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altus, alta, altum → high, lofty; deep, profound Function: 1st/2nd Declension Adjective (Geography & Measurement)
The Latin adjective altus presents one of the most fascinating semantic paradoxes in classical language: the same word means both “high” and “deep” - opposite directions on the vertical axis. This dual meaning reflects the Roman conceptual framework where what matters is not the direction but the distance from a reference point.
When Romans described a mountain as altus, they meant “high” (far from ground level). When they described the sea as altum, they meant “deep” (far from the surface). The word fundamentally expresses vertical magnitude - whether upward or downward is determined by context.
altus derives from the perfect passive participle of alō, alere (”to nourish, to rear”), with the semantic development: “nourished” → “grown/developed” → “tall/deep.” This etymological connection reveals how Romans understood physical magnitude as a natural outgrowth, like a plant reaching both skyward and earthward simultaneously.
Declension Pattern: As a 1st/2nd declension adjective, altus follows the pattern: -
Masculine: altus, altī, altō, altum, altō (sg.) / altī, altōrum, altīs, altōs, altīs (pl.) -
Feminine: alta, altae, altae, altam, altā (sg.) / altae, altārum, altīs, altās, altīs (pl.) -
Neuter: altum, altī, altō, altum, altō (sg.) / alta, altōrum, altīs, alta, altīs (pl.)
Comparison: -
Positive: altus, alta, altum -
Comparative: altior, altius (3rd declension forms) -
Superlative: altissimus, altissima, altissimum
The neuter singular altum frequently functions as a substantive meaning “the deep” or “the height,” particularly in phrases like in altum (”into the deep/to the heights”) and ex altō (”from on high/from the deep”).
Link to course: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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altus paradoxically means both “high” and “deep” - context determines direction -
Used for physical geography (mountains, seas), metaphorical elevation (thoughts, status), and depth (silence, wounds) -
Forms regular 1st/2nd declension patterns with three genders -
Extremely common in poetry (especially Vergil) and geographical descriptions -
The neuter altum substantivizes as “the deep” or “the height”
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159.1 mōns mountain altus high est is
159.2 alta high turris tower urbem the city dēfendit defends
159.3 mare the sea altum deep nautae the sailors timent fear
159.4 Caesar Caesar altīs high in in montibus mountains castra camp pōnit places
159.5 altum deep flūmen river trānsiēmus we shall cross
159.6 mīlitēs soldiers altam high mūrum wall aedificāvērunt built
159.7 nāvēs ships in into altum the deep dūxit led
159.8 vulnus wound altum deep accēpit received
159.9 alta deep silentia silences noctis of night Vergilius Vergil scrīpsit wrote
159.10 altō high animō spirit miles soldier pūgnat fights
159.11 ex from altō on high deus god nōs us spectat watches
159.12 altius higher quam than aquila eagle volat flies
159.13 Rōmānī Romans altissima very high saxa rocks in into mūrōs walls iacēbant were throwing
159.14 alta deep pace peace frūimur we enjoy
159.15 altās lofty cōgitātiōnēs thoughts philosophī philosophers habent have
The adjective altus demonstrates semantic flexibility: - Spatial/Physical: high, tall, deep (159.1, 159.3, 159.5, 159.6) - Figurative/Abstract: lofty, profound, deep (159.9 alta silentia, 159.10 altō animō, 159.15 altās cōgitātiōnēs) - Idiomatic: in altum = "into the deep/open sea" (159.7)
The examples showcase all three genders: - Masculine (montibus, animō, miles) - Feminine (turris, mūrum, pace, cōgitātiōnēs) - Neuter (mare, flūmen, saxa, silentia)
- Positive: altus, alta, altum - Comparative: altius (159.12) + quam structure - Superlative: altissima (159.13)
- 159.10 (altō animō): Shows altus in transferred sense = "with high/noble spirit" - 159.14 (alta pace): Ablative of manner—"in deep/profound peace" - 159.9: Poetic usage—"deep silences of night" (attributive with abstract noun)
This demonstrates how altus functions as a foundational Latin adjective with both concrete and abstract applications. ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
159.1 mōns altus est “The mountain is high.”
159.2 alta turris urbem dēfendit “A high tower defends the city.”
159.3 mare altum nautae timent “Sailors fear the deep sea.”
159.4 Caesar altīs in montibus castra pōnit “Caesar places his camp on high mountains.”
159.5 altum flūmen trānsiēmus “We shall cross the deep river.”
