28.06.25; Level 3; the ablative absolute [5]: practice (1)

Translate into English, and take note of question [9] i.e. a deponent verb and so the ablative absolute is not expressed by a passive but active i.e. “having done (something)”

1. Caesar, acceptīs litterīs, nūntium mīsit.
2. Mīlitibus convocātīs imperātor haec verba dīxit.
3. Rōmulus signō datō iuvenēs puellās rapere iussit.
4. Equō vēnditō agricola domum rediit.
5. Horātius in aquam ponte dēlētō cum omnibus armīs dēsiluit.
6. Rēge vīctō, patria lībertātem accēpit.
7. Duce interfectō, hostēs dēspērābant.
8. Victōriā nūntiātā, epistulam patrī mīsimus.
9. Nūntiō locūtō portae apertae sunt.

____________________

Other translations are possible, but the key point is to convey that one action took place before the other.

1. After the letter had been received, Caesar sent a messenger.
2. Once the soldiers had been called together, the general said these words.
3. The signal having been given, Romulus ordered the young men to seize the girls.
4. Since the horse had been sold, the farmer returned home.
5. When the bridge had been destroyed, Horatius slipped into the water with all his armour.
6. Because the king had been conquered, the country received freedom.
7. The leader having been killed, the enemy were in despair.
8. After the victory had been announced, we sent a letter to our father.
9. Once the messenger had spoken, the gates were opened.

27.06.25: Level 3; the Labours of Hercules; [III] Hercules becomes subject to Eurystheus; he strangles the Nemean lion

[III] HERCULES BECOMES SUBJECT TO EURYSTHEUS; HE STRANGLES THE NEMEAN LION

Itaque Herculēs Pȳthiae tōtam rem dēmōnstrāvit nec scelus suum abdidit. Ubi iam Herculēs finem fēcit, Pȳthia iussit eum ad urbem Tiryntha discēdere et ibi rēgī Eurystheō sēsē committere. Quae ubi audīvit, Herculēs ad illam urbem statim contendit et Eurystheō sē in servitūtem trādidit et dīxit, "Quid prīmum, Ō rēx, mē facere iubēs?"

Eurystheus, quī perterrēbātur vī et corpore ingentī Herculis et eum occīdī studēbat, ita respondit: "Audī, Herculēs! Multa mira nārrantur dē leōne saevissimō quī hōc tempore in valle Nemaeā omnia vāstat. Iubeō tē, virōrum omnium fortissimum, illō mōnstrō hominēs līberāre." Haec verba Herculī maximē placuērunt. "Properābō," inquit, "et pārēbō imperiō tuō." Tum in silvās in quibus leō habitabat statim iter fēcit. Mox feram vidit et plūris impetūs fēcit; frūstrā tamen, quod neque sagittīs neque ūllō aliō tēlō mōnstrum vulnerāre potuit. Dēnique Herculēs saevum leōnem suis ingentibus bracchiīs rapuit et faucīs eius omnibus vīribus compressit. Hōc modō brevī tempore eum interfēcit. Tum corpus leōnis ad oppidum in umerīs reportāvit et pellem posteā prō veste gerebat. Omnēs autem quī eam regiōnem incolēbant, ubi fāmam dē morte leōnis ingentis accēpērunt, erant laetissimī et Herculem laudābant verbīs amplissimīs.

[1] Tyrins; this is an example of a Greek-type noun; some of these nouns have case endings that are originally from Greek or the Greek ending is an alternative to the Latin:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tiryns

Notes on Greek-type nouns:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/080824-level-2-practice-in-reading.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/473759851901955/

[2] Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, a Grecian city, whose foundation goes back to prehistoric times.

[3] Quae ubi audīvit │ and when he heard these things

When we see forms of quī, quae and quod, the immediate translation which comes to mind is ‘who’ or ‘which’; in grammar this is known as a relative pronoun as it is referring back to a person / thing in the same sentence (the antecedent) i.e. they introduce a relative clause.

Tum in [i] silvās [antecedent] ¦ [ii] in quibus leō habitabat [relative clause] ¦ statim iter fēcit. │ Then he immediately travelled into the [i] forests ¦ [ii] in which the lion lived.

[i] Omnēs [antecedent] ¦ [ii] quī eam regiōnem incolēbant [relative clause] ¦ erant laetissimī │[i] Everyone ¦ [ii] who inhabited that region ¦ was very happy.

However, the relative pronouns quī etc. can also start a sentence referring to [a] a specific person or thing in the previous sentence or [b] the entire idea of the previous sentence.

The relative pronoun, therefore, is making a connection with the preceding sentence which is why, in grammar, it is known as a connecting relative.

In this position it is not translated as “who” or “which” but by a pronoun or demonstrative that refers to the antecedent.

(a)

[i] Caesar Rubicōnem trānsiit. [ii] Quī posterā diē adversus Rōmam profectus est. │ [i] Caesar crossed the Rubicon. On the next day [ii] he set out towards Rome.

It is common in translation to connect the two sentences with ‘and’:

Caesar crossed the Rubicon, and he set out towards Rome on the next day.

[i] Ancilla tandem advēnit. [ii] Quam ubi vīdī, laetissimus eram │ [i] The slave girl arrived. When I saw [ii] her, I was very happy, or The slave girl arrived, and when I saw her, I was very happy.

