← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Discipulī cārissimī, in lectiōne praecedentī herbās et frūctūs spectāvimus — quōmodo crescant, quōmodo flōreant, quōmodo mātūrēscant. Hodiē trēs rēs ex hortō addimus: nucem, rosam, et urtīcam. Nux nucleum intus continet, rosa bene olet, urtīca autem — cavēte! — ūrit. Sēnsūs nostrōs exercēmus: oculōs, nāsum, et tactum.
Dearest students, in the preceding lesson we looked at plants and fruits — how they grow, how they bloom, how they ripen. Today we add three things from the garden: the nut, the rose, and the nettle. A nut contains a kernel within, a rose smells sweetly, but a nettle — beware! — stings. We exercise our senses: eyes, nose, and touch.
Deinde ab hortō ad tōtum mundum prōgredimur. Comēnius enim nunc dē rēbus vīventibus docēre incipit. Prīmum tria genera entium ostendit: lapidem, quī iacet; arborem, quae stat; animal, quod sē movet. Lapis exsistit sōlum. Arbor exsistit et vīvit. Animal exsistit, vīvit, et sē movet. Hic est scāla nātūrae — ā simplicissimō ad plēnissimum.
Then from the garden we advance to the whole world. For Comenius now begins to teach about living things. First he shows three kinds of beings: the stone, which lies; the tree, which stands; the animal, which moves itself. A stone merely exists. A tree exists and lives. An animal exists, lives, and moves itself. This is the ladder of nature — from the simplest to the fullest.
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Nux a nut continet contains nucleum. a kernel. Rosa a rose olet smells bene. well. Urtīca a nettle ūrit. stings. Lapis a stone iacet. lies. Arbor a tree stat. stands.
nux — nux, nucis (f.), 3rd declension: “a nut.” The genitive nucis shows the true stem nuc-. English “nucleus” comes from nucleus, which itself is a diminutive of nux.
continet — from contineō, continēre, continuī, contentum (2nd conjugation): “contains, holds together.” A compound of con- (together) + teneō (hold). English “contain,” “continent,” and “content” all descend from this verb.
nucleum — nucleus, -ī (m.), 2nd declension: “a kernel, the inner part.” A diminutive form from nux. The suffix -culus means “little”: a nucleus is literally “a little nut.”
olet — from oleō, olēre, oluī (2nd conjugation): “smells, emits a smell.” This verb is neutral — it can mean a good or bad smell. Comenius adds bene to specify “smells well.” Compare foetet, “it stinks,” which is always negative.
ūrit — from ūrō, ūrere, ussī, ustum (3rd conjugation): “burns, stings.” The nettle does not truly burn with fire but with a chemical sting — yet Latin uses the same verb for both. English “combustion” contains the related root ūr- (via combūrō).
iacet — from iaceō, iacēre, iacuī (2nd conjugation): “lies, lies down.” Not to be confused with iaciō (to throw). A stone lies because it has no life, no motion of its own.
stat — from stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1st conjugation): “stands.” A tree stands because it has life — its roots hold it upright. English “station,” “statue,” and “state” all come from stō.
Nux continet nucleum. A nut contains a kernel.
Rosa olet bene. A rose smells well.
Urtīca ūrit. A nettle stings.
Lapis iacet. A stone lies.
Arbor stat. A tree stands.
Nux continet nucleum. Rosa olet bene. Urtīca ūrit. Lapis iacet. Arbor stat.
This lesson introduces three important third-declension nouns: nux, nucis (f.); lapis, lapidis (m.); arbor, arboris (f.). Third declension nouns are recognized by their -is genitive singular ending, but their nominatives vary widely. The key is to learn the genitive alongside the nominative, because the genitive reveals the true stem.
