01.09.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases [4](2); 1st / 2nd declension nouns and adjectives: accusative singular (2)

Colloquium

The teacher asks the pupils what they saw today:

Quid ¦ vīdistis ¦ hodiē? │ What ¦ did you see ¦ today?

Each in turn says what they saw.

Discipulus prīmus: the first pupil

Discipulus secundus: the second pupil

Discipulus tertius: the third pupil

Etc.

Which student (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd etc.) saw …

a donkey

a farmer

a gate

a Gaul

a German

a Greek

a sailor

a temple

a town

a wall

Brutus

Diana’s shrine

Geta

Here are some things you may have seen. Change them into the accusative e.g.

porta > portam vīdī │ I saw / have seen a gate

Brutus > Brutum vīdī │ I saw / have seen Brutus

templum > templum vīdī │ I saw / have seen a temple

amīcus (friend [masc.])

discipulus (pupil [masc.])

hortus (garden)

lūdus (school)

medicus (doctor)

____________________

amīca (friend [fem.])

discipula (pupil [fem.])

taberna (shop)

puella (girl)

vacca (cow)

____________________

theātrum (theatre)

thermopolium (shop selling hot food)

macellum (market)

cubiculum (bedroom)

librārium (bookcase; book shelf)

01.09.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases [4](1); 1st / 2nd declension nouns and adjectives: accusative singular (1)

[1]

Nominative singular: pecūnia (money)

Accusative singular: pecūniam

Pecūniam habet [direct object of the sentence] │(s)he has money

multus, -a, -um: much; a lot (of)

Multam pecūniam habet / (s)he has much (a lot of) money

[2]

Nominative singular: servus

Accusative singular: servum

Servum habet [direct object of the sentence] │(s)he has a slave

bonus, -a, um: good

Servum bonum habet │ (s)he has a good slave

[3]

Nominative singular: scūtum

Accusative singular: scūtum [no change]

Scūtum habet [direct object of the sentence] │ (s)he has a shield

lātus, -a, -um: wide

Scūtum lātum habet │ (s)he has a wide shield

Lectiō §16

vulnerat: injures

equus, -ī [2/m]: horse

Hasta barbarum vulnerat — hasta Gallum vulnerat — hasta Rōmānum vulnerat. [2] Geta Dāvum vulnerat — Dāvus Getam nōn vulnerat — Geta scūtum habet — Dāvus nōn habet scūtum — Geta equum habet — Dāvus nōn habet equum — Geta equum incitat — Dāvus Getam fugat — sed Getam nōn vulnerat — nam Geta bonum equum et scūtum lātum habet.

Lectiō §17

occupat: occupies

saepe: often

tōtus, -a, -um: all; the whole

castellum, -ī [2/n]: castle

mehercule! by Hercules!

quid? what?

Caesar īnsulam occupat. Īnsula magna est. Sed Caesar saepe īnsulam magnam occupat. Ōra īnsulae longa est. Sed Caesar tōtam ōram occupat. Mūrus oppidī est altus. Sed Caesar mūrum occupat. Oppidum magnum est. Sed oppidum occupat. Oppidum habet castellum. Castellum est magnum. Sed Caesar castellum occupat. Est via lāta et bona. Viam occupat Caesar. Mehercule! quid nōn occupat Caesar?

01.09.24: Follow-up; Level 2; Perseus cartoon [2]; perfect passive

Referring to: https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/010924-level2-story-of-perseus.html

What you see in these extracts from the cartoon are all the key points of the perfect passive. This post is simply giving an overviewof how this form of the verb works; it will be covered in greater detail later.

Image #1: Danaē, Perseī māter, magnopere territa est.│Danae, the mother of Perseus, was greatly frightened.

Present tense of the verb sum, esse + the perfect passive  participle: 

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/280824-follow-up-on-previous-post-how_79.html

This is an example of the perfect passive, the equivalent of English “This book was written by Charles Dickens” or “He has been injured by an arrow.”

The participle will agree with the subject: Danaē, Perseī māter, magnopere territa est.

The major difference between Latin and English is that, while English uses “was” plus the past participle, Latin uses the present tense of the verb sum, esse (to be).

