n_, are recorded in history, both ancient and modern. Even Hector
cut his stick (with Achilles after him) at the siege of Troy. The
Persians cut their stick at Marathon. Pompey cut his stick at Pharsalia,
and so did Antony at Actium. Napoleon Bonaparte cut his stick at
Waterloo.

Other verbs ending in _o_ are named neuters and intransitives. A verb is
called intransitive, or neuter, when the action does not pass on, or
require a following noun, as curro, I run. Pistol cucurrit, Pistol ran.
But to say, "Falstaff voluit _currere eum per_," "Falstaff wished _to
run him through_," would be making a neuter verb, a verb active, and
would therefore be Latin of the canine species, or Dog-Latin; so would
Meus homo Gulielmus _cucurrit caput suum_ plenum sed contra te homo dic
pax, My man William _ran his head_ full but against the mantel-piece.
This, it is obvious, will not do after Cicero.

Verbs transitive ending in _o_ become passive by changing _o_ into _or_,
as Secor, I am cut. Caesar was cut by his friend Brutus in the capitol.
"This," as Antony very judiciously observed on the hustings, "was the
most unkindest _cut_ of all,"-- much worse, indeed, than any of the
similar operations which are daily performed in Regent Street.

[Illustration: BRUTUS AND CAESAR.]

Verbs neuter and intransitive are never made passive. We may say, Crepo,
I crack, but we cannot say, Crepor, I am cracked.

The ancient heroes appear, from what Homer says, to have got into a way
of _cracking_ away most tremendously when they were going to engage in
single combat.

Orestes was certainly _cracked_.

Some verbs ending in _or_ have an active signification-- as Loquor,
I speak.

_Q._ Why are such verbs like witnesses on oath?

_A._ Because they are called "Deponents."

Of these some few are neuters, as Glorior, I boast.

Caesar boasted that he came, saw, and overcame. Bald-headed people (like
Caesar) do not, in general, make _conquests_ so easily.

Neuter Verbs ending in _or_, and verbs deponent, are declined like verbs
passive; but with gerunds and supines like verbs active; thus presenting
a curious combination of _activity_ and _supineness_.

There are some verbs which are called verbs personal. A verb personal
resembles a mixed group of old maids and young maids, because it has
_different persons_, as Ego irrideo, I quiz. Tu irrides, thou quizzest.

A verb impersonal is like a collection of tombstone angels, or small
children; it