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60.1 Noster our rēx king urbem city servāvit saved
60.2 Magnō to great rēgī king populus people pāret obeys
60.3 Fortis brave rēx king hostēs enemies vīcit conquered
60.4 Fīlius son rēgis of king exercitum army dūcit leads
60.5 Rēgī to king antīquō ancient templum temple sacrum sacred est is
60.6 Rēgem king bonum good cīvēs citizens amant love
60.7 Multī many rēgēs kings Rōmam Rome vīsitant visit
60.8 Deī gods rēgem king novum new iuvant help
60.9 Sapiens wise rēx king populō for people pācem peace petit seeks
60.10 Rēgum of kings antīquōrum ancient glōriam glory laudant they praise
60.11 Clārus famous rēx king bellum war parāvit prepared
60.12 Rēgēs kings potentēs powerful urbēs cities condunt found
60.13 Sub under rēge king iūstō just cīvēs citizens vīvunt live
60.14 Rēgibus to kings fīdēlibus faithful praemia rewards dantur are given
60.15 Sine without rēge king populus people līber free est is
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60.1 Noster rēx urbem servāvit. Our king saved the city.
60.2 Magnō rēgī populus pāret. The people obey the great king.
60.3 Fortis rēx hostēs vīcit. The brave king conquered the enemies.
60.4 Fīlius rēgis exercitum dūcit. The king's son leads the army.
60.5 Rēgī antīquō templum sacrum est. The temple is sacred to the ancient king.
60.6 Rēgem bonum cīvēs amant. The citizens love the good king.
60.7 Multī rēgēs Rōmam vīsitant. Many kings visit Rome.
60.8 Deī rēgem novum iuvant. The gods help the new king.
60.9 Sapiens rēx populō pācem petit. The wise king seeks peace for the people.
60.10 Rēgum antīquōrum glōriam laudant. They praise the glory of the ancient kings.
60.11 Clārus rēx bellum parāvit. The famous king prepared for war.
60.12 Rēgēs potentēs urbēs condunt. Powerful kings found cities.
60.13 Sub rēge iūstō cīvēs vīvunt. The citizens live under a just king.
60.14 Rēgibus fīdēlibus praemia dantur. Rewards are given to faithful kings.
60.15 Sine rēge populus līber est. Without a king, the people are free.
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60.1 Noster rēx urbem servāvit.
