###
1.1 Ōlim once quattuor four līberī children nōbilis of a noble fēminae woman in in Britanniā Britain habitābant were living
1.2 Trēs three fīliī sons erant were quōrum of whom nōmina names erant were Rolandus Roland Thomās Thomas et and Iohannēs John
1.3 Ūna one fīlia daughter pulcherrima most beautiful quae who Helena Helen appellābātur was called omnibus by all frātribus brothers cārissima most dear erat was
1.4 Diē on day quōdam certain līberī children in in campō field apertō open pilā with ball aureā golden lūdēbant were playing
1.5 Helena Helen pilam ball tam so fortiter strongly iēcit threw ut that super over ecclēsiam church volāret it might fly
1.6 Frātrēs brothers sorōrem sister monuērunt warned nē not circum around ecclēsiam church contrā against sōlem sun ambulāret she should walk
1.7 Helena Helen tamen however monitīs warnings neglēctīs having been neglected pilam ball quaerere to seek coepit began
1.8 Ter thrice circum around ecclēsiam church sinistrōrsum leftward ambulāvit she walked et and statim immediately ēvānuit vanished
1.9 Iohannēs John minimus youngest nātū by birth sorōrem sister sequī to follow voluit wished sed but māter mother eum him retinuit held back
1.10 Nocte at night tamen however clam secretly domō from house ēgressus having gone out est is et and ad to ecclēsiam church properāvit hastened
1.11 Ipse he himself quoque also ter thrice circum around aedificium building ambulāvit walked et and in into mundō world subterrāneō underground dēlāpsus having slipped est is
1.12 Thomās Thomas secundus second frāter brother māne in morning Iohannēs John abesse to be absent animadvertit noticed
1.13 Ad to Merlīnum Merlin magum magician sapientem wise īvit he went ut so that cōnsilium advice peteret he might seek
1.14 Merlīnus Merlin eī to him dīxit said frātrem brother et and sorōrem sister ā by rēge king Elfōrum of Elves captōs captured esse to be
1.15 Merlīnus Merlin monuit warned nē not Thomās Thomas quicquam anything in in terrā land Elfōrum of Elves ederet he should eat aut or biberet drink aut or loquerētur speak
1.16 Etiam also gladium sword magicum magical eī to him dedit gave quī which omnēs all hostēs enemies vincere to conquer poterat was able
1.17 Thomās Thomas valēns being strong iter journey longum long ad to terram land Elfōrum of Elves iniit began
1.18 Prīmum first equum horse quī which caput head hominis of man habēbat had invēnit found
1.19 Equus horse ait said sē himself Iohannēs John frātrem brother esse to be in into equum horse transformātum transformed
1.20 Thomās Thomas monitōrum of warnings Merlīnī of Merlin memor mindful nihil nothing respondēre to respond ausus having dared est is
1.21 Equum horse gladiō with sword percussit struck et and Iohannēs John statim immediately formam form hūmānam human recuperāvit recovered
1.22 Deinde then ad to portās gates aureās golden castēllī of castle pervēnērunt they arrived ubi where gallus rooster ingēns huge excubābat was keeping watch
1.23 Gallus rooster ter thrice cantāvit crowed sed but Thomās Thomas eum him quoque also gladiō with sword necāvit killed
1.24 Intus inside aulam hall magnificam magnificent invēnērunt they found ubi where Helena Helen soror sister sedēbat was sitting
1.25 Rēx king Elfōrum of Elves terribilīs terrible in in solīō throne crystallīnō crystal sedēns sitting advēnās strangers salūtāvit greeted
1.26 Cēnam dinner splendīdam splendid eīs to them obtulit offered sed but Thomās Thomas omnia all things recūsāvit refused
1.27 Rēx king īrātus angry pugnāre to fight voluit wished sed but gladius sword magicus magical eum him vīcit conquered
1.28 Thomās Thomas capite with head rēgis of king abscīsō having been cut off omnēs all captīvōs captives līberāvit freed
1.29 Helena Helen et and Iohannēs John cum with frātre brother fortissimō most brave domum home revertērunt returned
1.30 Māter mother fīliōs sons et and fīliam daughter complexa having embraced deīs to gods grātiās thanks ēgit gave
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
1.1 Ōlim quattuor līberī nōbilis fēminae in Britanniā habitābant. Once upon a time, four children of a noble woman lived in Britain.
