← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī! In lectiōne praecēdentī dē litterīs et syllabīs dīdicimus — quōmodo ex parvīs elementīs māgna ōrātiō compōnitur. Hodiē ad rēs ipsās prōgredimur: legere et scrībere — duae artēs geminae quae tōtam ēducātiōnem sustinent!
Greetings, dearest students! In the preceding lesson we learned about letters and syllables — how from small elements a great speech is composed. Today we proceed to the things themselves: to read and to write — the two twin arts which sustain all education!
Legere est sapientiam aliōrum accipere; scrībere est sapientiam tuam aliīs trādere. Quī legit et scrībit, is cum tōtō mundō colloquitur — etiam cum mortuīs, etiam cum nōndum nātīs! Quid mīrābilius? Per atrāmentum et calamum, per chartam et membrānam, animī hominum per saecula volant. Discāmus ergō hās artēs pretiōsissimās!
To read is to receive the wisdom of others; to write is to hand over your wisdom to others. He who reads and writes, he converses with the whole world — even with the dead, even with those not yet born! What is more wonderful? Through ink and quill, through paper and parchment, the minds of men fly through the ages. Let us therefore learn these most precious arts!
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Ex out of librō a book legimus we read tacitē. silently. Aut or recitāmus we recite clārē. aloud. Involvimus we wrap eum it membrānā, in parchment, et and pōnimus we place it in on pulpitō. the desk. Atrāmentum ink est is in in atrāmentāriō the inkwell in in quō which tingimus we dip calamum. the quill. Scrībimus we write eō with it in on chartā paper in on utrāque each pāginā. page.
Ex librō legimus tacitē — We read (legimus) silently (tacitē) out of (ex) a book (librō). The preposition ex takes the ablative. Silent reading was less common in antiquity; reading aloud was the norm. The adverb tacitē comes from tacitus, past participle of taceō (to be silent).
Aut recitāmus clārē — Or (aut) we recite (recitāmus) aloud (clārē). The verb recitō means “to read aloud, recite” — literally “to cite again.” The adverb clārē means “clearly, loudly” and derives from clārus (clear, bright).
Involvimus eum membrānā, et pōnimus in pulpitō — We wrap (involvimus) it (eum) in parchment (membrānā), and (et) we place (pōnimus) [it] on (in) the desk (pulpitō). The pronoun eum refers back to liber. Books were wrapped in parchment covers for protection and stored on desks or lecterns. Membrāna is ablative of means.
Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō in quō tingimus calamum — Ink (atrāmentum) is (est) in (in) the inkwell (atrāmentāriō) in (in) which (quō) we dip (tingimus) the quill (calamum). The word atrāmentum derives from āter (black) — literally “black stuff.” The calamus was a reed pen used for writing.
Scrībimus eō in chartā in utrāque pāginā — We write (scrībimus) with it (eō) on (in) paper (chartā) on (in) each (utrāque) page (pāginā). The ablative eō expresses means (”with it”). Utrāque means “each of two” — both sides of the paper were used.
Ex librō legimus tacitē. We read silently out of a book.
Aut recitāmus clārē. Or we recite aloud.
Involvimus eum membrānā, et pōnimus in pulpitō. We wrap it in parchment, and place it on the desk.
Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō in quō tingimus calamum. Ink is in the inkwell in which we dip the quill.
Scrībimus eō in chartā in utrāque pāginā. We write with it on paper on each page.
Ex librō legimus tacitē. Aut recitāmus clārē. Involvimus eum membrānā, et pōnimus in pulpitō. Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō in quō tingimus calamum. Scrībimus eō in chartā in utrāque pāginā.
These two adverbs form an opposite pair:
Adverbium Significātiō Ab Adiectīvō tacitē silently tacitus, -a, -um clārē loudly, clearly clārus, -a, -um
Adverbs from first/second declension adjectives are formed by adding -ē to the stem: clār- + -ē = clārē.
