09.06.25: Level 1; readings [16]: the good old days; imperfect tense 1st / 2nd conjugation [2]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Latin_for_beginners_(1911)/Part_II/Lesson_XX

tense signs

Instead of using auxiliary verbs to express differences in tense, like was, shall, will, etc., Latin adds to the verb stem certain elements that have the force of auxiliary verbs. These are called tense signs (also known as tense markers).

formation and inflection of the imperfect

The tense sign of the imperfect is -ba- / -bā-, which is added to the present stem. The imperfect consists, therefore, of three parts:

[1] present stem: amā-

[2] tense sign: -ba-

[3] personal ending: -m

> amā¦ba¦m

The inflection is as follows:

1^st conjugation

amābam: I was loving / used to love

amābās: you (singular) were loving

amābat: (s)he was loving

amābāmus: we were loving

amābātis: you (plural) were loving

amābant: they were loving

2^nd conjugation

monēbam: I was advising / used to love

monēbās: you (singular) were advising

monēbat: (s)he was advising

monēbāmus: we were advising

monēbātis: you (plural) were advising

monēbant: they were advising

Note that the ā of the tense sign -bā- is shortened to -ba- before the personal endings -m, -t and -nt.

meaning of the imperfect

The Latin imperfect describes an act as going on or progressing in past time, like the English past-progressive tense (I was walking). It is the regular tense used to describe a past situation or condition of affairs.

Exercises

arō, -āre [1]: plough

cūrō, -āre [1]: care for

desīderō, -āre [1]: desire, long for

dō, dare [1]: give

habitō, -āre [1]: live

labōrō, -āre [1]: work

laudō, -āre [1]: praise

mātūrō, -āre [1]: hurry

narrō, -āre [1]: tell (e.g. a story); recount

necō, -āre [1]: kill

nūntiō, -āre [1]: announce

parō, -āre [1]: prepare

portō, -āre [1]: carry

properō, -āre [1]: rush

pugnō, -āre [1]: fight

vocō, -āre [1]: call

dēleō, -ēre [2]: destroy

habeō, -ēre [2]: have

iubeō, -ēre [2]: order

moveō, -ēre [2]: move

videō, -ēre [2]: see

[1]

[i] vidēbāmus, dēsīderābat, mātūrābās

[ii] dabant, vocābātis, dēlēbāmus

[iii] pugnabant, laudābās, movēbātis

[iv] iubēbant, properābātis, portābāmus

[v] dabās, nārrābant, labōrābātis

[vi] vidēbant, movēbās, nūntiābāmus

[vii] necābat, movēbam, habēbat, parābātis

[2]

[i] you were having (sing and plur), we were killing, they were working

[ii] he was moving, we were ordering, we were fighting

[iii] we were telling, they were seeing, he was calling

[iv] they were living, I was longing for, we were destroying

[v] you were giving, you were moving, you were announcing, (sing and plur)

[vi] they were caring for, he was ploughing, we were praising

[3] Niobe and her children (1)

fōrma, -ae, [1/f]: form, beauty

poena, -ae, [1/f]: punishment, penalty

potentia, -ae, [1/f]: power 

rēgīna, -ae, [1/f]: queen 

superbia, -ae, [1/f]: pride, haughtiness

trīstitia, -ae, [1/f]: sadness, sorrow

septem: seven

superbus, -a, -um: proud, haughty 

nōn sōlum . . . sed etiam: not only . . . but also

Niobē, rēgīna Thēbānōrum, erat pulchra fēmina sed superba. Erat superba nōn sōlum fōrmā suā marītīque potentiā sed etiam magnō līberōrum numerō. Nam habēbat septem fīliōs et septem fīliās. Sed ea superbia erat rēgīnae causa magnae trīstitiae et līberīs causa dūrae poenae.

Notes:

[i] Erat superba …[1] fōrmā suā … marītīque [2] potentiā … [3] magnō ¦ liberōrum ¦ [3] numerō │ she was arrogant … because of [1] her beauty … [2] the power ¦ of her husband … [3] the large number ¦ of children; the ablative case can be used to express cause

[ii]

rēgīnae [dative] causa ¦ magnae trīstitiae [genitive] │ a cause ¦ of great sadness ¦ to the queen

līberīs [dative] causa ¦ dūrae poenae [genitive] │ a cause ¦ of harsh punishment ¦  for the children

[4] Niobe and her children (2)

sacrum, -ī [2 n]: sacrifice, offering, rite

verbum, -ī [2/n]: word

sedeō, -ēre [2]: sit

volō, -āre [1]: fly 

interfectus, -a, -um: slain

molestus, -a, -um: troublesome, annoying (molest)

perpetuus, -a, -um: perpetual, continuous

Apollō et Diāna erant līberī Lātōnae. Eīs Thēbānī sacra crēbra parābant. Oppidānī amābant Lātōnam et līberōs eius. Id superbae rēgīnae erat molestum. “Cūr,” inquit, “Lātōnae et līberīs sacra parātis? Duōs līberōs habet Lātōna; quattuordecim habeō ego. Ubi sunt mea sacra?” Lātōna eīs verbīs īrāta līberōs suōs vocat. Ad eam volant Apollō Diānaque et sagittīssuīs miserōs līberōs rēgīnae superbae dēlent. Niobē, nūper laeta, nunc misera, sedet apud līberōs interfectōs et cum perpetuīs lacrimīs eōs dēsīderat.

Notes:

Apollō Diānaque … sagittīs suīs … līberōs rēgīnae … dēlent │ Apollo and Diana … destroy the queen’s children with (by means of) their arrows; the ablative case is used to indicate the means or instrument by which an action is performed