← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī.
In lectiōne praecedentī didicistis quōmodo comparātīvus et superlātīvus gradūs rēgulāriter fōrmentur: doctus, doctior, doctissimus. Haec fōrma cōnstāns et praeclāra est—sed nātūra ipsa nōn semper cōnstāns est. Quaedam adiectīva, quod tam antīqua et tam necessāria sunt, propriās fōrmās habent quae nūllam rēgulam sequuntur.
In the preceding lesson you learned how the comparative and superlative degrees are formed regularly: learned, more learned, most learned. This pattern is constant and excellent—but nature itself is not always constant. Certain adjectives, because they are so ancient and so necessary, have their own forms which follow no rule.
Hodiē duās ex hīs anomalīs comparātiōnibus discēmus: magnus (great) et parvus (small)—per animālia quae Deus ipse ad docendum crēāvit.
Today we shall learn two of these irregular comparisons: magnus (great) and parvus (small)—through animals which God himself created for teaching.
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Taurus A bull est is magnus. great. Camelus A camel [est] [is] māior. greater. Elephās An elephant [est] [is] maximus. the greatest.
Passer A sparrow est is parvus. small. Parus A titmouse [est] [is] minor. smaller. Trochilus A wren [est] [is] minimus. the smallest.
Taurus est magnus. A bull is great.
Camelus est māior. A camel is greater.
Elephās est maximus. An elephant is the greatest.
Passer est parvus. A sparrow is small.
Parus est minor. A titmouse is smaller.
Trochilus est minimus. A wren is the smallest.
Taurus est magnus. Camelus est māior. Elephās est maximus.
Passer est parvus. Parus est minor. Trochilus est minimus.
The adjective magnus, -a, -um (great, large) does not follow the regular pattern. Its comparative and superlative come from entirely different roots:
Degree Masculine Feminine Neuter Meaning Positive magnus magna magnum great Comparative māior māior māius greater Superlative maximus maxima maximum greatest
Note that māior has the same form for masculine and feminine, with only the neuter māius being different—just like the regular comparative (doctior, doctius).
The adjective parvus, -a, -um (small) is equally irregular:
Degree Masculine Feminine Neuter Meaning Positive parvus parva parvum small Comparative minor minor minus smaller, less Superlative minimus minima minimum smallest, least
Again, the comparative minor serves for both masculine and feminine, with the neuter minus standing alone.
Comēnius calls these anomala (irregular) because the comparative and superlative are not built from the positive stem. You cannot predict māior from magnus or minor from parvus by any rule—you must simply learn them. Yet these are among the most common words in all of Latin, so you will meet them constantly.
Both māior and minor decline as third declension adjectives, exactly as the regular comparative does:
Case Singular (m./f.) Singular (n.) Plural (m./f.) Plural (n.) Nom. māior māius māiōrēs māiōra Gen. māiōris māiōris māiōrum māiōrum Dat. māiōrī māiōrī māiōribus māiōribus Acc. māiōrem māius māiōrēs māiōra Abl. māiōre māiōre māiōribus māiōribus
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taurus, -ī (m.): a bull -
camelus, -ī (m.): a camel -
elephās, elephantis (m.): an elephant (a Greek loan-word; third declension) -
passer, passeris (m.): a sparrow -
parus, -ī (m.): a titmouse (a small bird) -
trochilus, -ī (m.): a wren (from Greek τροχίλος)
In In agrō a field quōdam certain lātō, broad, trēs three taurī bulls ōlim once pāscēbantur. were grazing. Prīmus The first taurus bull erat was magnus. great. Secundus The second erat was māior greater quam than prīmus. the first. Tertius The third autem however erat was maximus the greatest omnium. of all.
Nōmen The name prīmō of the first erat was Fortis, Fortis, secundō of the second Fortior, Fortior, tertiō and of the third Fortissimus. Fortissimus. Agricola The farmer quī who eōs them possidēbat owned dīcēbat used to say tertium that the third taurum bull esse was maximum the greatest animal animal in in tōtā the whole regiōne. region.
Super Above agrōs, the fields, trēs three avēs birds in in rāmīs the branches arboris of a tree antīquae ancient sedēbant. were sitting. Prīma The first avis bird erat was passer— a sparrow— parva a small avicula. little bird. Secunda The second erat was parus, a titmouse, quī which est is minor smaller quam than passer. a sparrow. Tertia The third erat was trochilus, a wren, quī which est is minimus the smallest omnium of all avium. birds.
