Templum altum prope oppidum stat, et nuntius orat ibi.

Because templum is in the nominative singular, which is the case normally used for the subject of a verb in Latin.

In Templum altum prope oppidum stat:

• templum = subject
• stat = verb, stands
• so the basic core is templum stat = the temple stands

Even though Latin word order is flexible, the noun in the nominative is usually the best clue for the subject.

Altum is an adjective modifying templum, so it must agree with it in:

• gender
• number
• case

Since templum is:

• neuter
• singular
• nominative

the adjective must also be:

• neuter
• singular
• nominative

So we get templum altum = the high/tall temple.

This is a very important Latin rule: adjectives agree with the nouns they describe.

Because prope is a preposition that takes the accusative case.

So:

• prope = near
• oppidum = town
• prope oppidum = near the town

Even though in English near does not obviously force any special form, in Latin many prepositions require a specific case, and prope regularly takes the accusative.

Stat is the 3rd person singular present active indicative of sto, stare, meaning to stand.

Here it means something like:

• stands
• is standing
• sometimes more naturally, stands there or is situated

Because the subject templum is singular, the verb is singular too:

• templum stat = the temple stands

Latin verbs must agree with their subjects in number and person.

Yes. Latin often places adjectives after nouns, although it can also place them before.

So both of these are possible in Latin:

• templum altum
• altum templum

Both mean essentially the same thing. The choice of order can depend on style, emphasis, or rhythm.

For a learner, the main thing is not the order but the matching endings:

• templum
• altum

Those endings show that the words belong together.

Nuntius is also in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the second clause:

• nuntius orat ibi
• the messenger prays/speaks there

So in the full sentence, there are two clauses joined by et:

1. Templum altum prope oppidum stat
2. et nuntius orat ibi

Each clause has its own subject and verb.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Oro, orare often means:

• to beg
• to ask
• to plead
• sometimes to pray

In a sentence involving a temple, many learners will naturally understand orat as prays. That is probably the intended sense here.

So nuntius orat ibi is most naturally understood as the messenger prays there.

Ibi is an adverb meaning there.

It tells you where the action happens:

• orat = prays
• ibi = there

So orat ibi = prays there

Unlike a noun, ibi does not have case endings, because it is an adverb, not a noun or adjective.

Classical Latin does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So a noun like templum can mean:

• a temple
• the temple

The exact sense depends on context.

The same is true for oppidum and nuntius:

• oppidum = a town / the town
• nuntius = a messenger / the messenger

This is very normal in Latin, even though it feels strange to English speakers at first.

Yes, often it can.

For example, Latin could also say things like:

• Prope oppidum templum altum stat
• Templum prope oppidum altum stat is less natural because it can momentarily confuse what altum modifies, but the endings still help
• Ibi nuntius orat

Latin relies more on endings than English does, so word order is freer.

However, word order is not random. Writers often change it to create:

• emphasis
• contrast
• smoother style

So the basic meaning may stay the same, but the focus or feel can shift.

In this sentence, prope oppidum belongs with the first clause because it appears before stat and before the conjunction et.

The structure is:

• Templum altum prope oppidum stat
• et nuntius orat ibi

So:

• the temple stands near the town
• the messenger prays there

Also, ibi in the second clause already gives the location for orat, which makes the division even clearer.

It is one sentence made up of two clauses, joined by et.

Clause 1:

• Templum altum prope oppidum stat

Clause 2:

• et nuntius orat ibi

The conjunction et means and, linking the two ideas together.

So the sentence has:

• two subjects: templum, nuntius
• two verbs: stat, orat

That is very common in Latin, just as in English.