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This lesson teaches suus, sua, suum, "his own, her own, its own, their own". It is the twenty-seventh word of the Dickinson Core Latin Vocabulary, which ranks the most frequent words in Latin. It is also the word Renaissance schoolmasters needed at every meal: whose place, whose cup, whose share of the cake. As promised at the end of Lesson 26, we sit down with the Corderius boys ad mēnsam, at table, and let them quarrel politely over what belongs to whom.
What does suus mean in Latin? Suus is the reflexive possessive adjective of the third person. It means "his own, her own, its own, their own", and it always points back to the subject of its own clause (or, in reported thought, to the subject of the main verb). Marcus librum suum legit means "Marcus is reading his (own) book". If Marcus is reading someone else's book, Latin says librum eius, "his (that other man's) book".
How is this different from English? English "his" is ambiguous: "Marcus took Paul's cup and drank his wine" does not say whose wine. Latin removes the ambiguity. Suum means "the subject's own", and eius means "someone else's". English also has a single "his / her / their", while suus agrees in gender, number and case with the thing possessed, not with the owner. So Iūlia frātrem suum amat means "Julia loves her brother". The masculine suum agrees with frātrem, although Julia is a woman.
Etymology. Suus (older sovos) belongs with the reflexive pronoun suī, sibi, sē. It goes back to the Indo-European reflexive stem s(e)wo- "own", seen in Sanskrit svá- "own" and Greek ἑός / ὅς "his own" (Lewis & Short, s.v. suus).
Orthography. In this lesson long vowels carry macrons (suō, suā, suīs, suōs, suās), and consonantal v is written v. The Neo-Latin sources (Erasmus on Wikisource, the Avellanus revision of Corderius) print no macrons. In quotations from them the macrons are editorial, but the spelling is otherwise the source's own.
FAQ: Is suus the same as eius? No. Suus = "his own" (the subject's); eius = "his" (someone else's). Does sua mean "her"? Only if the possessed thing is feminine singular (or neuter plural). Sua can mean "his", "her", "its" or "their"; the owner is always the subject. Can suus refer to a plural subject? Yes: discipulī librōs suōs means "the pupils ... their books".
Key Takeaways
- suus, sua, suum = "his / her / its / their own"; it refers back to the subject of its clause. - It agrees with the thing owned (gender, number, case), like any adjective of the bonus, -a, -um type. - For someone else's property Latin uses eius / eōrum / eārum, never suus. - With quisque "each", suus regularly stands near it: suum cuique "to each his own", trahit sua quemque voluptās "each man's own pleasure draws him". - Used as a noun, suī = "one's own people, family, friends"; sua / suum = "one's own property".
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IPA below follows restored classical pronunciation, the usual choice for learners. Humanist speakers such as Erasmus and Corderius pronounced Latin by national habit, and ecclesiastical pronunciation differs in places (see the closing notes).
- suus /ˈsu.us/: two syllables, both vowels short; do not reduce it to one syllable ("soos"). - sua /ˈsu.a/ (nom. fem. sg., neut. pl.) and suā /ˈsu.aː/ (abl. fem. sg.): the length of the final vowel is the only difference. - suī /ˈsu.iː/, suō /ˈsu.oː/, suae /ˈsu.ae̯/, suam /ˈsu.am/, suum /ˈsu.um/, suōs /ˈsu.oːs/, suās /ˈsu.aːs/, suīs /ˈsu.iːs/, suōrum /suˈoː.rum/, suārum /suˈaː.rum/. - cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/: ui is a diphthong here, and qu is one consonant /kʷ/. - quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/, quemque /ˈkʷem.kʷe/. - Consonantal v is /w/ in classical pronunciation: vīnum /ˈwiː.num/, voluptās /woˈlup.taːs/. - gn is /ŋn/: ignōsce /iŋˈnoːs.ke/. - Stress: in words of more than two syllables, stress the second-to-last syllable if it is long, otherwise the third-to-last: pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/, posuērunt /po.suˈeː.runt/, discipulī /disˈki.pu.liː/.
