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Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
Lesson 54
54 of 205 lessons

Lesson 54

Part A (Interleaved English and Latin Text)

53.1 Hic this diēs day sacer sacred est is

53.2 Longa long diēs day nōbīs for us erat was

53.3 Per through trēs three diēs days iter journey fēcimus we made

53.4 Paucī few diēs days ante before hoc this accīdit happened

53.5 Omnēs all diēs days in in agrīs fields labōrāmus we work

53.6 Māne in morning prīmī of first diēī day sacerdōs priest templum temple intrat enters

53.7 Magister teacher diēī of day fīnem end exspectat awaits

53.8 Diēī to day illī that grātiās thanks agimus we give

53.9 Diē on day certō fixed mīlitēs soldiers castra camp movēbunt will move

53.10 Tertium third diēm day Rōmae in Rome manēbimus we will remain

53.11 Hostēs enemies on that diē day urbem city oppugnāvērunt attacked

53.12 Multōs many diēs days pluit it rains

53.13 Septem seven diēbus in days opus work perfēcimus we completed

53.14 Diērum of days brevium short tempus time venit comes

53.15 Diēs day festī festival populum people laetum happy faciunt make

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Part B (Complete Sentences)

53.1 Hic diēs sacer est. This day is sacred.

53.2 Longa diēs nōbīs erat. The day was long for us.

53.3 Per trēs diēs iter fēcimus. We made a journey for three days.

53.4 Paucīs diēbus ante hoc accīdit. This happened a few days ago.

53.5 Omnēs diēs in agrīs labōrāmus. We work in the fields every day.

53.6 Māne prīmī diēī sacerdōs templum intrat. In the morning of the first day, the priest enters the temple.

53.7 Magister diēī fīnem exspectat. The teacher awaits the end of the day.

53.8 Diēī illī grātiās agimus. We give thanks to that day.

53.9 Diē certō mīlitēs castra movēbunt. On a fixed day, the soldiers will move camp.

53.10 Tertium diēm Rōmae manēbimus. We will remain in Rome for the third day.

53.11 Hostēs eō diē urbem oppugnāvērunt. The enemies attacked the city on that day.

53.12 Multōs diēs pluit. It rains for many days.

53.13 Septem diēbus opus perfēcimus. We completed the work in seven days.

53.14 Diērum brevium tempus venit. The time of short days comes.

53.15 Diēs festī populum laetum faciunt. Festival days make the people happy.

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Part C (Latin Text Only)

53.1 Hic diēs sacer est.

53.2 Longa diēs nōbīs erat.

53.3 Per trēs diēs iter fēcimus.

53.4 Paucīs diēbus ante hoc accīdit.

53.5 Omnēs diēs in agrīs labōrāmus.

53.6 Māne prīmī diēī sacerdōs templum intrat.

53.7 Magister diēī fīnem exspectat.

53.8 Diēī illī grātiās agimus.

53.9 Diē certō mīlitēs castra movēbunt.

53.10 Tertium diēm Rōmae manēbimus.

53.11 Hostēs eō diē urbem oppugnāvērunt.

53.12 Multōs diēs pluit.

53.13 Septem diēbus opus perfēcimus.

53.14 Diērum brevium tempus venit.

53.15 Diēs festī populum laetum faciunt.

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Part D (Grammar Explanation)

The noun "diēs" has several important features for English speakers to understand: -

Form and Gender: -

One of few 5th declension nouns -

Can be either masculine or feminine -

Usually masculine in singular, feminine in plural -

Long ē throughout most forms -

Declension Pattern: Singular: -

Nominative: diēs -

Genitive: diēī -

Dative: diēī -

Accusative: diem -

Ablative: diē

Plural: -

Nominative: diēs -

Genitive: diērum -

Dative: diēbus -

Accusative: diēs -

Ablative: diēbus -

Special Uses: -

Ablative of time when: diē certō (on a fixed day) -

Accusative of duration: trēs diēs (for three days) -

With ordinal numbers: tertium diem (third day) -

In temporal phrases: eō diē (on that day) -

Common Expressions: -

diēs festus (holiday) -

prīmō diē (on the first day) -

in diēs (day by day) -

ante diem (before the day)

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Part E (Cultural Context)

