Magistra in tabula agmen longum pingit et dicit quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat.

Because magistra is in the nominative singular, which is the normal case for the subject of a sentence.

• magistra = the female teacher
• It matches the singular verbs pingit and dicit

So the sentence begins with the person doing the actions: the teacher draws and says/explains.

tabula is in the ablative singular because it follows in in the sense of location.

A useful rule is:

• in + ablative = in/on a place, showing where something is
• in + accusative = into/onto a place, showing motion toward it

So:

• in tabula = on the board/tablet or on a tablet
• It tells us where the teacher is drawing

It depends on context, but in a classroom sentence like this, tabula often means something like:

• board
• tablet
• writing surface

So in tabula is probably best understood as on the board or on the tablet, depending on the textbook’s setting.

Because it is the direct object of pingit.

• pingit = she draws/paints
• What does she draw? agmen longum

So both words are in the accusative singular:

• agmen = a line, column, marching formation
• longum = long

Together: a long line/column

Because longum has to agree with agmen in:

• case
• number
• gender

agmen is:

• neuter
• singular
• accusative

So the adjective must also be neuter singular accusative:

• longum

That is why the phrase is agmen longum.

Agmen usually means a line of march, column, or formation of people moving together.

In military contexts, it often suggests:

• a marching column
• a body of troops in formation
• a line of soldiers

So here the teacher is probably drawing a long military formation on the board.

Both are present tense, third person singular, active voice, indicative mood.

• pingit = she draws / is drawing
• dicit = she says / is saying / explains

Latin present tense can often be translated in more than one natural English way depending on context.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because Latin uses endings to show grammatical function.

So Latin often places verbs later in the clause, especially:

• at the end of the main clause
• at the end of a subordinate clause

Here we get:

• Magistra in tabula agmen longum pingit
• et dicit quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat

That feels normal in Latin, even though English usually wants the verb earlier.

Quomodo means how or in what way.

It introduces a clause explaining the method or manner of something:

• quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat
• how the leader arranges/deploys the soldiers before battle

After a verb like dicit, this is naturally understood as an indirect question: the teacher says or explains how the leader does this.

Because quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat is an indirect question, and Latin normally uses the subjunctive in indirect questions.

So:

• direct question: Quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruit?
  • How does the leader arrange the soldiers before battle?
• indirect question after dicit:
  • dicit quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat
  • she explains how the leader arranges the soldiers before battle

That is why Latin uses instruat, the present subjunctive, not instruit, the indicative.

It is present subjunctive because the main verb dicit is in a primary tense (present), and in standard sequence of tenses Latin often uses the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause to show action happening at the same time as the main verb.

So the sense is roughly:

• the teacher is explaining how the leader arranges the soldiers

The form instruat comes from instruere.

The verb instruere has a range of meanings, including:

• arrange
• draw up
• deploy
• equip
• marshal

In a military context with dux and milites, it usually means something like:

• draw up the soldiers
• arrange the troops in formation
• deploy the soldiers

So this is not really about classroom instruction in the modern English sense.

Because in the subordinate clause:

• dux is the subject
• milites is the direct object

So:

• dux = the leader
• milites = the soldiers

The verb instruat is something the leader does to the soldiers.

Milites is accusative plural here.

The nominative plural and accusative plural of miles, militis can both be milites, so you have to use the sentence structure to decide which it is.

Here it must be accusative because:

• dux is the subject
• instruat needs an object
• milites are the people being arranged/deployed

Ante is a preposition that takes the accusative, so bellum is accusative singular.

• ante = before
• bellum = war or battle

Together:

• ante bellum = before the war/battle

It tells us when the leader arranges the soldiers.

Yes. The subject magistra is understood with both verbs.

So the structure is:

• Magistra ... pingit
• et dicit ...

In English, that is:

• The teacher draws ... and says/explains ...

Latin often does not repeat the subject when it stays the same.

Yes. Although dicit literally means says, in context it can naturally mean:

• says
• tells
• explains

Since it is followed by quomodo plus an indirect question, explains is often the most natural English translation.

A useful way to break it up is:

• Magistra = subject
• in tabula = where
• agmen longum = object of pingit
• pingit = first main verb
• et dicit = second main verb
• quomodo dux milites ante bellum instruat = indirect question depending on dicit

So the sentence has:

1. a main clause: the teacher draws a long formation on the board
2. another main verb: and explains
3. an indirect question: how the leader arranges the soldiers before battle

Not as much as in English. In Latin, the endings do most of the grammatical work, so word order is often used for:

• emphasis
• style
• clarity
• rhythm

For example, agmen longum comes before pingit, which keeps the object together before the verb. And instruat comes at the end of its clause, which is very common in Latin.

So the word order is meaningful in style, but the endings tell you who is doing what.