Taurī The bulls dē about sē themselves inter among sē themselves contendēbant. were arguing. Prīmus The first taurus bull clāmāvit shouted sē that he esse was magnum great et and fortem. strong. Secundus The second respondit replied sē that he himself esse was māiōrem greater et and fortiōrem stronger quam than prīmum. the first. Tertius The third mūgīvit bellowed sē that he himself esse was maximum the greatest et and fortissimum the strongest nec and that quemquam no one posse could sēcum with him contendere. compete.
Avēs The birds autem however in in rāmīs the branches hunc this clāmōrem shouting audiēbant were hearing et and inter among sē themselves susurrābant. were whispering. Passer The sparrow dīxit said taurōs that the bulls stultōs were foolish esse, — quod because dē about magnitūdine size semper always certārent. they quarreled. Parus, The titmouse, quī who erat was minor smaller quam than passer, the sparrow, addidit added sapientiam that wisdom nōn was not in in magnitūdine size sed but in in celeritāte the swiftness āliīs of wings sitam situated esse. —
Trochilus The wren vērō, truly, minima the smallest avis, bird, nihil nothing dīxit. said. Sōlum Only cantāvit. it sang. Et And cantus the song eius of it erat was suāvior sweeter quam than cantus the song passeris, of the sparrow, suāvior sweeter quam than cantus the song parī. of the titmouse. Erat It was enim indeed suāvissimus the sweetest omnium. of all.
Agricola, The farmer, quī who sub under arbore the tree sedēbat, was sitting, haec these things omnia all audīvit. heard. Rīsit He laughed et and dīxit said sē that he iam now intellegere understood nātūram the nature rērum: of things: maximum the greatest animal animal clāmōrem the most noise maximum greatest facere; makes; minimum the smallest autem however suāvissimē most sweetly cantāre. sings.
Sīc Thus trochilus, the wren, minimus the smallest omnium, of all, taurōs the bulls maximōs the greatest vīcit— conquered— nōn not vī by force sed but cantū. by song.
In agrō quōdam lātō, trēs taurī ōlim pāscēbantur. In a certain broad field, three bulls were once grazing.
Prīmus taurus erat magnus. Secundus erat māior quam prīmus. Tertius autem erat maximus omnium. The first bull was great. The second was greater than the first. The third however was the greatest of all.
Nōmen prīmō erat Fortis, secundō Fortior, tertiō Fortissimus. The name of the first was Fortis, of the second Fortior, of the third Fortissimus.
Agricola quī eōs possidēbat dīcēbat tertium taurum esse maximum animal in tōtā regiōne. The farmer who owned them used to say that the third bull was the greatest animal in the whole region.
Super agrōs, trēs avēs in rāmīs arboris antīquae sedēbant. Above the fields, three birds were sitting in the branches of an ancient tree.
Prīma avis erat passer—parva avicula. Secunda erat parus, quī est minor quam passer. Tertia erat trochilus, quī est minimus omnium avium. The first bird was a sparrow—a small little bird. The second was a titmouse, which is smaller than a sparrow. The third was a wren, which is the smallest of all birds.
Taurī dē sē inter sē contendēbant. The bulls were arguing among themselves about themselves.
Prīmus taurus clāmāvit sē esse magnum et fortem. The first bull shouted that he was great and strong.
Secundus respondit sē esse māiōrem et fortiōrem quam prīmum. The second replied that he was greater and stronger than the first.
Tertius mūgīvit sē esse maximum et fortissimum nec quemquam posse sēcum contendere. The third bellowed that he was the greatest and strongest and that no one could compete with him.
Avēs autem in rāmīs hunc clāmōrem audiēbant et inter sē susurrābant. The birds however were hearing this shouting in the branches and were whispering among themselves.
Passer dīxit taurōs stultōs esse, quod dē magnitūdine semper certārent. The sparrow said that the bulls were foolish, because they always quarreled about size.
Parus, quī erat minor quam passer, addidit sapientiam nōn in magnitūdine sed in celeritāte ālārum sitam esse. The titmouse, which was smaller than the sparrow, added that wisdom was situated not in size but in the swiftness of wings.
Trochilus vērō, minima avis, nihil dīxit. Sōlum cantāvit. The wren truly, the smallest bird, said nothing. It only sang.
Et cantus eius erat suāvior quam cantus passeris, suāvior quam cantus parī. Erat enim suāvissimus omnium. And its song was sweeter than the song of the sparrow, sweeter than the song of the titmouse. It was indeed the sweetest of all.
Agricola, quī sub arbore sedēbat, haec omnia audīvit. The farmer, who was sitting under the tree, heard all these things.
