[5] video: Vincent’s complete recitation with lines scanned and key points noted.
Take away:
dactyl(ic)
spondee
anceps
hexameter
/i/ + V: either ia / io or i-a / i-o
diphthong
long by nature i.e. always long in any form of written or spoken Latin
long by position: [i] VCC; [ii] V+X[ks] i.e. becomes long in
verse
elision: -(V) ͜
V- / -(V) + (h)V
[1] In fīnītiōne mundī circulī sunt parallēlī quīnque, in quibus tōta ratiō sphaerae cōnsistit, praeter eum quī zōdiacus appellātur; │ At the boundary of the world there are five parallel circles, in which the entire system of the sphere is contained, except for that one which is called the zodiac;
[2] quī, quod nōn ut cēterī circulī certā dīmēnsiōne fīnītur et inclīnātior aliīs vidētur, λοξός [loksos] ā Graecīs est dictus. │ and this (circle), because it is not bounded by a fixed dimension like the others and appears more inclined than the rest, is called loxos by the Greeks.
[3] Quīnque autem quōs suprā dīximus sīc in sphaerā mētiuntur: │ The five (circles), which we have mentioned above, measure out / divide the sphere in this manner:
[4] initiō sūmptō ā polō quī boreus appellātur, ad eum quī notius et antarcticus vocātur, in trīgintā partēs ūnumquodque hēmisphaerium dīviditur, ita utī dīmēnsiō significārī videātur in tōtā sphaerā sexāgintā partēs factās. │ Beginning from the pole called Boreas (the northern pole) to that which is called Notus or Antarctic, each hemisphere is divided into thirty parts, so that the entire sphere is seen to be marked out into sixty parts in all.
05.12.25: Level 3; indefinites [16] -que
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/09/051225-level-3-indefinites-16-que.html
Image: woodcut from the 1482 edition
Note further features of abbreviation
[i] the letter /q/ with a stroke through it (ꝗ); again, depending on the writer, it could equal an entire word e.g. quam, but here it indicates the omission of letters:
Eꝗnoctialis = equinoctialis
28.11.25: the Domesday Book; reading the manuscript [v] types of abbreviation [iv]; mind your p’s and q’s
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/08/281125-domesday-book-reading-manuscript_35.html
[ii] (Difficult to make out in the image): zodiacʔ (the sign usually marking the omission of -us or -rum) = zodiacus
[a] negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1] [i] deny; [ii] refuse
This verb is also used to create a negative statement [literally: say … not] for example:
He does not understand. │ Nōn intellegit.
> He says ¦ that he does not understand. │ Negat ¦ sē intellegere.
i.e. the concept of ‘not’ in the indirect statement is already contained in the verb negat; nōn is not required
Examples; sometimes ‘deny’ is an alternative translation:
Haec negat sē tuam esse mātrem. (Plautus)│ She denies that she is your mother = She says that she is not your mother.
Negāvī mē scīre (Cicero) │ I said that I did not know.
Hostēs negāvērunt sē arma dissimilia habēre. │The enemies denied that they had different weapons = the enemies said that they did not have different weapons.
Magister negāvit sē discipulum verberāvisse. │ The teacher denied that he had beaten the pupil = the teacher said that he had not beaten the pupil.
Negāvit sē mihi pecūniam dedisse. │ He denied that he had given me the money = he said that he had not given me the money.
Nōn it, negat sē itūram [esse]* (Plautus) │ She’s not going, she says that she will not go.
*Note the omission of esse; this is a feature to look out for in original literature.
Marītus negāvit sē Rōmae mānsūrum esse. │ The husband said that he would not stay at Rome.
[b]
Look at the following English example and the different ways in which the same idea can be expressed:
[i] He said that he hadn’t ever [not + ever] seen a more faithful servant than her.
[ii] He said that he had never seen a more faithful servant than her.
Latin conveys the idea using the equivalent of [i] above:
quicquam / quidquam: anything
quisquam: anybody
ūllus, -a, -um: any
umquam: ever
usquam: anywhere
By using negō, -āre, which already contains the idea of ‘not’, those pronouns and adverbs become negative i.e. in translation they change to nothing, nobody, no (not any), never, nowhere.
Examples:
Negat ¦ sē umquam in Ītaliā fuisse │ He denies that he has ever been in Italy = He says that he has not ever been in Italy = he says that he has never been in Italy.
Negāvit sē umquam vīdisse servam fidēliōrem quam hanc. │ He denied that he had ever seen = He said that he had not ever seen = he said that he had never seen ¦ a more faithful servant than her.
Negāvit umquam sē bibisse iūcundius. (Cicero) │ He said that he had not ever drunk = he said that he had never drunk ¦ (anything) more pleasant.
Negāvit quemquam esse in cīvitāte praeter sē quī id efficere posset (Cicero) │ He said that there was not anybody = he said that there was nobody ¦ in the city apart from himself who could carry it out.
Negat quicquam esse … efficācius (Seneca) │ He says that there is not anything more effective = he says that there is nothing more effective.
Negat ūllum esse tempus … (Cicero) │ He says that there is not any time = he says that there is no time …
Negō usquam umquam fuisse maiōrēs (Cicero) │ I say that there never was a time or place where they had more = Literally: I say that there was not ever (and) not anywhere, where they had more.
Exercise: complete the Latin with the words listed below.
[1] He says that he did not do this. │ Hoc sē __________ negat.
[2] [i] I say that [ii] he has not done this. │ [i] __________ [ii] __________ hoc fēcisse.
[3] He says that [i] he (referring to himself) is not [ii] ready. │ [i] __________ [ii] __________ esse negat.