Vocābulum Genus Significātiō Nota liber, librī m. book originally “bark” (for writing) membrāna, -ae f. parchment animal skin prepared for writing charta, -ae f. paper from Greek χάρτης, papyrus pulpitum, -ī n. desk, lectern raised platform for reading atrāmentum, -ī n. ink from āter (black) atrāmentārium, -ī n. inkwell container for ink calamus, -ī m. quill, reed pen from Greek κάλαμος pāgina, -ae f. page a column of writing
Tingō, tingere, tīnxī, tīnctum means “to dip, wet, dye”:
Tempus Forma Significātiō Praesēns tingimus we dip Perfectum tīnximus we dipped Participium tīnctus, -a, -um dipped, dyed
Note the nasal infix in the present stem (ting-) which disappears in the perfect (tīnx-).
This pronoun means “each of two, both” and follows the pronominal declension pattern:
Cāsus Masc. Fem. Neut. Nom. uterque utraque utrumque Gen. utrīusque utrīusque utrīusque Dat. utrīque utrīque utrīque Acc. utrumque utrāmque utrumque Abl. utrōque utrāque utrōque
Like ūnus, it has genitive in -īus and dative in -ī.
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō legō, legere, lēgī, lēctum verbum to read, gather tacitē adverbium silently recitō, recitāre, recitāvī, recitātum verbum to recite, read aloud clārē adverbium loudly, clearly involvō, involvere, involvī, involūtum verbum to wrap, envelop membrāna, -ae (f.) nōmen parchment pulpitum, -ī (n.) nōmen desk, lectern atrāmentum, -ī (n.) nōmen ink atrāmentārium, -ī (n.) nōmen inkwell tingō, tingere, tīnxī, tīnctum verbum to dip, wet, dye calamus, -ī (m.) nōmen quill, reed pen charta, -ae (f.) nōmen paper uterque, utraque, utrumque prōnōmen each of two, both pāgina, -ae (f.) nōmen page
In in scholā a school antīquā ancient Rōmae of Rome calamus a quill et and lingua a tongue dē about potentiā power suā their own certābant. were contending.
Lingua the tongue superba proud prīmum first locūta having spoken est. is. Dīxit she said sē herself potentissimam most powerful esse to be omnium of all rērum. things. Clāmāvit she cried out sē herself clārē loudly loquī to speak et and omnēs all hominēs men sē her audīre to hear posse. to be able.
“Ōrātiōnēs “speeches meae,” my,” inquit, she said, “populōs “peoples movent! move! Rēgēs kings flectō! I bend! Bella wars excitō! I rouse! Quis who mē me potentior more powerful est?” is?”
Calamus the quill tacitē silently in on pulpitō the desk iacēbat. was lying. Tandem at last lentē slowly respondit. he answered. Dīxit he said verba words linguae of the tongue in into āera the air ēvānēscere. to vanish.
“Tū “you clārē loudly loquēris,” you speak,” inquit he said calamus, the quill, “sed “but verba words tua your celeriter quickly moriuntur. die. Ego I tacitē silently scrībō write — sed — but verba words mea my in for aeternum eternity manent! remain! Librī books meī my post after centum a hundred annōs years leguntur. are read. Post after mīlle a thousand annōs years leguntur! are read! Ubi where tunc then erunt will be ōrātiōnēs the speeches tuae?” your?”
Lingua the tongue tacuit. was silent. Nōn not poterat was she able respondēre. to answer.
Calamus the quill continuāvit. continued. Dīxit he said linguam the tongue ad to paucōs few tantum only loquī to speak quī who praesentes present adsint. may be. Sē himself autem, however, inquit, he said, ad to tōtum the whole mundum world scrībere to write — ad — to omnēs all gentēs, peoples, ad to omnia all saecula! ages!
