Eadem avia dicit diversorium illud mundum fuisse, quamquam in angiporto obscuro stabat.

Eadem means the same or that same.

It is the feminine singular form of idem, eadem, idem and it agrees with avia:

• eadem = feminine nominative singular
• avia = feminine nominative singular

So eadem avia means the same grandmother or that same grandmother.

Because avia is the subject of dicit.

In the sentence:

• avia dicit = the grandmother says

So avia has to be nominative, since the nominative is the normal case for the subject of a finite verb.

Because after verbs of saying, thinking, knowing, hearing, and similar verbs, Latin often uses an indirect statement construction rather than a clause introduced by that.

This construction is called the accusative-and-infinitive construction.

So instead of:

• She says that the inn was clean

Latin uses:

• dicit
  • diversorium illud
    • mundum fuisse

How it works:

• the subject of the reported statement becomes accusative
• the verb of the reported statement becomes an infinitive

So:

• diversorium illud = the subject of the reported statement, but in the accusative
• fuisse = infinitive verb
• mundum = predicate adjective agreeing with diversorium

They all go together inside the indirect statement.

1. diversorium

This means inn or lodging-place. It is neuter singular accusative here, because it is the subject of the indirect statement.

2. illud

This means that and agrees with diversorium:

• neuter
• singular
• accusative

So diversorium illud = that inn

3. mundum

This means clean and agrees with diversorium as a predicate adjective:

• neuter
• singular
• accusative

Even though mundum may look masculine to a beginner, it is also the correct neuter singular accusative form.

So the whole group means:

• that inn [to have been] clean

Because mundus would be nominative masculine singular, but here the adjective must agree with diversorium, which is neuter accusative singular.

The adjective mundus, munda, mundum has:

• masculine nominative singular: mundus
• neuter nominative singular: mundum
• neuter accusative singular: mundum

Since diversorium is neuter accusative singular in the indirect statement, the adjective must also be mundum.

Because fuisse is the perfect infinitive of sum, and in indirect statement it usually shows action or state earlier than the main verb.

• dicit = she says
• fuisse = to have been, or in natural English often just was/had been

So:

• dicit ... mundum fuisse = she says ... was clean / had been clean

If Latin used esse instead, it would usually suggest being clean at the same time as dicit:

• dicit ... mundum esse = she says it is clean

So fuisse is chosen because the cleanliness belongs to an earlier situation.

Illud is a demonstrative meaning that.

It can:

• point something out
• make the noun more definite
• sometimes add a slight sense of that particular

So:

• diversorium = an inn / the inn
• diversorium illud = that inn

Latin has no word exactly like the English article the, so demonstratives like ille, illa, illud often help give that kind of definiteness or emphasis.

Because quamquam normally introduces a concession that the speaker presents as an actual fact.

So:

• quamquam ... stabat = although it stood / although it was situated

The indicative is natural here because the clause states a real circumstance:

• the inn really was in a dark alley

In classical Latin, quamquam very often takes the indicative.

The imperfect here gives a background description in past time.

So stabat suggests:

• it was standing
• more naturally in English here: it was situated or it stood

This tense fits well because the clause is describing the inn’s location as a continuing circumstance:

• it was in a dark alley

The imperfect is very common for setting the scene or describing ongoing past states.

Literally, yes, stare means to stand. But with buildings or places, it often means to be situated or to be located.

So here:

• in angiporto obscuro stabat does not need to mean the inn was dramatically standing there
• it more naturally means it was located in a dark alley

This is a normal Latin use of stare.

It is ablative, because in with the ablative commonly expresses location.

So:

• in angiporto = in an alley / in the alley
• obscuro agrees with angiporto and also stands in the ablative:
  • angiporto = ablative singular
  • obscuro = ablative singular

If in meant motion into something, Latin would normally use the accusative instead. But here the meaning is location, not motion.

Angiportus refers to a narrow lane, alley, or passageway.

So:

• angiporto obscuro = in a dark alley

The adjective obscuro means dark, dim, or sometimes gloomy. It agrees with angiporto.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because the grammar is shown largely by endings rather than position.

This sentence is arranged quite naturally for Latin:

• Eadem avia dicit = sets up the speaker first
• diversorium illud mundum fuisse = gives the indirect statement
• quamquam in angiporto obscuro stabat = adds the concessive detail at the end

English depends heavily on word order for meaning, but Latin can move words around for rhythm, emphasis, and style while keeping the same basic grammar.

So the order may feel unusual to an English speaker, but it is normal Latin.