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145.16 Caesar Caesar exercitūs armies suōs his saepe often in into Galliam Gaul dūxit. led.
145.17 Hostēs Enemies castra camp Rōmāna Roman saepe often oppugnābant. attacked.
145.18 Saepe Often lēgātī Ambassadors pācem peace ā from Rōmānīs the Romans petēbant. sought.
145.19 Mīlitēs Soldiers fortēs brave saepe often prō for patriā their fatherland pugnāvērunt. fought.
145.20 Barbarī Barbarians fīnēs borders imperiī of the empire saepe often vāstābant. laid waste to.
145.21 Saepe Often senātus the senate dē about bellō war cōnsulēbat. deliberated.
145.22 Victōrēs Victors spolia spoils saepe often in to urbem the city reportābant. brought back.
145.23 Saepe Often cīvēs citizens novōs new magistrātūs magistrates creābant. elected.
145.24 Ducēs Leaders clārī famous saepe often triumphōs triumphs ēgērunt. celebrated.
145.25 Populus The people Rōmānus Roman saepe often lēgēs laws novās new accipiēbat. accepted.
145.26 Saepe Often bella wars longa long inter between gentēs nations gerēbantur. were waged.
145.27 Imperātōrēs Commanders prudentēs prudent saepe often cōnsilia plans mūtābant. changed.
145.28 Saepe Often foedera treaties inter between populōs peoples fīēbant. were made.
145.29 Rōmānī The Romans prōvinciās provinces novās new saepe often īnstituēbant. established.
145.30 Saepe Often rēgēs kings auxilium help ā from Rōmā Rome rogābant. asked for.
146.1 Rēx potēns fīō cum populus mē ēligit. I become a powerful king when the people choose me.
146.2 Haec rēs facta est ā senātū hesternō diē. This matter was done by the senate yesterday.
146.3 Quod fierī solet nōn semper bonum est. What usually happens is not always good.
146.4 Magnae rēs fiunt cum hominēs fortēs cōnveniunt. Great things happen when brave men come together.
146.5 Puer vir fortis fierī cupit multīs annīs. The boy has desired to become a brave man for many years.
146.6 Nihil sine causā fīt in mundō. Nothing happens without cause in the world.
146.7 Amīcī factī sumus post longum tempus. We became friends after a long time.
146.8 Sī hoc fīat, omnēs laetī erunt. If this should happen, everyone will be happy.
146.9 Quid tibī fierī vīdētur crās? What seems likely to happen to you tomorrow?
146.10 Cōnsul factus eram ante bellum. I had been made consul before the war.
146.11 Multa mala fiunt propter ignōrantiam hominum. Many bad things happen because of people's ignorance.
146.12 Ut sapiēns fīās, librōs legere dēbēs. To become wise, you must read books.
146.13 Quandō hoc factum sit nesciō. I don't know when this was done.
146.14 Rōma magna facta est virtūte cīvium. Rome was made great by the valor of its citizens.
146.15 Nē īrātus fīās, patientiam exercē. Lest you become angry, practice patience.
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146.1 Rēx potēns fīō cum populus mē ēligit.
