← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī! Novam partem hodiē incipimus: Numerālia. Numerī sunt fundamentum scientiae — sine numerīs nec commercium nec astronomia nec mūsica esse potest!
Greetings, dearest students! Today we begin a new part: Numerals. Numbers are the foundation of knowledge — without numbers neither commerce nor astronomy nor music can exist!
Incipimus ā prīncīpiō: ūnus, duo, trēs. Hī numerī simplicēs videntur, sed in Latīnā linguā dēclīnantur! Discāmus quōmodo rēs numerēmus!
We begin from the beginning: one, two, three. These numbers seem simple, but in the Latin language they decline! Let us learn how to count things!
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Scīs do you know numerāre? to count? Utique. certainly. Tentā try igitur then quot how many sunt are rēs. things. Ūnus one est is cōdex the volume Bibliōrum. of the Bible. Duo two sunt are testamenta, the testaments, vetus the old et and novum. the new. Trēs three persōnae persons Sānctae of the holy Trīnitātis. Trinity.
Scīs numerāre? Utique. — Do you know (scīs) to count (numerāre)? Certainly (utique). This introduces the section on numerals with a simple question-and-answer format.
Tentā igitur quot sunt rēs — Try (tentā) then (igitur) how many (quot) things (rēs) there are (sunt). The imperative tentā invites the student to practice counting.
Ūnus est cōdex Bibliōrum — One (ūnus) is (est) the volume (cōdex) of the Bible (Bibliōrum). The Bible is one book (though containing many parts).
Duo sunt testamenta, vetus et novum — Two (duo) are (sunt) the testaments (testamenta), the old (vetus) and (et) the new (novum). The Old and New Testaments.
Trēs persōnae Sānctae Trīnitātis — Three (trēs) persons (persōnae) of the Holy (Sānctae) Trinity (Trīnitātis). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Scīs numerāre? Utique. Do you know to count? Certainly.
Tentā igitur quot sunt rēs. Try then how many things there are.
Ūnus est cōdex Bibliōrum. One is the volume of the Bible.
Duo sunt testamenta, vetus et novum. Two are the testaments, the old and the new.
Trēs persōnae Sānctae Trīnitātis. Three persons of the Holy Trinity.
Scīs numerāre? Utique. Tentā igitur quot sunt rēs. Ūnus est cōdex Bibliōrum. Duo sunt testamenta, vetus et novum. Trēs persōnae Sānctae Trīnitātis.
The first three cardinal numbers decline in Latin:
Cāsus Masc. Fem. Neut. Nom. ūnus ūna ūnum Gen. ūnīus ūnīus ūnīus Dat. ūnī ūnī ūnī Acc. ūnum ūnam ūnum Abl. ūnō ūnā ūnō
Note: The genitive ūnīus and dative ūnī follow the pronominal pattern (like illīus, illī).
Cāsus Masc. Fem. Neut. Nom. duo duae duo Gen. duōrum duārum duōrum Dat. duōbus duābus duōbus Acc. duōs/duo duās duo Abl. duōbus duābus duōbus
Note: Duo is an irregular plural. The dative/ablative duōbus/duābus is distinctive.
Cāsus Masc./Fem. Neut. Nom. trēs tria Gen. trium trium Dat. tribus tribus Acc. trēs tria Abl. tribus tribus
Note: Trēs is a third-declension adjective with only plural forms.
Cardīnāle Significātiō Ōrdīnāle Significātiō ūnus one prīmus first duo two secundus second trēs three tertius third
Quot (”how many?”) is indeclinable:
Latīnē Anglicē Quot librī? How many books? Quot hominēs? How many people? Quot sunt rēs? How many things are there?
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō numerō, numerāre verbum to count, number utique adverbium certainly, by all means tentō, tentāre verbum to try, test quot adiectīvum (indecl.) how many? ūnus, ūna, ūnum numerāle one cōdex, cōdicis (m.) nōmen book, volume Biblia, -ōrum (n. pl.) nōmen the Bible duo, duae, duo numerāle two testāmentum, -ī (n.) nōmen testament, covenant vetus, veteris adiectīvum old trēs, tria numerāle three persōna, -ae (f.) nōmen person Trīnitās, Trīnitātis (f.) nōmen Trinity
Pater a father trēs three fīliōs sons habēbat. had. Prīmus the first fīlius son fortis strong erat. was. Secundus the second fīlius son sapiēns wise erat. was. Tertius the third fīlius son bonus good erat. was.