159.6 mīlitēs altam mūrum aedificāvērunt “The soldiers built a high wall.”
159.7 nāvēs in altum dūxit “He led the ships into the deep.”
159.8 vulnus altum accēpit “He received a deep wound.”
159.9 alta silentia noctis Vergilius scrīpsit “Vergil wrote of the deep silences of night.”
159.10 altō animō miles pūgnat “The soldier fights with lofty spirit.”
159.11 ex altō deus nōs spectat “God watches us from on high.”
159.12 altius quam aquila volat “He flies higher than an eagle.”
159.13 Rōmānī altissima saxa in mūrōs iacēbant “The Romans were hurling very high rocks onto the walls.”
159.14 alta pace frūimur “We enjoy deep peace.”
159.15 altās cōgitātiōnēs philosophī habent “Philosophers have lofty thoughts.”
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159.1 mōns altus est
159.2 alta turris urbem dēfendit
159.3 mare altum nautae timent
159.4 Caesar altīs in montibus castra pōnit
159.5 altum flūmen trānsiēmus
159.6 mīlitēs altam mūrum aedificāvērunt
159.7 nāvēs in altum dūxit
159.8 vulnus altum accēpit
159.9 alta silentia noctis Vergilius scrīpsit
159.10 altō animō miles pūgnat
159.11 ex altō deus nōs spectat
159.12 altius quam aquila volat
159.13 Rōmānī altissima saxa in mūrōs iacēbant
159.14 alta pace frūimur
159.15 altās cōgitātiōnēs philosophī habent
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1. Declension Pattern
altus, alta, altum follows the standard 1st/2nd declension adjective pattern: -
Masculine forms use 2nd declension endings (like bonus): -us, -ī, -ō, -um, -ō, -e (singular) -
Feminine forms use 1st declension endings (like bona): -a, -ae, -ae, -am, -ā (singular) -
Neuter forms use 2nd declension neuter endings (like bonum): -um, -ī, -ō, -um, -ō (singular)
The vocative masculine singular is alte (not *altus).
2. Agreement Rules
As an adjective, altus must agree with its noun in three ways: -
Gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) -
Number (singular or plural) -
Case (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, ablative)
Examples: -
mōns altus (masculine nominative singular) -
turris alta (feminine nominative singular) -
mare altum (neuter nominative singular) -
montibus altīs (masculine ablative plural)
3. Word Order Flexibility
Latin word order is flexible. The adjective can precede or follow its noun: -
altus mōns = mōns altus (both mean “high mountain”) -
Position before the noun often adds emphasis -
Position after the noun is more neutral/descriptive
4. Comparison Formation -
Positive: altus, alta, altum -
Comparative: altior, altius (3rd declension - follows different pattern) -
Superlative: altissimus, altissima, altissimum (returns to 1st/2nd declension)
The comparative stem changes: alt- → altior-
5. Adverbial Forms -
Positive adverb: altē (highly, deeply) -
Comparative adverb: altius (more highly/deeply) -
Superlative adverb: altissimē (most highly/deeply)
6. Substantivation
The neuter forms can function as nouns: -
altum (neuter singular) = “the deep,” “the height,” “the open sea” -
alta (neuter plural) = “high things,” “depths,” “heights”
Common phrases: -
in altum = into the deep / to the heights -
ex altō = from on high / from the deep -
ab altō = from afar / from the deep
7. The Height/Depth Paradox
CRITICAL RULE: Context determines whether altus means “high” or “deep.”
“High” contexts: -
Mountains (mōns altus) -
Towers, buildings (turris alta) -
Sky, heavens (caelum altum) -
Social status (altā stirpe = from high lineage)
“Deep” contexts: -
Seas, water bodies (mare altum, flūmen altum) -
Wounds (vulnus altum) -
Silence, night (alta silentia, alta nox) -
Sleep, peace (altus somnus, alta pāx)
Resolution: Romans conceived of altus as measuring vertical distance from a reference point, whether upward (from ground) or downward (from surface).
8. Predicative vs. Attributive Use -
Attributive (modifying noun directly): mōns altus (”a high mountain”) -
Predicative (with linking verb): mōns est altus (”the mountain is high”)
Both constructions are common in Latin.