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27.1a Suum his-own librum book legit reads
27.1b Suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.M.SG librum /ˈli.brum/ book.ACC.M.SG legit /ˈle.ɡit/ read.3SG.PRES
27.2a Suum his-own cuique to-each
27.2b Suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.N.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG
27.3a Puer boy patrem father suum his-own amat loves
27.3b Puer /ˈpu.er/ boy.NOM.M.SG patrem /ˈpa.trem/ father.ACC.M.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.M.SG amat /ˈa.mat/ love.3SG.PRES
27.4a Marcus Marcus cum with suīs his-own-people cēnat dines
27.4b Marcus /ˈmar.kus/ Marcus.NOM.M.SG cum /kum/ with suīs /ˈsu.iːs/ his-own-people.ABL.M.PL cēnat /ˈkeː.nat/ dine.3SG.PRES
27.5a Quisque each suō in-his-own locō place sedet sits
27.5b Quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/ each.NOM.M.SG suō /ˈsu.oː/ his-own.ABL.M.SG locō /ˈlo.koː/ place.ABL.M.SG sedet /ˈse.det/ sit.3SG.PRES
27.6a Discipulī pupils librōs books suōs their-own in on mēnsā table posuērunt have-put
27.6b Discipulī /disˈki.pu.liː/ pupil.NOM.M.PL librōs /ˈli.broːs/ book.ACC.M.PL suōs /ˈsu.oːs/ their-own.ACC.M.PL in /in/ on mēnsā /ˈmeːn.saː/ table.ABL.F.SG posuērunt /po.suˈeː.runt/ put.3PL.PERF
27.7a Māter mother fīliae to-daughter suae her-own pānem bread dat gives
27.7b Māter /ˈmaː.ter/ mother.NOM.F.SG fīliae /ˈfiː.li.ae̯/ daughter.DAT.F.SG suae /ˈsu.ae̯/ her-own.DAT.F.SG pānem /ˈpaː.nem/ bread.ACC.M.SG dat /dat/ give.3SG.PRES
27.8a Crēditor creditor pecūniam money suam his-own ā from dēbitōre debtor reposcit demands-back
27.8b Crēditor /ˈkreː.di.tor/ creditor.NOM.M.SG pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG suam /ˈsu.am/ his-own.ACC.F.SG ā /aː/ from dēbitōre /deː.biˈtoː.re/ debtor.ABL.M.SG reposcit /reˈpos.kit/ demand-back.3SG.PRES
27.9a Iūlia Julia dīcit says frātrem brother suum her-own iam already cēnāvisse to-have-dined
27.9b Iūlia /ˈjuː.li.a/ Julia.NOM.F.SG dīcit /ˈdiː.kit/ say.3SG.PRES frātrem /ˈfraː.trem/ brother.ACC.M.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ her-own.ACC.M.SG iam /jam/ already cēnāvisse /keː.naːˈwis.se/ dine.PERF.INF
27.10a Paulus Paul amīcī of-friend librum book sūmpsit took nōn not suum his-own
27.10b Paulus /ˈpau̯.lus/ Paul.NOM.M.SG amīcī /aˈmiː.kiː/ friend.GEN.M.SG librum /ˈli.brum/ book.ACC.M.SG sūmpsit /ˈsuːmp.sit/ take.3SG.PERF nōn /noːn/ not suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.M.SG
27.11a Dīligentia diligence patris of-father doctī learned commendātur is-commended quī who prōlēs offspring suās his-own domī at-home īnstituit educates
27.11b Dīligentia /diː.liˈɡen.ti.a/ diligence.NOM.F.SG patris /ˈpa.tris/ father.GEN.M.SG doctī /ˈdok.tiː/ learned.GEN.M.SG commendātur /kom.menˈdaː.tur/ commend.3SG.PRES.PASS quī /kʷiː/ who.NOM.M.SG prōlēs /ˈproː.leːs/ offspring.ACC.F.PL suās /ˈsu.aːs/ his-own.ACC.F.PL domī /ˈdo.miː/ home.LOC īnstituit /iːnˈsti.tu.it/ educate.3SG.PRES
27.12a Iūstitia justice est is cōnstāns constant et and perpetua perpetual voluntās will iūs right suum his-own cuique to-each tribuēns assigning
27.12b Iūstitia /juːsˈti.ti.a/ justice.NOM.F.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES cōnstāns /ˈkoːn.staːns/ constant.NOM.F.SG et /et/ and perpetua /perˈpe.tu.a/ perpetual.NOM.F.SG voluntās /woˈlun.taːs/ will.NOM.F.SG iūs /juːs/ right.ACC.N.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG tribuēns /ˈtri.bu.eːns/ assign.PRES.PTCP.NOM.F.SG
27.13a Trahit draws sua his-own quemque each voluptās pleasure
27.13b Trahit /ˈtra.hit/ draw.3SG.PRES sua /ˈsu.a/ his-own.NOM.F.SG quemque /ˈkʷem.kʷe/ each.ACC.M.SG voluptās /woˈlup.taːs/ pleasure.NOM.F.SG
27.14a In into propria his-own-things vēnit came et and suī his-own-people eum him nōn not recēpērunt received
27.14b In /in/ into propria /ˈpro.pri.a/ own-thing.ACC.N.PL vēnit /ˈweː.nit/ come.3SG.PERF et /et/ and suī /ˈsu.iː/ his-own-people.NOM.M.PL eum /ˈe.um/ him.ACC.M.SG nōn /noːn/ not recēpērunt /re.keːˈpeː.runt/ receive.3PL.PERF
27.15a Prōfuerit it-will-help et also illud that subinde now-and-then suā in-his-own quemque each compellāre to-address linguā language sed but paucīs in-few-words
27.15b Prōfuerit /proːˈfu.e.rit/ be-useful.3SG.FUT.PERF et /et/ also illud /ˈil.lud/ that.NOM.N.SG subinde /subˈin.de/ now-and-then suā /ˈsu.aː/ his-own.ABL.F.SG quemque /ˈkʷem.kʷe/ each.ACC.M.SG compellāre /kom.pelˈlaː.re/ address.PRES.INF linguā /ˈlin.ɡʷaː/ language.ABL.F.SG sed /sed/ but paucīs /ˈpau̯.kiːs/ few.ABL.N.PL
Sources of the authentic examples: 27.2 is the last of the three iūris praecepta in Justinian, Institutiones 1.1.3; 27.8 is the argūmentum of Corderius, Colloquia Scholastica, Colloquium XXVII (Avellanus revision); 27.11 is the argūmentum of Colloquium XXVIII (same edition); 27.12 is Justinian, Institutiones 1.1 pr.; 27.13 is Virgil, Eclogue 2.65; 27.14 is John 1:11 (Vulgate); 27.15 is Erasmus, Dispar Convivium. The other examples are pedagogical sentences, composed for this lesson.
