← Latin for Soldiers, Sailors and Military Strategists
◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿᵘᵐ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿ ◊ᴸᵉˢˢᵒⁿ⁵⁵ ◊ᵈⁱᵉˢ
Welcome to Lesson 55 of Latin for Soldiers, Sailors and Military Strategists. Today’s word is the noun diēs, diēī, “day.” The Dickinson Core Vocabulary ranks it 54th among all Latin words. Every campaign is measured in days: how many days’ march to the enemy, which day the envoys must return, on what day the grain must be issued to the men. Caesar counts days constantly. For a commander, time is a resource, like grain, men and ships, and diēs is the word in which he counts it.
What does diēs mean in Latin?
Diēs means “day.” It can mean daylight as opposed to night (diēs noctēsque, “day and night”), a day of twenty-four hours as a unit of time (trēs diēs, “three days”), or a particular date fixed in advance (diē cōnstitūtā, “on the appointed day”). In poetry it can also mean “time” in general, or the day of a man’s death.
Is diēs masculine or feminine?
Both. This is the one thing about diēs that every learner must know. As an ordinary day it is masculine: is diēs, “that day,” tōtum diem, “the whole day.” In the singular, when it means a fixed or appointed day, it is often feminine: diē cōnstitūtā, “on the day that had been fixed.” In the plural it is always masculine. Caesar uses both genders, sometimes in the same passage: diem dīcunt, quā diē … conveniant. Is diēs erat …, “they name a day on which … they were to assemble. That day was …” (Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.6).
How does Latin differ from English here?
English uses prepositions with “day”: “on that day,” “for three days,” “within twenty days.” Latin uses cases instead. The ablative tells you when something happened or how long it took: eō diē, “on that day”; ūnō diē, “in one day.” The accusative tells you how long something went on: tōtum diem, “all day long”; trēs diēs, “for three days.” A soldier who learns these two cases with diēs has learned the grammar of military time.
Etymology: diēs comes from an Indo-European root meaning “shine, bright sky.” The same root gives deus, dīvus, and Iuppiter (from an old form Diou-pater, “sky father”). From diēs come the Latin words hodiē (“today,” from hōc diē, “on this day”), cotīdiē (“every day”), postrīdiē (“on the next day”), prīdiē (“on the day before”), and merīdiēs (“midday”). English takes from it diary, diurnal, dial, meridian and, through French, journal and journey. Despite the look of it, English “day” is not one of them: it comes from a separate Germanic word.
Key Takeaways
✦ Diēs, diēī is a fifth-declension noun meaning “day”
✦ Masculine as an ordinary day and always masculine in the plural; often feminine in the singular for a fixed or appointed day (diē cōnstitūtā)
✦ The ablative answers “when?” or “within what time?” (eō diē, ūnō diē); the accusative answers “for how long?” (tōtum diem, trēs diēs)
✦ The e of the ending stays long in diēī because a vowel comes before it: diēs, diēī, diē
✦ Key phrases: postrīdiē eius diēī (“on the next day”), in diēs (“from day to day”), diem ex diē (“day after day”), diem dīcere (“to name a day”)
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diēs /ˈdi.eːs/: two syllables, DI-ēs. The i is short and is a full vowel, not a y-sound: say “DEE-ays,” with the weight on the first syllable, not “dyace.” The ē is long, like the vowel in “they” without the glide.
diem /ˈdi.em/, diē /ˈdi.eː/: also two syllables with the stress on DI-.
diēī /diˈeː.iː/, diērum /diˈeː.rum/, diēbus /diˈeː.bus/: three syllables. The long ē of the second syllable takes the stress: di-Ē-ī, di-Ē-rum, di-Ē-bus.
Listen for the vowel length in the endings. Diem has a short e; diē has a long ē. Only the length distinguishes the accusative (“for the day,” “the day” as object) from the ablative (“on the day”).
postrīdiē /posˈtriː.di.eː/, cotīdiē /koˈtiː.di.eː/: the long ī draws the stress: pos-TRĪ-di-ē, co-TĪ-di-ē.
This course gives the restored classical pronunciation: c is always /k/, v is /w/, ae is /ae̯/ as in “eye.”
