31.03.24: Review of 3rd declension nouns [2]

Again, most 3rd declension nouns in this text have been covered in earlier posts. Read the text for understanding – the translation is in the comments – and focus on the nouns in bold, work out what cases they are in, and why they are in those cases.

DĒ CAESARE ET LEGIŌNIBUS

[Chesnutt: the Road to Latin (1933)]

Apud Rōmānōs Caesar erat maximus dux. Caesar et legiōnēs in Galliā et Britanniā pugnābant. In legiōne est magnus numerus mīlitum. Bellō Helvēticō multae legiōnēs cum Caesare erant. Decima legiō et in bellō et in pāce Caesarī cāra erat. Virtūs decimae legiōnis erat magna. Hieme Caesaris legiōnēs in hibernīs manēbant. Aestāte Caesar legiōnēs cogēbat et bellum cum Gallīs gerēbat. Saepe imperātor mīlitēsque triumphum agēbant. Multitūdō hominum in Rōmae viās properābat. Per forum Rōmānum victor, mīlitēs, spolia, veniēbant. Clāmōrēs, multitūdinis erant magnī. Spectāculum multitūdinem laetam dēlectābat. Triumphus erat mōs antīquus. Hodiē quoque vestīgia mōris antīquī vidēmus; nam in viīs nostrīs pompae magnae videntur.

Vocabulary

(a) 3rd declension nouns

aestās, aestātis [3/f]: summer

clāmor, clāmōris [3/m]: shout; shouting

dux, ducis [3/m or f]: leader; commander

hiems, hiemis [3/f]: winter

homō, hominis [3/m]: man; person; human being; plural hominēs can often refer to “people” rather than specifically men

legiō, legiōnis [3/f]: legion

mīles, mīlitis [3/m]: soldier

mōs, mōris [3/m]: custom; habit; practice

multitūdō, multitūdinis [3/f]: large number of people; crowd; mob

pāx, pācis [3/f]: peace

victor, victōris [3/m]: victor; conquerer

virtūs, virtūtis [3/f]: courage

(b) other words

cogō, cogere [3]: gather together

Helvēticus, -a, -um: pertaining to the Helvētiī; Helvetic

• The Helvētiī (Helvetians) were a Celtic tribe that occupied the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BCE. [see map posted]

hībernum, -ī [2/n]: [i] a synonym for hiems (winter) [ii] in the plural, as it is used here, winter quarters

pompa, -ae [1/f]: procession; parade

spectāculum, -ī [2/n]: spectacle; exhibition; show

spolium, -ī [2/n] but usually plural: spolia, the “spoils” (of war) i.e. treasures plundered from an enemy

triumphus, -ī [2/m]: the Roman “triumph”, a ceremonial procession to celebrate a victory

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=triumphus-harpers

vestīgium, -ī [2/n]: trace; footprint

Notes

pompae magnae videntur: great parades are seen; videntur: another example of the passive discussed in the previous reading post. Just add -ur to the 3rd person singular or plural.

videt: he sees

> vidētur: he is seen /long ē/

vident: they see

> videntur: they are seen

This verb in the passive has another meaning i.e. seem(s)

• Inimīcus mihi vidētur. [Literally: An enemy is seen to me] > He seems to me (to be) an enemy.
• Sed hoc mihi vidētur rēctum esse cōnsilium. (Vulgate) But this seems to me to be correct advice.

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Among the Romans, Caesar was the greatest leader. Caesar and his legions fought in Gaul and Britain. In the legion there is a great number of soldiers. In the Helvetian War there were many legions with Caesar. The tenth legion both in war and in peace was dear to Caesar. The courage of the tenth legion was great. In the winter Caesar's legions remained in winter quarters. In the summer, Caesar raised legions and waged war with the Gauls. Often the commander-in-chief and his soldiers celebrated a triumph. A large number of people used to hurry into the streets of Rome. Through the Roman forum would come the conqueror, the soldiers, the spoils. The shouts of the crowd were great. The spectacle delighted the happy crowd. The triumph was an ancient custom. Even today we see the traces of ancient customs; for in our streets great parades are seen.

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