Lesson 49 Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
Lesson: Latin Adverb "nunc" (now)
Part A (Interleaved English and Latin Text)
49.1 Nunc now pater father in in hortō garden ambulat walks
49.2 Senex old man nunc now sub under arboribus trees sedet sits
49.3 Nunc now tempus time est is labōris of work
49.4 Puella girl nunc now flōrēs flowers in in hortō garden legit gathers
49.5 Nunc now omnēs all dormīunt sleep
49.6 Miles soldier nunc now arma weapons portat carries
49.7 Magister teacher nunc now discipulōs students docet teaches
49.8 Nunc now agricola farmer in in agrīs fields labōrat works
49.9 Mater mother nunc now cēnam dinner parat prepares
49.10 Nunc now sōl sun altē high in in caelō sky stat stands
49.11 Mercātor merchant nunc now mercēs goods vēndit sells
49.12 Nunc now nāvēs ships portum harbor intrant enter
49.13 Servus slave nunc now aquam water ē from fonte fountain portat carries
49.14 Nunc now pluit it rains et and ventus wind flat blows
49.15 Sacerdōs priest nunc now deōs gods ōrat prays to
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Part B (Complete Sentences)
49.1 Nunc pater in hortō ambulat. Now father walks in the garden.
49.2 Senex nunc sub arboribus sedet. The old man now sits under the trees.
49.3 Nunc tempus labōris est. Now is the time of work.
49.4 Puella nunc flōrēs in hortō legit. The girl now gathers flowers in the garden.
49.5 Nunc omnēs dormīunt. Now everyone sleeps.
49.6 Miles nunc arma portat. The soldier now carries weapons.
49.7 Magister nunc discipulōs docet. The teacher now teaches the students.
49.8 Nunc agricola in agrīs labōrat. Now the farmer works in the fields.
49.9 Mater nunc cēnam parat. Mother now prepares dinner.
49.10 Nunc sōl altē in caelō stat. Now the sun stands high in the sky.
49.11 Mercātor nunc mercēs vēndit. The merchant now sells goods.
49.12 Nunc nāvēs portum intrant. Now the ships enter the harbor.
49.13 Servus nunc aquam ē fonte portat. The slave now carries water from the fountain.
49.14 Nunc pluit et ventus flat. Now it rains and the wind blows.
49.15 Sacerdōs nunc deōs ōrat. The priest now prays to the gods.
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Part C (Latin Only)
49.1 Nunc pater in hortō ambulat.
49.2 Senex nunc sub arboribus sedet.
49.3 Nunc tempus labōris est.
49.4 Puella nunc flōrēs in hortō legit.
49.5 Nunc omnēs dormīunt.
49.6 Miles nunc arma portat.
49.7 Magister nunc discipulōs docet.
49.8 Nunc agricola in agrīs labōrat.
49.9 Mater nunc cēnam parat.
49.10 Nunc sōl altē in caelō stat.
49.11 Mercātor nunc mercēs vēndit.
49.12 Nunc nāvēs portum intrant.
49.13 Servus nunc aquam ē fonte portat.
49.14 Nunc pluit et ventus flat.
49.15 Sacerdōs nunc deōs ōrat.
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Part D (Grammar Explanation)
For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "nunc" involves several key points:
Basic Function:
"Nunc" is an adverb meaning "now"
Unlike English "now," it cannot be used as a conjunction
Always refers to present time
Position in Sentence:
Can appear at the beginning, middle, or end
Often appears early for emphasis
Frequently placed just before the verb it modifies
Usage with Tenses:
Most commonly used with present tense
Can be used with perfect tense for immediate past
Never used with future tense (Romans used "iam" for future)
Important Differences from English:
Cannot be used as a connecting word ("now then...")
Does not have the English meaning of "well" or "so"
Always temporal, never logical
Common Combinations:
nunc ipsum (right now)
etiam nunc (even now)
ut nunc (as things are now)
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Part E (Cultural Context)
Understanding how Romans used "nunc" provides insight into their culture:
Time Consciousness:
Romans were very aware of present moment
Daily life followed strict schedules
Different activities marked different times of day
Social Context:
Many activities happened at set times
"Nunc" often marked transitions
Important in both private and public life
Literary Use:
Poets used "nunc" for dramatic effect
Historians used it for vivid narration
Speakers used it to emphasize immediate needs
Modern Relevance:
Similar to English "now" but more restricted
Helps understand Roman time concepts
Shows Roman focus on present action
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Part F (Literary Citation)
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
From Virgil's "Aeneid" (Book 2.353):
Nunc now moriēmur we shall die inultī unavenged
Part F-B (Complete Translation)
Nunc moriēmur inultī. Now we shall die unavenged.
