Image: the Wheel of Fortune from the Carmina Burana
Going from the left
in a clockwise direction … three important tenses in one Mediaeval wheel of
Doom
Left: regnābō
│I shall reign
Top: regnō │
I reign
Right: regnāvī
│ I (have) reigned
Bottom: sum sine
regnō │ I am without a kingdom
[1]
Fortūne [ML = CL: Fortūnae] plangō vulnera │ I lament the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellīs, │ with dripping [flowing /
tearful] eyes
quod sua michi
[ML = CL: mihi] munera / subtrahit rebellis. │ because she rebelliously
withdraws her gifts from me
vērum est, quod
legitur │ It is true what is
read
fronte capillāta /
sed plērumque sequitur / [i] Occāsiō calvāta. │ [i] Opportunity has hair
at the front, but generally a bald patch follows
“Opportunity is
described as having hair only on the front of her head - she can be seized as
she approaches, but once she has passed, a person grabs futilely at the back of
her head.” (Betts)
calvātus, -a, -um:
bare; made bald
capillātus, -a,
-um: having hair
plangō, -ere,
plānxī, plānctus [3]: bewail; lament; mourn
sequor, sequī, secūtus
sum [3/deponent]: follow
stīllō, -āre,
-āvī, -ātus [1]: drip; trickle
stillāns,
stillantis: present active participle > ocellīs stillantibus
│ with dripping eyes
subtrahō, -ere,
-trāxī, -trāctus [3]: remove; withdraw
sua michi [dative] munera
subtrahit │ She removes / takes away her gifts from me
[2]
“In the second and third stanzas reference is made to the Wheel of Fortune, a
common motif in the Middle Ages and often represented in art, where it was
conceived as a primitive Ferris wheel accommodating four - one up, one down,
one about to achieve prosperity, one about to be plunged into misery.” (Betts)
Note in this stanza
the use of perfect passive participles and adjectives derived from them
ēlātus
coronātus
beātus
privātus
In Fortūn(a)e
soliō │ On the throne of Fortune
sēderam ēlātus, │ I had sat [pluperfect
tense] (having been) exalted (raised up; elevated) [perfect passive participle]
prōsperitātis ¦ variō
/ flōre [ablative] ¦ corōnātus; │ (having been)
Crowned [perfect passive participle] ¦ with the many-coloured
flower of prosperity
quicquid enim
flōruī │ for however (in whatever way) I have flourished
fēlīx et beātus
│ happy and blessed
nunc ā summō
corruī │ Now I have fallen down from the top
glōriā prīvātus.
│ (having been) deprived [perfect passive participle] of glory.
corruō, -ere, -uī,
corrutus [3]: fall down
solium, -ī [2/m]:
[i] seat; chair [ii] (here) throne
[i] sēderam ēlātus
│ I had sat (having been) exalted (raised up)
The verb ferō
(carry; bear), which will be discussed in greater depth in later posts, has
unusual principal parts: ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus (why that
happens will be explained)
lātus: having been
carried
Those same
principal parts will apply to compound forms of ferō:
ēlātus: having been lifted up
[ii] gloriā
[ablative] prīvātus │ deprived of glory [literally: deprived from
glory]
the ablative case
can be used to express separation from something e.g. eōs timōre
līberāvit │ he freed them from fear
[3]
Fortūn(a)e rota
volvitur; │ the wheel of Fortune is turned
dēscendō minōrātus;
│ I descend (having been) diminished
alter in altum
tollitur; │ another is raised up on high
nimis exaltātus
│ (having been) too exalted
rēx sedet in
vertice │ the king sits at the top
caveat ruīnam! │ let him beware ruin!
nam sub axe
legimus │ for below the axle we read
Hecubam rēgīnam. │ Queen Hecuba.
