demon be far away

• tēter = taeter, -tra, -trum: foul; offensive; hideous

(1) Tētrī (2) saeva [procul] (2) temptātiō (1) daemonis

(2) the savage temptation (1) of the foul demon

[l.11] Aequē malīs tua nōs in lūcem dextera tollat │ Equally may your right hand raise us / lift us up from evils into the light

• dextera, -ae [1/f]: right hand
• tollō, -ere [3]: (here) raise; lift up

tua nōs in lūcem dextera: your right hand …

04.08.26: the £2000 question - ocular

[The original video posted elsewhere on FB was poor quality and difficult to read].

She thought she knew the answer, but went 50-50 – and got it right.

The host then followed up by stating that the word is derived from Latin, but they all are.

auris, -is [3/f]: ear > English derivative: aural test, i.e. a test of listening skills

nāsus, -ī [2/m]: nose > Engl. deriv: nasal spray

ōs, ōris [3/n]: mouth > Engl. deriv: oral hygiene

oculus, -ī [2/m]: eye

We’re more used to seeing words such as:

[i] ophthalmology; ophthalmolgist < Anc. Greek ὀφθαλμός [ophthalmós: eye]

[ii] optometry; optical < Anc. Greek ὀπτός [optós: sight, seen, visible]

However, the Latin root is found in words such as:

ocular: referring to the eye < La: oculāris < oculus

ocular side-effects

oculist: eye doctor

The noun oculus itself is a borrowing in English, and is an architectural term referring to any opening e.g. a window that is circular or oval. The Pantheon in Rome has a famous example.

08.03.27: Topic / Level 4; animals at work (3); Varro’s nine part matrix

[6] Two nouns that are very similar to one another:

[i] pecus, pecoris [3/n]: collective noun referring to large domestic animals e.g. livestock; a herd of cattle etc.

The meaning may be extended to refer to any group of animals, including a flock of birds:

volātile pecus (Columella) | ‘winged / flying livestock’, i.e. flock of birds

[ii] pecus, pecudis [3/f]: a single head of cattle

Varro (Dē Rē Rūsticā) divides animal husbandry into a nine part matrix under three headings, each category comprising three specific types:

[1] smaller livestock: sheep, goats, pigs

[2] larger livestock: cattle / oxen; donkeys; horses

[3] animals – and people – not kept for direct profit but rather on account of the livestock e.g. dogs / shepherds to protect them) or derived from the livestock e.g. mules

est scientia pecoris parandī ac pāscendī | there is a knowledge of tending and feeding livestock 

ut frūctūs quam possint maximī capiantur ex eō  | ... so that the greatest profits are obtained from it..

Ea partēs habet novem, | It has nine divisions,

discrētās ter ternās, | separated into three groups of three,

ut sit ūna dē minōribus pecudibus | so that one is concerned with smaller livestock,

cuius genera tria ovēs, capra, sūs, | whose three kinds are the sheep, goat, and pig, 

altera dē pecore maiōre, | the other with larger livestock

in quō sunt item ad trēs speciēs nātūrā discrētī: | in which there are likewise three species divided by their nature:

bovēs, asinī, equī. | cattle, donkeys, and horses.

Tertia pars est in pecuāriā quae nōn parantur | The third part consists of those animals in cattle-raising which are not kept

ut ex iīs capiātur frūctus, |  so that profit may be obtained from them,

sed propter eam aut ex eā. | but [are kept] on account of it or as a result of it.

Sunt mūlī, canēs, pāstōrēs. | They are mules, dogs, and shepherds.

• caper, caprī [2/m]: goat
• capra, -ae [1/f]: she-goat
• canis, -is [3 m/f]: dog
• sūs, suis [3 m/f]: pig, swine
• ovis, -is [3/f]: sheep
• genus, generis [3/n]: kind, race, type
• species, -ēī [5/f]: appearance, form, kind, species

07.03.27: Level 3; ACL/NJCL; 2016; Latin II (i); Questions [1] – [19]; questions

1. Discipulī librum trīstissimum legēbant.

A) sadly

B) very sad

C) rather sad

D) sad

2. Cuius amīcus in ātriō est?

A) Who

B) Whom

C) To whom

D) Whose

3. Hostēs cōnsilia Rōmānōrum praedīcere poterant.

A) will be able

B) are able

C) were able

D) have been able

4. Minerva erat prūdentior cēterīs deīs.

A) than the rest of the gods

B) of the rest of the gods

C) with the rest of the gods

D) by the rest of the gods

5. Nymphae haec carmina canunt.

A) those

B) some

C) these

D) the same

6. Ūndēvīgintī equī in agrō stābant.

