Thursday, April 23, 2026

23.10.26: Level 3+; P. Cornelius Lentulus: The Story Of A Roman Boy [3]

LXIII. MARCUS LENTULUS, THE FATHER OF PUBLIUS, IS SHIPWRECKED; JULIA RECEIVES A LETTER FROM HIM

Part One

Iam Pūblius decem annōs habēbat cum M. Cornelius Lentulus, pater eius, quī quīnque annōs grave bellum in Asia gerēbat, nōn sine glōriā domum revertēbātur. Namque multa secunda proelia fēcerat, maximās hostium cōpiās dēlēverat, multās urbēs populō Rōmānō inimīcās cēperat. Prīmum nūntius pervēnit quī ā Lentulō missus erat ut profectiōnem suam nuntiāret. Deinde plūrēs diēs reditum virī optimī māter fīliusque exspectābant et animīs sollicitīs deōs immortālīs frūstrā colēbant. Tum dēmum hās litterās summō cum gaudiō accēpērunt:

Question [1] Comprehension

Which phrases from the Latin text indicate specifically that Lentulus’ father

[i] … fought for a number of years

[ii] … returned home in glory

[iii] … had many successful battles

[iv] … killed a very large number of enemies

[v] … had captured many enemy cities

Question [2] Translation

Translate “Prīmum … accēpērunt.” (10 marks)

Part Two

“Mārcus Iūliae suae salūtem dīcit. Sī valēs, bene est; ego valeō. Ex Graeciā, quō praeter spem et opiniōnem hodiē pervēnī, hās litterās ad tē scrībō. Namque nāvis nostra frācta est; nōs autem — dīs est grātia — incolumēs sumus. Ex Asiae portū nāvem lēnī ventō solvimus. Postquam altum mare tenuimus nec iam ūllae terrae appāruerunt, caelum undique et undique fluctūs, subitō magna tempestās coorta est et nāvem vehementissimē adflīxit. Ventīs fluctibusque adflictātī nec sōlem discernere nec cursum tenēre poterāmus, et omnia praesentem mortem intentābant. Trēs diēs et trēs noctēs sine rēmis vēlīsque agimur. Quārtō diē prīmum terra vīsa est et violenter in saxa, quae nōn longē ā lītore aberant, dēiectī sumus.”

Question [1] Comprehension

What information is given in the passage that the voyage was difficult? Identify five points.

Question [2] language

[i] Give the tense and voice (active or passive) of the following verbs:

(a) valēs

(b) frācta est

(c) poterāmus

(d) agimur

(e) adflīxit

[ii] Find from the text an example of a:

(a) 4th declension noun

(b) 5th declension noun

(c) deponent verb

(d) superlative adverb

(e) conjunction introducing a clause of time

Part Three

Tum vērō maiōra perīcula timēbāmus; sed nauta quīdam, vir fortissimus, ex nāve in fluctūs irātōs dēsiluit ut fūnem ad lītus portāret; quam rem summō labōre vix effēcit. Ita omnēs servātī sumus. Grātiās igitur et honōrem Neptūnō debēmus, quī deus nōs ē perīculō ēripuit. Nunc Athēnīs sum, quō cōnfūgī ut mihi paucās horās ad quiētem darem. Quam prīmum autem aliam nāvem condūcam ut iter ad Italiam reliquum cōnficiam et domum ad meōs cārōs revertar. Salūtā nostrum Pūblium amīcissimē et valētūdinem tuam cūrā dīligenter. Kalendīs Martiīs.”

Comprehension

[i] How were they saved? (4 marks)

[ii] What does this passage tell you about the importance of the gods in Ancient Rome? (2 marks)

[iii] Why is the writer in Athens? (1 mark)

[iv] How does he intend to return home? (1 mark)

____________________

Entire text: notes on the subjunctive

Subjunctive: purpose

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

[i] Prīmum nūntius pervēnit quī ā Lentulō missus erat ut profectiōnem suam nuntiāret [imperfect].

  • First a messenger arrived who had been sent by Lentulus to report his departure [literally: in order that he might / would report …]

[ii] ex nāve in fluctūs irātōs dēsiluit ut fūnem ad lītus portāret

  • He leapt from the ship into the raging waves in order to carry a rope to the shore.

[iii] Nunc Athēnīs sum, quō cōnfūgī ut mihi paucās horās ad quiētem darem.

  • Now I am at Athens, where I fled in order to give myself a few hours of rest.

[iv] Autem aliam nāvem condūcam ut iter ad Italiam reliquum cōnficiam et domum ad meōs cārōs revertar.

  • Moreover, I will hire another ship in order to complete the remaining journey to Italy and (to) return home to my dear ones.

____________________

Part One

Question [1]

[i] … quīnque annōs … bellum … gerēbat

[ii] nōn sine glōriā domum revertēbātur

[iii] multa secunda proelia fēcerat

[iv] maximās hostium cōpiās dēlēverat

[v] multās urbēs … inimīcās cēperat

Question [2]

Prīmum nūntius pervēnit │ first a messenger arrived (1)

quī ā Lentulō missus erat │ who had been sent by Lentulus (1)

ut profectiōnem suam nuntiāret │ to announce his departure (1)

Deinde plūrēs diēs │ then for several days (1)

reditum virī optimī ¦ māter fīliusque exspectābant │ the mother and son were waiting (1) ¦ for the return of the excellent man (1)

et animīs sollicitīs ¦ deōs immortālīs frūstrā colēbant │ and with anxious minds (1) ¦ they worshipped the immortal gods in vain (1)

Tum dēmum hās litterās │ then at last these letters (1)

summō cum gaudiō accēpērunt │ they received with the greatest joy (1)

Part Two

Question [1] any five of:

ship broken / wrecked │ nāvis nostra frācta est

sudden great storm │ subitō magna tempestās coorta est

violent battering of the ship │ nāvem vehementissimē adflīxit

battered by winds and waves │ ventīs fluctibusque adflictātī

unable to see the sun │ nec sōlem discernere poterāmus

unable to keep course │ nec cursum tenēre poterāmus

constant threat of immediate death │ omnia praesentem mortem intentābant

driven for three days and nights without oars or sails │ trēs diēs et trēs noctēs sine rēmis vēlīsque agimur

thrown violently onto rocks near the shore │ violenter in saxa … dēiectī sumus

Question [2]

[i]

(a) present tense, active

(b) perfect tense, passive

(c) imperfect tense, active

(d) present tense, passive

(e) perfect tense, active

[ii]

(a) cursum; portū; fluctūs (any one)

(b) spem; diē; diēs (any one)

(c) coorta est

(d) vehementissimē

(e) postquam

Part Three

[i]

a very brave sailor jumped from the ship (1) │ nauta quīdam, vir fortissimus, ex nāve … dēsiluit

into the raging waves (1) │ in fluctūs irātōs

he carried a rope to the shore (1) │ ut fūnem ad lītus portāret

he did this with great difficulty / only just managed it (1) │ quam rem summō labōre vix effēcit

[ii]

the god Neptune is credited with saving them from danger (1) │ Neptūnō … quī deus nōs ē perīculō ēripuit

thanks and honour are owed to Neptune for this rescue (1) │ grātiās igitur et honōrem Neptūnō debēmus

[iii]

to rest for a few hours (1) │ ut mihi paucās horās ad quiētem darem

[iv] hire another ship (1) │ aliam nāvem condūcam

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