Hi, I’m a Latin beginner using Orberg’s Familia Romana.
In Chapter X, line 40, it says this:
Padus magnum flumen est. In eo flumine multi sunt pisces.
Earlier in the book, ‘is, ea, id’ etc. were used to refer to an earlier mentioned subject, so why is ‘flumine’ used in the 2nd sentence? Using both the pronoun and subject is redundant, so am I right in saying ‘eo’ is not used to refer to the river? So does ‘eo’ mean ‘this’? Shouldn’t ‘hoc’ have been used instead?
I am also having trouble understanding the use of ‘ea’ in this section:
Canis amicus hominis est, ea bestia fera non est
Canis is a masculine noun. Why isn’t ‘is’ used instead of ‘ea’?
“in eo flumine” “in that river” or “in this river” (i.e. the Po, just referred to). As an adjective, as distinct from a pronoun, it just means “that” or “this,” indifferently, less strong than ille or hic.
In the 2nd, ea is adjectival with bestia (hence fem.), which is apposition with canis.
is could be used here, if the sense were is non est bestia fera with is acting as a pronoun referring back to canis, but the sense is ea bestia non est fera; fera should be taken as a predicate adjective here, at least that’s how I read it: Canis amicus hominis est, ea bestia… fera non est.
As mwh said, is, ea, id is an “unemphatic demonstrative” and sometimes feels like English “the” to me, although it’s definitely not an article.
