Saturday, February 22, 2025

18.05.25: Level 3; the locative case; place names (3)

[iv] Greek city-states

[10] Syrācūsae: Syracuse is an historic city on the island of Sicily noted both for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture and architecture, and as the birthplace of the mathematician and engineer Archimedes. Founded by Ancient Greek settlers, it became a powerful city-state, allied with Sparta and Corinth, and during Roman Rule it was capital of the province of Sicily. The term Magna Graecia was used to refer to the Greek-speaking coastal areas of Southern Italy. Later writers also included Sicily.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse,_Sicily

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

[11] Athēnae: One of the world’s oldest cities, Athens was a powerful city-state and a centre for the arts and learning. It is considered the birthplace of democracy and had considerable cultural and political impact on Ancient Rome.

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

[12] Corinthus: Corinth was an ancient city-state and developed as a commercial centre. In 146 BC, the city was destroyed by the Roman army. In 44 BC, as a newly rebuilt Roman colony it became the administrative capital of the Roman province of Achaea.

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


[v] Byzantium

[13] Bȳzantium (present-day Istanbul) [Anc. Gk. Βυζάντιον (Būzắntĭon)] was an Ancient Greek city which adopted the name of Kōnstantinoupolis [Anc. Gk. Κωνσταντινούπολις; Latin: Cōnstantīnopolis; Eng. Constantinople ‘the city of Constantine’] after its foundation under Roman emperor Constantine I, who transferred the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium in 330AD.

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces in late antiquity and the Middle Ages surviving the fragmentation and collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It continued to exist for a further 1,000 years until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. During most of its existence, the empire remained the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe.

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

[vi] Egypt

Egypt (Aegyptus) was a province of the Roman Empire from 30BC until 641AD. After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, the Ptolemaic Kingdom which had ruled Egypt since the Wars of Alexander the Great took the side of Mark Antony against the eventual victor Octavian, who as Augustus became the first Roman emperor in 27 BC, having defeated Mark Antony and the pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, at the naval Battle of Actium. After the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra, the Roman Republic annexed the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.

[14] Alexandrēa (Alexandria): Mediterranean port city in Egypt founded by Alexander the Great; it was home to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and to the Library of Alexandria.

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

[15] Thēbae (Thebes): Ancient Egyptian city about 800km south of the Mediterranean, the ruins within the modern city of Luxor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thebes,_Egypt


18.05.25; Level 3; the locative case; place names (2)

[iii] wars and battles

[6] Cannae (now Canne della Battaglia) was a village in south east Italy and famous for being the site of the disastrous defeat of the Romans by Hannibal during the Second Punic War in 216BC. An estimated 60,000–70,000 Romans were killed or captured at Cannae.

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

[7] Carthāgō (Carthage) was the capital of the Carthaginian civilisation in what is modern-day Tunisia. A major trading hub and one of the wealthiest cities in the classical world, it was destroyed by the Roman Republic in the Third Punic War in 146BC. Subsequently re-developed as Roman Carthage it became the major city in the Roman province of Africa.

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

[8] Philippī [Gk: Φίλιπποι, Philippoi] was a major Greek city; it was here during the Civil War that Octavian and Mark Anthony, heirs of Julius Caesar,  faced the forces of Brutus and Cassius, Caesar’s assassins. The battle was fought on a plain near the city in 42BC, resulting in the defeat of Brutus and Cassius

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

[9] Troia (Troy): ancient city in present-day Turkey in habited since the 4th millennium BC and the location of the Trojan War

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

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


site of the battle of Cannae


the ruins at Carthage


the Forum at Philippi


Troy

18.05.25: Level 3; the Ethiopians

Translate into English:

Aethiopēs, pardōrum leōnumque pellibus amictī, arcūs habent praelongōs: sagittās vērō brevēs; hīs prō ferrō lapidēs acūtī praefīxī sunt. Hastās praetereā habent, hīs praefīxa sunt cornua cervōrum: habent etiam clāvās nōdōsās. Corporis dīmidium, in pugnam prōdeuntēs, crētā dealbātum habent, dīmidium miniō pictum. Aliī caput tēctum habent pelle equīnā, dē capite equī dētractā, cum auribus et iubā. Prō scūtīs gruum pellibus corpora tegunt.

