02.09.24: adverbs [1](2); introduction

Ever since the group began, adverbs have been used without looking at them in much detail although lists of time phrases have been included which act as adverbs. 

You probably were taught at school – not just in English but in other languages too – that an adjective ‘modifies’ or 'describes' a noun i.e. gives extra information about a noun, for example a loud noise.

When an English speaker thinks of the word adverb, two thoughts most often come to mind: 

[i] an adverb modifies / describes a verb

[ii] the ending is -ly

> He spoke slow¦ly.

But that is a “quick fix” explanation.

Image #1: an adverb modifies:

1. a verb e.g. he spoke loudly / quietly / angrily
2. an adjective e.g. very / rather / unbearably loud
3. another adverb e.g. he spoke fairly loudly / extremely quietly / quite angrily
4. A whole sentence e.g. Luckily, they still had some bread left.

The same functions apply in Latin.

Image #2: adverbs - both in English and Latin - often don't end in -ly and the Latin equivalent,  and at times can be created with using more than one word. There are so many of them that it would be impossible to list every one that exists. It is also useful, although not essential, to group the adverbs according to type when learning them.

Image #3: we’ll look at four ways of creating adverbs and adverbial phrases because, to a large extent, English and Latin match although they don’t always end up in the same boxes. Below is a summary of what the posts will cover.

[1] Engl. addition of -ly │ La. -ē / -ter

[i] La. -ē

dear > dearly │ cārus > cārē

happy > happily │ laetus > laetē

[ii] La. –(i)ter

brave > bravely │ fortis > fortiter

cruel > cruelly │ crūdēlis > crūdēliter

[2] a single word not formed from an adjective:

always │ semper

here │ ibi

therefore │ ergō

yesterday │ herī

Latin’s case system can come into play when adverbs are formed for example a case can express the idea in a single word which, in English, needs a preposition. However, as mentioned above, once that adverb has been created, it will not change:

at night │ nocte

at home │ domī

[3] adverbial phrases: two or more words that, individually, are not adverbs but, when used together, act as adverbs to give additional information about the action:

The Greeks attacked Troy for many years. │ Graecī Troiam multōs annōs oppugnāvērunt.

I’ll return within a few days. │ Paucīs diēbus redībō.

Again, note that Latin uses its case system whereas English needs a preposition.

[4] prepositional phrases; like [3] above these words individually are not adverbs but can function as adverbial phrases when combined:

I go towards the camp. │ Ad castra eō.

02.09.24: adverbs [1](1); Alice in Adverbland

From Alicia in Terra Mirabili, the Latin translation by Clive Carruthers of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

In these three short extracts you can see a very large part of what is going to be discussed in a number of posts.

Adverbs exist in various forms in Latin: adverbs can by created by using specific endings (e.g. celeriter; maeste; confestim), or words that are adverbs in themselves with no endings (e.g. nunc, ibi, tum) or by the use of the cases (e.g. solum; certō). We will also look at adverbial phrases e.g. magnis litteris (in large letters) which are made up of words that are not adverbs but, when working together, do act as adverbs. The posts will also lead to further information on the ablative case that has a big role to play when dealing with adverbs.

We’ll look at the adverbs in groups based upon [i] how they are formed and [ii] what the adverbs describe.

It isn’t quite the “wonderland” that it first appears to be.

[1]

Nunc ibi invenit ampullam parvam ('Certo non hic erat antea,' inquit Alicia), cuius circum cervices alligatus est titulus chartaceus. In eo magnis litteris belle scriptum est: HAURI ME.

Now she found a little bottle there, ("which certainly was not here before," said Alice,) and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words "DRINK ME," beautifully printed on it in large letters.

[2]

Lepus Martius horologium prehendit, maesteque id intuitus est. Tum in poculum theae id immersit, et iterum intuitus est. Sed solum iteravit id quod prius dixit: 'Optimum vere butyrum fuit!'

The March Hare took the watch and looked at it gloomily: then he dipped it into his cup of tea, and looked at it again: but he only repeated what he had said before, "It truly was the best butter.”

[3]

Quamquam hac subita mutatione ¦ multum territa est, tempus non esse perdendum putabat; nam celeriter deminuebatur. Itaque confestim partem frusti alterius edere coepit. Mentum eius tam arte contra pedem compressum est ut os aperire vix posset. Postremo autem hoc effecit…

She was a good deal frightened ¦ by this very sudden change, but she felt that there was no time to be lost, as she was shrinking rapidly; so she set to work at once to eat some of the other bit. Her chin was pressed so closely against her foot, that there was hardly room [La. she was barely able] to open her mouth; but she did it at last…

01.09.24: Level 1; Ora Maritima [9](3)

The numbers refer to notes after the text.

[i] 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 [ii] rēmīs sed etiam vēlīs apta est. Plērumque rēmigāmus, sed nōnnumquam vēla damus, cum ventus nōn nimis asper est. Petrus scapham gubernat et [iii] vēlīs ministrat. Nōs puerī scapham bellam laudāmus et amāmus.

Dative case: usage

[i] Nōbis puerīs fēriae plēnae sunt gaudiōrum │ The holidays are full of joys [= fun] for us boys; it could also translate as “We boys have holidays full of fun” [literally: to us boys are holidays full of fun]

[ii] Petrī scapha nōn sōlum rēmīs [dat.] sed etiam vēlīs [dat.] apta est. │Peter’s boat is suitable not only for oars but also for sails.

aptus belongs to a group of adjectives which are followed by the dative case; these adjectives when translated are normally followed in English by ‘to(wards)’ or ‘for’ with meanings related to fitness, likeness, relationships, and nearness. Whatever quality the adjective denotes e.g. ‘suitable’, ‘hostile’, ‘friendly’ the following noun or pronoun is in the dative since the adjective refers to that word.

fitness                                              

• accomodatus, -a, -um: adapted (to)
• aptus, -a, -um: fitted (to)
• ūtilis, -e: useful (for)

relationships

• amīcus, -a, -um: friendly (to)
• inīmicus, -a, -um: hostile (to)
• molestus, -a, -um: troublesome

suitability

• idōneus, -a, -um; opportūnus, -a, -um: suitable

nearness

• fīnitimus, -a, -um; propinquus, -a, -um; vīcīnus, -a, -um: neighbouring

similarity

• similis, -e: similar (to)
• dissimilis, -e: dissimilar (to)
• pār, paris: equal (to)

[iii] Petrus ... vēlīs ministrat. │ Peter attends to the sails.

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 

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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.

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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.

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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: