Latin for Learners

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

09.09.25: Level 3; Sonnenschein; Prō Patriā [9]; Anglī et Saxonēs [3][ii]: links to all posts on the tenses

Review links:

[1] present tense

https://mega.nz/folder/HINQRBIS#WMGrXg9Z68Et9EsWiy8nWg

[2] imperfect tense

https://mega.nz/file/DIVQXRSL#68KnGlwq6-6lFYguvSxIYL8p3b-kQHlGHDKjN_JSjnQ

[3] future tense

https://mega.nz/file/vAtW0A6b#UBOXWkiaJbw5MY8XfHdMTZpr5K3GyKjfu8gUdDm0WSU

[4] perfect tense

https://mega.nz/file/WQtmyLQL#pRb1pfjewQtMCIAyiApva9LHKPTakittNaCdQ1RC7po

[5] pluperfect tense

https://mega.nz/file/SU0hHbqI#Gx95_NvIkNLHlJAzhsQHJT9wHiFlho82TwVRTTrR-IQ

[6] future perfect tense

https://mega.nz/file/uV1UAKIB#0vs8YugGXSbp5gN0NIkNKGnWZJGESrJLpodIwT9TlEE

09.09.25: Level 3; Sonnenschein; Prō Patriā [9]; Anglī et Saxonēs [3][i]

Tum amita mea: “Sed antequam rēx Chrīstiānīs domum praebuit, sermōnem cum eīs habuit, dum in clīvō grāmineō sedēbant, unde urbem Durovernum procul vidēre poterant. Vel, ut nōnnūllī librī historicī affirmant, Chrīstiānī ad ipsōs mūrōs Castellī Rutupīnī nāvem suam applicāverant, et per fenestram castellī cum rēge sermōnem habuērunt. Nam eō tempore aqua portūs Rutupīnī ūsque ad mūrōs castellī pertinēbat. Rēx Chrīstiānīs in hunc modum respondisse narrātur. ‘Pulchra sunt verba et prōmissa vestra; sed nova sunt et incerta; nec deōs antīquōs, quōs per multōs annōs ego et populus meus adōrāvimus, oblīviōnī dare possumus. Sed, quia ex terrā peregrīnā hūc cursum tenuistis, et in animō habētis ea docēre quae vēra esse exīstimātis, nōn prohibēbō vōs in rēgnō meō manēre et nōtitiam Deī vestrī docēre. Itaque domum vōbīs Durovernī praebēbō.’ Et basilicam Sānctī Martīnī eīs dedit.”

Vocabulary

oblīviō, oblīviōnis [3/f]: the state of being forgotten; oblivion

oblivioni dō, -āre [1]: consign to oblivion

Notes

Rēx Chrīstiānīs in hunc modum respondisse narrātur. │ The king is reported to have replied to the Christians in this way

respondeō, -ēre, respond¦ī > respond¦isse │ to have replied

See previous post: Level 3; Sonnenschein; Prō Patriā [9]; Anglī et Saxonēs [1]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/020925-level-3-sonnenschein-pro-patria.html

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/2025/05/level-3-sonnenschein-pro-patria-9-angli.html

Exercise

[1] Find the Latin

and he gave them
as history books claim
before the king offered the palace
he had a conversation with them
the ancient gods … which my people and I have worshipped for many years
the water used to extend all the way to the castle walls
they had a conversation with the king
they had landed their ship
they were able ¦ to see
we cannot [are unable to] ¦ consign to oblivion
while they were sitting

[2] Give a precise translation of the following extract, and note the range of verb forms in one sentence.*

“Sed, quia ex terrā peregrīnā hūc cursum tenuistis, et in animō habētis ea docēre quae vēra esse exīstimātis, nōn prohibēbō vōs in rēgnō meō manēre et nōtitiam Deī vestrī docēre.”

Background

Durovernum, -ī [2/n]: town in Britannia; now Canterbury

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

Reconstruction of Durovernum in the 2^nd century

____________________

*But, because you have maintained a direct course from a foreign land and you intend (have in mind) to teach those things which you consider ¦ to be true, I shall not prevent you ¦ from staying [ = to stay] in my kingdom and (from) teaching [ = to teach] the knowledge of your God.

08.09.25: Level 1 / 2 (review); Ora Maritima [13]; Vestīgia Rōmānōrum [2]: listening & comprehension

Listen to the extract and answer the questions. The translation is at the end of the post.

Vocabulary

applicō, -āre, -āvī [1]: attach; (here) bring [a ship] to land

cōpiam … dedērunt: they gave an opportunity

dēligō, -āre, -āvī [1]: tie / bind (together)

idōneus, -a, -um: suitable

nōtus, -a, -um: known

vadum, -ī [2/n]: (here) a shallow body of water

tintinnābulum, -ī [2/n]: bell

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=tintinnabulum-harpers

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=tintinnabulum-cn

Nerviī: the Nervii, a very powerful Belgic tribe living in Northern Gaul at the time of the Roman conquest

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Nervii

Gallia Belgica, ancient province of the Roman Empire, existing from 22 BCE to the 5th century AD; located in modern northeast France, most of Belgium and Luxembourg, and parts of the Netherlands and Germany

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

Gallia Belgica

[A] Quīnta hōra appropinquābat, et amīcōs meōs cupidē exspectābam. Ad sonum tintinnābulī ad fenestram properāvī. Ecce, puerī ad iānuam aderant. Cum intrāvērunt, ūnivērsī exclāmāvimus “Eugē! Opportūnē adventāvistis!” Tum Marcus “Num sērō adventāvimus?” inquit; “hōra fere tertia fuit cum in viam nōs dedimus; sed via longa est, et Alexander celeriter ambulāre nōn potest.” Sed Alexander “Nōn sum fatīgātus” inquit; “sed quota hōra est?” Tum patruus meus “Nōndum quinta hōra est” inquit: “parātīne estis ad ambulandum?” Et Alexander “Nōs vērō!” inquit. Tum amita mea et Lȳdia “Bene ambulāte!” inquiunt, et in viam nōs dedimus.