Vocabulary

amiciō, -īre, amicuī / amixī, amictus [4]: clothe; dress; cover

cervus, -ī [2/m]: stag

clāva, -ae [1/f]: club

dētrahō, -ere, dētrāxī, dētractus [3]: pull / drag off (down, away)

minium, -ī [2/n]: cinnabar, a deep red mineral used in the making of the vermilion pigment

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

nōdōsus, -a, -um: knotty (of wood); entangled

pardus, -ī [2/m]: leopard

pingō, -ere, pīnxī, pictus [3]: paint; tint; colour

praefīgō, -ere, praefīxī, praefīxus [3]: (here) fix on the end

praelongus, -a, -um: very long

Similarly:

praeclārus, -a, -um: very clear / bright; famous; splendid

praepotēns, praepotentis: very powerful

praedīlēctus, -a, -um: favourite

dealbō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: whiten; whitwash; cover in plaster

vae vōbīs scrībae et Pharisaeī hypocritae quia similēs estis sepulchrīs dealbātīs (Vulgate) │ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like [similar to] whitened tombs …

Notes

[1] in pugnam prōdeuntēs; present active participle prōdiēns, prōdeuntis from prōdeō, prōdīre: go forth; advance

[2] ablative agreement:

Aliī caput tēctum habent ¦ [i] pelle equīnā ¦, dē capite equī ¦ [ii] dētractā

Others have the head covered ¦ with horse hide ¦ pulled ¦ from the head of the horse

____________________

The Aethiopians, dressed / clad / covered in the skins of leopards and lions, have very long bows, but short arrows; instead of iron, these are tipped with sharp stones [literally: sharp stones are fastened to these on the end] Moreover / in addition, they have spears; these are tipped with stag’s horns [see previous literal translation].  When advancing into battle they have half of the body whitened with chalk, half painted with vermilion [see vocabulary]. Others have the head covered with horsehide / the skin of a horse, pulled off from the head of the horse together with the ears and mane. Instead of shields they cover their bodies with the skins of cranes.

17.05.25: Level 2; review; prīmus annus [4]; cāsus ablātīvus; cāsus accūsātīvus; expressions of time

Diēs Puerī Britannī

Puer Britannus prīmā hōrā (1) ē lēctō surgit. Ex cubiculō ad prandium dēscendit. Tum domō ad lūdum it. Ibi trēs vel quattuor hōrās labōrat. Prīmum linguam Gallicam discit, deinde Anglicam, postrēmō scientiam mathēmaticam. Tandem ē lūdō exit et domum ad secundum prandium redit. Ūnam hōram domī manet. Post prandium iterum ad lūdum venit. Decimā hōrā in campum exit.

Vesperī domum ad cēnam redit. Post cēnam pēnsum facit. Mox dormīre vult. Prīmā igitur vigiliā sē in lēctum iacit. Brevī sē somnō dat, et trēs vigiliās dormit. Prīmā hōrā gallus cantat; cum gallus cantat, puer nōn iam dormit; sed ē lēctō statim surgit; saepe etiam ante hanc hōram surgit, nam in lēctō manēre nōn vult. Cottīdiē māne surgit, merīdiē prandet, vesperī (2) cēnat, noctū (3) dormit.

(1) Ancient Roman timekeeping refers to the first hour of the day i.e. the first hour after dawn i.e. between 0600 – 0700 am; precise timings could vary depending on the time of the year

(2) vesperī or vespere

(3) noctū is an old ablative form; nocte is also used

[1] Respondē:

  1. Quandō ē lēctō surgis?
  2. Quandō tē in lēctum iacis?
  3. Quandō tē somnō dās?
  4. Quandō prandēs?
  5. Quandō cēnās?
  6. Quandō linguam Latīnam discis?
  7. Quid māne discis? (prīmō, deinde, postrēmō)
  8. Quis prīmā hōrā cantat?
  9. Quandō tū cantās?
  10. Quid māne facis? Quid merīdiē? Quid noctū?

