← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
On the Circumstances of Things IV — Reasons and Excuses
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī! In lectiōne praecēdentī dē tempore futūrō et memoriā dīdicimus. Hodiē dē causīs discēmus — quōmodo “cūr?” et “quārē?” et “quamobrem?” interrogāmus, et quōmodo respondēmus.
Greetings, dearest students! In the preceding lesson we learned about future time and memory. Today we shall learn about reasons — how we ask “why?” and “for what reason?” and “on what account?”, and how we respond.
Causae rērum gravēs sunt. Nihil sine causā fit. Sed cavē excūsātiōnēs! Excūsātiō saepe est mendācium ōrnātum. Discāmus et interrogāre et honestē respondēre!
The reasons of things are weighty. Nothing happens without a cause. But beware excuses! An excuse is often a decorated lie. Let us learn both to ask and to answer honestly!
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Quae what est is causa? the reason? Num surely not es are you oblītus? having forgotten? Ferē. almost. Cūr why nōn not repetīs? do you repeat? Mihi for me nunc now nōn not vacat. there is leisure. Quārē? why? Missus having been sent sum I am in to vīllam. the country house.
Quae est causa? — What (quae) is (est) the reason (causa)? A simple question asking for the explanation of something.
Num es oblītus? Ferē. — Surely you have not (num) forgotten (oblītus)? Almost (ferē). The particle num expects a negative answer (”surely not...?”). The response ferē (”almost, nearly”) is a partial admission.
Cūr nōn repetīs? — Why (cūr) do you not (nōn) repeat (repetīs)? The verb repetō means “to repeat, go over again” — here referring to repeating a lesson.
Mihi nunc nōn vacat — For me (mihi) now (nunc) there is no leisure (nōn vacat). The impersonal verb vacat (it is vacant/free) with dative means “there is leisure for someone.” Mihi nōn vacat = “I am not at leisure, I don’t have time.”
Quārē? Missus sum in vīllam — Why (quārē)? I have been sent (missus sum) to (in) the country house (vīllam). The passive missus sum explains why there is no leisure — he has been sent on an errand.
Quae est causa? What is the reason?
Num es oblītus? Ferē. Surely you have not forgotten? Almost.
Cūr nōn repetīs? Why do you not repeat?
Mihi nunc nōn vacat. I am not at leisure now.
Quārē? Missus sum in vīllam. Why? I have been sent to the country house.
Quae est causa? Num es oblītus? Ferē. Cūr nōn repetīs? Mihi nunc nōn vacat. Quārē? Missus sum in vīllam.
Adverbium Significātiō Nota cūr why? most common quārē why? for what reason? quā rē = “by what thing” quamobrem why? on what account? quam ob rem = “on account of what thing” quīn why not? + subjunctive
Num introduces a question expecting a negative answer:
Latīnē Anglicē Num es oblītus? Surely you have not forgotten? Num hoc fēcistī? Surely you did not do this? Num īre vīs? Surely you don’t want to go?
Compare with nōnne (expecting a positive answer): -
Nōnne hoc scīs? — Don’t you know this? (expecting “yes”)
Vacat (it is vacant, there is leisure) is impersonal:
Latīnē Anglicē Mihi vacat I have leisure, I am free Mihi nōn vacat I have no leisure, I am busy Tibī vacat legere? Do you have time to read?
Oblīvīscor (to forget) is deponent with perfect participle oblītus:
Forma Significātiō oblīvīscor I forget oblītus sum I have forgotten oblītus es you have forgotten nē oblīvīscāris! don’t forget!
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō causa, -ae (f.) nōmen cause, reason num particula (expects negative answer) oblīvīscor, oblīvīscī, oblītus sum verbum (dep.) to forget ferē adverbium almost, nearly cūr adverbium interr. why? repetō, repetere, repetīvī verbum to repeat, go over again vacō, vacāre verbum to be empty, at leisure vacat verbum (impers.) there is leisure quārē adverbium interr. why? for what reason? mittō, mittere, mīsī, missum verbum to send vīlla, -ae (f.) nōmen country house, farm
Puer a boy quīdam certain numquam never pēnsa tasks sua his perficiēbat. was completing. Semper always excūsātiōnem an excuse habēbat. he had.
Pater the father rogāvit: asked: “Cūr “why pēnsum the task tuum your nōn not perfēcistī?” have you completed?”
