← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
23.1 māgnus great rēx king regit rules illam that urbem city
23.2 magna great turba crowd id the forum forum complet fills
23.3 vidēmus we see magnum great templum temple deōrum of the gods
23.4 magnus great dux general exercitum army dūcit leads
23.5 aedificant they build magnam great mūrum wall circum around urbem city
23.6 magna great rēgīna queen populō to the people dōna gifts dat gives
23.7 in in magnō great hortō garden multae many flōrēs flowers flōrent bloom
23.8 senātōrēs senators magna great facta deeds laudant praise
23.9 cum with magnā great glōriā glory domum home redit he returns
23.10 magna great pugna battle nunc now incipit begins
23.11 māgna great perīcula dangers ante ahead vident they see
23.12 magnus great poēta poet magnī great carmina verses scrībit writes
23.13 magna great tempestās storm urbī to the city appropinquat approaches
23.14 ā from magnō great monte mountain hostēs enemy spectant they watch
23.15 cīvēs citizens magnum great monumentum monument aedificant build
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23.1 Māgnus rēx illam urbem regit. The great king rules that city.
23.2 Magna turba id forum complet. The great crowd fills the forum.
23.3 Vidēmus magnum templum deōrum. We see the great temple of the gods.
23.4 Magnus dux exercitum dūcit. The great general leads the army.
23.5 Aedificant magnam mūrum circum urbem. They build a great wall around the city.
23.6 Magna rēgīna populō dōna dat. The great queen gives gifts to the people.
23.7 In magnō hortō multae flōrēs flōrent. In the great garden many flowers bloom.
23.8 Senātōrēs magna facta laudant. The senators praise the great deeds.
23.9 Cum magnā glōriā domum redit. With great glory he returns home.
23.10 Magna pugna nunc incipit. The great battle begins now.
23.11 Māgna perīcula ante vident. They see great dangers ahead.
23.12 Magnus poēta pulchra carmina scrībit. The great poet writes beautiful verses.
23.13 Magna tempestās urbī appropinquat. A great storm approaches the city.
23.14 Ā magnō monte hostēs spectant. From the great mountain they watch the enemy.
23.15 Cīvēs magnum monumentum aedificant. The citizens build a great monument.
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23.1 Māgnus rēx illam urbem regit.
23.2 Magna turba id forum complet.
23.3 Vidēmus magnum templum deōrum.
23.4 Magnus dux exercitum dūcit.
23.5 Aedificant magnam mūrum circum urbem.
23.6 Magna rēgīna populō dōna dat.
23.7 In magnō hortō multae flōrēs flōrent.
23.8 Senātōrēs magna facta laudant.
23.9 Cum magnā glōriā domum redit.
23.10 Magna pugna nunc incipit.
23.11 Māgna perīcula ante vident.
23.12 Magnus poēta pulchra carmina scrībit.
23.13 Magna tempestās urbī appropinquat.
23.14 Ā magnō monte hostēs spectant.
23.15 Cīvēs magnum monumentum aedificant.
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The adjective "māgnus" is one of the most common descriptive words in Latin. Here's how to understand and use it: -
Basic Forms and Meaning: -
In its basic form, māgnus means "big", "great", or "large" -
It can describe physical size or metaphorical greatness -
Like English "great", it can mean "important" or "significant" -
Adjective Agreement: -
Changes ending to match the noun it describes -
Three gender forms: -
Masculine: māgnus (māgnus rēx = great king) -
Feminine: magna (magna rēgīna = great queen) -
Neuter: magnum (magnum templum = great temple) -
Case Forms: For English speakers, think of these as showing the adjective's role: -
Subject form (Nominative): māgnus, magna, magnum -
Object form (Accusative): magnum, magnam, magnum -
Possessive form (Genitive): magnī, magnae, magnī -
Indirect object form (Dative): magnō, magnae, magnō -
With/by/from form (Ablative): magnō, magnā, magnō -
Word Order: -
Usually comes before its noun (magna urbs = great city) -
Can come after for emphasis -
More flexible than English word order -
Common Combinations: -
With people: māgnus rēx (great king) -
With places: magna urbs (great city) -
With abstract nouns: magna glōria (great glory)
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Understanding how Romans used "māgnus" helps us grasp their culture: -
In Politics: -
Used in titles (like "Pompēius Magnus" = Pompey the Great) -
Described powerful leaders and their achievements -
Important in political speeches and propaganda -
In Architecture: -
Described impressive buildings and monuments -
Showed Roman pride in engineering achievements -
Indicated wealth and power of builders -
In Religion: -
Used for gods and their powers -
Described religious buildings and ceremonies -
Part of prayer and ritual language -
In Daily Life: -
Described practical sizes and distances -
Used in business and trade -
Part of everyday conversation -
Modern Connections: -
Similar to English use of "great" in "Great Britain" -
Used like "grand" in "Grand Canyon" -
Comparable to modern titles like "the Great" in history
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Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
From Cicero's "Pro Archia" (8.19):
magnus great erat was in in eō him ingeniī of talent lūmen the light
Magnus erat in eō ingeniī lūmen. Great was the light of talent in him.