“Tū “you vīvōs the living movēs,” you move,” inquit. he said. “Ego “I mortuōs the dead ad to vītam life revocō! call back! Per through mē me Cicerō Cicero adhūc still loquitur! speaks! Per through mē me Vergilius Virgil adhūc still canit! sings! Per through mē me Platō Plato adhūc still philosophātur!” philosophizes!”
Lingua the tongue dīū for a long time cōgitāvit. thought. Tandem at last cōnsēnsit. she agreed. Fassa having confessed est she is sē herself errāvisse. to have erred.
“Vēra “true things dīcis,” you speak,” inquit. she said. “Ōrātiō “a speech potēns powerful est is sed but brevis. brief. Scrīptūra writing lentior slower est is sed but aeterna. eternal. Melius better est it is nōbīs for us simul together labōrāre! to work! Ego I clārē loudly prōnūntiābō shall pronounce quod what tū you tacitē silently scrīpseris!” shall have written!”
Ā from eō that diē day calamus the quill et and lingua the tongue amīcī friends factī made sunt. are. Simul together labōrant they work — lingua — the tongue recitat recites quod what calamus the quill scrībit. writes. Et and sapientia wisdom per through utrumque each of the two in into mundum the world effluit! flows out!
Haec this fābula fable docet: teaches: Vōx the voice volat, flies, littera the letter manet. remains. Quī he who scrībit, writes, saecula ages docet! teaches!
In scholā antīquā Rōmae calamus et lingua dē potentiā suā certābant. In an ancient school of Rome a quill and a tongue were contending about their power.
Lingua superba prīmum locūta est. The proud tongue spoke first.
Dīxit sē potentissimam esse omnium rērum. She said that she was the most powerful of all things.
Clāmāvit sē clārē loquī et omnēs hominēs sē audīre posse. She cried out that she spoke loudly and that all men were able to hear her.
“Ōrātiōnēs meae,” inquit, “populōs movent! Rēgēs flectō! Bella excitō!” “My speeches,” she said, “move peoples! I bend kings! I rouse wars!”
“Quis mē potentior est?” “Who is more powerful than me?”
Calamus tacitē in pulpitō iacēbat. The quill was lying silently on the desk.
Tandem lentē respondit. At last he answered slowly.
Dīxit verba linguae in āera ēvānēscere. He said that the words of the tongue vanish into the air.
“Tū clārē loquēris,” inquit calamus, “sed verba tua celeriter moriuntur.” “You speak loudly,” said the quill, “but your words die quickly.”
“Ego tacitē scrībō — sed verba mea in aeternum manent!” “I write silently — but my words remain for eternity!”
“Librī meī post centum annōs leguntur. Post mīlle annōs leguntur!” “My books are read after a hundred years. They are read after a thousand years!”
“Ubi tunc erunt ōrātiōnēs tuae?” “Where then will your speeches be?”
Lingua tacuit. Nōn poterat respondēre. The tongue was silent. She was not able to answer.
Calamus continuāvit. The quill continued.
Dīxit linguam ad paucōs tantum loquī quī praesentes adsint. He said that the tongue speaks only to the few who may be present.
Sē autem, inquit, ad tōtum mundum scrībere — ad omnēs gentēs, ad omnia saecula! But he himself, he said, writes to the whole world — to all peoples, to all ages!
“Tū vīvōs movēs,” inquit. “Ego mortuōs ad vītam revocō!” “You move the living,” he said. “I call the dead back to life!”
“Per mē Cicerō adhūc loquitur! Per mē Vergilius adhūc canit! Per mē Platō adhūc philosophātur!” “Through me Cicero still speaks! Through me Virgil still sings! Through me Plato still philosophizes!”
Lingua dīū cōgitāvit. Tandem cōnsēnsit. The tongue thought for a long time. At last she agreed.
Fassa est sē errāvisse. She confessed that she had erred.