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27.1 Suum librum legit. → "He is reading his own book."
27.2 Suum cuique. → "To each his own."
27.3 Puer patrem suum amat. → "The boy loves his father."
27.4 Marcus cum suīs cēnat. → "Marcus is having dinner with his family."
27.5 Quisque suō locō sedet. → "Each sits in his own place."
27.6 Discipulī librōs suōs in mēnsā posuērunt. → "The pupils have put their books on the table."
27.7 Māter fīliae suae pānem dat. → "The mother gives bread to her daughter."
27.8 Crēditor pecūniam suam ā dēbitōre reposcit. → "A creditor demands his money back from a debtor."
27.9 Iūlia dīcit frātrem suum iam cēnāvisse. → "Julia says that her brother has already had dinner."
27.10 Paulus amīcī librum sūmpsit, nōn suum. → "Paul took his friend's book, not his own."
27.11 Dīligentia patris doctī commendātur, quī prōlēs suās domī īnstituit. → "The diligence of a learned father who educates his children at home is commended."
27.12 Iūstitia est cōnstāns et perpetua voluntās iūs suum cuique tribuēns. → "Justice is the constant and perpetual will to give each person his due."
27.13 Trahit sua quemque voluptās. → "Each man is drawn by his own delight."
27.14 In propria vēnit, et suī eum nōn recēpērunt. → "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."
27.15 Prōfuerit et illud, subinde suā quemque compellāre linguā, sed paucīs. → "It will also help to address each guest now and then in his own language, but briefly."
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27.1 Suum librum legit.
27.2 Suum cuique.
27.3 Puer patrem suum amat.
27.4 Marcus cum suīs cēnat.
27.5 Quisque suō locō sedet.
27.6 Discipulī librōs suōs in mēnsā posuērunt.
27.7 Māter fīliae suae pānem dat.
27.8 Crēditor pecūniam suam ā dēbitōre reposcit.
27.9 Iūlia dīcit frātrem suum iam cēnāvisse.
27.10 Paulus amīcī librum sūmpsit, nōn suum.
27.11 Dīligentia patris doctī commendātur, quī prōlēs suās domī īnstituit.
27.12 Iūstitia est cōnstāns et perpetua voluntās iūs suum cuique tribuēns.
27.13 Trahit sua quemque voluptās.
27.14 In propria vēnit, et suī eum nōn recēpērunt.
27.15 Prōfuerit et illud, subinde suā quemque compellāre linguā, sed paucīs.
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These are the grammar rules for suus in Latin:
1. The forms. Suus, sua, suum declines exactly like bonus, -a, -um:
Masculine: suus, suī, suō, suum, suō · plural suī, suōrum, suīs, suōs, suīs
Feminine: sua, suae, suae, suam, suā · plural suae, suārum, suīs, suās, suīs
Neuter: suum, suī, suō, suum, suō · plural sua, suōrum, suīs, sua, suīs
(Order: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, ablative. A vocative is hardly needed.) Forms met in this lesson: suus (closing notes), sua (27.13), suī (27.14, 27.27), suō (27.5, 27.16, 27.17), suae (27.7), suum (27.1–3, 27.9–10, 27.12, 27.18, 27.20–22, 27.28–29), suam (27.8, 27.19, 27.24–25, 27.30), suā (27.15, 27.26), suōs (27.6, 27.23), suās (27.11), suīs (27.4).
2. Agreement with the thing owned. Suus takes its gender, number and case from the noun it describes, not from the owner. Māter fīliae suae (27.7): suae is dative feminine singular because fīliae is. Iūlia ... frātrem suum (27.9): masculine, because frātrem is. The owner comes from the subject; the endings come from the noun.
3. The main rule: suus points to the subject. The reflexive sē and, usually, its possessive suus refer to the subject of their own sentence or clause (Allen & Greenough §299). Puer patrem suum amat (27.3) means the boy loves his own father. For another person's property Latin uses the genitive of is: eius (his/her), eōrum / eārum (their). Compare:
Paulus librum suum sūmpsit. — Paul took his (own) book.