Cicero uses "māgnus" here to praise the poet Archias. The placement of "māgnus" at the start of the phrase emphasizes the greatness. This shows how Romans used the word to praise talent and achievement.
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"māgnus" is nominative masculine singular, agreeing with "lūmen" (light) -
Word order is poetic, emphasizing "māgnus" -
Uses metaphorical meaning of "māgnus" for intellectual greatness -
Shows typical Roman praise formula
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Here are translations of these sentences featuring the adjective magnus (great):
| Sentence | Translation | |----------|-------------| | 23.16 | A great goddess descends from the sky | | 23.17 | On a great shield he sees ancient stories | | 23.18 | A great wave carries ships to the shore | | 23.19 | The hero draws a great sword from its sheath | | 23.20 | With great strength he breaks the gates | | 23.21 | They hear a great sound of trumpets | | 23.22 | The great king leads his men into battle | | 23.23 | They march through a great forest | | 23.24 | From a great tower the enemies watch | | 23.25 | A great fire burns in the temple | | 23.26 | With great fear they approach the cave | | 23.27 | A great prophetess sings about future things | | 23.28 | The hero makes a journey through great dangers | | 23.29 | They build a great funeral pyre for the leader | | 23.30 | A great triumph brings joy to the people |
Key grammatical points: Notice how magnus agrees with its noun in gender, number, and case (e.g., magnus rēx (nom.), magnā silvā (abl.), magnum gladium (acc.)).
