OCR Entry Level Certificate in Latin R445
Last updated : 21/02/11
This handbook is designed to accompany the OCR Entry Level Certificate in Latin specification for teaching from September 2010.
© OCR 2010

Contents
Introduction
A story from Apulei us’ Metamorphoses
The death of Pliny the Elder
Pythius
Messalina
Germanicus and Piso
Boudica’s Rebellion
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This source booklet contains six passages of simplified Latin from Roman Literature, which can be used as the basis for component 2 tasks. Teachers are however free to use any passages of their choice as outlined in the specification.
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A Story from Apuleius’ Metamorphoses
Whilst staying at an inn, two friends, Aristomenes and Socrates, were attacked by witches during the night. duo viri, Aristomenes et Socrates nomine, per Graeciam forte iter 1 faciebant. ubi ad urbem advenerunt, in taberna nocte manebant. in eodem cubiculo dormiebant. subito media nocte duae feminae
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3 intraverunt et ianuam fregerunt. feminae sagae erant. ianua in lectum 4
Aristomenis decidit; Aristomenes iam sub lecto se celavit. feminas spectavit; ad Socratem veniebant. altera facem, altera gladium portabat.
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Aristomenes
Socrates nomine
Graeciam (acc) forte iter (acc) nocte manebant in eodem cubiculo dormiebant media nocte duae ianuam (acc) fregerunt sagae lectum (acc)
Aristomenis decidit iam sub lecto se celavit altera
… altera facem (acc) gladium (acc)
English translation two
Aristomenes
Socrates by name
Greece by chance journey for the night they were staying in the same bedroom they slept in the middle of the night two door they broke down/smashed witches bed of Aristomenes it fell down now under the bed he hid himself one
… the other torch sword
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Socrates was attacked by one of the witches, who stabbed him in the throat. Aristomenes, initially terrified by this, was then shocked to see his friend appear unharmed. femina quae gladium portabat, “ecce!” inquit, “est vir qui me amavit 1 et me reliquit. eum necare consti tui.” caput Socratis tenuit et gladium 2 per iugulum impulit. deinde multum sanguinem e vulnere in 3 ampullam collegit. tum feminae riserunt et exierunt. Aristomenes perterritus timeba t et inquit, “omnes cives credent me amicum meum necavisse.” itaque per fenestram effugere constituit sed in corpus
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Socrates iratus erat!
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Latin word(s) quae (f) ecce! qui (m) reliquit eum (acc) necare caput (acc) Socratis tenuit per iugulum impulit deinde sanguinem (acc) e vulnere in ampullam (acc) collegit tum exierunt cives credent me
… necavisse itaque fenestram (acc) effugere corpus (nom & acc) surrexit quasi vivum bene
English translation who look! who he abandoned him to kill the head of Socrates she held through the throat she drove next blood from the wound in(to) a bottle she gathered/collected then they left the citizens they will believe that I killed and so window to escape body it arose as if alive well
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The friends decided to leave the inn at once. However, at dawn Socrates suddenly struggled to breathe and died.
Aristomenes laetus erat sed inquit, “e taberna statim discedere debemus. sagae revenire possunt!
” per noctem diu ambulaverunt.
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2 prima luce Aristomenes iugulum amici spectavit sed nihil vidit. “sine dubio” inquit, “somnium malum habebam.” Socrates quoque inquit,
“somnium malum habebam. duae sagae iugulum meum secuerunt.”
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Line Latin word(s) e taberna discedere debemus revenire per noctem diu ambulaverunt prima luce amici nihil sine dubio somnium (acc) malum (acc) secuerunt difficile spirare
English translation from the inn to go away we must / we ought to come back through the night for a while they walked at dawn of the friend nothing without doubt dream bad they cut difficult to breath
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Aristomenes anxius cibum amico dedit. Socrates cibum consumpsit sed sitiebat. ad flumen igitur venit ad aquam bibendam. ubi os aquae appropinquavit, vulnus in iugulo subito hiavit; exanimatus in flumen decidit. Aristomenes, iterum perterritus, in montes fugit. numquam
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Latin word(s) anxius sitiebat flumen (acc) igitur ad aquam bibendam os appropinquavit + dat vulnus in iugulo hiavit exanimatus iterum montes (acc pl) fugit numquam revenit carcerem (acc) ire nolebat
English translation anxious he was thirsty river therefore in order to drink water face it approached wound in the throat it gaped open lifeless again mountains he fled never he returned prison to go he did not want
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The death of Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Younger was an eye witness to the eruption of Vesuvius on 24 th August, AD79. The following passages are taken from an account provided by him for the historian Tacitus, in which he describes the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder. It is useful, not only as a faithful account of the events of the eruption, but also because it is the first account of a volcanic eruption that we know of within Europe.
