Breakdown of Post contionem duo discipuli inter se disputant utrum decretum consulis an responsum praetoris prudentius fuerit.
esse
to be
discipulus
the student
post
after
inter
among
Questions & Answers about Post contionem duo discipuli inter se disputant utrum decretum consulis an responsum praetoris prudentius fuerit.
Why is contionem in the accusative after post?
Because post is a preposition that takes the accusative when it means after.
So:
- post contionem = after the assembly / after the speech
The noun here is contio, contionis (feminine), and contionem is its accusative singular form.
What exactly does contio mean here?
Contio usually refers to a public meeting, assembly, or public address/speech.
In Roman context, it often means an official gathering where someone speaks to the people. So post contionem could be understood as:
- after the public meeting
- after the speech
- after the assembly
The exact nuance depends on context.
What form is duo discipuli, and why is the verb disputant plural?
Duo discipuli is the subject of the sentence:
- duo = two
- discipuli = students, nominative plural masculine
Because the subject is plural, the verb is also plural: