The 4th-declension nouns are already sneaky because they end in -us, which makes them look like they might be a typical 2nd-declension noun. The way you can tell the difference is by the genitive form: -ūs. That's a long -ū-, which distinguished it from the nominative for Roman ears, but they did not use a different form to write the long -ū-. And here's another twist: the nominative plural form is also -ūs with the long -ū-. So, for the noun spīritus (breath, spirit), nominative singular, the genitive form is spīritūs and the nominative plural is also spīritūs.
The 5th-declension nouns are not quite as sneaky, but they are still sneaky, because the nominative singular and the nominative plural are both the same, ending in -ēs (that's long -ē-). The genitive singular ends in -eī (that's a long -ī-). So, for the noun spēs (hope), nominative singular, the nominative plural is also spēs, while the genitive singular is speī.
Today's sayings will give you some practice with the plural forms of 4th- and 5th-declension nouns. To get started, here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:
1. Eventus belli varii.
The-outcomes of-war are-various.
e-VEN-tus belli VA-rii.
You know all the words in this saying.
The word eventus (eventūs) is the plural of eventus. It is the subject of an implied verb: sunt, "are."
The adjective varii is masculine plural, agreeing with eventus.
The word belli, however, is the genitive form of bellum: eventus belli, "the outcomes of war."
This version of the saying comes from Vergil's Aeneid, and you've seen a different version of this proverb before: Varius eventus est proelii; that version is from the Biblical book of Samuel II. In this version, eventus is singular, and varius is masculine singular.
2. Quot capita, tot sensus.
(There are) as-many-opinions as-heads.
quot CA-pita, tot sensus.
The word sensus (sensūs) is the plural of sensus, and the word capita is the plural of the noun caput.
You haven't seen the word sensus, "opinion, feeling," before, but you have seen the noun that it comes from: sentit.
The words quot...tot... are correlatives, used in tandem: "as many... so many..."
The idea is that however many people there are, you will have that many opinions about something! Another version of this saying is Quot homines, tot sententiae, "There are as many opinions as there are people." (There word sententia, like sensus, comes from the verb sentit.)
You've seen other correlatives before. Remember qualis...talis..., "as... such..."? Here are some of those sayings: Qualis pater, talis filius and Qualis grex, talis rex.
3. Res, non verba.
Things, not words.
res non verba.
You know all these words also!
3. Res, non verba.
Things, not words.
res non verba.
You know all these words also!
The word res is the plural of res, and the word verba is the plural of verbum.
The idea is that words are easy, but what you want are things, the real things, not just words.
Compare the English saying, "Actions speak louder than words."
4. Concordia res crescunt.
With-harmony, things grow.
con-COR-dia res crescunt.
These words should all be familiar!
4. Concordia res crescunt.
With-harmony, things grow.
con-COR-dia res crescunt.
These words should all be familiar!
The word res is plural, the subject of the plural verb crescunt.
The word concordia (concordiā) is the ablative form of concordia.
Another version of this saying reads, Concordia parvae res crescunt, "With harmony, small things grow (great)." An even fuller version reads, Concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia maximae dilabuntur, "With harmony, small things grow great; with disharmony, great things collapse." This version comes from the Roman historian Sallust.
5. Omnes dies pauperis mali.
All the-days of-a-poor-person (are) bad.
omnes dies PAU-peris mali.
You've seen all these words before too!
The word dies is the plural of dies. The adjective omnes is masculine plural, agreeing with dies, and the adjective mali is the masculine plural of malus.
The word pauperis is the genitive of pauper.
This saying is found in the Biblical book of Proverbs.
Here's a recap:
- Eventus belli varii.
- Quot capita, tot sensus.
- Res, non verba.
- Concordia res crescunt.
- Omnes dies pauperis mali.
Plus the LOLCats!
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