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Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
Lesson 23
23 of 89 lessons

Lesson 23: Lectiō Tertia et Vīcēsima: Dē Comparātiōne Anomalā II On Irregular Comparison II

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IĀNUAE LATĪNITĀTIS VESTIBULUM

Lectiō Tertia et Vīcēsima: Dē Comparātiōne Anomalā II

On Irregular Comparison II

Prōlogus: Ē Sepulchrō Comēniī

Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī.

In lectiōne praecedentī duās anomalās comparātiōnēs didicistis: magnus, māior, maximus et parvus, minor, minimus—per taurōs et avēs, per elephantēs et trochilōs. Hodiē duās reliquās discēmus, quae fortasse omnium ūtilissimae sunt: bonus (good) et malus (bad).

In the preceding lesson you learned two irregular comparisons: great, greater, greatest and small, smaller, smallest—through bulls and birds, through elephants and wrens. Today we shall learn the two remaining ones, which are perhaps the most useful of all: good and bad.

Comēnius autem nōn per rēs abstractās docet sed per rēs quās gustāre et tangere possumus: per cervīsiam et vīnum, per lacertās et aspidēs. Sīc enim nātūra docet—per sēnsūs, nōn per praecepta.

Comenius however does not teach through abstract things but through things which we can taste and touch: through ale and wine, through lizards and asps. For thus nature teaches—through the senses, not through rules.

Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius

PARS PRĪMA: VESTIBULUM

Anomala Comparātiō (continuāta) — Irregular Comparison (continued)

Pars A: Textus Explicātus (Construed Text)

Cervīsia Ale est is bona. good. Mulsum Mead [est] [is] melius. better. Vīnum Wine [est] [is] optimum. the best.

Lacerta A lizard est is mala. bad. Vīpera A viper [est] [is] peior. worse. Aspis An asp [est] [is] pessima. the worst.

Pars B: Sententiae Alternantēs (Alternating Sentences)

Cervīsia est bona. Ale is good.

Mulsum est melius. Mead is better.

Vīnum est optimum. Wine is the best.

Lacerta est mala. A lizard is bad.

Vīpera est peior. A viper is worse.

Aspis est pessima. An asp is the worst.

Pars C: Textus Latīnus Sōlus (Latin Text Only)

Cervīsia est bona. Mulsum est melius. Vīnum est optimum.

Lacerta est mala. Vīpera est peior. Aspis est pessima.

Pars D: Nōtae Grammaticae (Grammatical Notes)

I. Irregular Comparison: Bonus

The adjective bonus, -a, -um (good) forms its comparative and superlative from entirely different roots:

Degree Masculine Feminine Neuter Meaning Positive bonus bona bonum good Comparative melior melior melius better Superlative optimus optima optimum best

Note that melius is the neuter comparative — the same pattern as māius and minus from Lesson XXII.

II. Irregular Comparison: Malus

The adjective malus, -a, -um (bad) is equally irregular:

Degree Masculine Feminine Neuter Meaning Positive malus mala malum bad Comparative peior peior peius worse Superlative pessimus pessima pessimum worst

III. The Four Great Irregular Comparatives — Complete Summary

Now that you have learned all four, here they are together:

Positive Comparative Superlative magnus (great) māior (greater) maximus (greatest) parvus (small) minor (smaller) minimus (smallest) bonus (good) melior (better) optimus (best) malus (bad) peior (worse) pessimus (worst)

These four sets are the most common irregular comparatives in Latin. They must be learned by heart.

IV. Gender Agreement

Notice how Comēnius carefully matches genders:

Cervīsia (f.) est bona (f.) — feminine agreement Mulsum (n.) est melius (n.) — neuter agreement Vīnum (n.) est optimum (n.) — neuter agreement

Lacerta (f.) est mala (f.) — feminine agreement Vīpera (f.) est peior (f.) — common form for m./f. Aspis (f.) est pessima (f.) — feminine agreement

The comparative melius and peior show this clearly: melius is neuter (agreeing with mulsum), while peior is the common masculine/feminine form (agreeing with vīpera).

