Perfacile factu esse illis probat conata perficere

Latin Learning Latin
1

This line is in book one of the Gallic wars. What’s throwing me off is the use of conata. The meaning is clear to me, “he proves to them that it is an easy thing to do those things having been tried”

It’s just that I’ve trained my brain to think of conatus like this:

“Viri conati”

“The men having made an effort”

Or “secutus” always being active. It kind of feels like the voice of deponent participles is not consistent and I’m not really sure how I could tell. Is there something I’m missing here?

2

conata, orum n. pl = an undertaking, attempt, venture

This can be found in Lewis & Short s.v. “conor”.

3

Ah. I was looking at wiktionary. I guess Lewis and Short is more comprehensive. I saw the 4th declension noun version “conatus.” but not this other variant. Thanks