60.2 Magnō rēgī populus pāret.
60.3 Fortis rēx hostēs vīcit.
60.4 Fīlius rēgis exercitum dūcit.
60.5 Rēgī antīquō templum sacrum est.
60.6 Rēgem bonum cīvēs amant.
60.7 Multī rēgēs Rōmam vīsitant.
60.8 Deī rēgem novum iuvant.
60.9 Sapiens rēx populō pācem petit.
60.10 Rēgum antīquōrum glōriam laudant.
60.11 Clārus rēx bellum parāvit.
60.12 Rēgēs potentēs urbēs condunt.
60.13 Sub rēge iūstō cīvēs vīvunt.
60.14 Rēgibus fīdēlibus praemia dantur.
60.15 Sine rēge populus līber est.
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The noun "rēx" has several important features for English speakers to understand: -
Form and Declension: -
Third declension masculine noun -
Nominative singular shows consonant stem: rēx -
Other cases reveal true stem: rēg- -
Full Declension: Singular: -
Nominative: rēx -
Genitive: rēgis -
Dative: rēgī -
Accusative: rēgem -
Ablative: rēge
Plural: -
Nominative: rēgēs -
Genitive: rēgum -
Dative: rēgibus -
Accusative: rēgēs -
Ablative: rēgibus -
Common Uses: -
Subject (Nom.): rēx imperat (the king commands) -
Possession (Gen.): fīlius rēgis (son of the king) -
Indirect Object (Dat.): rēgī pārent (they obey the king) -
Direct Object (Acc.): rēgem vident (they see the king) -
Ablative constructions: -
with prepositions: sub rēge (under the king) -
without prepositions: rēge mortuō (with the king having died) -
Special Constructions: -
With possessive adjectives: noster rēx (our king) -
With descriptive adjectives: rēx bonus (good king) -
In prepositional phrases: sine rēge (without a king)
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For English speakers, understanding "rēx" requires cultural context: -
Roman Kingship: -
Seven legendary kings of Rome -
Ended with expulsion of Tarquinius Superbus -
Romans later opposed monarchy -
Term retained negative connotations -
Religious Significance: -
Rēx sacrōrum (religious office) -
Kings as intermediaries with gods -
Sacred duties and restrictions -
Religious ceremonies and rituals -
Political Context: -
Early Roman constitution -
Transition to Republic -
Foreign kings and client kingdoms -
Imperial period attitudes -
Modern Connections: -
Source of English "regal," "royal" -
Comparative institutions -
Cultural influences -
Historical legacy
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From Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (1.4):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Numitor Numitor inter among prīmōs the first tumultū by the tumult excitus aroused, cum when hostīlis hostile exercitus army adesse to be present nūntiārētur was announced, dum while in into arcem citadel praesidiō with garrison armīsque and arms obtinendae of holding causā for the sake pergit proceeds rēx king Amūlius Amulius iam now ā by iuvenibus young men captus captured erat had been.
Numitor inter prīmōs tumultū excitus, cum hostīlis exercitus adesse nūntiārētur, dum in arcem praesidiō armīsque obtinendae causā pergit, rēx Amūlius iam ā iuvenibus captus erat.
Numitor, among the first to be aroused by the tumult, when a hostile army was announced to be present, while he proceeded to the citadel with a garrison and arms for the sake of holding it, King Amulius had already been captured by the young men.
Livy uses this passage to describe the overthrow of King Amulius. Key features: -
Complex sentence structure -
Multiple temporal clauses -
Dramatic timing -
Historical present tense -
Emphasis on action and consequence
-
"rēx" in apposition with "Amūlius" -
Ablative absolute "tumultū excitus" -
Temporal cum clause with subjunctive -
Purpose clause with gerundive -
Pluperfect passive "captus erat"
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60.16 Antīquus ancient rēx king Rōmānōrum of Romans urbem city pulchram beautiful condidit founded
60.17 Multōs many annōs years rēx king iūstē justly populō people imperāvit ruled
60.18 Sub under rēge king sapientī wise cīvēs citizens fēlīcēs happy erant were
60.19 Templum temple māgnum great rēx king deīs to gods aedificāvit built
60.20 Fīlius son rēgis of king fortis brave in in bellō war pugnāvit fought
60.21 Post after mortem death rēgis of king populus people novum new rēgem king quaerēbat was seeking
60.22 Rēgēs kings aliārum of other gentium nations dōna gifts pretiōsa precious mittēbant were sending
60.23 Deī gods immortālēs immortal rēgī to king victōriam victory prōmīsērunt promised
60.24 Multae many gentēs nations rēgem king potentem powerful timēbant feared
60.25 Sine without bonō good rēge king pāx peace nōn not stat stands
60.26 Rēgum of kings veterum old glōriam glory poētae poets cantant sing
60.27 Rēx king sapiēns wise lēgēs laws iūstās just scrīpsit wrote
60.28 Rēgibus to kings multārum of many terrārum lands imperātor emperor imperat commands
60.29 Ōrācula oracles rēgī to king futūra future things nūntiāvērunt announced
60.30 Rēgēs kings antīquī ancient populum people ad to virtūtem virtue dūcēbant were leading
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60.16 Antīquus rēx Rōmānōrum urbem pulchram condidit. The ancient king of the Romans founded a beautiful city.
