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Welcome to your first lesson in Neo-Latin Colloquia! This lesson introduces you to the greeting formulas composed by Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536), the great Dutch humanist scholar. His Familiarum Colloquiorum Formulae (1518) was designed to teach students elegant Latin conversation through practical dialogues. These greeting formulas show how Renaissance scholars adapted classical Latin for daily social interaction.
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
What is this dialogue about? This dialogue presents various ways to greet friends and acquaintances in Neo-Latin, showing both formal and informal registers. Erasmus demonstrates how humanist Latin maintained classical structures while adapting to Renaissance social conventions.
This lesson will teach you essential greeting vocabulary and introduce you to basic Latin word order patterns. You'll notice that Neo-Latin often uses Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, influenced by vernacular languages, alongside classical Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) patterns.
Word Order Pattern Preview: This text demonstrates primarily SVO patterns typical of conversational Neo-Latin, with some classical SOV constructions for emphasis. You'll also see interrogative word order in questions.
Key Takeaways: -
Basic greeting formulas in Neo-Latin -
Introduction to Latin cases (nominative and vocative) -
Word order variations in conversational Latin -
Present tense verb conjugations
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In presenting Erasmus's text, we maintain: -
Classical spelling conventions (no j/v distinctions in original) -
Diphthongs written as separate letters (ae not æ) -
Original punctuation modernized for clarity -
¹Note: Erasmus used "u" for both u and v sounds; we distinguish for clarity
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1.1a Salve hail amice friend carissime! dearest [SVO] 1.1b Salve (SAHL-way) hail amice (ah-MEE-kay) friend^VOC carissime (kah-REES-see-may) dearest^VOC
1.2a Et and tu you quoque also salveto! be-well [SVO] 1.2b Et (et) and tu (too) you^NOM quoque (KWOH-kway) also salveto (sahl-WAY-toh) be-well^IMP
1.3a Quomodo how vales? are-you [INT] 1.3b Quomodo (kwoh-MOH-doh) how vales (WAH-lays) are-you^2SG
1.4a Bene well valeo, I-am gratias thanks ago I-give tibi. to-you [SVO] 1.4b Bene (BEH-nay) well valeo (WAH-lay-oh) I-am^1SG gratias (GRAH-tee-ahs) thanks^ACC ago (AH-goh) I-give^1SG tibi (TEE-bee) to-you^DAT
1.5a Quid what agis? do-you [INT] 1.5b Quid (kwid) what^ACC agis (AH-gis) do-you^2SG
1.6a Nihil nothing novi new ago. I-do [SOV] 1.6b Nihil (NEE-hil) nothing^ACC novi (NOH-wee) new^GEN ago (AH-goh) I-do^1SG
1.7a Salvere to-be-well te you iubeo I-bid plurimum. very-much [SVO] 1.7b Salvere (sahl-WAY-ray) to-be-well^INF te (tay) you^ACC iubeo (YOO-bay-oh) I-bid^1SG plurimum (PLOO-ree-moom) very-much^ADV
1.8a Salutant greet te you parentes parents mei. my [SVO] 1.8b Salutant (sah-LOO-tahnt) greet^3PL te (tay) you^ACC parentes (pah-REN-tays) parents^NOM mei (MAY-ee) my^NOM
1.9a Rogo I-ask ut that valeas you-be-well optime. best [SVO] 1.9b Rogo (ROH-goh) I-ask^1SG ut (oot) that valeas (WAH-lay-ahs) you-be-well^SUBJ optime (OHP-tee-may) best^ADV
1.10a Vale farewell et and me me ama! love [SVO] 1.10b Vale (WAH-lay) farewell^IMP et (et) and me (may) me^ACC ama (AH-mah) love^IMP
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1.1 Salve, amice carissime! - Hail, dearest friend!
1.2 Et tu quoque salveto! - And you also be well!
1.3 Quomodo vales? - How are you?
1.4 Bene valeo, gratias ago tibi. - I am well, I give thanks to you.
1.5 Quid agis? - What are you doing?
1.6 Nihil novi ago. - I'm doing nothing new.
1.7 Salvere te iubeo plurimum. - I bid you be very well.
1.8 Salutant te parentes mei. - My parents greet you.
1.9 Rogo ut valeas optime. - I ask that you be very well.
1.10 Vale et me ama! - Farewell and love me!
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1.1 Salve, amice carissime!
