27.09.25: Level 2; Easy Latin Plays (Newman: 1913); Māter Gracchōrum [4]; Scaena Quārta; text, vocabulary and questions; answers

SCAENA QUĀRTA: IN CAPITŌLIŌ

Persōnae: Cīvēs, Rūsticus, Senātōrēs, Tribūnī, Tiberius Gracchus

RŪSTICUS

Salvēte, amīcī! Nūper rūre in urbem advēnī. Dīcite mihi! Quid hīc agitur?

CĪVIS PRĪMUS

Comitia habentur; tribūnī plēbis creantur.

RŪSTICUS

Quī petunt? Cui favet populus?

CĪVIS PRĪMUS

Tiberius Gracchus petit iterum esse tribūnus.

RŪSTICUS

Quid? Nōnne lēgēs id vetant?

CĪVIS PRĪMUS

Vetant sānē lēgēs, sed populus favet Gracchō.

CĪVIS SECUNDUS

Nūper ille agrōs Italōs cīvibus pauperibus reddidit.

RŪSTICUS

Bene ēgit. Iūre illī populus favet.

CĪVIS TERTIUS

Immō lēgēs violat petēns iterum tribūnus esse, mihi displicet.

CĪVIS SECUNDUS

Crēscit clāmor!

RŪSTICUS

Quid agitur?

(Intrant senātōrēs tribūnī Gracchus contendentēs; Gracchus cadit)

Vocabulary

Capitōlium, -ī [2/n]: the Capitoline Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome

contendō, -ere, contendī, contentus [3]: (here) struggle; fight

immō: (here) to the contrary

sānē: indeed; certainly

vetō, -āre, -uī, vetitus [1]: forbid; prevent; oppose

Note

Verbs followed by the dative case:

[i] faveō, -ēre, fāvī, fautus [2]: to support; favour

Cui [dative] favet populus? │ Whom do the people favour?

populus favet Gracchō [dative]. │ The people favour Gracchus.

illī [dative] populus favet │ The people favour him

[ii] mihi displicet  │ literally: it is displeasing to me = I do not like it

Link: verbs with the dative case

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/180425-level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-2.html

Questions [answers are at the end of the post]

[i] What does the farmer want to know and why? (3)

[ii] Why is an election being held? (1)

[iii] Whom do the people support and why does this surprise the farmer? (3)

[iv] What surprises the farmer and why? (2)

[v] According to the Second Citizen, what has Gracchus recently done? (2)

[vi] Translate from: “RŪSTICUS Bene ēgit …” to the end of the scene “(…Gracchus cadit)”

[vii]

Review the passive verbs in this scene; find the Latin:

(a) What is happening? [ = What is being done?]

(b) Elections are being held.

(c) The tribunes of the plebs are being chosen.

[viii] What case is rūre and why is it being used?

[i] (1) What is happening; (2) recently arrived in the city; (3) from the countryside │  (2) Nūper (3) rūre (2) in urbem advēnī. Dīcite mihi! (1) Quid hīc agitur?

[ii] The tribunes of the plebs are being chosen. │ tribūnī plēbis creantur.

[iii] (1) they favour Gracchus (2)

[iv] (1) They support Gracchus (2) Gracchus wants to be tribune again (3) the law forbids this │ Cui favet populus? … (1) Tiberius Gracchus (2) petit iterum esse tribūnus… (3) Quid? Nōnne lēgēs id vetant?

[v] (1) given the Italian lands back (2) to the poor citizens │ ille (1) agrōs Italōs (2) cīvibus pauperibus (3) reddidit.

[vi]

Farmer: (1) He has done / acted well. (2) The people rightly favour him.

Third Citizen: (3) On the contrary, (4) he violates the laws (5) asking to be tribune again. (6) I’m not happy [That displeases me / is displeasing to me]

Second Citizen: (7) The shouting / noise is growing (getting louder)!

Farmer: (8) What’s happening?

[(9) the senators, tribunes [and] Gracchus enter fighting; (10) Gracchus falls]

[vii]

(a) Quid agitur?

(b) Comitia habentur

(c) tribūnī plēbis creantur

[viii] ablative case; rūs, rūris [3/n] (countryside) requires no preposition to express;

(1) in the countryside: rūrī (locative case); link: locative case

(2) to the countryside: rūs (accusative case)

(3) from the countryside: rūre (ablative case)