Deinde magistra duo exemplaria in mensa ponit, ut discipuli scripturam veterem cum nova comparent.

Deinde means then, next, or after that. It is an adverb, so it does not change form.

It helps show the sequence of actions:

• first something happened earlier
• deinde = then / next
• the teacher places the two copies on the table

So it is simply marking what happens next in the scene.

Magistra is nominative singular, because it is the subject of ponit.

• magistra = the (female) teacher
• nominative case is used for the subject of the verb

So:

• magistra ponit = the teacher places

If it were an object, you would expect a different case, such as magistram.

Because exemplaria is neuter plural, and duo must agree with it.

A few important points:

• exemplar, exemplaris is a neuter noun
• its plural nominative/accusative form is exemplaria
• the numeral two changes form by gender:
  • masculine: duo
  • feminine: duae
  • neuter: duo

So:

• duo exemplaria = two copies / two examples

A learner often expects something like a regular adjective ending, but numerals can have their own patterns. Here duo is already the correct neuter plural form.

Here exemplaria means something like copies, specimens, or examples.

From the context, duo exemplaria in mensa ponit most naturally means:

• she places two copies/specimens on the table

Since the rest of the sentence talks about comparing old writing with new, these are probably two written samples or texts.

Because in can take two different cases depending on the meaning:

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

Here the phrase means the objects are being placed on the table in the sense of location, so Latin uses:

• in mensa = on the table

This is a normal idiom in Latin. English distinguishes in and on, but Latin in can cover both depending on context.

Mensa is ablative singular of mensa, mensae.

It is ablative because it follows in in a location expression:

• in mensa = on the table

So the ablative here tells you the place where the copies are put.

Ponit is:

• 3rd person singular
• present indicative
• from pono, ponere = to place / put

So it means:

• she places
• or, in smoother English, the teacher puts

Latin often uses the present tense in straightforward narrative or description, just as English can. There is nothing unusual here: the subject is singular (magistra), so the verb is singular (ponit).

Here ut introduces a purpose clause.

• ut
  • subjunctive often means so that or in order that

So:

• ut discipuli ... comparent = so that the students may compare ...

This tells us the purpose of the teacher’s action. She places the copies on the table in order for the students to compare them.

Because it is inside a purpose clause introduced by ut.

• ut
  • subjunctive = so that / in order that
• therefore comparent is present subjunctive

Its basic parsing is:

• 3rd person plural
• present subjunctive
• from comparo, comparare = to compare

So:

• ut discipuli ... comparent = so that the students may compare ...

A beginner often wonders why it is not comparant. The answer is that after ut of purpose, Latin normally uses the subjunctive, not the indicative.

Discipuli is nominative plural, because it is the subject of comparent.

• discipulus = student
• discipuli = students

So in the purpose clause:

• discipuli comparent = the students compare / may compare

Since the verb is plural (comparent), the subject is plural too.

This is the direct object of comparent.

• scripturam = accusative singular of scriptura
• veterem = accusative singular feminine, agreeing with scripturam

So:

• scripturam veterem = the old writing

The adjective veterem must match the noun it describes in:

• gender: feminine
• number: singular
• case: accusative

Veterem comes from vetus, meaning old.

This adjective is a little less familiar to beginners because it does not look like a regular first-and-second-declension adjective such as bonus, bona, bonum. Instead, it belongs to a different pattern.

Here:

• vetus = nominative singular
• veterem = accusative singular masculine/feminine

So scripturam veterem means old writing in the accusative, because it is the object being compared.

Because Latin often omits a noun when it is easily understood from the context.

Here:

• nova is feminine singular ablative
• it means with the new [writing]
• the noun scriptura is understood but not repeated

So the full sense is:

• scripturam veterem cum nova comparent
• they compare the old writing with the new [writing]

This is very natural in Latin. English can do something similar:

• compare the old version with the new

Cum takes the ablative, so nova is ablative singular feminine.

The comparison pattern here is:

• comparare
  • accusative thing compared
• cum
  • ablative thing it is compared with

So:

• scripturam veterem = the thing being compared
• cum nova = with the new one

Because the implied noun is feminine singular (scriptura), the adjective is also feminine singular:

• nova = new [writing]

Latin often expresses comparison with comparare aliquid cum aliquo:

• aliquid in the accusative = the thing compared
• cum aliquo in the ablative = the thing it is compared with

So this sentence follows a common Latin pattern:

• scripturam veterem = compare the old writing
• cum nova = with the new one

English also often uses this same structure:

• compare X with Y

Because Latin word order is much freer than English word order, and verbs very often come at or near the end of the clause.

So:

• ut discipuli scripturam veterem cum nova comparent

puts the verb comparent last, which is completely normal Latin style.

The ending of the words tells you their grammatical role, so Latin does not rely on word order as heavily as English does.

Yes. Scriptura can have a range of meanings depending on context, including:

• writing
• style of writing
• script
• sometimes something like handwriting

In this sentence, because the students are comparing an old and a new form, scripturam veterem cum nova most likely means:

• old script/writing with new script/writing

So the exact English word may vary a little depending on the context, but the Latin grammar stays the same.