“Vēra dīcis,” inquit. “Ōrātiō potēns est sed brevis. Scrīptūra lentior est sed aeterna.” “You speak true things,” she said. “A speech is powerful but brief. Writing is slower but eternal.”
“Melius est nōbīs simul labōrāre!” “It is better for us to work together!”
“Ego clārē prōnūntiābō quod tū tacitē scrīpseris!” “I shall pronounce loudly what you shall have written silently!”
Ā eō diē calamus et lingua amīcī factī sunt. From that day the quill and the tongue were made friends.
Simul labōrant — lingua recitat quod calamus scrībit. Together they work — the tongue recites what the quill writes.
Et sapientia per utrumque in mundum effluit! And wisdom flows out into the world through each of the two!
Haec fābula docet: Vōx volat, littera manet. Quī scrībit, saecula docet! This fable teaches: The voice flies, the letter remains. He who writes, teaches ages!
In scholā antīquā Rōmae calamus et lingua dē potentiā suā certābant.
Lingua superba prīmum locūta est. Dīxit sē potentissimam esse omnium rērum. Clāmāvit sē clārē loquī et omnēs hominēs sē audīre posse.
“Ōrātiōnēs meae,” inquit, “populōs movent! Rēgēs flectō! Bella excitō! Quis mē potentior est?”
Calamus tacitē in pulpitō iacēbat. Tandem lentē respondit. Dīxit verba linguae in āera ēvānēscere.
“Tū clārē loquēris,” inquit calamus, “sed verba tua celeriter moriuntur. Ego tacitē scrībō — sed verba mea in aeternum manent! Librī meī post centum annōs leguntur. Post mīlle annōs leguntur! Ubi tunc erunt ōrātiōnēs tuae?”
Lingua tacuit. Nōn poterat respondēre.
Calamus continuāvit. Dīxit linguam ad paucōs tantum loquī quī praesentes adsint. Sē autem, inquit, ad tōtum mundum scrībere — ad omnēs gentēs, ad omnia saecula!
“Tū vīvōs movēs,” inquit. “Ego mortuōs ad vītam revocō! Per mē Cicerō adhūc loquitur! Per mē Vergilius adhūc canit! Per mē Platō adhūc philosophātur!”
Lingua dīū cōgitāvit. Tandem cōnsēnsit. Fassa est sē errāvisse.
“Vēra dīcis,” inquit. “Ōrātiō potēns est sed brevis. Scrīptūra lentior est sed aeterna. Melius est nōbīs simul labōrāre! Ego clārē prōnūntiābō quod tū tacitē scrīpseris!”
Ā eō diē calamus et lingua amīcī factī sunt. Simul labōrant — lingua recitat quod calamus scrībit. Et sapientia per utrumque in mundum effluit!
Haec fābula docet: Vōx volat, littera manet. Quī scrībit, saecula docet!
Dē Argūmentō:
This fable personifies the quill (calamus) and tongue (lingua), contrasting oral and written communication. The setting is an ancient Roman school, where both instruments of learning contend for supremacy. The moral Vōx volat, littera manet (”The voice flies, the letter remains”) is a classical proverb emphasizing the permanence of writing over speech. The resolution — that tongue and quill work together — reflects the ancient practice of recitātiō, where written texts were read aloud.
Grammatica Nōtanda: -
Ōrātiō oblīqua throughout: Dīxit sē potentissimam esse — accusative + infinitive for reported speech. -
Deponent verb fateor: Fassa est sē errāvisse — “She confessed that she had erred.” Perfect infinitive for prior action. -
Future perfect in relative clause: quod tū scrīpseris — “what you shall have written” — showing completed action before the main verb. -
Comparative and superlative: potentior (more powerful), potentissimam (most powerful), lentior (slower). -
Greek accusative āera: From āēr, āeris (m.) — air. Greek nouns sometimes retain Greek case forms.
