← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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On Smells
Comēnius tertium decimum surgit. In mēnsā positae sunt rosae fragrāntēs et cāseus putridus. Olfacit, et cōgitat.
The tongue has taught you tastes. Now we turn to another sense — olfactus, smell. The nose is a subtle judge. It knows the difference between the garden’s sweetness and the sewer’s stench before we are even aware of judging.
Smell is the most primitive of the senses, yet also the most evocative. A single scent can transport us across decades — to grandmother’s kitchen, to a childhood garden, to a moment long forgotten. Comenius knew this power: nihil est in intellectū quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsū. The nose teaches before the mind can analyze.
In this lesson, we meet only two words — but what words! Suāvis (sweet, pleasant) and teter (foul, loathsome). Between these two poles lies all the world of smell. Roses and rot. Incense and offal. The breath of the beloved and the reek of the battlefield.
Odor est suāvis. Foetor teter.
Dē Suāvī et Tetrō — On the Sweet and the Foul
Odor [A] smell est is suāvis. sweet/pleasant. Foetor [A] stench [est] [is] teter. foul/loathsome.
Odor est suāvis. A smell is sweet.
Foetor teter. A stench [is] foul.
Odor est suāvis. Foetor teter.
The noun odor. Third declension masculine: odor, odōris (m.). It means “smell” or “scent” — neutral in valence, though often positive. From this comes English “odor” and “odorous.”
The noun foetor. Third declension masculine: foetor, foetōris (m.). It means “stench” or “stink” — always negative. A foul smell. From this comes English “fetid.” Note the spelling: classical Latin has foetor, though medieval manuscripts often write fetor.
The adjective suāvis. Third declension: suāvis, suāve. It means “sweet” or “pleasant” — originally of taste, extended to smell and other pleasures. The nominative masculine/feminine is suāvis. From this comes English “suave” (originally meaning sweetly pleasant in manner).
The adjective teter. First/second declension: teter, tetra, tetrum. It means “foul,” “loathsome,” or “offensive” — a strong word of disgust. The masculine nominative is teter. Note the unusual spelling: teter not teter (no long vowels).
Ellipsis again. The second sentence omits est: “Foetor [est] teter.” This compression is characteristic of Comenius’s Vestibulum — teaching Latin’s tendency toward economy.
New vocabulary:
Latin English Note odor, odōris smell, scent m. 3rd decl. suāvis, suāve sweet, pleasant 3rd decl. adj. foetor, foetōris stench, stink m. 3rd decl. teter, tetra, tetrum foul, loathsome 1st/2nd decl. adj.
Dē Variīs Odōribus — On Various Smells
Though the Vestibulum gives us only two sentences, the world of smell is vast. Here we expand with related vocabulary, following Comenius’s method of building from the simple to the complex.
Rosa [A] rose olet smells bene. well/good. Līlium [A] lily fragrat. is fragrant. Tūs Incense fūmat smokes suāviter. sweetly.
Cāseus Cheese putridus rotten foetet. stinks. Cadāver [A] corpse taetrē foully olet. smells. Clōāca [A] sewer pessimē most foully foetet. stinks.
Rosa olet bene. A rose smells well.
Līlium fragrat. A lily is fragrant.
Tūs fūmat suāviter. Incense smokes sweetly.
Cāseus putridus foetet. Rotten cheese stinks.
Cadāver taetrē olet. A corpse smells foully.
Clōāca pessimē foetet. A sewer stinks most foully.
Rosa olet bene. Līlium fragrat. Tūs fūmat suāviter. Cāseus putridus foetet. Cadāver taetrē olet. Clōāca pessimē foetet.
The verb olet. From olēre (to smell), second conjugation. This verb can mean “to emit a smell” (intransitive) or “to smell of” (with accusative). Rosa olet — “The rose smells / gives off a smell.” Bene olet — “It smells well/good.”
The verb fragrat. From fragrāre (to emit a sweet smell), first conjugation. Always positive — to be fragrant. Līlium fragrat — “The lily is fragrant.”
The verb foetet. From foetēre (to stink), second conjugation. Always negative — to give off a foul smell. Cāseus foetet — “The cheese stinks.”
Adverbs of manner. Notice the adverbs: bene (well), suāviter (sweetly), taetrē (foully), pessimē (most foully/worst). These modify the verbs, telling us HOW something smells.
