14th‑Century Latin sentence — Four‑Level (MCT) sentence analysis for a 13‑year‑old (ACARA v9) — scaffolded proficient & exemplary models

1. Short modern English version (one‑sentence translation / simplification)

Because I must now deal with the proper limits of both the earthly and the heavenly city, first I must explain, as much as reason allows, the arguments by which people have tried to make happiness for themselves in this unhappy life, so that the thing itself — true blessedness which God will give — may be shown clearly not only by divine authority but also by reason, as far as we can for the sake of unbelievers.

2. How we will analyse this sentence (step by step)

1. Find a clear, simple translation so we know the meaning.
2. Look for the main verbs (these tell us the sentence’s main parts).
3. Find the subjects and say what each verb is about (predicate).
4. Label useful phrases (prepositional phrases, participial / verbal phrases, appositives).
5. Find clauses (independent or dependent) and name their function (reason, purpose, adjective clause, noun clause).

3. Identify the main verbs and subjects (Level Two: parts of sentence)

• Main idea verbs you should spot in the Latin: uideo (I see / I think), exponenda sunt (must be explained / should be set forth), and clarescat (may be made clear / becomes clear).
• Subjects (who or what the verbs are about):
  • For uideo: the speaker ("I", implied by mihi uideo).
  • For exponenda sunt: argumenta mortalium (the arguments of mortals) is what must be explained.
  • For clarescat: res ipsa, hoc est vera beatitudo (the thing itself — true beatitude) is what should be made clear.

4. Level One: key parts of speech (simple labels)

Here are the important word groups and parts of speech to notice (short list):

• Nouns: civitatis, terra(nae), caelestis, finibus, argumenta, mortalium, res, beatitudo, ratio, operis.
• Verbs: uideo, exponenda sunt, patitur, moliti sunt, dabit, clarescat.
• Conjunctions & connectives: Quoniam (because), ut (so that), non tantum ... sed etiam (not only ... but also).
• Relative pronouns: quibus, quam (introduce adjective/relative clauses).
• Verbal adjectives/gerundives: terminandi ("of finishing") — a verb form used like an adjective/noun.

5. Level Three: important phrases to label

• Prepositional phrases: de civitatis utriusque, in huius vitae infelicitate, ab eorum rebus vanis, propter infideles.
• Appositive phrase: hoc est vera beatitudo (explains res ipsa).
• Verbal phrase / gerundive phrase: operis huius terminandi — "of finishing this work" (a verbal idea used as a noun modifier).
• Indirect / noun clause (acts like a noun): quantum operis huius terminandi ratio patitur — "how much of this work reason permits" (the amount that reason allows).

6. Level Four: clauses and their functions (clear labels)

Break the sentence into clauses and give each clause a simple name and function.

1. Cause clause (adverbial) introduced by Quoniam — "Because concerning the proper boundaries of both cities..." This gives the reason for everything that follows. (Dependent clause starting the whole sentence.)
2. Main (principal) idea / assertion containing mihi uideo disputandum — "it seems to me that henceforth it must be disputed / I must argue this." This is a principal statement of intent by the speaker. (Independent in thought but set in the reason introduced by Quoniam.)
3. Instruction clause with prius exponenda sunt — "first must be explained" followed by the noun phrase that is to be explained: argumenta mortalium (the arguments of mortals). The clause says what needs to happen first.
4. Relative / adjective clause modifying argumenta mortalium: quibus sibi ipsi beatitudinem facere ... moliti sunt — "by which they laboured to make beatitude for themselves." It explains what kind of arguments.
5. Purpose/result clause introduced by ut ... clarescat — "so that ... may be made clear." This clause gives the purpose of explaining the arguments: to make clear the true beatitude and how our hope differs from their vain things and from what God has given.
6. Final adjective clause inside the purpose clause describing res ipsa: quam dabit — "which he will give" (a relative clause modifying "true beatitude").