“Mihi “for me nōn not vacābat, there was leisure, pater. father. Missus having been sent sum I was in to hortum the garden ā by mātre.” mother.”
Posterō on the following diē day pater the father iterum again rogāvit: asked: “Et “and hodiē? today? Cūr why nōn not perfēcistī?” have you completed?”
“Caput “my head mihi me dolēbat, was hurting, pater. father. Aeger sick eram!” I was!”
Tertiō on the third diē: day: “Cūr “why nunc now nōn?” not?”
“Librum “the book invenīre to find nōn not potuī! I was able! Num surely ego I culpandus to be blamed sum am sī if liber the book āmissus lost est?” is?”
Pater the father tandem at last dīxit: said: “Fīlī, “son, audiī I have heard centum a hundred excūsātiōnēs excuses tuās. your. Sed but quae what est is vēra the true causa?” reason?”
Puer the boy tacuit. was silent.
Pater the father dīxit: said: “Vēra “the true causa reason est: is: Nōn you do not vīs! want! Quī he who vult, wants, viam a way invenit. finds. Quī he who nōn not vult, wants, excūsātiōnem an excuse invenit. finds. Nōlī do not mē me excūsātiōnibus with excuses fallere deceive — vēritātem — the truth dīc!” say!”
Puer the boy ērubuit blushed et and dīxit: said: “Vērum “true things dīcis, you say, pater. father. Piger lazy fuī. I have been. Labōrāre to work nōlēbam. I did not want. Iam now melius better faciam!” I shall do!”
Haec this fābula fable docet: teaches: Quī he who vult, wants, viam a way invenit; finds; quī he who nōn not vult, wants, excūsātiōnem. an excuse. Honestius more honestly est it is vēritātem the truth fatērī to confess quam than mendāciīs with lies tēgere! to cover!
Puer quīdam numquam pēnsa sua perficiēbat. A certain boy never completed his tasks.
Semper excūsātiōnem habēbat. He always had an excuse.
Pater rogāvit: “Cūr pēnsum tuum nōn perfēcistī?” The father asked: “Why have you not completed your task?”
“Mihi nōn vacābat, pater. Missus sum in hortum ā mātre.” “I had no leisure, father. I was sent to the garden by mother.”
Posterō diē pater iterum rogāvit: “Et hodiē? Cūr nōn perfēcistī?” On the following day the father again asked: “And today? Why have you not completed?”
“Caput mihi dolēbat, pater. Aeger eram!” “My head was hurting me, father. I was sick!”
Tertiō diē: “Cūr nunc nōn?” On the third day: “Why not now?”
“Librum invenīre nōn potuī! Num ego culpandus sum sī liber āmissus est?” “I was not able to find the book! Surely I am not to be blamed if the book is lost?”
Pater tandem dīxit: “Fīlī, audiī centum excūsātiōnēs tuās.” The father at last said: “Son, I have heard a hundred excuses of yours.”
“Sed quae est vēra causa?” “But what is the true reason?”
Puer tacuit. The boy was silent.
Pater dīxit: “Vēra causa est: Nōn vīs!” The father said: “The true reason is: You do not want!”
“Quī vult, viam invenit. Quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem invenit.” “He who wants, finds a way. He who does not want, finds an excuse.”
“Nōlī mē excūsātiōnibus fallere — vēritātem dīc!” “Do not deceive me with excuses — tell the truth!”
Puer ērubuit et dīxit: “Vērum dīcis, pater.” The boy blushed and said: “You say true things, father.”
“Piger fuī. Labōrāre nōlēbam. Iam melius faciam!” “I have been lazy. I did not want to work. Now I shall do better!”
Haec fābula docet: Quī vult, viam invenit; quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem. This fable teaches: He who wants, finds a way; he who does not want, an excuse.
Honestius est vēritātem fatērī quam mendāciīs tēgere! It is more honest to confess the truth than to cover with lies!
Puer quīdam numquam pēnsa sua perficiēbat. Semper excūsātiōnem habēbat.
Pater rogāvit: “Cūr pēnsum tuum nōn perfēcistī?”
“Mihi nōn vacābat, pater. Missus sum in hortum ā mātre.”
Posterō diē pater iterum rogāvit: “Et hodiē? Cūr nōn perfēcistī?”
“Caput mihi dolēbat, pater. Aeger eram!”
Tertiō diē: “Cūr nunc nōn?”
“Librum invenīre nōn potuī! Num ego culpandus sum sī liber āmissus est?”
