← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿᵘᵐ ◊ᴱᶜᶜˡᵉˢⁱᵃˢᵗⁱᶜᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵉˢˢᵒⁿ²¹⁵ ◊mensis
Welcome to Lesson 215 of the Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course. Today’s word is mensis, “month.” It is the word with which Saint Luke opens the Annunciation: In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo, “And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God” (Luke 1:26).
What does mensis mean in Ecclesiastical Latin?
Mensis is a masculine noun of the third declension (mēnsis, mēnsis, m.). It means a month: one of the twelve parts of the year, and in the older, lunar reckoning of Scripture the time from one new moon to the next. In the Vulgate it counts the months of a pregnancy (Luke 1:24, 1:26, 1:36), the length of a stay (Luke 1:56, Acts 18:11), the time before the harvest (John 4:35), and the feasts of the Law, which are fixed by the day of the month (Leviticus 23:5).
How does Latin differ from English here?
English “month” is a plain noun with no gender. Latin mensis is masculine, and this matters, because the names of the months are adjectives that agree with it: mēnsis Maius, “the month of May,” mēnse Octōbrī, “in the month of October.” Iānuārius, Maius, Iūnius, September and the rest are not nouns at all in origin: they describe the mensis.
Latin also expresses time with cases where English uses prepositions. “In the sixth month” is simply the ablative, mense sexto, with no word for “in” needed (although the Vulgate often adds in, as in Luke 1:26). “For three months” is normally the accusative, trēs mēnsēs, but the Vulgate often uses the ablative here too: mensibus tribus (Luke 1:56). This lesson shows both.
Etymology: mensis comes from an ancient root meaning “to measure.” It is related to Greek μήν (mēn), “month,” and to English “moon” and “month”: the moon was the measurer of time. From mensis come the adjective mēnstruus, “monthly,” and the compounds sēmēstris, “of six months” (sex + mēnsis), and trimēstris, “of three months.” English “semester” and “trimester” come from these.
Orthography: the e of mensis is long: mēnsis. This course writes the headword without a mark, as mensis, and marks long vowels in the examples. The genitive plural is mēnsium (it is an i-stem noun); the shorter form mēnsum is also found in Classical authors. Do not confuse mēnsis, “month,” with mēnsa, “table,” or with mēnsus, the participle of mētior, “to measure.”
Key Takeaways
✠ Mensis, mēnsis, m. (3rd declension, i-stem) means “month”; genitive plural mēnsium
✠ It is masculine, and the names of the months are adjectives agreeing with it: mēnse Maiō, mēnsis Octōber
✠ Time when takes the ablative (mēnse sextō); time how long takes the accusative (trēs mēnsēs), though the Vulgate often uses the ablative (mēnsibus tribus)
✠ It opens the Annunciation: In mense autem sexto (Luke 1:26)
✠ It shares an ancient root with Greek μήν, English “moon” and “month”
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mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/: two syllables, MEN-sis. In a word of two syllables the stress always falls on the first.
mēnsem /ˈmen.sem/, mēnse /ˈmen.se/, mēnsī /ˈmen.si/, mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/: the stress stays on men.
mēnsibus /ˈmen.si.bus/ and mēnsium /ˈmen.si.um/: three syllables, but the middle syllable si is short, so the stress goes back to men. In every form of this word the stress falls on the first syllable.
The s after n is a clear /s/, as in English “mince,” never /z/. The e is a pure /e/, as in Italian “mese,” not the English sound of “mean.” Say “MEN-sees.”
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215.1a Mēnsis the-month longus long est is
215.1b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG longus /ˈloŋ.gus/ long.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
215.2a Mēnsis a-month novus new incipit begins
215.2b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG novus /ˈno.vus/ new.NOM.M.SG incipit /ˈin.tʃi.pit/ begin.3SG.PRES
215.3a Annus the-year duodecim twelve mēnsēs months habet has
215.3b Annus /ˈan.nus/ year.NOM.M.SG duodecim /duˈo.de.tʃim/ twelve.INDECL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL habet /ˈa.bet/ have.3SG.PRES
215.4a Mēnse in-the-month Maiō of-May Marīam Mary honōrāmus we-honour