New vocabulary:
Latin English Note rosa, -ae rose f. 1st decl. olet smells 3rd sing. of olēre bene well, good adverb līlium, -ī lily n. 2nd decl. fragrat is fragrant 3rd sing. of fragrāre tūs, tūris incense, frankincense n. 3rd decl. fūmat smokes 3rd sing. of fūmāre suāviter sweetly adverb cāseus, -ī cheese m. 2nd decl. putridus, -a, -um rotten, putrid adj. foetet stinks 3rd sing. of foetēre cadāver, cadāveris corpse, dead body n. 3rd decl. taetrē foully, disgustingly adverb clōāca, -ae sewer, drain f. 1st decl. pessimē worst, most foully adverb (superlative)
Dē Agricolā et Rosīs — The Farmer and the Roses
Ōlim Once upon a time agricola [a] farmer nōmine by name Nāsus Nasus in in agrō [a] field suō his labōrābat. was working.
Prope Near agrōs the fields erat there was stabulum [a] stable plēnum full stercōre. of manure. Foetor [The] stench erat was teter. foul.
Agricola The farmer cotīdiē daily hunc this foetōrem stench olfaciēbat. was smelling. “Heu!” “Alas!” inquit. he said. “Stabulum “The stable foetet! stinks! Stercus Manure pessimē most foully olet!” smells!”
Sed But prope near casam the cottage suam his uxor [his] wife rosās roses plantāverat. had planted. Rosae The roses flōrēbant. were blooming.
Ōlim One day agricola the farmer dē from agrō the field fessus weary redībat. was returning. Prīmum First stabulum the stable praeterīvit. he passed by. Foetor The stench teter foul nārēs his nostrils percussit. struck.
“Ugh!” “Ugh!” exclāmāvit. he exclaimed. “Hic “This foetor stench est is intolerandus!” unbearable!”
Deinde Then ad to casam the cottage pervēnit. he arrived. Ibi There rosās the roses vīdit he saw — et and olfēcit! smelled!
Odor The scent suāvis sweet rosārum of the roses nārēs his nostrils implēvit. filled. Foetōris The stench oblītus est. he forgot. [lit. “of the stench he forgot”]
“Ō!” “Oh!” inquit. he said. “Odor The scent rosārum of the roses est is suāvissimus! most sweet! Foetōrem The stench stabūlī of the stable nōn not iam any longer sentiō!” I smell!”
Uxor [His] wife rīsit. laughed. “Nāse,” “Nasus,” inquit, she said, “rosae “roses semper always foetōrem [the] stench vincunt. conquer. Hoc This est is cūr why rosās roses plantāvī.” I planted.”
Agricola The farmer quoque also rīsit. laughed. “Uxor “Wife mea,” my,” inquit, he said, “tū “you es are sapientior wiser quam than ego. I. Odor The scent suāvis sweet est is remedium [the] remedy contrā against foetōrem [the] stench tetrum.” foul.”
Ōlim agricola nōmine Nāsus in agrō suō labōrābat. Once upon a time a farmer named Nasus was working in his field.
Prope agrōs erat stabulum plēnum stercōre. Near the fields there was a stable full of manure.
Foetor erat teter. The stench was foul.
Agricola cotīdiē hunc foetōrem olfaciēbat. The farmer was smelling this stench daily.
“Heu!” inquit. “Stabulum foetet! Stercus pessimē olet!” “Alas!” he said. “The stable stinks! Manure smells most foully!”
Sed prope casam suam uxor rosās plantāverat. But near his cottage his wife had planted roses.
Rosae flōrēbant. The roses were blooming.
Ōlim agricola dē agrō fessus redībat. One day the farmer was returning weary from the field.
Prīmum stabulum praeterīvit. First he passed by the stable.
Foetor teter nārēs percussit. The foul stench struck his nostrils.
“Ugh!” exclāmāvit. “Hic foetor est intolerandus!” “Ugh!” he exclaimed. “This stench is unbearable!”
Deinde ad casam pervēnit. Then he arrived at the cottage.
Ibi rosās vīdit — et olfēcit! There he saw the roses — and smelled them!
Odor suāvis rosārum nārēs implēvit. The sweet scent of the roses filled his nostrils.
Foetōris oblītus est. He forgot the stench.
“Ō!” inquit. “Odor rosārum est suāvissimus!” “Oh!” he said. “The scent of the roses is most sweet!”
“Foetōrem stabūlī nōn iam sentiō!” “I no longer smell the stench of the stable!”
Uxor rīsit. His wife laughed.
“Nāse,” inquit, “rosae semper foetōrem vincunt.” “Nasus,” she said, “roses always conquer the stench.”