[2] Expressions of time with the ablative; find the Latin:

[a]

  1. at the first hour
  2. at the tenth hour
  3. at the first “watch”; in Ancient Rome the night was divided into four vigiliae

[b]

  1. at midday
  2. in the evening
  3. at night

[c]

within a short time

[3] expressions of time with the accusative; find the Latin:

  1. He stays at home for one hour.
  2. He works for three or four hours.
  3. He sleeps for three “watches”.
  4. after lunch
  5. after dinner
  6. before this time / hour

[4] three different cases:

  1. He goes from home (ablative).
  2. He goes back (to) home (accusative).
  3. He stays at home (locative)

Friday, February 21, 2025

17.05.25: Level 2; topic; Mankind; the human body; accident and illness [10]; ablative of cause

Labōrō, apart from meaning ‘work’ can also refer to ‘suffering (from something)’ similar to the English derivative ‘to labour’, the ailment from which you are suffering expressed by the ablative of cause:

morbus, -ī [m/2]: disease; illness           

Senex morbō gravī laborat. │The old man is suffering from a serious disease.

Similarly:

Aeger morbō gravī aegrotabat. │ The sick man was ill with a serious disease.

Frīgore tremēbam. │ I was shivering with cold

Exercise

Say what you are suffering from using labōrō with the ailment in the ablative case:

febris, -is [3/f]: fever     

fatīgātiō, fatīgātiōnis [3/f]: tiredness

gravēdō, gravēdinis [3/f]: head cold      

īnsomnia, -ae [1/f]: sleeplessness

According to the Roman poet Juvenal, the chances of sustaining an injury in the city are quite high:

And now let’s consider all the other varied dangers, at night:

What a long way it is for a tile from the highest roof to fall

On your head; how often a cracked and leaky pot plunges down

From a sill; what a crash when they strike the pavement, chipping

And cracking the stones. If you go out to dinner without making

A will, you’re thought of as simply careless, dismissive of those

Tragic events that occur: there are as many opportunities to die,

As there are open windows watching you, when you go by, at night.

So I’d make a wretched wish and a prayer, as you go, that they’ll

Rest content with simply emptying their brimming pots over you.

Juvenal: Satires III

16.05.25: Level 1; readings [14]: always trouble with the Greeks

The Romans get angrier:

“Cūr superbiam Graecōrum sustinēmus?”

“Nōs Rōmānōs barbarōs vocant, sē tantum hūmānōs et doctōs putant.”

“Multī Graecī servī Rōmānōrum sunt – servī? Sine dubiō multī servī Graecī dominīs suīs imperant (1), et dominī servīs pārent (1), invītī quidem, sed pārent – nam servī dominīs ēloquentiā et industriā suā cārī sunt. (2)”

“Quis līberōs Rōmānōrum docet? Graecī! Cuius fābulās spectāmus? Graecōrum fābulās! Cui ut puerī pārēmus (1)? Graecīs (1)! Quem doctum et hūmānum putāmus? Graecōs! Dē quō semper disputāmus?  Dē Graecīs! Et quid nōbīs restat? Ēmigrāre ē patriā! Iam enim Graecī Rōmam occupant, iam nōs fugāre parant.”

(1) the verbs imperō, -āre [1]; command, and pareō, -ēre [2]: obey are followed by the dative case

multī servī Graecī dominīs suīs imperant │many Greek slaves command / give orders to their masters

dominī servīs [dative] pārent │ the masters obey the slaves

Cui ut puerī pārēmus? Graecīs! │ Who do we obey as boys? The Greeks!

