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68.1 Pater father meus my bonus good vir man est is
68.2 Servī slaves bonī good rēgem king amant love
68.3 Magister teacher discipulīs to students bonās good fābulās stories nārrat tells
68.4 Hoc this bonum good cōnsilium plan nōn not est is
68.5 Agricola farmer bonōs good equōs horses habet has
68.6 Bonae good lēgēs laws cīvitātem state servant preserve
68.7 Mīles soldier bonī good ducis of leader verba words audit hears
68.8 Fīlius son bonae good mātris of mother sapiens wise est is
68.9 Cōnsul consul bonō to good populō people placet is pleasing
68.10 Hostēs enemies bonā by good fortūnā fortune vincimus we conquer
68.11 Dux leader bonīs with good armīs weapons pūgnat fights
68.12 Senātōrēs senators bona good verba words dīcunt say
68.13 Bonōrum of good amīcōrum friends auxilium help petimus we seek
68.14 Deī gods bonīs to good hominibus men fāvent favor
68.15 Bonō with good animō spirit labōrāmus we work
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68.1 Pater meus bonus vir est. My father is a good man.
68.2 Servī bonī rēgem amant. The good slaves love the king.
68.3 Magister discipulīs bonās fābulās nārrat. The teacher tells good stories to the students.
68.4 Hoc bonum cōnsilium nōn est. This is not a good plan.
68.5 Agricola bonōs equōs habet. The farmer has good horses.
68.6 Bonae lēgēs cīvitātem servant. Good laws preserve the state.
68.7 Mīles bonī ducis verba audit. The soldier hears the words of the good leader.
68.8 Fīlius bonae mātris sapiens est. The son of a good mother is wise.
68.9 Cōnsul bonō populō placet. The consul is pleasing to the good people.
68.10 Hostēs bonā fortūnā vincimus. We conquer the enemies by good fortune.
68.11 Dux bonīs armīs pūgnat. The leader fights with good weapons.
68.12 Senātōrēs bona verba dīcunt. The senators speak good words.
68.13 Bonōrum amīcōrum auxilium petimus. We seek the help of good friends.
68.14 Deī bonīs hominibus fāvent. The gods favor good men.
68.15 Bonō animō labōrāmus. We work with good spirit.
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68.1 Pater meus bonus vir est.
68.2 Servī bonī rēgem amant.
68.3 Magister discipulīs bonās fābulās nārrat.
68.4 Hoc bonum cōnsilium nōn est.
68.5 Agricola bonōs equōs habet.
68.6 Bonae lēgēs cīvitātem servant.
68.7 Mīles bonī ducis verba audit.
68.8 Fīlius bonae mātris sapiens est.
68.9 Cōnsul bonō populō placet.
68.10 Hostēs bonā fortūnā vincimus.
68.11 Dux bonīs armīs pūgnat.
68.12 Senātōrēs bona verba dīcunt.
68.13 Bonōrum amīcōrum auxilium petimus.
68.14 Deī bonīs hominibus fāvent.
68.15 Bonō animō labōrāmus.
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The adjective "bonus -a -um" follows the standard pattern for first and second declension adjectives in Latin. Here's how English speakers can understand its forms and usage: -
Basic Forms: -
Masculine: bonus (nominative singular) -
Feminine: bona (nominative singular) -
Neuter: bonum (nominative singular) -
Agreement Patterns: -
Agrees with its noun in gender, number, and case -
Examples: -
bonus vir (masculine singular nominative) -
bona māter (feminine singular nominative) -
bonum cōnsilium (neuter singular nominative) -
Common Cases: -
Nominative: bonus, bona, bonum (subject) -
Genitive: bonī, bonae, bonī (possession) -
Dative: bonō, bonae, bonō (indirect object) -
Accusative: bonum, bonam, bonum (direct object) -
Ablative: bonō, bonā, bonō (means/instrument) -
Usage Examples: -
As attributive adjective: bonus vir (good man) -
As predicate adjective: vir bonus est (the man is good) -
In oblique cases: bonī virī (of the good man)
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used "bonus" requires cultural context: -
Moral Significance: -
Represented moral excellence -
Connected to Roman virtues -
Important in political rhetoric -
Key concept in education -
Social Implications: -
"Bonus vir" meant more than just "good man" -
Indicated social standing -
Implied civic responsibility -
Related to ancestral values -
Literary Usage: -
Common in moral philosophy -
Used in political speeches -
Found in legal documents -
Important in poetry -
Modern Connections: -
Source of English "bonus" -
Used in academic terms -
Found in legal Latin -
Part of common phrases
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From Cicero's "Pro Roscio Amerino" (50):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Bonī good virī men et and sapientēs wise et and fortēs brave in in rē matter pūblicā public servandā to be preserved cūram care et and dīligentiam diligence adhibēre to apply dēbent ought
Bonī virī et sapientēs et fortēs in rē pūblicā servandā cūram et dīligentiam adhibēre dēbent.
Good, wise, and brave men ought to apply care and diligence in preserving the republic.
Cicero uses "bonus" here to describe the ideal Roman citizen. The word placement at the start emphasizes moral character as the foundation for public service.