146.2 Haec rēs facta est ā senātū hesternō diē.
146.3 Quod fierī solet nōn semper bonum est.
146.4 Magnae rēs fiunt cum hominēs fortēs cōnveniunt.
146.5 Puer vir fortis fierī cupit multīs annīs.
146.6 Nihil sine causā fīt in mundō.
146.7 Amīcī factī sumus post longum tempus.
146.8 Sī hoc fīat, omnēs laetī erunt.
146.9 Quid tibī fierī vīdētur crās?
146.10 Cōnsul factus eram ante bellum.
146.11 Multa mala fiunt propter ignōrantiam hominum.
146.12 Ut sapiēns fīās, librōs legere dēbēs.
146.13 Quandō hoc factum sit nesciō.
146.14 Rōma magna facta est virtūte cīvium.
146.15 Nē īrātus fīās, patientiam exercē.
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For English speakers learning Latin, fīō presents unique challenges as it serves multiple functions: -
As a Passive of faciō: While faciō (I make/do) forms its passive with fīō rather than the regular passive endings: -
Active: Caesar mē cōnsulem facit (Caesar makes me consul) -
Passive: Cōnsul fīō ā Caesare (I am made consul by Caesar) -
Principal Parts: fīō, fierī, factus sum -
Present: fīō (I become/am made) -
Infinitive: fierī (to become/be made) -
Perfect: factus sum (I became/have been made) -
Conjugation in Present System: -
Present: fīō, fīs, fit, fīmus, fītis, fiunt -
Imperfect: fīēbam, fīēbās, fīēbat, etc. -
Future: fīam, fīēs, fīet, etc. -
Subjunctive Forms: -
Present: fīam, fīās, fīat, fīāmus, fīātis, fīant -
Imperfect: fierem, fierēs, fieret, etc. -
Common Constructions: -
With predicate nominative: Rēx fīō (I become king) -
With ut-clauses: Ut sapiēns fīās (that you may become wise) -
In indirect questions: Quid fīat nesciō (I don't know what's happening) -
Distinctions from esse: -
esse = to be (state) -
fierī = to become (change) Example: Erat pauper, sed dīves factus est (He was poor, but became rich)
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For English speakers, understanding fīō requires grasping Roman concepts of transformation and agency: -
Political Transformations: Romans used fīō for official appointments: -
Cōnsul factus est = "He was made consul" (elected, not appointed) -
This reflects Rome's electoral system where citizens "became" magistrates -
Philosophical Usage: Stoics distinguished between: -
esse (being) - permanent state -
fierī (becoming) - process of change This distinction shaped Roman thinking about personal development -
Religious Context: -
Deification: deus factus est (he became a god) -
Used for apotheosis of emperors -
Reflects Roman belief in transformation after death -
Social Mobility: -
Līber factus sum (I was made free) - manumission formula -
Shows how legal status could change -
Different from being born free (līber nātus) -
Modern English Connections: -
"Fiat" (let it be done) from subjunctive -
Legal term "fieri facias" (cause to be done) -
Shows ongoing influence of Roman legal language
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From Ovid's Metamorphoses 15.420-425:
146.1 Rēx a king potēns powerful fīō I become cum when populus the people mē me ēligit. choose.
146.2 Haec this rēs matter facta done est was ā by senātū the senate hesternō yesterday diē. day.
146.3 Quod what fierī to happen solet usually nōn not semper always bonum good est. is.
146.4 Magnae great rēs things fiunt happen cum when hominēs men fortēs brave cōnveniunt. come together.
146.5 Puer the boy vir a man fortis brave fierī to become cupit has desired multīs many annīs. years.
146.6 Nihil nothing sine without causā cause fīt happens in in mundō. the world.
146.7 Amīcī friends factī become sumus we are post after longum a long tempus. time.
146.8 Sī if hoc this fīat, should happen, omnēs everyone laetī happy erunt. will be.
146.9 Quid what tibī to you fierī to happen vīdētur seems crās? tomorrow?
146.10 Cōnsul consul factus made eram I had been ante before bellum. the war.
146.11 Multa many mala bad things fiunt happen propter because of ignōrantiam the ignorance hominum. of people.
146.12 Ut to sapiēns wise fīās, you become, librōs books legere to read dēbēs. you must.
146.13 Quandō when hoc this factum done sit was nesciō. I don't know.
146.14 Rōma Rome magna great facta made est was virtūte by the valor cīvium. of citizens.
146.15 Nē lest īrātus angry fīās, you become, patientiam patience exercē. practice.
Omnia mūtantur, nihil interit: errat et illinc hūc venit, hinc illūc, et quōslībet occupat artūs spīritus eque ferīs hūmāna in corpora trānsit inque ferās noster, nec tempore pērit.
All things change, nothing perishes: the spirit wanders and comes from there to here, from here to there, and takes possession of whatever limbs it will, and passes from wild beasts into human bodies and ours into wild beasts, nor does it perish in time.
Ovid uses forms of fierī and related concepts of transformation throughout the Metamorphoses. Here, the philosophical idea of constant change (omnia mūtantur) embodies the essence of fierī - the process of becoming. The passage reflects Pythagorean metempsychosis (transmigration of souls), showing how Romans used fierī to express profound philosophical concepts about the nature of existence and change.
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mūtantur: passive voice showing change happening -
interit: contrasts with transformation - nothing is destroyed -
occupat: active voice showing spirit's agency -
trānsit: emphasizes movement and transformation -
The entire passage illustrates the concept underlying fierī - continuous becoming rather than static being
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146.16 Magister the teacher discipulum the student rogat asks "Quid what homō man fit does become post after mortem?" death? The the teacher teacher asks asks the the student: student: "What what does does man man become become after after death?" death?
146.17 Discipulus the student respondet: replies: "Anima the soul immortālis immortal facta was made est was ā by deīs." the gods. The the student student replies: replies: "The the soul soul was was made made immortal immortal by by the the gods." gods.
146.18 "Quōmodo how igitur therefore beātus blessed fierī become possum can I in in vītā?" life? "How how therefore therefore can can I I become become blessed blessed in in life?" life?
