3. Editable Student Study Book (with notes)

advertisement
WJEC
Level 2 Certificate in Latin Literature
Unit 9541
Latin Literature: Themes
Section B
Love and Marriage
Student Study Book (with notes)
PUBLISHED BY THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL CLASSICS PROJECT
Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
11 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DP, UK
http://www.CambridgeSCP.com
© University of Cambridge School Classics Project, 2011
Copyright
In the case of this publication, the CSCP is waiving normal copyright provisions in that copies of this
material may be made free of charge and without specific permission so long as they are for
educational or personal use within the school or institution which purchases the publication. all other
forms of copying (for example, for inclusion in another publication) are subject to specific
permission from the Project.
First published 2011
2 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Love and Marriage
hortatio*
You may now be about to have your first encounter with a sizeable chunk of Latin written by Roman authors. It will
at first seem noticeably more difficult than what you have read previously. There is a simple explanation for this.
What you’ve read so far is mostly written by modern hacks (i.e. British schoolteachers), composing pieces of Latin
whose difficulty slowly but steadily increases to match your increasing grasp of the language. Roman authors,
of course, did not do anything like this; they did not automatically begin a work with the easiest bits and put the
hardest bits at the end. So you are likely to feel that the level of difficulty begins by rising sharply but then settles
down; your increasing experience of the language should help to make you feel steadily more comfortable.
*hortatio: speech of encouragement, e.g. delivered by general to his troops on eve of battle.
Introduction
The notes and questions in this study guide are composed particularly for students who have only a
limited amount of time with a teacher. Follow your teacher’s guidance over which notes to use and which
questions to answer. The more time you have with your teacher, the more questions can be ignored.
Most of the texts have been divided into a number of sections, usually about four lines long. The notes on each
group of lines nearly always begin by taking you through three steps:
•
read the section (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio;
•
study the vocabulary for the section;
•
read the section (or listen to the audio) again.
You do not have to stick rigidly to these steps. You may find you make better progress by repeating a particular
step, or missing one out; you may want to vary your approach from one section to the next. Experiment with
different approaches to find the one that suits you; the aim is to prepare yourself as fully as you can for the detailed
questions that follow. You will usually find it best to finish work on each section by checking that you can translate it,
as recommended in the notes.
Some questions are comprehension questions; others ask you to analyse the grammar of a particular word or
phrase. Your teacher will tell you whether or not to use these questions. If you have access to the online version of
the text, you can click to check that your analysis is correct. Aim to develop your ability to do the analysis yourself
(e.g. in an exam!) by getting into the habit of asking yourself, before clicking, “What case is this noun?” or “What
tense is this verb?” etc. The exam will not contain grammar questions, but they are included here to help you
towards an accurate translation and a fuller understanding of the text. The Cambridge Latin Grammar can help you
to investigate the grammar in more detail.
Some questions, such as “Why do you think character so-and-so did such-and-such an action?” or “Do these lines
seem serious or light-hearted?”, have more than one possible answer. When you answer such questions, study
the text carefully and come to your own conclusion. An examiner will always give credit for any sensible answer,
particularly when you support your answer by quoting from the Latin text.
An asterisk (*) next to a question indicates that the question is or may be suitable for group discussion. Sometimes
the best plan is for students to work on such questions on their own first, and then compare their answers with
those of the rest of the group.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 3
CIL 1.2.1211, Epitaph to Claudia - lines 1-2
A late 2nd century BC inscription, found in Rome
hospes, quod deico paullum est; asta ac pellege.
heic est sepulcrum hau pulcrum pulcrai feminae:
nomen parentes nominarunt Claudiam.
suom mareitum corde deilexit souo:
1
2
hospes, hospitis, m. - stranger
qui, quae, quod - who, which
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say, speak
paullus, paulla, paullum - small, little
sum, esse, fui - be
asto, astare, astiti - stand here, stand near
ac - and
perlego, perlegere, perlegi, perlectus - read
through
hic - here
sum, esse, fui - be
sepulcrum, sepulcri, n. - tomb
haud - by no means, not, not at all
pulcer, pulcra, pulcrum - beautiful
pulcer, pulcra, pulcrum - beautiful
femina, feminae, f. - woman
4 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
nomen, nominis, n. - name
parens, parentis, m. - parent
nomino, nominare, nominavi, nominatus name, call, call by name
Claudia, Claudiae, f. - Claudia
suus, sua, suum - his, her, its
maritus, mariti masculine, m. - husband
cor, cordis, n. - heart
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectus - love
suus, sua, suum - his, her, its
1.
Read lines 1-4 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary for these lines.
3.
Read lines 1-4 (or listen to the audio) again.
4.
These lines were found inscribed on a tomb. In line 1, find and translate a noun in the vocative singular case,
which tells you the person to whom the inscription is addressed.
5. Who is the hospes?
(a) one of the dead person’s family
(b) somebody who happens to be walking past the tomb
(c) the dead person
(Hint: where did the Romans usually place the tombs of the dead? You may have seen examples from Pompeii.)
6. What two things is the hospes asked to do, at the end of line 1?
7.
Translate quod dico in line 1, translating quod as what and taking care over the ending of dico (I, you, he or
they?), then translate paullum est.
8.
Suggest a reason why line 1 mentions that the inscription is only a short one (paullum). (Hint: What is the
passer-by asked to do? What is the difference between lego and perlego?)
9.
heic (line 2) is an old spelling for hic (here). What object is stated to be here?
10. Find and translate the two words (one of them an adjective) which describe the tomb. hau is an old spelling for
haud. You can choose between one of the translations suggested in the vocabulary (in which case you may want
to put the translation of hau pulcrum after your translation of sepulcrum), or you could just translate hau as un-.
11. Find and translate the two words in the genitive singular, which tell you whose tomb it is.
12. What contrast does line 1 make between the tomb and the woman?
13. Say line 1 aloud. What do you notice about the sound of the line? What is the effect? Do the words suggest:
“This is a sepulcrum; the pulcrum part of the word doesn’t suit the tomb but it does suit somebody or
something else ….”?
14. Who named the woman (line 3)? What name did they give her?
15. You have often met sentences of these types:
(a) (i) centurio milites laudavit.
The centurion praised the soldiers.
(ii) milites laudavit.
(b) (i) rex servum arcessivit.
He praised the soldiers.
The king sent for the slave.
(ii) servos liberaverunt.
(c) (i) canis cibum invenit.
They freed the slaves.
The dog found the food.
(ii) pecuniam invenimus.
We found the money.
The (i) sentences are easier, because they begin with a noun in the nominative case, telling you who did
something. In the (ii) sentences, you have to look at the verb-ending (-it, -erunt, -mus) to find out who did
something, rather than beginning with the first word, because the first word is not nominative but accusative; it
tells you who or what had something done to them.
Check
Several of the sentences in the inscription are of type (ii). If you feel comfortable with this type of sentence,
proceed to question 16. But if you feel the need for a little extra practice, try sentences (d)-(j). Refer to the
answers overleaf if necessary. If the verb-ending is 3rd person singular (-at, -it or -et), your translation can begin
with either “he” or “she”. Sentences (d), (e) and (f) are in the present tense:
(d) templum videmus.
(e) cenam parat.
(f) multas ancillas habet.
Sentences (g), (h), (i) and (j) are in the perfect tense:
(g) navem conspexit.
(h) multos leones interfecerunt.
(i) omnes servos punivi.
Sentence (j) is a shortened version of line 4 of the inscription. deilexit is an old spelling of the 3rd person
singular of the perfect tense of diligo, I love, and mareitum is an old spelling of maritum. Look at the whole of
sentence (j) before deciding whether he … or she … is the more likely translation.
(j) mareitum deilexit.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 5
16. What do the words suom mareitum deilexit (line 4) tell you about Claudia?
17. In what case are the words corde…souo, and what do they tell you about how much Claudia loved her
husband?
18. Notice the pattern formed by the word order of line 4 (omitting the verb in the middle):
accusative of suus : accusative noun : ablative noun
:
ablative of suus
The second half of the line corresponds to the first half; each consists of a noun described by suus, accusative
in the first half, ablative in the second. Does the word order of the second half repeat the order of the first, or
reverse it?
In the following examples, the pattern is the same as in line 4 of the inscription, but this time two key words in
the sentence are each used twice, the second time in reverse order.
(a) Fair is foul, and foul is fair. (Shakespeare)
(b) Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Bible)
(c) tous pour un, un pour tous. (All for one and one for all – Alexandre Dumas, the musketeers’ motto
in The Three Musketeers)
(d) I strove with none; for none was worth my strife. (W S Landor; “strife” corresponds to “strove”, just as
the second “none” corresponds to the first)
(e) Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. (President John F
Kennedy)
(f) Nice to see you; to see you, nice. (Bruce Forsyth)
Sometimes this word order can reflect the meaning of the words. In (b) above, the word order reflects the
reversed situation that it describes. In (c) above, the repetition emphasises the musketeers’ “team spirit”. But
in many examples, any link between meaning and word order is very much a matter of opinion. Often, a writer
might use this word order simply because the reader or listener enjoys recognising the pattern – just as s/he
might enjoy recognising the pattern of notes in a tune. Beginning and ending a line or sentence with the same
word can also be effective; for example, in line 4 of the inscription the placing of suom and souo means that the
two different cases of suus act as a “frame” for the rest of the line.
Optional note for experts: This word order is known as chiasmus. You can see how it got its name by writing out
the two halves of line 4 one above the other, omitting the verb deilexit:
suum
maritum
corde
suo
Draw one line joining the two nouns and another line joining the two parts of suus describing the nouns. Your
two lines will form the Greek letter “chi”, from which chiasmus got its name.
19. Translate lines 1-4.
Answers
15. (d) We see the temple.
(e) He (or she) prepares the dinner.
(f) She (or he) has many slave-girls.
(g) He (or she) caught sight of a ship.
(h) They killed many lions.
(i) I punished all the slaves.
(j) She loved her husband.
6 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 7
CIL 1.2.1211, Epitaph to Claudia - lines 5-8
gnatos duos creavit: horum alterum
in terra linquit, alium sub terra locat.
sermone lepido, tum autem incessu commodo,
domum servavit. lanam fecit. dixi. abei.
5
6
7
gnatus, gnati, m. - son
duo, duae, duo - two
creo, creare, creavi, creatus - bear, produce
hic, haec, hoc - this
alter, altera, alterum - the one, the other
in - on
terra, terrae, f. - earth
linquo, linquere, liqui - leave
alius, alia, aliud - the other, another
sub - under
terra, terrae, f. - earth
loco, locare, locavi, locatus - place
sermo, sermonis, m. - conversation
lepidus, lepida, lepidum - charming,
agreeable
tum - then, moreover
autem - indeed, and
8 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
5
8
incessus, incessus, m. - way of walking, gait
commodus, commoda, commodum - fine,
suitable
domus, domus, f. - house
servo, servare, servavi, servatus - look after
lana, lanae, f. - wool
facio, facere, feci, factus - make
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - speak
abeo, abire, abii - go on one’s way, go away,
leave
20. Read lines 5-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
21. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
22. Read lines 5-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
23. How many children did Claudia have (line 5)? What sex were they?
24. What case and number of hic is horum? (If stuck, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 19, paragraph 2.)
What is its literal translation?
(a) of this
(b) to these
(c) of these
25. Where is she leaving one of her sons? (If you are unsure whether to translate in as in or on or even above,
notice that it is being contrasted with sub terra later in the line.)
26. Where does she place the other one? (The present tense is rather unexpected. Perhaps it is used because the
son is still there, where his mother once placed him. But in English, has placed sounds more natural.)
27. In what case are both of the two noun+adjective phrases sermone lepido and incessu commodo (line 7)?
They both describe the way Claudia went about her life; this should help you to choose the most suitable of the
three commonest ways of translating this case (“by”, ”with” and “from”).
28. How are Claudia’s conversation and movement described?
29. incessu commodo is a puzzling phrase. incessus is literally way of walking, but it could apply to movement
generally. commodus often means suitable, but perhaps here it particularly means suitable for a Roman lady.
Suggestions include ladylike style and dignified manner; you may be able to think of other translations that you prefer.
30. According to line 8, what two things did Claudia do? The second item may surprise you, but it is something
mentioned in many epitaphs on Roman wives. It was traditionally regarded as one of the most important
responsibilities of a Roman housewife, like those mentioned in the first halves of lines 5 and 8.
Like cooking and cleaning for housewives in later times, it was a task that could be lengthy. It could also restrict
the wife’s opportunities for going out; a loom was not something she could tuck under her arm and take with her
on a visit to a friend. Spinning could be done sitting down, but weaving involved continuous walking back and forth.
31. Which is the most suitable way to translate dixi in line 8, I said, I spoke, I have spoken or That’s all?
32. What was the hospes told to do in line 1? What is he told at the end of line 8? Which of the following
translations best suits the mood of the inscription and the way in which the hospes has been spoken to?
(a) Off you go.
(b) Clear off.
(c) Go away.
(d) Go on your way.
Can you suggest a better translation of your own?
33. Check your translation of the complete inscription.
34. For what qualities is Claudia praised? Which (if any) of these qualities might be mentioned in a present-day
epitaph or funeral speech over a dead wife and mother?
35. Which details of the inscription give you the most vivid impression of Claudia?
36. Who would be a likely composer of this inscription? If it is Claudia’s widower, why does he not use ego or a 1stperson singular verb-ending, except when he says dico and dixi to the passer-by? Are we meant to think of the
tomb itself uttering the words?
37* (suitable for group discussion) To what extent, if any, do you agree with either of the following opinions of the
epitaph? Support your view by quoting from the Latin.
“Dry, curt and unemotional. If Claudia’s widower is the author, he doesn’t seem to have cared much for her. Line
4 mentions Claudia’s heartfelt love for him, but there’s no mention of his love for her.”
“Plain, simple and dignified. The straightforward style, including the naïve instructions to the passer-by, is attractive,
and gives a stronger impression of deep feeling than would be given by a wild outburst of dramatic lamentation.”
38* How should the epitaph be read aloud? Solemnly, gruffly, passionately, deadpan, or none of these? If you can do
so without disturbing other people, experiment with different ways of reading either the first four lines or the last
four. The metre moves slowly, without much variety; you may feel this is appropriate for the subject-matter of the
inscription.
39. Can the inscription be described as “totally plain and simple?” (See, for example, lines 2 and 4.)
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 9
Cicero, ad Att. 5.1, Letter to his friend Atticus - lines 1-4
nihil vidi tam mite, nihil tam placidum quam
meus frater illo die erat in sororem tuam. si
fuerat offensio ex ratione sumptus, non
apparuit.
1
2
nihil, n. - nothing
video, videre, vidi, visus - see
tam - so, as
mitis, mite - mild, gentle
nihil, n. - nothing
tam - so, as
placidus, placida, placidum - gentle, calm
quam - as; than
meus, mea, meum - my
frater, fratris, m. - brother
ille, illa, illud - that
dies, diei, m. - day
sum, esse, fui - be
in - to, towards, in relation to; in
soror, sororis, f. - sister
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
si - if
10 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
sum, esse, fui - be
offensio, offensionis, f. - offence, resentment
ex - caused by, as a result of; out of
ratio, rationis, f. - calculation
sumptus, sumptus, m. - expenditure
non - not
appareo, apparere, apparui - be apparent
Follow your teacher's guidance over which notes to use and which questions to answer. The more time you have
with your teacher, the more questions can be ignored.
This is part of a letter written in 51 B.C. by the famous orator Cicero to his lifelong friend Atticus. Cicero’s younger
brother Quintus had married Atticus’ sister Pomponia. The incident related in this extract seems to be unfortunately
typical of the nature of their marriage.
It’s convenient to refer to the writer of this letter as Cicero, the name by which he is normally known, and describe
his brother as Quintus. Strictly speaking, of course, they were both called Cicero: Marcus Tullius Cicero and Quintus
Tullius Cicero.
Check
1.
Read lines 1-4 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary for these lines.
3.
Read lines 1-4 (or listen to the audio) again.
4. (i)
(ii)
Pick out and translate the two adjectives in line 1 which Cicero uses to describe his brother. Do not worry
at this point about the fact that they do not have masculine endings.
Translate this version of lines 1-2; tam is conveniently translated as as. Refer to the foot of the page if
necessary.
nihil erat tam mite quam meus frater.
(iii) Translate a longer version of lines 1-2. Take care over the correct translation of the personal ending of vidi
(“I”, “you”, “he”, “we” or “they”?). Refer to the foot of the page if necessary.
nihil vidi tam mite, nihil tam placidum quam meus frater erat.
(iv) Finally, translate the whole of lines 1-2. illo die tells you when Cicero’s brother behaved in this way, and in
sororem tuam tells you to whom he was behaving. If you are not clear whose sister is being referred to,
look back to the introduction at the top of this page.
5.
The day mentioned by Cicero is the day on which he, Quintus, Pomponia and various friends, relatives and
officials were together at Cicero’s estate at Arpinum, on the eve of Cicero’s departure for the province of Cilicia
at the north-east corner of the Mediterranean. Cicero was to govern Cilicia for a year; Quintus and some of the
others were going to accompany him.
6. What tense of sum is fuerat (line 3)? If in doubt, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, foot of page 40. If you
compare sum with the verbs on page 29, paragraph 5, you will see that sum forms this tense exactly as they
do; it starts as if it were a perfect tense (beginning with fu-, just as the other verbs start with portav-, docu-,
trax- and audiv-) and then adds -eram, -eras, -erat, etc.
7.
Pick out and translate the nominative singular noun in line 3 which tells you what unpleasant feeling had
perhaps existed.
8. What might have caused any unpleasant feeling, according to line 3? (ex has an unusual meaning; the
vocabulary suggests caused by and as a result of.)
9. Was the unpleasant feeling (if it ever existed) still obvious when the party gathered together? Quote and
translate the word, or pair of words (lines 3-4), which tells you this.
10. Cicero is writing about something he had already discussed with Atticus, so he omits various details which
were familiar to both of them. Can you work out whether Quintus is supposed to have been resentful towards
Pomponia, or Pomponia resentful towards Quintus? Lines 1-2 give you a clue.
11. If resentment had been caused over money (ex ratione sumptus, line 3), do you think that one partner in the
marriage had accused the other of overspending, or underspending? (This can only be guesswork, but you may
feel that one situation is more likely than the other.)
12. Translate lines 1-4.
Answers
4.
(ii) Nothing was as mild as my brother.
(iii) I have seen (or saw) nothing as mild, nothing as gentle as my brother was.
(mite and placidum have neuter endings because they describe the neuter noun nihil.)
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 11
Cicero, Letter to his friend Atticus - lines 4-8
postridie Arpino profecti sumus et
prandimus in Arcano. humanissime Quintus
‘Pomponia’ inquit ‘tu invita mulieres, ego viros
arcessam.’ nihil potuit dulcius, non modo verbis
sed etiam animo ac vultu.
4
5
6
postridie - the next day
Arpinum, Arpini, n. - Arpinum, a town in Latium
proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum - set out
et - and
prandeo, prandere, prandi, pransus - have
lunch
in - in
Arcanum, Arcani, n. - Arcanum (Quintus’
estate near Arx)
humane - considerately, politely
Quintus, Quinti, m. - Quintus, Cicero’s brother
Pomponia, Pomponiae, f. - Pomponia, wife
of Quintus
inquit - says, said
tu, tui - you (singular)
invito, invitare, invitavi, invitatus - invite
mulier, mulieris, f. - woman
ego, mei - I, me
vir, viri, m. - man
12 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
7
8
5
arcesso, arcessere, arcessivi, arcessitus summon
nihil, n. - nothing
possum, posse, potui - can, be able
dulcis, dulce - sweet, pleasant, charming
non modo ... sed etiam - not only ... but also
verbum, verbi, n. - word
non modo ... sed etiam - not only ... but also
animus, animi, m. - character, disposition,
spirit
ac - and
vultus, vultus, m. - expression
13. Read lines 4-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
14. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
15. Read lines 4-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
16. What is the correct translation of profecti sumus (line 4)?
(a) I set out
(b) we set out
(c) they set out
If you are not confident about the perfect tense of deponent verbs such as proficiscor, see the Cambridge Latin
Grammar page 37, paragraph 2. The perfect participles conatus (having tried), veritus (having feared), etc. join
up with the present tense of sum to make conatus sum (I am having tried, i.e. I have tried), veritus sum (I am
having feared, i.e. I have feared), etc.
conatus sum, veritus sum, etc. can also be translated without the word “have”, e.g., I tried, I feared, etc. It may
seem odd that the present tense of sum is used to form a past tense; the reason is that the participle next to it
(conatus, veritus, etc.) is a perfect participle; the participle is the thing which makes conatus sum, etc. into a
past tense.
