PUBLIUS GOES TO GERMANY; ITS GREAT FORESTS AND STRANGE ANIMALS [2]
Hoc iter in Germāniam Pūblius quoque fēcit et, cum ibi
morārētur, multa mīrābilia vīdit. Praesertim vērō ingentem silvam mīrābātur,
quae tantae magnitūdinis esse dīcēbātur ut nēmō eam trānsīre posset, nec
quisquam scīret aut initium aut fīnem. Quā dē rē plūra cognōverat ā mīlite
quōdam quī ōlim captus ā Germānīs multōs annōs ibi incoluit. Ille dē silvā
dīcēns, “Īnfīnītae magnitūdinis est haec silva,” inquit; “nec quisquam est
huius Germāniae quī initium eius sciat aut ad fīnem adierit. Nāscuntur illīc multa
tālia animālium genera quālia reliquīs in locīs nōn inveniuntur. Sunt bovēs quī
ūnum cornū habent; sunt etiam animālia quae appellantur alcēs. Hae nūllōs
crūrum articulōs habent. Itaque, sī forte concidērunt, sēsē ērigere nūllō modō
possunt. Arborēs habent prō cubīlibus; ad eās sē applicant atque ita reclīnātae
quiētem capiunt. Tertium est genus eōrum quī ūrī appellantur. Hī sunt paulō
minōrēs elephantīs. Magna vis eōrum est et magna vēlōcitās. Neque hominī neque
ferae parcunt.”
[1] “Hoc iter … adierit.”
How is the vastness of the forest emphasised? (3)
[2] “Nascuntur … parcunt.”
Write brief notes on what is said about the following:
[a] the animals in general (2)
[b] oxen (1)
[c] elks (4)
[d] aurochs (4)
[3] How do we know that much of the information given about
the forest and the animals is hearsay? (2)
____________________
[1] nobody could cross it (1); nobody knew where
it started or ended (1); described as being of infinite size (1)
[2]
[a] animals in general: many species born there
(1) which are not found elsewhere (1)
[b] oxen: one horn
[c] elks: no joints in their legs (1); cannot
get up (1) if they fall (1); rest by leaning against trees (1)
[d] aurochs: slightly smaller than elephants
(1); very strong (1); very fast (1); spare neither humans nor other wild
animals / beasts (1)
[3]
The forest was said (dīcēbātur) to be of
such a great size … (1)
Caesar had learned more from a soldier (1)
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