Vocabula Fābulae:
Vocābulum Pars Ōrātiōnis Significātiō lingua, -ae (f.) nōmen tongue certō, certāre, certāvī, certātum verbum to contend, compete potentia, -ae (f.) nōmen power ōrātiō, ōrātiōnis (f.) nōmen speech flectō, flectere, flexī, flexum verbum to bend excitō, excitāre verbum to rouse, stir up āēr, āeris (m.) nōmen air ēvānēscō, ēvānēscere, ēvānuī verbum to vanish aeternus, -a, -um adiectīvum eternal revocō, revocāre verbum to call back fateor, fatērī, fassus sum verbum (dep.) to confess prōnūntiō, prōnūntiāre verbum to pronounce, proclaim efflūō, effluere verbum to flow out saeculum, -ī (n.) nōmen age, generation
DISCIPULUS: Magister, master, cūr why et both tacitē silently et and clārē aloud legimus? do we read? Nōnne is it not that ūnus one modus way sufficit? suffices?
MAGISTER: Minimē! not at all! Uterque each modus way suam its own ūtilitātem usefulness habet! has!
Tacitē silently legimus we read ut so that cōgitēmus we may think — lentē, — slowly, profundē, deeply, sine without tumultū. noise. Cum when tacitē silently legis, you read, sōlus alone es you are cum with librō. the book. Mēns the mind tua your līberē freely vagātur wanders per through verba. the words. Potes you are able sistere, to stop, cōgitāre, to think, iterum again legere. to read.
Clārē aloud autem however legimus we read ut so that aliīs to others commūnicēmus we may communicate — et — and ut so that aurēs ears nostrae our own ipsae themselves verba the words audiant! may hear! Vōx the voice enim for memoriam memory adiuvat. helps. Antīquī the ancients semper always clārē aloud legēbant used to read — legere — to read tacitē silently rārum rare erat! was!
DISCIPULUS: Mīrum! wonderful! Cūr why sīc thus faciēbant did they do antīquī? the ancients?
MAGISTER: Quia because librī books rārī rare erant were et and pretiōsī. precious. Paucī few propriōs their own librōs books habēbant. had. Ergō therefore ūnus one legēbat used to read clārē, aloud, multī many audiēbant. used to listen. Sīc thus sapientia wisdom per through vōcem the voice diffundēbātur! was being spread!
DISCIPULUS: Intellegō! I understand! Quid what dē about scrībendō? writing? Quōmodo how antīquī the ancients scrībēbant? used to write?
MAGISTER: Calamum the quill in into atrāmentum the ink tingēbant. they used to dip. Deinde then in on chartā the paper vel or membrānā parchment litterās letters formābant. they used to form. Cautē carefully scrībendum it must be written erat was — atrāmentum — ink enim for dēlēre to erase difficile difficult est! is!
Ōlim once dīcēbant: they used to say: “Calamus “the quill nōn not habet has memoriam!” memory!” Quod what scrīpsistī, you have written, scrīptum written manet. remains. Ergō therefore antequam before scrībās, you write, cōgitā! think!
DISCIPULUS: Nunc now sciō I know cūr why scrībere to write tam so māgnum great officium a duty sit! is!
MAGISTER: Ita so vērō! indeed! Quī he who scrībit, writes, nōn not sōlum only sibi for himself scrībit writes — sed — but posterīs! for posterity! Verba words tua your post after mortem death tuam your vīvent! will live! Ita thus scrībendum it must be written est is quasi as if tōtus the whole mundus world lectūrus about to read sit! were!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr et tacitē et clārē legimus? Nōnne ūnus modus sufficit? Master, why do we read both silently and aloud? Is it not that one way suffices?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Uterque modus suam ūtilitātem habet! Not at all! Each way has its own usefulness!
Tacitē legimus ut cōgitēmus — lentē, profundē, sine tumultū. We read silently so that we may think — slowly, deeply, without noise.
