Hoc iter difficilius est quam illud, quia glacies adhuc in via manet.

They are demonstrative pronouns/adjectives meaning this and that.

Here they are neuter singular nominative because they go with iter:

• hoc iter = this journey / this route
• illud = that one, with iter understood

Since iter is a neuter noun, the words referring to it must also be neuter:

• hoc = neuter singular of hic, haec, hoc
• illud = neuter singular of ille, illa, illud

So Latin is matching gender and number, not just using a general word for this or that.

Iter is an irregular third-declension neuter noun meaning journey, route, march, path.

Its nominative singular is iter, and its genitive is itineris. Because it is neuter, any adjective or pronoun agreeing with it must also be neuter:

• hoc iter
• illud iter
• difficilius (neuter comparative form)

This is one of those nouns you simply have to learn as a vocabulary item.

Because difficilius is the neuter nominative singular comparative form, and it agrees with iter, which is neuter singular.

Comparative adjectives have forms like:

• masculine/feminine nominative singular: difficilior
• neuter nominative singular: difficilius

So:

• iter difficilius est = the journey is more difficult

If the noun were masculine or feminine, you would expect difficilior instead.

Quam means than in comparisons.

The basic pattern is:

• A + comparative adjective + quam + B

So here:

• Hoc iter difficilius est quam illud
• This route is more difficult than that one

Both things being compared are in the same case. Here they are both nominative:

• hoc iter = nominative
• illud = nominative, standing for illud iter

Latin often omits a repeated noun when it is obvious.

Because Latin often leaves out a noun when it can be easily understood from context.

So:

• quam illud really means quam illud iter

This is very natural in Latin, just as in English we can say:

• This road is harder than that one

instead of repeating road.

It is nominative singular neuter.

Even though English says than that one, Latin keeps the compared item in the same case as the first one when using quam in a straightforward comparison:

• hoc iter = nominative
• illud = nominative

So the full underlying structure is:

• Hoc iter difficilius est quam illud iter

Quia introduces a reason clause and usually means because.

So the sentence structure is:

• main clause: Hoc iter difficilius est quam illud
• reason clause: quia glacies adhuc in via manet

Latin commonly uses quia with the indicative when stating a real reason or fact.

Glacies is a singular noun here, and it is the subject of manet.

It means ice. Its nominative singular happens to end in -es, which can look confusing to English speakers because that ending often suggests a plural. But in Latin, form and meaning do not always work the way English learners expect.

Here:

• glacies = nominative singular
• manet = remains/stays in the singular

The singular verb confirms that glacies is singular in this sentence.

Because in takes different cases depending on the meaning:

• in + ablative = in/on a place, with no motion
• in + accusative = into/onto a place, with motion toward it

Here the ice is already there, so Latin uses the ablative:

• in via = on the road / on the route

If there were movement onto the road, then you would expect in viam instead.

Adhuc means still, up to now, or as yet.

In this sentence, it tells you that the ice has not gone away yet:

• glacies adhuc in via manet
• the ice still remains on the road

It often adds the idea of persistence over time.

Manet means remains, stays, or continues to be present. It is stronger and more specific than simply using est.

Compare:

• glacies in via est = the ice is on the road
• glacies in via manet = the ice remains on the road

So manet emphasizes that the ice is still there, which fits well with adhuc.

Latin word order is flexible, but this sentence is very natural.

A rough breakdown is:

• Hoc iter — topic: this route
• difficilius est — statement about it: is more difficult
• quam illud — comparison: than that one
• quia glacies adhuc in via manet — reason: because ice still remains on the road

Latin often puts important comparison words near each other, and it commonly places the reason clause after the main statement.

So while the order is not the only possible one, it is clear and idiomatic.

Yes. Iter can mean several related things, depending on context:

• journey
• route
• path
• march
• way

In this sentence, the presence of glacies in via suggests something like route or roadway/travel path rather than just the abstract idea of a journey.

So a learner should know that iter is a broad word whose best English equivalent depends on context.

Latin has no words for the or a/an.

So:

• hoc iter can mean this route
• glacies can mean ice or the ice
• via can mean road, the road, or a road

The exact English wording depends on context. Latin relies on context, word order, and demonstratives like hoc and illud rather than articles.