[4] He says he has done nothing. │ Negat sē __________ fēcisse.
[5] He said that he would [i] never [ii] do this. │ Sē hoc [i] __________ [ii] __________ negāvit.
[6] He says that it was not by this man that your brother [i] was [ii] killed. │ Ab hōc homine [ii] __________ [i] __________ frātrem tuum negat.
[7] [i] He denies that Caesar [ii] has been in Gaul. │[i] __________ Caesarem in Galliā [ii] __________.
[8] He said that Caesar had not been in Gaul. │ __________ Caesarem in Galliā fuisse.
[9] [i] We deny that [ii] we [iii] have received a benefit. │ [i] __________ [ii] __________ beneficium [iii] __________ (Seneca)
[10] He denies that he has [i] ever [iii] seen such wonders [ii] anywhere. │ Negat sē [i] __________ [ii] __________ tanta mīra [iii] __________. (Plautus: adapted)
[11] The Carthaginians [i] said that they would not [ii] accept unfair terms of peace. │ Carthāginiēnsēs [i] __________ sē inīquās condiciōnēs pācis [ii] __________ esse.
[12] They denied that they had heard about the arrival of the king. │ Negāvērunt sē dē rēgis adventū __________.
[13] [i] Surely you don’t [ii] deny that [iii] you [iv] did not know these things? │ [i] __________ [ii] __________ [iii] __________ haec [iv] __________?
negāmus; negās; negat; negāvērunt; negāvit; negō
eum; nōs; sē; tē
accēpisse; acceptūrōs; audīvisse; esse; factūrum; fēcisse; fuisse; interfectum; parātum; scīvisse; vīdisse
num; quidquam; umquam; umquam; usquam
____________________
[1] Hoc sē fēcisse negat.
[2] [i] Negō [ii] eum hoc fēcisse.
[3] [i] Sē [ii] parātum esse negat.
[4] Negat sē quidquam fēcisse.
[5] Sē hoc [i] umquam [ii] factūrum negāvit.
[6] Ab hōc homine [ii] interfectum [i] esse frātrem tuum negat.
[7] [i] Negat Caesarem in Galliā [ii] fuisse.
[8] Negāvit Caesarem in Galliā fuisse.
[9] [i] Negāmus [ii] nōs beneficium [iii] accēpisse (Seneca)
[10] Negat sē [i] umquam [ii] usquam tanta mīra [iii] vīdisse.
[11] Carthāginiēnsēs [i] negāvērunt sē inīquās condiciōnēs pācis [ii] acceptūrōs esse.
[12] Negāvērunt sē dē rēgis adventū audīvisse.
[13] [i] Num [ii] negās [iii] tē haec [iv] scīvisse?
[3] Elision
[l.5] Īn cāe-¦ l(o) ͜
ūt tēr- ¦ rīs fī- ¦ āt tŭ-ă ¦ clā-ră vŏ- ¦ lūn-tās [īn cāe-loūt]
[i] -V ͜ V-
i.e. a vowel at the end of a word and a vowel at the beginning of the next word
are usually elided; the term is elision, and you can see that the
end vowel is not scanned as it is either generally omitted when speaking or
spoken rapidly together with the next vowel so that it forms one syllable:
[l.8] Īn-nŭ-mĕ- ¦ r(a)
͜ īn-dūl- ¦ gēns ēr- ¦ rō- rīs
¦ dē-bĭ-tă ¦ prā-vī [-mĕ-¦ r’īn-dūl-]
[ii] Elision also occurs when the following letter is /h/ [V
+ hV]; /h/ is considered silent
[l.6] Vī-tā- ¦ līsqu(e) ͜
(h)ŏ- dĭ- ¦ ē sānc- ¦ tī sūb- ¦ stān-tĭ-ă ¦ pā-nĭs [līs qu’ŏ-dĭ-]
[4] Reciting the verse
It’s all very well talking about long and short syllables –
but how are they actually said? Any poem in whatever language is open to
interpretation, including the mood in which it is spoken, its pace
and what the speaker wishes to emphasise. But you need to start
somewhere to get the basic rhythms. The opening lyrics of “Paperback Writer” by
the Beatles is comprised almost completely of crotchets (a single beat)
and quavers (half a beat). Imagine you’re back in Primary Music class!
Clap your hands, kids …
one q ¦ and a n ¦ two q
¦ and a n ¦ three q ¦ and a n
¦ four q
Omit the first and last words:
(Dear) ¦ Sir q or q Ma-dame n will-you n
read q my q book-it n took-me n years q
to q write q, will-you n take-a
n (look)?
Image #2: The notation is from the sheet music; the Beatles
‘play around’ a little with some of the rhythms when they sing it, but you can
hear the long and short beats in the same way that you can hear the long and
short syllables of the Latin work. Don’t sing it – say it, while tapping
a pencil on the table. Then keep tapping that pencil and say the Latin line,
and you’ll be getting pretty close to a Roman.
Manilius: Astronomica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomica_(Manilius)
Meter: hexameter [ - - / - uu (x6)]
04.09.25: The best place to start Latin poetry is … in a cave! [2]; some basics concerning Classical Latin poetry
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/09/040925-best-place-to-start-latin-poetry_3.html
[1] Hīs inter sōlisque viās Arctōsque latentīs,
[Hīs īn- ¦ tēr sō- ¦ līs-quĕ vĭ- ¦ ās ārc- ¦ tōs-quĕ lă- ¦ tēn-tīs]
Between these and the paths of the Sun and the hidden Bears,
[2] Axem quae mundī strīdentem pondere torquent,
[Āx-ēm ¦ quāe mūn- ¦ dī strī- ¦ dēn-tēm ¦ pōn-dĕ-rĕ ¦ tōr-quē̆nt]
which turn the axis of the world, creaking under its weight,
[3] Orbe peregrīnō caelum dēpingitur astrīs,
[Ōr-bĕ pĕ- ¦ rē-grī- ¦ nō cāe- ¦ lūm dē- ¦ pīn-gĭ-tŭr ¦ ās-trīs]
in a foreign orbit the sky is painted with stars,
[4] Quae notia antīquī dīxērunt sīdera vātēs.