[B] Inter viam patruus meus multa nōbīs dē bellō Rōmānōrum cum Britannīs narrāvit. Prīmō saeculō ante Christum nātum Gāius Iūlius in Galliā bellābat, et, postquam Nerviōs cēterōsque populōs Galliae Belgicae dēbellāvit, bellum contrā incolās insulae propinquae parāvit. Itaque annō quintō et quinquāgēsimō cōpiās suās in Britanniam transportāvit. Dē locō unde nāvigāvit et dē locō quō nāvigia sua applicāvit, virī doctī diū disputāvērunt. Sed inter Dubrās et Rutupiās est locus ad nāvigia applicanda idōneus. Dubrās nōn poterat applicāre; nam scopulī ibi altī erant, ut nunc sunt, et in scopulīs cōpiae armātae Britannōrum stābant. Itaque ad alium locum nāvigāvit, ubi nullī scopulī fuērunt. Sed Britannī quoque per ōram maritimam ad locum properāvērunt, et ad pugnam sē parāvērunt. Rōmānīs necesse erat nāvigia sua magna ad ancorās dēligāre. Britannīs vada nōta fuērunt; itaque in aquam equitāvērunt et cōpiam pugnae dedērunt.

[1] Listen to Part [A] and answer the questions:

[i] Which Latin word tells you that the writer was looking forward to seeing his friends? (1)

[ii] When did he hurry to the window? (1)

[iii] Why did Mark think they had arrived late? (2)

[iv] The boys are asked if they are ready to __________ (1)

[v] Who tells them to enjoy their walk / have a good walk? (1)

[2] Listen to Part [B] and answer the questions:

[i] What did the uncle tell them on the way? (3)

[ii] When was Julius Caesar fighting in Gaul? (1)

[iii] What did Caesar do after he had conquered the tribes of Gallia Belgica? (2)

[iv] In what year were Roman troops transported to Britannia? (1)

[v] What is disputed? (2)

[vi] The following statements are false. Correct them.

[a] Either Dover or Richborough is a good place to land.

[b] The cliffs at Dover were higher at that time.

[c] The Britons were standing on the beach.

[d] When the Romans went to another location, the Britons did not follow them.

[e] The Britons knew that the water was deep.

[f] The Britons walked into the water.

[3] Listen again to the excerpt and, without looking at the transcript, fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb; only selected parts are used but they are in the order in which they are said:

I hurried to the window │ ad fenestram __________
When they entered │ Cum __________
We all shouted │ ūnivērsī __________
You’ve arrived at a good time! │ Opportūnē __________!
We’ve not arrived late, have we? │ Num sērō __________?
It was almost the third hour when we set off [literally: gave ourselves onto the road] │ hōra fere tertia __________ cum in viam nōs __________
My uncle told us many things … │ patruus meus multa nōbīs … __________
After he defeated … │ postquam … __________
He prepared for war │ bellum … __________
He transported his troops … │ cōpiās suās … __________
Concerning the place from where he sailed │ Dē locō unde __________
Concerning the place where he brought his ships to land │ dē locō quō nāvigia sua __________
Learned men have argued for a long time │ virī doctī diū __________
Where there were no rocks / cliffs │ ubi nullī scopulī __________
The Britons hurried to the place │ Britannī … ad locum __________
They prepared themselves for battle │ ad pugnam sē __________
The shallow waters were known to the Britons │ Britannīs vada nōta __________
They rode into the water │ in aquam __________
They gave the opportunity for battle │ cōpiam pugnae __________

adventāvimus; adventāvistis; applicāvit; dēbellāvit; dedērunt; dedimus; disputāvērunt; equitāvērunt; exclāmāvimus; fuērunt; fuērunt; fuit; intrāvērunt; narrāvit; nāvigāvit; parāvērunt; parāvit; properāvērunt; properāvī; transportāvit

Links to all main posts on the perfect tense:

https://mega.nz/file/WQtmyLQL#pRb1pfjewQtMCIAyiApva9LHKPTakittNaCdQ1RC7po

Translation

[A] The fifth hour was approaching [ = it was getting near 10am (see previous post)] and I was eagerly waiting for my friends. At the sound of the bell, I hurried to the window. Look! The boys were at the door. When they came in, we all shouted “Hurray! You’ve arrived at a good time!” Then Marcus said “We haven’t arrived late, have we? It was around the third hour [ = 7am (see previous post)] when we set off, but the road is long, and Alexander cannot walk quickly.” But Alexander said “I’m not tired, but what time is it?” Then my uncle said “It’s not yet the fifth hour [ = 10am]; are you ready to walk / go for a walk?” And Alexander said “Indeed we (are)!” Then my aunt and Lydia said “Have a good walk!” [ = literally: walk well], and we set off.

[B] On the way, my uncle told us a lot / many things about the war between the Romans and the Britons. In the first century BC, Gaius Julius was at war in Gaul, and after he had defeated the Nervii and the other peoples of Belgian Gaul, he prepared for war against the inhabitants of the nearby island. So in the fifty-fifth year he transported his troops to Britain. Learned men have argued for a long time about the place from which he sailed and the place where he anchored his ships. But between Dover and Richborough there is a place suitable for anchoring ships. He could not anchor at Dover; for the rocks there were high, as they are now, and the armed troops of the Britons were standing on the rocks / cliffs. So he sailed to another place, where there were no rocks. But the Britons also hastened to the place along the seashore, and prepared themselves for battle. The Romans had to [ = it was necessary for the Romans to] cast their great ships at anchor. The shallow waters were known to the Britons; therefore they rode into the water and gave the opportunity for a battle / combat.