axis, -is [3/m]:
axle (of a wheel)
minōrō, -āre,
-āvī, -ātus [1] (late latin): reduce; diminish
vertex, verticis
[3/m]: (here) highest point; summit; top
caveat
ruīnam │ let him beware ruin; subjunctive, known in grammar as the jussive
subjunctive that forms a command / suggestion usually referring to a third
person rather than directly addressing somebody
Hecuba: “The name
of Hecuba was a suitable inscription for the axle as she was the supreme
example of Fortune's malice. From being Queen of Troy, after its sack she
suffered such misery as a captive of the Greeks that the gods, out of pity,
turned her into a dog.” (Betts)
In the Mediaeval
world, they knew that power did not last forever; unfortunately, some of our 21st
century leaders think it does.
[1]
Fortūne plangō vulnera │ I lament the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellīs,
│ with dripping (flowing / tearful) eyes
quod sua michi
mūnera / subtrahit rebellis. │ because she rebelliously withdraws her gifts
from me
vērum est, quod legitur
│ It is true what is read
fronte capillāta,
/ sed plērumque sequitur / Occāsiō calvāta. │ Opportunity has hair at the
front, but generally a bald patch follows
[2]
In Fortūne
soliō │ On the throne of Fortune
sēderam ēlātus, │
I had sat exalted (raised up; elevated)
prōsperitātis
variō / flōre corōnātus; │ Crowned with the many-coloured flower of prosperity
quicquid enim
flōruī │ for however (in whatever way) I have flourished
fēlīx et beātus │
happy and blessed
nunc ā summō
corruī │ now I have fallen down from the top
glōriā prīvātus. │
deprived of glory.
[3]
Fortūne
rota volvitur; │ the wheel of Fortune is turned
dēscendō
minōrātus; │ I descend diminished
alter in altum
tollitur; │ another is raised up on high
nimis exaltātus │ too
exalted
rēx sedet in vertice
│ the king sits at the top
caveat ruīnam! │
let him beware ruin!
nam sub axe legimus
│ for below the axle we read
Hecubam rēgīnam.
│ Queen Hecuba.
Mediaeval pronunciation:
[i] fortūne
= fortūnae; spelling change to reflect pronunication shift of
Classical Latin /ae/ > /e/
[ii] vulnera
[vool-ne-ra]; all letter v’s in the text are pronounced as in Engl.
very; CL did not have a /v/ sound but developed later; CL letter V
represented a /u/ or /w/ but since this text is Mediaeval, the singers reflect
the pronunciation change by this period; that pronunciation is also in Ecclesiastical
Latin although this song is secular
[iii] michi
= mihi
[iv] ocellīs: c + e as /che/ rather than CL hard /c/ [k]; similarly: dēscendō; vertice
[v] legitur: g + i as soft /g/ as in English /j/ rather than CL hard /g/ [as in get]; similarly: legimus; rēginam
[i]
According to Tiberius Gracchus, what responsibility will the Romans citizens
have? (1)
[i] vote │ Cīvēs Rōmānī, suffrāgia ferētis.
[ii]
What proposal does he make? Give details. (5)
[ii] (i) Italian fields to be distributed (ii) amongst all
citizens (iii) as before (iv) those who have more than 50 jugers
of land (v) to be deprived (of that land)
Ego (i) agrōs Italōs cupiō (ii) inter cīvēs omnēs, (iii) ut
anteā, (i) distribuī—(v) prīvārī (iv) eōs quī plūs habent
agrī quam quīngenta iūgera.
[iii]
How does Marcus Octavius react to this proposal? (1)
[iii] opposes it │ Mārcus Octāvius vetat
[iv]
What does Gracchus accuse Octavius of doing? (2)
[iv] (i) Octavius, a tribune of the Plebeians, (ii) betrays the
plebeians │ (i) tribūnus plēbis (ii) plēbem prōdit
[v]
What warning does Gracchus give him? (1)
[v] Stop obstructing the will of the people │ Dēsine … populī
voluntātem impedīre.
