SIMP:LEX

A NOTEBO.OK
.,.

OF LAfiN SYNTAX
A.R.DAVIS

CHRISTOPHERS

SIMPLEX
A NOTEBOOK OF LATIN SYNTAX WITH DIAGRAMS
AND RULES FOR THE SUBJUNCTIVE
PRINTED IN RED
by A. R. D A VIS, M.A.
ASSISTANT MASTER AT MERCHANT TAYLORS' SCHOOL
EXAMINER IN LATIN
IN THE GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION OF LONDON UNIVERSITY
SOMETIME SCHOLAR OF SIDNEY SUSSEX COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

Denique sit quidvis, simplex dumtaxat et unum.

CHRISTOPHERS
40 WILLIAM IV STREET

LONDON WC2

HORACE

PREFACE
Latin at the Ordinary Level of the General Certificate of Education is, notoriously, both a much needed and a much failed subject.
It soon becomes clear to an examiner that it is a lack of grasp of the basic principles of sentence building that bedevils the work
of so many candidates in their Sentences, " Proses " and Unseens. This little book attempts to remedy this weakness in three
ways:
(i) The subject matter is simply and logically arranged and excludes minor points not essential to the fundamentals of
sentence and clause structure, beclluse these points are better learned in grammar and reading lessons. Overcomprehensiveness in a Latin Course blurs priorities, and the student, baffled like Dido (Quae quibus anteferam ?)
forgets an.
(ii) Diagrams and significant layout are used so that the visual memory assists the understanding.

A younger generation
that has the Iliad and the Exodus presented to it as a strip cartoon instinctively expects a visual appeal : better to go
some of the way to meet them if, in the event, they learn some Latin.

(iii) Rules for and examples of the use of the Subjunctive are printed in red. The Subjunctive, moribund in our own and other
modern languages, is very much alive in Latin, and is a constant source of error. I have found that the use of colour in
teaching helps immensely, and stimulates interest. Why not use red ink to emphasise what is right as well as to
pulverise what is wrong ?
Exercises and vocabularies have not been included as the notebook is designed to supplement and not replace existing Courses,
most of which are liberally supplied with both. Alternatively, books of exercises or bound copies of past examination papers
can be used with the Simplex. Its use will vary according to the taste of the teacher, but I would suggest, from experience with
my syntax notes from which it evolved, that plenty of practical work, oral and written, is done, with the notebook available for
reference, including both exercises on individual constructions and general revision exercises, so that its pages become thoroughly
memorised before exercises are attempted without books."
My acknowledgments are made to the publishers and printers for the help they have given in the production of the book,
and to the Handbook on the Teaching of Classics recently published by the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters for
lending a measure of independent support for some of my ideas. The verse on Dative Verbs on page 2 is often used but I have
been unable to find it anywhere in print ; if it has a copyright, I apologise for my failure to discover it.
A. R. D.

CONTENTS
Part One
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

1
Simple Statement
2
Dative Verbs ...
Impersonal Passive ...
3
Genitive and Ablative Verbs
4
Time, Place,and Measurement 5
Simple Questions
6
Simple Commands
7
Participles
8
ll
Gerund
Gerundive
12
Part Two
THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
NOUN CLAUSFS

Dependent Statement
Doubt and Fear
Dependent Question

Sequence of Tenses ...

Dependent Command/
Request
Suboblique Clauses ...

18

AD1ECTIVAL CLAUSFS

19

16

17

ADVERBIAL CLAUSF3

Purpose and Result ...

UT-a warning
Time ...
DUM ...
CUM ...
Cause ...
Concession
Comparison ...
Condition and Wishes
Adverbial Relative ...

20
21
22
23

24
25
25
25
26
27

13

15
15

FOUR DANGEROUS ENGLISH

INFINlTIVFS

...

28

Figures refer to pages

PART I-SIMPLE SENTENCE

THE SIMPLE STATEMENT
Latin is an INFLECTED language, indicating by the ENDINGS OF WORDS what English, a
shows by (a) AUXILIARY WORDS like TO, OF and the verbs BE and HAVE
(b) THE ORDER OF WORDS (Subject before Verb, Object after, etc.)
It is assumed that the

In the
l.

BASIC

SIMPLE STATEMENT

NON-INFLECTED

language

rules for word endings in Latin, and their meanings, are known.

the commonest sources of error are these points about the USE

OF CASES.

