← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
77.1 Aliquis someone ē from turbā crowd clāmat shouts
77.2 Nātūra nature nōbīs to us aliquid something semper always dat gives
77.3 Pater father aliquem someone exspectat awaits ante before portam gate
77.4 Aliquā by some viā way domum home redīre to return dēbēmus we ought
77.5 Magister teacher discipulīs to students aliquid something novī new nārrat tells
77.6 Aliquod some auxilium help mīlitibus to soldiers mittere to send volunt they wish
77.7 Alicui to someone epistulam letter scrīpsistī you wrote heri yesterday
77.8 In in silvā forest aliquid something movētur moves
77.9 Māter mother aliquam some spem hope semper always habet has
77.10 Alicuius of someone vōcem voice in in hortō garden audiō I hear
77.11 Aliquid something bonī good ex from perīculō danger discimus we learn
77.12 Aliquō to some tempore time rēx king veniet will come
77.13 Fīlius son aliquam some rem thing patrem father rogat asks
77.14 Aliquibus to some amīcīs friends dōna gifts dedī I gave
77.15 Hostēs enemies aliquōs some equōs horses invēnērunt found
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77.1 Aliquis ē turbā clāmat. Someone from the crowd shouts.
77.2 Nātūra nōbīs aliquid semper dat. Nature always gives us something.
77.3 Ante portam pater aliquem exspectat. Father awaits someone before the gate.
77.4 Aliquā viā domum redīre dēbēmus. We ought to return home by some way.
77.5 Discipulīs magister aliquid novī nārrat. The teacher tells the students something new.
77.6 Mīlitibus aliquod auxilium mittere volunt. They wish to send some help to the soldiers.
77.7 Alicui epistulam herī scrīpsistī. You wrote a letter to someone yesterday.
77.8 In silvā aliquid movētur. Something moves in the forest.
77.9 Māter spem aliquam semper habet. Mother always has some hope.
77.10 Vōcem alicuius in hortō audiō. I hear someone's voice in the garden.
77.11 Ex perīculō aliquid bonī discimus. We learn something good from danger.
77.12 Tempore aliquō rēx veniet. The king will come at some time.
77.13 Patrem fīlius rem aliquam rogat. The son asks his father about something.
77.14 Dōna aliquibus amīcīs dedī. I gave gifts to some friends.
77.15 Aliquōs equōs hostēs invēnērunt. The enemies found some horses.
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77.1 Aliquis ē turbā clāmat.
77.2 Nātūra nōbīs aliquid semper dat.
77.3 Ante portam pater aliquem exspectat.
77.4 Aliquā viā domum redīre dēbēmus.
77.5 Discipulīs magister aliquid novī nārrat.
77.6 Mīlitibus aliquod auxilium mittere volunt.
77.7 Alicui epistulam herī scrīpsistī.
77.8 In silvā aliquid movētur.
77.9 Māter spem aliquam semper habet.
77.10 Vōcem alicuius in hortō audiō.
77.11 Ex perīculō aliquid bonī discimus.
77.12 Tempore aliquō rēx veniet.
77.13 Patrem fīlius rem aliquam rogat.
77.14 Dōna aliquibus amīcīs dedī.
77.15 Aliquōs equōs hostēs invēnērunt.
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For English speakers, understanding "aliquis" requires attention to several key points: -
Forms: -
Masculine: aliquis, alicuius, alicui, aliquem, aliquō -
Feminine: aliqua, alicuius, alicui, aliquam, aliquā -
Neuter: aliquid/aliquod, alicuius, alicui, aliquid/aliquod, aliquō -
Special Features: -
Two neuter nominative/accusative forms: -
aliquid (substantive): "something" -
aliquod (adjective): "some" -
Irregular declension mixing pronouns and adjectives -
Often used with partitive genitive -
Common Uses: -
As indefinite pronoun ("someone, something") -
As adjective ("some, any") -
In conditional clauses ("if anyone") -
With partitive expressions ("something of...") -
Examples from the lesson: -
Substantive use: "Aliquis ē turbā clāmat" -
Adjectival use: "Aliquam spem māter habet" -
With genitive: "Aliquid bonī" -
Dative indirect object: "Alicui epistulam scrīpsistī"
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used "aliquis" requires cultural context: -
Social Usage: -
Polite indefiniteness in requests -
Diplomatic vagueness in official contexts -
Common in philosophical discussions -
Used in legal terminology -
Literary Context: -
Found in all genres of Latin literature -
Especially common in: -
Letters (polite requests) -
Philosophy (hypotheticals) -
History (uncertain details) -
Poetry (suggestive imagery) -
Modern Connections: -
Similar to English "someone/something" -
Used in scientific terminology -
Found in legal Latin phrases -
Important in philosophical terms -
Common Phrases: -
"aliquid novi" (something new) -
"si quis" (if anyone) -
"aliquā ratione" (somehow) -
"aliquo modo" (in some way)
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From Cicero's "Pro Roscio Amerino" (34.95):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Necesse necessary est it is sit there may be aliquid something in in rē matter pūblicā public tantum so great scelus crime et and nefārium wicked facinus deed occultum hidden, quod which nunc now cum when māximē especially fit happens, id that exsistat should come forth, id that appāreat should appear.
