Chapter 22. The Second Declension

Servus, servī (2m): slave. Est: he is.

Deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god, deity. Scit is the third person singular form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know.

Nimbus, nimbī (2m): storm; rain shower; cloud. Venit is the third person singular form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.

(For annoyances that should be beneath one’s notice.) Elephantus, elephantī (2m): elephant. Nōn: not. Capit is the third person singular form of capiō, capere, cēpī, captum (3, –iō): to take, seize, capture. Mūrem is the accusative singular form of mūs, mūris (3m): mouse.

(Say not: I am a child.) Puer, puerī (2m): boy; child. Sum: I am.

Dīcit is the third person singular form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say. Tibi is the dative form of tū: you. Magister, magistrī (2m): teacher, master.

Tū: you. Es: you are. Ille /illa/illud (adj.): that. Vir, virī (2m): man.

Lēx, lēgis (3f): law. Peccātum, peccātī (2n): sin, wrong. Est: is.

Vitium, vitiī (2n): vice, fault. Mē is the accusative form of ego. Meus/mea/ meum (1/2): my, mine. Sequitur is the third person singular form of sequor, sequī, secūtus sum (3, deponent): to follow.

Mihi is the dative form of ego. Adulterium, adulteriī (2n): adultery; adulteration, contamination. Carcer, carceris (3m): prison. Est: is.

(Or an event used to justify war.) Cāsus, cāsūs (4m): fall; event; accident; misfortune; chance, occasion, opportunity. Bellum, bellī (2n): war.

(That is, accepting and embracing whatever happens; Nietzsche said, “My formula for greatness in man is amor fati: the fact that a man wishes nothing to be different, either in front of him or behind him, or for all eternity.”) Amor, amōris (3m): love. Fātum, fātī (2n): fate, destiny.

Corpus, corporis (3n): body. Chrīstus, Chrīstī (2m): Christ.

(The “devil’s advocate” originally referred to the person in the Catholic church whose job was to point out flaws in a candidate for sainthood.) Advocātus, advocātī (2m): advocate. Diabolus, diabolī (2m): devil.

(The evidence that a crime has occurred—confession to a crime, without other evidence that it happened, is not generally enough to support a conviction.) Corpus, corporis (3n): body. Dēlictum, dēlictī (2n): crime, offense, fault.

(The source of the abbreviation e. g. ) Exemplum, exemplī (2n): example. Grātiā is the ablative singular form of grātia, grātiae (1f): favor; gratitude, (in plural) thanks; charm, grace; sake. (When grātiā is used in the way shown here—in the ablative with the meaning for the sake —it takes a word in the genitive case to complete the phrase. The genitive word usually precedes grātiā.)

(Included here to show the need for care to avoid confusion.) Crocodīlus, crocodīlī (2m): crocodile. Lacrimae is the nominative plural form of lacrima, lacrimae (1f): tear. Crocodīlī might look nominative plural, and it could be in principle; but here it’s genitive. Lacrimae might look genitive singular, and it could be in principle; but here it’s the nominative plural. So the phrase could be read either as crocodiles of the tear or tears of a crocodile, and of course the latter is its meaning.

(In other words, not a false friend.) Amīcō is the dative singular form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. Amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend.

Flāgitiō is the dative singular form of flāgitium, flāgitiī (2n): disgrace, scandal. Additis is the second person plural form of addō, addere, addidī, additum (3): to add. Damnum is the accusative singular form of damnum, damnī (2n): financial loss; loss (of anything).

Reddite is the plural imperative form of reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum (3): to give back, return, render. Ergō (particle): therefore, then. Quae is the f/n nominative plural form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Sunt: are. Caesar, Caesaris (3m): Caesar. Caesarī is the dative singular form of Caesar, Caesaris (3m): Caesar. Et (conj.): and. Deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god, deity. Deō is the dative singular form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god, deity.

(An unreasonable mismatch.) Testūdinem is the accusative singular form of testūdō, testūdinis (3f): turtle, tortoise. Pēgasō is the dative form of Pēgasus, Pēgasī (2m): Pegasus, a winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa. Comparās is the second person singular form of comparō, comparāre, comparāvī, comparātum (1): to compare; match.

