← Latin for Medics, Pharmacists and Herbalists
This lesson introduces the irregular verb "possum" (to be able), which is essential for discussing medical capabilities, treatments, and potential outcomes. This verb combines "pot-" with forms of "sum" (to be).
22.1 Medicus the doctor nōn not potest is able morbum the disease sānāre to cure
22.2 Potestne is able? herbārius the herbalist remedium remedy parāre to prepare
22.3 Aegrōtus the sick person nōn not poterat was able dormīre to sleep
22.4 Medicī the doctors possunt are able vītam life servāre to save
22.5 Poteris you will be able dolōrem pain lēnīre to relieve
22.6 Nōn not possumus we are able omnia all things mala evils cūrāre to cure
22.7 Potestis you (pl.) are able vēnam vein aperīre to open
22.8 Pharmacopōla the pharmacist potuit was able medicāmentum medicine miscēre to mix
22.9 Ego I possum am able herbās herbs colligere to collect
22.10 Discipulus the student nōn not poterat was able ossa bones numerāre to count
22.11 Poterunt they will be able sanguinem blood vidēre to see
22.12 Nōn not potuī I was able vulnus wound sanāre to heal
22.13 Medica the female doctor potens able morbōs diseases cūrāre to cure est is
22.14 Nōn not poterāmus we were able vēnam vein invenīre to find
22.15 Chirūrgus the surgeon poterit will be able operātiōnem operation facere to perform
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22.1 Medicus morbum sānāre nōn potest. The doctor is not able to cure the disease.
22.2 Potestne herbārius remedium parāre? Is the herbalist able to prepare a remedy?
22.3 Dormīre aegrōtus nōn poterat. The sick person was not able to sleep.
22.4 Vītam servāre medicī possunt. The doctors are able to save life.
22.5 Dolōrem lēnīre poteris. You will be able to relieve the pain.
22.6 Nōn possumus omnia mala cūrāre. We are not able to cure all evils.
22.7 Vēnam aperīre potestis. You (pl.) are able to open a vein.
22.8 Medicāmentum pharmacopōla miscēre potuit. The pharmacist was able to mix the medicine.
22.9 Herbās ego colligere possum. I am able to collect herbs.
22.10 Ossa numerāre discipulus nōn poterat. The student was not able to count the bones.
22.11 Sanguinem vidēre poterunt. They will be able to see the blood.
22.12 Vulnus sanāre nōn potuī. I was not able to heal the wound.
22.13 Potens morbōs cūrāre medica est. The female doctor is able to cure diseases.
22.14 Vēnam invenīre nōn poterāmus. We were not able to find the vein.
22.15 Operātiōnem chirūrgus facere poterit. The surgeon will be able to perform the operation.
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22.1 Medicus morbum sānāre nōn potest.
