06.05.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [4]; The Winged Serpents and the Ibis; ablative of separation

Translate into English:

Ineunte vēre in Aegyptum advolant volucrēs serpentēs. Ibidēs autem avēs illīs occurrentēs, aditū prohibent, necantque serpentēs. Ob hanc causam magnī aestimantur ībidēs ab Aegyptiīs. Speciēs autem ībidis tālis est; colōre nigrō avis est, pedibus gruis, rōstrō aduncō. Serpentum fōrma similis est fōrmae hydrārum. Ālās habent nōn pennātās, sed vespertīliōnis ālīs similēs.

Vocabulary

aditus, -ūs [4/m]: approach

aduncus, -a, -um: hooked, bent, curved

aestimō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: value, rate, consider, judge

āla, -ae [1/f]: wing

grūs, gruis [3m/f]: crane (species of bird)

hydra, -ae [1/f]: water-snake; in Greek mythology, the hydra refers to a many-headed serpent and it is the second labour of Hercules to kill the Learnaean Hydra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra

occurrō, -ere, occurrī [3]: (+ dative): (go to) meet; resist, oppose

rostrum, -ī [2/m]: beak

vespertīliō, vespertīliōnis [3/m]: bat

volucer, volucris, volucre: winged

Notes

[1] ablative absolute: present active participle + noun

iniēns, ineuntis: present active participle < ineō, inīre, inī(v)ī: [i] enter; [ii] (here) begin / make a beginning

ineunte vēre │ with spring beginning = at the beginning / commencement of spring

[2] ablative of separation

The ablative is used when x is “separated” from y, that separation being physical or abstract, positive or negative. Some verbs use a preposition with this construction and others do not or there is inconsistency in use of a preposition. The focus, however, should be on recognising the idea of separation which is already conveyed in the verbs themselves.

[i] hostēs ¦ [ii] fīnibus prohibuērunt │ They kept [i] the enemy ¦ [ii] from (their) borders.

[i] praedōnēs ¦ [ii] ab īnsulā prohibuit │ He kept [i] the pirates ¦ [ii] from the island.

[i] urbem ¦ [ii] ā tyrannō  līberāvērunt │ They freed [i] the city ¦ [ii] from the tyrant.

[i] liberāmur ¦ mortis [ii] mētū │ [i] We are freed [ii] from the fear of death.

There is more to the ablative of separation than has been discussed here and it will be looked again when all forms of the ablative are reviewed. However, this is enough to explain the sentence from the text:

aditū prohibent │ they prevent (their) approach i.e. they prevent (the birds) from approaching

[3] dative usage

[i] with compound verbs:

occurrō, -ere, occurrī [3]: (+ dative): (go to) meet; resist, oppose

ibidēs autem avēs illīs [dative] occurrentēs … │ the ibises, however, going to meet / opposing them … 

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/130425-level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-1.html

or

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/2025/02/level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-1.html

[ii] … fōrma similis est fōrmae hydrārum │ the shape … is similar to the shape of water-snakes

[4] genitive of value

magnī [genitive] aestimantur ībidēs │ the ibises are highly / greatly valued

The genitive case can be used to convey value or worth, but in an indefinite rather than an actual price. The extent of the “value” is expressed by an adjective in the genitive case although, as the quotation from Catullus illustrates, it can also be a noun

magnī aestimō sapientiam │I value his wisdom highly

suōs parvī fēcit │ he considered his (own men) to be of little (value)

floccus, -ī [2/m]: wisp / tuft of wool > Nōn ego tē floccī faciō; nē mē territēs (Plautus) │ I don't care a straw for you; don't be bullying me.

Plūris aestimō beneficium quam iniūriam (Seneca) │ I  reckon a benefit at a higher rate than an injury.

Catullus:

Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, │ let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love

rumoresque senum severiorum │ and the rumours of rather stern old men

omnes unius aestimemus assis! │ let us value them all at one penny

____________________

At the commencement of spring winged serpents fly to Egypt. But the ibis birds going to meet / opposing them, prevent (their) approach, and kill the serpents. For this reason they are highly valued by the Egyptians. The appearance of the ibis is as follows; it is a bird of a black colour, with the claws of a crane, and a curved beak. The shape of the snakes resembles the shape of water snakes. They do not have feathered wings but similar to the wings of a bat.