Part F-C (Literary Analysis)
This dramatic line shows how "nunc" can create immediate urgency. Virgil uses it to heighten the tragic moment as Troy falls.
Part F-D (Grammatical Notes)
"Nunc" emphasizes immediate future
"Moriēmur" is future tense
"Inultī" is nominative plural masculine
Word order emphasizes timing
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Genre Section: Weather Report
Part A (Interleaved Text)
49.16 Nunc now tempestās weather serēna clear est is et and sōl sun lūcet shines
49.17 Ventus wind nunc now ab from occidente west flat blows
49.18 Nunc now nūbēs clouds caelum sky tegunt cover
49.19 Imber rain nunc now leviter lightly cadit falls
49.20 Nunc now flūmina rivers plūviā with rain crēscunt grow
49.21 Agricolae farmers nunc now plūviam rain exspectant await
49.22 Nunc now mare sea tranquillum calm est is
49.23 Nautae sailors nunc now ventum wind secundum favorable habent have
49.24 Nunc now nebula fog campōs fields tegit covers
49.25 Aestus heat nunc now magnus great est is
49.26 Nunc now tonitrua thunders procul far away audīmus we hear
49.27 Fulgura lightning nunc now caelum sky illūminant illuminate
49.28 Nunc now gelū frost herbam grass tegit covers
49.29 Tempestās storm nunc now appropinquat approaches
49.30 Nunc now ventus wind folia leaves raptat snatches
Part B (Complete Sentences)
49.16 Nunc tempestās serēna est et sōl lūcet. Now the weather is clear and the sun shines.
49.17 Ventus nunc ab occidente flat. The wind now blows from the west.
49.18 Nunc nūbēs caelum tegunt. Now clouds cover the sky.
49.19 Imber nunc leviter cadit. Rain now falls lightly.
49.20 Nunc flūmina plūviā crēscunt. Now the rivers grow with rain.
49.21 Agricolae nunc plūviam exspectant. The farmers now await rain.
49.22 Nunc mare tranquillum est. Now the sea is calm.
49.23 Nautae nunc ventum secundum habent. The sailors now have a favorable wind.
49.24 Nunc nebula campōs tegit. Now fog covers the fields.
49.25 Aestus nunc magnus est. Now the heat is great.
49.26 Nunc tonitrua procul audīmus. Now we hear thunder far away.
49.27 Fulgura nunc caelum illūminant. Now lightning illuminates the sky.
49.28 Nunc gelū herbam tegit. Now frost covers the grass.
49.29 Tempestās nunc appropinquat. Now a storm approaches.
49.30 Nunc ventus folia raptat. Now the wind snatches the leaves.
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Part C (Latin Only)
49.16 Nunc tempestās serēna est et sōl lūcet.
49.17 Ventus nunc ab occidente flat.
49.18 Nunc nūbēs caelum tegunt.
49.19 Imber nunc leviter cadit.
49.20 Nunc flūmina plūviā crēscunt.
49.21 Agricolae nunc plūviam exspectant.
49.22 Nunc mare tranquillum est.
49.23 Nautae nunc ventum secundum habent.
49.24 Nunc nebula campōs tegit.
49.25 Aestus nunc magnus est.
49.26 Nunc tonitrua procul audīmus.
49.27 Fulgura nunc caelum illūminant.
49.28 Nunc gelū herbam tegit.
49.29 Tempestās nunc appropinquat.
49.30 Nunc ventus folia raptat.
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Part D (Grammar Explanation)
The weather report genre demonstrates several important grammatical features:
Weather Expressions:
Impersonal verbs (pluit - it rains)
Weather nouns with est (tempestās serēna est)
Natural phenomena as subjects
Use of "Nunc":
Emphasizes immediate conditions
Shows changing weather patterns
Creates vivid present descriptions
Links weather observations
Case Usage in Weather Descriptions:
Ablative for means (plūviā - with rain)
Accusative for extent (tōtum diem - all day)
Ablative of direction (ab occidente - from the west)
Specific Weather Vocabulary:
Natural phenomena: sōl, imber, ventus
Descriptive adjectives: serēnus, tranquillus
Weather-specific verbs: flat, pluit, ningit
Sentence Patterns:
Simple statements (Mare tranquillum est)
Compound actions (Fulgura illūminant et tonitrua resonant)
Impersonal constructions (pluit, ningit)
Word Order:
Flexibility based on emphasis
"Nunc" often first for immediate conditions
Weather phenomenon typically precedes its description
Verb Tenses in Weather:
Present for current conditions
Perfect for changes
Imperfect for ongoing conditions
Future for predictions
These weather expressions show how Latin efficiently describes natural phenomena using various grammatical tools: impersonal verbs, case usage, and flexible word order.
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