Serva iterum calices removet et idem unguentum non adhibet, quia infans odorem non amat.

Serva is a noun meaning female slave, maidservant, or servant girl.

Grammatically, it is:

• nominative singular
• feminine
• 1st declension

It is the subject of both removet and adhibet.

A learner may notice that serva can also be the singular imperative of servare (save!), but in this sentence it is clearly a noun, because it fits as the subject of the verbs.

Iterum means again or a second time.

It is an adverb, so it modifies the verb removet:

• Serva iterum calices removet = The maid removes the cups again

Latin adverbs often have fairly flexible position, so iterum could appear in different places without changing the basic meaning.

Calices is the accusative plural of calix (cup, goblet).

It is accusative plural because it is the direct object of removet:

• removet = removes
• what does she remove? calices

Useful forms:

• nominative singular: calix
• accusative singular: calicem
• nominative plural: calices
• accusative plural: calices

So here calices means the cups as the thing being removed.

Removet is:

• 3rd person singular
• present tense
• active voice
• indicative mood

It comes from removeo, removere = remove, take away.

So removet means she removes or the maid removes.

Latin usually does not need a separate word for she, because the verb ending -et already shows third person singular.

Because unguentum is neuter singular, and idem must agree with it.

Here:

• unguentum = ointment, perfume, unguent
• it is the direct object of adhibet, so it is accusative singular
• for a neuter singular noun, the accusative form of idem is also idem

So:

• masculine accusative singular: eundem
• feminine accusative singular: eandem
• neuter accusative singular: idem

That is why Latin says idem unguentum = the same ointment/perfume.

Idem means the same.

It refers to the same thing as before or the same one already being discussed. So the sentence means that the servant does not use the same ointment again.

It is an adjective/pronominal word agreeing with unguentum in:

• gender: neuter
• number: singular
• case: accusative

Adhibet comes from adhibeo, adhibere.

Its basic meanings include:

• apply
• use
• employ

With unguentum, the sense is something like:

• applies the ointment
• uses the ointment

So idem unguentum non adhibet means:

• she does not apply the same ointment
• or she does not use the same perfume/ointment

Non is the normal Latin word for not.

Here it negates the verb:

• adhibet = she applies/uses
• non adhibet = she does not apply/use

Putting non right before the verb is very common, though Latin word order is flexible. The important point is that non is negating the action of adhibet.

Quia means because.

It introduces a subordinate clause of reason:

• quia infans odorem non amat
• because the baby does not like the smell

With quia, Latin commonly uses the indicative when giving a straightforward reason.

Infans is a noun meaning infant, baby, or young child.

Here it is:

• nominative singular
• the subject of amat

It belongs to the 3rd declension.

A useful thing to know is that infans is grammatically a noun of common gender: it can refer to a male or female child depending on context. In English, baby works similarly because the word itself does not force a male/female meaning.

Because odorem is the direct object of amat.

• amat = likes / loves
• what does the baby not like? the smell

So Latin uses the accusative case:

• nominative: odor = smell, scent
• accusative: odorem

This is a very common pattern in Latin:

• subject in nominative
• direct object in accusative

Amat is:

• 3rd person singular
• present tense
• active voice
• indicative mood

It comes from amo, amare = love, like.

So infans odorem non amat means:

• the baby does not like the smell

In many contexts amare can mean either love or like, and here like is the more natural English translation.

Not in the same way as in English. Latin word order is more flexible because the endings show the grammatical roles.

For example:

• serva is the subject because it is nominative
• calices, unguentum, and odorem are objects because their forms and syntax show that role
• the verbs removet, adhibet, and amat tell us the actions

This sentence uses a very natural Latin order:

• subject + adverb + object + verb
• then another clause with et
• then a reason clause with quia

So the order helps style and emphasis, but the endings do much of the grammatical work.

Yes. Idem usually points back to something already known, mentioned, or understood from context.

So idem unguentum does not usually mean just a same ointment in a vague sense. It means:

• the same ointment as before
• that same ointment

A learner should hear a backward reference in idem: it assumes the ointment has already been introduced or is clear from the situation.