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55.1a Diēs the-day longus long est is
55.1b Diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG longus /ˈlon.ɡus/ long.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
55.2a Diem the-day exspectāmus we-are-waiting-for
55.2b Diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG exspectāmus /eks.pekˈtaː.mus/ await.1PL.PRES
55.3a Tōtum the-whole diem day pugnāvērunt they-fought
55.3b Tōtum /ˈtoː.tum/ whole.ACC.M.SG diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG pugnāvērunt /puɡ.naːˈweː.runt/ fight.3PL.PERF
55.4a Eō on-that diē day castra the-camp mōvimus we-moved
55.4b Eō /ˈe.oː/ that.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG castra /ˈkas.tra/ camp.ACC.N.PL mōvimus /ˈmoː.wi.mus/ move.1PL.PERF
55.5a Trēs three diēs days mānsimus we-stayed
55.5b Trēs /treːs/ three.ACC.M.PL diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.ACC.M.PL mānsimus /ˈmaːn.si.mus/ remain.1PL.PERF
55.6a Diē on-the-day cōnstitūtā appointed omnēs all convēnērunt assembled
55.6b Diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.F.SG cōnstitūtā /koːn.stiˈtuː.taː/ appoint.PERF.PART.PASS.ABL.F.SG omnēs /ˈom.neːs/ all.NOM.M.PL convēnērunt /kon.weːˈneː.runt/ assemble.3PL.PERF
55.7a Ea that diēs day quam which cōnstituerat he-had-appointed vēnit came
55.7b Ea /ˈe.a/ that.NOM.F.SG diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.F.SG quam /kʷam/ which.ACC.F.SG cōnstituerat /koːn.stiˈtu.e.rat/ appoint.3SG.PLUPERF vēnit /ˈweː.nit/ come.3SG.PERF
55.8a Postrīdiē on-the-next-day eius of-that diēī day Caesar Caesar castra the-camp mōvit moved
55.8b Postrīdiē /posˈtriː.di.eː/ next-day.ADV eius /ˈej.jus/ that.GEN.M.SG diēī /diˈeː.iː/ day.GEN.M.SG Caesar /ˈkae̯.sar/ Caesar.NOM.M.SG castra /ˈkas.tra/ camp.ACC.N.PL mōvit /ˈmoː.wit/ move.3SG.PERF
55.9a Mīlitēs the-soldiers diem day noctemque and-night iter a-march fēcērunt made
55.9b Mīlitēs /ˈmiː.li.teːs/ soldier.NOM.M.PL diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG noctemque /nokˈtem.kʷe/ night.ACC.F.SG-and iter /ˈi.ter/ march.ACC.N.SG fēcērunt /feːˈkeː.runt/ make.3PL.PERF
55.10a Ita so diēs days circiter about quīndecim fifteen iter a-march fēcērunt they-made
55.10b Ita /ˈi.ta/ so.ADV diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.ACC.M.PL circiter /ˈkir.ki.ter/ about.ADV quīndecim /ˈkʷiːn.de.kim/ fifteen.NUM iter /ˈi.ter/ march.ACC.N.SG fēcērunt /feːˈkeː.runt/ make.3PL.PERF
55.11a Diēs the-day conloquiō for-the-conference dictus named est was ex from eō that diē day quīntus the-fifth
55.11b Diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG conloquiō /konˈlo.kʷi.oː/ conference.DAT.N.SG dictus /ˈdik.tus/ name.PERF.PART.PASS.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES ex /eks/ from.PREP+ABL eō /ˈe.oː/ that.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG quīntus /ˈkʷiːn.tus/ fifth.NOM.M.SG
55.12a Helvētiī the-Helvetii intellēxērunt understood illum that-man ūnō in-one diē day fēcisse to-have-done id that quod which ipsī they-themselves diēbus in-days vīgintī twenty aegerrimē with-the-greatest-difficulty cōnfēcerant had-accomplished
55.12b Helvētiī /helˈweː.ti.iː/ Helvetii.NOM.M.PL intellēxērunt /in.tel.leːkˈseː.runt/ understand.3PL.PERF illum /ˈil.lum/ that.ACC.M.SG ūnō /ˈuː.noː/ one.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG fēcisse /feːˈkis.se/ do.PERF.INF id /id/ that.ACC.N.SG quod /kʷod/ which.ACC.N.SG ipsī /ˈip.siː/ self.NOM.M.PL diēbus /diˈeː.bus/ day.ABL.M.PL vīgintī /wiːˈɡin.tiː/ twenty.NUM aegerrimē /ae̯ˈɡer.ri.meː/ with-difficulty.ADV.SUPERL cōnfēcerant /koːnˈfeː.ke.rant/ accomplish.3PL.PLUPERF
55.13a Omnibus all rēbus things ad for profectiōnem the-departure comparātīs having-been-prepared diem a-day dīcunt they-name quā on-which diē day ad at rīpam the-bank Rhodanī of-the-Rhone omnēs all conveniant should-assemble
55.13b Omnibus /ˈom.ni.bus/ all.ABL.F.PL rēbus /ˈreː.bus/ thing.ABL.F.PL ad /ad/ for.PREP+ACC profectiōnem /pro.fek.tiˈoː.nem/ departure.ACC.F.SG comparātīs /kom.paˈraː.tiːs/ prepare.PERF.PART.PASS.ABL.F.PL diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.F.SG dīcunt /ˈdiː.kunt/ name.3PL.PRES quā /kʷaː/ which.ABL.F.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.F.SG ad /ad/ at.PREP+ACC rīpam /ˈriː.pam/ bank.ACC.F.SG Rhodanī /ˈrʰo.da.niː/ Rhone.GEN.M.SG omnēs /ˈom.neːs/ all.NOM.M.PL conveniant /konˈwe.ni.ant/ assemble.3PL.PRES.SUBJ
55.14a Eādem on-the-same nocte night accidit it-happened ut that esset there-was lūna a-moon plēna full quī which diēs day maritimōs sea aestūs tides maximōs the-greatest in in Ōceanō the-Ocean efficere to-produce cōnsuēvit is-accustomed
55.14b Eādem /eˈaː.dem/ same.ABL.F.SG nocte /ˈnok.te/ night.ABL.F.SG accidit /ˈak.ki.dit/ happen.3SG.PERF ut /ut/ that.CONJ esset /ˈes.set/ be.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ lūna /ˈluː.na/ moon.NOM.F.SG plēna /ˈpleː.na/ full.NOM.F.SG quī /kʷiː/ which.NOM.M.SG diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG maritimōs /maˈri.ti.moːs/ of-the-sea.ACC.M.PL aestūs /ˈae̯s.tuːs/ tide.ACC.M.PL maximōs /ˈmak.si.moːs/ greatest.ACC.M.PL in /in/ in.PREP+ABL Ōceanō /oːˈke.a.noː/ Ocean.ABL.M.SG efficere /efˈfi.ke.re/ produce.PRES.INF cōnsuēvit /koːnˈsweː.wit/ be-accustomed.3SG.PERF
55.15a Stat stands-fixed sua his-own cuique for-each-man diēs day breve short et and inreparābile irretrievable tempus the-time omnibus for-all est is vītae of-life
55.15b Stat /stat/ stand.3SG.PRES sua /ˈsu.a/ own.NOM.F.SG cuique /ˈkuj.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.F.SG breve /ˈbre.we/ short.NOM.N.SG et /et/ and.CONJ inreparābile /in.re.paˈraː.bi.le/ irretrievable.NOM.N.SG tempus /ˈtem.pus/ time.NOM.N.SG omnibus /ˈom.ni.bus/ all.DAT.M.PL est /est/ be.3SG.PRES vītae /ˈwiː.tae̯/ life.GEN.F.SG
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55.1 Diēs longus est. → “The day is long.”
