Magistra dicit hoc capitulum lente legendum esse, quia verba novi libelli memoria tenendi causa in margine scribuntur.

The sentence has two main parts:

1. Magistra dicit hoc capitulum lente legendum esse

   • Magistra = the subject
   • dicit = the main verb
   • hoc capitulum lente legendum esse = what the teacher says

2. quia verba novi libelli memoria tenendi causa in margine scribuntur

   • quia introduces the reason
   • verba ... scribuntur = the main clause inside the reason clause

So the overall pattern is:

The teacher says [something], because [reason].

Because it is the subject of an infinitive inside an indirect statement.

After verbs like dicit, Latin often uses the accusative + infinitive construction instead of a subordinate clause with that.

So:

• Magistra dicit = the teacher says
• hoc capitulum ... esse = that this chapter ...

In this construction:

• the subject of the infinitive goes into the accusative
• the verb goes into the infinitive

That is why Latin has hoc capitulum instead of a nominative form.

Legendum esse is a gerundive + esse construction, often called the passive periphrastic.

• legendum comes from legere
• it is a gerundive
• esse is the infinitive of sum

Together they mean something like:

• must be read
• should be read
• is to be read

Since this is inside indirect statement after dicit, the whole phrase means that the teacher says the chapter should be read slowly or must be read slowly.

Because the gerundive must agree with hoc capitulum.

• capitulum is:
  • singular
  • neuter
  • accusative

So the gerundive must also be:

• singular
• neuter
• accusative

That gives legendum.

If the noun were feminine singular, you would expect legendam.
If it were masculine plural, you would expect legendos, and so on.

Because Latin normally uses indirect statement after verbs of saying, thinking, knowing, hearing, and similar verbs.

English often says:

• the teacher says that this chapter should be read slowly

Latin usually says:

• the teacher says this chapter to be read slowly

That sounds unnatural in English, but it is normal Latin grammar.

So after dicit, it is very normal to see:

• an accusative subject
• an infinitive verb

Here, that is hoc capitulum ... esse.

Lente is an adverb meaning slowly.

It modifies the verbal idea in legendum esse. In other words, it tells you how the chapter should be read.

So:

• legendum esse = should be read
• lente legendum esse = should be read slowly

Quia means because and introduces a clause giving the reason for what comes before.

So the sentence means:

• the teacher says this chapter should be read slowly,
• because the words of the new booklet are written in the margin for memorization

Inside the quia clause, the main verb is scribuntur.

Because the sentence focuses on the words, not on the person writing them.

• verba = the words
• scribuntur = are written

This is a very common use of the passive in Latin. The agent is left unstated because it is either obvious, unimportant, or simply not the focus.

So Latin is saying:

• the words are written in the margin

rather than

• someone writes the words in the margin

Verba is nominative plural neuter.

It is the subject of scribuntur.

So:

• verba scribuntur = the words are written

Even though English speakers sometimes expect the thing written to be an object, in a passive sentence it becomes the subject. That is exactly what has happened here.

Novi libelli is a genitive singular phrase meaning of the new booklet or of the new little book.

• libelli = genitive singular of libellus
• novi agrees with libelli

This genitive depends on verba:

• verba novi libelli = the words of the new booklet

Also, libellus is a diminutive of liber, so it can suggest a small book, booklet, or sometimes just a more modest little volume.

This is a purpose expression.

The key point is that causa used after a genitive means:

• for the sake of
• for the purpose of

Here:

• tenendi is a genitive gerund
• causa follows it
• together tenendi causa means for the sake of holding/keeping

Then memoria goes with tenendi. Latin often says memoria tenere, meaning to keep in memory or to remember.

So memoria tenendi causa means:

• for the sake of remembering
• for memorization
• more literally, for the sake of keeping in memory

Because causa in this use takes the genitive.

So when Latin uses a gerund with causa, the gerund normally appears in the genitive:

• legendi causa = for the sake of reading
• scribendi causa = for the sake of writing
• tenendi causa = for the sake of keeping

That is why tenendi is the form used here.

In margine means in the margin or on the margin.

• in with the ablative often shows location
• margine is ablative singular of margo

So this phrase tells you where the words are written.

Yes, probably, but Latin does not state it directly here.

In hoc capitulum lente legendum esse, the gerundive expresses necessity or obligation, but the person responsible is not named. From the context, it is probably the students or the person being instructed.

So the sentence does not literally say you must read or the students must read, but that idea is understood from the situation.

Not always. The gerundive can express different shades depending on context:

• strong necessity: must be read
• milder obligation: should be read
• suitability or intended action: is to be read

Here, since a teacher is giving guidance, English could naturally use either should be read slowly or must be read slowly, depending on how strong you want the instruction to sound.

So the grammar shows obligation or appropriateness, but the exact strength can vary a bit in translation.