Pater the father eīs to them dīxit: said: “Ūnus “one vestrum of you rēgnum the kingdom meum my accipiet. will receive. Sed but quis?” who?”
Prīmus the first dīxit: said: “Ego! “I! Ūnus one vir man fortis strong melius better est is quam than duo two dēbilēs!” weak ones!”
Secundus the second dīxit: said: “Ego! “I! Ūnus one vir man sapiēns wise melius better est is quam than trēs three stultī!” fools!”
Tertius the third tacuit. was silent.
Pater the father eī to him rogāvit: asked: “Cūr “why tacēs? are you silent? Nōnne don’t tū you quoque also rēgnum the kingdom cupis?” desire?”
Tertius the third respondit: answered: “Pater, “father, nōn not ūnus one homo man rēgnum a kingdom regit rules — sed — but multī many simul. together. Fortitūdō strength sine without sapientiā wisdom perīculōsa dangerous est. is. Sapientia wisdom sine without bonitāte goodness crūdēlis cruel est. is. Sed but sī if nōs we trēs three simul together labōrāmus work — fortitūdō — strength et and sapientia wisdom et and bonitās goodness — tum then rēgnum the kingdom flōrēbit!” will flourish!”
Pater the father rīsit laughed et and dīxit: said: “Tertius “the third one vērum the truth dīcit! speaks! Nōn not ūnus one sed but trēs three rēgnābitis you will rule — simul!” — together!”
Haec this fābula fable docet: teaches: Ūnus one bonus good est, is, duo two meliōrēs, better, trēs three optimī best — sī — if simul together labōrant! they work!
Pater trēs fīliōs habēbat. A father had three sons.
Prīmus fīlius fortis erat. Secundus fīlius sapiēns erat. Tertius fīlius bonus erat. The first son was strong. The second son was wise. The third son was good.
Pater eīs dīxit: “Ūnus vestrum rēgnum meum accipiet. Sed quis?” The father said to them: “One of you will receive my kingdom. But who?”
Prīmus dīxit: “Ego! Ūnus vir fortis melius est quam duo dēbilēs!” The first said: “I! One strong man is better than two weak ones!”
Secundus dīxit: “Ego! Ūnus vir sapiēns melius est quam trēs stultī!” The second said: “I! One wise man is better than three fools!”
Tertius tacuit. The third was silent.
Pater eī rogāvit: “Cūr tacēs? Nōnne tū quoque rēgnum cupis?” The father asked him: “Why are you silent? Don’t you also desire the kingdom?”
Tertius respondit: “Pater, nōn ūnus homo rēgnum regit — sed multī simul.” The third answered: “Father, not one man rules a kingdom — but many together.”
“Fortitūdō sine sapientiā perīculōsa est. Sapientia sine bonitāte crūdēlis est.” “Strength without wisdom is dangerous. Wisdom without goodness is cruel.”
“Sed sī nōs trēs simul labōrāmus — fortitūdō et sapientia et bonitās — tum rēgnum flōrēbit!” “But if we three work together — strength and wisdom and goodness — then the kingdom will flourish!”
Pater rīsit et dīxit: “Tertius vērum dīcit!” The father laughed and said: “The third one speaks the truth!”
“Nōn ūnus sed trēs rēgnābitis — simul!” “Not one but three will rule — together!”
Haec fābula docet: Ūnus bonus est, duo meliōrēs, trēs optimī — sī simul labōrant! This fable teaches: One is good, two are better, three are best — if they work together!
Pater trēs fīliōs habēbat. Prīmus fīlius fortis erat. Secundus fīlius sapiēns erat. Tertius fīlius bonus erat.
Pater eīs dīxit: “Ūnus vestrum rēgnum meum accipiet. Sed quis?”
Prīmus dīxit: “Ego! Ūnus vir fortis melius est quam duo dēbilēs!”
Secundus dīxit: “Ego! Ūnus vir sapiēns melius est quam trēs stultī!”
Tertius tacuit.
Pater eī rogāvit: “Cūr tacēs? Nōnne tū quoque rēgnum cupis?”
Tertius respondit: “Pater, nōn ūnus homo rēgnum regit — sed multī simul. Fortitūdō sine sapientiā perīculōsa est. Sapientia sine bonitāte crūdēlis est. Sed sī nōs trēs simul labōrāmus — fortitūdō et sapientia et bonitās — tum rēgnum flōrēbit!”
Pater rīsit et dīxit: “Tertius vērum dīcit! Nōn ūnus sed trēs rēgnābitis — simul!”
Haec fābula docet: Ūnus bonus est, duo meliōrēs, trēs optimī — sī simul labōrant!
Dē Argūmentō:
This fable uses the numbers 1-3 in context, showing their declined forms (ūnus, duo, trēs) and ordinals (prīmus, secundus, tertius). The moral reflects Christian thought: as the Trinity is three-in-one, so the best governance combines multiple virtues.
Grammatica Nōtanda: -
Partitive genitive: ūnus vestrum — “one of you” -
Comparative melius: neuter comparative of bonus -
Ordinal adjectives: prīmus, secundus, tertius -
Future indicative: accipiet, flōrēbit, rēgnābitis
Vocabula Fābulae:
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō rēgnum, -ī (n.) nōmen kingdom accipiō, accipere verbum to receive dēbilis, -e adiectīvum weak stultus, -a, -um adiectīvum foolish fortitūdō, -inis (f.) nōmen strength bonitās, -ātis (f.) nōmen goodness crūdēlis, -e adiectīvum cruel flōreō, flōrēre verbum to flourish rēgnō, rēgnāre verbum to rule
DISCIPULUS: Magister, master, cūr why numerī numbers Latīnī Latin dēclīnantur? decline?
MAGISTER: Prīmī the first trēs three numerī numbers **— ūnus, — one, duo, two, trēs three — dēclīnantur — decline quia because adiectīva adjectives sunt! they are! Cum with nōmine a noun concordant they agree in in genere gender et and cāsū case et and numerō. number. “Ūnus “one liber” book” — “ūna — “one fēmina” woman” — “ūnum — “one verbum.” word.”
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo how dēclīnātur is declined duo? two?
MAGISTER: Duo two īrregulāre irregular est! is! Masculīnum the masculine est is duo, two, fēminīnum the feminine duae, two, neutrum the neuter duo. two. Datīvus the dative et and ablātīvus ablative sunt are duōbus two et and duābus two — formae — forms pecūliārēs! peculiar! “Cum “with duōbus two virīs” men” — “cum — “with duābus two fēminīs.” women.”
DISCIPULUS: Et and trēs? three?
MAGISTER: Trēs three est is adiectīvum an adjective tertiae of the third dēclīnātiōnis. declension. Masculīnum masculine et and fēminīnum feminine idem the same sunt: are: trēs. three. Neutrum neuter est is tria. three. Genitīvus the genitive est is trium; of three; datīvus the dative et and ablātīvus ablative tribus. for/by three.
DISCIPULUS: Numerī numbers post after trēs three dēclīnantur? decline?
MAGISTER: Minimē! not at all! Ab from quattuor four ad to centum, one hundred, numerī numbers sunt are indēclīnābilēs! indeclinable! “Quattuor “four virī,” men,” “quattuor “four fēminae,” women,” “quattuor “four verba” words” — semper — always quattuor! four! Hoc this facilius easier est! is!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr numerī Latīnī dēclīnantur? Master, why do Latin numbers decline?
MAGISTER: Prīmī trēs numerī — ūnus, duo, trēs — dēclīnantur quia adiectīva sunt! The first three numbers — “one,” “two,” “three” — decline because they are adjectives!
Cum nōmine concordant in genere et cāsū et numerō. They agree with a noun in gender and case and number.
“Ūnus liber” — “ūna fēmina” — “ūnum verbum.” “One book” — “one woman” — “one word.”
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo dēclīnātur duo? How is “two” declined?
MAGISTER: Duo īrregulāre est! “Two” is irregular!
Masculīnum est duo, fēminīnum duae, neutrum duo. The masculine is “duo,” the feminine “duae,” the neuter “duo.”
Datīvus et ablātīvus sunt duōbus et duābus — formae pecūliārēs! The dative and ablative are “duōbus” and “duābus” — peculiar forms!