Paulus librum eius sūmpsit. — Paul took his (someone else's) book.
Example 27.10 sets the two owners side by side: amīcī librum ... nōn suum.
4. First and second persons. Suus is only third person. For "my own" and "your own" Latin uses the ordinary possessives, which are reflexive when the context requires: meus, tuus, noster, vester. So ego librum meum legō means "I read my (own) book".
5. The indirect reflexive. In a subordinate clause, or in an accusative and infinitive, that reports the thought or words of the main subject, suus may refer to that main subject (A&G §300). Iūlia dīcit frātrem suum iam cēnāvisse (27.9): suum refers to Julia, the one speaking. In the genre dialogue, pater meus vult mē aquam bibere, nōn vīnum suum (27.22), suum refers to pater, whose wish is being reported.
6. The direct reflexive in a relative clause. Inside a relative or other subordinate clause, suus can also refer to the subject of that clause. In 27.11, quī prōlēs suās domī īnstituit, suās refers to quī (the father), the subject of īnstituit.
7. Suus with quisque. Suus is often placed next to quisque, "each", and then refers to it even when quisque is not the grammatical subject. This is the "subject of discourse" use (A&G §301): suum cuique "to each his own" (27.2, 27.12); trahit sua quemque voluptās "his own pleasure draws each one" (27.13, where voluptās is the subject and quemque the object); suā quemque compellāre linguā "to address each in his own language" (27.15). The usual order puts suus first, quisque immediately after.
8. Suus as a noun. Masculine plural suī, suōrum = "one's own people": family, friends, followers, countrymen (27.4 cum suīs; 27.14 suī eum nōn recēpērunt). Neuter suum / sua = "one's own property" (suum cuique; 27.26 suā rē). Classical idiom also has suō tempore, suō locō, "at the proper time, in the proper place" (Lewis & Short).
9. Emphasis and word order. Suus is often left out where nothing is in doubt: Marcus patrem amat already means "Marcus loves his father". Write it when ownership matters or is contrasted: nōn suum (27.10), nōn in suō (27.17), partem ... nōn suam (27.24). Placed before its noun it is emphatic (suum librum, 27.1); after the noun it is neutral (patrem suum, 27.3).
Common Mistakes
- Using suus for someone else's property. "He took his friend's book and read his notes" (the friend's notes) needs eius, not sua. - Making suus agree with the owner. "Julia loves her brother" is Iūlia frātrem suum amat, not ~~suam~~. English "her" belongs to Julia; Latin suum belongs to frātrem. - Using suus for "my / your". "I love my father" is patrem meum amō, never ~~suum~~. - Putting suus in the subject. Suus cannot normally stand in the nominative agreeing with the subject it refers to: "his friend came" is amīcus eius vēnit (or just amīcus vēnit), not ~~amīcus suus vēnit~~, unless a special use (§7) applies. - Losing the macron. sua (nominative, or neuter plural) ≠ suā (ablative): sua voluptās (27.13) but suā linguā (27.15).
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Frequency and register. Suus is among the thirty most frequent Latin words in the Dickinson list, and it appears in every register from law to love poetry. In the Neo-Latin colloquia it is everywhere: Renaissance schoolboys were always arguing over books, pens, seats and shares, and the masters used those arguments to drill the difference between suus and eius.
Suum cuique. The phrase opens Roman law. Justinian's Institutes define justice as constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuens (1.1 pr.), and list three precepts of law: honeste vivere, alterum non laedere, suum cuique tribuere (1.1.3). The definition is taken from the jurist Ulpian (Digest 1.1.10). Later it became a motto of princely houses: it was the motto of the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle. It was also infamously misused: the German Jedem das Seine stood over the gate of Buchenwald. A learner should know this history before using the phrase lightly.
At the Renaissance table. Humanist manners-books and colloquia treat the table as a school of civility. Every boy has his own place, his own napkin (mappa), his own cup, and his own share. Erasmus's De civilitate morum puerilium (1530) has a chapter on conduct at banquets. His colloquy Dispar Convivium ("The Ill-Assorted Feast") gives a host advice on pleasing guests of many tastes: let each talk about his own craft, and greet each now and then in his own language (Section F, 27.15). Corderius's colloquies cover school, meals, debts and family duties, and they pay steady attention to what is whose (27.8, 27.11).
Suī: one's own people. The substantive suī ("his people") gives the Vulgate its bleak line on the Incarnation, in propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt (John 1:11). It belongs to the Gospel of Christmas Day (John 1:1–14). In the Tridentine rite, the same passage was the "Last Gospel" read at the end of nearly every Mass. Every Neo-Latin schoolboy would have known it by heart.
Descendants. The Romance possessives come from suus: Italian suo, sua; Spanish su, suyo; French son, sa, ses, sien; Portuguese seu, sua. Unlike Latin, these are no longer reflexive: French son livre can be anyone's book. So the modern languages have lost exactly the distinction this lesson teaches.