60.17 Multōs annōs rēx iūstē populō imperāvit. For many years the king ruled justly over the people.
60.18 Sub rēge sapientī cīvēs fēlīcēs erant. Under the wise king, the citizens were happy.
60.19 Templum māgnum rēx deīs aedificāvit. The king built a great temple for the gods.
60.20 Fīlius rēgis fortis in bellō pugnāvit. The brave son of the king fought in war.
60.21 Post mortem rēgis populus novum rēgem quaerēbat. After the death of the king, the people were seeking a new king.
60.22 Rēgēs aliārum gentium dōna pretiōsa mittēbant. The kings of other nations were sending precious gifts.
60.23 Deī immortālēs rēgī victōriam prōmīsērunt. The immortal gods promised victory to the king.
60.24 Multae gentēs rēgem potentem timēbant. Many nations feared the powerful king.
60.25 Sine bonō rēge pāx nōn stat. Without a good king, peace does not stand.
60.26 Rēgum veterum glōriam poētae cantant. The poets sing of the glory of the ancient kings.
60.27 Rēx sapiēns lēgēs iūstās scrīpsit. The wise king wrote just laws.
60.28 Rēgibus multārum terrārum imperātor imperat. The emperor commands the kings of many lands.
60.29 Ōrācula rēgī futūra nūntiāvērunt. The oracles announced future things to the king.
60.30 Rēgēs antīquī populum ad virtūtem dūcēbant. The ancient kings were leading the people toward virtue.
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60.16 Antīquus rēx Rōmānōrum urbem pulchram condidit.
60.17 Multōs annōs rēx iūstē populō imperāvit.
60.18 Sub rēge sapientī cīvēs fēlīcēs erant.
60.19 Templum māgnum rēx deīs aedificāvit.
60.20 Fīlius rēgis fortis in bellō pugnāvit.
60.21 Post mortem rēgis populus novum rēgem quaerēbat.
60.22 Rēgēs aliārum gentium dōna pretiōsa mittēbant.
60.23 Deī immortālēs rēgī victōriam prōmīsērunt.
60.24 Multae gentēs rēgem potentem timēbant.
60.25 Sine bonō rēge pāx nōn stat.
60.26 Rēgum veterum glōriam poētae cantant.
60.27 Rēx sapiēns lēgēs iūstās scrīpsit.
60.28 Rēgibus multārum terrārum imperātor imperat.
60.29 Ōrācula rēgī futūra nūntiāvērunt.
60.30 Rēgēs antīquī populum ad virtūtem dūcēbant.
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Historical Narrative Features: -
Use of perfect tense for completed actions (condidit, aedificāvit) -
Imperfect tense for ongoing situations (imperāvit, dūcēbant) -
Variety of subordinate clauses typical of historical writing -
Rich use of descriptive adjectives -
Case Usage in Historical Context: a) Genitive Constructions: -
Possession: fīlius rēgis (son of the king) -
Description: rēgum veterum (of ancient kings) -
Partitive: aliārum gentium (of other nations)
b) Dative Uses: -
Indirect object: rēgī victōriam (victory to the king) -
Reference: populō imperāvit (ruled for the people) -
Purpose: deīs aedificāvit (built for the gods)
c) Accusative Functions: -
Direct object: urbem condidit (founded a city) -
Duration of time: multōs annōs (for many years) -
Object of preposition: ad virtūtem (toward virtue) -
Word Order Patterns in Historical Writing: -
Variation for emphasis: templum māgnum rēx (the king a great temple) -
Natural Latin order: rēx populō imperāvit (the king over the people ruled) -
Periodic sentence structure: post mortem rēgis... (after the death of the king...) -
Special Historical Constructions: -
Ablative absolute: rēge mortuō (the king having died) -
Historical present: populus quaerit (the people seek) -
Ablative of means: lēgibus regere (to rule by laws) -
Temporal Expressions: -
Time when: eō tempore (at that time) -
Duration: multōs annōs (for many years) -
Sequence: post mortem (after death) -
Stylistic Features of Historical Prose: -
Chiasmus: rēx magnus, fortis dux (great king, brave leader) -
Alliteration: populum ad pācem (people toward peace) -
Parallelism: rēgēs vinciunt, ducēs dūcunt (kings conquer, leaders lead)
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