Rīsit et dīxit sē iam intellegere nātūram rērum: maximum animal clāmōrem maximum facere; minimum autem suāvissimē cantāre. He laughed and said that he now understood the nature of things: the greatest animal makes the most noise; the smallest however sings most sweetly.
Sīc trochilus, minimus omnium, taurōs maximōs vīcit—nōn vī sed cantū. Thus the wren, the smallest of all, conquered the greatest bulls—not by force but by song.
In agrō quōdam lātō, trēs taurī ōlim pāscēbantur. Prīmus taurus erat magnus. Secundus erat māior quam prīmus. Tertius autem erat maximus omnium. Nōmen prīmō erat Fortis, secundō Fortior, tertiō Fortissimus. Agricola quī eōs possidēbat dīcēbat tertium taurum esse maximum animal in tōtā regiōne.
Super agrōs, trēs avēs in rāmīs arboris antīquae sedēbant. Prīma avis erat passer—parva avicula. Secunda erat parus, quī est minor quam passer. Tertia erat trochilus, quī est minimus omnium avium.
Taurī dē sē inter sē contendēbant. Prīmus taurus clāmāvit sē esse magnum et fortem. Secundus respondit sē esse māiōrem et fortiōrem quam prīmum. Tertius mūgīvit sē esse maximum et fortissimum nec quemquam posse sēcum contendere.
Avēs autem in rāmīs hunc clāmōrem audiēbant et inter sē susurrābant. Passer dīxit taurōs stultōs esse, quod dē magnitūdine semper certārent. Parus, quī erat minor quam passer, addidit sapientiam nōn in magnitūdine sed in celeritāte ālārum sitam esse.
Trochilus vērō, minima avis, nihil dīxit. Sōlum cantāvit. Et cantus eius erat suāvior quam cantus passeris, suāvior quam cantus parī. Erat enim suāvissimus omnium.
Agricola, quī sub arbore sedēbat, haec omnia audīvit. Rīsit et dīxit sē iam intellegere nātūram rērum: maximum animal clāmōrem maximum facere; minimum autem suāvissimē cantāre.
Sīc trochilus, minimus omnium, taurōs maximōs vīcit—nōn vī sed cantū.
This fable uses indirect statement extensively. Notice how the pattern works with irregular comparatives:
Direct Speech Indirect Statement “Sum magnus et fortis.” Clāmāvit sē esse magnum et fortem. “Sum māior et fortior.” Respondit sē esse māiōrem et fortiōrem. “Sum maximus et fortissimus.” Mūgīvit sē esse maximum et fortissimum.
The accusative changes with each degree: magnum → māiōrem → maximum.
The fable uses both comparison constructions:
With quam: māior quam prīmus (greater than the first)—both nominative With genitive: maximus omnium (greatest of all)—superlative + genitive plural
quod dē magnitūdine semper certārent — “because they always quarreled about size”
The subjunctive certārent appears because this is a reason given in reported speech (the sparrow’s words, not the narrator’s view). In ōrātiō oblīqua, subordinate clauses take the subjunctive.
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pāscor, pāscī, pāstus sum (dep.): to graze -
contendō, -ere, -ī, -tum: to strive, argue, compete -
mūgiō, -īre, -īvī/-iī, -ītum: to bellow, low -
susurrō, -āre: to whisper -
certō, -āre: to contend, compete -
āla, -ae (f.): a wing -
situs, -a, -um: situated, placed -
cantus, -ūs (m.): a song, singing -
suāvis, -e: sweet, pleasant -
vīs, vīs (f.): force, strength (abl. sg. vī)
DISCIPULUS: Magister, Master, in in lectiōne the lesson praecedentī preceding didicimus we learned doctus, learned, doctior, more learned, doctissimus. most learned. Cūr Why nōn not dīcimus do we say magnus, great, magnior, greater, magnissimus? greatest?
MAGISTER: Quaestiō The question optima! is excellent! Quia Because haec these verba words tam so antīqua ancient sunt are ut that rēgulam the rule nōvam new iam now sequī to follow nōn not possint. they are able. Multō Much ante before quam [the time when] grammaticī grammarians rēgulās rules scrīpserint, wrote, Rōmānī the Romans iam already māior greater et and maximus greatest dīcēbant. were saying.
DISCIPULUS: Ergō Therefore fōrmae the forms anomalae irregular sunt are antīquiōrēs more ancient quam than fōrmae the forms cōnstantēs? regular?
MAGISTER: Ita So est. it is. Quō The more frequentius frequently verbum a word aliquod some in in ōre the mouth hominum of people est, is, eō the more magis more prōpriam its own viam way tenet it holds nec and does not sē itself accommodat adapt ad to fōrmam the pattern commūnem. common.
