← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
67.1 Pastor shepherd ovēs sheep in into prātum meadow agit drives
67.2 Quid what nunc now agis are you doing amīce friend
67.3 Grātiās thanks tibi to you agō I give pater father
67.4 Puer boy equum horse per through silvam forest ēgit drove
67.5 Cōnsilium plan sapiēns wise dē about bellō war agitur is being discussed
67.6 Multī many virī men rēs things magnās great ēgērunt have done
67.7 Mīles soldier custōdiam guard duty ante before portam gate agit performs
67.8 Quid what in in urbe city hodiē today āctum done est has been
67.9 Senex old man vītam life quiētam quiet agēbat was leading
67.10 Semper always grātiās thanks deō to god agere to give dēbēmus we ought
67.11 Rēx king exercitum army contrā against hostēs enemies ēgit led
67.12 Monachī monks vītam life sānctam holy in in monastēriō monastery agunt lead
67.13 Magister teacher discipulōs pupils ad to sapientiam wisdom agit leads
67.14 Quid what ibi there āctum done sit may be nescimus we do not know
67.15 Sacerdōs priest prō for populō people grātiās thanks agēbat was giving
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67.1 In prātum pastor ovēs agit. The shepherd drives the sheep into the meadow.
67.2 Quid nunc agis, amīce? What are you doing now, friend?
67.3 Grātiās tibi agō, pater. I thank you, father.
67.4 Per silvam puer equum ēgit. The boy drove the horse through the forest.
67.5 Dē bellō cōnsilium sapiēns agitur. A wise plan concerning war is being discussed.
67.6 Rēs magnās multī virī ēgērunt. Many men have done great things.
67.7 Ante portam mīles custōdiam agit. The soldier performs guard duty before the gate.
67.8 Quid hodiē in urbe āctum est? What has been done in the city today?
67.9 Vītam quiētam senex agēbat. The old man was leading a quiet life.
67.10 Grātiās deō semper agere dēbēmus. We ought always to give thanks to God.
67.11 Contrā hostēs rēx exercitum ēgit. The king led the army against the enemies.
67.12 In monastēriō monachī vītam sānctam agunt. The monks lead a holy life in the monastery.
67.13 Ad sapientiam magister discipulōs agit. The teacher leads the pupils to wisdom.
67.14 Quid ibi āctum sit nescimus. We do not know what may have been done there.
67.15 Prō populō sacerdōs grātiās agēbat. The priest was giving thanks for the people.
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67.1 In prātum pastor ovēs agit.
67.2 Quid nunc agis, amīce?
67.3 Grātiās tibi agō, pater.
67.4 Per silvam puer equum ēgit.
67.5 Dē bellō cōnsilium sapiēns agitur.
67.6 Rēs magnās multī virī ēgērunt.
67.7 Ante portam mīles custōdiam agit.
67.8 Quid hodiē in urbe āctum est?
67.9 Vītam quiētam senex agēbat.
67.10 Grātiās deō semper agere dēbēmus.
67.11 Contrā hostēs rēx exercitum ēgit.
67.12 In monastēriō monachī vītam sānctam agunt.
67.13 Ad sapientiam magister discipulōs agit.
67.14 Quid ibi āctum sit nescimus.
67.15 Prō populō sacerdōs grātiās agēbat.
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For English speakers learning Latin, the verb "agō" presents several important features: -
Principal Parts: -
Present: agō -
Infinitive: agere -
Perfect: ēgī -
Supine: āctum -
Conjugation: -
Third conjugation verb (-ere) -
Regular endings but stem changes in perfect -
Personal endings follow standard patterns -
Common Uses: a) Physical movement: -
"Drive" (animals, vehicles) -
"Lead" (people, armies)
b) Abstract actions: -
"Do, perform" (duties, actions) -
"Conduct" (business, affairs) -
"Lead" (life, existence)
c) Fixed expressions: -
"grātiās agere" = to give thanks -
"vītam agere" = to lead/spend life -
"custōdiam agere" = to keep watch -
Voice: -
Active: agō (I drive/do) -
Passive: agor (I am driven/done) -
Deponent-like uses in some phrases -
Special Constructions: -
With accusative of thing/person moved -
With directional prepositions (in, ad, per) -
In impersonal passive (agitur)
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For English speakers, understanding "agō" requires cultural context: -
Agricultural Setting: -
Driving livestock was central to Roman life -
Shepherds and farmers used term daily -
Connected to seasonal movements of flocks -
Military Usage: -
Leading troops (exercitum agere) -
Moving supplies and equipment -
Strategic maneuvers described with agō -
Religious Context: -
"Grātiās agere" crucial in Christian worship -
Ritual actions described with agō -
Monastic life often described with vītam agere -
Legal Language: -
Court proceedings (causam agere) -
Public business (rēs pūblicās agere) -
Official duties (officium agere)
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From Augustine's "Confessions" (Book I, Chapter 1):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Magnus great es you are, domine, O Lord, et and laudābilis praiseworthy valdē: greatly: magna great virtūs power tua your et and sapientiae of wisdom tuae your nōn not est is numerus. number. Et and laudāre to praise tē you vult wishes homō, man, aliqua some portiō portion creātūrae of creation tuae. your.
