Breakdown of Cum magistra in schola docet, discipuli tacent.
Questions & Answers about Cum magistra in schola docet, discipuli tacent.
Latin cum has two main uses:
Preposition (with):
- Followed by a noun in the ablative case
- Example: cum magistra = with the teacher
Conjunction (when / whenever / while / since):
- Followed by a verb, introducing a clause
- Example: cum magistra in schola docet = when the teacher teaches in the school
In your sentence, cum is followed by a full clause with a verb (docet), so it is a conjunction meaning when/whenever, not the preposition with.
Clues that magistra is the subject:
- Position in the clause: It appears right after cum and before the verb docet, which is a very typical place for a subject.
- Ending: magistra is nominative singular feminine, the normal form for a subject of a verb.
- Sense: The idea “the teacher teaches” makes natural sense; “(someone) teaches the teacher” would need magistram (accusative) for “teacher” as an object.
So magistra = the (female) teacher, subject of ().