7. A t‑model style (visual, simple) — show the sentence logic in two halves

We separate left = topic / subject ideas, right = what is said about them (predicate). Use short circle labels:

(CAUSE) [Quoniam + about the limits of both cities] —> (MAIN IDEA) [I think it must be disputed now].

Then: (TASK) [First: argumenta mortalium] —> (ACTION) [prius exponenda sunt — must be explained]

The arguments have a modifier: [quibus ... moliti sunt] (relative clause explaining those arguments).

Purpose: [so that] —> [res ipsa = vera beatitudo (quam dabit)] —> (RESULT) [clarescat — may be made clear by divine authority and reason].

8. Two student‑facing answer models

Proficient model (short, clear — what a proficient student would write)

Translation (short): "Because I must discuss the limits of the earthly and heavenly city, first I must explain, as far as reason allows, the arguments people used to try to make happiness in this life, so that true blessedness (which God will give) can be shown clearly, not only by divine authority but also by reason for the sake of unbelievers."

Analysis (short labels): main verbs: uideo (I think), exponenda sunt (must be explained), clarescat (may be made clear). Clauses: cause clause (Quoniam ...), main intent (mihi uideo disputandum), noun clause of measure (quantum ... patitur), relative clause modifying argumenta (quibus ... moliti sunt), and purpose clause introduced by ut ending in clarescat. Important phrases: de civitatis utriusque (prepositional), operis huius terminandi (verbal phrase), res ipsa, hoc est vera beatitudo (appositive).

Exemplary model (longer and precise — what an exemplary student would write)

Full clear translation: "Because I will need to discuss hereafter the proper limits of both cities, the earthly and the heavenly, I think that first must be explained — as much as reason permits in finishing this work — the arguments of mortals by which they tried to make blessedness for themselves in the miseries of this life, so that the thing itself, that is true blessedness which he will give, may be made clear not only by divine authority but also by reason applied as far as we can on account of unbelievers."

Detailed analysis:

• Level 1 (parts of speech): nouns (civitatis, argumenta, res, beatitudo), verbs (uideo, exponenda sunt, patitur, moliti sunt, dabit, clarescat), conjunctions (quoniam, ut, sed), relatives (quibus, quam), gerundive (terminandi) used as a verbal adjective.
• Level 2 (parts of sentence): The speaker’s viewpoint is expressed by mihi uideo with a gerundive-like construction disputandum ("it must be disputed"). The key instruction prius exponenda sunt governs the noun phrase argumenta mortalium (these arguments are what must be explained first). The final predicate clarescat gives the intended outcome (make clear).
• Level 3 (phrases): Prepositional phrases (de civitatis utriusque, in huius vitae infelicitate, ab eorum rebus vanis, propter infideles) and the appositive hoc est vera beatitudo renaming res ipsa. The phrase operis huius terminandi uses a verbal form to talk about "finishing this work." The clause quantum ... patitur is a noun‑like clause ("how much reason allows").
• Level 4 (clauses):
  1. Quoniam ... — adverbial/cause clause giving the reason for the plan.
  2. Main proposal: deinceps mihi uideo disputandum — the speaker’s decision/intent.
  3. Instruction clause: prius exponenda sunt ... argumenta mortalium — what must be done first.
  4. Relative clause: quibus ... moliti sunt — modifies "arguments" and tells how mortals used them.
  5. Purpose clause: ut ... clarescat — gives the goal: to make clear the thing itself (true beatitude) and how our hope differs from their vain things and from what God has given.

9. Quick teacher tips for marking

• Proficient answers give a correct short translation, identify 2–3 main verbs and label the major clauses (cause, instruction, purpose).
• Exemplary answers show accurate clause function names, label key phrases (prepositional, appositive, gerundive), and explain how the relative & purpose clauses link to the nouns they modify.

If you want, I can now:

1. Produce a labelled t‑model diagram (circles and arrows) for this sentence,
2. Give practice questions about one clause (e.g., "Identify the relative clause and rewrite it in modern English"), or
3. Create a simplified worksheet so you can practise this analysis step by step.