23.16 Magna dea ab caelō dēscendit. The great goddess descends from the sky.
23.17 In magnō scūtō antīquās fābulās videt. On the great shield he sees ancient stories.
23.18 Magna unda nāvēs ad lītus fert. A great wave carries the ships to shore.
23.19 Hērōs magnum gladium ā vāgīnā trahit. The hero draws the great sword from its sheath.
23.20 Cum magnā vī portās frangit. With great strength he breaks the gates.
23.21 Audiunt magnum sonum tubārum. They hear the great sound of trumpets.
23.22 Magnus rēx suōs in proelium dūcit. The great king leads his men into battle.
23.23 Per magnam silvam incēdunt. They march through the great forest.
23.24 Ex magnā turrī hostēs spectant. From the great tower they watch the enemies.
23.25 Magnus ignis in templō ardet. A great fire burns in the temple.
23.26 Cum magnō timōre spēluncam appropinquant. With great fear they approach the cave.
23.27 Magna vātēs dē futūrīs canit. The great prophetess sings about future things.
23.28 Per magna perīcula hērōs iter facit. Through great dangers the hero makes his journey.
23.29 Magnum rogum ducī exstruunt. They build a great funeral pyre for the leader.
23.30 Magnus triumphus populō gaudium affert. The great triumph brings joy to the people.
23.16 Magna dea ab caelō dēscendit.
23.17 In magnō scūtō antīquās fābulās videt.
23.18 Magna unda nāvēs ad lītus fert.
23.19 Hērōs magnum gladium ā vāgīnā trahit.
23.20 Cum magnā vī portās frangit.
23.21 Audiunt magnum sonum tubārum.
23.22 Magnus rēx suōs in proelium dūcit.
23.23 Per magnam silvam incēdunt.
23.24 Ex magnā turrī hostēs spectant.
23.25 Magnus ignis in templō ardet.
23.26 Cum magnō timōre spēluncam appropinquant.
23.27 Magna vātēs dē futūrīs canit.
23.28 Per magna perīcula hērōs iter facit.
23.29 Magnum rogum ducī exstruunt.
23.30 Magnus triumphus populō gaudium affert.
The epic genre uses "māgnus" in distinctive ways: -
Formulaic Patterns: -
Often begins phrases ("magna dea") -
Frequently paired with epic nouns (dea, hērōs, rēx) -
Used in repeated phrases (magna vī) -
Poetic Word Order: -
More flexible than prose -
Often separated from its noun for emphasis -
Can begin or end lines for dramatic effect -
Epic Contexts: -
Physical descriptions (magnus ignis) -
Heroic attributes (magna vī) -
Divine or supernatural elements (magna vātēs) -
Battle scenes (magna proelia) -
Special Uses in Epic: -
Heightened emotional effect -
Grander scale than normal usage -
Part of heroic epithets -
Enhanced by epic vocabulary -
Common Epic Combinations: -
With divine terms (magna dea) -
With natural forces (magna unda) -
With battle terms (magnus triumphus) -
With supernatural elements (magna vātēs)
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23.16 magna great dea goddess ab from caelō sky dēscendit descends
23.17 in on magnō great scūtō shield antīquās ancient fābulās stories videt he sees
23.18 magna great unda wave nāvēs ships ad to lītus shore fert carries
23.19 hērōs hero magnum great gladium sword ā from vāgīnā sheath trahit draws
23.20 cum with magnā great vī strength portās gates frangit he breaks
23.21 audiunt they hear magnum great sonum sound tubārum of trumpets
23.22 magnus great rēx king suōs his men in into proelium battle dūcit leads
23.23 per through magnam great silvam forest incēdunt they march
23.24 ex from magnā great turrī tower hostēs enemies spectant they watch
23.25 magnus great ignis fire in in templō temple ardet burns
23.26 cum with magnō great timōre fear spēluncam cave appropinquant they approach
23.27 magna great vātēs prophetess dē about futūrīs future things canit sings
23.28 per through magna great perīcula dangers hērōs hero iter journey facit makes
23.29 magnum great rogum funeral pyre ducī for the leader exstruunt they build
23.30 magnus great triumphus triumph populō to the people gaudium joy affert brings
23.31 Discipulus magnum librum in mēnsā videt. The student sees a large book on the table.
23.32 Magister magnā vōce fābulam nārrat. The teacher tells the story with a loud voice.
23.33 In magnō lūdō multī puerī sedent. Many boys sit in the large school.
23.34 Mārcus cum magnā dīligentiā studet. Marcus studies with great diligence.
23.35 Iūlia magnum progressum in studiīs facit. Julia makes great progress in her studies.
23.36 Magnae quaestiōnēs discipulōs exercent. Great questions exercise the students.
23.37 Magister magnā patientiā respondēbat. The teacher was responding with great patience.
23.38 Magna laetitia in puerōrum faciēbus appāret. Great joy appears on the boys' faces.
23.39 Magnō cum studiō linguam Latīnam discunt. They learn the Latin language with great enthusiasm.
23.40 Puella magnam scientiam grammaticae habet. The girl has great knowledge of grammar.
23.41 Magnus numerus librōrum in bibliothēcā est. A large number of books is in the library.
23.42 Magnum gaudium post exāmen sentiunt. They feel great joy after the test.
23.43 Ad magnum certāmen sē parant. They prepare themselves for the great contest.
23.44 Cum magnā spē novum annum incipiunt. They begin the new year with great hope.
23.45 Magister magnā cum sapientiā exempla explicat. The teacher explains examples with great wisdom.
23.31 Discipulus magnum librum in mēnsā videt.
23.32 Magister magnā vōce fābulam nārrat.
23.33 In magnō lūdō multī puerī sedent.
23.34 Mārcus cum magnā dīligentiā studet.
23.35 Iūlia magnum progressum in studiīs facit.
23.36 Magnae quaestiōnēs discipulōs exercent.
23.37 Magister magnā patientiā respondēbat.
23.38 Magna laetitia in puerōrum faciēbus appāret.
23.39 Magnō cum studiō linguam Latīnam discunt.
23.40 Puella magnam scientiam grammaticae habet.
23.41 Magnus numerus librōrum in bibliothēcā est.
23.42 Magnum gaudium post exāmen sentiunt.
23.43 Ad magnum certāmen sē parant.
23.44 Cum magnā spē novum annum incipiunt.
23.45 Magister magnā cum sapientiā exempla explicat.
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Common School Vocabulary with māgnus: -
Physical objects: magnus liber (large book) -
Abstract qualities: magna dīligentia (great diligence) -
Educational concepts: magna scientia (great knowledge) -
Emotions: magnum gaudium (great joy) -
Ablative of Manner: -
cum magnā dīligentiā (with great diligence) -
magnā vōce (with a loud voice) -
magnā patientiā (with great patience) -
Often showing how actions are performed -
Subject-Object Relationships: -
māgnus governing direct objects -
māgnus modifying subjects -
māgnus in prepositional phrases -
Word Order in School Context: -
More regular than epic poetry -
Usually māgnus before its noun -
Standard prose word order -
Clear for young readers -
Special Uses in Educational Context: -
Physical description (magnus liber) -
Quality of work (magna dīligentia) -
Achievement (magnus progressus) -
Intellectual qualities (magna scientia)
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