← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī! In lectiōnibus praecēdentibus praepositiōnēs mōtūs et locī dīdicimus. Hodiē praepositiōnēs subtīliōrēs discēmus — quae nōn sōlum locum sed etiam modum et relātiōnem exprimunt.
Greetings, dearest students! In the preceding lessons we learned prepositions of motion and place. Today we shall learn more subtle prepositions — which express not only place but also manner and relationship.
Cōram nōbīs significat “in cōnspectū nostrō” — apertē. Clam nōbīs significat “sine scientiā nostrā” — occultē. Discāmus hās vōculās quae tam multum significant!
Before us signifies “in our sight” — openly. Secretly from us signifies “without our knowledge” — hiddenlyq. Let us learn these little words which signify so much!
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Dē concerning temerāriō, the rash one, notā observe quod that intrā within aedēs the house nōn not maneat. he may stay. Suprā above culmen the roof scandat. let him climb. Intrā within līmen the threshold reptet. let him creep. Fatēre confess cōram before nōbīs us quid what fēcerīs you have done clam secretly ā from nōbīs. us. Contrā against praeceptum the command fēcī. I have done.
Dē temerāriō, notā quod intrā aedēs nōn maneat — Concerning (dē) the rash one (temerāriō), observe (notā) that (quod) he may not stay (nōn maneat) within (intrā) the house (aedēs). Dē + ablative means “concerning, about.” Intrā + accusative means “within.” The subjunctive maneat is in a noun clause after notā.
Suprā culmen scandat — Let him climb (scandat) above (suprā) the roof (culmen). Suprā + accusative means “above, over.” The jussive subjunctive scandat = “let him climb.”
Intrā līmen reptet — Let him creep (reptet) within (intrā) the threshold (līmen). The rash person goes where others dare not — even creeping through doorways.
Fatēre cōram nōbīs quid fēcerīs clam nōbīs — Confess (fatēre) before (cōram) us (nōbīs) what (quid) you have done (fēcerīs) secretly (clam) from us (nōbīs). Cōram + ablative = “before, in the presence of” (openly). Clam + ablative = “secretly from, without the knowledge of.”
Contrā praeceptum fēcī — I have done (fēcī) against (contrā) the command (praeceptum). Contrā + accusative = “against, contrary to.”
Dē temerāriō, notā quod intrā aedēs nōn maneat. Concerning the rash one, observe that he may not stay within the house.
Suprā culmen scandat. Let him climb above the roof.
Intrā līmen reptet. Let him creep within the threshold.
Fatēre cōram nōbīs quid fēcerīs clam nōbīs. Confess before us what you have done secretly from us.
Contrā praeceptum fēcī. I have done against the command.
Dē temerāriō, notā quod intrā aedēs nōn maneat. Suprā culmen scandat. Intrā līmen reptet. Fatēre cōram nōbīs quid fēcerīs clam nōbīs. Contrā praeceptum fēcī.
Praepositiō Significātiō Exemplum dē concerning, about; down from dē temerāriō cōram before, in the presence of cōram nōbīs clam secretly from clam nōbīs
Praepositiō Significātiō Exemplum intrā within intrā aedēs suprā above, over suprā culmen contrā against, contrary to contrā praeceptum
Dē + ablative has two main meanings:
Significātiō Exemplum Anglicē concerning, about dē temerāriō concerning the rash one down from dē monte down from the mountain
These prepositions are opposites:
Praepositiō Significātiō Modus cōram + abl. before, in presence of openly clam + abl. secretly from hidenly
Fatēre cōram nōbīs quid fēcerīs clam nōbīs — Confess openly before us what you did secretly from us.
Praepositiō Significātiō intrā + acc. within extrā + acc. outside of
Praepositiō Significātiō suprā + acc. above īnfrā + acc. below
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō dē praepositiō (+ abl.) concerning; down from temerārius, -ī (m.) nōmen rash person notō, notāre verbum to observe, note intrā praepositiō (+ acc.) within aedēs, aedium (f. pl.) nōmen house, building suprā praepositiō (+ acc.) above, over culmen, culminis (n.) nōmen roof, peak scandō, scandere, scandī verbum to climb līmen, līminis (n.) nōmen threshold reptō, reptāre verbum to creep, crawl fateor, fatērī, fassus sum verbum (dep.) to confess cōram praepositiō (+ abl.) before, in presence of clam praepositiō (+ abl.) secretly from contrā praepositiō (+ acc.) against, contrary to praeceptum, -ī (n.) nōmen command, precept
Puer a boy quīdam certain pōma apples cupīvit. desired. Pōma the apples in in hortō the garden vicīnī of the neighbor pendēbant. were hanging.