1.2 Trēs fīliī erant quōrum nōmina erant Rolandus, Thomās et Iohannēs. There were three sons whose names were Roland, Thomas, and John.
1.3 Ūna fīlia pulcherrima quae Helena appellābātur omnibus frātribus cārissima erat. Their one most beautiful daughter, who was called Helen, was dearest to all her brothers.
1.4 Diē quōdam līberī in campō apertō pilā aureā lūdēbant. One day the children were playing with a golden ball in an open field.
1.5 Helena pilam tam fortiter iēcit ut super ecclēsiam volāret. Helen threw the ball so hard that it flew over the church.
1.6 Frātrēs sorōrem monuērunt nē circum ecclēsiam contrā sōlem ambulāret. Her brothers warned their sister not to walk around the church against the sun.
1.7 Helena tamen, monitīs neglēctīs, pilam quaerere coepit. Helen, however, ignoring their warnings, began to look for the ball.
1.8 Ter circum ecclēsiam sinistrōrsum ambulāvit et statim ēvānuit. She walked three times around the church leftward and immediately vanished.
1.9 Iohannēs minimus nātū sorōrem sequī voluit sed māter eum retinuit. John, the youngest, wanted to follow his sister but his mother held him back.
1.10 Nocte tamen clam domō ēgressus est et ad ecclēsiam properāvit. At night, however, he secretly left the house and hurried to the church.
1.11 Ipse quoque ter circum aedificium ambulāvit et in mundum subterrāneum dēlāpsus est. He too walked three times around the building and slipped into the underground world.
1.12 Thomās secundus frāter māne Iohannēs abesse animadvertit. Thomas, the second brother, noticed in the morning that John was absent.
1.13 Ad Merlīnum magum sapientem īvit ut cōnsilium peteret. He went to Merlin the wise magician to seek advice.
1.14 Merlīnus eī dīxit frātrem et sorōrem ā rēge Elfōrum captōs esse. Merlin told him that his brother and sister had been captured by the King of the Elves.
1.15 Merlīnus monuit nē Thomās quicquam in terrā Elfōrum ederet aut biberet aut loquerētur. Merlin warned Thomas not to eat or drink or speak anything in the land of the Elves.
1.16 Etiam gladium magicum eī dedit quī omnēs hostēs vincere poterat. He also gave him a magical sword that could defeat all enemies.
1.17 Thomās valēns iter longum ad terram Elfōrum iniit. Strong Thomas began the long journey to the land of the Elves.
1.18 Prīmum equum quī caput hominis habēbat invēnit. First he found a horse that had a human head.
1.19 Equus ait sē Iohannēs frātrem esse in equum transformātum. The horse said that he was his brother John transformed into a horse.
1.20 Thomās monitōrum Merlīnī memor nihil respondēre ausus est. Thomas, mindful of Merlin's warnings, dared not respond.
1.21 Equum gladiō percussit et Iohannēs statim formam hūmānam recuperāvit. He struck the horse with his sword and John immediately recovered his human form.
1.22 Deinde ad portās aureās castēllī pervēnērunt ubi gallus ingēns excubābat. Then they arrived at the golden gates of the castle where a huge rooster kept watch.
1.23 Gallus ter cantāvit sed Thomās eum quoque gladiō necāvit. The rooster crowed three times but Thomas killed him too with his sword.
1.24 Intus aulam magnificam invēnērunt ubi Helena soror sedēbat. Inside they found a magnificent hall where their sister Helen was sitting.
1.25 Rēx Elfōrum terribilīs in solīō crystallīnō sedēns advēnās salūtāvit. The terrible King of the Elves, sitting on a crystal throne, greeted the strangers.
1.26 Cēnam splendīdam eīs obtulit sed Thomās omnia recūsāvit. He offered them a splendid dinner but Thomas refused everything.
1.27 Rēx īrātus pugnāre voluit sed gladius magicus eum vīcit. The angry king wanted to fight but the magical sword defeated him.
1.28 Thomās capite rēgis abscīsō omnēs captīvōs līberāvit. Thomas, having cut off the king's head, freed all the captives.
1.29 Helena et Iohannēs cum frātre fortissimō domum revertērunt. Helen and John returned home with their very brave brother.
1.30 Māter fīliōs et fīliam complexa deīs grātiās ēgit. Their mother, embracing her sons and daughter, gave thanks to the gods.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
1.1 Ōlim quattuor līberī nōbilis fēminae in Britanniā habitābant.
