Sunday, July 6, 2025

12.10.25: Level 2; Reading (review): [21](b) Mucius Scaevola, a hero I / II

Mucius Scaevola, a hero I

Porsinna cum cōpiīs Etrūscōrum Rōmam diū obsīdēbat. Perīculum magnum erat; itaque cūnctī Rōmānī arma capessīvērunt, cūnctī magnā cum concordiā adiērunt. Neque tamen cōpiās Etrūscōrum fugāvērunt.Tum Mūcius Scaevola summam sibi glōriam parāvit. Nam sine auxiliō solūs ad propinqua castra Etrūscōrum exiit et Porsinnam gladiō petīvit. Armātī autem Porsinnae Mūcium capessīvērunt. Porsinna “Quid”, inquit, “in castrīs meīs quaesīvistī; cūr mihi īnsidiās parāvistī?” Mūcius autem clāmāvit: “Adversārius adversārium petīvit; nam necāre studeō. quidem capessīvistī, sed aliī Rōmānī armīs adībunt.”

Vocabulary

obsideō, -ēre [2]: to besiege

castra, -ōrum [2/n/pl]: encampment

armātus, -a, -um: armed; (as a noun) armed person 

Mucius Scaevola, a hero II

Iam Porsinna, dominus sevērus et superbus, videt sibi magnum perīculum imminēre, iam īra eum incitat, iam servīs imperat: “Trahite Mūcium ad foculum!” Sed is: “Id quidem”, inquit, “tibi dīcō, autem crēde mihi: Eae flammae nōn terrent. Fortasse amīcī tuī eās timent; autem iīs nōn frangēs.” Iam Porsinna, iam amīcī eius horrent: Quamquam enim Mūcius dexteram in foculum porrigit, neque lacrimās in oculīs eius vident appāretque eum nōn dolēre. Postrēmō Porsinna “Bene!” inquit. “Līberāte Mūcium, amīcī! Date gladium! autem, Rōmāne, abī!” Iam Porsinna Rōmānōs superāre nōn potuit, et statim Rōmā abiit. Rōmānī autem Mūcium ‘Scaevolam’ vocābant, quod scaeva tantum erat.

Vocabulary

dextera, -ae [1/f]: the right (hand)

flamma, -ae [1/f]: flame

foculus, -ī [2/m]: brazier; basin of fire

frangō, -ere [3]: break; weaken; subdue

inmineō /immineō, -ēre: hang over; (here) threaten; followed by the dative case

porrigō, -ere [3]: to put in

scaevus, -a, -um: left; (here) a left hand

Notes

[i] videt sibi [dative] magnum periculum imminēre │ he sees a great danger threatening him (literally: himself); the pronoun is reflexive i.e. it refers back to the subject; the danger is threatening him as opposed to somebody else

[ii] appāretque ¦ eum [accusative] nōn dolēre [infinitive]│ and it is evident ¦ (that) he is not in pain; literally: it is evident ¦ him [accusative] not to be in pain [infinitive]

[iii] Romā: from Rome; the ablative without a preposition is used with the names of towns / cities when going from the place

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