← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
103.1 Tantus so great dolor grief mē me vexat troubles
103.2 Numquam never tantam so great multitūdinem multitude hominum of men vīdī I saw
103.3 Rēx king tantō with so great exercitū army urbem city oppugnat attacks
103.4 Caelum sky tantīs with so many stellīs stars lūcet shines
103.5 Propter because of tantam so great amīcitiam friendship tē you adiuvābō I will help
103.6 Nōn not possum I am able intellegere to understand cūr why tantum so great timōrem fear habeās you have
103.7 Discipulī students tantā with such great dīligentiā diligence studuērunt studied
103.8 Mercātor merchant tantum so much argentī of silver habet has
103.9 Haud not crēdibile believable est it is tantum so much opus work ūnō in one diē day perficere to complete
103.10 Nihil nothing umquam ever tantum so much placuit pleased mihi me
103.11 Vidēs you see tantam so great pulchritūdinem beauty templī of the temple
103.12 Vōx voice tantō with so great clāmōre shout audīta heard est was
103.13 Omnēs all mīrantēs wondering erant were cūr why tantam so great pecūniam sum of money impendisset he had spent
103.14 Deus God tantīs with so great beneficiīs benefits nōs us cumulat heaps up
103.15 Nesciō I do not know unde from where tantam so great sapientiam wisdom accipiās you receive
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
103.1 Tantus dolor mē vexat. Such great grief troubles me.
103.2 Numquam tantam multitūdinem hominum vīdī. I have never seen such a great multitude of men.
103.3 Rēx tantō exercitū urbem oppugnat. The king attacks the city with such a great army.
103.4 Caelum tantīs stellīs lūcet. The sky shines with so many stars.
103.5 Propter tantam amīcitiam tē adiuvābō. Because of such great friendship, I will help you.
103.6 Nōn possum intellegere cūr tantum timōrem habeās. I cannot understand why you have such great fear.
103.7 Discipulī tantā dīligentiā studuērunt. The students studied with such great diligence.
103.8 Mercātor tantum argentī habet. The merchant has so much silver.
103.9 Haud crēdibile est tantum opus ūnō diē perficere. It is not believable to complete so much work in one day.
103.10 Nihil umquam tantum mihi placuit. Nothing has ever pleased me so much.
103.11 Vidēs tantam pulchritūdinem templī. You see such great beauty of the temple.
103.12 Vōx tantō clāmōre audīta est. The voice was heard with such a great shout.
103.13 Omnēs mīrantēs erant cūr tantam pecūniam impendisset. All were wondering why he had spent so much money.
103.14 Deus tantīs beneficiīs nōs cumulat. God heaps us with such great benefits.
103.15 Nesciō unde tantam sapientiam accipiās. I do not know from where you receive such great wisdom.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