"Intrā within hortum the garden ībō," I shall go, cōgitāvit. he thought. "Suprā over mūrum the wall scandām. I shall climb. Clam secretly from from omnibus everyone pōma the apples rapiam!" I shall snatch!
Nocte by night mūrum the wall ascendit. he climbed. Clam secretly intrā within hortum the garden intrāvit. he entered. Pōma the apples rapuit he snatched et and domum home fūgit. he fled.
"Nēmō no one mē me vīdit!" saw! rīsit. he laughed.
Sed but posterō on the following diē day pater the father eī to him dīxit: said: "Unde whence haec these pōma apples habēs?" do you have?
Puer the boy ērubuit: blushed: "Ē... from... ē from forō the market ēmī..." I bought...
"Mendācium!" a lie! dīxit said pater. the father. "Vicīnus the neighbor mihi to me dīxit said quod that aliquis someone pōma the apples eius his fūrātus having stolen est was — — et and vestīgia footprints intrā within hortum the garden vīdit!" he saw!
Puer the boy tacuit. was silent.
Pater the father dīxit: said: "Fatēre confess cōram before mē me quid what fēcerīs you have done clam secretly from from mē." me.
Puer the boy tandem at last fassus having confessed est: did: "Pater, father, contrā against praeceptum the command tuum your fēcī. I have done. Fūrātus I have stolen sum. I have. Mē me paenitet." it causes regret.
Pater the father respondit: answered: "Quod that which clam secretly fit, is done, rārō rarely clam secret manet. remains. Vēritās the truth semper always in in lūcem the light venit. comes. Melius better est it is nunc now cōram openly fatērī to confess quam than posteā afterwards cum with pudōre shame dēprehendī!" to be caught!
Haec this fābula fable docet: teaches: Quod what clam secretly facis, you do, cōram openly omnibus to all appārēbit. will appear. Melius better est it is vēritātem the truth statim immediately fatērī to confess quam than mendāciīs with lies tēctam covered tandem at last perdere! to lose!
Puer quīdam pōma cupīvit. A certain boy desired apples.
Pōma in hortō vicīnī pendēbant. The apples were hanging in the garden of the neighbor.
“Intrā hortum ībō,” cōgitāvit. “I shall go within the garden,” he thought.
“Suprā mūrum scandām. Clam omnibus pōma rapiam!” “I shall climb over the wall. I shall snatch the apples secretly from everyone!”
Nocte mūrum ascendit. Clam intrā hortum intrāvit. By night he climbed the wall. He entered secretly within the garden.
Pōma rapuit et domum fūgit. He snatched the apples and fled home.
“Nēmō mē vīdit!” rīsit. “No one saw me!” he laughed.
Sed posterō diē pater eī dīxit: “Unde haec pōma habēs?” But on the following day the father said to him: “Whence do you have these apples?”
Puer ērubuit: “Ē... ē forō ēmī...” The boy blushed: “From... I bought them from the market...”
“Mendācium!” dīxit pater. “A lie!” said the father.
“Vicīnus mihi dīxit quod aliquis pōma eius fūrātus est — et vestīgia intrā hortum vīdit!” “The neighbor told me that someone stole his apples — and he saw footprints within the garden!”
Puer tacuit. The boy was silent.
Pater dīxit: “Fatēre cōram mē quid fēcerīs clam mē.” The father said: “Confess before me what you have done secretly from me.”
Puer tandem fassus est: “Pater, contrā praeceptum tuum fēcī.” The boy at last confessed: “Father, I have done against your command.”
“Fūrātus sum. Mē paenitet.” “I have stolen. It causes me regret.”
Pater respondit: “Quod clam fit, rārō clam manet.” The father answered: “That which is done secretly, rarely remains secret.”
“Vēritās semper in lūcem venit.” “The truth always comes into the light.”
“Melius est nunc cōram fatērī quam posteā cum pudōre dēprehendī!” “It is better to confess openly now than to be caught later with shame!”
Haec fābula docet: Quod clam facis, cōram omnibus appārēbit. This fable teaches: What you do secretly will appear openly to all.
Melius est vēritātem statim fatērī quam mendāciīs tēctam tandem perdere! It is better to confess the truth immediately than to lose it at last covered with lies!
Puer quīdam pōma cupīvit. Pōma in hortō vicīnī pendēbant.
“Intrā hortum ībō,” cōgitāvit. “Suprā mūrum scandām. Clam omnibus pōma rapiam!”
Nocte mūrum ascendit. Clam intrā hortum intrāvit. Pōma rapuit et domum fūgit.
