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120.1 Caesar Caesar ita thus mīlitēs soldiers īnstrūxit drew up ut that hostēs enemies terrērentur might be terrified
120.2 Sapientēs wise men virī men ita so vīvunt live ut that nihil nothing timeant they fear
120.3 Magister teacher ita thus discipulīs to pupils respondit replied ut that omnēs all intellegerent might understand
120.4 Māter mother fīlium son ita so monuit warned ut that perīculum danger vītāret he might avoid
120.5 Diēs day ita so brevis short erat was ut that opus work perficī to be completed nōn not posset could
120.6 Philosophus philosopher ita thus dē about virtūte virtue disputāvit discussed ut that audītōrēs listeners movērentur might be moved
120.7 Tempestās storm ita so saeva fierce fuit was ut that nāvēs ships portum harbor petere to seek coacta forced sint are
120.8 Dux leader exercitum army ita thus dīsposuit arranged ut that victōria victory certa certain esset might be
120.9 Puer boy ita so dīligenter diligently studēbat was studying ut that omnēs all librōs books legeret he might read
120.10 Ōrātor orator ita thus eloquenter eloquently locūtus spoke est is ut that senātōrēs senators persuādēret he might persuade
120.11 Agricola farmer ita so fessus tired erat was ut that vix scarcely stāre to stand posset he could
120.12 Rēx king ita thus crūdēlis cruel factus made est is ut that cīvēs citizens eum him timērent might fear
120.13 Ventus wind ita so vehemēns violent erat was ut that arborēs trees frangeret it might break
120.14 Sacerdōs priest ita thus deōs gods precātus prayed to est is ut that pācem peace impetrāret he might obtain
120.15 Hostēs enemies ita so fortiter bravely pugnāvērunt fought ut that diū for a long time resistere to resist possent they could
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120.1 Caesar ita mīlitēs īnstrūxit ut hostēs terrērentur. Caesar drew up his soldiers in such a way that the enemies were terrified.
120.2 Sapientēs virī ita vīvunt ut nihil timeant. Wise men live in such a way that they fear nothing.
120.3 Magister ita discipulīs respondit ut omnēs intellegerent. The teacher replied to his pupils in such a way that all might understand.
120.4 Māter fīlium ita monuit ut perīculum vītāret. The mother warned her son so that he might avoid danger.
120.5 Diēs ita brevis erat ut opus perficī nōn posset. The day was so short that the work could not be completed.
120.6 Philosophus ita dē virtūte disputāvit ut audītōrēs movērentur. The philosopher discussed virtue in such a way that his listeners were moved.
120.7 Tempestās ita saeva fuit ut nāvēs portum petere coactae sint. The storm was so fierce that the ships were forced to seek harbor.
120.8 Dux exercitum ita dīsposuit ut victōria certa esset. The leader arranged his army so that victory might be certain.
120.9 Puer ita dīligenter studēbat ut omnēs librōs legeret. The boy studied so diligently that he read all the books.
120.10 Ōrātor ita eloquenter locūtus est ut senātōrēs persuādēret. The orator spoke so eloquently that he persuaded the senators.
120.11 Agricola ita fessus erat ut vix stāre posset. The farmer was so tired that he could scarcely stand.
120.12 Rēx ita crūdēlis factus est ut cīvēs eum timērent. The king became so cruel that the citizens feared him.
120.13 Ventus ita vehemēns erat ut arborēs frangeret. The wind was so violent that it broke the trees.
120.14 Sacerdōs ita deōs precātus est ut pācem impetrāret. The priest prayed to the gods so that he might obtain peace.
120.15 Hostēs ita fortiter pugnāvērunt ut diū resistere possent. The enemies fought so bravely that they could resist for a long time.
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120.1 Caesar ita mīlitēs īnstrūxit ut hostēs terrērentur.
120.2 Sapientēs virī ita vīvunt ut nihil timeant.
120.3 Magister ita discipulīs respondit ut omnēs intellegerent.
120.4 Māter fīlium ita monuit ut perīculum vītāret.
120.5 Diēs ita brevis erat ut opus perficī nōn posset.
120.6 Philosophus ita dē virtūte disputāvit ut audītōrēs movērentur.
120.7 Tempestās ita saeva fuit ut nāvēs portum petere coactae sint.
120.8 Dux exercitum ita dīsposuit ut victōria certa esset.
120.9 Puer ita dīligenter studēbat ut omnēs librōs legeret.
120.10 Ōrātor ita eloquenter locūtus est ut senātōrēs persuādēret.