55.2 Diem exspectāmus. → “We are waiting for the day.”
55.3 Tōtum diem pugnāvērunt. → “They fought all day long.”
55.4 Eō diē castra mōvimus. → “On that day we broke camp.”
55.5 Trēs diēs mānsimus. → “We stayed for three days.”
55.6 Diē cōnstitūtā omnēs convēnērunt. → “On the appointed day everyone assembled.” (adapted from Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.4)
55.7 Ea diēs quam cōnstituerat vēnit. → “The day he had appointed arrived.” (adapted from Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.8)
55.8 Postrīdiē eius diēī Caesar castra mōvit. → “On the following day Caesar broke camp.” (adapted from Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.23 and 1.50)
55.9 Mīlitēs diem noctemque iter fēcērunt. → “The soldiers marched day and night.”
55.10 Ita diēs circiter quīndecim iter fēcērunt. → “In this way they marched for about fifteen days.” (Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.15, abridged)
55.11 Diēs conloquiō dictus est ex eō diē quīntus. → “The fifth day from that day was named for the conference.” (Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.42)
55.12 Helvētiī intellēxērunt illum ūnō diē fēcisse id quod ipsī diēbus vīgintī aegerrimē cōnfēcerant. → “The Helvetii realised that he had done in a single day what they themselves had barely managed in twenty.” (adapted from Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.13)
55.13 Omnibus rēbus ad profectiōnem comparātīs diem dīcunt, quā diē ad rīpam Rhodanī omnēs conveniant. → “When everything was ready for the departure, they named a day on which all were to assemble on the bank of the Rhone.” (Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.6)
55.14 Eādem nocte accidit ut esset lūna plēna, quī diēs maritimōs aestūs maximōs in Ōceanō efficere cōnsuēvit. → “That same night there happened to be a full moon, the day which usually brings the highest tides in the Ocean.” (Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 4.29)
55.15 Stat sua cuique diēs; breve et inreparābile tempus omnibus est vītae. → “Each man’s day stands fixed; for all men the span of life is short and cannot be recovered.” (Vergil, Aeneid 10.467–468)
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55.1 Diēs longus est.
55.2 Diem exspectāmus.
55.3 Tōtum diem pugnāvērunt.
55.4 Eō diē castra mōvimus.
55.5 Trēs diēs mānsimus.
55.6 Diē cōnstitūtā omnēs convēnērunt.
55.7 Ea diēs quam cōnstituerat vēnit.
55.8 Postrīdiē eius diēī Caesar castra mōvit.
55.9 Mīlitēs diem noctemque iter fēcērunt.
55.10 Ita diēs circiter quīndecim iter fēcērunt.
55.11 Diēs conloquiō dictus est ex eō diē quīntus.
55.12 Helvētiī intellēxērunt illum ūnō diē fēcisse id quod ipsī diēbus vīgintī aegerrimē cōnfēcerant.
55.13 Omnibus rēbus ad profectiōnem comparātīs diem dīcunt, quā diē ad rīpam Rhodanī omnēs conveniant.
55.14 Eādem nocte accidit ut esset lūna plēna, quī diēs maritimōs aestūs maximōs in Ōceanō efficere cōnsuēvit.
55.15 Stat sua cuique diēs; breve et inreparābile tempus omnibus est vītae.
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These are the grammar rules for diēs, diēī in Latin:
1. Declension
Diēs belongs to the fifth declension, the smallest of the five. Only diēs and rēs (“thing, affair”) are common in every case; most other fifth-declension nouns, such as aciēs, “battle line,” are rarely used in the plural.
Singular: diēs (nominative), diēī (genitive), diēī (dative), diem (accusative), diē (ablative)
Plural: diēs (nominative), diērum (genitive), diēbus (dative), diēs (accusative), diēbus (ablative)
The vocative is the same as the nominative. Notice that diēs can be nominative singular, nominative plural or accusative plural. The context decides: diēs longus est (55.1) is singular because of est and longus; trēs diēs mānsimus (55.5) is accusative plural because of trēs and the sense.
2. The long ē in diēī
In the fifth declension the e of the genitive and dative singular ending stays long when a vowel comes before it: diēī, aciēī. After a consonant it is short: reī, fideī. This is why diēī is pronounced di-Ē-ī.
3. Gender
Masculine is the normal gender: diēs longus (55.1), tōtum diem (55.3), eō diē (55.4), eius diēī (55.8). The plural is always masculine: trēs diēs (55.5), diēbus vīgintī (55.12).
In the singular, diēs is often feminine when it means a day fixed in advance, a date or a deadline: diē cōnstitūtā (55.6), ea diēs quam cōnstituerat (55.7), diem … quā diē (55.13). The rule is a tendency, not a law. In 55.11 Caesar uses the masculine dictus for exactly the same idea, a day named for a meeting. In poetry the feminine is freer and can mean the fated day or time itself: stat sua cuique diēs (55.15).