rogas, “avunculi mei mortem scribere possum?” ita vero! 1 avunculus meus Miseni erat et classem regebat. mater mea ei 2 indicavit nubem mirabilem. ubi nubem vidit, nubem propius spectare volebat. libumicu m parare servum iussit. me rogavit “mecum venis?” respondi, “non venio, scribo.” Rectina Tasci ad avunculum meum
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5 nuntium misit. in urbe vicina habitabat et perterrita erat. nubem 6
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Latin word(s) avunculi mei mortem ita vero avunculus meus
Miseni classem (acc) regebat mea ei (dat) indicavit nubem (acc) mirabilem propius volebat libumicum iussit mecum respondi
Rectina Tasci nuntium (acc) in urbe vicina in nave effugere itaque eam (acc)
English translation the death of my uncle
Yes I can my uncle at Misenum the fleet was in charge of my to him she pointed out cloud remarkable more closely he wanted boat he ordered with me
I replied
Rectina, wife of Tascius a message in the neighbouring city in a boat to escape therefore her
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iam cinis prope Vesuvium incidebat, calidus et densus. iam pumices et lapides nigri erant. iam vadum subitum et magna saxa in litore erant. haesitat paulisper, sed navigare constituit. “fortes,” inquit,
“fortuna adiuvat: Tascium pete!” Tascius erat Stabiis. ibi periculum nondum appropinquabat, sed valde conspicuum erat. ubi Tascius advenit, laetus esse simulavit. itaque viri et feminae et pueri et puellae minus timebant. cenam consumpsit et balneum rogavit.
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Latin word(s) iam cinis
Vesuvium (acc) incidebat calidus densus pumices lapides nigri vadum subitum saxa in litore haesitat paulisper navigare fortes (acc) fortuna adiuvat
Tascium (acc) pete!
Stabiis periculum nondum appropinquabat valde conspicuum simulavit minus balneum (acc)
English translation now ash
Mount Vesuvius was falling hot thick pumice stones stones black shallow water sudden rocks on the shore he hesitated briefly to sail the brave good fortune favours
Tascius head for! at Stabiae danger not yet was approaching very obvious he pretended less a bath
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interea e Vesuvio monte latae flammae et alta incendia relucebant. avunculus meus omnia scripsit et tandem obdormivit. mox multus
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2 cinis erat et e villa effugere paene non poterat. servus eum excitavit 3 et per portam venit. amicos salutavit et inter se disputabant. alii, 4
“villa nutat et timemus” inquiunt, alii, “pumices incidunt et timemus”. 5
6 itaque in capitibus cervicalia portare constituerunt.
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Latin word(s) interea e Vesuvio monte latae flammae alta incendia relucebant obdormivit e villa paene eum (acc) excitavit portam (acc) inter se disputabant alii
… alii nutat incidunt in capitibus cervicalia (acc)
English translation meanwhile from Mount Vesuvius broad flames tall fires were blazing he fell asleep from the villa almost him he roused / woke up door among themselves they began to argue some
… others is shaking they are falling on their heads pillows
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iam dies alibi erat, illic nox nigra et densa. in litus venerunt. nam navem videre sperabant. avunculus meus aquam rogavit et hausit. deinde concidit, credo, quod odor sulphuris advenit. ubi tandem dies erat, servus avunculum meum, integrum inlaesum opertum indutum invenit.
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Latin word(s) dies alibi illic nox litus (acc) nam navem sperabant hausit deinde concidit credo odor sulphuris integrum (acc) inlaesum opertum indutum invenit
English translation day elsewhere there night shore for ship they hoped he drank next he collapsed
I believe the smell of sulphur intact unharmed covered (in ash) clothed he found
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Gaius Canius decides that he wants to buy a garden in Syracuse. Pythius therefore comes up with a plan to trick Canius into buying his garden for an extortionate amount of money.