(2) servī dominīs [dative] ¦ ēloquentiā [ablative] et industriā suā [ablative] cārī sunt │ the slaves are dear to (their) masters ¦ in (terms of) their eloquence and hard work

Thursday, February 20, 2025

20.02.25: The way to stop dodgy pub landlords giving you less than you ordered …

extract from The Magna Carta (1215)

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

Ūna mēnsūra vīnī sit per tōtum rēgnum nostrum, et ūna mēnsūra cervīsi(a)e*, et ūna mēnsūra bladī, scīlicet quartērium Londoniense, et ūna lātitūdō pannōrum tīnctōrum et russetōrum et halbergettōrum, scīlicet du(a)e uln(a)e* īnfrā listās; dē ponderibus autem sit ut dē mēnsūrīs.

bladum, -ī [2/n]: (Mediaeval) a type of grain eat

cervisia, -ae (also cervēs(i)a) [1/f]: beer

halbergettōrum: refers to halberget or haberject, a type of cloth but the specific details unknown

lista, -ae [1/f]: (Mediaeval) border; hem; described in the English translation as selvage, the edge of a piece of cloth to stop it from unravelling

pānnus, -ī [2/m]: cloth

pondus, ponderis [3/n]: weight

quarterius = quartārius, -ī [2/m]: quarter; the “London quarter” refers to the measurement for liquid and grain

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_(unit)

scīlicet: namely

tīnctus, -a, -um: (here) dyed; coloured, treated

ulna, -ae [1/f]: elbow; arm; measurement: ell [England: 45 inches; Scotland: 37 inches] or cubit; the image shows the Ell House in Dunkeld, Scotland, the measurement standardised in 1661

*Note the Mediaeval spelling reflecting the change in pronunciation of Classical Latin /ae/ > /e/

[i] una mēnsūra cervisie = cervisiae

[ii] due ulne = duae ulnae

____________________

Let there be one measure of wine, of ale and of corn (namely, “the London quarter”) throughout our whole realm. There shall also be one width of cloth (whether dyed, russet, or halberget): that is, two ells within the selvages. Let weights also be standardised similarly.



15.05.25: Level 3; the locative case; place names (1)

A number of places in the ancient world were referred to in the previous post. Here is a little more information about some of them; these are very short summaries but I have included links if you would like to know more about these places and / or the events associated with them.

[i] Roman Britain

[1] Londinium, capital of Britannia during most of the period of Roman rule, was a settlement on the current site of the City of London c. AD 47–50 and sat at a key crossing point over the River Thames turning the city into a road nexus and major port which served as a chief commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.

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

[2] Eborācum was a fort and later a city in the Roman province of Britannia. It was the largest town in northern Britain and a provincial capital. After the decline of the Western Roman Empire it developed into the present-day city York.

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


artist’s impression of Londinium


the Roman baths at Eborācum (York)

[ii] disaster

[3] The dark shadow in the image shows extent of the destruction inflicted by Mt Vesuvius upon its eruption in AD79. Although Pompeiī is by far the largest and most famous location, other coastal resorts were destroyed including Herculāneum, Stabiae and Oplontis.



aerial view of Pompeii 


excavations at Herculaneum


wall painting from Stabiae


Villa Poppeae at Oplontis

[4] Mīsēnum was a major port on the Bay of Naples, and in AD79 – at the time of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius - Pliny the Elder was in charge of the naval fleet there. His nephew, Pliny the Younger, also at Misenum, gave us the only surviving account of the catastrophe during which his uncle was killed.


Modern Capo Miseno on the site of Misenum

[5] 16km from Mt Vesuvius, and about 4.5km to the southwest of Pompeii, the resort of Stabiae was buried under ash to a height of up to 5m. Near the city on a 50m high headland above the Bay of Naples is the largest group of well-preserved, huge and high-class Roman villas found from the entire Roman world.

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

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

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

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

15.05.25: Level 3; the locative case (1)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/120525-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/747916037819667

As you saw in the previous post:  [Level 3;  summary of of the uses of the ablative case [3]: prepositions (2)] Latin normally indicates location by using in with the ablative case, for example:

in Ītaliā │ in Italy

in macellō │ in the market

However, with the names of towns and cities, small islands and a few other isolated nouns, the locative case is used. This case existed in Old Latin but was eventually absorbed by the ablative and therefore is not generally listed as a separate case except when there are nouns which have a distinct locative ending. Like the ablative, it denotes ‘in’ or ‘at’ a place, but no preposition is used.