“Nēmō mē vīdit!” rīsit.
Sed posterō diē pater eī dīxit: “Unde haec pōma habēs?”
Puer ērubuit: “Ē... ē forō ēmī...”
“Mendācium!” dīxit pater. “Vicīnus mihi dīxit quod aliquis pōma eius fūrātus est — et vestīgia intrā hortum vīdit!”
Puer tacuit.
Pater dīxit: “Fatēre cōram mē quid fēcerīs clam mē.”
Puer tandem fassus est: “Pater, contrā praeceptum tuum fēcī. Fūrātus sum. Mē paenitet.”
Pater respondit: “Quod clam fit, rārō clam manet. Vēritās semper in lūcem venit. Melius est nunc cōram fatērī quam posteā cum pudōre dēprehendī!”
Haec fābula docet: Quod clam facis, cōram omnibus appārēbit. Melius est vēritātem statim fatērī quam mendāciīs tēctam tandem perdere!
Dē Argūmentō:
This fable contrasts clam (secretly) with cōram (openly), showing that secret deeds eventually become public. The prepositions of the lesson (intrā, suprā, clam, cōram, contrā) are woven throughout.
Grammatica Nōtanda: -
Deponent fateor: fassus est — “he confessed” -
Deponent fūror: fūrātus sum — “I have stolen” -
Impersonal paenitet: mē paenitet — “it causes me regret” -
Passive infinitive: dēprehendī — “to be caught”
Vocabula Fābulae:
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō pōmum, -ī (n.) nōmen apple, fruit vicīnus, -ī (m.) nōmen neighbor pendeō, pendēre verbum to hang mūrus, -ī (m.) nōmen wall fugiō, fugere, fūgī verbum to flee vestīgium, -ī (n.) nōmen footprint, trace fūror, fūrārī, fūrātus sum verbum (dep.) to steal rārō adverbium rarely lūx, lūcis (f.) nōmen light dēprehendō, dēprehendere verbum to catch, discover
DISCIPULUS: Magister, master, quid what differunt differ cōram openly et and clam? secretly?
MAGISTER: Contrāria contraries sunt! they are! Cōram before significat signifies "in in cōnspectū the sight aliōrum" of others" — apertē, — openly, pūblicē. publicly. Clam secretly significat signifies "sine without scientiā the knowledge aliōrum" of others" — occultē, — hiddenly, fūrtīvē. stealthily. Quod what cōram openly facis, you do, omnēs all vident. see. Quod what clam secretly facis, you do, nēmō no one videt sees — vel — or ita so spērās! you hope!
DISCIPULUS: Quid what significat signifies contrā? against?
MAGISTER: Contrā against oppositiōnem opposition indicat indicates — simile — similar adversus. to adversus. "Contrā against praeceptum the command fēcī" I have done" significat signifies "oppositum the opposite praeceptī of the command fēcī." I have done." "Contrā against lēgem" the law" significat signifies "violāns violating lēgem." the law."
DISCIPULUS: Quid what differunt differ intrā within et and in? in?
MAGISTER: In in cum with ablātīvō the ablative locum place indicat: indicates: "in in domō the house sum." I am." Intrā within cum with accūsātīvō the accusative quoque also locum place indicat, indicates, sed but ēmphatice emphatically — "in — on interiōre the interior parte." part." "Intrā within aedēs" the house" significat signifies "in in interiōre the interior parte part aedium." of the house."
DISCIPULUS: Et and suprā? above?
MAGISTER: Suprā above locum place superiōrem higher indicat. indicates. "Suprā above culmen" the roof" significat signifies "super above tēctum, the roof, in in locō a place altiōre." higher." Contrārium the contrary eius of it est is īnfrā below — "sub, — under, in in locō a place īnferiōre." lower."
DISCIPULUS: Magister, quid differunt cōram et clam? Master, what is the difference between “openly” and “secretly”?
MAGISTER: Contrāria sunt! They are contraries!
Cōram significat “in cōnspectū aliōrum” — apertē, pūblicē. “Before” signifies “in the sight of others” — openly, publicly.
Clam significat “sine scientiā aliōrum” — occultē, fūrtīvē. “Secretly” signifies “without the knowledge of others” — hiddenly, stealthily.
Quod cōram facis, omnēs vident. Quod clam facis, nēmō videt — vel ita spērās! What you do openly, all see. What you do secretly, no one sees — or so you hope!
DISCIPULUS: Quid significat contrā? What signifies “against”?
MAGISTER: Contrā oppositiōnem indicat — simile adversus. “Against” indicates opposition — similar to “adversus.”