For English speakers, understanding "diēs" requires cultural context: -

Roman Time Concepts: -

Days began at sunrise, not midnight -

Divided into 12 "hours" of varying length -

Important for religious observances -

Critical for legal and business matters -

Calendar Usage: -

Romans counted days backwards from three fixed points -

Kalends, Nones, and Ides structured the month -

Different lengths for summer and winter days -

Market days (nundinae) every ninth day -

Religious Significance: -

Dies fasti (court days) vs. nefasti (no courts) -

Festival days marked on official calendars -

Priests determined lucky and unlucky days -

Sacred days required special observances -

Modern Relevance: -

Source of English words like "diary" and "diurnal" -

Calendar structure still influences modern life -

Religious observances still follow Roman patterns -

Legal term "dies" still used in some contexts

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Part F (Literary Citation)

Part F-A (Interleaved Text)

Part F-A (Interleaved Text)

From Cicero's "Pro Archia" (6.14):

Quotiēns how often ego I hunc this man vīdī have seen, cum when litteram letter scrīpsisset he had written nūllam, none, magnumque and a great numerum number optimōrum of excellent versuum verses about eīs those ipsīs very rēbus things, quae which tum then agerentur, were being done, dīcere to speak ex from tempore! the moment!

Part F-B (Complete Translation)

"Quotiēns ego hunc vīdī, cum litteram scrīpsisset nūllam, magnumque numerum optimōrum versuum dē eīs ipsīs rēbus, quae tum agerentur, dīcere ex tempore!"

How often I have seen this man, when he had written nothing at all, speak impromptu a great number of excellent verses about those very events which were then taking place!

Part F-C (Literary Analysis)

Cicero uses this passage to praise the poet Archias's ability to compose verses spontaneously. The temporal aspects are emphasized through: -

Use of perfect tense (vīdī) -

Pluperfect subjunctive (scrīpsisset) -

Imperfect subjunctive (agerentur) -

Temporal expressions (tum, ex tempore)

Part F-D (Grammatical Notes)

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"quotiēns" introduces indirect question -

"cum" introduces temporal clause with subjunctive -

Hyperbaton in "magnumque numerum optimōrum versuum" -

Complex sentence structure showing temporal relationships -

Use of demonstrative pronouns for emphasis

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Genre Section: Military Dispatch

Part A (Interleaved Text)

53.16 Prīmō on first diē day legiō legion nostra our iter march incepit began

53.17 Trēs three continuōs continuous diēs days per through montēs mountains prōcessimus we advanced

53.18 Quārtō on fourth diē day hostium of enemies explōrātōrēs scouts vīsī seen sunt were

53.19 Diērum of days quattuor four cibāria provisions mīlitēs soldiers portant carry

53.20 on that diē day hostēs enemies castra camp nostra our oppugnāvērunt attacked

53.21 Quīntō on fifth diē day ad to flūmen river magnum great pervēnimus we arrived

53.22 Diēbus in days decem ten pōns bridge perfectus completed est was

53.23 Posterō on next diē day legiōnēs legions flūmen river trānsiērunt crossed

53.24 Diēī of day occāsū at setting hostēs enemies themselves recēpērunt withdrew

53.25 Multōs many diēs days in in eōdem same locō place mānsimus we remained

53.26 Diēbus in days quīnque five nūllus no hostis enemy vīsus seen est was

53.27 Septimō on seventh diē day auxilium reinforcement advēnit arrived

53.28 Diēs day pugnae of battle ā by duce leader cōnstitūtus appointed est was

53.29 Proximīs in next diēbus days castra camp mūnīvimus we fortified

53.30 Diē on day illō that māgnā great cum with victōriā victory pugnāvimus we fought

Part B (Complete Sentences)