[Quāe nŏ-tĭ-(a) ¦ ān-tī- ¦ quī dī-¦ xē-rūnt ¦ sī-dĕ-ră ¦ vā-tēs]
which the ancient poets called the southern constellations
notius, -a, -um: southern
Arctos, -ī [2/f]: the Great Bear (Ursa Major); (here) in the plural, referring to Ursa Major and Ursa Minor
vātēs, -is [3 m/f]: various meanings including [i] prophet(ess); [ii] soothsayer; [iii] poet(ess)
Complete the Latin with the appropriate form of the future passive infinitive listed below.
[i] He said that he would be hindered by you. │ Ille dīxit sē ā tē __________.
[ii] Remember that you've undertaken that … all the money will be returned to me│ Mementō prōmīsisse tē … mihi omne argentum __________ (Plautus)
[iii] After he had heard that a wife would not be given to his son │ Quī postquam audierat nōn __________ fīliō uxōrem suō (Terence)
[iv] So long as he thinks it will be known, he is on his guard │ Dum id __________ crēdit tantisper cavet (Terence)
[v] What did you imagine that … she would be brought home to your chamber? │ Quid? crēdēbās … illam … in cubiculum __________ domum? (Terence)
[vi] [that he hoped] … that truly no harm would come to him [= he would not be harmed] │ [spērāre] ... ipsī vērō nihil __________ (Caesar)
[vii] He could see that Sopater would be acquitted │ __________ Sōpatrum vidēbat (Cicero)
[viii] They understood that the matter would appear [ = would be seen] (as) … more unfair. │ … rem … inīquiōrem __________ intellegēbant. (Cicero)
[ix] If, therefore, this money has not been spent as yet, ¦ and if it is evident that it will not be spent, … │ ita sī neque adhūc cōnsūmpta est ista pecūnia ¦ et est perspicuum nōn __________, … (Cicero)
[x] And he adds this assertion, that he will be condemned by the vote … │ Atque hoc addit testimōnī, suā illum sententiā … __________ (Cicero)
absolūtum īrī; condemnātum īrī; cōnsūmptum īrī; datum īrī; impedītum īrī; īrī dēductum; nocitum īrī; redditum īrī; rescītum īrī; vīsum īrī
____________________
[i] impedītum īrī
[ii] redditum īrī
[iii] datum īrī
[iv] rescītum īrī
[v] īrī dēductum
[vi] nocitum īrī
[vii] absolūtum īrī
[viii] vīsum īrī
[ix] cōnsūmptum īrī
[x] condemnātum īrī
[2] Identifying long and short vowels
A syllable is defined as long or short dependent upon the
length of the vowel sound. How do you know if a syllable is long or short?
There are two important terms to note:
[i] long by nature i.e. the vowel is always long – not
only in poetry – for example:
[l.2] NŌ-mĭ-nĭs ¦ Ō-rĀ- ¦ mūs vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rĀ- tiŌ
¦ sĀnc- tĭ- fĭ- ¦ cĒ-tŭr
Diphthongs are always long, for example:
[l.1] cĀE-lī
[l.4] rĕ-¦ clĀU-dăt
[l.9] Ēt nōs ¦ hĀUt ă-lĭ-¦ tēr cōn- ¦ cē-dĕ-rĕ ¦ fŌE-nŏ-ră
¦ nōs-trīs
[l.10] Tē-trī ¦ sĀE-vă prŏ- ¦ cūl tēmp- ¦ tā-tiō
¦ dĀE-mŏ-nĭs ¦ āb-sĭt
[l.11] ĀE-quĕ mă- ¦
[ii] long by position; this is a crucial feature of
Latin poetry:
Where a vowel is followed by two consonants [VCC] – even if
those consonants are split between words –the vowel becomes long; there are
exceptions but it is important to become familiar with this idea since it is an
integral part of the rhythm.
[l.2] The verb ŌrĀmus has two vowels that are long by nature – they are always
long. However, -mus is usually short, but in the verse, because it is
followed by two consonants, it becomes long: ō-rā- ¦ mŪS ͜ Vĕ-nĕ- [VCC]
All the capitalised vowels in bold are normally short, but
here they are long [VCC]:
[l.1] genitor (/o/ usually short) > gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tŌR
͜ Rĕ- [VCC]; in (/i/ usually
short) > ĪN ¦ Vēr [VCC]
[l.3] ĪN ͜ Nō-
¦ bīs Pă- tĕr ¦ ĀL-Tĕ tŭ- ¦ ī: trĀN- ¦ QU-ĪL-Lă-quĕ ¦ mŪN-Dō
[l.5] fīat (/a/normally short) > fī- ¦ ĀT ͜ Tŭ-ă
[l.11] tol-lat (/o/ normally short) > tŌL-Lat
[iii] V + X: a vowel followed by /x/ becomes long since /x/
is composed of two consonant sounds /ks/:
[l.7] mox (normally short) > tŭ-ă ¦ mŌX [V + /ks/]
Didō rēgīna, quae Aenēam valdē amāverat, fugam eius vehementer dolēbat. Ea, postquam frūstrā deōs, frūstrā fortūnam accūsāvit, sē eō gladiō, quem Aenēās eī dōnāverat, necāre parāvit. Dum eī rogus struitur: “Ēn“, inquit, “vir pius, quī simulācra ē Troiā servāta sēcum portat! Ēn pius Aenēās, cui deī ipsī imperant, cuius facta deīs ipsīs placent! At ego tē, Hecatē, vocō, ā quā vindicantur facta impia: Tū eum ipsum sociōsque, quōs sēcum dūcit, Ītaliā arcēbis! Sīn autem fāta nōn sinent, eum bellō quidem et armīs vexābis: mortuōs vidēbit eōs, quōs amāvit, neque diū rēgnābit in eīs terrīs, quās nunc petit! Numquam amīcitia inter eius populum et meum erit, et oppida, quae condet, aliquandō ā cōpiīs Poenōrum vastābuntur. Bellum diuturnum erit, ipsīque pugnābunt et posterī cūnctī!”
