How to Read a Latin Sentence - LATN 199 - F20

How to Read a Latin Sentence

 

When reading Latin texts, it can be helpful to approach them with a regular method. Below you will find my suggested method for doing so, but please note that there are many other ways of reading Latin sentences as well.

Step 1: Begin by reading the whole sentence aloud in Latin, taking mental note of any words that stand out to you.

Step 2: Read through the sentence a second time, mark all the finite verbs.

Step 3: Once you have found the finite verbs, look to see which of these verbs are introduced by a subordinating conjunction (e.g. cum, dum, si, usque, ut, ne, quod, quia, quamquam) or a relative pronoun (e.g. qui, quae, quod) and mark out the full subordinate clause using parentheses (NB: All clauses must feature a verb).

  • Open parenthesis whenever you see a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun.
  • Close parenthesis when you get to the verb.
  • If you see another subordinating conjugation before you get to the verb, open parentheses again. Once you get to the next verb, you will close the parenthesis - this will represent the subordinate clause within the larger subordinate clause. The next verb will be the main verb in the first subordinate clause:
    • E.g. (Si regina, (quae terram rexit), laeta erat)….

Step 4: Mark any stated subjects in the sentence.

Step 5: Determine if the finite verb requires anything to complete their meaning.

  • If there is an active transitive verb, this will be a direct object.
  • If there is a linking verb, this will be a predicate nominative.
  • If there is a passive verb, there may be an ablative of agent.
    • Terra ab reginā recta est.
  • If there is a verb of the head (i.e. a verb of speaking, seeing, hearing, perceiving), there will be an indirect statement.
    • An indirect statement will feature an accusative and an infinitive.
    • Dixit terram ab reginā rectam esse.

Step 6: Bracket any prepositional phrases or ablative absolutes.

Step 7: Now you are ready to translate. Start by translating the sentence’s independent clauses.

Step 8: Finally, move on to filling in the rest of the dependent clause in order and translating them to add further detail to the independent clause.

Sample Sentence

 

Step 1: Read the sentence aloud.

Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret, devenit ad Eleusinum regem, cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat, seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

Step 2: Find the finite verbs (in bold here).

Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret, devenit ad Eleusinum regem, cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat, seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

Step 3: Determine the subordinate clauses and mark them with (parentheses).

(Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret), devenit ad Eleusinum regem, (cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat), seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

  • Cum introduces the first dependent clause
  • Cuius introduces the second dependent clauses
  • The sentence of two independent clauses and joined by -que: “devenit ad Eleusinum regem seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.”

Step 4: Locate any stated subjects (in italics here).

(Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret), devenit ad Eleusinum regem, (cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat), seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

  • The two verbs in the dependent clauses do not have a stated subject - this implies that they share a subject with the first stated subject, Ceres.

Step 5: Determine what is required to complete the meaning of each clause given its finite verb.

(Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret), devenit ad Eleusinum regem, (cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat), seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

  • Three out of the four verbs here are transitive verbs and require a direct object (marked with in bolded italics)
  • Notice that devenit as an intransitive verb does not need anything to complete the meaning

Step 6: Put brackets around any prepositional phrases or ablative absolutes.

(Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret), devenit [ad Eleusinum regem], (cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat), seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

Step 7: Start by translating the independent clauses.

devenit [ad Eleusinum regem] seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

“[Subject] went to king Eleusis and pretended that she was a wet nurse.”

Step 8: Move on to translate each of the dependent clauses in order in light of the independent clauses.

(Cum Ceres Proserpinam filiam suam quaereret), devenit [ad Eleusinum regem], (cuius uxor Cothonea puerum Triptolemum pepererat), seque nutricem lactantem simulavit.

“When Ceres was looking for her daughter, Proserpina, she went to king Eleusis, whose wife Cothonea had given birth to the boy Triptolemus, and pretend that she was a wet nurse.”