17. When did Cicero and the others set out (line 4)?
18. Where did they set out from? (Refer to the place in its nominative form, which was used in question 5 and in the
vocabulary.)
19. Optional note for those who are not sure how Latin indicates movement from a place:
From a named town (or small island)
From anywhere else
(ablative used without preposition)
(ablative used with a, ab, e or ex)
Roma
from Rome
ab oppido
from the town
Pompeiis
Antio
from Pompeii
from Antium
ex Graecia
e silva
from Greece
from the wood
Salamine
from Salamis
ab Illyrico
from Illyricum
Can you work out from this, and from line 4, whether Arpinum was a town or a country?
20. Where did the party have lunch (line 5)?
21. Who did Quintus speak to when the party reached his estate (lines 5-6)?
22. In what tone of voice, according to Cicero, did Quintus speak to her?
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 13
23. What did Quintus ask Pomponia to do, and what did he himself intend to do, when assembling the guests for
lunch? (If you are not sure about the tense and personal ending of arcessam, see the Cambridge Latin
Grammar page 28, paragraph 1, third conjugation.) When Quintus divides the arrangements between host and
hostess in this way, he is following usual Roman practice.
24. Is humanissime (line 5) an ordinary adverb, a comparative adverb, or a superlative adverb? Why do you think
Cicero chose this form of the adverb and placed it at the beginning of the sentence?
Check
25. (i) Translate this example of a sentence containing a comparative adjective. Refer to the foot of the page if
necessary.
nihil erat ingentius quam amphitheatrum.
If you are puzzled by the ending of ingentius, notice what 4 (iii) above says about the gender of nihil, and
study the endings of latior in the Cambridge Latin Grammar page 16, paragraph 1.
(ii) Translate this adapted version of the start of Cicero’s comment in line 7:
nihil potuit dulcius esse quam verba Quinti.
Refer to the foot of the page if necessary.
(iii) Finally, translate Cicero’s words: nihil potuit dulcius.
Translate potuit exactly as you translated potuit esse in (ii) above, and notice that Cicero doesn’t need
to add quam verba Quinti because it would be obvious to Atticus whose behaviour was being described as
charming.
It is also possible to regard potuit as short for potuit dicere, he could have said …
26. Pick out the three nouns in the ablative case in lines 7-8 which indicate the three ways in which Quintus was
being charming. Translate each of them appropriately; the ablative can be conveniently translated as “in”. Aim
to make the meanings of animus and vultus as clear as possible. (Hint: English sentences such as “It’s not just
what he said, it’s how he said it” and “You could tell from one look at her that she was lying”, although they don’t
contain suitable translations, could give you some idea of what Cicero means.)
27. Translate lines 4-8.
Answers
25. (i) Nothing was more huge than the amphitheatre.
(iii) Nothing could be (or could have been) more charming than Quintus’ words.
14 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 15
Cicero, Letter to his friend Atticus - lines 8-11
at illa, audientibus
nobis, ‘ego ipsa sum’ inquit ‘hic hospita’ – id ex
hac causa, ut opinor, quod antecesserat Statius ut
prandium nobis curaret!
8
9
at - but, yet
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
audio, audire, audivi, auditus - hear
nos - we, us
ego, mei - I, me
ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
sum, esse, fui - be
inquit - says, said
hic - here
hospita, hospitae, f. - guest
is, ea, id - he, she, it; that
ex - for; out of
16 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
10
11
10
hic, haec, hoc - this
causa, causae, f. - reason, cause
ut - as; so that
opinor, opinari, opinatus sum - think, believe
quod - because
antecedo, antecedere, antecessi, antecessus
- go on ahead, go before, precede
Statius, Statii, m. - Statius
ut - in order to
prandium, prandii, n. - lunch
nos - we, us
curo, curare, curavi - take care of
28. Read lines 8-11 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
29. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
30. Read lines 8-11 (or listen to the audio) again.
31. at (line 8) and sed can both be translated as but. However, at is the stronger word. Cicero uses it here to
introduce an unexpected reaction to Quintus’s words.
32. Who is illa (line 8)?
33. What does she say about herself (line 9)? (hic is an adverb meaning here.)
34. Translate the ablative absolute phrase audientibus nobis (lines 8-9), first literally (with us …), then in natural
English, e.g. in our ….
35. Which two of the following explanations for Pomponia’s remark are true?
(a) she has forgotten that she is the mistress of the house
(b) she is being sarcastic when she calls herself a hospita
(c) she is flustered by the need to organise lunch
(d) she wants to make it clear to Quintus that she has no intention of doing what he has asked her
36. Which of the following is the literal translation of Pomponia’s words, and which translation best conveys the tone
of her remark?
(a) Oh, I’m only a guest here
(b) Even I am a guest here
(c) I myself am a guest here
37. Read Pomponia’s Latin words aloud, in private if you prefer. Aim to reproduce the tone of voice in which she
spoke to Quintus.
38. Why does Cicero include audientibus nobis in his report of Pomponia’s remarks? Do the words suggest that he
is criticising her? If so, what is his criticism?
39. It isn’t completely obvious why Pomponia replied so sharply to Quintus’ words. She may have thought “I don’t
need to be taught how to assemble guests” or perhaps she felt that as mistress of the house she should have
been giving instructions to Quintus, not the other way round. But Cicero thinks there was another reason, and he
gives it in lines 9-11.
40. Translate id in line 9 as if it were id dixit (she said this) or id ortum est (this arose, from orior, I arise), just as
potuit (could) in line 7 was translated as if it were potuit esse (could have been) or potuit dicere (could have
said). dixit (or ortum est) is omitted from line 9, just as esse (or dicere) was omitted in line 7. In the same
way, English can miss words out by saying (e.g.) “No trouble” instead of “It’ll be no trouble”, or “Supper in oven”
instead of “Your supper is in the oven”.
41. id (this) refers to Pomponia’s sharp remark in line 9. Build up the translation of the next part of the sentence bit
by bit:
(i) Cicero says “she said this” or “this arose” ex hac causa (lines 9-10). Translate ex hac causa.
(ii) What is the literal translation of ut opinor (line 10) (as I …)? Find a more natural translation (e.g. in
my …).
(iii) In this particular sentence, is because or that the more natural translation of quod?
(iv) Check your translation of id ex hac causa, ut opinor, quod …
42. In Cicero’s opinion, who was the real cause of the trouble (line 10)? What had he done (line 10) and for what
purpose?
43. Statius had been Quintus’ slave and was now his freedman. Quintus gave him a great deal of responsibility too much, in Cicero’s opinion. When Quintus had been a provincial governor in Asia Minor eight years earlier,
Statius had offended people by seeming to have more influence over Quintus than was appropriate for an exslave.
44. The Roman attitude to the roles of husband and wife was, roughly speaking, that everything within the house,
such as the cooking of food, the making and cleaning of clothes, and the care of young children, was done
either by the wife personally or (in wealthy households) by slaves under the wife’s direction; everything
outside the house, such as making a living or participating in politics, was “man’s business”. But many couples
must have had to work out for themselves how the details of this division of labour were to be sorted out. An
unhappy marriage provided many opportunities for arguments on the lines of “That’s my job”, “No, it’s mine”, or
sometimes “That’s your job”, “No, it’s yours”.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 17
45* If Cicero is right in saying that Statius’ actions were the reason for Pomponia’s peevishness, this might have
been because Pomponia felt that Statius should take orders about meals from her, not from her husband. Or
she might have felt that Statius had no business at all to be organising the lunch: she was the one who should
have gone ahead and directed the slaves. Does either of these two explanations seem to you the likely cause
of Pomponia’s bad temper? Or do you prefer a different explanation? (There is no official “right answer” to this
question.)
46. Translate lines 8-11.
18 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 19
Cicero, ad Att. 5.1, Letter to his friend Atticus - lines 11-14
tum Quintus ‘en’ inquit mihi
‘haec ego patior cotidie.’ hac re ego ipse
magnopere motus sum; sic illa absurde et aspere
verbis vultuque responderat.
11
12
tum - then
Quintus, Quinti, m. - Quintus, Cicero’s
brother
en - see!
inquit - says, said
ego, mei - I, me
hic, haec, hoc - this
ego, mei - I, me
patior, pati, passus sum - endure
cotidie - every day
hic, haec, hoc - this
res, rei, f. - event, thing, business
ego, mei - I, me
ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
20 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
13
14
magnopere - very much, greatly
moveo, movere, movi, motus - bother, move
sic - so, thus
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
absurde - harshly, senselessly,
inappropriately
et - and
aspere - bitterly, harshly, severely
verbum, verbi, n. - word
vultus, vultus, m. - expression
-que - and
respondeo, respondere, respondi, responsus
- respond, reply
47. Read lines 11-14 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
48. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
49. Read lines 11-14 (or listen to the audio) again.
50. Who did Quintus speak to, and what does his first word mean (line 11)?
51. What are the cases of ego and haec (line 12)?
52. What does Quintus say he has to do every day?
53. What is Quintus referring to by the word haec?
54. Which of these is the most natural translation of haec ego patior?
(a) I put up with this
(b) This is what I put up with
55. According to Cicero, what was his own feeling about what had just happened (lines 12-13)? (If you are puzzled
by motus, it is the perfect passive participle of a verb beginning mo-.)
You may think it odd that the present tense of sum is used here to form a past tense; the reason is that the
participle next to sum (motus) is a perfect participle having been upset. The participle is what makes motus
sum, etc. into a past tense (I am having been upset, i.e. “I have been upset” or I was upset). For more examples
of the way the perfect participle is used with parts of sum to show that something was done, or has been done,
see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 31, paragraphs 2 and 3.
You met a slightly different example of this in line 4 (profecti sumus) where the participle was from a deponent
verb and so had a perfect active meaning (having set out); motus is not from a deponent verb and so it has a
perfect passive meaning (having been upset).
56. Why does Cicero add ipse to ego in recounting his distress (line 12)?
(a) he is emphasising that he was upset even though he is normally very relaxed and laid-back
(b) he is emphasising that he was upset even though he was not the person to whom Pomponia was
being rude.
57. What is the case of hac re (line 12)? Which is the most suitable way of translating it, by, with or from? Make
your mind up what Cicero is referring to by hac re before you choose a translation of res (“thing” won’t do!).
58. Who is illa (line 13)?
59. What two particular criticisms does Cicero make of the way Pomponia had replied to Quintus (lines 13-14)?
What else, apart from her words, had aroused Cicero’s disapproval? Can you visualise her vultus at that
moment? (Suggest a TV actress who would be good at demonstrating Pomponia’s vultus. If you enjoy acting,
can you demonstrate the vultus yourself?)
60. Translate lines 11-14.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 21
Cicero, ad Att. 5.1, Letter to his friend Atticus - lines 14-18
itaque discubuimus
omnes praeter illam. Quintus ei aliquid de
mensa misit, quod tamen illa reiecit. quid multa?
nihil meo fratre lenius, nihil asperius tua sorore
mihi visum est; et multa similia praetereo.
14
15
16
itaque - and so
discumbo, discumbere, discubui, discubitus recline at table
omnis, omne - all, every
praeter - except, apart from
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
Quintus, Quinti, m. - Quintus, Cicero’s brother
is, ea, id - he, she, it
aliquis, aliquid - someone, something
de - from
mensa, mensae, f. - table
mitto, mittere, misi, missus - send
qui, quae, quod - who, which
tamen - however
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
reicio, reicere, reieci, reiectus - refuse, reject
quid? - why?
multus, multa, multum - many
22 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
17
18
15
nihil, n. - nothing
meus, mea, meum - my
frater, fratris, m. - brother
lenis, lene - mild, gentle
nihil, n. - nothing
asper, aspera, asperum - prickly, harsh,
severe
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
soror, sororis, f. - sister
ego, mei - I, me
videor, videri, visus sum - seem
et - and
multus, multa, multum - many
similis, simile - similar
praetereo, praeterire, praeterii - pass over,
omit
61. Read lines 14-18 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
62. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
63. Read lines 14-18 (or listen to the audio) again.
64. What did everybody (except one person) do (lines 14-15)?
65. How can you tell from the ending of discubuimus (line 14) that Cicero was one of the people who had places
around the lunch table?
66. Who was illam (line 15)?
67. How did Quintus try to coax Pomponia into a better mood (lines 15-16)?
68. What was her response (line 16)?
69. quid multa? (line16) is short for quid multa dicam? and is used when the speaker or writer expresses himself
briefly instead of speaking (or continuing to speak) at length. The literal meaning would be “Why [should I say]
many things?”. Two convenient English translations are in short and to sum up. You may be able to think of other
translations which you prefer.
70. (i) In lines 17-18, Cicero makes two comparisons involving the word nihil. You may find it helpful to begin by
checking your translation of two previous sentences in which he used nihil in a very similar way:
nihil vidi tam mite, nihil tam placidum quam meus frater (lines 1-2)
nihil potuit dulcius (line7).
(ii) Translate this simplified version of lines 17-18:
nihil erat lenius quam meus frater
nihil erat asperius quam tua soror
If you are bothered by the endings of lenius and asperius, look back at the explanation in 25(i).
(iii) Now translate the actual words of lines 17-18, in which Cicero uses visum est (3rd person singular of the
perfect tense of videor, seem) instead of erat. The ablatives meo fratre and tua sorore mean exactly the
same as quam meus frater and quam tua soror.
nihil meo fratre lenius (short for nihil meo fratre lenius visum est)
nihil asperius tua sorore visum est
71. The way the ablative is used in line 17 is described as the ablative of comparison. It is quite common for the
ablative to be used in this way instead of quam. Study this pair of sentences, which both have the same
translation:
Publius est stultior quam Sextus = Publius est stultior Sexto
Check your translation if necessary by referring to the foot of the page.
The literal meaning of the ablative in the second sentence is Publius is stupider from [i.e. measuring from]
Sextus. Sextus is the standard or starting-point or baseline from which Publius’ stupidity is measured.
72. Which person of the verb (“I”, “you”, ”he”, etc.) is praetereo (line 18)? Does this help you to decide whether
multa similia is nominative plural or accusative plural? How does Cicero answer the possible criticism: “You’re
being very unfair to Pomponia; all this is only about a single incident”?
73. The rest of the letter goes on to say that Pomponia refused to sleep with Quintus that night and that when
Quintus left for his year abroad with Cicero in Cilicia (leaving Pomponia behind, as was the normal custom at
this time for the wives of governors’ staffs) Pomponia had behaved in the same way on parting as she had at
lunch at Arce.
74. Translate lines 14-18.
75. Cicero is writing a private letter, not a legal or political speech. But he is anxious to persuade Atticus of his point
of view, just as his speeches were intended to persuade a jury in court, or the senators or citizens of Rome. So
he uses words in ways that will put his case as effectively as possible. For example:
(i) If a writer or speaker begins two or more sentences, or sections of sentences, with the same word
or phrase, he can emphasise a key-word effectively and make his argument or narrative easier to follow.
One example occurs in a war-time speech by Winston Churchill: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall
fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and streets, we shall fight in the hills.” Find two
examples in Cicero’s letter, one at the beginning and one at the end, where he uses the repetition of a
single word (the same repeated word in each example) to emphasise that Pomponia had nothing to
complain of. (Quintus had a bad temper, which may explain Cicero’s eagerness to stress that on this
occasion, at least, he had not done anything to provoke Pomponia. On a previous occasion early in the
marriage, when Cicero felt that Quintus was to blame for a quarrel with Pomponia, he had expressed his
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 23
view strongly to both Quintus and Atticus.)
(ii) Repeated use of an initial letter is another way of drawing the listener’s attention to a particular point. (Take
an English example: which is more striking and memorable, “Look before you leap” or “Look before you
jump”?) Find the three pairs of words in lines 13-14, where each word in the pair has the same initial letter;
one pair was used earlier, in lines 6 and 7, with a gap between the two relevant words. In lines 13-14, do
you find any particular pair of words less (or more) striking and colourful than the other pairs? (There is no
official “right answer” to the last question.)
(iii) In line 17, find a two-word phrase which corresponds to meo fratre and two comparative adverbs which
contrast with each other. The two contrasting adverbs are placed close to each other, separated by only one
word, but the two two-word phrases are more widely separated, resulting in the following word-order:
1st phrase : 1st adverb
::
2nd adverb : 2nd phrase
Read the line aloud. Does the word-order have no effect, or does it please the ear of the listener, or
emphasise the double contrasts between the two phrases and the two adverbs? (There is no official “right
answer” to this question. For more examples of this word order, see Epitaph to Claudia, question 18, and
also line 2 of Cicero, Letter to his friend Atticus.)
76* It seems from another part of Cicero’s letter, not included here, that Atticus had previously said to Cicero “You
ought to drop a hint to your brother about the way he behaves to Pomponia”. Cicero is now replying to Atticus
that Quintus is not the only partner in the marriage who needs a hint about behaviour! How tactfully or tactlessly
does he say this? If you had been in Atticus’ position, would you have been offended by the tone of Cicero’s
remarks?
77. In spite of the unhappy marriage of Cicero’s brother and Atticus’ sister, which somehow staggered on for twentyfive years before ending in divorce, Cicero and Atticus themselves remained close friends until Cicero’s death.
Atticus seems to have had the knack of getting on well with everyone – even Pomponia. Information about
Cicero’s own (two) marriages can be found through the internet or in a reference book.
78* To whom do you feel more sympathetic, Quintus or Pomponia? Give reasons for your opinion.
79* Lines 5-14 (humanissime … responderat) would be suitable for reading (and possible recording) by a group.
Two readers might split Cicero’s narrative between them, while two more read the words of Quintus and
Pomponia. If the readers were to learn their words by heart (which is easier than it sounds, if the text has been
understood), the quality of the “performance” is likely to improve, and the readers’ understanding of the text (e.g.
for examination purposes) will be much more secure.
Answers
71. Publius is stupider than Sextus.
24 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 25
Catullus, Poem 5 - lines 1-6
vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
1
2
3
vivo, vivere, vixi - live
meus, mea, meum - my
Lesbia, Lesbiae, f. - Lesbia
atque - and
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
rumor, rumoris, m. - rumour
-que - and
senex, senis, m. - old man
severus, severa, severum - strict, severe
omnis, omne - all
unus, una, unum - a single, one
aestimo, aestimare, aestimavi, aestimatus value, consider worth
as, assis, m. - as (smallest Roman coin)
26 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
5
4
5
6
sol, solis, m. - sun
occido, occidere, occidi - set; die
et - and
redeo, redire, redii - rise again, come back
possum, posse, potui - can, be able
nos - we, us
cum - when
semel - once
occido, occidere, occidi - fall, set, die
brevis, breve - brief
lux, lucis, f. - light
nox, noctis, f. - night, darkness
sum, esse, fui - be
perpetuus, perpetua, perpetuum everlasting, unending
unus, una, unum - one, a single
dormio, dormire, dormivi - spend asleep,
sleep
The poems of Catullus, who lived in the 1st century BC, include several which address (or refer to) a girl whose
identity he hides under the name “Lesbia”. Most scholars, but not all, believe that the real “Lesbia” was a lady
named Clodia, who came from a distinguished family and was married to an equally distinguished husband named
Metellus. Clodia’s lifestyle was colourful and notorious; Catullus was certainly not her only lover.
Some readers of Catullus believe that the poems faithfully reflect the ups and downs of the Catullus-Clodia
relationship in real life, almost as if they were Catullus’ autobiography. Other readers believe that it is impossible to
tell whether (or how far) the poetry is based on “what actually happened”. The order of the poems tells us nothing
about the order of events; they are mostly organised (by Catullus himself or someone else) not according to their
content but by grouping together poems of similar length and metre. So the poem in this section is known as Poem
5 because it is the fifth poem in the collection; it does not mean that it was one of Catullus’ earliest.