Find the Latin:
[i] a pious man, who brings statues
[ii] Aeneas, to whom the gods themselves give commands, …
[iii] and the allies whom he leads with him
[iv] he will see them dead whom he loved
[v] Hecate, by whom wicked deeds are avenged
[vi] in those lands which he now seeks
[vii] Queen Dido, who had greatly loved Aeneas
[viii] the towns which he shall found
[ix] whose deeds (the deeds of whom) please the gods themselves
[x] with the / that sword which Aeneas had given to her
____________________
[i] vir pius, quī simulācra … portat
[ii] Aenēās, cui deī ipsī imperant
[iii] sociōsque, quōs sēcum dūcit
[iv] mortuōs vidēbit eōs, quōs amāvit
[v] Hecatē … ā quā vindicantur facta impia
[vi] in eīs terrīs, quās nunc petit
[vii] Didō rēgīna, quae Aenēam valdē amāverat
[viii] oppida, quae condet
[ix] cuius facta deīs ipsīs placent
[x] eō gladiō, quem Aenēās eī dōnāverat
Queen Dido, who had loved Aeneas very much, was deeply grieving his flight. After she had accused the gods and her fate in vain, she prepared to kill herself with that sword, which Aeneas had given to her. While the funeral pyre was being built for her, she said:
‘Behold, pious man, who carries with him the images saved from Troy! Behold pious Aeneas, whom the gods themselves command, whose deeds please the gods themselves! But I call you, Hecate, by whom wicked deeds are avenged: you will keep him and his companions, whom he leads with him, away from Italy! But if the fates do not allow it, indeed you will harass him with war and arms: he will see them dead whom he loved, and he will not rule long in the lands which he now seeks! Never will there be friendship between his people and mine, and the towns that he will found will one day be devastated by the forces of the Carthaginians. There will be a long war, and they themselves and all the descendants will fight!’
(1) The fate of Tiberius: sealed in one sentence
In Annalēs VI, Tacitus portrays the departure from Rome of the Emperor Tiberius. He is presented as a lonely and isolated figure: Profectiō artō comitātū fuit │ His departure was attended by a small retinue.
The following line appears immediately after Tacitus narrates the departure – which is to be the final exit of Tiberius:
ferēbant perītī caelestium iīs mōtibus sīderum excessisse Rōmā Tiberium ut reditus illī negārētur (Tacitus) │ Experts in celestial matters / heavenly bodies were saying that, by the motions of the stars, Tiberius had departed from Rome in such a way that a return was denied him.
Note: indirect statement with perfect active infinitive
(1) ferēbant perītī … (3) excessisse Rōmā (2) Tiberium │ Experts (1) said … ¦ (2) that Tiberius (3) had departed from Rome [literally: (1) Experts said (2) Tiberius (3) to have departed …
[1] Tacitus’ writing is compact; the action and consequence of that action are conveyed by two verbs: excesisse (departed) – negārētur (denied)
[2] The reference to perītī i.e. ‘skilled’ people as opposed to idle rumour, which adds veracity and mysticism to his narrative
[3] The fate of Tiberius is determined by the stars; the stars prophesy that Tiberius will spend the rest of his life in exile. Therefore, human control is an illusion, which is ironic given Tiberius’ obsession with control.
[4] A moral subtext: the stars articulate what Tiberius’ life choices have already determined i.e. the alignment of character and fate
https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=resources&s=char-dir&f=tiberius
(2) And, according to Tacitus, the stars weren’t working out too well for Nero either …
Inter quae sīdus comētēs effulsit; dē quō vulgī opīniō est tamquam mūtātiōnem rēgis portendat │Meantime a comet blazed (in the sky), about which the opinion of the common people is that it portends, as it were, a change of king.
Tacitus uses the noun in conjunction with sīdus (star), but the word can stand alone:
comētēs, -ae [1/m] or comēta, -ae [1/f] comet; meteor; shooting star; it is also referred to as:
stēlla crīnīta: long-haired star
Does Tacitus believe that comets are portents of disaster? A 21st century journalist, especially a sensationlist one, will “spice up” his report by adding unverified detail, simultaneously distancing himself (and avoiding litigation) with allegedly or it is rumoured that. Tacitus himself isn’t stating that Nero is to be dethroned – but others think he might be.