DISCIPULUS: Dīcisne Are you saying verbum that the word magnus great frequentius more frequent esse is quam than verbum the word doctus? learned?
MAGISTER: Certē. Certainly. Quis Who enim indeed nōn does not cotīdiē daily dīcit say hoc this esse is magnum, great, illud that esse is māius, greater, aliud another thing esse is maximum? the greatest? Maior, Greater, minor, smaller, melior, better, peior— worse— haec these sunt are verba the words quibus which vīta life cotīdiāna daily plēna full of est. is.
DISCIPULUS: Videō. I see. Sed But potesne can you mihī for me omnēs all anomalās the irregular comparātiōnēs comparisons nunc now docēre? teach?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Not at all! Hoc This esset would be contrā against prīncipium the principle meum my prīmum: first: omnia all things spontē freely fluant. should flow. Hodiē Today duās two didicistī: you have learned: magnus great et and parvus. small. In In proximā the next lectiōne lesson duās two aliās others discēs: you will learn: bonus good et and malus. bad. Sīc Thus gradātim step by step prōgrediēmur— we shall advance— numquam never nimium too much ūnō in one tempore. time.
DISCIPULUS: Agō I give grātiās, thanks, Magister. Master. Nunc Now intellegō I understand cūr why Comēnius Comenius haec these animālia animals ēlēgerit: chose: taurī bulls et and elephantēs elephants ad for magnus, great, passerēs sparrows et and trochilī wrens ad for parvus. small. Rēs The thing ante before verbum! the word!
MAGISTER: Rēctissimē! Most correctly! Nunc Now abī go et and hās these sex six sententiās sentences Vestibulī of the Vestibulum memoriter by heart disce. learn. Sunt They are breves, short, sunt they are clārae, clear, et and nēmō no one umquam ever eās them oblīvīscētur will forget quī who semel once elephantem an elephant et and trochilum a wren in in mente the mind coniūnxerit. has joined together.
DISCIPULUS: Magister, in lectiōne praecedentī didicimus doctus, doctior, doctissimus. Cūr nōn dīcimus magnus, magnior, magnissimus? Master, in the preceding lesson we learned learned, more learned, most learned. Why don’t we say great, greater, greatest in the regular way?
MAGISTER: Quaestiō optima! Quia haec verba tam antīqua sunt ut rēgulam nōvam iam sequī nōn possint. Multō ante quam grammaticī rēgulās scrīpserint, Rōmānī iam māior et maximus dīcēbant. An excellent question! Because these words are so ancient that they cannot now follow the new rule. Long before grammarians wrote rules, the Romans were already saying greater and greatest.
DISCIPULUS: Ergō fōrmae anomalae sunt antīquiōrēs quam fōrmae cōnstantēs? Therefore the irregular forms are more ancient than the regular forms?
MAGISTER: Ita est. Quō frequentius verbum aliquod in ōre hominum est, eō magis prōpriam viam tenet nec sē accommodat ad fōrmam commūnem. So it is. The more frequently a word is in people’s mouths, the more it holds its own way and does not adapt to the common pattern.
DISCIPULUS: Dīcisne verbum magnus frequentius esse quam verbum doctus? Are you saying that the word great is more frequent than the word learned?
MAGISTER: Certē. Quis enim nōn cotīdiē dīcit hoc esse magnum, illud esse māius, aliud esse maximum? Māior, minor, melior, peior—haec sunt verba quibus vīta cotīdiāna plēna est. Certainly. For who does not daily say that this is great, that is greater, another thing is the greatest? Greater, smaller, better, worse—these are the words which daily life is full of.
DISCIPULUS: Videō. Sed potesne mihī omnēs anomalās comparātiōnēs nunc docēre? I see. But can you teach me all the irregular comparisons now?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Hoc esset contrā prīncipium meum prīmum: omnia spontē fluant. Hodiē duās didicistī: magnus et parvus. In proximā lectiōne duās aliās discēs: bonus et malus. Sīc gradātim prōgrediēmur—numquam nimium ūnō tempore. Not at all! This would be against my first principle: let all things flow freely. Today you have learned two: great and small. In the next lesson you will learn two others: good and bad. Thus step by step we shall advance—never too much at one time.
DISCIPULUS: Agō grātiās, Magister. Nunc intellegō cūr Comēnius haec animālia ēlēgerit: taurōs et elephantēs ad magnus, passerēs et trochilōs ad parvus. Rēs ante verbum! I give thanks, Master. Now I understand why Comenius chose these animals: bulls and elephants for great, sparrows and wrens for small. The thing before the word!