His choice of the name “Lesbia” refers to the Greek poetess Sappho, who lived on the Greek island of Lesbos more
than five centuries earlier. Her poetry, of which only a few fragments remain, contains a number of love poems
addressed to other women, and the word “Lesbian”, which originally meant only “inhabitant of Lesbos”, is now also
used to refer to a woman physically attracted to her own sex. When Catullus gave Clodia the name “Lesbia”, he was
of course not suggesting that Clodia was attracted to other women (hardly a promising chat-up line for a man to use
to a girl he is interested in). He could be implying that as well as being attractive Clodia was clever and sophisticated
enough to appreciate the details of his love poetry (for example, smart enough to pick up any allusions to poems by
Sappho or other Greek poets). Or he may be comparing Clodia’s physical charms to the beauty of the girls to whom
Sappho addressed her poems.
The technical term for this poem’s metre is “hendecasyllabic”, meaning that there are eleven syllables in each line.
1.
Read lines 1-6 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary for these lines.
3.
Read lines 1-6 (or listen to the audio) again.
4. Who is line 1 addressed to?
5. What is the meaning of the ending -mus in vivamus, amemus (line 1) and aestimemus (line 3)? (I, you, he, we
or they?)
6. What two things does he say Lesbia and he should do (line 1)?
7. What does he mean by live? Does he just mean keep breathing?
8.
If you know why vivamus and amemus mean Let us … and not We …, proceed to question 9. If you are
unsure, study the following note:
Most examples you meet of the present tense are examples of the present indicative. But vivamus and
amemus are examples of the present subjunctive. You may have met the subjunctive before, especially its
imperfect and pluperfect tenses, and know that it is used in many different ways. One use of the present
subjunctive is to give an order (or an encouragement or suggestion) and include oneself in the order. For
example:
curramus!
Let’s run! (Compare the present indicative currimus: We run.)
iterum pugnemus! Let us fight again! (iterum pugnamus: We fight again.)
This use of the subjunctive is known as the “jussive” subjunctive, from the verb iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussus,
order.
To see the present subjunctive of verbs in all four conjugations (porto, doceo, traho and audio) written out in
full, and to contrast it with the “ordinary” present indicative, compare the Cambridge Latin Grammar page 32
paragraph 1, present tense, with the Cambridge Latin Grammar page 28 paragraph 1, present tense. (Ignore
the passive endings on pages 33 and 29, for the moment.) You will see that the present subjunctive of one
conjugation is formed in a different way from the others. Which is the odd one out? In what way is it different?
9. What is the third thing which Catullus says he and Lesbia should do (line 3)? Do not worry about the fact that the
sense of the sentence is not yet complete.
10. In lines 2-3, find a noun and adjective in the accusative plural which tell you what Catullus and Lesbia ought to
put a value on, according to Catullus.
11. Whose rumours (or gossip or disapproval) are they to value? When translating severiorum, bear in mind that
a comparative adjective like gravior can mean not only heavier but also heavier than average (i.e. particularly
heavy), or heavier than is right (i.e. too heavy, over-heavy).
12. Who have the senes severiores evidently been criticising in their rumores?
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 27
13. The words unius … assis (line 3) are both in the genitive case. (unus forms its genitive in an unusual way.) The
Romans used the genitive to show the value of something. For example:
milites honorem pluris quam vitam ipsam aestimant.
The soldiers consider their honour of more value than life itself.
Or, in more natural English:
The soldiers value their honour more than life itself.
What value does Catullus say he and Lesbia should place on the rumores? Explain what he means by this.
(Hint: was the as a very valuable coin?)
14. Check your translation of lines 1-3 and re-read lines 4-6. Find two words in lines 5-6 which are similar in length
and have opposite meanings. Where has Catullus placed them in relation to each other?
15. In line 4, find and translate a noun in the nominative plural. What does Catullus say these things are able to do?
16. There is only one sun. Why does Catullus use sol in the plural?
17. In lines 5-6, Catullus draws a contrast. He has described what the sun does, but in line 5 he uses a pronoun in
the dative case (“for …”) to say that for some people, the situation is different. Find and translate the word in the
dative case.
18. In line 5, find a noun-and-adjective pair in the nominative singular. Translate it. You may find it helpful to include
“our” in your translation, because “we” were referred to by the word nobis at the start of the line.
19. What two actions can be carried out by the thing described as brevis lux (line 5), and how often?
20. What does Catullus mean by our light?
(a) life
(b) the oil lamp in his and Lesbia’s room
(c) the sun
21. Catullus says that lux (line 5) perishes semel (once, once and for all). Is lux being contrasted with anything in
line 4 which perishes and returns repeatedly?
Check
22. If you are comfortable with gerundives, translate line 6. (You may find it useful to translate dormire here not
just as to sleep but as to spend in sleep, to sleep through.) If you need help, study the following examples of
gerundives:
flammae sunt exstinguendae.
The flames must be put out. (literally the flames are needing-to-be-put-out)
pecunia est reddenda.
The money must be given back.
What would the following sentences mean?
(a) cibus est parandus.
(b) epistulae sunt mittendae.
(c) nuntius est ad regem ducendus.
Now translate a short version of line 6:
nox est dormienda. (For the meaning of dormire, see the start of this note (3.22).)
23. In lines 5-6, how does Catullus emphasise the sudden way in which life is replaced by death? If you are puzzled,
your answer to 3.14 may help you.
24* Who do you think are meant by nobis in line 5?
(a) all human beings
(b) Catullus and Lesbia
(c) all human beings, but Catullus and Lesbia in particular
There is no official “right answer” to this question.
25. What is the connection between line 1 and lines 4-6? Is there also a connection between 2-3 and 4-6? Could 4-6
be regarded as a possible reply to the comments of the senes severiores? There is no official “right answer” to
the last question.
26. Translate lines 1-6.
Answers
22. (a) Food must be prepared.
(b) Letters must be sent.
(c) The messenger must be led to the king.
28 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 29
Catullus, Poem 5 - lines 7-9
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
7
8
do, dare, dedi, datus - give
ego, mei - I, me
basium, basii, n. - kiss
mille - a thousand
deinde - then
centum - a hundred
dein - then
mille - a thousand
alter, altera, alterum - another
dein - then
secundus, secunda, secundum - second
centum - a hundred
30 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
9
deinde - then
usque - continuously, without a break
alter, altera, alterum - another
mille - a thousand
deinde - then
centum - a hundred
27. Read lines 7-9 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
28. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
29. Read lines 7-9 again.
30. What does Catullus ask Lesbia to do in line 7….?
31. … and in line 8 …?
32. … and in line 9? What is the total number so far?
33. Translate lines 7-9, then re-read them aloud. After doing this once or twice, are you able to accelerate gradually
as you progress from the start of line 7 to the end of line 9. Do you find that acceleration suits the meaning and
mood of the lines?
34. Does one of the following sound odder than the other? If so, which one?
(a) “Give me a thousand kisses, my love.”
(b) “Give me one thousand and one hundred kisses, my love.”
If one is odder than the other, what makes it odd?
35. What number was mentioned in line 6 (and line 3), which contrasts strongly with the huge numbers piled up in
lines 7-9?
36. What does Catullus indicate by these numbers?
(a) they are the exact number of times he and Lesbia should kiss
(b) he and Lesbia should keep their feelings under control, “rationing” their love because Lesbia was a
married woman
(c) their exchange of kisses should be passionate and unrestrained
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 31
Catullus, Poem 5 - lines 10-13
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus,
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.
10
11
dein - then
cum - when
milia, n. - thousands
multi, multae, multa - many
facio, facere, feci, factus - make
conturbo, conturbare, conturbavi,
conturbatus - mix up
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
ne - so that ... not
scio, scire, scivi - know
32 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
10
12
13
aut - or
ne - so that ... not
quis, quid - someone, anyone
malus, mala, malum - evil, bad
invideo, invidere, invidi - be jealous, envy
possum, posse, potui - can, be able
cum - when
tantus, tanta, tantum - so many, such a lot (of)
scio, scire, scivi - know
sum, esse, fui - be
basium, basii, n. - kiss
37. Read lines 10-13 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
38. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
39. Read lines 10-13 (or listen to the audio) again.
40. Catullus continues to pretend that he and Lesbia are keeping count. What does he say they will have done by
the end of line 10? There are several ways of translating fecerimus: for example, “reached…”, “achieved…”,
“made up a total of…”.
41. When they have reached the total mentioned in line 10, what does Catullus say he and Lesbia will do with them
(line 11)?
42* What does Catullus mean by “mixing up the numbers”?
(a) he and Lesbia will stop counting
(b) they will deliberately lose count
(c) they will stop kissing
(d) they will become even more unrestrained
Might he mean more than one of these alternatives?
43. One purpose of “mixing up the numbers” is that two people in particular will be left in ignorance of something.
Who are the two people? (If stuck, look again at the ending of sciamus.) What will they not know? (Your answer
to question 41 may help.)
44. Line 11 may be linked to a superstition that it is unwise to calculate exactly how lucky or successful you have
been, especially if you mention it aloud. If someone says “I’ve scored a goal in every match we’ve played”, or
“I’ve made exactly £32,527 on this deal” s/he might be regarded as “asking for trouble” or “tempting providence”.
Another possible explanation of line 11 is that if even Catullus and Lesbia themselves do not know these
intimate details, neither can anyone else; this leads naturally to what is said in lines 12-13.
45. Find and translate the word in line 12 which refers to the person feared by Catullus. What does he want to
prevent this person from being able to do? The glossary gives two translations of the verb whose infinitive
appears in line 12; both are possible, for a reason which will appear in question 50.
Check 46. If you are comfortable with indirect statements, proceed to 3.47. If you need some help, look at the following
examples:
(a) (i) direct statement: “est leo in silva.” (“There is a lion in the wood.”)
(ii) indirect statement: puella scit esse leonem in silva. (The girl knows a lion to be in the wood or,
more naturally, The girl knows that there is a
lion in the wood.)
In the indirect statement, est turns into the infinitive esse and leo turns into the accusative leonem.
Translate these examples:
(b) (i) “sunt multae statuae in hoc templo.”
(ii) puella scit multas statuas esse in hoc templo.
(c) (i) “est tantum vini in culina!”
(ii) malus (= vir malus) scit tantum esse vini in culina.
(d) (i) “sunt tantum basiorum!”
(ii) malus scit tantum esse basiorum.
47. According to line 13, when would any wicked person be able to envy Catullus and Lesbia, or cast a curse on
them, if they fail to prevent him? How does Catullus intend they should prevent him getting this knowledge?
(Hint: look back at line 11.)
48. In line 13, does Catullus say “know how many there are” or “know how many there were”? Is this because the
affair is still in progress, or does he mean that after the kisses have been counted, the total is known? (There is
no official “right answer” to the second part of this question.)
49. Translate lines10-13.
The remaining questions have no official “right answers”.
50. invidere (line 12) can mean “to look jealously at somebody” or “to look at somebody with hatred, in order to wish
a curse on him or her”. Why does Catullus say that some malicious person would be able to do this (invidere
possit) if the number of kisses was not kept secret?
(a) He means that the more an enemy knew about the details of Catullus’ affair, the more envious and
dangerous he would be.
(b) He means that if an enemy knew the exact number of kisses, this knowledge might help him to put a
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 33
curse on Catullus. Catullus believes, or is pretending to believe, a superstition that if you have accurate
knowledge of something important about your enemy, you will be more successful in cursing him or
“casting the evil eye” on him. This belief still exists in some places; for instance, in some parts of the
world a person has two names, the “public” name by which everyone calls him, and his “real” name,
known only to himself and close family members, so any enemy who asks the gods to strike him will
not know the real name, which is the one he needs to use. (In the same way, the writers of Latin curse
tablets (defixiones) sometimes take great care to include the enemy’s full name or other personal
details, and to spell them correctly.)
(c) Catullus wants the listener or reader to bear both meanings of invidere (envy and cursing) in mind.
51. Might the malus imagined by Catullus be one of the senes severiores mentioned in line 2? If so, is Catullus
hinting through his use of invidere that one of the reasons for their disapproval is jealousy?
52* Is this a jokey poem? A passionate poem? Neither? Both? For example, are
(a) lines 4-6 and (b) lines 7-13 light-hearted or serious?
53* If parts of the poem seem light-hearted, does this give the impression that Catullus is not really involved
emotionally? (This is not a historical question about the feelings of the real-life Catullus – it is about the
impression made by the poet.)
54. How should the poem be read aloud? (Try this in private if you prefer.) Does the tone or mood of the poem
change at any point(s)? If so, where? Your answer to 3.52 may help you.
Answers
46. (b) (i) “There are many statues in this temple.”
(ii) The girl knows that there are many statues in this temple.
(c) (i) “There is such a lot of wine in the kitchen!”
(ii) The wicked man knows that there is such a lot of wine in the kitchen.
(d) (i) There are such a lot of kisses!
(ii) The wicked man knows that there are such a lot of kisses.
34 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Analysing nouns
Several questions on the Love and Marriage texts deal with the case and number (singular/plural) of nouns; they
are designed to give you practice in identifying endings and using your identification to see how a noun or adjective
fits into the sentence. If you feel you need some extra practice in this, study the following examples, taken from the
previous two texts, Cicero’s letter and Catullus’ poem, vivamus, mea Lesbia. If you feel reasonably confident, miss
out the examples and go straight to the questions.
Example 1: to work out the case and number of basiorum, Catullus line 13.
The vocabulary on-screen and underneath the text shows that the nominative is basium and the genitive is basii.
Therefore basium is a 2nd-declension noun like templum and basiorum can only be genitive plural; so the literal
translation of tantum basiorum is “such a large quantity of kisses” (though the more natural English translation is
“so many kisses”).
Example 2: to work out the case and number of mulieres, Cicero line 6.
The vocabulary on-screen and underneath the text shows that the nominative is mulier and the genitive is
mulieris. Therefore mulier is a 3rd-declension noun; the same endings are added to mulier as to mercator.
mulieres can therefore be nominative plural, vocative plural or accusative plural. Quintus wasn’t talking to the
women, he was talking to Pomponia, so mulieres is not vocative; the women were not described as doing
something, so the word isn’t nominative; Quintus was telling his wife to invite the women so mulieres is accusative
plural.
This may sound like a very long procedure, but it takes longer to describe than to carry out, and the more you
practise, the quicker it will be. And very often the sense of the sentence is clear without the need for analysis. (For
example, it's usually obvious immediately whether a vocative is, or is not, being used.) But analysis is sometimes
essential, especially when dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary. If you have access to the on-screen analysis, you can
use it as a check, but do the clicking after you've done your own analysis, not the other way round.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 35
Catullus, Poem 8 - lines 1-5
miser Catulle, desinas ineptire,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla.
1
2
miser, misera, miserum - miserable,
wretched
Catullus, Catulli, m. - Catullus
desino, desinere, desii - stop, cease
ineptio, ineptire - be foolish
et - and
qui, quae, quod - who, which
video, videre, vidi, visus - see
pereo, perire, perii, peritus - perish
perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditus - lose
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus - consider, think;
lead
36 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
5
3
4
5
fulgeo, fulgere, fulsi - shine
quondam - once
candidus, candida, candidum - bright
tu, tui - you (singular)
sol, solis, m. - sun
cum - when
ventito, ventitare - often go, repeatedly come
quo - where, to the place where
puella, puellae, f. - girl
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus - lead
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
nos - we, us
quantum - as much as
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
nullus, nulla, nullum - no one
Metre: scazons, or “limping” iambics.
There are several questions in this text where the answer is a matter of opinion, and different scholars have had
differing views. Your job is to make up your own mind, and give reasons for your opinions.
1.
Spend not more than two minutes recalling an occasion when your brain told you that you needed or ought to do
something, but your feelings and wishes pulled you very much in the opposite direction. Did you keep changing
your mind? Did you come to a final decision? Did you tell yourself to pull yourself together?
2.
Read lines 1-5 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
3.
Study the vocabulary for these lines.
4.
Read lines 1-5 (or listen to the audio) again.
5. Who does Catullus address in line 1?
6. What advice does he give?
Check
7.
desinas (line l) is a present subjunctive (You should stop …). Does it sound harsher or gentler than the
imperative desine (Stop …)?
8.
Find and translate another present subjunctive, in line 2. (Hint: if you are not sure, notice that videre is a 2ndconjugation verb like docere, whereas ducere (which in this line means consider) is a 3rd-conjugation verb like
trahere; see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 32 and compare the different ways these two conjugations
form their present subjunctive.)
9.
It may seem odd that ducere should mean consider or regard. It behaves rather like the English verb “to draw”,
which can be used in many different ways, including “to pull” (e.g. “to draw a cart”) and “to work something out”
(e.g. “to draw a conclusion from the evidence”).
10. Study the following examples.
(i) Gloomy advice to a burglar’s victim:
pecuniam quam fur abstulit (stole) perditam ducas.
What is the victim being advised about?
How is he being advised to regard it?
Translate the sentence.
(ii) canis periit.
What sad event has happened?
Translate:
vides canem periisse.
(iii) Translate this sentence, made up of parts of (i) and (ii)(b):
canem quem vides perisse (short for periisse) perditum ducas.
11. Compare perisse with perditum. Which is the stronger, more emphatic, word? Possible translations include lost
for perisse and lost for ever for perditum, or gone and gone for good; you may be able to think of another pair
of translations which you prefer.
12. Translate line 2. quod is best translated as what. (Note for experts: strictly speaking, quod is short for id quod
(the thing which … or that which …), but that which you see is not normal in modern English, and what you see
is more natural.)
13. What is the English proverb about spilt milk, which conveys a very similar idea to line 3?
14. What do you notice about the word order in line 2? (If stuck, see Epitaph to Claudia, question 18.)
15. What situation do you think is referred to by line 2? What has perished and should be regarded as gone for
good? (quod is neuter, and so cannot refer directly to a person but to a state of affairs, though a person could
be very closely involved.)
16. In your own words, what is Catullus advising himself to do in these two lines? What behaviour on his part is
referred to by ineptire in line 1? (Line 2 is a clue.)
17. fulsere (line 3), from fulgere, to shine, is an alternative form of the 3rd person plural perfect, and means the
same as fulserunt. Study these examples:
portavere
audivere
=
=
portaverunt
audiverunt
=
=
they have carried, they carried
they have heard, they heard
fulsere
=
fulserunt
=
?
The -ere ending occurs in both prose and verse, but poets often found it more convenient than -erunt when
following the strict rules of Latin metre.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 37
18. According to Catullus in line 3, what shone? For whom? (Or “on whom?”) Remember who Catullus is speaking
to (see line 1).
19. Why is soles plural? (If puzzled, look back at line 4 of the previous poem.)
20. In line 3, is Catullus reporting on the weather? If not, what does line 3 mean?
21. What was Catullus in the habit of doing (line 4)? Where? What is the case of puella?
22* Does line 4 simply mean that the same person (which one?) always arranged where the lovers were to meet
(which might not be an easy thing to arrange if the puella was a married woman)? Or does it mean that it was
always the same person who made the decisions and the other one always agreed? (There is no official “right
answer” to this.)
23. Find and translate a perfect passive participle in line 5, describing puella.
24. Although Catullus is talking to himself, using 2nd-person verb-endings, he refers to himself in line 5 by a 1stperson pronoun. He does not use ego or mihi, etc., but uses a 1st -person plural pronoun (unusual in English
except when used by royalty, e.g. Queen Victoria: “We are not amused”). Find and translate the pronoun, which
is dative, but is best translated as by ….
25. How greatly, according to the last three words of line 5, was the girl loved by Catullus? If puzzled by the ending
of amabitur, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 30, 1st-conjugation.
26. … amabitur can be interpreted as … ever loved by Catullus or as … ever loved by anybody. Or the translation
can end at will ever be loved, so that both interpretations are possible, which may be what Catullus intended.
27. Translate lines 1-5.
Answers
10. (i) You should regard the money which the thief stole as gone for good.
(ii) You see that the dog has died.
(iii) You should regard the dog which you see has died as gone for good.
