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.

11.10.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases; 2nd declension in –(e)r [2]

https://wordwall.net/resource/77378345

11.10.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases; 2nd declension in –(e)r [1]

Lectiō §46:

Meus │ ager │ est.

Magnum │ agrum  │ habet.

Multōs  │ agrōs  │ habet.

Quot  │ agrī  │ sunt?

In  │ agrō  │ sumus.

Ager Getae magnus est — ager Dāvī parvus est — in agrō Getae multum frūmentum est — in agrō Dāvī quīnque vaccae sunt — Dāvus quattuor equōs habet, sed equī in agrō nōn sunt — cūr in agrō equī nōn sunt? — quia equī in castrīs sunt — sed vaccae nōn in agrō sunt? — ubi sunt vaccae? — suntne vaccae in agrō? — cūr in agrō nōn sunt? — vaccae in agrō nōn sunt, quia Gallī in Ītaliā sunt — Rōmānī in agrīs nōn manent — sunt in oppidō — estne frūmentum in agrīs? — ēheu! multum frūmentum in agrīs est — barbarī agrum Getae vastant — sed vaccae Dāvī tūtae sunt! — equī Dāvī tūtī sunt! — nam in agrīs nōn manent — quot agrōs barbarī vastant? — ēheu! magnus est numerus agrōrum! — multī agrī tūtī sunt sed reliquōs vastant barbarī. 

[1] Find the Latin:

1. It is my field.
2. Davus’ field is small.
3. How many fields are there?
4. Many fields are safe.
5. The barbarians lay waste to / destroy Geta’s field.
6. He has many fields.
7. How many fields do the barbarians destroy?
8. There is a great number of fields.
9. We are in a field.
10. Why are they not in a field?
11. The Romans do not stay in the fields.

[2] There is a group of second declension masculine nouns ending in –(e)r.

Apart from the nominative singular (2^nd declension masculine nouns almost always end in -us in the nominative singular) these nouns have exactly the same endings in all other cases both singular and plural. However, some of these nouns, before case endings are added, drop the /e/ before the -r.

[3] Note the remark that “some” of these nouns drop /e/ which is a reason why, when learning Latin nouns, you should always learn them together with the genitive singular because it is the genitive singular that is used to indicate if there are any changes to the noun when it declines.

[i] /e/ is dropped

ager, agrī [2/m]: field

liber, librī [2/m]: book

magister, magistrī [2/m]: teacher

[ii] /e/ is retained

puer, -ī  [2/m]: boy

signifer, -ī [2/m]: standard-bearer

vir, -ī [2/m]: man

10.10.24: Level 2; Practice in reading the perfect tense; a First Latin Reader (Vincent) [25]

Mīlitēs Rōmānī propter altitūdinem maris in aquam dēsilīre nōn audēbant. Inde mīles, quī aquilam decimae legiōnis ferēbat, Rōmānōs ex timōre excitāvit. ‘Dēsilīte, mīlitēs,’ inquit, ‘nisi aquilam hostibus prōdere vultis: ego officium cīvitātī et imperātōrī praestābō.’ Inde, ubi in aquam dēsiluerat, in hostēs aquilam ferēbat. Tum mīlitēs Rōmānī ex nāvī dēsiluērunt atque cēterī, ubi virtūtem mīlitum cōnspexērunt, hostibus appropinquābant.

Vocabulary

dēsiliō, -īre, dēsiluī [4]: [i] (here) jump down; [ii] dismount

imperator, imperatōris [3/m]: our first reaction when seeing this noun is “emperor” which, given the time during which this incident happened, could not be applied to any Roman head of state; the loyalty which the standard-bearer expresses is to Caesar, the commander-in-chief of the army; it was also a term of honour conferred during the period of the Republic on a general after a major victory.

