28.12.25: Comenius (1658) LV: cookery (4) Part 4: [9] text, notes and vocabulary

The aim of this topic was not to read Cicero, but to build up some vocabulary that can be used to describe cooking, specifically to personalise the vocabulary and adapt it to spoken language e.g. identifying objects in your own kitchen. This last little section gives a list of utensils; not all of them will be relevant, but, as mentioned in the first post, you can be selective.

Kitchen utensils besides are, │ Vāsa Coquīnāria prætereā sunt,

a Coal-rake, │ Rutābulum,.

a Chafing-dish, │ Foculus (ignītābulum),

a pair of Tongs, │ Forceps,

a Shredding-knife, │ Culter incīsōrius,

a Colander, │ Quālus,

a Basket, │ Corbis,

and a Besom, │ & Scōpa

[1] vāsum, -ī [2/m]: has a very general meaning of ‘dish’ or ‘vessel’, but also ‘utensil’ or ‘tool’

[2] Neo-Latin at work!

culter incīsōrius: carving knife; cleaver

The noun incīsor, incisōris [3/m] is Neo-Latin and refers specifically to incisors, the narrow teeth at the front of the mouth designed to bite or cut into food < CL: incīdō, -ere [3]: cut into / through

The adjective incīsōrius, -a, -um is similarly unattested in CL, but refers to ‘cutting into’ something, and does appear in a Late Latin text: magister incīsōrius, a master tailor i.e. he’s a specialist in cutting into cloth

The specific term used by Comenius also occurs in a Latin-Russian phrasebook from 1831: culter incīsōrius │ сечка [sechka], a carving knife; cleaver

https://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Pagina:Ivashkovskiy_Rossiysko-Latinskie_Razgovory_1831.pdf/61

[3] rutābulum, -ī [2/n]: [i] (fire) a fire-shovel: “employed by bakers and smiths for throwing up the embers and ignitable matter in their ovens and forges…it is commonly mentioned in conjunction with the tongs (forceps)”

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=rutabulum-harpers

This is similar to what Comenius is referring to in the text, and it can also translate as a ‘poker’ for coals in a fire. However, the word does have a second meaning in CL: [ii] (cookery) a wooden shovel or spatula for stirring and mixing liquids.

[4] quālus, -ī [2/m]; quālum, -ī [2/n]: in CL, it refers to  a wicker basket or a wine strainer

[5] corbis, -is [3 m/f]: basket; also: corbula, -ae [1/f]: little basket

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=corbis-cn

Image: discovery and restoration of a Roman basket

https://lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/news/rare-roman-basket-shoe-in-waterlogged-pit-at-marcham

Image Set (i) – (v)

(i) batillum, -ī [2/n]: small shovel;  fire / coal shovel; a chafing-dish; fire-pan used for burning incense or sweet-smelling herbs

(ii) cōlum, -ī [2/n]: colander; strainer

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=colum-cn

[img] Bronze wine strainer found near Nijmegen; Roman; 1st century AD

(iii) foculus, -ī [2/m]: “The word foculus is a diminutive form of focus, which itself means "a hearth," "a fireplace," or a "coal pan." Foculus, a bronze or iron container, round or rectangular in shape, large or small in size, can be used for a brazier or a fire-pan. Filled with hot coals, it served as a portable chafing dish for food … or as a room heater in one of the hot rooms of the baths or in the home to ward off the cold in winter or, as here in this passage, to provide for a pre-dinner bath.”

https://www.vroma.org/vromans/araia/foculus.html

The 21^st century equivalent of ‘chafing dishes’ are the food trays covered by lids with a small heater below them to keep, for example, breakfast food warm in a hotel. Comenius refers to this idea by the use of:

ignītābulum, -ī [2/n]: (CL) a ‘tinderbox’ or any implement used for producing fire; Neo-Latin: (cigarette) lighter

[img] 18^th century copy of brazier; Pompeii

(iv) forceps, forcipis [3/m]: tongs

[img] iron fire-tongs, Etruscan; late 4th or early 3rd century BCE (Metropolitan Museum)

(v) scōpa, -ae [1/f]: a broom, or besom, one which is made from a bundle of twigs tied onto a shaft; note: avoid the use of the word ‘besom’ in Scotland since it is an insulting reference to a troublesome woman, the term presumably referring to the broomstick of a witch!