Answers: Question [1]

[i] eagerly: cupidē

[ii] at the sound of the bell │ ad sonum tintinnābulī

[iii] (1) The road was long (2) Alexander cannot walk quickly │ (1) via longa est, et (2) Alexander celeriter ambulāre nōn potest

[iv] walk │ “Parātīne estis ad ambulandum?”

[v] The aunt (writer’s aunt) and Lydia │ Tum amita mea et Lȳdia “Bene ambulāte!” inquiunt

Answers: Question [2]

[i] (1) a lot of things (2) about the Romans’ war (3) with the Britons │ (1) multa nōbīs (2) dē bellō Rōmānōrum (3) cum Britannīs narrāvit

[ii] 1^st Century BC │ Prīmō saeculō ante Christum nātum Gāius Iūlius in Galliā bellābat

[iii] (i) prepared for war (ii) against the (inhabitants of) neighbouring island / Britannia │ bellum contrā incolās insulae propinquae parāvit

[iv] 55 (BC) │ annō quintō et quinquāgēsimō cōpiās suās in Britanniam transportāvit

[v] (1) The place from where he set sail and (2) where he landed / brought his ships to land. │ (1) Dē locō unde nāvigāvit et (2) dē locō quō nāvigia sua applicāvit, virī doctī diū disputāvērunt.

[vi]

[a] Between Dover and Richborough │ inter Dubrās et Rutupiās est locus ad nāvigia applicanda idōneus

[b] The cliffs were high, and still are / were as high then as they are now│ scopulī ibi altī erant, ut nunc sunt

[c] The Britons were standing on the cliffs │ in scopulīs cōpiae armātae Britannōrum stābant

[d] The Britons also rushed to the (same) place │ Britannī quoque per ōram maritimam ad locum properāvērunt

[e] The Britons knew where the water was shallow │ Britannīs vada nōta fuērunt

[f] The Britons rode (went on horseback) into the water │ in aquam equitāvērunt

07.09.25: Level 1 (review); Ora Maritima [12]; Britannia antīqua [1](iv); notes

Magister noster librōrum historicōrum studiōsus est; dē patriā nostrā antīquā libenter narrat. Proximō annō, dum apud nōs erat, dē vītā Britannōrum antīquōrum saepe narrābat. Patruus meus et amita mea libenter auscultābant; ego quoque nōnnumquam aderam. Sīc narrābat:

"Fere tōta Britannia quondam silvīs densīs crēbra erat. Inter ōram maritimam et fluvium Tamesam, ubi nunc agrī frūgiferī sunt, silva erat Anderida, locus vastus et incultus. Silvae plēnae erant ferārum - lūpōrum, ursōrum, cervōrum, aprōrum. Multa et varia māteria erat in silvīs Britannicīs: sed fāgus Britannicīs antīquīs nōn erat nōta, sī Gāius Iūlius vēra affirmat. Et pīnus Scōtica dēerat."

“Solum, ubi līberum erat silvīs, frūgiferum erat. Metallīs quoque multīs abundābat - plumbō albō et ferrō, atque, ut Tacitus affirmat, aurō argentōque. Margarītās et ostreās dabat ōceanus: margarītae parvae erant, sed ostreae magnae et praeclārae. Caelum tum quoque crēbrīs pluviīs et nebulīs ātrīs foedum erat; sed pruīnae asperae aberant. Nātūra ōceanī 'pigra' erat, sī testimōnium Tacitī vērum est: 'Nautae Rōmānī,' inquit, 'in aquā pigrā vix poterant rēmigāre.' Sed vērumne est testimōnium? An nātūra nautārum Rōmanōrum nōn satis impigra erat?”

Notes:

[1] Solum, ubi līberum erat silvīs │ The ablative case expresses the idea of ‘separation’, in this example: The soil, where it was free from forests

[2] Review: imperfect tense

[1] In Latin the tense expresses the following ideas:

[i] something that happened more than once:

narrābat: he used to tell (stories) or he told stories (frequently); in the text the adverb saepe (often) clearly indicates the frequentative nature of the action

In English this can also be expressed by “he would tell stories (whenever he visited us)” i.e. something he was in the habit of doing. English, confusingly, could also say “he told stories” but the context in English would suggest it happened more than once, possibly with the addition of an adverb such as “He often told stories.” A “one-off” action e.g. “He killed the king” is not expressed by the imperfect tense.

Patruus meus et amita mea libenter auscultābant. │ My uncle and my aunt used to / would listen willingly, i.e. this was something they did more than once.

Ego quoque nōnnumquam aderam. │ I too was sometimes there.

[ii] something that was happening: “he was sitting in the room and (was) telling stories”; English uses a past continuous (past progressive) form here i.e. it was an ongoing action with no indication of it having been completed.

[iii] Depending on context it can imply “kept on doing something”, a good example of which came up in an earlier post:

Dīcēbant ergō Pīlātō pontificēs Iūdaeōrum... (John 19) │ Therefore, the chief priests of the Jews were saying (i.e. kept on saying) to Pilate …, one translation of this sentence is: “The chief priests protested to Pilate” i.e. what they were saying to Pilate went on for a long time and was repeated. They didn’t just tell Pilate once.

[2] The imperfect tense is easy to spot and the same endings are used for all the conjugations. Here we'll look at the first conjugation.

labōrō, -āre [1]: work

remove the -re from the infinitive

labōrā¦re > laborā-

Add the following endings, and note again that the accent [ʹ] is only there to show where the verb is stressed

labōrā́¦ba¦m [I used to work; I was working]

labōrā́¦bā¦s [you (sg.) used to work …] etc.

labōrā́bat

labōrābā́mus

labōrābā́tis

labōrā́bant

What to look out for – in all the conjugations – is ba / bā: that’s the marker for the imperfect tense, and all you are doing is adding the personal endings to that. The first person singular /m/ labōrābam is also a personal ending indicating ‘I’

[3] imperfect tense of sum, esse [irr.]: to be

[i] Proximō annō, dum apud nōs erat…

Last year, while he was at our house …. i.e. the action was not completed; it was ongoing.