Pater tandem dīxit: “Fīlī, audiī centum excūsātiōnēs tuās. Sed quae est vēra causa?”
Puer tacuit.
Pater dīxit: “Vēra causa est: Nōn vīs! Quī vult, viam invenit. Quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem invenit. Nōlī mē excūsātiōnibus fallere — vēritātem dīc!”
Puer ērubuit et dīxit: “Vērum dīcis, pater. Piger fuī. Labōrāre nōlēbam. Iam melius faciam!”
Haec fābula docet: Quī vult, viam invenit; quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem. Honestius est vēritātem fatērī quam mendāciīs tēgere!
Dē Argūmentō:
This fable exposes the nature of excuses — they multiply when the true reason is unwillingness. The moral Quī vult, viam invenit is a famous proverb.
Grammatica Nōtanda: -
Passive periphrastic: culpandus sum — “I am to be blamed.” -
Deponent fateor: fatērī — “to confess.” -
Impersonal vacat: mihi nōn vacābat — “I had no leisure.” -
Comparative adverb: honestius — “more honestly.”
Vocabula Fābulae:
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō pēnsum, -ī (n.) nōmen task, assignment perficiō, perficere, perfēcī verbum to complete excūsātiō, -ōnis (f.) nōmen excuse doleō, dolēre verbum to hurt, ache aeger, aegra, aegrum adiectīvum sick culpō, culpāre verbum to blame āmittō, āmittere, āmīsī verbum to lose piger, pigra, pigrum adiectīvum lazy fateor, fatērī, fassus sum verbum (dep.) to confess mendācium, -ī (n.) nōmen lie tegō, tegere, tēxī, tēctum verbum to cover
DISCIPULUS: Magister, master, quid what differunt differ cūr why et and quārē for what reason et and quamobrem? on what account?
MAGISTER: Ferē almost idem the same significant! they signify! Omnia all causam the cause interrogant. ask. Cūr why est is simplicissimum simplest et and ūsitātissimum. most used. Quārē for what reason venit comes ā from quā rē by what thing — fortius — more forcefully est. it is. Quamobrem on what account venit comes ā from quam ob rem on account of what thing — fōrmālissimum — most formal est. it is.
DISCIPULUS: Quid what significat signifies num? surely not?
MAGISTER: Num surely not quaestiōnem a question format forms quae which responsum an answer negātīvum negative exspectat. expects. “Num “surely oblītus having forgotten es?” you are?” — exspectō — I expect tē you respondēre to answer “minimē!” “not at all!” Sed but sī if respondēs you answer “ita,” “yes,” rem the matter gravem serious cōnfitēris! you confess!
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo how dīcimus do we say “I have no time”? “I have no time”?
MAGISTER: “Mihi “for me nōn not vacat!” there is leisure!” Verbum the verb vacō to be empty impersōnāliter impersonally ūsurpātur. is used. “Vacat “there is leisure mihi” for me” significat signifies “tempus “time līberum free habeō.” I have.” “Nōn “not vacat there is leisure mihi” for me” significat signifies “occupātus “busy sum!” I am!”
DISCIPULUS: Quid what est is differentia the difference inter between causam a reason et and excūsātiōnem? an excuse?
MAGISTER: Causa a reason est is vēritās. the truth. Excūsātiō an excuse saepe often est is mendācium a lie ōrnātum decorated — ratiō — a reasoning quā by which culpam blame nostram our cēlāre to hide temptāmus. we try. Semper always melius better est it is vēram the true causam reason dīcere to say quam than excūsātiōnēs excuses fingere! to invent!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, quid differunt cūr et quārē et quamobrem? Master, what is the difference between “why” and “for what reason” and “on what account”?
MAGISTER: Ferē idem significant! Omnia causam interrogant. They signify almost the same! All ask for the cause.
Cūr est simplicissimum et ūsitātissimum. “Why” is simplest and most used.
Quārē venit ā quā rē — fortius est. “For what reason” comes from “by what thing” — it is more forceful.
Quamobrem venit ā quam ob rem — fōrmālissimum est. “On what account” comes from “on account of what thing” — it is most formal.
DISCIPULUS: Quid significat num? What signifies “surely not”?
MAGISTER: Num quaestiōnem format quae responsum negātīvum exspectat. “Surely not” forms a question which expects a negative answer.
“Num oblītus es?” — exspectō tē respondēre “minimē!” “Surely you have not forgotten?” — I expect you to answer “not at all!”