28.12.25: Comenius (1658) LV: cookery (3) Part 3: [6] – [8] text, notes and vocabulary

[6] He seasoneth things that are boyled with Spices, which he poundeth with a Pestil, 14. in a Morter, 13. or grateth with a Grater, 15. │ Condit ēlixāta, Arōmatibus, quæ comminuit Pistillō, 14. in Mortāriō, 13. aut terit Rādulā, 15.

comminuō, -ere [3]: crush; pulverise

condiō, -īre [4]: season; spice

terō, -ere [3]: rub; wear out; grind

ēlixātus, -a, -um: (perfect passive participle) having been boiled > condit ēlixāta │ he seasons things that have been boiled; also: ēlixus, -a, -um (boiled)

arōma, arōmatis [3/n]: spice; herb

mortārium, -ī [2/n]: mortar

pistillum, -ī [2/n]: pestle

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/image?img=Perseus:image:1999.04.0063.fig20181

rādula, -ae [1/f] (rare) in CL it refers to a tool used for scraping, for example, food, skins or surfaces

< radō, radere, rasī, rāsus [2]: scrape; shave

rāsus, -a, -um: shaved or grated (Apicius refers to the preparation of ‘cumerēs rāsōs’ – grated cucumbers)

Note: strigilis, -is [3/f]: strigil,  a scraper (made of horn or metal) used by bathers for removing the impurities of the skin

[7] He roasteth some on Spits, 16. and with a Jack, 17. or upon a Grid-iron, 18.│ Quædam assat Verubus, 16. & Automātō, 17. vel super Crāticulum, 18.

assō, -āre [1]: roast; broil

automatum, -ī (or automaton) [2/n]: (CL) refers to any “contraption” or “device” without being specific; Comenius uses it to refer to a “roasting jack” [see image]

craticulum, -ī [2/n]: the ‘grid iron’ refers to an iron rack or grate used for cooking meat over coals; also: crāticula, -ae [1/f]

veru, -ūs [4/n]: spit (for roasting)

The Neo-Latin lexicon has various, and rather literal terms for “barbeque” but we can extract some useful vocabulary from them:

the object itself: crātis ad carnem torrendam apta │ "A grid-like structure (i.e. a grate) suitable for roasting meat"

carō in vēribus tosta: barbecued meat

torreō, -ēre, -uī, tostus [2]: roast; bake

carō, carnis [3/f]:meat

carō tosta: roasted meat

carō ¦ in veribus ¦ tosta: barbecued meat; meat roasted ¦ literally: on spits

https://neolatinlexicon.org/latin/barbecue/

[8] Or fryeth them in a Frying-pan, 19. upon a Brand-iron, 20. │ Vel frīgit Sartāgine, 19. super Tripodem, 20.

And the next time you’re in McDonald’s …

“Do you want fries with that?”

frīgō, -ere, frīxī, frīctus [3]: fry; roast

Neo-Latin: terrestria pōma frīcta [Fr. pommes (de terre) frites]

ōva frīcta: fried eggs, and (from [2] above) ōva cocta: boiled eggs

sartāgō, sartāginis [3/f]: frying pan; also: fretāle, -is [3/n]; frixōrium, -ī [2/n] (Late Latin)

et ossa mea sīcut in frixōriō cōnfrixā sunt (Psalms) │ and my bones are roasted, as if in a skillet

tripūs, tripodis [3/n] or tripēs, tripedis [3/m]: three-footed seat; tripod (i.e. a structure on three legs); the original image from the text (20) clearly shows what Comenius has in mind i.e. a trivet; the English noun ‘trivet’ < Old English: trefet, itself a borrowing from Latin tripēs 

28.12.25: Comenius (1658) LV: cookery (2) Part 2: [3] – [5] text, notes and vocabulary

[3] He first pulleth off the Feathers and draweth the Gutts out of the Birds, 5. │ Prius dēplūmat, & exenterat Avēs, 5.

