Bellum in provincia timetur, sed pax mox speratur.

They are the grammatical subjects of the two verbs:

• bellum timetur = war is feared
• pax speratur = peace is hoped for / peace is hoped for soon

In Latin, the subject of a sentence is normally in the nominative case, just as in English the subject is the basic dictionary form.

Latin often uses the passive where English might prefer an active expression like people fear war or people hope for peace.

So:

• timetur literally means is feared
• speratur literally means is hoped for

The person doing the action is not named. This is a very common Latin way to make a general statement.

Yes, in sense, but not as an actual word in the sentence.

Latin often leaves the agent unstated when it is indefinite or obvious. So the sentence suggests something like:

• War is feared in the province
• but peace is soon hoped for

In natural English, we might also say:

• People in the province fear war, but soon hope for peace

Latin simply does not need to state people here.

Both are present passive indicative, third person singular.

Breakdown

• timetur = he/she/it is feared
• speratur = he/she/it is hoped for

Because the subjects are singular neuter bellum and singular feminine pax, each verb is singular.

The preposition in can take different cases depending on meaning.

Here, in provincia means in the province, expressing location, so provincia is in the ablative.

Compare:

• in provincia = in the province (where?)
• in provinciam = into the province (to where?)

So the ablative is used because the phrase tells us where war is feared.

Most naturally, it goes first with bellum timetur:

• War is feared in the province

But because the second clause is closely connected, a reader may also understand the setting to carry over:

• War is feared in the province, but peace is soon hoped for there

Latin often does not repeat a phrase when it is easy to supply it from context.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because case endings show each word’s role.

This sentence puts important ideas in noticeable places:

• Bellum comes first, giving prominence to war
• sed introduces the contrast
• pax also comes early in the second clause, balancing bellum
• mox sits near speratur, emphasizing the timing

A very literal rearrangement into a more straightforward order might be:

• Bellum timetur in provincia, sed pax speratur mox

But the original sounds more natural and stylistically balanced in Latin.

Mox means soon.

It indicates that the hoping for peace happens before long or shortly. In the sentence, it contrasts nicely with the fear of war:

• now or generally, war is feared
• but peace is soon hoped for

It adds a sense of changing expectation.

Because the sentence means peace is hoped for, not peace hopes.

Compare:

• sperat = he/she/it hopes (active)
• speratur = he/she/it is hoped for (passive)

Since pax is the thing being hoped for, not the one doing the hoping, the passive is correct.

Literally, yes, but in better English we usually say peace is hoped for.

Latin sperare can take a direct object, so pax speratur is perfectly normal Latin. English usually needs the preposition for with hope in this kind of passive expression.

So:

• Latin: pax speratur
• natural English: peace is hoped for

Those are the grammatical genders of the nouns:

• bellum is neuter
• pax is feminine

In this sentence, it matters mainly because each noun is singular and serves as the subject of a singular verb. In the present passive, the verb ending -tur is the same regardless of gender, so you do not see a visible difference in the verb here.

Gender is simply a grammatical property you need to learn with the noun.

Sed means but.

It connects the two clauses and highlights their contrast:

• war is feared
• but peace is soon hoped for

So sed is doing an important logical job: it marks the shift from fear to hope.

Yes, and English often prefers that.

A more active-style translation would be:

• People in the province fear war, but soon hope for peace.

That is not as literal, but it expresses the same basic meaning clearly in natural English. Latin, however, often prefers the passive wording when the agent is indefinite or unimportant.