103.1 Tantus dolor mē vexat.
103.2 Numquam tantam multitūdinem hominum vīdī.
103.3 Rēx tantō exercitū urbem oppugnat.
103.4 Caelum tantīs stellīs lūcet.
103.5 Propter tantam amīcitiam tē adiuvābō.
103.6 Nōn possum intellegere cūr tantum timōrem habeās.
103.7 Discipulī tantā dīligentiā studuērunt.
103.8 Mercātor tantum argentī habet.
103.9 Haud crēdibile est tantum opus ūnō diē perficere.
103.10 Nihil umquam tantum mihi placuit.
103.11 Vidēs tantam pulchritūdinem templī.
103.12 Vōx tantō clāmōre audīta est.
103.13 Omnēs mīrantēs erant cūr tantam pecūniam impendisset.
103.14 Deus tantīs beneficiīs nōs cumulat.
103.15 Nesciō unde tantam sapientiam accipiās.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
The adjective "tantus, tanta, tantum" is used to express the idea of "so great" or "so much" in Latin. Here are the key grammatical points, illustrated with direct quotations from our examples: -
Form and Declension: -
It follows the pattern of first and second declension adjectives, as seen in various forms throughout our examples: -
Masculine nominative: "Tantus dolor mē vexat" (103.1) -
Feminine accusative: "Numquam tantam multitūdinem hominum vīdī" (103.2) -
Neuter accusative: "Nōn possum intellegere cūr tantum timōrem habeās" (103.6) -
Masculine ablative: "Rēx tantō exercitū urbem oppugnat" (103.3) -
Feminine ablative: "Discipulī tantā dīligentiā studuērunt" (103.7) -
Plural ablative: "Caelum tantīs stellīs lūcet" (103.4) -
Uses: -
As an attributive adjective: Directly modifies a noun, as in "tantus dolor" (103.1) - "such great grief" -
With genitive of the whole: Used with the genitive to express quantity, as in "tantum argentī habet" (103.8) - "has so much silver" -
In ablative of manner: Appears in the ablative to express the manner or degree, as in "tantā dīligentiā studuērunt" (103.7) - "studied with such great diligence" -
In indirect questions: As seen in "cūr tantam pecūniam impendisset" (103.13) - "why he had spent so much money" -
Case Usage Examples: -
Nominative: "Tantus dolor mē vexat" (103.1) - Subject of the sentence -
Accusative: "Numquam tantam multitūdinem hominum vīdī" (103.2) - Direct object -
Ablative of means: "Rēx tantō exercitū urbem oppugnat" (103.3) - Showing the means by which the action is accomplished -
Ablative of manner: "Discipulī tantā dīligentiā studuērunt" (103.7) - Expressing how the action is performed -
With Different Types of Nouns: -
Concrete nouns: "tantō exercitū" (103.3) - "with such a great army" -
Abstract nouns: "tantam sapientiam" (103.15) - "such great wisdom" -
Partitive expressions: "tantum argentī" (103.8) - "so much silver" -
Syntactic Positions: -
Beginning of sentence: "Tantus dolor mē vexat" (103.1) - Emphasizing the magnitude -
Middle of sentence: "Nōn possum intellegere cūr tantum timōrem habeās" (103.6) - Within a subordinate clause -
With prepositions: "Propter tantam amīcitiam tē adiuvābō" (103.5) - Following a preposition
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Understanding "tantus" in post-classical and ecclesiastical Latin requires some cultural context, illustrated with examples from our lesson: -
Religious Significance: -
"Deus tantīs beneficiīs nōs cumulat" (103.14) - In Christian Latin, "tantus" frequently describes the magnitude of God's gifts, blessings, and mercies. This reflects the theological emphasis on God's abundance and generosity. -
"Vidēs tantam pulchritūdinem templī" (103.11) - When used to describe sacred buildings or objects, "tantus" often carries connotations of divine presence and glory manifested in physical form. -
Moral and Spiritual Applications: -
"Nesciō unde tantam sapientiam accipiās" (103.15) - In ecclesiastical texts, "tanta sapientia" often refers not just to intellectual knowledge but to spiritual wisdom imparted by God, reflecting the Christian value of divine wisdom over human knowledge. -
"Nihil umquam tantum mihi placuit" (103.10) - In spiritual writings, expressions like this often lead to reflections on finding ultimate pleasure in God rather than worldly things. -
Liturgical Language: -
Phrases similar to "tantīs beneficiīs" (103.14) appear frequently in prayers, especially the Eucharistic prayers, where the magnitude of God's gifts is emphasized. -
The concept of "tantus dolor" (103.1) is important in Lenten and Passion liturgies, where the magnitude of Christ's suffering is contemplated. -
Exegetical Use in Christian Writings: -
Early Christian commentators might analyze expressions like "tantā dīligentiā" (103.7) to urge similar diligence in spiritual studies. -
A phrase like "tantam multitūdinem hominum" (103.2) appears in texts describing conversions or the growth of the Church. -
Medieval Developments: -
Scholastic philosophers used constructions like "cūr tantum timōrem habeās" (103.6) in dialectical arguments about the nature of fear and other emotions. -
Mystical writers might use "tantō clāmōre" (103.12) to describe intense spiritual experiences or divine communication.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
From Augustine's "Confessions" (Book 8, Chapter 12):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Et and ecce behold audiō I hear vōcem voice dē from vicinā neighboring domō house cum with cantū song dīcentis of one saying et and crebro repeatedly repetentis, repeating, quasi as if puerī of a boy an or puellae, of a girl, nesciō: I know not: "Tolle, "Take up, lege; read; tolle, take up, lege." read." Statimque And immediately mūtātō having been changed vultū expression intentissimus most intently cōgitāre to think coepī I began utrumnam whether solerent were accustomed puerī children in in aliquō some genere kind lūdendī of playing cantitāre to sing tāle such aliquid, something, nec nor occurrēbat did it occur omnīnō at all audīsse to have heard mē myself uspiam. anywhere.
Et ecce audiō vōcem dē vicinā domō cum cantū dīcentis et crebro repetentis, quasi puerī an puellae, nesciō: "Tolle, lege; tolle, lege." Statimque mūtātō vultū intentissimus cōgitāre coepī utrumnam solerent puerī in aliquō genere lūdendī cantitāre tāle aliquid, nec occurrēbat omnīnō audīsse mē uspiam.