53.16 Prīmō diē legiō nostra iter incepit. On the first day, our legion began its march.

53.17 Trēs continuōs diēs per montēs prōcessimus. For three continuous days we advanced through the mountains.

53.18 Quārtō diē hostium explōrātōrēs vīsī sunt. On the fourth day, enemy scouts were seen.

53.19 Diērum quattuor cibāria mīlitēs portant. The soldiers carry provisions for four days.

53.20 Eō diē hostēs castra nostra oppugnāvērunt. On that day the enemies attacked our camp.

53.21 Quīntō diē ad flūmen magnum pervēnimus. On the fifth day we arrived at a great river.

53.22 Diēbus decem pōns perfectus est. In ten days the bridge was completed.

53.23 Posterō diē legiōnēs flūmen trānsiērunt. On the following day the legions crossed the river.

53.24 Diēī occāsū hostēs sē recēpērunt. At sunset the enemies withdrew.

53.25 Multōs diēs in eōdem locō mānsimus. We remained in the same place for many days.

53.26 Diēbus quīnque nūllus hostis vīsus est. For five days no enemy was seen.

53.27 Septimō diē auxilium advēnit. On the seventh day reinforcement arrived.

53.28 Diēs pugnae ā duce cōnstitūtus est. The day of battle was appointed by the leader.

53.29 Proximīs diēbus castra mūnīvimus. In the following days we fortified the camp.

53.30 Diē illō māgnā cum victōriā pugnāvimus. On that day we fought with great victory.

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Part C (Latin Text Only)

53.16 Prīmō diē legiō nostra iter incepit.

53.17 Trēs continuōs diēs per montēs prōcessimus.

53.18 Quārtō diē hostium explōrātōrēs vīsī sunt.

53.19 Diērum quattuor cibāria mīlitēs portant.

53.20 Eō diē hostēs castra nostra oppugnāvērunt.

53.21 Quīntō diē ad flūmen magnum pervēnimus.

53.22 Diēbus decem pōns perfectus est.

53.23 Posterō diē legiōnēs flūmen trānsiērunt.

53.24 Diēī occāsū hostēs sē recēpērunt.

53.25 Multōs diēs in eōdem locō mānsimus.

53.26 Diēbus quīnque nūllus hostis vīsus est.

53.27 Septimō diē auxilium advēnit.

53.28 Diēs pugnae ā duce cōnstitūtus est.

53.29 Proximīs diēbus castra mūnīvimus.

53.30 Diē illō māgnā cum victōriā pugnāvimus.

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Part D (Grammar Explanation with Concrete Examples)

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Time Expressions in Military Context: a) Ablative of Time When: -

Simple date: "prīmō diē" (on the first day) Example: "Prīmō diē legiō nostra iter incepit." -

With demonstrative: "eō diē" (on that day) Example: "Eō diē hostēs castra nostra oppugnāvērunt." -

With adjective: "posterō diē" (on the following day) Example: "Posterō diē legiōnēs flūmen trānsiērunt."

b) Accusative of Duration: -

With number: "trēs diēs" (for three days) Example: "Trēs continuōs diēs per montēs prōcessimus." -

With adjective: "multōs diēs" (for many days) Example: "Multōs diēs in eōdem locō mānsimus." -

Ordinal Numbers with diēs: -

"prīmō diē" (on the first day) -

"quārtō diē" (on the fourth day) -

"quīntō diē" (on the fifth day) -

"septimō diē" (on the seventh day) Example: "Septimō diē auxilium advēnit." -

Genitive Constructions: a) Possessive Genitive: -

"diēs pugnae" (day of battle) Example: "Diēs pugnae ā duce cōnstitūtus est."

b) Genitive of the Whole: -

"diērum quattuor cibāria" (provisions of four days) Example: "Diērum quattuor cibāria mīlitēs portant." -

Special Military Time Phrases: a) Time of Day: -

"diēī occāsū" (at sunset, ablative of time) Example: "Diēī occāsū hostēs sē recēpērunt."

b) Continuous Time: -

"continuōs diēs" (continuous days) Example: "Trēs continuōs diēs per montēs prōcessimus." -

Position and Word Order: a) Time Expression at Start (emphasizing when): -

"Prīmō diē legiō nostra iter incepit." -

"Quārtō diē hostium explōrātōrēs vīsī sunt."

b) Time Expression in Middle (emphasizing action): -

"Legiōnēs posterō diē flūmen trānsiērunt." -

"Hostēs eō diē castra oppugnāvērunt." -

Common Military Phrases: a) With Verbs of Motion: -

"iter incepit" (began the march) -

"prōcessimus" (we advanced) -

"pervēnimus" (we arrived) Example: "Quīntō diē ad flūmen magnum pervēnimus."

b) With Battle Terms: -

"pugnāvimus" (we fought) -

"oppugnāvērunt" (they attacked) Example: "Diē illō māgnā cum victōriā pugnāvimus." -

Passive Voice in Military Reports: -

"perfectus est" (was completed) -

"vīsus est" (was seen) -

"cōnstitūtus est" (was appointed) Example: "Diēbus decem pōns perfectus est."

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