Monday, June 23, 2025

30.09.25: Level 2; Easy Latin Plays (Newman: 1913); Māter Gracchōrum [5][i]; Scaena Quīnta; text, vocabulary and questions

SCAENA QUĪNTA: APUD CORNĒLIAM

Persōnae: Cornēlia, Famulae, Blossius, Cīvēs

CORNĒLIA

Cūr cessat Tiberius? Summō hodiē amōre eum exspectō.

FAMULA QUAEDAM

Exaudī, domina! Venit.

CORNĒLIA

Num ille venit? Cūr nōn cum clāmōribus populī venit?

(Intrant Blossius et cīvēs)

BLOSSIUS

Salvē, Cornēlia!

CORNĒLIA

Salvē, amīce! Quid mihi nūntiās?

BLOSSIUS

Trīstia, ēheu! Nūntiō -- trīstissima.

CORNĒLIA

Quid? Haud trīstissima, amīce, potes nūntiāre, nisi turpem scīlicet fīlius meus sē praebuit.

BLOSSIUS

Cornēlia, Tiberius mortuus est.

CORNĒLIA

Ā ... prō patriā vērō mortuus est. Ō amīcī, ābīte! Fīlium meum hūc addūcite! ... multās hōrās eum exspectō, iam tandem eum accipiam.

(Intrant cīvēs cum Tiberī corpore)

CORNĒLIA

Salve, mī fīlī! Numquam anteā tantā laetitiā quantā hodiē tē accēpī. Maximē hodiē tē amō atque laudō. Ō, mē! Ter quaterque nunc beāta sum -- pater meus Hannibalem superāvit: vir meus in Hispāniā glōriam sibi comparāvit; fīliōrum, quōs illī peperī, ūnus hīc iacet -- prō patriā mortuus est; vīvit alter -- prō patriā vīvet et labōrābit!

(cīvibus) Vōbīs, amīcī, grātiās reddō, quod haec tam laeta mihi nūntiāvistis, hoc tam cārum corpus ad mē addūxistis.

(famulīs) Venīte, puellae! Excēdēmus. Deīs Immortālibus grātiās reddēmus. Festīnāte! Mulierem beātissimam ad templa deōrum addūcite -- Scīpiōnis fīliam, Gracchī uxōrem, mātrem Gracchōrum!

Questions [answers and notes are in the second post]

[i] What phrase in Latin does Cornelia use to show her great love for Gracchus? (1)

[ii] What makes Cornelia think that Gracchus is not coming? (1)

[iii] How does Blossius describe the news he is bringing? (1)

[iv] According to Cornelia, the only way the news could be so bad is if … (1)

[v] What does Blossius say to her in reply? (1)

[vi] What reason does Cornelia give for this? (1)

[vii] What two instructions does Cornelia give her friends? (3)

[viii] Translate the first part of the final speech [Salvē, mī fīlī! … laborābit!]; refer to the notes and vocabulary in the second post if needed

[ix] In the last sentence of the scene, how does Cornelia describe herself? (4)

[x] Review verb forms; find the Latin:

(a) I have been waiting for him for many hours.

What tense is used in Latin to convey this? What case is used in Latin to convey ‘for many hours’?

(b) Surely, he’s not coming? [He’s not coming, is he?]

(c) Go away! (pl.)

(d) Bring (pl.) [my son] (to) here!

(e) Come, girls!

(f) Hurry (pl.)!

(g) Listen (sg.)!

(h) You (sg.) can not announce

(i) You (pl.) have announced

(j) You (pl.) have brought

(k) I shall receive him

(l) I give back thanks to you

(m) We shall give back thanks (to the immortal gods)

(n) We shall depart / go out


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