22.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [7]; rapid reading [4]; year 2000+; scary movies

If you’ve ever wondered why films give the date in Roman numerals, here are a few theories but with no real conclusion:

https://www.samyoung.co.nz/2024/04/why-roman-numerals-for-movie-dates.html 

Note! The year 2000 onwards is expressed using the word bis (twice)

Annō dominī bis mīllēsimō [literally: in the 2 x thousandth year]: in 2000; MM

Annō Dominī bis mīllēsimō ūndecimō: in 2011; MMXI

Annō Dominī bis mīllēsimō vīcēsimō quārtō: in 2024; MMXXIV

Here are some well-known ‘scary’ movies. In what year was each film released? Famous quotations from the movies - and their titles - I've also given in Latin. Can you match it all up?

1939; 1960; 1975; 1976; 1980; 1984; 1990; 1991; 2002; 2005

AGNŌRUM SILENTIUM

DĒMĒNS

DĒVERSŌRIUM

INTERFECTOR

MAGUS MĪRĀBILIS IN OZ

MALUM RESIDĒNS

MĀXILLAE

MISERIA

ŌMEN

SPLENDOR

Ecce Johnny!

Ego pol tē ulcīscar, mea pulchra, atque istum catulum tuum.

Istīus iecur cōnsūmpsī cum nōnnullīs fabīs Chiantique suāvī.

Mātercula mea hodiē nōn sē bene habet.

Nōlī timēre, parvule mī, ego hīc adsum, ut tē prōtegam.

Ō Paule, tē amō.

Reveniam.

Scīsne, chīrūrgus fierī semper volēbam.

Tibi scaphā maiōre opus erit.

Vōs omnēs hīc in hōc profundō moriēminī.

16.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [6]; rapid reading [3]; documents

ANNO DOMINI │ [1] MILLESIMO [2] QUADRAGESIMO [3] QUINQUAGESIMO [4] NONO

In the │ [1] one thousandth [2] four hundredth [3] fiftieth [4] ninth │ year of the Lord = AD 1459

Here are some years from documents, inscriptions and books. Match the Latin with the numerical year. The day and month are also given for some of them. All the years and dates are given at the end - you just need to choose the right ones for each document.

[1] Extract from a birth certificate:

Boy or girl?

What year, month and day was the birth registered?

What day and month was the child born?

What information is omitted from this extract?

Anno domini millesimo nongentesimo decimo primo │ die nona mensis Julii │ puer natus │die quinta mensis Julii │ hora _____

[2] Published in Warsaw: year, month and day?

Varsaviae Anno Domini, Milleſimo Sexcenteſimo Quadrageſimo Tertio │ Die Octava Menſis Novembris. [ſ = s]

[3] On what day, month and year did Constancia die?

“HIC IACET EGREGIA DO/MINA CONSTANCIA DE SA/LVCIIS OLIM IVDICESSA/ARBOREE QVE OBIIT DIE/XVIII.MENSIS FEBRVARII │ ANNO DOMINI MILLESIMO/CCC.QVADRAGESI/MO OCTAVO”

[4] The online transcript of this certificate of baptism contains errors; it is difficult to know - owing to the handwriting - whether errors were actually made by the person who wrote the document, or the person who transcribed it. Below is the version with the correct spelling.

The year, date and month are given in the first three lines:

Anno D[omi]ni millesimo sexcentesimo sexagesimo septimo │ decima sexta mensis decembris

[5] The handwriting is almost impossible to read, but the transcription has been well done.

IN DEI NOMINE AMEN VICESIMO DIE MENSIS MARCII ANNO DOMINI MILLESIMO CCCC^MO LXX^MO

Ego Egidius Bregge de parochia de Hedecrone compos mentis saneque memorie condo testamentum in hunc modum

In the name of God Amen the __________ day of the month of __________ AD __________

I Giles Bregge of the parish of Headcorn being composed of mind and of sound memory make my testament in this fashion.

Note the abbreviation ‘mo’ attached to CCCC and LXX which refers to the ablative of the ordinal e.g. quadringentesimo (400^th). An ordinal may also be indicated by a small ^o after it.

[6] Two years given in this one i.e. ab: from [a certain year] ad: to [a certain year]; note the spelling of octuagesimo

AB ANNO DOMINI Millesimo, Quingentesimo, Octuagesimo Quinto usq́ [= usque]; ad Annum Millesimum, Sexcentesimum Octuagesimum Septimum inclusivè.

[7] What do you notice about the year given [i] in full in Latin and [ii] in Roman numerals?