215.4b Mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Maiō /ˈma.jo/ May.ABL.M.SG Marīam /maˈri.am/ Mary.ACC.F.SG honōrāmus /o.noˈra.mus/ honour.1PL.PRES
215.5a Post after trēs three mēnsēs months rediit he-returned
215.5b Post /post/ after.PREP+ACC trēs /tres/ three.ACC.M.PL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL rediit /ˈre.di.it/ return.3SG.PERF
215.6a Prīmō on-the-first diē day mēnsis of-the-month ad to Missam Mass venīmus we-come
215.6b Prīmō /ˈpri.mo/ first.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.e/ day.ABL.M.SG mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.GEN.M.SG ad /ad/ to.PREP+ACC Missam /ˈmis.sam/ Mass.ACC.F.SG venīmus /veˈni.mus/ come.1PL.PRES
215.7a Mēnsis the-month Octōber October Rosāriō to-the-Rosary dēdicātus dedicated est is
215.7b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG Octōber /okˈto.ber/ October.NOM.M.SG Rosāriō /roˈsa.ri.o/ rosary.DAT.N.SG dēdicātus /de.diˈka.tus/ dedicate.PERF.PART.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
215.8a Novem nine mēnsēs months Marīa Mary Fīlium the-Son in in uterō womb portāvit carried
215.8b Novem /ˈno.vem/ nine.INDECL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL Marīa /maˈri.a/ Mary.NOM.F.SG Fīlium /ˈfi.li.um/ son.ACC.M.SG in /in/ in.PREP+ABL uterō /ˈu.te.ro/ womb.ABL.M.SG portāvit /porˈta.vit/ carry.3SG.PERF
215.9a Mānsit remained autem and Marīa Mary cum with illā her quasi about mēnsibus months tribus three
215.9b Mānsit /ˈman.sit/ remain.3SG.PERF autem /ˈau.tem/ and.CONJ Marīa /maˈri.a/ Mary.NOM.F.SG cum /kum/ with.PREP+ABL illā /ˈil.la/ her.ABL.F.SG quasi /ˈkwa.si/ about.ADV mēnsibus /ˈmen.si.bus/ month.ABL.M.PL tribus /ˈtri.bus/ three.ABL.M.PL
215.10a Mēnsis month iste this vōbīs to-you prīncipium the-beginning mēnsium of-months
215.10b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG iste /ˈis.te/ this.NOM.M.SG vōbīs /ˈvo.bis/ you.DAT.2PL prīncipium /prinˈtʃi.pi.um/ beginning.NOM.N.SG mēnsium /ˈmen.si.um/ month.GEN.M.PL
215.11a Nōnne not vōs you dīcitis say quod that adhūc still quattuor four mēnsēs months sunt are et and messis the-harvest venit comes
215.11b Nōnne /ˈnon.ne/ not.INTERROG vōs /vos/ you.NOM.2PL dīcitis /ˈdi.tʃi.tis/ say.2PL.PRES quod /kwod/ that.CONJ adhūc /aˈduk/ still.ADV quattuor /ˈkwat.tu.or/ four.INDECL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.NOM.M.PL sunt /sunt/ be.3PL.PRES et /et/ and.CONJ messis /ˈmes.sis/ harvest.NOM.F.SG venit /ˈve.nit/ come.3SG.PRES
215.12a Quandō when clausum shut est was caelum the-sky annīs years tribus three et and mēnsibus months sex six
215.12b Quandō /ˈkwan.do/ when.CONJ clausum /ˈklau.sum/ shut.PERF.PART.NOM.N.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES caelum /ˈtʃe.lum/ sky.NOM.N.SG annīs /ˈan.nis/ year.ABL.M.PL tribus /ˈtri.bus/ three.ABL.M.PL et /et/ and.CONJ mēnsibus /ˈmen.si.bus/ month.ABL.M.PL sex /seks/ six.INDECL
215.13a Diēs days observātis you-observe et and mēnsēs months et and tempora seasons et and annōs years
215.13b Diēs /ˈdi.es/ day.ACC.M.PL observātis /ob.serˈva.tis/ observe.2PL.PRES et /et/ and.CONJ mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL et /et/ and.CONJ tempora /ˈtem.po.ra/ season.ACC.N.PL et /et/ and.CONJ annōs /ˈan.nos/ year.ACC.M.PL
215.14a Sēdit he-stayed autem and ibi there annum a-year et and sex six mēnsēs months docēns teaching apud among eōs them verbum the-word Deī of-God
215.14b Sēdit /ˈse.dit/ sit.3SG.PERF autem /ˈau.tem/ and.CONJ ibi /ˈi.bi/ there.ADV annum /ˈan.num/ year.ACC.M.SG et /et/ and.CONJ sex /seks/ six.INDECL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL docēns /ˈdo.tʃens/ teach.PRES.PART.NOM.M.SG apud /ˈa.pud/ among.PREP+ACC eōs /ˈe.os/ them.ACC.M.PL verbum /ˈver.bum/ word.ACC.N.SG Deī /ˈde.i/ God.GEN.M.SG
215.15a Lignum the-tree vītae of-life afferēns bearing frūctūs fruits duodecim twelve per through mēnsēs months singulōs each reddēns yielding frūctum fruit suum its-own
215.15b Lignum /ˈliɲ.ɲum/ tree.NOM.N.SG vītae /ˈvi.te/ life.GEN.F.SG afferēns /afˈfe.rens/ bear.PRES.PART.NOM.N.SG frūctūs /ˈfruk.tus/ fruit.ACC.M.PL duodecim /duˈo.de.tʃim/ twelve.INDECL per /per/ through.PREP+ACC mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL singulōs /ˈsiŋ.gu.los/ each.ACC.M.PL reddēns /ˈred.dens/ yield.PRES.PART.NOM.N.SG frūctum /ˈfruk.tum/ fruit.ACC.M.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ its-own.REFL.ACC.M.SG
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215.1 Mēnsis longus est. → “The month is long.”