05.05.25: Level 2; topic; Mankind; the human body; accident and illness [6]: Comenius XXXIX (1658); the Head and the Hand / Caput et Manus [2]

[iv] a man’s chin is covered with a beard, 14. and the eye (in which is the white and the apple)* with eye-lids, and an eye-brow, 15.│mentum virīle tegitur barbā, 14. oculus vērō (in quō albūgō & pūpilla) palpæbrīs,** & superciliō, 15.

*pupil (0f the eye)

**palpebrīs

[v] the hand being closed is a fist, 17. being open is a palm, 18. in the midst, is the hollow, 19. of the hand. the extremity is the thumb, 20. with four fingers, the fore-finger, 21. the middle-finger, 22. the ring-finger, 23. and the little-finger, 24. │ manus contracta, pugnus, 17. est aperta, palma, 18. in mediō vola, 19. extrēmitās, pollex, 20. cum quat(t)uor digitīs, indice, 21. mediō, 22. annulārī, 23. & auriculārī, 24.

[vi] In every one are three joynts, a. b. c. and as many knuckles, d. e. f. with a Nail, 25. │ In quōlibet sunt
articulī trēs, a. b. c. & totidem Condylī, d. e. f. cum Ungue, 25.

vocabulary

virilis, -e [3]: manly, masculine

tegō, -ere, tēxī, tēctus [3]: [i] cover, clothe; [ii] conceal; protect

passive: mentum virile tegitur barbā │ a man’s chin is covered by a beard

albūgō, albūginis [3/f]: interesting that this is used to refer to the white of the eye because several dictionaries define it specifically as a disease of the eye (leucoma) or a white spot on the eye but, unsurprisingly in a work from the 17^th century, there are at times different interpretations of words

contrahō, -ere, -trāxī, -tractus [3]: draw together

aperiō, -īre, aperuī, apertus [4]: open

perfect passive participles used as adjectives:

manus contracta │ a closed hand; a hand (that has been) closed

manus aperta │ an open(ed) hand; a hand (that has been) opened

quī¦libet, quaelibet, quodlibet: anyone; whatever, whichever, no matter, what you please; any whatever i.e. (from the text) the same number of joints in any of the fingers

totidem (indeclinable): just as many

[a] vocabulary from [iv], [v] and [vi]: fill in the blanks with the genitive singular endings listed below; some of the endings are used several times

articulus, articul__ [2/m]: joint (a point connecting different body parts)

condylus, condyl__ [2/m]: knuckle

palma, palm__ [1/f]: palm (of the hand); also used to refer to the tree

palpebra, palpebr__ [1/f]: eye-lid

pollex, poll__is [3/m]: thumb; big toe

pugnus, pugn__ [2/m]: fist

pūpilla, pūpill __ [1/f]: pupil (of the eye)

supercilium, supercili__ [2/n]: eyebrow

unguis, ungu__ [3/m]: finger nail; toe nail

vola, vol__ [1/f]: the “hollow” of the hand; palm

-ae; -ī; -ic-; -is

[b]

[i] pollex, pollicis [3/m]: thumb

[ii] index, indicis [3m/f]: index finger; the English noun still retains the Latin plural i.e. indices

also: digitus salūtāris from salūs, salūtis [3/f]: [i] safety; security, [ii] greeting; reason for its use is unclear, one suggestion being that the finger was used in some style of greeting

[iii] digitus medius: middle finger

[iv] digitus annulāris (Mediaeval) from CL ānulāris, -e: relating to the signet-ring < ānulus, -ī [2/m]: (signet) ring

[v] Good advice from 17^th century health care professionals …

digitus auriculāris: Why is it called the ear finger?

The term was once used by anatomists to refer to the fifth finger i.e. the ‘pinky’ or ‘little finger’

quintus auricularis, quia cum minimum sit, auribus expurgandis est aptissimus │ the fifth (finger, called) auricularis, because of how small it is, is most suitable to clean the ears

Vanheyen: Corporis Humani Anatomiae Liber Primus (1693)

https://www.clinicalanatomy.c  om/mtd/573-digitus-auricularis

[c] Explain the origin of these English derivatives:

05.05.25: Level 2; review; Hillard and Botting (H & B); review sentences [H]

[a] Complete the Latin with the verbs in the first wordcloud.