And behold, I heard a voice from a neighboring house, with a chant saying and frequently repeating, as if of a boy or a girl, I know not which: "Take up, read; take up, read." And immediately, with a changed expression, I began to think most intently whether children were accustomed to sing such a thing in some kind of game, nor did it occur to me at all to have heard such a thing anywhere.
This famous passage describes the pivotal moment of Augustine's conversion. While it doesn't contain "tantus" directly, it uses "tāle" (such), a related demonstrative adjective. The passage illustrates how these types of demonstratives function to indicate qualities of significance.
The phrase "tāle aliquid" ("such a thing") is particularly important as Augustine questions whether he has ever heard children sing "such" words in their games. The use of "tāle" emphasizes the distinctive nature of what he heard—words that would change his life forever.
Augustine's questioning about whether he had heard "tāle aliquid" (such a thing) "uspiam" (anywhere) heightens the sense that this experience was unique and divinely orchestrated. This parallels how "tantus" is often used to mark the extraordinary magnitude of divine interventions.
-
"tāle aliquid" shows the neuter singular accusative form of "tālis," a demonstrative adjective related to "tantus" but focusing on kind rather than size or degree -
The phrase functions as the direct object of "cantitāre" (to sing) -
Like "tantus," "tālis" agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case -
The passage demonstrates the use of demonstrative adjectives in indirect questions with "utrumnam" (whether) -
Augustine's style here involves complex subordination, with the main clause "cōgitāre coepī" (I began to think) followed by an indirect question
This passage, though not using "tantus" directly, helps us understand how similar demonstrative adjectives function in ecclesiastical Latin to mark significant or distinctive qualities.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
103.16 Grātiās thanks tibi to you agimus we give prō for tantīs so great beneficiīs benefits tuīs your omnipotēns almighty Deus God
103.17 Tantā with such great misericordiā mercy peccātōrēs sinners accipis you receive Domine O Lord
103.18 Cor heart meum my tantō with such great amōre love tuī of you ardet burns ō O Christe Christ
103.19 Quis who tantam such great bonitātem goodness tuam your dignis with worthy laudibus praises extollere to extol potest is able
103.20 Tantum so great est is gaudium joy meum my in in praesentiā presence tuā your Domine O Lord
103.21 Verbum word tuī of your Evangeliī Gospel tantam such great lucem light cordibus to hearts nostrīs our affert brings
103.22 Tantīs with so many peccātīs sins onerati burdened ad to tē you venīmus we come Salvātor Savior mundi of the world
103.23 Accipe receive Domine O Lord hoc this sacrificium sacrifice quod which tantā with such great dēvōtiōne devotion offerimus we offer
103.24 Ecclesia Church tua your tantā with such great fidē faith in in omnibus all gentibus nations crescit grows
103.25 Tantum so much valet avails orātiō prayer iustī of the righteous apud with tē you Deus God noster our
103.26 Confīdimus we trust in in tantā such great potentiā power dexterae of the right hand tuae your Domine O Lord
103.27 Quis who dignus worthy est is tantum such great mystērium mystery celebrāre to celebrate
103.28 Propter because of tantam such great caritatem charity Fīlium Son tuum your mīsistī you sent in into mundum world
103.29 Nunquam never cessābimus will we cease prō for tantīs such great dōnīs gifts grātiās thanks agere to give
103.30 Tantā with such great alacritate eagerness servīre to serve tibi you dēbemus we ought ō O Domine Lord Deus God noster our
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
103.16 Grātiās tibi agimus prō tantīs beneficiīs tuīs, omnipotēns Deus. We give thanks to you for your great benefits, almighty God.
103.17 Tantā misericordiā peccātōrēs accipis, Domine. With such great mercy you receive sinners, O Lord.
103.18 Cor meum tantō amōre tuī ardet, ō Christe. My heart burns with such great love for you, O Christ.
103.19 Quis tantam bonitātem tuam dignis laudibus extollere potest? Who can extol your such great goodness with worthy praises?
103.20 Tantum est gaudium meum in praesentiā tuā, Domine. So great is my joy in your presence, O Lord.
103.21 Verbum tuī Evangeliī tantam lucem cordibus nostrīs affert. The word of your Gospel brings such great light to our hearts.
103.22 Tantīs peccātīs onerati ad tē venīmus, Salvātor mundi. Burdened with so many sins, we come to you, Savior of the world.
103.23 Accipe, Domine, hoc sacrificium quod tantā dēvōtiōne offerimus. Receive, O Lord, this sacrifice which we offer with such great devotion.