[i] ANNO DOMINI MILLESIMO OCTINGENTESIMO VIGESIMO QUINTO

[ii] MDCCCXXVI

[8]

Anno Domini millesimo octingentesimo sexagesimo sexto

[9]

Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Nonagesimo Quarto │ Die Primo Aprilis

[10]

Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentestimo Nonagesimo Septimo

1348; 1470; 1585; 1643; 1667; 1687; 1694; 1697; 1825; 1826; 1866; 1911

February 18th; March 20th; April 1st; July 5th; July 9th; November 8th; December 16th

12.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [5]; rapid reading [2]; historical dates

An alternative to A(nnō) D(ominī) is post Chrīstum nātum (p. Chr. n.): after the birth of Christ. Similarly, ante Chrīstum nātum (a. Chr. n.) is used to refer to BC i.e. before the birth of Christ:

annō centēsimō post Chrīstum nātum │100 AD

annō quīngentēsimō ante Chrīstum nātum │ 500 BC

Here are dates from the pre-Christian and post-Christian era; fill in the blanks with the year in Latin from the list below:

[1] Founding of Rome		753 BC
[2] Creation of the Roman Republic		509 BC
[3] The Laws of the 10 tables		451 BC
[4] Start of the 1st Punic war with Carthage		264BC
[5] Battle of Cannae		216 BC
[6] Caesar’s first invasion of Britain		55 BC
[7] Assassination of Julius Caesar		44 BC
[8] Defeat of Anthony & Cleopatra		31 BC
[9] Augustus becomes the first Roman Emperor		27 BC
[10] Great fire of Rome		64 AD
[11] Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius		79 AD
[12] Construction of Hadrian’s Wall		122 AD
[13] Constantine’s conversion to Christianity		312 AD

[a] annō centēsimō vīgēsimō secundō p.Chr.n.
[b] annō ducentēsimō sexāgēsimō quārtō a.Ch.n.
[c] annō ducentēsimō sextō decimō a.Ch.n.
[d] annō quadrāgēsimō quārtō a.Chr.n.
[e] annō quadringentēsimō quīnquāgēsimō prīmō
[f] annō quīngentēsimō nōnō a.Ch.n.
[g] annō quīntō et quīnquāgēsimō a.Ch.n.
[h] annō septingentēsimō quīnquāgēsimō tertiō a.Ch.n.
[i] annō septuāgēsimō nōnō p.Chr.n.
[j] annō sexāgēsimō quārtō p.Chr.n.
[k] annō trecentēsimō duodecimō p.Chr.n.
[l] annō trīgēsimō prīmō a.Chr.n.
[m] annō vīcēsimō septimō a.Chr.n.

08.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [4]; 100th – 1000th

The same ending -ēsimus is used for the ordinals of the multiples of 100 - 900

Compare these ordinal numbers. 30th and 70th end in -ēnsimus whereas 300th and 700th end in -ēsimus; they are easy to misread. However, note that the multiples of 100 retain the /t/ of centum from which they are formed:

Image #1: If you’re looking at post-Classical texts or inscriptions, you may find the year expressed in [i] Roman numerals [ii] Arabic numerals or [iii] written out in full. Here’s a killer manuscript from Padua; look at the last four lines …

ANNO [ablative] ¦ DOMINI [genitive] [1] MILLESIMO [2] QUADRINGINTESIMO [3] TRICESIMO [4] SEXTO

In the [1]  one thousandth [2] four hundreth [3] thirtieth [4] sixth year ¦ of the Lord

Every part of the year is expressed in ordinal numbers agreeing with annō in the ablative case. Life would have been easier if he had written 1436 – but he didn’t! That there is virtually no space between the words isn’t exactly user-friendly either, but if you want to get into the manuscripts, that’s what you have to face.

Below are years from the first Millennium AD i.e. according to Christian calculation. Years before 1000 obviously will comprise of a maximum of three parts: hundred, tens, units and so, if you see a three figure year, then focus on the beginning of the number rather than worrying about the ending:

ANNO DOMINI [1] CENTESIMO [2] VIGESIMO [3] SEPTIMO    

In the [1] one hundredth [2] twentieth [3] seventh year of the Lord = 127AD

Match the years in Latin with the numerical equivalents listed below.