Some further examples from the entire text:

Image #2: Postquam arca ad lītus appulsa est, … │ After the chest / ark was driven on to the shore, …

Images #3 and #4: The perfect passive with the passive agent i.e. the person by whom the action was performed; the passive agent is expressed by ā / ab + the ablative case:

Postquam breve tempus ¦ ā piscātōre quōdam ¦ reperta est, … │ After a short time she was found ¦ by a certain fisherman.

… et ad domum rēgis Polydectis adducta est. │ … and (was) brought to the house of King Polyectes.

Image #5

Cēterae Gorgōnēs [feminine plural] statim ē somnō excitātae sunt [feminine plural], et … ¦ īrā ¦ commōtae sunt [feminine plural]. │ The rest of the Gorgons were immediately awakened from (their) sleep and … were filled with rage [= literally: moved by anger]. 

Note here that they are filled with rage i.e. it is not a person who is performing this action but the means by which they became angry; Latin uses no preposition here.

[i] Postquam breve tempus ¦ ā piscātōre quōdam ¦ reperta est, … │ After a short time she was found ¦ by a certain fisherman.

[ii] Gorgōnēs … ¦ īrā ¦ commōtae sunt. │ The Gorgons were (literally) moved ¦ by anger.

Image #6: There are two possibilities of translation depending upon context:

Referring to the Gorgons …

Capita enim eārum anguibus omnīnō contēcta erant. Manus etiam ex āere factae erant.

Here, the imperfect tense of sum, esse is being used:

For their heads were completely covered with snakes. Their hands were also made of bronze.

The participles are acting like adjectives here, simply describing what they looked like rather than something that happened to the Gorgons. However, using the imperfect tense can also convey “had been (done)” i.e. the first part of the sentence could equally translate as: “Their heads had been completely covered with snakes.”

From the text:

Tum ad rūpem vēnit ubi Andromeda vīncta erat. │ Then he came to the rock where Andromeda had been tied.

Some more examples from the text of the perfect passive without further comment:

ā deō iussus est │ he was commanded by the god

in āera sublātus est. │ he was carried up into the air

Mox tamen ¦ ā Perseō ¦ ictū graviōre ¦ vulnerāta est. Tum iterum sē in undās mersit, neque posteā vīsa est. │ Soon, however, it was wounded ¦ by a more serious / heavier blow ¦ from Perseus. Then again it plunged itself into the waves, and afterwards was not seen again.

01.09.24: Follow-up; Level 2; Perseus cartoon [1]; passive - present, imperfect, future

Referring to: https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/010924-level2-story-of-perseus.html

The cartoon uses an adapted story from Ritchie. This book, first published in 1884, was titled “Fabulae Faciles (simple stories): A First Latin Reader”. The words “first” and "simple" tell you a lot about the amount of time devoted to the teaching of Latin when the book was initially published. Nowadays, I doubt very much that “Fabulae Faciles” could ever be considered an easy book for beginners. However, looking back through the posts both here and on the other site, it is certainly a book for those reaching the end of Level 2.

At this stage I only want to comment on one aspect of Latin that is in the text: the passive. I’ll divide this into two posts. The entire text is in the third person i.e. talking about what a person or people did. For our purposes that makes it easier to handle: we’re dealing with parts of the jigsaw, not all of them.

The opening sections give you an overview; we’ll look in this post at the first two:

[1]

Present passive

Poēta fābulam nārrat. │ The poet tells a story.

This is an active sentence i.e. the subject (poēta) is performing the action.

Now we turn it around:

The story [i] is told │ [ii] by the poet.

This is a passive sentence i.e. [i] the subject (fābula) is not performing the action but experiencing the action and [ii] the person by whom the action is performed – known in grammar as the passive agent – is expressed by ā / ab + the ablative case.

Fābula ¦ ā poētā ¦ nārrātur.

For the 3rd person singular and plural present tense, all that happens is that -ur is added to the verb.

From the entire text:

Image #1: Haec nārrantur ¦ ā poētīs ¦ dē Perseō. │ These (things) are told ¦ by the poets about Perseus.

Image #2: Dum haec geruntur, fremitus terribilis audītur; simul mōnstrum horribilī speciē procul cōnspicitur. │ While these things are happening [= literally: are being carried out], a terrible roar is heard; at the same time a monster of terrible appearance is spotted from afar.