nisi: unless

officium, -ī [2/n]: (here) duty

praestō, -āre, praestitī [1]: (here) show

prōdō, -ere, prōdidī [3]: (here) give up; surrender; abandon, or betray

timor, timōris [3/m]: fear

Questions

1. Why did the Romans not want to jump into the sea? [1]
2. What was one soldier carrying? [2]
3. In your own words, what did the soldier say to encourage the others? [7]  ‘[i] Dēsilīte, mīlitēs,’ inquit, ‘[ii] nisi [iii] aquilam [iv] hostibus prōdere vultis: [v] ego officium ¦ [vi] cīvitātī ¦ et [vii] imperātōrī ¦ praestābō.’
4. What did the soldier do after he had jumped into the water? [1]
5. How did the other soldiers react? [2]
6. Why did the others approach the enemy? [2]

Grammar review

Give the nominative singular of the following 3^rd declension nouns in the text (answers are at the end of the post):

• altitūdinem
• cīvitātī
• hostibus
• imperātōrī
• legiōnis
• maris
• nāvī
• virtūtem

____________________

Because of the depth of the sea, the Roman soldiers did not dare to jump into the water. Then a soldier, who carried the eagle of the tenth legion, roused the Romans from (their) fear. 'Jump down, soldiers,' he said, 'unless you wish to betray the eagle to the enemies: I will show my duty to the state and to the general.' Then the Roman soldiers jumped down from the ship, and the rest, when they saw the courage of the Roman soldiers, approached the enemy.

____________________

The text is referring to an incident in Caesar’s Dē Bellō Gallicō (4.5). When they were attempting to land, the Romans were attacked by the Britons from the shore. Since the large Roman ships could not get too close to the coast, the troops needed to jump into deep water and, therefore, were reluctant to attack. However, in Caesar’s account, one officer – an aquilifer (standard-bearer) of the Tenth Legion – leapt into the water while encouraging the men to follow. Caesar does not name him but recounts what he says. These are the actual words from Dē Bellō Gallicō 4.5:

‘Dēsilīte', inquit, 'mīlitēs, nisi vultis aquilam hostibus prōdere; ego certē meum reī pūblicae atque imperātōrī officium praestiterō.’ │ "Leap, fellow soldiers, unless you wish to betray your eagle to the enemy. I certainly [= I at least]  shall have performed my duty to the republic and my general."

To lose a standard to the enemy would be a great dishonour and so the Romans jumped into the water after him. Through this act of bravery, a single soldier acted as an inspiration for all the others.

If you’re moving into the literature, these incidents are worth bearing in mind because they show part of the Roman value system: loyalty to the nation and to the commander, and, of course, bravery, even to the point of audācia which can imply recklessness i.e. possibly against all odds and with no thought of the consequences for oneself. 

____________________

altitūdō

cīvitās

hostis

imperātor

legiō

mare

nāvis

virtūs

09.10.24: Level 1; Maxey [15] (4): full text; notes; 3rd declension nouns

[i] Nox est et quiēs est in terrā. Hiems est. Mārcus, puer Americānus, sōlus est in casā quod māter et pater ad oppidum iērunt. Diū legit. Dē multīs terrīs legit. Hanc fābulam, quae de Rōmānīs antīquīs nārrātur, saepe Mārcus in scholā audīvit. In pictūrā est vir quī mīles Rōmānus est. Ad bellum properat. Est mīles validus et magnus quī arma Rōmāna portat. Sōlus est. Multī aliī mīlitēs quī in pictūrā nōn videntur ad bellum ambulant quod bellum est magnum. Ibi sunt castra Rōmāna ubi noctū mīlitēs manent. Hīc quoque manent ubi in bellō nōn pugnant. Mīlitēs interdum ā castrīs properant et ad bellum eunt.

[ii] Hic mīles Rōmānus quī est dux mīlitum arma bona portat. Quae sunt haec arma? Hic est gladius validus. Gladius nōn est longus. Nōn est lātus. Scūtum quoque capit. Scūtum ducem tegit ubi bellum est periculōsum. Pīlum habet. Hoc pīlum est longum et validum sed nōn est lātum. Galea quoque ducem tegit. Galeam et scūtum et gladium et pīlum Mārcus videt et laudat. Haec arma mīlitēs bene tegunt. Quod hic mīles est dux, bellum nōn timet. Perīculum nōn timet.