A) Nine

B) Eleven

C) Nineteen

D) Twenty-one

7. Dominus canem prope iānuam dormientem nōn videt.

A) sleeping

B) about to fall asleep

C) to sleep

D) had been asleep

8. Parvī puerī celeriter arborem ascendērunt.

A) very quickly

B) quickly

C) rather quickly

D) as quickly as possible

9. Nōbīs placet īre ad amphitheātrum.

A) It pleases us.

B) We ought.

C) It is necessary for us.

D) We are forbidden.

10. Aut pugnāte aut discēdite ab urbe!

A) Neither ... nor

B) Either ... or

C) Both ... and

D) Although ... nevertheless

11. Māter nostra, _____ dōnum dedimus, laetissima erat.

A) quae

B) quōs

C) cui

D) quā

12. Nōnne vīs īre ad lūdōs hodiē?

What is the expected answer to the question?

A) Ita vērō! Volō īre.

B) Sōl lūcet hodiē.

C) Minimē! Nōn hodiē.

D) Est in amphitheātrō.

13. Mōns, quī trēs diēs ērūperat, trēs urbēs dēvāstāvit.

A) on the third day

B) within three days

C) after the third day

D) for three days

14. Nōnnūllī ducēs Gallōrum erant _____ Rōmānōrum.

A) amīcum

B) amīcōs

C) amīcōrum

D) amīcī

15. Hannibal impetum exercituum nōn timuit.

A) of the armies

B) armies

C) to the armies

D) by the armies

16. Ferte, ancillae, vīnum in triclīnium!

A) She is carrying.

B) Carry!

C) They did carry.

D) We will carry.

17. Omnēs sociī regem vulnerātum salūtāvērunt.

A) to wound

B) about to wound

C) wounding

D) wounded

18. Deinde Hippomenēs pōmum ā deā datum dēposuit.

A) to the goddess

B) of the goddess

C) by the goddess

D) with the goddess

19. Puerī, puellam territūrī, post arborem stābant.

A) to frighten

B) frightened

C) intending to frighten

D) had frightened

06.03.27: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [10] (3)

ĪPHIGENĪA (3)

Rēx, ubi ōrāculī respōnsum audīvit, diū sēcum lacrimābat. "Est mihi domī," inquit, "fīlia cāra, Īphigenīa nōmine, sēdecim annōrum puella. Sine dubiō Diāna Īphigenīam victimam petit. Dīra et crūdēlis est dea; sed nōn sine dīs immortālibus ad urbem Trōiam nāvigābimus, et Helenam ex urbe perfidā domum reportābimus."

Nūntium igitur ad Clytaemnēstram, uxōrem suam, mīsit. "Ō Rēgīna," inquit, "fīliam nostrum ad nūptiās ōrnā, et cum fīdīs cūstōdibus ad portum mitte. Achillēs, vir fortis et praeclārus, virginem in mātrimōnium dūcet."

Clytaemnēstra, ubi rēgis dicta audīvit, magnō gaudiō fīliam ad nūptiās parāvit; gemmīs pretiōsīs, vestīmentīs pictīs, puellam ōrnāvit, et tandem cum fīdīs cūstōdibus ad portum mīsit.

Achillēs, -is [3/m]: Achilles, a Greek hero, who fought at Troy

Clytaemnestra, -ae [1/f]: Clytaemnestra, wife of Agamemnon

Īphigenīa, -ae [1/f]: Iphigeneia, daughter of Agamemnon

[i]

custōs, -ōdis [3 m/f]: guard, sentinel

dubium, -ī [2/n]: doubt

gemma, -ae [1/f]: jewel

mātrimōnium, -ī [2/n]: marriage

nuptiae, -ārum [1/f pl]: marriage

[ii]

fīdus, -a, -um: faithful

immortālis, -e: immortal

pretīōsus, -a, -um: precious

[iii]

audiō, -īre [4]: I hear

____________________

The king, when he heard the oracle's answer, wept to himself for a long time.