V. The Nouns

-

cervīsia, -ae (f.): ale, beer -

mulsum, -ī (n.): mead, honey-wine (from mel, honey) -

vīnum, -ī (n.): wine -

lacerta, -ae (f.): a lizard -

vīpera, -ae (f.): a viper -

aspis, aspidis (f.): an asp (a Greek loan-word; third declension)

PARS SECUNDA: FĀBULA

Caupō et Trēs Pōcula

The Innkeeper and Three Cups

Pars A: Textus Explicātus (Construed Text)

In In oppidō a town quōdam certain Bohēmiae, of Bohemia, caupō an innkeeper quīdam a certain one trēs three hospitēs guests ūnō on one eōdemque and the same vespere evening accēpit. received. Prīmus The first hospes guest erat was agricola, a farmer, secundus the second mercātor, a merchant, tertius the third senex an old man sapiēns. wise.

Caupō The innkeeper cuīque to each one pōculum a cup plēnum full apposuit. set before them. Agricolae For the farmer cervīsiam ale dedit, he gave, quod because dīxit he said cervīsiam that ale esse was bonam good et and aptam fitting hominī for a man quī who in in agrīs the fields labōrāret. toiled.

Mercātōrī For the merchant mulsum mead dedit, he gave, et and explicāvit explained mulsum that mead esse was melius better quam than cervīsiam, ale, quod because mel honey et and aqua water in in eō it coniūncta joined together essent. were.

Senī For the old man autem however vīnum wine rubrum red dedit, he gave, et and adfīrmāvit affirmed vīnum that wine esse was optimum the best omnium of all pōtuum, drinks, quia because Deus God ipse himself id it ex from ūvīs grapes creāvisset. had created.

Agricola The farmer cervīsiam the ale suam his libenter gladly bibit drank et and dīxit said sē that he esse was contentum. content. Cervīsia Ale bona good est, is, inquit; he said; quid what amplius more petam? should I seek?

Mercātor The merchant mulsum the mead gustāvit, tasted, ōs his face oblectāvit, delighted, et and fassus est confessed mulsum that mead rē in fact vērā true esse was melius better quam than cervīsiam: ale: dulcius, sweeter, suāvius, more pleasant, et and calōrem warmth grātiōrem more welcome praebēre. to provide.

Senex The old man autem however vīnum the wine summā with the greatest cūrā care dēgustāvit. tasted carefully. Prīmum First colōrem the color aspēxit, he beheld, deinde then odōrem the smell hausit, he drew in, tandem at last sorbillāvit. he sipped. Tum Then dēmum at last dīxit he said vīnum that wine optimum the best esse was nōn not sōlum only quia because dulcissimum the sweetest esset, it was, sed but quia because sapientiam wisdom et and laetitiam joy simul at the same time afferret. it brought. Vīnum, Wine, inquit, he said, cor the heart hominis of a person laetificat. gladdens.

Interim Meanwhile autem however sub under mēnsā the table lacerta a lizard parva small repēbat. was creeping. Agricola The farmer eam it vīdit saw et and dīxit said lacertam that a lizard esse was malam bad bestiam, a beast, sed but nōn not perīculōsam. dangerous.

Mercātor The merchant autem however per through fenestram the window aspēxit looked et and vīperam a viper in in viā the road vīdit. saw. Omnēs All admonuit he warned vīperam that a viper esse was peiōrem worse quam than lacertam, a lizard, quod because venēnum poison habēret it had quō by which hominēs people laedere to harm posset. it was able.

Senex The old man autem however caput his head graviter gravely mōvit shook et and dīxit said sē that he himself ōlim once in in terrīs the lands Aegyptiīs Egyptian aspidem an asp vīdisse. had seen. Aspis, The asp, inquit, he said, est is pessima the worst omnium of all serpentium. serpents. Ūnus One morsus bite mortem death affert. brings. Nūlla No medicīna medicine auxiliō as a help est. is.

