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103.1 Dum while puer boy dormit sleeps, māter mother labōrat works
103.2 Exspectā wait dum until veniam I come
103.3 Fēlīx happy sum I am dum while tē you videō I see
103.4 Hostēs enemies pugnant fight dum until nox night venit comes
103.5 Dum while legiō legion castra camp mūnit fortifies, explōrātōrēs scouts mittuntur are sent
103.6 Līberī children in in hortō garden lūdunt play dum while sol sun lūcet shines
103.7 Manē remain hīc here dum until redeō I return
103.8 Dum provided that valēs you are well, bene well est it is
103.9 Agricola farmer dum while arat plows, dē about messī harvest cōgitat thinks
103.10 Sedēbimus we will sit hīc here dum until tempus time venit comes
103.11 Dum while vīvimus we live, spērāre to hope licet it is permitted
103.12 Mīles soldier pugnat fights dum provided that arma weapons habeat he may have
103.13 Dum while pāx peace est is, bellum war parā prepare
103.14 Servī slaves labōrant work dum until vespera evening fit becomes
103.15 Dum while senātōrēs senators dēlīberant deliberate, Rōma Rome in in perīculō danger est is
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103.1 Dum puer dormit, māter labōrat. While the boy sleeps, the mother works.
103.2 Exspectā dum veniam. Wait until I come.
103.3 Fēlīx sum dum tē videō. I am happy while I see you.
103.4 Hostēs pugnant dum nox venit. The enemies fight until night comes.
103.5 Dum legiō castra mūnit, explōrātōrēs mittuntur. While the legion fortifies the camp, scouts are sent.
103.6 Līberī in hortō lūdunt dum sol lūcet. The children play in the garden while the sun shines.
103.7 Manē hīc dum redeō. Stay here until I return.
103.8 Dum valēs, bene est. Provided that you are well, it is well.
103.9 Agricola dum arat, dē messī cōgitat. While the farmer plows, he thinks about the harvest.
103.10 Sedēbimus hīc dum tempus venit. We will sit here until the time comes.
103.11 Dum vīvimus, spērāre licet. While we live, it is permitted to hope.
103.12 Mīles pugnat dum arma habeat. The soldier fights provided that he may have weapons.
103.13 Dum pāx est, bellum parā. While there is peace, prepare for war.
103.14 Servī labōrant dum vespera fit. The slaves work until evening comes.
103.15 Dum senātōrēs dēlīberant, Rōma in perīculō est. While the senators deliberate, Rome is in danger.
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103.1 Dum puer dormit, māter labōrat.
103.2 Exspectā dum veniam.
103.3 Fēlīx sum dum tē videō.
103.4 Hostēs pugnant dum nox venit.
103.5 Dum legiō castra mūnit, explōrātōrēs mittuntur.
103.6 Līberī in hortō lūdunt dum sol lūcet.
103.7 Manē hīc dum redeō.
103.8 Dum valēs, bene est.
103.9 Agricola dum arat, dē messī cōgitat.
103.10 Sedēbimus hīc dum tempus venit.
103.11 Dum vīvimus, spērāre licet.
103.12 Mīles pugnat dum arma habeat.
103.13 Dum pāx est, bellum parā.
103.14 Servī labōrant dum vespera fit.
103.15 Dum senātōrēs dēlīberant, Rōma in perīculō est.
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For English speakers, understanding "dum" requires attention to several key points: -
Basic Meanings: -
"while" (with present indicative) -
"until" (with present indicative) -
"provided that" (with present subjunctive) -
Tense Usage: -
Present tense is normally used in dum clauses, even for past actions -
Historical present common in narrative -
Example: "Dum dormit" can mean "while he slept" in past context -
Mood Distinctions: -
Indicative for temporal "while" and "until" -
Subjunctive for proviso "provided that" -
Compare: -
"dum dormit" (while he sleeps - indicative) -
"dum dormiat" (provided that he sleep - subjunctive) -
Position in Sentence: -
Can begin clause -
Can be placed after important words -
Examples from text show both positions
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used "dum" requires cultural context: -
Time Concepts: -
Romans viewed time differently -
Present tense more vivid than in English -
Ongoing actions emphasized -
Legal Usage: -
Important in conditions and provisions -
Used in formal documents -
Part of contractual language -
Literary Style: -
Creates dramatic tension -
Used in historical narrative -
Common in poetry for effect -
Modern Parallels: -
Similar to "while" clauses -
Used in modern legal Latin -
Found in scientific terms
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From Caesar's "De Bello Gallico" (5.44):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Dum while prōlium battle committunt they join, Indutiomārus Indutiomarus in in aciē battle line versātus having moved about est; is; dum while cohortēs cohorts ex from castrīs camp celēriter quickly ēdūcit he leads out, subitō suddenly mīlitēs soldiers ēruptōnem sally faciunt make.
"Dum prōlium committunt, Indutiomārus in aciē versātus est; dum cohortēs ex castrīs celēriter ēdūcit, subitō mīlitēs ēruptōnem faciunt."
While they join battle, Indutiomarus moved about in the battle line; while he quickly leads the cohorts out from camp, suddenly the soldiers make a sally.
Caesar uses "dum" twice here to create simultaneous action and build tension. The present tense with "dum" is characteristic of his style.
