25.03.25: H & B; level 2; reading; a family curse [1]

Deī Oenomaum rēgem per ōrāculum sīc monuerant: ‘Ā generō necāberis.’ Itaque Oenomaus ‘ Nēmō,’ inquit, ‘fīliam in mātrimōnium dūcet.’  Multī tamen pulchram fīliam, Hippodamīam, amābant, multī petēbant. Fīliam in mātrimōnium nōn ducēs,’ respondit omnibus, ‘nisi patrem in currūs certāmine vīceris: sī victus eris, morte poenās audāciae persolvēs.’ Multī ad certāmen veniēbant, multī ā rēge superābantur. Tandem Pelops Myrtilum, rēgis aurīgam, prōmissīs conciliāvit. ‘Dīmidium rēgnī dabō,’ inquit, ‘sī in certāmine adiūveris.’ Tum Myrtilus rēgiī currūs axem discidit: itaque rēx ē currū cecidit, Pelops victor cum Hippodamīa ad patriam revertit. Sed quamquam ā Myrtilō via ad victōriam inventa erat, prōmissum Pelops nōn praestitit. Nam ubi currum prope mare agēbat, aurīgam in aquam dēmīsit. Myrtilus autem, ‘Ā dīs immortālibus,’ clāmāvit, ‘auxilium petō: rem tam foedam dī nōn neglegent: per omnēs annōs Pelopis perfidiae poenās Pelopidae persolvent.’

[1] Lines 1 – 2 (Deī … dūcet)

Nēmō … fīliam in mātrimōnium dūcet. What did Oenomaus say and why did he say it? (3)

[2] Lines 2 – 5 (Multī … persolvēs)

What challenge did Oenomaus set to those wanting to marry Hippodamia, and what was the price of failure? (2)

[3] Lines 5 – 7; translate (10)*

[i] Multī ¦ [ii] ad certāmen ¦ [i] veniēbant, [iii] multī ¦ [iv] ā rēge ¦ [iii] superābantur. [v] Tandem Pelops Myrtilum, ¦ [vi] rēgis aurīgam, [vii] prōmissīs [v] conciliāvit. [viii] ‘Dīmidium rēgnī dabō,’ inquit, ¦ [ix] ‘sī ¦ [x] in certāmine ¦ [ix] adiūverīs.’

Note: ‘Dīmidium rēgnī dabō,’ inquit, ‘sī in certāmine adiūveris.’ What tense is adiūveris? How would it literally be translated? How would it be best translated?

[4] Lines 7 – 8 (Tum … revertit)

What did Myrtilus do to the chariot and with what results? (4)

[5] Lines 8 – 10 (Sed … dēmīsit)

[i] Give a translation of Sed quamquam ā Myrtilō via ad victōriam inventa erat, prōmissum Pelops nōn praestitit (4) and [ii] explain why that statement is made. (2)

[6] Lines 10 – end (Myrtilus autem … persolvent)

[i] Whose help did Myrtilus seek? (1)

[ii] Why did he think they would help? (2)

[iii] Who was to be punished? (1)

[7] In your own words give a brief description of Myrtilus referring to his character and motives. (4)**

dēmittō , -ere, -mīsī, -missus [3]: send down; throw / cast down

neglegō, -ere, neglēxī, neglēctus [3]: ignore / be indifferent; overlook

perfidia, -ae [1/f]: treachery

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

King Oenomaus, Hippodamia, and Olympian gods. Illustration (colour lithograph) from a binding of 'Peintures de Vases Antiques Vulgairement Appeles Etrusques' by Aubian Louis Millin de Grandmaison, with 'Introduction a l'Etude des Vases Antiques d'Argile Peints Vulgairement Appeles Etrusques', by A. Dubois Maisonneuve; possibly refers to the establishment of the Olympic Games in honour of Oinomaos; died in a chariot race against Pelops, who wanted to marry his daughter Hippodamea.

by The Stapleton Collection (French), Public Domain

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15518537

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* [3] [i] Many came ¦ [ii] to the contest, ¦ [iii] (and) many were conquered / beaten ¦ [iv] by the king. [v] Pelops finally won over Myrtilus, ¦ [vi] the king’s charioteer ¦ [vii] with promises. [viii] “I shall give you half the kingdon, he said ¦ [ix] “If you help (me) ¦ [x] in the contest.”

** [7] acts out of self-interest; no loyalty to the king; motivated by promises of power / wealth; hypocritical: refers to the “foul deed” and “treachery” of Pelops yet he himself committed a treacherous act