Caupō The innkeeper haec these things audīvit heard et and rīdēns laughing dīxit said sē that he nunc now intellegere understood cūr why sapiēns a wise man vīnum wine bibat, drinks, nōn not cervīsiam: ale: quī he who pessima the worst things vīderit, has seen, is that one optimum the best meritō deservedly quaerit. seeks.

Pars B: Sententiae Alternantēs (Alternating Sentences)

In oppidō quōdam Bohēmiae, caupō quīdam trēs hospitēs ūnō eōdemque vespere accēpit. In a certain town of Bohemia, a certain innkeeper received three guests on one and the same evening.

Prīmus hospes erat agricola, secundus mercātor, tertius senex sapiēns. The first guest was a farmer, the second a merchant, the third a wise old man.

Caupō cuīque pōculum plēnum apposuit. The innkeeper set a full cup before each one.

Agricolae cervīsiam dedit, quod dīxit cervīsiam esse bonam et aptam hominī quī in agrīs labōrāret. He gave ale to the farmer, because he said that ale was good and fitting for a man who toiled in the fields.

Mercātōrī mulsum dedit, et explicāvit mulsum esse melius quam cervīsiam, quod mel et aqua in eō coniūncta essent. He gave mead to the merchant, and explained that mead was better than ale, because honey and water were joined in it.

Senī autem vīnum rubrum dedit, et adfīrmāvit vīnum esse optimum omnium pōtuum, quia Deus ipse id ex ūvīs creāvisset. To the old man however he gave red wine, and affirmed that wine was the best of all drinks, because God himself had created it from grapes.

Agricola cervīsiam suam libenter bibit et dīxit sē esse contentum. Cervīsia bona est, inquit; quid amplius petam? The farmer gladly drank his ale and said that he was content. Ale is good, he said; what more should I seek?

Mercātor mulsum gustāvit, ōs oblectāvit, et fassus est mulsum rē vērā esse melius quam cervīsiam: dulcius, suāvius, et calōrem grātiōrem praebēre. The merchant tasted the mead, delighted his face, and confessed that mead was in fact better than ale: sweeter, more pleasant, and providing a more welcome warmth.

Senex autem vīnum summā cūrā dēgustāvit. Prīmum colōrem aspēxit, deinde odōrem hausit, tandem sorbillāvit. The old man however tasted the wine with the greatest care. First he beheld the color, then he drew in the smell, at last he sipped.

Tum dēmum dīxit vīnum optimum esse nōn sōlum quia dulcissimum esset, sed quia sapientiam et laetitiam simul afferret. Then at last he said that wine was the best not only because it was the sweetest, but because it brought wisdom and joy at the same time.

Vīnum, inquit, cor hominis laetificat. Wine, he said, gladdens the heart of a person.

Interim autem sub mēnsā lacerta parva repēbat. Meanwhile however a small lizard was creeping under the table.

Agricola eam vīdit et dīxit lacertam esse malam bestiam, sed nōn perīculōsam. The farmer saw it and said that a lizard was a bad beast, but not a dangerous one.

Mercātor autem per fenestram aspēxit et vīperam in viā vīdit. Omnēs admonuit vīperam esse peiōrem quam lacertam, quod venēnum habēret quō hominēs laedere posset. The merchant however looked through the window and saw a viper in the road. He warned everyone that a viper was worse than a lizard, because it had poison by which it could harm people.

Senex autem caput graviter mōvit et dīxit sē ōlim in terrīs Aegyptiīs aspidem vīdisse. The old man however gravely shook his head and said that he had once seen an asp in the lands of Egypt.

Aspis, inquit, est pessima omnium serpentium. Ūnus morsus mortem affert. Nūlla medicīna auxiliō est. The asp, he said, is the worst of all serpents. One bite brings death. No medicine is a help.

Caupō haec audīvit et rīdēns dīxit sē nunc intellegere cūr sapiēns vīnum bibat, nōn cervīsiam: quī pessima vīderit, is optimum meritō quaerit. The innkeeper heard these things and laughing said that he now understood why a wise man drinks wine, not ale: he who has seen the worst things deservedly seeks the best.

