17.11.25: Level 3; [i] Anaxagoras [ii] Lysander at Sardis; ablative of respect / specification; genitive / ablative of description

[i] Praeclārum fuit respōnsum illud Anaxagorae philosophī. Is enim, Lampsacī moriēns, quaerentibus amīcīs, "Vīsne in patriam auferrī?" inquit:"Minimē: undique enim ad Īnferōs eadem est via."

[1] Lampsacī: locative case of Lampsacum (or Lampsacus), a city on the Hellespont

[2] Vīsne in patriam auferrī? Present passive infinitive of auferō, auferre: take / carry away

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

[ii] Cȳrus minor, prīnceps Persārum praestāns ingeniō atque imperiī glōriā, Lȳsandrum Lacedaemonium, virum summae virtūtis, Sardibus ōlim hospitiō excēpit. Huic quemdam agrum dīligenter cultum ostendit. Mīrantī autem Lȳsandrō arborēs, et humum cultam et bene dispositōs ōrdinēs, Cȳrus respondit: "Ego omnia illa disposuī: meī sunt ōrdinēs; multae etiam illārum arborum meā manū sunt satae." Tum Lȳsander, vidēns ōrnātum eius multō aurō eximium, dīxit: "Rēctē vērō tē, Cȳre, beātum ferunt, virtūtī enim tuae dīvitiae additae sunt."

dispōnō, -ere, disposuī, dispositus [3]: arrange

eximius, -a, -um: splendid; remarkable; extraordinary

ōrnātus, -ūs [4/m]: (here) apparel; dress

serō, -ere, sēvī, satus [3]: sow; plant

[1] ablative of respect / specification

Used to indicate in what respect something is or is done

praestāns (1) ingeniō atque imperiī (2) glōriā │ excelling [in what respect?] (2) in talent and (2) in the renown of his rule

LINKS

30.04.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [2]; the Hippopotamus; … ablative of respect [note 2]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/300425-level-3-beasts-in-egypt-and.html

11.06.25; Level 3; summary of of the uses of the ablative case [14]: the ablative of respect / specification

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/110625-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of_7.html

LINKS

Ablative of respect with the supine:

19.09.25: Level 3; the supine [1]note [2](iii)

mīrābile visū = literally: amazing with respect to seeing = amazing to see

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/190925-level-3-supine-1.html

Latin Tutorial: The Ablative of Respect/Specification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsOyjHhxK-k&t=110s

[2]

[a] genitive of description

virum summae [genitive] virtūtis [genitive] │ a man of the utmost courage; genitive of description, used to describe character or qualities

must comprise an adjective + noun i.e. “a man of wisdom” cannot be expressed in this way and needs to be rephrased: vir sapiēns (a wise man)

mīles maximī animī │ a soldier of the greatest courage

vir summae prūdentiae │ a man of the highest good sense

fossa quīndecim pedum │ a ditch of fifteen feet

rēx trīgintā annōrum │ a king of thirty years = a 30 year old king

LINKS

Latin Tutorial: The Genitive of Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dornNtDxCtI

[b] the ablative of description

The ablative – comprising noun + adjective – may also be used in descriptions:

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

The genitive and the ablative of description may be interchangeable i.e.

[a] vir summī ingeniī (genitive) and [b] vir summō ingeniō (ablative) both mean “a man of highest genius”

The rule of thumb is that the ablative tends to be used with physical descriptions.

Plautus:

Quā faciē voster Saurea est? │ What does your Saurea look like? [ = of what appearance …]

Macilentīs malīs, rūfulus aliquantum, ventriōsus, truculentīs oculīs, commodā statūrā, trīstī fronte.

Thin jaws — reddish hair — pot-bellied— savage eyes — average height — and a scowl (sad countenance).

LINKS

08.03.24: the ablative of description / quality

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

30.04.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [2]; the Hippopotamus; ablative of description (quality) [note 1]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/300425-level-3-beasts-in-egypt-and.html

Latin Tutorial:  The Ablative of Description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_1xx9iC0t8

[3] Mīrantī [dative] autem Lȳsandrō [dative] arborēs … Cȳrus respondit │ Cyrus replied to Lysandar [who was] marvelling at / admiring the trees

[4] Rēctē vērō tē, Cȳre, beātum ferunt │ Indeed, they truly say / report that you, Cyrus, are blessed.

ferō: one of its many meanings is “report”, “tell”, “relate” and other synonyms to indicate conveying information

____________________

[i] That was a glorious answer of Anaxagoras the philosopher. For he, when dying at Lampsacus, said to his friends askng, ‘Do you wish to be carried to your own country?’ ‘Not at all: for the way to the gods below is the same from all places.’

