In this journey, you will read about the birth and early adventures of the Hero Perseus while reviewing the Golden Trio of Latin morphology: First Declension Nouns, Second Declension Nouns and First-Second Declension Adjectives.

A. Let’s begin with our goal; reading Latin. In this case, the first chapter of our fābula dē Perseō: Perseus in Arcā (Perseus in the Ark)

Multī poetae fābulās dē Perseō nārrant. Perseus est fīlius Iovis, maximī deōrum. Avus Perseī est Ācrisius. Quid est avus? Avus est pater patris. Sed Ācrisius est avus malus. Cūr est Ācrisius malus avus? Ācrisius Perseum nōn amat. haec Ācrisiō est causa: nam propter ōrāculum vītam puerī parvī timet. Ergō Ācrisius vult Perseum, fīlium suae fīliae, necāre! Perseum igitur adhūc puerum et fīliam suam capit. Ācrisius puerum et fīliam suam in arcā ligneā ponit. Tum Ācrisius arcam ligneam ex terrā suā in Oceānum vastum mittit. Perseī māter Oceānum magnopere timet; tempestās enim magna Oceānum turbat. Perseus autem parvus in gremiō mātris dormit.

B. Always read and re-read until you have a good sense of the story.

Check your understanding by completing this brief comprehension quiz in Cerego. If you any of the answers eluded you, be sure to return and re-read the story and try again!

C. Now, let’s start our tour of basic Latin morphology. Invest 6 minutes reviewing First Declension Nouns.

You can find more about First Declension Nouns in Allen & Greenough §41 (declension), 42 (gender), 43 (case forms), and 44 (Greek nouns of the first declension)

D. Are you ready to tackle First Declension Nouns?

Complete this short comprehension exercise, which will verify that you know the basic in’s and out’s of First Declension Nouns.

E. Let’s practice First Declension Nouns

1. Complete the First Declesion Paradigm of vīta on Magistrula.com (the activity is cued up at the link, just click BEGIN; you can also access it from “My Stuff” once you have created an account on the site).

For additional practice, you can also compete paradigms of poeta, causa, fīlia, and terra. Or you can practice with a random First Declension noun.

✮ Practice these paradigms on Magistrula.com, write them out again and again on a sheet of paper, muttering to yourself as you exercise, or in any way that works for you until you are completely and totally confident in your ability to reproduce the paradigm of any first declension noun.

2. Practice Identifying First Declension Forms on Magistrula.com until you feel very confident that you can identify the case and number of any First Declension Noun that comes your way.

If you need additional practice with the forms, invest a little more time with the Quizlet sets on (1) the forms of vīta and/or (2) all the first declension nouns in the story. Then return to Magistrula.com to practice some more.

F. Now let’s re-read the start of our fābula, with special attention to the First Declension Nouns therein.

Multī poetae fābulās dē Perseō nārrant. Perseus est fīlius Iovis, maximī deōrum. Avus Perseī est Ācrisius. Quid est avus? Avus est pater patris. Sed Ācrisius est avus malus. Cūr est Ācrisius malus avus? Ācrisius Perseum nōn amat. haec Ācrisiō est causa: nam propter ōrāculum vītam puerī parvī timet. Ergō Ācrisius vult Perseum, fīlium suae fīliae, necāre!

Perseum igitur adhūc puerum et fīliam suam capit. Ācrisius puerum et fīliam suam in arcā ligneā ponit. Tum Ācrisius arcam ligneam ex terrā suā in Oceānum vastum mittit. Perseī māter Oceānum magnopere timet; tempestās enim magna Oceānum turbat. Perseus autem parvus in gremiō mātris dormit.

G. Practice Recognizing First Declension Nouns in Context

In this activity, you will identify only the case and number of the First Declension Nouns as they appears in the fābula.

H. Having reviewed First Declension Nouns, pause for a moment on your journey in the Hortī Sallustiānī (Gardens of Sallust). These famed urban gardens were built by Julius Caesar.

After his assassination on the Ides of March, the historian Sallust purchased the property and it remained one of the most exclusive spots in Rome until it was destroyed during the the Sack of Rome by Alaric in 410 CE.

I. Now let’s build the second leg of this tripod. Invest 6 minutes reviewing Second Declension Nouns. We’ll start with masculine and feminine nouns and then return to neuter Second Declension nouns.

You can find more about Second Declension Nouns in Allen & Greenough §45 (declension)–46 (-us), 47 (-er/-ir), 48 (gender), 49, 50, and 51 (case forms), and 52 (Greek nouns of the second declension)

J. Let’s practice a paradigm of a Second Declension noun that appears in our story.

Complete the Second Declension Paradigm of deus on Magistrula.com (the activity is cued up at the link, just click BEGIN; you can also access it from “My Stuff” on that site).

For additional practice, you can also compete paradigms of avus or fīlius or a random Second Declension masculine or feminine noun.

K. But Masculine/Feminine Second Declension Nouns are only ½ of the tale for this declension. Review Second Declension Neuter Nouns.

1. First watch this brief video reviewing Second Declension neuters.

2. Now practice a paradigm of a random Second Declension neuter noun on Magistrula.com.

L. Let’s practice Second Declension Nouns in all their glory.

1. Practice Paradigms of the Second Declension on Magistrula.com. Caveat discipula: this exercise you might encounter a masculine, a feminine, or a neuter Second Declension. The stem might change (especially if the nominative ends in -er!) (the activity is cued up at the link, just click BEGIN; you can also access it from “My Stuff” on that site).