38 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 39
Catullus, Poem 8 - lines 6-8
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat,
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.
6
7
ibi - then
ille, illa, illud - that; he, she, it
multus, multa, multum - many
cum - when
iocosus, iocosa, iocosum - fun
fio, fieri, factus sum - happen
qui, quae, quod - who, which
tu, tui - you (singular)
volo, velle, volui - want
40 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
8
nec - and not, nor
puella, puellae, f. - girl
nolo, nolle, nolui - be unwilling
fulgeo, fulgere, fulsi - shine
vere - indeed
candidus, candida, candidum - bright
tu, tui - you (singular)
sol, solis, m. - sun
28. Read lines 6-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
29. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
30. Read lines 6-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
31. ibi means then rather than its more usual meaning (there). Catullus goes on to make clear what time he is
talking about: it was the time cum multa illa iocosa fiebant.
(i) Is fiebant singular or plural?
(ii) Is the phrase illa multa iocosa nominative or accusative? (Hint: look at the meaning of fio: can it lead on to
an accusative?)
(iii) From your answers to (i) and (ii), work out whether the phrase is masculine, feminine or neuter. Is the literal
translation many men, many women or many things?
32. There is a wide choice of translations for line 6: iocosa (literally things full of jokes and laughter) could be
moments of fun or times of happiness, and fio can be occur or took place as well as happen. Choose from these
translations, or use an idea of your own.
33. illa (rather than haec), like the tense of fiebant, strikes a sad note. Why?
34. According to line 7, what was the attitude of (i) Catullus and (ii) the girl to the activities referred to in line 6? Do
tu volebas and nec puella nolebat indicate that Catullus and the girl felt exactly the same way, or does one
phrase indicate more eagerness and commitment than the other?
35. What is the only difference between lines 3 and 8? What is the point of the different word used in line 8? Would
it have been just as effective placed in line 3, before the description of the good times Catullus and the girl had?
36* When a pair splits up, is it a good idea for the one who has been ditched to spend time remembering their
previous happiness together, as Catullus does in lines 3-8? Give a reason for your opinion.
37. Translate lines 6-8.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 41
Catullus, Poem 8 - lines 9-11
nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli,
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive,
sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura.
9
nunc - now, as things are
iam - already, now
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
non - not
volo, velle, volui - be willing
tu, tui - you (singular)
quoque - too, also
impotens, impotentis - powerless, impotent
nolo, nolle, nolui - be unwilling
10
10
11
42 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
nec ... nec - neither ... nor
qui, quae, quod - who, which
fugio, fugere, fugi - flee, run away
sector, sectari, sectatus sum - follow, pursue,
chase after
nec ... nec - neither ... nor
miser, misera, miserum - miserable,
wretched
vivo, vivere, vixi - live
sed - but
obstinatus, obstinata, obstinatum - stubborn
mens, mentis, f. - heart, mind
perfero, perferre, pertuli, perlatus - endure
obduro, obdurare, obduravi, obduratus - hold
fast
38. Read lines 9-11 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
39. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
40. Read lines 9-11 (or listen to the audio) again.
41. nunc iam (line 9) contrasts strongly with a word in line 3. Which word?
42. nunc iam is difficult to translate (“now now” won’t do!). The lazy way out is to say that the repetition of “now”
adds emphasis, so both words together can be translated as Now …. A more adventurous approach is to take
nunc as now, referring to the moment of writing, and iam as emphasising that the situation has moved on
considerably since the time described in lines 3-8, so nunc iam could be translated as Now, as things are, or
Now she (illa) has reached the point where she …
43. What is the situation in line 9? How has it altered from line 7? How does Catullus use repetition, and change the
personal endings of verbs (“You”, “she”, etc.) to emphasise the changed situation?
44. In view of the girl’s attitude, what does Catullus tell himself to do? Are his instructions to himself more forceful
than in line 2? (Hint: consider the ending of the verb.)
45. According to line 9, why does Catullus have no choice but to follow his own advice? (Hint: find the adjective he
uses to describe himself.)
46. What does Catullus mean when he calls himself “powerless”? What is it that he is unable to do?
47. Study the ending of sectare (line 10). It looks like an infinitive but is in fact the imperative of the deponent verb
sectari. It is a deponent verb, so its endings are passive but its meanings are active, and sector means not I
am chased but I chase, and sectabantur means not they were being chased but they were chasing.
48. What is the first thing he tells himself not to do, in line 10? What is the sex of the person who is running away?
(Hint: what gender is quae?) How can this be made clear in translation?
49* What is the point of the advice in the second part of line 10?
(a) “Don’t be unhappy”
(b) “Your life is so miserable that you should put an end to it”
(c) “Don’t go on and on being wretched”
One of these answers is definitely wrong, but there is room for argument about the other two.
50. In line 11, what case is the noun-and-adjective phrase obstinata mente? What is Catullus now urging himself to
do? Does he think this will be easy? How can you tell?
51. According to line 11, what should Catullus use to overcome his feelings?
(a) his intelligence
(b) his conscience
Which word tells you this?
What do the other words in line 11 (not counting sed) suggest he should also use?
(c) common sense
(d) inspiration
(e) will-power
52. Translate lines 9-11.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 43
Catullus, Poem 8 - lines 12-15
vale puella, iam Catullus obdurat,
nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam.
at tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta, vae te, quae tibi manet vita?
12
13
vale - goodbye, farewell
puella, puellae, f. - girl
iam - now
Catullus, Catulli, m. - Catullus
obduro, obdurare, obduravi, obduratus - hold
fast
nec ... nec - neither ... nor
tu, tui - you (singular)
requiro, requirere, requisivi, requisitus - seek
out, go in search of, ask for
nec ... nec - neither ... nor
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatus - ask, ask for
(i.e. ask for physical ove, ask favours from)
invitus, invita, invitum - against your will,
unwilling, reluctant
44 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
15
14
15
at - but, yet
tu, tui - you (singular)
doleo, dolere, dolui, dolitus - suffer
cum - when
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatus - ask, ask for
(i.e. ask for physical ove, ask favours from)
nullus, nulla, nullum - not
scelestus, scelesta, scelestum - wicked
vae - woe! alas!
tu, tui - you (singular)
qui? quae? quod? - what ...? which ...? what
sort of ...?
tu, tui - you (singular)
maneo, manere, mansi - remain
vita, vitae, f. - life
53. Read lines 12-15 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
54. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
55. Read lines 12-15 (or listen to the audio) again.
56. Who does Catullus address now? What two things does he say in line 12?
57. How does Catullus’ choice of words in the second half of line 12 emphasise that he is carrying out the order he
gave in line 11?
58. What is the tense of requiret and rogabit? (line 13)? (requirere is a 3rd-conjugation verb like trahere, and
rogare is a 1st-conjugation verb like portare. If you need to remind yourself how these conjugations form their
tenses, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 28.)
59. What two things does Catullus say he will not do?
60. Who does invitam describe? If puzzled, study its case and gender.
61. Does Catullus’ use of the word invitam make it easier, or harder, to believe his statement that Catullus
obdurat? (Hint: What would happen if the girl replied that she wasn’t totally unwilling? Might this be why
Catullus uses the word?)
62. How does he predict the girl will feel in the future (line 14)?
63. What person (“I”, “you”, etc.) is indicated by rogaberis? Is rogaberis active or passive? If in difficulty, study the
future active and future passive of portare (Cambridge Latin Grammar, pages 28 and 30).
64. nulla is being used in an unusual way, more common in speech than writing, as a stronger negative than non.
Not … at all, with the translation of rogaberis placed between “not” and “at all”, would be suitable.
65. When will the girl feel sad, according to the second half of line 14?
66. Translate line 14. Although rogaberis refers to future time and Latin uses a future tense, translation by a present
tense gives more natural English.
67* scelesta (line 15) can indicate bad character (wicked) but can also mean unlucky; wretched might cover both
meanings. In the same way, vae te (alas for you! or in more modern English You’ll be sorry!) could be either a
threat or an expression of pity. Which meanings of scelesta and vae te seem to you the more likely? (There is
no definite “right answer” to this question.)
68. qui (and its various cases and genders) can be used in a question; it is an adjective and means What …?,
Which …? or What sort of …? For example:
qui puer fenestram fregit?
Which boy broke the window?
quem clamorem audis?
What (or What sort of) noise do you hear?
When qui is used like this, it is an adjective describing a noun. What noun does quae describe in line 15?
69. What question does Catullus ask the girl in line 15? If you are unsure whether to use What …? or What sort of
…?, decide first whether Catullus is suggesting that the girl does not have long to live.
70. Translate lines 12-15.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 45
Catullus, Poem 8 - lines 16-19
quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella?
quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris?
quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?
at tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.
16
17
quis? quid? - who? which? what?
nunc - now, as things are
tu, tui - you (singular)
adeo, adire, adii, aditus - come to, approach,
go near,
qui, quae, quod - who, which
videor, videri, visus sum - seem
bellus, bella, bellum - beautiful, pretty
qui, quae, quod - who, which
nunc - now
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
qui, quae, quod - who, which
sum, esse, fui - be
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
46 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
18
19
qui, quae, quod - who, which
basio, basiare, basiavi - kiss
qui, quae, quod - who, which
labellum, labelli, n. - lip
mordeo, mordere, momordi, morsus - bite
at - but
tu, tui - you (singular)
Catullus, Catulli, m. - Catullus
destinatus, destinata, destinatus determined, obstinate, firm
obduro, obdurare, obduravi, obduratus - hold
fast
71. Read lines 16-19 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
Check 72. Study the vocabulary for these lines. After two minutes, test yourself on your ability to recall the meaning of the
seven verbs, given here in the infinitive form:
(i) adire
(ii)
videri (NB final letter!)
(iii) amare
(iv) dicere
(v) basiare
(vi) mordere
(vii) obdurare
If you find this a helpful way of preparing yourself for reading a group of lines, you may like to test yourself
sometimes in the same way in future. Do not test yourself on too many words at once, and take care to study
them thoroughly first.
73. Read lines 16-19 (or listen to the audio) again.
74. What is Catullus’s first question in line 16? (If you are not sure of the tense of adibit, notice that adeo changes
its endings in the same way as eo, and study the tenses of eo on page 40 of the Cambridge Latin Grammar. All
six verbs in lines 16-18 are in this tense.)
75* What is Catullus suggesting that the answer to this question will be?
(a) a new lover
(b) nobody
(c) Catullus himself
Do you think he believes this?
76. cui? is part of the question-word quis? What case is it in? (see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 23,
paragraph 9, if necessary.) How should it be translated?
77. What question does Catullus ask the girl in the rest of line 16? (If stuck, remember that the same tense is used
in all six verbs in lines 16-18, and notice that videor (the passive of video) can be used not only to mean I am
seen but also as a deponent verb (passive endings, active meanings) with the meaning I seem.)
78. Why is nunc repeated (lines 16-17) during the string of questions? (Hint: who was previously the answer to all
six of the questions in lines 16-18?)
79. Translate the first question in line 17. Test your grasp of grammar by giving two reasons why quem nunc
amabis? cannot possibly mean Who will love you now?
Check 80. The second question in line 17 is rather complicated. If you can see what it means, proceed to question 82.
Otherwise, translate the examples in this question and the next, which lead up to the translation of cuius esse
diceris?
(i)
hic equus est meus.
(ii) hic est equus Catulli.
(iii) cuius est hic equus? (If cuius causes problems, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 23,
paragraph 9.)
(iv) Notice that (ii) can sometimes be translated by using the words “belong to”:
This horse belongs to Catullus.
Translate (iii) again, this time using “belong”.
Check 81. (i)
omnes senators dicunt te stultum esse.
Or, putting the same idea in a different way:
(ii) ab omnibus senatoribus diceris stultus esse.
(iii) If the e in diceris is long (i.e. pronounced like the e in nemo, not like the e in et), the tense will be different.
If unsure about the difference, look at the passive of traho in the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 30,
where long vowels are marked with a macron (e.g. trahēris), and notice the footnote.
(iv) stultus esse dicēris.
(v) But notice a more natural translation:
People will say you are stupid.
Translate this sentence in the same way:
semper dormire dicēris.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 47
82. Translate the last three words of line 17. (The metre that Catullus is using shows that the e of diceris is a long
vowel (i.e. like the e in civēs, not like the e in docĕt) and therefore diceris is in the future tense.)
83. Feminists may dislike the idea that a woman, whether mistress or wife, could be described as “belonging to” her
husband or her lover, as if she were a piece of furniture. But this was the usual attitude among (male) Romans,
and was supported by the law. A Roman might describe himself in a love poem as a servus, and describe the
woman he loved as his domina, to exaggerate his feelings for her, but in real life would still regard his status as
higher than hers.
84. What are the next two questions Catullus asks the girl (line 18)? Translate cui as whose? (Note for experts: the
reason why cui is in the dative is that it literally means for whom? in the sense of for whose benefit? (as in “Who
are you doing this work for?”) but these translations would sound very peculiar here.)
85. Do the questions in lines 15-18 become steadily less intense and less personal? Or is the opposite true? What
does this suggest about Catullus’ feelings while he writes?
86. Who does Catullus address in line 19? What advice does he give to this person?
87. Why does he apparently feel a need to repeat in line 19, in rather similar words, the advice he gave in line 11?
88. Translate lines 16-19.
Follow your teacher’s guidance over which of the following questions, if any, you should explore.
89* Do you agree, or disagree, with the majority view of the poem’s readers that although Lesbia’s name is not
mentioned, she is the puella in the poem. Why?
90* Sum up in not more than six words the advice Catullus gives himself. On the evidence of the poem, how capable
do you think he is of following his own advice? Why?
91* Would it have been better if Catullus had addressed the whole poem to himself? If so, why? Or has he made it
more effective (if so, how?) by switching in line 12 to address the girl, then switching back to address himself in
line 19?
92* How serious is the poem? People have disagreed greatly about this. (One English writer said it was one of three
poems by Catullus that he could not read without tears; others have felt Catullus is making fun of himself.) A
good test is to read it aloud (or listen to it being read) twice, once in an intensely emotional way, then in a cool
dry tone. Which way seems to you to suit the words better? Or listen to the audio, where the reader has made it
clear how intense he thinks the emotion is. It may be relevant that Catullus used the same metre in seven other
poems, most of which seem to have a humorous or mocking tone. On the other hand, you may find that the
metre of the poem, which gives a slight or heavy jolt at the end of each line, suits a highly emotional situation.
Answers
72. (i)
to come to (or to approach, to go near to)
(ii) to seem
(iii) to love
(iv) to say (or to speak)
(v) to kiss
(vi) to bite
(vii) to hold fast (or to be firm, to be determined)
80. (i) This is my horse.
(ii) This is Catullus’ horse.
(iii) Whose is this horse?
(iv) Who does this horse belong to?
81. (i) All the senators say you are stupid.
(ii) You are said by all the senators to be stupid.
(iv) You will be said to be stupid.
(v) People will say you are always asleep.
48 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 49
Catullus, Poem 70
nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle
quam mihi, non si se Iuppiter ipse petat.
dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
1
2
nullus, nulla, nullum - not any, no
se - himself, herself, itself
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
mulier, mulieris, f. - woman
meus, mea, meum - my
nubo, nubere, nupsi + dat. - marry
malo, malle, malui - prefer
quam - than
ego, mei - I, me
non - not
si - if
se - himself, herself, itself
Iuppiter, Iovis, m. - Jupiter
ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
peto, petere, petivi, petitus - pursue
50 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
sed - but
mulier, mulieris, f. - woman
cupidus, cupida, cupidum - eager,
passionate
qui, quae, quod - who, which
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
amans, amantis, m. - lover
in - in, on
ventus, venti, m. - wind
et - and
rapidus, rapida, rapidum - fast-flowing, swift,
rapid
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptus - write
oportet, oportere, oportuit - ought
aqua, aquae, f. - water
1.
Read the poem (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary.
3.
Read the poem (or listen to the audio) again.
4.
Find a noun-and-adjective phrase in the nominative case in line 1, which tells you who (according to Catullus)
says (dicit) something.
5. Which word in line 1 shows that Catullus regards the mulier as being in some relationship with him? (It is clear
from another poem, which refers to lines 1-2 of this poem, that the mulier is Lesbia.)
Check
6.
mea mulier is normal Latin, but my woman sounds odd in English; however, it is probably more suitable than
my lady or other alternatives.
7.
Notice the difference between two Latin sentences, which could have the same English translation but do not
have the same meaning:
(i) mulier dicit se semper laborare.
(ii) mulier dicit eam semper laborare.
What is the translation?
se and eam could both be translated as she but refer to two different people. What is the difference? Who does
se (unlike eam) refer to?
8.
Study two different ways of describing a marriage between Sextus and Julia:
(i) Sextus Iuliam uxorem ducit. (You will need to include “as” in your translation.)
(ii) Iulia Sexto nubit.
What is the case of Sexto in sentence (ii)? Why is this case being used? Can you find an example of that case
in line 1, being used by Catullus instead of part of nemo?
9.
Check
In line 1 and the first two words of line 2, Catullus starts to report something Lesbia has been saying about
herself and him. What has she been saying?
10. Study two English sentences:
“I wouldn’t come back, if you offered me ten times the money.”
“He’ll never panic, not if the house falls to bits around him.”
What word is often put in front of “if” in sentences like this, to make the sense clearer?
11. The translation of line 2 is a good example of a sentence which is clearer with the extra word in front of “if”;
Lesbia is saying that she would prefer Catullus to anyone else even if a particular event were to happen. What is
the event?
12. Why would the person mentioned (a) appear very desirable to a girl as a possible lover, in view of his “status”,
and (b) be quite likely, in view of his usual sexual habits, to pursue her? (petere and nubere can both be used to
refer to unofficial relationships as well as marriage.) If you are puzzled, Google or a similar search engine should
help with (a). Wikipedia (under the person’s other name, “Zeus”) has some entertaining information to help with (b).
13. Translate lines 1-2, and re-read lines 3-4.
14* Do Lesbia’s reported words in lines 1-2 sound like a reply (either real or imaginary) to a possible marriage-proposal
by Catullus? If Lesbia is Clodia, it would be interesting to know whether Catullus wrote the poem in or after 59 BC,
the year when Clodia’s husband died in suspicious circumstances. But the date of the poem is unknown.
15. Which of these three translations seems to you to achieve the right emphasis in translating the first word of line 3?
(a) That’s what she says.
(b) That’s what she says.
(c) That’s what she says.
Hint: what is the second word in line 3? Which word is used most often in the poem?
16. Find a nominative noun in line 3 which tells you who speaks, and a noun-and-adjective phrase which tells you
who the person speaks to. (Hint: What case will the phrase be in?)
17. Translate line 3, omitting the first word, and beginning with sed, then quod. (Hint: How was quod translated in
the previous poem, line 3 et quod vides perisse perditum ducas?) The translation of line 3 will sound a bit odd
until the sentence is completed in line 4.
Check
18. (i) oportet (line 4) is an impersonal verb (the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 60), meaning it is right to do
something or that somebody ought to do something:
oportet magistro credere.
It is right to believe the teacher.
Translate oportet in templo tacere.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 51
(ii) The person who ought to do something is in the accusative case:
oportet milites centurionibus parere. It is right for soldiers to obey the centurions.
(In a more natural translation) Soldiers ought to obey the
centurions.
Translate in two ways: oportet nuntium festinare.
(iii) Sometimes the sentence does not indicate who ought to do something:
oportet pecuniam pauperibus dare. It is right to give money to the poor.
Or, using “ought” and changing the active infinitive “to give”
into the passive: Money ought to be given to the poor.
Translate in two ways: oportet epistulam mittere.
19. In line 4, find the adjective which describes aqua.
20. What does Catullus say should be done to the words mentioned in line 3?
21* Why should the words be treated in this way? You might consider this question on your own or in group
discussion, then go to Further for some suggestions which could be discussed further.
22. Should mulier in line 3 be translated as “the woman” or as a woman – in other words, is Catullus just talking
about Lesbia, or about women generally? (Hint: what adjective described mulier in line 1? Does it reappear in
line 4?)
23. Is Catullus’ comment in lines 3-4 completely bitter and cynical? Does any phrase in line 3 suggest that
sometimes a woman tells a lie because she is being pressurised to say what her listener is desperate to hear?
