Latin for Beginners · Lesson XXXIX · Part 7: Possum, relatives and the third declension
39. The third declension: consonant stems (Class I)
Goal: Your child declines third-declension nouns like prīnceps, mīles, rēx and virtūs, finding the base from the genitive.
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
Bases and stems, the third declension, and the first class of consonant stems, which add -s in the nominative. Six model nouns, then nine Latin sentences and four English ones.
The lesson, step by step
Bases and stems
Read sections 230 to 232. The third declension is the biggest. Its nouns are sorted by how the stem ends: in a consonant, or in -i-. This lesson starts with consonant stems that add -s to make the nominative.
The endings
Section 233 declines prīnceps (chief), mīles (soldier), lapis (stone), rēx (king), iūdex (judge) and virtūs (manliness, courage). The singular of rēx:
rēx, rēgis, rēgī, rēgem, rēge
and the plural:
rēgēs, rēgum, rēgibus, rēgēs, rēgibus
The genitive is the key
Find the base by dropping -is from the genitive: mīlitis gives mīlit-. That is why the vocabulary always gives both: mīles, mīlitis. The book explains the changes: t or d drops before -s (mīles, lapis, virtūs); c or g joins with s to make x (iūdex, rēx).
Vocabulary
From the special vocabulary for Lesson XXXIX:
dux, ducis, leader
eques, equitis, horseman
pedes, peditis, foot soldier
pēs, pedis, foot
mīles, mīlitis, soldier
rēx, rēgis, king
Exercises
Section 234, Exercise I. Two of them:
Neque peditēs neque equitēs occupāre castellum Rōmānum poterant.
Quod novum cōnsilium dux cēpit?
Then Exercise II.
Wrap up
Your child declines dux and eques aloud.
Afterwards
Two days: the six models on day one, vocabulary and exercises on day two.
Answers to the book's problems
Exercise I: 1. Neither the foot soldiers nor the horsemen were able to seize the Roman redoubt. 2. With the greatest courage they attacked the high walls daily. 3. The feet of the soldiers were often wounded by the stones which were being hurled from the wall. 4. What new plan did the leader adopt? 5. He tempted the faithless girl with beautiful ornaments. 6. What did the girl do? 7. The girl, moved by the gold, led the soldiers through the gates. 8. Nevertheless she did not win the rewards which she had sought with the greatest eagerness. 9. Among the ancient Romans Tarpeia was not praised.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.