Breakdown of Mensor latitudinem fistulae metitur.
mensor
the surveyor; measurer
fistula
the water pipe
latitudo
the width
metiri
to measure
Questions & Answers about Mensor latitudinem fistulae metitur.
What case is mensor, and how do we know it is the subject?
Mensor is nominative singular. In Latin, the subject of a sentence is normally in the nominative case. The verb metitur is third-person singular, so it matches a singular subject: mensor.
Why is latitudinem in the accusative?
Because latitudinem is the direct object of metitur. It is the thing being measured. Latin commonly puts the direct object in the accusative case, so latitudinem means the width as the object of the action.
Why is fistulae in the genitive?
Here fistulae is genitive singular, meaning of the pipe or of the tube. It depends on latitudinem and tells us whose width is being measured. So latitudinem fistulae means the width of the pipe.
How do we know fistulae is genitive singular here, not dative singular or nominative plural?