LVDVS DOMESTICVS: '02-'03.

Homework 4

Return to Lesson 8

On November 10th the church celebrates the yearly liturgical feast day of the greatest 'Latin stylist' among the Latin fathers of the church, LEO MAGNVS Pontifex from 440-461, with his tomb and monument in the far left corner of the present St. Peter's Basilica. here you have some examples of his sculpted Latinity which you can understand and imitate.

A) [on the fasting of the tenth month: December 13, 442].
"Misericors et pius Dominus remedia nobis* et adiutoria dedit, +per quae+ veniam obtinere possimus" [XV,1].
VOCAB. nobis*=to us. +per quae+=through which. obtinere=to obtain.

  1. If the word is: 'venia,ae-f.=forgiveness', then here it functions as: ________ reversed: _______
    What term does Roman-Catholic theology have from this Latin word?
  2. If in the l.1 the subject must be: ________ then the object must be: ________
    And how will that same object appear in the DICT. (without consulting it!!)??
  3. If "dedit" (do,dare,dedi=to give) here is past, and "possimus"=may be able, then the simple sentence must mean:
  4. Keep Leo's word-order, but modify it to mean: "Ye have given(**) remedy and help to us, that [ut] ye may be able to obtain forgiveness and graces [gratia,ae-f.)":

B) [during the anniversary celebration of his election: Sept. 29, 441].
"Splendidissimam frequentiam video...quando* simul adsunt et +uno lumine+ micant tot speciossima tabernacula Dei§, tot membra excellentissima &corporis Christi" [II,2].
VOCAB. adsum=i am present; mico=i shine. +uno lum.+=with one light. §Dei=of God. &corporis Christi=of the body of Christ. frequentia,ae-f.=crowd. quando*=when,because.

  1. If Leo begins his sentence here with ________, then what subject do you see here for the verbs: 'adsunt'+'micant'?
    The reversed of the object and subject in the quote therefore will have to be:
  2. Express the subject of the verb: "video" ________. and give us the 'vos' form for the same verb: ________, and the 'ei-eae-ea' form: ________.
  3. What do you notice here in the style, as to the position of the object+verb, subject+verb?
    Confirming what Latin principle?
  4. What did we learn about the use-treatment of adjectives? here: "splendissimus,a,um", "speciossimus,a,um", "excellentissimus,a,um"?
    As you can see these are the 'superlatives' of the basic words in your DICT.
  5. In your DICT. 'tot' means: ________, and therefore the whole neat sentence from the mouth of Leo on his election day must mean:
  6. What do you do to students who began their understanding-translation with the first word? Did this question make you revise your own?
  7. Give a very elegant way of expressing that "ET" in the whole phrase: 'simul adsunt et uno lumine micant'=
  8. Say in a Latin sentence of only 5 words: you see them-women and they-women see you":
    In a sentence of 5 words: "we are shining and we see the most beautiful tabernacle of God":

C) [in one of his immortal Christmas sermons - with an immortal formula for the incarnation: Dec. 25, 442]
"Tenet enim *sine defectu* proprietatem suam utraque natura et, sicut formam servi§ Dei§ forma non adimit, ita formam Dei§ servi§ forma non minuit" [XXIII,2].
VOCAB. *sine defectu*=without defect,fault. adimo,ere=to take away. minuo,ere=to lessen. verbs here are all present. words with § =of. sicut...ita: just as...so

  1. If that combination: "proprietatem suam" soon is going to be object: =its-own nature,identity,specialty - then what is the subject of that 'tenet'? ________, of 'minuit' ________, of 'adimit' ________? [N.B., these should be useless questions by now!!!].
  2. How did we learn to use adjectives, such as: "uter+que, utra+que, utrum+que" [=each of two]?? explain =
  3. In this theological talk, 'forma'=nature,substance,essence. and 'servus,i-m.=servant, i.e. the human-person'. You can render the sentence perfectly, but you better express it intelligently and not foolishly. Latin is your guide - with Latin freedom!
  4. If the word for: 'our' is "noster,nostra,nostrum", then you can say nicely with Leo's word order: "We hold our natures and, just-as you do not take-away our proper-things [proper-thing: proprium,i-n.], so we do not lessen your [your:=tuus,a,um] customs (=institutum,i-n.)": =

D] [from a homily on the Gospel text of Matthew 17,1-9: the Transfiguration].
"Aperit ergo Dominus *coram electis testibus* gloriam suam et...formam +tanto splendore+ clarificat" [II,3].
*coram...testibus*=in front of selected witnesses. +tanto splen. =with so great splendor.

  1. Point out the subject immediately here: ________, and then indicate the objects ________.
  2. Why did Leo begin his sentence with the verb?=
  3. When the audience at St. John's Cathedral heard: "aperit", what did they register in their heads? ________ how long did their uncertainty last?
  4. If: 'aperire=to open' and 'clarificare=to illuminate' and the verbs here are present, the elegant sentence even in its parts here means exactly:
  5. reverse: gloriam suam= ________ Dominus= ________ clarificat= ________
  6. Say in your own Latin in this way: "We are opening our glory and our studies (studium,i-n.) are illuminating me and you, him and her"

First Experience Latin - Fr. Reginald Foster

Answers to First Experience

Return to Index