120.11 Agricola ita fessus erat ut vix stāre posset.
120.12 Rēx ita crūdēlis factus est ut cīvēs eum timērent.
120.13 Ventus ita vehemēns erat ut arborēs frangeret.
120.14 Sacerdōs ita deōs precātus est ut pācem impetrāret.
120.15 Hostēs ita fortiter pugnāvērunt ut diū resistere possent.
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For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "ita" requires mastering its role in correlative constructions and its various meanings:
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Primary Function: "ita" is an adverb meaning "thus," "so," "in this way," or "in such a manner" -
Correlative Use with "ut": The most important construction is "ita...ut" (so...that), which creates a result clause: -
ita introduces the main clause showing degree or manner -
ut introduces the subordinate result clause with subjunctive
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Result Clauses (ita...ut + subjunctive): -
Example: "Caesar ita mīlitēs īnstrūxit ut hostēs terrērentur" -
Structure: Main clause with "ita" + "ut" + subjunctive verb -
The subjunctive mood in the "ut" clause indicates the result -
Degree of Intensity: -
"ita" can modify adjectives: "ita brevis" (so short) -
"ita" can modify adverbs: "ita dīligenter" (so diligently) -
"ita" can modify verbs: "ita vīvunt" (they live in such a way) -
Word Order Patterns: -
"ita" typically comes before the word it modifies -
Can appear at the beginning: "Ita mīlitēs īnstrūxit" -
Can appear mid-sentence: "Mīlitēs ita īnstrūxit" -
Position affects emphasis
When "ita" is paired with "ut," the verb in the "ut" clause uses the subjunctive mood: -
Present subjunctive for ongoing or general results: "timeant" (they might fear) -
Imperfect subjunctive for past results: "terrērentur" (they might be terrified) -
Perfect subjunctive for completed results: "sint coactae" (they have been forced)
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With Participles: "ita locūtus est" (he spoke in such a way) -
With Passive Voice: "ita factus est" (he was made in such a way) -
Negative Results: "ita...ut nōn" (so...that not)
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"ita" often translates as "so" or "in such a way" -
The entire "ita...ut" construction can be rendered as "so...that" or "in such a way that" -
Sometimes "ita" can be translated as "thus" when introducing a manner
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used "ita" provides insight into Latin rhetorical and logical thinking:
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In Oratory: Roman orators like Cicero frequently used "ita...ut" constructions to build logical arguments and emphasize cause-and-effect relationships. This structure allowed speakers to present evidence and then demonstrate its consequences. -
Legal Language: In Roman law, "ita" was crucial for establishing conditions and their results. Legal documents often specified actions and their required outcomes using this construction. -
Philosophical Discourse: Roman philosophers used "ita" to connect abstract principles with their practical applications, showing how philosophical ideas should be lived out in daily life.
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Teaching Method: Roman educators used "ita...ut" constructions to help students understand logical relationships. This mirrors how modern English uses "if...then" constructions in formal reasoning. -
Military Commands: Roman military manuals employed "ita" to describe tactical formations and their intended effects, as seen in our Caesar example. -
Religious Practice: Roman religious texts used "ita" to connect ritual actions with their desired divine responses, emphasizing the Romans' belief in the reciprocal nature of divine relationships.
Understanding "ita" helps English speakers recognize similar logical structures in their own language. The "so...that" construction appears frequently in academic writing, legal documents, and formal speech. Roman precision in expressing cause-and-effect relationships through "ita...ut" constructions influenced later European languages and continues to shape how we express complex logical relationships today.
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From Cicero's "De Officiis" (1.15):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Ita thus enim for nātī born sumus we are ut that inter among nōs us sociētātem partnership quandam a certain habērēmus we might have omniumque and of all rērum things ūsū in use commūnī common ūterēmur. we might use. Haec this autem moreover sociētās partnership hominēs men inter among hominēs men et and omnibus with all inter among omnēs all coniungit. joins.
Ita enim nātī sumus ut inter nōs sociētātem quandam habērēmus omniumque rērum ūsū commūnī ūterēmur. Haec autem sociētās hominēs inter hominēs et omnibus inter omnēs coniungit.
For we are born in such a way that we should have a certain partnership among ourselves and should use all things in common. Moreover, this partnership joins men with men and all with all.
Cicero uses "ita...ut" to establish a fundamental principle of human nature and society. The construction emphasizes that human social cooperation is not accidental but inherent to our very being. The repetition of "inter" (among) reinforces the interconnectedness theme, while the subjunctive verbs "habērēmus" and "ūterēmur" indicate this as a natural purpose or intention rather than mere description.