[8] Other Circles are the Horizon, │ Aliī Circulī sunt Horīzōn
the Meridian, │ Meridiānus (see previous post)
the Æquator, │ Æquātor,
the two Colures, │ duo Colūrī,
the one of the Equinocts, │ alter Æquinoxiōrum,*
(of the Spring │ (Vernī,
when the ☉ entreth into ♈; │ quando ☉ ingreditur ♈;
Autumnal │ Autumnālis,
when it entreth in ♎) │ quando ingreditur ♎)
the other of the Solstices, │ alter Solsticiōrum (solstitiōrum)
(of the Summer, │ (Æstīvī,
when the ☉ entreth into ♋ │quando ☉ ingreditur ♋
of the Winter │ Hybernī (hībernī),
when it entreth into ♑) │ quando ingreditur ♑)
the Tropicks, │ duo Tropicī
the Tropick of Cancer, │ Tr. Cancrī,
the Tropick of Capricorn, │ Tr. Capricornī,
and the two │ & duo
Polar Circles, │ Polārēs
[1]
horīzon, horizontis [3/m]: horizon > Engl. deriv. horizontal
aequātor, aequātōris [3/m]: [i] (Classical; rare) coin inspector; [ii] (Mediaeval) equator
colūrus, -ī [2/m]: colure (astronomical term; now rarely, if ever used)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colure
*aequinoctium, -ī [2/n]: equinox < aequus (equal) + nox (night); original text: aequinox(iōrum); possible misspelling or alternative during this period, but the spelling with /x/ is not attested)
aequinoctiālis, -e: (of / pertaing to) the equinox
sōlstitium, -ī [2/n]: solstice (in the text: solsticiōrum); again, note the same spelling shift of -ti- > -ci- which was also in an earlier section of this text: spaciō (CL: spatiō)
[2]
vernus, -a, -um; vernālis, -e: (of / pertaing to) spring; Engl. deriv. vernal
autumnālis, -e: (of / pertaing to) autumn; Engl. deriv. autumnal
aestīvus, -a, -um; aestivālis, -e: (of / pertaing to) summer; Engl. deriv. estival
hībernus, -a, -um (original text with /y/); hībernālis, -e: (of / pertaing to) winter; wintry
[3] “the Tropic(k)s”; used in the text as a noun
tropicus, -a, -um: tropical
tropicus Cancrī: the tropic of Cancer
tropicus Capricornī: the tropic of Capricorn
polāris, -e: (pertaining to) the poles
Hondius Map of America (1606)
From North to South …
SEPTENTRIŌ: North
AMERICA SEPTENTRIŌNĀLIS: North America
TROPICUS CANCRĪ: Tropic of Cancer
AEQUINOCTIĀLIS LĪNEA: equinoctial line; celestial equator
MARE PĀCIFICUM: Pacific ‘sea’ (Ocean)
AMERICA MERĪDIŌNĀLIS: Southern America
TROPICUS CAPRICORNĪ: Tropic of Capricon
TERRA AUSTRĀLIS: The ‘Southern Land’ (i.e. we’re pretty sure something’s there but we don’t know what it is yet, which is why the word incognita (unknown) is often added; it does not refer to Australia since it hadn’t been ‘discovered’ – apart from by the people who lived there).
MERĪDIĒS: South
Note the use of the long /s/ in Hiſpanis
And, for the benefit of the American members of this group (not that I wish a ‘debate’) …
It’s small, but it’s there …
SINUS MEXICĀNUS: the Gulf of Mexico; sinus, -ūs [4/m]: various meanings including [i] curve, fold; [ii] bosom, breast; [iii] gulf, bay
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/190925-level-3-supine-1.html (note [2][ii]; the supine + īrī)
The supine + īrī creates a future passive infinitive i.e. referring to something that is “going to be done”.
verberātum īrī │ to be going / to be about to be beaten
mūtātum īrī │ to be going / to be about to be changed
This construction is rare in CL literature, and, with the distinctive īrī, is easily recognisable. It does not agree with the subject i.e. you will only see this form in indirect statements:
Putō pontem dēlētum īrī ā Caesare. │ I think that the bridge is going to be / will be destroyed by Caesar
Caesar dīcit librōs missum īrī. │ Caesar says that the books are going to / about to / will be sent.
Dīxit urbem captum īrī. │ He said that the city was going to / about to / would be captured.
Examples from the post referred to above:
Negant urbem facile captum īrī. │ They say that the city will not easily be captured. [= they deny that the city will easily be captured.]
Inter omnēs cōnstat urbem nunquam traditum īrī. │ All agree that the city will never be surrendered.
Nōn crēdō pecūniam solūtum īrī. │ I do not believe that the money will be paid.