How to tell: look at the adjective, pronoun or participle that agrees with diēs. Its ending gives the gender. If there is none, as in 55.2, take the word as masculine.
4. Time when and time within which: the ablative
The ablative without a preposition answers “when?”: eō diē, “on that day” (55.4); diē cōnstitūtā, “on the appointed day” (55.6). It also answers “within what time?”: ūnō diē, “in a single day”; diēbus vīgintī, “in twenty days” (55.12).
5. Duration: the accusative
The accusative without a preposition answers “for how long?”: tōtum diem, “all day long” (55.3); trēs diēs, “for three days” (55.5); diem noctemque, “day and night” (55.9); diēs circiter quīndecim, “for about fifteen days” (55.10).
6. Military phrases with diēs
Postrīdiē eius diēī, “on the day after that day,” “on the following day” (55.8). The genitive eius diēī depends on the adverb postrīdiē.
Diem dīcere, “to name a day, fix a date” (55.13). The day named is often given with a dative of purpose: diēs conloquiō, “a day for the conference” (55.11).
Ex eō diē quīntus, “the fifth from that day” (55.11). The Romans counted inclusively: the day of the decision was day one.
In diēs, “from day to day, daily more and more,” with a verb of increase or decrease: frūmentum in diēs minuitur, “the grain grows less every day” (55.21).
Diem ex diē dūcere, “to put something off day after day” (Section F).
Trium diērum iter, “a three days’ march” (55.20): a genitive of measure.
7. Words formed from diēs
Hodiē, “today”; cotīdiē, “every day”; postrīdiē, “on the next day”; prīdiē, “on the day before”; merīdiēs, “midday,” which is also the word for “south.” These are adverbs (except merīdiēs) and do not decline.
Common Mistakes
Taking every diēs as singular. Trēs diēs is plural; check the numeral or the verb.
Making the plural feminine. There is no *diēs cōnstitūtae in the plural. The plural is masculine: diēs cōnstitūtī.
Writing *diēm. The accusative has a short e: diem. The ablative has a long ē: diē.
Shortening the ē of diēī. It is long because it follows a vowel. Do not say “DI-e-ī.”
Using a preposition for time. “On that day” is eō diē, not in eō diē. “For three days” is trēs diēs, not per trēs diēs (per is used only for special emphasis: “all through”).
Confusing diēs with deus, “god.” They come from the same root, but deus belongs to the second declension: deī, deō, deum.
Assuming English “day” comes from diēs. It does not; diary, diurnal and journal do.
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Time as a weapon: Caesar asks for a day
In 58 BC the Helvetii asked Caesar for permission to march through the Roman province. He had only one legion in Further Gaul. Caesar did not refuse them at once. He told their envoys diem sē ad dēlīberandum sūmptūrum, “that he would take a day to consider it,” and told them to come back on the Ides of April (Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.7). He explains why in the same sentence: ut spatium intercēdere posset dum mīlitēs quōs imperāverat convenīrent, “so that there would be time for the soldiers he had called up to assemble.” When the appointed day came (ubi ea diēs quam cōnstituerat … vēnit, 1.8; compare 55.7), he had built a wall and ditch along the Rhone and refused them passage. Asking for a day bought him the time to make the refusal stick.
Delay as a weapon used against him
A few chapters later the Haedui, Caesar’s allies, used the same weapon against him. They had promised grain for his army, and they put him off day after day: diem ex diē dūcere Haeduī (1.16). The day was approaching when the soldiers’ ration had to be issued. Section F gives the passage. For a strategist the lesson is plain: an army marches on its grain, and a supplier who delays can halt a campaign as surely as an enemy.
Speed measured in days
When Caesar crossed the Saône, the Helvetii were shaken. He had done in one day what had taken them twenty days to do (1.13; compare 55.12). The Romans thought of a march in days. Trium diērum iter, “a three days’ march,” was a measurement of distance. The late Roman writer Vegetius says that recruits must cover twenty Roman miles at the military pace in five summer hours (Epitoma reī mīlitāris 1.9). The genre section below adapts his figure.
How the Romans named a day
Caesar dates the Helvetian assembly on the Rhone with the words Is diēs erat a. d. V Kal. Apr. L. Pīsōne A. Gabīniō cōnsulibus (1.6): “That day was the fifth day before the Kalends of April, in the consulship of Lucius Piso and Aulus Gabinius,” that is, 28 March 58 BC. Every Roman month had three fixed points: the Kalends (the first day), the Nones (the fifth or seventh) and the Ides (the thirteenth or fifteenth). Other days were counted backwards to the next fixed point, and the count was inclusive. The year itself was named after the two consuls.
The daylight, from first light to sunset, was divided into twelve hours, so an hour was longer in summer than in winter. The night was divided into four military watches, vigiliae. Caesar often times an operation by them: prīmā vigiliā, “in the first watch,” or dē tertiā vigiliā, “in the third watch.”
For sailors: the day of the full moon
Caesar’s first expedition to Britain in 55 BC nearly ended in disaster because of a day in the calendar of the moon. Eādem nocte accidit ut esset lūna plēna, quī diēs maritimōs aestūs maximōs in Ōceanō efficere cōnsuēvit, “that same night there happened to be a full moon, the day which usually brings the highest tides in the Ocean” (4.29; 55.14). Mediterranean sailors, used to “our sea,” where the tides are small (Lesson 54), did not know it. The ships drawn up on the beach filled with water, and the transports at anchor were battered by the storm. A few chapters later Caesar hurries back to Gaul because propinquā diē aequinoctiī, “the day of the equinox was near,” and he did not want to expose weak ships to winter sailing (4.36). Notice the feminine: the equinox is a fixed day in the calendar.
