Latin Lesson #197: 2nd-conjugation -eo

The focus for today's lesson is the 1st-person form of the 2nd-conjugation verbs. Since the theme vowel of the 2nd-conjugation is -e-, you won't be surprised that the ending is -eo. So, for example, the verb habeo means "I have." 

Just like last week, these 1st-person forms are found in Latin mottos, so you'll see some heraldry, bookplates, etc. below.

Remember that this 1st-person form is how you look up words in the Latin dictionary, so this is what the entry for habeo looks like:

 
So, now you know the 1st-person form for the 1st conjugation, amo (infinitive: amare), and also the 1st-person form for the 2nd conjugation, habeo (infinitive habere).

And here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before; you know almost all of today's words already:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Nil timeo.
I-fear nothing.
nil TI-meo.

The word timeo is the 1st-person form of the verb timet.

The word nil is the accusative form of nil (remember: neuter nouns and adjectives have the same form in the nominative and the accusative), and it is the object of the verb.

Some heraldry featuring this saying:

2. Sic fidem teneo.
Thus I-keep the-faith.
sic fidem TE-neo.

The word teneo is the 1st-person form of the verb tenet. 

The word fidem is the accusative form of the noun fides, and it's the object of the verb.

I found an image of this motto being used in Masonic heraldry in the Cornish town of Bodim, England:

3. Irrideo tempestatem.
I-scoff at-the-storm.
ir-RI-deo tempes-TA-tem.

The word irrideo, "I scoff," is the 1st-person form of the verb irridet. You haven't seen this verb before, but you have seen the root verb: ridet.

The word tempestatem is the accusative form of the word tempestas; it's the object of the verb.
I found this one used in a bookplate, paired with the image of a tree that can stand tall in a storm:

4. Nec timeo, nec tumeo.
I-fear not, nor do-I-boast.
nec TI-meo, nec TU-meo.

The word tumeo, "I swell up; I boast," is the 1st-person form of the verb tumet. This same root shows up in English "tumor."

The word nec literally means "and not," but when used in a pair like this, nec... nec..., it can mean "not... nor..." or "neither... nor..." 
So this saying could also be translated as "I neither fear, nor do I boast."

As you can see, the force of this saying depends on the sound-play between the words timeo and tumeo. They are completely unrelated, but they sure sound good together!

More heraldry:

5. Recte faciendo neminem timeo.
By-acting rightly, I-fear no-one.
recte faci-EN-do NE-minem TI-meo.

The word faciendo is the ablative form of the verbal noun faciendum, "doing, acting." You haven't seen this word before, but you know the verb that it comes from: facit.

The word neminem is the accusative form of nemo, and it is the object of the verb.
This one I found used as a military motto:

Here's a recap:

• Nil timeo. 
• Sic fidem teneo. 
• Irrideo tempestatem. 
• Nec timeo, nec tumeo. 
• Recte faciendo neminem timeo.

And here is today's audio:



Plus the LOLCats!

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe.

---