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Welcome to Lesson 2 of the Neo-Latin Colloquia course for autodidact students. In this lesson, we explore Desiderius Erasmus's Familiarum Colloquiorum Formulae (1518), specifically the section on varied greeting formulas (Formulae Salutandi). This dialogue collection represents one of the most influential pedagogical texts of the Renaissance, originally developed from exercises Erasmus created for his pupils while tutoring in Paris around 1499.
Historical Context: Erasmus (1466-1536), the "Prince of Christian Humanists," revolutionized Latin pedagogy by creating conversational dialogues that taught both language and social etiquette. These formulae were never intended for publication but were preserved by his student Augustine Vincent and later published by Johann Froben without Erasmus's initial permission.
Link to course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
What is this dialogue about? This dialogue presents various ways to greet people in Latin, ranging from formal to intimate, playful to respectful. It demonstrates how Renaissance humanists adapted classical Latin for contemporary social situations, showing both traditional SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) patterns and emerging SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) structures influenced by vernacular languages.
Educational Purpose: This lesson teaches greeting variations, response patterns, and the social nuances of Renaissance Latin conversation. Students will observe how word order varies based on emphasis, formality, and conversational context.
Word Order Pattern Preview: This text showcases varied syntactic patterns including: -
Classical SOV constructions in formal greetings -
SVO patterns showing vernacular influence -
Emphatic fronting for emotional expressions -
Vocative placement variations
Key Takeaways: -
Master varied greeting formulas from formal to intimate -
Understand word order flexibility in conversational Latin -
Learn response patterns and reciprocal greetings -
Recognize social register differences in Renaissance Latin
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Orthographic Notes: -
Original text uses "vxor" for "uxor" (classical spelling restored) -
"qd" expanded to "quod" (abbreviation resolved) -
"cū" expanded to "cum" (macron removed) -
v/u distinction: "saluere" for "salvere" maintained per ecclesiastical tradition -
Punctuation modernized for clarity while preserving rhetorical pauses
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1.1a Salve hail meum my mel honey [EF] 1.1b Salve (SAHL-veh) hail meum (MEH-oom) my mel (mel) honey
1.2a Salve hail mea my voluptas pleasure unica only [EF] 1.2b Salve (SAHL-veh) hail mea (MEH-ah) my voluptas (voh-LOOP-tahs) pleasure unica (OO-nee-kah) only
1.3a Plurimum very-much salve hail uxor wife [EF] 1.3b Plurimum (PLOO-ree-moom) very-much salve (SAHL-veh) hail uxor (OOK-sohr) wife
1.4a Salve hail regina queen formosissima most-beautiful cum with catulis puppies te you matre mother dignis worthy [SVO] 1.4b Salve (SAHL-veh) hail regina (reh-GEE-nah) queen formosissima (for-moh-SEES-see-mah) most-beautiful cum (koom) with catulis (kah-TOO-lees) puppies te (teh) you^ABL matre (MAH-treh) mother^ABL dignis (DEEG-nees) worthy^ABL
1.5a Salve hail turpissime most-disgraceful nebulo scoundrel [EF] 1.5b Salve (SAHL-veh) hail turpissime (toor-PEES-see-meh) most-disgraceful nebulo (neh-BOO-loh) scoundrel
1.6a Salve hail levissime most-frivolous ganeo glutton [EF] 1.6b Salve (SAHL-veh) hail levissime (leh-VEES-see-meh) most-frivolous ganeo (GAH-neh-oh) glutton
1.7a Ut as me me salutas you-greet ita so resalutabere you-will-be-greeted-back [SOV] 1.7b Ut (oot) as me (meh) me^ACC salutas (sah-LOO-tahs) you-greet ita (EE-tah) so resalutabere (reh-sah-loo-TAH-beh-reh) you-will-be-greeted-back
1.8a Salvus safe sis may-you-be tu you quoque also Nicolae Nicholas [SOV] 1.8b Salvus (SAHL-voos) safe sis (sees) may-you-be tu (too) you quoque (KWOH-kweh) also Nicolae (nee-koh-LAH-eh) Nicholas^VOC
1.9a Christianum Christian plurimum very-much salvere to-be-well iubeo I-order [SOV] 1.9b Christianum (krees-tee-AH-noom) Christian^ACC plurimum (PLOO-ree-moom) very-much salvere (sahl-VEH-reh) to-be-well iubeo (YOO-beh-oh) I-order
1.10a Matri to-mother quam as potes you-can officiosissime most-dutifully ex from me me salutem greeting dicito say! [SOV] 1.10b Matri (MAH-tree) to-mother^DAT quam (kwahm) as potes (POH-tehs) you-can officiosissime (of-fee-kee-OH-sees-see-meh) most-dutifully ex (eks) from me (meh) me^ABL salutem (sah-LOO-tem) greeting^ACC dicito (DEE-kee-toh) say!