[b] Supply the missing words and endings from the second wordcloud; some words and endings are used more than once

1. The inhabitants of Italy had always loved the fatherland. │Incolae Ītali_____ semper patri_____ __________.
2. The foreigners conspired against Italy on account of envy. │ Advenae contrā Ītaliam __________ invidiam __________.
3. The inhabitants of Italy wounded the foreigners with arrows. │Incolae Ītaliae adven_____ sagitt_____ vulnerāvērunt.
4. They put to flight / chased away the foreigners out of the country. │ __________ terr_____ advenās __________.
5. They wander far and wide through Greece. │ Lāt_____ per Graeciam __________.
6. Tomorrow they will sail to Asia. │ __________ ad Asiam __________.
7. Again they will conspire against the inhabitants. │ __________ contrā incolās __________.
8. Again the inhabitants will attack the foreigners with arrows. │ __________ incolae advenās sagittīs __________.
9. Finally they will conquer the foreigners. │ Tandem advenās __________.
10. Again, they will chase the foreigners away out of the country. │ __________ __________ terr_____ advenās fugābunt.

amāverant; coniūrābunt; coniūrāvērunt; errant; fugābunt; fugāvērunt; nāvigābunt; oppugnābunt; superābunt; vulnerāvērunt

-ā; -ae; -am; -ās; crās; ē; -ē; -īs; iterum; propter

04.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (17); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [iv]

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

Further practice:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/211024-level-1-review-practice-in-verbs.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/2310-24-level-1-review-practice-in.html

04.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (16); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [iii]

Exercise [1]*

[a] translate the verbs into English

[b] take a second look and list them according to whether they are first or second conjugation

[c] underline or circle the personal endings of the Latin verbs

1. vocāmus; properātis; iubent
2. movētis; laudās; vidēs
3. dēlētis; habētis; dant
4. mātūrās; dēsīderat; vidēmus
5. iubet; movent; necat
6. nārrāmus; movēs; vident
7. labōrātis; properant; portās; parant
8. dēlet; habētis; iubēmus; dās
9. habitō; videō; sedeō; nūntiō

Exercise [2]**

Translate into Latin

1. we plough; we are ploughing; / we do plough
2. they care for; they are caring for / they do care for
3. you (singular) give; you (singular) are having / you (singular) do have
4. we destroy; I do long for; they are living
5. he calls; they see; we are telling
6. we do fight; we order; (s)he / it is moving; (s)he / it prepares
7. they are working; we kill; you (singular and plural) announce

____________________

*[1]

1. vocāmus; we call (we are calling / we do call); 1^st conj. │ properātis; you (plural) hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │iubent; they order / command’; 2^nd conj.
2. movētis; you (plural) move; 2^nd conj. │ laudās: you (singular) praise; 1^st conj. │ vidēs: you (singular) see; 2^nd conj.
3. dēlētis: you (plural) destroy; 2^nd conj. │ habētis: you (plural) have; 2^nd conj. │ dant: they give; 1^st conj.
4. mātūrās: you (singular) hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │ dēsīderat: he / she / it desires / longs for; 1^st conj. │  vidēmus: we see; 2^nd conj.
5. iubet: he / she commands; 2^nd conj. │ movent: they move; 2^nd conj. │ necat: he / she / it kills; 1^st conj.
6. nārrāmus: we tell; 1^st conj. │ movēs: you (singular) move; 2^nd conj. │ vident: they see; 2^nd conj.
7. labōrātis: you (plural) work; 1^st conj. │ properant: they hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │ portās: you (singular) carry; 1^st conj. │ parant: they prepare; 1^st conj.
8. dēlet: he / she / it destroys; 2^nd conj. │ habētis: you (plural) have; 2^nd conj. │ iubēmus: we command; 2^nd conj. │ dās: you (singular) give; 1^st conj.
9. habitō: I live (I am living; I do live); 1^st conj. │ videō: I see; 2^nd conj. │ sedeō: I sit; 2^nd conj. │ nūntiō: I announce; 1^st conj.

