Breakdown of Post scholam domum vestram venite, deinde cum aliis amicis ludite.
amicus
the friend
cum
with
ludere
to play
schola
the school
Questions & Answers about Post scholam domum vestram venite, deinde cum aliis amicis ludite.
What does post scholam literally mean, and why is scholam in the accusative case?
Post is a preposition that normally takes the accusative case in Latin and means after (in time or space).
So:
- post = after
- scholam = school (accusative singular of schola)
Literally, post scholam = after (the) school / after school.
The accusative here is required by the preposition post. Many Latin prepositions always take a specific case; post is one of the prepositions that always takes the accusative.
Why is there no preposition in front of domum? Why not ad domum?
With words for home, Latin often uses a special idiom:
- domum (accusative) on its own means to home / homewards.
So:
- domus = house, home (nominative)
- domum = to home, to the house (direction toward home)
Because domum already contains the idea of motion towards home, Latin does not usually add ad. Ad domum is technically possible in some contexts, but the standard, natural way to say go home is domum ite / venite, not ad domum ite.
Why is it domum vestram and not just ? What is doing, and what case is it?