Bellum in provincia timetur, sed pax mox speratur.

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Breakdown of Bellum in provincia timetur, sed pax mox speratur.

• sed: but
• timere: to fear
• bellum: the war
• provincia: the province
• pax: the peace
• mox: soon
• sperare: to hope for

Questions & Answers about Bellum in provincia timetur, sed pax mox speratur.

Why is "bellum" in the nominative case?

Bellum is the subject of the passive verb timetur (meaning "is feared"). In Latin, the subject of a finite verb appears in the nominative case, so bellum must be nominative.

Is "bellum" singular or plural, and what is its gender?

Bellum is a neuter noun of the second declension, and here it is singular.

Why is "timetur" in the passive voice instead of the active voice?

In Latin, passive verbs show that the action is done to the subject rather than performed by it. Here, bellum "is feared," which expresses that people fear the war, without stating a specific agent.

How does "in provincia" function in the sentence?

In provincia is a prepositional phrase in the ablative case—provincia is ablative because it follows in indicating location. It shows where the war is feared ("in the province").

Why is "pax" also in the nominative case, and why is "speratur" used?

Pax is the subject of speratur (meaning "is hoped for"). In the second half of the sentence, after sed ("but"), the focus shifts to peace, which is also expressed by a passive verb in the third-person singular: "peace is hoped for." Both pax and bellum are subjects of their respective verbs, so they are both nominative.

What does "mox" mean, and where is it typically placed in a sentence?

Mox means "soon" or "shortly." It is an adverb and can appear in various positions, though it often comes before the verb or near it. Here it appears before speratur to emphasize the imminence of peace.