A Latinum Institute Modern Language Course
Source: Juan Luis Vives, Linguae Latinae Exercitatio (1539), Dialogus XIII
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Welcome to Lesson 12 of our Neo-Latin Colloquia series! Today we enter the Renaissance classroom with Juan Luis Vives (1492–1540), the great Spanish humanist educator whose dialogues taught Latin conversation throughout Europe for centuries.
Vives’ Linguae Latinae Exercitatio (1539), dedicated to the young Prince Philip (later Philip II of Spain), presents lively conversations depicting every aspect of Renaissance student life. The dialogue “Schola” gives us an intimate portrait of the humanist academy—not a dusty grammar drill, but a vibrant community where learning transforms “beasts into men,” as Vives memorably phrases it.
This lesson introduces essential classroom vocabulary and several key grammatical structures: second declension masculine nouns, second conjugation verbs, the imperative mood, the hortatory subjunctive, and question formation. These patterns form the backbone of academic Latin discourse.
FAQ: What is this dialogue about? The “Schola” dialogue depicts a morning in a Renaissance school, where a teacher (Sophobulus) greets his students, reviews their previous learning, and prepares them for the day’s lessons. It demonstrates the warm, collaborative atmosphere Vives considered essential to true education.
Key Takeaways: -
Classroom greetings and formulas -
Second declension masculine nouns (discipulus, magister, liber) -
Second conjugation verbs (doceō, habeō) -
Imperative mood for classroom commands -
Hortatory subjunctive for group encouragement -
Interrogative patterns for academic discussion
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Vives wrote in the elegant humanist Latin of the Northern Renaissance. This lesson presents standardized orthography with macrons (long marks) to aid pronunciation. Renaissance printings often used ligatures (æ for ae, œ for oe) and employed i/j and u/v interchangeably. We follow modern conventions while noting variants where instructive.
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12.1a Salvēte, hail(pl) discipulī! students! Quōmodo how vōs you(pl) habētis have-yourselves hodiē? today [INT]
12.1b Salvēte (sahl-WAY-tay) hail discipulī (dis-KI-poo-lee) students Quōmodo (KWOH-moh-doh) how vōs (wohs) you habētis (hah-BAY-tis) have-yourselves hodiē (HOH-dee-ay) today
12.2a Salvē, hail(sg) magister! teacher! Bene well nōs we habēmus, have-ourselves grātiās thanks(acc) Deō. to-God(dat) [SVO]
12.2b Salvē (SAHL-way) hail magister (mah-GIS-ter) teacher Bene (BE-nay) well nōs (nohs) we habēmus (hah-BAY-moos) have-ourselves grātiās (GRAH-tee-ahs) thanks Deō (DAY-oh) to-God
12.3a Quid what didicistis did-you(pl)-learn herī yesterday in in scholā? school(abl) [INT]
12.3b Quid (kwid) what didicistis (di-di-KIS-tis) did-you-learn herī (HEH-ree) yesterday in (in) in scholā (SKOH-lah) school
12.4a Grammaticam grammar(acc) Latīnam Latin(acc) et and litterās letters(acc) bonās. good(acc-pl) [OV]
12.4b Grammaticam (gram-MAH-ti-kahm) grammar Latīnam (lah-TEE-nahm) Latin et (et) and litterās (LIT-te-rahs) letters bonās (BOH-nahs) good
12.5a Magistrum teacher(acc) nostrum our(acc) libenter gladly audīvimus. we-heard [OVS/EF]
12.5b Magistrum (mah-GIS-trum) teacher nostrum (NOS-trum) our libenter (li-BEN-ter) gladly audīvimus (ow-DEE-wi-moos) we-heard
