Friday, April 17, 2026

16.10.26: Level 3 / 3+ (Review); Hillard & Botting [74] Labours of Hercules (8)

In hortō quōdam haud procul ā Monte Atlante trēs erant sorōrēs pulcherrimae, Hesperidēs nōmine: hae ūnā cum ingentī dracōne aurea illa pōma custōdiēbant quae Iūnōnī, cum ā Iove in mātrimōnium dūcerētur, ā Terrā data erant. Haec pōma petere iussus Herculēs, cum situm hortī ignorāret, per multās terrās diū frūstrā errābat. Monitus autem ā Promētheō Atlantem, quī humerīs caelī onus sustinēbat, mīsit ut pōma invenīret: ipse interim onus sustinuit. Tum ad rēgem reportāvit pōma quae posteā, cum sibi ab eō data essent, Minervae dēdicāvit: haec autem in eundem hortum restituit. Ultimus labōrum etiam omnium difficillimus fuit: nam ā rege iussus est Cerberum canem ā Manibus ad terram suīs ipsīus viribus, sine armīs reportāre. Hoc mōnstrum, quod tria capita habēbat, vī superātum avexit, rēgī ostendit, tum ad Manēs redūxit.

[1] “In hortō … erant.”

In which order are the following first referred to?

a serpent  _____

a garden _____

a mountain _____

apples _____

the Earth goddess _____

marriage _____

three sisters _____

[2] … per multās terrās diū frūstrā errābat

Why did this happen? (1)

[3] Translate: Monitus autem ā Promētheō Atlantem, quī humerīs caelī onus sustinēbat, mīsit ut pōma invenīret: ipse interim onus sustinuit. (6)

[4] “Tum ad rēgem … restituit.”

[4] Which of the following statements are true?

[A] The king dedicated the apples to Minerva.

[B] Minerva returned the apples to the same garden.

[C] Hercules was given the apples by the king.

[D] Minerva had given the apples to the king.

[E] Hercules returned the apples to the same garden.

[F] Hercules dedicated the apples to Minerva.

[5] Translate the phrases in bold precisely:

Ultimus labōrum etiam omnium difficillimus fuit:

[6] “nam ā rēge … redūxit.”

[i] What was Hercules ordered to do? (2)

[ii] What phrases emphasise the difficulty of this task? Quote the Latin and give translations. (2)

[iii] Which of the following statements is true? (2)

[A] Cerberus was shown to the king.

[B] Cerberus showed the Underworld to the king.

[C] Cerberus was kept by the king.

[D] Cerberus was returned to the Underworld.

Vocabulary

cādus, cādī [2/m]: cask 

iaciō, iacere, iēcī, iactus [3]: throw

odor, odōris [3/m]: smell 

rēte, rētis [3/n]: net 

venēnātus, -a, -um: poisoned 

vīnum, vīnī [2/n]: wine 

Notes: subjunctive

(1) imperfect subjunctive

cum situm hortī ignorāret, … ∣  since he did not know the location of the garden, …

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/01/070426-level-3-subjunctive-13-tenses-3.html

(2) passive subjunctive forms

[i] imperfect passive subjunctive

cum … in mātrimōnium dūcerētur, …  ∣  literally: when she was being led into marriage [= when she was getting married], …

[ii] pluperfect passive subjunctive

cum sibi ... data essent, …∣  since they had been given to him …,

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20passive%20%2F%20deponent

(3) purpose clauses

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20purpose

Atlantem … mīsit ut pōma invenīret:  He sent Atlas to find [literally: in order that he might find] the apples:

____________________

[1]

a serpent [4]

a garden [1]

a mountain [2]

apples [5]

the Earth goddess [7]

marriage [6]

three sisters [3]

[2] he did not know the location of the garden

[3] However, having been advised by Prometheus, (1) he sent Atlas (1), who was supporting the weight of the sky (1) on his shoulders (1), to find the apples (1); he himself meanwhile held up the weight (1).

[4]

[B] Minerva returned the apples to the same garden.

[C] Hercules was given the apples by the king.

[F] Hercules dedicated the apples to Minerva.

[5] The last of the labours was also the most difficult of all:

[6]

[i] Bring Cerberus, a three-headed dog (1), from the Underworld to the Earth (1)

[ii] suīs ipsīus viribus; sine armīs (1)  by his very own strength; without weapons (1)

[iii]

[A] Cerberus was shown to the king.

[D] Cerberus was returned to the Underworld.

____________________

In a certain garden not far from Mount Atlas there were three very beautiful sisters, called the Hesperides; these, together with a huge serpent, were guarding those golden apples which had been given to Juno by Earth when she was being led into marriage by Jupiter.

Having been ordered to seek these apples, Hercules, since he did not know the location of the garden, wandered for a long time in vain through many lands. However, having been advised by Prometheus, he sent Atlas, who was supporting the weight of the sky on his shoulders, to find the apples; he himself meanwhile held up the weight. Then he brought the apples back to the king; later, when they had been given to him by the king, he dedicated them to Minerva; but she returned them to the same garden.

The last of his labours was also the most difficult of all: for, having been ordered by the king, he brought back Cerberus, the dog, from the Underworld to the earth by his own strength, without weapons. This monster, which had three heads, having been overcome by force, he carried off, showed to the king, and then led back to the Underworld.

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