25.02.25: H & B; level 2; reading; a prophecy independently confirmed

Erant in Etrūriā multī et sapientēs haruspicēs. Ubi Rōmānī urbem Veiōs obsīdēbant, ūnus ex haruspicibus in sermōnem cum mīlitibus Rōmānīs incīdit. ‘Rōmānī,’ inquit, ‘urbem Veiōs nōn expugnābunt nisi aqua ē lacū Albānō ēmittētur.’ Posteā ē mūrīs in aggerēs Rōmānōs vēnit. Tum ūnus ē Rōmānīs, iuvenis fortis, senem īnfirmum superāvit et ad imperātōrem trāxit. Ab imperātōre ad urbem missus est. Intereā Rōmānī lēgātōs in Graeciam ad ōrāculum Apollinis miserant et reditum exspectābant. Lēgātī ubi revertērunt deī respōnsum nūntiāvērunt: “Sīc Apollō Rōmānōs monet: nisi aqua ē lacū Albānō ēmittētur, Rōmānī Veiōs nōn expugnābunt.” Tum dēnique sēnī crēdidērunt. Lacus Albānus tum forte imbribus auctus erat. Itaque Rōmānī ōrāculō pārent, aquam per agrōs ēmittunt, urbem Veiōs expugnant.

[A]

[1] Lines 1 - 3 (Erant … ēmittētur)

[i] How are the soothsayers described? (1)

[ii] When did one of them speak to the Roman soldiers? (2)

[iii] What prophecy was given? (3)

[2] Lines 3 – 5; translate (12):

Posteā ē mūrīs in aggerēs Rōmānōs vēnit. Tum ūnus ē Rōmānīs, iuvenis fortis, senem īnfirmum superāvit et ad imperātōrem trāxit. Ab imperātōre ad urbem missus est.

Marks awarded for translation are usually based upon ‘blocks’ of language and phrases rather than individual words. I have divided the text here into a suggested mark scheme although the content could have marks allocated in different ways. At this level it would be unlikely that common words such as Rōmānōs, fortis and īnfirmum would warrant separate marks. Look out for prepositions, adverbs and different tenses or active / passive constructions; these need to be conveyed precisely in a translation.

[i] Posteā ¦ [ii] ē mūrīs ¦ [iii] in aggerēs Rōmānōs ¦ vēnit. [iv] Tum ¦ [v] ūnus ē Rōmānīs, ¦ [vi] iuvenis fortis, ¦ [vii] senem īnfirmum ¦ superāvit ¦ [viii] et ad imperātōrem ¦ [ix] trāxit. [x] Ab imperātōre ¦ [xi] ad urbem ¦ [xii] missus est.

Questions 3 – 5:  reading comprehension and translation are not the same task although, in Latin tests, the questions are often so carefully worded that a translation seems to be the best option! Provided the answer gives the key points, it is not necessary to translate precisely. I have given sample answers at the end.

[3] Lines 5 – 6 (Intereā … exspectābant)

What were the Romans waiting for? Give details. (4)*

[4] Lines 6 – 8 (Lēgātī … crēdidērunt)

Why was the old man believed? Give details. (5)*

[5] Lines 9 – end (Lacus … expugnant)

Explain [i] why the Romans were able to obey the oracle and [ii] what the outcome was. (5)*

[B] Match the words / phrases in bold with the grammatical descriptions

[i] Ab imperātōre ad urbem [ii] missus est.

[iii] cum mīlitibus Rōmānīs

Intereā Rōmānī lēgātōs … ad ōrāculum Apollinis [iv] miserant et [v] reditum exspectābant.

[vi] Lacus Albānus tum forte [vii] imbribus  [viii] auctus erat.

[ix] nisi aqua ē [x] lacū Albānō [xi] ēmittētur

[xii] Tum dēnique sēnī crēdidērunt

4^th declension noun in the ablative case __________

4^th declension noun in the accusative case __________

4^th declension noun in the nominative case __________

ablative of accompaniment __________

ablative of agent __________

ablative of cause __________

conjunction introducing a conditional clause __________

future passive __________

noun in the dative case __________

perfect passive __________

pluperfect active __________

pluperfect passive __________

haruspex

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=haruspex-harpers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruspex

agger

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=agger-harpers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agger_(ancient_Rome)

____________________

[3] The Romans had sent envoys [i] to Greece [ii] to the oracle of Apollo [iv] they were waiting for them to return

[4] [i] envoys returned ¦ [ii] gave the god’s response / same answer as the old man had given ¦ [iii] Apollo advises the Romans ¦ [iv] unless water is discharged from the lake / water  ¦ [v] Vei will not be captured

[5] [i] the lake had flooded by chance ¦ [ii] because of the rains [= by chance the rains had caused the lake to flood] ¦ [iii] the Romans discharged water ¦ [iv] through the fields ¦ [v] captured the city / Veii