Image #1: The locative endings for 1st and 2nd declension singular nouns are the same as the genitive singular.

Image #2: A few town / city names in Latin are plural e.g. Athēnae (Athens), Pompeiī (Pompeii); these names which are first and second declension have a locative case which is the same as the ablative plural:

Image #3: Further examples with the English equivalents:

Pliny the Younger, who provides us with the only written account of the eruption of Vesuvius particularly with reference to his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who died in the eruption, begins the main part of the narrative with:

Erat Mīsēnī classemque imperiō praesēns regēbat. ¦ He was at Misenum and was personally commanding the fleet. [Nominative: Mīsēnum (now: Miseno) > Locative: Mīsēnī]

Image #4: Third declension nouns have a locative case which is the same as the ablative or sometimes the dative.


The definition “small islands” is rather vague and Roman authors are not always consistent in interpreting an island as such hence there are variations where a writer may use a locative case or an ablative; it isn’t something you should lose sleep over (or machete your way through example from literature trying to find exceptions). A rule of thumb is that if the island is small enough to have upon it only one town i.e. one major population centre and / or the island shares the name of the town, then it conforms to the rule that the locative case is used with ‘cities, towns and small islands.’ The island of Rhodes, for example, had several population centres although the city, which had been the capital from c. 408 BC, and the island shared the same name.

Caesar paucōs diēs in Asiā morātus, cum audīsset Pompēium Cyprī vīsum (Caesar) │ Having delayed for a few days in Asia, Caesar, when he had heard that Pompey had been seen in Cyprus …

Samia mihi māter fuit: ea habitābat Rhodī (Terence) │ Samia was my mother: she used to live on Rhodes.

ante paucōs quam obīret diēs, turris Pharī terrae mōtū Capreīs concidit (Suetonius)│ a few days before he died, the Pharos at Capri was thrown down by an earthquake. 


Islands which had several populations centres e.g. Sicily were not classified as small and, therefore, in + ablative was used to express location.

Gāius Syrācūsīs [locative of the town name] ¦ in Siciliā habitat. │ Gaius lives at Syracuse ¦ on Sicily.

Exercise: Complete the sentences by putting the noun in brackets into the locative case.

  1. Puerī (Rōma) manent. │ The boys are staying in Rome.
  2. Magnum bellum (Troia) erat. │ There was a great war at Troy.
  3. Mortuus est (Londīnium). │ He died in London.
  4. Domus poētae est (Athēnae). │The poet’s house is in Athens.
  5. Ferōciter (Cannae) pugnātum est. │A fierce battle was fought at Cannae.
  6. (Syrācūsae) nātus est. │He was born at Syracuse.
  7. (Carthāgō) habitat. │ He lives at Carthage.
  8. Quid facis in urbe (Cōnstantīnopolis)? │ What are you doing in the city of Constantinople? 

15.05.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [7]; Strange Pets

Translate into English:

Sunt autem crocodīlī aliīs Aegyptiīs sacrī; aliīs nōn item, sed hī illōs ut hostēs persequuntur. Omnēs circā Thēbās et Moeridis lacum incolae sacrōs illōs dūcunt. Hōrum utrīque ūnum maximē crocodīlum alunt, manū tractārī ēdoctum. Auribus inaurēs īnserunt, et anteriōrēs pedēs aureīs armillīs ōrnant. Eundem pāscunt; mortuum sacrō in sepulcrō sepeliunt.