Note here, and in the remaining sections, the use of the prefix dē- meaning ‘away from’  something:

dēplūmō, -āre [1]: pluck < plūma, -ae [1/f]: feather

Compare: Engl. de-ice (deice) the car

Examples using dē as a preposition + ablative:

Dē digitō ānulum dētrahō. │ I pull the ring from the finger.

Nōmen suum dē tabulā sustulit. │ He removed his name from the tablet.

Ferrum dē manibus extorsimus. │ We tore the sword from their hands.

exenterō, -āre (or, exinterō) [1]: (here) empty; gut i.e. take everything out from the inside

[4] He scaleth and splitteth Fish, 6. │ Dēsquāmat & exdorsuat Piscēs, 6.

dēsquāmō, -āre [1]: scale (a fish) < squāma, -ae [1/f]: scale (of a fish)

exdors(u)ō, -āre [1]: take out the backbone (e.g. of a fish) < dorsum, -ī [2/n]: back

[5] He caseth [ = skins] Hares, 8. then he boileth them in Pots, 9. and Kettles, 10. on the Hearth, 11. and scummeth them [ = skims off the froth] with a Scummer, 12. │ Lepōrēs, 8. exuit, tum ēlixat Ollīs, 9. & Cācabīs, 10. in Focō, 11. & dēspūmat Lingulā, 12.

dēspūmō, -āre [1]: skim off (froth, scum i.e. impurities on the surface of liquid) < spūma, -ae [1/f]: foam; froth

exuō, -ere [3]: take out; take off (e.g. clothes); (here) pull off (the skin)

ēlixō, -āre [1] (Late Latin): boil thoroughly

aquam calefaciō: I heat / warm the water

aquam fervēfaciō: I boil the water

ferveō, -ēre [2]: boil (be boiling)

aqua fervēns: boiling water

Abī intrō ac iubē huic aquam calefiērī (Plautus) │ Off you go inside, and order the water to be made warm for her.

Posteā fervefacitō, īnfunditō in catīnum, utī frīgēscat (Cato) │ Then bring it to a boil, pour it into a dish, so that it cools; catīnus, -ī [2/m]: a deep vessel for serving up or cooking food

cācabus, -ī [2/m]: cooking pot; Hoole translates the word as “kettle” referring to any vessel used for boiling water or cooking food rather than our contemporary idea of a kettle

focus, -ī [2/m]: fireplace; hearth

lepus, leporis [3/m]: hare

li(n)gula, -ae [1/f]: spoon or ladle for skimming a pot; “The spoon which was called ligula, or lingula (dim. of lingua) from its shape (ed. i.e. tongue), was used for various purposes, especially to clean out small and narrow vessels, and to eat jellies and such things”

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Ligula.html

ōlla, -ae [1/f]: pot; jar; in Ancient Rome, it could be used either for food storage (e.g. fruits) or for cooking

28.12.25: Comenius (1658) LV: cookery (1) Part 1: [1] – [2] text, notes and vocabulary

“Owning” Latin

(1) Latin tends to be a “passive” language in that the focus is very much on reading with the ultimate aim of accessing the authors. However, there is nothing to prevent you from reinforcing the language by speaking it and applying it to your own life. Many of the topics I’ve chosen from the Comenius book lend themselves to that because they deal entirely with the world which the pupils knew. This topic fits neatly into that idea since it refers to processes connected with cooking. The text is packed with verbs that refer to food preparation, and while they are written in the 3^rd person e.g. what the cook does, it’s a simple step to change them from the 3^rd person to the 1^st person. Therefore, it is no longer what a 17^th century cook is doing, but what you’re doing now; it isn’t somebody else’s Latin – but your own. It is, however, important to be selective and to identify the words that really matter.