103.24 Ecclesia tua tantā fidē in omnibus gentibus crescit. Your Church grows with such great faith among all nations.
103.25 Tantum valet orātiō iustī apud tē, Deus noster. So much avails the prayer of the righteous with you, our God.
103.26 Confīdimus in tantā potentiā dexterae tuae, Domine. We trust in such great power of your right hand, O Lord.
103.27 Quis dignus est tantum mystērium celebrāre? Who is worthy to celebrate such a great mystery?
103.28 Propter tantam caritatem Fīlium tuum mīsistī in mundum. Because of such great love you sent your Son into the world.
103.29 Nunquam cessābimus prō tantīs dōnīs grātiās agere. We will never cease to give thanks for such great gifts.
103.30 Tantā alacritate servīre tibi dēbemus, ō Domine Deus noster. With such great eagerness we ought to serve you, O Lord our God.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
103.16 Grātiās tibi agimus prō tantīs beneficiīs tuīs, omnipotēns Deus.
103.17 Tantā misericordiā peccātōrēs accipis, Domine.
103.18 Cor meum tantō amōre tuī ardet, ō Christe.
103.19 Quis tantam bonitātem tuam dignis laudibus extollere potest?
103.20 Tantum est gaudium meum in praesentiā tuā, Domine.
103.21 Verbum tuī Evangeliī tantam lucem cordibus nostrīs affert.
103.22 Tantīs peccātīs onerati ad tē venīmus, Salvātor mundi.
103.23 Accipe, Domine, hoc sacrificium quod tantā dēvōtiōne offerimus.
103.24 Ecclesia tua tantā fidē in omnibus gentibus crescit.
103.25 Tantum valet orātiō iustī apud tē, Deus noster.
103.26 Confīdimus in tantā potentiā dexterae tuae, Domine.
103.27 Quis dignus est tantum mystērium celebrāre?
103.28 Propter tantam caritatem Fīlium tuum mīsistī in mundum.
103.29 Nunquam cessābimus prō tantīs dōnīs grātiās agere.
103.30 Tantā alacritate servīre tibi dēbemus, ō Domine Deus noster.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
In liturgical Latin, "tantus" appears frequently to express the magnitude of divine attributes and human responses. This section examines its specific grammatical uses in prayer language: -
Expressing Divine Attributes: -
"Tantā misericordiā peccātōrēs accipis" (103.17) - Here "tantā" is in the ablative case, showing the manner in which God receives sinners. The ablative of manner is common in describing divine qualities. -
"Tantam bonitātem tuam" (103.19) - The accusative form modifies "bonitātem" as the direct object of "extollere," showing what quality we are praising. -
"Tantā potentiā dexterae tuae" (103.26) - "Tantā" modifies "potentiā" in the ablative following the preposition "in," showing what we place our trust in. -
Human Responses to God: -
"Tantō amōre tuī ardet" (103.18) - The ablative "tantō" expresses the intensity of the emotion. Note the genitive "tuī" that follows, showing the object of the love. -
"Tantā dēvōtiōne offerimus" (103.23) - Another ablative of manner, showing how the sacrifice is offered. -
"Tantā alacritate servīre" (103.30) - The ablative shows the manner of serving, modifying the infinitive "servīre." -
Syntactic Patterns in Liturgical Language: -
Rhetorical questions: "Quis tantam bonitātem tuam dignis laudibus extollere potest?" (103.19) - Using "tantus" in rhetorical questions emphasizes divine qualities beyond human comprehension. -
Causal expressions: "Propter tantam caritatem Fīlium tuum mīsistī" (103.28) - "Tantam" modifies "caritatem" following "propter," indicating the reason for God's action. -
Expressions of gratitude: "Grātiās tibi agimus prō tantīs beneficiīs tuīs" (103.16) - "Tantīs" in the ablative plural follows "prō," showing what we give thanks for. -
Liturgical Formulas: -
"Tantum est gaudium meum" (103.20) - Predicate adjective construction with "est," emphasizing the degree of joy. -
"Tantum valet orātiō iustī" (103.25) - "Tantum" as an adverb modifying "valet," showing the effectiveness of prayer. -
"Tantum mystērium celebrāre" (103.27) - Modifying the direct object of an infinitive in a question about worthiness. -
With Church-Specific Vocabulary: -
"Tantīs peccātīs onerati" (103.22) - "Tantīs" modifies "peccātīs" in an ablative absolute construction, expressing the burden of sins. -
"Tantam lucem cordibus nostrīs affert" (103.21) - "Tantam" modifies "lucem," the direct object, while "cordibus nostrīs" is in the dative, showing the recipient of the light. -
"Tantā fidē in omnibus gentibus crescit" (103.24) - Ablative of manner showing how the Church grows.
These examples demonstrate how "tantus" functions grammatically in liturgical Latin to express the overwhelming nature of divine attributes and the intensity of human religious experience.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---