Pars C: Textus Latīnus Sōlus (Latin Text Only)

In oppidō quōdam Bohēmiae, caupō quīdam trēs hospitēs ūnō eōdemque vespere accēpit. Prīmus hospes erat agricola, secundus mercātor, tertius senex sapiēns. Caupō cuīque pōculum plēnum apposuit.

Agricolae cervīsiam dedit, quod dīxit cervīsiam esse bonam et aptam hominī quī in agrīs labōrāret. Mercātōrī mulsum dedit, et explicāvit mulsum esse melius quam cervīsiam, quod mel et aqua in eō coniūncta essent. Senī autem vīnum rubrum dedit, et adfīrmāvit vīnum esse optimum omnium pōtuum, quia Deus ipse id ex ūvīs creāvisset.

Agricola cervīsiam suam libenter bibit et dīxit sē esse contentum. Cervīsia bona est, inquit; quid amplius petam? Mercātor mulsum gustāvit, ōs oblectāvit, et fassus est mulsum rē vērā esse melius quam cervīsiam: dulcius, suāvius, et calōrem grātiōrem praebēre.

Senex autem vīnum summā cūrā dēgustāvit. Prīmum colōrem aspēxit, deinde odōrem hausit, tandem sorbillāvit. Tum dēmum dīxit vīnum optimum esse nōn sōlum quia dulcissimum esset, sed quia sapientiam et laetitiam simul afferret. Vīnum, inquit, cor hominis laetificat.

Interim autem sub mēnsā lacerta parva repēbat. Agricola eam vīdit et dīxit lacertam esse malam bestiam, sed nōn perīculōsam. Mercātor autem per fenestram aspēxit et vīperam in viā vīdit. Omnēs admonuit vīperam esse peiōrem quam lacertam, quod venēnum habēret quō hominēs laedere posset.

Senex autem caput graviter mōvit et dīxit sē ōlim in terrīs Aegyptiīs aspidem vīdisse. Aspis, inquit, est pessima omnium serpentium. Ūnus morsus mortem affert. Nūlla medicīna auxiliō est.

Caupō haec audīvit et rīdēns dīxit sē nunc intellegere cūr sapiēns vīnum bibat, nōn cervīsiam: quī pessima vīderit, is optimum meritō quaerit.

Pars D: Nōtae Grammaticae (Grammatical Notes)

I. Indirect Statement with All Four Irregular Comparatives

This fable provides examples of each irregular comparative in indirect statement:

Direct Indirect “Cervīsia est bona.” Dīxit cervīsiam esse bonam. “Mulsum est melius.” Explicāvit mulsum esse melius. “Vīnum est optimum.” Adfīrmāvit vīnum esse optimum. “Lacerta est mala bestia.” Dīxit lacertam esse malam bestiam. “Vīpera est peior.” Admonuit vīperam esse peiōrem. “Aspis est pessima.” (Direct speech via inquit)

II. Subjunctive in Subordinate Clauses of Reported Speech

Within indirect statement, subordinate clauses take the subjunctive:

quod mel et aqua in eō coniūncta essent — “because honey and water were joined in it” (imperfect subjunctive: the innkeeper’s reason, reported)

quia Deus ipse id ex ūvīs creāvisset — “because God himself had created it from grapes” (pluperfect subjunctive: the innkeeper’s stated reason)

quod venēnum habēret — “because it had poison” (imperfect subjunctive: the merchant’s reason, reported)

III. Double Dativus: The Dative of Purpose

Nūlla medicīna auxiliō est. — “No medicine is as a help.”

This is the double dative construction: auxiliō (dative of purpose) + implied dative of reference. A very common classical pattern.

IV. Inquit vs. Indirect Statement

The fable alternates between inquit (direct quotation) and dīxit + acc. + inf. (indirect statement). This is natural Latin style: short, vivid statements use inquit; longer reports use indirect statement. Note that inquit is defective and always appears within the quoted words.

