22.11.24: Comenius; in a 17th century school [2]: vocabulary and notes

The text was written in 1658 despite which there is a good amount of vocabulary related to schools that can still be used:

[A]: nouns

cathedra, -ae [1/f]: chair, but specifically a chair with arms, a chair that symbolised authority initially for a teacher and later for a bishop; the noun cathedral is derived from this i.e. the principal church, the seat of the bishop / archbishop

classis, -is [3/f]: we most associate this word in Classical Latin with a fleet of ships, but it also had the meaning of ‘class’ in the sense of dividing people into groups

crēta, -ae [1/f]: chalk

discipulus, -ī [2/m]: pupil [m]; also discipula, -ae [1/f]: pupil [f]

menda, -ae [1/f] or mendum, -ī [2/n]: fault; error

officīna, -ae [1/f]: this is expressed nicely both in Latin and in 17^th century English; officīna in CL referred to a place where something was manufactured (hence Engl. workshop) as opposed to taberna, -ae [1/f], a shop where something was sold. Comenius compares a school to a workshop, a place where “young wits are fashioned to virtue” i.e. he conveys the idea of young minds being constructed / shaped / formed in a “workshop”.

praeceptor, praeceptōris [3/m]: teacher; a synonym for the more familiar magister, magistrī [2/m] or magistra, -ae [1/f] which have the same meaning; the English noun preceptor also means a teacher but has fallen into disuse in relation to schools. However, it is still used in the field of Medicine to refer to an experienced medical practitioner who supervise students.

schola, -ae [1/f]: school; also: lūdus, -ī [2/m]

subsellium, -ī [2/n]: a low bench; a ‘form’ (now archaic); Some schools still refer to ‘Forms’ rather than year groups; the term Sixth Form is still in common use in the UK to refer to the two years of school for 16+ students;

in Ancient Rome the word was used to refer to any kind of bench or row of seats e.g. in the theatre or the Senate

the word also referred to a judge’s seat hence the expression “called / summoned to the bench”

tabella, -ae [1/f]: a small board / tablet for writing; this is the diminutive (smaller version) of tabula, -ae [1/f]: a tablet covered in wax for writing; here tabella is marked in the image as referring to a blackboard

[B]: verbs

castīgō, -āre, -āvī [1]: punish

Note

[i] the passive use: castigantur │ they are punished

[ii] the ablative of means / instrument i.e. what is used to punish them:

hī castīgantur ferulā (baculō) et virgā │ they are punished with [by means of] a rod and a switch [a slender plant stem]

cōnfābulor, -ārī: converse; talk together; this type of verb is called a deponent verb which has not yet been done in the group and it will be looked at in more detail later; for the moment, take a look at the two lads at the back of the class who are not paying attention!

corrigō, -ere, corrēxī [3]: correct

discō, -ere, didicī [3]: learn

distinguō, -ere, distīnxī [3]: divide

Note the passive use: schola distinguitur in classēs │ the school is divided into forms (classes, year groups)

doceō, -ēre, docuī [2]: teach

fōrmō, -āre, -āvī [1]: shape; fashion

Note the passive use: novellī animī ad virtūtem fōrmantur │ young minds are fashioned / shaped to virtue

gerō, -ere, gessī [3]: has several meanings including ‘manage’ or ‘conduct’; here as a reflexive verb i.e. gerunt sē: they behave themselves or, in this case, don’t behave themselves:

petulāns, petulantis: impudent; petulant; wanton

negligēns, negligentis: careless; indifferent; also: neglegēns, neglegentis

A feature of Latin is the use of adjectives where we would expect and which the translator renders as adverbs:

gerunt sē petulantēs et negligentēs │ they behave themselves wantonly and carelessly.

sedeō, -ere, sēdī [3]: sit

scrībō, -ere, scrīpsī [3]: write

praescrībō,-ere, -scrīpsī [3]: put down in writing

Note the passive use: Quaedam praescrībuntur illīs. │ Some things are put down in writing for them i.e. written in front of them (on the board).

recitō, -āre, -āvī [1]: recite

stō, stāre, stetī [1]: stand

Note!

baculum,-ī [2/n]: cane; stick

ferula, -ae [1/f]: stick; rod

virga, -ae [1/f]: rod; switch for flogging

They all have a similar meaning, and they all have a similar effect! They’re sitting on the table in the image as an ominous reminder to those potentially wanton and careless 17^th century schoolboys!