12.6a Bene well est! it-is Discipulus student(nom) bonus good(nom) magistrum teacher(acc) suum his-own(acc) amat. loves [SOV]
12.6b Bene (BE-nay) well est (est) it-is Discipulus (dis-KI-poo-loos) student bonus (BOH-noos) good magistrum (mah-GIS-trum) teacher suum (SOO-oom) his-own amat (AH-maht) loves
12.7a Quandō when incipiet will-begin lēctiō lesson(nom) hodierna? today’s(nom) [INT]
12.7b Quandō (KWAHN-doh) when incipiet (in-KI-pee-et) will-begin lēctiō (LEK-tee-oh) lesson hodierna (hoh-dee-ER-nah) today’s
12.8a Hōrā at-hour(abl) septimā. seventh(abl) Eāmus let-us-go ad to scholam! school(acc) [HORT]
12.8b Hōrā (HOH-rah) at-hour septimā (SEP-ti-mah) seventh Eāmus (ay-AH-moos) let-us-go ad (ahd) to scholam (SKOH-lahm) school
12.9a Libenter! gladly Librōs books(acc) nostrōs our(acc) portāmus. we-carry [OV]
12.9b Libenter (li-BEN-ter) gladly Librōs (LI-brohs) books nostrōs (NOS-trohs) our portāmus (por-TAH-moos) we-carry
12.10a Attendite pay-attention(impv-pl) semper, always nam for discere to-learn bonum good(nom) est. is [IMP]
12.10b Attendite (aht-TEN-di-tay) pay-attention semper (SEM-per) always nam (nahm) for discere (DIS-ke-ray) to-learn bonum (BOH-noom) good est (est) is
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12.1 SOPHOBULUS: Salvēte, discipulī! Quōmodo vōs habētis hodiē? [INT] “Greetings, students! How are you doing today?”
12.2 CORDATUS: Salvē, magister! Bene nōs habēmus, grātiās Deō. [SVO] “Greetings, teacher! We are doing well, thanks be to God.”
12.3 SOPHOBULUS: Quid didicistis herī in scholā? [INT] “What did you learn yesterday in school?”
12.4 MISIPPUS: Grammaticam Latīnam et litterās bonās. [OV] “Latin grammar and good literature.”
12.5 CORDATUS: Magistrum nostrum libenter audīvimus. [EF] “We gladly listened to our teacher.”
12.6 SOPHOBULUS: Bene est! Discipulus bonus magistrum suum amat. [SOV] “Excellent! A good student loves his teacher.”
12.7 MISIPPUS: Quandō incipiet lēctiō hodierna? [INT] “When will today’s lesson begin?”
12.8 SOPHOBULUS: Hōrā septimā. Eāmus ad scholam! [HORT] “At the seventh hour. Let us go to school!”
12.9 CORDATUS: Libenter! Librōs nostrōs portāmus. [OV] “Gladly! We are carrying our books.”
12.10 SOPHOBULUS: Attendite semper, nam discere bonum est. [IMP] “Always pay attention, for learning is a good thing.”
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12.1 Salvēte, discipulī! Quōmodo vōs habētis hodiē?
12.2 Salvē, magister! Bene nōs habēmus, grātiās Deō.
12.3 Quid didicistis herī in scholā?
12.4 Grammaticam Latīnam et litterās bonās.
12.5 Magistrum nostrum libenter audīvimus.
12.6 Bene est! Discipulus bonus magistrum suum amat.
12.7 Quandō incipiet lēctiō hodierna?
12.8 Hōrā septimā. Eāmus ad scholam!
12.9 Libenter! Librōs nostrōs portāmus.
12.10 Attendite semper, nam discere bonum est.
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These are the grammar rules for this text:
1. Second Declension Masculine Nouns (-us, -ī)
The dialogue features several second declension masculine nouns, the most common noun pattern in Latin. These nouns end in -us in the nominative singular and -ī in the genitive singular.
Key vocabulary from this lesson follows this pattern: discipulus (student), magister (teacher—note the nominative ends in -er but follows second declension), and liber (book—another -er type).
