Why is it ‘tuus’? LLPSI, Capitulum Vicesimum Sextum, l.140.

Salvete.

I’m working my way through this chapter and was making good progress until I reached this line.

“Certe ille casus tuus melius te monet quam ulla fabula.”.

I seem to be missing something as I think this would literally translate as ‘surely that fall yours better you warns than any story’. This seems fairly simple and, I think, I could easily put that into phraseology that sits more comfortably with English. However… I have this nagging doubt that I’ve missed something and wonder quite why it is ‘tuus’ and not ‘tui’. I’d very much appreciate any pointers to show me quite how the language is working here? To my inexperienced eye it looks like there are too many pronouns! I hope somebody will find it rewarding to shine some light on this matter for me.

tuus is a possessive adjective in agreement with casus. We might well translate “ille casus tuus” as “that fall of yours” but that’s just English.

Thanks. Perhaps I was over thinking it. Perhaps I was trying to make it ‘be’ English. Either way I’m grateful as I couldn’t pass this by comfortably without asking.

Onward.