Nuntius clarus in foro stat.

The famous messenger stands in the forum.

Breakdown of Nuntius clarus in foro stat.

• in: in
• forum: the forum
• nuntius: the messenger
• stare: to stand
• clarus: clear

Questions & Answers about Nuntius clarus in foro stat.

How do we know that nuntius is the subject of the sentence?

In Latin, the subject of a sentence is normally in the nominative case.

• nuntius ends in -us, which is the typical nominative singular ending for a masculine noun of the second declension.
• The verb stat (“stands”) does not take a direct object (it’s intransitive), so the only noun in the nominative case naturally functions as the subject.

So nuntius = “(the / a) messenger” is the subject of stat = “stands.”

Why is the adjective clarus placed after nuntius? Would clarus nuntius mean something different?

Latin word order is quite flexible. Adjectives can come before or after the noun they modify.

• nuntius clarus and clarus nuntius both mean “a clear/famous messenger.”
• Putting the adjective after the noun is very common and often neutral.
• Changing the position might add a slight nuance of emphasis (for example, clārus nuntius could sometimes feel a bit more “a noteworthy messenger”), but in a simple sentence like this, the meaning is essentially the same.

So the order nuntius clarus vs. clarus nuntius does not change the basic meaning; it’s more about style and nuance.

How do we know that clarus is describing nuntius and not foro?

Adjectives in Latin generally agree with the nouns they modify in:

• gender
• number
• case

Here we have:

• nuntius – nominative, singular, masculine
• clarus – nominative, singular, masculine
• foro – ablative, singular, neuter (from forum, -i, n.)

Only nuntius matches clarus in gender, number, and case. Therefore clarus must be modifying nuntius, not foro.

What exactly does clarus mean here: “clear,” “bright,” or “famous”?

clarus has several related meanings:

• “clear” (easy to hear or see, distinct)
• “bright” (literally shining)
• “famous,” “renowned,” “well-known”

In a sentence like Nuntius clarus in foro stat, the most natural interpretation is “a famous / well-known messenger stands in the forum.”

Depending on context, it could also be interpreted as “the clear (i.e., easily heard or clearly speaking) messenger stands in the forum.” Without more context, “famous” or “well-known” is a common choice in textbooks.

Why is it in foro and not in forum?

The preposition in in Latin can take either:

• the ablative case – when it means “in / on” (location, where something is)
• the accusative case – when it means “into / onto” (motion toward)

Here we have stat (“stands”), which indicates location, not movement. So:

• in foro (ablative) = “in the forum” (where he is)
• in forum (accusative) = “into the forum” (where he is going)

Since the sentence is about where the messenger stands, we correctly use in foro (ablative).

What are the grammatical forms and dictionary entries of the words in this sentence?

• nuntius

  • Form: nominative singular masculine
  • Function: subject
  • Dictionary entry: nuntius, nuntii, m. – “messenger; message”

• clarus

  • Form: nominative singular masculine
  • Function: adjective agreeing with nuntius
  • Dictionary entry: clarus, clara, clarum – “clear, bright, famous”

• foro

  • Form: ablative singular neuter
  • Function: object of the preposition in (“in the forum”)
  • Dictionary entry: forum, fori, n. – “forum, marketplace”

• stat

  • Form: 3rd person singular, present tense, active, indicative
  • Dictionary entry (first principal parts): sto, stare, steti, statum – “to stand”

What is the full parsing of the verb stat?

stat is:

• Person: 3rd (“he / she / it”)
• Number: singular
• Tense: present
• Voice: active
• Mood: indicative

So stat = “he/she/it stands” or simply “stands.”
In this sentence, the subject nuntius is 3rd person singular, so nuntius stat = “the messenger stands.”

Latin has no word for “the” or “a” here. How do we know if it means “the messenger” or “a messenger”?

Latin normally does not use articles (“the,” “a,” “an”). A bare noun like nuntius can be translated into English as:

• “a messenger”
• “the messenger”

The choice in English depends on context, not on anything in the Latin form:

• If the messenger has already been mentioned, we often translate “the messenger.”
• If he is being introduced for the first time, “a messenger” is more natural.

So Nuntius clarus in foro stat can legitimately be translated as either:

• “A famous messenger is standing in the forum.”
  or
• “The famous messenger is standing in the forum.”

Could the word order be changed, for example In foro nuntius clarus stat or Clarus nuntius in foro stat? Would that change the meaning?

Yes, the word order in Latin is flexible, and both of these are grammatically correct:

• In foro nuntius clarus stat
• Clarus nuntius in foro stat

The basic meaning (“a famous messenger stands in the forum”) stays the same, because:

• Roles are shown by endings (cases, verb forms), not by fixed position.
• nuntius clarus is still nominative and goes with stat.
• in foro is still a prepositional phrase with in
  • ablative = “in the forum.”

Different orders can slightly change emphasis (e.g. putting in foro first can highlight the location), but not the core meaning.

How do we know whether nuntius means “messenger” or “message” here?

nuntius can mean:

• “messenger” (a person)
• “message” (a thing, though “message” is more often nuntium, neuter)

Here nuntius is masculine nominative singular and used with the verb stat (“stands”), which naturally describes a person standing rather than a message standing.

So the context and typical usage strongly favor “messenger” in this sentence.

What is in foro doing in the sentence, grammatically speaking?

in foro is a prepositional phrase:

• in – preposition, here with the ablative = “in, on”
• foro – ablative singular of forum, object of in

Together they form an adverbial phrase of place, telling us where the action happens: “in the forum.” It modifies the verb stat (“stands”).