Vocabulary

alō, -ere, -uī, alitus: feed, nourish, nurture

dūcō, -ere, dūxī, ductus [3]: (here) consider, think, regard

ēdoceō, -ēre, -uī, ēdoctus [2]: teach, instruct

inauris, -is [3/f]: earring

īnserō, -ere, -uī, īnsertus [3]: insert

item (adverb): likewise; also; in the same manner

pāscō, -ere, pāvī, pāstus [3]: feed

persequor, persequī, persecūtus sum [3/dep]: pursue

tractō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: handle, manage

Notes:

[1] aliīs Aegyptiīs sacrī; aliīs nōn item │ sacred to some Egyptians, not in the same way to others

alius, -a, -ud: other

when used in pairs: [i] alius … alius: the one … the other; [ii] aliī … aliī: some … others …

[2] uterque, utraque, utrumque: each (of two); both

hōrum utrīque │ each of them i.e. each group of inhabitants of (1) Thebes and (2) the lake = both of them

[3] eundem pascunt │ the feed the same (one)

īdem, eadem, idem: the same

personal pronouns is, ea, id + dem

is + dem > īdem; ea + dem > eadem; id + dem > idem

Note the spellings in the image, in particular:

Accusative singular: eundem / eandem

Genitive plural: eōrundem / eārundem

However, the main feature to recognise is the addition of -dem.



14.05.25: Level 2; review; prīmus annus [3]; ablātīvus īnstrūmentī

Arma Rōmāna

Rōmānī, cum pūgnāre volunt, arma et tēla gerunt. Scūtīs enim sē dēfendunt; tēlīs autem, hastā, gladiō, iaculō aliōs oppūgnant. Gallus nōn scūtō, sed clipeō rotundō, sē dēfendit. Puer Britannus nōn tēlīs armīsque pūgnat, sed pūgnīs; sinistrō pūgnō oppūgnat, dextrō sē dēfendit; oppūgnāre etiam nōnnumquam dextrō potest.

Membrīs nostrīs multa facere possumus: oculīs enim vidēmus, linguā recitāmus, bracchiīs pilam iacimus, dextrā stilum vel crētam, cum scrībere volumus, tenēmus; stilō in pāginā, in tabulā crētā scrībimus.

[1] Respondē:

  1. Quō īnstrumentō [with / by means of what ‘tool’ / ‘instrument’] in tabulā scrībis? In pāginā?
  2. Quibus armīs [with / by means of what weapons] Rōmānus sē dēfendit? Gallus?
  3. Quō membrō scrībis? recitās? pilam iacis?
  4. Quibus membrīs vidēs? pūgnās?
  5. Utrō* pūgnō [with which fist = with which of the two fists] tē dēfendis? alium puerum oppūgnās?
  6. Utrō bracchiō Rōmānus scūtum tenet?
  7. Quibus tēlīs Rōmānus oppūgnat?
  8. Potesne sinistrā scrībere?

*uter, utra, utrum: which (of two)

Note: dextrā / sinistrā i.e. with the right / left (hand), the word manus understood.

[2] ablative of means / instrument (here the focus is on instrument i.e. the object with / by means of which an action is performed); find the Latin:

[a]

  1. They attack with / by means of [i] a javelin [ii] a sword [iii] a spear
  2. We write … with [i] a pen [ii] chalk.
  3. We recite … with the tongue.
  4. He attacks with the left fist.
  5. He defends himself with the right (fist).
  6. We hold a pen with the right (hand).
  7. Can you write with the left (hand)?
  8. The Gaul does not defend himself with an (oblong) shield.
  9. He defends himself with / by means of a round shield.

[b]

  1. They defend themselves with / by means of shields.
  2. They attack with weapons.
  3. The British boy does not fight with missles and with weapons but with fists.
  4. We throw a ball with the arms.
  5. We can do many things with our limbs.


14.05.25: Level 2; topic; Mankind; the human body; accident and illness [9]; reasons for staying off work

aegrōtō, -āre; aegrōtāvī [1]: be sick / ill

algeō, -ere; alsī [2]: feel cold

febrīcitō, -āre; febrīcitāvī [1]: have a fever

langueō,-ere; - [2]: feel faint / weak

nauseō, -āre; nauseāvī [1]: feel sick / squeamish

prūriō, -īre; prūrīvī [4]: itch

sternuō, -ere; sternuī [3]: sneeze

sūdō, sūdāre; sūdāvī [1]: sweat

tremō, -ere; tremuī [3]: shiver

tussiō, -īre; - [4]: cough

13.05.25: Level 1; readings [13]: an unfriendly inn

Tired of walking and discussing, Marcus and his Greek friends enter an inn, where there seems to be lively talking going on:

In caupōnā iam multī virī sedent valdēque clāmant:

“Vīta Rōmānōrum līberōrum nunc misera est!”