[iii] Post mīlitēs castra vidēmus. Equōs et frūmentum vidēmus. Hī equī aliōs mīlitēs portant. Alia tēla portant. Nunc est nūllum perīculum. Mox mīlitēs pugnant et tum est magnum perīculum. Post bellum multī mīlitēs sunt dēfessī et domī esse cupiunt. Dux quoque est dēfessus. Dux bonus semper cōnsilia bona habet. Mīlitēs cōnsilia bona ducis semper laudant, sed cōnsilia mala nōn laudant. Dux impiger cōnsilia mala nōn laudat. Dux impiger cōnsilia bona semper habet. Bellum est periculōsum ubi cōnsilia ducis sunt mala.

[iv] Nunc nōn est nox. Nūlla quiēs est in terrā. Virī et fēminae labōrant. Mārcus nōn legit sed ad stabulum ubi equus stat ambulat. In stabulō Mārcus equō albō frūmentum dat. Tum in hortum puer et equus properant. Equus puerum ad flōrēs, rosās et līlia, portat. “Ego sum dux Rōmānus,” inquit puer, “et arma capiō. Gladium et ūnum scūtum portō. Galeam habeō et in tabernāculō sunt duo pila quae nunc nōn portō. Mīlitēs meī mē laudant quod cōnsilia bona habeō.” Māter vocat. Puer et equus domum properant. Post cēnam colloquium, quod dē armīs et bellō est, longum et grātum est.

Paragraph #1

Nox est et quiēs est in terrā. Hiems est. Mārcus, puer Americānus, sōlus est in casā quod māter et pater ad oppidum iērunt. … In pictūrā est vir quī mīles Rōmānus est. … Est mīles validus et magnus … │ It is night and there is (peace and) quiet in the land. It is winter. Marcus, an American boy, is alone in the house because his mother and father have gone to town. … In the picture there is a man is a Roman soldier. … He is a strong and large soldier …

The 3^rd declension nouns in that part of the paragraph are in the nominative singular case:

mīles, mīlitis [3/m]: soldier

pater, patris [3/m]: father

quiēs, quiētis [3/f]: quiet

hiems, hiemis [3/f]: winter

māter, mātris [3/f]: mother

nox, noctis [3/f]: night

Why are two forms of the same noun listed in the vocabulary?

Focus on the word mīles (soldier): in dictionaries and vocabulary lists it will normally appear in a format such as:

mīles, mīlitis [3/m]

What information is being given?

[i] the nominative singular of the noun: mīles

[ii] the genitive singular of the noun: mīlitis

[iii] the declension to which it belongs [3: 3^rd declension] and the gender [m: masculine]; Every 3^rd declension noun needs to be learned with its gender because, apart from obvious ones that relate to male / female human beings, a 3^rd declension noun can be any gender and, most often, the gender cannot be worked out from the ending.

[i] and [ii]: Every 3^rd declension noun needs to be learned with its nominative singular and genitive singular because, in most instances, the nominative alone does not give you all the information you need.

mīles, mīlitis [3/m]: the genitive singular gives you the stem of the noun; remove the genitive singular ending -is and you now have the stem i.e. mīlit¦is > mīlit-

Look at this part of a sentence from the same paragraph:

• Multī aliī mīlitēs quī in pictūrā nōn videntur … │ Many other soldiers, who are not seen in the picture …

For masculine and feminine nouns, it is that stem which, apart from the nominative singular, will be used for all case endings both singular and plural.

Some nouns don’t change in the genitive singular:

hiems, hiem¦is [3/f]: winter > hiem-

However, most do and, especially at the early stages of learning Latin, that change cannot be predicted:

mīles, mīlit¦is [3/m] > stem: mīlit-

pater, patr¦is [3/m] > stem: patr-

quiēs, quiēt¦is [3/f] > stem:  quiēt-

māter, mātr¦is [3/f] > stem: mātr-

nox, noct¦is [3/f] > stem: noct-

Once the stem is known, the other endings can be added. The table shows you the endings for the 3^rd declension masculine and feminine nouns. Some nouns e.g. nox have a different genitive plural ending i.e. noctium, but, for the moment, become familiar with the endings that are shown here.