(He’s quoting Epicurus.) Numquam (adv.): never. Volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want, wish. Populō is the dative singular form of populus, populī (2m): a people; the people; nation. Placeō, placēre, placuī, placitum (2): to meet with approval, please, satisfy (takes the dative).

(As when one fool praises another.) Asinus, asinī (2m): donkey, jackass. Asinum is the accusative singular form of asinus, asinī (2m): donkey, jackass. Fricat is the third person singular form of fricō, fricāre, fricuī, frictum (1): to rub.

Lupus, lupī (2m): wolf. Nōn: not. Mordet is the third person singular form of mordeō, mordēre, momordī, morsum (2): to bite. Lupum is the accusative singular form of lupus, lupī (2m): wolf.

Vestis, vestis (3f): clothing. Virum is the accusative singular form of vir, virī (2m): man; husband. Facit is the third person singular form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.

(As when an ox is prodded with a sharp stick and rebels by stomping on it, injuring itself more.) Contrā (prep.): against (takes the accusative). Stimulum is the accusative singular form of stimulus, stimulī (2m): goad; stimulus. Calcās is the second person singular form of calcō, calcāre, calcāvī, calcātum (1): to trample, tread under foot. (The expression also occurs with calcitrās —the second person singular form of calcō, calcāre, calcāvī, calcātum (1): to kick—cf. Acts 9:5.)

(To describe a case where one person fights another with inadequate weapons.) Contrā (prep.): against (takes the accusative). Rētiārium is the accusative singular form of rētiārius, rētiāriī (2m): a gladiator who fights with a trident and net. Ferula, ferulae (1f): cane, rod. (The adage is adapted from Martial, Epigrams 2. pr. : “Consider whether it amuses you to fight a netsman with a stick.”)

In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Vitrō is the ablative singular form of vitrum, vitrī (2n): glass.

In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Uterō is the ablative singular form of uterus, uterī (2m): uterus.

(An “ex officio” member of a committee is a member by virtue of holding another office.) Ex /ē (prep.): from, out of (takes the ablative). Officiō is the ablative singular form of officium, officiī (2n): office; duty; service.

Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Grānō is the ablative singular form of grānum, grānī (2n): grain. Sāl, salis (3m): salt.

Nēmō, nēminis (3m): no one. Sine (prep.): without (takes the ablative). Vitiō is the ablative singular form of vitium, vitiī (2n): vice, fault. Est: is.

(Or: to live on air. Said of those living with no visible means of support.) Ventō is the ablative singular form of ventus, ventī (2m): wind. Vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live.

(As when a new love displaces an old one.) Clāvum is the accusative singular form of clāvus, clāvī (2m): nail. Clāvō is the ablative singular form of clāvus, clāvī (2m): nail. Trūdō, trūdere, trūsī, trūsum (3): to push, thrust, drive.

Mox (adv.): soon; afterward, at a later period. Equō is the ablative singular form of equus, equī (2m): horse. Meruit is the third person singular perfect form of mereō, merēre, meruī, meritum (2): to earn; deserve; earn (a soldier’s wages), i.e., serve (in the military).

(To describe something slow.) Celerius is the comparative form of celeriter (fast, quickly), an adverb formed from the adjective celer, celeris (3, adj.): fast, quick. Elephantī is the nominative plural form of elephantus, elephantī (2m/f): elephant (usually m, but occasionally f when referring specifically to a female elephant). Pariunt is the third person plural form of pariō, parere, peperī, partum (3, –iō): to give birth.

Ergō (particle): therefore, then. Līberī is the masculine nominative plural form of līber/lībera/līberum (1/2): free. Sunt: (they) are. Fīliī is the nominative plural form of fīlius, fīliī (2m): son.

Lēgātī is the nominative plural form of lēgātus, lēgātī (2m): ambassador, legate. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into, to. Castra is the accusative plural form of castrum, castrī (2n): fortified place; (in the plural only) camp. Veniunt is the third person plural form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.

Signa is the nominative plural form of signum, signī (2n): sign; signal. Canunt is the third person plural form of canō, canere, cecinī, cantum (3): to sing, sound.

