26.03.24: the imperfect tense [6]; examples of the imperfect tense from various sources e.g. school textbooks

Note the different ways in which the Latin imperfect is used and different possibilities of translation:

Depending on context:

[a] An action that was ongoing at the time, but not finished:

Tempestās magna mare turbābat. │ A great storm was stirring up the sea.

[b] An action that was frequentative i.e. it happened more than once:

Mediā nocte surgēbam. │ I used to get up at midnight. [I would get up at midnight]

[c] A general situation in the past:

Puerum timēbat │ He feared the boy. [i.e. that was his state of mind over a period of time]

[1] Paucōs annōs cum uxōre suā in eā regiōne habitābat, et in magnō honōre erat apud omnēs Aethiopēs… Magnopere tamen mātrem suam rūrsus vidēre cupiēbat. │ For a few years he (Perseus) lived with his wife in that region, and was in great reputation / honour with all the Ethiopians [= had a great reputation / was held in great honour among...] However, he greatly desired to see his mother again.

cupiō, cupere [3-iō]: desire

[2] Herculēs ā puerō corpus suum dīligenter exercēbat; magnam partem diēī in palaestrā* cōnsūmēbat. │ From when he was boy Hercules would exercise his body carefully; he used to spend most of the day in the gymnasium.

cōnsūmō, cōnsūmere [3]: (here) to spend (time)

[3] Tū iter Rōmam saepe faciēbās. │ You often travelled / used to / would often travel to Rome.

[4] Nōnnumquam in scaphā cum nautīs nāvigābāmus. │ We sometimes used to sail in the little boat with the sailors.

[5] Tempestās magna mare turbābat. │ A great storm was stirring up the sea.

[6] Mediā nocte surgēbam. │ I used to get up at midnight.

[7] Duodecim annōs crūdēlissimō Eurystheō serviēbat. │ For twelve years he was a slave to the very cruel Eurystheus.

serviō, servīre [4]: to be a slave to somebody; the verb is followed by the dative case.

[8] Haud procul ā valle … spēlunca erat, in quā Cācus, horribile mōnstrum, tum habitābat. │ Not far from the valley … was a cave in which Cacus, a horrible monster, lived at that time.

[9] Ācrisius volēbat Persēum nepōtem suum necāre; nam propter ōrāculum puerum timēbat. │ Acrisius wanted to kill his grandson, because, on account of the oracle, he feared the boy.

imperfect tense of volō, velle [irr.] want > volēbam, volēbās etc.

[10] Illam amābam ōlim. │ I loved her at one time.

[11] Cum mātre suā vītam beātam agēbat. │ He led / was leading a happy life with his mother

[12] Herculēs Apollinem praecipuē colēbat. │ Hercules particularly worshipped Apollo.

colō, colere [3]: several meanings including [i] cultivate (land) and, here, [ii] worship

[13] Diū frūstrā quaerēbat; namque nātūram locī ignōrābat. │ For a long time he was searching in vain for he did not know the nature of the place.

[14] Ibi Cēpheus quīdam illō tempore rēgnābat. │ A certain Cepheus ruled there at that time.

*The image shows the palaestra, a wrestling school or place of exercise; this one is of the palaestra outside the Stabian baths at Pompeii.