Latin 5: Roman Founding and Declensions

Good morning all! I find myself still wanting to share the content of Lectio Secunda from Latin By The Natural Method 1. Here is an interesting tidbit, the short Latin stories I have read in this book have actually matched what is taught as the typical history of Rome. So not only can you learn the Latin language little by little using this book, but you can also learn a bit of history.

Last time I shared the Latin version of the little pigs. Today I share the second part of the lesson:

Roma fuit urbs magna. Romani amaverunt Romam. Roma fuit antiqua. Romani dixerunt quod Romulus et Remus fundaverunt Romam. Sed non dixerunt vertatem.

In anno millesimo (1000B C) ante Christum, viri iam fuerent in terra Romana. Estruci (Etruscans) fundaverunt Romam. Etrusci amaverunt Romanos. Romani amaverunt terras Romanas. Sed non habuerunt urbes magnas.

There is a number of words here that we haven't looked at before. But, here is the lesson's vocabulary:

• urbs. city
• magna. great
• amaverunt. loved
• quod. that
• dixerunt. said
• fundaverunt. founded
• veritas. truth
• fuerunt. were
• vir. man
• iam. already
• terra. land

Here is my simple and flawed translation of the text. If you have corrections for me, which I am certain someone much smarter than me will, feel free to reach out to me, so I can correct it:

Rome was a great city. The Romans loved Rome. Rome was old. Romans said "Romulus and Remus founded Rome." But, they didn't say the truth.

In 1000 BC men already were in the land of Rome. Etruscans found Rome. Etruscans loved Romans. Romans loved the land of Rome. But, there was not a great city.

You can see in the Latin that you have different versions of the words. What we call "nouns", when they are the subject of a sentence, they are considered nominative. You write and say nominative versions of a word one way, and when they are the object of the word (objective), you say them another. Example:

• Nominative: Roma. Rome

• Objective: Romam. Rome

• Nominative: Veritas, truth

• Objective: Veritatem, truth

This change from Roma to Romam or veritas to veritatem is called a declension. There is many declensions to know. However, the whole point of using Latin By The Natural Method, is that you can naturally come across these words in an easy way to start picking up.

Also, when it comes to verbs, the tense and number of the verb causes a change in declension as well. Example:

• amavit. Singular, loved.
• amaverunt. Plural, loved.

I think these rules are important to initial see and be aware of.

Til next time! Valete

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