• Multī aliī mīlitēs [nominative plural] quī in pictūrā nōn videntur … │ Many other soldiers, who are not seen in the picture …
• Ibi sunt castra Rōmāna ubi noctū mīlitēs [nominative plural] manent. │ There is a Roman camp where the soldiers stay at night.
• Mīlitēs [nominative plural] interdum ā castrīs properant …│Sometimes the soldiers hurry from the camp …

Paragraph #2

Hic mīles [nominative singular] Rōmānus quī est dux [nominative singular] mīlitum [genitive plural] arma bona portat. │ This Roman soldier who is the commander ¦ of the soldiers ¦ is carrying good weapons.

dux, duc¦is [3/m]: commander > stem: duc-

• Scūtum ducem [accusative singular] tegit. │ The shield protects the commander.
• Haec arma mīlitēs bene tegunt. │ These weapons protect the soldiers well.

Paragraph #3

• Post mīlitēs [accusative plural] castra vidēmus. │ We see the camp behind the soldiers.
• Mīlitēs [nominative plural] cōnsilia bona ¦ ducis ¦ semper laudant, … │ The soldiers always praise the good plans ¦ of the commander …

Paragraph #4

flōs, flōr¦is [3/m]: flower > stem: flōr-

• Equus puerum ad flōrēs [accusative plural], rosās et līlia, portat. │ The horse carries the boy to the flowers, the roses and the lilies.

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

07.10.24: Level 1; Maxey [15] (3): paragraphs [iii] and [iv]; reading and vocabulary

[iii] Post mīlitēs castra vidēmus. Equōs et frūmentum vidēmus. Hī equī aliōs mīlitēs portant. Alia tēla portant. Nunc est nūllum perīculum. Mox mīlitēs pugnant et tum est magnum perīculum. Post bellum multī mīlitēs sunt dēfessī et domī esse cupiunt. Dux quoque est dēfessus. Dux bonus semper cōnsilia bona habet. Mīlitēs cōnsilia bona ducis semper laudant, sed cōnsilia mala nōn laudant. Dux impiger cōnsilia mala nōn laudat. Dux impiger cōnsilia bona semper habet. Bellum est periculōsum ubi cōnsilia ducis sunt mala.

1. Where is the camp? [2]
2. What two other things do they see? [2]
3. What two things do the horses do? [2]
4. What do the soldiers soon do? [1]
5. How do they feel after the war? [1]
6. Where do they want to be? [1]
7. Who else is tired? [1]
8. What is the characteristic of a good commander? [2]
9. When is a war dangerous? [2]

[iv] Nunc nōn est nox. Nūlla quiēs est in terrā. Virī et fēminae labōrant. Mārcus nōn legit sed ad stabulum ubi equus stat ambulat. In stabulō Mārcus equō albō frūmentum dat. Tum in hortum puer et equus properant. Equus puerum ad flōrēs, rosās et līlia, portat. “Ego sum dux Rōmānus,” inquit puer, “et arma capiō. Gladium et ūnum scūtum portō. Galeam habeō et in tabernāculō sunt duo pila quae nunc nōn portō. Mīlitēs meī mē laudant quod cōnsilia bona habeō.” Māter vocat. Puer et equus domum properant. Post cēnam colloquium, quod dē armīs et bellō est, longum et grātum est.

Complete the translation with the words listed below:

It isn’t __________ now. There’s no  __________ in the land. Men and women are  __________. Marcus isn’t  __________ but  __________ to the stable where the horse is  __________. In the stable Marcus  __________ grain to the  __________ horse. Then the boy and the horse  __________ into the garden. The horse  __________ the boy to the  __________, the roses and the lilies. “I am a Roman  __________,”  __________ the boy “and I  __________ weapons. I’m  __________ a sword and one shield. I have a  __________ and in the  __________ are two javelins  __________ I’m not carrying now. My  __________ praise me  __________ I have good  __________.” Mother is  __________. The boy and the horse hurry  __________.  __________ dinner the conversation, because it is  __________ weapons and war, is long and  __________.

about; after; because; calling; carries; carrying; commander; flowers; gives; helmet; home; hurry; night; peace; plans; pleasing; reading; says; soldiers; standing; take up; tent; walking; which; white; working