“Graeculī vīllās pulchrās, multōs agrōs, magnās dīvitiās possident! Nōs nihil habēmus nisi vītam miseram!”

“Vir bonus et integer hodiē nihil valet. Itaque neque ego neque tū valēmus.”

“Et cūr vōs nihil valētis? Quod maestī et fessī hīc sedētis, quod invītī labōrātis, quod scientiā vacātīs! (1) Ecce Graeculī nōs ēloquentiā et scientiā superant. (2) Graeculī medicī sunt et magī et fūnambulī. Graeculī sōlī nihil ignōrant…”

“Cūr nōn tacēs dē medicīs Graecīs: Rōmānōs laetī necāre solent!”

“Nōs nōn puerī sumus, sed virī. Quīn cūnctōs Graecōs fugāmus?”

(1) scientiā [ablative] vacātīs │ literally: you’re free from / empty of knowledge = you have no knowledge

(2) Graeculī nōs ēloquentiā [ablative] et scientiā [ablative] superant. │ The contemptible Greeks surpass us in (terms of) eloqence and (in) knowledge.


Tuesday, February 18, 2025

12.05.25: Level 3; summary of of the uses of the ablative case [3]: prepositions (2)

[1] Prepositions with the ablative can indicate physical location e.g. where a building is situated, or where an action is taking place (known as the ablative of place where)

[i] in: in / on

In urbe habitābam. │I used to live in the city.

Agricola in īnsulā habitat. │ The farmer lives on an island.

[ii] sub: under

Mārcus sub arbore sedēbat. │ Marcus was sitting under a tree.


[2] Prepositions with the ablative can also indicate movement away from a location

[i] ā / ab: (away) from

Ab urbe profectus est. │ He set out from the city.

ā / ab can also be used to express from a certain time:

ab hōrā tertiāfrom the third hour

[ii] dē: (down) from

nāvibus dēsilīre │ to jump down from the ships

Mātrēs familiae mūrō vestem argentumque iactābant (Caesar) │ The married women began throwing their clothes and silver over [ = down from] the wall

[iii] ē / ex: out of

Ex omnibus partibus silvae ēvolāvērunt. │ They flew out from all parts of the forest.



Notes:

[1] These are the basic meanings of these prepositions. However, as you continue through the notes on the ablative case, you will see that they have other meanings and uses.

[2] The ablative case expressing “in” is not used with the names of towns, cities and small islands. The next two posts will look at this in order to “put it to bed” before continuing with the ablative. However it has already been discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/290324-locative-case.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/415064654438142/


12.05.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [6]; the Crocodile

Translate into English:

Crocodīlī autem nātūra haec est. Per quīnque mēnsēs hībernōs cibum nūllum capit. Quadrupēs est terram pariter et aquam habitāns: ōva enim parit exclūditque in terrā, et maiōrem partem diēī in siccō versātur, noctū vērō in fluviō: est enim aqua noctū magis calida quam terra rōre cōnspersa. Omnium vērō animālium hoc ex minimō fit maximum. Ōva enim haud multō maiōra sunt ōvīs ānseris: at pervēnit ad septemdecim cubitōrum longitūdinem. Habet autem oculōs porcī, dentēs vērō magnōs. Sōlum ex omnibus animālibus linguam nōn habet: neque īnferiōrem māxillam movet. Habet autem unguēs rōbustōs, et cutem squāmātam. In aquā quidem caecus est, in aere bene videt. Os habet intus plēnum hirūdinibus. Iam aliae quidem avēs et bēstiae illum fugiunt: cum trochilō autem pācem colit. Hic ūtilem eī operam praestat: nam in os eius sēsē īnsinuāns hirūdinēs dēvorat.