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Agreement errors: Remember to match all three categories (gender, number, case) -
WRONG: mōns alta (mixing masculine noun with feminine adjective) -
RIGHT: mōns altus (both masculine) -
Confusing height and depth: Look at the noun to determine meaning -
mōns altus = high mountain (not *deep mountain) -
mare altum = deep sea (not *high sea, though “high seas” is an English idiom) -
Comparative formation: Don’t add -ior to the full positive form -
WRONG: altusior -
RIGHT: altior (from stem alt-) -
Forgetting neuter plural: Neuter plurals end in -a (not -i) -
WRONG: alta saxa (if treating as masculine) -
RIGHT: alta saxa (neuter plural nominative = -a)
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altus ranks #159 in the Dickinson Core Vocabulary, indicating very high frequency in classical texts. It appears throughout Latin literature from all periods, with particularly heavy usage in: -
Epic poetry (Vergil, Ovid) - for elevated, grandiose description -
Geographical writing (Caesar, Livy) - for terrain description -
Philosophical prose (Cicero, Seneca) - for metaphorical depth
altus spans all registers: -
Elevated/Poetic: Extremely common in epic poetry for dramatic effect -
Vergil’s alta silentia (”deep silences”) exemplifies poetic usage -
Creates atmosphere through vertical metaphor -
Neutral/Descriptive: Standard term in prose for geographical features -
Caesar uses it frequently for mountains, rivers, fortifications -
Technical but not archaic -
Philosophical: Metaphorical uses for intellectual/spiritual elevation -
altā mente (”with deep mind”) -
altius suspicere (”to look to higher things”)
in altum dare - “to put out to sea” (literally “to give into the deep”) ex altō - “from on high” or “from afar” (divine perspective or distant viewpoint) altā stirpe - “from high lineage” (noble birth) altius repetere - “to go further back” (in narrative or reasoning) alta quiēs - “deep rest” (profound peace or sleep) altō animō - “with lofty spirit” (courage, nobility of character)
From Latin alō, alere (to nourish, rear), perfect passive participle altus (nourished → grown → tall/deep).
Romance language descendants: -
Italian: alto (high, tall) -
Spanish: alto (high, tall; also stop! in commands) -
French: haut (high) - from *altum via sound change -
Portuguese: alto (high, tall) -
Romanian: înalt (high, tall)
All Romance languages preserved the “height” meaning but generally lost the “depth” sense, which transferred to words derived from profundus (profound, deep).
The dual meaning of altus reflects Roman spatial thinking: -
Vertical axis more important than directional opposition -
Distance from reference point creates magnitude -
Same conceptual framework for social hierarchy (high status) and metaphysical thinking (deep wisdom)
Romans conceptualized the divine realm as ex altō (from on high), while mystery and hidden knowledge were altē reposita (stored deep) - using the same adjective for opposite vertical directions shows how they unified these concepts through the idea of remoteness from the ordinary/middle ground.
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Intereā socius ally bellī of war dictātor commander Agyllae of Agylla vēnerat had come atque and alta through high Tarchon Tarchon per through silentia silences lūnae of the moon
159.F1 Intereā socius bellī dictātor Agyllae vēnerat atque alta Tarchon per silentia lūnae
“Meanwhile Tarchon, the dictator of Agylla and ally in war, had come through the deep silences of the moon.”
Intereā socius bellī dictātor Agyllae vēnerat atque alta Tarchon per silentia lūnae
This passage from Vergil’s Aeneid (Book 10, lines 62-63) showcases altus in its most famous literary collocation: alta silentia (”deep silences”).
Grammatical Analysis: -
alta silentia - neuter plural accusative -
alta agrees with silentia in gender (neuter), number (plural), and case (accusative) -
silentia is the object of the preposition per (”through”) -
Meaning: “deep silences” (not “high silences”) -
per alta silentia lūnae - “through the deep silences of the moon” -
per + accusative indicates motion through/during -
lūnae (genitive) modifies silentia - the silences belonging to/characteristic of moonlight -
Time expression: nocturnal quiet during moonlit night -
atque - conjunction connecting actions -
“and” (slightly more elevated than simple et) -
Links Tarchon’s arrival to the atmospheric description
Why “Deep” Not “High”?
Context determines meaning: silentia (silences) naturally takes the “deep” sense of altus because: -
Silence is measured in intensity/profundness, not physical height -
Night and darkness are conventionally described as “deep” in Latin -
The phrase evokes atmospheric depth, mystery, stillness
Poetic Effect:
Vergil uses alta silentia to create: -
Atmosphere: Profound nocturnal quiet, suggesting secrecy or solemnity -
Rhythm: The dactylic meter flows naturally with these word choices -
Emphasis: Placing alta before silentia intensifies the effect -
Elevation: Epic register appropriate for grand narrative moment
This phrase became proverbial in Latin literature, frequently imitated by later poets (Ovid, Statius, Silius Italicus) to evoke nighttime stillness or dramatic tension.