Ego quoque nōnnumquam aderam. │ I also was sometimes present / there, i.e. The writer was present more than once.

Although sum, esse is an irregular verb, as soon as you know the first part, the rest – like a domino effect – falls into place; just add the personal endings.

éram: I was [E-ram]

érās: you (sg.) were [E-ras]

érat: he / she / it was [E-rat]

erā́mus: we were [e-RA-mus]

erā́tis: you (pl.) were [e-RA-tis]

érant: they were [E-rant]

[ii] Any verbs which have been formed from esse will also have the same imperfect tense forms:

Ego quoque nōnnumquam ad¦eram. │ I too was sometimes there / present.

pruīnae asperae ab¦erant │ but harsh frosts were absent [= there were no harsh frosts]

pīnus Scōtica dē¦erat │ the Scots pine was lacking [ = there was a lack of … / there weren’t any …]

[iii] The same applies to the verb possum, posse: be able, which is a combination of potis- (able) + esse (be)

pót¦eram: I was able; I could

pót¦erās: you (sg.) were able; you could

pót¦erat: he / she / it could

pot¦erā́mus: we could

pot¦erā́tis: you (pl.) could

pót¦erant: they could

All main posts on the imperfect tense:

https://mega.nz/file/DIVQXRSL#68KnGlwq6-6lFYguvSxIYL8p3b-kQHlGHDKjN_JSjnQ

07.09.25: Level 1 (review); Ora Maritima [12]; Britannia antīqua [1](iii) Part three: listening and comprehension

Listen to the extract and answer the questions. The full transcript and translation are at the end of the post.

Vocabulary

absum, abesse: be absent

āter, -ra, -rum: dark

crēber, -ra, -rum: note the difference in meaning of the adjective crēber, -ra, -rum; in the previous post the adjective means ‘abundant’ or ‘packed with’, but it has a further meaning (used here) of ‘frequent’

foedus, -a, -um: hideous

impiger, -ra, -rum: active

nebula, -ae [1/f]: fog; cloud

piger, -ra, -rum: sluggish; lazy

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

Part 1(iii)

[A] Complete the Latin transcript with the words listed below.

“Solum, _____ līberum erat silvīs, frūgiferum _____. Metallīs _____ multīs abundābat - plumbō albō et ferrō, _____, _____Tacitus affirmat, aurō argentō_____. Margarītās et ostreās dabat ōceanus: margarītae parvae _____, sed ostreae magnae _____ praeclārae. Caelum _____ quoque crēbrīs pluviīs et nebulīs ātrīs foedum erat; _____ pruīnae asperae aberant. Nātūra ōceanī 'pigra' erat, _____ testimōnium Tacitī vērum _____: 'Nautae Rōmānī,' inquit, '_____ aquā pigrā _____ poterant rēmigāre.' Sed vērum_____ est testimōnium? _____ nātūra nautārum Rōmanōrum _____ _____ impigra erat?”

an; atque; erant; erat; est; et; in; ne; nōn; que; quoque; satis; sed; sī; tum; ubi; ut; vix

[B] Questions

[1] Lines 1 – 4 [Solum … aberant] In which order are the following referred to?

an abundance of metals

dark clouds

frequent rain

gold and silver

harsh frosts

land not covered with forests

lead and iron

pearls and oysters

[2] Lines 4 – end [Natūra … erat?]

[i] How is the sea described? (1)

[ii] Who makes this claim? (1)

[iii] What difficulty did the Roman sailors face? (2)

[iv] What Latin phrase is used to cast doubt on the claim made? (1)

[v] What accusation is made against the Romans? (2)

[C] Label the images

argentum, -ī [2/m]; aurum, -ī [2/m]; ferrum, -ī [2/m]; margarita, -ae [1/f]; ostrea, -ae [1/f]; plumbum, -ī [2/m]; pluvia, -ae [1/f]; pruīna, -ae [1/f]

____________________

Part 1(iii)

Solum, ubi līberum erat silvīs, frūgiferum erat. Metallīs quoque multīs abundābat - plumbō albō et ferrō, atque, ut Tacitus affirmat, aurō argentōque. Margarītās et ostreās dabat ōceanus: margarītae parvae erant, sed ostreae magnae et praeclārae. Caelum tum quoque crēbrīs pluviīs et nebulīs ātrīs foedum erat; sed pruīnae asperae aberant. Nātūra ōceanī 'pigra' erat, sī testimōnium Tacitī vērum est: 'Nautae Rōmānī,' inquit, 'in aquā pigrā vix poterant rēmigāre.' Sed vērumne est testimōnium? An nātūra nautārum Rōmanōrum nōn satis impigra erat?

The soil / ground, where it was free of forest, was fertile. It also abounded in many metals - white lead and iron, and, as Tacitus affirms, gold and silver. The ocean yielded pearls and oysters: the pearls were small, but the oysters large and splendid. The sky was then also foul with frequent rains and heavy fogs; but there were no harsh frosts. The nature of the ocean was 'sluggish', if the testimony of Tacitus is true: 'The Roman sailors,' he says, 'could scarcely row in the sluggish water.' But is the testimony true? Or was the nature of the Roman sailors not active enough?