215.2 Mēnsis novus incipit. → “A new month begins.”
215.3 Annus duodecim mēnsēs habet. → “The year has twelve months.”
215.4 Mēnse Maiō Marīam honōrāmus. → “In the month of May we honour Mary.”
215.5 Post trēs mēnsēs rediit. → “He came back after three months.”
215.6 Prīmō diē mēnsis ad Missam venīmus. → “On the first day of the month we come to Mass.”
215.7 Mēnsis Octōber Rosāriō dēdicātus est. → “The month of October is dedicated to the Rosary.”
215.8 Novem mēnsēs Marīa Fīlium in uterō portāvit. → “For nine months Mary carried her Son in her womb.”
215.9 Mānsit autem Marīa cum illā quasi mēnsibus tribus. → “And Mary stayed with her about three months.” (Luke 1:56)
215.10 Mēnsis iste vōbīs prīncipium mēnsium. → “This month shall be to you the beginning of months.” (Exodus 12:2, first half)
215.11 Nōnne vōs dīcitis quod adhūc quattuor mēnsēs sunt, et messis venit? → “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’?” (John 4:35)
215.12 Quandō clausum est caelum annīs tribus et mēnsibus sex. → “When the sky was shut up for three years and six months.” (Luke 4:25)
215.13 Diēs observātis, et mēnsēs, et tempora, et annōs. → “You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.” (Galatians 4:10)
215.14 Sēdit autem ibi annum et sex mēnsēs, docēns apud eōs verbum Deī. → “And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (Acts 18:11)
215.15 Lignum vītae, afferēns frūctūs duodecim, per mēnsēs singulōs reddēns frūctum suum. → “The tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month.” (Apocalypse 22:2)
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215.1 Mēnsis longus est.
215.2 Mēnsis novus incipit.
215.3 Annus duodecim mēnsēs habet.
215.4 Mēnse Maiō Marīam honōrāmus.
215.5 Post trēs mēnsēs rediit.
215.6 Prīmō diē mēnsis ad Missam venīmus.
215.7 Mēnsis Octōber Rosāriō dēdicātus est.
215.8 Novem mēnsēs Marīa Fīlium in uterō portāvit.
215.9 Mānsit autem Marīa cum illā quasi mēnsibus tribus.
215.10 Mēnsis iste vōbīs prīncipium mēnsium.
215.11 Nōnne vōs dīcitis quod adhūc quattuor mēnsēs sunt, et messis venit?
215.12 Quandō clausum est caelum annīs tribus et mēnsibus sex.
215.13 Diēs observātis, et mēnsēs, et tempora, et annōs.
215.14 Sēdit autem ibi annum et sex mēnsēs, docēns apud eōs verbum Deī.
215.15 Lignum vītae, afferēns frūctūs duodecim, per mēnsēs singulōs reddēns frūctum suum.
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These are the grammar rules for mensis in Ecclesiastical Latin:
1. The declension
Mensis is a masculine noun of the third declension. It is an i-stem: its genitive plural is mēnsium, not mēnsum (though mēnsum is found).
Singular: mēnsis (NOM), mēnsis (GEN), mēnsī (DAT), mēnsem (ACC), mēnse (ABL), mēnsis (VOC)
Plural: mēnsēs (NOM), mēnsium (GEN), mēnsibus (DAT), mēnsēs (ACC), mēnsibus (ABL), mēnsēs (VOC)
The nominative and genitive singular are the same, mēnsis. In 215.1 mēnsis is nominative (Mēnsis longus est); in 215.6 it is genitive (prīmō diē mēnsis, “on the first day of the month”). The sentence decides.
2. Masculine agreement
Mensis is masculine, though it ends in -is like many feminine nouns (nāvis, “ship”). Adjectives agree with it in the masculine: mēnsis longus (215.1), mēnsis novus (215.2), mēnsis iste (215.10), mēnsēs singulōs (215.15), trēs mēnsēs (215.5), mēnsibus tribus (215.9).
3. The names of the months
The names of the months are adjectives agreeing with mensis, which may be stated or left out. Seven belong to the first and second declension: Iānuārius, Februārius, Mārtius, Maius, Iūnius, Iūlius, Augustus (ablative Iānuāriō, Maiō …). Aprīlis and the last four are third-declension adjectives: Aprīlis, September, Octōber, November, December (genitive Aprīlis, Septembris, Octōbris …, ablative Aprīlī, Septembrī, Octōbrī …).
mēnsis Octōber (215.7), “the month of October”: nominative, both words.
mēnse Maiō (215.4), “in the month of May”: ablative, both words.
Note that Latin says “the month October,” not “the month of October”: the name is never in the genitive.
4. Time when and time how long
Time when (“in, on, at”) is the ablative: mēnse Maiō (215.4), prīmō diē (215.6). The Vulgate often adds in: In mense autem sexto (Luke 1:26, Section F).
Time how long (“for”) is normally the accusative: novem mēnsēs (215.8), annum et sex mēnsēs (215.14).
In later Latin, and often in the Vulgate, the ablative is also used for time how long: mēnsibus tribus (215.9), annīs tribus et mēnsibus sex (215.12), mensibus quinque (Luke 1:24). Read both as “for.”
After post, “after,” the accusative: post trēs mēnsēs (215.5).
5. Per with distributive singulī
Per mēnsēs singulōs (215.15) means “month by month, every month.” Singulī, -ae, -a, “one each,” is a plural adjective. The same idea can be said omnī mēnse, “in every month” (215.29).
6. Other forms in the examples
Dēdicātus est (215.7) is perfect passive in form but describes a present state: “is dedicated.” Dēdicātus agrees with mēnsis, masculine.
Nōnne (215.11) begins a question that expects the answer “yes”: “Do you not say …?”
Quod (215.11) after dīcitis means “that,” introducing what is said. Classical Latin would use an accusative and infinitive; the Vulgate often uses quod with an indicative.
Sēdit (215.14), literally “he sat,” means “he stayed, he remained”: a Hebrew and Greek idiom kept in the Latin.
Mēnsis iste vōbīs prīncipium mēnsium (215.10) has no verb: Latin leaves est or erit to be understood. The second half of the verse supplies erit (Section E).