C .Canius, eques Romanus, ubi Syracusas advenit, inquit, “hortum 1 emere volo. nam invitare amicos possum et ibi nos oblectare possumus.
” postquam omnes hoc audiverunt, Pythius quidam, qui pecuniam faciebat Syra cusis, inquit, “habeo hortum, sed non venalis est. hortum meum tamen spectare potes.” et simul ad cenam virum
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C. Canius eques
Syracusas (acc) emere volo nam oblectare hoc quidam qui pecuniam (acc)
Syracusis venalis tamen simul accepit ad se piscatores (acc) vobis placet ante + acc postridie piscari
English translation
Gaius Canius knight to Syracuse to buy
I want for to amuse this a certain who money in Syracuse for sale however at the same time he accepted to him fishermen would you like? in front of the next day/tomorrow to fish
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ad cenam tempore venit Canius. multitudo cumbarum ante oculos 1 erat. omnes piscatores pisces ad pedes Pythii portabant. tum Canius, 2
“rogo” inquit “quid est hoc, Pythi? cur tot pisces, tot cumbae sunt?” et Pythi us inquit, “quid mirum est? omnes hoc sciunt. omnes pisces qui sunt Syracusis, in hoc loco sunt.”
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Latin word(s) tempore multitudo cumbarum pisces (acc pl) pedes (acc) Pythii quid est hoc?
Pythi cur? tot cumbae quid mirum est? hoc sciunt qui
Syracusis in hoc loco
English translation on time a crowd of boats fish the feet of Pythius
What is this?
Pythius why? so many boats
What is surprising? this they know which in Syracuse in this place
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Canius, incensus cupiditate dixit, “hortum tuum emere valde volo!”
Pythius primo recusavit. tandem tamen hortum emit vir cupidus et dives tanti, quanti Pythius voluit. invitavit Canius postridie familiares suos; venit mature; cumbam nullam vidit. v icinum rogavit, “sunt feriae piscatorum?” inquit vicinus, “minime! praeterea piscatores in hoc loco piscari non solent. itaque, ubi omnes piscatores vidi, mirabar!” iratus Canius erat; sed quid facere poterat?
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Latin word(s) incensus cupiditate tuum (acc) valde volo primo recusavit tamen emit cupidus dives tanti, quanti Pythius voluit postridie familiares suos (acc) mature cumbam (acc) nullam (acc) vicinum (acc) feriae piscatorum minime praeterea piscari solent itaque mirabar
English translation enflamed with greed your very much
I want at first he refused however he bought greedy rich for as much as Pythius wanted the next day his family early boat no neighbour fishermen’s holiday no besides to fish they are accustomed therefore
I was amazed
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The emperor Claudius married three times and Messalina, the daughter of his cousin, was his third wife. She is a figure that we do not know much about as the accounts written by Tacitus, in which she features, have been lost. At the point that this passage begins, Claudius and she have had two children, aged 6 and 5 named Britannicus and Octavia. However, Messalina is far from the perfect mother. She had gained a bad reputation after her involvement in crimes and scandals. In addition, she had started an affair with a man called Silius behind Claudius’ back.
Adultery
Messalina C.Silium, virum pulchrum, amavit. itaque
I uniam Silanam, 1
2 uxorem Silii et nobilem feminam e villa exegit et cum adultero habitabat. Silius periculum vidit; cum uxore
I mperatoris habitare et 3 poenam vitare difficile est. Messalina tamen, non furtim sed multis
4 cum amicis domum veniebat. praemia et dona Silio dabat. apud
5 adulterum servos, libertos, bona habebat. sed Claudius rei ignarus
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C. Silium pulchrum itaque
I uniam Silanam (acc) uxorem (acc) nobilem (acc) e villa exegit cum adultero periculum (acc) cum uxore
I mperatoris poenam (acc) vitare difficile tamen furtim multis cum amicis domum praemia (acc pl) dona (acc pl) apud adulterum libertos (acc pl) bona (acc pl) rei ignarus
English translation
Gaius Silius handsome therefore
I unia Silana, wife of Silius wife noble from her house she drove out with her lover danger with the wife of the emperor punishment to avoid difficult however secretly with many friends home rewards gifts at her lover’s house freedmen property unaware of the situation
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No longer content with mere adultery, Messalina and Silius then decided to get married. iam Messalina, novas libidines paravit. Silius sive quod insanus an stultus erat, abrumpere dissimulationem constituit et inquit,
“ I mperator senex est et in matrimonium te d ucere volo.” Messalina diu haesitavit. nomen enim matrimonii concupivit. itaque dum
Claudius Ostiam visitat, omnia matrimonii sollemnia celebrat.