(2) I smiled when I was working through this topic because I could imagine Charles Hoole, the original translator of Comenius’ book, going mad trying to find English equivalents of the mind-boggling list of 17^th century kitchen utensils! This text also well illustrates that “New Latin” isn’t just about how to say air-conditioner or flying saucer; the need to express 17^th century objects sometimes involves the reworking of Classical Latin words which may not have that precise meaning. Some of the CL words are rare, but they are attested. Wherever possible images show authenticated items from antiquity.

Cookery │ coquīnāria

See image #1 (Apicius):

Dē rē coquīnāriā / Dē rē culīnāriā: on the subject of cooking

Dē arte coquīnāriā: on the art / skill of cooking

[1] The Yeoman of the Larder, 1. bringeth forth Provision, 2. out of the Larder, 3. │ Prōmus Condus, 1. prōfert Obsōnia, 2. ē Penū, 3.

prōmus, -a, -um: the adjective refers to ‘giving out’ or ‘distributing’

condus, -ī [2/m]: a person who stores provisions

i.e. ‘yeoman’ refers to somebody who provides a particular service in a noble house; therefore, ‘prōmus condus’ describes the person who is in charge of both storing food and distributing it

penus, -ūs [4/m]: store or provision of food

obsōnium, -ī [2/m]: groceries; food; shopping

obsōnō, -āre [1]: shop; buy provisions

obsonātum eō: I go shopping; this is a useful phrase created from the supine of the verb; links below

eā ībō opsōnātum [ = obsōnātum] (Plautus) │ I’ll go that way to get my supplies

19.09.25: Level 3; the supine [1]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/190925-level-3-supine-1.html

19.09.25: Level 3; the supine [2]; Latin tutorials

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/190925-level-3-supine-2-latin-tutorials.html

19.09.25: Level 3; the supine [3]; exercises

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/190925-level-3-supine-3-exercises.html

[2] The Cook, 4. taketh them and maketh several Meats. │ Coquus, 4. accipit ea & coquit varia Esculenta.

ēsculentus, -a, -um: fit for eating; good to eat; delicious; nourishing

coquus, -ī [2/m]: cook [m]; coqua, -ae [1/f]: cook [f]

coquō, -ere, coxī, coctus [3]: cook; prepare food; bake, boil etc.

Volō scīre, sinās an nōn sinās nōs coquere hīc cēnam? (Plautus) │ I want to know if you will allow or not allow us to cook the dinner here?

ōva cocta: boiled eggs

coctum, -ī [2/n]: cooked food

crūdus, -a, -um: raw

Quid tū … cūrās, utrum crūdum an coctum ego edim…? (Plautus) │ Why … do you trouble yourself whether I eat meat raw or cooked …?

27.12.25: Level 1; Carolus et Maria [21][ii] comprehension

Carolus et Maria XXI

[1] Ubi est avunculus? Is abest. Domī in Britanniā manet. Itaque sine amīcīs quattuor Americānī per Germāniam eunt. Ibī nūllī amīcī eōs salūtant, sed omnēs Germāniam probant quod populus est benignus et Americānīs nōn est inimīcus. Quamquam agrī et silvae sunt grāta, et Americānī rūs laudant, oppida, quoque, sunt pulchra. Per terram Germānōrum flūmen Rhēnus fluit. Sī Carolus undique circumspectat multōs agrōs prope flūmen videt. Ruīnās aedificiī antīquī videt. Carolus fābulās dē Germāniā legit.

[1] Comprehension

[i] Who goes to Germany?

(a) The Americans and their four friends

(b) The four Americans

(c) The four Americans and their uncle

(d) The uncle

[ii] Who greets them?