1.2 Trēs fīliī erant quōrum nōmina erant Rolandus, Thomās et Iohannēs.
1.3 Ūna fīlia pulcherrima quae Helena appellābātur omnibus frātribus cārissima erat.
1.4 Diē quōdam līberī in campō apertō pilā aureā lūdēbant.
1.5 Helena pilam tam fortiter iēcit ut super ecclēsiam volāret.
1.6 Frātrēs sorōrem monuērunt nē circum ecclēsiam contrā sōlem ambulāret.
1.7 Helena tamen, monitīs neglēctīs, pilam quaerere coepit.
1.8 Ter circum ecclēsiam sinistrōrsum ambulāvit et statim ēvānuit.
1.9 Iohannēs minimus nātū sorōrem sequī voluit sed māter eum retinuit.
1.10 Nocte tamen clam domō ēgressus est et ad ecclēsiam properāvit.
1.11 Ipse quoque ter circum aedificium ambulāvit et in mundum subterrāneum dēlāpsus est.
1.12 Thomās secundus frāter māne Iohannēs abesse animadvertit.
1.13 Ad Merlīnum magum sapientem īvit ut cōnsilium peteret.
1.14 Merlīnus eī dīxit frātrem et sorōrem ā rēge Elfōrum captōs esse.
1.15 Merlīnus monuit nē Thomās quicquam in terrā Elfōrum ederet aut biberet aut loquerētur.
1.16 Etiam gladium magicum eī dedit quī omnēs hostēs vincere poterat.
1.17 Thomās valēns iter longum ad terram Elfōrum iniit.
1.18 Prīmum equum quī caput hominis habēbat invēnit.
1.19 Equus ait sē Iohannēs frātrem esse in equum transformātum.
1.20 Thomās monitōrum Merlīnī memor nihil respondēre ausus est.
1.21 Equum gladiō percussit et Iohannēs statim formam hūmānam recuperāvit.
1.22 Deinde ad portās aureās castēllī pervēnērunt ubi gallus ingēns excubābat.
1.23 Gallus ter cantāvit sed Thomās eum quoque gladiō necāvit.
1.24 Intus aulam magnificam invēnērunt ubi Helena soror sedēbat.
1.25 Rēx Elfōrum terribilīs in solīō crystallīnō sedēns advēnās salūtāvit.
1.26 Cēnam splendīdam eīs obtulit sed Thomās omnia recūsāvit.
1.27 Rēx īrātus pugnāre voluit sed gladius magicus eum vīcit.
1.28 Thomās capite rēgis abscīsō omnēs captīvōs līberāvit.
1.29 Helena et Iohannēs cum frātre fortissimō domum revertērunt.
1.30 Māter fīliōs et fīliam complexa deīs grātiās ēgit.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Key Grammar Points in this Text: -
Ablative Absolute: Several examples appear: -
"monitīs neglēctīs" (1.7) - "with the warnings having been neglected" -
"capite rēgis abscīsō" (1.28) - "with the king's head having been cut off" -
Purpose Clauses (ut/nē + subjunctive): -
"ut super ecclēsiam volāret" (1.5) - result clause "so that it flew" -
"ut cōnsilium peteret" (1.13) - purpose clause "in order to seek advice" -
"nē...ambulāret" (1.6) - negative purpose "that she should not walk" -
Indirect Statement (Accusative + Infinitive): -
"frātrem et sorōrem ā rēge Elfōrum captōs esse" (1.14) - "that his brother and sister had been captured" -
"sē Iohannēs frātrem esse" (1.19) - "that he was his brother John" -
Oratio Obliqua: The story properly uses indirect speech without quotation marks, as in sentence 1.19 where the horse's speech is reported indirectly. -
Participles: The text uses various participles: -
Perfect passive: "transformātum" (1.19), "captōs" (1.14) -
Present active: "sedēns" (1.25) -
Perfect deponent: "ēgressus" (1.10), "complexa" (1.30) -
Superlatives: "pulcherrima" (1.3), "cārissima" (1.3), "fortissimō" (1.29) -
Relative Clauses: Multiple examples with "quī/quae/quod" showing various cases and agreement patterns. -
Temporal Clauses: "dum" (while), "cum" (when) with appropriate mood choices. -
Genitive Usage: Various types including possession ("nōbilis fēminae"), partitive ("minimus nātū"), and subjective/objective distinctions. -
Word Order Variation: The text demonstrates natural Latin word order with purposeful variation for emphasis, not rigidly following SOV pattern.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---