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Present tense "committunt" with past context -
Historical present in "ēdūcit" -
Temporal "dum" with indicative -
Typical military vocabulary
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103.16 Ōlim once dum while rūsticus farmer per through silvam forest ambulat walks, thēsaurum treasure invenit finds
103.17 Dum while aurum gold spectat looks at, laetus happy fit becomes
103.18 Subitō suddenly dum while dīvitiās riches numerat counts, latrōnēs robbers appropinquant approach
103.19 Rūsticus farmer pecūniam money cēlāre to hide temptat tries dum while latrōnēs robbers adveniant may approach
103.20 Dum while timet fears, manūs hands tremunt tremble
103.21 Latrōnēs robbers dum while appropinquant approach, rūsticus farmer fugam flight parat prepares
103.22 Dum until nox night veniat may come, sub under arboribus trees sē himself celat hides
103.23 Rūsticus farmer exspectat waits dum until latrōnēs robbers abeant may go away
103.24 Dum while sub under arboribus trees iacet lies, cōgitat thinks dē about perīculō danger
103.25 Tandem at last dum while lūna moon oritur rises, viam way domum home reperit finds again
103.26 Uxor wife dum while fābulam story audit hears, lacrimat weeps
103.27 Dum while līberī children dormiunt sleep, parentes parents cōnsilium plan capiunt take
103.28 Posterō next diē day dum while sol sun oritur rises, novam new vītam life incipiunt they begin
103.29 Rūsticus farmer dum provided that valeat he may be well, labōrāre to work contendit strives
103.30 Dum while vīvunt they live, fēlīcēs happy sunt they are
103.16 Ōlim dum rūsticus per silvam ambulat, thēsaurum invenit. Once while a farmer walks through the forest, he finds a treasure.
103.17 Dum aurum spectat, laetus fit. While he looks at the gold, he becomes happy.
103.18 Subitō dum dīvitiās numerat, latrōnēs appropinquant. Suddenly while he counts the riches, robbers approach.
103.19 Rūsticus pecūniam cēlāre temptat dum latrōnēs adveniant. The farmer tries to hide the money provided that the robbers may approach.
103.20 Dum timet, manūs tremunt. While he fears, his hands tremble.
103.21 Latrōnēs dum appropinquant, rūsticus fugam parat. While the robbers approach, the farmer prepares for flight.
103.22 Dum nox veniat, sub arboribus sē celat. Until night may come, he hides himself under the trees.
103.23 Rūsticus exspectat dum latrōnēs abeant. The farmer waits until the robbers may go away.
103.24 Dum sub arboribus iacet, cōgitat dē perīculō. While he lies under the trees, he thinks about the danger.
103.25 Tandem dum lūna oritur, viam domum reperit. Finally while the moon rises, he finds the way home again.
103.26 Uxor dum fābulam audit, lacrimat. While the wife hears the story, she weeps.
103.27 Dum līberī dormiunt, parentēs cōnsilium capiunt. While the children sleep, the parents make a plan.
103.28 Posterō diē dum sol oritur, novam vītam incipiunt. The next day while the sun rises, they begin a new life.
103.29 Rūsticus dum valeat, labōrāre contendit. The farmer strives to work, provided that he may be well.
103.30 Dum vīvunt, fēlīcēs sunt. While they live, they are happy.
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103.16 Ōlim dum rūsticus per silvam ambulat, thēsaurum invenit.
103.17 Dum aurum spectat, laetus fit.
103.18 Subitō dum dīvitiās numerat, latrōnēs appropinquant.
103.19 Rūsticus pecūniam cēlāre temptat dum latrōnēs adveniant.
103.20 Dum timet, manūs tremunt.
103.21 Latrōnēs dum appropinquant, rūsticus fugam parat.
103.22 Dum nox veniat, sub arboribus sē celat.
103.23 Rūsticus exspectat dum latrōnēs abeant.
103.24 Dum sub arboribus iacet, cōgitat dē perīculō.
103.25 Tandem dum lūna oritur, viam domum reperit.
103.26 Uxor dum fābulam audit, lacrimat.
103.27 Dum līberī dormiunt, parentēs cōnsilium capiunt.
103.28 Posterō diē dum sol oritur, novam vītam incipiunt.
103.29 Rūsticus dum valeat, labōrāre contendit.
103.30 Dum vīvunt, fēlīcēs sunt.
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The short story genre section demonstrates several important features of "dum" clauses: -
Narrative Present: -
"dum ambulat" (while he walks) -
Present tense used for vivid narration -
Creates immediacy in storytelling -
Subjunctive Uses: -
With expectation: "dum veniat" (until it may come) -
With proviso: "dum valeat" (provided that he may be well) -
Shows various shades of meaning -
Word Order Patterns: -
Initial position: "Dum timet, manūs tremunt" -
Medial position: "Rūsticus dum valeat" -
Final position: rare but possible -
Time Sequence: -
Simultaneous actions: "dum spectat... fit" -
Anticipatory: "dum latrōnēs abeant" -
Duration: "dum vīvunt" -
Stylistic Effects: -
Creates suspense -
Shows parallel actions -
Builds narrative rhythm -
Semantic Range: -
Temporal "while": most common -
Anticipatory "until": with subjunctive -
Conditional "provided that": with subjunctive
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