Case nux, nucis (f.) lapis, lapidis (m.) arbor, arboris (f.) Nom. nux lapis arbor Gen. nucis lapidis arboris Dat. nucī lapidī arborī Acc. nucem lapidem arborem Abl. nuce lapide arbore Nom. pl. nucēs lapidēs arborēs Gen. pl. nucum lapidum arborum Acc. pl. nucēs lapidēs arborēs
Notice the pattern: the nominative singular may look very different from the stem (nux vs. nuc-, lapis vs. lapid-), but once you know the genitive, all the other cases follow regularly.
How to find the stem: Take the genitive singular, remove -is. Thus: nucis → nuc-; lapidis → lapid-; arboris → arbor-.
Comenius places lapis iacet and arbor stat side by side deliberately. These two verbs represent two fundamental modes of physical existence:
iaceō (2nd conj.) — to lie flat, to be prostrate. The stone has no life, so it can only lie where it is placed. Principal parts: iaceō, iacēre, iacuī.
stō (1st conj.) — to stand upright, to be erect. The tree has life, so it stands. Principal parts: stō, stāre, stetī, statum. Note the irregular perfect stetī (with reduplication).
In the next lesson, we will meet the third term of this triad: animal sē movet — the animal moves itself. This gives us Comenius’s scala nātūrae: lying (mere existence) → standing (life) → moving (sensation and will).
The verb oleō is worth special attention. Unlike English, where “smells” is ambiguous between “emits a smell” and “perceives a smell,” Latin distinguishes clearly:
oleō, olēre, oluī — to emit a smell (the rose smells) olfaciō, olfacere, olfēcī, olfactum — to perceive a smell (I smell the rose)
The subject of oleō is always the thing that produces the smell, not the person smelling it. Comenius adds bene because oleō alone tells us nothing about whether the smell is pleasant or foul.
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō nux, nucis (f.) nōmen (III) nut contineō, continēre, continuī, contentum verbum (II) contain, hold together nucleus, -ī (m.) nōmen (II) kernel rosa, -ae (f.) nōmen (I) rose oleō, olēre, oluī verbum (II) smell, emit a smell bene adverbium well urtīca, -ae (f.) nōmen (I) nettle ūrō, ūrere, ussī, ustum verbum (III) burn, sting lapis, lapidis (m.) nōmen (III) stone iaceō, iacēre, iacuī verbum (II) lie, lie down arbor, arboris (f.) nōmen (III) tree stō, stāre, stetī, statum verbum (I) stand
Ōlim once puella a girl nōmine by the name of Cornēlia Cornelia per through viam a road rūsticam in the countryside ambulābat. was walking. Cornēlia Cornelia decem ten annōs years nāta born erat was et and omnia all things in in nātūrā nature dīligenter carefully spectāre to observe amābat. loved.
Prīmum first nucem a nut magnam large in on viā the road invēnit. she found. Nucem the nut sustulit she picked up et and eam it dīligenter carefully īnspexit. examined. Putāmen the shell dūrum hard erat, was, sed but Cornēlia Cornelia scīvit knew nucleum that a kernel dulcem sweet intus within continērī. was contained.
Lapidem a stone invēnit she found et and eum it iuxtā next to nucem the nut posuit. placed. “Ecce,” “Look,” inquit, she said, “haec “these duo two sunt are similia similar speciē in appearance sed but nātūrā in nature dissimilia. dissimilar. Nux the nut nucleum a kernel continet contains — vītam life intus within cēlat. it hides. Lapis the stone autem however nihil nothing intus within continet. contains. Lapis a stone sōlum only iacet.” lies.”
Deinde then ad towards rosam a rose quae which prope near sēmitam the path flōrēbat was blooming accessit. she approached. Rosa the rose pulcherrimē most beautifully olēbat. smelled. Cornēlia Cornelia dīxit said sē that she numquam never odōrem a scent tam so suāvem sweet sēnsisse. had perceived. Nāsum her nose ad towards rosam the rose admovet she brings et and ōdōrem the scent iterum again atque and again iterum again haurit. breathes in.