[i] Ille servus effugit. [ii] Quem posteā captum graviter pūnīvī. │ [i] That slave escaped, and afterwards, when he had been caught [ii] I punished him severely.

(b)

In the following examples, the connecting relative does not refer to a specific noun, but to the entire statement made in the preceding sentence:

[i] Canis equum adiūvit. [ii] Quod ubi vīdimus, mīrātī sumus │ The dog helped the horse. When we saw that, we were amazed, i.e. the connecting relative is not referring to the dog or to the horse, but to the whole event.

Similarly:

[i] Mīlitēs nostrī omnēs effūgērunt. [ii] Quod ubi vīdimus, laetissimī erāmus. │ [i] All our soldiers escaped. [ii] When we saw that, we were very happy.

Note in the next example the inclusion of verbīs to indicate that the connecting relative is referring to something that was heard.

[i] Victōria tandem Rōmae relāta est. [ii] Quibus verbīs audītīs omnēs gāvīsī sumus. │ [i] The victory was finally reported in Rome, [ii] and with these words having been heard [= and when these words had been heard, we all rejoiced.

In the text we are dealing with (b) i.e. the connecting relative referring to the whole preceding sentence.

Pȳthia iussit eum ad urbem Tiryntha discēdere et ibi rēgī Eurystheō sēsē committere. │ Pythia commanded him to depart to the city of Tiryns and there commit / entrust himself to Eurystheus.

> Quae ubi audīvit, Herculēs ad illam urbem statim contendit │ and when he heard these things Hercules immediately hurried to that city.

[4] eum occīdī studēbat │ was eager for him to be killed

occīdī: present passive infinitive

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/10/110125-level-2-passive-voice-19-present.html 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/644124801532125/

[5] illō mōnstrō hominēs līberāre │ to free people from that monster; the ablative of separation

neque ūllō aliō tēlō mōnstrum vulnerāre potuit │ nor was he able to wound the monster with any other weapon

[6] ūllus, -a, -um: any

[7] alius, -a, -ud: other

[8] prō: instead of

25.03.25: Level 3; the Riot at Pompeii (Tacitus: XIV.17); it’s only a game?

This is the account to which below refers: the riot and bloodshed at the amphitheatre of Pompeii (AD59) reported by the Roman historian Tacitus. When dealing with an original Latin text, word order will become a major player, and so I have broken it up into clauses and phrases and then matched them with the English translation.

(1)

[1] Sub idem tempus ¦ [2] levī initiō ¦ [3] atrōx caedēs orta ¦ [3] inter colōnōs Nucerīnōs Pompēiānōsque ¦ [4] gladiātōriō spectāculō ¦ [5] quod Livinēius Rēgulus, ¦ [6] quem mōtum senātū rettulī, ¦ edēbat.

[1] At about the same time ¦ [2] from a trivial beginning ¦ [3] arose terrible carnage / bloodshed ¦ [4] between the inhabitants of Nucernia and Pompeii ¦ [4] at a gladiatorial show ¦ [5] which Livineius Regulus ¦ [6] whom, as I have related, had been expelled from the Senate ¦ was staging.

caedēs, -is [3/f]: slaughter; massacre; carnage; some translations of atrōx caedēs are less dramatic e.g. “serious affray” and “serious trouble”, but caedēs is stronger than that, suggesting bloodshed and killing i.e. it wasn’t just a spot of "trouble" because it reached the Senate and Tacitus wrote about it.

ēdō (with long /ē/), -ere, ēdidī [3]: give out; produce; publish (from which there are the English derivatives editor and edition); here it is referring to games organised, and presumably financed, by Livineius; Note: edō (with short /e/), -ere, ēdī [3]: eat

īdem [m], eadem [f], idem [n]: the same

levis, -e: light, trivial, trifling

mōtus, -a, -um: (literally) moved; mōtum senatū: expelled from the Senate

ortus, -a, -um: having arisen

referō, referre, retulī: (here) report; relate

(2) This section starts, in a sense, no differently from a football match nowadays where the rival fans are shouting at each other, but it soon turns nasty …

[1] quippe oppidānā lascīviā ¦ [2] in vicem incessentēs probra, ¦ [3] dein saxa, ¦ [4] postrēmō ferrum sūmpsēre, ¦ [5] validiōre Pompēiānōrum plēbe, ¦ [6] apud quōs spectāculum edēbātur.

[1] For with unruliness typical of townsfolk ¦ [2] hurling abuse in turns / at each other ¦ [3] they then took up stones ¦ [4] and finally weapons ¦ [5] with the people of Pompeii being / proving to be the stronger [i.e. the Pompeians had the upper hand] ¦ [6] where (literally: among whom / in whose presence) the show was being staged

ferrum, -ī [2/n]: iron, but can refer to any metal tool including a weapon or a sword

incessō, -ere, incessīvī [3]: assault; attack; abuse

invicem or in vicem: in turns; alternately

lascivia, -ae [1/f]: can be positive i.e. playfulness, or negative: wantonness; Tacitus writes that the incident grew from a trivial beginning (levī intiō) and so, possibly, what simply began as light-hearted “pot-shots” got out of hand

probrum, -ī [2/n]: insult; abuse

quippe: used to introduce an explanation or cause i.e. for, indeed, in fact

sūmpsēre = sūmpsērunt: they took (up) < sūmō, -ere, sūmpsī [3]: take

validus, -a, -um: strong; comparative: validior, -ius: stronger

(3)

[1] ergō ¦ [3] dēportātī sunt in urbem ¦ (2) multī ē Nucerīnīs ¦ [4] truncō per vulnera corpore, [5] ac plērīque līberōrum aut parentum mortīs dēflēbant.