“I have at home,” he said, “a dear daughter, a girl of sixteen years, named Iphigenia. Without doubt Diana demands Iphigenia as a sacrifice. The goddess is dreadful and cruel; but we shall not sail to the city of Troy without the immortal gods, nor shall we bring Helen home from the treacherous city.”

Accordingly he sent a messenger to Clytaemnestra, his wife.

“O Queen,” he said, “dress our daughter for a wedding and send her to the harbour with trustworthy guards. Achilles, a brave and famous man, will take the maiden in marriage.”

When Clytaemnestra heard the king's words, she prepared her daughter for the wedding with great joy; she adorned the girl with precious jewels and embroidered garments, and at last sent her to the harbour with faithful guards.

01.08.26: Are you a "river bore"?

The Facebook algorithm monster (or whatever it’s called) must have spotted my search for Classical quiz questions. There are far more than I realised, and quite a few to do with derivatives.

My Scots compatriot was confused about the construction, and used two life-lines: she first consulted her “phone a friend” but was not convinced by him. However, the host was confident, and she completely trusted him. Consequently, she got the correct answer: confluence.

The Latin preposition cum [+ ablative] means ‘(together) with’ and most commonly occurs when something is being done together with somebody else although it can be used in other contexts:

Cum amīcō in viā ambulō. | I’m walking with a friend in the street.

However, many Latin prepositions also act as prefixes; they can be added to, for example, verbs to give a more precise indication of the action:

(verb) eō: I go + (preposition) ex: out (of) > exeō: I go out; ex is now acting as a prefix

The preposition cum can also act as a prefix, but undergoes spelling changes. I don’t include all the meanings of each verb, some of which can have multiple definitions, but the ones which clearly show how the prefix is used.

currō: run > concurrō: run with others; ‘flock’ together

undique ex agrīs concurrērunt (Nepos): From the fields they came together from every direction, i.e. they were in separate locations but all ended up at the same place.

habitō: live > cohabitō: live together; cohabit

loquor: speak > colloquor: speak together; converse

claudō: lock; close + con- > conclūdō: finish; conclude

faciō: make > conficiō: complete; if something is confected, it is produced by combining different materials

I am keeping this to a fairly narrow definition since the prefix may also be used with verbs where the basic idea is not always obvious, but it usually conveys, for example, separate physical positions or unfinished parts of a task that reach an “end point”. The sense of ‘together’ often underpins the verbs.

The ‘end point’ in the quiz is where the separate rivers ‘flow together’:

cōnfluō [3]: flow together; also of people: come together in a crowd

> cōnfluēns: [which is] flowing together

> cōnfluentia, -ae [1/f]: (noun) flowing together; conflux

[A pronunciation / spelling shift occurs from La: -entia > OFr: -ence]

> Old French: confluence

> Middle English: confluence, or confluens (Middle English spelling is a bit ‘hit and miss’)

> Modern English: confluence

The prefix is in a wide range of nouns and verbs that were borrowed mainly via French but have their origins in Latin, and the original spellings of the prefix are retained:

collaborate; collect; collision;

commiserate; committee; community

concurrent; confer; conspire

It is also used to create new words:

co-author; co-direct; co-host; co-ownership

Once again, we can see Germanic and Romance roots coexisting:

We can either watch two Germanic streams (OE: strēam) flowing (OE: flōwan) together (OE: tōgædere), or we can win quite a lot of cash by knowing what the confluence of rivers means!

PS: Stan, her "phone-a-friend", wasn't 50% right - he was 100% right!

05.03.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (7); -ae! -ae! -ae!

(1) You have already seen that the ending -ae can be used in three different ways:

[i] Genitive singular

Poēta incola Americae est. | The poet is an inhabitant of America.

[ii] Dative singular

Agricola fīliae meae epistulam dat. | The farmer gives a letter to my daughter.

[iii] Nominative plural

Parvae puellae fābulās amant. | The little girls love stories.

(2) This can be a challenge, yet English can present a similar challenge. Say these four words:

I – eye – aye! – (the letter) i

I have a sore eye. The word aye isn’t written with an i.

Similarly:

I’ll drop by the supermarket and buy some fruit.

Those examples are written differently but all pronounced the same.