Perīcula is the nominative plural form of perīculum, perīculī (2n): danger, risk. Lūdus, lūdī (2m): game, play, sport, pastime. The verb (sunt — are) is implied.

Remittuntur is the third person plural passive form of remittō, remittere, remīsī, remissum (3): to send back; release; concede; remit. Tibi is the dative form of tū: you. Peccāta is the nominative plural form of peccātum, peccātī (2n): sin, wrong.

Mē is the accusative form of ego. Quoque (adv.): also, too; even. Fāta is the nominative plural form of fātum, fātī (2n): fate. Vocant is the third person plural form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call.

(Refers to Euclid’s theorem that the base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal. This claim might have the name bridge of asses because a diagram of it resembles a bridge, and because understanding the proof is a bridge that the slow-witted cannot cross. In any event, pons asinorum is used figuratively to refer to a challenge in any field that separates the abler from the less able—i.e., a stumbling block.) Pōns, pontis (3m): bridge. Asinōrum is the genitive plural form of asinus, asinī (2m): donkey, ass; simpleton.

Novus /nova/novum (1/2): new; young; fresh. Ōrdō, ōrdinis (3m): order. Sēclōrum is the genitive plural form of sēclum, sēclī (2n—more classically spelled saeculum): age, generation. (Adapted from Virgil, Eclogues 4.5.)

(Said to have been written by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, and fastened to the cross on which Jesus was crucified.) Iēsūs, Iēsū (irreg. , m): Jesus. Nazarēnus /Nazarēna/Nazarēnum (1/2): Nazarene. Rēx, rēgis (3m): king. Iūdaeōrum is the genitive plural form of Iūdaeus, Iūdaeī (2m): Judean, Jew.

Magnus /magna/magnum (1/2): great, large; important. Timor, timōris (3m): fear, dread. Candidātōrum is the genitive plural form of candidātus, candidātī (2m): candidate. The verb (est — is) is implied.

Plēnus/ plēna /plēnum (1/2): full. Vīta, vītae (1f): life. Exemplōrum is the genitive plural form of exemplum, exemplī (2n): example; sample; lesson. Est: is.

Annuit is the third person singular form of annuō, annuere, annuī, annūtum (3—also adnuō): to nod in assent; give approval. Coeptīs is the dative plural form of coeptum, coeptī (2n): undertaking, enterprise, something begun. (The motto is adapted from Virgil, Aeneid 9.625: audacibus adnue coeptis: give assent to my bold undertakings! —a prayer to Jupiter.)

Dedit is the third person singular perfect form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give. Discipulīs is the dative plural form of discipulus, discipulī (2m): student; disciple. Pānēs is the accusative plural form of pānis, pānis (3m): bread; loaf.

(Attributed, perhaps fictitiously, to Brutus when he helped assassinate Julius Caesar. John Wilkes Booth claimed to have said it after he shot Abraham Lincoln.) Sīc (adv.): thus, so, in such manner. Semper (adv.): always. Tyrannīs is the dative plural form of tyrannus, tyrannī (2m): tyrant.

(As when one deliberately confuses another; adapted from a remark of Cicero’s (reported by Quintilian) about having successfully thrown dust in the eyes of a jury.) Pulverem is the accusative singular form of pulvis, pulveris (3m): dust. Oculīs is the dative plural form of oculus, oculī (2m): eye. Offundō, offundere, offūdī, offūsum (3): to pour or spread (something over something mentioned in the dative); cover.

(In other words, to sell empty promises. Adapted from Martial, Epigrams 4.5. Since fumos is plural and smoke is hard to use that way, an alternative rendition would be to sell fumes.) Fūmōs is the accusative plural form of fūmus, fūmī (2m): smoke; fume. Vēndō, vēndere, vēndidī, vēnditum (3): to sell.

Discipulōs is the accusative plural form of discipulus, discipulī (2m): student, pupil; disciple. Dīmitte is the singular imperative form of dīmittō, dīmittere, dīmīsī, dīmissum (3): to let go, release, dismiss, send away. Tuōs is the masculine accusative plural form of tuus/tua/tuum (1/2): your, yours.

Vīs is the second person singular form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to wish, want. Deōs is the accusative plural form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god, deity. Propitiō, propitiāre, propitiāvī, propitiātum (1): to appease, soothe, propitiate.