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"ita...ut" construction: Creates a result clause showing natural consequence -
Perfect passive participle "nātī": Agrees with "sumus" to form perfect passive -
Subjunctive mood: "habērēmus" and "ūterēmur" show purpose/result -
Genitive plural: "omnium rērum" (of all things) with partitive meaning -
Ablative of means: "ūsū commūnī" (by common use) -
Chiastic structure: "hominēs inter hominēs et omnibus inter omnēs" creates rhetorical emphasis
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120.16 Hannibal Hannibal exercitum army ita thus per through Alpēs Alps dūxit led ut that Rōmānī Romans attonitī astonished essent might be
120.17 Mīlitēs soldiers Carthāginiēnsēs Carthaginian ita so audācēs bold factī made erant were ut that nullum no perīculum danger timērent they feared
120.18 Elephantī elephants ita thus in in proeliō battle ūsī used sunt are ut that hostēs enemies terrōrem terror magnum great conciperent might conceive
120.19 Hiems winter ita so aspera harsh erat was ut that multī many mīlitēs soldiers frīgore from cold perīrent might perish
120.20 Flāminius Flaminius cōnsul consul ita thus incautē carelessly prōcesserat had advanced ut that in into īnsidiās ambush incideret he might fall
120.21 Lacus lake Trasimēnus Trasimene ita so nebulā with mist tēctus covered erat was ut that vīsus sight impedīrētur might be hindered
120.22 Hannibal Hannibal ita thus callide cleverly īnsidiās ambush parāverat had prepared ut that tōta whole legiō legion circumdarētur might be surrounded
120.23 Clāmor shout mīlitum of soldiers ita so magnus great erat was ut that ad to caelum sky ūsque all the way audīrētur it might be heard
120.24 Rōmānī Romans ita thus perterritī terrified fugiēbant were fleeing ut that arma weapons abicerent they might throw away
120.25 Sanguis blood mīlitum of soldiers ita so lacum lake inquināvit polluted ut that aqua water rubra red fīeret might become
120.26 Victōria victory ita thus splendida splendid fuit was ut that tōta all Ītalia Italy tremeret might tremble
120.27 Hannibal Hannibal ita so celeriter quickly ad to Rōmam Rome appropinquāre to approach poterat was able ut that senātus senate timōrem fear conciperet might conceive
120.28 Dictātor dictator Fabius Fabius ita thus sapienter wisely bellum war gerere to wage coepit began ut that hostēs enemies fatīgāret he might tire
120.29 Rōmānī Romans ita so pertināciter stubbornly resistēbant were resisting ut that Hannibal Hannibal victōriam victory fīnālem final nōn not cōnsequerētur might achieve
120.30 Bellum war Pūnicum Punic ita thus diū for a long time gestum waged est is ut that ambae both gentēs peoples vīrēs strength āmitterent might lose
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120.16 Hannibal exercitum ita per Alpēs dūxit ut Rōmānī attonitī essent. Hannibal led his army through the Alps in such a way that the Romans were astonished.
120.17 Mīlitēs Carthāginiēnsēs ita audācēs factī erant ut nullum perīculum timērent. The Carthaginian soldiers had become so bold that they feared no danger.
120.18 Elephantī ita in proeliō ūsī sunt ut hostēs terrōrem magnum conciperent. The elephants were used in battle in such a way that the enemies conceived great terror.
120.19 Hiems ita aspera erat ut multī mīlitēs frīgore perīrent. The winter was so harsh that many soldiers perished from cold.
120.20 Flāminius cōnsul ita incautē prōcesserat ut in īnsidiās incideret. The consul Flaminius had advanced so carelessly that he fell into an ambush.
120.21 Lacus Trasimēnus ita nebulā tēctus erat ut vīsus impedīrētur. Lake Trasimene was so covered with mist that sight was hindered.
120.22 Hannibal ita callide īnsidiās parāverat ut tōta legiō circumdarētur. Hannibal had prepared the ambush so cleverly that the whole legion was surrounded.
120.23 Clāmor mīlitum ita magnus erat ut ad caelum ūsque audīrētur. The shout of the soldiers was so great that it was heard all the way to the sky.
120.24 Rōmānī ita perterritī fugiēbant ut arma abicerent. The Romans were fleeing so terrified that they threw away their weapons.
120.25 Sanguis mīlitum ita lacum inquināvit ut aqua rubra fīeret. The blood of soldiers polluted the lake so much that the water became red.
120.26 Victōria ita splendida fuit ut tōta Ītalia tremeret. The victory was so splendid that all Italy trembled.
120.27 Hannibal ita celeriter ad Rōmam appropinquāre poterat ut senātus timōrem conciperet. Hannibal was able to approach Rome so quickly that the senate conceived fear.