However, look at these examples. The words have the same spelling but have different pronunciations and different meanings.

I often read. Yesterday I read a really good book.

This pipe is made of lead. I take the dog out on a lead.

Sometimes, the same word – both written and pronounced identically – has different meanings:

He’s very mean. What do you mean?

The last example best illustrates the point:

We understand what mean means – when we read the word or hear it – from context i.e. the word does not stand alone, but is surrounded by other words which clarify exactly what is being referred to.

(3)

[i] At the beginning of the study of Latin, sentences are often short, a particular ending only appearing in a single word or phrase:

Parvae puellae [nominative] ¦ fābulās amant.

• (Who loves?) The little girls ¦ love the stories.

Poēta incola ¦ Americae [genitive] ¦ est.

• The poet is an inhabitant (of what?) of America.

Pecūniam [accusative] agricolae [dative] dō.

• I give ¦ (what?) money ¦ (to whom?) to the farmer.

[ii] The passages, however, show that the same ending can appear more than once in the same sentence but with different usage and meaning:

Incolae [nominative] ¦ īnsulae [genitive] ¦ nautae [nominative] sunt.

• The inhabitants ¦ (of what?) of the island ¦ are (what?) sailors.

Cornēlia ¦ fīliae [dative] ¦ agricolae [genitive] ¦ pictūram [accusative] ostendit.

• Cornelia shows (what?) a picture ¦ (to whom?) ¦ to the daughter ¦ (whose daughter?) of the farmer.

Becoming familiar with this feature of Latin takes time, regular reading and, as a back-up, references to translations. At the outset, it is best to work out the subject of the sentence and the verb. That will provide the key context:

Cornelia puellae parvae casam agricolae mōnstrat.

Who is performing the action and what is the subject doing?

• Cornēlia [nominative] puellae parvae casam agricolae mōnstrat.
• Cornelia points out …

What does she point out?

• Cornēlia puellae parvae casam [accusative] agricolae mōnstrat.
• Cornelia points out the cottage …

Whose cottage?

• Cornēlia puellae parvae casam agricolae [genitive] mōnstrat.
• Cornelia points out the farmer’s cottage …

To whom does she point it out?

• Cornēlia puellae parvae [dative] casam agricolae mōnstrat.
• Cornelia points out the farmer’s cottage to the little girl.

LINKS

29.05.24: -ae! -ae! -ae!

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/05/290524-ae-ae-ae.html

04.03.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [5] direct objects (1); nouns in -a

[D] You can see that the endings have changed. The noun is the direct object of the sentence i.e. the action is being done to the noun.

[1] Ending in -a:

[i] Singular: -am

Ūvam edō. | I’m eating a/the grape.

Ūnam ūvam edō. | I’m eating one grape.

[ii] Plural: -ās

Ūvās emō. | I’m buying grapes.

Duās ūvās edō. | I’m eating two grapes.

Multās ūvās edō. | I’m eating many grapes.

Exercise

Complete the sentences with the missing endings.

(1) I’m writing a letter.

Epistul____ scrībō.

(2) I’m writing one letter.

Ūn_____ epistul_____ scrībō.

(3) I write letters.

Epistul_____ scrībō.

(4) I’m writing two letters.

Du____ epistul____ scrībō.

(5) I write many letters.

Mult____ epistul____ scrībō.

(6) I’m reading the story.

Fābul_____ legō.

(7) I’m reading stories.

Fābul_____ legō.

(8) I drink water.

Aqu_____ bibō.

(9) I’m buying berries.

Bāc_____ emō.

(10) I’m eating two olives.

Du_____ olīv_____ edō.

(11) I’m preparing the dinner.

Cēn_____ parō.

(12) I close the door.

Iānu_____ claudō.

• aqua: water
• bāca: berry
• cēna: dinner
• epistula: letter
• fābula: story
• iānua: door
• olīva: olive

____________________

(1) Epistulam scrībō.
(2) Ūnam epistulam scrībō.
(3) Epistulās scrībō.
(4) Duās epistulās scrībō.
(5) Multās epistulās scrībō.
(6) Fābulam legō.
(7) Fābulās legō.
(8) Aquam bibō.
(9) Bācās emō.
(10) Duās olīvās edō.
(11) Cēnam parō.
(12) Iānuam claudō.

