Rudimenta prima grammatices, ex eruditissimis quibusque grammaticis excerpta

vocative, just like the remaining pronouns, except for three: "you," "my," and "our." For we say "my Virgil," "my Glycerium," "our Chremes."

D E C L I N A T I O DECLENSION.

How many declensions of pronouns are there? Four. Which? First, second, third, fourth.

The first, whose singular genitive ends in "i": as "I," "of me," "to me." Three pronouns look to this: "I," "you," "of oneself."

The second, whose singular genitive ends in the syllable "ius," or in the divided syllables "i-us": as "this," "of this": "that one," "of that one." Six pronouns pertain to this: "that one," "he himself," "that one there," "this one," "that," and "who," along with "a certain one."

There are likewise eight nouns which are inflected through this: "one," "any": "alone," "the other," "another," "whole," "who," "which," along with their compounds.

The third, whose singular genitive ends in "i," "ae," "i": as "my," "my," "my," "of my," "of my," "of my" Meus, mea, meum, mei, meæ, mei. Five pronouns pertain to this: "my," "your," "his/her/their," "our," and "your."

The fourth, whose singular genitive ends in "atis": as "of our country" Nostras, nostratis. Only two pronouns look to this: "of our country" and "of your country."

D E V E R B O OF THE VERB.

A decorative drop cap V begins the section. What is a verb? A part of speech which, inflected by moods and tenses, signifies either to be, or to act, or to suffer, with the difference of a certain time: as "I am," "I was": "I love," "I was loving": "I am loved," "I was being loved."

Whence is it called a verb? From the word "verberare" to strike, because it strikes the air when it is uttered.

How manifold is the verb? Twofold. Personal and impersonal.

What is a personal verb? That to which the nominative of a certain person is placed before it: as "I write," "you read," "Antony the Emperor killed Papinian, who was unwilling to excuse the parricide."

What is impersonal? That which does not receive a certain person in the nominative case in the indicative, but the nominative of the person is changed into oblique cases: as what we say personally in French, "I learn Virgil by heart," in Latin it is expressed impersonally: "It behooves me to learn Virgil." Or the verb itself is uttered entirely without a preceding case: as "It is stood," "it is played," "it is gone."

How manifold is the impersonal verb? Twofold. Of the active voice, and of the passive voice.

What is an impersonal of the active voice? That which ends in "t" and is said in French with "il": as "it behooves" Oportet, "it is necessary."

What is an impersonal of the passive voice? That which ends in "tur" and is said in French with "on": as "it is loved," "one loves."