**[2]

1. arāmus; one verb form conveys all three meanings in English
2. cūrant; one verb form conveys all three meanings in English
3. dās; habēs
4. dēlēmus; dēsīderō; habitant
5. vocat; vident; nārrāmus
6. pugnāmus; iubēmus; movet; parat
7. labōrant; necāmus; nūntiās / nūntiātis

03.05.25: Level 3; Verbs with the dative case [9]: [1] the predicative dative / the dative of purpose and result; [2] the double dative; the dative of reference

[1] A noun in the dative case occurring mainly after the verb esse, the dative indicating the purpose of that noun or the result which is achieved by that noun; this is known as the predicative dative or the dative of purpose and result. English can convey a similar idea using expressions such as: ‘as a’, ‘a cause of’, ‘a source of’ or ‘a means of’, for example:

• How can I be ¦ of assistance to you?
• I don’t think that’s ¦ of much use.
• I did it ¦ as a favour to him.
• I use these glasses ¦ as a means of / for protection.
• That is ¦ (a cause) of great concern to me.
• That’s ¦ (a source) of benefit

The Latin equivalent is in the dative case:

Puella mihi est cūrae │The girl is a concern / (a source / cause) of concern to me i.e. the noun serves the purpose of causing concern

[2] This construction most often appears not only with [i] the noun that expresses the purpose but also [ii] the person / thing for whom / which the purpose is intended or who is affected by it, known as the dative of reference

Since both are in the dative case this is known in grammar as the double dative:

Puella [ii] mihi (dative of reference) est [i] cūrae (dative of purpose) │The girl is [i] of concern [ii] to me

bellum est [i] exitiō (dative of purpose) ¦ [ii] incolīs (dative of reference)│ war brings destruction to the inhabitants = Literally: war is [i] a source / cause of destruction ¦ [ii] to the inhabitants

Illa fēmina, quae līberōs interfēcit [i] odiō (dative of purpose) [ii] omnibus (dative of reference) est. │ That woman who killed her own children is hated by everyone = Literally … is [i] a source of hatred [ii] for everybody

Caesar omnem ex castrīs equitātum [ii] suīs (dative of reference) [i] auxiliō (dative of purpose) mīsit. (Caesar) │ Caesar sent all the cavalry in the camp [i] as a relief (for the purpose of relief) [ii] to his men

[i] Māgnō ūsuī (dative of purpose) [ii] nostrīs (dative of reference) fuit (Caesar) │ It was [i] of great service [ii] to our men.

Below are examples of nouns which use this construction:

argūmentō esse: to be proof

auxiliō esse: to be a help; to be of help

bonō esse: to benefit; to be (a source) of benefit

cūrae esse: to be a concern; to be (a cause) of concern

dolōrī esse: to be a cause of grief

dōnō esse: to be (as a) gift (Compare English: he gave him a gift │ He gave a book to him as a gift.)

Hōs librōs dōnō mīsit │ He sent these books as a gift

exemplō esse: to be (as) an example (Compare English: I’ll show this picture to you ¦ as an example.)

nōbīs ¦ exemplō fuit ad imitandum │ He was ¦ an example ¦ for us ¦ to imitate

exitiō esse: to bring destruction; to be a source of destruction

honōrī esse: to be an honour

laudī esse: to be a credit

malō esse: to be a cause / source of harm

mūnerī esse: to be (as a favour); to be of service

odiō esse: to be an object of hatred

onerī esse: to be a burden

perīculō esse: to be a (source of) danger

praesidiō esse: to be a means of protection

pudōrī esse: to be a cause / source of shame

salūtī esse: to be a salvation

subsidiō esse: to be (a source of) help / support

ūsuī esse: to be of use (to benefit)

Exercise

Translate the following sentences:

1. Patriae nostrae (dative of purpose) ¦ magnō exitiō (dative of reference) fuit id bellum.
2. Cui (dative of reference) ¦ bonō (dative of purpose) scelus erat?
3. Equōs prīncipī hostium dōnō mīsit.
4. Suīs ¦ salūtī fuit.
5. Perīculō est cīvibus in viīs mediā nocte ambulāre.
6. Magnō ūsuī ¦ nostrīs cōnsilium erat.
7. Tertiam aciem ¦ nostrīs ¦ auxiliō ¦ mīsit.

____________________

1. That was was a great cause of destruction for our country.
2. Who benefitted from the crime?
3. He sent horses to the enemy chieftain as a gift.
4. He was the salvation of his men.
5. The advice was of great use to our men.
6. It is dangerous for the citizens to walk in the streets in the middle of the night. 
7. He sent the third (battle-) line as a help to our men.

