![\"Capitoline](\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:She-wolf_suckles_Romulus_and_Remus.jpg\")
<\/a>Capitoline Wolf suckles the infant twins Romulus and Remus.<\/p><\/div>\n
The foundation story of Rome can be found in Book I of Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita<\/strong><\/em> (From the Founding of the City<\/em>)\u00a0 (Literally: From the City having been founded<\/em>). <\/strong>Thus, Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita<\/em> begins with the founding of Rome and progress to his modern day. Let us attempt to translate one sentence from the work:<\/p>\n Rome<\/p><\/div>\n Sed debebatur, ut opinor, fatis tantae origo urbis maximique secundum deorum opes imperii principium.\u00a0<\/strong>(1.4)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But\u00a0it was destined, as I believe, by the fates the origin of such a\u00a0great city and the beginning of the greatest power secondary\/next after the power of the gods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n BREAKDOWN:<\/p>\n Sed debebatur<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n Sed<\/strong>: “But”<\/p>\n debebatur<\/strong> is from debeo,<\/strong> it is a 3rd singular verb(he, she, it) imperfect and passive\u00a0meaning “it was destined.” Latin verb forms can be learned here<\/a>.<\/p>\n ut opinor<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n ut:<\/strong> “as, how”<\/p>\n opinor:<\/strong> 1st\u00a0singular meaning: “I believe, suppose or think.” (Opinor<\/strong> resembles English opinion.)<\/p>\n \u00a0fatis tantae origo urbis<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n fatis:<\/strong> From the noun fatum<\/strong> which is neuter (as opposed to masculine or feminine). The form is neuter plural ablative. Ablative is a case in Latin that serves many functions (as seen here<\/a>); I would argue this is an ablative means. “By means of the fates” or “by the fates.” Although, it may also be a dative plural with debeo<\/strong>; meaning “it was owed to the fates.”<\/p>\n origo:<\/strong> is nominative feminine singular. Origio<\/strong>\u00a0means\u00a0origin or beginning. The nominative case is equivalent to the subject in English (<\/em>Explanation\u00a0of Latin\u00a0cases may be found here<\/a>).<\/em> So, origo<\/strong> is actual the subject of debebatur:<\/strong> “But the origin was destined, as I believe, by the fates.”<\/p>\n tantae urbis<\/strong>= tantae<\/strong> is an adjective that is from tantus meaning “so great\/such great.” Since it is an adjective it agrees with the form and case of the noun: urbis. Urbis<\/strong> is from urbs,<\/strong>\u00a0it’s singular, feminine, genitive (as is tantae)<\/strong> and it means “city.” The genitive case is mainly used for possession or description. For example: origo tantae urbis<\/strong> :”the origin of\u00a0such a\u00a0great city.”<\/p>\n \u00a0maximique secundum deorum opes imperii principium<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n Our clue that we are looking for a new subject is the “que.” Que<\/strong> is another way of saying “and” in Latin instead of using “et.”<\/strong> When one uses “que”<\/strong> for\u00a0“and” instead of\u00a0“et;”<\/strong> there are certain rules that must be remembered:<\/p>\n For example “maximique”<\/strong> is actual maximi<\/strong>\u00a0+ que. Maximi<\/strong> come from the adjective maximus<\/strong> which somewhat resembles English:\u00a0maximum and thus it means “greatest.”<\/p>\n In regards to Rule 3:\u00a0Now, if maximi<\/strong> went with the clause\u00a0”\u00a0fatis tantae origo urbis<\/strong>“what\u00a0does it agree with ?<\/p>\n NOTHING! Of course it does not, because it doesn’t go with that clause! maximi<\/strong> goes with: “secundum deorum opes imperii principium<\/strong>.” Because the “que”<\/strong> attaches it to this clause! Now what does the maximi<\/strong> look like it goes with?<\/p>\n maximi and imperii<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong> are a match! However there are not our nominative\/subject, but they are genitive neuter singular. They come to mean\u00a0“of the greatest power.”<\/p>\n Principium<\/strong> is our nominative\/subject which is a neuter noun meaning: “beginning.” So far, the translations follows: “And (que)<\/strong> the beginning (principium)<\/strong> of the greatest power (maximi<\/strong> + imperii).”<\/strong> It is important to note that principium<\/strong> is nominative because it is also (along with origo)<\/strong> the subject of debebatur.<\/strong> THUS: “The origin of so great a city and the beginning of the greatest power was destined, as I believe, by the fates.”<\/p>\n \u00a0secundum deorum opes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Secundum<\/strong> is another adjective that is neuter nominative agreeing with principium.<\/strong> However this adjective should be taken as a verbal adjective. Thus it is: ” the beginning of the greatest power\u00a0that is secundum<\/strong> (second\/ next\/after)”.\u00a0 The reason this has to be a verbal adjective is because a normal adjective would be translated as the “secondary\/next beginning of the greatest power.” Contextually, this makes no sense.<\/p>\n Opes Deorum<\/strong>= opes<\/strong> is plural feminine accusative. The accusative case\u00a0is\u00a0the direct object in Latin. So, “the beginning of the greatest power\u00a0that is second to the opes<\/strong> (power).” Deorum<\/strong> is plural masculine genitive meaning “of the gods.” THUS: “And the beginning of the greatest power\u00a0second to the power of the gods.”<\/p>\n TRANSLATION COMPLETE FOR\u00a0ONE SENTENCE.<\/p>\n As one can see Latin is a very complex language that has various nuances that test and train the mind to look for patterns and logical sequences in putting sentences together.\u00a0It is a rewarding process that only can be achieved through practice and patience.<\/p>\n More on the Author: Livy:<\/p>\n<\/a>\n