02.04.25: H & B; level 2; reading; the spirit of Ancient Rome

Rōmānī cum Latīnīs bellum gerēbant. Deī cōnsulēs per somnium sīc monuerant: ‘Sī exercitus vīcerit, occīdētur imperātor: sī imperātor superfuerit, vincētur exercitus.’ Utrimque ad pugnam prope Vesuvium montem prōcessērunt: T. Mānlius Torquātus dextrō, P. Decius Mūs sinistrō cornū praeerat: mox hostēs sinistrum cornū ācrī impetū oppugnāvērunt; nostrī paulātim locō cēdēbant. Tum Decius, ‘Prō rēpūblicā Rōmānā,’ inquit, ‘prō populī Rōmānī exercitū, legiōnibus, sociīs, Deciī vītam cum legiōnibus sociīsque hostium dīs Mānibus dēvoveō.’ Tum armātus in equum īnsiluit, sōlus in Latīnōrum aciem invāsit, ingentem numerum hostium occīdit, tandem mortem oppetīvit. Mōvit virī intrepidī exemplum reliquōrum animōs : statim pugnam redintegrāvērunt, simul dextrō cornū Mānlius novās cōpiās contrā fessum hostem dūxit. Ubīque Rōmānī vīcērunt: Latīnōrum paucī pugnae superfuērunt.

[1] lines 1 – 3 (Rōmānī … praerat)

[i] Who was fighting whom? (1)

[ii] Where did the battle take place? (1)

[iii] What was under the command of [a] Manlius Torquatus and [b] Decius Mus? (2)

[iv] Give a fluent translation of: [i] Deī ¦ [ii] cōnsulēs ¦ [iii] per somnium ¦ [iv] sīc ¦ [i] monuerant:¦ [v] ‘Sī exercitus vīcerit, ¦ [vi] occīdētur imperātor: [vii] sī imperātor superfuerit,  ¦ [viii] vincētur exercitus.’ (8)*

Bear in mind some of the differences between Latin and English tense usage in bold.

[2] lines 3 – 5 (mox … cēdēbant)

Describe the enemy attack and the Roman response (5)│ [i] mox hostēs ¦ [ii] sinistrum cornū ¦ [iii] ācrī impetū ¦ [i] oppugnāvērunt; [iv] nostrī ¦ [v] paulātim ¦ [iv] locō cēdēbant.

[3] lines 5 – 9 (Tum … oppetīvit)

Explain in your own words and with references to the text why this extract reflects the title of the passage. (8)**

[4] lines 9 – end (Mōvit … superfuērunt.)

[i] How did the actions of Decius affect the others? (5)

[ii] How did the battle end? (2)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publius_Decius_Mus_(consul_340_BC)

Decius Mus reporting his dream on the battlefield, in a painting by Jacob Matthias Schmutzer (1733–1811)

The Death of Decius Mus in Battle (1618) by Rubens

The impact of these figures in Roman history is less, in my view, concerning whether or not they existed or if their actions have been exaggerated / manipulated / fabricated (delete as applicable), but rather their symbolic significance. I give a link to an article:

https://web.archive.org/web/20170421231847/http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-anonymous-pro-trump-decius-now-works-inside-the-white-house/article/2006623

I make no political comment but cite it merely to show that an individual who has featured in Roman history since the 4^th century BC still has influence today:

The enigmatic writer's real name is Michael Anton, and he's a fast-talking 47-year-old intellectual who, unlike most of his colleagues, can readily quote Roman histories and Renaissance thinkers. But readers knew him throughout 2016 as Publius Decius Mus.

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*[1] [iv]: [i] The gods had advised / warned ¦ [ii] the consuls ¦ [iii] through a dream ¦ [iv] in this way: ¦ [v] “If the army wins (La. future perfect: vīcerit; literally: will have won), ¦ [vi] the commander will be killed: ¦ [vii] if the commander survives (La. future perfect:  superfuerit; literally: will have survived) ¦ [viii] the army will be conquered.”

**[3]

devotion to Rome in its entirety and its allies │ Prō rēpūblicā Rōmānā … prō populī Rōmānī exercitū, legiōnibus, sociīs

selflessness: prepared to sacrifice his own life, and belief in the gods: dedicates his life to the Gods of the Underworld │ Deciī vītam … dīs Mānibus dēvoveō

bravery: rides alone into the battle-line │ sōlus in Latīnōrum aciem invāsit

energy: kills a huge number of the enemy before dying in battle │ ingentem numerum hostium occīdit