Does this excuse the lie? Should Catullus be given credit for being honest enough to recognise the situation?
24. Check that you can now translate the whole poem.
As this is a short poem, here are two ideas to experiment with:
25. Listen to the audio without looking at the text: how easily can you understand it?
26. See whether you are able to memorise the poem, so that you can recite it without looking at the text. This is
always an efficient way of making sure you have grasped the meaning of a few lines of Latin verse, especially if
you have run into a difficult patch, since it is impossible to memorise the text without understanding the Latin.
Further
There is no definite “right answer” to this question. You might feel that one or more of the following explanations is
correct, or you may prefer another explanation altogether:
(a) The words are lies and there is no point in taking them seriously. (Catullus is expressing his contempt for the
words.)
(b) The only suitable things on which to write the words are things that can’t be written on, i.e. the words shouldn’t
be written down at all. (Why not?)
(c) Just as a message written on paper might be snatched away by the wind or running water (and perhaps be
carried downstream, or downwind, to somebody else), similarly a deceitful promise spoken to one lover might be
repeated to another lover.
Answers
7.
The woman says that she is always working.
10. Even.
18. (i) It is right to be quiet in the temple.
(ii) It is right for the messenger to hurry or The messenger ought to hurry.
(iii) It is right to send a letter or A letter ought to be sent.
52 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 53
Catullus, Poem 72 - lines 1-4
dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum,
Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Iovem.
dilexi tum te non tantum ut vulgus amicam,
sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos.
1
2
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
quondam - once
solus, sola, solum - only, alone
tu, tui - you (singular)
novi, novisse - know
Catullus, Catulli, m. - Catullus
Lesbia, Lesbiae, f. - Lesbia
nec - and not
prae - instead of, rather than
ego, mei - I, me
volo, velle, volui - want
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentus - hold
Iuppiter, Iovis, m. - Jupiter
54 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectus - love
tum - then
tu, tui - you (singular)
non - not
tantum - just, only
ut - as
vulgus, vulgi, n. - common man, ordinary
man
amica, amicae, f. - girlfriend
sed - but
pater, patris, m. - father
ut - as
gnatus, gnati, m. - son
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectus - love
et - and
gener, generi, m. - son-in-law
1.
Read lines 1-4 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary.
3.
Read lines 1-4 (or listen to the audio) again.
4. Who is this poem addressed to?
5. What is the person (“I”, “you”, etc.) and tense of dicebas? Translate it.
6. What noun or pronoun is described by solum in line 1? Catullum or te? (Hint: what is the gender of the person
referred to by te?)
7.
Look at two translations of the following sentence:
puella vidit vinum servum consumere.
The girl saw that the slave was drinking the wine.
The girl saw that the wine was drinking the slave.
From the point of view of grammar, both translations are satisfactory. But from the point of view of sense, one
translation is fine and the other is rubbish.
8.
nosse is most conveniently translated as knew. The verb has many meanings; it can refer to knowing somebody
physically, i.e. sexually, as in the 17th century English translation of the Bible: “And Adam knew Eve his wife;
and she conceived, and bare Cain”.
Further explanation of nosse, for experts only: it is a shortened form of novisse, the perfect infinitive of a verb
nosco, which means I get to know, like cognosco in line 5. The present tense of nosco, and tenses formed
from it, are not often found except in early Latin; much commoner are the perfect tense novi, novisti, etc., and
tenses which are formed from it, used in the following way:
perfect:
novi
= I have got to know = I know
pluperfect: noveram = I had got to know = I knew
9. What was Lesbia once accustomed to say (line 1)? Two ways of taking the sentence are grammatically correct,
but only one fits the situation, as in the example in question 7 above. Your answer to question question 6 may
also be helpful here.
10. What did Lesbia go on to say in line 2 about her wishes? (velle is the infinitive of volo, and Iovem is the
accusative case of Iuppiter.)
11. The many meanings of tenere include hold in the arms, embrace, and so tenere can refer to physical lovemaking, like nosse in line 1 (and nubere in line 1 of Catullus, Poem 70).
12. Without looking back, can you recall the remark made about Jupiter by the mulier of Catullus and quoted by
him in Catullus, Poem 70? How similar is it to the remark by Lesbia quoted here in line 2? Is Catullus clearly
referring to the same remark in both poems (in which case the mulier must be Lesbia)?
13* Translate these two sentences:
(a) vulgus amicam diligit.
(b) pater gnatos et generos diligit.
Both sentences talk about love. Do they talk about the same sort of love? If not, how do the two sorts differ?
14. In what way (or ways) does Catullus describe the love he previously had for Lesbia (lines 3-4)?
15* The comparison in line 4 does not occur anywhere else in Latin literature. One scholar has said of the
comparison: “It is brilliant and it does not quite come off.” Do you agree? Does it sound odd but still make clear
the difference between the two sorts of love? Your answer to the last part of question 13 may be helpful here.
16. Translate lines 1-4.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 55
Catullus, Poem 72 - lines 5-8
nunc te cognovi: quare etsi impensius uror,
multo mi tamen es vilior et levior.
qui potis est, inquis? quod amantem iniuria talis
cogit amare magis, sed bene velle minus.
5
6
nunc - now, as things are
tu, tui - you (singular)
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitus get to know
quare - therefore, and so
etsi - even if
impense - a lot; strongly, violently
uror, uri, ustus sum - be inflamed, burn
multo - much
ego, mei - I, me
tamen - however
sum, esse, fui - be
vilis, vile - cheap, worthless
et - and
levis, leve - trivial, worthless
56 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
7
8
5
qui - how?
potis, pote - possible
sum, esse, fui - be
inquam - say
quod - because
amans, amantis, m. - lover
iniuria, iniuriae, f. - injustice
talis, tale - such, of such a kind
cogo, cogere, coegi, coactus - force, compel
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
magis - more
sed - but
bene - well
volo, velle, volui - wish
minus - less
17. Read lines 5-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
18. Study the vocabulary.
19. Read lines 5-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
20. What does Catullus say at the start of line 5? What has he apparently found out? (If stuck, look back at line 1.)
21. What two words in lines 1 and 3 make a contrast with nunc in line 5? Can you recall another poem in which
Catullus used some of these words to emphasise the change in his relationship with Lesbia?
22. How has Catullus’s discovery affected
(a) his physical desire? (If puzzled by the ending of impensius, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 17,
paragraph 2.)
(b) his opinion of Lesbia, expressed in line 6? (mi is a shortened form of mihi; it means for me in the sense
of in my opinion or as far as I am concerned, as in such sentences as “For me, the best player on the
field was so-and-so”.)
23. At the start of line 7, Catullus imagines that someone is puzzled by lines 5-6. What question does this person
ask? qui? has an unusual meaning here (see glossary); it is an old form of the ablative case.
24* Who, in Catullus’ mind, is asking the question qui potis est?
(a) Lesbia
(b) anybody who hears or reads lines 5-6
(c) Catullus himself
There is no official “right answer” to this question.
25. What word does Catullus use in line 7 to emphasise that Lesbia has not only hurt him but also acted wrongly to
him, as if (for example) he and she had sworn oaths to each other and she had broken hers?
26. Who does amantem refer to?
(a) any lover in Catullus’s situation
(b) only Catullus
27. What does such behaviour force the lover to do (line 8)?
28* According to line 8, which of the following feelings have been increased in Catullus by Lesbia’s behaviour, and
which have decreased?
(a) lust
(d) passion
(b) goodwill
(c) respect
(e) liking
(f) love
You may find one of these six more difficult to decide than the others.
29. Translate lines 5-8.
30. Look back through the poem. Is there any reason to think that it must have been written after Lesbia’s husband
died?
31* In lines 3-4, 5-6 and 8, Catullus searches for words to describe or explain his mixed feelings in response to what
Lesbia has done. How successful is he? Does the fact that he looks more than once for the right words suggest
that he cannot understand his emotions?
32* Is it odd, or understandable, that Catullus has such conflicting feelings at the same time? How might they be
explained? In particular, why does Lesbia’s behaviour make her more, not less, physically attractive to him?
33* Suggest a short title (possibly a single word) for the poem.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 57
Catullus, Poem 83 - lines 1-2
Lesbia mi praesente viro mala plurima dicit:
haec illi fatuo maxima laetitia est.
1
Lesbia, Lesbiae, f. - Lesbia
ego, mei - I, me
praesens, gen. praesentis - present
vir, viri, m. - husband, man
malus, mala, malum - bad, evil
plurimi, plurimae, plurima - very many
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus - say
58 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
2
hic, haec, hoc - this
ille, illa, illud - that; he, she, it
fatuus, fatua, fatuum - foolish, silly
maximus, maxima, maximum - very great
laetitia, laetitiae, f. - pleasure, delight
sum, esse, fui - be
1.
Read the poem (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary.
3.
Read the poem (or listen to the audio) again.
4. What is Lesbia in the habit of doing? In whose presence? Does mala plurima refer to men, women, or things?
Suggest a natural translation for mala plurima dicit.
5.
How does her husband feel about this (line 2)?
6.
Find and translate the two words that refer to Lesbia’s husband. You will need to add a noun, such as “man” or
“fellow”, in order to complete the sense.
7. Who, or what, does haec refer back to?
(a) Lesbia.
(b) Lesbia’s behaviour to Catullus.
(c) the presence of Lesbia’s husband.
8. What is the case of illi fatuo? Work out a literal translation of line 2, and then a translation in natural English.
You may find that a word normally translated in the singular as that is more naturally translated here as simply
the.
9. What do you think is the likeliest reason for the husband’s great delight?
(a) He dislikes Catullus, and is glad to hear him being abused.
(b) He has been rather suspicious about Catullus and Lesbia, but is reassured by Lesbia’s abuse of
Catullus.
(c) He enjoys hearing his wife abusing somebody else instead of him.
There is more than one possible answer to this question.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 59
Catullus, Poem 83 - lines 3-6
mule, nihil sentis? si nostri oblita taceret,
sana esset: nunc quod gannit et obloquitur,
non solum meminit, sed, quae multo acrior est res,
irata est. hoc est, uritur et loquitur.
3
4
mulus, muli, m. - ass, mule
nihil, n. - nothing
sentio, sentire, sensi, sensus - realise
si - if
nos, nostri - we
obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus sum + gen. forget
taceo, tacere, tacui - be quiet, be silent
sanus, sana, sanum - cured, sound in mind
sum, esse, fui - be
nunc - as it is, as things are
quod - because
gannio, gannire - grumble, snarl
et - and
obloquor, obloqui, oblocutus sum - abuse;
interrupt
60 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
5
6
5
non - not
solum - only
memini, meminisse - remember
sed - but
qui, quae, quod - who, which
multo - much, by far
acer, acris, acre - critical
sum, esse, fui - be
res, rei, f. - thing
iratus, irata, iratum - angry
sum, esse, fui - be
hic, haec, hoc - this
sum, esse, fui - be
uror, uri, ustus sum - be inflamed
et - and
loquor, loqui, locutus sum - speak
10. Who does Catullus imagine himself addressing from line 3 onwards? What animal name does he give him?
What question does he ask him?
11. The Romans regarded the mule as an example of slowness. Nowadays it is regarded as an example of
stubbornness or obstinacy. Does Catullus regard it as stubborn, obstinate or slow, or as having a different fault?
If stuck, look again at the words nihil sentis? and the vocabulary’s other suggestion for translating mulus.
12. Study these examples, which may help you with lines 3-4:
(i)
si pater hodie viveret, me laudaret.
If my father were alive today, he would be praising me.
viveret and laudaret are subjunctive, and the translation includes the word “would”, because the
speaker is talking about a situation that doesn’t exist, i.e. his father is dead. Very often, the translation
also includes the word “were”, as in the example above.
(ii)
si ego dominus illorum servorum essem, diligentius laborarent.
If I were master of those slaves, they would be working harder.
(The subjunctive, and the words “were” and “would”, are used because the speaker is not master of the
slaves.)
Translate:
Check
(iii) si sol media nocte fulgeret, miraculum esset.
(iv) si hostes timerem, non nunc pugnarem.
(v) si Lesbia semper de Catullo taceret, eum non amaret.
(vi) A shortened version of the sentence which completes line 3 and starts line 4:
si taceret, sana esset.
13. sana (line 4) may seem an odd choice of words. But love is often described in Roman poetry as a morbus
(disease) from which one of a pair of lovers wishes to be cured.
14. oblita (line 3) is the perfect participle of the deponent verb oblivisci, forget. It is used with the genitive case, just
as English says “to be forgetful of …” Which pronoun in line 3 is a genitive?
15. The genitive pronoun in line 3 can be explained in either of two ways. Catullus could be using it in place of mei (of
me), i.e. as a “royal plural” like nobis (by me) in line 5 of Poem 8. Alternatively, it could have its usual translation of
us, meaning “of our love affair”, just as the sentence “Suppose your wife found out about us” could be short for “…
found out what you and I are getting up to”. Either of these explanations is acceptable for exam purposes.
16. Which of these translations of si nostri oblita taceret … is literally correct? Which of the two natural
translations do you prefer?
(a) If she, having forgotten about us, were silent, …
(b) If she were silent, because she had forgotten about us, …
(c) If she had forgotten about us and was silent …
17. You will see from the vocabulary that nunc in line 4 means as it is rather than now. It is being used to contrast
“how things might have been” with “how things actually are”. Here is a similar example:
si puer esses, tibi ignoscerem; nunc es iuvenis, quem puniam.
If you were a boy, I should forgive you. As it is, you are a young man, and I shall punish you.
18. quod, like nunc, is being used in an unusual way. Catullus is referring to Lesbia’s abuse of him, before going on
to explain it. As for the fact that … is a very wordy translation, but makes the point clear.
19. What does he say Lesbia is doing when she abuses him? gannit is a lively word, normally used of dogs snarling
and growling.
20. What does he say about her at the start of line 5? Who or what does she remember? Your answer to question
17 may help you. Which word in line 3 contrasts with meminit?
21. Look ahead to line 6. What else does Catullus say about Lesbia in addition to the fact that she remembers him?
According to the second part of line 5, which of these two facts is more important? Fact, matter, point and many
other words can be used to translate res; serious and important are two of many possibilities for acrior. Choose
the translation (your own, perhaps) which seems to you to lead most naturally into line 6.
22. The statement at the start of line 6 may seem over-obvious, but Catullus goes on to explain why he thinks it is
important. hoc est could be translated what this means is … or That is to say, … or just That is, …
23. Why does he regard her anger as very significant, and not by any means something for Lesbia’s husband to be
pleased about? If you are not sure what Lesbia is inflamed by, according to Catullus, look back to line 5 of Poem
72. Which is more important, uritur or loquitur?
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 61
24. et in line 6 is more than just and. Possible translations include and the result is – she speaks or “and that’s why
she speaks” (i.e. her reason isn’t what you think, you buffoon.)
25. Translate the poem.
26* Catullus is claiming that anger is a sign of love. In your opinion, when is this true?
(a) sometimes
(b) never
(c) always
Are people more likely to get really angry with those they are emotionally involved with, through family
relationship or close friendship, than with people to whom they are indifferent, in whom they take no interest?
Are there sometimes occasions when the people one wants to hurt are the people of whom one is fondest?
27* Some readers have imagined that Lesbia has been abusing Catullus to her husband in Catullus’ absence;
others think all three of them are present. Which interpretation do you prefer? Which situation is more dramatic?
28* If this incident occurred in real life, someone writing a biography of Catullus might put forward an explanation
that you may have thought of already: that Lesbia has been putting on an “angry woman” act to mislead her
husband about her affair with Catullus. But whether this was the real situation or not, it is clear from lines 3-6
that it is definitely not the explanation given by Catullus. If Lesbia was putting on an act, Catullus completely
misunderstood it.
29* According to this poem, and to the traditional belief that Lesbia’s real name was Clodia, she was a married
woman. Since Catullus wasn’t her husband, had he any right to claim that she had treated him unjustly (iniuria)?
30* Is it possible to tell from the five Catullus poems you have read whether they are based on a real situation at
all? If they are about a completely imaginary relationship, does this mean they are bound to be less good than
poetry based on actual events?
31* Suppose for the moment that these poems are a faithful recording of an actual relationship; in what
chronological order would you place them? For convenience, they are listed here with first lines and a letter to
identify them in discussion.
(a) vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus
(b) miser Catulle, desinas ineptire
(c) nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle
(d) dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum
(e) Lesbia mi praesente viro mala plurima dicit
You may find it helpful to consider whether any poems were definitely written before the death of Lesbia’s
husband, and whether any were definitely written after.
32* Is it true that the more intense and emotional the words of a poem are, the more sincere the poem is? And is
it true that the more sincere a poem is, the better it is? (Look at some of the “in memoriam” verses sometimes
inserted by grieving relatives in the local paper’s announcement of a death: are they always good poems? If not,
does that mean they are insincere?)
Answers
12. (iii) If the sun were shining in the middle of the night, it would be a miracle. (The sun is not shining in the middle
of the night, and there is no miracle.)
(iv) If I were scared of the enemy, I wouldn’t be fighting now. (The speaker is not scared of the enemy, and he is
fighting now.)
(v) If Lesbia were always silent about Catullus, she would not be in love with him.
(vi) If she were silent, she would be cured (of love).
62 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 63
Ovid, Ars Amatoria 1.469-478, Advice to a rejected lover - lines 1-4
si non accipiet scriptum inlectumque remittet,
lecturam spera propositumque tene.
tempore difficiles veniunt ad aratra iuvenci,
tempore lenta pati frena docentur equi.
1
2
si - if
non - not
accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptus - accept
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptus - write
inlectus, inlecta, inlectum - unread
remitto, remittere, remisi, remissus - send
back
lego, legere, legi, lectus - read
spero, sperare, speravi, speratus - hope
propositum, propositi, n. - purpose, resolve
-que - and
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentus - hold on to, keep
64 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
tempus, temporis, n. - time
difficilis, difficile - difficult, obstinate
venio, venire, veni - come
ad - to
aratrum, aratri, n. - plough
iuvencus, iuvenci, m. - bullock, young ox
tempus, temporis, n. - time
lentus, lenta, lentum - unyielding, tough;
flexible
patior, pati, passus sum - accept, endure
frenum, freni, n. - reins, bridle
doceo, docere, docui, doctus - teach
equus, equi, m. - horse
Publius Ovidius Naso (Ovid) lived from 43 BC to AD 14. His Ars Amatoria is (or pretends to be) a handbook in verse
for young men advising them how to succeed with girls. It is referred to in these notes simply as the Ars. The metre
is known as “elegiac couplets”.
1.
Read lines 1-4 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary.
3.
Read lines 1-4 (or listen to the audio) again.
4.
At this point of the poem, how has the young man apparently made an approach to the girl he is interested in?
(a) Chatted her up at a party.
(b) Got a kind friend to act as go-between and tell the girl the situation.
(c) Written a message to her.
Which word in line 1 tells you this?
5. What two disappointing responses made by the girl are imagined in line 1?
6.
Study the word order of line 1:
si non accipiet
scriptum
inlectumque
remittet
future verb perfect participle perfect participle future verb
An English example of this word order:
He gave Fred £1,
name money
but £10
money
to George.
name
Do you remember the name for this word order, and the reason it had this name? (See Epitaph to Claudia,
question 18 if stuck.) In Ovid’s line, the word order is suitable for what happens to the letter. The letter comes to
the girl (this is implied but not stated): the girl won’t accept it (first half of line): the girl sends it back (second half
of line).
7.
Read line 1 aloud. There would normally be a break between two words in the middle of the line (technically
known as the “caesura” (meaning “cutting”)), and at first sight that’s exactly what there is: the break between
scriptum and inlectumque comes just at the right place. But the –um at the end of scriptum is almost
swallowed up by the i of inlectumque (this is called “elision”). Try reading line 1 aloud, making it sound as much
as possible like this:
si non accipiet scriptminlectumque remittet
Do you think it fanciful to suggest not only that the line partly reflects the letter’s comings and goings, but also
that the absence of a pause between scriptum and inlectumque shows how promptly the girl sends it on its
way? (NB This is very much a matter of opinion. Re-reading the line aloud is the only way to make your mind
up.)