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Latin word(s) iam novas libidines sive insanus an abrumpere dissimulationem (acc) senex in matrimonium … ducere volo diu haesitavit enim matrimonii concupivit dum
Ostiam (acc) sollemnia (acc pl) celebrat
English translation now fresh infidelities either mad or to break off concealment old man to marry
I want for a while she hesitated for of marriage she desired while
Ostia (the port of Rome) ceremonies she celebrated
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Messalina is denounced
A freedman of Claudius, Narcissus, fearing revolution, informs Claudius of what Messalina has done. domus imperatoris inhorruit. viri potentes timuerunt ne res 1 verterentur; spem tamen habebant. fabulam narrare constituerunt, sed timuerunt ne Claudius Messalinam audiret. itaque Narcissus, libertus Claudii, ad Claudium duas paelices invitavit. altera paelex clamavit, “Silius Messalinam in matrimonium duxit.” altera
Narcissum vocavit. Claudius Narcissum rogavit, “vera dicunt?”
Narcissus inquit, “matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites; a c nisi celeriter agis, habet urbem Silius.”
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Latin word(s) domus imperatoris inhorruit potentes ne res verterentur spem (acc) fabulam (acc) ne
… audiret itaque
Narcissus libertus Claudii duas paelices (acc) … paelex altera
… altera vera dicunt? populus senatus milites (nom pl) ac nisi celeriter agis
English translation the house of the emperor
… shuddered powerful that there might be a revolution hope story that
… might listen to and so
Narcissus
Claudius’ freedman two courtesans ... mistresses one
… the other are they saying true things the people the senate soldiers but unless quickly you act
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Claudius then called his friends to him who confirmed that the mistresses/courtesans had been telling the truth. They advised him to secure his own position and look to his own safety before exacting revenge upon Messalina and Silius. Claudius himself, was so terrified by the turn of events that he kept asking “Am I still the emperor?” Once Messalina realised that Claudius knew what she had done, she tried to appease him with their children. non solum rumor sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam veniunt. 1
“Claudius,” inquiunt, “ultionem rogat”. itaque Messalina virum videre 2 statim constituit quod Claudius amabat feminam et liberos. primo in 3 complexum patris Britannicum et Octaviam misit. deinde venit
Messalina et clamavit, “audi matrem Britannici et Octaviae!”.
Narcissus autem totam fabulam narravit. simul codicillos libidinum indices dedit.
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Latin word(s) rumor undique nuntii ultionem (acc) itaque liberos (acc) primo in complexum patris deinde audi!
Britannici
Octaviae autem totam simul codicillos (acc) libidinum indices
English translation rumour everywhere messengers revenge therefore children first into their father’s embrace next listen to! of Britannicus of Octavia but whole at the same time notebook as proof of her infidelities
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Claudius tacuit. Narcisso oboediebat et contionem militum paravit.
Silium vocat et Narcisso praemonente necavit. interim Messalina in horto erat. Narcissus timebat ne Claudius ei ignosceret. itaque militem eam necare iussit. hic miles cum matre Messalinam invenit. tunc primum Messalina fortunam intellexit et gladium accepit.
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Narcisso tacuit oboediebat + dat contionem (acc) militum praemonente necavit interim ne … ei ignosceret militem eam necare iussit hic cum matre invenit tunc primum fortunam (acc) intellexit gladium (acc) accepit
English translation with Narcissus fell silent he obeyed a meeting of the soldiers forewarning him killed meanwhile that … would forgive her soldier her to kill he ordered this with her mother
… found then for the first time fate
… understood sword
… accepted
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The following passages are taken from an account by Tacitus of the death of Germanicus and the events that followed it. Born in 15 BC, Nero Claudius Germanicus Caesar was a successful general and a favourite of the emperor Augustus. Augustus had adopted his wife’s son from a previous marriage, Tiberius, making him his heir. Once Tiberius became emperor he came to hate
Germanicus, despite the fact that they were relatives. He called Germanicus back from his campaign in Germany and sent him to the East, to act as commander of the army there. This was supposedly to sort out border disputes that were happening there. However, Tacitus suggests
Tiberius also arranged for Piso, the governor of Syria, to make life difficult for Germanicus and possibly even arrange his death. The extract begins shortly after Germanicus and Piso’s arrival in
Syria in AD18.