Vocabulary

cōnspergō, -ere, cōnspersī, cōnspersus [3]: sprinkle, spatter

cutis, -is [3/f]: (living) skin

exclūdō, -ere, exclūsī, exclūsus [3]: (here) hatch

hībernus, -a, -um: of / pertaining to winter; wintry

hirūdō, hirūdinis [3/f]: leech

īnsinuō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: (here) wind one’s way into; penetrate, enter

māxilla, -ae [1/f]: jaw (-bone)

pariō, -ere, peperī, partus [3-iō]: bear, give birth to; spawn; produce

pariter (adverb): equally; alike

rōs, rōris [3/m]: dew

sēsē: itself; emphatic form of sē

siccum, -ī [2/m]: dry land

squāmātus, -a, -um: scaly

versor, -ārī, versātus sum [1/dep]: live, stay, be

trochilus, -ī [2/m]: now referring to a species of small bird of the hummingbird genus but the bird described here was legendary:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trochilus_(crocodile_bird)

As [the crocodile] lives chiefly in the river, it has the inside of its mouth constantly covered with leeches; hence it happens that, while all the other birds and beasts avoid it, with the trochilus it lives at peace, since it owes much to that bird: for the crocodile, when he leaves the water and comes out upon the land, is in the habit of lying with his mouth wide open, facing the western breeze: at such times the trochilus goes into his mouth and devours the leeches. This benefits the crocodile, who is pleased, and takes care not to hurt the trochilus. (Herodotus)

Notes

[1] dative of possession

Crocodīlī [dative] … nātūra haec est │ literally: to the crocodile is this nature = the crocodile has this nature

[2] present active participle

terram … et aquam habitāns │ inhabiting / which inhabits the land and the water …

… in os eius sēsē īnsinuāns … │ getting itself into its mouth

[3] ablative

[i] terra rōre cōnspersa │ land sprinked with dew

[ii] Os … plēnum hirūdinibus │ a mouth … filled with (full of) leeches; Latin uses the ablative case (categorised under the ablative of means) with adjectives and verbs that refer to filling something with something or being filled with (full of) something

Tōtum montem hominibus complēvit. │ He filled the whole mountain with men.

Vīlla abundat gallīnā, lacte, cāseō, melle (Cicero) │ The farm abounds in poultry, milk, cheese and honey.

[iii] Ōva enim [a] haud multō maiōra sunt [b] ōvīs ānseris

[a] ablative of degree of difference: haud multō maiōra │not much bigger

[b] ablative of the object of comparison: ōva … [a] haud multō maiōra sunt ¦ [b] ōvīs ānseris │ the eggs are [a] not much bigger ¦ [b] than the eggs of a goose


https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/260724-level-2-de-crocodilo-1.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/477428204868453/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/290724-level-2-de-crocodilo-2.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/478215624789711/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/010824-level-2-de-crocodilo-3.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/479730151304925/

Vincent and the Alligators

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/22.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/465398589404748

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/250624-level-2-vincent-and-alligators-2.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/467026835908590

____________________

[6] Now the nature of the crocodile is as follows. During the five months of winter it takes no food. It is a quadruped, inhabiting land and water alike: for it lays and hatches its eggs on land, and lives on dry ground for the greater part of / most of the day, but by night in the river: for by night the water is warmer than the earth (which has been) sprinkled with dew. But of all animals this one, from being very small, becomes the greatest. For its eggs are not much larger than the eggs of a goose; but it reaches to the length of seventeen cubits. Moreover,  it has the eyes of a pig, but large teeth. Alone of all animals it does not have a tongue, nor does it move its lower jaw. However, it has strong claws, and a scaly skin. In the water, indeed, it is blind; it sees well in the air. It has its mouth full of leeches inside. Now other birds and beasts in fact flee from it, but it keeps peace with the wagtail (see notes). The latter does it a useful service: for creeping into its mouth it devours the leeches.