[1] Therefore, ¦ (2) many of the Nucerians ¦ [3] were carried to the city ¦ [4] their bodies maimed through wounds ¦ [5] and most of them were lamenting the deaths of parents or children.

dēfleō, -ēre, dēflēvō [2]: weep / cry over; lament

dēportō, -āre, -āvī [1]: (here) convey; carry

truncus, -a, -um: mutilated; maimed

(4)

[2] cuius reī iūdicium ¦ [1] prīnceps ¦ [3] senātuī, ¦ [4] senātus cōnsulibus permīsit. [5] et rūrsus rē ad patrēs relātā, [6] prohibitī ¦ [8] pūblicē in decem annōs ¦ [7] eius modī coetū ¦ Pompēiānī ¦ [9] collēgiaque ¦ [10] quae contrā lēgēs īnstituerant ¦ dissolūta;

[1] The emperor delegated ¦ [2] judgement of this matter ¦ [3] to the Senate, (and) ¦ [4] the Senate to the consuls. [5] And the matter having again been referred back to the Senators, ¦ [6] the inhabitants of Pompeii were barred ¦ [7] from a gathering of this type ¦ [8] in public for ten years, ¦ [9] and associations ¦ [10] which they had formed against the law ¦ were dissolved.

collēgium, -ī [2/n]: association; society

coetus, -ūs [4/m]: meeting; gathering; Pompēiānī … coetū … prohibitī (sunt) │ The Pompeians were barred from (any) gathering

īnstituō, -ere, īnstituī [3]: establish; set up

patrēs: refers to patrēs concrīptī; literally: conscript fathers, the term used to refer to members of the Senate

(rūrsus) relātus, -a, -um: (here) having been referred back

(5)

[1] Livinēius et ¦ [2] quī aliī ¦ [3] sēditiōnem concīverant ¦ [4] exiliō multātī sunt.

[1] Livineius and ¦ [2] those others who ¦ [3] had provoked the riot ¦ [4] were punished with exile.

concieō, -ēre, concīvī [2]: provoke

multō, -āre, -āvī [1]: punish

sēditiō, sēditiōnis [3/f]: rebellion; riot; uprising

25.03.25: A tragic tale of two cousins …

When we read history books we are effectively reading about something that is over. At school that never really interested me (although it does now). What did interest me much later in life was a little letter in a modest frame in a quiet corridor in an English country house. The letter was in French, the writer simply talking about how she was spending her days, but, at one point (and I paraphrase) she mentioned that she didn’t know how the situation would end. I froze because I knew how it would end.

The letter was written by Mary Queen of Scots, now under house arrest having been convicted of treason against Elizabeth I. The latter was hesitant to authorise the execution since Mary was her cousin and a fellow queen, and Elizabeth may also have feared the political consequences. Nevertheless, Elizabeth I did eventually sign the death warrant, and Mary was executed on February 8th, 1587, the headsman brutally inflicting two strokes of the axe before she was finally decapitated.

As I read Mary’s letter, the history was “over” for me – because I knew the outcome – but it wasn’t over for her, because she didn’t.

On the morning of her execution, Mary supposedly wrote the following poem; the first line does exist in other religious works, but the rest of the poem is only ascribed to Mary herself.

Ō Domine Deus! spērāvī in tē. │ Lord God ! I have hoped in Thee.

Ō cāre mī Jēsū! nunc līberā mē. │ My dear Jesus, now set me free.

In dūrā catēnā, in miserā poenā dēsīderō tē: │ In unyielding chain, in wretched torment I long for Thee:

Languendō, gemendō, et genū flectendō, │ In fainting, moaning, and bending at the knee

Adōrō, implōrō, ut līberēs mē. │ I adore, and implore that you might free me.

[i] Ō Domine Deus!; Ō cāre mī Jēsū!

Vocative case: addressing God and Jesus directly

Dominus > Domine; Iesus > Iesū; meus > mi; cārus > cāre

[ii] languendum, gemendum, flectendum: all examples of gerunds which describe the act of doing something

languendō, gemendō, et ¦ genū ¦ flectendō │ in (the act of) fainting, moaning, and bending ¦ at the knee

[iii] implōrō, ¦ ut līberēs mē: this is a subjunctive, used when you ask somebody to do something, the literal translation being “I implore / pray ¦ that you might free me

Image #1: Mary’s poem with a less literal translation than I’ve given above.

Image #2: copy of Mary’s death warrant, signed by Elizabeth I

Image #3: (left) Mary’s tomb at Westminster Abbey; (right) the tomb of Elizabeth I, also at Westminster Abbey

25.03.25; Vincent: rejoicing in Spring

Salvēte │ Hello

Vēr iam adest │ Spring is already here.

Gaudeāmus igitur │ Therefore, let us rejoice.

Hodiē sōl lūcet │ The sun is shining today.

Avēs volant in caelō et canunt │ The birds are flying in the sky and singing.

