01.03.24: reading practice

Read the text and note the genitive cases indicated in bold. In this text, the writer uses the single -ī for the genitive of nouns ending in -ius.

Also note the words in italics which are all important prepositions.

[The Road to Latin (Chesnutt) 1932; slightly adapted]

IN HORTŌ CORNĒLĪ

Cornēlius vīllam habet. In villā sunt hortus magnus et parva silva. Itaque Cornēlius dominus est hortī et silvae. Dominus hortī et agrī saepe in hortō cum fīliō ambulat. Fīlius nāviculam habet; Cornēlius nāviculam fīlī libenter spectat. Hortus est pulcher. Circum hortum est mūrus altus. Ante mūrum est statua pulchra deī Mercurī. In hortō Cornēlī est magnus numerus statuārum deōrum et deārum. Cornēlius multōs amīcōs habet quod est vir bonus. In hortō hodiē sedet. Fīliī fīliaeque Cornēlī in hortō sedent. Prope Cornēlium et amīcōs sunt fīliī et fīliae. Extrā mūrum est magnus ager Cornēlī. In agrō servī cotidiē labōrant. Vespere servī dēfessī ex agrō ad vīllam properant. Servī in hortō nōn saepe sedent quod servī dīligenter labōrant.

vocabulary

itaque: and so; therefore

Mercurius: Mercury, the messenger of the gods

mūrus: wall

nāvicula: small ship

numerus: number

vespere: in the evening

Notes:

[i] The text contains five prepositions that are followed by the accusative case:

ad: to(wards); Servī dēfessī ... ad vīllam properant.

ante: in front of; Ante mūrum est statua pulchra

circum: around; Circum hortum est mūrus altus.

extrā: outside of / beyond; Extrā mūrum est magnus ager

prope: near; Prope Cornēlium et amīcōs sunt fīliī et fīliae.

[ii] The text contains three prepositions that are followed by the ablative case, two of which you have already seen, but one of which is new:

cum: with; Dominus ... saepe in hortō cum fīliō ambulat.

ē / ex: out of; Servī dēfessī ex agrō ... properant.

in: in / on; In villā sunt hortus magnus et parva silva.