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Erasmus, Colloquia Familiaria, "Dispar Convivium" (The Ill-Assorted Feast)
A man planning a great banquet asks Apicius, the expert diner, how to please every guest. Apicius explains which subjects of talk delight which people. Text: la.wikisource.org, Colloquia familiaria / Dispar Convivium. Macrons are editorial; a short passage in the middle (on matrons, sailors and old dangers) is omitted.
F.1a Senēs old-men gaudent rejoice ea those-things memorāre to-recall quae which multōrum of-many fugiunt escape memoriam memory admīrātōrēs admirers temporum of-the-times in in quibus which ipsī they-themselves flōruērunt flourished
F.1b Senēs /ˈse.neːs/ old-man.NOM.M.PL gaudent /ˈɡau̯.dent/ rejoice.3PL.PRES ea /ˈe.a/ that.ACC.N.PL memorāre /me.moˈraː.re/ recall.PRES.INF quae /kʷae̯/ which.NOM.N.PL multōrum /mulˈtoː.rum/ many.GEN.M.PL fugiunt /ˈfu.ɡi.unt/ escape.3PL.PRES memoriam /meˈmo.ri.am/ memory.ACC.F.SG admīrātōrēs /ad.miː.raːˈtoː.reːs/ admirer.NOM.M.PL temporum /ˈtem.po.rum/ time.GEN.N.PL in /in/ in quibus /ˈkʷi.bus/ which.ABL.N.PL ipsī /ˈip.siː/ self.NOM.M.PL flōruērunt /floː.ruˈeː.runt/ flourish.3PL.PERF
F.2a Postrēmō finally dē about suā his-own cuique to-each arte craft grāta pleasing est is cōnfābulātiō conversation dēque and-about hīsce these rēbus things quārum of-which ūsū by-experience callet he-is-skilled
F.2b Postrēmō /posˈtreː.moː/ finally dē /deː/ about suā /ˈsu.aː/ his-own.ABL.F.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG arte /ˈar.te/ craft.ABL.F.SG grāta /ˈɡraː.ta/ pleasing.NOM.F.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES cōnfābulātiō /koːn.faː.buˈlaː.ti.oː/ conversation.NOM.F.SG dēque /ˈdeː.kʷe/ and-about hīsce /ˈhiːs.ke/ this.ABL.F.PL rēbus /ˈreː.bus/ thing.ABL.F.PL quārum /ˈkʷaː.rum/ which.GEN.F.PL ūsū /ˈuː.suː/ experience.ABL.M.SG callet /ˈkal.let/ be-skilled.3SG.PRES
Senēs gaudent ea memorāre, quae multōrum fugiunt memoriam, admīrātōrēs temporum in quibus ipsī flōruērunt. [...] Postrēmō dē suā cuique arte grāta est cōnfābulātiō, dēque hīsce rēbus, quārum ūsū callet.
→ "Old men love to recall things that have slipped out of most people's memory, admirers of the times in which they themselves flourished. [...] Finally, everyone likes a conversation about his own craft, and about the things in which experience has made him skilled."
Senes gaudent ea memorare, quae multorum fugiunt memoriam, admiratores temporum in quibus ipsi floruerunt. [...] Postremo de sua cuique arte grata est confabulatio, deque hisce rebus, quarum usu callet.
Dē suā cuique arte grāta est cōnfābulātiō is the suus–quisque pairing of Section D §7, in the dative: literally "to each man, conversation about his own craft is pleasing". Suā agrees with arte (ablative after dē), and its owner is cuique, not the grammatical subject cōnfābulātiō. This is the "to each his own" use, as in suum cuique. Notice ipsī in the first sentence. Erasmus does not write suīs temporibus ("in their own times"); he puts the emphasis on ipsī, "they themselves", which is the other way Latin marks "own".
Erasmus uses the typical humanist compact forms: hīsce (the emphatic -ce form of hīs), and the elliptical quārum ūsū callet, "in which he is skilled by use". The whole speech is a small catalogue of human types: old men, matrons, sailors, craftsmen. Its lesson in manners is the lesson of this word. A good host gives each guest suum: his own subject, his own language, his own memories. In another speech of the same colloquy Apicius gives the same advice in a single phrase: subinde sua quemque compellare lingua, sed paucis (27.15).
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A pedagogical dialogue composed for this lesson in the manner of Corderius's Colloquia Scholastica. It is not a quotation, except for the line of Justinian in 27.29. Supper at a Geneva boarding school, about 1560.