V. Vocabulary from this Fable

-

caupō, caupōnis (m.): an innkeeper -

hospes, hospitis (m.): a guest, host -

pōculum, -ī (n.): a cup, goblet -

appōnō, -ere, -posuī, -positum: to set before, serve -

mulsum, -ī (n.): mead, honey-wine -

gustō, -āre: to taste -

oblectō, -āre: to delight -

fateor, fatērī, fassus sum (dep.): to confess, admit -

dēgustō, -āre: to taste carefully -

hauriō, -īre, hausī, haustum: to draw in, drain -

sorbillō, -āre: to sip -

laetificō, -āre: to gladden -

repō, -ere, rēpsī, rēptum: to creep, crawl -

admonēo, -ēre, -uī, -itum: to warn, advise -

venēnum, -ī (n.): poison -

morsus, -ūs (m.): a bite

PARS TERTIA: COLLOQUIUM

Magister et Discipulus

Pars A: Textus Explicātus (Construed Text)

DISCIPULUS: Magister, Master, nunc now omnia all quattuor four anomala irregular adiectīva adjectives didicī. I have learned. Suntne Are there alia other quoque? also?

MAGISTER: Sunt There are quaedam certain ones alia, other, sed but haec these quattuor four longē by far frequentissima the most frequent sunt. are. Quī He who haec these tenet, holds, is that one fundāmentum the foundation firmum firm habet. has. Cētera The rest suō in their own tempore time discentur. will be learned.

DISCIPULUS: Cūr Why autem however Comēnius did Comenius cervīsiam ale et and vīnum wine ad for docendum teaching bonus good ēlēgit, choose, lacertās but lizards et and aspidēs asps ad for malus? bad?

MAGISTER: Quia Because nihil nothing in into intellectum the understanding intrat enters quod which nōn not prius first fuerit has been in in sēnsibus. the senses. Cervīsiam Ale gustāre to taste potes. you can. Mulsum Mead olfacere. to smell. Vīnum Wine vidēre, to see, olfacere, to smell, gustāre. to taste. Sēnsūs The senses ipsi themselves docent teach quid what sit is bonum, good, quid what melius, better, quid what optimum. best.

DISCIPULUS: Et And lacertam a lizard vidēre to see possum, I can, et and vīperam a viper timēre, to fear, et and aspidem an asp fugere! to flee from!

MAGISTER: Rēctissimē. Most correctly. Corpus The body ipsum itself scit knows quid what sit is malum: bad: quod that which nocet. harms. Et And scit it knows quid what sit is peius: worse: quod that which magis more nocet. harms. Et And quid what pessimum: the worst: quod that which occidit. kills. Nūllā No grammaticā grammar hoc this opus est. is needed.

DISCIPULUS: Nunc Now autem however quaestiōnem a question habeō I have dē about fōrmīs the forms ipsīs. themselves. Cūr Why dīcimus do we say peior worse et and nōn not malior? more-bad?

MAGISTER: Eādem For the same dē (of) causā reason quā as in in lectiōne the lesson praecedentī preceding respondī. I answered. Haec These verba words sunt are antīquissima. most ancient. Rōmānī The Romans iam already ante before Rōmulum Romulus melius better et and peius worse dīcēbant. were saying. Rēgulae Rules post after vēnērunt; came; verba the words iam already aderant. were there.

DISCIPULUS: Ergō Therefore rēgulae rules verbīs words serviunt, serve, nōn not verba words rēgulīs! rules!

MAGISTER: Ita So est! it is! Hoc This est is prīncipium the principle omnis of all bonae good doctrīnae: teaching: rēs the thing ante before verbum, the word, ūsus usage ante before rēgulam. the rule. Nunc Now abī go et and sex the six sententiās sentences hodiernās of today memoriter by heart disce. learn. Quī He who hās these duodecim twelve sententiās sentences tenet holds —sex —six dē from lectiōne lesson praecedentī, the preceding, sex six dē from hodiernā— today’s— is that one quattuor the four anomalās irregular comparātiōnēs comparisons omnēs all scit. knows.

Pars B: Sententiae Alternantēs (Alternating Sentences)

DISCIPULUS: Magister, nunc omnia quattuor anomala adiectīva didicī. Suntne alia quoque? Master, now I have learned all four irregular adjectives. Are there others also?