MAGISTER: Rēctissimē! Nunc abī et hās sex sententiās Vestibulī memoriter disce. Sunt breves, sunt clārae, et nēmō umquam eās oblīvīscētur quī semel elephantem et trochilum in mente coniūnxerit. Most correctly! Now go and learn these six sentences of the Vestibulum by heart. They are short, they are clear, and no one will ever forget them who has once joined an elephant and a wren together in the mind.
DISCIPULUS: Magister, in lectiōne praecedentī didicimus doctus, doctior, doctissimus. Cūr nōn dīcimus magnus, magnior, magnissimus?
MAGISTER: Quaestiō optima! Quia haec verba tam antīqua sunt ut rēgulam nōvam iam sequī nōn possint. Multō ante quam grammaticī rēgulās scrīpserint, Rōmānī iam māior et maximus dīcēbant.
DISCIPULUS: Ergō fōrmae anomalae sunt antīquiōrēs quam fōrmae cōnstantēs?
MAGISTER: Ita est. Quō frequentius verbum aliquod in ōre hominum est, eō magis prōpriam viam tenet nec sē accommodat ad fōrmam commūnem.
DISCIPULUS: Dīcisne verbum magnus frequentius esse quam verbum doctus?
MAGISTER: Certē. Quis enim nōn cotīdiē dīcit hoc esse magnum, illud esse māius, aliud esse maximum? Māior, minor, melior, peior—haec sunt verba quibus vīta cotīdiāna plēna est.
DISCIPULUS: Videō. Sed potesne mihī omnēs anomalās comparātiōnēs nunc docēre?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Hoc esset contrā prīncipium meum prīmum: omnia spontē fluant. Hodiē duās didicistī: magnus et parvus. In proximā lectiōne duās aliās discēs: bonus et malus. Sīc gradātim prōgrediēmur—numquam nimium ūnō tempore.
DISCIPULUS: Agō grātiās, Magister. Nunc intellegō cūr Comēnius haec animālia ēlēgerit: taurōs et elephantēs ad magnus, passerēs et trochilōs ad parvus. Rēs ante verbum!
MAGISTER: Rēctissimē! Nunc abī et hās sex sententiās Vestibulī memoriter disce. Sunt breves, sunt clārae, et nēmō umquam eās oblīvīscētur quī semel elephantem et trochilum in mente coniūnxerit.
The Magister uses an important construction:
Quō frequentius...eō magis — “The more frequently...the more”
This is the standard Latin correlative for expressing proportional comparison. Both quō and eō are ablatives of degree of difference, used with comparatives.
tam antīqua sunt ut...sequī nōn possint — “so ancient that they cannot follow”
The ut + subjunctive (possint) expresses a result. When the result is negative, Latin uses ut...nōn (not nē).
Multō ante quam grammaticī rēgulās scrīpserint — “Long before grammarians wrote rules”
The perfect subjunctive scrīpserint appears because the clause expresses anticipation in the past. The ablative multō expresses degree of difference (”by much” = “long”).
The next lesson will cover the remaining two common irregular comparatives:
Positive Comparative Superlative bonus (good) melior (better) optimus (best) malus (bad) peior (worse) pessimus (worst)
Positive Comparative Superlative magnus ______ ______ ______ minor ______ doctus ______ ______
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An elephant is greater than a camel. -
A wren is the smallest of all birds. -
The farmer said that the bull was great. -
The sparrow said that the bulls were foolish. -
The smallest bird sings most sweetly.
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“Elephās est maximus.” → Agricola dīxit... -
“Trochilus est minimus.” → Passer dīxit... -
“Taurī sunt stultī.” → Avēs dīxērunt...
Rewrite each sentence using the alternative construction: -
Camelus est māior quam taurus. → Camelus est māior ______ -
Trochilus est minimus omnium avium. → Trochilus est minor quam ______
In hāc lectiōne duās anomalās comparātiōnēs didicistis: magnus, māior, maximus et parvus, minor, minimus. Hae fōrmae antīquissimae sunt et memoriter discendae.
In this lesson you have learned two irregular comparisons: great, greater, greatest and small, smaller, smallest. These forms are most ancient and must be learned by heart.
In proximā lectiōne duās aliās discēmus: bonus, melior, optimus (good, better, best) et malus, peior, pessimus (bad, worse, worst)—per cervīsiam et vīnum, per lacertās et aspidēs!
In the next lesson we shall learn two others: good, better, best and bad, worse, worst—through ale and wine, through lizards and asps!
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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