Wiley's Real Latin

by Robert Maltby

  Try This

  Identify the verbs in the following passage (including participles, infinitives, gerunds, and gerundives) and parse them (you will need to use a dictionary to complete this exercise):

  e.g., cano 1st person singular, present indicative active of cano, canere, cecini, cantum – sing

  Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris

  Italiam fato profugus Laviniaque venit

  litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto

  vi superum, saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram,

  multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem

  inferretque deos Latio; genus unde Latinum

  Albanique patres atque altae moenia Romae.

  Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso

  quidve dolens regina deum tot volvere casus

  insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores

  impulerit. tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

  (Virgil Aeneid 1.1–11)

  16.3 Pronominal Adjectives

  The following adjectives in Latin show certain variations in their declension: alter, altera, alterum – one (of two); alius, alia, aliud – other, another (genitive here is alterius, alterius, alterius); neuter, neutra, neutrum – neither; nullus, -a, -um – no, none; sōlus, -a, -um – alone, only; tōtus, -a, -um – whole; ullus, -a, -um – any; ūnus, -a, -um – one; uter, utra, utrum – which (of two).

  The variations occur only in the singular: the genitive singular ends in -ius (for all three genders) and the dative singular regularly in -i (again for all three genders. For example:

  All of the adjectives listed regularly decline this way in the singular (and some naturally occur only in the singular), with one exception: the genitive of alius is regularly replaced by the adjective alienus – belonging to another – or the genitive of alter (alterius).

  [Caesar] post eās tōtius exercitūs impedimenta conlocāverat (Caesar De Bello Gallico 2.19): after them he had placed the baggage of the whole army.

  FIGURE 16.2 Romano-British Samian ware shard, date unknown. Samian ware, or terra sigillata, refers to good quality ceramic table ware, with a smooth red/orange glossy surface. It was at its most common in the time of Augustus. Plautus refers to it as easily breakable: Bacchides 200 “confringi vas cito Samium solet” (a Samian vessel is easily broken). © Leeds Museums and Galleries (Discovery Centre)

  Translation from Latin

  1. ille cum exercitum nullum habuisset, repente conflavit: hic eum exercitum quem accepit amisit. (Cicero Philippicae 4.15)

  2. bello Helvetiorum confecto totius fere Galliae legati principes civitatum ad Caesarem gratulatum convenerunt. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.30.1)

  3. huic officio praepositus erat Fufius Calenus legatus, qui celeritatem in transportandis legionibus adhiberet. (Caesar Bellum Civile 3.8.2)

  4. equites a Q. Atrio ad Caesarem venerunt, qui nuntiarent superiore nocte maxima coorta tempestate prope omnes naves adflictas atque in litus eiectas esse. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 5.10.2)

  5. nemo erat videlicet aratorum qui iniuriam sibi factam queri posset, nemo decumanorum qui grano amplius sibi quam deberetur deberi professus esset. (Cicero In Verrem 2.3.29)

  6. Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset eos per provinciam nostram iter facere conari, maturat ab urbe proficisci et quam maximis potest itineribus in Galliam ulteriorem contendit et ad Genavam pervenit. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.7.1)

  7. Caesar cum in Asiam venisset, reperiebat T. Ampium conatum esse pecunias tollere Epheso ex fano Dianae eiusque rei causa senatores omnes ex provincia evocavisse ut his testibus … uteretur. (Caesar Bellum Civile 3.105.1)

  8. quod ad me saepe scripsisti de nostro amico placando, feci, et expertus sum omnia, … ; quibus de suspicionibus, etsi audisse te arbitror, tamen ex me cum veneris cognosces. (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 1.3.3)

  9.

  Quid tempestates autumni et sidera dicam,

  atque, ubi iam breviorque dies et mollior aestas,

  quae vigilanda viris? vel cum ruit imbriferum ver,

  spicea iam campis cum messis inhorruit et cum

  frumenta in viridi stipula lactentia turgent?