Nōn: not. Quaerit is the third person singular form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek; ask. Ministrōs is the accusative plural form of minister, ministrī (2m): servant; helper, assistant; agent; accomplice. Deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god, deity.

Caesar, Caesaris (3m): Caesar. Nōn: not. Suprā (prep.): over, above (takes the accusative). Grammaticōs is the accusative plural form of grammaticus, grammaticī (2m): grammarian. The verb (est — is) is implied. (Possibly adapted from an anecdote in Dio Cassius, Roman History 57.17: Tiberius, successor to Augustus as Emperor, used a word that was not Latin; he was advised that “Caesar can confer Roman citizenship upon men but not upon words.” A similar story is told of a Holy Roman Emperor in medieval times who misused a Latin word, was corrected, sought to overrule the correction by force, and was met with this riposte.)

(That is, to offer mere words or empty words—i.e., to trick or deceive someone.) Dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give. Verba is the accusative plural form of verbum, verbī (2n): word.

(Now he engages in them.) Vitia is the accusative plural form of vitium, vitiī (2n): vice, fault. Castīgābat is the third person singular imperfect form of castīgō, castīgāre, castīgāvī, castīgātum (1): to correct, censure, castigate. (This is a good example of the imperfect tense being used to express habitual action in the past.)

Ad (prep.): to, toward (takes the accusative). Astra is the accusative plural form of astrum, astrī (2n): star. Per (prep.): through (takes the accusative). Aspera is the neuter accusative plural form of asper/aspera/asperum (1/2): rough; harsh; cruel—used substantively to mean harsh or difficult things.

(The sentence has become a legal maxim, sometimes modified as nam silent leges inter arma.) Silent is the third person plural form of sileō, silēre, siluī, — (2): to be silent. Enim (particle): for; indeed (nam has a similar meaning). Lēgēs is the nominative plural form of lēx, lēgis (3f): law; rule, principle. Inter (prep.): between; among; during (takes the accusative). Arma is the accusative form of arma, armōrum (2n, plural only): arms; (by metonymy) war.

(He’s speaking of everyone; philosophy doesn’t care about genealogy.) Ab/ ā (prep.): from; by (takes the ablative). Dīs is the ablative plural form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god (a slightly irregular but extremely frequent form— diīs and deīs are also found). Sunt: they are.

(He’s stating the rule he follows in his writings.) Parcō, parcere, pepercī/parsī, parsum (3): to be lenient, spare; refrain from (takes the dative). Persōnīs is the dative plural form of persōna, persōnae (1f): mask; character (in a play); person. Dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say, speak. Dē (prep.): from, down from; about, concerning (takes the ablative). Vitiīs is the ablative plural form of vitium, vitiī (2n): vice, fault.

Vīvet is the third person singular future form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live. Enim (particle): for; indeed. Etiam (particle): even. Sine (prep.): without (takes the ablative). Amīcīs is the ablative plural form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. Beātē (adv.): happily—from the adjective beātus/beāta/beātum (1/2): happy, blessed.

Fingite is the plural imperative form of fingō, fingere, fīnxī, fictum (3): to shape; invent; imagine. Animīs is the ablative plural form of animus, animī (2m): mind, soul. (Fingere animō —literally to shape (something) in (one’s) mind —is a set phrase meaning to imagine. Since imagining always takes place in the mind, the use of the word mind in translating the phrase is a matter of discretion.)

Hanc is the feminine accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. (It’s feminine because it refers to tellūs, tellūris (3f.): earth, land. The priest of Apollo tells Aeneas’s father to sail to Italy, to seize it.) Arripe is the singular imperative form of arripiō, arripere, arripuī, arreptum (3, –iō): to snatch, seize. Vēlīs is the ablative plural form of vēlum, vēlī (2n): sail.

(Meaning: to be far superior to all others in some activity (because white horses were either very fast or associated with victory parades).) Equīs is the ablative plural form of equus, equī (2m): horse. Albīs is the m/f/n ablative plural form of albus/alba/album (1/2): white. Praecēdō, praecēdere, praecessī, praecessum (3): to lead the way; precede; surpass.