Some basics of
Latin poetry were first discussed here:
04.09.25: The best
place to start Latin poetry is … in a cave! [2]; some basics concerning
Classical Latin poetry
https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/774016828542921/
[i] In print, you
will either come across completely unscanned versions of verse or, as I have
written below, edited texts with naturally long vowels marked (see the
next post: identifying long and short syllables)
Sīdereō genitor
residēns in vertice caelī
Nōminis ōrāmus
venerātiō sānctificētur
In nōbīs Pater alte
tuī: tranquillaque mundō
Adveniat rēgnumque
tuum lūx alma reclaudat
In caelō ut terrīs
fīat tua clāra voluntās
Vītālisque hodiē
sānctī substantia pānis
Prōveniat nōbīs;
tua mox largītiō solvat
Innumera indulgēns
errōris dēbita prāvī
Et nōs haut aliter
concēdere foenora nostrīs
Tētrī saeva procul
temptātiō daemonis absit
Aequē malīs tua
nōs in lūcem dextera tollat
[ii] A fully scanned
version would have this or a similar format:
l.1: Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦
vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī
l.2: Nō-mĭ-nĭs ¦ ōr-ā- ¦ mūs vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rā- tiō
¦ sānc- tĭ- fĭ- ¦ cē-tŭr
l.3: Īn nō- ¦ bīs pă- tĕr ¦ āl-tĕ tŭ- ¦ ī: trān- ¦
qu-īl-lă-quĕ ¦ mūn-dō
l.4: Ād-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt rēg- ¦ nūm-quĕ tŭ- ¦ ūm lūx ¦ āl-mă
rĕ- ¦ clāu-dăt
l.5: Īn cāe- ¦ l(o) ͜
ūt tēr- ¦ rīs fī- ¦ āt tŭ-ă ¦ clāră vŏ- ¦ lūn-tās
l.6: Vī-tā- ¦ līs-qu(e) ͜
(h)ŏ-dĭ- ¦ ē sānc- ¦ tī sūb- ¦ stān-tĭ-ă ¦ pā-nĭs
l.7: Prō-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt nō- ¦ bīs; tŭ-ă ¦ mōx lār- ¦ gī-tiō
¦ sōl-văt
l.8: Īn-nŭ-mĕ- ¦ r(a) ͜
īn-dūl- ¦ gēns ēr- ¦ rō-rīs ¦ dē-bĭ-tă ¦ prāvī
l.9: Ēt nōs ¦ hāut ă-lĭ-¦ tēr cōn- ¦ cē-dĕ-rĕ ¦ fōe-nŏ-ră
¦ nōs-trīs
l.10: Tē-trī ¦ sāe-vă prŏ- ¦ cūl tēmp- ¦ tā-tiō
¦ dāe-mŏ-nĭs ¦ āb-sĭt
l.11: Āe-quĕ mă- ¦ līs tŭ-ă ¦ nōs īn ¦ lū-cēm ¦ dēx-tĕ-ră
¦ tōl-lăt
As an example. The
links below are to a poem V by Catullus:
[i] The first link
takes you to a completely unscanned version
http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/l5.htm
[ii] The second
takes you to a scanned version
http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/sc5.htm
[1] Metre
References are
made here to long and short syllables; that is discussed in the next post
Vincent describes
the verse as dactylic hexameter:
(1) a dactyl is
a long syllable followed by two short syllables: — UU
Line 1: SĪ-DĔ-RĔ-
¦ ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī
(2) Two short
syllables can equal one long syllable i.e. — UU = — — ; a combination of
two long syllables is known as a spondee
Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō
gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ (2) DĒNS ĪN ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-lī
Combinations, six feet
of six dactyls or spondees, is known as hexameter.
[1] Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦
[2] ō gĕ-nĭ- ¦ [3] tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ [4] dēns īn ¦ [5] vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ [6] cāe-lī
(3) The last
syllable of a line can be long or short; this is usually indicated by X i.e. — X;
a syllable of this type is called an anceps
[i] In the first
line, the final syllable is long:
Sī-dĕ-rĕ- ¦ ō
gĕ-nĭ- ¦ tōr rĕ-sĭ- ¦ dēns īn ¦ vēr-tĭ-cĕ ¦ cāe-LĪ
[ii] In Line 2 the
final syllable is short:
Nō-mĭ-nĭs ¦
ōr-ā- ¦ mūs vĕ-nĕ- ¦ rā- tiō ¦ sānc- tĭ- fĭ- ¦ cē-TŬR
When a poem is
scanned, sometimes no mark is given above an anceps because it makes no
difference.
[iii] Note that
/i/ when it is with another vowel e.g. -iō- or -ia- can,
depending on the rhythm, be [a] similar to English /y/ and not scanned
separately, or [b] a separate vowel
sound
[a]
[l.2] vĕ-nĕ- ¦
rā- tiō [imagine ve-ne-¦ ra-tyo (or -tjo- as written
in some scans)]
[l.7] lār- ¦ gī-tiō
[l.10] tēmp- ¦ tā-tiō
[b]
[l.4] the /i/ is
scanned as an independent vowel: Ād-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt i.e. it is pronounced
distinctly seperately from the following /a/
[l.6] sūb- ¦ stān-tĭ-ă
[l.7] Prō-vĕ-nĭ- ¦ āt
Rēmus necātus erat, Rōmulus nōnnūllus annōs rēgnāverat et rēx bonus fuerat, Rōma ipsa crēverat. Iam aedificia varia et templa aedificāta, iam viae strātae erant. Rōmānī autem, quamquam ipsī vītam bonam vīvēbant, contentī nōn erant, quod fēminās nōn habēbant. Iam nōnnūllī clam Rōmulum ipsum adierant eumque rogāverant: “Fēminās nōn habēmus; unde nōbīs parābimus?” Rōmulus autem “Id mihi”, inquit, “ignōtum nōn est!”, et cūrās eōrum dolēbat. Ac profectō ipse brevī eīs fēminās parāvit dolō.
Mox Rōmānī Sabīnōs, quī fīnitimī eōrum erant, ad lūdōs invītāvērunt. Sabīnī libenter ad eōs lūdōs adiērunt fēmināsque et fīliās, quārum multās habēbant, sēcum Rōmam trānsportāvērunt. Iam Sabīnī, quī necopīnī et sine armīs ad lūdōs ierant, iīs gaudēbant, cum Rōmānī, quibus Rōmulus id imperāverat, fīliās pulchrās captāvērunt et in casās suās portāvērunt. Sabīnī, quibus arma nōn erant, neque fīliās adiuvābant neque facta impia vindicābant, sed Rōmulum, cuius dolō fraudātī erant, verbīs dūrīs accūsāvērunt. Posteā autem magnīs cum cōpiīs Rōmam rediērunt fīliāsque, quae captātae erant, repetīvērunt. At fēminae ipsae eōs arcēbant et clāmāvērunt: “Abstinēte ā virīs nostrīs, quōs nunc amāmus!” Ex eō annō diuturna inter Rōmānōs et Sabīnōs amīcitia fuit.