Diēs in literature
Two of the best-known phrases in Latin use this word. Horace ends an ode with carpe diem, “pluck the day,” “make use of today” (Odes 1.11.8). Vergil gives Jupiter a soldier’s consolation in the Aeneid, when Hercules weeps for a young warrior who is about to die: stat sua cuique diēs, “each man’s day stands fixed” (Aeneid 10.467; 55.15). Jupiter goes on: famam extendere factīs, hoc virtūtis opus, “to extend one’s fame by deeds, this is the work of courage.” The day of death cannot be changed; what a man does before it can.
Modern traces
English per diem, “for each day,” is the daily allowance of soldiers and officials on duty away from home. Sine diē, “without a day (fixed),” means that a meeting is adjourned with no date to resume.
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Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.16 (58 BC). Caesar is following the Helvetii north through Gaul. The grain in the fields is not yet ripe, and the river transport he arranged on the Saône (Arar) is of no use now that the enemy have turned away from the river. He depends on the Haedui, who have promised him grain. The text is from the Latin Library; the macrons are editorial, and one long stretch of the last sentence is left out where marked.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Interim meanwhile cotīdiē every-day Caesar Caesar Haeduōs the-Haedui frūmentum for-the-grain quod which essent they-had pūblicē officially pollicitī promised flāgitāre kept-demanding
F.1b Interim /ˈin.te.rim/ meanwhile.ADV cotīdiē /koˈtiː.di.eː/ daily.ADV Caesar /ˈkae̯.sar/ Caesar.NOM.M.SG Haeduōs /ˈhae̯.du.oːs/ Haedui.ACC.M.PL frūmentum /fruːˈmen.tum/ grain.ACC.N.SG quod /kʷod/ which.ACC.N.SG essent /ˈes.sent/ be.3PL.IMPERF.SUBJ pūblicē /ˈpuː.bli.keː/ officially.ADV pollicitī /polˈli.ki.tiː/ promise.PERF.PART.DEP.NOM.M.PL flāgitāre /flaː.ɡiˈtaː.re/ demand.PRES.INF.HIST
F.2a Diem the-day ex from diē day dūcere were-putting-off Haeduī the-Haedui cōnferrī it-was-being-collected comportārī it-was-being-brought-in adesse it-was-at-hand dīcere they-kept-saying
F.2b Diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG ex /eks/ from.PREP+ABL diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG dūcere /ˈduː.ke.re/ lead-on.PRES.INF.HIST Haeduī /ˈhae̯.du.iː/ Haedui.NOM.M.PL cōnferrī /koːnˈfer.riː/ collect.PRES.INF.PASS comportārī /kom.porˈtaː.riː/ bring-in.PRES.INF.PASS adesse /aˈdes.se/ be-present.PRES.INF dīcere /ˈdiː.ke.re/ say.PRES.INF.HIST
F.3a Ubi when sē himself diūtius too-long dūcī to-be-strung-along intellēxit he-realised et and diem the-day īnstāre to-be-near quō on-which diē day frūmentum grain mīlitibus to-the-soldiers mētīrī to-measure-out oportēret it-was-necessary convocātīs having-been-called-together eōrum their prīncipibus leading-men graviter severely eōs them accūsat he-accuses
F.3b Ubi /ˈu.bi/ when.CONJ sē /seː/ self.ACC.M.SG diūtius /diˈuː.ti.us/ too-long.ADV.COMP dūcī /ˈduː.kiː/ lead-on.PRES.INF.PASS intellēxit /in.telˈleːk.sit/ realise.3SG.PERF et /et/ and.CONJ diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG īnstāre /iːnˈstaː.re/ be-imminent.PRES.INF quō /kʷoː/ which.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG frūmentum /fruːˈmen.tum/ grain.ACC.N.SG mīlitibus /miːˈli.ti.bus/ soldier.DAT.M.PL mētīrī /meːˈtiː.riː/ measure-out.PRES.INF.DEP oportēret /o.porˈteː.ret/ be-necessary.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ convocātīs /kon.woˈkaː.tiːs/ call-together.PERF.PART.PASS.ABL.M.PL eōrum /eˈoː.rum/ they.GEN.M.PL prīncipibus /priːnˈki.pi.bus/ leading-man.ABL.M.PL graviter /ˈɡra.wi.ter/ severely.ADV eōs /ˈe.oːs/ they.ACC.M.PL accūsat /akˈkuː.sat/ accuse.3SG.PRES
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Interim cotīdiē Caesar Haeduōs frūmentum, quod essent pūblicē pollicitī, flāgitāre. … Diem ex diē dūcere Haeduī: cōnferrī, comportārī, adesse dīcere. Ubi sē diūtius dūcī intellēxit et diem īnstāre quō diē frūmentum mīlitibus mētīrī oportēret, convocātīs eōrum prīncipibus … graviter eōs accūsat.
“Meanwhile Caesar kept demanding from the Haedui, day after day, the grain they had officially promised. … The Haedui put him off from one day to the next: it was being collected, they said, it was being brought in, it was nearly here. When he realised that he was being strung along too long, and that the day was close on which the grain ration had to be measured out to the soldiers, he called their leading men together … and accused them severely.”