This is a feature of Latin that is common in the literature i.e. the use of the present tense rather than the past to make the action appear more vivid. In the cartoon, the translation uses the past tense even though the verbs are in the present.

The same applies to this example from the text:

Mare autem intereā undique sanguine īnficitur. │ Meanwhile, however, the sea is [transl. was] contaminated everywhere with blood.

[2] The addition of -ur to the 3rd person present tense also applies to [i] the imperfect tense and [ii] the future tense

Poēta carmen scrībēbat. │ The poet was writing a song.

Carmen ¦ ā poētā ¦ scrībēbātur. │ A song was being written ¦ by the poet.

Image #3: Avus eius Ācrisius appellābāt¦ur. │ His grandfather was called Acrisius.

[ii] Although there are no future passives in the text, the same rule applies i.e. add -ur to the 3rd person singular or plural of the future tense:

Poētae multās fabulās dē Perseō nārrābunt. │ The poets will tell many tales about Perseus.

> Multae fābulae dē Perseō nārrābunt¦ur│ Many tales will be told about Perseus.

 

01.09.24: Level2; the Story of Perseus

 

31.08.24: Level 2; Practice in reading the perfect tense; A First Latin Reader (Vincent) [16]

Proximō annō Hannibal, ubi cōpiās dūxit ex hībernīs, iter Cannās fēcit et castra prope oppidum posuit. Posteā, quia Rōmānī cōpiās contrā Poenōs dūcēbant, Hannibal Gallōs et Hispānōs in cornū laevō locāvit, Numidās in cornū dextrō, agmen medium cum peditibus tenuit. Poenī Rōmānōs magnā cum caede superant, multōs necant aut vulnerant aut capiunt. Magnus est timor inter Rōmānōs. Sed Hannibal mīlitēs nōn contrā Rōmam, sed Capuam dūxit. Mora Poenōrum oppidum servāvit.

cornū, -ūs [4/n]: (here) the wing of an army

hībernum, -ī [2/n]: winter; (here) in plural: winter quarters

Cannās [accusative plural] │ to Cannae; Cannae is a plural noun; when expressing movement to a town, the accusative alone is used without a preposition. Similarly: Athēnās [accusative plural of Athēnae] │ to Athens

___________________

The next year Hannibal, when he had led the troops from (their) winter quarters, marched to Cannae and placed a camp [encamped] near the town. Afterwards, because the Romans were leading troops against the Carthaginians, Hannibal placed the Gauls and the Spaniards in the left column / wing, the Numidians in the right column / wing, and held the middle column with the infantry. The Carthaginians overcome / overcame the Romans with great slaughter, they kill(ed) or wound(ed) or capture(d) many [killing or wounding or capturing many]. There is / was great fear among the Romans. But Hannibal led the soliders not against Rome, but (against) Capua. The delay of the Carthaginians saved the town.

____________________

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

https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Cannae

“Cannae is the greatest ambush in ancient history”

31.08.24: Level 2; the present active participle [11] (2); participles as nouns (2)

A good way to remember this use may be to drink a toast to them! In the Mediaeval Latin song ‘In taberna quando sumus’, the singers find any excuse to have a drink by toasting everyone they can think of! Here are toasts ten to thirteen! The lyrics  again show that the present active participle can stand alone and refer to the person performing the action.

prō nāvigantibus  │for the ones sailing / those [who are] sailing

prō discordantibus │for the ones quarrelling / those [who are] quarrelling

prō paenitentibus │for the ones repenting / those [who are] repenting

prō iter agentibus │for the ones travelling / those [who are] travelling

31.08.24: Level 2; the present active participle [11] (1); participles as nouns (1)

The present active participle can stand alone and function as a noun:

Image #1: This one phrase from the Vulgate illustrates an important use of the present active participle:

Vōx clamantis in dēsertō: the voice of someone crying the wilderness

Similarly:

audeō, -ere [2]: dare; venture; risk > audēns, -entis: daring

Latin proverb:

audentēs fortūna iuvat │ (the goddess) Fortune favours the brave [= brave people; those who are brave]

Other examples:

Ūnus ex audientibus īrātus est. │ One of those [who are] listening got angry.