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

05.10.24: Level 1; Maxey [15] (2): paragraphs [i] and [ii]; notes; (1) eō, īre: go (2) passive constructions

eō, īre: go, an irregular verb

Mīlitēs interdum ā castrīs properant et ad bellum eunt. │ Sometimes the soldiers hurry from the camp and (they) go to war.

eō, īre: go

Present tense

eō: I go

is: you (sg.) go

it: he / she / it goes

īmus: we go

ītis: you (pl.) go

eunt: they go

The text also gives one example of the perfect tense of the verb:

Māter et pater ad oppidum iērunt │ Mother and father went / have gone to town.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/451995527411721/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/05/290524-level-2-perfect-tense-10-eo-ire.html

iī: I went / I have gone

īstī: you (sg.) went / have gone

iit: he / she / it went / have gone

iimus: we went / have gone

īstis: you (pl.) went / have gone

iērunt: they went / have gone

[2] passive constructions

Hanc fābulam, quae de Rōmānīs antīquīs nārrātur, saepe Mārcus in scholā audīvit. │ In school Marcus has often heard this story, which is told about the ancient Romans.

Multī aliī mīlitēs quī in pictūrā nōn videntur … │ Many other soldiers who are not seen in the picture …

A sentence can be active or passive.

An active sentence is when the subject is performing the action.

Rēx militem laudat. │ The king praises the soldier.

A passive sentence is when the subject is experiencing the action. In the present tense, when using the 3^rd person singular (he / she / it) or 3^rd person plural (they), -ur is added to the end of the verb.

Rēx mīlitem laudat. │ The king praises the soldier.

>  Mīles ā rēge laudātur. │ The soldier is praised by the king.

Poētae multās fābulās dē Rōmānīs antiquīs scribunt. │ The poets write many tales about the ancient Romans.

> Multae fābulae dē Rōmānīs antiquīs scribuntur. │ Many tales are written about the ancient Romans.

05.10.24: Level 1; Maxey [15] (1): paragraphs [i] and [ii]; reading and vocabulary

[i] Nox est et quiēs est in terrā. Hiems est. Mārcus, puer Americānus, sōlus est in casā quod māter et pater ad oppidum iērunt. Diū legit. Dē multīs terrīs legit. Hanc fābulam, quae de Rōmānīs antīquīs nārrātur, saepe Mārcus in scholā audīvit. In pictūrā est vir quī mīles Rōmānus est. Ad bellum properat. Est mīles validus et magnus quī arma Rōmāna portat. Sōlus est. Multī aliī mīlitēs quī in pictūrā nōn videntur ad bellum ambulant quod bellum est magnum. Ibi sunt castra Rōmāna ubi noctū mīlitēs manent. Hīc quoque manent ubi in bellō nōn pugnant. Mīlitēs interdum ā castrīs properant et ad bellum eunt.

Choose the correct statement:

[1] It’s a …

(a) cold winter’s night.

(b) quiet winter’s day.

(c) quiet winter’s evening.

(d) quiet winter’s night.

[2]

(a) Marcus and his parents are at home.

(b) Marcus and an American boy are at home.

(c) Marcus is alone at home.

(d) Marcus has gone to town.

[3] Marcus is …

(a) spending a long time reading.

(b) reading a lengthy book.

(c) sitting on the ground reading.

(d) reading about a country.

[4]

(a) The story was written by a Roman.

(b) Marcus has heard this story before.

(c) The Romans often write ancient stories.

(d) Marcus is going to hear this story at school.

[5] The story is about a Roman soldier …

(a) fighting in a battle

(b) riding towards the battle

(c) hurrying to battle

(d) fighting with weapons

[6]

(a) There are other soldiers in the picture.

(b) The soldiers always stay in the camp.

(c) The soldiers never fight.

(d) The soldiers sometimes leave the camp.