7. Related words
mēnstruus, -a, -um: monthly
sēmēstris, -e: of six months, half-yearly
trimēstris, -e: of three months
annus, annī, m.: year
diēs, diēī, m.: day
Kalendae, -ārum, f. pl.: the Kalends, the first day of the Roman month
Common Mistakes
✠ Do not make mensis feminine because it ends in -is: mēnsis longus, not mēnsis longa.
✠ Do not put the name of the month in the genitive: mēnse Maiō, not mēnse Maiī.
✠ Do not confuse mēnsis, “month,” with mēnsa, “table” (mēnsa Dominī, “the Lord’s table”).
✠ Do not write mēnsōrum for the genitive plural: it is mēnsium (or mēnsum).
✠ Do not add a preposition for “for three months”: trēs mēnsēs, not per trēs mēnsēs, unless you mean “throughout.”
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The Months of the Law
The calendar of Israel was a calendar of months, and Scripture dates its feasts by them. When God gives the Passover to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, he begins with the calendar itself: Mensis iste, vobis principium mensium: primus erit in mensibus anni, “This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the months of the year” (Exodus 12:2). The feast is fixed by the day of that month: Mense primo, quartadecima die mensis ad vesperum, Phase Domini est, “The first month, the fourteenth day of the month at evening, is the phase of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:5). Because the Pasch of Christ took place at the Passover, the date of Easter is still reckoned by the moon: it is the Sunday after the first full moon of spring.
Saint Paul, writing to the Galatians, warns converts who have begun to keep the Jewish calendar as if salvation depended on it: Dies observatis, et menses, et tempora, et annos (Galatians 4:10). The Church did not abandon the calendar; she made it Christ’s.
The Months of the Gospel
Saint Luke counts the months of the Incarnation with care. Elizabeth hides herself five months (Luke 1:24); in the sixth month Gabriel is sent to Nazareth (1:26), and tells Mary that this is the sixth month with Elizabeth (1:36); Mary stays with her cousin about three months (1:56). The Church’s calendar keeps this arithmetic: the Annunciation on 25 March, the Visitation, the Nativity of John the Baptist on 24 June, three months after the Annunciation, and Christmas on 25 December, nine months after it.
Months of Devotion
Catholic piety has given many months a particular devotion. The best known is May, the month of Our Lady. In 1883 Pope Leo XIII, in the encyclical Supremi Apostolatus Officio, asked that the whole month of October be consecrated to the Queen of the Rosary, and October has been the month of the Rosary ever since. By custom March is given to Saint Joseph, whose feast falls on 19 March; June to the Sacred Heart; November to the Holy Souls, beginning with All Souls’ Day on 2 November.
Kalends, Nones and Ides
The Romans did not number the days of the month from one upward. They counted backward to three fixed days: the Kalends (the first of the month), the Nones (the fifth or seventh) and the Ides (the thirteenth or fifteenth). The Church kept this reckoning for centuries in her calendars and in the Roman Martyrology. Christmas Day, 25 December, is octavo Kalendas Ianuarii, “the eighth day before the Kalends of January,” counting both ends, as the Romans did. The English word “calendar” comes from Kalendae.
Frequency and Register
Mensis is a common word in every period of Latin. In the Vulgate it is frequent in the Law and the historical books, where feasts and events are dated by the month, and in the infancy narrative of Luke. In Church Latin it is the ordinary word in calendars, papal documents and canon law, where periods are set in months (intrā mēnsem, “within a month”).
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From the Vulgate: Luke 1:26–27 (Clementine text) — The Annunciation
Part F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a In in mense the-month autem and sexto sixth missus sent est was angelus the-angel Gabriel Gabriel a from Deo God
F.1b In /in/ in.PREP+ABL mense /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG autem /ˈau.tem/ and.CONJ sexto /ˈseks.to/ sixth.ABL.M.SG missus /ˈmis.sus/ send.PERF.PART.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES angelus /ˈan.dʒe.lus/ angel.NOM.M.SG Gabriel /ˈga.bri.el/ Gabriel.INDECL a /a/ from.PREP+ABL Deo /ˈde.o/ God.ABL.M.SG
F.2a in into civitatem a-city Galilaeae of-Galilee cui to-which nomen the-name Nazareth Nazareth
F.2b in /in/ into.PREP+ACC civitatem /tʃi.viˈta.tem/ city.ACC.F.SG Galilaeae /ga.liˈle.e/ Galilee.GEN.F.SG cui /kui/ which.REL.DAT.F.SG nomen /ˈno.men/ name.NOM.N.SG Nazareth /ˈna.dza.ret/ Nazareth.INDECL
F.3a ad to virginem a-virgin desponsatam betrothed viro to-a-man cui to-whom nomen the-name erat was Ioseph Joseph de of domo the-house David of-David
F.3b ad /ad/ to.PREP+ACC virginem /ˈvir.dʒi.nem/ virgin.ACC.F.SG desponsatam /de.sponˈsa.tam/ betroth.PERF.PART.ACC.F.SG viro /ˈvi.ro/ man.DAT.M.SG cui /kui/ whom.REL.DAT.M.SG nomen /ˈno.men/ name.NOM.N.SG erat /ˈe.rat/ be.3SG.IMPERF Ioseph /ˈjo.sef/ Joseph.INDECL de /de/ of.PREP+ABL domo /ˈdo.mo/ house.ABL.F.SG David /ˈda.vid/ David.INDECL
F.4a et and nomen the-name virginis of-the-virgin Maria Mary
F.4b et /et/ and.CONJ nomen /ˈno.men/ name.NOM.N.SG virginis /ˈvir.dʒi.nis/ virgin.GEN.F.SG Maria /maˈri.a/ Mary.NOM.F.SG
Part F-B: Text with Translation
In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Ioseph, de domo David: et nomen virginis Maria. → “And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” (Douay-Rheims)
Part F-C: Latin Text Only
In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Ioseph, de domo David: et nomen virginis Maria.