Multōs disputantēs audiō. │I hear many [people] arguing.

vōcēs morientium │the voices of those who are dying

Qui cum sapiente* ambulat, sapientior erit. │He who walks with a wise man [a man who is wise] will be wiser.

 *When the participles act as nouns, the ablative singular is -e and not -ī.

Other images: this use of the participle to convey a noun has ended up in derivatives:

agēns,  -entis: doing; acting > Modern English: agent i.e. a person who is acting on somebody’s behalf

dēfendēns, -entis: defending > M.Eng: defendant i.e. a person who is defending him/herself

litigāns, -antis: quarrelling > M.Eng. litigant i.e. a person who is suing

patiēns, -entis: suffering > M.Eng: patient i.e. a person who is suffering

recipiēns, -entis: receiving: M.Eng: recipient i.e. a person who receives

studēns, -entis: dedicating effort to > M.Eng: student i.e. a person who studies

And secret agent, Johnny English might help you to remember this use!

30.08.24: Level 1; Ora Maritima [9](2); cloze

Which of the three words completes each blank?

Nōbīs [1] __________ fēriae plēnae sunt [2] __________ ā māne usque ad  [3] __________. Nōnnumquam in [4] __________ cum [5] __________ nāvigāmus. [6] __________ est adulescentulus vīgintī annōrum. [7] __________ scapha nōn sōlum [8] ­­­­__________ sed etiam vēlīs apta est. Plērumque rēmigāmus, sed nōnnumquam [9] __________ damus, cum ventus nōn nimis asper est. Petrus [10] __________  gubernat et [11] __________ ministrat. Nōs [12] __________ scapham bellam laudāmus et amāmus.

1. (a) puerōs; (b) puerīs; (c) puerī
2. (a) gaudiōrum; (b) gaudium; (c) gaudiī
3. (a) vesperō; (b) vesper; (c) vesperum
4. (a) scapham; (b) scapha; (c) scaphā
5. (a) Petrus; (b) Petrō; (c) Petrī
6. (a) Petrus; (b) Petrī; (c) Petrō
7. (a) Petrus; (b) Petrī; (c) Petrō
8. (a) rēmus; (b) rēmōs; (c) rēmīs
9. (a) vēlīs; (b) vēla; (c) vēlī
10. (a) scapham; (b) scapha; (c) scaphā
11. (a) vēlīs; (b) vēla; (c) vēlī
12. (a) puerōs; (b) puerī; (c) puerīs

____________________

1. puerīs
2. gaudiōrum
3. vesperum
4. scaphā
5. Petrō
6. Petrus
7. Petrī
8. rēmīs
9. vēla
10. scapham
11. vēlis
12. puerī

30.08.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases [3](4); 1st / 2nd declension nouns and adjectives: genitive plural [2]

Colloquium

Belgae, -ārum [1/m/pl]: Belgae, group of tribes in Northern Gaul

dominus, -ī [2/m]: master

omnēs: everyone

noster, nostra, nostrum: our

quī? who?

Note: cūius / quōrum? whose?

[i] cūius: used when referring to one person

Cūius fīlius est magnus? │ Whose son is big? [i.e. the son ¦ of which one person?]

[ii] quōrum: used when referring to more than one person

Sumus servī ¦ Gallōrum. │ We are the slaves ¦ of the Gauls.

Quōrum servī? │ Whose slaves? [i.e. the slaves ¦ of which people?]

__________

Duo Servī: Dominī nostrī Gallī sunt.

Omnēs:  Quī vōs estis?

Duo Servī: Sumus servī Gallōrum.

Omnēs: Quōrum servī?

Duo Servī: Gallōrum servī.

Omnēs: Numerus servōrum est duo.

__________

Trēs Servī: Dominī nostrī Belgae sunt.

Omnēs: Quī vōs estis?

Trēs Servī: Sumus servī Belgārum.

Omnēs: Quōrum servī?

Trēs Servī: Belgārum servī.

Omnēs: Numerus servōrum est trēs.

