30.04.26: Level 2 (review); Carolus et Maria [26] [iii]: language focus and translation

Prīma lūx est. Nōn iam est nox, sed lūx nōn est clāra. Avēs nōn iam quiētem capiunt. Omnēs excitantur. Iam arborēs ubi per tōtam noctem dormiēbant relinquunt. Nōn iam avēs silent. Undique audīrī possunt. Ad agrōs properant. Ibi est cōpia frūmentī et avēs cibum dēsīderant. Prīmā lūce collēs Rōmae sunt obscūrī. Nunc Carolus et Maria et pater et māter in summō colle Rōmae stant. Undique circumspectant. Urbs semper nātūrā pulchra nunc etiam pulchrior est. Flūmen nōn longē abest. Ibi paucae nāvēs nāviculaeque vidērī possunt. Caelum nunc clārius vidētur. Ibi nūllae nūbēs sunt et diēs erit pulcher. Diū Americānī silent ubi urbem spectant. Maestī sunt quod hōra appropinquat ubi necesse est Rōmam relinquere. Ubi antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs putant: ōlim Rōmānī antīquī in illō flūmine natābant et corpora valida habēbant. In illō locō rēgēs tēcta sua aedificābant. Ibi mīlitēs Rōmānī bellum parābant.

“Ubi est urbs tam pulchra quam Rōma?” rogat Iūlia. “Nūlla pulchrior est in tōtā Eurōpā.”

Subitō vir huic locō appropinquat. Quis est? Poēta amīcōs suōs salūtat. Iam lūx est clārior et urbs clārē vidētur. Omnēs in saxō sedent. Colloquium nōn est longum quod paene est tempus Rōmam relinquere. Mox poēta cum suīs amīcīs viā angustā dē summō colle properat. Prope rīpam Tiberis omnēs “Valēte” inquiunt. Posteā poēta sōlus domum it.

Nunc Americānī ab urbe properant. “Nūlla urbs erit grātior aut pulchrior quam Rōma,” inquit Maria. “Alia exempla urbium antīquārum vidēre cupiō.”

Aedificia urbis nōn iam vidērī possunt. Collēs urbis parvī videntur. Ā sinistrā et ā dextrā sunt agrī et silvae.

“Omnium terrārum,” inquit Iūlia, “Italia est mihi grātissima.”

Language focus:

[1] Passive forms

vidētur │ it is seen / it seems

videntur │ they are seen / they seem

excitantur │ they are awakened

audīrī possunt │ they can be heard

vidērī possunt │ they can be seen

[2] Comparative and superlative forms

[i] comparatives

grātior │ more pleasing / dearer

clārior │ brighter / clearer

clārius │ more clearly / brighter (neuter comparative)

pulchrior │ more beautiful

pulchrior quam Rōma │ more beautiful than Rome; grammar term: quam introduces the object of comparison i.e. X is (bigger) ¦ than Y

tam pulchra quam Rōma │ as beautiful as Rome

[ii] superlatives

grātissima │ most pleasing (or, depending on context, very pleasing) / dearest

grātissima + omnium terrārum │ the most pleasing + of all lands; grammar: relative superlative; genitive plural used when the superlative relates to something  / someone else e.g. the bravest of (all) the soldiers

summō │ highest

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It is dawn / first light. Night is no longer here, but the light is not bright. The birds no longer take rest. Everyone is awakened. Now the trees in which they had slept through the whole night they leave. The birds are no longer silent. From every direction they can be heard. They hurry to the fields. There is an abundance of grain there, and the birds desire food. At first light the hills of Rome are dark. Now Carolus and Maria and their father and mother are standing on the highest hill of Rome. They look around in every direction. The city, always beautiful by nature, is now even more beautiful. The river is not far away. There a few ships and little boats can be seen. The sky now seems clearer. There are no clouds there, and the day will be beautiful. For a long time the Americans are silent while they look at the city. They are sad because the hour is approaching when it is necessary to leave Rome. When they see the ancient ruins, they think about ancient times: long ago the ancient Romans used to swim in that river and had strong bodies. In that place kings were building their houses. There Roman soldiers were preparing for war.

“Where is there a city as beautiful as Rome?” Julia asks. “None is more beautiful in all of Europe.”

Suddenly a man approaches this place. Who is he? A poet greets his friends. Now the light is brighter and the city is seen clearly. Everyone sits on the rock. The conversation is not long, because it is almost time to leave Rome. Soon the poet, with his friends, hurries down from the highest hill by a narrow road. Near the bank of the Tiber everyone says farewell. Afterwards the poet goes home alone.

Now the Americans hurry away from the city. “No city will be more pleasing or more beautiful than Rome,” says Maria. “I desire to see other examples of ancient cities.”

The buildings of the city can no longer be seen. The hills of the city seem small. On the left and on the right are fields and forests.

“Of all lands,” Julia says, “Italy is the most pleasing to me.”