Latin for Beginners

The declension to which a noun belongs is shown by the ending of
the genitive singular. This should always be learned along with the
nominative and the gender.

_71._ The nominative singular of nouns of the Second or _O_-Declension
ends in -us, -er, -ir, or -um. The genitive singular ends in
-i:.

_72._ Gender. Nouns in -um are neuter. The others are regularly
masculine.

_73._ Declension of nouns in -_us_ and -_um_. Masculines in -us and
neuters in -um are declined as follows:

        dominus (BASE domin-),  pi:lum (BASE pi:l-),
        m., _master_            n., _spear_

                  TERMINATIONS      TERMINATIONS
          SINGULAR
  Nom.  do'minus[1]  -us        pi:lum      -um
  Gen.  domini:      -i:        pi:li:      -i:
  Dat.  domino:      -o:        pi:lo:      -o:
  Acc.  dominum      -um        pi:lum      -um
  Abl.  domino:      -o:        pi:lo:      -o:
  Voc.  domine       -e         pi:lum      -um

          PLURAL
  Nom.  domini:      -i:        pi:la       -a
  Gen.  domino:'rum  -o:rum     pi:lo:'rum  -o:rum
  Dat.  domini:s     -i:s       pi:li:s     -i:s
  Acc.  domino:s     -o:s       pi:la       -a
  Abl.  domini:s     -i:s       pi:li:s     -i:s

    [Footnote 1: Compare the declension of /domina\ and of /dominus\.]

    _a._ Observe that the masculines and the neuters have the same
    terminations excepting in the nominative singular and the nominative
    and accusative plural.

    _b._ The vocative singular of words of the second declension in
    -us ends in -e, as /domine\, _O master_; /serve\, _O slave_.
    This is the most important exception to the rule in Sec. 56.a.

_74._ Write side by side the declension of /domina\, /dominus\, and
/pilum\. A comparison of the forms will lead to the following rules,
which are of great importance because they apply to all five
declensions:

    _a._ The vocative, with a single exception (see Sec. 73.b), is
    like the nominative. That is, the vocative singular is like the
    nominative singular, and the vocative plural is like the nominative
    plural.

    _b._ The nominative, accusative, and vocative of neuter nouns are
    alike, and in the plural end in -a.

    _c._ The accusative singular of masculines and feminines ends in
    -m and the accusative plural in -s.

    _d._ The dative and ablative plural are always alike.

    _e._ Final -i and -o are always _long_; final -a is _short_,
    except in the ablative singular of the first declension.

_75._ Observe the sentences

  Lesbia est bona,
    _Lesbia is good_
  Lesbia est ancilla,
    _Lesbia is a maidservant_

We have learned (Sec. 55) that /bona\, when used, as here, in the
predicate to describe the subject, is called a _predicate adjective_.
Similarly a _noun_, as /ancilla\, used in the _predicate_ to define the
subject is called a /predicate noun\.

_76._ RULE. Predicate Noun. _A predicate noun agrees in case with the
subject of the verb._

  [Illustration: PILA]

_77._ DIALOGUE

GALBA AND MARCUS

First learn the special vocabulary, p. 285.

  G. Quis, Marce, est legatus cum pilo et tuba?
  M. Legatus, Galba, est Sextus.
  G. Ubi Sextus habitat?[2]
  M. In oppido Sextus cum filiabus habitat.
  G. Amantne oppidani Sextum?
  M. Amant oppidani Sextum et laudant, quod magna cum constantia pugnat.
  G. Ubi, Marce, est ancilla tua? Cur non cenam parat?
  M. Ancilla mea, Galba, equo legati aquam et frumentum dat.
  G. Cur non servus Sexti equum domini curat?
  M. Sextus et servus ad murum oppidi properant. Oppidani bellum
    parant.[3]