THREE ELEMENTARY RULES OFfEN FORGOTTEN

(a)

is used after BE, BECOME, SEEM

and the PASSIVES "AM CALLED, APPOINTED," etc.
(b) ACCUSATIVE (and NOT DATIVE) is used for TO-MOVEMENT TO, FOR-LENGTH OF TIME. See Page 5.
(c) ABLATIVE=BY by MEN and ANIMALS (Agent) follows a, ab
by THINGS (Instrument), used ALONE
NOMINATIVE

(and

NOT ACCUSATIVE)

2.

DATIVE, GENITIVE and ABLATIVE VERBS

A number of verbs which are TRANSITIVE in English (i.e. govern a Direct Object) are
taking DATIVE, some GENITIVE, some ABLATIVE.

3. Expressions of

TIME, PLACE

and

MEASUREMENT

See diagram on Page 5.

INTAANSITIVE

in Latin, most

DATIVE VERBS
Dative put, remember, pray
after ENVY, SPARE, OBEY
1
2
3
PERSUADE, BELIEVE, COMMAND, to these,
4
5
6
add SUCCOUR, PARDON, and DISPLEASE.
7

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

With VACARE, to have leisure (for)

and PLACERE, to give pleasure

8.
9.
10.
ll.
12.
13.

With NUBERE, of the female said,

the English of it is to wed

SERVIRE add, and add STUDERE,

10

ll
HEAL, FAVOUR, HURT, RESIST and INDULGERE
12

13

14

15

Invideo (2) -vidi-visum

Parco (3) peperci, parsum
Pareo (2); Obtemperare
Persuadeo (2) -suasi-suasum
Credo (3) credidi creditum.
lmperare but NOT iubeo (2) iussi, iussum
Subvenio (4);
succurro (3) succurri succursum
consulo (3) "~!iului-sultum consult interest
of but NOT Iuvare
lgnosco (3) -novi-notum
Displiceo (2)

be a slave to, serve

be eager for, keen on
Medeor (2) No Perf., but

NOT Sanare
Faveo (2) favi fautum
14. Noceo (2) but NOT Laedo (3)
15. Resisto (3) reSTITI, NO SUPINE
16. Indulge in, give in to

16

DATIVE VERBS Contd.

IMPERSONAL PASSIVE
NOTES
1. lrascor (3) iratus sum I am angry WITH takes DATIVE, also satisfacio satisfy
fido (3) fisus sum trust, and its compounds
suadere urge
also all compounds of SUM except ABsum am away from, which takes a, ab+ABLATIVE.

2. Most VERBS COMPOUNDED WITH PREPOSITIONS take a DATIVE case of the word the preposition would have governed:
Bellum TIBI INFERO I make war on you
(Bellum IN TE fero)
Caesar Labienum exercitUI praefecit Caesar put Labienus in charge of the army
(PrAE exercitU fecit)
IMPERSONAL PASSIVE

Dative verbs MUST be used IMPERSONALLY in the PASSIVE: i.e. they must ONLY be used in the THIRD PERSONAL
SINGULAR NEUTER, the Subject in English being retained in the DATIVE in Latin;
The laws are obeyed (IT is obeyed TO the laws) LEGIBUS paretur
The prisoners were spared (IT was spared TO to prisoners) CAPfiVIS PARSUM EST
IMPERSONAL PASSIVE is sometimes used in Latin of verbs which are INTRANSITIVE in English to translate
There is/was+ a NOUN derived from the verb:
There was a keen battle (it was fought keenly) ACRITER PUGNATUM EST
There is a rush to arms (it is rushed to arms) AD ARMA CONCURRITUR

GENITIVE VERBS
ABLATIVE VERBS
GENITIVE VERBS

1. Never forget to remember that REMEMBER Memini and FORGET Obliviscor (3) Oblitus Sum take the GENITIVEexcept of a NEUTER Pronoun or Adjective, when ACCUSATIVE is used to avoid confusion with the masculine
ID meminj, sed EIUS oblitus sum I remember THAT, but I have forgotten HIM
2. FIVE Impersonal verbs of EMOTION
MISERET pity PAENITET regret PUDET shame TAEDET weary PIGET disgust
have ACCUSATIVE of the PERSON who feels (English Subject), and GENITIVE of the CAUSE (person or thing)
Paenitet ME sceleriS (It repents me of the crime) I am sorry FOR the crime
Miseruit NOS TUI (It pitied us of you) WE were sorry FOR you
3. ACQUIT, CONDEMN, ACCUSE take Genitive of the crime, etc. as English.