PERSONAE: Magister (M.); Claudius (C.), Stephanus (S.), Paulus (P.), discipulī
27.16a M. Quisque each in in suō his-own locō place cōnsīdat let-sit-down
27.16b Quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/ each.NOM.M.SG in /in/ in suō /ˈsu.oː/ his-own.ABL.M.SG locō /ˈlo.koː/ place.ABL.M.SG cōnsīdat /koːnˈsiː.dat/ sit-down.3SG.PRES.SUBJ
27.17a C. Magister master Stephanus Stephanus in in meō my locō place sedet sits nōn not in in suō his-own
27.17b Magister /maˈɡis.ter/ master.VOC.M.SG Stephanus /ˈste.pʰa.nus/ Stephanus.NOM.M.SG in /in/ in meō /ˈme.oː/ my.ABL.M.SG locō /ˈlo.koː/ place.ABL.M.SG sedet /ˈse.det/ sit.3SG.PRES nōn /noːn/ not in /in/ in suō /ˈsu.oː/ his-own.ABL.M.SG
27.18a S. Ignōsce forgive Claudī Claudius Suum his-own cuique to-each reddō I-give-back
27.18b Ignōsce /iŋˈnoːs.ke/ forgive.IMP.2SG Claudī /ˈklau̯.diː/ Claudius.VOC.M.SG Suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG reddō /ˈred.doː/ give-back.1SG.PRES
27.19a M. Bene good Nunc now quisque each mappam napkin suam his-own explicet let-unfold
27.19b Bene /ˈbe.ne/ well Nunc /nuŋk/ now quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/ each.NOM.M.SG mappam /ˈmap.pam/ napkin.ACC.F.SG suam /ˈsu.am/ his-own.ACC.F.SG explicet /ˈeks.pli.ket/ unfold.3SG.PRES.SUBJ
27.20a C. Paule Paul porrige hand mihi to-me quaesō please pōculum cup meum my Stephanus Stephanus suum his-own iam already habet has
27.20b Paule /ˈpau̯.le/ Paul.VOC.M.SG porrige /ˈpor.ri.ɡe/ hand.IMP.2SG mihi /ˈmi.hi/ me.DAT.SG quaesō /ˈkʷae̯.soː/ beg.1SG.PRES pōculum /ˈpoː.ku.lum/ cup.ACC.N.SG meum /ˈme.um/ my.ACC.N.SG Stephanus /ˈste.pʰa.nus/ Stephanus.NOM.M.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG iam /jam/ already habet /ˈha.bet/ have.3SG.PRES
27.21a S. Ecce look Paulus Paul tibi to-you pōculum cup porrigit hands Sed but cūr why ipse he-himself suum his-own nōn not bibit drinks
27.21b Ecce /ˈek.ke/ look Paulus /ˈpau̯.lus/ Paul.NOM.M.SG tibi /ˈti.bi/ you.DAT.SG pōculum /ˈpoː.ku.lum/ cup.ACC.N.SG porrigit /ˈpor.ri.ɡit/ hand.3SG.PRES Sed /sed/ but cūr /kuːr/ why ipse /ˈip.se/ self.NOM.M.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG nōn /noːn/ not bibit /ˈbi.bit/ drink.3SG.PRES
27.22a P. Pater father meus my vult wants mē me aquam water bibere to-drink nōn not vīnum wine suum his-own
27.22b Pater /ˈpa.ter/ father.NOM.M.SG meus /ˈme.us/ my.NOM.M.SG vult /wult/ want.3SG.PRES mē /meː/ me.ACC.SG aquam /ˈa.kʷam/ water.ACC.F.SG bibere /ˈbi.be.re/ drink.PRES.INF nōn /noːn/ not vīnum /ˈwiː.num/ wine.ACC.N.SG suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG
27.23a M. Rēctē rightly facit does pater father tuus your sapientēs wise parentēs parents suōs their-own līberōs children sōbriōs sober esse to-be volunt want
27.23b Rēctē /ˈreːk.teː/ rightly facit /ˈfa.kit/ do.3SG.PRES pater /ˈpa.ter/ father.NOM.M.SG tuus /ˈtu.us/ your.NOM.M.SG sapientēs /sa.piˈen.teːs/ wise.NOM.M.PL parentēs /paˈren.teːs/ parent.NOM.M.PL suōs /ˈsu.oːs/ their-own.ACC.M.PL līberōs /ˈliː.be.roːs/ child.ACC.M.PL sōbriōs /ˈsoː.bri.oːs/ sober.ACC.M.PL esse /ˈes.se/ be.PRES.INF volunt /ˈwo.lunt/ want.3PL.PRES
27.24a S. Magister master Claudius Claudius placentae of-cake partem piece comēdit has-eaten nōn not suam his-own
27.24b Magister /maˈɡis.ter/ master.VOC.M.SG Claudius /ˈklau̯.di.us/ Claudius.NOM.M.SG placentae /plaˈken.tae̯/ cake.GEN.F.SG partem /ˈpar.tem/ part.ACC.F.SG comēdit /koˈmeː.dit/ eat-up.3SG.PERF nōn /noːn/ not suam /ˈsu.am/ his-own.ACC.F.SG
27.25a C. Nōn not ita so est it-is Paulus Paul mihi to-me suam his-own dedit gave