Part F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
In mense sexto. Time when, in the ablative, with in, as the Vulgate often has it; Classical prose would say simply mense sexto. Sexto is the ordinal adjective, agreeing with mense in the masculine ablative singular. The sixth month is counted from Elizabeth’s conception (Luke 1:24): the angel himself explains it to Mary, hic mensis sextus est illi, quae vocatur sterilis, “this is the sixth month with her that is called barren” (1:36). The month links the two announcements, to Zachary and to Mary.
Missus est. The perfect passive of mittō: “was sent.” The participle missus agrees with angelus. A Deo is ā with the ablative: “from God,” the one who sends.
Cui nomen. A dative of possession with the verb left out: “to which (there was) the name Nazareth,” that is, “called Nazareth.” In the next clause the verb is given: cui nomen erat Ioseph. Latin often states this construction once in full and then shortens it.
Desponsatam viro. The perfect passive participle of dēspōnsō, “betroth,” agreeing with virginem, with the dative viro: “betrothed to a man.” The Douay-Rheims “espoused” keeps the older English word.
Et nomen virginis Maria. A clause without a verb, closing the sentence on the name. Luke builds the verse so that the last word is Maria.
Indeclinable names. Gabriel, Nazareth, Ioseph and David are Hebrew names and do not decline: their case is shown only by the sentence. Galilaea, on the other hand, is a first-declension noun: Galilaeae is genitive, “of Galilee.”
The text. This is the Clementine Vulgate, the Church’s Latin Bible from 1592 to the twentieth century. Many printed editions read Joseph with j; the course writes Ioseph. The Nova Vulgata (1979) keeps In mense autem sexto unchanged.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
A short informational text, composed for this lesson, on the months of the year and the devotions of the Church. It is a pedagogical text, not a quotation; 215.29 echoes Apocalypse 22:2 (215.15).
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
215.16a Annus the-year duodecim twelve mēnsēs months habet has et and quisque each mēnsis month nōmen name suum its-own habet has
215.16b Annus /ˈan.nus/ year.NOM.M.SG duodecim /duˈo.de.tʃim/ twelve.INDECL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL habet /ˈa.bet/ have.3SG.PRES et /et/ and.CONJ quisque /ˈkwis.kwe/ each.NOM.M.SG mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG nōmen /ˈno.men/ name.ACC.N.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ its-own.REFL.ACC.N.SG habet /ˈa.bet/ have.3SG.PRES
215.17a Nōmina the-names mēnsium of-the-months ā from Rōmānīs the-Romans antīquīs ancient veniunt come
215.17b Nōmina /ˈno.mi.na/ name.NOM.N.PL mēnsium /ˈmen.si.um/ month.GEN.M.PL ā /a/ from.PREP+ABL Rōmānīs /roˈma.nis/ Roman.ABL.M.PL antīquīs /anˈti.kwis/ ancient.ABL.M.PL veniunt /ˈve.ni.unt/ come.3PL.PRES
215.18a Iānuārius January prīmus the-first mēnsis month annī of-the-year est is
215.18b Iānuārius /ja.nuˈa.ri.us/ January.NOM.M.SG prīmus /ˈpri.mus/ first.NOM.M.SG mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG annī /ˈan.ni/ year.GEN.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
215.19a Ōlim once tamen however annus the-year Rōmānus Roman ā from mēnse the-month Mārtiō March incipiēbat used-to-begin
215.19b Ōlim /ˈo.lim/ once.ADV tamen /ˈta.men/ however.ADV annus /ˈan.nus/ year.NOM.M.SG Rōmānus /roˈma.nus/ Roman.NOM.M.SG ā /a/ from.PREP+ABL mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Mārtiō /ˈmar.tsi.o/ March.ABL.M.SG incipiēbat /in.tʃi.piˈe.bat/ begin.3SG.IMPERF
215.20a Ideō therefore September September quī which nunc now nōnus ninth est is nōmen its-name ā from numerō the-number septem seven dūcit draws
215.20b Ideō /iˈde.o/ therefore.ADV September /sepˈtem.ber/ September.NOM.M.SG quī /kwi/ which.REL.NOM.M.SG nunc /nunk/ now.ADV nōnus /ˈno.nus/ ninth.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES nōmen /ˈno.men/ name.ACC.N.SG ā /a/ from.PREP+ABL numerō /ˈnu.me.ro/ number.ABL.M.SG septem /ˈsep.tem/ seven.INDECL dūcit /ˈdu.tʃit/ draw.3SG.PRES
215.21a Mēnse in-the-month Mārtiō of-March Ecclēsia the-Church sānctum Saint Ioseph Joseph praecipuē especially honōrat honours
215.21b Mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Mārtiō /ˈmar.tsi.o/ March.ABL.M.SG Ecclēsia /ekˈkle.si.a/ church.NOM.F.SG sānctum /ˈsaŋk.tum/ holy.ACC.M.SG Ioseph /ˈjo.sef/ Joseph.INDECL praecipuē /preˈtʃi.pu.e/ especially.ADV honōrat /oˈno.rat/ honour.3SG.PRES