ABLATIVE VERBS

USE, SEIZE, PERFORM, LACK, FEED ON, NEED, ENJOY

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
An Object in the ABLATIVE employ.

1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
*

UTOR (3) USUS SUM Use

Potior* (4) Potitus Get possession of
Fungor (3) Functus perform
Careo (2) Lack, be free from
Vacare be free from
(NB+DATIVE Have time for)
Vescor (3) NO PERF Feed on
Egeo* Indigeo* (2) need, require
Fruor (3) fructus Enjoy
Sometimes also+GENITIVE

TIME, PLACE AND MEASUREMENT

ACCUSATIVE

HOWLONG

Caesar quadraginta
octo annOS vixit
.. .for forty eight years

TIME

ABLATIVE

1.

}1---+-No preposition*

WITHIN TIME LIMIT

C.decem anniS
Galliam vicit
...... within ten years

2. TIME WHEN
C.hOC diE necatus est
ON this day

*But per+ ACC may be used of time

HOW LONG and intra+ ACC of TIME WITHIN

PLACE
MOTION TO

in, ad tempiUM

.mm

Preposition except

1.

1.

MOTION FROM

ab, ex tempiO
2. REST AT
in tempiO

2. For REST these have

formed thus
1 & 2 Decl.

MEASUREMENT
Arbor viginti pedES alta

,,
,,'
LJ_
,

No preposition

LOCATIVE

SINGULAR

NB
PLAIN MEASUREMENT

NAMES OF TOWNS and DOMUS, RUS

and HUMUS have no prepositions

case

PLURAL

3 Decl.

All

=GEN
MEASUREMENT IN COMPARISON

Haec arbor decem pediBUS

altior est quam ilia

Romae
Domi
Corintbi

=DAT

Ruri
=ABL
Cartbagini Athenis
Gadibus
at Cadiz

SIMPLE QUESTIONS
1. With INTERROGATIVE WORD Quis, Quid, Ubi, Cur? etc.
As English: Quando venies?
2. NO INTERROGATIVE WORD
Latin: NE after first word.

VeniesNE eras?

3. LEADING QUESTION-YES
English: Surely ...... ?, or equivalent
Latin: NONNE first
Noone Romam vidisti? You've seen Rome, haven't you?
=SURELY you have seen Rome
4. LEADING QUESTION-NO
English: Surely ......not ...... ?, or equivalent
Latin: NUM first
Num canem times? You don't fear the dog, do you?
=SURELY you do NOT fear the dog

6.

DEL!BERA TIVE. Asks advice

English: Verb TO BE+INFINITIVE
Latin: Pres. and Imperf. SUBJUNCTIVE
Quid faceret? what was he to do?
Quid dicat? what is he to say?

5.

ALTERNATIVE

English: ...... or ...... ?

Latin: utrum ...... an ...... ?
English: ...... or not?
Latin: utrum ...... an non?
UTRUM aquam AN vinum bibis?
Utrum vinum bibis AN NON?
6

PARTICIPLES
PARTICIPLES are
Have TENSE and VOICE
VERB .....1---+-~--~ADJECTIVES
and can govern CASE
Latin Verbs have only THREE Participles as follows:
TENSE

Agree with Noun in

and

GENDER, NUMBER,

CASE

VOICE

Active
Amans loving
Amaturus going to love

Passive
Present
Future
Past
Amatus having been loved
NB DEPONENT VERBS have all THREE Participles with ACTIVE meaning:
Present and Future Active in form conans, conaturus. Past Passive in form, active in meaning conatus.
1.

PRESENT PARTICIPLE
CAUTION English Present Participle is often loosely used for a Past Participle. Check by putting WHILE in front:
if meaning is Past, Latin uses Past Participle.
e.g. TRYING for a long time, I gave up=AFTER (not WHILE) trying. Therefore CONATUS, not CONANS.
usES
(a) as English
Currens ad amicum cecidit (While) running to his friend he fell.
(b) Often=English NOUN or RELATIVE clause
Laborantibus auxilium tulit he bore help to those working, the workers, those who worked.