Aliae bēstiolae vigent │ Other little creatures are thriving / flourishing.

Flōrēs crēscunt │ The flowers are growing.

Ergō scrīpsī novōs versūs │ Therefore, I have written new verses

Laudāns vēr │ While praising the spring.

Pepigī distichon │ I’ve composed a couplet (two-line verse)

Dē hōc tempore annī │ About this season

Quod mihi valdē placet │ Which I really like (which is really pleasing to me).

Ecce │ Here it is

Adsunt nunc flōrēs vernālēs suāveolentēs │ The sweet-smelling spring blooms are now here

Bēstiolae gaudent, frīgora nunc aberunt │ The little creatures rejoice, the cold will now be away / gone

Valēte │ Good-bye

The fragrant vernal flowers now are here

The cold will go and little beasts will cheer

Vocabulary

alius, -a, -ud: other

bēstiōla, -ae [1/f]: little beast / creature; -ol- creates a diminutive (smaller version) of bēstia, -ae [1/f]: beast

frīgus, frigoris [3/n]: cold; coldness; often appears in the plural even though we would translate it as singular

distichon, distichī [3/n]: couplet; two-line verse; distichon; a Greek-type noun hence the /n/ in the nominative: distichon

pangō, -ere, pepigī [3]: compose (usually in verse, but also in song)

tempus, temporis [3/n] annī: (literally) time of the year = season

vēr, -is [3/n]: spring

vērnālis, -e: spring (adjective); flōrēs vērnālēs: spring flowers

versus, -ūs [4/m]: verse

vigeō, -ēre, viguī [2]: be vigorous; thrive; flourish

Notes

[i] Vēr iam adest │ Spring is already here; adsunt … flōrēs │ the flowers are here

frīgora nunc aberunt │ the cold(s) will now be away / distant / gone

The verb sum; esse (be) with prefixes:

adsum, adesse: be here / present

absum, abesse: be away

[ii] flōrēs crescunt │ the flowers are growing

When you see -sc- before the verb ending it indicates the beginning of something or becoming something else; in grammar they are known as inchoative verbs:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/05/200424-inchoative-verbs.html

sōl lūcēscit │ the sun is beginning to shine

vesperāscit │ it’s becoming evening

[iii] participles; look out for -ns and -nt-

Ergō scrīpsī novōs versūs │ Therefore, I have written new verses

Laudāns vēr │ While praising the spring

flōrēs … suāveolentēs │ sweet-smelling flowers < suāvis, -e: sweet + oleō, -ēre, oluī: smell

[iv] gaudeāmus igitur │ let us, therefore, rejoice

From the academic song:

Gaudeāmus igitur / Iuvenēs dum sumus │ Let us, therefore, rejoice, while we are young

This is a subunctive: gaudēmus │ we rejoice > gaudeāmus │let us rejoice; Latin uses the subjunctive to express “Let’s do something”

27.06.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Britannia Pācāta [2](ii): listening

[1]

["Itaque Rōmānī ordinēs suōs contrā equitēs Britannōrum in prīmō certāmine nōn servāverant. Sed postrīdiē Rōmānī victōriam reportāvērunt; Britannī in collibus procul ā castrīs Rōmānīs stābant. Caesar magnum numerum cohortium et ūniversōs equitēs lēgātō suō Trebōniō mandāverat.”]

[i] What had the Romans failed to do during the first battle? (1)

[ii] When did the Romans achieve a victory? (1)

[iii] Where were the Britons standing? (2)

[iv] Why is Trebonius mentioned? (3)

[2]

["Hostēs subitō prōvolāvērunt, et ordinēs Rōmānōs impugnāvērunt. Sed Rōmānī superiōrēs fuērunt. Cōpiās Britannicās prōpulsāvērunt, et in fugam dedērunt. Magnum numerum hostium trucīdāvērunt. "]

In what order are the following mentioned?

attack on the Roman ranks

enemy driven back

number of enemy killed

enemy put to flight

sudden attack

superiority of the Romans

[3]

["Tum dux continuīs itineribus ad flūmen Tamesam et in fīnēs Cassivellaunī properāvit. Cassivellaunus autem cum quattuor mīlibus essedāriōrum itinera Rōmānōrum servābat, et paulum de viā dēclīnābat sēque in silvīs occultābat. Interdum ex silvīs prōvolābat et cum mīlitibus Rōmānīs pugnābat; Rōmānī autem agrōs Britannōrum vastābant."]

Which of the following statements are true? (8)

1. The troops marched using several routes.
2. The troops marched continuously.
3. They first went to the river and then into the territory of the Cassivellauni.
4. The Cassivellauni territory was on the River Thames.
5. They entered the territory of the Cassivellauni and then headed to the River Thames.
6. Cassivellaunus had 4,000 infantry.
7. Cassivellaunus had 4,000 charioteers.
8. Cassivellaunus had 4,000 cavalry.
9. Cassivelaunus was at the roadside.
10. Cassivellaunus had moved away from the roadside.
11. Cassivellaunus was hiding in forests.
12. Cassivellaunus was observing the Romans.
13. Cassivellaunus made a single attack.
14. The Romans fought with Cassivellaunus in the forests.
15. Cassivelllaunus  sometimes came out of the forests to attack.
16. The Romans destroyed the Britons’ fields.
17. The Romans destroyed all the fields at the same time.