(a) Their German friends

(b) Their American friends

(c) Nobody

(d) All the German people

[iii] The German people are described as:

(a) hateful

(b) kind

(c) popular

(d) unfriendly

[iv] In which order are the following mentioned?

countryside (3)

forests (2)

towns (4)

fields (1)

[v] Where exactly does the Rhine flow?

[vi] Which of the following statements is true?

(a) Carolus looks ahead and sees many fields near the river.

(b) Carolus looks around and sees many farmers near the river.

(c) Carolus looks around and sees many fields near the river.

(d) Carolus looks around and sees many fields on the other side of the river.

[vii] Which of the following statements is true?

(a) Carolus has read about the history of Germany.

(b) Carolus has read stories about ancient ruins.

(c) Carolus is telling stories about Germany.

(d) Carolus sees some ancient ruins.

[2] Complete the Latin text with the vocabulary listed below. Use the English translation for reference.

(1) At one time the Germans were (2) barbarians (3) who used to fight (4) with the Romans. (5) Across the river lived the Gauls, who (6) were hostile to the Germans. (7) Those barbarians (8) often attacked (9) and occupied the fields of Gaul and wanted to destroy (10) their towns, (11) for they were enemies. (12) Sometimes the Gauls asked for help (13) from the Romans, for alone they did not dare to fight with the (14) barbarians (15) without large enough forces. (16) Later, Caesar defeated the (17) barbarians and threw (18) many into chains. The Gauls helped Caesar. (19) When Carolus reads these things about Caesar and the barbarians, he thinks that he knows everything [ = (20) all things] (21) about war.

(1) __________ Germānī erant (2) __________ (3) __________  (4) __________  Rōmānīs pugnābant. (5) __________ flūmen Gallī quī (6) __________ Germānīs inimīcī habitābant. (7) __________ barbarī agrōs Galliae (8) __________ oppugnābant (9) occupābant__________ et oppida (10) __________ dēlēre cupiēbant, (11) __________ hostēs erant. (12) __________ Gallī (13) __________ Rōmānīs auxilium postulābant, nam sōlī cum (14) __________ (15) __________ satis magnīs cōpiīs pugnāre nōn audēbant. (16) __________ Caesar (17) __________  superāvit et (18) __________ in vincula iēcit. Gallī Caesarem iuvērunt. (19) __________ Carolus hās rēs dē Caesare et barbarīs legit eum (20) __________  rēs (21) __________ bellō scīre putat.

ā; barbarī; barbarīs; barbarōs; cum; dē; eōrum; erant; illī; interdum; multōs; nam; ōlim; omnēs; posteā; que; quī; saepe; sine; trāns; ubi

[3] In viā oppidī in quō Carolus nunc manet vir caecus saepe stat. Ōlim erat mīles Germānus. Nunc nōn est armātus. Celeriter nōn ambulat. Tardus et caecus est. Sine amīcīs et pecūniā vīta eius nōn est semper grāta. Quamquam pecūniam nōn postulat, Carolus, tamen, eī pecūniam dat.

[3] Comprehension

[i] Where exactly is the man standing? (3)

[ii] Give, in note form, at least 5 pieces of information about the man

[iii] Which of the following statements is true? (1)

(a)   the man is a beggar and Carolus gives him money

(b)   Carolus gives the man money when he asks for it

(c)   The man doesn’t ask for money but Carolus gives him some

(d)   The man asks for money but Carolus refuses

[4] Complete the Latin text with the vocabulary listed below. Use the English translation for reference.

[a] "Why are you blind?" the boy (1) asks.

"At night, when the soldiers (2) were sleeping, our camp (3) was being attacked by the enemy," the man (4) replies. "(5) It was nearly destroyed. Without help, (6) we remained near the ruins of the building. Our allies (7) did not know that our danger was great. (8) We waited a long time for help from our allies."

“Cūr es caecus?” (1) __________ puer.

