12.04.24: The Exploit of Horatius [1]

When I started learning Latin, I knew very little about Rome. I used a lot of older schoolbooks because many of them write about Rome's past in a simple way, and so, in addition to learning the language gradually, you can pick up parts of the “history” as you go along. I put “history” in inverted commas. I’m not a historian but we must tread carefully with accounts of early Rome written in the Classical period which refer to events hundreds of years before. What is myth and legend, skewed perception, idealistic portrayals, “enhanced” accounts and a desire of the Romans to have an “identity”, a discernible origin, are all players in the narrative of early Rome. But the stories were dear to the Romans and certain characters within them e.g. Horatius present the virtues which they held in high regard not unlike the way the British will hold up the legend of Robin Hood as a champion of the poor.

[Latin for Today: Gray (1927)]

Read the text for understanding and then look at the verbs in bold below. Find the verbs in the text. All verb forms that have been covered so far are now appearing in the same text.

[1] present tense

Who doesn’t see these lands?

[2] Imperative (command)

Now, pupils look at the map.

[3] imperfect tense

i. How bravely he used to fight for the country

ii. How strong was Horatius!

iii. What a clear example of bravery he used to show

iv. Where did the Etruscans, the neighbours of the Romans, use to live?

v. Where did the Romans use to live?

[4] future tense

i. First, we will look at the map.

ii. I shall point out the site of the battle.

iii. If my words [will] delight you.

iv. If we will look at the map, we will see Latium and Etruria.

v. Mark, if you (sg.) [will] hold the map in front of us

vi. Perhaps it will delight you.

vii. We will be [= will have] grateful to you.

viii. Who will show me Rome?

ix. You (pl.) will remember the story. [literally: you will keep the story in your memory]

x. Your teacher will tell a story.

Nōta est audācia Rōmānōrum antīquōrum. Hodiē, puerī et puellae, magister vester fābulam dē audāciā Horātī, virī clārī, vōbīs nārrābit. Fortasse ea vōs dēlectābit. Sī verba mea vōs dēlectābunt, fābulam dē Horātiō semper memoriā tenēbitis. Quam validus: erat Horātius! Quam fortiter prō patriā pugnābat! Quam clārum exemplum audāciae praebēbat! —

Prīmum tabulam Ītaliae antīquae spectābimus. Marce, sī tabulam ante nōs tenēbis, tibi grātiam habēbimus. Nunc, discipulī, tabulam spectāte. Locum pugnae mōnstrābō.

Sī tabulam spectābimus, Latium et Etrūriam vidēbimus. Quis hās terrās nōn videt? Ubi Rōmānī habitābant? Ubi Etrūscī, vīcīnī Rōmānōrum, habitābant? Quis mihi Rōmam mōnstrābit ?

praebeō, praebēre [2]: show; display