Lucia et Marcus versus recitant; alii tacent.

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Breakdown of Lucia et Marcus versus recitant; alii tacent.

• Marcus: Marcus
• tacere: to be silent
• Lucia: Lucia

Questions & Answers about Lucia et Marcus versus recitant; alii tacent.

What case are Lucia and Marcus, and why?

They are both in the nominative singular, because they are the subject of recitant.

• Lucia is a first-declension name.
• Marcus is a second-declension name.
• et simply joins them: Lucia et Marcus = Lucia and Marcus.

Even though there are two people together, each name stays singular; the whole phrase is a compound subject.

Why is recitant plural?

Because the subject is Lucia et Marcus, which means two people. In English we would say Lucia and Marcus recite, not recites.

So recitant is third-person plural: they recite.

What form is recitant exactly?

Recitant is the present active indicative, third-person plural of recitare.

So it means:

• they recite
• they are reciting in a simple present sense, depending on context

The ending -nt is a very common sign of a third-person plural verb in Latin.