03.05.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [3]; the Phoenix

Translate into English:

Est etiam avis sacra, nōmine phoenīx. Perrārō Aegyptum adit, ex quīngentōrum annōrum intervāllō. Advenit autem mortuō patre suō. Est tantus atque tālis; pennārum color, aliōrum aureus, aliōrum ruber; speciē et magnitūdine aquilae simillimus est. Phoenīx ex Arabiā profectus, in Solīs templum portat patrem suum, myrrhā circumlitum, et in templō Solīs sepelit.

Vocabulary

circumlitus, -a, -um: decorated; anointed (all over); smeared

intervallum, -ī [2/n]: interval of time

perrārō (adverb): very rarely

phoenīx, phoenīcis [3/f]: phoenix

tantus, -a, -um: of such size;  so much, so great, such, (pl.) so many

Notes

[1] ablative of respect i.e. in terms of / with respect to

speciē et magnitūdine ¦ aquilae simillimus est │ in (terms of) look and size …

[2] ex Arabiā profectus │ having set out from Arabia

proficīscor, proficiscī, profectus sum [3/deponent]: set out; deponent verbs are passive in form but active in meaning and so the perfect participle profectus is active i.e. ‘having set out’

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)

https://www.britannica.com/topic/phoenix-mythological-bird

____________________

There is also a sacred bird, by name (called) the phoenix. It visits Egypt very rarely, after an interval of five hundred years. However, it arrives on the death of its father. It is of the following size and description (lit. of such size and of such a kind); the colour of the feathers, of some, is golden, of others, red; in look and size it is very similar to an eagle. Having set out from Arabia, the phoenix carries its father, covered in myrrh, to the temple of the Sun, and buries him in the temple of the Sun.

02.05.25: Level 2; topic; Mankind; the human body; accident and illness [5]: Comenius XXXIX (1658); the Head and the Hand / Caput et Manus [1]

[i] in the head are the hair, 1. (which is combed with a comb, 2.) two ears, 3. the temples, 4. and the face, 5. │ in capite sunt capillus, 1. (quī pectitur pectine, 2.) aurēs, 3. bīnæ, & tempora, 4. faciēs, 5.

[ii] in the face are the fore-head, 6. both the eyes, 7. the nose, 8. (with two nostrils) the mouth, 9. the cheeks, 10. and the chin, 13. │ in faciē sunt frōns, 6. oculus, 7. uterque, nāsus, 8. (cum duābus nāribus) ōs, 9. genæ, (mālæ) 10. & mentum, 13.

[iii] the mouth is fenced with a mustacho, 11. and lips, 12. a tongue and a palate, and teeth, 16. in the cheek-bone. │ ōs sēptum est mystace, 11. & labiīs, 12. linguā cum palātō, dentibus, 16. in māxillā

vocabulary

pectō, -ere, pexī, pexus [3]: comb

sēpiō, -īre, sēpsī, sēptus [4] or saepiō: fence in; enclose; surround

note: passives

capillus … pectitur ¦ pectine │ the hair is combed ¦ with a comb

ōs sēptum est mystace et labiīs │ the mouth is (has been) surrounded by a moustache and lips

[a] vocabulary from [i], [ii] and [iii]: fill in the blanks with the genitive singular endings listed below; some of the endings are used several times

auris, aur__ [3/f]: ear

capillus, capill__ [2/m]: hair

dēns, den__is [3/m]: tooth

faciēs, faci__ [5/f]: face

frōns, fron_is [3/f]: forehead

gena, gen__ [1/f]: cheek

labium, labi__ [2/n]: lip; also labrum

lingua, lingu__ [1/f] [i] tongue; [ii] language

māla, māl__ [1/f]: cheekbone

māxilla, māxill__ [1/f]: jaw; jawbone

mentum, ment__ [2/n]: chin

mystax, mysta_is [3/m]: moustache

nāris, nār__ [3/f]: nostril

nāsus, nās__ [2/m]: nose

oculus, ocul__ [2/m]: eye

ōs, ō_is [3/n]: mouth

palātum, palāt__ [2/n]: palate, roof of the mouth

pecten, pect__is [3/m]: comb

tempus, temp__is [3/n]: [i] time [ii] (here: in plural) temples (sides of the head)

-ae; -c-; -ēī; -ī; -in-; -is; ;-or-; -r-; -t-

[b]

1. What is the difference between [i] an aural and [ii] an oral examination?
2. What part of a book is the frontispiece?
3. Why might you use a nasal spray?
4. What is the job of an oculist?
5. What is the origin of the word dental surgery?

