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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