“Nocte ubi mīlitēs (2) __________, castra nostra ab hostibus (3) __________,” (4) __________ vir. “Paene (5) __________. Sine auxiliō prope ruīnās aedificī (6) __________. Sociī perīculum nostrum esse magnum (7) __________. Diū auxilium sociōrum (8) __________.”

dēlēta sunt; dormiēbant; expugnābantur; exspectābāmus; manēbāmus; nōn sciēbant; respondet; rogat

[b]

"Who (1) saved you?" Carolus (2) asks.

"My companion, who (3) was present, saved me," the man (4) says, "and (5) moved me away from the enemy. (6) We weren’t seen because it was night. Although my eyes (7) had been wounded, my companion still (8) helped me, and (9) we were not captured by the enemy."

The blind soldier always (10) praises his companion.

“Quis tē (1) __________?” (2) rogat Carolus.

“Socius meus quī (3) __________ mē servāvit,” (4) __________ vir, “et mē ab hostibus (5) __________. Nōs (6) __________ quod erat nox. Quamquam oculī meī (7) __________, tamen socius meus mē (8) __________ et ab hostibus (9) __________.”

Mīles caecus socium suum semper (10) __________.

aderat; inquit; iuvābat; laudat; mōvit; nōn captī sumus; nōn vidēbāmur; rogat; servāvit; vulnerātī erant

___________________

[3]

[i] (1) In the street (2) of the town (3) where Carolus is now staying

[ii] blind; used to be / once was a German soldier; not armed now / no longer armed; doesn’t walk fast (or: he’s slow / sluggish); no friends; no money; life not always pleasing

[iii] (c)

26.12.25: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [4]

Julia says that she is a good student.

Out of context, we cannot be sure whether Julia is referring [i] to herself or [ii] to somebody else. Latin, however, makes this clear even though English would translate them both in the same way.

[i] Latin uses the reflexive pronoun sē to refer back to the person introducing the statement.

Iūlia dīcit ¦ sē bonam discipulam esse. │ Julia says ¦ that she (referring to herself) is a good student.

Dīcit ¦ sē morī cupere. (Seneca) │ He says ¦ that he desires to die.

Tȳdeus autem dīcit ¦ sē Oenēī fīlium esse (Hyginus) │ Tydeus says ¦ that he is the son of Oeneus

Dīcit ¦ sē cum rēge colloquī velle sēcrētō (Hyginus) │ He says ¦ that he wants to speak with the king in secret

Dīcit ¦ sē velle dūcere uxōrem (Pliny the Younger) │ He says ¦ that he wants to marry

Remember that sē can also be used in the plural:

Troiānī dīcunt ¦ sē bellum nōn nunc timēre. │ The Trojans say ¦ that they (referring to themselves) now do not fear war.

Sentiunt ¦ sē nūllam ūllius partis voluntātem tenēre (Cicero) │ They feel ¦ that they hold no good-will of either party [=  they feel that they have lost the good-will of all parties]

[ii] When the person introducing the statement is referring to somebody /something else, then the accusative pronouns are used to indicate the subject i.e. eum [masculine singular], eam [feminine singular], id [neuter singular], eōs [masculine plural], eās [feminine plural], ea [neuter plural]

Iūlia dīcit ¦ eam bonam discipulam esse. │ Julia says ¦ that she (somebody else) is a good student.

Crēdit ¦ eum scīre (Quintilian) │ He believes ¦ that he (somebody else) knows

Magister dīcit ¦ eum hoc scīre│ The teacher says ¦ that he (e.g. the pupil) knows this

Fateor ¦ eam esse importūnam atque incommodam (Plautus) │ I confess ¦ that she is high-handed and hard to get along with.

Dīcit ¦ id esse perfacile. │ He says that it is very easy.

Graecī Troiānōs vident et dīcunt ¦ eōs bellum nōn nunc timēre. │ The Greeks see the Trojans and say that they (referring to somebody else i.e. the Trojans) now do not fear war.

Dīdō dīcit ¦ eās in arcem īre. │ Dido says that they are going onto the citadel.

Dīcit ¦ ea esse falsa. │ He says that these things are false.

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