27.25b Nōn /noːn/ not ita /ˈi.ta/ so est /est/ be.3SG.PRES Paulus /ˈpau̯.lus/ Paul.NOM.M.SG mihi /ˈmi.hi/ me.DAT.SG suam /ˈsu.am/ his-own.ACC.F.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
27.26a P. Vērum truth dīcit he-says Quisque each suā his-own rē property ūtī to-use potest can ut as vult he-wishes
27.26b Vērum /ˈweː.rum/ truth.ACC.N.SG dīcit /ˈdiː.kit/ say.3SG.PRES Quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/ each.NOM.M.SG suā /ˈsu.aː/ his-own.ABL.F.SG rē /reː/ thing.ABL.F.SG ūtī /ˈuː.tiː/ use.PRES.INF.DEP potest /ˈpo.test/ can.3SG.PRES ut /ut/ as vult /wult/ want.3SG.PRES
27.27a M. Rēctē rightly Sed but meminerit let-remember quisque each suī of-his-own officiī duty nēmō no-one aliēnum another's cibum food appetat let-reach-for
27.27b Rēctē /ˈreːk.teː/ rightly Sed /sed/ but meminerit /meˈmi.ne.rit/ remember.3SG.PERF.SUBJ quisque /ˈkʷis.kʷe/ each.NOM.M.SG suī /ˈsu.iː/ his-own.GEN.N.SG officiī /ofˈfi.ki.iː/ duty.GEN.N.SG nēmō /ˈneː.moː/ no-one.NOM.SG aliēnum /a.liˈeː.num/ another's.ACC.M.SG cibum /ˈki.bum/ food.ACC.M.SG appetat /ˈap.pe.tat/ reach-for.3SG.PRES.SUBJ
27.28a S. Quid what est is suum his-own cuique to-each magister master Saepe often hoc this audiō I-hear
27.28b Quid /kʷid/ what.NOM.N.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.N.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG magister /maˈɡis.ter/ master.VOC.M.SG Saepe /ˈsae̯.pe/ often hoc /hok/ this.ACC.N.SG audiō /ˈau̯.di.oː/ hear.1SG.PRES
27.29a M. Iūstīniānus Justinian docet teaches Iūris of-law praecepta precepts sunt are haec these honestē honourably vīvere to-live alterum another nōn not laedere to-harm suum his-own cuique to-each tribuere to-give
27.29b Iūstīniānus /juːs.tiː.niˈaː.nus/ Justinian.NOM.M.SG docet /ˈdo.ket/ teach.3SG.PRES Iūris /ˈjuː.ris/ law.GEN.N.SG praecepta /prae̯ˈkep.ta/ precept.NOM.N.PL sunt /sunt/ be.3PL.PRES haec /hae̯k/ this.NOM.N.PL honestē /hoˈnes.teː/ honourably vīvere /ˈwiː.we.re/ live.PRES.INF alterum /ˈal.te.rum/ other.ACC.M.SG nōn /noːn/ not laedere /ˈlae̯.de.re/ harm.PRES.INF suum /ˈsu.um/ his-own.ACC.N.SG cuique /ˈkui̯.kʷe/ each.DAT.M.SG tribuere /triˈbu.e.re/ assign.PRES.INF
27.30a C. Intellegō I-understand Crās tomorrow Paulus Paul placentam cake suam his-own ā from mē me recipiet will-get-back
27.30b Intellegō /inˈtel.le.ɡoː/ understand.1SG.PRES Crās /kraːs/ tomorrow Paulus /ˈpau̯.lus/ Paul.NOM.M.SG placentam /plaˈken.tam/ cake.ACC.F.SG suam /ˈsu.am/ his-own.ACC.F.SG ā /aː/ from mē /meː/ me.ABL.SG recipiet /reˈki.pi.et/ get-back.3SG.FUT
27.16 M. Quisque in suō locō cōnsīdat. → "Each of you, sit down in your own place."
27.17 C. Magister, Stephanus in meō locō sedet, nōn in suō. → "Master, Stephanus is sitting in my place, not in his own."
27.18 S. Ignōsce, Claudī. Suum cuique reddō. → "Sorry, Claudius. To each his own: I'm giving it back."
27.19 M. Bene. Nunc quisque mappam suam explicet. → "Good. Now each of you unfold your napkin."
27.20 C. Paule, porrige mihi, quaesō, pōculum meum; Stephanus suum iam habet. → "Paul, pass me my cup, please; Stephanus already has his."
27.21 S. Ecce, Paulus tibi pōculum porrigit. Sed cūr ipse suum nōn bibit? → "Look, Paul is passing you the cup. But why isn't he drinking his own?"
27.22 P. Pater meus vult mē aquam bibere, nōn vīnum suum. → "My father wants me to drink water, not his wine."
27.23 M. Rēctē facit pater tuus: sapientēs parentēs suōs līberōs sōbriōs esse volunt. → "Your father is right: wise parents want their children to be sober."
27.24 S. Magister, Claudius placentae partem comēdit nōn suam! → "Master, Claudius has eaten a piece of cake that isn't his!"