[ii] Cyrus the younger, a prince of the Persians, excelling in talent and in the renown of his rule, once received with hospitality at Sardis, Lysander the Lacedaemonian, a man of the greatest virtue. He showed him a certain field, carefully cultivated. Now Cyrus replied to Lysander, [who was] admiring the trees, and the cultivated ground, and the well-arranged rows: ‘I arranged all these things: the rows are my own: many of these trees were also / even sown by my hand.’ Then Lysander, seeing his dress splendid with much gold, said: ‘Indeed, they truly say / report that you, Cyrus, are blessed, for to your virtue riches have been added.’

16.11.25: Latin (intermediate) multi-choice questions [3]

[1] Cui rēx pecūniam dedit?

(A) whose; (B) to whom; (C) whom; (D) with whom

[2] What is a typical response if a friend asks you, “Quid novī?”

(A) nihil; (B) salvē; (C) optimē; (D) male

[3] Captīvī in Forum ā mīlitibus nostrīs dūcēbantur.

(A) for our soldiers; (B) by our soldiers; (C) with our soldiers; (D) of our soldiers

[4] Herculēs dēmōnstrāvit Cerberum regī quī in Graeciā habitābat.

(A) the king to whom; (B) to the king who; (C) of the king whose; (D) the king by whom

[5] Difficile est nāvigāre autumnō.

(A) for the fall; (B) in the fall; (C) the fall; (D) from the fall

[6] Gladiīs strictīs, gladiātōrēs pugnāre coepērunt.

(A) to draw swords; (B) swords having been drawn; (C) drawing swords; (D) about to draw swords

[7] Narcissus _____ in aquā spectābat et dīxit, "Quam pulcher sum ego!"

(A) suum; (B) tē; (C) sē; (D) mē

[8] Caesar _____ equōs in Galliam movēbit.

(A) multum; (B) multī; (C) multō; (D) multōs

[9] What was Paris' reward for giving Venus the golden apple?

(A) eternal life; (B) a powerful kingdom; (C) great wealth; (D) a beautiful woman

[10] Which of the following authors is well-known for writing plays?

(A) Plautus; (B) Catullus; (C) Pliny the Elder; (D) Lucretius

____________________

Answers

[1] Cui rēx pecūniam dedit? │ (B) to whom; dative singular of quis?

[2] What is a typical response if a friend asks you, “Quid novī?” │ (A) nihil; quid novī │ what’s new? (literally: what of new?)

[3] Captīvī in Forum ā mīlitibus nostrīs dūcēbantur. │ (B) by our soldiers; ablative of agent

[4] Herculēs dēmōnstrāvit Cerberum regī quī in Graeciā habitābat. │(B) to the king ¦ who; regī: dative of rēx, rēgis [3/m] i.e. to the king; quī … │ subject of the relative clause i.e. … who lived in Greece

[5] Difficile est nāvigāre autumnō. │ (B) in the fall; ablative of time when

[6] Gladiīs strictīs, gladiātōrēs pugnāre coepērunt. │ (B) swords having been drawn; ablative absolute i.e. with X having beeen Y-ed i.e. (with swords having been drawn)

[7] Narcissus _____ in aquā spectābat et dīxit, "Quam pulcher sum ego!" │ (C) sē; reflexive i.e. Narcissus was looking at himself

[8] Caesar _____ equōs in Galliam movēbit. │ (D) multōs; accusative plural of multī, -ae, -a: many

[9] What was Paris' reward for giving Venus the golden apple? │ (D) a beautiful woman

[10] Which of the following authors is well-known for writing plays? │ (A) Plautus

15.11.25: Level 1; Carolus et Maria [16][ii] Find the Latin

Section #1

Quid hodiē faciunt Carolus et Cassius? Herī Carolus ad tēctum Cassī invītātus est. Vesperī per agrum ambulābat. Nūllum equum habēbat. Arcum, dōnum patris, et quattuor sagittās portābat quod māne cum Cassiō per silvam īre et multa animālia capere cupiēbat. Māne puerī sunt laetī. Māne omnēs rēs sunt parātae. Cassius equum nigrum et carrum habet. In carrō multae rēs portantur. Sagittae, frūmentum, arcūs, cēna puerōrum sunt in carrō. Iacula nōn portant, quod nunc sagittāriī, nōn mīlitēs, sunt.