Literary Context: Tarchon arrives at night as an ally of Aeneas. The deep silence emphasizes the secret, momentous nature of his arrival before the climactic battle.
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159.16 Caesar Caesar exercitum the army ad to altissimōs the very high montēs mountains dūxit led
159.17 mīlitēs the soldiers altīs high in in vallibus valleys castra camp posuērunt placed
159.18 hostēs the enemies mūrum a wall altum high aedificāverant had built
159.19 Rōmānī the Romans altius higher ascendere to climb dēbēbant had to
159.20 flūmen a river altum deep inter between duo two castra camps fluēbat was flowing
159.21 centuriō the centurion altā high vōce with a voice mīlitēs the soldiers hortātus having encouraged est was
159.22 nāvēs the ships in into altum the deep pulsae driven sunt were tempestāte by a storm
159.23 fossae the ditches altitūdine in depth duōdecim twelve pedum of feet erant were
159.24 Caesar Caesar altius deeper cōnsilium a plan cēpit took quam than hostēs the enemies
159.25 altissimae very high rīpae banks impetum an attack sustinēbant were withstanding
159.26 mīlēs a soldier vulnere by a wound altō deep dēfessus exhausted cecidit fell
159.27 ex from altō on high Gallī the Gauls saxa rocks in at Rōmānōs the Romans iaciēbant were hurling
159.28 altō high sōle with the sun lēgātī the envoys pācem peace petīvērunt sought
159.29 pontem a bridge altius higher quam than antea before aedificāvērunt they built
159.30 victōriā by victory altum high nōmen a name Caesar Caesar accēpit received
- Nominative M.SG: altus - Accusative M.SG: altum - Ablative M.SG: altō - Nominative F.PL: altae, altissimae - Accusative M.PL: altissimōs - Comparative ADV: altius - Superlative ADV: altissimē
1. Physical Height/Elevation: - 159.16a: montēs altissimōs - "very high mountains" - 159.17b: vallibus altīs - "in high valleys" - 159.18b: mūrum altum - "a high wall" - 159.25b: rīpae altissimae - "very high riverbanks"
2. Depth (of water/wounds): - 159.20b: flūmen altum - "a deep river" - 159.23b: fossae altitūdine duōdecim pedum - "ditches 12 feet deep" - 159.26b: vulnere altō - "by a deep wound"
3. Figurative/Abstract (rank, reputation, profundity): - 159.24b: altius cōnsilium - "a deeper/more profound plan" - 159.30b: altum nōmen - "a lofty name/high reputation"
4. Positional/Directional: - 159.27b: ex altō - "from on high" (the high ground) - 159.22b: in altum - "into the deep" (seaward)
- Used attributively (modifying nouns): altissimōs montēs - Used predicatively: fossae...erant - In ablative expressions: altō sōle, altā vōce, altō - Comparative/superlative forms for emphasis: altius, altissimae
159.16 Caesar exercitum ad altissimōs montēs dūxit “Caesar led his army to the very high mountains.”
159.17 mīlitēs altīs in vallibus castra posuērunt “The soldiers placed their camp in high valleys.”
159.18 hostēs mūrum altum aedificāverant “The enemy had built a high wall.”
159.19 Rōmānī altius ascendere dēbēbant “The Romans had to climb higher.”
159.20 flūmen altum inter duo castra fluēbat “A deep river was flowing between the two camps.”
159.21 centuriō altā vōce mīlitēs hortātus est “The centurion encouraged the soldiers with a loud voice.”
159.22 nāvēs in altum pulsae sunt tempestāte “The ships were driven into the deep by a storm.”
159.23 fossae altitūdine duōdecim pedum erant “The ditches were twelve feet in depth.”
159.24 Caesar altius cōnsilium cēpit quam hostēs “Caesar conceived a deeper plan than the enemy.”
159.25 altissimae rīpae impetum sustinēbant “The very high riverbanks were withstanding the attack.”
159.26 mīlēs vulnere altō dēfessus cecidit “A soldier, exhausted by a deep wound, fell.”
159.27 ex altō Gallī saxa in Rōmānōs iaciēbant “The Gauls were hurling rocks onto the Romans from the heights.”