"Magnus es, domine, et laudābilis valdē: magna virtūs tua et sapientiae tuae nōn est numerus. Et laudāre tē vult homō, aliqua portiō creātūrae tuae."
Great are you, O Lord, and highly praiseworthy: great is your power and of your wisdom there is no measure. And man, some portion of your creation, desires to praise you.
Augustine uses parallelism and repetition to emphasize divine greatness. The passage moves from God's attributes to humanity's response.
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Opening with predicate adjective "magnus" -
Use of vocative "domine" -
Abstract noun "sapientiae" in genitive -
Infinitive "laudāre" as object of "vult" -
Appositional phrase "aliqua portiō"
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67.16 Sacerdōs priest populum people ad to paenitentiam repentance agit leads
67.17 Grātiās thanks magnās great deō to God prō for salūte salvation agimus we give
67.18 Vītam life iūstam righteous et and sānctam holy agere to lead dēbēmus we ought
67.19 Christus Christ ipse himself ovēs sheep suās his ad to caelum heaven agit leads
67.20 Bene well dē about caritāte charity agitur it is discussed in in homiliā homily
67.21 Episcopus bishop rem matter dīvīnam divine cum with populō people agēbat was conducting
67.22 Frātrēs brothers grātiās thanks prō for misericordiā mercy agunt give
67.23 Ad to vītam life aeternam eternal fidēlēs faithful ducimur we are led
67.24 Dē about mysteriīs mysteries fidēī of faith nunc now agitur it is discussed
67.25 Paenitentiam repentance sincēram sincere agere to do volumus we wish
67.26 Ecclesia church prō for peccātōribus sinners ōrātiōnēs prayers agit performs
67.27 Grātiās thanks prō for dōnīs gifts spirituālibus spiritual agimus we give
67.28 Contrā against tenēbrās darkness peccātī of sin pūgnam battle agimus we wage
67.29 Ad to altāre altar sacerdōs priest sacrificium sacrifice agit performs
67.30 Vītam life novam new in in Chrīstō Christ agere to lead incipimus we begin
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67.16 Ad paenitentiam sacerdōs populum agit. The priest leads the people to repentance.
67.17 Prō salūte grātiās magnās deō agimus. We give great thanks to God for salvation.
67.18 Vītam iūstam et sānctam agere dēbēmus. We ought to lead a righteous and holy life.
67.19 Ovēs suās Christus ipse ad caelum agit. Christ himself leads his sheep to heaven.
67.20 In homiliā dē caritāte bene agitur. Charity is well discussed in the homily.
67.21 Rem dīvīnam episcopus cum populō agēbat. The bishop was conducting the divine service with the people.
67.22 Prō misericordiā frātrēs grātiās agunt. The brothers give thanks for mercy.
67.23 Ad vītam aeternam fidēlēs ducimur. We faithful are led to eternal life.
67.24 Dē mysteriīs fidēī nunc agitur. The mysteries of faith are now being discussed.
67.25 Paenitentiam sincēram agere volumus. We wish to perform sincere repentance.
67.26 Prō peccātōribus ecclesia ōrātiōnēs agit. The church performs prayers for sinners.
67.27 Prō dōnīs spirituālibus grātiās agimus. We give thanks for spiritual gifts.
67.28 Contrā tenēbrās peccātī pūgnam agimus. We wage battle against the darkness of sin.
67.29 Sacrificium sacerdōs ad altāre agit. The priest performs the sacrifice at the altar.
67.30 In Chrīstō vītam novam agere incipimus. We begin to lead a new life in Christ.
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67.16 Ad paenitentiam sacerdōs populum agit.
67.17 Prō salūte grātiās magnās deō agimus.
67.18 Vītam iūstam et sānctam agere dēbēmus.
67.19 Ovēs suās Christus ipse ad caelum agit.
67.20 In homiliā dē caritāte bene agitur.
67.21 Rem dīvīnam episcopus cum populō agēbat.
67.22 Prō misericordiā frātrēs grātiās agunt.
67.23 Ad vītam aeternam fidēlēs ducimur.
67.24 Dē mysteriīs fidēī nunc agitur.
67.25 Paenitentiam sincēram agere volumus.
67.26 Prō peccātōribus ecclesia ōrātiōnēs agit.
67.27 Prō dōnīs spirituālibus grātiās agimus.
67.28 Contrā tenēbrās peccātī pūgnam agimus.
67.29 Sacrificium sacerdōs ad altāre agit.
67.30 In Chrīstō vītam novam agere incipimus.
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In Christian homiletic contexts, "agō" develops specialized meanings and constructions: -
Religious Actions: -
Performing rituals (sacrificium agere) -
Conducting services (rem dīvīnam agere) -
Offering prayers (ōrātiōnēs agere) -
Spiritual Leadership: -
Leading to repentance (ad paenitentiam agere) -
Guiding the faithful (fidēlēs agere) -
Spiritual direction (ad caelum agere) -
Common Religious Phrases: -
grātiās agere (giving thanks) -
paenitentiam agere (doing penance) -
vītam sānctam agere (leading a holy life) -
Special Constructions: -
With spiritual objectives (ad + accusative) -
In passive voice for church discussions (agitur) -
With abstract religious concepts as objects -
Word Order Patterns: -
Object-Subject-Verb for emphasis -
Prepositional phrases often initial -
Modifiers carefully placed for rhetorical effect
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