120.28 Dictātor Fabius ita sapienter bellum gerere coepit ut hostēs fatīgāret. The dictator Fabius began to wage war so wisely that he tired the enemies.
120.29 Rōmānī ita pertināciter resistēbant ut Hannibal victōriam fīnālem nōn cōnsequerētur. The Romans resisted so stubbornly that Hannibal did not achieve final victory.
120.30 Bellum Pūnicum ita diū gestum est ut ambae gentēs vīrēs āmitterent. The Punic War was waged for so long that both peoples lost their strength.
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120.16 Hannibal exercitum ita per Alpēs dūxit ut Rōmānī attonitī essent.
120.17 Mīlitēs Carthāginiēnsēs ita audācēs factī erant ut nullum perīculum timērent.
120.18 Elephantī ita in proeliō ūsī sunt ut hostēs terrōrem magnum conciperent.
120.19 Hiems ita aspera erat ut multī mīlitēs frīgore perīrent.
120.20 Flāminius cōnsul ita incautē prōcesserat ut in īnsidiās incideret.
120.21 Lacus Trasimēnus ita nebulā tēctus erat ut vīsus impedīrētur.
120.22 Hannibal ita callide īnsidiās parāverat ut tōta legiō circumdarētur.
120.23 Clāmor mīlitum ita magnus erat ut ad caelum ūsque audīrētur.
120.24 Rōmānī ita perterritī fugiēbant ut arma abicerent.
120.25 Sanguis mīlitum ita lacum inquināvit ut aqua rubra fīeret.
120.26 Victōria ita splendida fuit ut tōta Ītalia tremeret.
120.27 Hannibal ita celeriter ad Rōmam appropinquāre poterat ut senātus timōrem conciperet.
120.28 Dictātor Fabius ita sapienter bellum gerere coepit ut hostēs fatīgāret.
120.29 Rōmānī ita pertināciter resistēbant ut Hannibal victōriam fīnālem nōn cōnsequerētur.
120.30 Bellum Pūnicum ita diū gestum est ut ambae gentēs vīrēs āmitterent.
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In historical narrative, "ita...ut" constructions serve multiple important functions for creating dramatic effect and logical flow:
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Cause and Effect in Historical Events: -
Example: "Hannibal exercitum ita per Alpēs dūxit ut Rōmānī attonitī essent" -
The structure shows how Hannibal's strategic action produced a specific psychological effect on the Romans -
"ita" emphasizes the manner of the action, "ut + subjunctive" shows the result -
Dramatic Intensity: -
Example: "Hiems ita aspera erat ut multī mīlitēs frīgore perīrent" -
The construction builds tension by first establishing the severity (ita aspera) then revealing the consequence -
Subjunctive "perīrent" indicates the natural result of such harsh conditions -
Character Development through Actions: -
Example: "Dictātor Fabius ita sapienter bellum gerere coepit ut hostēs fatīgāret" -
Shows Fabius's wisdom through its strategic results -
The manner (ita sapienter) is proved by the outcome (ut hostēs fatīgāret)
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Perfect Passive Participles with "ita": -
"ita audācēs factī erant" (had become so bold) -
"ita nebulā tēctus erat" (was so covered with mist) -
The participle shows completed state, "ita" intensifies the degree -
Compound Subjects and Results: -
"ut ambae gentēs vīrēs āmitterent" (that both peoples might lose strength) -
Shows how extended conflict affects multiple parties -
Subjunctive shows this as a natural consequence -
Sequential Narrative with "ita": -
The examples progress chronologically through the Punic War -
Each "ita...ut" construction advances the narrative while maintaining logical connections -
Past tenses in main clauses, imperfect/pluperfect subjunctives in result clauses -
Emotional and Physical Effects: -
Physical: "ut aqua rubra fīeret" (that the water became red) -
Emotional: "ut senātus timōrem conciperet" (that the senate conceived fear) -
The subjunctive mood emphasizes these as natural consequences
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Emphasis through Position: -
"ita" can begin the sentence for dramatic effect -
Mid-sentence "ita" creates smoother narrative flow -
"ut" clauses can be very long in historical style, building suspense -
Historical Present vs. Past Tenses: -
Main clauses use perfect, imperfect, or pluperfect for past events -
Result clauses maintain subjunctive mood regardless of main clause tense -
This creates a sense of inevitability about historical consequences
This construction type is fundamental to Latin historical writing, allowing authors to present not just what happened, but why events unfolded as they did and what their consequences were.
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