[c] Latin derivatives in Phonetics

dens, dentis [3/m]: tooth

labium, -ī [2/n]: lip

nāsus, -ī [2/m]: nose

palātum, -ī [2/n]: palate; roof of the mouth

the terms dental, labial, nasal and palatal are used in Phonetics to describe the way in which a particular sound is created

dental consonants: articulate with the tongue against the upper teeth e.g. /th/ in thin [/θɪn/] or /th/ as in this [/ðɪs/]

labial consonants: sound made by using the lips,  bilabial i.e. using both lips e.g. /p/ and /b/

nasal consonants: made by blocking the air in the mouth and releasing sound through the nose e.g. /ng/

palatal consonants: raising the middle of the tongue to the hard palate  e.g. /y/ as in ‘yes’

From Plautus:

tam consimilest atque ego; sura, pes, statura, tonsus, oculi, nasum vel labra, malae, mentum, barba, collus: totus. (Plautus)│ he is as like me as I am myself. His leg, foot, stature, shorn head, eyes, nose, even his lips, cheeks, chin, beard, neck--the whole of him.

collus, -ī [2/m]: neck; alternative of collum

statūra, -ae [1/f]: height; stature

tōnsus, -a, -um: shaved, clipped, cropped < tondeō, -ēre, totōndī, tōnsus [2]

How’s your knowledge of musical theatre? Who wrote the letter?

But hoping to earn your favor,

I have persuaded the boy to lodge her

here tonight

at my tonsorial parlor

In Fleet Street.

If you want her again in your arms,

Hurry after the night falls.

She will be waiting.

Waiting...

Your obedient humble servant...

02.05.25: Level 2; review; Hillard and Botting (H & B); review sentences [G]

Complete the Latin translations with the words in the wordcloud.

1. He had once lived in Asia. │ In Asiā ōlim __________.
2. He always used to love the fatherland. │ Patriam semper __________.
3. The strangers stormed Troy. │ Advenae Troiam __________.
4. He used to wander far from the fatherland. │ __________ __________  patriā __________.
5. He finally saild to Italy with the strangers. │ Tandem in Ītaliam __________ advenīs __________.
6. He fought against the inhabitants. │ __________ incolās __________.
7. They gained fame there. │Fāmam __________ __________.
8. Fame will always last among the inhabitants of Greece and Italy. │ Fāma semper inter incolās Graeciae et Ītaliae __________.
9. Today we love the fatherland. │ Hodiē patriam __________.
10. We will always love the fatherland. │ Semper patriam __________.

ā; amābat; amābimus; amāmus; comparāvērunt; contrā; cum; dūrābit; errābat; expugnāvērunt; habitāverat; ibi; nāvigāvit; procul; pugnāvit

01.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (15); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [ii]

[1] image #1: key terms commonly used in Latin grammar courses / textbooks

verb

conjugation

stem

infinitive

personal endings

subject of the sentence

subject pronouns

person

number

singular

plural

tense

present tense

principal parts

[2] There are four conjugations of the regular verbs; conjugation refers to “groups” of verbs which have the same endings.

These conjugations are distinguished from each other by the final vowel of the present conjugation stem; the stem refers to the verb before any endings are added. This vowel is called the stem vowel*, and is best seen in the infinitive; the infinitive refers to the equivalent of English “to write”, “to go”, French “écrire”, “aller”, and German “schreiben”, “gehen” (and, of course, you can see where French got the -re ending from!)

*D’Ooge uses the term distinguishing vowel, which means the same but the term stem vowel is more commonly used now.

Image #2: the  infinitive of a verb of each conjugation, the stem, and the stem vowel.

[3] Image #3: to the stem, the personal endings  are added:

-ō: I

-s: you (singular)

-t: he / she / it

-mus: we

-tis: you (plural)

-nt: they

[i] Knowing these personal endings is crucial since they operate throughout the Latin verb systen i.e. they apply to all the conjugations and all the tenses.

[ii] Although Latin does have pronouns i.e. the equivalent of the English subject pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’ etc. they are most often not used in Latin because the personal ending shows the subject of the sentence i.e. the person / thing performing the action.