215.22a Mēnsis the-month Maius of-May Beātae to-the-Blessed Marīae Mary Virginī Virgin dēdicātus dedicated est is
215.22b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG Maius /ˈma.jus/ May.NOM.M.SG Beātae /beˈa.te/ blessed.DAT.F.SG Marīae /maˈri.e/ Mary.DAT.F.SG Virginī /ˈvir.dʒi.ni/ virgin.DAT.F.SG dēdicātus /de.diˈka.tus/ dedicate.PERF.PART.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
215.23a Mēnse in-the-month Iūniō of-June Sacrātissimum the-Most-Sacred Cor Heart Iēsū of-Jesus colimus we-worship
215.23b Mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Iūniō /ˈju.ni.o/ June.ABL.M.SG Sacrātissimum /sa.kraˈtis.si.mum/ most-sacred.SUPERL.ACC.N.SG Cor /kor/ heart.ACC.N.SG Iēsū /ˈje.su/ Jesus.GEN.M.SG colimus /ˈko.li.mus/ worship.1PL.PRES
215.24a Mēnse in-the-month Octōbrī of-October fidēlēs the-faithful Rosārium the-Rosary cotīdiē daily recitant recite
215.24b Mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Octōbrī /okˈto.bri/ October.ABL.M.SG fidēlēs /fiˈde.les/ faithful.NOM.M.PL Rosārium /roˈsa.ri.um/ rosary.ACC.N.SG cotīdiē /koˈti.di.e/ daily.ADV recitant /ˈre.tʃi.tant/ recite.3PL.PRES
215.25a Mēnsis the-month November of-November animābus to-the-souls fidēlium of-the-faithful dēfūnctōrum departed dēdicātus dedicated est is
215.25b Mēnsis /ˈmen.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG November /noˈvem.ber/ November.NOM.M.SG animābus /a.niˈma.bus/ soul.DAT.F.PL fidēlium /fiˈde.li.um/ faithful.GEN.M.PL dēfūnctōrum /de.funkˈto.rum/ departed.GEN.M.PL dēdicātus /de.diˈka.tus/ dedicate.PERF.PART.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
215.26a Mēnse in-the-month Decembrī of-December Nātīvitātem the-Nativity Dominī of-the-Lord exspectāmus we-await et and celebrāmus celebrate
215.26b Mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Decembrī /deˈtʃem.bri/ December.ABL.M.SG Nātīvitātem /na.ti.viˈta.tem/ nativity.ACC.F.SG Dominī /ˈdo.mi.ni/ lord.GEN.M.SG exspectāmus /ek.spekˈta.mus/ await.1PL.PRES et /et/ and.CONJ celebrāmus /tʃe.leˈbra.mus/ celebrate.1PL.PRES
215.27a Annus the-year liturgicus liturgical autem however nōn not ā from mēnse the-month Iānuāriō January sed but ā from prīmā the-first Dominicā Sunday Adventūs of-Advent incipit begins
215.27b Annus /ˈan.nus/ year.NOM.M.SG liturgicus /liˈtur.dʒi.kus/ liturgical.NOM.M.SG autem /ˈau.tem/ however.CONJ nōn /non/ not.ADV ā /a/ from.PREP+ABL mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG Iānuāriō /ja.nuˈa.ri.o/ January.ABL.M.SG sed /sed/ but.CONJ ā /a/ from.PREP+ABL prīmā /ˈpri.ma/ first.ABL.F.SG Dominicā /doˈmi.ni.ka/ Sunday.ABL.F.SG Adventūs /adˈven.tus/ Advent.GEN.M.SG incipit /ˈin.tʃi.pit/ begin.3SG.PRES
215.28a Martyrologium the-Martyrology Rōmānum Roman ōlim formerly diēs the-days mēnsium of-the-months per by Kalendās Kalends Nōnās Nones et and Īdūs Ides numerābat used-to-count
215.28b Martyrologium /mar.ti.roˈlo.dʒi.um/ martyrology.NOM.N.SG Rōmānum /roˈma.num/ Roman.NOM.N.SG ōlim /ˈo.lim/ formerly.ADV diēs /ˈdi.es/ day.ACC.M.PL mēnsium /ˈmen.si.um/ month.GEN.M.PL per /per/ by.PREP+ACC Kalendās /kaˈlen.das/ Kalends.ACC.F.PL Nōnās /ˈno.nas/ Nones.ACC.F.PL et /et/ and.CONJ Īdūs /ˈi.dus/ Ides.ACC.F.PL numerābat /nu.meˈra.bat/ count.3SG.IMPERF
215.29a Sīcut just-as lignum the-tree vītae of-life per through mēnsēs months singulōs each frūctum fruit reddit yields ita so Chrīstiānus the-Christian omnī in-every mēnse month bona good opera works faciat let-him-do
215.29b Sīcut /ˈsi.kut/ just-as.CONJ lignum /ˈliɲ.ɲum/ tree.NOM.N.SG vītae /ˈvi.te/ life.GEN.F.SG per /per/ through.PREP+ACC mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.ACC.M.PL singulōs /ˈsiŋ.gu.los/ each.ACC.M.PL frūctum /ˈfruk.tum/ fruit.ACC.M.SG reddit /ˈred.dit/ yield.3SG.PRES ita /ˈi.ta/ so.ADV Chrīstiānus /kris.tiˈa.nus/ Christian.NOM.M.SG omnī /ˈom.ni/ every.ABL.M.SG mēnse /ˈmen.se/ month.ABL.M.SG bona /ˈbo.na/ good.ACC.N.PL opera /ˈo.pe.ra/ work.ACC.N.PL faciat /ˈfa.tʃi.at/ do.3SG.PRES.SUBJ
215.30a Omnēs all mēnsēs months Dominī the-Lord’s sunt are et and omne all tempus time in in manū the-hand eius of-him
215.30b Omnēs /ˈom.nes/ all.NOM.M.PL mēnsēs /ˈmen.ses/ month.NOM.M.PL Dominī /ˈdo.mi.ni/ lord.GEN.M.SG sunt /sunt/ be.3PL.PRES et /et/ and.CONJ omne /ˈom.ne/ all.NOM.N.SG tempus /ˈtem.pus/ time.NOM.N.SG in /in/ in.PREP+ABL manū /ˈma.nu/ hand.ABL.F.SG eius /ˈe.jus/ he.GEN.M.SG
Part B: Natural Sentences
215.16 Annus duodecim mēnsēs habet, et quisque mēnsis nōmen suum habet. → “The year has twelve months, and each month has its own name.”