What are (they) doing?

many things are carried …

he was carrying

he was walking

he had no horse

he wanted to go … to catch

Carolus … was invited

all the things are / have been prepared

Section #2

“Valēte,” inquit māter.

“Valē,” inquiunt puerī quī nunc in carrō sunt. Equus niger, cuius nōmen est “Pulcher,” validus est. Per agrōs in viīs lātīs properat. Ā dextrā et ā sinistrā omnēs rēs puerīs sunt grātae. Subitō equus ē viā currit.

“Pulcher aliquid videt et timet,” inquit Cassius. “Quid est?”

the mother says

the boys say

the horse runs

(it) sees something

Section #3

Tum trāns viam prīmum parvum animal currit. Carrum et equum videt et timet et per agrum properat. Mox secundum et tertium animal trāns viam ante equum currunt.

Nunc equus in viā nōn fortiter currit quod tria animālia timet. In mediā viā stat et currere nōn cupit. Puerī nōn timent et “Properā, Pulcher,” inquiunt. “Nūllum est perīculum. Es tūtus.” Ubi animālia nōn videntur, Pulcher bene currit.

(it) fears / is afraid of the horse

the boys are not afraid

it doesn’t want to run

(they) run across the road

it is standing in the middle of the road

animals are not seen

hurry up!

Section #4

Post ūnam hōram prope puerōs est aedificium. “Habitatne aliquis ibi?” inquit Carolus ubi ad aedificium venit.

“Numquam ibi virōs et fēminās vīdī,” respondet Cassius. Ubi in tēctum puerī veniunt, omnia spectant. Hīc est mēnsa. In illō locō est pictūra mīlitis quī in capite galeam habet. Scūtum et iaculum et gladium habet. Hīc aliquis habitāvit. Diū puerī in aedificiō manent. Hīc cēnam edunt. Post cēnam ex aedificiō currunt et in manibus arcūs et sagittās portant. Animālia vident sed nūllum capiunt. Mox est vesper et puerī dēfessī domum eunt. Equus nunc domum et ad stabulum, in quō frūmentum est, laetē currit.

they carry arrows

they look at everything

the boys stay in the building

they see animals

they eat dinner

they run out of the building

they catch nothing

when the boys come into the house

when he comes to the building

the boys go home

Does somebody live there?

a picture of a soldier who has a helmet

Section #5

“Ubi,” inquit māter, “sunt animālia?” Puerī nunc in tēctum veniunt et omnia nārrant.

“Multa vīdimus sed nūllum cēpimus,” respondent puerī. “Multās hōrās in aedificiō manēbāmus. Mox erat vesper et dēfessī erāmus.”

Mox Carolus domum it. In manibus sagittās sed nūllum animal portat. Ubi Carolus ad tēctum Cassī invītātur, laetus est.

Carolus goes home

it was soon evening

we were tired

we stayed

we saw / have seen

we caught / have caught

when Carolus is invited

15.11.25: Level 1; Carolus et Maria [16][i] text, vocabulary, reading comprehension

Carolus et Maria XVI

Section #1

Quid hodiē faciunt Carolus et Cassius? Herī Carolus ad tēctum Cassī invītātus est. Vesperī per agrum ambulābat. Nūllum equum habēbat. Arcum, dōnum patris, et quattuor sagittās portābat quod māne cum Cassiō per silvam īre et multa animālia capere cupiēbat. Māne puerī sunt laetī. Māne omnēs rēs sunt parātae. Cassius equum nigrum et carrum habet. In carrō multae rēs portantur. Sagittae, frūmentum, arcūs, cēna puerōrum sunt in carrō. Iacula nōn portant, quod nunc sagittāriī, nōn mīlitēs, sunt.

Section #1: Comprehension

[i] Where was Carolus invited yesterday? (1)

[ii] What was he doing in the evening, and why? (3)

[iii] What was he carrying? Give details? (3)

[iv] Where did he want to go with Cassius and when? (2)

[v] What did he want to do there? (2)

[vi] How do the boys feel in the morning? (1)

[vii] What does Cassius have? (3)

[viii] What things are in the cart? (4)

[ix] What are they not carrying, and why? (3)

Section #2

“Valēte,” inquit māter.

“Valē,” inquiunt puerī quī nunc in carrō sunt. Equus niger, cuius nōmen est “Pulcher,” validus est. Per agrōs in viīs lātīs properat. Ā dextrā et ā sinistrā omnēs rēs puerīs sunt grātae. Subitō equus ē viā currit.

