05.12.26: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [6] (2)

MĀRS RŌMULUM IN CAELUM VOCAT (2)

Caelum iterum serēnum erat. Iam Rōmānī in Campō Mārtiō iterum ambulābant, sed rēgem nusquam vidēbant. Mox autem Iūlius, iuvenis Rōmānus, per viam Rōmānam iter ad urbem tenēbat. Subitō ā sinistrā, magnum et serēnum, Rōmulum prope viam vidēbat. Vehementer timuit – capillī in capite horruērunt.

Sed Rōmulus verbīs benignīs, "Ō Iūlī," inquit, "nūlla est causa timōris. Nunc Quirītēs nūmen meum adōrābunt et Rōmulum Quirīnum vocābunt. Templa et ārās aedificābunt, et ad ārās dōna apportābunt. Semper artem bellī et arma cūrābunt, et corpora in armīs dīligenter exercēbunt. Ita Quirīnus Populum Rōmānum servābit."

Itaque Iūlius Rōmulī dicta populō nārrāvit, et Quirītēs templum rotundum aedificāvērunt. In templō rotundō Quirīnī nūmen adōrābant.

[i]

ars, artis [3/f]: art

caput, capitis [3/n]: head

causa, -ae [1/f]: cause

iter, itineris [3/n]: journey

Iūlius, -ī [2/m]: Julius, a Roman

nūmen, -inis [3/n]: a divine power

Quirīnus, -i [2/m]: Quirinus, the name of Romulus after he was deified

Quirītēs, -ium [3/m/pl]: Quirites, a name of the Roman people

sinistra, -ae [1/f]: left hand

timor, -ōris [3/m]: fear

[ii]

horreō, -ēre [2]: shudder, bristle

servō, -āre [1]: keep, save

[iii]

rotundus, -a, -um: round

[iv]

autem: but

ā sinistrā: on the left

____________________

The sky was calm again. Now the Romans were again walking on the Campus Martius, but they saw their king nowhere. Soon, however, Julius, a Roman youth, was making his way along a Roman road toward the city. Suddenly, on the left, he saw Romulus near the road, great and calm. He was greatly afraid—his hair stood on end on his head.

But Romulus spoke with kind words: “O Julius,” he said, “there is no cause for fear. Now the Romans will worship my divine power and will call Romulus Quirinus. They will build temples and altars, and will bring gifts to the altars. They will always care for the art of war and for weapons, and will train their bodies carefully in arms. Thus Quirinus will protect the Roman people.”

And so Julius reported the words of Romulus to the people, and the Romans built a round temple. In the round temple they worshipped the divine power of Quirinus.