29.08.24: Level 2; Practice in reading the perfect tense; A First Latin Reader (Vincent) [15]

Hannibal, postquam in Ītaliam vēnit, cōpiās trāns fluvium Tīcīnum dūxit, ubi castra habēbat. Inde ubi mīlitēs convocāvit, praemia certa nūntiāvit. ‘Agrōs,' inquit, ‘in Ītaliā, Āfricā, Hispāniā mīlitibus dabō, aut pecūniam: lībertātem servīs dabō.’ Inde Hannibal cōpiās Rōmānās prope fluviōs, Tīcīnum et Trebiam, superāvit. Proximō annō ubi Nepōs, quī erat imperātor Rōmānus, cōpiās per saltum dūcēbat, Hannibal īnsidiās parāvit et subitō oppugnāvit. Poenī imperātōrem Rōmānum et mīlitēs multōs necāvērunt et cēterōs fugāvērunt.

saltus, -ūs [4/m]: (narrow) pass e.g. a mountain pass

Sentence structure

Note the two meanings of ubi as ‘where’ and ‘when’:

[i] Hannibal, ¦ [ii] postquam in Ītaliam vēnit, ¦ [i] cōpiās trāns fluvium Tīcīnum dūxit, [iii] ubi castra habēbat.

[i] Hannibal, ¦ [ii] after he came into Italy, ¦ [i] led the troops across the Ticinus river, [iii] where he had a camp.

[i] Inde ¦ [ii] ubi mīlitēs convocāvit, ¦ [i] praemia certa nūntiāvit.

[i] Then, ¦ [ii] when he called his soldiers together, ¦ [i] he announced certain rewards.

Image #1

Latin has very varied sentence structure and, at times, it seems that the sentence is never going to end! The sentences that are appearing in these texts are slowly introducing you to more complex sentence structure. In this example there are clauses (colour coded) that surround other clauses. Look for the “markers” that introduce the clauses e.g. ubi, quī and et.

[i] Proximō annō ¦ [ii] ubi Nepōs, ¦ [iii] quī erat imperātor Rōmānus, ¦ [ii] cōpiās per saltum dūcēbat, [i] Hannibal īnsidiās parāvit ¦ et [i] subitō oppugnāvit.

[i] The next year, ¦ [ii] when Nepos, ¦ [iii] who was the Roman commander [relative / adjectival clause], ¦ [ii] was leading troops through the pass [subordinate clause of time*], [i] Hannibal prepared an ambush [principal clause #1] ¦ and [i] suddenly attacked [principal clause #2].

*also known as a temporal clause 

____________________

Hannibal, after he had come into Italy, led his troops across the Ticinus river, where he had a camp. Then, when he summoned the soldiers, he announced certain rewards. “I shall give,” he said “fields in Italy, Africa (and) Spain to the soldiers, or money: I shall give freedom to the slaves.” Then Hannibal overcame the Roman forces near the Ticinus and Trebia rivers. In the next year, when Nepos, who was the Roman commander, was leading his troops through the pass, Hannibal prepared an ambush and attacked him suddenly. The Carthaginians killed the Roman commander and they killed soldiers and forced the rest to flee.

____________________

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

18th century depiction of the Battle of Ticinus

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

Matthäus Merian the Elder, "Battle of Trebbia" (1625)

29.08.24: Level 2; the present active participle [10]; declension [8]; other cases

Participles are generally easy to spot since they have distinctive markers i.e. -ns for the nominative singular and -nt- when endings are added. Also, they are formed from verbs and so, if you recognise the verb, you’ll recognise the participle. Below are examples of the participle in different cases.

ambulō, -āre [1]: walk > ambulāns, -antis: walking

clamō, -āre [1]: shout > clamāns, -antis: shouting

convalēscō, -ere [3]: recover > convalēscēns, -entis: recovering (from illness)

dubitō, -āre [1]: hesitate > dubitāns, -antis: hesitating

lacrimō, -āre [1]: cry > lacrimāns, -antis: crying

sedeō, -ere [3]: sit > sedēns, -entis: sitting

volō, -āre [1]: fly > volāns, -antis: flying

Nom. Sg:

In silvā ambulāns agricola pecūniam invēnit. │ While walking in the forest the farmer finds money.

Gen. Sg.                       

Sōl ālās puerī volantis liquefacit. │The sun melts the wings of the boy [as he is] flying.

Dat. Sg.                        

Amīcō convalēscentī cibum mittō. │ I send food to the friend [who is] recovering from illness.

Acc. Sg.                       

