← Iānuae Latīnitātis Vestibulum
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Salvēte, discipulī cārissimī! In lectiōnibus praecēdentibus dē nūptiīs et līberīs dīdicimus. Nunc familiam lātius spectābimus! Familia Rōmāna enim nōn sōlum parentēs et līberōs complectēbātur — sed etiam servōs et cognātōs!
Greetings, dearest students! In the preceding lessons we learned about marriage and children. Now we shall look at the family more broadly! For the Roman family embraced not only parents and children — but also servants and relatives!
Hodiē dē servīs et ministrīs discēmus, dē ancillīs et famulīs. Et dē cognātīs — dē patruīs et amitīs, dē avunculīs et matertērīs. Haec sunt vincula familiae!
Today we shall learn about slaves and servants, about maidservants and household attendants. And about relatives — about uncles and aunts! These are the bonds of family!
Ē tenebrīs Lēšnēnsibus, Iōannēs Āmos Comēnius
Līberī children sunt are līberī, free, servī slaves serviunt. serve. Ministrī servants ministrant, serve, famulī household attendants famulantur. do household service. Ancillae maidservants ancillantur. do wait. Patruus an uncle et and amita an aunt sunt are patris of the father frāter the brother et and soror, the sister, avunculus an uncle et and mātertera an aunt mātris. of the mother. Avī grandfathers habent have nepōtēs. grandchildren. Cognātī kinsmen [have] affīnēs. kindred by marriage.
Līberī sunt līberī, servī serviunt — Note the pun: līberī (noun) = children; līberī (adjective) = free. Children of citizens were freeborn.
Ministrī ministrant, famulī famulantur — Minister serves; famulus does household service. Famulor is deponent.
Ancillae ancillantur — Ancilla is a female servant; ancillor (deponent) means “to serve as a maidservant.”
Patruus et amita sunt patris frāter et soror — Paternal uncle and aunt.
Avunculus et mātertera mātris — Maternal uncle and aunt.
Avī habent nepōtēs — Avus is grandfather; nepōs is grandchild.
Cognātī affīnēs — Cognātī are blood relatives; affīnēs are relatives by marriage.
Līberī sunt līberī, servī serviunt. Children are free, slaves serve.
Ministrī ministrant, famulī famulantur. Servants serve, household attendants do household service.
Ancillae ancillantur. Maidservants do wait.
Patruus et amita sunt patris frāter et soror, avunculus et mātertera mātris. An uncle and aunt are the father’s brother and sister, an uncle and aunt the mother’s.
Avī habent nepōtēs. Grandfathers have grandchildren.
Cognātī affīnēs. Kinsmen (have) kindred by marriage.
Līberī sunt līberī, servī serviunt. Ministrī ministrant, famulī famulantur. Ancillae ancillantur. Patruus et amita sunt patris frāter et soror, avunculus et mātertera mātris. Avī habent nepōtēs. Cognātī affīnēs.
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Līberī (noun) = children -
Līberī (adjective) = free
Nōmen Verbum Significātiō servus serviō to serve (as slave) minister ministrō to serve, attend famulus famulor (dep.) to serve in household ancilla ancillor (dep.) to serve as maid
Paternal Maternal patruus (uncle) avunculus (uncle) amita (aunt) mātertera (aunt)
Vocābulum Significātiō līberī, -ōrum children servus, -ī slave minister, ministrī servant famulus, -ī household servant ancilla, -ae maidservant patruus, -ī paternal uncle amita, -ae paternal aunt avunculus, -ī maternal uncle mātertera, -ae maternal aunt avus, -ī grandfather nepōs, nepōtis grandchild cognātus, -ī blood relative affīnis, -is relative by marriage
Ōlim once puer a boy quīdam certain apud at the house of avunculum his uncle suum his habitābat. was living. Parentēs parents eius his mortuī dead erant. were.
Puer the boy superbus proud erat. was. Servōs slaves et and ancillās maidservants contemnēbat. he used to despise. Dīcēbat he used to say sē himself līberum free esse to be — nōn — not servum! a slave!
Avunculus the uncle puerum the boy in into culīnam the kitchen dūxit. led. “Ecce,” “behold,” inquit, he said, “ancilla “the maidservant cēnam dinner parat. prepares. Tū you cēnam dinner parāre to prepare scīsne?” do you know how?
Puer the boy tacuit. was silent.
Avunculus the uncle dīxit: said: “Līber “free es you are nātū by birth — sed — but servus a slave es you are ignōrantiā! by ignorance! Quī he who nihil nothing facere to do scit, knows how, quōmodo how līber free esse to be potest?” is able?”
Puer the boy intellēxit. understood. Ex from illō that diē, day, ā from servīs the slaves discere to learn coepit. he began.
Haec this fābula fable docet: teaches: Lībertās freedom nōn not in in nātū birth sōlō alone est is — sed — but in in scientiā! knowledge!
DISCIPULUS: Magister, cūr Latīna lingua tot vocābula prō avunculīs habet?
MAGISTER: Rōmānī cognātiōnem dīligenter dīstinguēbant! Patruus et avunculus — nōn erant īdem! Familia Rōmāna per patrem dēfīniēbātur.
DISCIPULUS: Et quid est differentia inter cognātōs et affīnēs?
MAGISTER: Cognātī sunt quī sanguine coniūnctī sunt. Affīnēs sunt quī per nūptiās coniūnctī sunt — socer et socrus, gener et nurus!
Match: 1. patruus 2. amita 3. avunculus 4. mātertera a. maternal aunt b. maternal uncle c. paternal aunt d. paternal uncle
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Children are free, slaves serve. -
Grandfathers have grandchildren.
1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a
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Līberī sunt līberī, servī serviunt. -
Avī nepōtēs habent.
Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Comēniō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
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