Sed but subitō suddenly urtīcam a nettle quae which inter among herbās the plants prope near rosam the rose latēbat was hiding tetigit. she touched. Urtīca the nettle manum her hand ussit! stung! Cornēlia Cornelia exclāmāvit cried out et and manum her hand retrāxit. pulled back.
“Ō!” “Oh!” inquit. she said. “Rosa “the rose bene well olet, smells, sed but urtīca the nettle male badly ūrit! stings! Rēs things pulchrae beautiful et and rēs things perīculōsae dangerous saepe often prope near sē each other habitant.” live.”
Tum then arborem a tree magnam great iuxtā next to viam the road cōnspexit. she noticed. Arbor the tree alta tall et and firma strong stābat. stood. Cornēlia Cornelia sub under arbore the tree cōnsēdit sat down et and cōgitāre to think coepit. began.
Dīxit she said sē that she nunc now trēs three gradūs levels nātūrae of nature intellegere: understood: lapidem that the stone iacēre lies quia because nōn it does not vīvat; live; arborem that the tree stāre stands quia because vīvat it lives et and rādīcēs roots habeat; has; nucem that the nut autem however inter between utrumque both esse is — fōrmā in shape lapidī to a stone similem, similar, sed but intus within vīvam living quia because nucleum it has a kernel habeat which ex from quō which nova a new arbor tree nascī to be born possit. can.
Cornēlia Cornelia laeta happy domum home rediit. returned. Mātrem her mother docuit she taught sē that she hodiē today tria three things didicisse: had learned: nucem the nut vītam life continēre, contains, rosam the rose bene well olēre, smells, et and urtīcam the nettle ūrere. stings. Mātrem her mother etiam she also docuit taught lapidem that the stone iacēre lies et and arborem the tree stāre. stands.
Māter her mother rīsit laughed et and dīxit said Cornēliam that Cornelia plūs more ē from viā the road didicisse had learned quam than multī many ē from librīs books discant. learn.
Ōlim puella nōmine Cornēlia per viam rūsticam ambulābat. Cornēlia decem annōs nāta erat et omnia in nātūrā dīligenter spectāre amābat. Once a girl named Cornelia was walking along a country road. Cornelia was ten years old and loved to observe all things in nature carefully.
Prīmum nucem magnam in viā invēnit. Nucem sustulit et eam dīligenter īnspexit. Putāmen dūrum erat, sed Cornēlia scīvit nucleum dulcem intus continērī. First she found a large nut on the road. She picked up the nut and examined it carefully. The shell was hard, but Cornelia knew that a sweet kernel was contained within.
Lapidem invēnit et eum iuxtā nucem posuit. “Ecce,” inquit, “haec duo sunt similia speciē sed nātūrā dissimilia. Nux nucleum continet — vītam intus cēlat. Lapis autem nihil intus continet. Lapis sōlum iacet.” She found a stone and placed it next to the nut. “Look,” she said, “these two are similar in appearance but different in nature. The nut contains a kernel — it hides life within. But the stone contains nothing within. A stone only lies.”
Deinde ad rosam quae prope sēmitam flōrēbat accessit. Rosa pulcherrimē olēbat. Cornēlia dīxit sē numquam odōrem tam suāvem sēnsisse. Nāsum ad rosam admovet et ōdōrem iterum atque iterum haurit. Then she approached a rose which was blooming near the path. The rose smelled most beautifully. Cornelia said that she had never perceived so sweet a scent. She brings her nose towards the rose and breathes in the scent again and again.
Sed subitō urtīcam quae inter herbās prope rosam latēbat tetigit. Urtīca manum ussit! Cornēlia exclāmāvit et manum retrāxit. But suddenly she touched a nettle which was hiding among the plants near the rose. The nettle stung her hand! Cornelia cried out and pulled her hand back.
“Ō!” inquit. “Rosa bene olet, sed urtīca male ūrit! Rēs pulchrae et rēs perīculōsae saepe prope sē habitant.” “Oh!” she said. “The rose smells sweetly, but the nettle stings badly! Beautiful things and dangerous things often live near each other.”