____________________

attack on the Roman ranks [2]

enemy driven back [4]

number of enemy killed [6]

enemy put to flight [5]

sudden attack [1]

superiority of the Romans [3]

Hostēs [1] subitō prōvolāvērunt, et [2] ordinēs Rōmānōs impugnāvērunt. Sed Rōmānī [3] superiōrēs fuērunt. Cōpiās Britannicās [4] prōpulsāvērunt, et [5] in fugam dedērunt. [6] Magnum numerum hostium trucīdāvērunt.

27.06.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Britannia Pācāta [2](i): text, exercises

"Itaque Rōmānī ordinēs suōs contrā equitēs Britannōrum in prīmō certāmine nōn servāverant. Sed postrīdiē Rōmānī victōriam reportāvērunt; Britannī in collibus procul ā castrīs Rōmānīs stābant. Caesar magnum numerum cohortium et ūniversōs equitēs lēgātō suō Trebōniō mandāverat. Hostēs subitō prōvolāvērunt, et ordinēs Rōmānōs impugnāvērunt. Sed Rōmānī superiōrēs fuērunt. Cōpiās Britannicās prōpulsāvērunt, et in fugam dedērunt. Magnum numerum hostium trucīdāvērunt. Tum dux continuīs itineribus ad flūmen Tamesam et in fīnēs Cassivellaunī properāvit. Cassivellaunus autem cum quattuor mīlibus essedāriōrum itinera Rōmānōrum servābat, et paulum de viā dēclīnābat sēque in silvīs occultābat. Interdum ex silvīs prōvolābat et cum mīlitibus Rōmānīs pugnābat; Rōmānī autem agrōs Britannōrum vastābant."

[i] Vocabulary review: match the Latin and English

autem

collis, -is [3/m]

continuus, -a, -um

dēclīnō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

interdum

itaque

mandō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

occultō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

paulum

postrīdiē

prōpulsō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

reportō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

servō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

subitō

tum

ūniversus, -a, -um

(here) watch (over); a little; bring back; continual / uninterrupted; deviate / turn aside; drive back / repulse; however; hill; hide; entrust; sometimes; suddenly; whole / entire; then; therefore; the following day

[ii] Find the Latin

[1] (he) entrusted … the cavalry … to Trebonius

[2] (he) turned aside / deviated from the road

[3] and was hiding himself in the forests

[4] far from the camp

[5] they put the troops to flight [i.e. they made them flee]

[6] with / by means of uninterrupted / continual marches

26.06.25: topic; ships [10]; Comenius; CXLII; the Sea-Fight

thorow = through or thorough!

the Sea-Fight │ Pugna nāvālis

A sea-fight is terrible, when huge ships, like castles, run one upon another with their beaks, or shatter one another with their ordnance, and so being bored thorow they drink in their own destruction, and are sunk.

Nāvāle prœlium terribile est, quum [ = cum] ingentēs nāvēs, velutī arcēs, concurrunt rōstrīs, aut sē invicem quassant tormentīs, atque ita perforātæ, imbibunt perniciem suam & submerguntur.

Or when they are set on fire and either by the firing of gun-powder, men are blown up into the air, or are burnt in the midst of the waters, or else leaping into the sea are drowned.

Aut quum igne corripiuntur, & vel ex incendiō pulveris tormentāriī, hominēs ēiciuntur in ærem, vel exūruntur in mediīs aquīs, vel etiam dēsilientēs in mare, suffōcantur.

A ship that flieth away is overtaken by those that pursue her, and is taken.

Nāvis fugitīva intercipitur ab īnsequentibus & capitur.

[i] Passives:

nāvēs perforātae │ ships (which have been) pierced penetrated

nāves submerguntur │ ships are sunk

nāvēs ¦ igne ¦ corripiuntur │ ships are (literally) seized by fire

incendō, -ere, incendī, incēnsus [3]: set on fire

hominēs … │ men …

[1] … ēiciuntur │ … are cast out

[2] … exūruntur │ … are burnt up / consumed by fire

[3] … suffōcantur │ … are drowned

nāvis intercipitur │ the ship is intercepted / cut off

nāvis capitur │ the ship is captured / taken

[ii] present active participle:

hominēs … dēsilientēs in mare │ men (who are) leaping into the sea

nāvis …  intercipitur ¦ ab īnsequentibus │ the ship is intercepted ¦ by those (who are) pursuing (it)

[iii] nāvālis, -e: naval

proelium nāvāle; pugna nāvālis: naval battle

[iv] arx, arcis [3/f]: citadel; fortress; castle

[v] quassō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: shake violently; shatter; dash to pieces

Note: sē … quassant; reflexive i.e. they shatter each other

invicem: in turn; reciprocally; one another

[vi] pulvis, pulveris [3/n]: powder; dust; ashes

tormentārius, -a, -um: (rare) relating to a gun

25.06.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [4]: translation; ablative absolute with deponent verbs

[1] The term absolute means that the phrase is grammatically set apart from the main clause; in other words, the participle does not modify any noun in the main clause. The rather unwieldy literal translation is “with something having been done” e.g. “with the city having been captured” and this is the standard way in grammar books of translating it. However, it is often preferable to refine the construction into an English clause. Various translations are possible:

urbe captā

• time: When / after the city had been captured ..
• cause: Since / because the city had been captured ..
• concessive: Although the city had been captured ..
• condition: If the city had been captured ..