— Caesar, Dē Bellō Gallicō 1.16 (abridged)
F-C: Latin Text Only
Interim cotīdiē Caesar Haeduōs frūmentum, quod essent pūblicē pollicitī, flāgitāre. … Diem ex diē dūcere Haeduī: cōnferrī, comportārī, adesse dīcere. Ubi sē diūtius dūcī intellēxit et diem īnstāre quō diē frūmentum mīlitibus mētīrī oportēret, convocātīs eōrum prīncipibus … graviter eōs accūsat.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Diēs appears four times in three sentences, and once more hidden inside cotīdiē, “every day.” Diem ex diē is accusative and ablative together, “day out of day,” the idiom for endless delay. Diem … quō diē repeats the noun inside the relative clause, a habit of Caesar’s legal and official style that makes the date unmistakable (compare 55.13, diem … quā diē). Here the day is masculine (quō); in 1.6 Caesar made the same construction feminine (quā). The passage is famous for its historic infinitives: flāgitāre, dūcere, dīcere. In vivid narrative Latin can use the present infinitive instead of a past finite verb, with the subject in the nominative (Caesar, Haeduī), to show an action repeated again and again. The three passive infinitives cōnferrī, comportārī, adesse are the excuses themselves, reported without a verb of saying until dīcere at the end: “being collected, being brought, nearly here, they kept saying.” The rhythm imitates the stalling. Quod essent pollicitī is subjunctive because it gives the promise as Caesar’s claim against the Haedui. Mētīrī is a deponent: frūmentum mētīrī is the technical phrase for issuing the grain ration to the troops. The last sentence switches to a historic present, accūsat, as Caesar loses patience and the narrative speeds up.
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A pedagogical description, composed for this lesson and not a quotation. It describes the working day of a Roman legion on campaign and the way the Romans counted their days. Sentence 55.19 adapts a figure from Vegetius (Epitoma reī mīlitāris 1.9); 55.25 and 55.26 draw on Caesar (Dē Bellō Gallicō 4.29 and 4.36).
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
55.16a Diēs the-day mīlitis of-the-soldier Rōmānī Roman prīmā at-first lūce light incipit begins
55.16b Diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG mīlitis /ˈmiː.li.tis/ soldier.GEN.M.SG Rōmānī /roːˈmaː.niː/ Roman.GEN.M.SG prīmā /ˈpriː.maː/ first.ABL.F.SG lūce /ˈluː.ke/ light.ABL.F.SG incipit /ˈin.ki.pit/ begin.3SG.PRES
55.17a Diēs the-day in into duodecim twelve hōrās hours dīviditur is-divided nox the-night in into quattuor four vigiliās watches
55.17b Diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG in /in/ into.PREP+ACC duodecim /duˈo.de.kim/ twelve.NUM hōrās /ˈhoː.raːs/ hour.ACC.F.PL dīviditur /diːˈwi.di.tur/ divide.3SG.PRES.PASS nox /noks/ night.NOM.F.SG in /in/ into.PREP+ACC quattuor /ˈkʷat.tu.or/ four.NUM vigiliās /wiˈɡi.li.aːs/ watch.ACC.F.PL
55.18a Ante before fīnem the-end diēī of-the-day mīlitēs the-soldiers castra a-camp mūniunt fortify
55.18b Ante /ˈan.te/ before.PREP+ACC fīnem /ˈfiː.nem/ end.ACC.M.SG diēī /diˈeː.iː/ day.GEN.M.SG mīlitēs /ˈmiː.li.teːs/ soldier.NOM.M.PL castra /ˈkas.tra/ camp.ACC.N.PL mūniunt /ˈmuː.ni.unt/ fortify.3PL.PRES
55.19a Ūnō in-one diē day mīlitēs the-soldiers mīlitārī at-the-military gradū pace vīgintī twenty mīlia thousands passuum of-paces hōrīs in-hours quīnque five cōnficiunt complete
55.19b Ūnō /ˈuː.noː/ one.ABL.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG mīlitēs /ˈmiː.li.teːs/ soldier.NOM.M.PL mīlitārī /miː.liˈtaː.riː/ military.ABL.M.SG gradū /ˈɡra.duː/ pace.ABL.M.SG vīgintī /wiːˈɡin.tiː/ twenty.NUM mīlia /ˈmiː.li.a/ thousand.ACC.N.PL passuum /ˈpas.su.um/ pace.GEN.M.PL hōrīs /ˈhoː.riːs/ hour.ABL.F.PL quīnque /ˈkʷiːn.kʷe/ five.NUM cōnficiunt /koːnˈfi.ki.unt/ complete.3PL.PRES
55.20a Hostēs the-enemy ā from castrīs camp nostrīs our trium of-three diērum days iter a-march absunt are-distant
55.20b Hostēs /ˈhos.teːs/ enemy.NOM.M.PL ā /aː/ from.PREP+ABL castrīs /ˈkas.triːs/ camp.ABL.N.PL nostrīs /ˈnos.triːs/ our.ABL.N.PL trium /ˈtri.um/ three.GEN.M.PL diērum /diˈeː.rum/ day.GEN.M.PL iter /ˈi.ter/ march.ACC.N.SG absunt /ˈab.sunt/ be-away.3PL.PRES
55.21a Frūmentum the-grain in from diēs day-to-day minuitur grows-less
55.21b Frūmentum /fruːˈmen.tum/ grain.NOM.N.SG in /in/ into.PREP+ACC diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.ACC.M.PL minuitur /miˈnu.i.tur/ diminish.3SG.PRES.PASS