“Cum duōbus virīs” — “cum duābus fēminīs.” “With two men” — “with two women.”
DISCIPULUS: Et trēs? And “three”?
MAGISTER: Trēs est adiectīvum tertiae dēclīnātiōnis. “Three” is an adjective of the third declension.
Masculīnum et fēminīnum idem sunt: trēs. Neutrum est tria. Masculine and feminine are the same: “trēs.” Neuter is “tria.”
Genitīvus est trium; datīvus et ablātīvus tribus. The genitive is “trium”; the dative and ablative “tribus.”
DISCIPULUS: Numerī post trēs dēclīnantur? Do numbers after three decline?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Ab quattuor ad centum, numerī sunt indēclīnābilēs! Not at all! From “four” to “one hundred,” numbers are indeclinable!
“Quattuor virī,” “quattuor fēminae,” “quattuor verba” — semper quattuor! “Four men,” “four women,” “four words” — always “quattuor”!
Hoc facilius est! This is easier!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr numerī Latīnī dēclīnantur?
MAGISTER: Prīmī trēs numerī — ūnus, duo, trēs — dēclīnantur quia adiectīva sunt! Cum nōmine concordant in genere et cāsū et numerō. “Ūnus liber” — “ūna fēmina” — “ūnum verbum.”
DISCIPULUS: Quōmodo dēclīnātur duo?
MAGISTER: Duo īrregulāre est! Masculīnum est duo, fēminīnum duae, neutrum duo. Datīvus et ablātīvus sunt duōbus et duābus — formae pecūliārēs! “Cum duōbus virīs” — “cum duābus fēminīs.”
DISCIPULUS: Et trēs?
MAGISTER: Trēs est adiectīvum tertiae dēclīnātiōnis. Masculīnum et fēminīnum idem sunt: trēs. Neutrum est tria. Genitīvus est trium; datīvus et ablātīvus tribus.
DISCIPULUS: Numerī post trēs dēclīnantur?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Ab quattuor ad centum, numerī sunt indēclīnābilēs! “Quattuor virī,” “quattuor fēminae,” “quattuor verba” — semper quattuor! Hoc facilius est!
Dē Argūmentō Paedagōgicō:
This colloquium explains why the first three numbers decline (they’re adjectives), how each declines (ūnus like a pronoun, duo irregularly, trēs as a third-declension adjective), and that numbers 4-100 are indeclinable.
Give the correct form: -
ūnus liber → ūn___ librī (genitive) -
duo virī → du___ virōrum (genitive) -
trēs fēminae → tr___ fēminārum (genitive) -
ūna puella → ūn___ puellae (dative) -
duo testamenta → du___ testāmentīs (ablative)
Match:
Cardīnāle Ōrdīnāle 1. ūnus a. tertius 2. duo b. prīmus 3. trēs c. secundus
-
One book. -
Two testaments. -
Three persons. -
How many things?
-
Ūnus est cōdex Bibliōrum. -
Duo sunt testamenta, vetus et novum. -
Trēs persōnae Sānctae Trīnitātis. -
Ūnus bonus est, duo meliōrēs, trēs optimī.
-
Ūnus, ūna, ūnum — one (declines like a pronoun) -
Duo, duae, duo — two (irregular plural) -
Trēs, tria — three (third-declension adjective) -
Quot? — how many? (indeclinable)
-
ūnīus librī -
duōrum virōrum -
trium fēminārum -
ūnī puellae -
duōbus testāmentīs
-
b (ūnus → prīmus) -
c (duo → secundus) -
a (trēs → tertius)
-
Ūnus liber. -
Duo testamenta. -
Trēs persōnae. -
Quot rēs?
-
One is the volume of the Bible. -
Two are the testaments, the old and the new. -
Three persons of the Holy Trinity. -
One is good, two are better, three are best.
In proximā lectiōne numerōs quattuor ad novem discēmus! Quattuor ēvangelistae. Quīnque sēnsūs. Sex profestī diēs. Septem petitiōnēs in Ōrātiōne Dominicā. Octō diēs sunt septimāna. Ter tria sunt novem. Pergāmus numerāre!
In the next lesson we shall learn the numbers four to nine! Four evangelists. Five senses. Six working days. Seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. Eight days are a week. Thrice three are nine. Let us continue counting!
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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