Senator prudens suadet ut cives auctoritatem legis plus quam rumorem sequantur.

Because suadet often introduces an indirect command or clause of urging in Latin, and that is normally expressed with ut + subjunctive.

So:

• suadet = advises / urges
• ut cives ... sequantur = that the citizens follow ...

In English, we often use that plus a normal verb, but Latin uses ut plus the subjunctive after verbs like moneo, hortor, persuadeo, suadeo, and similar verbs of advising or urging.

It is the content of what the senator is advising.

Main clause:

• Senator prudens suadet = The wise senator advises

Subordinate clause:

• ut cives auctoritatem legis plus quam rumorem sequantur = that the citizens follow the authority of the law more than rumor

So the sentence structure is:

• someone advises
• that something should happen

This is a very common Latin pattern.

sequantur is:

• present tense
• subjunctive
• 3rd person plural
• from the verb sequor, sequi, secutus sum = to follow

It is also a deponent verb.

That means:

• it has passive-looking forms
• but an active meaning

So although sequantur looks passive, it means they follow or, in this context, they should follow.

A deponent verb is a verb that uses passive forms but has an active meaning.

For example:

• sequor = I follow
• not I am followed

So:

• sequuntur = they follow
• sequantur = they may follow / should follow in the subjunctive

This is often confusing for English speakers because the endings look passive, but the meaning is not passive at all.

Because cives is the subject of sequantur.

Inside the ut clause:

• cives = the citizens → subject
• auctoritatem = authority → direct object
• rumorem = rumor → object of comparison after quam

Even though the whole ut clause depends on suadet, the noun cives still has to be in the case required by its own verb, sequantur, so it is nominative.

Because it is the direct object of sequantur.

The verb sequor takes an object in the accusative:

• aliquem sequi = to follow someone
• aliquid sequi = to follow something

So here:

• auctoritatem = the authority → accusative singular
• rumorem = rumor → also accusative singular

The citizens are being urged to follow authority, not rumor.

legis is genitive singular of lex, legis = law.

It depends on auctoritatem and means:

• auctoritas legis = the authority of the law

This is a very common Latin use of the genitive: one noun defines or possesses another.

So:

• auctoritatem legis = the authority of the law

not just any authority, but specifically the authority belonging to or associated with the law.

plus quam means more than.

Here it compares two things that the citizens might follow:

• auctoritatem legis
• rumorem

So the sense is:

• follow the authority of the law more than rumor

Latin often uses quam for comparisons, just as English uses than.

Because both things being compared are objects of sequantur, they both appear in the same case, here the accusative:

• auctoritatem
• rumorem

Latin often uses a singular abstract noun where English might also say rumor, gossip, or public talk in a general sense.

So rumorem here probably means something like:

• rumor
• popular rumor
• hearsay
• gossip

It does not have to mean just one specific rumor. The singular can express the idea of rumor as a general force or phenomenon.

Yes, prudens is an adjective meaning wise, prudent, or sensible.

It agrees with senator:

• senator = nominative singular masculine
• prudens = nominative singular, modifying senator

So:

• Senator prudens = the wise senator

The form prudens comes from a present participle in origin, but in normal usage it functions as a regular adjective.

Because not all Latin adjectives use endings like -us, -a, -um.

prudens belongs to a different adjective pattern, one of the third-declension adjectives.

Its nominative singular form is prudens for masculine, feminine, and sometimes the same pattern is used differently in neuter contexts.

So although English speakers may expect something like prudensus or prudentus, Latin does not work that way here. prudens is the correct nominative singular form.

Normally, with the meaning advise/urge someone to do something, Latin uses ut + subjunctive rather than an infinitive.

So this is standard:

• suadet ut cives ... sequantur

Latin does not usually say the equivalent of advises the citizens to follow with a simple infinitive in the same way English does.

This is an important difference between Latin and English syntax.

senator is nominative singular.

It is the subject of the main verb suadet.

So in the main clause:

• Senator prudens = subject
• suadet = verb

Together:

• The wise senator advises

Then the ut clause explains what he advises.

Yes, but in a normal Latin way.

Latin word order is more flexible than English because the endings show grammatical roles. This sentence places words in a fairly elegant and clear arrangement:

• Senator prudens puts the subject first
• suadet gives the main action early
• ut cives ... sequantur introduces the subordinate clause
• auctoritatem legis comes before rumorem, which helps emphasize the preferred thing
• plus quam rumorem makes the comparison clear right before the verb
• sequantur comes at the end, a very common place for a Latin verb

So the order is not random; it helps highlight the contrast between the authority of the law and rumor.

Because the meaning is more precise.

• legem sequi would mean to follow the law
• auctoritatem legis sequi means to follow the authority of the law

That phrase emphasizes not just the law as a written rule, but its weight, standing, or legitimate authority.

So the sentence is not only about obedience; it is also about respecting lawful authority over mere public talk.

It can sometimes be translated that way depending on context, but advises, urges, or recommends is usually safer here.

suadeo often means:

• advise
• recommend
• urge
• sometimes persuade

In this sentence, the idea is probably that the senator is giving wise counsel, so advises or urges fits well.

A good way is to find the finite verbs first.

Finite verbs here:

• suadet = main clause verb
• sequantur = subordinate clause verb

Then notice ut, which signals the beginning of the subordinate clause.

So:

Main clause

• Senator prudens suadet

Subordinate clause

• ut cives auctoritatem legis plus quam rumorem sequantur

This is a useful reading strategy for Latin in general: find the verbs, then build the clauses around them.