Flāvia fīlium suum in hortō sedentem vīdit. │ Flavia sees her son [while he is] sitting in the garden.

Abl. Sg.

Nihil sciō dē fēminā lacrimantī. │ I know nothing about the woman [who is ] crying.

____________________

Nom. Pl.                      

Prope rīpam ambulantēs, puerī aurum inveniunt. │ The boys [while they’re] walking near the riverbank find gold.

Gen. Pl.

Vōcēs nautārum clāmantium audīre possumus. │ We can hear the voices of the sailors [as they are] shouting.

Dat. Pl.                         

Senātor cīvibus dubitantibus persuādet. │ The senator persuades the citizens [who are] hesitating.

Acc. Pl.                        

Mīlitēs servōs per viam currentēs capiunt. │ The soldiers capture the slaves [while they are] running along the street.

Abl. Pl.                         

Quid scīs dē servīs fugientibus? │ What do you know about the slaves [who are] fleeing?

Complete each sentence by choosing the appropriate participle from the box below.

1. Achillēs Troiānōs ______ occīdere cupit. │ Achilles wants to kill the fleeing Trojans.
2. Servī frūmentum ______ ad oppidum currunt. │The slaves carrying grain run to the town.
3. Fēlēs mūrem in herbā ______ cōnspicit. │The cat observes the mouse hiding in the grass.
4. Flāvia in hortō sedet librum ______.  │ Flavia is sitting in the garden reading a book.
5. Mīlitēs urbī ______ spectāmus. │ We watch the soldiers approaching the city.
6. Pater mihi fābulam ______ nārrat. │My father tells me a frightening story.
7. Puellās ad portās ______ vīdimus. │We see the girls hurrying to the gates.
8. Quis est ille vir in forō ______. │ Who is that man standing in the forum?
9. Servus cibum dominō ______ portat. │The slave brings food to the master who is waiting.
10. Servus dominum ______ excitat. │ The slave wakes up the master as he is sleeping.
11. Ancilla, dominum ______ ātrium intrat. │The slave-girl hearing the master enters the hall.
12. Leōnem ______ vidēmus. │We see a dying lion.
13. Ego aut ______ aut ______ disputō. │While either sitting or walking I am discussing.

ambulāns; appropinquantēs; audiēns; dormientem; exspectantī;  festīnantēs; fugientēs; latentem; legēns; morientem; portantēs; sedēns; stāns; terrentem

28.08.24: follow-up on previous post 'how cats shows their emotions' [3]; level 2; perfect passive participles - a brief introduction

(per)territus, -a, -um: (really) frightened

satisfactus, -a, -um: satisfied

These two work quite happily as adjectives and, at this stage, I wouldn’t go any further with them. They are, however, “knocking on the door” of a far larger topic, yet to be discussed in the group but one which is on the way at Level 2, and beyond. Therefore, here are some brief notes on them.

English:

You’ll need to pay for that broken window. [ = a window that has been broken]; Latin: frāctus, -a, -um (broken)

Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare. [= a play that has been written by Shakepspeare.]; Latin: scrīptus, -a, -um (written)

The ambulance took the injured motorcyclist [ = the motorcyclist who had been injured]  to hospital.; Latin: vulnerātus, -a, -um (injured)

What you see in those examples above are called in Latin perfect passive participles, they describe something that has been done to the noun:

a frightened cat = a cat that has been frightened; Latin: territus, -a, -um

a satsified customer = a customer who has been satisfied; Latin: satisfactus, -a, -um

The Latin words come from the fourth and final principal part of a verb. When you look up a verb in the dictionary you will – for most of them – see four parts, three of which have already been covered in detail in the posts. Here are the three principal parts for the verb ‘to break’:

First principal part: frangō │ Second principal part: frangere │ Third principal part: frēgī

Image #1: Now look at the entries from two different dictionaries. The fourth principal part can be confusing because it will be listed either as [i] frāct¦us or [ii] frāct¦um. If the dictionary lists frāctus (broken) that is the perfect passive participle (which is what is being used here), but if it lists frāctum that is a form known as the supine, a form that should be left until later.  However, it doesn’t matter: if the 4^th principal part ends in -us, then you’re ready to go > frāctus, -a, -um. If it ends in -um, change it to -us and you’re still ready to go.