Tum arborem magnam iuxtā viam cōnspexit. Arbor alta et firma stābat. Cornēlia sub arbore cōnsēdit et cōgitāre coepit. Then she noticed a great tree next to the road. The tree stood tall and strong. Cornelia sat down under the tree and began to think.
Dīxit sē nunc trēs gradūs nātūrae intellegere: lapidem iacēre quia nōn vīvat; arborem stāre quia vīvat et rādīcēs habeat; nucem autem inter utrumque esse — fōrmā lapidī similem, sed intus vīvam quia nucleum habeat ex quō nova arbor nascī possit. She said that she now understood the three levels of nature: the stone lies because it does not live; the tree stands because it lives and has roots; but the nut is between both — similar to a stone in shape, but alive within because it has a kernel from which a new tree can be born.
Cornēlia laeta domum rediit. Mātrem docuit sē hodiē tria didicisse: nucem vītam continēre, rosam bene olēre, et urtīcam ūrere. Mātrem etiam docuit lapidem iacēre et arborem stāre. Cornelia returned home happy. She taught her mother that she had learned three things today: the nut contains life, the rose smells sweetly, and the nettle stings. She also taught her mother that the stone lies and the tree stands.
Māter rīsit et dīxit Cornēliam plūs ē viā didicisse quam multī ē librīs discant. Her mother laughed and said that Cornelia had learned more from the road than many learn from books.
Ōlim puella nōmine Cornēlia per viam rūsticam ambulābat. Cornēlia decem annōs nāta erat et omnia in nātūrā dīligenter spectāre amābat.
Prīmum nucem magnam in viā invēnit. Nucem sustulit et eam dīligenter īnspexit. Putāmen dūrum erat, sed Cornēlia scīvit nucleum dulcem intus continērī.
Lapidem invēnit et eum iuxtā nucem posuit. “Ecce,” inquit, “haec duo sunt similia speciē sed nātūrā dissimilia. Nux nucleum continet — vītam intus cēlat. Lapis autem nihil intus continet. Lapis sōlum iacet.”
Deinde ad rosam quae prope sēmitam flōrēbat accessit. Rosa pulcherrimē olēbat. Cornēlia dīxit sē numquam odōrem tam suāvem sēnsisse. Nāsum ad rosam admovet et ōdōrem iterum atque iterum haurit.
Sed subitō urtīcam quae inter herbās prope rosam latēbat tetigit. Urtīca manum ussit! Cornēlia exclāmāvit et manum retrāxit.
“Ō!” inquit. “Rosa bene olet, sed urtīca male ūrit! Rēs pulchrae et rēs perīculōsae saepe prope sē habitant.”
Tum arborem magnam iuxtā viam cōnspexit. Arbor alta et firma stābat. Cornēlia sub arbore cōnsēdit et cōgitāre coepit.
Dīxit sē nunc trēs gradūs nātūrae intellegere: lapidem iacēre quia nōn vīvat; arborem stāre quia vīvat et rādīcēs habeat; nucem autem inter utrumque esse — fōrmā lapidī similem, sed intus vīvam quia nucleum habeat ex quō nova arbor nascī possit.
Cornēlia laeta domum rediit. Mātrem docuit sē hodiē tria didicisse: nucem vītam continēre, rosam bene olēre, et urtīcam ūrere. Mātrem etiam docuit lapidem iacēre et arborem stāre.
Māter rīsit et dīxit Cornēliam plūs ē viā didicisse quam multī ē librīs discant.
The story is set on a country road, perhaps near a Roman villa. The girl Cornelia discovers the three botanical items of the lesson (nut, rose, nettle) through direct sensory experience — touching, smelling, and being stung. She then encounters the stone and the tree and, sitting beneath the tree, reasons her way to Comenius’s scala nātūrae. The fable embodies the Comenian principle nihil est in intellectū quod nōn prius fuerit in sēnsū — nothing is in the understanding which was not first in the senses.
