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82.1 Magna great urbs city magnī great est is
82.2 Ad to urbem city hōc this diē day vēnimus we came
82.3 Hostēs enemies urbem city nostram our oppugnant attack
82.4 Mīlitēs soldiers urbī for city auxilium help ferunt bring
82.5 Dux leader urbis of city fortis brave erat was
82.6 In in urbe city multī many cīvēs citizens habitant dwell
82.7 Rōmam Rome urbem city clāram famous vidēmus we see
82.8 Mūrī walls urbis of city altī high sunt are
82.9 Hostēs enemies ab from urbe city fūgērunt fled
82.10 Urbs city nostra our septem seven portās gates habet has
82.11 Cīvēs citizens urbem city suam their own dēfendunt defend
82.12 Ex from urbe city magnā great vēnit comes poēta poet
82.13 Ad to portam gate urbis of city properāmus we hurry
82.14 Urbēs cities multae many in in Italiā Italy sunt are
82.15 Senātus senate populum people urbis of city regit rules
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82.1 Magna urbs pulchra est. The great city is beautiful.
82.2 Ad urbem hōc diē vēnimus. We came to the city on this day.
82.3 Hostēs urbem nostram oppugnant. The enemies are attacking our city.
82.4 Mīlitēs urbī auxilium ferunt. The soldiers bring help to the city.
82.5 Dux urbis fortis erat. The leader of the city was brave.
82.6 In urbe multī cīvēs habitant. Many citizens dwell in the city.
82.7 Rōmam urbem clāram vidēmus. We see Rome, the famous city.
82.8 Mūrī urbis altī sunt. The walls of the city are high.
82.9 Hostēs ab urbe fūgērunt. The enemies fled from the city.
82.10 Urbs nostra septem portās habet. Our city has seven gates.
82.11 Cīvēs urbem suam dēfendunt. The citizens defend their own city.
82.12 Ex urbe magnā vēnit poēta. From the great city comes the poet.
82.13 Ad portam urbis properāmus. We hurry to the gate of the city.
82.14 Urbēs multae in Italiā sunt. There are many cities in Italy.
82.15 Senātus populum urbis regit. The senate rules the people of the city.
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82.1 Magna urbs pulchra est.
82.2 Ad urbem hōc diē vēnimus.
82.3 Hostēs urbem nostram oppugnant.
82.4 Mīlitēs urbī auxilium ferunt.
82.5 Dux urbis fortis erat.
82.6 In urbe multī cīvēs habitant.
82.7 Rōmam urbem clāram vidēmus.
82.8 Mūrī urbis altī sunt.
82.9 Hostēs ab urbe fūgērunt.
82.10 Urbs nostra septem portās habet.
82.11 Cīvēs urbem suam dēfendunt.
82.12 Ex urbe magnā vēnit poēta.
82.13 Ad portam urbis properāmus.
82.14 Urbēs multae in Italiā sunt.
82.15 Senātus populum urbis regit.
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The noun "urbs" has several important features for English speakers to understand: -
Basic Information: -
Third declension feminine noun -
Means "city" (especially a large, important city) -
Regular third declension pattern -
Stem: urb- -
Declension Pattern: Singular: -
Nominative: urbs -
Genitive: urbis -
Dative: urbī -
Accusative: urbem -
Ablative: urbe
Plural: -
Nominative: urbēs -
Genitive: urbium -
Dative: urbibus -
Accusative: urbēs -
Ablative: urbibus -
Common Uses in Our Examples: -
Subject: "Urbs nostra septem portās habet" -
Direct object: "Cīvēs urbem suam dēfendunt" -
With prepositions: "in urbe," "ab urbe," "ex urbe" -
Possessive genitive: "mūrī urbis" -
Apposition: "Rōmam urbem clāram" -
Special Constructions: -
In apposition with proper names of cities -
Common in prepositional phrases -
Often modified by possessive adjectives -
Frequently used with defensive terminology
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For English speakers, understanding "urbs" requires cultural context: -
Roman Urban Concepts: -
Distinguished from smaller towns (oppida) -
Required certain legal/religious status -
Center of Roman administration -
Focus of cultural/economic life -
The Ideal City: -
Regular street layout -
Central forum -
Public buildings and temples -
Defensive walls -
Water supply system -
Urban Life: -
Dense population -
Mixed social classes -
Commercial activity -
Religious ceremonies -
Political gatherings -
Modern Relevance: -
Source of English "urban" -
Model for later city planning -
Influence on modern terminology -
Cultural importance of cities
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From Livy's "Ab Urbe Condita" (1.16.7):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Deinde then ab from illā that tempestāte storm cum when ad to terram earth cum with totō entire exercitū army sē himself recēpisset had withdrawn, urbem city novam new conditam founded vī by force et and armīs arms iūre by law ac and lēgibus laws dē from integrō fresh condere to establish parat prepares.
"Deinde ab illā tempestāte cum ad terram cum totō exercitū sē recēpisset, urbem novam conditam vī et armīs iūre ac lēgibus dē integrō condere parat."