55.22a Mēnsis the-month Rōmānus Roman Kalendās Kalends Nōnās Nones Īdūs Ides habet has
55.22b Mēnsis /ˈmeːn.sis/ month.NOM.M.SG Rōmānus /roːˈmaː.nus/ Roman.NOM.M.SG Kalendās /kaˈlen.daːs/ Kalends.ACC.F.PL Nōnās /ˈnoː.naːs/ Nones.ACC.F.PL Īdūs /ˈiː.duːs/ Ides.ACC.F.PL habet /ˈha.bet/ have.3SG.PRES
55.23a Diēs the-days ante before Kalendās the-Kalends Nōnās Nones Īdūs Ides numerantur are-counted
55.23b Diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.PL ante /ˈan.te/ before.PREP+ACC Kalendās /kaˈlen.daːs/ Kalends.ACC.F.PL Nōnās /ˈnoː.naːs/ Nones.ACC.F.PL Īdūs /ˈiː.duːs/ Ides.ACC.F.PL numerantur /nu.meˈran.tur/ count.3PL.PRES.PASS
55.24a Diē on-the-day cōnstitūtā appointed legiōnēs the-legions ad at flūmen the-river conveniunt assemble
55.24b Diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.F.SG cōnstitūtā /koːn.stiˈtuː.taː/ appoint.PERF.PART.PASS.ABL.F.SG legiōnēs /le.ɡiˈoː.neːs/ legion.NOM.F.PL ad /ad/ at.PREP+ACC flūmen /ˈfluː.men/ river.ACC.N.SG conveniunt /konˈwe.ni.unt/ assemble.3PL.PRES
55.25a Nautae sailors diem the-day lūnae of-the-moon plēnae full timent fear quod because tum then aestūs the-tides in in Ōceanō the-Ocean maximī greatest sunt are
55.25b Nautae /ˈnau̯.tae̯/ sailor.NOM.M.PL diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG lūnae /ˈluː.nae̯/ moon.GEN.F.SG plēnae /ˈpleː.nae̯/ full.GEN.F.SG timent /ˈti.ment/ fear.3PL.PRES quod /kʷod/ because.CONJ tum /tum/ then.ADV aestūs /ˈae̯s.tuːs/ tide.NOM.M.PL in /in/ in.PREP+ABL Ōceanō /oːˈke.a.noː/ Ocean.ABL.M.SG maximī /ˈmak.si.miː/ greatest.NOM.M.PL sunt /sunt/ be.3PL.PRES
55.26a Propinquā being-near diē the-day aequinoctiī of-the-equinox nāvēs the-ships in into portum harbour redūcuntur are-brought-back
55.26b Propinquā /proˈpin.kʷaː/ near.ABL.F.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.F.SG aequinoctiī /ae̯.kʷiˈnok.ti.iː/ equinox.GEN.N.SG nāvēs /ˈnaː.weːs/ ship.NOM.F.PL in /in/ into.PREP+ACC portum /ˈpor.tum/ harbour.ACC.M.SG redūcuntur /re.duːˈkun.tur/ bring-back.3PL.PRES.PASS
55.27a Vigilēs the-sentries diēs days noctēsque and-nights castra the-camp custōdiunt guard
55.27b Vigilēs /ˈwi.ɡi.leːs/ sentry.NOM.M.PL diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.ACC.M.PL noctēsque /nokˈteːs.kʷe/ night.ACC.F.PL-and castra /ˈkas.tra/ camp.ACC.N.PL custōdiunt /kusˈtoː.di.unt/ guard.3PL.PRES
55.28a Nūllus no diēs day sine without labōre toil est is
55.28b Nūllus /ˈnuːl.lus/ no.NOM.M.SG diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG sine /ˈsi.ne/ without.PREP+ABL labōre /laˈboː.re/ toil.ABL.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
55.29a Vesperī in-the-evening tessera the-watchword in for posterum the-next diem day datur is-given
55.29b Vesperī /ˈwes.pe.riː/ evening.LOC.ADV tessera /ˈtes.se.ra/ watchword.NOM.F.SG in /in/ for.PREP+ACC posterum /ˈpos.te.rum/ next.ACC.M.SG diem /ˈdi.em/ day.ACC.M.SG datur /ˈda.tur/ give.3SG.PRES.PASS
55.30a Sīc thus mīlitis of-the-soldier Rōmānī Roman diēs the-day fīnītur is-ended
55.30b Sīc /siːk/ thus.ADV mīlitis /ˈmiː.li.tis/ soldier.GEN.M.SG Rōmānī /roːˈmaː.niː/ Roman.GEN.M.SG diēs /ˈdi.eːs/ day.NOM.M.SG fīnītur /fiːˈniː.tur/ end.3SG.PRES.PASS
Part B: Natural Sentences
55.16 Diēs mīlitis Rōmānī prīmā lūce incipit. → “The Roman soldier’s day begins at first light.”
55.17 Diēs in duodecim hōrās dīviditur, nox in quattuor vigiliās. → “The day is divided into twelve hours, the night into four watches.”
55.18 Ante fīnem diēī mīlitēs castra mūniunt. → “Before the day is over, the soldiers fortify a camp.”
55.19 Ūnō diē mīlitēs mīlitārī gradū vīgintī mīlia passuum hōrīs quīnque cōnficiunt. → “In a single day the soldiers cover twenty miles at the military pace in five hours.” (figure from Vegetius, Epitoma reī mīlitāris 1.9)
55.20 Hostēs ā castrīs nostrīs trium diērum iter absunt. → “The enemy are three days’ march from our camp.”
55.21 Frūmentum in diēs minuitur. → “The grain grows less from day to day.”
55.22 Mēnsis Rōmānus Kalendās, Nōnās, Īdūs habet. → “The Roman month has the Kalends, the Nones and the Ides.”
55.23 Diēs ante Kalendās, Nōnās, Īdūs numerantur. → “The days are counted before the Kalends, the Nones and the Ides.”
55.24 Diē cōnstitūtā legiōnēs ad flūmen conveniunt. → “On the appointed day the legions assemble at the river.”
55.25 Nautae diem lūnae plēnae timent, quod tum aestūs in Ōceanō maximī sunt. → “Sailors fear the day of the full moon, because the tides in the Ocean are highest then.”