Key constructions used in this fable:
Ōrātiō oblīqua (indirect statement): -
scīvit nucleum dulcem intus continērī — “she knew that a sweet kernel was contained within” (acc. + passive inf.) -
dīxit sē numquam odōrem tam suāvem sēnsisse — “she said that she had never perceived so sweet a scent” (perfect inf. for prior action) -
dīxit sē trēs gradūs nātūrae intellegere — “she said that she understood three levels of nature” -
docuit nucem vītam continēre, rosam bene olēre, et urtīcam ūrere — extended indirect statement with three parallel infinitives -
dīxit Cornēliam plūs ē viā didicisse quam multī ē librīs discant — “she said that Cornelia had learned more from the road than many learn from books”
Indirect question with subjunctive: -
lapidem iacēre quia nōn vīvat — subjunctive vīvat inside indirect statement, representing Cornelia’s reasoning
Historical present: -
nāsum ad rosam admovet et ōdōrem haurit — the narrative shifts to vivid present tense to bring the scene alive
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō putāmen, putāminis (n.) nōmen (III) shell, husk cēlō, cēlāre, cēlāvī, cēlātum verbum (I) hide, conceal sēmita, -ae (f.) nōmen (I) path, lane odor, odōris (m.) nōmen (III) scent, smell suāvis, -e adiectīvum (III) sweet, pleasant admoveō, admovēre, admōvī, admōtum verbum (II) bring near hauriō, haurīre, hausī, haustum verbum (IV) draw in, breathe in lateō, latēre, latuī verbum (II) lie hidden, lurk tangō, tangere, tetigī, tāctum verbum (III) touch rādīx, rādīcis (f.) nōmen (III) root nascor, nascī, nātus sum verbum (dēpōnēns) be born
DISCIPULUS: Magister, Master, cūr why est is nōminātīvus the nominative “nux” “nux” tam so dissimilis different ab from aliīs the other cāsibus cases ut such as “nucis” “nucis” et and “nucem”? “nucem”?
MAGISTER: Bona a good quaestiō! question! In in prīmā the first dēclīnātiōne declension nōmina nouns fōrmam their shape paene almost numquam never mūtant: change: “rosa, “rosa, rosae, rosae, rosam.” rosam.” Stirps the stem semper always clāra clear est. is.
Sed but in in tertiā the third dēclīnātiōne declension nōminātīvus the nominative saepe often stirpem the stem cēlat. hides. Stirps the stem vēra true in in genitīvō the genitive appāret. appears.
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo how stirpem the stem inveniō? do I find?
MAGISTER: Genitīvum the genitive sūme, take, terminātiōnem the ending “-is” “-is” dēme. remove. Id that quod which restat remains est is stirps. the stem. “Nucis” “nucis” — dēme remove “-is”: “-is”: stirps the stem est is “nuc-.” “nuc-.” “Lapidis” “lapidis” — dēme remove “-is”: “-is”: stirps the stem est is “lapid-.” “lapid-.” “Arboris” “arboris” — dēme remove “-is”: “-is”: stirps the stem est is “arbor-.” “arbor-.”
DISCIPULUS: Nunc now intellegō! I understand! Ergō so accūsātīvus the accusative semper always est is stirps the stem cum with “-em”? “-em”?
MAGISTER: Ita just est so prō for singulārī! the singular! “Nuc-em, “Nuc-em, lapid-em, lapid-em, arbor-em.” arbor-em.” Ablātīvus the ablative singulāris singular addit adds “-e”: “-e”: “nuc-e, “nuc-e, lapid-e, lapid-e, arbor-e.” arbor-e.” Cum when stirpem the stem habēs, you have, omnia all things haec these facilia easy sunt. are.
DISCIPULUS: Est is hoc this sīcut like nux a nut et and nucleus? a kernel? Nōminātīvus the nominative est is putāmen the shell quod which stirpem the stem cēlat. hides. Genitīvus the genitive est is nucleus the kernel quī which vēritātem the truth ostendit! reveals!