Cum tacitē legis, sōlus es cum librō. Mēns tua līberē vagātur per verba. When you read silently, you are alone with the book. Your mind wanders freely through the words.
Potes sistere, cōgitāre, iterum legere. You are able to stop, to think, to read again.
Clārē autem legimus ut aliīs commūnicēmus — et ut aurēs nostrae ipsae verba audiant! However we read aloud so that we may communicate to others — and so that our own ears themselves may hear the words!
Vōx enim memoriam adiuvat. For the voice helps memory.
Antīquī semper clārē legēbant — legere tacitē rārum erat! The ancients always read aloud — to read silently was rare!
DISCIPULUS: Mīrum! Cūr sīc faciēbant antīquī? Wonderful! Why did the ancients do thus?
MAGISTER: Quia librī rārī erant et pretiōsī. Paucī propriōs librōs habēbant. Because books were rare and precious. Few had their own books.
Ergō ūnus legēbat clārē, multī audiēbant. Sīc sapientia per vōcem diffundēbātur! Therefore one used to read aloud, many used to listen. Thus wisdom was being spread through the voice!
DISCIPULUS: Intellegō! Quid dē scrībendō? Quōmodo antīquī scrībēbant? I understand! What about writing? How did the ancients used to write?
MAGISTER: Calamum in atrāmentum tingēbant. Deinde in chartā vel membrānā litterās formābant. They used to dip the quill into the ink. Then they used to form letters on paper or parchment.
Cautē scrībendum erat — atrāmentum enim dēlēre difficile est! It had to be written carefully — for ink is difficult to erase!
Ōlim dīcēbant: “Calamus nōn habet memoriam!” Once they used to say: “The quill has no memory!”
Quod scrīpsistī, scrīptum manet. Ergō antequam scrībās, cōgitā! What you have written, remains written. Therefore before you write, think!
DISCIPULUS: Nunc sciō cūr scrībere tam māgnum officium sit! Now I know why to write is so great a duty!
MAGISTER: Ita vērō! Quī scrībit, nōn sōlum sibi scrībit — sed posterīs! So indeed! He who writes, does not write only for himself — but for posterity!
Verba tua post mortem tuam vīvent! Your words will live after your death!
Ita scrībendum est quasi tōtus mundus lectūrus sit! Thus it must be written as if the whole world were about to read!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr et tacitē et clārē legimus? Nōnne ūnus modus sufficit?
MAGISTER: Minimē! Uterque modus suam ūtilitātem habet! Tacitē legimus ut cōgitēmus — lentē, profundē, sine tumultū. Cum tacitē legis, sōlus es cum librō. Mēns tua līberē vagātur per verba. Potes sistere, cōgitāre, iterum legere. Clārē autem legimus ut aliīs commūnicēmus — et ut aurēs nostrae ipsae verba audiant! Vōx enim memoriam adiuvat. Antīquī semper clārē legēbant — legere tacitē rārum erat!
DISCIPULUS: Mīrum! Cūr sīc faciēbant antīquī?
MAGISTER: Quia librī rārī erant et pretiōsī. Paucī propriōs librōs habēbant. Ergō ūnus legēbat clārē, multī audiēbant. Sīc sapientia per vōcem diffundēbātur!
DISCIPULUS: Intellegō! Quid dē scrībendō? Quōmodo antīquī scrībēbant?
MAGISTER: Calamum in atrāmentum tingēbant. Deinde in chartā vel membrānā litterās formābant. Cautē scrībendum erat — atrāmentum enim dēlēre difficile est! Ōlim dīcēbant: “Calamus nōn habet memoriam!” Quod scrīpsistī, scrīptum manet. Ergō antequam scrībās, cōgitā!
DISCIPULUS: Nunc sciō cūr scrībere tam māgnum officium sit!
MAGISTER: Ita vērō! Quī scrībit, nōn sōlum sibi scrībit — sed posterīs! Verba tua post mortem tuam vīvent! Ita scrībendum est quasi tōtus mundus lectūrus sit!
