We sometimes laugh at old schoolbooks and the “useless sentences” which they often provide. However, to mock them is to misunderstand their purpose. Some of these dry old schoolmasters knew exactly what they were doing; some of them at least already knew that confronting pupils with endless tables wasn’t working; in fact it was intimidating. That’s why, when I’ve posted the tables, they have been for reference, and so you can pick up the endings slowly. This post and the next one focus on exercises from a “dusty” old schoolbook published in 1880. The sentences are short, they each focus on a particular case and particular case use. All of them are giving practice in the 4th declension. This time, I’ll give translations and mention again the function of each case. In the second post, you’re on your own.
clādēs, clādis [3/f]:
defeat
sonitus, -ūs [4/m]:
sound
singular
[1] nominative
Vultus [nominative:
the subject of the sentence] iūdicis sevērus est. The face of
the judge (the judge's face) is stern.
Mātris vultus [nominative:
the subject of the sentence] benignus est. The face of the
mother (the mother's face) is kind.
Domus [nominative: the
subject of the sentence] hominibus est cāra. The house is dear
to people (people like the house)
[2] genitive
Scūta peditātūs [genitive:
possession; of] parva sunt. The shields of the infantry are
small.
Clādēs equitātūs [genitive:
possession; of] est magna. The defeat of the cavalry is great.
[3] dative
Dux exercituī [dative:
indirect object] est cārus. The commander is dear to the army.
[4] accusative
Nautae portum [accusative:
direct object] dēfendunt. The ships defend the port.
Dux equitātum [accusative:
direct object] laudat. The commander praises the army.
[5] ablative
Nāvēs in portū sunt.
[ablative: with the preposition in]. The ships are in the
port.
Gladius est in ducis
manū. [ablative: with the preposition in]. The sword
is in the hand of the commander.
Plural
[1] nominative
Flūctūs maris
[nominative plural: subject] altī sunt. The waves of the sea
are high.
[2] genitive
Sonitus flūctuum [genitive
plural: possession; of] grātus est. The sound of the waves is
pleasing.
Numerus portuum
[genitive plural: possession; of] magnus est. There is a great
number of ports.
[3] dative
Nūllī exercitūs exercitibus [dative
plural; indirect object; to] Rōmānīs parēs erant virtūte. No armies were
equal to the Roman armies in
courage.
[4] accusative
Ītalia multōs portūs [accusative
plural: direct object] habet. Italy has many ports.
Rēgīna albās manūs [accusative
plural: direct object] habet. The queen has white hands.
Mīlitēs longōs arcūs [accusative
plural: direct object] habent. The soldiers have long bows.
[5] ablative
Omnēs nāvēs ē portibus [ablative
plural: with preposition ē / ex] Ītaliae exeunt. All the ships depart from
the ports of Italy.
Yes, you’ll probably
never need to say “The queen has white hands” but it isn’t a question of the
importance of the meaning, but the importance of the grammar that’s being used.
In fact, sometimes the odder the meaning, the more memorable the sentence is.
Two Youtube links explaining the 4th declension:
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