“Pulcher aliquid videt et timet,” inquit Cassius. “Quid est?”

Section #2: Comprehension

[i] Where are the boys when they say good-bye? (1)

[ii] What three pieces of information are given about the horse? (3)

[iii] Where does the horse like to hurry? (3)

[iv] How do the boys react to the things they see around them? (1)

[v] What does the horse suddenly do? (1)

[vi] Why does Cassius think this has happened? (2)

Section #3

Tum trāns viam prīmum parvum animal currit. Carrum et equum videt et timet et per agrum properat. Mox secundum et tertium animal trāns viam ante equum currunt.

Nunc equus in viā nōn fortiter currit quod tria animālia timet. In mediā viā stat et currere nōn cupit. Puerī nōn timent et “Properā, Pulcher,” inquiunt. “Nūllum est perīculum. Es tūtus.” Ubi animālia nōn videntur, Pulcher bene currit.

Section #3 comprehension

[A] Complete the sentences with appropriate words or phrases.

[i] The first animal runs __________.

[ii] The first animal sees __________ and it feels __________ and so it hurries __________.

[iii] The second and third animal run __________ and __________ the horse.

[B]

[i] How is the horse running and why? (2)

[ii] Where is the horse standing? (1)

[iii] How do the boys reassure the horse? (3)

[iv] When does the horse run well? (1)

Section #4

Post ūnam hōram prope puerōs est aedificium. “Habitatne aliquis ibi?” inquit Carolus ubi ad aedificium venit.

“Numquam ibi virōs et fēminās vīdī,” respondet Cassius. Ubi in tēctum puerī veniunt, omnia spectant. Hīc est mēnsa. In illō locō est pictūra mīlitis quī in capite galeam habet. Scūtum et iaculum et gladium habet. Hic aliquis habitāvit. Diū puerī in aedificiō manent. Hīc cēnam edunt. Post cēnam ex aedificiō currunt et in manibus arcūs et sagittās portant. Animālia vident sed nūllum capiunt. Mox est vesper et puerī dēfessī domum eunt. Equus nunc domum et ad stabulum, in quō frūmentum est, laetē currit.

Section #4 comprehension

[i] Where are the boys after an hour? (1)

[ii] What does Carolus want to know? (1)

[iii] What does Cassius say in reply? (3)

[iv] What do the boys do when they go into the house? (1)

[v] Translate: Hīc est mēnsa. In illō locō est pictūra mīlitis quī in capite galeam habet. Scūtum et iaculum et gladium habet. Hic aliquis habitāvit.

[vi] How long do the boys stay in the building and what do they do there? (2)

[vii] What do they have in their hands when they run out? (2)

[viii] How successful are they in finding animals? (2)

[ix] When do the boys go home and how do they feel? (2)

[x] Why is the horse happy? (2)

Section #5

“Ubi,” inquit māter, “sunt animālia?” Puerī nunc in tēctum veniunt et omnia nārrant.

“Multa vīdimus sed nūllum cēpimus,” respondent puerī. “Multās hōrās in aedificiō manēbāmus. Mox erat vesper et dēfessī erāmus.”

Mox Carolus domum it. In manibus sagittās sed nūllum animal portat. Ubi Carolus ad tēctum Cassī invītātur, laetus est.

Section #5 comprehension

[i] What does the mother want to know (1)

[ii] Translate: “Multa vīdimus sed nūllum cēpimus,” respondent puerī. “Multās hōrās in aedificiō manēbāmus. Mox erat vesper et dēfessī erāmus.” (8)**

[iii] What does Carolus soon do? (1)

[iv] When is Carolus happy? (1)

Vocabulary

[1]

[a]

aliquis: someone

aliquid: something

cuius: whose

[b] omnis [masc. / fem.]; omne [neut.]: all; every

omnia: all things; everything

omnia nārrant │ they recount / talk about everything

[c] rēs: things; in the text, rēs refers to physical things e.g. objects although it can have a wider meaning of ‘matters’, ‘events’

omnēs rēs: all things; multae rēs: many things

in carrō multae rēs portantur │ many things are being carried in the cart

omnēs rēs sunt parātae │ all the things are ready (have been prepared)

[2]

aedificium, -ī [2/n]: building

carrus, -ī [2/m]: wagon; cart

locus, -ī [2/m]: place

arcus, -ūs [4/m]: bow (weapon) [see grammar notes (1)]

manus, -ūs [4/f]: hand [see grammar notes (1)]

[3] all four prepositions are followed by the accusative case

ante: before; in front of

per: through

prope: near

trāns: across

[4]

currō, -ere [3]: run

invītō, -āre [1] invite; invītātus, -a, -um: (having been) invited [see grammar notes (2)]

parō, -āre [1]: prepare; parātus, -a, -um: (having been) prepared [see grammar notes (2)]

veniō, -īre [4]: come

[5]

tūtus, -a, -um: safe

fortiter: strongly / powerfully; bravely

māne: in the morning

subitō: suddenly

____________________

* Here is a table (1). On that place (2) is a picture (3) of a soldier (4) who has a helmet (5) on his head. He has a shield (6) and a javelin (7) and a sword. Somebody lived here (8).