“Hoc est cūr rosās plantāvī.” “This is why I planted roses.”
Agricola quoque rīsit. The farmer also laughed.
“Uxor mea,” inquit, “tū es sapientior quam ego.” “My wife,” he said, “you are wiser than I.”
“Odor suāvis est remedium contrā foetōrem tetrum.” “A sweet scent is the remedy against a foul stench.”
Ōlim agricola nōmine Nāsus in agrō suō labōrābat. Prope agrōs erat stabulum plēnum stercōre. Foetor erat teter. Agricola cotīdiē hunc foetōrem olfaciēbat. “Heu!” inquit. “Stabulum foetet! Stercus pessimē olet!”
Sed prope casam suam uxor rosās plantāverat. Rosae flōrēbant. Ōlim agricola dē agrō fessus redībat. Prīmum stabulum praeterīvit. Foetor teter nārēs percussit. “Ugh!” exclāmāvit. “Hic foetor est intolerandus!”
Deinde ad casam pervēnit. Ibi rosās vīdit — et olfēcit! Odor suāvis rosārum nārēs implēvit. Foetōris oblītus est.
“Ō!” inquit. “Odor rosārum est suāvissimus! Foetōrem stabūlī nōn iam sentiō!”
Uxor rīsit. “Nāse,” inquit, “rosae semper foetōrem vincunt. Hoc est cūr rosās plantāvī.”
Agricola quoque rīsit. “Uxor mea,” inquit, “tū es sapientior quam ego. Odor suāvis est remedium contrā foetōrem tetrum.”
The farmer’s name. Nāsus means “nose” in Latin — a fitting name for a story about smells! Such punning names are common in Latin literature (compare the playwright Plautus’s characters).
The verb olfaciēbat. Imperfect tense from olfacere (to smell, perceive by smell), a compound of olēre + facere. “He was smelling” — habitual or ongoing action.
The verb olfēcit. Perfect tense from olfacere. “He smelled” — completed action. Notice the stem change: olfaci- (present) → olfēc- (perfect).
The pluperfect plantāverat. “She had planted” — action completed before the main narrative. The wife planted the roses at some earlier time; now they bloom.
The deponent oblītus est. From oblīvīscī (to forget), a deponent verb that takes the GENITIVE of what is forgotten. Foetōris oblītus est means “he forgot the stench” — literally “of the stench he forgot.” The subject (the farmer, understood from context) forgets; the thing forgotten goes into the genitive case.
New vocabulary from the fable:
Latin English Note agricola, -ae farmer m. 1st decl. nāsus, -ī nose m. 2nd decl. stabulum, -ī stable, stall n. 2nd decl. stercus, stercoris manure, dung n. 3rd decl. olfaciēbat was smelling impf. of olfacere uxor, uxōris wife f. 3rd decl. plantāverat had planted plpf. of plantāre flōrēbant were blooming impf. of flōrēre praeterīvit passed by pf. of praeterīre nārēs, nārium nostrils f. 3rd decl. (usually pl.) percussit struck pf. of percutere intolerandus, -a, -um unbearable gerundive implēvit filled pf. of implēre suāvissimus most sweet superlative of suāvis vincunt conquer pres. of vincere remedium, -ī remedy, cure n. 2nd decl.
Dē Olfactū et Odōribus — On the Sense of Smell
Comēnius: Comenius: Salvē, Greetings, discipule! student! Hodiē Today dē about olfactū [the] sense of smell loquēmur. we will speak.
Discipulus: Student: Salvē, Greetings, magister! teacher! Quid What est is olfactus? [the] sense of smell?
Comēnius: Comenius: Olfactus [The] sense of smell est is sēnsus [the] sense quō by which odōrēs scents percipimus. we perceive. Nāsus [The] nose olfacit. smells.
Discipulus: Student: Quot How many genera kinds odōrum of smells sunt? are there?
Comēnius: Comenius: Duo Two praecipua: principally: odor scent suāvis sweet et and foetor stench teter. foul.
Discipulus: Student: Quid What olet smells suāviter? sweetly?
Comēnius: Comenius: Rosae Roses olent smell suāviter. sweetly. Et And līlia. lilies. Et And tūs. incense. Omnēs All flōrēs flowers bene well olent. smell.
Discipulus: Student: Et And quid what foetet? stinks?
Comēnius: Comenius: Stercus Manure foetet. stinks. Et And cadāvera. corpses. Et And clōācae. sewers. Quicquid Whatever putret is rotting foetet. stinks.