Sed sī respondēs “ita,” rem gravem cōnfitēris! But if you answer “yes,” you confess a serious matter!
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo dīcimus “I have no time”? How do we say “I have no time”?
MAGISTER: “Mihi nōn vacat!” “I have no leisure!”
Verbum vacō impersōnāliter ūsurpātur. The verb “to be empty” is used impersonally.
“Vacat mihi” significat “tempus līberum habeō.” “There is leisure for me” signifies “I have free time.”
“Nōn vacat mihi” significat “occupātus sum!” “There is no leisure for me” signifies “I am busy!”
DISCIPULUS: Quid est differentia inter causam et excūsātiōnem? What is the difference between a reason and an excuse?
MAGISTER: Causa est vēritās. Excūsātiō saepe est mendācium ōrnātum. A reason is the truth. An excuse is often a decorated lie.
— ratiō quā culpam nostram cēlāre temptāmus. — a reasoning by which we try to hide our blame.
Semper melius est vēram causam dīcere quam excūsātiōnēs fingere! It is always better to tell the true reason than to invent excuses!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, quid differunt cūr et quārē et quamobrem?
MAGISTER: Ferē idem significant! Omnia causam interrogant. Cūr est simplicissimum et ūsitātissimum. Quārē venit ā quā rē — fortius est. Quamobrem venit ā quam ob rem — fōrmālissimum est.
DISCIPULUS: Quid significat num?
MAGISTER: Num quaestiōnem format quae responsum negātīvum exspectat. “Num oblītus es?” — exspectō tē respondēre “minimē!” Sed sī respondēs “ita,” rem gravem cōnfitēris!
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo dīcimus “I have no time”?
MAGISTER: “Mihi nōn vacat!” Verbum vacō impersōnāliter ūsurpātur. “Vacat mihi” significat “tempus līberum habeō.” “Nōn vacat mihi” significat “occupātus sum!”
DISCIPULUS: Quid est differentia inter causam et excūsātiōnem?
MAGISTER: Causa est vēritās. Excūsātiō saepe est mendācium ōrnātum — ratiō quā culpam nostram cēlāre temptāmus. Semper melius est vēram causam dīcere quam excūsātiōnēs fingere!
Dē Argūmentō Paedagōgicō:
This colloquium explains the interrogative adverbs of cause (cūr, quārē, quamobrem), the particle num, the impersonal use of vacat, and the moral distinction between reasons and excuses.
Match:
Adverbium Nota 1. cūr a. most formal 2. quārē b. simplest/most common 3. quamobrem c. more forceful
What answer does each expect? -
Num oblītus es? → expects __________ (positive/negative) -
Nōnne hoc scīs? → expects __________ (positive/negative)
-
What is the reason? -
Why do you not repeat? -
I have no leisure now. -
I have been sent to the country house.
-
Quae est causa? -
Num es oblītus? Ferē. -
Mihi nunc nōn vacat. -
Quī vult, viam invenit; quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem.
-
Cūr? Quārē? Quamobrem? Why? For what reason? On what account? -
Mihi nōn vacat. I have no leisure. / I don’t have time. -
Num es oblītus? Surely you have not forgotten? -
Quī vult, viam invenit; quī nōn vult, excūsātiōnem. He who wants, finds a way; he who does not want, an excuse.
-
b (cūr = simplest/most common) -
c (quārē = more forceful) -
a (quamobrem = most formal)
-
Num oblītus es? → expects negative (”No, I have not forgotten”) -
Nōnne hoc scīs? → expects positive (”Yes, I know this”)
-
Quae est causa? -
Cūr nōn repetīs? -
Mihi nunc nōn vacat. -
Missus sum in vīllam.
-
What is the reason? -
Surely you have not forgotten? Almost. -
I have no leisure now. -
He who wants, finds a way; he who does not want, an excuse.
In proximā lectiōne dē affirmātiōne et dubitātiōne discēmus! Id praestat quam garrīre. Omnīnō! Fortasse, sed vix. Ehō, dubitās? Sīc aiunt, immō sīc est. Discēmus quōmodo cōnsēnsum et dissēnsum exprimāmus!
In the next lesson we shall learn about affirmation and doubt! That is better than chattering. Absolutely! Perhaps, but scarcely. Oh, do you doubt? So they say, indeed so it is. We shall learn how to express agreement and disagreement!
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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