Answers: Question [B][1]

an abundance of metals [2]; dark clouds [7]; frequent rain [6]; gold and silver [4]; harsh frosts [8]; land not covered with forests [1]; lead and iron [3]; pearls and oysters [5]

Solum, [1] ubi līberum erat silvīs, frūgiferum erat. [2] Metallīs quoque multīs abundābat – [3] plumbō albō et ferrō, atque, ut Tacitus affirmat, [4] aurō argentōque. [5] Margarītās et ostreās dabat ōceanus: margarītae parvae erant, sed ostreae magnae et praeclārae. Caelum tum quoque [6] crēbrīs pluviīs et [7] nebulīs ātrīs foedum erat; sed [8] pruīnae asperae aberant…

[B][2]

[i] sluggish

[ii] Tacitus

[iii] They were barely unable to row in the (sluggish) water

[iv] Sed vērumne est testimōnium?

[v] The nature / character of the Roman sailors was not active enough.

Nātūra ōceanī 'pigra' erat, sī testimōnium Tacitī vērum est: 'Nautae Rōmānī,' inquit, 'in aquā pigrā vix poterant rēmigāre.' Sed vērumne est testimōnium? An nātūra nautārum Rōmanōrum nōn satis impigra erat?

06.09.25: Level 3; Sonnenschein; Prō Patriā [9]; Anglī et Saxonēs [2]

“Sed dē Hengistō et Horsā” inquit “nōn [1] cōgitābam cum [2] interrogāvī. Quis alius vir clārus hīc praecipuō honōre [3] habētur?” Aqua iterum [4] haesit: nōs nihil [5] respondimus. Sed ille “Abhinc annōs duōs saecula tredecim [6] fuerant, ex quō Sānctus Augustīnus, nūntius verbī dīvīnī, cum parvā manū ministrōrum fīdōrum hūc cursum [7] tenuit. Nam annō quīngentēsimō nōnāgēsimō septimō post Chrīstum nātum Gregōrius Prīmus, pontifex Rōmānus, Augustīnum nōtitiam Deī vērī in Angliā [8] docēre [9] iusserat. Itaque Augustīnus ex Galliā in Britanniam [10] nāvigāvit, et nāvem suam ad īnsulam Tanatim [11] applicāvit. Eō tempore Aedilberctus rēx Cantiī [12] erat, quī uxōrem Chrīstiānam, nōmine Berctam, [13] habēbat, fīliam rēgis Francōrum. Itaque rēx Chrīstiānīs benignus [14] fuit, atque Durovernī, in capite rēgnī suī, eīs domum [15] praebuit.”

Exercise

Find the Latin; focus on the verbs but also look at the words and phrases in italics, and note that, at this level, some of the translations are less literal:

(he) maintained a direct course (to) here
Æthelberht was the king at that time
again we were at a loss
He brought his ship to land
he offered his palace to them
He sailed to Britain
I was not thinking about …
is considered particularly honourable
it had been two centuries since …
the king was kind to the Christians
the Pontiff of Rome had ordered Augustine ¦ to teach …
we said nothing in reply [literally: we replied nothing]
when I asked
who had a wife by the name of …

Background

[1] Gregory I, Bishop of Rome; also known as Gregory the Great (Sanctus Gregorius Magnus) was responsible for the first documented large-scale mission to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity

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

[2] Augustine of Canterbury, 6^th century monk and later the first Archbishop of Canterbury; he was chosen by Pope Gregory to lead the mission referred to in [1] above

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

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine-of-Canterbury

[3] Aethelberht, the first English King to be converted to Christianity

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

Miniature of Gregory the Great writing, in a 12th-century copy of his Dialogues

19th century stained glass image of Saint Augustine in Canterbury Cathedral

Sculpture of Aethelbert at Canterbury Cathedral

05.09.25: Level 1/2 (review); Ora Maritima [13]; Vestīgia Rōmānōrum [1](ii): Part one: telling the time – Roman style

A light-hearted comment: I was born [i] at the seventh hour [ii] one day before the Nones of March [iii] 897 years (give or take a year depending on who’s writing about it) from the Norman Conquest [iv] during the Premiership of Harold McMillan and the Presidency of John F. Kennedy.

Alternatively, I could say “I was born at noon on March 6^th, 1963”

It always amazes me how the Romans managed to organise themselves to do anything. I can imagine an announcement in the Senate: “These events, conscript fathers, took place during the consulship of Caius Sulpicius Longus and Publius Aelius Paetus”, the Senators all looking at each other and whispering “Do you remember when that was? No? Well, just nod and pretend you do.”

Telling the time, giving dates and expressing years in the Roman way is a bit like wading through mud.

More detailed information on the topic of telling the time is posted here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/220324-ordinal-numbers-2-telling-time.html

Several mind-boggling posts will deal with all of this in more detail – later (when I can face it). However, for the purposes of this text, the image shows a comparison of the Roman hours and our times based upon Winter and Summer. Note that these are approximate and simplified versions of research which gives exact modern equivalents in minutes and seconds. You may come across variations. You do not require such precision to express yourself – nor did the Romans – but when you read a time in Classical Latin or you wish to express a time yourself, then the table gives you an indication of what time they’re talking about.

Et patruus meus “Quintā hōrā Marcus et Alexander Dubrīs adventābunt; intrā duās hōrās ad locum proeliī ambulāre poterimus; post ūnam hōram redambulābimus; itaque hōrā decimā vel undecimā domī erimus, ut spērō.”

Given that the story takes place during the school holidays in Summer, we can approximate the translation as follows:

And my uncle said “Mark and Alexander will arrive from Dover at the fifth hour [ = around 10.00am]; we will be able to walk to the battle site within two hours; we will return after an hour; therefore, we will be home at the tenth hour [ = around 4pm] or the eleventh hour [ = around 5pm], I hope.”

What would not be correct is to translate these times as 5am, 10am and 11am since the text refers to having lunch and evening meal.