8.
If the girl behaves like this, what is the first piece of advice Ovid gives the man in line 2? Look for an imperative
and then translate lecturam as if it were eam lecturam esse (future active infinitive; for an example of this type
of infinitive in an indirect statement, look down the left-hand column of the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 79.)
7* Which of these versions gets the emphasis right?
(a) she will read it
(b) she will read it
(c) she will read it
8. What is Ovid’s second piece of advice, using another imperative, in line 2?
9. What is the particular propositum to which Ovid’s reader must stick firmly? Several years before Ovid
composed his poem, the poet Horace had written a poem praising the iustus et tenax propositi vir, the honest
man who sticks firmly to his principles. Ovid (and many of his readers and listeners) certainly knew Horace’s
poem; do Ovid’s words propositumque tene and Horace’s words tenax propositi refer to the same sort of
propositum, or is Ovid being mischievous?
10. Ovid now begins a series of examples to back up the advice he gave in line 2. A key word in lines 3-4 picks out
the vital ingredient for success. In what two ways does Ovid emphasise the importance of this word?
11. In translating the key word, it is worth noting that the ablative case, particularly in verse, can mean not only
“by”, “from” and “with”, but also “in”. As a way of remembering all four translations, one student invented an
advertising slogan which might stand outside a shop: BUY FROM WITHIN.
12. What animals does Ovid choose for his first example in line 3, and what adjective does he use to describe
them?
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 65
13. In time, what do these animals do, in spite of the adjective describing them? You may need to translate veniunt
ad freely rather than literally, e.g. come to work at … , come to draw, submit to, or another translation of your
own choice.
14. Is aratra grammatically singular or plural? (Notice its gender.) For your translation, use whichever seems to
produce the more natural English.
15. What animals does Ovid mention in line 4? What do they do, or what happens to them? (Hint: is docentur
active or passive?)
16. What do they eventually learn? You will see from the vocabulary that frena and lenta both have a wide range
of meanings; but you will find that one meaning of frena fits well with one of the translations of lentus, and the
other meaning of frena fits either of lentus’ other two translations.
17. Translate lines 1-4.
18. (This note could be studied after either line 4 or line 10, or be ignored. Be guided by your teacher.)
Adjective-and-noun phrases like magnum templum, villa pulchra, etc. are, as you know, very common in
Latin. In verse, the adjective is often separated by other words from the noun it describes.
One adjective-and-noun phrase may be interwoven with another:
1st adjective
2nd adjective
or “wrapped round” the other one:
1st adjective
2nd adjective
1st noun
2nd noun
2nd noun
1st noun
Lines 3-8 of Advice to a rejected lover contain eight adjective-and-noun phrases. Find as many as you can; you
met two examples in lines 3-4. Bear in mind that the adjective and the noun it describes might belong to different
declensions, and so will not always have the same ending, but they will always be in the same case, gender and
number as each other. The vocabulary shows the gender of a noun and also its genitive singular, from which
you can see the declension to which the noun belongs, and so work out its case and number. Write down each
adjective-and-noun phrase, ignoring any words that separate them. If two phrases are interwoven or if one is
wrapped round the other, write them down separately. In seven of the eight examples, the adjective comes
earlier in the line than the noun it describes.
There is more about adjective-and-noun phrases in questions 57 and 58.
66 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 67
Ovid, Ars Amatoria 1.469-478, Advice to a rejected lover - lines 5-10
ferreus adsiduo consumitur anulus usu,
interit adsidua vomer aduncus humo.
quid magis est saxo durum, quid mollius unda?
dura tamen molli saxa cavantur aqua.
Penelopen ipsam, persta modo, tempore vinces:
capta vides sero Pergama, capta tamen.
5
6
7
ferreus, ferrea, ferreum - iron, made of iron
adsiduus, adsidua, adsiduum - continual,
repeated, relentless
consumo, consumere, consumpsi,
consumptus - eat away
anulus, anuli, m. - ring
usus, usus, m. - use
intereo, interire, interii - be ruined
adsiduus, adsidua, adsiduum - continual,
repeated, unrelenting
vomer, vomeris, m. - ploughshare
aduncus, adunca, aduncum - hooked
humus, humi, f. - earth
quis? quid? - who? which? what?
magis - more
sum, esse, fui - be
saxum, saxi, n. - stone, rock
durus, dura, durum - hard
quis? quid? - who? which? what?
mollis, mollis, molle - soft, gentle
unda, undae, f. - water
68 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
8
9
10
5
10
durus, dura, durum - hard
tamen - however
mollis, molle - soft, gentle
saxum, saxi, n. - stone, rock
cavo, cavare, cavavi, cavatus - hollow out
aqua, aquae, f. - water
Penelope, Penelopes, f. - Penelope, wife of
Odysseus
ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
persto, perstare, perstiti - stand firm
modo - only
tempus, temporis, n. - time
vinco, vincere, vici, victus - win
capio, capere, cepi, captus - capture
video, videre, vidi, visus - see
sero - late, after a long time
Pergama, Pergamorum, n. - the citadel of Troy
capio, capere, cepi, captus - capture
tamen - nonetheless
19. Read lines 5-10 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
20. Study the vocabulary.
21. Read lines 5-10 (or listen to the audio) again.
22. What is worn away or eaten away in line 5? Find the adjective that describes it. Is the adjective especially
relevant to the point Ovid is making? If so, how?
23. What wears it away?
24. What is ruined or worn out in line 6? Find the adjective that describes it. Which adjective-and-noun phrase
explains why it gets worn out?
25. In lines 5-6, how does Ovid emphasise the idea of never stopping? If puzzled, look at the words in lines 3-4
which emphasise the idea in a similar way.
26. What is the point of adsidua in line 6?
(a) The contact between ploughshare and ground goes on throughout the ploughing.
(b) Ploughing is repeated every year.
(c) Both (a) and (b) are true.
27. Translate line 6. adsidua … humo is harder to translate than adsiduo … usu in line 5, and you may need to
include a phrase like “contact with”.
28. Latin writers sometimes use the ablative instead of quam to make a comparison. Before proceeding to line 7,
translate these two examples; they both have the same translation:
Check
Sextus est altior quam Marcus = Sextus est altior Marco.
Two more examples:
Check
(i) elephantus est maior equo.
(ii) hoc templum est pulchrius quam illud.
If you are not clear why pulchrius is used and not pulchrior, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, foot of page 16.
29. What two questions does Ovid ask in line 7?
30. What does he imply is the answer to both questions?
31. In line 8, which adjective describes saxa? Which describes aqua?
32. What happens to the rocks, in spite of what Ovid said in line 7?
33. Memory test: try to answer this without looking back:
In line 9, which important word in this extract appears now for the third time?
34. The Greek letter nu (equivalent to English n), when used at the end of a word, often indicates the accusative
case. (Which letter does the same job in Latin?)
35. Who was Penelope (line 9), and for what quality was she particularly famous?
36. vincere is a 3rd conjugation verb. What is the tense of vinces? If necessary, check in the Cambridge Latin
Grammar, page 28 paragraph 1. What person (“I”, “you”, etc.) is it?
37. What does Ovid predict that his reader or listener will achieve in time? (Hint: ignore persta modo for the moment.)
38. What must the reader or listener do to achieve this result? You may find it helpful to translate modo (only)
before you translate persta.
39. Which word describing Penelope emphasises that she is an extreme example? Which of these descriptions
presents the traditional picture of her qualities, and which description looks at the same qualities from Ovid’s
very different point of view?
(a) The toughest challenge of the lot.
(b) A perfect model of a faithful wife.
In (a), to whom would she be a challenge?
40* If you look up the story of Penelope you will see there is room to disagree over whether she is a good example
from Ovid’s point of view. You could say “she was going to give in, because she promised to marry the winner
of a contest”. On the other hand you could say “but in fact she didn’t marry anyone, and she deserves praise for
holding out for twenty years”. So is she a good example for Ovid’s argument or not?
41. What famous city does Ovid mention in line 10, referring to it by the name of its highest and most heavilyfortified area? What does he say happened to it, and when? According to the traditional story, how long a time
is indicated by sero?
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 69
42. What is the literal translation of vides? Are Ovid’s listeners actually seeing Troy at the moment? Aiming at
natural English, pick one of the following translations of vides or another of your own choice:
(a) You are aware that …
(b) You can see the example of …
(c) You can picture Troy …
(d) In your mind’s eye, remember how Troy …
43. Although it took a very long time, what still happened in the end? Which of these translations, in your opinion,
makes Ovid’s point most clearly?
(a) but it was captured
(b) but it was captured
(c) but captured it was
(d) but it was captured
(e) but it was captured all the same.
More than one answer is possible, and you may prefer a translation of your own.
44. Translate the whole line, concentrating on making Ovid’s point clear: he acknowledges one fact (sero) but says
that another fact (second capta) matters more.
45. Sum up as briefly as possible the advice Ovid is giving in lines 1-10. Can you reduce it to three words? to a
single word?
46. Does the argument “Other people have succeeded by persistence: therefore so will you” actually prove that
Ovid’s advice is sound? Should Ovid have said “… perhaps so will you”, or does this make his encouraging
words too feeble?
47. Complete these proverbs and words of advice, each of which gives similar advice to Ovid’s:
If at first …
Remember Robert the Bruce and …
Constant dr…. (this is very close to one of Ovid’s examples; there are two versions)
Can you think of any others?
48. In lines 3-10, does Ovid succeed in introducing variety into his list of examples? For instance, how do the
examples in lines 9-10 differ from all the others? Do the examples in 3-4 differ from those in 5-8? If so, how?
Does Ovid vary his way of presenting the examples? (Hint: look at the punctuation at the end of each line.)
49. Even in Roman times, Ovid was occasionally criticised for “not knowing when to stop”. Would the passage here
actually have more impact, not less, if it had one couplet fewer? (Disregard the fact that one less couplet would
have meant less work for you.) If it were felt that the removal of a couplet would improve lines 3-10, which would
you axe? Which would you most wish to keep?
50* Is Ovid’s advice good? Is his opinion more often right than an opposite view, that “a girl can always make a man
leave her alone if she wants to”?
51. Do you think young Roman males actually needed advice on this topic? Or is Ovid simply seeking to entertain
his readers and listeners?
52* In AD 8 the emperor Augustus, who passed a number of laws intended to improve Roman morals, sent Ovid
into exile in the distant and unappealing town of Tomis, on the Black Sea, for the last six years of his life. This
severe punishment was partly to punish Ovid for writing the Ars. In your opinion, was the emperor’s reason that
he didn't want his laws to be made fun of, or that he thought the poem was a seriously corrupting influence on
Roman behaviour?
53. There has been a lot of argument amongst scholars about the women whom the men are chasing in the Ars.
(i) Roman girls were married young, sometimes as young as twelve, and were closely supervised before
marriage, so it is most unlikely that the women mentioned by Ovid were young unmarried girls.
(ii) The Ars often refers to the vir of a girl, which suggests that she is married (as Lesbia was, if she is identified
with Clodia), in which case Ovid is writing about adulterous love-affairs. At the beginning of the Ars, he says
very firmly that he is not writing about married women, but he may be saying this in an unsuccessful attempt
to protect himself from Augustus’ anger (see question 52).
(iii) Another possibility, which is claimed by Ovid himself, is that the women are meretrices, meaning
“courtesans”, i.e. very high-class prostitutes, who were normally freedwomen, and often interested and
talented in art, music and literature. They generally lived in fashionable style, on money and gifts presented
to them by each one’s lover(s), and could afford to be choosy about the men they took up with.
(iv) A final possibility is that Ovid has no particular group of women in mind. This would be especially likely if the
Ars was intended purely for entertainment.
70 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
54. Ovid's poem is a send-up of a particular type of Greek and Latin poetry (the technical term is "didactic" poetry)
which gave information or instruction on subjects as various as hunting, astronomy, agriculture, beekeeping,
fishing, physics, volcanoes and medicine. They were in verse not prose, but in other ways were rather like
modern day manuals with titles like "How to get through your driving test" or "How to cook" or even "How to pass
your exam". One can imagine the expression on Augustus’ face when Ovid produced a didactic poem on "How
to pull birds" (not that Ovid would have put it so crudely).
55* Many readers have felt that whether or not Ovid’s poem is a serious “handbook”, it contains some sensible
comments and shows a shrewd understanding of human nature, both male and female. For example, do you
agree with these comments in the Ars?
(i) About a man who protests too loudly:
qui nimium multis “non amo” dicit, amat.
The man who keeps saying “I am not in love”, is.
(ii) About girls who go to the theatre:
spectatum veniunt, veniunt spectentur ut ipsae.
They come to look, and they come to be looked at.
56. You may be disappointed that Ovid’s poem is written entirely from the man’s point of view. Perhaps the girls
of his own day made the same grumble to Ovid himself. At any rate, Book III of the Ars, which Ovid claims he
wrote by popular request, is addressed to girls and gives hints on how to attract a man. For example:
si brevis es, sedeas, ne stans videare sedere. (videare = videaris)
If you are short, sit down, lest when you are standing you seem to be sitting.
57. When using adjective-and-noun phrases, Roman poets could take advantage of the fact that Latin word order is
more flexible than English. In English, word order usually points to the meaning of a sentence: "Dog bites man"
doesn't mean the same as "Man bites dog". In Latin, however, meaning is indicated less by word order and more
by word ending: canis mordet hominem and hominem mordet canis both indicate that the dog is doing the
biting. So the Romans could use word endings to establish the meaning of a sentence and use word order for
other purposes.
One way in which a Roman poet could make use of Latin's flexible word order was his handling of adjective-andnoun phrases. When the adjective and noun are separated by another word or words, and perhaps “wrapped
up in”, or interlaced with, another adjective-and-noun phrase, the poet does not do this to baffle his readers or
listeners, but to achieve an effect. For example, if an adjective appears in a line of Latin verse, the listener will
get ready for a noun agreeing with the adjective. Not that the listener is usually conscious of this. This is rather
like the use of rhyme in English verse. If you hear the first line of a couplet:
"And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew",
you are subconsciously ready for a word which ends in "-ew" and are satisfied when the next line is:
"That one small head could carry all he knew".
The listener can enjoy the rhyme without needing to watch out for it.
In the same way, the Roman listener who heard Ovid say ferreus in reciting line 5 of this extract would be ready
for a noun in the same case, number and gender, and near the end of the line the noun arrives. Look back at the
poem if you've forgotten it.
The fact that Latin word order is so flexible gave a Roman poet a second very practical advantage: it made it
somewhat easier for him to obey the strict rules of Latin metre.
58. If you are allowed to mark your copy of this extract, you could underline the adjective and noun in each phrase.
When one phrase encloses or is interwoven with another, use two different types of underlining (long or short?
different colours?) to distinguish the two phrases. You might then listen to the audio of the extract with the
marked text in front of you. After listening once or twice, listen again, concentrating on following the meaning as
closely as possible, and letting your eyes and ears pick up the pattern of adjective-and-noun phrases.
Answers
28. Sextus is taller than Marcus.
The second alternative literally means Sextus is taller from [i.e. measuring from] Marcus. Marcus is the standard
or baseline from which Sextus is measured.
(i) The elephant is bigger than the horse.
(ii) This temple is more beautiful than that one.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 71
Martial, Epigrams 8.12, Marital equality?
uxorem quare locupletem ducere nolim
quaeritis? uxori nubere nolo meae.
inferior matrona suo sit, Prisce, marito:
non aliter fiunt femina virque pares.
1
2
uxor, uxoris, f. - wife
quare? - why?
locuples, gen. locupletis - rich, wealthy
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus - marry; lead
nolo, nolle, nolui - not want
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitus - ask
uxor, uxoris, f. - wife
nubo, nubere, nupsi + dat. - be a wife to
nolo, nolle, nolui - not want
meus, mea, meum - my
72 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
inferior, inferior, inferius - lower
matrona, matronae, f. - wife, married woman
suus, sua, suum - his, her, its
sum, esse, fui - be
Priscus, Prisci, m. - Priscus
maritus, mariti, m. - husband
non - not
aliter - in another way, otherwise
fio, fieri, factus sum - become
femina, feminae, f. - woman
vir, viri, m. - husband, man
-que - and
par, gen. paris - equal, equally matched
Marcus Valerius Martialis (Martial) came from Spain and lived from about AD 40 to about AD 104. He spent most
of his life in Rome, supported by wealthy patrons and composing epigrams. He was a keen observer of everything
around him, and his picture of Rome, its inhabitants, its sights, its sounds and its smells, is sometimes remarkably
vivid, coloured at times by lively exaggeration and obscenity. This epigram, like many of his others, is in elegiac
couplets.
1.
An epigram is a sentence or short poem normally making a single point in a witty or unexpected way, and often
carrying a sting in its tail. Some examples:
Swans sing before they die; ‘twere no bad thing
Should certain persons die before they sing. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
He could never make a fool of himself. Nature beat him to it. (Anon.)
Your teeth are like stars – they come out at night. (Anon.)
Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
Why, if it prosper, none dare call it treason. (Sir John Harrington – various versions)
*Working together, can you find or quote other examples of epigrams? (Beware of getting too tangled in
arguments over whether a particular example qualifies or not.)
2.
Martial’s epigrams are often directed at named individuals. Some of the epigrams praise or flatter the people he
writes about, but others concentrate more on faults of character, social misbehaviour, physical defects and other
features characteristics of the human race. His targets include writers of bad poetry, people who always praise
the past, a woman who got through seven husbands, and a doctor who became an undertaker (“different name,
same job” says Martial); he even attacks a schoolteacher.
Not all his poems were strictly epigrams, and at times he could compose poems very different from his usual
acid style – an affectionate elegy on a dead slave girl, a tribute to an old friend or reflections on the pleasures of
country life.
3.
Read the poem (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
4.
Study the vocabulary.
5.
Read the poem (or listen to the audio) again.
Check 6. A reminder about direct and indirect questions: translate these examples.
(i) direct question:
quare Publius cantare non vult?
(ii) indirect question:
amici semper quaerunt quare Publius cantare nolit.
(iii) angry exclamation by Publius to his friends, combined with an indirect question: (translate the
exclamation first, then the indirect question)
quare cantare nolim semper quaeritis!
(iv) angry direct question by Publius, combined with an indirect question:
di immortales! quare cantare nolim iterum quaeritis?
7.
Find the adjective which describes uxorem in line 1. Translate both words.
8. What question is put to Martial (or to whoever is meant to be the “speaker” of the poem) in line 1?
9. What answer does Martial give in line 2?
10. Why is his answer extraordinary? (If the difference between uxorem duco and nubo has slipped your mind, see
Catullus Poem 70, question 8.)
11. What does Martial mean by uxori nubere? (Hint: which member of a Roman married couple was normally
supposed to be in charge? What does Martial imply would happen if the marriage involved an uxor locuples?)
12. In Catullus Poem 5, question 8 you met the “jussive” subjunctive, used when somebody gives an order and
includes himself in the order :
vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus.
Let us live and love, my Lesbia.
The jussive subjunctive is also used to give an order about somebody or something, and English has several
ways of translating it:
nuntius hodie reveniat Let the messenger return today, or
The messenger is to return today.
huc fur ducatur
Let the thief be brought here, or
The thief should be brought here, or
The thief is to be brought here.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 73
Check
Translate these examples:
(i) gaudeat populus
(ii) epistulam statim recitet
Sometimes an order of this kind involves the present subjunctive tense of sum (If you are unsure about this
tense, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 41):
sit vilicus quadraginta annos natus. Let the steward be forty years old, or
The steward should be forty years old.
sit Helena prior, deinde Anna.
Check
Let Helena be first, then Anna, or
Helena should be first, then Anna.
Translate this example:
(iii) extra templum sit monumentum
13. In line 3, Martial gives an order (or makes a recommendation). Who is the order or recommendation about?
Does he mean a particular individual or is he laying down a general rule?
14. What recommendation does Martial make about a wife?
15. What adjective in line 3 describes marito? Why are these two words in the ablative case? (If you have
forgotten, see Ovid, Ars Amatoria 28.)