2. Practice Identifying Second Declension Forms on Magistrula.com until you feel very confident that you can identify the case and number of any Second Declension Noun that comes your way.

If you need additional practice with the forms, invest some time with the Quizlet sets on (1) just the forms of avus and/or (2) all the second declension nouns in the story. Then return to Magistrula.com to practice some more.

M. Now let’s re-read the start of our story, with special attention to Second Declension Nouns.

Multī poetae fābulās dē Perseō nārrant. Perseus est fīlius Iovis, maximī deōrum. Avus Perseī est Ācrisius. Quid est avus? Avus est pater patris. Sed Ācrisius est avus malus. Cūr est Ācrisius malus avus? Ācrisius Perseum nōn amat. haec Ācrisiō est causa: nam propter ōrāculum vītam puerī parvī timet. Ergō Ācrisius vult Perseum, fīlium suae fīliae, necāre!
Perseum igitur adhūc puerum et fīliam suam capit. Ācrisius puerum et fīliam suam in arcā ligneā ponit. Tum Ācrisius arcam ligneam ex terrā suā in Oceānum vastum mittit. Perseī māter Oceānum magnopere timet; tempestās enim magna Oceānum turbat. Perseus autem parvus in gremiō mātris dormit.

N. Practice Recognizing Second Declension Nouns in Context

In this activity, you will identify only the case and number of the First Declension Nouns as they appears in the story.

O. Having reviewed Second Declension Nouns, wash the dust off your feet in the Thermae Constantīnī (Baths of Constantine). These, the last of the great Roman baths, were built in 315 CE.

P. Now let’s put your knowledge of the First and Second Declensions to work by mastering First-Second Declension Adjectives. Begin by investing 7 minutes reviewing this flavor of adjective.

If you’d like some more information about Latin adjectives, including a sneak peak of Third Declension, you can watch this video.

You can also find our more about 1st/2nd declension adjectives in Allen & Greenough §112 (declension), UNUS NAUTA adjectives with irregular genitive and dative singulars in 113,

Q. Are you ready to tackle First-Second Declension Adjectives?

Complete this short comprehension exercise, which will verify that you know the basics about First-Second Declension Adjectives.

R. Let’s practice First-Second Declension Adjectives

1. Complete the First-Second Declension Adjective Paradigm of malus on Magistrula.com (the activity is cued up at the link, just click BEGIN; you can also access it from “My Stuff” once you have created an account on the site).

For additional practice, you can also compete paradigms of suus, parvus, or magnus . Or you can practice with a random First-Second Declension Adjective.

2. Practice Identifying First-Second Declension Adjective forms on Magistrula.com until you feel very confident that you can identify the case and number of any First-Second Declension Adjectives that comes your way.

If you need additional practice with the forms, invest some time with the Quizlet set on (a) magnus -a -um and/or (b) the endings First-Second Declension Adjectives. Then return to Magistrula.com to practice some more.

3. But wait! Since the superpower of adjectives is modifying a noun by agreeing with it in case, number, and gender, you should practice making First-Second Declension Adjectives agree with a noun by declining at least one noun-adjective phrase; and identifying noun-adjective phrases.

S. Now let’s re-read the start of our story, with special attention to First-Second Declension Adjectives.

Multī poetae fābulās dē Perseō nārrant. Perseus est fīlius Iovis, maximī deōrum. Avus Perseī est Ācrisius. Quid est avus? Avus est pater patris. Sed Ācrisius est avus malus. Cūr est Ācrisius malus avus? Ācrisius Perseum nōn amat. haec Ācrisiō est causa: nam propter ōrāculum vītam puerī parvī timet. Ergō Ācrisius vult Perseum, fīlium suae fīliae, necāre!

Perseum igitur adhūc puerum et fīliam suam capit. Ācrisius puerum et fīliam suam in arcā ligneā ponit. Tum Ācrisius arcam ligneam ex terrā suā in Oceānum vastum mittit. Perseī māter Oceānum magnopere timet; tempestās enim magna Oceānum turbat. Perseus autem parvus in gremiō mātris dormit.

T. Practice Recognizing First-Second Declension Adjectives in Context

In this activity, you will identify only the case and number of the First-Second Declension Adjectives as they appears in the story.

U. Would you like some more practice reading simple Latin sentences built with First and Declension Declension Nouns and First-Second Declension Adjectives?

If yes, then have I got just the exercise for you!

If not, then continue to your destination.

Z. Once you have successfully completed these activities, congratulations! You have begun your (re)exploration of Latin — and Rome — by Scaling the Quirinal Hill.

Other Resources and Practice on First and Second Declension Nouns and First-Second Declension Adjectives

Magistrula.com: [Paradigm of vīta] [First Declension Paradigms] [Identifying First Declension forms] [Paradigm of deus] [Second Declension Paradigms] [Identifying Second Declension forms] [1st-2nd Adjective Paradigm] [Identifying 1st-2nd Adjectives] [Declining Noun-Adjective phrases] [Simple Sentence Practice]
Latintutorial.com [First Declension Nouns] [Second Declension Masculine-Feminine Nouns] [Second Declension Neuter Nouns] [First-Second Declension Adjectives]
Quizlet.com [Morphology of First Declension Nouns] [Morphology of vīta] [Morphology of avus] [Morphology of various Second Declension Nouns] [Morphology of māgnus -a -um]
Cerego.com [Reading Comprehension] [First Declension Comprehension] [First Declension Nouns in Fābula] [First-Second Declension Adjective Comprehension] [Second Declension Nouns in Fābula] [First-Second Declension Adjectives in Fābula]