abstineō, -ēre, -uī, abstentus [2]: stay away
arceō, -ēre, -uī, arcitus [2]: keep away; prevent
diuturnus, -a, -um: long-lasting
fraudō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: cheat; defraud; swindle
necopīnus, a, -um: unsuspecting
Find the Latin:
[i] (they invited) the Sabines, who were their neighbours,
[ii] and the daughters who had been captured
[iii] by whose trickery [lit: by the trickery of whom] (they had been defrauded)
[iv] our husbands who(m) we now love
[v] the Romans to whom Romulus had given this command
[vi] the Sabines who did not have weapons [lit: … to whom there were not weapons]
[vii] The Sabines who, unsuspecting and without weapons,
[viii] the women and daughters of whom they had many
____________________
[i] Sabīnōs, quī fīnitimī eōrum erant,
[ii] fīliāsque, quae captātae erant
[iii] cuius dolō fraudātī erant
[iv] virīs nostrīs, quōs nunc amāmus
[v] Rōmānī, quibus Rōmulus id imperāverat
[vi] Sabīnī, quibus arma nōn erant
[vii] Sabīnī, quī necopīnī et sine armīs
[viii] fēmināsque et fīliās, quārum multās habēbant
Remus had been killed, Romulus had ruled for several years and had been a good king, and Rome itself had grown. By now various buildings and temples had been built, and the roads had already been paved. But the Romans, although they themselves were living a good life, were not content, because they did not have women. Already some had secretly approached Romulus himself and had asked him: ‘We have no women; from where shall we obtain them?’ But Romulus said, ‘That is not unknown to me,’ and he felt their concerns. And indeed, before long he himself provided women for them by trickery.
Soon the Romans invited the Sabines, who were their neighbours, to the games. The Sabines gladly went to those games and brought with them to Rome the women and daughters of whom they had many. Now the Sabines, who had gone to the games unsuspecting / without suspicion and without weapons, were enjoying them, when the Romans, to whom Romulus had given this command, seized the beautiful daughters and carried them off to their huts. The Sabines, who had no weapons, neither helped their daughters nor punished the wicked deeds, but they accused Romulus, by whose trickery they had been deceived, with harsh words. Afterwards, however, they returned to Rome with great forces and demanded back their daughters who had been taken. But the women themselves kept them away and cried: ‘Stay away from our husbands, whom we now love!’ From that year on there was long-lasting friendship between the Romans and the Sabines.
Take a second look at images #2 and #3 from the previous post
If you are looking at any original Mediaeval or, here, Renaissance documents, you will see abbreviations, letter forms and spellings that are not in Classical Latin. There are many of these and a number of them were discussed in posts concerning both the Domesday Book and the Bayeux Tapestry:
[i]
ORIĒS / OCCIDĒS = oriens / occidens
COELV͞ = coelum (caelum)
It can be simply a line or what looks like a Spanish tilde (˜) or, for want of a better term, a ‘squiggle’ above a vowel. In original documents it is not a macron i.e. an indicator of vowel length, but usually indicates the omission of /n/ or /m/ i.e. nasalised sounds. However, it isn’t confined to that usage. Depending on the writer it can indicate the absence of a group of letters, in the same way that we would use a ‘full stop’ e.g. info. for information.
28.11.25: the Domesday Book; reading the manuscript [iii] types of abbreviation [ii]
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/08/281125-domesday-book-reading-manuscript.html
This example from the Bayeux Tapestry shows the use of the abbreviation to omit groups of letters
HIC PORTATVR CORPVS EADWARDI REGIS AD ECCLESIAM SC͞T PETRI AP͞LI
Hīc portātur corpus Eadwardi regis ad ecclesiam Sancti Petri Apostoli
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/07/130725-bayeux-tapestry-2.html
[ii] Various symbols were used to indicate the absence of a letter or small group; becoming familiar with these is a whole field of study in itself
What looks like a small number 9:
POLVS ARCTIC9 = arcticus
POLVS ANTAR(c)TIC9 = antar(c)ticus
28.11.25: the Domesday Book; reading the manuscript [v] types of abbreviation [iv]; mind your p’s and q’s
Note (5)
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/08/281125-domesday-book-reading-manuscript_35.html
[iii] long /s/ i.e. ſ
[iv] abbreviation for ‘and’, similar to 7; it is called an ampersand, and an equivalent can be found which is still used today i.e. &
eclipſis ſolis 7 lune = eclipsis solis et lunae [note also: spelling shift /ae/ > /e/]
For both [iii] and [iv] above:
01.12.25: the Domesday Book; reading the manuscript [vi] types of abbreviation [v]; the long s
Long s: note (1); Ampersand: note (4)
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/09/011225-domesday-book-reading-manuscript.html
[7] Under this move the seven wandring-stars which they call planets, whose way is a circle in the middle of the Zodiack, called the ecliptick │ Sub hōc cursitant stēllæ errantēs VII quās vocant planētās, quōrum via est circulus, in mediō zōdiacī, dictus eclīptica.
cursitō, -āre [1] literally: run all around / here and there; this verb has a suffix: –(i)tō; this suffix denotes a frequentative action i.e. one that is performed more than once:
eclīptica, -ae [1/f]: ecliptic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecliptic
eclīptica, -ae
By Tfr000 (talk) 16:54, 15 March 2012 (UTC) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18710950
stēlla, -ae [1/f] errāns: wandering star i.e. planet
planēta, -ae [1/f]: planet
The ancient Romans recognized seven "planets", the term referring to any celestial body that moved against the background of fixed stars hence the term stēllae errantēs (wandering stars) as opposed to stēllae fīxae / inerrantēs (fixed stars). Therefore, they also included the Sun and the Moon as planets:
Sōl, -is [3/m]
Mercurius, -ī [2/m]
Venus, Veneris [3/f]
Lūna, -ae [1/f]
Mārs, Mārtis [3/m]
Sāturnus, -ī [2/m]
Iuppiter, Iovis [3/m]
Geocentric World (1517)
Exercise [3]: Complete the English translation with the appropriate pronouns and phrases listed below. Note: each pronoun translation is only used once.
