24.03.24: Traupman [1]; irregular verb possum, posse (to be able)

A: Potesne mē addūcere in oppidum? │ Can you take me into town?

B: Certē. Quid vīs facere in oppidō? │ Of course, what do you want to do in town?

A: Multa. Prīmum volō īre in tabernam sūtrīnam. │ A lot of things. First, I want to go to [into] the shoe shop.

B: Quid ibi emere vīs? │ What do you want to buy there?

A: Soleās emere volō. Ubi possum librōs emere? │ I want to buy sandals. Where can I buy books?

B: Multae tabernae lībrāriae in Argīlētō sunt. │ There are many book shops in the Argiletum*.

A: Ubi terrārum est Argīlētum? │ Where in the world is the Argiletum?

B: Argīlētum exadversum macellum est. │ The Argiletum is opposite the market.

*Argiletum: a street in Ancient Rome, famous for its booksellers and referred by several Roman authors.

Notes

[1] Pōtesne … ? Can you…?

And so, we can now look at another irregular verb:

possum, posse [irr.]: to be able

This verb however is a “fusion” of potis (able) + the verb you already know i.e. sum, esse [irr.]: to be

1. possum: I am able; I can
2. potes: you (sg.) can
3. potest: he / she / it can
4. possumus: we can
5. potestis: you (pl.) can
6. possunt: they can

Like volō, velle [irr.]: want, what you are able todo is expressed by an infinitive

Potesne mē audīre? │ Can you hear me?

Ignōsce mihi, tē audīre nōn possum. │ Forgive me / I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.

Potesne mē adiuvāre? │ Can you help me?

• Certē tē adiuvāre possum. │ Of course I can help you.

[2]

Quid vīs facere ¦ in oppidō? │ What do you want to do ¦ in town?

• In forō dēambulāre volō. │ I want to take a walk in the market place.

Quid vīs emere? │ What do you want to buy?

• Cibum emere volō. │ I want to buy food.

[3] exadversum [either an adverb or a preposition with the accusative]: opposite; facing e.g. other side of the street

Terence, in the same dialogue from which the previous directions were selected, also used this:

• Priusquam ad portam venias, apud ipsum lacum est pistrilla et exadversum est fabrica.

Before you come to the gate, near the lake itself there is a small bakery and opposite there is a workshop.

[4] A nice – and polite – phrase to use when you’re completely lost, or possibly desperate: Ubi terrārum est …? Where in the world is …?

• Ubi terrārum est lātrīna?!!

Tacitus makes a derogatory remark concerning a gladiatorial show put on by Vatinius:

• Vatīnius inter foedissima eius aulae ostenta fuit, sūtrīnae tabernae alumnus, …

The man was one of the most conspicuously infamous sights in the imperial court, the product of a shoemaker's shop,…

The first image shows a taberna sūtrīna, a shoemaker or shoe repairer’s workshop, and the second shows you where in the world the Argiletum actually is.