And here is one final (slightly adapted) excerpt with translation, but without comments since all the uses have come up in the previous posts. Every one of the verbs when translated is in the English past simple tense, but all of them in Latin are in the imperfect.
[1] Inter deōs Rōmānōs
agricolae nōn sōlum Cererem sed Bacchum quoque adōrābant et in
summō honōre habēbant. Bacchus enim vīnum hominibus dabat et
multās artēs docēbat. Ad Bacchī ārās agricolae dōna multa, et in
prīmīs ūvās vīnumque iūcundum ferēbant, et ārās flōribus laetīs
pampinīsque ōrnābant.
Among the Roman gods, the
farmers worshipped not only Ceres, but also Bacchus, and held him
in the highest honour, for Bacchus gave wine to people
and taught many skills. The farmers brought many
gifts to the altars of Bacchus, and especially grapes and delicious wine, and
they decorated the altars with cheerful flowers and
vine-leaves.
[2] Deus igitur vītēs
Ītalicās cūrābat, et ā perīculō dēfendēbat.
Fōrmōsus erat deus, et, quod vītēs amābat,
capillōs suōs pampinīs saepe ōrnābat. Nec Italōs Graecōsque
sōlum docēbat, sed ad longinquās terrās nāvigābat,
aliīsque gentibus vīnum dabat, artēsque rūsticās docēbat.
The god therefore took
care of the Italian vines, and defended (them) from
danger. The god was handsome, and because he loved the
vines, he often adorned his hair with vine leaves. Nor did
he teach only the Italians and the Greeks, but he sailed to
distant lands, and gave wine to other nations, and taught rustic
arts.
Image: apologies for the
irony, but the fresco depicts Bacchus, the god who, according to the text,
defended the vines from danger.
But he didn’t defend them
from what’s behind him: that’s Mount Vesuvius.
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