22.2 Potestne herbārius remedium parāre?
22.3 Dormīre aegrōtus nōn poterat.
22.4 Vītam servāre medicī possunt.
22.5 Dolōrem lēnīre poteris.
22.6 Nōn possumus omnia mala cūrāre.
22.7 Vēnam aperīre potestis.
22.8 Medicāmentum pharmacopōla miscēre potuit.
22.9 Herbās ego colligere possum.
22.10 Ossa numerāre discipulus nōn poterat.
22.11 Sanguinem vidēre poterunt.
22.12 Vulnus sanāre nōn potuī.
22.13 Potens morbōs cūrāre medica est.
22.14 Vēnam invenīre nōn poterāmus.
22.15 Operātiōnem chirūrgus facere poterit.
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The verb "possum" (to be able) is irregular and combines forms of "pot-" with forms of "sum" (to be). Here are its key forms:
Present Tense: -
possum (I am able) -
potes (you are able) -
potest (he/she/it is able) -
possumus (we are able) -
potestis (you pl. are able) -
possunt (they are able)
Imperfect Tense: -
poteram (I was able) -
poterās (you were able) -
poterat (he/she/it was able) -
poterāmus (we were able) -
poterātis (you pl. were able) -
poterant (they were able)
Future Tense: -
poterō (I will be able) -
poteris (you will be able) -
poterit (he/she/it will be able) -
poterimus (we will be able) -
poteritis (you pl. will be able) -
poterunt (they will be able)
Perfect Tense: -
potuī (I was able) -
potuistī (you were able) -
potuit (he/she/it was able) -
potuimus (we were able) -
potuistis (you pl. were able) -
potuērunt (they were able)
Important grammatical points: -
"Possum" always takes an infinitive -
The negative is formed with "nōn" -
Questions can be formed by adding "-ne" -
Word order is flexible, but the infinitive often comes before "possum"
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In Roman medicine, the concept of "being able" (possum) was crucial. Roman physicians needed to be clear about what treatments were possible and what limitations existed. The verb "possum" appears frequently in medical texts by authors like Celsus and Galen when discussing: -
Diagnostic capabilities -
Treatment options -
Prognosis predictions -
Patient recovery potential -
Pharmaceutical preparations
Roman doctors often used "possum" with specific medical infinitives to describe: -
What diseases could be cured -
Which treatments were possible -
When surgery could be performed -
How medicines could be prepared
This vocabulary was essential for communicating with patients and other medical professionals about treatment possibilities and limitations.
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From Celsus, De Medicina, Book I:
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Sanus a healthy homō person quī who et both bene well valet is et and suae of his own spontis will est is nullīs by no obligāre to bind sē himself lēgibus by laws dēbet ought ac and neque neither medicō doctor neque nor iātrāliptā healer egēre to need potest is able
Sanus homō quī et bene valet et suae spontis est nullīs obligāre sē lēgibus dēbet ac neque medicō neque iātrāliptā egēre potest.
A healthy person who both is well and is his own master ought not bind himself by any laws and cannot need either a doctor or a healer.
Celsus uses "potest" here to emphasize the independence of a healthy person. The passage reflects Roman views on health, self-sufficiency, and medical intervention.
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"potest" takes the infinitive "egēre" -
Double negative "neque...neque" emphasizes the complete lack of need -
Present tense indicates a general truth -
Ablative case used with "egēre"
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22.16 Aegrōtus the patient nōn not potuit was able cibum food comedere to eat propter because of dolōrem pain dentium of teeth
22.17 Medicus the doctor poterat was able vulnus wound īnspicere to examine post after removenda removing fasciae the bandages
22.18 Mēnse in the month proximō next poterimus we will be able novum new medicāmentum medicine experīrī to try
22.19 Nōn not potuerunt they were able aegrōtum the patient movēre to move sine without magnō great dolōre pain
22.20 Potestne is able? puer the boy bracchium arm movēre to move post after frāctūram the fracture
22.21 Herbae the herbs potuerunt were able febrem fever redūcere to reduce intrā within hōrās hours duās two
22.22 Medica the female doctor potest is able vēnēnum poison in in sanguine blood reperīre to find
22.23 Nōn not poteram I was able dolōrem pain capitis of head tollere to remove sine without medicāmentō medicine
22.24 Poteruntne will they be able? ōssa bones frācta broken sanārī to be healed sine without operātiōne surgery
22.25 Chirūrgus the surgeon potuit was able calculum stone ex from vēsīcā bladder extrahere to extract
22.26 Aegra the sick woman nōn not poterat was able bibere to drink propter because of īnflammātiōnem inflammation gulae of throat
22.27 Poterimus we will be able sanguidem blood mittere to let crās tomorrow sī if febris fever manēbit will remain
22.28 Pharmacopōla the pharmacist poterit will be able novum new remedium remedy parāre to prepare ante before vesperum evening
22.29 Nōn not potuistī you were able vulnus wound vidēre to see in in tantā such great obscūritāte darkness
22.30 Medicus the doctor potuit was able vītam life aegrōtī of the patient servāre to save summā with greatest dīligentiā diligence
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22.16 Aegrōtus cibum comedere nōn potuit propter dolōrem dentium. The patient was not able to eat food because of tooth pain.
22.17 Vulnus īnspicere medicus poterat post removenda fasciae. The doctor was able to examine the wound after removing the bandages.