215.17 Nōmina mēnsium ā Rōmānīs antīquīs veniunt. → “The names of the months come from the ancient Romans.”
215.18 Iānuārius prīmus mēnsis annī est. → “January is the first month of the year.”
215.19 Ōlim tamen annus Rōmānus ā mēnse Mārtiō incipiēbat. → “Once, however, the Roman year began with the month of March.”
215.20 Ideō September, quī nunc nōnus est, nōmen ā numerō septem dūcit. → “That is why September, which is now the ninth month, takes its name from the number seven.”
215.21 Mēnse Mārtiō Ecclēsia sānctum Ioseph praecipuē honōrat. → “In March the Church honours Saint Joseph especially.”
215.22 Mēnsis Maius Beātae Marīae Virginī dēdicātus est. → “The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
215.23 Mēnse Iūniō Sacrātissimum Cor Iēsū colimus. → “In June we worship the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
215.24 Mēnse Octōbrī fidēlēs Rosārium cotīdiē recitant. → “In October the faithful say the Rosary every day.”
215.25 Mēnsis November animābus fidēlium dēfūnctōrum dēdicātus est. → “The month of November is dedicated to the souls of the faithful departed.”
215.26 Mēnse Decembrī Nātīvitātem Dominī exspectāmus et celebrāmus. → “In December we await and celebrate the Nativity of the Lord.”
215.27 Annus liturgicus autem nōn ā mēnse Iānuāriō sed ā prīmā Dominicā Adventūs incipit. → “The liturgical year, however, begins not with January but with the First Sunday of Advent.”
215.28 Martyrologium Rōmānum ōlim diēs mēnsium per Kalendās, Nōnās et Īdūs numerābat. → “The Roman Martyrology once counted the days of the months by the Kalends, Nones and Ides.”
215.29 Sīcut lignum vītae per mēnsēs singulōs frūctum reddit, ita Chrīstiānus omnī mēnse bona opera faciat. → “As the tree of life yields its fruit every month, so let the Christian do good works in every month.”
215.30 Omnēs mēnsēs Dominī sunt, et omne tempus in manū eius. → “All the months are the Lord’s, and all time is in his hand.”
Part C: Latin Text Only
Annus duodecim mēnsēs habet, et quisque mēnsis nōmen suum habet. Nōmina mēnsium ā Rōmānīs antīquīs veniunt. Iānuārius prīmus mēnsis annī est. Ōlim tamen annus Rōmānus ā mēnse Mārtiō incipiēbat. Ideō September, quī nunc nōnus est, nōmen ā numerō septem dūcit. Mēnse Mārtiō Ecclēsia sānctum Ioseph praecipuē honōrat. Mēnsis Maius Beātae Marīae Virginī dēdicātus est. Mēnse Iūniō Sacrātissimum Cor Iēsū colimus. Mēnse Octōbrī fidēlēs Rosārium cotīdiē recitant. Mēnsis November animābus fidēlium dēfūnctōrum dēdicātus est. Mēnse Decembrī Nātīvitātem Dominī exspectāmus et celebrāmus. Annus liturgicus autem nōn ā mēnse Iānuāriō sed ā prīmā Dominicā Adventūs incipit. Martyrologium Rōmānum ōlim diēs mēnsium per Kalendās, Nōnās et Īdūs numerābat. Sīcut lignum vītae per mēnsēs singulōs frūctum reddit, ita Chrīstiānus omnī mēnse bona opera faciat. Omnēs mēnsēs Dominī sunt, et omne tempus in manū eius.
Part D: Grammar and Genre Notes
An informational text names things and places them in order. Here the months are named in the order of the year, and mensis appears in four cases.
Nominative, with the name of the month in agreement: mēnsis Maius (215.22), mēnsis November (215.25). As subject or complement: quisque mēnsis (215.16), prīmus mēnsis (215.18).
Genitive plural: nōmina mēnsium (215.17), diēs mēnsium (215.28). Mēnsium is the i-stem genitive plural.
Accusative: duodecim mēnsēs habet (215.16), the object of habet; per mēnsēs singulōs (215.29), after per.