[vi]
[a] What proposal does Gracchus make? (1)
[b]
How will that proposal be decided? (1)
[vi] [a] The office of magistrate to be taken away from Octavius
│ Cēnseō Octāviō magistrātum abrogandum.
[b] The citizens will decide │ Cīvēs Rōmānī, suffrāgia ferte!
[vii]
What is the outcome of the proposal? (3)
[vii] (i) the citizens agree (ii) the office of magistrate is
taken from Octavius (iii) Octavius is removed / expelled │ Quid sentītis?
Placetne? (i) CĪVĒS: placet (ii) … magistrātus tibi est abrogātus … (iii)
Expellite eum!
[viii]
What threat does Octavius make? (1)
[viii] Gracchus will soon pay the price / be punished │ Mox tū
poenās dabis
[ix]
What does Octavius accuse Gracchus of doing? (2)
[ix] (i) violating Roman laws and (ii) a sacrosanct tribune │
lēgēs Rōmānās, tribūnum sacrōsānctum, ita violās
[x]
Find the Latin: [1] Present passive infinitives:
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/10/110125-level-2-passive-voice-19-present.html
I
desire [i] the Italian fields to be distributed … [ii] those who have
more than 50 jugers of land to be deprived (i.e. to have the land taken
from them)
Ego agrōs Italōs cupiō …
[i] distribuī – [ii] prīvārī eōs quī plūs habent agrī quam
quīngenta iūgera.
[2]
gerundive: I recommend the office of magistrate to be taken away ¦ from
Octavius.
Cēnseō Octāviō magistrātum abrogandum.
[3]
perfect passive: The office of magistrate has been taken away ¦ from
you.
Magistrātus tibi est abrogātus
[4]
present active participle of a deponent verb: Talking amongst themselves
inter sē colloquentēs
SCAENA
SECUNDA: IN FORŌ
Persōnae:
Tiberius Gracchus, Mārcus Octāvius, Cēterī Tribūnī, Cīvēs
CĪVĒS
(inter
sē colloquentēs) Tacēte!
Veniunt tribūnī plēbis. Audīte Gracchum!
TIBERIUS
GRACCHUS
Cīvēs Rōmānī, suffrāgia ferētis. Ego
agrōs Italōs cupiō inter cīvēs omnēs, ut anteā, distribuī--prīvārī eōs quī plūs
habent agrī quam quīngenta iūgera. Mārcus Octāvius vetat; tribūnus
plēbis plēbem prōdit.
(Octāvium alloquēns) Mārce Octāvī,
rūrsus tē admoneō. Dēsine etiam nunc populī voluntātem impedīre. (Octāvius
tacet) Cīvēs Rōmānī, suffrāgia ferte! Cēnseō Octāviō magistrātum abrogandum.
Quid sentītis? Placetne?
CĪVĒS
Placet.
TIBERIUS
GRACCHUS
Mārce
Octāvī, magistrātus tibi est abrogātus. Abī! Expellite eum!
MĀRCUS
OCTĀVIUS
Mox
tū poenās dabis, quī lēgēs Rōmānās, tribūnum sacrōsānctum, ita violās.
Vocabulary
abrogō,
-āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: [i] (here) take away; deprive of [ii] abolish; annul
iūgerum,
-ī [2/n]: juger, a unit of land measurement
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/iugerum
prōdō,
-ere, prodidī, prōditus [3]: (here) betray
sacrōsānctus, -a, -um: inviolable;
sacrosanct
suffrāgium,
-ī [2/n]: vote
suffrāgium ferō, ferre: to vote
Questions [answers and notes are in the second post]
[i]
According to Tiberius Gracchus, what responsibility will the Romans citizens
have? (1)
[ii]
What proposal does he make? Give details. (5)
[iii]
How does Marcus Octavius react to this proposal? (1)
[iv]
What does Gracchus accuse Octavius of doing? (2)
[v]
What warning does Gracchus give him? (1)
[vi]
[a]
What proposal does Gracchus make? (1)
[b]
How will that proposal be decided? (1)
[vii]
What is the outcome of the proposal? (3)
[viii]
What threat does Octavius make? (1)
[ix]
What does Octavius accuse Gracchus of doing? (2)
[x]
Find the Latin:
[1]
Present passive infinitives:
I
desire [i] the Italian fields to be distributed … [ii] those who have
more than 50 jugers of land to be deprived (i.e. to have the land taken
from them)
[2]
gerundive: I recommend the office of magistrate to be taken away from
Octavius.