Piso in Syria
Piso, postquam Syriam advenit, milites stultos ambitu iuvabat. 1 milites quoque bonos et veteres centuriones demovit. itaque milites stulti lascivare poterant. Plancina, uxor Pisonis, etiam in Agrippinam
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Latin word(s) milites ambitu iuvabat veteres centuriones demovit itaque lascivare
Plancina uxor
Pisonis etiam
Agrippinam contumelias iaciebat igitur nihil
English translation soldier he bribed old centurion he got rid of therefore to run wild
Plancina , Piso’s wife wife
Piso even
Agrippina , Germanicus’ wife insults she threw therefore nothing
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The death of Germanicus
Germanicus was kept busy dealing with a crisis in Armenia after which he then visited Egypt. On his return to Syria he discovered that whilst away, all of the orders he had given to the legions and towns had been changed or cancelled. He blamed Piso who retaliated with equal hatred. Soon afterwards, Germanicus became ill.
Germanicus inquit, “Piso mihi venenum dedit. servos quoque ad 1 villam meam misit. nuntium mortis exspectant. Pisoni epistulam scribere constitui. Pisonem non amo.” amici prope Germanicum
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English translation to me poison news of my death letter revenge they promised he died they grieved him both
… and kings the people
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Mourning sed Agrippina fessa et perterrita, ultionem rogavit. ascendit navem cum cineribus Germanici et cum liberis et Romam navigavit. Piso tamen apud Coum erat ubi servus narravit, “Germanicus mortuus est”. subito risit et tandem Plancina laeta erat. mox Romae multi
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Latin word(s) fessa ascendit navem cum cineribus
Germanici et cum liberis navigavit tamen apud Coum dolorem iram questum tum vacuum ubique silentium
Brundisium ad portum ruerunt egredientem secum feralem urnam (acc)
English translation tired she boarded boat, ship with the ashes of Germanicus and with her children
(she) sailed however at Cos grief anger grief then empty everywhere silence
Brundisium (a port in Italy) to the harbour they rushed as she disembarked with her funeral urn
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Revenge
The desire for revenge against Piso continued to grow in Rome. It was made worse by Piso and
Plancina’s behaviour on returning to Rome. Their house was decorated festively and they held banquets. As a result of the ill feeling towards them Lucius Fulcinius Trio requested permission from the consuls to charge Piso. Tiberius, unable to ignore the wishes of the people, referred the case to the senate.
Tiberius in senatu inquit, “Piso patris mei legatus et amicus erat. 1
Germanico adiutorem Pisonem misi ad res apud Orientem administrandas. senatus Pisonem iudicare debet.” quod nemo ei
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3 credebat, Piso crimina negare non poterat et se necare constituit. itaque ad villam rediit et cenam consumpsit. epistulam scripsit et
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5 servo dedit; tum servos claudere ianuam iussit; et prima luce perfosso iugulo, iacente humi gladio, Plancina Pisonem mortuum invenit.
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Latin word(s) in senatu patris mei legatus adiutorem ad res … apud Orientem administrandas senatus iudicare debet nemo ei (dat) credebat crimina (acc pl) negare se necare itaque rediit epistulam tum claudere ianuam prima luce perfosso iugulo humi iacente … gladio mortuum invenit
English translation in the senate of my father governor as a helper for in order to run the in the East government the senate
… must judge no one him to trust charges to deny to kill oneself therefore he returned a letter then to shut door at dawn with his throat cut on the ground with a sword lying dead she found
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After appalling treatment by the Romans Boudica, queen of the Iceni in East Anglia, rebelled against Roman rule in Britain. She had a military advantage as Suetonius Paulinus, the governor of
Britain, was busy in Wales, fighting the Druids on Anglesey. rex
I cenorum Prasutagus, dives et clarus, Caesarem heredem et 1 duas filias scripsit quod regnum et domum servare volebat. quod 2 contra vertit; centuriones regnum et servi villas velut capta 3 vastabant. iam primum Romani uxorem eius Boudicam et filias 4 verberaverunt: principes Icenorum et Trinobantum, propter 5 contumeliam et metum, arma rapiunt. quoque coniurationem occultam fecerunt, “libertatem recipere.”