Here are some other things that could have happened to cats! The passive participles are important because, while the Romans never talked much about what happened to cats, they did talk about what happened to themselves: injured, murdered, carried off, poisoned, mistrusted, locked up etc.

cattus vulnerātus: an injured cat

cattus venēnātus: a poisoned cat

cattus necātus: a murdered cat

cattus suspicātus: a mistrusted cat

cattus numquam amātus: a “never having been loved” cat = that has never been loved

cattus ab omnibus laudātus: a cat praised by everybody

cattus ā fūribus ablātus: a cat stolen by thieves

cattus in caveā clausus: a cat locked up in a cage

The Latin Tutorial video will give you more information at the moment:

28.08.24: follow-up on previous post 'how cats show their emotions' [2]; level 2; participles as adjectives

There have already been a series of posts on participles, and all the words in bold below are participles but act as adjectives:

amō, -āre [1]: love > amāns, amantis: loving > fēlēs / cattus amāns, literally: a cat which loves = a loving cat

īnsidiō, -āre [1]: lie in wait; ambush > īnsidiāns, īnsidiantis: lying in wait > felēs / cattus īnsidiāns: a lurking cat

timeō, -ēre [2]: fear > timēns, timentis: fearing > fēlēs / cattus timēns, literally: a cat which fears / is afraid = a fearful cat

fīdō, -ere [3]: trust > fidēns, fidentis: trusting > fēlēs / cattus fidēns = a trusting cat

obrēpō, -ere [3]: sneak up on > obrepēns, obrepentis: stealthily approaching > fēlēs / cattus obrēpēns = a cat that’s creeping up (towards you)

These are present active participles that convey what the noun does or is doing.

Now compare these: 4 cats and 2 participles

Compare:

[1] cattus terrēns: a frightening cat; cattus vincēns: a conquering cat!

[2] cattus territus: a frightened cat; cattus victus: a conquered cat!

The second ones aren’t describing what the cat is doing but about what has happened to the cat. The next post will start to look at those.

28.08.24: follow-up on previous post 'how cats show their emotions' [1]; level 1

affectus, -ūs [4/m]: mood; emotion

animus, -ī [2/m]: has many meanings e.g. life, soul but, in this context, “mind”

It’s one of these words which take a bit of thought when translating from Latin:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/animus#Latin

cattus, -ī [2/m] is a Late Latin / Mediaeval Latin word, the origins of which are unclear. It is an example of a Wanderwort, a wandering word that appears in different languages possibly through trade.

Classical Latin: fēlēs, -is [3/f]

[1] cūriōsus, -a, -um

The suffix –(i)ōsus is added to nouns to convey “full of” (whatever the noun is) i.e. cūra, -ae [1/f]: care; attention > curiōsus, -a, -um: [i] careful [ii] curious

lacrima, -ae [1/f]: tear > lacrimōsus, -a, -um: weeping [= full of tears]

ventus, -ī [2/m]: wind > ventōsus, -a, -um: windy [= full of wind]

The ending, again often through French, ends up in English derivatives:

ambitiō, ambitiōnis [3/f]: desire for popularity > ambitiōsus, -a, -um > Engl. ambitious

glōria, -ae [1/f]: glory > glōriōsus, -a, -um > Engl. glorious

lūmen, lūminis [3/n]: light > lūminōsus, -a, -um > Engl. luminous

nervus, -ī [2/m]: [i] (physical) sinew; tendon; nerve > nervōsus, -a, -um > Engl. nervous

Note:

[i] Some English derivatives ending in –(i)ous were taken directly from Latin adjectives which did not have -ōsus, three of which are in the list:

ānxius, -a, -um > Engl. anxious

cautus, -a, -um > Engl. careful; cautious

sollicitus, -a, -um: worried > Engl. solicitous (showing care or concern)

Further examples:

ātrox, ātrocis: fierce, cruel > Engl. atrocious

vorāx, vorācis: gluttonous > Engl. voracious

[ii] The other point to look out for is that original Latin words often had wider meanings than the English derivatives, for example:

genus, generis [3/n]: birth; origin > generōsus, -a, -um: [i] well-born; well-bred [ii] generous > Engl: generous i.e. the English meaning is narrower than the original Latin.