Cornēlius nūntiāvit [i] sē rēgibus [ii] ignōtūrum esse. │ Cornelius announced that [i] he (referring to himself) [ii] would forgive the kings.
Flāvia nūntiat [i] eum [ii] valitūrum esse. │ Flavia announces that [i] he (referring to somebody else) [ii] will thrive.
Spērābam [i] tē nautae fābulam [ii] nārrātūram esse. │ I was hoping that [i] you (sg.) [ii] would tell a story to the sailor.
Nūntiāvimus eam ad magnum templum ventūram esse. │ We announced that [i] she (referring to somebody else) [ii] would come to the big temple.
Dea nūntiābat [i] sē [ii] subrīsūram esse. │ The goddess was announcing that [i] she (referring to herself) [ii] would smile.
Spērāvistis [i] eōs in illam vīllam iter [ii] factūrōs esse. │ You hoped that [i] they (referring to other people) [ii] would make a journey into that country house.
Illī putant [i] vōs eīs [ii] crēditūrās esse. │ They think that [i] you (pl.) [ii] will trust them.
Rēgīnae nūntiābant [i] nōs in silvam [ii] festīnātūrās esse. │ The queens were announcing that [i] we [ii] would hurry into the forest.
Amīcus dīcēbat [i] mē cibōs āthlētae [ii] datūram esse. │ A friend was saying that [i] I [ii] would give the foods to the athlete.
Puellae dīxērunt [i] sē eās [ii] petītūrās esse. │ The girls said that [i] they (referring to themselves) [ii] would seek them.
[i]
he (referring to himself); he (referring to somebody else); I; she (referring to herself); she (referring to somebody else); they (referring to other people); they (referring to themselves); we; you (pl.); you (sg.)
[ii]
would tell; would smile; would seek; would make; would hurry; would give; would forgive; would come; will trust; will thrive
[i] Cornelius announced that [i] he (referring to himself) [ii] would forgive the kings.
[ii] Flavia announces that [i] he (referring to somebody else) [ii] will thrive.
[iii] I was hoping that [i] you (sg.) [ii] would tell a story to the sailor.
[iv] We announced that [i] she (referring to somebody else) [ii] would come to the big temple.
[v] The goddess was announcing that [i] she (referring to herself) [ii] would smile.
[vi] You hoped that [i] they (referring to other people) [ii] would make a journey into that country house.
[vii] They think that [i] you (pl.) [ii] will trust them.
[viii] The queens were announcing that [i] we [ii] would hurry into the forest.
[ix] A friend was saying that [i] I [ii] would give the foods to the athlete.
[x] The girls said that [i] they (referring to themselves) [ii] would seek them.
Exercise [4]: Choose the correct translation [a] [b] or [c]
Note:
(1) Identify the tense of the verb which introduces the indirect statement e.g. he says / he said, because that will determine whether English translates the indirect statement as will or would
(2) Where pronouns are involved as the subject of the indirect statement, they will come first and, to double check, look at the ending of the future active infinitive. From the first question:
Horātia putāvit …
Is it: Horatia thinks … will … or Horatia thought … would …?
… tē puellam iūturum esse.
Who is doing the helping? Is it you [tē] or the girl [puellam]? Does iūturum agree with puellam?
[i] Horātia putāvit ¦ tē puellam iūtūrum esse.
(a) Horatia thinks that you will help the girl.
(b) Horatia thought that you would help the girl.
(c) Horatia thinks that the girl will help you.
[ii] Gladiātōrēs putābant Marium dictūrum esse
(a) The gladiators thought that Marius would speak.
(b) The gladiators thought that Marius was speaking.
(c) The gladiators thought that Marius had spoken.
[iii] Ille spērāvit tē nūntiōs impedītūram esse.
(a) He hopes that you (pl.) will hinder the messengers.
(b) He hoped that you (pl.) would hinder the messengers.
(c) He hoped that you (sg.) would hinder the messengers.
[iv] Poēta dīcit sē mē ad Graeciam revocātūrum esse.
(a) The poet says that he will call me back to Greece.
(b) The poet said that he would call me back to Greece.
(c) The poet said that I will call him back to Greece.
[v] Illī crēdunt eās in curiam ambulātūrās esse.
(a) They believed that they would walk into the senate house.
(b) They believe that these men will walk into the senate house.
(c) They believe that these women will walk into the senate house.
[vi] Patrēs dīcēbant sē nōs dēfēnsūrōs esse.
(a) The fathers were saying that they would defend us.
(b) The fathers were saying that we would defend them.
(c) The fathers are saying that they will defend us.
[vii] Crēdimus Vergilium eī cūram ostentūrum esse.
(a) We believe that he will show concern to Vergil.
(b) We believe that Vergil will show concern to him.
(c) We believed that Vergil showed concern to her.
[viii] Discipula nūntiāvit sē tē dēspectūram esse.
(a) The student announced that she would despise you.
(b) The student announced that you would despise her.
(c) The student announced that she was despised by you.
[i] (b)
[ii] (a)
[iii] (c)
[iv] (a)
[v] (c)
[vi] (a)
[vii] (b)
[viii] (a)