  (Virgil Georgics 1.311–16)

  FIGURE 16.3 Plowing mosaic, 3rd century ad. Originally Roman plows just worked the soil without turning it. By the time of Pliny the Elder in the late first century ad a wheeled plow with a coulter (blade to cut through the soil) was introduced, which was usually pulled by oxen. The fallow soil was first plowed in spring, followed by later plowings with a lighter blade to prepare the seed bed. Virgil recommends plowing and sowing in the warm seasons of the year: Georgics 1.299 “nudus ara, sere nudus” (plow and sow while lightly clad). Source: Musée des Antiquités Nationales, St. Germain-en-Laye, France/Giraudon/The Bridgeman Art Library

  Translation into Latin

  1. I see nothing which I may hope or may now suppose could happen. (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 10.1.3)

  2. Now arguments must be sought by which this may be refuted. How I wish that I may be able to find the truth as easily as show the false. (Cicero De Natura Deorum 1.91)

  3. There is no one who would think that there is any hope of safety remaining. (Cicero In Verrem 2.5.12)

  4. Pompey, although he had not in any way indicated to me that he was offended, set out for Sardinia and Africa. (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 1.9.9)

  5. Having heard a noise behind and when they saw that their own men were being killed, the Germans threw away their weapons, abandoned their military standards and rushed out of the camp. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 4.15.1)

  6. Although the first ranks of the enemy had fallen pierced by javelins, nevertheless the remainder were resisting most eagerly. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 7.62.4)

  7. The Aedui, since they were not able to defend themselves and their property from these men, sent envoys to Caesar to ask for help. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.11.2)

  8. I have a certain way and means whereby I can investigate and pursue all the endeavors of those men. (Cicero In Verrem 1.1.48)

  9. Compelled by these things the Menapii send legates to him for the sake of seeking peace. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 6.6.2)

  Extra Passage

  Tibullus describes the Golden Age when there was no sailing and no fighting.

  Quam bene Saturno vivebant rege, priusquam

  tellus in longas est patefacta vias!

  nondum caeruleas pinus contempserat undas,

  effusum ventis praebueratque sinum,

  nec vagus ignotis repetens conpendia terris

  presserat externa navita merce ratem.

  illo non validus subiit iuga tempore taurus,

  non domito frenos ore momordit equus,

  non domus ulla fores habuit, non fixus in agris,

  qui regeret certis finibus arva, lapis.

  ipsae mella dabant quercus, ultroque ferebant

  obvia securis ubera lactis oves.

  non acies, non ira fuit, non bella, nec ensem

  immiti saevus duxerat arte faber.

  nunc Iove sub domino caedes et vulnera semper,

  nunc mare, nunc leti mille repente viae.

  (Tibullus 1.3.35–50)

  Ovid also describes the Golden Age.

  Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,

  sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.

  poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo

  aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat

  iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti.

  nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,

  montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,

  nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;

  nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;

  non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi,

  non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu

  mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.

  ipsa quoque inmunis rastroque intacta nec ullis

  saucia vomeribus per se dab
at omnia tellus,

  contentique cibis nullo cogente creatis

  arbuteos fetus montanaque fraga legebant

  cornaque et in duris haerentia mora rubetis

  et quae deciderant patula Iovis arbore glandes.

  (Ovid Metamorphoses 1.89–106)

  Compare the two passages.

  Vocabulary

  Nouns

  aedis, -is (f.) – building; temple

  aestās, -ātis (f.) – summer

  Africa, -ae (f.) – Africa

  arātor, -ōris (m.) – ploughman; cultivator

  argūmentum, -ī (n.) – argument

  autumnus, -ī (m.) – autumn

  auxilium, auxiliī (n.) – help

  clāmor, -ōris (m.) – shout; noise

  decumānus, -ī (m.) – tax gatherer

  fānum, -ī (n.) – temple

  frūmentum, -ī (n.) – corn; grain; ear of corn

  Fūfius Calēnus, -ī (m.) – Fufius Calenus, a tribune of the plebs

  Gallia ulterior, Galliae ulterioris (f.) – further Gaul (the area of Gaul across the Alps)