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I cenorum
Prasutagus dives clarus
Caesarem (acc) heredem
… scripsit duas regnum (acc) domum (acc) volebat quod contra vertit centuriones (nom) velut capta vastabant iam primum uxorem (acc) eius
Boudicam (acc) verberaverunt principes
Trinobantum propter+acc contumeliam (acc) metum (acc) arma rapiunt coniurationem (acc) occultam (acc) libertatem (acc) recipere
English translation of the Iceni
Prasutagus rich famous
Caesar make an heir two kingdom home he wanted when the opposite happened centurions like a prize in war were ravaging now for the first time wife his
Boudica they beat the chieftains of the Trinobantes on account of insult fear they took up arms pact secret freedom to take back
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Boudica’s forces attacked Camulodunum (Colchester) and destroyed the town, killing many
Roman citizens. In response, the Romans mustered all available troops from the Ninth Legion, only about 200 men, to engage Boudica. However, they were massacred by Boudica in an ambush en route from Lincoln. Boudica then proceeded to ransack London and St Albans. Suetonius, realising the threat that the Britons posed, immediately left Anglesey and set out to crush the rebellion. iam Suetonius quartam decimam legionem et vexillarios vicensimae 1 et e proximis auxiliares habebat, decem ferme milia armatorum: contendere paravit. elegit locum angustis faucibus et a tergo silvis
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Suetonius quartam decimam legionem (acc) vexillarios (acc) vicensimae e proximis auxiliares (acc) ferme decem … milia armatorum contendere elegit locum (acc) angustis faucibus a tergo silvis clausum enim hostes in fronte insidias (acc pl) itaque milites frequentes ordinibus equites pro cornibus
Britanni
English translation now
Suetonius fourteenth legion detachments of the 20 th (legion) from nearby auxiliaries nearly ten thousand armed men to march he chose place with narrow approaches from behind by woods shut in for enemy in front ambushes therefore soldiers crowded in their ranks the cavalry on the wings the Britons
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Britannorum proelium (acc) in plaustris ad extremum groups troops of cavalry they were rushing about wildly fiercely wives of the Britons battle on wagons on the edge of
The battle begins ac primum milites Romani tela in appropinquantes hostes iecerunt. deinde auxiliares et equites impetum fecerunt et bene pugnaverunt.
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Britanni cum difficultate effugerunt quod plaustra saepserunt abitum. 3 et milites Romani viros et feminas et iumenta trucidaverunt. 4
Suetonius milites laudavit quod octaginta milia Britannorum mortui sunt. Boudica vitam veneno finivit.
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Latin word(s) ac primum tela (acc pl) appropinquantes iecerunt deinde impetum (acc) bene cum difficultate effugerunt saepserunt abitum iumenta (acc pl) trucidaverunt octaginta milia mortui sunt vitam (acc) venemo finivit
English translation but first javelins approaching they threw next attack well with difficulty they escaped they blocked exit baggage animals butchered
80,000 they died life with poison she ended
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The following are suggestions of the sorts of questions and topic areas that could be explored in relation to the passages in this booklet. Teachers are however free to set any tasks in line with the specification.
A story from Apuleius’ Metamorphoses
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How does Apuleius make this passage exciting?
The death of Pliny the Elder
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Do you think Pliny the Elder was brave or foolish?
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How does Pliny paint an exciting picture of this episode?
Pythius
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Does Canius deserve his fate?
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Whom do consider the more morally dubious character? Pythius or Canius?
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Explain what you think Cicero hoped to show by this story.
Messalina
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Did Messalina deserve her fate?
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Was Silius more foolish, greedy or love struck?
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How does Tacitus make this an exciting story?
Germanicus and Piso
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What difficulties might a historian have when using this account to decide what really happened?
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Tacitus was more interested in making his characters interesting than in showing what they really like. Do you agree?
Boudica’s Rebellion
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What does this account tell us about the way Romans treated the people they conquered?
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