FR 4 “The Founding of Rome” Practice Reading Comprehension Check
(handout version) ANSWERS
1. The sentence that most accurately conveys the same information as Uterque...cupiēbat (lines 1-2) is:
o a) ambō hominēs dare nōmen urbī eamque tenēre volēbant.
o b) duō ex iuvenibus appellāre urbem ex hōc factō postquam rēgere sē voluērunt.
o c) duo senēs nōmināre urbem eamque rēgere cupiēbant.
o d) uter iuvenis extrahere suum nōmen ex urbe idque tenēre vult.
o ANS: a) ambō hominēs dare nōmen urbī eamque tenēre volēbant.
2. What is the case and number of rēs in line 2?
o ANS: nominative singular
3. What problem were the twins experiencing in lines 2-3 (Sed... ūsī sunt)?
o ANS: They couldn’t settle the matter of the kingship based on age.
4. On what did they rely to solve their issue?
o ANS: Augury (the science of interpreting the will of the gods from the flight of birds and other events in
nature)
5. How many birds were seen by which brother? Be sure to note the chronological order of the sightings (lines 34).
o ANS: Remus saw six vultures, then Romulus saw 12.
6. Who is described as īrātī (line 6)?
o ANS: Both Romulus and Remus and their respective followers.
7. The best way to restate the phrase in pugnā Remus cecidit (line 6) while preserving the meaning of the story is:
o a) Remus suum frātrem cecīdit.
o c) Rōmulus ā suō frātre necātur.
o b) Rōmulus suum frātrem cecīdit.
o d) Remus cum suō frātre moritur.
o ANS: b) Rōmulus suum frātrem cecīdit.
8. What is revealed about the legend of the founding of Rome by the phrase Ex aliā fāmā (lines 6-7)?
o ANS: There is more than one version.
9. What Latin word governs the case of frātrem (line 7)?
o ANS: illūdēns
10. What specifically prompted Romulus to act violently towards his brother, according to lines 6-8?
o ANS: Remus, while mocking Romulus, leapt over the walls of the new city.
11. What Latin word is the antecedent of quī (line 8)?
o ANS: Rōmulō
12. What Latin word is the subject of addidit (line 9)?
o ANS: quī (line 8)
13. What Latin word is the subject of pereat (line 9)?
o ANS: quīcumque (line 9)
14. What use of the subjunctive is pereat (line 9)?
o ANS: jussive / hortatory / volitive
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FR 4 “The Founding of Rome” Practice Reading Comprehension Check
(handout version) ANSWERS
15. What is the point of Romulus’ declaration in line 9-10 (Sīc...mea)
o ANS: Whoever tries to jump over his walls will perish as Remus did.
16. What is the object of the deponent verb potītus est (line 10)?
o ANS: imperiō (line 10)
17. What is the best translation of suō based on its context in line 11?
o ANS: “his (own)”
18. What do we learn from line 11 (conditam...appellāvit)?
o ANS: That Romulus named the city he had founded after himself / etc.
19. What was Romulus’ first action as king?
o ANS: Fortifying the Palatine Hill
20. What Latin word governs the case of quō (line 12)? What Latin word provides its number and gender?
o ANS: governs = in (line 12); number & gender = Palātium (line 12)
21. Translate the phrase Vocātā ad concilium multitūdine (line 13) two grammatically different acceptable ways
based on its context within the sentence. Please note that simply using synonyms of vocabulary will NOT
suffice.
o ANS: any two of:
 Once the crowd had been called to (the) council.
 After the crowd had been ...
 When the crowd had been....
 After he had called the crowd to council...
 etc.
22. What were the three signs of power that Romulus assumed at this time, according to lines 13-15?
o ANS: sella curulis (special chair made of ivory); toga praetexta (purple-bordered toga); twelve lictors
(attendants who carried the fasces)
23. What is the best translation of quō (line 16)?
o a) “by means of which”
o b) “from where”
o ANS: d) “(to) where”
o c) “in order that”
o d) “(to) where”
24. To what use did Romulus put the Capitoline hill?
o ANS: an asylum for citizens from other tribes nations
25. What are two facts about Roman senators that we learn in the final sentence of the story?
o ANS: Romulus created them; they originally numbered 100; they are called patrēs (fathers) in
recognition of the honor
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