In later parts of this text:

hōra fere tertia fuit cum in viam nōs dedimus │ It was around the third hour [ = 7am] when we set off

Sed nōs puerī prandium iam postulābāmus: nam hōra iam septima erat. │ But we boys were already asking for lunch, for it was now the seventh hour [both Winter and Summer = starting at 12 noon]

05.09.25: Level 1/2 (review); Ora Maritima [13]; Vestīgia Rōmānōrum [1](i): Part one: listening & comprehension

Listen to the extract and answer the questions. The translation is at the end of the post.

Vocabulary

adventō, adventāre [1]: arrive

crustulum, -ī [2/n]: small cake or pastry; biscuit

disputō, disputāre [1]: dispute; argue

doctus, -a, -um: educated

Dubrae [plural noun]: Dover; Marcus et Alexander Dubrīs [ablative plural] adventābunt: Mark and Alexander will be arriving from Dover

grātus, -a, -um: pleasing > pergrātus, -a, -um: very pleasing

gustō, gustāre [1]: taste; eat a little; have a light meal

ieiūnus, -a, -um: hungry

inquam: I say; inquit: he / she says; inquiunt: they say; note: depending on context these can translate as past tenses

monstrō, monstrāre [1]: show

nūllus, -a, -um: no i.e. not any

quantopere: how greatly

redambulō, redambulāre [1]: walk back

Rutupīnus,-a, -um: belonging to Richborough; referring to Richborough Roman fort and amphitheatre

serēnus, -a, um: clear

Nūper, dum Marcus et Alexander mēcum erant, patruō meō “Quantopere mē dēlectābit” inquam “locum vīsitāre ubi oppidum Rōmānum quondam stābat.” Et Alexander “Monstrā nōbīs,” inquit “amābō tē, ruīnās castellī Rutupīnī.” Tum patruus meus “Longa est via,” inquit “sed aliquandō monstrābō. Crās, sī vōbīs grātum erit, ad locum ubi proelium erat Britannōrum cum Rōmānīs ambulābimus. Ambulābitisne nōbīscum, Marce et Alexander?” “Ego verō” inquit Marcus “tēcum libenter ambulābō”; et Alexander “Mihi quoque pergrātum erit, sī nōbīs sepulchra Britannōrum et Rōmānōrum monstrābis.” Sed patruus meus “Festīnā lentē” inquit; “nullae sunt ibi reliquiae sepulchrōrum, et virī doctī dē locō proeliī disputant. Sed quotā hōrā parātī eritis?” “Quintā hōrā” inquiunt.

Postrīdiē caelum serēnum erat. Inter ientāculum amita mea “Quotā hōrā” inquit “in viam vōs dabitis? et quotā hōrā cēnāre poteritis?” Et patruus meus “Quintā hōrā Marcus et Alexander Dubrīs adventābunt; intrā duās hōrās ad locum proeliī ambulāre poterimus; post ūnam hōram redambulābimus; itaque hōrā decimā vel undecimā domī erimus, ut spērō.” Tum ego “Nōnne iēiunī erimus,” inquam “sī nihil ante vesperum gustābimus?” “Prandium vōbīscum portāte” inquit amita mea; “ego crustula et pōma cūrābō.”

[1] Who refers to what? (A): the writer (B): Mark (C): Alexander (D): the writer’s uncle (E): the writer’s aunt

arguments
arrival time from Dover
being hungry
biscuits and apples
dinner time
wanting to see castle ruins
wanting to see tombs
wanting to visit the former site of a Roman town
walking to the site of a battle
willingly going for a walk

[2] Listen again to the excerpt and, without looking at the transcript, fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb; only selected parts are used but they are in the order in which they are said:

dum Marcus et Alexander mēcum __________
“Quantopere mē __________” inquam “locum __________ ubi oppidum Rōmānum quondam __________.”
Et Alexander “__________ nōbīs,” inquit “__________ tē, ruīnās castellī Rutupīnī.”
“aliquandō __________”
“Mihi quoque pergrātum __________, sī nōbīs sepulchra Britannōrum et Rōmānōrum __________.”
“__________ lentē” inquit
“virī doctī dē locō proeliī __________”
“Sed quotā hōrā parātī __________?”

amābō; dēlectābit; disputant; erant; erit; eritis; festīnā; monstrā; monstrābis; monstrābō; stabat; visitāre

[3] Put the verbs from the text under the following headings:

Present:

Imperfect:

Future:

Imperative (command):

Infinitive:

caelum serēnum erat
“Quantopere mē [i] dēlectābit” inquam “locum [ii] vīsitāre ubi oppidum Rōmānum quondam [iii] stābat.”
“Quotā hōrā” inquit “in viam vōs dabitis?”
ad locum proeliī [i] ambulāre [ii] poterimus
Ambulābitisne nōbīscum?
festīnā lentē
crustula et pōma cūrābō
domī erimus
dum Marcus et Alexander mēcum erant
longa est via
Marcus et Alexander Dubrīs adventābunt
nullae sunt ibi reliquiae sepulchrōrum
prandium vōbīscum portāte
quotā hōrā [i] cēnāre [ii] poteritis?
sī nōbīs sepulchra Britannōrum et Rōmānōrum monstrābis
virī doctī dē locō proeliī disputant

[4] Match the English words and phrases with the Latin in the wordcloud

after

at one time

before

during

on the following day

one day i.e. (at) sometime

recently

tomorrow

while

within

aliquandō; ante; crās; dum; inter; intrā; nūper; post; postrīdiē; quondam

Links to all main posts on the future tense:

https://mega.nz/file/vAtW0A6b#UBOXWkiaJbw5MY8XfHdMTZpr5K3GyKjfu8gUdDm0WSU

Translation

Recently, while Marcus and Alexander were with me, I said to my uncle, “How much I would love to [ = literally: How greatly it will delight me to] visit the place where the Roman town once stood.” And Alexander said, “Please show us the ruins of the Richborough Castle.” Then my uncle said, “It is a long way, but I will show you at some time. Tomorrow, if you would like to [ = literally: if it will be pleasing to you], we will walk to the place where the battle of the Britons with the Romans took place. Will you walk with us, Marcus and Alexander?” “I, indeed,” said Marcus, “would gladly walk with you”; and Alexander said, “I too will be very pleased [ = literally: It will also be very pleasing to me] if you (will) show us the tombs of the Britons and Romans.” But my uncle said, “Hurry / hasten slowly” [i.e. the more hurry, the less speed]; “There are no remains of tombs there, and learned men argue about the site of the battle. But (at) what time will you be ready?” “The fifth hour,” they say.