[3]
perfect passive: The office of magistrate has been taken away from you.
[4] present active participle of a deponent verb: Talking amongst themselves
Match the English vocabulary with the Latin in the wordcloud
brother
but
daughter
ending added to
the end of a word to form a question
he / she loves
here
I love
is he / she?
mother
my
now
sister
son
they love
yes
your (singular)
amant; amat; amō; estne?; fīlia; fīlius; frāter; hīc; ita; māter; meus / mea; -ne; nunc; sed; soror; tuus / tua
Carolus et Maria II
Salvēte,
discipulī. Nunc hīc sunt Maria et Carolus. Hic est Carolus,
discipulus bonus. Magnus nōn est. Altus nōn est. Carolus est discipulus parvus.
Haec est Maria, discipula bona et pulchra et parva quoque. Maria est soror Carolī.
Carolus est frāter Mariae. Haec fēmina est māter puerī
et puellae. Fēmina est Iūlia. Iūlia est fēmina, sed nōn est
magistra.
Carolus
Mariam amat, et Maria Carolum amat. Puer et puella Iūliam amant.
Iūlia puerum et puellam amat. Carolus est fīlius Iūliae. Maria est fīlia
Iūliae. Iūlia est māter bona et pulchra quoque. Fēmina magna et alta quoque est
Iūlia. Iūlia nōn est magistra. Discipula nōn est. Māter est. Magistra Iūliam et
puerum et puellam amat. Salvēte, Iūlia et Maria et Carole.
Iūlia
nōn est māter tua. Māter Carolī et Mariae est. Estne Maria soror
tua? Maria nōn est soror tua, sed est soror Carolī. Carolus nōn est frāter meus.
Estne Carolus frāter tuus? Carolus nōn est frāter tuus. Nōn est fīlius
tuus. Nōn est fīlius meus. Amatne magistra Iūliam? Ita, et Iūlia
magistram amat. Magistra fīlium et fīliam Iūliae amat. Magister et magistra
sorōrem et frātrem et mātrem amant.
Iūliam
amō. Carolum amō. Carolus nōn est frāter meus. Fīlius meus nōn est, sed
puerum amō. Maria nōn est soror mea, sed puellam amō. Iūlia nōn est
māter mea, sed Iūliam amō.
Valēte, soror et
frāter. Valē, Iūlia. Valēte, discipulī.
Vocabulary
[1]
fīlia: daughter
fīlius: son
frāter: brother
māter: mother
soror: sister
[2]
amō: I love
amat: he / she
loves
amant: they love
-ne: added to the
end of a word at the beginning of a sentence to form a question e.g. est: he /
she is > estne: is he / she?
sunt: they are
[3]
meus [m], mea [f]:
my
tuus [m], tua [f]:
your (singular)
[4]
hīc: here
(not hic with short /i/)*
ita: yes
nunc: now
sed: but
*[i] hic with short /i/ and [i] hīc with long /ī/ are not the
same:
[i] hic: he / this / this (person), and refers to
masculine nouns
[ii] hīc: (adverb) here
[i] Hic est Carolus │ This
/ He is Carolus.
[ii] Hīc sunt Maria et Carolus │
Here are Maria and Carolus.
In the recording, the speaker does not differentiate between
the two, pronouncing them both as hīc even though the original text
clearly indicates the difference. His pronunciation of Hīc sunt Maria
et Carolus is correct, but his pronunciation of Hic est Carolus is
not.