159.28 altō sōle lēgātī pācem petīvērunt “When the sun was high, the envoys sought peace.”
159.29 pontem altius quam antea aedificāvērunt “They built the bridge higher than before.”
159.30 victōriā altum nōmen Caesar accēpit “Through victory Caesar received a lofty name.”
159.16 Caesar exercitum ad altissimōs montēs dūxit
159.17 mīlitēs altīs in vallibus castra posuērunt
159.18 hostēs mūrum altum aedificāverant
159.19 Rōmānī altius ascendere dēbēbant
159.20 flūmen altum inter duo castra fluēbat
159.21 centuriō altā vōce mīlitēs hortātus est
159.22 nāvēs in altum pulsae sunt tempestāte
159.23 fossae altitūdine duōdecim pedum erant
159.24 Caesar altius cōnsilium cēpit quam hostēs
159.25 altissimae rīpae impetum sustinēbant
159.26 mīlēs vulnere altō dēfessus cecidit
159.27 ex altō Gallī saxa in Rōmānōs iaciēbant
159.28 altō sōle lēgātī pācem petīvērunt
159.29 pontem altius quam antea aedificāvērunt
159.30 victōriā altum nōmen Caesar accēpit
This historical narrative section demonstrates altus in military and geographical contexts typical of Caesar’s commentaries:
1. Superlative Forms in Military Description: -
altissimōs montēs (159.16) - superlative emphasizes extreme height of Alpine terrain -
altissimae rīpae (159.25) - defensive advantage of very high riverbanks
2. Ablative of Description: -
altā vōce (159.21) - “with high/loud voice” - ablative of manner -
altō sōle (159.28) - “when the sun was high” - ablative absolute indicating time -
vulnere altō (159.26) - “by a deep wound” - ablative of means
3. Measurement with ALTITUDO: -
altitūdine duōdecim pedum (159.23) - “in depth of twelve feet” -
Abstract noun altitūdō (height/depth) related to altus -
Ablative of specification + genitive of measure
4. Comparative Usage: -
altius ascendere (159.19) - comparative adverb with infinitive -
altius cōnsilium (159.24) - “deeper plan” (metaphorical) -
altius... quam antea (159.29) - comparative with quam (”than”)
5. Substantive ALTUM: -
in altum (159.22) - “into the deep” (accusative after preposition) -
ex altō (159.27) - “from the heights” (ablative after preposition) -
Context determines whether “height” or “depth” in these phrases
6. Metaphorical Extension: -
altum nōmen (159.30) - “lofty name” (elevated reputation, not physical height) -
Shows how altus extends from physical to abstract qualities
Historical Note: This narrative style imitates Caesar’s Commentāriī dē Bellō Gallicō, where altus frequently describes: -
Terrain features (mountains, riverbanks) -
Fortifications (walls, ditches) -
Tactical situations (height advantage) -
Water depth (river crossings)
Caesar’s prose style tends toward concrete, practical uses of altus for geographical and military description, unlike the more poetic and metaphorical uses in Vergil.
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altus [ˈal.tʊs] -
a: short vowel, as in “father” but briefer -
l: liquid consonant, lengthens preceding vowel by position -
t: unaspirated stop (not the aspirated English “t”) -
u: short, like “put” (not “flute”) -
s: voiceless sibilant
Stress Pattern: -
In altus, stress falls on the first syllable: AL-tus -
Rule: stress the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable if it’s long; otherwise stress the antepenultimate (third-to-last) -
The al- syllable is long by position (vowel + two consonants)
altior [ˈal.ti.ɔr] - three syllables -
Stress on first syllable: AL-ti-or
altissimus [al.ˈtɪs.sɪ.mʊs] - four syllables -
Stress on second syllable: al-TIS-si-mus -
The -tis- syllable is long (double consonant ss makes it long by position)
altē [ˈal.teː] - adverb -
Stress on first syllable: AL-te -
Final e is long (marked ē)
In modern Latin pedagogy, macrons (bars over vowels) indicate long vowels: -
altus - no macrons needed (all vowels short) -
altē - macron on final e (long vowel) -
altīs - macron on i in dative/ablative plural (long vowel) -
altōrum - macron on o in genitive plural (long vowel)
Classical Latin texts didn’t use macrons - these are modern additions to aid learners.
