26.12.25: Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [1] The Nemean lion

The Labours of Hercules have appeared in earlier posts but the level of language in these versions is higher. The focus of this series of posts is to review language that has mainly been covered at levels 2 and 3 although some other points are discussed. The questions also check your knowledge of grammatical terms regularly found in textbooks. Translations are given at the end of each post.

In valle Nemeae leō ingēns vīvēbat, et pecora hominēsque quotīdiē interficiēbat. Eurysthēus, rēx Tirynthis, Herculem ad sē advocāvit, eīque dīxit: "Cūrae tibi sit hunc leōnem quam celerrimē interficere." Statim proficīscitur Herculēs. Clāvā sagittīsque frūstrā ūsus, impetū factō, leōnem manibus interfēcit. Tum ad Eurysthēum reversus est, mortuum leōnem humerīs impositum ferēns.

Cūrae [dative] tibi sit … │ literally: May it be of care to you … = make it your concern

03.05.25: Level 3; Verbs with the dative case [9]: [1] the predicative dative / the dative of purpose and result; [2] the double dative; the dative of reference

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/030525-level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-9.html

(1) Translate the phrases from the text, and (2) briefly explain the grammatical constructions being used:

[i] Eurysthēus… Herculem ad sē advocāvit

[ii] quam celerrimē

[iii] clāvā sagittīsque … ūsus

[iv] impetū factō

[v] leōnem manibus interfēcit

[vi] reversus est

[vii] mortuum leōnem … ferēns

[viii] mortuum leōnem ¦ humerīs impositum ¦ … ferēns

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[i] Eurysthēus… Herculem ad sē advocāvit │ (1) Eurystheus … summoned Hercules to him; (2) sē: reflexive pronoun i.e. Eurystheus summoned Hercules to himself, sē referring to the subject of the sentence

[ii] quam celerrimē │ (1) as quickly as possible; (2) quam + superlative adverb = as X as possible

[iii] clāvā sagittīsque … ūsus │ (1) having used a club and arrows; (2) ūtor, ūtī, ūsus sum [3/dep]: deponent verb; passive in form but active in meaning; utor + ablative case

[iv] impetū factō │ (1) literally: with an attack having been made [= after / when the attack had been made]; (2) ablative absolute

[v] leōnem manibus interfēcit │ (1) he killed the lion with (his) hands; (2) ablative of means / instrument

[vi] reversus est │ (1) he returned; (2) revertor, revertī, reversus sum [3/deponent]

[vii] mortuum leōnem … ferēns │ (1) bearing / carrying the dead lion; (2) present active participle

[viii] mortuum leōnem ¦ humerīs impositum ¦ ferēns │ carrying the dead lion (1) that had been put on / over (his) shoulders; (2) Perfect passive participle:  impositus < impōnō, -ere, -posuī, impositus [3], agreeing with leōnem

In the Valley of Nemea there lived a huge lion, and it used to kill cattle and human beings daily. Eurystheus, king of Tiryus, called Hercules to him and said to him, ‘Make it your concern to kill this lion as quickly as possible.’ Hercules at once sets out. After using his club and arrows in vain, having made an attack, he killed the lion with his hands. Then he returned to Eurystheus, carrying the dead lion placed on his shoulders.

Hercules fighting the Nemean lion, detail of a sarcophagus