55.26 Propinquā diē aequinoctiī nāvēs in portum redūcuntur. → “When the day of the equinox is near, the ships are brought back into harbour.”
55.27 Vigilēs diēs noctēsque castra custōdiunt. → “The sentries guard the camp day and night.”
55.28 Nūllus diēs sine labōre est. → “No day is without toil.”
55.29 Vesperī tessera in posterum diem datur. → “In the evening the watchword for the next day is given out.”
55.30 Sīc mīlitis Rōmānī diēs fīnītur. → “So ends the Roman soldier’s day.”
Part C: Latin Text Only
55.16 Diēs mīlitis Rōmānī prīmā lūce incipit.
55.17 Diēs in duodecim hōrās dīviditur, nox in quattuor vigiliās.
55.18 Ante fīnem diēī mīlitēs castra mūniunt.
55.19 Ūnō diē mīlitēs mīlitārī gradū vīgintī mīlia passuum hōrīs quīnque cōnficiunt.
55.20 Hostēs ā castrīs nostrīs trium diērum iter absunt.
55.21 Frūmentum in diēs minuitur.
55.22 Mēnsis Rōmānus Kalendās, Nōnās, Īdūs habet.
55.23 Diēs ante Kalendās, Nōnās, Īdūs numerantur.
55.24 Diē cōnstitūtā legiōnēs ad flūmen conveniunt.
55.25 Nautae diem lūnae plēnae timent, quod tum aestūs in Ōceanō maximī sunt.
55.26 Propinquā diē aequinoctiī nāvēs in portum redūcuntur.
55.27 Vigilēs diēs noctēsque castra custōdiunt.
55.28 Nūllus diēs sine labōre est.
55.29 Vesperī tessera in posterum diem datur.
55.30 Sīc mīlitis Rōmānī diēs fīnītur.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
The text uses diēs in all five cases. Nominative singular: diēs (55.16, 55.17, 55.28, 55.30). Genitive singular: diēī (55.18). Accusative singular: diem (55.25, 55.29). Ablative singular: diē (55.19, 55.24, 55.26). Nominative plural: diēs (55.23). Accusative plural: diēs (55.21, 55.27). Genitive plural: diērum (55.20).
Gender: the ordinary day is masculine: nūllus diēs (55.28), in posterum diem (55.29). The fixed day of the calendar is feminine: diē cōnstitūtā (55.24) and propinquā diē aequinoctiī (55.26), which are Caesar’s own words (Dē Bellō Gallicō 4.36). Propinquā diē is an ablative absolute: “the day being near.” Diem lūnae plēnae (55.25) is left without an agreeing word, so it is glossed as masculine; Caesar’s quī diēs in 4.29 (55.14) is masculine for the same idea.
Time: the ablative ūnō diē (55.19) gives the time within which; hōrīs quīnque is the same construction. The accusative diēs noctēsque (55.27) gives duration. In diēs (55.21) with a verb of decrease means “from day to day, more and more.” In posterum diem (55.29) means “for the next day.” Prīmā lūce (55.16) is an ablative of time when without diēs: “at first light.”
Other points: 55.17 leaves out the verb in the second clause (nox in quattuor vigiliās [dīviditur]), a common Latin ellipsis. 55.20 trium diērum iter is a genitive of measure, and absunt takes the accusative iter of extent. Vīgintī mīlia passuum (55.19) is literally “twenty thousands of paces”: a Roman mile was a thousand paces, so this is twenty Roman miles. Vesperī (55.29) is an old locative, “in the evening.” Kalendae, Nōnae and Īdūs (55.22, 55.23) are plural nouns, all feminine; Īdūs is fourth declension. Nostrīs (55.20) agrees with the neuter plural castrīs (Lesson 54).
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Two syllables, not one. Diēs is di-ēs, never “dyace.” The i and the ē are separate vowels in every form: di-em, di-ē, di-Ē-ī, di-Ē-rum, di-Ē-bus.
Long and short e. Diem (accusative) has a short e; diē (ablative) has a long ē. Diēī keeps the long ē because it follows a vowel; fideī and reī, after a consonant, do not.
Stress in the compounds. Postrīdiē and cotīdiē are stressed on the long ī: pos-TRĪ-di-ē, co-TĪ-di-ē. Merīdiēs is me-RĪ-di-ēs.
Spelling of cotīdiē. Manuscripts and editions also print cottīdiē and quotīdiē. All three are the same word, “every day.”
Rh in Rhodanus. The Greek aspirate is kept in the spelling of the river name. Say it as an ordinary r with a little breath, /rʰ/.
Consonantal u. In cōnsuēvit (55.14), su before a vowel is pronounced /sw/: kōn-SWĒ-wit.
The prefix in-. Inreparābile (55.15) is the spelling of the Latin Library text. Many editions write irreparābile, with the n assimilated to the r. Both are correct; the sound is the same in quick speech.
Gn. Pugnāvērunt is written here /puɡ.naːˈweː.runt/. Many scholars hold that Romans said [ŋn] (“pung-nā-”); either pronunciation is acceptable in this course.
Capitalisation. The names of months and the fixed days are capitalised (Kalendae, Nōnae, Īdūs, Aprīlis), as are peoples and rivers (Helvētiī, Haeduī, Rhodanus, Ōceanus). Diēs itself is never capitalised.
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