16. Were lines 1-2 addressed to a group (e.g. friends, or Martial’s readers in general) or to an individual? (Hint: is
quaeritis in line 2 singular or plural?). However, in line 3 Martial picks out Priscus for his remarks. Perhaps the
topic of marital equality was specially relevant to Priscus – but this is only a guess.
17. There are various ways in which a wife might be inferior (line 3) to her husband – lower social class, for
example, or less education. But line 1 strongly suggests that Martial is thinking of one particular way in which a
husband must out-do his wife. What is it?
18. Notice a way of translating non aliter (line 4):
non aliter effugere possumus.
In no other way can we escape, or, more naturally:
There is no other way in which we can escape, or
This is the only way we can escape.
Check
Translate this example in the same way as the previous one:
non aliter elephanti capiuntur.
19. According to line 4, what cannot be achieved except by following Martial’s advice? Where is the most important
word in the line placed?
20. Martial does not spell out what he means by “equality”, but what does he imply will be wrong with the marriage if
the husband is not wealthier?
21. In line 4, Martial suggests that even a husband with greater wealth than his wife may not achieve more than
“equality” with his wife. Which of the two does he think is more likely to dominate the other? From what you
know of Roman marriage, is this likely to have happened often? Without looking back, can you recall any
marriage(s) or relationship(s) in previous texts in this theme where the female partner was dominant?
22. Translate the poem.
23* Martial never married. A reader of the epigram could have asked him “What can a bachelor like you know about
married life?” and Martial could have replied “The spectator sees most of the game”. With which of these two
comments do you find yourself readier to agree?
24* What is the tone of the poem? Cynical, sad, frivolous, earnest or something else? If you are uncertain about the
meaning of “tone”, think of the tone of voice in which you think it should be read.
25* Compare these two translations of the poem, not from the point of view of literal accuracy, but asking yourself
“Which makes Martial’s point more clearly?” and “Which captures the tone better?” Does either translation show
a misunderstanding of line 3? (There is no official “right answer” here.)
Dost ask why I’de not marry a rich wife?
I’le not be subject in that double strife.
Let matrons to their heads inferior be
Else man and wife have no equalitie. Robert Fletcher, 1656
“Why not marry money?” ‘Tis more in my way
To love and to cherish than love and obey.
For a match to be equal, in person and purse
A man’s better half should be rather the worse. A.L.Francis & H.F.Tatum, 1924
74 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
Answers
6.
(i) Why doesn’t Publius want to sing?
(ii) His friends are always asking why Publius doesn’t want to sing.
(iii) You are always asking me why I don’t want to sing!
(iv) By the immortal gods! Are you asking me again why I don’t want to sing?
12. (i) Let the people rejoice, or The people should rejoice, or The people are to rejoice.
(ii) Let him read out the letter at once, or He should read out the letter at once.
(iii) Outside the temple should be a monument, or Let there be a monument outside the temple.
(Other translations also possible.)
18. There is no other way of catching elephants, or This is the only way elephants can be caught.
(Other translations also possible.)
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 75
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 1-5
cum sis pietatis exemplum, filiam fratris tui ut
tuam diligis, affectumque ei repraesentas, non tantum
amitae verum etiam patris amissi. maxime igitur
gaudebis, cum cognoveris eam dignam patre, dignam
te, dignam avo evadere.
1
2
cum - since
sum, esse, fui - be
pietas, pietatis, f. - dutifulness
exemplum, exempli, n. - example, model
filia, filiae, f. - daughter
frater, fratris, m. - brother
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
ut - as
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectus - love
affectus, affectus, m. - affection
-que - and
is, ea, id - he, she, it
repraesento, repraesentare, repraesentavi,
repraesentatus - show
non tantum ... verum etiam - not only ... but
also
76 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
5
5
amita, amitae, f. - aunt
verum - but
pater, patris, m. - father
amitto, amittere, amisi, amissus - lose
maxime - very greatly, very much
igitur - therefore, and so
gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum - rejoice, be
delighted
cum - when
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitus learn, find out
is, ea, id - he, she, it
dignus, digna, dignum + abl. - worthy of
pater, patris, m. - father
dignus, digna, dignum + abl. - worthy of
tu, tui - you (singular)
dignus, digna, dignum + abl. - worthy of
avus, avi, m. - grandfather
evado, evadere, evasi - turn out
Gaius Plinius Luci filius Caecilius Secundus (the large number of names is caused by the fact that he was adopted
in his uncle’s will) was born at Comum in north Italy in late 61 or early 62 AD. He was a successful barrister who
rose through the regular stages of a political career to become consul, and was sent as a special representative of
the emperor Trajan to govern the province of Bithynia-and-Pontus (Bithynia for short) in northern Asia Minor, where
he died in about 113 AD. He was a patron of Martial.
He published nine books of letters to various friends on a multitude of subjects. (A tenth book contains his correspondence
with the emperor while in Bithynia.) He writes about life in the law-courts, obituaries of famous men, literary activities of himself
and others, character-sketches of friends (and one bitter enemy), some humane but rather preachy comments on treating
slaves kindly and being tolerant of young people; anecdotes recounting events that had happened to him personally or that he
had heard about (ghost stories, for example, and a remarkable tale of a tame dolphin) and in two famous letters he gives an eyewitness account of the eruption of Vesuvius, in which his uncle perished.
This particular letter is to Calpurnia Hispulla, referred to in these notes as Hispulla to distinguish her from Pliny’s wife
Calpurnia, the subject of the letter.
1.
Read lines 1-5 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary.
3.
Read lines 1-5 (or listen to the audio) again.
4.
Notice that cum in line 1 means since, and sis is the present subjunctive tense of sum (You met it in the section
on Martial, Marital equality but if you are unsure about it see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 41).
5.
How does Pliny describe Hispulla?
6.
To whom, according to Pliny, does Hispulla show love?
7. What does ut tuam (lines 1-2) mean?
(a) because she is your daughter.
(b) as if she were your own daughter.
(c) as if she were your brother’s daughter.
8.
Find two words in line 2 which together mean the same as diligis.
9.
Translate these examples:
(i) non solum servi verum etiam pueri tacebant.
Check
(ii) non solum amita mea verum etiam pater dormiebat.
(iii) Finally a rewritten version of lines 2-3:
Hispulla affectum Calpurniae repraesentabat non tantum amitae sed etiam patris.
(Hint: what is the case of amitae and patris?)
10. Find a perfect passive participle in line 3 which describes Calpurnia’s father; translate it literally, then work out a
more natural translation. (Hint: what had happened to him?)
11. According to Pliny, how will Hispulla react to what he is going to tell her (lines 2-3)?
Answers
9.
(i) Not only the slaves but also the boys were quiet.
(ii) Not only my aunt but also my father was asleep.
(iii) You are always asking me why I don’t want to sing!
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 77
12. Translate these examples:
(i) ridebis cum fabulam meam audiveris.
Check
(ii) gaudebis cum hoc cognoveris.
(iii) gaudebis cum cognoveris filium tuum diligentissime laborare.
13. What will Hispulla be glad to learn about Calpurnia (lines 4-5)? (Look for a pronoun referring to Calpurnia, and
then for an infinitive stating what she is doing.)
14. Find the adjective describing Calpurnia, and note that it is used with the ablative case. Who are the three people
whom Calpurnia is worthy of?
15. Translate lines 1-5.
16. Construct the family tree of the following people (* = dead when Pliny wrote; ? = name unknown; nouns
indicating relationships show relationship to Calpurnia):
It may be helpful to keep the family tree for future reference.
Fabatus avus (short for Calpurnius Fabatus)
? avia (grandmother)*
Calpurnius pater*
? mater*
Hispulla amita (amita indicates a father’s sister, not a mother’s)
Calpurnia
Plinius maritus
The words filiam fratris diligis (lines 1-2) and dignam te (worthy of you, lines 4-5) suggest that Hispulla has
been closely involved with the bringing up of Calpurnia. Does the family tree suggest a possible reason for this?
(Hint: look at the *asterisks.)
17. Is there any indication in lines 3-5 that Calpurnia and Pliny have not been married long? (Hint: look at tense of
evadere.)
Answers
12. (i)
You will laugh when you hear my story.
(audiveris is an unusual tense, known as the future perfect. The laughing and the hearing both take place
in the future, but not at the same time; the hearing happens before the laughing. For more information see
the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 29, paragraph 8.)
(ii) You will be glad when you learn this.
(iii) You will be glad when you learn (or, glad to learn) that your son is working very hard.
(cognoveris leads on to an indirect statement, so filium is accusative and laborare infinitive.)
78 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 79
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 5-8
summum est acumen, summa
frugalitas; amat me, quod castitatis indicium est.
praeterea studium litterarum ex mei caritate concepit.
meos libellos habet, lectitat, ediscit etiam.
5
6
summus, summa, summum - very great,
greatest
sum, esse, fui - be
acumen, acuminis, n. - acumen, shrewdness
summus, summa, summum - very great,
greatest
frugalitas, frugalitatis, f. - thrift
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
ego, mei - I, me
qui, quae, quod - who, which
castitas, castitatis, f. - chastity, virtue
indicium, indicii, n. - sign, evidence
sum, esse, fui - be
80 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
7
8
5
praeterea - moreover, besides
studium, studii, n. - enthusiasm
litterae, litterarum, f. - literature
ex - out of
ego, mei - I, me
caritas, caritatis, f. - love, affection, esteem
concipio, concipere, concepi, conceptus take up, conceive
meus, mea, meum - my
libellus, libelli, m. - little book
habeo, habere, habui, habitus - have
lectito, lectitare, lectitavi, lectitatus - read
edisco, ediscere, edidici - learn by heart
etiam - even, also
18. Read lines 5-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
19. Study the vocabulary.
20. Read lines 5-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
21. What qualities does Calpurnia possess in a high degree, according to Pliny (lines 5-6)? Why would these
qualities be particularly important in a Roman wife? (See Cicero, Letter to his friend Atticus, question 44 if
puzzled.)
22* What are Calpurnia’s feelings for Pliny, and what does this indicate? (Is he expressing confidence that she won’t
indulge in extra-marital affairs, or simply that she will have no interest in other men? There is no official “right
answer” to this question, but it may be relevant that Pliny and his friends lived very different lives from people
like Catullus and Lesbia more than a hundred years earlier.)
23. What special interest has she developed, and why (line 7)?
24. Who is the author of the libelli which Calpurnia collects (line 8)?
25. Would the three verbs in line 8 have been just as effective in the order ediscit lectitat habet? Which verb is the
strongest sign of Calpurnia’s enthusiasm for the libelli? How does Pliny suggest that Calpurnia’s enthusiasm
leads naturally on from one stage to another? (Hint: what two-letter word might you expect between habet and
lectitat, and between lectitat and ediscit instead of the final etiam?)
26. Translate lines 5-8.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 81
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 8-11
quanta
sollicitudine afficitur cum ego acturus sum, quanto
gaudio cum egi! disponit qui nuntient sibi quos clamores
excitaverim, quem eventum iudicii tulerim.
8
9
quantus, quanta, quantum - how much
sollicitudo, sollicitudinis, f. - worry, anxiety
afficio, afficere, affeci, affectus - affect
cum - when
ego, mei - I, me
ago, agere, egi, actus - deliver (a speech),
plead in court
sum, esse, fui - be
quantus, quanta, quantum - how much
10
11
82 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
10
gaudium, gaudii, n. - joy
cum - when
ago, agere, egi, actus - deliver (a speech),
plead in court
dispono, disponere, disposui, dispositus station
qui, quae, quod - who, which
nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatus - report,
announce
se - himself, herself, itself
qui, quae, quod - who, which
clamor, clamoris, m. - applause, shout,
uproar
excito, excitare, excitavi, excitatus - provoke,
inspire
qui, quae, quod - who, which
eventus, eventus, m. - outcome, verdict,
result
iudicium, iudicii, n. - trial
fero, ferre, tuli, latus - bring about; bring, bear
27. Read lines 8-11 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
28. Study the vocabulary.
29. Read lines 8-11 (or listen to the audio) again.
30. Much of Pliny’s life involved his work as a barrister in the Roman law-courts. This is where cases were won or
lost, and reputations made or ruined. There was a touch of “show business” about it. Pliny describes appearing
in one case which attracted a lot of attention:
“There they were, one hundred and eighty jurors, a great crowd of lawyers for both plaintiff and
defendant, dozens of supporters sitting on the benches, and an enormous circle of listeners, several
rows deep, standing round the whole courtroom. The platform was packed solid with people, and in
the upper galleries men and women were leaning over in an effort to hear, which was difficult, and
see, which was rather easier.”
31. You have often met the word quantus as a question-word.
Check
(i) Translate: quanta erat multitudo?
But it can also be an exclamation, and the word order of the translation changes:
Check
(ii) Translate: quanta erat multitudo!
quantus can be used in referring to an emotion:
quanto dolore senex afficitur!
quanta ira rex afficitur!
Check
Literally, By how much grief the old man is affected!
More naturally: How (very) grieved the old man is! (“very” is optional)
Literally, By how much anger the king is affected!
(iii) What is the natural translation?
Finally, what is the natural translation of quanta sollicitudine afficitur… ! (lines 8-9, referring to Calpurnia)?
32. Compare the perfect passive participle with the future participle:
perfect passive participle
portatus having been carried
tractus having been dragged
future participle
portaturus about to carry
tracturus about to drag
The verb ago has many meanings, including speak in court. When used with this meaning, what would be the
translation of acturus)?
33. On what occasions is Calpurnia anxious (line 9)? What is she worried about? (Since Pliny himself is not on trial,
why the worry?)
34. When is she joyful (lines 9-10)? (Hint: egi, like acturus, is from ago.)
35. (If you are confident about purpose clauses with qui, proceed to question 36.) Compare these two sentences:
(i) dux hostium iuvenem misit qui custodem interfecit.
The enemy leader sent a young man who killed the guard.
(interfecit is perfect indicative, because the young man carried out the killing)
(ii) dux hostium iuvenem misit qui custodem interficeret.
The enemy leader sent a young man who was to kill the guard, or
The enemy leader sent a young man to kill the guard.
(interficeret is imperfect subjunctive, because we don’t know whether the young man did the killing or
not; all we know is that that was the job he was sent to do. qui regem interficeret is a purpose clause,
with qui instead of ut)
Check
Translate:
(iii) domina ancillam elegit (chose) quae cenam paravit.
(iv) domina ancillam elegit quae cenam pararet.
Sometimes the sentence doesn’t say who is to do the job, but leaves it unstated:
quaero qui filiam meam doceat. I am looking for someone to teach my daughter.
Check
Translate:
(v) quaero qui in templo cantent.
36. When Pliny is speaking in court, what arrangement does Calpurnia make, and for what purpose (a) in
connection with the audience’s applause (b) in connection with the jury’s verdict? You will find it helpful to
translate excitaverim and tulerim as perfect tenses (I have …), and treat tulerim (from fero) as meaning
achieve, secure. Where would the people concerned be stationed? Why would it be helpful to have several
of them? Notice that although Calpurnia is keen to be kept continually up to date, and although women were
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 83
allowed in court (see question 30), she does not seem to consider going in person. *Suggest a reason. (There is
no “official answer” to this.)
37. Translate lines 8-11.
Answers
31. (i) How big was the crowd?
(ii) How big the crowd was!
(iii) How (very) angry the king is!
35. (iii) The mistress chose a slave-girl who prepared the dinner.
(iv) The mistress chose a slave-girl (who was) to prepare the dinner.
(v) I am looking for (some) people to sing in the temple.
84 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 85
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 11-15
eadem, si
quando recito, in proximo sedet, velo discreta,
laudesque meas avidissimis auribus excipit. versus
quidem meos cantat formatque cithara, non artifice
aliquo docente, sed amore, qui magister est optimus.
11
12
13
idem, eadem, idem - the same
si - if
quando - whenever
recito, recitare, recitavi, recitatus - give a
recital, read aloud
in - in
proximum, proximi, n. - neighbourhood,
vicinity
sedeo, sedere, sedi - sit
velum, veli, n. - curtain
discerno, discernere, discrevi, discretus hide, screen, separate
laus, laudis, f. - praise
-que - and
meus, mea, meum - my
avidus, avida, avidum - eager
auris, auris, f. - ear
excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptus - receive,
listen to
versus, versus, m. - verse
86 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
14
15
15
quidem - even, indeed
meus, mea, meum - my
canto, cantare, cantavi - sing, chant
formo, formare, formavi, formatus - set to
music; shape
cithara, citharae, f. - lyre
non - not
artifex, artificis, m. - artist, teacher
aliqui, aliqua, aliquod - any
doceo, docere, docui, doctus - teach
sed - but
amor, amoris, m. - love
qui, quae, quod - who, which
magister, magistri, m. - teacher
sum, esse, fui - be
optimus, optima, optimum - best
38. Read lines 11-15 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
39. Study the vocabulary.
40. Read lines 11-15 (or listen to the audio) again.
41. One way for a writer to get his work known was to read it in public to an invited audience; this event was known
as a recitatio. Pliny frequently read his work at such gatherings and conscientiously attended the recitationes
of other people, grumbling in one letter about the disgraceful folk who turn up late and sneak out before the end.
42. Study one use of the word idem (feminine eadem):
Sextus optimus pictor est, idemque athleta notissimus.
Sextus is an excellent painter, and the same man is a very famous athlete.
Or, more naturally: Sextus is an excellent painter, and also a very famous athlete.
Besides organising slaves to bring news from court, what does Calpurnia also (eadem) do, as described in the
words in proximo sedet (line 12)? When does she do this? (si quando in lines 11-12 can be translated as
either if ever or whenever.)
43. Find the participle in line 12 that describes Calpurnia when she attends one of Pliny’s recitationes. How is she
hidden, and why?
44. What does laudes meas (line 13) mean?
(a) the audience’s praise of Pliny.
(b) Pliny’s praise of his wife.
How does Calpurnia react to the audience’s response? Which words show how emotionally involved she is?
45. What does she sing (lines 13-14)? Notice the genitive singular of versus in the glossary; what declension does
it belong to? (This should help you to check the case of versus in line 13; if puzzled, see the Cambridge Latin
Grammar, page 11, para 4.)
46. What else does she do to his verses (line 14)? What case is cithara?
47. Pliny’s poetry, to judge from his occasional quotation of it in his letters, was not much good.
48. Who does not teach Calpurnia to sing and play the lyre (lines 14-15)? Who, or what, does teach her (line 15)?
What comment does Pliny add?
49. Translate lines 11-15.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 87
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 16-19
his ex causis est mihi spes certissima, perpetuam nobis
concordiam maioremque in dies futuram esse. illa enim
diligit non aetatem meam aut corpus, quae paulatim
occidunt ac senescunt, sed gloriam meam.
16
17
hic, haec, hoc - this
ex - for; out of
causa, causae, f. - reason
sum, esse, fui - be
ego, mei - I, me
spes, spei, f. - hope
certus, certa, certum - certain
perpetuus, perpetua, perpetuum everlasting, unending
nos - we, us
concordia, concordiae, f. - harmony
maior, maius - greater, more substantial
-que - and
in - in
dies, diei, m. - future; day
sum, esse, fui - be
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
enim - for
88 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
18
19
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectus - love
non - not
aetas, aetatis, f. - age
meus, mea, meum - my
aut - or
corpus, corporis, n. - body
qui, quae, quod - who, which
paulatim - little by little, gradually
occido, occidere, occidi - decline
ac - and
senesco, senescere, senui - grow old
sed - but
gloria, gloriae, f. - distinction, glory
meus, mea, meum - my
50. Read lines 16-19 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
51. Study the vocabulary.
52. Read lines 16-19 (or listen to the audio) again.
53. A reminder that prepositions are often sandwiched between an adjective and a noun:
hoc in templo
= in hoc templo
= in this temple
Check
multis cum amicis = cum multis amicis = with many friends
Translate: (i) his in silvis
(ii) totam per noctem
(iii) his ex causis (line 16)
54. What does Pliny say that he has?
Notice the literal meaning of est mihi. Part of the verb esse is used with the dative case to mean there is for
me … and so I have …
What is the literal translation of the following simplified version of lines 16-17, which makes a similar use of part
of esse combined with the dative:
(futurus esse is the future infinitive of esse; the endings of futurus change like bonus.)
