Friday, May 9, 2025

08.08.25: H & B; level 2; reading; ancient robbers

Thēseus, praeter alia facta īnsignissima, maximam sibi fāmam comparāvit quod latrōnēs propter crūdēlītātem nōtōs Procrūstēm, Scīrōnem, Sinōnem occiderat. Procrūstēs, sī forte advenam vī superāverat, eum nōn sōlum spoliābat sed ad lectum dēligābat: tum sī hominis īnfēlīcis corpus brevius erat quam lectus, membra eius ad idōneam longitūdinem tendēbat; contrā sī brevior lectus erat quam corpus, pedēs vel partem membrōrum gladiō abscīdēbat. Scīrōn in saxō altissimō sedēbat. Eius iussū viātōrēs pedēs latrōnis lavābant; dum lavant, Scīrōn ictū pedis in mare dēmittēbat. Sinōn verticem arboris ad terram flectēbat: captīvī caput ad verticem, pedēs ad truncum dēligābat: tum repente verticem remittēbat.

[1] Lines 1 – 2; translate into English (7):

Thēseus, praeter alia facta īnsignissima, maximam sibi fāmam comparāvit quod latrōnēs propter crūdēlītātem nōtōs Procrūstēm, Scīrōnem, Sinōnem occiderat.*

[2] To which of the following characters does each statement refer?

[A] Procrūstēs

[B] Scīrōn

[C] Sinōn

throwing into the sea

bending a tree-top

giving a command

stretching

using a sword

robbing

releasing the tree-top

shorter body

sitting on a rock

tying to a bed

tying head to a tree-top

cutting off feet

kicking

tying feet to a tree trunk

washing feet

shorter bed

[3] Find the Latin:

by chance

by force

on his command

with a kick [= with a blow of the foot]

[4] Procrustean bed: concept referring to a rigid standard or scheme into which something or someone is forcibly and arbitrarily made to fit, often at the expense of their individual characteristics or natural form.

Referring to the story, explain in your own words the origin of the term ‘Procrustean bed’. (6)**


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*[1]: [i] Theseus, [ii] apart from (his) other [iii] very famous / remarkable deeds, [i] obtained the greatest fame [iv] for himself [v] because he had killed robbers [vi] [who were] well-known [vii] on account of their cruelty: Procrustes, Sciron (and) Sinon.

**[4]: [i] Procrustes tied victims to a bed. [ii] If the body was shorter than the bed, [iii] he would stretch it to the suitable length. [iv] If the body was longer, [v] he cut off the feet or part of the limbs [vi] with a sword.

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