03.03.27: Level 4; literature; the poetry of Rome: introduction – you’ve just gotta love Lesbia

To give you an idea of the direction in which this set of posts is going, the ability to scan a Latin poem and to analyse its effects are requirements of the UK A Level (post-16) Latin examination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_QAPB3XeA

Vīvāmūs mĕă Lēsbĭ[a] ͜    ātqu[e] ͜    ămēmŭs

rūmōrēsquĕ sĕnūm sĕvērĭōrŭm

ōmnēs ūnĭŭs aēstĭmēmŭs āssĭs

dā mī bāsĭă mīllĕ deīndĕ cēntŭm

deīn mīll[e] ͜    āltĕră deīn sĕcūndă cēntŭm

Deīnd[e] ͜    ūsqu[e] ͜    āltĕră mīllĕ deīndĕ cēntŭm

deīn cūm mīlĭă mūltă fēcĕrīmŭs

cōntūrbābĭmŭs īllă nē scĭāmŭs

aūt nē quīs mălŭs īnvĭdērĕ pōssĭt

cūm tāntūm scĭăt ēssĕ bāsĭōrŭm

(Catullus V)

Let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love,

and let us judge all the rumors of the old men

to be worth just one penny!

Give me a thousand kisses, then another hundred,

then another thousand, then a second hundred,

then yet another thousand more, then another hundred.

Then, when we have made many thousands,

we will mix them all up so that we don't know,

and so that no one can be jealous of us when he finds out

how many kisses we have shared.

The composer, Farya Faraji, makes the following comment: “In my opinion, the best place to start for reconstructing their music is the poetry: Ancient Roman poetry used the interplay of long vs short vowel lengths and stress accent to create rythmic effects to the poetry, not unlike modern rap does.”

And that’s where we’re going to start – not with Catullus, but with a verse from the 4^th century. We’ll meet Catullus – and his fairweather friends – later. The following posts will look at the 4^th century Pater Noster of Juvencus (recited by Vincent). 

02.03.27: Level 3+ (review); correlatives [8] links

You have already seen a number of correlatives used in specific grammatical and syntactical constructions, notably [1] the subjunctive of purpose, and [2] under the heading of pronominal adjectives:

[1]

adeō … ut …

ita … ut …

sīc … ut …

tālis … ut …

tam … ut …

tantus … ut …

tot … ut …

2.05.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [40] dependent uses [2] result [i]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/02/220526-level-3-subjunctive-40-dependent.html

Tam fortis est ¦ ut hostēs vincat │ He is so brave ¦ that he conquers the enemy

Puerī tālia verba clāmant ¦ ut mātrēs audīre nōlint. │ The boys are shouting such words ¦ that the mothers refuse to listen.

Tot mīlitēs urbem oppugnant ¦ ut valdē timeāmus. │ So many soldiers are attacking the city ¦ that we are very afraid.

Tantus clāmor est ¦ ut cīvēs ōrātōrem nōn audiant. │ The noise is so great ¦ that the citizens do not hear the speaker.

Rōmam adeō amat ¦ ut semper hīc habitāre velit. │ He loves Rome to such an extent ¦ that he always wants [lit: would always want] to live here.

Mūrōs ita aedificant ¦ ut hostēs eōs dēlēre nōn possint. │ They build the walls in such a way ¦ that the enemies cannot destroy them.

Sīc pugnat vēnātor ¦ ut leō fugiat. │ The hunter fights in such a way ¦ that the lion flees.

[2]

alter … alter …

alius … alius …

[i] 31.07.25: Level 3; pronominal adjectives [8](2); alter … alter: the one … the other

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/310725-level-3-pronominal-adjectives-82.html

Alter lēgātus hostēs moenibus prohibēre, alter incolās convocāre coepit │ One commander began keeping the enemy from the walls, the other (began) summoning the citizens.

Cum Caesar in Galliam vēnit, alterīus factiōnis prīncipēs erant Aeduī, alterīus Sēquanī. │ When Caesar came to Gaul, the leaders of one faction were the Aedui, (Of) the other were the Sequani.

[ii] 03.08.25: Level 3; pronominal adjectives [9](2); alius … alius

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/030825-level-3-pronominal-adjectives-92.html

Alius hodiē venit, alius crās veniet. │ One comes today, another will come tomorrow.

