Ally McBeal–style, scaffolded Grammar-of-Literature sentence analysis (age 13): step-by-step t‑model for a long Latin sentence (Quoniam … clarescat)

Ally McBeal cadence warm-up (short, punchy, rhythmic):

Listen. Find the verb. Who does it? What is it about? Chunk it. Paraphrase it. Repeat.

1) First, read the long sentence out loud and find the main verb(s)

When you scan the sentence, you want to find the backbone verbs that carry the main ideas. In this sentence the most important verbs (the backbone) are:

• uideo (I see / I perceive) — main speaker-verb;
• exponenda sunt (must be explained / ought to be explained) — a big statement that introduces the things that should come first;
• moliti sunt (they tried, endeavored) — in a relative clause that explains the mortal arguments;
• clarescat (may be made clear) — a purpose/result verb that ties the final pieces together.

2) Level 1 — Parts of speech (simple list)

• Nouns: civitatis, debitis, finibus, operis, argumenta, mortalium, beatitudinem, vita, spes, res, auctoritate, ratione, infideles, etc.
• Verbs: uideo, disputandum (infinitive/gerundive idea), exponenda sunt, patitur/ (ratio patitur in the second variant), moliti sunt, dabit, clarescat.
• Conjunctions / particles: quoniam (because/since), ut (so that / in order that / introducing result or purpose).
• Relative pronoun: quibus (by/with which; introduces a relative clause).
• Prepositions and prepositional phrases: de (about), in (in), ab (from), propter (on account of), etc.

3) Level 2 — Parts of the sentence (subject / predicate / objects / complements)

Pick the main clause and its subject and predicate. In plain modern-English terms:

• Main idea (speaker clause): Quoniam ... deinceps mihi uideo disputandum = "Since I see that I must henceforth discuss..." — subject: I (implied in uideo); predicate: see / must discuss.
• Next big statement: prius exponenda sunt ... argumenta mortalium = "first must be explained the arguments of mortals" — a passive construction that names what must be explained (the arguments).
• The relative clause quibus ... moliti sunt modifies those argumenta (it tells what those arguments are: the ones by which people tried to make themselves happy).
• Final clause introduced by ut + clarescat expresses the purpose/result: "so that it may be made clear..." and contains the items that must be clarified (how our hope differs from vain things, what God gave, the thing itself = true beatitude, and that it is shown not only by divine authority but also by reason).

4) Level 3 — Phrase groups (prepositional phrases and appositives)

Spot the phrase-groups — these are the chunks you can put into one circle in a t-model:

• "de civitatis utriusque, terrenae scilicet et caelestis" = a big noun-phrase about "both cities, namely the earthly and the heavenly." ("scilicet" = that is / namely; "utriusque" = both.)
• "debitis finibus" = a noun-phrase ("the rightful limits/boundaries").
• "quantum operis huius terminandi" / "ratio patitur" = a phrase showing "to the degree that the nature allows" or "as far as the nature of finishing this work permits."
• "in huius vitae infelicitate" = prepositional phrase giving setting ("in the unhappiness of this life").
• "ab eorum rebus vanis" and "propter infideles" = prepositional phrases that explain cause or means.
• "res ipsa, hoc est vera beatitudo" = a noun phrase with an appositive ("the thing itself, that is true beatitude").

5) Level 4 — Clauses (how each clause connects)

1. Main clause (speaker / plan): Quoniam ... deinceps mihi uideo disputandum. This opens the whole passage: the speaker says, "I see that I must from now on discuss..." It sets the topic and intention.
2. Explanation clause (what comes first): prius exponenda sunt ... argumenta mortalium. This tells the order: "first must be explained the mortal arguments..." It is closely connected to the speaker’s plan (it names the first task).
3. Relative clause modifying argumenta mortalium: quibus sibi ipsi beatitudinem facere ... moliti sunt. It tells what kind of arguments these are — the ones by which people tried to bring themselves happiness in life’s misery.
4. Purpose/result clause introduced by ut and closed by the verb clarescat: everything from ut to clarescat gives the purpose or result: "so that it may be shown/clear". Inside this purpose clause are several coordinated facts that must be cleared up:
   • (a) how our hope differs from their vain things — ut ab eorum rebus vanis spes nostra quid differat;
   • (b) what God has given — quam deus nobis dedit;
   • (c) the thing itself, true beatitude, which he will give — res ipsa, hoc est vera beatitudo, quam dabit;
   • (d) by what authority/method this should be clarified — non tantum auctoritate divina, sed adhibita etiam ratione qualem propter infideles possumus adhibere ("not only by divine authority, but also by applying reason — the kind of reason we can use for the sake of unbelievers").

6) The t‑model grouping (Thompson’s circle idea) — chunk the sentence into a few big circles

Instead of a spiky diagram, imagine circles that hold groups. Make 4–5 circles (I’ll show the labels — you can draw them):

• Circle A (topic + speaker): "Quoniam de civitatis utriusque ... deinceps mihi uideo disputandum" — sets topic and the speaker’s plan.
• Circle B (first task): "prius exponenda sunt ... argumenta mortalium" — names the first things to explain.
• Circle C (relative detail): "quibus ... moliti sunt" — modifies the argumenta in Circle B (answers: which arguments?).
• Circle D (purpose/result): the whole ut ... clarescat clause. Inside Circle D make three sub-circles:
  • D1: "ab eorum rebus vanis ... quid differat / quam deus nobis dedit" (how hope differs and what God gave)
  • D2: "res ipsa, hoc est vera beatitudo, quam dabit" (the thing itself: true beatitude that God will give)
  • D3: "non tantum auctoritate divina, sed ... ratione ... possumus adhibere" (by what ways it will be shown: divine authority and reason accessible to unbelievers)

7) Short plain-English paraphrase (one sentence at a time — Ally McBeal cadence)

Okay — short lines. Say it like a rhythm:

Because — I see — I must now argue about the limits of both cities, the earthly and the heavenly.

First — what must be explained — are the arguments of mortal people, the ones they used when they tried to make themselves happy in life’s misery.

So that — it becomes clear — how our hope differs from their empty things, what God has given us, and the thing itself — true beatitude that God will give —

— and to make that clear not only by divine authority but also by reason the kind we can use for unbelievers.

8) How to practice this kind of analysis (four quick steps you can repeat)

1. Find the main verb(s) and underline them. Ask: who/what does this verb? (subject).
2. Bracket long noun phrases and prepositional phrases — these are your circles.
3. Label each clause as independent or dependent (relative, purpose, result, etc.).
4. Paraphrase each clause in short modern English phrases. Put the paraphrase in your own words; that shows you understand how the pieces link.

9) Final quick labeling (compact)

• Main clause: Quoniam ... uideo disputandum — speaker-intent clause.
• Matrix / ordering clause: prius exponenda sunt ... argumenta mortalium — lists task.
• Relative clause: quibus ... moliti sunt — modifies argumenta.
• Purpose/result clause: ut ... clarescat — contains several coordinated contents (how hope differs, what God gave, true beatitude, and the means of proof: divine authority + reason).

Final Ally beat: break the sentence into beats; find the verbs; group the nouns; label the clauses; paraphrase out loud. You got it — short, rhythm, meaning.