** “We saw many (1) but caught none,” (2) the boys reply (3). “We stayed (4) in the building (5) for many hours (6). It was soon evening (7) and we were tired (8).”

14.11.25: Level 3; Wild beasts [8] from the authors: Bread and panthers … without the panthers [5]; Cicero’s reply

Laodiceae; prid. Non. Apr. 50 │ Laodicea, 4 April 50(BC) (see notes)

[1] Dē panthērīs per eōs quī vēnārī sōlent agitur mandātū meō dīligenter.  │ The matter concerning the panthers is, according to my order, being diligently attended to by those who usually hunt.

[i] agitur │ it is being done; impersonal construction = the matter is being attended to

[ii] per eōs ¦ quī vēnarī sōlent; soleō, -ere [2]: be accustomed to; by those ¦ who are accustomed to hunting = those who usually hunt = (less literally) by the usual hunters

[2] Sed mīra paucitās est, │ But there is a remarkable scarcity,

[3] et eās quae sunt valdē aiunt querī  │ and they say that those that there are complain greatly

aiunt: they say; this is known in grammar as a defective verb i.e. a verb that does not have a full set of conjugated forms. The English verb ‘can’ is defective because it has no infinitive; it is not *to can*, but ‘to be able’ i.e. defective. The Latin verb is aiō, aiere (say), but is most commonly found as ait (he/she says or said) and, here, aiunt (they say).

[4] quod nihil cuīquam īnsidiārum in meā prōvinciā nisi sibi fīat. │ because there are no traps for anything / anyone in my province apart from for them

[i] nihil īnsidiārum │ genitive after nihil = no traps; English uses a genitive with abstract nouns e.g. nothing of interest, but its English use is limited; the translation ‘no traps’ could equally be rendered as ‘nothing in the way of traps’ which is the closest equivalent to the Latin

[ii] cuīquam: dative of quisquam; this forms part of the next major topic to be covered at Level 3; quisquam is an indefinite pronoun, the English equivalent being ‘anyone / anything’ and is generally used, as here, in negative constructions: nihil cuīquam īnsidiārum │ no traps for anyone / anything

[iii] it’s a light-hearted response: the panthers are complaining that traps are only set for them i.e. they are referring back to themselves (sibi: reflexive)

[5] Itaque cōnstituisse dīcuntur in Cāriam ex nostrā prōvinciā dēcēdere. │ Therefore, they are said to have decided to depart into Caria from our province.

Cāria, -ae [1/f]: district in SW Asia Minor

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

[6] Sed tamen sēdulō fit et in prīmīs ā Patiscō. │ Nevertheless, it is being done zealously / with great care, and especially by Patiscus.

sēdūlō: zealously; diligently; carefully

[7] Quicquid erit, tibi erit; │ Literally: whatever there is [ will be], you will have [it will be for you] i.e. However many animals there are, you will have them;

quicquid (or quidquid): whatever;  a further example of an indefinite pronoun

[8] sed quid esset plānē nesciēbāmus. │ but what [i.e. how many] there might be, I obviously don’t know.

See the notes below on this part of the sentence

Notes

[i] PRID. ¦ NON. APR. 50

(1) prid: abbreviation of prīdiē ¦  (2) NON. APR.│ (1) the day before ¦ (2) the Nones of April

See previous post: the Nones is the 5^th of April. Therefore, the letter was written on the day before the Nones / 5^th of April i.e. April 4th

[ii] sed quid esset ¦ plānē nesciēbāmus │ but what / how many there might be, I obviously don’t know

There are three points to note concerning this part of the sentence

(1) nesciēbāmus: Cicero often uses the first person plural to refer to himself

(2) nesciēbāmus: the imperfect tense is used; this is an example of epistolary tense which was discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/011025-level-3-epistolary-tenses-brief.html

The term epistolary tense refers to letters, and – fairly common in the letters of Cicero – it refers to a shift in the uses of tenses. We write letters using the time frame that applies to us, the writers e.g. “I’m not sure how many of those books I have, but, whatever I find, I’ll send them to you.” However, Cicero – as he does here – changes the sentence to the time perspective of the reader, one reasonable interpretation of this style being the lengthy period that would have elapsed from the time the writer in Ancient Rome dispatched the letter until the time the recipient read it i.e. whatever is happening as Cicero writes will have finished by the time the recipient reads about it.

