Reading Passage 6 – Flumen et nauta

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(The River and the Sailor)
Theme: Nature and Travel
Grammar Focus: 3rd Declension Nouns; Adjective Agreement
Vocabulary: River, boat, weather

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Latin Text

1. Prope urbem magnum flumen lente fluit.
2. Aqua clara est et pisces in flumine natant.
3. Nauta parvus navem parat et funem ligat.
4. Ventus lenis flat et vela movet.
5. In nave sunt cistae plenae frumenti.
6. Nauta solus navigat et cantat carmen dulce.
7. Supra flumen avis volat; sub aqua piscis fugit.
8. Nubes in caelo sunt, sed imber nondum cadit.
9. Nauta aquam spectat et deos gratias agit.
10. Sol occidit et flumen aureum fit.

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Literal English Translation

1. Near the city a great river flows slowly.
2. The water is clear and fish swim in the river.
3. A small sailor prepares the boat and ties the rope.
4. A gentle wind blows and moves the sails.
5. In the boat are boxes full of grain.
6. The sailor sails alone and sings a sweet song.
7. Above the river a bird flies; under the water a fish flees.
8. Clouds are in the sky, but the rain does not yet fall.
9. The sailor looks at the water and gives thanks to the gods.
10. The sun sets and the river becomes golden.

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Word Notes

Latin	Meaning	Grammar Note
flumen, fluminis	river	3rd declension, n.
urbs, urbis	city	3rd declension, f.
lente	slowly	adverb
aqua, -ae	water	1st declension, f.
clarus, -a, -um	clear	adjective
piscis, piscis	fish	3rd declension, m.
nauta, -ae	sailor	1st declension, m.
parvus, -a, -um	small	adjective
navis, navis	ship, boat	3rd declension, f.
funis, funis	rope	3rd declension, m.
ligat	ties	3rd sg. present of ligare
ventus, -i	wind	2nd declension, m.
lenis, -e	gentle	adjective, 3rd declension
flat	blows	3rd sg. present of flare
velum, -i	sail	2nd declension, n.
movet	moves	3rd sg. present of movere
cista, -ae	box	1st declension, f.
frumentum, -i	grain	2nd declension, n.
solus, -a, -um	alone	adjective
carmen, carminis	song	3rd declension, n.
supra (+ acc.)	above	preposition
sub (+ abl.)	under	preposition
nubes, nubis	cloud	3rd declension, f.
imber, imbris	rain	3rd declension, m.
cadit	falls	3rd sg. present of cadere
spectat	looks at	3rd sg. present of spectare
gratias agit	gives thanks	idiom with agere
deus, dei	god	2nd declension, m.
occidit	sets	3rd sg. present of occidere
aureus, -a, -um	golden	adjective

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Grammar Focus

3rd Declension Nouns

These nouns vary in gender and have a distinctive genitive ending -is.

Case	Singular	Plural	Meaning
Nominative	flumen	flumina	river(s)
Genitive	fluminis	fluminum	of the river(s)
Dative	flumini	fluminibus	to/for the river(s)
Accusative	flumen	flumina	river(s) (object)
Ablative	flumine	fluminibus	by/with/from the river(s)

Adjective Agreement

Adjectives agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case, even across declensions.

• aqua clara (feminine 1st declension)
• ventus lenis (masculine 3rd declension)
• flumen aureum (neuter 3rd declension)

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Study Exercise

A. Translate into Latin:

1. The sailor ties the rope.
2. The gentle wind moves the sail.
3. The bird flies above the river.
4. The fish swims under the water.
5. The sailor sings a sweet song.

B. Translate into English:

1. Flumen lente fluit.
2. Ventus lenis flat.
3. Nauta solus in nave est.
4. Nubes in caelo sunt.
5. Sol occidit et nox venit.

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Answer Key

A.

1. Nauta funem ligat.
2. Ventus lenis velum movet.
3. Avis supra flumen volat.
4. Piscis sub aqua natat.
5. Nauta carmen dulce cantat.

B.

1. The river flows slowly.
2. A gentle wind blows.
3. The sailor is alone in the boat.
4. Clouds are in the sky.
5. The sun sets and night comes.

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