Richard Rufus of Cornwall

On Original Sin

Latin Grammar: Dative of Indirect Object

[Serpens] dixit ad mulierem: Cur praecepit vobis Deus ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi? Cui respondit mulier: De fructu lignorum, quae sunt in paradiso, vescimur: de fructu vero ligni quod est in medio paradisi, praecepit nobis Deus ne comederemus, et ne tangeremus illud, ne forte moriamur. Dixit ergo serpens mulieri: Nequaquam morte moriemini.

The serpent said to the woman: Why did God order you not to eat from every tree of paradise? The woman responded to him: We eat the fruit of the trees which are in paradise, but the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of paradise, God ordered us not to eat of it, and not to touch it, or we would die. Then the serpent said to the woman: By no means will you die.

Dative of Indirect Object
The primary function of the dative case is to indicate an indirect object.

Review the dative case with direct objects

Fill in the blanks below with the correct case of the noun.

1. Deus omnia ligna paradisi (mulier) et (vir) dedit, praeter lignum quod erat in medio paradisi.

2. Eva coepit (fructus) ligni propter persuasionem serpentis.

3. Adam et Evae fructum ederunt, quamquam Deus praecepit (ei) ne comederent.

4. Serpens hostis erat (animae) Adame et Evae.

5. Eva credidit et consensit (serpens) et non (Deus), et hoc erat primum peccatum.

6. Eva sensit (serpens latens) iuxta lignum.

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