← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
90.1 Magis more virtūte by virtue quam than aurō by gold patriam fatherland servāmus we serve
90.2 Fīlius son magis more quam than pater father labōrat works
90.3 Sapientēs wise men magis more mente by mind quam than armīs by arms pugnant fight
90.4 Magis more populō to people quam than senātuī to senate placet it pleases
90.5 Magister teacher discipulōs pupils magis more laudat praises quam than culpat blames
90.6 Amīcus friend meus my magis more dīvitiās riches quam than virtūtem virtue amat loves
90.7 Pācem peace magis more quam than bellum war petimus we seek
90.8 Cīvēs citizens rēgem king magis more timent fear quam than amant love
90.9 Magis more labōre by work quam than fortūnā by fortune dīves rich sum I am
90.10 Lēgēs laws magis more quam than homō man rēgunt rule
90.11 Fīlia daughter magis more studiōsa studious quam than frāter brother est is
90.12 Magis more spē by hope quam than metū by fear mīlitēs soldiers vincunt conquer
90.13 Hostēs enemies magis more numerō in number quam than virtūte in virtue valent are strong
90.14 Magis more factīs by deeds quam than verbīs by words crēdimus we believe
90.15 Senex old man magis more sapientiā by wisdom quam than vīribus by strength valet is strong
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90.1 Virtūte magis quam aurō patriam servāmus. We serve our country more by virtue than by gold.
90.2 Fīlius magis quam pater labōrat. The son works more than the father.
90.3 Sapientēs mente magis quam armīs pugnant. The wise fight more with mind than with arms.
90.4 Populō magis quam senātuī placet. It pleases the people more than the senate.
90.5 Discipulōs magister magis laudat quam culpat. The teacher praises his pupils more than he blames them.
90.6 Amīcus meus dīvitiās magis quam virtūtem amat. My friend loves riches more than virtue.
90.7 Pācem magis quam bellum petimus. We seek peace more than war.
90.8 Rēgem cīvēs magis timent quam amant. The citizens fear the king more than they love him.
90.9 Labōre magis quam fortūnā dīves sum. I am rich more by work than by fortune.
90.10 Lēgēs magis quam homō rēgunt. Laws rule more than man.
90.11 Fīlia studiōsa magis quam frāter est. The daughter is more studious than the brother.
90.12 Spē magis quam metū mīlitēs vincunt. Soldiers conquer more by hope than by fear.
90.13 Numerō magis quam virtūte hostēs valent. The enemies are strong more in number than in virtue.
90.14 Factīs magis quam verbīs crēdimus. We believe more in deeds than in words.
90.15 Sapientiā magis quam vīribus senex valet. The old man is strong more in wisdom than in physical strength.
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90.1 Virtūte magis quam aurō patriam servāmus.
90.2 Fīlius magis quam pater labōrat.
90.3 Sapientēs mente magis quam armīs pugnant.
90.4 Populō magis quam senātuī placet.
90.5 Discipulōs magister magis laudat quam culpat.
90.6 Amīcus meus dīvitiās magis quam virtūtem amat.
90.7 Pācem magis quam bellum petimus.
90.8 Rēgem cīvēs magis timent quam amant.
90.9 Labōre magis quam fortūnā dīves sum.
90.10 Lēgēs magis quam homō rēgunt.
90.11 Fīlia studiōsa magis quam frāter est.
90.12 Spē magis quam metū mīlitēs vincunt.
90.13 Numerō magis quam virtūte hostēs valent.
90.14 Factīs magis quam verbīs crēdimus.
90.15 Sapientiā magis quam vīribus senex valet.
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The adverb "magis" (more) is essential for making comparisons in Latin. Here are the key points for English speakers: -
Basic Usage: -
Functions as comparative adverb -
Always paired with "quam" (than) -
Different from comparative adjective endings (-ior, -ius) -
Word Order: -
Usually placed before the element being compared -
Can appear in various positions for emphasis -
Often separates compared elements -
Case Usage: -
Same case on both sides of "quam" -
Example: "Virtūte magis quam aurō" (both ablative) -
Maintains parallel structure -
Common Patterns: -
With verbs: "magis laudat quam culpat" -
With nouns: "magis spē quam metū" -
With adjectives: "magis studiōsa" -
Special Constructions: -
Can modify whole phrases -
Used with abstract concepts -
Creates emphasis in philosophical statements
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For English speakers, understanding "magis" requires cultural context: -
Roman Values: -
Comparisons central to Roman rhetoric -
Used in political speeches -
Important in moral philosophy -
Educational Use: -
Common in teaching -
Used for moral instruction -
Found in proverbs and maxims -
Literary Context: -
Frequent in poetry -
Used for emphasis -
Creates balanced phrases -
Modern Connections: -
Similar to English "more" -
Used in Latin mottos -
Found in academic phrases
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From Cicero's "De Officiis" (1.65):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Sunt there are autem however quī who magis more quod what decōrum proper est is quam than quod what honestum honorable est is sequantur follow, et and quī who haec these things nōn not tam so much rēbus by things quam than verbīs by words ponderanda to be weighed existiment they think.
Sunt autem quī magis quod decōrum est quam quod honestum est sequantur, et quī haec nōn tam rēbus quam verbīs ponderanda existiment.
There are, however, those who follow what is proper more than what is honorable, and who think these things should be weighed not so much by actions as by words.
Cicero uses "magis" to contrast moral values. The parallel structure emphasizes the difference between appearance and reality.
