23.11.26: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [5] (1)

RŌMULUS ET SABĪNAE (1)

Rōmulus erat Mārtis fīlius. Mārs erat deus bellī et armōrum. Mīlitēs Rōmānī Mārtem adōrābant et in Mārtis ārīs victimās mactābant. Rōmulus igitur mīlitēs et arma vehementer amābat. Urbis Rōmae prīmus rēx erat. Sed virī sōlum urbem habitābant; neque uxōrēs neque sorōrēs habēbant.

Itaque Rōmulus tōtum populum convocāvit, et "Ō cīvēs," inquit, "nūllās fēminās habēmus, sed Sabīnī cīvitātem fīnitimam habitant. Sabīnī fēminās multās et fōrmōsās habent. Sabīnōs igitur cum fēminīs ad lūdōs invītābimus, et virginēs raptābimus."

Rōmānī igitur Sabīnōs ad lūdōs magnōs invītāvērunt. Pāx erat inter Rōmānōs et Sabīnōs. Itaque Sabīnī ad lūdōs Rōmānōrum libenter properāvērunt. Nec scūta nec gladiōs nec hastās apportāvērunt. Cum Sabīnīs, virginēs multae et fōrmōsae properāvērunt.

arma, -ōrum [2/n pl.]: arms

bellum, -ī [2/n]: war

gladius, -ī [2/m]: sword

Rōmulus, -ī [2/m]: Romulus, the founder of Rome

Sabīnus, -ī [2/m]: a Sabine (neighbour of the Romans)

cīvis, -is [3 m./f.]: citizen

cīvitās, -ātis [3/f]: state

Mars, Martis [3/m]: Mars, god of war

mīles, -itis [3/m]: soldier

pāx, pācis [3/f]: peace

rēx, rēgis [3/m]: king

soror, sorōris [3/f]: sister

urbs, urbis [3/f]: city

uxor, uxōris [3/f]: wife

virgō, -inis [3/f]: virgin

fīnitimus, -a, -um: neighbouring

formōsus, -a, -um: beautiful

prīmus, -a, -um: first

invītō, invītāre [1]: invite

____________________

Romulus was the son of Mars. Mars was the god of war and of arms. The Roman soldiers worshipped Mars and sacrificed victims on the altars of Mars. Therefore Romulus loved soldiers and weapons very much. He was the first king of the city of Rome. But the men lived in the city alone; they had neither wives nor sisters.

And so Romulus called together the whole people and said, “O citizens, we have no women, but the Sabines live in a neighbouring state. The Sabines have many beautiful women. Therefore we shall invite the Sabines with the women to games, and we shall carry off the maidens.”

And so the Romans invited the Sabines to great games. There was peace between the Romans and the Sabines. Therefore the Sabines gladly hurried to the games of the Romans. They brought neither shields nor swords nor spears. With the Sabines, many beautiful maidens hurried.