[ii] Hic mīles Rōmānus quī est dux mīlitum arma bona portat. Quae sunt haec arma? Hic est gladius validus. Gladius nōn est longus. Nōn est lātus. Scūtum quoque capit. Scūtum ducem tegit ubi bellum est periculōsum. Pīlum habet. Hoc pīlum est longum et validum sed nōn est lātum. Galea quoque ducem tegit. Galeam et scūtum et gladium et pīlum Mārcus videt et laudat. Haec arma mīlitēs bene tegunt. Quod hic mīles est dux, bellum nōn timet. Perīculum nōn timet.

[1] In which order are these weapons and pieces of armour first mentioned?

helmet; javelin; sword; shield

[2] Which phrase completes the description of each weapon …

the sword is …

the javelin is …

long and narrow │ long and sharp │ short and narrow │strong and wide

[3] From paragraphs [i] and [ii]

Find the Latin:

(he) carries; (he) does not fear; (he) has; (he) holds; (he) hurries; (he) praises; (he) reads; (he) sees; (it) protects

(they) don’t fight; (they) protect; (they) stay

04.10.24: the Return of the Cat in the Hat

Image: if you’re studying Latin, it’s a good plan to have a sense of humour; eat your heart out, Sesame Street.

The Cat in the Hat

Let’s take him apart

Let’s look at the grammary

This’s and thats

Let’s look at the things

That we’ve done since the start

Some who-words and do-words

We must know by heart

The when, what and where words, the how’s and the why’s

The words with the em’s, and the oom’s and the i’s

And here’s a surprise -

The verb endings tell you “it’s we or it’s it!”

And you’ll get to like them  -

Well,

Maybe a bit.

Cattus petasātus

Imber tōtum diem fluit │ The rain’s been pouring the whole day

Urceātim semper pluit. │ It always rains in buckets.

Taedet intus nōs manēre: │ It bores us to stay inside:

Numquam potest sōl splendēre │ The sun can never shine

Dēsidēsque sīc sedēmus, │ And thus we sit idle at home

Nec rīdēmus, nec gaudēmus. │ We neither laugh nor rejoice

** Fore fīnem quiēscendī / Mihi spēs est et sedendī. │ I have the hope that there will be an end to resting and sitting **

Frīgus vetat forās īre, │ The cold forbids (us) from going outdoors

Caelum vetat lascīvīre. │ The sky / weather forbids (us) from having fun

Domī sumus quiēscentēs, │ We are at home, resting

Nīl omnīnō facientēs. │ Doing nothing at all.

There’s a lot  in there; the only line I won’t look at is marked ** because it contains two points of grammar which need a lot of study and will be discussed in later posts.

2^nd declension nouns

• cattus, -ī [2/m]: cat
• caelum, -ī [2/n] sky; can also refer to weather

3^rd declension nouns

• fīnis, -is [/f]: end; finish
• frīgus, frīgoris [n]: cold
• imber, imbris [m]: rain
• sōl, -is [m]: sun

5^th declension nouns

• diēs, diēī [m / f]: day
• spēs, speī [f]: hope

1^st conjugation verbs

• vetō, -āre: forbid

2^nd conugation verbs

• gaudeō, -ēre : rejoice
• maneō, -ēre: stay
• rideō, -ēre: laugh
• splendeō, -ēre: shine

3^rd conjugation verbs

• fluō, -ere: flow; pour
• quiescō, -ere: rest
• faciō, -ere [3-iō]: do

4^th conjugation verbs

• lasciviō, -īre: be “frisky”

Irregular verbs

• eō, ire:  go
• sum, esse: to be
• possum, posse: to be able

3^rd declension adjective

• dēses, dēsidis: idle

participles

• faciēns, facientis > facientēs: doing
• quiēscēns, quiēscentis > quiēscentēs: resting

adverbs

• forās: outdoors
• intus: inside
• nec … nec: neither … nor …
• numquam: never
• omnīnō: completely; entirely
• semper: always
• sīc: thus; in this way

Other points:

[i] domī: at home; locative case

[ii] These two lines are impersonal expressions which don’t refer to a subject; English translates these using ‘it’, referring to nothing or nobody in particular

• taedet nōs: it bores us
• urceātim pluit: it rains in buckets

[iii] the accusative case used to indicate for how long something happens

• tōtum diem: for the whole day

[iv] nil = nihil: nothing

[v] -que: added to the end of a word: and