22.18 Mēnse proximō novum medicāmentum experīrī poterimus. Next month we will be able to try the new medicine.
22.19 Aegrōtum sine magnō dolōre movēre nōn potuerunt. They were not able to move the patient without great pain.
22.20 Potestne puer bracchium movēre post frāctūram? Is the boy able to move his arm after the fracture?
22.21 Febrem redūcere herbae potuerunt intrā hōrās duās. The herbs were able to reduce the fever within two hours.
22.22 Vēnēnum in sanguine medica reperīre potest. The female doctor is able to find poison in the blood.
22.23 Dolōrem capitis sine medicāmentō tollere nōn poteram. I was not able to remove the headache without medicine.
22.24 Poteruntne ōssa frācta sanārī sine operātiōne? Will the broken bones be able to heal without surgery?
22.25 Calculum ex vēsīcā chirūrgus extrahere potuit. The surgeon was able to extract the stone from the bladder.
22.26 Aegra bibere nōn poterat propter īnflammātiōnem gulae. The sick woman was not able to drink because of inflammation of the throat.
22.27 Sanguidem mittere poterimus crās sī febris manēbit. We will be able to let blood tomorrow if the fever remains.
22.28 Novum remedium pharmacopōla ante vesperum parāre poterit. The pharmacist will be able to prepare the new remedy before evening.
22.29 Vulnus in tantā obscūritāte vidēre nōn potuistī. You were not able to see the wound in such great darkness.
22.30 Vītam aegrōtī summā dīligentiā medicus servāre potuit. The doctor was able to save the patient's life with the greatest diligence.
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22.16 Aegrōtus cibum comedere nōn potuit propter dolōrem dentium.
22.17 Vulnus īnspicere medicus poterat post removenda fasciae.
22.18 Mēnse proximō novum medicāmentum experīrī poterimus.
22.19 Aegrōtum sine magnō dolōre movēre nōn potuerunt.
22.20 Potestne puer bracchium movēre post frāctūram?
22.21 Febrem redūcere herbae potuerunt intrā hōrās duās.
22.22 Vēnēnum in sanguine medica reperīre potest.
22.23 Dolōrem capitis sine medicāmentō tollere nōn poteram.
22.24 Poteruntne ōssa frācta sanārī sine operātiōne?
22.25 Calculum ex vēsīcā chirūrgus extrahere potuit.
22.26 Aegra bibere nōn poterat propter īnflammātiōnem gulae.
22.27 Sanguidem mittere poterimus crās sī febris manēbit.
22.28 Novum remedium pharmacopōla ante vesperum parāre poterit.
22.29 Vulnus in tantā obscūritāte vidēre nōn potuistī.
22.30 Vītam aegrōtī medicus servāre potuit.
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In these medical case notes, we see several important grammatical constructions: -
Use of "possum" with Medical Terms: -
With body parts (bracchium, ōssa, vēsīca) -
With symptoms (dolor, febris, īnflammātiō) -
With medical procedures (sanguidem mittere, vulnus īnspicere) -
Common Medical Phrases: -
Expressions of ability/inability to perform basic functions (bibere, comedere) -
Technical medical procedures (extrahere, sanāre) -
Diagnostic observations (reperīre, vidēre) -
Case Usage in Medical Context: -
Genitive of specification (dolōrem dentium - pain of teeth) -
Ablative of separation (ex vēsīcā - from the bladder) -
Ablative of means (sine medicāmentō - without medicine) -
Temporal Expressions in Medical Notes: -
Future references (crās, mēnse proximō) -
Duration (intrā hōrās duās) -
Time limits (ante vesperum) -
Technical Vocabulary: -
Anatomical terms (bracchium, vēsīca, gula) -
Medical conditions (frāctūra, īnflammātiō) -
Medical procedures (operātiō, sanguidem mittere)
These examples demonstrate how "possum" is used in medical writing to describe: -
Patient capabilities -
Treatment possibilities -
Diagnostic abilities -
Treatment outcomes -
Professional competencies
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