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"magis" introduces first comparison -
"tam...quam" creates second comparison -
Subjunctive "sequantur" in relative clause -
Gerundive "ponderanda" shows necessity
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90.16 Magister teacher discipulum pupil rogat asks quid what magis more quam than sapientia wisdom valeat is powerful
90.17 Discipulus pupil respondet replies nihil nothing magis more quam than virtutem virtue valēre to be powerful
90.18 Magis more virtūte by virtue quam than fortūnā by fortune hominēs men beātī happy sunt are
90.19 Philosophus philosopher dīcit says sapientiam wisdom magis more quam than aurum gold valdē greatly amāre to love
90.20 Magis more cogitāre to think quam than loquī to speak sapienter wisely est is
90.21 Sapientis of wise man est it is magis more animum mind quam than corpus body cūrāre to care for
90.22 Discipulus pupil magis more quam than antea before intellegit understands veritātem truth
90.23 Magis more scientiā by knowledge quam than opīniōne by opinion vīvere to live dēbēmus we ought
90.24 Philosophus philosopher docet teaches nōs us magis more ratione by reason quam than īrā by anger agere to act
90.25 Magis more exemplō by example quam than praeceptīs by precepts discipulī pupils discunt learn
90.26 Magistrī of teacher verba words magis more quam than librī books docent teach
90.27 Magis more dē about animō soul quam than dē about corpore body cogitāmus we think
90.28 Philosophus philosopher magis more vēritātem truth quam than glōriam glory quaerit seeks
90.29 Discipulus pupil magis more intellegere to understand quam than memorāre to memorize studet strives
90.30 Magis more sapientiae of wisdom quam than pecūniae of money studiōsī eager esse to be dēbēmus we ought
90.16 Magister discipulum rogat quid magis quam sapientia valeat. The teacher asks the pupil what is more powerful than wisdom.
90.17 Discipulus respondet nihil magis quam virtūtem valēre. The pupil replies that nothing is more powerful than virtue.
90.18 Virtūte magis quam fortūnā hominēs beātī sunt. Men are happy more by virtue than by fortune.
90.19 Philosophus dīcit sē sapientiam magis quam aurum valdē amāre. The philosopher says that he loves wisdom much more than gold.
90.20 Magis cogitāre quam loquī sapienter est. To think more than to speak is wise.
90.21 Sapientis est magis animum quam corpus cūrāre. It is characteristic of a wise person to care more for the mind than for the body.
90.22 Discipulus magis quam antea intellegit veritātem. The pupil understands truth more than before.
90.23 Magis scientiā quam opīniōne vīvere dēbēmus. We ought to live more by knowledge than by opinion.
90.24 Philosophus docet nōs magis ratione quam īrā agere. The philosopher teaches us to act more by reason than by anger.
90.25 Magis exemplō quam praeceptīs discipulī discunt. Students learn more by example than by rules.
90.26 Magistrī verba magis quam librī docent. The teacher's words teach more than books.
90.27 Magis dē animō quam dē corpore cogitāmus. We think more about the soul than about the body.
90.28 Philosophus magis vēritātem quam glōriam quaerit. The philosopher seeks truth more than glory.
90.29 Discipulus magis intellegere quam memorāre studet. The pupil strives more to understand than to memorize.
90.30 Magis sapientiae quam pecūniae studiōsī esse dēbēmus. We ought to be more eager for wisdom than for money.
90.16 Magister discipulum rogat quid magis quam sapientia valeat.
90.17 Discipulus respondet nihil magis quam virtūtem valēre.
90.18 Virtūte magis quam fortūnā hominēs beātī sunt.
90.19 Philosophus dīcit sē sapientiam magis quam aurum valdē amāre.
90.20 Magis cogitāre quam loquī sapienter est.
90.21 Sapientis est magis animum quam corpus cūrāre.
90.22 Discipulus magis quam antea intellegit veritātem.
90.23 Magis scientiā quam opīniōne vīvere dēbēmus.
90.24 Philosophus docet nōs magis ratione quam īrā agere.
90.25 Magis exemplō quam praeceptīs discipulī discunt.
90.26 Magistrī verba magis quam librī docent.
90.27 Magis dē animō quam dē corpore cogitāmus.
90.28 Philosophus magis vēritātem quam glōriam quaerit.
90.29 Discipulus magis intellegere quam memorāre studet.
90.30 Magis sapientiae quam pecūniae studiōsī esse dēbēmus.
In this philosophical dialogue section, "magis" demonstrates several important grammatical patterns: -
With Infinitives: -
"magis cogitāre quam loquī" shows comparison between actions -
Infinitives remain parallel in structure -
Both verbs share same subject -
With Abstract Nouns: -
"magis sapientiam quam aurum" -
Often in accusative as direct objects -
Can appear in other cases based on function -
Special Philosophical Constructions: -
"Sapientis est" + infinitive construction -
Impersonal verbs with "magis" -
Gerundive constructions -
Case Usage in Comparisons: -
Ablative of means: "virtūte magis quam fortūnā" -
Accusative of direct object: "magis vēritātem quam glōriam" -
Genitive of characteristic: "magis sapientiae quam pecūniae" -
Word Order Variations: -
Initial position for emphasis -
Between compared elements -
Near relevant verb
These examples show how philosophical Latin uses "magis" to create nuanced comparisons about abstract concepts, moral values, and intellectual pursuits.
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