MAGISTER: Sunt quaedam alia, sed haec quattuor longē frequentissima sunt. Quī haec tenet, is fundāmentum firmum habet. Cētera suō tempore discentur. There are certain others, but these four are by far the most frequent. He who holds these has a firm foundation. The rest will be learned in their own time.

DISCIPULUS: Cūr autem Comēnius cervīsiam et vīnum ad docendum bonus ēlēgit, lacertās et aspidēs ad malus? But why did Comenius choose ale and wine for teaching good, lizards and asps for bad?

MAGISTER: Quia nihil in intellectum intrat quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsibus. Cervīsiam gustāre potes. Mulsum olfacere. Vīnum vidēre, olfacere, gustāre. Sēnsūs ipsī docent quid sit bonum, quid melius, quid optimum. Because nothing enters the understanding which has not first been in the senses. You can taste ale. Smell mead. See, smell, taste wine. The senses themselves teach what is good, what is better, what is best.

DISCIPULUS: Et lacertam vidēre possum, et vīperam timēre, et aspidem fugere! And I can see a lizard, and fear a viper, and flee from an asp!

MAGISTER: Rēctissimē. Corpus ipsum scit quid sit malum: quod nocet. Et scit quid sit peius: quod magis nocet. Et quid pessimum: quod occidit. Nūllā grammaticā hoc opus est. Most correctly. The body itself knows what is bad: that which harms. And it knows what is worse: that which harms more. And what is worst: that which kills. No grammar is needed for this.

DISCIPULUS: Nunc autem quaestiōnem habeō dē fōrmīs ipsīs. Cūr dīcimus peior et nōn malior? Now however I have a question about the forms themselves. Why do we say worse and not more-bad?

MAGISTER: Eādem dē causā quā in lectiōne praecedentī respondī. Haec verba sunt antīquissima. Rōmānī iam ante Rōmulum melius et peius dīcēbant. Rēgulae post vēnērunt; verba iam aderant. For the same reason as I answered in the preceding lesson. These words are most ancient. The Romans were already saying better and worse before Romulus. Rules came afterwards; the words were already there.

DISCIPULUS: Ergō rēgulae verbīs serviunt, nōn verba rēgulīs! Therefore rules serve words, not words rules!

MAGISTER: Ita est! Hoc est prīncipium omnis bonae doctrīnae: rēs ante verbum, ūsus ante rēgulam. Nunc abī et sex sententiās hodiernās memoriter disce. Quī hās duodecim sententiās tenet—sex dē lectiōne praecedentī, sex dē hodiernā—is quattuor anomalās comparātiōnēs omnēs scit. So it is! This is the principle of all good teaching: the thing before the word, usage before the rule. Now go and learn the six sentences of today by heart. He who holds these twelve sentences—six from the preceding lesson, six from today’s—knows all four irregular comparisons.

Pars C: Textus Latīnus Sōlus (Latin Text Only)

DISCIPULUS: Magister, nunc omnia quattuor anomala adiectīva didicī. Suntne alia quoque?

MAGISTER: Sunt quaedam alia, sed haec quattuor longē frequentissima sunt. Quī haec tenet, is fundāmentum firmum habet. Cētera suō tempore discentur.

DISCIPULUS: Cūr autem Comēnius cervīsiam et vīnum ad docendum bonus ēlēgit, lacertās et aspidēs ad malus?

MAGISTER: Quia nihil in intellectum intrat quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsibus. Cervīsiam gustāre potes. Mulsum olfacere. Vīnum vidēre, olfacere, gustāre. Sēnsūs ipsī docent quid sit bonum, quid melius, quid optimum.

DISCIPULUS: Et lacertam vidēre possum, et vīperam timēre, et aspidem fugere!

MAGISTER: Rēctissimē. Corpus ipsum scit quid sit malum: quod nocet. Et scit quid sit peius: quod magis nocet. Et quid pessimum: quod occidit. Nūllā grammaticā hoc opus est.

DISCIPULUS: Nunc autem quaestiōnem habeō dē fōrmīs ipsīs. Cūr dīcimus peior et nōn malior?