[iii] The verb is divided into [1] person, the term used in grammar to refer to who is performing the action, and

[iv] number i.e. singular (one person performing the action) or plural (more than one person performing the action)

Singular

1^st person: labōrō │ I work

2^nd person: labōrās│ you (singular) work

3^rd person: labōrat│ he / she / it works

Plural

1^st person: labōrāmus│ we work

2^nd person: labōrātis│ you (plural) work

3^rd person: labōrant │ they work

[v] There are two forms of the second person i.e. ‘you’: singular (talking to one person) and plural (talking to more than one person); unlike, for example, French tu and vous or German du, ihr or Sie where the choice of the second person pronoun can be dependent upon a person’s status e.g. family member, police officer, Classical Latin does not make that distinction: an Ancient Roman, whether talking to one emperor or to one slave, would use the second person singular

[vi] Tense refers to the time when the action was / is / will be performed. Here we are dealing with the present tense of the 1^st and 2^nd conjugation verbs. In English there are three ways of expressing present action. We may say, for example, I live, I am living, or I do live. In Latin the one expression habitō covers all three of these expressions.

[4] Images #4  and #5: because verbs belong to different conjugations, they, like nouns, are usually listed in dictionaries or vocabularies with specific additional information which, for verbs, is known as the principal parts. For most verbs there are four principal parts but, at this stage, only two will be listed:

amō [first person singular], amāre [infinitive]; the number of the conjugation may also be included

• amō, amāre [1]: love
• habeō, habēre [2]: have

1^st conjugation

amō, I love; amāre, to love

arō, I plough; arāre, to plough

cūrō, I care for; cūrāre, to care for

dēsīderō, I long for; dēsīderāre, to long for

dō, I give; dare, to give

habitō, I live, I dwell; habitāre, to live, to dwell

labōrō, I work; labōrāre, to work

laudō, I praise; laudāre, to praise

mātūrō, I hasten; mātūrāre, to hasten

And the rest we will put in abbreviated form:

nārrō, nārrāre [1]:  tell

necō, necāre[1]: kill

nūntiō, nūntiāre [1]: announce

parō,  parāre [1]:  prepare

portō, portāre [1]: to carry

properō, properāre [1]: to hasten

pugnō, pugnāre [1]: to fight

vocō, vocāre [1]: to call

2^nd conjugation

dēleō, I destroy; dēlēre, to destroy

habeō, I have; habēre, to have

iubeō, I order; iubēre, to order

moneō, monēre [2]: warn; advise

moveō, movēre [2]: move

pāreō, pārēre [2]: obey

possideō, possidēre [2]: possess

rideō, ridēre [2]: laugh

sedeō, sedēre [2]: sit; be seated

studeō, studēre [2]: [i] dedicate oneself (to something) [ii] (Late / Mediaeval) study

taceō, tacēre [2]: be silent

timeō, timēre [2]: fear; be afraid

valeō, valēre [2]: be strong / healthy / well

videō, vidēre [2]: see

01.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (14); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [i]

Match the English and Latin verbs

Wordcloud #1: first conjugation verbs

• to appease; placate; pacify
• to approach
• to ask
• to conquer
• to enter
• to give
• to hesitate
• to hurry
• to import
• to invite
• to order; command
• to praise
• to sacrifice
• to scold
• to show
• to stand
• to take care of
• to tell
• to visit
• to wait for
• to wander; make a mistake
• to watch; look at

appropinquāre; cūrāre; dare; dubitāre; errāre; exspectāre; immolāre; imperāre; importāre; intrāre; invitāre; laudāre; mōnstrāre; nārrāre; plācāre;  properāre; rogāre; spectāre; stāre; superāre; vīsitāre; vituperāre

Wordcloud #2: second conjugation verbs

• to be accustomed to / in the habit of (doing something)
• to be quiet
• to be well / strong / healthy
• to dedicate oneself to
• to fear
• to give shelter; protect
• to have
• to laugh
• to mock; laugh at
• to obey
• to owe; to have to (do something)
• to possess
• to sit

dēbēre; habēre; irrīdēre; pārēre; possidēre; praesidēre; ridēre; sedēre; solēre; studēre; tacēre; timēre; valēre

30.04.25: Level 3; Verbs with the dative case [8]: an Elizabethan proverb … with an Elizabethan explanation!