1.2 Et tu quoque salveto!
1.3 Quomodo vales?
1.4 Bene valeo, gratias ago tibi.
1.5 Quid agis?
1.6 Nihil novi ago.
1.7 Salvere te iubeo plurimum.
1.8 Salutant te parentes mei.
1.9 Rogo ut valeas optime.
1.10 Vale et me ama!
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These are the grammar rules for this text:
Word Order Analysis
The text demonstrates three main word order patterns: -
SVO Pattern [SVO]: Most common in Neo-Latin conversation -
Example: Salutant te parentes mei (Subject-Verb-Object) -
This reflects Renaissance vernacular influence -
SOV Pattern [SOV]: Classical Latin structure -
Example: Nihil novi ago (Object-Object-Verb) -
Used for emphasis or formal style -
Interrogative Pattern [INT]: Questions -
Example: Quid agis? (Question word + Verb) -
Verb typically follows interrogative word
Cases in This Lesson -
Nominative: Subject of sentence (tu, parentes) -
Vocative: Direct address (amice carissime) -
Accusative: Direct object (te, gratias, me) -
Genitive: Possession or description (novi = "of new") -
Dative: Indirect object (tibi = "to you")
Verb Forms
Present Tense Conjugations: -
1st person singular: valeo (I am well), ago (I do), rogo (I ask) -
2nd person singular: vales (you are well), agis (you do) -
3rd person plural: salutant (they greet)
Imperative Mood (Commands): -
salve (be well!), salveto (be well! - future imperative) -
vale (farewell!), ama (love!)
Subjunctive Mood: -
valeas (that you may be well) - present subjunctive after ut
Common Mistakes -
Confusing vocative with nominative: amice (vocative) not amicus -
Forgetting that gratias ago is a fixed phrase meaning "I thank" -
Missing the subjunctive after ut in purpose clauses
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ago, agere (3rd conjugation verb) - to do, act, drive ama, amare (1st conjugation verb, imperative) - to love amicus, -i (m. noun, 2nd declension) - friend bene (adverb) - well carissimus, -a, -um (superlative adjective) - dearest, most dear et (conjunction) - and gratias ago (idiom) - I give thanks, I thank iubeo, iubere (2nd conjugation verb) - to order, bid, command me (pronoun, accusative) - me meus, -a, -um (possessive adjective) - my, mine nihil (indeclinable noun) - nothing novus, -a, -um (adjective) - new optime (adverb, superlative) - best, very well parens, parentis (m/f noun, 3rd declension) - parent plurimum (adverb) - very much, most quid (interrogative pronoun) - what quomodo (interrogative adverb) - how, in what way quoque (adverb) - also, too rogo, rogare (1st conjugation verb) - to ask, request saluto, salutare (1st conjugation verb) - to greet, salute salveo, salvere (2nd conjugation verb) - to be well, be in good health salveto (future imperative) - be well! (formal) salve (imperative) - hail! hello! be well! te (pronoun, accusative) - you tibi (pronoun, dative) - to you, for you tu (pronoun, nominative) - you ut (conjunction + subjunctive) - that, so that valeo, valere (2nd conjugation verb) - to be well, be strong vale (imperative) - farewell! goodbye!
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Salve, amice! - Hello, friend! Salve! - Hello! Quomodo vales? - How are you? Bene valeo. - I am well. Quid agis? - What are you doing? Nihil. - Nothing. Parentes mei te salutant. - My parents greet you. Vale, amice! - Goodbye, friend! Vale! - Goodbye!
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From Erasmus, Familiarum Colloquiorum Formulae (1518), lines 1-50:
Original orthography preserved:
Salue amice charissime. Et tu quoque salueto. Quomodo uales? Bene ualeo, gratias ago tibi. Quid agis? Nihil noui ago. Saluere te iubeo plurimum. Salutant te parentes mei. Rogo ut ualeas optime. Vale et me ama.
Citation: Erasmus Roterodamus, Desiderius. Familiarum Colloquiorum Formulae, Basel: Froben, 1518, pp. 1-2.
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This course uses the proven methodology of the Latinum Institute (latinum.substack.com), which has been creating innovative Latin learning materials since 2006. Our text-based autodidact approach using authentic Neo-Latin colloquia enables students to develop real conversational fluency in Latin.
The Neo-Latin Colloquia series presents carefully selected Renaissance dialogues that bridge classical Latin and modern language learning. By studying how humanist scholars actually used Latin for daily communication, students gain practical skills alongside classical knowledge.
Student reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Conversational Latin, as demonstrated in these Renaissance colloquia, is the key to true Latin fluency. Through progressive lessons featuring authentic texts from master Latinists like Erasmus, you'll develop the ability to think and speak in Latin naturally.
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