Lectio nona

Sarcinās collocāmus1

We load the luggage

Hodiē exīmus2 peregrīnātum.

Today we are leaving on a trip.

Difficile est sarcinās in raedā collocāre.

It is hard [to load] the luggage in the car (to-place).

Uxor enim multās arcās3 vestibus suīs implet.

Indeed [my] wife fills many chests with her clothing (wife indeed many trunks by-clothes hers she-fills-in).

Mihi tantum bulgam ūnam parvam relinquit.

She only leaves me one small suitcase (to-me only bag one small she-leaves).

Arcae magnae et bulgā parvā in raedā tandem collocātae sunt.

The large chests and small suitcase are finally loaded in the car (finally having-been-placed are).

Abīmus. Equī duo raedam vēlōcem trahunt.

We depart. Two horses are pulling the fast cart (horses two cart swift they-haul).

Inter raedās et currūs, equōs meōs firmā manū regō.

Among [the] carts and [the] chariots, I control my horses with a firm hand (horses mine by-firm hand I-rule).

Equus parvus plaustrum magnum trahit, et tardē prōgredītur.

The small horse is pulling a large waggon and is proceeding slowly (waggon large it-hauls, and slowly advances).

Equum plaustrumque4 facile antecēdō5.

I easily pass the horse and the waggon (horse waggon-and easily I-pass).

Plaustrum magnum tardē trahitur et ā mē facile antecēditur.

The large waggon is pulled slowly and is easily passed by me.

Vehiculum vēlōx vehicula tarda antecēdit.

The swift vehicle passes the slow vehicles.

Aspiciō arcam, equum, vehiculum.

I look at the chest, the horse, the vehicle.

Aspicitur arca, equus, vehiculum.

(Is-looked-at) The chest, the horse, the vehicle is looked at.

Aspicimus arcās, equōs, vehicula.

We look at the chests, the horses, the vehicles.

Aspiciuntur arcae, equī, vehicula.

(Are-looked-at) The chests, the horses, the vehicles are looked at.

Notes

  1. Collocare is a composite verb: cum (with) + locare (place), the m of cum being transformed into an l and the u into an o so that its pronunciation is easier. Present tense: colloco, collocas, etc.

  2. Exire, to leave, is composed of ex (out of …) and of ire (to go); present tense exeo, exis, etc., an irregular verb like ire, which we already saw in lesson 5. Similarly abire = ab (away from) + ire, in P 6.

    Latin uses composite words a lot. We shall point out to you later some techniques for better comprehending this process of construction.

  3. Arca, arcae, a trunk, trunks, if it acts as the subject; arcam, arcas, a trunk, trunks, if it acts as the direct object. This variation a, ae, am, as is common to a large number of feminine nouns; similarly: equus, equi, a horse, horses (subject); equum, equos, a horse, horses (dir. obj.). These last forms correspond in general to masculine nouns.

    The neuter nouns are much nicer, since they have the same form in both functions: vehiculum, vehicula, a vehicle, vehicles (subject or dir. obj.).

    Do not worry for the moment about the currus in P 7 nor the velox in P 11: we will see later why these words vary in a different manner.

  4. Plaustrumque = et plaustrum: note the displacement of the accent.

  5. Antecedo, antecedor, I pass, I am passed; similarly colloco, collocor, I place, I am placed.

    Active verbs in o, as (or is), etc., become passive (it is the subject which undergoes the action) when their ending is transformed into or, ris, tur, etc. This transformation is very practical. Unfortunately, for some time you will have some difficulties with the spoilsports such as loquor, I speak; progredior, I advance; which have exactly the form of the passive verbs, but an active sense (generally intransitive). Be assured that all of this will be clarified before long.

In the exercises you will meet more and more new forms and new words. Do not try to analyze them, and content yourself with getting used to them, helping yourself with the translation.

Exercitatio

Ubi est equus?

Where is the horse?

In raedā est equus.

The horse is in the cart.

Quō eunt equī quattuor?

Where are the four horses going?

Ad theātrum eunt.

They are going to the theatre.

Currus vēlōx raedam tardam antecēdit.

The quick chariot passes the slow cart.

Quid quaeris? Currum vēlōcem quaerō.

What do you seek? I seek a fast chariot.

Lugdūnum īre volō.

I want to go to Lyon.

Uxor bulgās suās in raedā nōn collocat.

[My] wife does not put her suitcases in the car.