Equally, the sentence could be restructured to include a compound sentence:

• Urbe captā, cīvēs fūgērunt. │ The city had been captured and the citizens fled.

Context will determine the most appropriate translation.

[2] Watch out for deponent verbs when translating the ablative absolute; remember that the deponents are passive in form but active in meaning:

loquor, loquī, locūtus sum [3/deponent]: speak

proficīscor, proficīscī, profectus sum [3/deponent]: set out

i.e. profectus and locūtus are not passive but active and so they are translated as:

locūtus: having spoken

profectus: having set out

ōrātōre locūtō, cīvēs inter sē loquēbantur │ With the orator having spoken = After the orator had spoken, the citizens began talking among themselves.

poētā sīc locūtō, cīvēs magnopere timēbant. │ After the orator had spoken in this way, the citizens were greatly afraid.

Omnibus profectīs, tamen ego tē exspectāvī. │ Although everybody had set out, I neverthless waited for you.

25.06.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [3]: literal translation

All of the following phrases are ablative absolutes; translate them into English using, at this stage, the literal construction ‘with X having been Y-ed’

Examples:

urbe ¦ captā │ with the city ¦ having been captured

servō monitō │ with the slave having been warned

1. urbe incēnsā
2. cōnsule interfectō
3. librō lectō
4. epistulā scriptā
5. oppidō oppugnātō
6. mīlitibus revocatīs
7. hīs litterīs acceptīs
8. hīs verbīs dictīs

____________________

1. with the city having been set on fire
2. with the consul having been killed
3. with the book having been read
4. with the letter having been writeen
5. with the town having been attacked
6. with the soldiers having been recalled
7. with this / these letter(s) having been received
8. with these words having been said

25.06.25: Level 3; the Labours of Hercules; [II] Hercules conquers the Minyæ; he commits a crime and goes to the Delphian oracle to seek expiation

[II] HERCULES CONQUERS THE MINYÆ

Herculēs ā puerō corpus suum gravissimīs et difficillimīs labōribus exercēbat et hoc modo vīrēs suās cōnfirmāvit. Iam adulēscēns Thēbīs habitābat. Ibi Creōn quīdam erat rēx. Minyae, gēns validissima, erant fīnitimī Thēbānīs, et, quia ōlim Thēbānōs vīcerant, quotannīs lēgātōs mittēbant et vectīgal postulābant. Herculēs autem cōnstituit cīvīs suōs hoc vectīgālī līberāre et dīxit rēgī, "Dā mihi exercitum tuum et ego hōs superbōs hostīs superābō." Hanc condiciōnem rēx nōn recūsāvit, et Herculēs nūntiōs in omnīs partīs dīmīsit et cōpiās coēgit. Tum tempore opportūnissimō proelium cum Minyīs commīsit. Diū pugnātum est, sed dēnique illī impetum Thēbānōrum sustinēre nōn potuērunt et terga vertērunt fugamque cēpērunt.

[1] ā puerō: from boyhood

[2] hōc modō vīrēs suās cōnfirmāvit │ in this way he asserted his strength

vīs, vīs [3/f] can be misread, especially in the plural; the word means ‘force’, ‘power’, ‘strength’, ‘violence’, but it is often used in the plural: vīrēs (strength; physical force) and looks similar to virī (men) but they are completely different words [image]

Image: vīs is also an example of a defective noun which refers to a noun where not all the case endings are attested in Classical Latin; the English verb “can” is defective since there is no infinitive “to can”, “to be able” being used instead of the original Anglo-Saxon infinitive cunnan (Modern German: können)

[3] Thēbīs: locative case < Thēbae (Thebes); plural noun

[4] vectīgal, vectīgālis [3/n]: tax, tribute

[5] pugnātum est: impersonal passive; literally: it has been fought = there was fighting

HE COMMITS A CRIME AND GOES TO THE DELPHIAN ORACLE TO SEEK EXPIATION

Post hoc proelium Creōn rēx, tantā victōriā laetus, fīliam suam Herculī in matrimōnium dedit. Thēbis Herculēs cum uxōre suā diū vivēbat et ab omnibus magnopere amābātur; sed post multōs annōs subitō in furōrem incidit et ipse suā manū līberōs suōs interfēcit. Post breve tempus ad sānitātem reductus tantum scelus expiāre cupiēbat et cōnstituit ad ōrāculum Delphicum iter facere. Hoc autem ōrāculum erat omnium clārissimum. Ibi sedēbat fēmina quaedam quae Pȳthia appellābātur. Ea cōnsilium dabat iīs quī ad ōrāculum veniēbant.