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"bonī" is nominative plural masculine -
Coordinates three adjectives with "et" -
Uses gerundive construction -
Complex sentence structure showing obligation
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68.16 Magister teacher discipulum pupil rogat asks quid what sit might be bonum good
68.17 Discipulus pupil respondet replies multa many bona good things in in vītā life esse to be
68.18 Sed but magister teacher quaerit asks quid what summum highest bonum good sit might be
68.19 Discipulus pupil dīcit says virtūtem virtue bonum good maximum greatest esse to be
68.20 Sapientiam wisdom quoque also bonam good esse to be magister teacher docet teaches
68.21 Bonae good artēs skills hominēs men meliōrēs better faciunt make
68.22 Quī who bonus good esse to be vult wishes sapientiam wisdom quaerat should seek
68.23 Magister teacher dīcit says bonōs good librōs books mentem mind alere to nourish
68.24 Bona good verba words ex from bonō good animō spirit veniunt come
68.25 Discipulus pupil intellegit understands bonam good vītam life sine without labōre work nōn not esse to be
68.26 Magister teacher dīcit says bonōs good amīcōs friends vītam life beātam happy facere to make
68.27 Bonī good exemplī of example hominem man sequī to follow dēbēmus we ought
68.28 In in bonā good cīvitāte state bonae good lēgēs laws sunt are
68.29 Discipulus pupil nunc now scit knows quid what bonum good sit might be
68.30 Magister teacher gaudet rejoices quod because discipulus pupil bona good things intellegit understands
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68.16 Magister discipulum rogat quid sit bonum. The teacher asks the pupil what good is.
68.17 Discipulus respondet multa bona in vītā esse. The pupil replies that there are many good things in life.
68.18 Sed magister quaerit quid summum bonum sit. But the teacher asks what the highest good might be.
68.19 Discipulus dīcit virtūtem bonum maximum esse. The pupil says that virtue is the greatest good.
68.20 Sapientiam quoque bonam esse magister docet. The teacher teaches that wisdom too is good.
68.21 Bonae artēs hominēs meliōrēs faciunt. Good skills make men better.
68.22 Quī bonus esse vult sapientiam quaerat. Let him who wishes to be good seek wisdom.
68.23 Magister dīcit bonōs librōs mentem alere. The teacher says that good books nourish the mind.
68.24 Bona verba ex bonō animō veniunt. Good words come from a good spirit.
68.25 Discipulus intellegit bonam vītam sine labōre nōn esse. The pupil understands that a good life does not exist without work.
68.26 Magister dīcit bonōs amīcōs vītam beātam facere. The teacher says that good friends make life happy.
68.27 Bonī exemplī hominem sequī dēbēmus. We ought to follow a man of good example.
68.28 In bonā cīvitāte bonae lēgēs sunt. In a good state there are good laws.
68.29 Discipulus nunc scit quid bonum sit. The pupil now knows what good is.
68.30 Magister gaudet quod discipulus bona intellegit. The teacher rejoices because the pupil understands good things.
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68.16 Magister discipulum rogat quid sit bonum.
68.17 Discipulus respondet multa bona in vītā esse.
68.18 Sed magister quaerit quid summum bonum sit.
68.19 Discipulus dīcit virtūtem bonum maximum esse.
68.20 Sapientiam quoque bonam esse magister docet.
68.21 Bonae artēs hominēs meliōrēs faciunt.
68.22 Quī bonus esse vult sapientiam quaerat.
68.23 Magister dīcit bonōs librōs mentem alere.
68.24 Bona verba ex bonō animō veniunt.
68.25 Discipulus intellegit bonam vītam sine labōre nōn esse.
68.26 Magister dīcit bonōs amīcōs vītam beātam facere.
68.27 Bonī exemplī hominem sequī dēbēmus.
68.28 In bonā cīvitāte bonae lēgēs sunt.
68.29 Discipulus nunc scit quid bonum sit.
68.30 Magister gaudet quod discipulus bona intellegit.
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The philosophical dialogue demonstrates several important grammatical features of how "bonus" is used in abstract discussion: -
Substantive Use: -
"bonum" as abstract noun: "quid sit bonum" (what good is) -
Plural "bona" meaning "good things" -
Examples show both concrete and abstract uses -
Indirect Questions: -
With subjunctive: "quid sit bonum" -
In philosophical inquiry: "quid summum bonum sit" -
Shows how Romans discussed abstract concepts -
Case Usage: -
Nominative for definitions: "virtūtem bonum maximum esse" -
Accusative in indirect statements: "bonōs librōs mentem alere" -
Ablative in prepositional phrases: "ex bonō animō" -
Agreement Patterns: -
With different genders: "bonam vītam" -
With different numbers: "bonae lēgēs" -
In various syntactic roles -
Special Philosophical Constructions: -
Abstract discussions: "summum bonum" -
Moral qualities: "bonī exemplī" -
Ethical concepts: "bona intellegit" -
Comparison Forms: -
Positive: "bonus" -
Comparative: "meliōrēs" -
Shows gradation of moral qualities -
Word Order: -
Varied for emphasis -
Shows flexibility in Latin syntax -
Reflects natural philosophical discourse
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