MAGISTER: Excellenter! Excellently! Iam already ut like philosophus a philosopher cōgitās, you think, nōn not sōlum only ut like grammaticus. a grammarian. Comēnius Comenius hoc this very thing docēbat: taught: rem the thing ipsam itself ante before verbum the word pōne. place. Nux the nut tē you stirpem the stem docuit! has taught!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr est nōminātīvus “nux” tam dissimilis ab aliīs cāsibus ut “nucis” et “nucem”? STUDENT: Master, why is the nominative “nux” so different from the other cases like “nucis” and “nucem”?
MAGISTER: Bona quaestiō! In prīmā dēclīnātiōne nōmina fōrmam paene numquam mūtant: “rosa, rosae, rosam.” Stirps semper clāra est. Sed in tertiā dēclīnātiōne nōminātīvus saepe stirpem cēlat. Stirps vēra in genitīvō appāret. TEACHER: A good question! In the first declension, nouns almost never change their shape: “rosa, rosae, rosam.” The stem is always clear. But in the third declension the nominative often hides the stem. The true stem appears in the genitive.
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo stirpem inveniō? STUDENT: How do I find the stem?
MAGISTER: Genitīvum sūme, terminātiōnem “-is” dēme. Id quod restat est stirps. “Nucis” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “nuc-.” “Lapidis” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “lapid-.” “Arboris” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “arbor-.” TEACHER: Take the genitive, remove the ending “-is.” What remains is the stem. “Nucis” — remove “-is”: the stem is “nuc-.” “Lapidis” — remove “-is”: the stem is “lapid-.” “Arboris” — remove “-is”: the stem is “arbor-.”
DISCIPULUS: Nunc intellegō! Ergō accūsātīvus semper est stirps cum “-em”? STUDENT: Now I understand! So the accusative is always the stem with “-em”?
MAGISTER: Ita est prō singulārī! “Nuc-em, lapid-em, arbor-em.” Ablātīvus singulāris addit “-e”: “nuc-e, lapid-e, arbor-e.” Cum stirpem habēs, omnia haec facilia sunt. TEACHER: Just so for the singular! “Nuc-em, lapid-em, arbor-em.” The ablative singular adds “-e”: “nuc-e, lapid-e, arbor-e.” When you have the stem, all these things are easy.
DISCIPULUS: Est hoc sīcut nux et nucleus? Nōminātīvus est putāmen quod stirpem cēlat. Genitīvus est nucleus quī vēritātem ostendit! STUDENT: Is this like the nut and the kernel? The nominative is the shell which hides the stem. The genitive is the kernel which reveals the truth!
MAGISTER: Excellenter! Iam ut philosophus cōgitās, nōn sōlum ut grammaticus. Comēnius hoc docēbat: rem ipsam ante verbum pōne. Nux tē stirpem docuit! TEACHER: Excellently! Already you think like a philosopher, not only like a grammarian. Comenius taught this very thing: place the thing itself before the word. The nut has taught you the stem!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr est nōminātīvus “nux” tam dissimilis ab aliīs cāsibus ut “nucis” et “nucem”?
MAGISTER: Bona quaestiō! In prīmā dēclīnātiōne nōmina fōrmam paene numquam mūtant: “rosa, rosae, rosam.” Stirps semper clāra est. Sed in tertiā dēclīnātiōne nōminātīvus saepe stirpem cēlat. Stirps vēra in genitīvō appāret.
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo stirpem inveniō?
MAGISTER: Genitīvum sūme, terminātiōnem “-is” dēme. Id quod restat est stirps. “Nucis” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “nuc-.” “Lapidis” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “lapid-.” “Arboris” — dēme “-is”: stirps est “arbor-.”
DISCIPULUS: Nunc intellegō! Ergō accūsātīvus semper est stirps cum “-em”?