[1] in furōrem incidit: went mad

[2] ad sānitātem reductus │ literally: led back to sanity = came back to his senses 

[3] iīs = eīs

[4] Ibi sedēbat fēmina quaedam │ a certain woman was sitting there

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/301124-comenius-in-17th-century-school_29.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/597986606145945/

24.06.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Britannia Pācāta [1](ii): listening

[1]

["Inter Tamesam et mare Britannicum prīma concursiō erat Rōmānōrum cum cōpiīs Cassivellaunī. Britannī duās cohortēs Rōmānās in itinere fortiter impugnāvērunt. Ex silvīs suīs prōvolāvērunt; Rōmānōs in fugam dedērunt; multōs Rōmānōrum trucīdāvērunt. "]

[i] Where did the first engagement take place between the Romans and the Cassevellauni? (2)

[ii] What Roman military divisions were attacked? (1)

[iii] From where had the Britons made the attack? (1)

[iv] What was the outcome of the attack? (2)

[2]

["Tum suōs ā pugnā revocāvērunt. Novum genus pugnae Rōmānōs perturbāverat. Nam Britannīs nōn mōs erat iustō proeliō pugnāre; sed equitibus essedīsque suīs per omnēs partēs equitābant, et ōrdinēs hostium perturbābant; tum consultō cōpias suās revocābant. "]

[i] What did Britons do immediately after the fight? (1)

[ii] Complete each sentence with a single word or short phrase

[a] The Romans were thrown into confusion by __________.

[b] The Britons were not accustomed to __________.

[c] The chariots and charioteers were __________.

[d] They threw __________ into confusion.

[e] They would call back their men __________.

[3]

["Essedāriī interdum pedibus pugnābant. Ita mōbilitatem equitum, stabilitātem peditum in proeliīs praestābant. Peditēs Rōmānī propter pondus armōrum nōn aptī erant ad hūiusmodī hostem. Et equitibus Rōmānīs perīculōsum erat sē longō intervallō ā peditibus sēparāre: neque pedibus pugnāre poterant."]

[i] How did the charioteers sometimes fight? (1)

[ii] What two advantages did the Britons have in the battles? (2)

[iii] Why were the Roman infantry at a disadvantage? (2)

[iv] What two disadvantages did the Roman cavalry have? (3)

24.06.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Britannia Pācāta [1](i): text, exercises

"Inter Tamesam et mare Britannicum prīma concursiō erat Rōmānōrum cum cōpiīs Cassivellaunī. Britannī duās cohortēs Rōmānās in itinere fortiter impugnāvērunt. Ex silvīs suīs prōvolāvērunt; Rōmānōs in fugam dedērunt; multōs Rōmānōrum trucīdāvērunt. Tum suōs ā pugnā revocāvērunt. Novum genus pugnae Rōmānōs perturbāverat. Nam Britannīs nōn mōs erat iustō proeliō pugnāre; sed equitibus essedīsque suīs per omnēs partēs equitābant, et ōrdinēs hostium perturbābant; tum consultō cōpias suās revocābant. Essedāriī interdum pedibus pugnābant. Ita mōbilitatem equitum, stabilitātem peditum in proeliīs praestābant. Peditēs Rōmānī propter pondus armōrum nōn aptī erant ad hūiusmodī hostem. Et equitibus Rōmānīs perīculōsum erat sē longō intervallō ā peditibus sēparāre: neque pedibus pugnāre poterant."

[i] Vocabulary review: match the Latin and English

cohors, cohortis [3/f]

concursiō, concursiōnis [3/f]

consultō

essedārius, -ī [2/m]

hūiusmodī

impugnō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

intervallum, -ī [2/n]

iter, itineris [3/n]

mōs, mōris [3/f]

ōrdō, ōrdinis [3/m]

pācō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

perturbō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

pondus, ponderis [3/n]

praestō, -āre, -stitī, -stitus [1]

prōvolō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

trucīdō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

attack; Britannic charioteer; habit / custom; interval / distance; journey / march; military unit of 500 men; of this kind; on purpose; running together / (mil.) engagement; show / exhibit; rush forward; rank; pacify; slaughter; throw into confusion; weight

[ii] Find the Latin:

[1] because of / on account of the weight ¦ of the armour

[2] (they) were not suited ¦ to an enemy ¦ of this kind

[3] they slaughtered ¦ many ¦ of the Romans

[4] it was dangerous for the cavalry

[5] it was not customary (the custom) for the Britons

[6] they called their men back from the battle

[7] to separate themselves ¦ from the infantry

[8] to separate themselves by a long distance

[9] (they) were … fighting on foot

[10] on the journey / during the march

23.06.25: topic; ships [9]; Comenius; XCI; a Ship-wreck (4); terra austrālis: the southern land

Sphera terrestris …dīvīsa est in trēs continentēs; nostram, quæ subdīviditur in Eurōpam, Asiam, & Āfricam, in Americam (cuius incolæ sunt antipodēs nōbīs) & in Terram Austrālem, adhūc incognitam. (Comenius CVII: 1658)

The terrestrial sphere … is divided into three continents, ours, which is subdivided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America, (whose inhabitants are antipodes to us;) and the South Land, yet unknown.

antipodēs from Greek: ἀντίποδες (antípodes), referring, in the world of Comenius, to the place on the opposite side of the Earth from a given point, the English derivative antipodean being an informal reference to the inhabitants of Australia and New Zealand, but Comenius uses it to describe America.

Images #1 and #2

[i] terra austrālis nōndum cognita (1570 (the southern land not yet known)

[ii] terra austrālis incognita (1618) (the unknown southern land)

However, the maps do not refer to Australia but to an as yet undiscovered (or partially discovered), unknown (or not yet known), disputed and, at times, dismissed notion of a landmass in the southern hemisphere, which was first suggested by Aristotle in the 4th century BC. And it did take a little time to prove that he was right!

What we call the continent of Australia was originally named New Holland, the term Terra Austrālis reserved for the southern landmass referred to above.