Aliī gladiōs, aliī scūta portant │ some carry swords, others shields.

[iv] 06.08.25: Level 3; pronominal adjectives [10] alius … alius; alter … alter; taking care when translating

Alius ¦ aliud fēcerat. │ One man had done one thing, the other had done another thing.

In illō proeliō frāter cum frātre pugnāvit; alter alterīus gladiō interfectī sunt. │ In that battle brother fought with brother; (the) one was killed by the sword of (the) one, the other (by the sword) of the other.

01.03.27: Topic / Level 4; animals at work (2)

[3]

[i] bōs, bōvis [3 m/f]: ox (or: head of cattle; bull)

[ii] iuvencus, -ī [2/m]: bullock

[iii] iuvenca, -ae [1/f]: heifer

[iv] taurus, -ī [2/m]: bull

[v] vacca, -ae [1/f]: cow

(1) Catullus 64

Rūra colit nēmō, mollēscunt colla iuvencīs, | no one cultivates the countryside; the necks of the young bulls grow soft

nōn humilis curvīs purgātur vīnea rāstrīs, | the low vineyard is not cleared with curved hoes

nōn glēbam prōnō convellit vōmere taurus, | the bull does not break up the earth with a sloping ploughshare

(2) Aulularia (Plautus)

Venit hoc mihi, Megadōre, in mentem, tēd* esse hominem dīvitem, | It comes to my mind [= it strikes me], Megadorus, that you are a wealthy man,

factiōsum, mē autem esse hominem pauperum pauperrimum; | influential, but I am a poor man, a very poor one.

nunc sī fīliam locāssim* meam tibi, in mentem venit | Now if I were to give my daughter to you [in marriage], it strikes me

tē bovem esse et mē esse asellum: | that you’d be the ox and I the (little) donkey.

ubi tēcum coniūnctus siem,* | Once I’d been joined with you,

ubi onus nequeam ferre pariter, | when I couldn’t bear the load equally,

iaceam ego asinus in lutō, | I, the donkey, would be lying in the mud,

tū mē bōs magis haud respiciās, | you, the ox, would no more look back at me [ = not pay any more attention to me]

gnātus quasi numquam siem.*| than as if I had never been born.

* In the works of, for example, Plautus and Terence, there are occasional examples of older Latin word forms; these are archaisms:

tēd = tē

locāssim: archaic subjunctive form, the equivalent here of ‘if I were to do / have done something’

siem = sim

[4]

[i] camēlus, -ī [2/m]: camel

[ii] dromas, -adis [3/m]; dromedārius, -ī [2/m]: dromedary

[iii] elephantus, -ī [2/m]: elephant

Dromadēs camēlī inter dōna erant vēlōcitātis eximiae, XII elephantī ā Dārēō ex Indiā accītī (Quintus Curtius Rufus)

• Among the presents were dromedaries of extraordinary swiftness, twelve elephants imported by Darius from India

[5] iūmentum, -ī [2/n]; armentum, -ī [2/n]

Columella mentions both terms, and broadly distinguishes their function:

Unde etiam [i] iūmenta et [ii] armenta nōmina ā rē trāxēre quod nostrum labōrem vel [i] onera subvectandō vel [ii] arandō iuvārent.

• And so it is that iumenta and armenta have drawn their names from the fact that they aid our work either by bringing up burdens or by ploughing.

[i] iūmentum, -ī [2/n]: animals used for transport, either pulling chariots and wagons or serving as pack animals for traveling e.g. horses and donkeys

[ii] armentum, -ī [2/n]: heavy-duty animals used in field work e.g. ploughing, mainly oxen and bulls but also horses

Original images of the animals, however, do not always convey such a precise ‘dictionary’ distinction, nor is the type of animal depicted always clear.

iūmenta et camēlōs et ā Sūsīs et ā Babylōne contrahī iussit (Quintus Curtius Rufus)

• he ordered camels and other beasts of burden to be brought together from Susa and Babylon.

A hired man complains about the weight of the luggage he is carrying:

'quid vōs' inquit 'iūmentum mē putātis esse aut lapidāriam nāvem? hominis operās locāvī, nōn caballī’ (Petronius)

• "What do you think I am," he said, " a beast of burden or a ship for carrying stones? I contracted for the work of a man, not a dray-horse!