Dē Argūmentō Paedagōgicō:
This colloquium explores the dual purposes of reading (silent for contemplation, aloud for communication and memory), the historical context of reading practices in antiquity, the technique of writing with a quill, and the moral weight of writing for posterity. The student has a “lightbulb moment” when he realizes why writing is such a great responsibility.
Grammatica Nōtanda: -
Purpose clauses with ut + subjunctive: ut cōgitēmus, ut commūnicēmus, ut audiant -
Gerundive of obligation: scrībendum erat — “it had to be written” -
Future active participle: lectūrus sit — “were about to read” (potential subjunctive) -
Imperfect for habitual past: legēbant, tingēbant, dīcēbant
Match each Latin word with its English meaning:
Vocābulum Significātiō 1. calamus a. ink 2. atrāmentum b. paper 3. membrāna c. quill 4. charta d. parchment 5. pulpitum e. inkwell 6. atrāmentārium f. desk
Fill in with tacitē or clārē: -
Ex librō legimus __________ (silently). -
Aut recitāmus __________ (aloud). -
Antīquī semper __________ legēbant. -
Calamus __________ scrībit, sed verba eius manent.
-
We read silently out of a book. -
Ink is in the inkwell. -
We dip the quill into the ink. -
We write on each page. -
The voice flies, the letter remains.
-
Ex librō legimus tacitē. -
Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō in quō tingimus calamum. -
Scrībimus eō in chartā in utrāque pāginā. -
Quī scrībit, saecula docet. -
Antequam scrībās, cōgitā!
Convert the direct speech to indirect speech using dīxit + acc. + inf.: -
Lingua: “Ego potentissima sum!” → Lingua dīxit __________ -
Calamus: “Verba tua ēvānēscunt.” → Calamus dīxit __________ -
Magister: “Antīquī clārē legēbant.” → Magister dīxit __________
Memorize these sentences: -
Ex librō legimus tacitē. Aut recitāmus clārē. We read silently from a book. Or we recite aloud. -
Involvimus eum membrānā, et pōnimus in pulpitō. We wrap it in parchment, and place it on the desk. -
Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō in quō tingimus calamum. Ink is in the inkwell in which we dip the quill. -
Scrībimus eō in chartā in utrāque pāginā. We write with it on paper on each page. -
Vōx volat, littera manet. Quī scrībit, saecula docet! The voice flies, the letter remains. He who writes, teaches ages!
-
c (calamus = quill) -
a (atrāmentum = ink) -
d (membrāna = parchment) -
b (charta = paper) -
f (pulpitum = desk) -
e (atrāmentārium = inkwell)
-
tacitē -
clārē -
clārē -
tacitē
-
Ex librō legimus tacitē. -
Atrāmentum est in atrāmentāriō. -
Calamum in atrāmentum tingimus. -
In utrāque pāginā scrībimus. -
Vōx volat, littera manet.
-
We read silently out of a book. -
Ink is in the inkwell in which we dip the quill. -
We write with it on paper on each page. -
He who writes, teaches ages. -
Before you write, think!
-
Lingua dīxit sē potentissimam esse. -
Calamus dīxit verba eius ēvānēscere. -
Magister dīxit antīquōs clārē legisse.
In proximā lectiōne dē corrigendō et docendō discēmus! Vidēbimus quōmodo magister discipulōs doceat, quōmodo errōrēs corrigantur, quōmodo sapientia per partēs — nōn simul — trādātur. Sī perperam, dēlēmus. Doctor docet. Discipulus discit nōn omnia simul sed per partēs.
In the next lesson we shall learn about correcting and teaching! We shall see how a master teaches students, how errors are corrected, how wisdom is transmitted by parts — not all at once. If wrongly, we erase. The teacher teaches. The student learns not all things at once but by parts.
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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