Necesse est sit aliquid in rē pūblicā tantum scelus et nefārium facinus occultum, quod nunc cum māximē fit, id exsistat, id appāreat.
It is necessary that there should be some such great crime and wicked deed hidden in the state, which is happening right now with especial force, that it should come forth, that it should appear.
Cicero uses "aliquid" here to suggest the existence of a hidden crime, building suspense through: -
Indefinite pronoun with attributive adjectives -
Series of subjunctive verbs -
Climactic structure -
Emphatic repetition
-
"aliquid" as subject of impersonal construction -
Complex sentence with relative clause -
Multiple subjunctive verbs -
Demonstrative pronouns for emphasis
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77.16 Sī if quis anyone aliquid something contrā against lēgēs laws facit does
77.17 Aliquod some crīmen crime in in cīvitāte city commissum committed est has been
77.18 Iūdex judge aliquem someone testem witness vocat calls
77.19 Alicui to someone poenam punishment dare to give dēbēmus we ought
77.20 Aliquis someone dē about iniūriā injury queritur complains
77.21 Aliquā by some causā reason reus defendant sē himself dēfendit defends
77.22 Senātus senate aliquid something dē about hāc this rē matter dēcernit decides
77.23 Aliquibus to some testibus witnesses iūdex judge nōn not crēdit believes
77.24 Alicuius of someone testimōnium testimony falsum false erat was
77.25 Praetor praetor aliquod some iūdicium judgment dare to give dēbet ought
77.26 Aliquam some pecūniam money reus defendant solvere to pay coāctus compelled est is
77.27 Aliquis someone ex from senātū senate lēgem law novam new scrībit writes
77.28 Aliquō at some tempore time sententia verdict danda to be given est is
77.29 Aliquae some causae cases gravēs serious sunt are
77.30 Aliquibus in some locīs places iūstitia justice nōn not est is
77.16 Sī quis aliquid contrā lēgēs facit. If anyone does something against the laws.
77.17 Aliquod crīmen in cīvitāte commissum est. Some crime has been committed in the city.
77.18 Iūdex aliquem testem vocat. The judge calls some witness.
77.19 Alicui poenam dare dēbēmus. We ought to give punishment to someone.
77.20 Aliquis dē iniūriā queritur. Someone complains about an injury.
77.21 Aliquā causā reus sē dēfendit. The defendant defends himself for some reason.
77.22 Senātus aliquid dē hāc rē dēcernit. The senate decides something about this matter.
77.23 Aliquibus testibus iūdex nōn crēdit. The judge does not believe some witnesses.
77.24 Alicuius testimōnium falsum erat. Someone's testimony was false.
77.25 Praetor aliquod iūdicium dare dēbet. The praetor ought to give some judgment.
77.26 Aliquam pecūniam reus solvere coāctus est. The defendant was compelled to pay some money.
77.27 Aliquis ex senātū lēgem novam scrībit. Someone from the senate writes a new law.
77.28 Aliquō tempore sententia danda est. At some time the verdict must be given.
77.29 Aliquae causae gravēs sunt. Some cases are serious.
77.30 Aliquibus locīs iūstitia nōn est. In some places there is no justice.
77.16 Sī quis aliquid contrā lēgēs facit.
77.17 Aliquod crīmen in cīvitāte commissum est.
77.18 Iūdex aliquem testem vocat.
77.19 Alicui poenam dare dēbēmus.
77.20 Aliquis dē iniūriā queritur.
77.21 Aliquā causā reus sē dēfendit.
77.22 Senātus aliquid dē hāc rē dēcernit.
77.23 Aliquibus testibus iūdex nōn crēdit.
77.24 Alicuius testimōnium falsum erat.
77.25 Praetor aliquod iūdicium dare dēbet.
77.26 Aliquam pecūniam reus solvere coāctus est.
77.27 Aliquis ex senātū lēgem novam scrībit.
77.28 Aliquō tempore sententia danda est.
77.29 Aliquae causae gravēs sunt.
77.30 Aliquibus locīs iūstitia nōn est.
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Legal Uses of aliquis: -
In conditional clauses: "sī quis" (if anyone) -
With criminal accusations: "aliquod crīmen" (some crime) -
In witness statements: "aliquis testis" (some witness) -
For undefined penalties: "aliqua poena" (some punishment) -
Case Usage in Legal Context: -
Nominative for subjects: "aliquis queritur" (someone complains) -
Dative for indirect objects: "alicui poenam dare" (to give punishment to someone) -
Accusative for direct objects: "aliquam pecūniam solvere" (to pay some money) -
Ablative for circumstances: "aliquā causā" (for some reason) -
Common Legal Phrases: -
"aliquid contrā lēgēs" (something against the laws) -
"aliquod iūdicium" (some judgment) -
"aliqua causa" (some legal case) -
"aliquis testis" (some witness) -
Syntactic Patterns in Legal Language: -
With gerundives: "sententia danda est" (the verdict must be given) -
In passive constructions: "commissum est" (has been committed) -
With modal verbs: "dēbēmus" (we ought) -
In impersonal constructions: "necesse est" (it is necessary)
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