MAGISTER: Ita est prō singulārī! “Nuc-em, lapid-em, arbor-em.” Ablātīvus singulāris addit “-e”: “nuc-e, lapid-e, arbor-e.” Cum stirpem habēs, omnia haec facilia sunt.
DISCIPULUS: Est hoc sīcut nux et nucleus? Nōminātīvus est putāmen quod stirpem cēlat. Genitīvus est nucleus quī vēritātem ostendit!
MAGISTER: Excellenter! Iam ut philosophus cōgitās, nōn sōlum ut grammaticus. Comēnius hoc docēbat: rem ipsam ante verbum pōne. Nux tē stirpem docuit!
This dialogue teaches the student how to find the stem of third-declension nouns by removing -is from the genitive singular. The student’s metaphor at the end — the nominative is the shell which hides the stem, the genitive is the kernel which reveals the truth — perfectly embodies Comenius’s principle that the thing itself teaches. The nut, a physical object from the lesson, becomes the vehicle for understanding an abstract grammatical concept.
The word stirps, stirpis (f.) means both “stem” (of a plant) and “stem” (in grammar) — a happy coincidence that reinforces the botanical theme of this lesson. The method taught here — “take the genitive, remove -is“ — works for all consonant-stem third declension nouns and is the single most important technique for a beginner learning this declension.
Complete each sentence by choosing the correct word from the bank below.
Word bank: continet, olet, ūrit, iacet, stat -
Nux __________ nucleum. -
Rosa __________ bene. -
Urtīca __________. -
Lapis __________. -
Arbor __________.
-
Nux continet nucleum. -
Rosa olet bene. -
Urtīca ūrit. -
Lapis iacet. -
Arbor stat. -
Cornēlia dīxit sē numquam odōrem tam suāvem sēnsisse.
For each noun, write the genitive singular, then identify the stem by removing -is.
Nōminātīvus Genitīvus Stirps nux _____________ _____________ lapis _____________ _____________ arbor _____________ _____________ odor _____________ _____________ rādīx _____________ _____________
-
A nut contains a kernel. -
A rose smells well. -
A nettle stings. -
The stone lies and the tree stands. -
Cornelia said that she had learned three things.
Give all five singular cases of lapis, lapidis (m.):
Cāsus Fōrma Nōminātīvus _____________ Genitīvus _____________ Datīvus _____________ Accūsātīvus _____________ Ablātīvus _____________
-
Nux continet nucleum. -
Rosa olet bene. -
Urtīca ūrit. -
Lapis iacet. -
Arbor stat. -
Rēs pulchrae et rēs perīculōsae saepe prope sē habitant. (from the Fable) -
Rem ipsam ante verbum pōne. (Comenius)
-
continet (a nut contains) -
olet (a rose smells) -
ūrit (a nettle stings) -
iacet (a stone lies) -
stat (a tree stands)
-
A nut contains a kernel. -
A rose smells well. -
A nettle stings. -
A stone lies. -
A tree stands. -
Cornelia said that she had never perceived so sweet a scent.
Nōminātīvus Genitīvus Stirps nux nucis nuc- lapis lapidis lapid- arbor arboris arbor- odor odōris odōr- rādīx rādīcis rādīc-
-
Nux continet nucleum. -
Rosa olet bene. -
Urtīca ūrit. -
Lapis iacet et arbor stat. -
Cornēlia dīxit sē tria didicisse.
Cāsus Fōrma Nōminātīvus lapis Genitīvus lapidis Datīvus lapidī Accūsātīvus lapidem Ablātīvus lapide
Lapidem iacentem et arborem stantem iam cognōvimus. Sed scāla nātūrae nōndum complēta est! In proximā lectiōne tertium gradum spectābimus: animal, quod sē movet. Avēs volant, piscēs natant, serpentēs serpunt. Mundus animālium apertus est — intrēmus!
We have now learned about the stone that lies and the tree that stands. But the ladder of nature is not yet complete! In the next lesson we will look at the third level: the animal, which moves itself. Birds fly, fish swim, serpents creep. The world of animals is open — let us enter!
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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