Ablative, for time when: mēnse Mārtiō (215.21), mēnse Iūniō (215.23), mēnse Octōbrī (215.24), mēnse Decembrī (215.26), omnī mēnse (215.29). After ā, “from”: ā mēnse Mārtiō (215.19), ā mēnse Iānuāriō (215.27).
The month names. Mārtiō, Iūniō, Iānuāriō are second-declension ablatives in -ō; Octōbrī, Decembrī are third-declension ablatives in -ī. Each agrees with mēnse. Maius and November in the nominative agree with mēnsis.
Dēdicātus est (215.22, 215.25) agrees with the masculine mēnsis, even though the month is dedicated to a woman or to souls: the participle follows its subject, not the indirect object. Beātae Marīae Virginī and animābus are datives, “to.”
Animābus (215.25). Anima, “soul,” has a special dative and ablative plural animābus, used in Church Latin to distinguish it from animīs, the plural of animus, “mind.” It is the form of the Collect of All Souls’ Day: Fidēlium, Deus, omnium Conditor et Redēmptor, animābus famulōrum famulārumque tuārum remissiōnem cūnctōrum tribue peccātōrum.
Ideō (215.20), “for that reason,” links the fact to its cause in 215.19. Nōmen dūcit ā, “draws its name from,” is the regular Latin idiom for a name’s origin.
Faciat (215.29) is a present subjunctive used as a command in the third person: “let him do.” The sentence moves from information to exhortation, as the last two lines of the text do.
Sacrātissimum Cor (215.23) is the superlative of sacrātus, neuter to agree with cor. Colimus, from colō, is the verb of worship and devotion.
Dominī sunt (215.30): the genitive with esse expresses possession: “are the Lord’s.”
The genre. An informational text should be plain and orderly: short sentences, a list kept in order, one fact to a sentence. This one runs through the year from January to December, then turns to the liturgical year, the old way of counting days, and a closing thought.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
C and g. Before a, o, u and consonants, c is /k/ and g is /g/: cor /kor/, colimus /ˈko.li.mus/, longus /ˈloŋ.gus/, Gabriel /ˈga.bri.el/. Before e, i, ae and oe, c is /tʃ/ and g is /dʒ/: caelum /ˈtʃe.lum/ (ae counts as e), incipit /ˈin.tʃi.pit/, duodecim /duˈo.de.tʃim/, civitatem /tʃi.viˈta.tem/, Decembrī /deˈtʃem.bri/, angelus /ˈan.dʒe.lus/, virginem /ˈvir.dʒi.nem/, liturgicus /liˈtur.dʒi.kus/.
Gn is /ɲɲ/: lignum /ˈliɲ.ɲum/.
Ch is /k/: Chrīstiānus /kris.tiˈa.nus/.
Ti before a vowel is /tsi/: Mārtiō /ˈmar.tsi.o/. After s, t or x it stays /ti/: Chrīstiānus.
Z is /dz/: Nazareth /ˈna.dza.ret/.
X is /ks/: sex /seks/, sexto /ˈseks.to/. Exs is /eks/: exspectāmus /ek.spekˈta.mus/.
H is silent: habet /ˈa.bet/, honōrat /oˈno.rat/, adhūc /aˈduk/.
Ae is /e/: caelum /ˈtʃe.lum/, vītae /ˈvi.te/, Marīae /maˈri.e/, praecipuē /preˈtʃi.pu.e/, Galilaeae /ga.liˈle.e/.
I between vowels or at the start of a word before a vowel is the consonant /j/: Maiō /ˈma.jo/, Maius /ˈma.jus/, Iānuārius /ja.nuˈa.ri.us/, Iūniō /ˈju.ni.o/, Iēsū /ˈje.su/, eius /ˈe.jus/, Ioseph /ˈjo.sef/.
S. In mēnsis the s after n is always /s/. Between vowels it is written /s/ in this lesson, as in Lessons 213 and 214 (Rosārium /roˈsa.ri.um/, quasi /ˈkwa.si/); many Italian-trained singers and priests voice it to /z/; both are heard.
Stress. In words of three or more syllables the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable if it is long (honōrāmus /o.noˈra.mus/, dēdicātus /de.diˈka.tus/), otherwise on the one before it (mēnsibus /ˈmen.si.bus/, mēnsium /ˈmen.si.um/, incipit /ˈin.tʃi.pit/).
Macrons. This lesson marks long vowels in Sections A–D and in the Genre Section. The headword is written mensis without a mark (see the Introduction). Hebrew names that do not decline (Ioseph, Nazareth, David, Gabriel) are written without macrons. The citation in Section F is printed without macrons, as it stands in the Clementine Vulgate. The Ecclesiastical pronunciation does not distinguish vowel length in sound, so the IPA carries no length marks; the macrons still show where the stress falls.
Quattuor and quatuor. The Clementine Vulgate prints quatuor (John 4:35); this lesson writes the standard spelling quattuor in 215.11. The sound is the same, /ˈkwat.tu.or/.
I and j. This course writes Ioseph, Iēsus, eius with i. Many printed Vulgates, including the Douay-Rheims Latin text, use j (Joseph, Jesus, ejus). The sound is the same.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿᵘᵐ ◊ᴱᶜᶜˡᵉˢⁱᵃˢᵗⁱᶜᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵉˢˢᵒⁿ²¹⁵ ◊mensis ◊ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉ
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