Discipulus: Student: Cūr Why odōrēs smells tam so potentēs powerful sunt? are?
Comēnius: Comenius: Olfactus [The] sense of smell est is sēnsus [the] sense memoriae of memory maximē most coniūnctus. connected. Odor [A] scent ūnus one potest is able tōtam [an] entire vītam life praeteritam past revocare. to recall.
Discipulus: Student: Intellegō! I understand! Odor The scent rōsārum of roses mē me dē of hortō the garden aviae of grandmother meae my admonet! reminds!
Comēnius: Comenius: Ita! Yes! Nāsus The nose docet teaches quod what oculī eyes nōn not possunt. can. Olfactus [The] sense of smell memoriam memory aperit. opens.
Discipulus: Student: Nunc Now intellegō I understand cūr why odōrēs smells tam so potentēs powerful sint. are.
Comēnius: Comenius: Bene! Good! Nāsus The nose est is iānua [a] gate ad to praeteritum. [the] past. Odor Scent suāvis sweet aperit, opens [it], foetor stench teter foul claudit. closes [it].
Comēnius: Salvē, discipule! Hodiē dē olfactū loquēmur. Comenius: Greetings, student! Today we will speak about the sense of smell.
Discipulus: Salvē, magister! Quid est olfactus? Student: Greetings, teacher! What is the sense of smell?
Comēnius: Olfactus est sēnsus quō odōrēs percipimus. Nāsus olfacit. Comenius: The sense of smell is the sense by which we perceive scents. The nose smells.
Discipulus: Quot genera odōrum sunt? Student: How many kinds of smells are there?
Comēnius: Duo praecipua: odor suāvis et foetor teter. Comenius: Two principally: sweet scent and foul stench.
Discipulus: Quid olet suāviter? Student: What smells sweetly?
Comēnius: Rosae olent suāviter. Et līlia. Et tūs. Omnēs flōrēs bene olent. Comenius: Roses smell sweetly. And lilies. And incense. All flowers smell well.
Discipulus: Et quid foetet? Student: And what stinks?
Comēnius: Stercus foetet. Et cadāvera. Et clōācae. Quicquid putret foetet. Comenius: Manure stinks. And corpses. And sewers. Whatever is rotting stinks.
Discipulus: Cūr odōrēs tam potentēs sunt? Student: Why are smells so powerful?
Comēnius: Olfactus est sēnsus memoriae maximē coniūnctus. Odor ūnus potest tōtam vītam praeteritam revocare. Comenius: The sense of smell is the sense most connected to memory. One scent can recall an entire past life.
Discipulus: Intellegō! Odor rōsārum mē dē hortō aviae meae admonet! Student: I understand! The scent of roses reminds me of my grandmother’s garden!
Comēnius: Ita! Nāsus docet quod oculī nōn possunt. Olfactus memoriam aperit. Comenius: Yes! The nose teaches what eyes cannot. Smell opens memory.
Discipulus: Nunc intellegō cūr odōrēs tam potentēs sint. Student: Now I understand why smells are so powerful.
Comēnius: Bene! Nāsus est iānua ad praeteritum. Odor suāvis aperit, foetor teter claudit. Comenius: Good! The nose is a gate to the past. Sweet scent opens it, foul stench closes it.
Comēnius: Salvē, discipule! Hodiē dē olfactū loquēmur. Discipulus: Salvē, magister! Quid est olfactus? Comēnius: Olfactus est sēnsus quō odōrēs percipimus. Nāsus olfacit. Discipulus: Quot genera odōrum sunt? Comēnius: Duo praecipua: odor suāvis et foetor teter. Discipulus: Quid olet suāviter? Comēnius: Rosae olent suāviter. Et līlia. Et tūs. Omnēs flōrēs bene olent. Discipulus: Et quid foetet? Comēnius: Stercus foetet. Et cadāvera. Et clōācae. Quicquid putret foetet. Discipulus: Cūr odōrēs tam potentēs sunt? Comēnius: Olfactus est sēnsus memoriae maximē coniūnctus. Odor ūnus potest tōtam vītam praeteritam revocare. Discipulus: Intellegō! Odor rōsārum mē dē hortō aviae meae admonet! Comēnius: Ita! Nāsus docet quod oculī nōn possunt. Olfactus memoriam aperit. Discipulus: Nunc intellegō cūr odōrēs tam potentēs sint. Comēnius: Bene! Nāsus est iānua ad praeteritum. Odor suāvis aperit, foetor teter claudit.