27.25 C. Nōn ita est; Paulus mihi suam dedit. → "That's not true; Paul gave me his."
27.26 P. Vērum dīcit. Quisque suā rē ūtī potest ut vult. → "He's telling the truth. Everyone may use his own property as he likes."
27.27 M. Rēctē. Sed meminerit quisque suī officiī: nēmō aliēnum cibum appetat. → "Quite right. But let each remember his own duty: nobody is to reach for someone else's food."
27.28 S. Quid est "suum cuique," magister? Saepe hoc audiō. → "What does 'suum cuique' mean, master? I often hear it."
27.29 M. Iūstīniānus docet: "Iūris praecepta sunt haec: honestē vīvere, alterum nōn laedere, suum cuique tribuere." → "Justinian teaches: 'These are the precepts of the law: to live honourably, to harm no one, to give each his own.'"
27.30 C. Intellegō. Crās Paulus placentam suam ā mē recipiet! → "I understand. Tomorrow Paul gets his cake back from me!"
27.16 M. Quisque in suō locō cōnsīdat.
27.17 C. Magister, Stephanus in meō locō sedet, nōn in suō.
27.18 S. Ignōsce, Claudī. Suum cuique reddō.
27.19 M. Bene. Nunc quisque mappam suam explicet.
27.20 C. Paule, porrige mihi, quaesō, pōculum meum; Stephanus suum iam habet.
27.21 S. Ecce, Paulus tibi pōculum porrigit. Sed cūr ipse suum nōn bibit?
27.22 P. Pater meus vult mē aquam bibere, nōn vīnum suum.
27.23 M. Rēctē facit pater tuus: sapientēs parentēs suōs līberōs sōbriōs esse volunt.
27.24 S. Magister, Claudius placentae partem comēdit nōn suam!
27.25 C. Nōn ita est; Paulus mihi suam dedit.
27.26 P. Vērum dīcit. Quisque suā rē ūtī potest ut vult.
27.27 M. Rēctē. Sed meminerit quisque suī officiī: nēmō aliēnum cibum appetat.
27.28 S. Quid est "suum cuique," magister? Saepe hoc audiō.
27.29 M. Iūstīniānus docet: "Iūris praecepta sunt haec: honestē vīvere, alterum nōn laedere, suum cuique tribuere."
27.30 C. Intellegō. Crās Paulus placentam suam ā mē recipiet!
Every line uses suus, and every owner can be traced. In 27.17 suō means Stephanus's place, because Stephanus is the subject of sedet. For his own seat Claudius says meō. In 27.20 Claudius asks for pōculum meum, and then suum in the next clause refers to Stephanus, the new subject. In 27.24 and 27.25 the same piece of cake is nōn suam (not Claudius's) and then suam (Paul's). The owner changes because the subject changes.
The indirect reflexive. In 27.22 vīnum suum is the father's wine: the infinitive clause reports the father's wish, so suum refers back to pater, the subject of vult (Section D §5). Mē is first person and cannot be the owner of a suus.
Quisque. The master's orders are all jussive subjunctives with quisque: cōnsīdat (27.16), explicet (27.19), meminerit (27.27, the perfect-form subjunctive of meminī, echoing Lesson 25's meminerit ille officiī suī). 27.26 suā rē ūtī shows the deponent ūtor with the ablative: rēs sua is "one's own property".
Polite requests (as promised in Lesson 26): the bare imperative (porrige, ignōsce) is softened with quaesō, "I beg you, please". The more formal alternative sī placet is also common in the colloquia.
Table vocabulary: mēnsa table; mappa napkin; pōculum cup; placenta flat cake; cibus food; aqua water; vīnum wine; cōnsīdere sit down; porrigere hand, pass; comedere eat up; appetere reach for, grab.
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- Two syllables, always. suus, suum, suī, suō keep the u as a vowel: /ˈsu.us/, never /swus/. The same is true of tuus /ˈtu.us/ and meus /ˈme.us/. - Final vowel length distinguishes cases: sua (nom. fem. sg. / nom.-acc. neut. pl.) vs suā (abl. fem. sg.); suī is genitive singular or nominative plural. Write the macron. - Ecclesiastical and humanist pronunciation. In Italianate church Latin, c before e, i, ae is /tʃ/ (cēnat /ˈtʃe.nat/, placentae /plaˈtʃen.te/), ae is /e/, v is /v/ (vīnum /ˈvi.num/), and cuique is often /ˈkwi.kwe/. Corderius in Geneva and Erasmus in Basel each spoke Latin with their own national habits. Either system is acceptable if used consistently. - Greek names. Stephanus keeps the Greek aspirate in careful classical pronunciation, /ˈste.pʰa.nus/. Most speakers, then and now, say /ˈste.fa.nus/. - Spelling in the sources. Renaissance prints use u for both vowel and consonant (conuiuium), j in some editions (jus for iūs), and print no macrons. This lesson writes v for the consonant and marks long vowels; quotations keep the source's words, with macrons added editorially.
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