146.19 "Virtūte through virtue et and sapientiā wisdom vir man bonus good fīs," you become, magister the teacher dīcit. says. "Through through virtue virtue and and wisdom wisdom you you become become a a good good man," man, the the teacher teacher says. says.
146.16 Magister discipulum rogat: "Quid homō fit post mortem?" The teacher asks the student: "What does man become after death?"
146.17 Discipulus respondet: "Anima immortālis facta est ā deīs." The student replies: "The soul was made immortal by the gods."
146.18 "Quōmodo igitur beātus fierī possum in vītā?" "How therefore can I become blessed in life?"
146.19 "Virtūte et sapientiā vir bonus fīs," magister dīcit. "Through virtue and wisdom you become a good man," says the teacher.
146.20 "Sed quid fīet dē corpore nostrō?" "But what will happen to our body?"
146.21 "Corpus terrā fīet iterum, sed anima permanet." "The body will become earth again, but the soul remains."
146.22 "Cūr malī fēlīcēs fiunt interdum?" quaerit discipulus. "Why do evil men sometimes become happy?" asks the student.
146.23 "Fēlīcitās eōrum falsa facta est ex rēbus caducīs." "Their happiness is made false from fleeting things."
146.24 "Quandō sapiēns factus erō sicut tū?" "When will I become wise like you?"
146.25 "Cum studium tuum perfectum factum fuerit multīs annīs." "When your study will have been perfected over many years."
146.26 "Fierīne possum philosophus sine dolōre?" "Can I become a philosopher without pain?"
146.27 "Nihil magnum fit sine labōre et patientiā." "Nothing great comes about without work and patience."
146.28 "Vēritās clāra fīet tibī paulātim." "Truth will become clear to you gradually."
146.29 "Sī bonus fīam, quid praemium accipiam?" "If I become good, what reward will I receive?"
146.30 "Ipsum bonum esse maximum praemium factum est." "Being good itself has been made the greatest reward."
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146.16 Magister discipulum rogat: "Quid homō fit post mortem?"
146.17 Discipulus respondet: "Anima immortālis facta est ā deīs."
146.18 "Quōmodo igitur beātus fierī possum in vītā?"
146.19 "Virtūte et sapientiā vir bonus fīs," magister dīcit.
146.20 "Sed quid fīet dē corpore nostrō?"
146.21 "Corpus terrā fīet iterum, sed anima permanet."
146.22 "Cūr malī fēlīcēs fiunt interdum?" quaerit discipulus.
146.23 "Fēlīcitās eōrum falsa facta est ex rēbus caducīs."
146.24 "Quandō sapiēns factus erō sicut tū?"
146.25 "Cum studium tuum perfectum factum fuerit multīs annīs."
146.26 "Fierīne possum philosophus sine dolōre?"
146.27 "Nihil magnum fit sine labōre et patientiā."
146.28 "Vēritās clāra fīet tibī paulātim."
146.29 "Sī bonus fīam, quid praemium accipiam?"
146.30 "Ipsum bonum esse maximum praemium factum est."
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The philosophical dialogue showcases advanced uses of fīō in various contexts: -
Philosophical Questions with fīō: -
Quid homō fit post mortem? (What does man become after death?) -
The verb expresses transformation of state -
Common pattern: interrogative + subject + fit -
Future Forms in Questions: -
Quid fīet dē corpore? (What will happen to the body?) -
Quandō factus erō? (When will I have become?) -
Shows both simple future (fīet) and future perfect (factus erō) -
Infinitive in Indirect Questions: -
Quōmodo beātus fierī possum? (How can I become blessed?) -
Fierīne possum philosophus? (Can I become a philosopher?) -
Note the enclitic -ne for yes/no questions -
Perfect Passive with Abstract Subjects: -
Fēlīcitās falsa facta est (Happiness has been made false) -
Maximum praemium factum est (Has been made the greatest reward) -
Shows how abstract concepts can "be made" something -
Temporal Clauses with fīō: -
Cum studium perfectum factum fuerit (When study will have been perfected) -
Future perfect subjunctive in temporal clause -
Shows completion before main action -
Gnomic/Universal Truths: -
Nihil magnum fit sine labōre (Nothing great happens without work) -
Present tense for timeless truths -
Common in philosophical maxims -
Ablative of Means/Instrument: -
Virtūte et sapientiā bonus fīs (Through virtue and wisdom you become good) -
Shows how transformation occurs -
No preposition needed with ablative of means -
Predicate Nominatives with fīō: -
philosophus fierī (to become a philosopher) -
beātus fierī (to become blessed) -
Nominative case matches subject, not object
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