The Adagia is a collection of Roman and Greek proverbs compiled by Erasmus and first published in 1500, one of which is:

Figulus figulō invidet, faber fabrō │ The potter envieth the potter, the smith the smith

The original Elizabethan explanation of this is as follows …

The Englishe man pronounceth this Proverbe in this sort: The potter enuyeth the potter, ye smythe ye smythe. Assuredly where men exercise one science, there comonly the lykenes of the science doth rather gender hart brenyng then it dothe loue or beneuolence.

A more concise interpretation appeared in 1814:

“Two of a trade can never agree” each of them fearing to be excelled by his rival. 

30.04.25: Level 3; Verbs with the dative case [7]: It doesn’t get any more 17th century than this …

These short extracts are showing examples of the dative, but far more interesting is that, while Latin spelling was well established, English still had some way to go.

From: An easie Entrance TO THE LATINE TONGUE (1649)

By Charles Hoole M.A. somtimes Master of the Free-School at Rotherham in York-shire; and now Teacher of a private Grammar-School in Gold­smith's-Allie neer Cripple-gate, London.

Bónis nócet, qui mális párcit. Hee hurteth the good, who spa­reth the bad.

Benefécit multis, malefécit nulli. Hee hath don good to many, hee hath don harm to none.

To threaten, or to bee angrie with: as, Iráscor tibi. I am angry at thee.

• benefaciō, -ere, benefēcī [3-iō]: to do good (to somebody); benefit; bless
• malefaciō, -ere, malefēcī [3-iō]: to do evil / harm; injure

30.04.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [2]; the Hippopotamus; ablative of description (quality); ablative of respect

Translate into English:

Hippopotamī ā nōnnūllīs Aegyptiīs sacrī habentur; ab reliquīs vērō nōn sacrī. Hōrum nātūra atque speciēs tālis est. Quadrupēs animal, bisulcum, ungulīs bovīnīs, sīmō nāsō, iubā equīnā, dentibus prōminentibus, caudā et vōce equīnā: magnitūdine taurīs sunt similēs.

Vocabulary

bisulcus, -a, -um: cloven (of a hoof)

bovīnus, -a, -um: pertaining to oxen, cattle, cows; Engl. deriv. bovine

cauda, -ae [1/f]: tail

iuba, -ae [1/f]: mane (of, for example, a horse)

quadrupēs, quadrupidis: four-footed

sīm(i)us, -a, -um: snub-nosed; sīmia, -ae [1/f]: monkey

ungula, -ae [1/f]: hoof; claw, diminutive form (ungula) of unguis, -is [3/m]: fingernail; toenail

Notes

[1] ablative of description / quality

This list of adjectives and nouns uses the ablative of description

… ungulīs bovīnīs, sīmō nāsō, iubā equīnā, dentibus prōminentibus, caudā et vōce equīnā

Also known as the ablative of quality, it is used to describe a person’s personal qualities or physical features; English conveys this idea with the prepositions with and of, for example ‘a man of great wisdom’ or ‘a man with long hair’. This is generally expressed in Latin by using a noun and an adjective in the ablative case:

nāsus: nose > vir ¦ magnō nasō: a man ¦ with a big nose

barba; capillus > vir ¦ [i] barbā albā et [ii] capillō prōmissō: a man ¦ [i] with a white beard and [ii] long hair

oculī > fēmina ¦ oculīs caeruleīs: a lady ¦ with blue eyes

prudentia: wisdom > vir ¦ magnā prudentiā: a man ¦ of great wisdom

Discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/080324-ablative-of-description-quality.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/403980555546552/

[2] ablative of respect

magnitūdine ¦ taurīs sunt similēs │ they are similar to bulls ¦ > in what respect? > in (terms of) size

The ablative of respect is used to indicate in what respect something ‘is’ or is done:

virtūte praecēdunt │ they excel in courage

Corpore senex esse poterit, animō numquam erit. │ He may be an old man in (terms of) body [with respect to his body], he never will be [old] at heart.

maior ¦ nātū: greater with respect to age = older

minor nātū: younger

____________________

Hippopotami are held sacred by some Egyptians, but not sacred by the rest. Their nature and appearance are as follows. (It is) a four-footed animal, with cloven hoof, the hooves of oxen, a snub nose, the mane of a horse, projecting teeth, the tail and voice of a horse: in size they resemble bulls.