Latin altum → French haut [o]: -
Intermediate stages: altum > altum > *autum > haut -
The l vocalized before t, then disappeared -
Final -um dropped (as in all French from Latin neuter singulars)
Latin altus → Spanish/Italian alto: -
Maintained the lt cluster -
Final -us → -o (standard Romance development) -
Stress remains on first syllable
-
English “altar” pronunciation: Don’t say [ˈɔːl.tər] -
WRONG: “ALL-ter” -
RIGHT: [ˈal.tʊs] “AHL-toos” -
Long u: Don’t lengthen the u -
WRONG: [ˈal.tuːs] -
RIGHT: [ˈal.tʊs] (short u) -
Aspirated t: Don’t add breath after t -
WRONG: [ˈal.tʰʊs] -
RIGHT: [ˈal.tʊs] (clean, unaspirated t) -
English stress patterns: Don’t stress the final syllable -
WRONG: al-TUS -
RIGHT: AL-tus
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute Classical Latin Course, a comprehensive program teaching Latin through the Construed Reading Method combined with frequency-based vocabulary acquisition.
Our Approach: -
Frequency-Based Progression: We use the Dickinson College Core Vocabulary, which ranks Latin words by their frequency in classical texts. This lesson covers word #159 (altus), ensuring you learn the most useful vocabulary first. -
Construed Reading Method: Each lesson presents Latin text with: -
Interlinear glossing for word-by-word comprehension -
Natural translations showing idiomatic English -
Pure Latin text for reading practice -
Detailed grammar explanation -
Cultural and literary context -
Authentic Materials: All examples are based on or drawn from classical authors (Vergil, Caesar, Cicero, Ovid, Livy) to ensure you encounter real Latin, not artificial textbook constructions. -
Progressive Complexity: Lessons move from simple sentences to complex literary passages, building your reading ability systematically. -
Complete Self-Containment: Each lesson is a complete learning unit with all necessary information, allowing autodidact study without requiring additional resources.
The construed reading approach accelerates comprehension by showing you how Latin works at the word level while maintaining exposure to authentic syntax and style. Unlike grammar-translation methods that isolate rules, or immersion methods that can overwhelm beginners, construed reading provides scaffolded authentic input - real Latin with enough support to make it comprehensible.
The frequency-based vocabulary selection ensures that every word you learn has high utility. altus (#159) appears thousands of times across classical literature - mastering it significantly improves your reading ability.
The Latinum Institute has helped thousands of students achieve reading fluency in Classical Latin since 2006. Our methods have been refined through nearly two decades of online instruction and student feedback.
See our verified reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
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Full Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Website: latinum.org.uk -
Methodology: Based on the Ranieri/Evan der Millner approach to extensive reading with morphological support
This course uses a 1000-word core vocabulary system derived from frequency analysis of classical texts. The CSV (Core Semantic Vocabulary) approach ensures: -
Efficiency: Learn high-frequency words first -
Coverage: The top 1000 words account for ~85% of classical text tokens -
Systematic progression: Each lesson builds on previous vocabulary -
Authentic usage: Words presented in real context, not isolation
By completing lessons 1-1000, you will have encountered the essential vocabulary needed to read classical Latin literature with a dictionary and moderate effort.
After completing this lesson on altus, you should be able to: -
Recognize all forms of altus, alta, altum in texts -
Distinguish between “high” and “deep” meanings by context -
Parse comparative and superlative forms -
Understand idiomatic phrases like in altum and ex altō -
Appreciate literary usage in authors like Vergil and Caesar
Continue with Lesson 160 to maintain vocabulary momentum. The systematic progression through the Dickinson Core Vocabulary ensures comprehensive coverage of classical Latin’s essential lexicon.
Regular practice with construed texts builds reading speed and morphological recognition - the foundation of true Latin proficiency.
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altus, alta, altum is a paradoxical adjective meaning both “high” and “deep,” with context determining which vertical direction is meant. As a 1st/2nd declension adjective ranking #159 in frequency, it’s essential for reading classical Latin texts.
Key points: -
Agrees with nouns in gender, number, and case -
Mountains/towers = “high”; seas/wounds = “deep” -
Forms regular comparative (altior) and superlative (altissimus) -
Substantive neuter altum = “the deep” or “the height” -
Extremely common in poetry (Vergil) and geographical prose (Caesar) -
Literary phrases: alta silentia (deep silences), in altum (into the deep)
Master altus and you unlock thousands of classical passages from epic poetry to military commentaries.
© 2025 Latinum Institute | Classical Latin Language Course Lesson 159 | #altus | Dickinson Core Vocabulary Rank 159
For more lessons and resources: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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