In the example English sentence, Cicero’s epistolary style would most likely change it to “I wasn’t sure (at the time I was writing) how many of those books I had, but, whatever I found, I’ve sent them to you.” Therefore, although the literal translation is “We ( = I) didn’t know …” (because he didn’t know at the point at which the letter was received), the actual translations is “I don’t know …”

The usage isn’t consistent and it only tends to occur when referring to events happening to the speaker at the time of writing.

Both of the points discussed above are also here (refer to the notes at the end of the post):

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/041025-level-3-review-irregular-verbs-9.html

(3) sed quid esset ¦ plānē nesciēbāmus │ But how many there might be, I obviously don’t know.

esset is subjunctive; a further use of the subjunctive is with indirect questions e.g. Ubi est templum? │ Where is the temple i.e. a direct question > Nesciō ¦ ubi sit [subjunctive] templum │ I don’t know ¦ where the temple is i.e. an indirect question; English could convey this using an ‘equivalent’ of a subjunctive i.e. “I don’t know where the temple might be” (slightly stilted but correct)

14.11.25: Level 3; Wild beasts [7] from the authors: Bread and panthers … without the panthers [4]; make a date with a Roman

Scr. Romae iv Non. Sept. a. 703 (51). CAELIVS CICERONI S. ¦ M. CAELIUS RUFUS TO CICERO, Rome, 2^nd September, 51BC

Romae (locative); at Rome

Each Roman month had three principal days:

[i] Kalendae, -ārum (Kal.): the Kalends (Calends); the first day of the month (which involves no thinking at all because it always refers to the first of the month)

[ii] Nōnae, -ārum (Non.): the Nones; [i] seventh day of March, May, July, October; [ii] fifth day of all other months

[iii] Īdūs, -uum (Id.) the Ides; [i] fifteenth day of March, May, July, October; [ii] thirteenth day of all other months; Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March i.e. the 15th

Step-by-step

IV NON. SEPT.

[1] This letter refers to the Nones of September i.e. the 5^th day of the month

[2] The preceding IV [IV NON.] refers to 4 days before and including the Nones itself, and so you start counting backwards from the Nones

Day 1: 5^th │ the Nones of September

> Day 2: 4^th of September

> Day 3: 3^rd of September

> Day 4: 2^nd of September

[3] a(nnō) 703 │ in the year 703

Romans used two different ways of expressing the year, and sometimes both are written in the same text:

[i] Consular dating: two consuls were elected each year, serving together, each with veto power over the other's actions. Roman years were customarily denoted according to the names of the two consuls who held office that year:

C. Fabiō et L. Virgīniō ¦ cōnsulibus │ During the consulship of Gaius Fabius and Lucius Virginius ¦  literally: with GF and LV ¦ (being) consuls  [ablative absolute] = while GF and LV were consuls = during the consulship of GF and LV

L. Genuciō et Q. Servīliō cōnsulibus mortuus est Camillus. │ Camillus died during the consulship of Lucius Genucius and Quintus Servilius.

From the perspective of a 21^st century reader this provides little if any further information; a UK reader may know, for example, what years a person was British Prime Minister but that historical knowledge isn’t guaranteed.

[ii] ab urbe conditā (AUC)│ from the founding of the city

The year was also calculated based on the number of years that had passed since the foundation of Rome i.e. 753BC, and, like the dates, 753 itself is included in the calculation. Therefore, whatever year is expressed, you subtract that from 754: a. 703; 754 – 703 = 51BC

In general, we need to be a little circumspect when dealing with dates referring to events 2000 years ago, and there is not always consistency and / or accuracy in calculation. In the end – despite the date appearing in one of the manuscripts of Pliny’s letter – nobody is really sure when exactly Mount Vesuvius erupted. It is now generally accepted that either Pliny was wrong (there is physical and written evidence that the eruption happened later in the year) or couldn’t remember and felt he had to write something, or a date was added or misinterpreted by a scribe. I have my own thoughts on that one, but I’ll keep them to myself until we look in detail at Pliny’s account of Vesuvius.