On the following day the sky was clear / it was nice weather. During / at breakfast my aunt said “At what time will you set off? And at what time will you be able to have dinner / the evening meal?” And my uncle said “Mark and Alexander will arrive from Dover at the fifth hour [ = around 10.30am; mid-morning]*; we will be able to walk to the battle site within two hours; we will return after an hour; therefore, we will be home at the tenth hour [ = around 4pm; late afternoon] or the eleventh hour [ = around 5pm], I hope.” Then I said “We’ll be hungry, won’t we, if we don’t have [ = will not have] a bite to eat before evening.” “Take lunch with you,” my aunt said. “I’ll provide cakes and apples.”

*See the next post

Answers: Question [1]

Arguments: (D) patruus meus … inquit … virī doctī dē locō proeliī disputant
Arrival time from Dover: (D) patruus meus “Quintā hōrā Marcus et Alexander Dubrīs adventābunt”
Being hungry: (A) Tum ego “Nōnne iēiunī erimus,” inquam
Biscuits and apples: (E) inquit amita mea; “ego crustula et pōma cūrābō”
Dinner time: (E) amita mea … inquit “… quotā hōrā cēnāre poteritis?”
Wanting to see castle ruins: (C) Alexander “Monstrā nōbīs,” inquit “amābō tē, ruīnās castellī Rutupīnī.”
Wanting to see tombs: (C) Alexander “Mihi quoque pergrātum erit, sī nōbīs sepulchra Britannōrum et Rōmānōrum monstrābis.
Wanting to visit the former site of a Roman town: (A) “Quantopere mē dēlectābit” inquam “locum vīsitāre ubi oppidum Rōmānum quondam stābat.”
Walking to the site of a battle: (D) patruus meus … inquit … ad locum ubi proelium erat Britannōrum cum Rōmānīs ambulābimus
Willingly going for a walk: (B) “Ego verō” inquit Marcus “tēcum libenter ambulābō”

Answers: Question [3]

Present: est; sunt; disputant

Imperfect: erat; stābat; erant

Future: dēlectābit; dabitis; poterimus; ambulābitisne; cūrābō; erimus; adventābunt; poteritis; monstrābis

Imperative (command): festīnā; portāte

Infinitive: vīsitāre; ambulāre; cēnāre

04.09.25: Level 1 (review); Ora Maritima [12]; Britannia antīqua [1](ii) Part two: listening and comprehension

Listen to the extract and answer the questions. The translation is at the end of the post.

Vocabulary

fāgus, -ī [2/f]: beech tree

fēra, -ae [1/f]: wild beast / animal

matēria, -ae [1/f]: timber

pīnus, -ī [2/f]: pine tree

crēber, -ra, -rum: thick; packed; abundant / crowded (with)

frūgifer, -a, -um [< frux: fruit + fer: bearing]: fruitful

incultus, -a, -um: uncultivated

nōtus, -a, -um: known

tōtus, -a, -um: all; the whole (of)

vastus, -a, -um: wild, vast, deserted

vērus, -a, -um: true; vēra (neuter plural): ‘true things’ = the truth

affirmō, -āre [1]: state; affirm

dēsum, dēesse (< dē + sum) [irr.]: be lacking

fere: almost

Part 1(ii)

"Fere tōta Britannia quondam silvīs densīs crēbra erat. Inter ōram maritimam et fluvium Tamesam, ubi nunc agrī frūgiferī sunt, silva erat Anderida*, locus vastus et incultus. Silvae plēnae erant ferārum - lūpōrum, ursōrum, cervōrum, aprōrum. Multa et varia māteria erat in silvīs Britannicīs: sed fāgus Britannicīs antīquīs nōn erat nōta, sī Gāius Iūlius vēra affirmat. Et pīnus Scōtica dēerat."

*Anderida: the forest of Andred, the Weald, name of an Anglo-Saxon forest

Questions

[A]

Which of the following statements is true?

[1]

[a] All of Britain was covered with thick forests.

[b] Britain was almost completely covered with thick forests.

[c] Britain has always been covered with thick forests.

[2]

[a] The forest of Andred was near fields.

[b] The River Thames is by the sea.

[c] Between the Thames and the sea there are now fields.

[3]

[a] The forest of Andred was uncultivated.

[b] People farmed in the forest of Andred.

[c] Farm animals grazed in the forest of Andred.

[4] In the forest of Andred there were …

[a] wolves and wild boars

[b] bears and foxes

[c] horses and stags

[5] British forests had …

[a] beech trees but no Scots pine.

[b] a lot of timber.

[c] various types of building materials.

[B] Label the images:

aper, aprī [2/m]; lupus, -ī [2/m]; cervus, -ī [2/m]; ursus, -ī [2/m]

____________________

Part 1(ii)

Almost all of Britain was once thick with dense forests. Between the seashore and the river Thames, where there are now fertile fields, was the forest of Andred, a vast and uncultivated place. The forests were full of wild animals - wolves, bears, deer / stags, boars. There were many and various types of timber in the British forests: but the beech was not known to the ancient Britons, if Gaius Julius is stating the truth [ = ‘true things’]. And there was no Scots pine [ = was lacking]

Answers: Question [A]

[1] [b] Britain was almost completely covered with thick forests.