  Genāva, -ae (f.) – Geneva

  impedimenta, -ōrum (n.) – baggage

  legātus, -ī (m.) – ambassador; envoy

  messis, -is (f.) – harvest

  ordo, -inis (m.) – rank

  pābulātor, -ōris (m.) – forager

  pīlum, -ī (n.) – javelin

  Pompeius, -ī (m.) – Pompey

  princeps, principis (m.) – prince; chief

  Sardinia, -ae (f.) – Sardinia

  sīdus, -eris (n.) – star

  signum, -ī (n.) – military standard

  stipula, -ae (f.) – stalk

  tempestās, -ātis (f.) – time; weather; storm

  tergum, -ī (n.) – back; in tergum – in the rear; behind

  vēr, vēris (n.) – spring

  vetustās, -ātis (f.) – long duration; great age

  Verbs

  abiciō, -ere, -iēcī, -iectum – throw away

  adflīgō, -ere, -flīxī, -flictum – strike; batter; wreck

  adhibeō, -ēre, -uī, -itum – show; display

  āmittō, -ere, -mīsī, -missum – send away; lose

  concidō, -ere, -cidī – fall in battle; fall

  conflō, -āre – bring together; raise (an army)

  conlocō, -āre – place; station

  contendō, -ere, contendī, contentum – make for; hasten to; march

  convincō, -ere, -vīcī, -victum – win over; demonstrate; show

  experior, -īrī, expertus sum – try

  grātulor, -ārī, grātulātus sum – congratulate

  inhorreō, -ēre – grow spiky

  iter faciō, -ere – march

  lateō, -ēre, latuī – lie hidden

  maturō, -āre – hasten

  moveō, -ēre, mōvī, mōtum – move

  neglegō, -ere, -lēxī, -lectum – neglect; disregard

  offendō, -ere, offendī, offensum – displease; offend

  ostendō, -ere, ostendī, ostensum – show; indicate

  pābulō, -āre – forage (for food)

  plācō, -āre – placate

  praepōnō, -ere, -posuī, -positum – (+ dat.) put in charge (of)

  profiteor, -ērī, professus sum – declare; confess; admit

  quaerō, -ere, quaesīvī, quaesītum – seek

  refellō, -ere, -fellī – disprove; refute

  ruō, ruere, ruī, rutum – rush

  taceō, -ēre, -uī, -itum – keep silent

  transfīgō, -ere, -fīxī, -fīxum – transfix

  turgeō, -ēre, tursī – swell

  vigilō, -āre – watch; be vigilant

  Adjectives

  alius, alia, aliud – other; another

  alter, altera, alterum – one (of two); the other (of two)

  brevior, -ōris – shorter

  dissolūtus, -a, -um – careless; dissolute

  excors, -cordis – senseless; stupid

  falsus, -a, -um – false

  imbrifer, -era, -erum – rain-bringing

  lactēns, -entis – milky

  militāris, -e – belonging to a soldier; military

  mollior, -ōris – milder

  neuter, neutra, neutrum – neither (of two)

  nullus, -a, -um – no; none

  sōlus, -a, -um – alone; only

  spīceus, -a, -um – made of ears of corn

  superior, -ius – (of time) previous

  tōtus, -a, -um – whole

  ullus, -a, -um – any

  uter, utra, utrum – which (of two)

  viridis, -e – green

  Adverbs; Prepositions; Conjunctions

  acerrimē – most eagerly

  facilē – easily

  illuc – to that place

  repentē – suddenly

  tam … quam – as … as

  vidēlicet – evidently; clearly (literally = “it is plain to see”)

  English Derivations

  From which Latin roots do the following English words derive?

  (i) vernal

  (ii) principle

  (iii) tempestuous

  (iv) offense

  Review: Chapters 13–16

  FIGURE R.2 Silver denarius, 32–28 bc. Head of Augustus. Born in 63 bc, Octavius was adopted by Julius Caesar and, following the assassination of Caesar in 44 bc, took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. He defeated Antony at the battle of Actium and in 27 bc was given the title of Augustus, becoming in effect, the first “emperor” of the Roman world. © Leeds Museums and Galleries (Discovery Centre)

  (A) Explain the case of the noun underlined: 1. duo templa se Romae dedicaturum voverat.

  2. tanta prudentia fuit ut hodie stet Asia.

  3. Ennius ingenio maximus, arte rudis.

  4. legatos ad Caesarem mittunt rogatum auxilium.