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1.1 Salve meum mel. Hail, my honey.
1.2 Salve mea voluptas unica. Hail, my only pleasure.
1.3 Plurimum salve, uxor. Many greetings, wife.
1.4 Salve regina formosissima cum catulis te matre dignis. Hail, most beautiful queen, with puppies worthy of you as mother.
1.5 Salve turpissime nebulo. Hail, you most disgraceful scoundrel.
1.6 Salve levissime ganeo. Hail, you most frivolous glutton.
1.7 Ut me salutas, ita resalutabere. As you greet me, so you will be greeted in return.
1.8 Salvus sis tu quoque, Nicolae. May you also be well, Nicholas.
1.9 Christianum plurimum salvere iubeo. I bid Christian very hearty greetings.
1.10 Matri quam potes officiosissime ex me salutem dicito. Tell mother greetings from me as dutifully as you can.
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1.1 Salve meum mel. 1.2 Salve mea voluptas unica. 1.3 Plurimum salve, uxor. 1.4 Salve regina formosissima cum catulis te matre dignis. 1.5 Salve turpissime nebulo. 1.6 Salve levissime ganeo. 1.7 Ut me salutas, ita resalutabere. 1.8 Salvus sis tu quoque, Nicolae. 1.9 Christianum plurimum salvere iubeo. 1.10 Matri quam potes officiosissime ex me salutem dicito.
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These are the grammar rules for this text:
Word Order Analysis -
Emphatic Fronting [EF]: Most greetings begin with "Salve" placing the greeting verb first for immediate social engagement. This differs from classical prose which might embed the greeting within a longer sentence. -
Classical SOV Pattern [SOV]: Sentences 1.7, 1.9, and 1.10 maintain classical word order with the verb at the end. Example: "Christianum plurimum salvere iubeo" places the main verb "iubeo" (I order) at the sentence end. -
Vocative Placement: The person addressed can appear at various positions: -
Final position: "Plurimum salve, uxor" (formal) -
Integrated: "Salve turpissime nebulo" (emphatic) -
Superlative Adjectives: Always precede their nouns for emphasis: "turpissime nebulo" (most disgraceful scoundrel), "formosissima regina" (most beautiful queen).
Case Usage Patterns -
Nominative: Used for address in greetings ("mel" as predicate nominative) -
Accusative: Direct objects of greeting verbs ("Christianum...salvere iubeo") -
Dative: Indirect objects showing recipient ("Matri...salutem dicito") -
Ablative: Means/source ("ex me" = from me), description ("te matre" = with you as mother) -
Vocative: Direct address ("Nicolae")
Verb Forms -
Imperative: "Salve" (singular), "dicito" (future imperative for polite command) -
Present Subjunctive: "sis" (may you be) for wishes -
Future Passive: "resalutabere" (you will be greeted back) -
Infinitive: "salvere" (to be well) after "iubeo"
Common Mistakes -
Confusing "salve" (imperative: hail!) with "salvus" (adjective: safe/well) -
Missing the reciprocal nature of "resalutare" (to greet back) -
Overlooking case requirements after "ex" (always ablative) -
Forgetting that "iubeo" takes accusative + infinitive construction
Step-by-Step Construction Guide
To create a Renaissance greeting: -
Start with "Salve" or variation -
Add descriptive term (adjective + noun in vocative/nominative) -
Include modifiers for emphasis (superlatives common) -
End with name if known (vocative case)
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catulis (noun, m./f., ablative plural from "catulus") - puppies, young animals, offspring
dicito (verb, future imperative from "dico") - say! speak! tell!