[1] anno Domini quingentesimo undecimo	_______________
[2] anno Domini nongentesimo tricesimo tertio	_______________
[3] anno Domini centesimo vigesimo primo	_______________
[4] anno Domini ducentesimo tricesimo octavo	_______________
[5] anno Domini septingentesimo sexagesimo septimo	_______________
[6] anno Domini sescentesimo quinquagesimo sexto	_______________
[7] anno Domini nongentesimo septuagesimo	_______________
[8] anno Domini centesimo octogesimo quinto	_______________
[9] anno Domini quingentesimo decimo octavo	_______________
[10] anno Domini octingentesimo quinto decimo	_______________
[11] anno Domini ducentesimo septuagesimo tertio	_______________
[12] anno Domini sescentesimo tertio	_______________
[13] anno Domini quadringentesimo nonagesimo	_______________
[14] anno Domini octingentesimo octogesimo primo	_______________
[15] anno Domini trecentesimo octavo	_______________
[16] anno Domini trecentesimo nonagesimo quinto, usque ad quadringentesimum quadragesimum	______ to ______

121 AD; 185 AD; 238 AD; 273 AD; 308 AD; 395 AD; 440 AD; 490 AD; 511 AD; 518 AD; 603 AD; 656 AD; 767 AD; 815 AD; 881 AD; 933 AD; 970 AD

06.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [3]; 20th – 90th; rapid reading [1]

For fans of statistics, the ablative of annus > annō used to indicate in what year something happened, appears over 1,500 times in the CL literature! 

Note: ā + ablative│from (a certain year) ad + accusative│to (a certain year) 

Match the Latin with the ordinal numbers in the word cloud.

annō (in ...) duodēquīnquāgēsimō

ā (from ...) [i] septimō annō ad (to...) [2] quārtum decimum

annō LXXII

annō secundō

annō secundō et vīcēsimō

annō tertiō

annō ūndēvīcēnsimō

octāvō annō

prīmō annō

quārtō et nōnāgēsimō annō

quīnquāgēsimō annō

septimō decimō annō

septuāgēsimō annō

sexāgēsimō annō

sextō decimō annō

sextō et vīcēsimō annō

sextō trīcēnsimō annō

ūnō et octōgēsimō annō

vīcēnsimō annō

02.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [2]; 20th – 90th

[1] When we looked at the cardinal numbers, the “markers” -gintī; -gintā which indicate multiples of ten were referred to.

Similarly, the ordinals of the multiples of ten have a distinctive ending:  -ē(n)simus. This is also a 1st / 2nd declension adjective ending:  -ē(n)simus, -a, -um 

Cardinal numbers 20-90 do not decline: -gintā; -gintī
vīgintī	20	XX
trīgintā	30	XXX
quadrāgintā	40	XL
quīnquāgintā	50	L
sexāgintā	60	LX
septuāgintā	70	LXX
octōgintā	80	LXXX
nōnāgintā	90	XC

Ordinal numbers decline as 1st / 2nd declension adjectives: -cē(n)simus, -a, -um; -gē(n)simus, -a, -um
vīcē(n)simus; vīgē(n)simus	20th
trīcē(n)simus; trigē(n)simus	30th
quadrāgē(n)simus	40th
quīnquāgē(n)simus	50th
sexāgē(n)simus	60th
septuāgē(n)simus	70th
octōgē(n)simus	80th
nōnāgē(n)simus	90th

[2] Spelling of the ordinals can vary slightly and you will come across the inclusion of /n/ i.e. -ēnsimus or variation between /g/ and /c/ in 20^th and 30th; these are points simply to note because the ordinals are easily recognised

ab annō vīcēsimō (Nepos) │ from the twentieth year

vīcēnsimō diē (Pliny the Elder) │ on the twentieth day

vīgēsimō annō (Vulgate) │ in the twentieth year

librō vīgēnsimō quārtō (Justinian) │ in the twenty-fourth book

____________________

tertiō et trīcēsimō annō (Cicero)

sextō trīcēnsimō annō (Cicero)

in* octāvō et trīgēsimō annō (Vulgate)

librō trigēnsimō secundō (Justinian)

*note the use of ‘in’ + the year in the Vulgate, whereas CL uses the ablative without a presposition

____________________

quadrāgēsimō diē (Cicero) │ on the fortieth day

quadrāgēnsimō diē (Pliny the Elder) │on the fortieth day

octōgēsimō annō (Cicero) │in the eightieth year

octōgēnsimō librō (Justinian) │in the eightieth book

[3] The examples below show different ways of expressing the ordinals of the compound numbers; both parts decline and the order of words can vary

librō vīcēnsimō prīmō (Justinian) │in the twenty-first book

ūnō et vīcēsimō librō (Gellius) │ in the twenty-first book

vīcēsimō et secundō annō (Gordianus Tertius) │ in the twenty-second year

annō secundō et vīcēsimō (Nepos) │ in the twenty-second  year

sextō trīcēnsimō annō (Cicero) │ in the thirty-sixth year

tertiō et trīcēsimō annō (Cicero) │in the thirty-third year

in octāvō et trīgēsimō annō (Vulgate) │ in the thirty-eighth year

ūnō et LXX diē (Pliny the Elder) │ on the seventy-first day 

02.10.24: Level 2; Ordinal numbers – all forms [1]; 1st - 19th

Links to previous posts on ordinal numbers:

21.03.24: video; ordinal numbers 1^st – 10^th

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/410672978210643/

22.03.24: notes on the previous video and introduction to ordinal numbers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/410993014845306/

22.03.24: ordinal numbers [2]; telling the time

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/411050398172901/

09.04.24: more on ordinal numbers [1]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/421560213788586/

09.04.24: more on ordinal numbers; 11th – 31^st

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/421568470454427/

prīmus, -a, -um	1st	sextus	6th
secundus	2nd	septimus	7th
tertius	3rd	octāvus	8th
quārtus	4th	nōnus	9th
quīntus	5th	decimus	10th

[1] All ordinal numbers end in -us, -a, -um i.e. they decline like any other 1^st / 2^nd declension adjective; you will often see them in the ablative case with reference to [i] times and [ii] years; it is the topic of years that we will look at in detail in this and later posts

sextā hōrā │ at the sixth hour

quintō annō │ in the fifth year

[2] 1^st and 2^nd have unique ordinal forms that are different from the cardinal numbers as in English first and second; the remaining ordinals are derived from their cardinal forms:

1	I	ūnus	first	prīmus, -a, -um
2	II	duo	second	secundus
3	III	trēs	third	tertius
4	IV	quattuor	fourth	quārtus
5	V	quīnque	fifth	quīntus
6	VI	sex	sixth	sextus
7	VII	septem	seventh	septimus
8	VIII	octō	eighth	octāvus
9	IX	novem	ninth	nōnus
10	X	decem	tenth	decimus

[3] 11^th – 19^th

[i] 11^th – 12^th:

ūndecim (11) > ūndecimus, -ā, -um (11th)

duodecim (12) > duodecimus, -ā, -um (12th)

[ii] 13th – 19th are formed from the ordinal numbers 3rd – 7th + decimus, -a, -um. both parts are declined, and you may see variations as to how they are formed, but they are always recognisable:

tertius decimus	thirteenth
quārtus decimus	fourteenth
quīntus decimus	fifteenth
sextus decimus	sixteenth
septimus decimus	seventeenth
octāvus decimus	eighteenth
nōnus decimus	nineteenth

[iii] 18^th and 19^th may also be expressed in the following way, based upon the formation of the cardinal number

duo¦dē¦vīgintī (literally: 2 from 20) = 18	duo¦dē¦vīcēsimus (literally: 2 from 20th) =19th
ūn¦dē¦vīgintī (literally: 1 from 20) = 19	ūn¦dē¦vīcēsimus (literally: 1 from 20th) =19th

• Quīntō decimō diē (Livy) │ on the fifteenth day
• Duodecimō mēnse (Varrō) │ in the twelth month
• Tertiō decimō annō Pūnicī bellī (Livy) │ in the thirteenth year of the Punic War
• cum octāvō decimō aetātis annō Cn. Pompēius, nōnō decimō Caesar Octāviānus (Tacitus)│ when Cneius Pompeius and Cæsar Octavianus, in their eighteenth and nineteenth years respectively, …
• legiō duodēuīcēsima (Livy) │ the eighteenth legion
• in librō ūndēuīcēsimō (Gellius) │ in the nineteenth book

The following are a series of British legal Acts entitled in Latin. In which year(s) of the reign of which monarch(s) did each piece of legislation come into force?

[1]

Anno Regni

WILLIELMI

ET

MARIAE,

REGIS & REGINAE

ANGLIA, FRANCIA & HIBERNIA,

PRIMO.

[2] ANNO QUINTO DECIMO GEORGII VI REGIS

[3] ANNO UNDECIMO & DUODECIMO VICTORIAE REGINAE

[4] ANNO UNDEVICESIMO ELIZABETHAE SECUNDAE REGINAE

[5] ANNO DECIMO TERTIO GEORGII III REGIS

[6] ANNO REGNI GEORGII II REGIS, DECIMO QUARTO

[7] ANNO SECUNDO & TERTIO GULIELMI IV REGIS

[8] ANNO NONO GEORGII IV REGIS