This is a true story reported by Livius about the consul Manlius:
[1] Bellum erat
inter Rōmānōs et Tusculānōs. Iusserat Mānlius cōnsul nēminem extrā ōrdinem cum
Tusculānīs pugnāre. Tamen Titus Mānlius, cōnsulis fīlius, parvō cum agmine
statiōnī eōrum appropinquāvit. Dux Tusculānōrum, vir nōmine Maecius, Titum
Mānlium adiit eumque irrīsit:
[2] “Tam parvō
agmine nōbīscum pugnābis? Utrum haec est multitūdō cōpiārum Rōmānārum, decus
imperiī vestrī, an (sunt) cōpiolae dēspērātae?”
[3] Titus
“Aderunt”, inquit, “in tempore cōnsulēs mīlitēsque, et cum illīs aderit
Iuppiter, foederum ā vōbīs violātōrum testis.”
[4] Ad ea autem
Maecius: “Tibi nōmen clārum est; nōnne mēcum armīs pugnābis? Num in corpore tam
firmō timidus animus est?”
[5] Hīs verbīs
incitātus Mānlius cum Maeciō pugnāvit brevīque eum superāvit.
extrā ōrdinem:
outside of the troop’s battle order
cōpiolae: “bunch”
(small number) of troops
[i] Which of
sections [1] – [5] above first refers to:
accusations of
cowardice
approaching an
outpost
bearing witness
broken treaties
mocking the number
of the Roman forces
help from a god
quick defeat
suggesting the
Romans are desperate men
the consul’s
orders
war between the
Romans and the Tusculans
[ii] Hīs verbīs
incitātus
Explain in your
own words and with reference to the Latin text why Manlius would feel this way
(15). Note the number of marks that reflect the number of points of information;
the answer requires close reading and comments not only on content but also
style and cultural background.
____________________
[i]
accusations
of cowardice [4]
approaching
an outpost [1]
bearing
witness [3]
broken
treaties [3]
mocking
the number of the Roman forces [2]
help
from a god [3]
quick
defeat [5]
suggesting
the Romans are desperate men [2]
the
consul’s orders [1]
war
between the Romans and the Tusculans [1]
[ii]
This
is a suggested answer. Begin with a general statement and show that you
understand the meaning of the quotation.
[1]
“Hīs verbīs incitātus” Manlius is stirred up (1) by his sense
of honour (1) owing to the provocative and mocking manner of Maecius
(1).
Then
go to specific text references that support your argument.
[2]
Utrum haec est multitūdō cōpiārum Rōmānārum, decus imperiī vestrī, an (sunt)
cōpiolae dēspērātae?”
Maecius
insults the small number of the Roman forces (1), stating that they are
a “desperate bunch” (1) that do not reflect Rome’s glory (1).
[3]
Note here the wider cultural implications that can be included in the answer.
Manlius
is the son of a consul (1) and is well known - Tibi nōmen
clārum est – (1). However, Maecius suggests he is unwilling to fight
(1). This is a slur on his personal reputation (1), a characteristic
highly valued in Roman culture (1).
[4]
Maecius taunts him that, while he is strong in body (1), he is weak
in spirit (1): Num in corpore tam firmō timidus animus est?
Make
a concluding statement:
[5]
The cumulative effect (1) of mockery of the army and, by implication,
mockery of Rome, accusations of cowardice and attacking personal reputation (1)
incite Manlius to fight with Maecius.
There was a war
between the Romans and the Tusculans. The consul Manlius had ordered that no
one should fight with the Tusculans outside the ranks. Nevertheless, Titus
Manlius, the consul’s son, approached their outpost with a small troop. The
leader of the Tusculans, a man named Maecius, approached Titus Manlius and
mocked him:
“Will you fight
with us with so small a force? Is this the great number of Roman troops, the
glory of your empire, or are they just a few desperate men?”
Titus said, “They
will be here in time — the consuls and the soldiers — and with them Jupiter
will be present, the witness of treaties violated by you.”
But to this
Maecius replied: “You have a famous name; will you not fight with me in arms?
Is there a cowardly spirit in so strong a body?”
Stirred by these words, Manlius fought with Maecius and quickly defeated him.
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