2.

FUTURE PARTICIPLE
(a) English Going to, about to
Haec LOCUTURUS, Marcum vidi. Going to, about to, say this, I saw Marcus.
(b) To express INTENTION/PURPOSE
Veni te VISURUS I came intending to, in order to, see you.

PARTICIPLES Cbntd.
3.

PAST PARTICIPLE. Translation of HAVING DONE, AFTER DOING.

(i) look for DEPONENT verb to translate the participle
Past Participle of Deponent Verb has ACTIVE meaning: therefore translate literally.
Attacking (=Having attacked) the Gauls, he defeated them Gallos aggressus (adortus) superavit.
Do NOT use oppugnare.
(ii)

NO DEPONENT

VERB:HAVING verb

1 Tum HAVING phrase

TRANSITIVE*

PASSIVELY.

2 See if its SUBJECT (formerly OBJECT) is repeated as a LINK PRONOUN in Main clause.
(iia) LINK PRONOUN
Omit link pronoun, and put Participle and Noun into case of Link Pronoun.
ACCUSATIVE Having captured the city, he burned it.
The city captured, he burned IT (Ace) He burned the c,aptured city incendit captam urbem.
DATIVE Having seen the soldier, they gave HIM (Oat) a book. Militi viso librum dederunt
(iib) NO LINK PRONOUN The phrase is NOT linked to Main Clause, i.e. ABSOLUTE.
Therefore put Noun and Participle into ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE.
(With) the city captured, they went away URBE CAPTA, abierunt.
(iii) HAVING verb

INTRANSITIVEt

Having verb cannot be turned Passively, therefore a Past Participle Passive cannot be used.
Render as WHEN clause, using UBI+ Indic.
HAVING COME TO ROME they saw the Forum UBI Ro~m VENERUNT, Forum viderunt.
i.e. governs ACCUSATIVE case in Latin.

t governs NO case,
or GENITIVE, DATIVE, or ABLATIVE Case in Latin.

PARTICIPLES Contd.

ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE: further notes:

(a) This is also used in unrelated phrases with the PRESENT and FUTURE participles
when Caesar was speaking
} h

. d
Caesare loquente}
.

t e messenger arnve
locuturo nuntius vemt ,
,
, about to speak
(b) The verb ESSE to be, having no Present Participle, is understood where required
.
with you as leader }
Te duce vmcemus
.J
l .J h.
we shall conquer
unuer your eauers lp

TRANSLATION OF PARTICIPLES

Ovem amissam invenit

After losing} h h
h fi und.
I. LITERALLY Having lost t e s eep, e 0
It
2. BY A MAIN VERB He LOST the sheep AND found it
3. RELATIVE CLAUSE He found the sheep WHICH HE HAD LOST
4. by most kinds of ADVERBIAL CLAUSE
TIME When, after
CAUSE Because, sinceJ
.
CONCESSION Although
he lost the sheep, he found 1t

CONDITION

If

Conversely the participle may be used instead of the constructions

mentioned to render these sentences into Latin.
10

GERUND

Verb/NOUN ACTIVE

1. In Latin used ONLY for ENGLISH Gerund (Verb Noun -lNG) GOVERNED BY CASE PROPOSITIONS

of, to, for, by, with, from, in

Skilled IN writing Peritus SCRIBENDI We learn BY teaching DOCENDO discimus
EXCEPTION Prevent from+Gerund ( .. .ing)=Probibeo+INFINITIVE (Page 17 para. 3).
2. English Gerund NOT governed by preposition=Latin INFINITIVE.
SINNING is human Humanum est PECCARE I prefer RIDING EQUITARE malo.
3. Gerund WITH OBJECT
Being a VERB Noun, the Latin Gerund, like the English, CAN govern an Object, but for this the GERUNDIVE is
more often used (see next page) except:

(a) With Verbs which in Latin govern a case other than Accusative:
Ars aliiS persuadendl the art of persuading others.
(b) When the object of the Gerund is a Neuter Pronoun or Adjective, to distinguish it from the
Masculine:
Capax omniA superandl GERUND capable of overcoming all THINGS.
omniUM superandORUM GERUNDIVE capable of overcoming all MEN.
(c) With Genitive Plural Nouns, 1st and 2nd Declensions, to avoid ugly repetition of orum/
arum:
Signum arma capiendi GERUND NOT armorum capiendorum GERUNDIVE.
11