The fourth declension noun olfactus. Olfactus, -ūs (m.) means “the sense of smell” or “the act of smelling.” Fourth declension nouns have -us in the nominative and -ūs (with long ū) in the genitive. The ablative olfactū appears in “dē olfactū” — “about smell.”
The interrogative quot. An indeclinable adjective meaning “how many?” Quot genera? — “How many kinds?”
The relative clause quō percipimus. Quō is ablative of quī/quae/quod, meaning “by which.” “The sense by which we perceive scents.”
The subjunctive sint. In the final speech, the student says “cūr odōrēs tam potentēs sint” — using subjunctive because it’s an indirect question. Indirect questions take subjunctive in Latin.
New vocabulary from the colloquium:
Latin English Note olfactus, -ūs sense of smell m. 4th decl. sēnsus, -ūs sense m. 4th decl. quō by which abl. of relative pronoun percipimus we perceive 1st pl. of percipere quot how many indeclinable genera kinds nom./acc. pl. of genus praecipua principally adverb (or neut. pl. adj.) putret is rotting pres. subj. of putrēre potentēs powerful nom. pl. of potēns memoriae of memory gen. of memoria coniūnctus connected pf. pass. part. of coniungere revocare to recall infinitive avia, -ae grandmother f. 1st decl. admonet reminds pres. of admonēre praeteritum, -ī the past n. 2nd decl. (substantive)
Practice makes the seed grow. Do not merely read — do.
Exercitātiō I: Match the pairs. Draw a line between each Latin word and its English meaning.
Latin English 1. odor a. foul 2. foetor b. scent 3. suāvis c. to stink 4. teter d. sweet 5. foetēre e. stench
(Answers: 1-b, 2-e, 3-d, 4-a, 5-c)
Exercitātiō II: Complete the sentence. Fill each gap with the correct Latin word from the list: suāvis, teter, foetet, olet, bene, pessimē. -
Odor est __________. -
Foetor est __________. -
Rosa __________ olet. -
Stercus __________. -
Cadāver __________ olet. -
Līlium bene __________.
(Answers: 1. suāvis, 2. teter, 3. bene, 4. foetet, 5. pessimē, 6. olet)
Exercitātiō III: What is it? Name the substance described by each smell. -
Olet suāviter: __________ -
Fragrat: __________ -
Foetet: __________ -
Taetrē olet: __________
(Possible answers: 1. rosa/tūs/līlium, 2. līlium/rosa, 3. stercus/clōāca, 4. cadāver)
Exercitātiō IV: Translate into Latin. Use only words you have learned in this lesson. -
A smell is sweet. -
A stench is foul. -
Roses smell well. -
Manure stinks. -
The nose smells.
(Answers: 1. Odor est suāvis. 2. Foetor est teter. 3. Rosae bene olent. 4. Stercus foetet. 5. Nāsus olfacit.)
Exercitātiō V: Smell and speak. Find something pleasant to smell (a flower, coffee, bread, fruit). Say aloud: Hoc bene olet. Odor est suāvis. Then find something unpleasant (vinegar, old cheese, garbage). Say: Hoc male olet. Foetor est teter. Let your nose teach you the words.
Exercitātiō VI: Read aloud. Read the Vestibulum sentences aloud, three times:
Odor est suāvis. Foetor teter.
Two sentences. Eight words. The whole world of smell.
Exercitātiō VII: Memory and smell. Think of a smell that reminds you of something — a person, a place, a time. Describe it using Latin: Odor [genitive] mē admonet dē [ablative]. Example: Odor rōsārum mē admonet dē hortō aviae meae. (The scent of roses reminds me of my grandmother’s garden.)
The next gate continues through the senses.
We have now passed through three senses: sight (colors), taste (flavors), and smell (scents). The Vestibulum moves forward. In Lectiō Quārta Decima, we begin Chapter 2 — Dē Rērum Āctiōnibus et Passiōnibus (On the Actions and Passions of Things).
No longer merely describing qualities, we now learn what things DO. The sun shines. The wind blows. Birds fly. Fish swim. The world moves, acts, suffers, changes. Verbs will take center stage.
Nihil est in intellectū quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsū. Nothing is in the understanding which was not first in the senses.
Your nose has taught you Latin. Now your whole body will learn what things do.
Olfactus docuit. Āctiō docebit. Smell has taught. Action will teach.
Fīnis Lectiōnis Tertiae Decimae. Lectiō Quārta Decima sequētur. End of the Thirteenth Lesson. The Fourteenth Lesson will follow.
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Iōanne Amōs Comeniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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