13.03.25: Level 1; readings [1] - [5]: review (3)

Those first five short texts focus on the following aspects of Latin grammar:

[1] the first and second conjugations of Latin verbs

[2] the nominative and accusative case of the first and second declension of Latin nouns

The posts here will not deal with these in any detail since they have been discussed many times in earlier posts.

Below are ‘index cards’ that summarise the key points covered.

12.03.25: Level 3; deponent verbs (5)(i); imperfect and future tenses; 1st and 2nd conjugation

[i] The imperfect and future tense of the deponent verbs are formed in exactly the same way as the passive verbs.

[ii] The deponent verbs are passive in form but active in meaning. Therefore, sequebar means ‘I was following’ and sequar ‘I shall follow’; below are examples of deponent verbs in the imperfect and future tenses.

[iii] Look for the signs!

Although it’s been mentioned many times before, it is worth remembering that, when staring directly in the face of Latin declension and, here, conjugations, they can look intimidating. Take them apart to see what they are telling you:

image #1: three pieces of information are given

[1] from the infinitive comes the stem to which other endings are added

[2] a tense marker; here you have the imperfect and the future tenses for the 1^st and 2^nd conjugations

[3] finally, the personal endings

image #2: the personal endings for all deponent / passive verbs in the imperfect and future tenses are the same:

-r

-ris

-tur

-mur

-minī

-ntur

image #3 (i): imperfect: all conjugations; -ba- / -bā- are the tense markers which are added to the stem of the verb in this example:

cōnor, cōnā¦rī, cōnātus sum [1/dep]: try

cōnā- = stem

cōnā¦ba¦r: I was trying

cōnābāris: you (sg.) were trying

cōnābātur: he/she/it was trying

cōnābāmur: we were trying

cōnābāminī: you (pl.) were trying

cōnābantur: they were trying

image# 3 (ii): future; 1^st / 2^nd conjugations; -bo- / -bi- / -bu-; note the difference in the 2^nd person singular*

cōnā¦bo¦r: I shall try

*cōnāberis: you (sg.) will try

cōnābitur: he/she/it will try

cōnābimur: we will try

cōnābiminī: you (pl.) will try

cōnābuntur: they will try

Images #4 and #5 show the exact same forms for the 2^nd conjugation deponent verb: pollicēor, pollicē¦rī, pollicitus sum [2/dep]: promise, the only difference being the stem vowel -ē-:

11.03.25: Level 3; dē diē ac nocte [1]

A text might be labelled as ‘level 3’ not because it is particularly difficult but rather shows specific features of the language working together in this case different verb types. For the moment, just become familiar with the text and review vocabulary. 

Dē diē ac nocte

Lūx diēs vocātur. Obscūritās nox appellātur. Manē aurōra rubēscit. Stēllae ēvānēscunt. Lūcēscit. Diēs fit. Sōl oritur. Illam partem caelī Orientem appellāmus. Diēs ad labōrem datur. Sōl tōtō diē in caelō lūcet. Mediō diē sōl altus in caelō vidētur. Illam partem caelī Merīdiem vocāmus. Medius diēs et merīdiēs dīcitur. Multō diē advesperāscit. Sōl occidit. Illam partem caelī Occidentem dīcimus. Post occāsum sōlis caelum obscūrum fit. Stēllae iterum lūcēscunt. Nox fit. Nox ad quiētem datur. Vesperī lūna plēna ab oriente oritur. Haec tōtā nocte in caelō lūcet. Mediā nocte alta in caelō vidētur. Māne ab occidente occidit. Stēllae quoque ab oriente orīrī videntur. Hae aut ab occidente cadunt, aut ortū sōlis ēvānēscunt.

[1] vocabulary [i]; match the Latin and English expressions:

1. māne
2. mediā nocte
3. mediō diē
4. merīdiēs
5. multō diē
6. ortū sōlis
7. post occāsum sōlis
8. tōtā nocte
9. tōtō diē
10. vesperī

after the sun sets; at mid-day; at midnight; for the whole day; for the whole night; in the evening; in the morning; late in the day; mid-day; when the sun rises

[2] vocabulary [ii]; find from the passage the antonyms (opposites) of the following words*:

1. advesperascit
2. diēs
3. labor
4. lūna
5. lux
6. occāsus 
7. ab occidente
8. oritur
9. vesperī

[3] The questions here are not chronological i.e. the answers in the text are not in the same order as the questions; you have to “look around” the entire text!**

1. What are seen rising from the east? 
2. What colour is the dawn?
3. What happens late in the day?
4. When is the moon seen high in the sky?
5. When do the stars disappear?
6. When does the sky become dark?
7. Where does the moon rise from?
8. Where is the sun seen at midday?

__________

* 

advesperascit │ lūcēscit; diēs │ nox; labor │ quiēs; lūna │ sōl; lux│ obscūritās; occāsus │ ortus; ab occidente  │ ab oriente; oritur │ occidit; vesperī │ māne

**

Stēllae quoque ab oriente orīrī videntur.

Māne aurōra rubēscit. [< ruber, -ra, rum]

Multō diē advesperāscit.

Lūna … Mediā nocte alta in caelō vidētur.

Stēllae … ortū sōlis ēvānēscunt. [or: Māne … Stēllae ēvānēscunt.]

Post occāsum sōlis caelum obscūrum fit.

Vesperī lūna plēna ab oriente oritur.

Mediō diē sōl altus in caelō vidētur.