Then, after he had withdrawn to land with his entire army from that storm, he prepares to establish anew with law and legislation the new city that had been founded by force and arms.
Livy uses "urbs" here to emphasize the transformation of Rome from a military settlement to a legally constituted city. The contrast between "vī et armīs" and "iūre ac lēgibus" highlights this transition.
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"urbem" as direct object of "condere" -
Perfect passive participle "conditam" -
Ablative of means: "vī et armīs," "iūre ac lēgibus" -
Complex sentence structure with cum clause -
Use of present tense "parat" for dramatic effect
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82.16 Antiquīs in ancient temporibus times urbs city parva small erat was
82.17 Multī many hominēs people novam new urbem city aedificāre to build coeperunt began
82.18 Prīmō at first urbs city parvōs small mūrōs walls habēbat had
82.19 Paulātim gradually urbis of city potentia power crēvit grew
82.20 Mercātōrēs merchants ex from multīs many terrīs lands ad to urbem city veniēbant were coming
82.21 Annīs in years sequentibus following urbs city nova new templa temples aedificāvit built
82.22 Senātōrēs senators in in urbe city lēgēs laws novās new scrībēbant were writing
82.23 Cīvēs citizens urbem city suam their magis more amābant were loving
82.24 Deinde then urbs city caput head magnī of great imperiī empire facta made est was
82.25 Aliī other populī peoples urbis of city potentiam power timēbant were fearing
82.26 Multī many ducēs leaders urbem city capere to capture temptāvērunt tried
82.27 Sed but urbs city semper always hostēs enemies vīcit conquered
82.28 Poētae poets dē about urbe city immortālī immortal cantābant were singing
82.29 Urbs city divitiās riches ex from omnibus all terrīs lands accēpit received
82.30 Tandem at last urbs city māxima greatest totīus of whole orbis world facta made est was
82.21 Annīs sequentibus urbs nova templa aedificāvit. In the following years, the city built new temples.
82.22 Senātōrēs in urbe lēgēs novās scrībēbant. The senators in the city were writing new laws.
82.23 Cīvēs urbem suam magis amābant. The citizens loved their city more.
82.24 Deinde urbs caput magnī imperiī facta est. Then the city was made the capital of a great empire.
82.25 Aliī populī urbis potentiam timēbant. Other peoples feared the city's power.
82.26 Multī ducēs urbem capere temptāvērunt. Many leaders tried to capture the city.
82.27 Sed urbs semper hostēs vīcit. But the city always conquered its enemies.
82.28 Poētae dē urbe immortālī cantābant. Poets were singing about the immortal city.
82.29 Urbs divitiās ex omnibus terrīs accēpit. The city received riches from all lands.
82.30 Tandem urbs māxima totīus orbis facta est. Finally the city was made the greatest of the whole world.
82.16 Antiquīs temporibus urbs parva erat.
82.17 Multī hominēs novam urbem aedificāre coeperunt.
82.18 Prīmō urbs parvōs mūrōs habēbat.
82.19 Paulātim urbis potentia crēvit.
82.20 Mercātōrēs ex multīs terrīs ad urbem veniēbant.
82.21 Annīs sequentibus urbs nova templa aedificāvit.
82.22 Senātōrēs in urbe lēgēs novās scrībēbant.
82.23 Cīvēs urbem suam magis amābant.
82.24 Deinde urbs caput magnī imperiī facta est.
82.25 Aliī populī urbis potentiam timēbant.
82.26 Multī ducēs urbem capere temptāvērunt.
82.27 Sed urbs semper hostēs vīcit.
82.28 Poētae dē urbe immortālī cantābant.
82.29 Urbs divitiās ex omnibus terrīs accēpit.
82.30 Tandem urbs māxima totīus orbis facta est.
The historical narrative section demonstrates several important grammatical features: -
Temporal Development: -
Use of time expressions: "antiquīs temporibus," "prīmō," "paulātim," "deinde," "tandem" -
Imperfect tense for background description: "erat," "habēbat," "veniēbant" -
Perfect tense for completed actions: "crēvit," "aedificāvit," "vīcit" -
Case Usage with "urbs": -
Nominative as subject: "urbs parva erat" -
Accusative as object: "urbem capere temptāvērunt" -
Genitive showing possession: "urbis potentia" -
Ablative with prepositions: "in urbe," "dē urbe" -
Complex Constructions: -
Passive periphrastic: "facta est" -
Complementary infinitive: "aedificāre coeperunt" -
Descriptive ablative: "antiquīs temporibus" -
Partitive genitive: "totīus orbis" -
Word Order Patterns: -
Varying position of "urbs" for emphasis -
Natural Latin word order with verbs often final -
Adjective placement both before and after nouns -
Use of connectors: "sed," "deinde," "tandem" -
Historical Style Elements: -
Progressive development of narrative -
Mix of narrative tenses -
Use of concrete and abstract nouns -
Balance of physical and political description
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