The pattern works as follows for discipulus: nominative discipulus (the student, as subject), genitive discipulī (of the student), dative discipulō (to/for the student), accusative discipulum (the student, as object), ablative discipulō (by/with/from the student). The plural follows: nominative discipulī, genitive discipulōrum, dative discipulīs, accusative discipulōs, ablative discipulīs.
2. Second Conjugation Verbs (doceō, -ēre)
Second conjugation verbs have the characteristic long -ē- in their stem. The verb habeō (to have, to hold) appears throughout this dialogue. The formula “quōmodo tē habēs?” means literally “how do you hold yourself?” and idiomatically “how are you?”
The present tense conjugation runs: habeō (I have), habēs (you have), habet (he/she/it has), habēmus (we have), habētis (you all have), habent (they have).
Note that doceō (to teach) follows the same pattern but takes two accusatives: one for the person taught, one for the subject taught. This “double accusative” construction appears in sentences like Magister discipulōs grammaticam docet (The teacher teaches the students grammar).
3. The Imperative Mood
Latin commands (imperatives) are simple and direct. For second conjugation verbs like attendō (to pay attention): singular command attende! (you there, pay attention!), plural command attendite! (all of you, pay attention!).
For first conjugation verbs: singular portā!, plural portāte! For second conjugation: singular docē!, plural docēte! For third conjugation: singular disce!, plural discite! For fourth conjugation: singular audī!, plural audīte!
The imperative mood gives Renaissance classroom Latin its characteristic directness and energy.
4. The Hortatory Subjunctive
The hortatory (or “exhortative”) subjunctive uses the first person plural subjunctive to express “let us...” In line 8, Eāmus ad scholam! means “Let us go to school!”
This construction uses the present subjunctive: eāmus (let us go), discāmus (let us learn), legāmus (let us read). It expresses encouragement, suggestion, or mild command directed at a group including the speaker.
English has largely lost this construction, substituting “let us” + infinitive, but Latin expresses it with a single verb form.
5. Word Order Analysis
This dialogue demonstrates several characteristic Latin word order patterns.
Classical SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) appears in line 6: Discipulus bonus magistrum suum amat — literally “Student good teacher his-own loves.” The verb naturally comes last in neutral declarative sentences.
Interrogative word order [INT] places the question word first, followed typically by the verb: Quid didicistis...? (What did-you-learn...?)
Emphatic fronting [EF] appears in line 5: Magistrum nostrum libenter audīvimus — the object magistrum is fronted to emphasize “our teacher” specifically. This contrasts with the neutral order where the subject would come first.
The hortatory subjunctive [HORT] typically leads its clause: Eāmus ad scholam!
Common Mistakes:
Many learners confuse the vocative and nominative cases. In Salvēte, discipulī! the word discipulī is vocative plural (direct address), though it looks identical to the nominative plural. Context makes the difference: after a greeting, the following noun addresses the listener directly.
Another common error involves forgetting that Latin reflexive pronouns (suum, suī) refer back to the subject. In magistrum suum amat, the suum means “his own” referring to the subject discipulus, not to some other person.
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ad — preposition + accusative: to, toward, near. From PIE h₂éd (to, at). Cognate with English “at.” Common in motion expressions.
amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum — first conjugation verb: to love, to like. Source of English “amatory,” “amateur.” Fundamental vocabulary from earliest Latin.
attendō, attendere, attendī, attentum — third conjugation verb: to pay attention, to direct one’s mind to. From ad- (to) + tendō (stretch). Source of English “attend,” “attention.”
bene — adverb: well, rightly, properly. From bonus (good). Comparative melius, superlative optimē. Very frequent in polite formulas.
bonus, -a, -um — first/second declension adjective: good, excellent, kind. Irregular comparison: bonus, melior, optimus. Source of English “bonus,” “boon.”
discipulus, -ī — second declension masculine noun: student, learner, disciple. From discō (I learn). Source of English “disciple.” The standard term for a school student in Renaissance Latin.