[2] [c] Between the Thames and the sea there are now fields.

[3] [a] The forest of Andred was uncultivated.

[4] In the forest of Andred there were … [a] wolves and wild boars

[5] British forests had … [b] a lot of timber.

04.09.25: Level 1 (review); Ora Maritima [12]; Britannia antīqua [1](i) Part one: listening and comprehension

Listen to the extract and answer the questions. The translation is at the end of the post.

Vocabulary

adsum, adesse (< ad + sum) [irr.]: be present

auscultō, auscultāre [1]: hear; listen

dum: while

proximō annō: last year; can also mean ‘next year’ depending on the tense of the verb

studiōsus, -a, -um: keen; eager; used with the genitive case to translate “keen on…”

The writer’s teacher talks about the inhabitants of Ancient Britain:

Part 1(i)

Magister noster librōrum historicōrum studiōsus est; dē patriā nostrā antīquā libenter narrat. Proximō annō, dum apud nōs erat, dē vītā Britannōrum antīquōrum saepe narrābat. Patruus meus et amita mea libenter auscultābant; ego quoque nōnnumquam aderam. Sīc narrābat:

Questions

[1] What does their teacher like? (1)

[2] What does he tell them about? (1)

[3] When was he with them? (1)

[4] What did he talk about? (1)

[5] Who liked listening to him? (1)

[6] Was the writer of the passage always there? (1)

____________________

Part 1(i)

Our teacher is fond of historical books; he likes to talk about our ancient country. Last year, while he was with us [at our house], he often talked about the life of the ancient Britons. My uncle and my aunt would listen with pleasure; I, too, was sometimes there. He used to narrate [tell us about it] in this way:

Answers

[1] historical books
[2] (their) ancient country
[3] Last year
[4] The life of the ancient Britons
[5] (The writer’s) uncle and aunt
[6] sometimes there

Sunday, May 25, 2025

03.09.25: Level 1; readings [20]; Davus lies

Having returned home, Davus now has to explain to his master where he had been all the time – and he tells an amazing tale:

Modo Viā Lātā (1) ībam, sed ecce: Gallus, vir firmus, mē capessit et clāmat:

“Quō vadis, furcifer?”

Ego trepidō et: “Vā-vādō”, inquam, “vādēbam…”

Gallus autem: “Nunc vāde mēcum! Nisi vadēs, tē traham!”

Ego ā nōnnūllīs virīs auxilium petō, virīque ē Gallō quaerunt: “Quō puerum dūcere parās?”

Tum Gallus: “Fugitīvus est, dominusque puerum suum repetit. Officia quidem spernit, sed mox in agrīs labōrābit!”

Statim virī rīdent et: “Pete ab aliīs auxilium, et tū, Galle, trahe puerum! Vādite!”

Cēdēbam igitur cum Gallō, diūque mē trahēbat; ego autem ā deīs auxilium petēbam – et ecce: Ēvādō, ad dominum meum properō, cūnctīsque deīs grātus sum!

(1) Viā Latā [ablative] ībam │ I was walking on the Via Lata (name of a street in Rome)

The text has many examples of third conjugation verbs. We can use the verb lūdō, lūdere [3]: ‘play’ as an example:

Present tense

lūdō, -ere [3]: to play; note the difference between 2^nd and 3^rd conjugation infinitives:

respondeō, respondēre [2]: reply; the infinitive ending has a long and stressed ē [re-spon-dḗ-re]

lūdō, lūdere [3]: play; the infinitive ending has a short and unstressed e [lū́-dĕ-re]

The 3^rd conjugation is formed by removing the infinitive ending i.e. lūd¦ere > lūd- to which the following endings are added; the accent [ ́] mark [e.g. lū́dō] is only there to indicate where the verb is stressed; it will not be used elsewhere and is not a feature of written Latin.

lū́dō: I play, am playing; personal ending is added directly to the stem

lū́dimus: we play

lū́dis: you (sg.) play; personal ending + stem vowel -i-

lū́dit: he / she / it plays

lū́dimus: we play

lū́ditis: you (pl.) play

lū́dunt: they play; personal ending + stem vowel -u-

Imperative (command)

Lūde! Play! (talking to one person); lūdite! Play! (talking to more than one person)

Exercise: Read through the text and find the Latin for:

(he) catches me
Go with me!
Go! (i.e. both of you)
He is rejecting his duties
I am going …
I escape
I seek help
Men are asking
Seek help (from others)!
The master wants the boy back.
Where are you going to?
Where are you preparing to take [ = lead] the boy to?
You … drag the boy (off)!

The text also introduces the imperfect and future tenses of 3^rd conjugation verbs:

[2] The imperfect tense is formed in the same way as 1^st and 2^nd conjugation verbs

The -re of the infintive is removed to form the stem but the /e/ become long: lūde¦re > lūdē-

To this stem the imperfect endings are added; note the change in stress marked here for reference

lūdḗ¦bam: I was playing / used to play

lūdḗ¦bās: you (sg.) were playing

lūdḗ¦bat: he / she / it was playing

lūdē¦bā́mus: we were playing

lūdē¦bā́tis: you (pl.) were playing

lūdḗ¦bant: they were playing

From the text:

vādēbam │ I was going / walking

cēdēbam cum Gallō │ (here) I was departing with the Gaul

mē trahēbat │He was dragging me

auxilium petēbam │ I was seeking help /support

[3] The future tense of 3^rd conjugation verbs does not have the same endings as the 1^st and 2^nd conjugation; the future tense endings are added directly to the stem of the verb:

lū́d¦am: I shall play

lū́dēs: you (sg.) will play

lū́det: he / she / it will play

lūdḗmus: we will play

lūdḗtis: you (pl.) will play

lū́dent: they will play

From the text:

Nisi vadēs, tē traham! │ Unless you go [literally: unless you will go], I shall drag you!