[2] amīcus can be both and a noun and an adjective

[i] amīcus, -ī [2/m]: friend

[ii] amīcus, -a, -um: friendly

The opposite of both the adjective and the noun is [i] inimīcus, -ī [2/m]: enemy and [ii] inimīcus, -a, -um: hostile; note that Latin makes a distinction between hostis, -is [3/m]: enemy, in the sense of a military enemy, whereas inimīcus refers to a personal enemy

The prefix in- in Latin can create opposites:

cautus, -a, -um: cautious; careful │ incautus, -a, -um: incautious; careless

grātus, -a, -um: pleasing; grateful │ ingrātus, -a, -um: disagreeable; ungrateful

Again, look at grātus which may mean ‘grateful’ but can have other meanings such as ‘pleasing’ or ‘acceptable’. This is something of which you need to be aware when dealing with any English derivatives of Latin i.e. the meaning in context may not be what immediately springs to mind when you first see the word.

[3] per- is a prefix which intensifies the meaning of the root word:

territus, -a, -um: frightened > perterritus, -a, -um: (thoroughly) frightened

multī, -ae, -a: many > permultī, -ae, -a: very many

28.08.24: How cats show their emotions, Latin edition.

 

28.08.24: Level 1; Ora Maritima [9](1)

Read and listen to the text, and find the Latin for:

1. from morning
2. generally; most of the time
3. not only … but also
4. sometimes (What's the literal meaning of the Latin word?)
5. too; excessively
6. until evening

Nōbīs puerīs fēriae plēnae sunt gaudiōrum ā māne usque ad vesperum. Nōnnumquam in scaphā cum Petrō nāvigāmus. Petrus est adulescentulus vīgintī annōrum. Petrī scapha nōn sōlum rēmīs sed etiam vēlīs apta est. Plērumque rēmigāmus, sed nōnnumquam vēla damus*, cum ventus nōn nimis asper est. Petrus scapham gubernat et vēlīs ministrat. Nōs puerī scapham bellam laudāmus et amāmus.

*Note: vēla damus; literally: we give sails > we set sail

 ____________________

The holidays are full of joys [= fun] for us boys [= We boys have holidays (that are) filled with fun] from morning to evening. Sometimes we sail in a boat with Peter. Peter is a young man of twenty years [= a twenty-year-old …]. Peter's boat is suitable not only for oars  but also for sails. We row most of the time, but sometimes we set sail when the wind is not too rough. Peter steers the boat and attends to the sails. We boys praise and love the beautiful boat.

28.08.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases [3](3); 1st / 2nd declension nouns and adjectives: genitive plural [1]

[1]

nominative singular: īnsula

nominative plural: īnsulae

> rēgina ¦ īnsulārum [genitive plural] │ the queen ¦ of the islands

Britannicus, -a, -um: British

> rēgina ¦ īnsulārum [genitive plural] Britannicārum [genitive plural]   │ the queen ¦ of the British islands

[2]

nominative singular: Rōmānus

nominative plural: Rōmānī

> dux ¦ Rōmānōrum [genitive plural] │ the commander ¦ of the Romans [ = the Romans’ commander]

dēfessus, -a, -um: tired

> dux ¦ Rōmānōrum [genitive plural] dēfessōrum [genitive plural]  │ the commander ¦ of the tired Romans

[3]

Nominative singular: oppidum

Nominative plural: oppida

> numerus ¦ oppidōrum [genitive plural] │ the number ¦ of towns

magnus, -a, -um:  big

> numerus ¦ oppidōrum [genitive plural] magnōrum [genitive plural] │ the number ¦ of large towns

Lectiō §14

cōpia, -ae [1/f]: (here) supply; in the plural copiae often refers to ‘troops’

incola, -ae [1 m/f]: inhabitant

numerus, -ī [2/m]: number

Barbarus, -ī [2/m]: a foreigner; an uncivilised man; the Romans frequently used this term to refer to their enemies and / or people who were neither Roman nor Greek

Germanus, -ī [2/m]: a member of a Germanic tribe; a Germanic person

Graecus, -ī [2/m]: a Greek (person)

armātus, -a, -um: armed; in Latin, adjectives can also stand alone as nouns e.g. here: armed man

paucus, -a, -um: few; a little