discō, discere, didicī, — — third conjugation verb: to learn, to study. Reduplicated perfect (didicī). No passive participle. Source of English “discipline” (via disciplīna).
doceō, docēre, docuī, doctum — second conjugation verb: to teach, to instruct. Takes double accusative (person + subject). Source of English “doctor,” “doctrine,” “document.”
eō, īre, iī/īvī, itum — irregular verb: to go. One of the most irregular yet most common Latin verbs. Source of English “exit,” “transit.”
grammatica, -ae — first declension feminine noun: grammar, the study of language. From Greek γραμματική. The foundation of Renaissance education.
grātia, -ae — first declension feminine noun: thanks, favor, grace. In plural grātiās often with agere (to give thanks) or as exclamation. Source of English “grace,” “grateful.”
habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum — second conjugation verb: to have, to hold, to consider. In reflexive use sē habēre means “to be” (in a certain condition). Source of English “habit.”
herī — adverb: yesterday. Indeclinable. Common in conversational Latin.
hodiē — adverb: today. From hōc diē (on this day). Very frequent in dialogues.
hodiernus, -a, -um — first/second declension adjective: of today, today’s. From hodiē.
hōra, -ae — first declension feminine noun: hour, time, season. From Greek ὥρα. Source of English “hour,” “horoscope.”
in — preposition: in, on (+ ablative for location); into, onto (+ accusative for motion).
incipiō, incipere, incēpī, inceptum — third conjugation -iō verb: to begin, to undertake. From in- + capiō (take). Source of English “incipient.”
Latīnus, -a, -um — first/second declension adjective: Latin, of Latium. The adjective describing the language and culture of Rome.
lēctiō, lēctiōnis — third declension feminine noun: reading, lesson, lecture. From legō (read). Source of English “lesson,” “lecture.”
liber, librī — second declension masculine noun: book. Nominative ends in -er but follows regular second declension otherwise. Source of English “library.”
libenter — adverb: gladly, willingly, with pleasure. From libēns (willing). Very common in polite responses.
littera, -ae — first declension feminine noun: letter (of alphabet); in plural, litterae means literature, learning, letters. Source of English “letter,” “literature.”
magister, magistrī — second declension masculine noun: teacher, master, director. Nominative in -er. Source of English “master,” “magistrate.”
nam — conjunction: for, because. Introduces explanations. Common in reasoned discourse.
noster, nostra, nostrum — possessive adjective: our, ours. First/second declension with -er nominative masculine singular.
portō, portāre, portāvī, portātum — first conjugation verb: to carry, to bear, to bring. Regular first conjugation paradigm. Source of English “port,” “portable,” “transport.”
quandō — adverb/conjunction: when? at what time? Also used as subordinating conjunction “when.”
quid — interrogative pronoun (neuter nominative/accusative): what? From quis, quid. The most common question word.
quōmodo — adverb: how? in what way? From quō (by what) + modō (manner). Standard formula for “how are you?”
salvē, salvēte — imperative of salveō: greetings! hello! Singular salvē, plural salvēte. The standard Latin greeting.
schola, -ae — first declension feminine noun: school, lecture hall, leisure for learning. From Greek σχολή (leisure). Source of English “school,” “scholar.”
semper — adverb: always, ever, constantly. Very common intensifier.
septimus, -a, -um — ordinal numeral adjective: seventh. From septem (seven).
suus, sua, suum — reflexive possessive adjective: his own, her own, its own, their own. Refers back to the grammatical subject.
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For beginners, here is a simplified version maintaining the dialogue format:
MAGISTER: Salvēte! Quōmodo estis hodiē? DISCIPULUS: Bene sumus! Grātiās! MAGISTER: Quid didicistis herī? DISCIPULUS: Grammaticam didicimus. MAGISTER: Bene! Bonus discipulus amat discere. DISCIPULUS: Quandō incipit lēctiō? MAGISTER: Nunc incipit! Attendite! DISCIPULUS: Attendimus, magister!
