INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

On the Arrangement of Words in a Latin Sentence.

1. The general distinction between the English and Latin order is this:

2. In Latin the governed and dependent words generally stand before the words on which they depend; so that in simple sentences, the verb, when not particularly emphatic, stands at the end of the sentence.

3. Thus in simple narrative, after the conjunction comes the subject (nom. case); then the governed cases with adverbs and expressions of time, place, manner, &c., and last of all the verb.

4. But if the verb is emphatic, it must be placed earlier in the sentence. Quod non dedit fortuna, id non eripit. Mirabile videtur, quod non rideat haruspex, &c. Non intelligunt homines, quam magnum, vectigal sit parsimonia.

For it must always be remembered that

5.

The degree of prominence and emphasis to be given to a word, is that which mainly determines its position in the sentence.-And,

6. a) The two emphatic positions in a sentence are the beginning and the end; "by the former our attention is excited, and on the latter it rests." (Crombie.)

b) Add to this, that the more unusual a position is for any word, the more emphatic it is for that word. Thus, "arbores seret diligens agricola, quarum adspiciet baccam ipse nunquam." (Cic.)

c) A word that generally stands close by another receives emphasis by separation from it; especially if it be thus brought near the beginning or end of a sentence. Voluptatem percepi maximam'. Propterea quod aliud iter haberent nullum'. Edui equites ad Cæsarem omnes rever

tuntur.

d) Another principle affecting the position of words is the harmonious arrangement of syllables; the flow of the sentence.

7. GENITIVE. The genitive, whether dependent on a substantive or adjective, stands first if it be the more emphatic; if But it is rendered more emphatic by separation;

not, not. see 6, c).

a) It probably somewhat prefers the position before the govern ing noun, when that is not decidedly emphatic.

b) When the governing substantive has an adjective with it, the order is generally adj., gen., subst. (Vera animi magnitudo.) 8. ATTRIBUTIVE AND ITS SUBSTANTIVE. Of these the more emphatic stands first. But see 6, c).

a. A very short precedes a longer word: hence the demonstratives usually stand before their nouns, and monosyllable substantives before their adjectives.

9. APPOSITION. Here too the more emphatic precedes: but generally the word in apposition stands last.

a. This is particularly the case with titles, &c., in apposition to proper names.

Q. Mucius Augur; Agis rex; Pythagoras Philosophus. But, urbs Roma; though Cyprus insula, Hypanis fluvius.

10. WORDS DEPENDENT ON ADJECTIVES. Here too the more emphatic precedes, with something of a preference for placing the dependent words first.

11. ABLATIVE absolute.

The more emphatic first.

12. Infinitive dependent on VerB. The more emphatic first; generally the infinitive.

a. Of two infinitives, the more emphatic first.

13. ADVERBS. Generally, immediately before the words they belong to. Quoque immediately after its word.

14. Words that modify the meaning of an adjective are usually placed between it and the substantive. (Prælio magis ad eventum secundo, quam, &c.)

15. OPPOSITION and contrasted notions.

a) A repeated word, or a word akin to a word already used in the sentence, is generally brought as near to that word as possible. Timor timorem pellit. Nulla virtus virtuti contraria est. Virtutum in aliâ alius vult excellere. Aliis aliunde est periculum.

b) of two contrasted clauses or groups of words, of parallel construction, the order of the first is often reversed in the second:

so that two of the antithetical words are as far apart as possible Fragile corpus animus sempiternus movet. Ratio nostra consentit; pugnat oratio. Quæ me moverunt, movissent eadem te profecto.

Enim, vero, autem, quoque, quidem (with of course the enclitics), cannot be the first words of a clause.