MAGISTER: Eādem dē causā quā in lectiōne praecedentī respondī. Haec verba sunt antīquissima. Rōmānī iam ante Rōmulum melius et peius dīcēbant. Rēgulae post vēnērunt; verba iam aderant.

DISCIPULUS: Ergō rēgulae verbīs serviunt, nōn verba rēgulīs!

MAGISTER: Ita est! Hoc est prīncipium omnis bonae doctrīnae: rēs ante verbum, ūsus ante rēgulam. Nunc abī et sex sententiās hodiernās memoriter disce. Quī hās duodecim sententiās tenet—sex dē lectiōne praecedentī, sex dē hodiernā—is quattuor anomalās comparātiōnēs omnēs scit.

Pars D: Nōtae Grammaticae (Grammatical Notes)

I. Nihil in intellectum intrat quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsibus

This famous philosophical principle—”Nothing enters the understanding which has not first been in the senses”—comes from Aristotle through the medieval scholastics, and was central to Comenius’s pedagogy. The perfect subjunctive fuerit appears in the relative clause because it expresses a general condition.

II. Nūllā grammaticā hoc opus est

The construction opus est (there is need) takes the ablative: nūllā grammaticā (with no grammar). It can also take a nominative subject for the thing needed, but the ablative is more common in classical prose.

III. Rēgulae verbīs serviunt

The verb serviō (to serve) takes the dative: verbīs (words). This is a key Comenian insight expressed in correct classical syntax: grammar exists to describe language, not to command it.

IV. Preview: Lesson XXIV

With the irregular comparatives complete, we move to a new topic: Dēnōminātīva (Denominatives)—adjectives formed from the names of materials:

Ducātus est aureus. Tālerus argenteus. — A ducat is golden. A dollar is silver.

These adjectives answer the question: of what material is this thing made?

Exercitātiōnēs (Exercises)

I. Complete the Table (All Four Irregular Comparatives)

Positive Comparative Superlative magnus ______ ______ parvus ______ ______ bonus ______ ______ malus ______ ______

II. Translate into Latin

-

Wine is better than ale. -

An asp is the worst of all serpents. -

The innkeeper said that mead was good. -

The old man confessed that wine was the best. -

A viper is worse than a lizard. -

The farmer said that he was content.

III. Convert to Indirect Statement

-

“Vīnum est optimum.” → Senex dīxit... -

“Aspis est pessima.” → Senex dīxit... -

“Mulsum est melius quam cervīsia.” → Mercātor fassus est... -

“Lacerta est mala.” → Agricola dīxit...

IV. Match the Degree

Which degree of comparison (positive, comparative, superlative) fits each blank? -

Cervīsia est ______ (bona/melior/optima). -

Vīpera est ______ (mala/peior/pessima) quam lacerta. -

Vīnum est ______ (bonum/melius/optimum) omnium pōtuum. -

Aspis est ______ (mala/peior/pessima) omnium serpentium.

Trānsitiō ad Lectiōnem XXIV

In hāc lectiōne et in praecedentī, quattuor magnās anomalās comparātiōnēs didicistis: magnus, bonus, parvus, malus. Hae duodecim sententiāe Vestibulī—dē taurīs et avibus, dē cervīsiā et vīnō, dē lacertīs et aspidibus—in memoriā firmiter tenendae sunt.

In this lesson and in the preceding one, you have learned four great irregular comparisons: great, good, small, bad. These twelve sentences of the Vestibulum—about bulls and birds, about ale and wine, about lizards and asps—must be held firmly in memory.

Nunc dē comparātiōne satis. In proximā lectiōne ad rem novam prōgrediēmur: dēnōminātīva—adiectīva quae ex nōminibus māteriārum fōrmantur. Ducātus aureus, tālerus argenteus, malleus ferreus—rēs ipsae docēbunt!

Now enough about comparison. In the next lesson we shall advance to a new thing: denominatives—adjectives which are formed from the names of materials. A golden ducat, a silver dollar, an iron hammer—the things themselves will teach!

Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.

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