Latin for Beginners · Lesson XXXVII · Part 7: Possum, relatives and the third declension
37. The verb possum; uses of the infinitive
Goal: Your child conjugates possum, and uses an infinitive as in English: with a subject in the accusative, to complete a verb, and as a noun.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- The special vocabulary page for this lesson (near the back of the book; the lesson tells you the page)
- A notebook for Latin, and a pencil
- Index cards for new words (optional)
What's in the book
The verb possum (I am able, I can), the infinitive with a subject in the accusative, the complementary infinitive, and the infinitive used as a noun. Thirteen Latin and five English sentences, and the start of "The Faithless Tarpeia".
The lesson, step by step
possum
The book says possum is made from potis (able) and sum. Its principal parts, from the vocabulary:
possum, posse, potuī, be able, can
The present: possum, potes, potest, possumus, potestis, possunt. The full table is at the back of the book (section 495); the rule of thumb is pos- before s, pot- before a vowel.
Infinitive with a subject
Section 213: "He commanded the men to flee" puts the men in the accusative.
Is virōs fugere iussit
The rule: the subject of the infinitive is in the accusative.
Infinitive to complete a verb
Section 215: possum, properō, mātūrō and temptō are finished by an infinitive.
Rōmānī Gallōs superāre possunt
"the Romans are able to conquer the Gauls".
Infinitive as a noun
Section 216:
Vidēre est crēdere
"to see is to believe". The infinitive used as a noun is neuter.
Vocabulary
From the special vocabulary for Lesson XXXVII:
castellum, redoubt, fort
cōtīdiē, daily
neque, and not, nor
and the verbs cessō, incipiō, oppugnō, petō, pōnō, possum, vetō, vincō and vīvō, with all principal parts.
Exercises and story
Section 217, Exercise I. One of the sentences:
Diū sine aquā vīvere nōn potestis.
Then Exercise II, and read the first part of "The Faithless Tarpeia" in section 218.
Afterwards
Two days: grammar on day one, vocabulary, exercises and story on day two.
Answers to the book's problems
Exercise I: 1. The teacher of the school ordered the children to work with diligence. 2. To lack food and wine is annoying to men. 3. Armed men forbade the Gauls to pitch camp there. 4. Is the lieutenant in the redoubt or on the wall? He is in front of the gate. 5. When our men began to flee, the lieutenant was captured by yours. 6. The Gauls had attacked the redoubt where the garrison was weak. 7. Some were trying to fight, others were making for the gates. 8. The women were sitting in front of their homes and could not resist the strong Gauls. 9. War is cruel; it favors neither the weak nor the wretched. 10. But the men were demanding arms and were eager to drive the Gauls down from the walls. 11. For that redoubt to be seized by the Gauls will not be pleasing to the Romans. 12. When the Gauls had been conquered by the Romans, they ceased to be free. 13. You cannot live long without water.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.