The English explorer Matthew Flinders was the first to circumnavigate New Holland in 1803, and used the name ‘Australia’ to describe it on a map in 1804. It was Flinders who suggested the name now used, the New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie endorsing the name to replace New Holland in communication with London in 1817, and the name came into common local usage.

Image #3: Map of Australia by Flinders (1814) ascribing the name Terra Austrālis or Australia

On the “reassignment” of the name Terra Austrālis Flinders wrote:

“There is no probability, that any other detached body of land, of nearly equal extent, will ever be found in a more southern latitude; the name Terra Australis will, therefore, remain descriptive of the geographical importance of this country, and of its situation on the globe: it has antiquity to recommend it; and, having no reference to either of the two claiming nations, appears to be less objectionable than any other which could have been selected.”

Flinders was, of course, wrong in making that bold assertion because the “unknown southern land” did become known, by which point, however, the name now belonged to Australia.

Maybe from the 4^th century BC we hear Aristotle’s voice telling Flinders: “I told you so!” Moreover, Aristotle had already given it a name since, at the time, the north lay under the constellation Ἄρκτος [Árktos] i.e. “Ursa Major” (the Great Bear). Therefore, he called the other end of the world ἀνταρκτικός [antarktikós] i.e. opposite to the north > Latin: antarcticus, -a, -um (south) > New Latin …

“The five largest islands or peninsulas … are termed continents, and designated by the names Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, and Australia. …. The elevated region round the South Pole is crowned by the unexplored and scarcely discovered continent of Antarctica.” [Hugh Robert Mill, “The Continental Area” (1891)]

23.06.25: topic; ships [8]; Comenius; XCI; a Ship-wreck (3)

boreālis, -e: northern

oriēns, orientis [3/m]: east

orientālis, -e: eastern

occidēns, occidentis [3/m]: west

occidentālis, -e: western

austrālis, -e: southern

images:

[i] aurora borealis: the northern lights

[ii] the Orient line to Australia (for £140 - return!)

[iii] oriental Jazz essentials

[iv] Occidental College, Los Angeles has the motto: Occidēns Proximus Orientī (the West is nearest the East)

22.06.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [2]: formation

Forming the ablative absolute is not unlike an ‘equation’ i.e. there is a consistent step-by-step way of creating it. Examples:

• With [1] the city ¦ [2] having been captured

[i] Begin with the nominative singular:

[1] city [2] captured

> [1] urbs [2] capta i.e. the perfect passive participle, the fourth principal part of the verb < capiō, capere, cēpī, captus

[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:

> [1] urbe [2] captā = ablative absolute = with the city having been captured

• With the brother | having been killed.

[i] Begin with the nominative singular:

[1] brother [2] killed

> [1] frāter [2] necātus < necō, -āre, -āvī, necātus

[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:

> [1] frātre [2] necātō = ablative absolute = with the brother having been killed

The same approach would also apply to ablative absolutes with plural nouns or pronouns:

• With the soldiers | having been killed.

[i] nominative plural:

[1] soldiers [2] killed

> [1] mīlitēs [2] necātī

[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:

> [1] mīlitibus [2] necātīs = ablative absolute = with the soldiers having been killed

22.06.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [1]

One of the reasons why Latin can express itself far more concisely than many other languages is the construction known as the ablative absolute and it is because of its conciseness that it very frequently occurs in the literature.

The ablative absolute is a phrase that describes the circumstances under which an action is performed. The circumstances most often refer either to time or reason.

First take a look at this English sentence that comprises two clauses:

[1] When (after) / since the money had been found, ¦ [2] the master punished the slave.

[1] is an adverbial clause in that it describes the circumstances in which the action in the main clause [2] took place; in this example [1] could refer either to time (when or after) or reason (since)

3 points to note:

[i] the adverbial clause is passive i.e. after the money had been found

[ii] the action in [1] happened before the action in [2]

[iii] the adverbial clause does not say that it was the master who found the money; maybe he did, but the clause does not imply that

In Latin, this clause can be expressed by a phrase: the ablative absolute which comprises 2 parts:

[1] noun / pronoun + [2] perfect passive participle; both in the ablative case

> [1] pecūniā [2] inventā = the ablative absolute

In grammar books this type of ablative absolute is normally translated in a very literal way so that it is clear what exactly is being conveyed: with X having been Y-ed

[X] pecūniā ¦ [Y] inventā = literally: with the money ¦ having been found. This, of course, sounds very cumbersome in English but, at this early stage, it is better to keep to that translation; in later posts, more natural sounding translations will be discussed.

Pecūniā inventā, dominus servum punīvit. │ With the money having been found, the master punished the slave.

Leōne vīsō, fēminae discessērunt. │ With the lion having been seen, the women departed.

Acceptīs litterīs, Caesar discēdit. │ With the letter having been received, Caesar departs.

Hīs verbīs dictīs, Caesar discessit. │ With these words having been said, Caesar departed.

Remember:

[i] the construction is passive: with the lion having been seen

[ii] the ablative absolute refers to something which happened before the main action: [1] Leōne vīsō, ¦ [2] fēminae discessērunt.

[iii] the ablative absolute does not refer to the subject of the sentence; there is no implication that it was the women themselves who saw the lion (that may be construed from context, but it is not stated in the ablative absolute)