Check
spero perpetuam concordiam nobis futuram esse.
55. Use your answer to question 54 as a starting-point for a natural translation of lines 16-17, beginning For these
reasons I have a most confident hope that we … What does he hope will happen in dies (as the days go by)?
56* Summarising lines 7-15 in as few words as possible, what are the reasons (causae, line 16) for the hope
expressed by Pliny in lines 16-17? (Hint: Do all Pliny’s favourable comments about Calpurnia have something in
common?)
57. Who is illa (line 17)?
58. From the point of view of emphasis and natural English, which of these translations of diligit non aetatem
meam aut corpus (line 18) do you prefer?
(a) She does not love my age or my body …
(b) She loves not my age or my body …
(c) She loves me not for my age or my body …
59. What comment does Pliny make about age and the body in lines 18-19?
60. According to line 19, what does Calpurnia love him for? How does Pliny use word order to emphasise his point?
61. Translate lines 16-19.
Answers
53. (i) In these words
(ii) All through the night or Through the whole night
(iii) For these reasons
54. I hope that there will be for us unending harmony.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 89
Pliny, Letters 4.19, To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife’s aunt - lines 19-22
hoc vero
decet puellam tuis manibus educatam, quae amare me
ex tua praedicatione consuevit. ergo tibi gratias agimus,
ego quod illam mihi, illa quod me sibi dederis. vale.
19
20
21
hic, haec, hoc - this
vero - indeed
decet, decere, decuit - befit, be proper
puella, puellae, f. - girl
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
manus, manus, f. - hand
educo, educare, educavi, educatus - bring up
qui, quae, quod - who, which
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
ego, mei - I, me
ex - from
tuus, tua, tuum - your (singular)
praedicatio, praedicationis, f. recommendation
consuesco, consuescere, consuevi - become
accustomed
90 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
22
20
ergo - therefore
tu, tui - you (singular)
gratia, gratiae, f. - thanks, gratitude
ago, agere, egi, actus - give; do, act
ego, mei - I, me
quod - because
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
ego, mei - I, me
ille, illa, illud - he, she, it
quod - because
ego, mei - I, me
se - himself, herself, itself
do, dare, dedi, datus - give
vale - goodbye, farewell
62. Read lines 19-22 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
63. Study the vocabulary.
64. Read lines 19-22 (or listen to the audio) again.
65. What does hoc (line 19) refer to?
(a) Calpurnia’s love for Pliny
(b) Pliny’s love for Calpurnia
(c) Calpurnia’s reason for loving Pliny
66. Notice the verb decet, which exists only in the 3rd person singular:
hoc decet Calpurniam.
This befits Calpurnia.
This translation makes it clear why Calpurniam is in the accusative case, but “befits” is a rather unusual verb,
and it would be more natural to say:
This is proper for Calpurnia (or, with vero, This is entirely proper for Calpurnia.)
67. Pliny does not name Calpurnia, but refers to her as puellam tuis manibus educatam, a phrase which turns his
praise of Calpurnia into a compliment to somebody else. Who? Translate the phrase.
68. What does Pliny say Calpurnia has been accustomed to do (line 20)? What has caused this?
69. It is natural that after the death of Calpurnia’s mother (probably several years earlier than this letter) Hispulla
took a share in Calpurnia’s upbringing; this became more important when her brother Calpurnius, Calpurnia’s
father, died, leaving Calpurnia as an orphan. (See family tree.) Hispulla and Fabatus, and Calpurnius before his
death, may have begun to consider possible husbands for Calpurnia when she was quite small, and at some
point their thoughts turned to Pliny. Their family came from Pliny’s native town of Comum, where grandfather
Fabatus was responsible for managing Pliny’s estates; another point in Pliny’s favour was his gloria, referred
to proudly in line 19. (The Roman attitude to praising oneself was utterly different from the English view; and in
any case Pliny was famous, as one of Rome’s leading barristers, who became consul before he was forty.) So
the two families might have been discussing a possible marriage between Pliny and Calpurnia for some time
(though hardly during the lifetime of Pliny’s previous wife!) and Hispulla may well have set out to build up an
attractive picture of Pliny in Calpurnia’s eyes, as Pliny claims (amare me ex tua praedicatione consuevit, lines
20-21).
70. What do both Pliny and Calpurnia therefore do (line 21)?
71. What exactly are Pliny and Calpurnia thanking Hispulla for (line 22)? (Hint: what is the point of dederis (from
do)?) How does Pliny use pairs of pronouns to show that his gratitude to Hispulla is exactly matched by
Calpurnia’s? (Compare the first four words in line 22 with the next four.)
72. Translate lines 19-22.
73. At the time of the marriage, Pliny was about forty, and had been married twice before; both wives died. From the
way in which he talks about Calpurnia to Hispulla, what impression do you have of Calpurnia’s age? See Note
on the following page for the answer.
74* How does Pliny regard Calpurnia? (You are not restricted to one choice; where possible, quote in Latin from the
letter to support your view)
item of property
equal partner
giver of love
person with the same interests as himself
manager of the household
sex object
giver of support
fellow human being
receiver of love
daughter
other
75* Compare Pliny’s comments with those of Claudia’s husband in Epitaph to Claudia. Do any details appear in both
men’s descriptions of their wives?
76. If you have access to a complete translation of Pliny’s letters, you may be interested in the three he wrote to
Calpurnia: Book VI letters 4 and 7 and in particular Book VII letter 5. You might then revisit the list in question 74
and consider whether you would make any change to your previous answer.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 91
77. The marriage (like Pliny’s two previous marriages) was childless. Calpurnia became pregnant but suffered a
miscarriage. In about 111 AD she accompanied Pliny to Bithynia. In the last two letters in Book X (Pliny’s
correspondence with the emperor Trajan) Pliny asks for and receives Trajan’s permission for Calpurnia to use
the official “fast-track” travel system of the Roman Empire in order to return to Italy: Fabatus has died, and
Calpurnia wishes to get back as soon as possible to comfort Hispulla. (An “official pass” known as a diploma,
entitled the bearer to demand transport from the local authorities). Pliny did not see Calpurnia again, but died in
Bithynia. Nothing more is known of Calpurnia.
Note
73. She was in fact about fourteen – quite normal for a Roman bride.
92 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 93
Pliny, Letters 6.24, Faithful unto death - lines 1-4
navigabam per Larium nostrum, cum amicus
ostendit mihi villam atque etiam cubiculum quod
in lacum prominet: ‘ex hoc’ inquit ‘olim femina
quaedam cum marito se praecipitavit.
1
2
navigo, navigare, navigavi - sail
per - across; through
Larius, Larii, m. - Lake Larius
noster, nostra, nostrum - our
cum - when
amicus, amici, m. - friend
ostendo, ostendere, ostendi, ostentus - point
out, show
ego, mei - I, me
villa, villae, f. - villa, house
atque - and
etiam - also
cubiculum, cubiculi, n. - bedroom
qui, quae, quod - who, which
94 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
3
4
in - into
lacus, lacus, m. - lake
promineo, prominere, prominui - stick out, jut
out
ex - out of, from
hic, haec, hoc - this
inquit - says, said
olim - once, some time ago
femina, feminae, f. - woman
quidam, quaedam, quoddam - a certain
cum - with
maritus, mariti, m. - husband
se - himself, herself, itself
praecipito, praecipitare, praecipitavi,
praecipitatus - throw
Pliny wrote this letter to his friend Calpurnius Macer, who was unrelated to Pliny’s wife Calpurnia, but may have
come (like Calpurnia and Pliny himself) from the town of Comum, on the shores of Lake Como.
1.
Read lines 1-4 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
2.
Study the vocabulary for these lines.
3.
Read lines 1-4 (or listen to the audio) again.
4. What was Pliny doing (line 1)?
5. What did his friend point out (lines 1-2)?
6. What was unusual about one room in particular (lines 2-3)?
7.
Pliny himself owned several villas around Lake Como, one of them situated exactly like the one described here.
He says in a letter that he could sling his line out of the bedroom window and virtually carry on fishing while lying
in bed.
8. What does hoc (line 3) refer to? (Hint: remember that the friend is pointing as he speaks, and bear in mind the
gender of villa and cubiculum.)
9. What did the woman (lines 3-4) do? Who else was involved? (Notice that quaedam is the feminine form of
quidam. quidam is one of a number of words whose front part changes to indicate number, case and gender
while the ending remains unchanged. You will meet a similar word in line 7.)
10. Translate lines 1-4.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 95
Pliny, Letters 6.24, Faithful unto death - lines 4-8
maritus
gravissimo morbo affectus est. uxor eum oravit ut
sibi permitteretur corpus inspicere; neque enim
quemquam fidelius indicaturum num posset
sanari.
5
maritus, mariti, m. - husband
gravis, grave - serious, severe
morbus, morbi, m. - illness
afficio, afficere, affeci, affectus - afflict
uxor, uxoris, f. - wife
is, ea, id - he, she, it
oro, orare, oravi - beg
ut - that
6
7
8
96 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
5
se - himself, herself, itself
permitto, permittere, permisi, permissus allow
corpus, corporis, n. - body
inspicio, inspicere, inspexi, inspectus inspect, examine
neque - not
enim - for
quisquam, quicquam - anyone
fideliter - faithfully, dependably
indico, indicare, indicavi, indicatus - inform
num - whether
possum, posse, potui - can, be able
sano, sanare, sanavi, sanatus - heal
11. Read lines 4-8 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
12. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
13. Read lines 4-8 (or listen to the audio) again.
14. What problem affected the woman’s husband (lines 4-5)?
The text of this letter is a shortened and slightly simplified version of what Pliny actually wrote. The original
version of lines 4-5 describes the husband’s symptoms. If you are not put off by medical details, see Note on the
following page.
15. What did his wife beg from him? (lines 5-6)?
16. Who does sibi (line 6) refer back to, and what case is it?
17. Compare these two sentences:
(i) miles centurionem oravit ut exire ei permitteretur.
(ii) miles centurionem oravit ut exire sibi permitteretur.
Both sentences can be translated, rather clumsily, as:
The soldier begged the centurion that permission should be given to him to go away.
The difference between (i) and (ii) is that in one sentence the soldier wants permission to be given to him, i.e.
the soldier himself, and in the other he wants permission to be given to some other person. Which sentence is
which?
Both examples can be translated more naturally as:
The soldier begged the centurion that he should be permitted to go away,
provided that it is clear from the surrounding sentences who is meant by “he”.
18. Study these examples:
(i) direct statement:
medicus “iuvenis” inquit “nimis vini bibit.
gravi capitis dolore iam afficitur. saepe
iuvenis magna voce clamat; saepius gemit;
saepissime vomit. nihilominus medicina
eum sanare potest; mox convalescet.
medicina quinque denariis constat.”
(ii) indirect statement:
medicus dixit iuvenem nimis vini bibisse;
gravi capitis dolore iam affici. saepe
iuvenem magna voce clamare; saepius
gemere; saepissime vomere. nihilominus
medicinam eum sanare posse; mox
convaliturum esse. medicinam quinque
denariis constare.
“The young man has drunk too much wine”
said the doctor. “He is now suffering from
a serious headache. Often the young man
shouts loudly; more often he groans; very
often he is sick. Nevertheless, medicine
can cure him; he will soon get better. The
medicine costs five denarii.”
The doctor said that the young man had
drunk too much wine; he was now suffering
from a severe headache. (He said that) the
young man often shouted loudly; more often
he groaned; very often he was sick. (The
doctor went on to say that) nevertheless
medicine could cure him; soon he would get
better. (He added that) the medicine cost
five denarii.
In indirect statements like (ii), especially in a lengthy speech, English often includes such words as “he said
that …” or “he added that …”, (shown in (ii) in brackets) to remind the reader or listener that this is a continuous
quotation of what somebody (“the doctor” in this example) said. But in the Latin version of (ii), these extra words
are not needed (except for a word like dixit at the very beginning) because the changes of the nominatives
iuvenis and medicina into the accusatives iuvenem and medicinam, and the changes of bibit, affigitur,
clamat, etc. into the infinitives bibisse, affigi, clamare, etc., are enough to show that sentence (ii) is an indirect
statement, and that the doctor is still being quoted. For further examples, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar,
page 81, paragraph 6.
In lines 5-6 of the Pliny letter, the indirect command eum oravit ut sibi permitteretur, etc. leads on to the
indirect statement neque enim, etc.without any need to insert dixit.
Check
19. Study two simplified versions of what the wife said in lines 5-8. The first version is a direct statement:
(i) “ego corpus mariti inspicere volo; fideliter enim indicabo num possit sanari.”
The second version is an indirect statement:
(ii) uxor dixit se corpus mariti inspicere velle; fideliter enim se indicaturam esse num posset sanari.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 97
Check
20. Another version of the wife’s words, in the form of a direct statement:
(i) “nemo fidelius indicabit quam ego num maritus possit sanari.”
Rather than use nemo in an indirect statement, the Romans used neque … quemquam, as in lines 6-7. neque
enim quemquam fidelius indicaturum means literally For not anybody would more faithfully inform … and in
natural English For nobody would more faithfully inform …. (quemquam is the accusative of quisquam: see
question 9.)
Finally translate the words actually used in lines 6-8:
(ii) neque enim quemquam fidelius indicaturum num posset sanari.
21. Translate lines 4-8.
Answers
19. (i) “I want to examine my husband’s body; for I will inform him faithfully whether he can be cured” (i.e. she will
be both skilful enough to assess his condition and honest enough to tell him the truth).
(ii) His wife said that she wanted to examine her husband’s body; for (she said that) she would inform him
faithfully whether he could be cured.
The words “She said that” are optional. If included, they remind the listener that it is still the wife’s speech
that is being reported, not a comment by Pliny.
20. (i) “Nobody will inform him more faithfully than I whether my husband can be cured.” For an explanation of the
ending of fidelius, see the Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 17 paragraph 2.
(ii) For nobody would more faithfully inform him whether he could be cured.
Note
14. He was suffering from septic sores around his private parts. They may have been the result of sexually
transmitted disease; possible evidence of such disease has been found from examining two skeletons of victims
of the eruption of Vesuvius.
98 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 99
Pliny, Letters 6.24, Faithful unto death - lines 8-11
vidit desperavit hortata est ut moreretur,
comesque ipsa mortis, dux immo et exemplum et
necessitas fuit; nam se cum marito ligavit
abiecitque in lacum’.
8
9
video, videre, vidi, visus - see
despero, desperare, desperavi, desperatus
- despair
hortor, hortari, hortatus sum - encourage,
urge
ut - to
morior, mori, mortuus sum - die
comes, comitis, f. - companion
ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
mors, mortis, f. - death
dux, ducis, m. - leader
immo - more precisely, more correctly, rather
et - and
exemplum, exempli, n. - example, model
et - and
100 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
10
11
10
necessitas, necessitatis, f. - compulsion
sum, esse, fui - be
nam - for
se - himself, herself, itself
cum - to; with
maritus, mariti, m. - husband
ligo, ligare, ligavi, ligatus - bind, fasten
abicio, abicere, abieci, abiectus - jump; throw
down
-que - and
in - into
lacus, lacus, m. - lake
22. Read lines 8-11 (aloud if possible) or listen to the audio on the CSCP website.
23. Study the vocabulary for these lines.
24. Read lines 8-11 (or listen to the audio) again.
25. What three things did the wife do in line 8? What do you notice about the order of the two verbs vidit and
desperavit and the group of words hortata est ut moreretur?
(a) It is the order in which the three actions occurred.
(b) The shortest verb is put first and the long verb-group is last.
(c) The verbs and verb-group are increasingly dramatic.
You may find that more than one of these answers is correct.
26. Does Pliny’s choice of words in line 8 suggest that the wife’s actions were prompt and decisive, or slow and
cautious? How do they suggest this? (Hint: is any word omitted that you might have expected?)
27. Memory test: Can you recall (in Latin) a sentence in the previous letter in which Pliny used three verbs one after
the other without et, in the same way as here, but for a different reason? (In the previous letter his purpose was
to give the impression that somebody’s enthusiasm was steadily increasing.)
28. How does Pliny describe the wife’s part in her husband’s death at the start of line 9? What word does he use to
introduce a correction of his description, and how does he describe her in the rest of the line (ignore necessitas
for the moment)?
29. What two actions by the wife does Pliny relate in lines 10-11?
30* Having read the final sentence, revisit lines 9-10. In what way was the wife a dux and an exemplum to her
husband? What does Pliny mean by saying she was the necessitas of her husband’s death? Can you find a
natural translation for it? Would “enforcer” convey the right idea? Or would a group of words like “she compelled
it” make the meaning clear?
31. Translate lines 8-11.
32. After checking that you can translate the letter, see whether you can understand it (without necessarily
translating it in your head) while listening to the audio, at first with the text in front of you, then without. If
you lose the thread in the difficult sentences where the wife makes her request, don’t worry but continue to
concentrate and see if you can pick up the story again when the Latin gets more straightforward.
33* Do you believe this story?
(i) Possible arguments for “yes”: It is clear from the rest of the letter that Pliny himself believed it. Certainly
“suicide pacts” are not unknown and there have been cases, in both ancient and modern times, in which the
death of one partner in a marriage has been followed by the suicide of the other. A more extraordinary case,
referred to by Pliny at the end of this letter and elsewhere as well, concerns Arria, the wife of Paetus. Paetus
conspired against the emperor and was ordered to kill himself: Arria famously drew a dagger, stabbed
herself, then handed the dagger to Paetus, saying “Paete, non dolet.” (“It doesn’t hurt, Paetus”). Paetus,
like the husband in the story, was apparently doomed to die, and Arria killed herself to encourage him; does
this remarkable true story make the behaviour of the wife in Pliny’s story slightly more credible?
(ii) Possible arguments for “no”: Compare Pliny’s account of the surroundings in lines 2 and 3 with his account
of the tying-up and the other preparations for the leap? Did you find either or both of the two accounts easy
to visualise? Is it a weakness in the story that Pliny (or his friend) fails to mention the question: “Was the
husband unwilling to take part in the death-plunge, or was he glad to end a life of pain?”
(iii) A third possibility: Might the story be based on a true incident which has had a lot of untrue dramatic details
added to it over the years? Which details of the story strike you as most likely to be true?
Other points could be made, and there is no official “right answer” to this question. Unless archaeologists dig up
a helpful inscription, all that a historian can do is make a guess, arguing from what seems likely.
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 101
The following questions refer to Love and Marriage generally, and are intended for individual study followed by
discussion.
1* Consider the different aspects of love as they have appeared in the eleven extracts you have read. Which
aspects of love have appeared in which extracts? In some extracts, you may wish to attribute different types
of love to the two people involved, or to say that a particular individual’s love combines more than one of the
listed types. If you find some of the descriptions below rather vague, interpret them in whatever way is most
convenient for you.
Romantic love
Sexual desire
Love affair with someone else’s spouse
Unsatisfactory married love
Being in love
Flirtation
Love affair with someone unmarried
Affection
Satisfactory married love
Other
2* Are there any ways in which you would prefer being married in 1st century Rome to being married in the present
day, and any ways in which you would strongly dislike it? Concentrate on aspects of marriage in particular, not
on Roman life generally. You may like to consider the question first from the point of view of your own sex, then
from that of the opposite sex.
3* The dinner-party from hell. In a nightmare you have invited:
Calpurnia
Catullus
Claudia
Lesbia
Ovid
Pliny
Pomponia
Quintus Cicero
to dinner. They are placed in the usual three-couch arrangement around a table. As in Cicero, Letter to his friend
Atticus, women are allowed at the table, placed alternately with men, as far as this is possible. You yourself,
as host(ess), occupy the host’s traditional place, marked as H on the diagram; the guest of honour’s place is
marked GH.
GH
H
But in your nightmare, something has gone horribly wrong with the seating (or reclining) arrangements, and
every diner (or most diners, including yourself) has been placed between the two most unsuitable next-doorneighbours.
Copy the diagram of the three couches and table, adding the name of the person occupying each place. Award
yourself marks based on the number of disastrously-placed people on your diagram.
The married couple from Lake Como are unavoidably absent.
102 WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage
Notes
WJEC Level 2 Latin Literature Unit 9541 Love and Marriage 103
Download