dignis (adjective, ablative plural from "dignus") - worthy, deserving, suitable
ex (preposition + ablative) - from, out of, by reason of
formosissima (adjective, nominative feminine singular superlative from "formosus") - most beautiful, extremely lovely
ganeo (noun, m., nominative/vocative singular) - glutton, frequenter of eating-houses
ita (adverb) - so, thus, in this way
iubeo (verb, 1st person singular present from "iubeo") - I order, I bid, I command
levissime (adjective, vocative masculine singular superlative from "levis") - most frivolous, most fickle
matre (noun, f., ablative singular from "mater") - mother
matri (noun, f., dative singular from "mater") - to/for mother
mel (noun, n., nominative/vocative singular) - honey, sweetness (term of endearment)
meum/mea (possessive adjective from "meus") - my, mine
nebulo (noun, m., nominative/vocative singular) - scoundrel, good-for-nothing, worthless fellow
Nicolae (proper noun, m., vocative from "Nicolaus") - Nicholas
officiosissime (adverb, superlative from "officiose") - most dutifully, most obligingly
plurimum (adverb from "multus") - very much, exceedingly, most heartily
potes (verb, 2nd person singular present from "possum") - you can, you are able
quam (adverb) - as, how, to what degree
quoque (adverb) - also, too, likewise
regina (noun, f., nominative/vocative singular) - queen, princess
resalutabere (verb, 2nd person singular future passive from "resaluto") - you will be greeted back
salutas (verb, 2nd person singular present from "saluto") - you greet
salutem (noun, f., accusative singular from "salus") - greeting, salutation, health
salve (verb, imperative singular from "salveo") - hail! hello! be well!
salvere (verb, infinitive from "salveo") - to be well, to be in good health
salvus (adjective, nominative masculine singular) - safe, well, unharmed
sis (verb, 2nd person singular present subjunctive from "sum") - may you be
te (pronoun, ablative of "tu") - you (as/with you)
tu (pronoun, nominative) - you
turpissime (adjective, vocative masculine singular superlative from "turpis") - most disgraceful, most shameful
unica (adjective, nominative feminine singular from "unicus") - only, sole, unique
ut (conjunction) - as, just as, when
uxor (noun, f., nominative/vocative singular) - wife, spouse
voluptas (noun, f., nominative singular) - pleasure, delight, enjoyment
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Basic Greeting Dialogue for Beginners
A: Salve, amice! (Hello, friend!) B: Salve tu quoque! (Hello to you too!)
A: Salve, uxor mea. (Hello, my wife.) B: Salve, marite care. (Hello, dear husband.)
A: Christianum saluto. (I greet Christian.) B: Bene! Ego quoque eum saluto. (Good! I also greet him.)
A: Dic matri salutem. (Say hello to mother.) B: Dicam. Tu patri salutem dic. (I will. You say hello to father.)
A: Vale, amice. (Farewell, friend.) B: Et tu vale. (And you farewell.)
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From Erasmus, Familiarum Colloquiorum Formulae (Basel: Froben, 1518)
Salue meum mel. mea voluptas vnica. meum corculum. mea Bacchis. multū mi Christiane. etiam atque etiam. iterum atque iterum. eternum mihi maxime Palla. Quantum vis Plus millies Gerarde. Plurimum vxor. Salus tibi. Salue regina formosissima: cū catulis te matre dignis. Salue turpissime nebulo.
Respon. Salue leuissime ganeo. Ut me salutas, ita resalutabere. Ut me salutaris: ita resalutaberis. Saluus sis tu quoque Nicolae.
Salutare est dicere salutem. Resalutare est salutationem reddere. Obuios quos adimus colloquendi gratia, cenantes, oscitantes, singultientes, sternutantes, tussientes salutamus. nosque tum illi salutant. In ructu crepituue salutare: hominis est plus satis vrbani.
Christianū plurimū saluere iubeo. Christianum suum plurima salute impartit Erasmus. Arnoldum meum mea causa fac diligentissime salutes. Matri quam potes officiosissime ex me salutem dicito.
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This course follows the Latinum Institute methodology, which has been creating innovative Latin learning materials since 2006. Our approach emphasizes: -
Authentic Texts: Using real Renaissance Latin dialogues rather than artificial exercises -
Conversational Focus: Learning Latin as it was actually spoken and written -
Progressive Difficulty: Building from simple greetings to complex philosophical discussions -
Autodidact-Friendly: Designed for independent learners without a teacher
The text-based approach helps students internalize Latin patterns through repeated exposure to authentic usage. By studying how Renaissance humanists actually communicated, learners develop practical Latin skills applicable to reading classical, medieval, and Neo-Latin texts.
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Neo-Latin colloquia represent a crucial bridge between classical antiquity and modern language learning. These dialogues show Latin as a living language, adapted for contemporary communication while maintaining its grammatical precision and rhetorical beauty. Conversational Latin remains key to achieving true fluency in reading and understanding Latin texts from any period.
End of Lesson 2
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