30.04.24: review: imperfect tense [2]; Julia: a Latin reader (excerpts) [1]

An excerpt that shows the imperfect tense in use.

Rōmulus erat Mārtis fīlius. Mārs erat deus bellī et armōrum. Mīlitēs Rōmānī Mārtem adōrābant et in Mārtis ārīs victimās mactābant. Rōmulus igitur mīlitēs et arma vehementer amābat. Urbis Rōmae prīmus rēx erat. Sed virī sōlum urbem habitābant; neque uxōrēs neque sorōrēs habēbant.

Romulus was the son of Mars. Mars was the god of war and weapons. Roman soldiers worshipped Mars and sacrificed victims on the altars of Mars. Romulus, therefore, greatly loved the soldiers and weapons. He was the first king of the city of Rome. But only men inhabited the city; they had neither wives nor sisters.

So, the excerpt shows what the general situation was over a period of time or actions that they habitually performed

Rōmulus erat Mārtis fīlius │ Romulus was the son of Mars.

Urbis Rōmae prīmus rēx erat. │Romulus was the first king of the city of Rome.

Rōmulus igitur mīlitēs … amābat. │ Romulus, therefore, greatly loved the soldiers …. i.e. he didn’t love them one day and hate them the next (even if they lost, which they sometimes did)

Sed virī sōlum urbem habitābant │But only men inhabited the city.

...neque uxōrēs neque sorōrēs habēbant. │They had neither wives nor sisters.

Mīlitēs Rōmānī Mārtem adōrābant. │Roman soldiers worshipped / used to worship / would worship Mars

Mīlitēs Rōmānī … in Mārtis ārīs victimās mactābant. │Roman soldiers made sacrifices on the altars of Mars, i.e. it was something that they habitually did.