“Contrā praeceptum fēcī” significat “oppositum praeceptī fēcī.” “I have done against the command” signifies “I have done the opposite of the command.”
“Contrā lēgem” significat “violāns lēgem.” “Against the law” signifies “violating the law.”
DISCIPULUS: Quid differunt intrā et in? What is the difference between “within” and “in”?
MAGISTER: In cum ablātīvō locum indicat: “in domō sum.” “In” with the ablative indicates place: “I am in the house.”
Intrā cum accūsātīvō quoque locum indicat, sed ēmphatice — “in interiōre parte.” “Within” with the accusative also indicates place, but emphatically — “in the interior part.”
“Intrā aedēs” significat “in interiōre parte aedium.” “Within the house” signifies “in the interior part of the house.”
DISCIPULUS: Et suprā? And “above”?
MAGISTER: Suprā locum superiōrem indicat. “Above” indicates a higher place.
“Suprā culmen” significat “super tēctum, in locō altiōre.” “Above the roof” signifies “above the roof, in a higher place.”
Contrārium eius est īnfrā — “sub, in locō īnferiōre.” Its contrary is “below” — “under, in a lower place.”
DISCIPULUS: Magister, quid differunt cōram et clam?
MAGISTER: Contrāria sunt! Cōram significat “in cōnspectū aliōrum” — apertē, pūblicē. Clam significat “sine scientiā aliōrum” — occultē, fūrtīvē. Quod cōram facis, omnēs vident. Quod clam facis, nēmō videt — vel ita spērās!
DISCIPULUS: Quid significat contrā?
MAGISTER: Contrā oppositiōnem indicat — simile adversus. “Contrā praeceptum fēcī” significat “oppositum praeceptī fēcī.” “Contrā lēgem” significat “violāns lēgem.”
DISCIPULUS: Quid differunt intrā et in?
MAGISTER: In cum ablātīvō locum indicat: “in domō sum.” Intrā cum accūsātīvō quoque locum indicat, sed ēmphatice — “in interiōre parte.” “Intrā aedēs” significat “in interiōre parte aedium.”
DISCIPULUS: Et suprā?
MAGISTER: Suprā locum superiōrem indicat. “Suprā culmen” significat “super tēctum, in locō altiōre.” Contrārium eius est īnfrā — “sub, in locō īnferiōre.”
Dē Argūmentō Paedagōgicō:
This colloquium explains the contrast between cōram and clam, the meaning of contrā, the distinction between intrā and in, and the pair suprā/īnfrā.
Which case? -
dē + __________ -
intrā + __________ -
cōram + __________ -
contrā + __________ -
clam + __________
Match the opposites:
Praepositiō Contrārium 1. cōram a. īnfrā 2. intrā b. clam 3. suprā c. extrā
-
Concerning the rash one. -
Within the house. -
Above the roof. -
Confess before us. -
Against the command.
-
Dē temerāriō, notā quod intrā aedēs nōn maneat. -
Fatēre cōram nōbīs quid fēcerīs clam nōbīs. -
Contrā praeceptum fēcī. -
Quod clam facis, cōram omnibus appārēbit.
-
Dē + abl. = concerning; down from -
Intrā + acc. = within; extrā + acc. = outside -
Suprā + acc. = above; īnfrā + acc. = below -
Cōram + abl. = before (openly); clam + abl. = secretly from -
Contrā + acc. = against
-
dē + ablative -
intrā + accusative -
cōram + ablative -
contrā + accusative -
clam + ablative
-
b (cōram ↔ clam) -
c (intrā ↔ extrā) -
a (suprā ↔ īnfrā)
-
Dē temerāriō. -
Intrā aedēs / Intrā domum. -
Suprā culmen. -
Fatēre cōram nōbīs. -
Contrā praeceptum.
-
Concerning the rash one, observe that he may not stay within the house. -
Confess before us what you have done secretly from us. -
I have done against the command. -
What you do secretly will appear openly to all.
In proximā lectiōne plūrēs praepositiōnēs discēmus! Ergā praeceptōrem ingrātus fuī. Iuxtā viam currēns, citrā stagnum cōnstitit. Deinde ultrā stagnum prōgressus. Obībat circā palūdēs. Oberrābat inter nemora. Discēmus ergā, iuxtā, citrā, ultrā, circā, et inter!
In the next lesson we shall learn more prepositions! I was ungrateful towards the teacher. Running near the road, he stood on this side of the pool. Then having gone beyond the pool. He was going around the marshes. He was wandering among the groves. We shall learn “towards,” “near,” “on this side of,” “beyond,” “around,” and “among”!
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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