  5. ut lupum se auribus tenere diceret.

  (B) Identify and explain the verb/verb form underlined: 1. legatos ad Caesarem mittunt rogatum auxilium.

  2. omnia praeteribo quae mihi turpia dictu videbantur.

  3. magnopere sibi praecavendum Caesar existimabat.

  4. vivere est cogitare.

  5. admonitum venimus te.

  6. quid nobis faciendum est?

  7. tanta prudentia fuit ut hodie stet Asia.

  8. me praemisit ut haec nuntiem.

  9. habes epilogum ne quid relictum putes.

  (C) Supply the following verb parts: 1. cognosco – 3rd person plural imperfect subjunctive passive

  2. imitor – 2nd person singular perfect indicative active

  3. decerno – ablative gerund

  4. consulo – supine (accusative)

  5. pareo – genitive gerund

  6. libero – 1st person singular pluperfect subjunctive active

  7. repeto – present passive infinitive

  8. revertor – 2nd person singular future indicative active

  9. reperio – 3rd person singular perfect subjunctive passive

  (D) Translate into English: 1. dicamus bona verba: venit Natalis ad aras. (Tibullus 2.2.1)

  2. post hoc proelium classem LXX navium Athenienses eidem Miltiadi dederunt, ut insulas, quae barbaros adiuverant, bello persequeretur. (Nepos Miltiades 7.1)

  3. tanta enim erat auctoritas et vetustas illius religionis ut, cum illuc irent, non ad aedem Cereris sed ad ipsam Cererem proficisci viderentur. (Cicero In Verrem 2.4.108)

  4. satis id est magnum, quod potes praestare, ut in iudiciis ea causa, quamcumque tu dicis, melior et probabilior esse videatur, ut in contionibus et in sententiis dicendis ad persuadendum tua plurimum valeat oratio, denique ut prudentibus diserte, stultis etiam vere videare dicere. (Cicero De Oratore 1.44)

  (E) Translate into Latin: 1. Let us not choose what is difficult. (Cicero In Verrem 2.4.15)

  2. Such a great storm suddenly arose that no ship could maintain its course. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 4.28.2)

  3. I shall say this not for the sake of repro
aching you but to remind you. (Cicero Pro S. Roscio Amerino 45)

  4. Who is of such dissolute spirit that he is able to keep silent and disregard these things when he sees them? (Cicero Pro S. Roscio Amerino 32)

  CHAPTER 17

  Chapter Contents

  17.1 DIRECT QUESTIONS 17.1.1 Alternative Direct Questions

  17.2 INDIRECT QUESTIONS 17.2.1 Alternative Indirect Questions

  17.3 VERBS WITH THE DATIVE

  17.4 IMPERSONAL PASSIVE

  17.5 USES OF THE CASES 17.5.1 Predicative/Interest/Double Dative

  Translation from Latin

  Translation into Latin

  Extra Passages

  Vocabulary Nouns; Pronouns

  Verbs Taking the Dative

  Other Verbs

  Adjectives

  Adverbs; Conjunctions

  FIGURE 17.1 Foot in sandal, fragment of a statue (75–25 bc). Footwear and sandals came in various shapes and styles. Different materials were used, including leather and cork. As happens today, styles of sandals changed over the years but often came back into fashion. © Leeds Museums and Galleries (Discovery Centre)

  17.1 Direct Questions

  Latin has a number of ways to pose a question. We have already met the interrogative pronoun quis, quid and adverbs such as cur – why?; quōmodo – how?; ubi where? Here the indicative mood is regularly used:

  sed cur tam diū dē ūnō hoste loquimur? (Cicero In Catilinam 2.17): but why are we speaking for so long about one enemy?

  English frequently poses a question by inverting the subject and verb (statement: You can say this; question: Can you say this?); however, Latin clearly cannot do this. Even if the subject is expressed and follows the verb, the Latin sentence is not necessarily a question. In order to make clear that a question is intended, Latin frequently attaches -ne to the end of the first (or rarely the second or third) word in the sentence:

  potesne dīcere? (Cicero Tusculanae Disputationes 1.67): can you (are you able to) say?