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From Vives, Linguae Latinae Exercitatio (1539), Dialogus XIII “Schola”:
“Academia haec est, ut ita dicam, officina formandorum hominum... Huc puerum tuum adduc, ut ex bestia fiat homo.”
“This academy is, so to speak, the workshop for forming men... Bring your boy here, that from a beast he may become a man.”
This famous passage encapsulates Vives’ educational philosophy: the school transforms raw human nature into cultivated humanity through learning and discipline.
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A dialogue in the style of Vives, set in a modern academic context, demonstrating the same grammatical patterns
Characters: -
PROFESSOR MARCUS (a Latin teacher) -
JULIA (a university student) -
THOMAS (another student)
MARCUS: Salvēte, discipulī! Venīte et sedēte! “Greetings, students! Come and sit down!”
JULIA: Salvē, professor! Quōmodo tē habēs hodiē? “Hello, professor! How are you today?”
MARCUS: Bene mē habeō, grātiās! Et vōs? “I’m doing well, thanks! And you?”
THOMAS: Fessī sumus sed parātī ad discendum! “We are tired but ready to learn!”
MARCUS: Cur fessī estis? Quid fēcistis herī? “Why are you tired? What did you do yesterday?”
JULIA: Tōtam noctem studuimus. Librōs multōs lēgimus. “We studied all night. We read many books.”
MARCUS: Bonus labor! Sed somnus quoque necesse est. “Good work! But sleep is also necessary.”
THOMAS: Vērum dīcis, magister. Crās melius dormīēmus. “You speak the truth, teacher. Tomorrow we will sleep better.”
MARCUS: Nunc caffēam bibāmus et dē Latīnā loquāmur! “Now let us drink coffee and speak about Latin!”
JULIA: Libenter! Caffēa calida optimum est remedium! “Gladly! Hot coffee is the best remedy!”
THOMAS: Ubi sunt nostra exercitia, professor? “Where are our exercises, professor?”
MARCUS: In tabulā electronicā sunt. Mittam ea vōbīs. “They are on the computer. I will send them to you.”
JULIA: Grātiās maximās! Semper nōs bene docēs. “Many thanks! You always teach us well.”
MARCUS: Et vōs semper bene discitis. Eāmus nunc ad classem! “And you always learn well. Let us go now to class!”
Grammatical Notes on Part B:
This modern adaptation maintains the same grammatical structures as the authentic Vives dialogue: second declension nouns (professor, liber), second conjugation verbs (habeō, studeō), imperatives (Venīte!, Sedēte!), the hortatory subjunctive (bibāmus, loquāmur, eāmus), and varied word order patterns. New vocabulary includes caffēa (coffee, a Neo-Latin coinage), tabula electronica (computer, literally “electronic tablet”), and classis (class, in the academic sense).
The dialogue demonstrates that Latin remains a living, adaptable language capable of expressing modern concepts while maintaining its elegant classical structure.
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The Latinum Institute has been creating Latin language materials since 2006. Our approach uses authentic Neo-Latin dialogues to teach conversational Latin as a living language, following the methodology of Renaissance humanists who understood that fluency comes through meaningful practice with engaging texts.
This lesson series draws from the great treasury of Renaissance school colloquia—works by Erasmus, Vives, Cordier, and others—that successfully taught generations of European students to speak and write Latin with confidence and elegance.
For reviews of Latinum materials, visit: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Next Lesson Preview: Lesson 13 will continue with Vives’ Ludus (Games), exploring the Latin vocabulary of Renaissance recreation and introducing conditional sentences.
Previous Lesson Review: Lesson 11 covered Vives’ Domus (The House), introducing domestic vocabulary and descriptive patterns with the verb “esse.”
© Latinum Institute. Content adapted from public domain sources for educational purposes.
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