Verb/ADJECTIVE PASSIVE

GERUNDIVE

I A For English GERUND+oBJECT It------------------------------When English Gerund, governed by a case preposition, itself governs an object
Latin uses GERUNDIVE of verb with Accusative.
Tum the phrase Passively, and make the Gerundive, which acts as a Present Participle Passive here, agree with
the noun, e.g. By reading books we learn much . . .
By books BEING READ we learn much LibriS LegendiS multa discimus
NB 1. See previous page for 3 cases where Gerund is used instead.
NB 2. Gerundive with ad (Ace) and causa (Gen) is often used for PURPOSE.
Victoriae
causa} proeliom comm1s1t
. . .1,.,..o wm
.. a vzctory,

he }ome
d battle.
.
. reportandae
rta d
Ad VIctonam repo n am
NB 3. Caesar had a bridge built . .. (Caesar looked after a bridge being built . ..)
Caesar PONTEM FACIENDUM CURAVIT.

IB GERUNDIVE OF OBLIGATION'I--------------------------------English Verb-ADJECTIVE of Obligation to be done, etc.

The words ADDENDUM, MEMORANDUM, DIVIDEND, LEGEND and AGENDA are all borrowed
Gerundives, having meaning to be added, etc.
1. Agent in DATIVE
Haec MIHI agenda sunt These things are to-be-done by me.
2. GERUNDIVE of INTRANSITIVE VERBS
Of these the Gerundive, being PASSIVE, must be Impersonal, i.e. 3rd Singular Neuter. Dative, etc.
Case governed by verb is retained.
FemioiS parcendUM est The women are to-be-spared.
NB With DATIVE verbs the agent=a+ABLATIVE to avoid ambiguity.
Magistro a pueris parendum est The boys must obey the master.
DATIVE/Agent here might cause fatal misunderstanding.
12

PART II-COMPLEX SENTENCE

NOUN CLAUSE: DEPENDENT STATEMENT
ENGLISH Dependent NOUN THAT Clause, usually object of a verb of SAYING,
THINKING, KNOWING, etc.
But sometimes in English Verbs of THINKING and KNOWING are followed by a Statement
with SUBJECT in ACCUSATIVE, and VERB in INFINITIVE.
This is THE RULE IN LATIN with these verbs, and with SAYING verbs as well, thus:
SIMPLE STATEMENT

He

is

at

home

SUBJECT VERB
ENGLISH ACC/INFINITIVE

I think HIM TO BE at home

ACC+ INFINITIVE

Puto EUM ESSE domi

RULE Tum THAT Clause into Accusative and Infinitive IN ENGLISH, even after verbs of SAYING, and then translate
literally into Latin. This will show the tense of the Infinitive to use.*
EXAMPLES They say that they have been conquered( . ... themselves to have been ...)
Dicunt se victos esse PERFECT PASSIVE
.
I know that he will come (.... him to be going to come).
Scio eum venturum esse FUTURE ACTIVE
I believed that the money would be lost (... the money to be going to be lost).
Credidi pecuniAM amissUM fri FUTURE PASSIVE
*Another good way to find the right Tense of the Infinitive is to go back to the speaker's
(or thinker's) original words (or thoughts).

13

ADJECTIVAL RELATIVE CLAUSES

Adjectival Clauses are linked by the Relative Pronoun to a Noun or Pronoun, which is called the ANTECEDENT
(going before). The Relative Pronoun agrees with its Antecedent in GENDER and NUMBER, but takes its CASE from
its own (Relative) Clause. The verb is in the INDICATIVE except for some special reason. SEE Clauses Dependent on
Dependent Statement, etc. Page 18, Adverbial Relative, Page 27.
RELATIVE
PRONOUN
CASE

GENDER
/

)DMBER

The boy
Puer
The girls
Puellae

NOTE

"'

RELATIVE CLAUSE

ANTECEDENT

WHOM
QUEM
WHOSE
QUARUM

/saw
vidi
father was dead
pater mortuus erat

was running

currebat
returned home
domum redierunt

1. NEVER omit the Relative in Latin: The man I know Is QUEM novi.

2. Superlatives with the Antecedent are put inside the Relative Clause and agree with the Relative Pronoun:
Send the best books you have Mitte libros quos OPTIMOS babes.

19

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