Card 0 of 20
Ni te plus oculis meis amarem,
iucundissime Calve, munere isto
odissem te odio Vatiniano:
nam quid feci ego quidve sum locutus,
cur me tot male perderes poetis? 5
isti di mala multa dent clienti,
qui tantum tibi misit impiorum.
quod si, ut suspicor, hoc novum ac repertum
munus dat tibi Sulla litterator,
non est mi male, sed bene ac beate, 10
quod non dispereunt tui labores.
di magni, horribilem et sacrum libellum!
quem tu scilicet ad tuum Catullum
misti, continuo ut die periret,
Saturnalibus, optimo dierum! 15
non non hoc tibi, false, sic abibit.
nam si luxerit ad librariorum
curram scrinia, Caesios, Aquinos,
Suffenum, omnia colligam venena.
ac te his suppliciis remunerabor. 20
vos hinc interea valete abite
illuc, unde malum pedem attulistis,
saecli incommoda, pessimi poetae.
How does "misti" (line 14) translate?
The word "misti"is a syncopated (shortened) form of the word "misisti,"from the verb "mitto," "mittere," "misi," "missus_._" It translates as you sent. Syncopation is somewhat common in Latin literature— especially poetry. It is recognizable because the ending will look strange ("-i" or "-ti" is not a normal ending) and the word will use the perfect stem of the verb. In syncopation, two middle letters are typically removed and it commonly occurs in the perfect tense, second person singular form. (e.g. "amavisti" --> "amasti").
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 14," ln.1-23)
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Consedere duces et vulgi stante corona
surgit ad hos clipei dominus septemplicis Aiax,
utque erat inpatiens irae, Sigeia torvo
litora respexit classemque in litore vultu
intendensque manus 'agimus, pro Iuppiter!' inquit 5
'ante rates causam, et mecum confertur Ulixes!
The phrase "clipei dominus septemplicis"in line 2 is an example of __________.
The phrase "clipei dominus septemplicis" is an example of an epithet - a word or series of words that describe a well-known characteristic of a person. It is common, especially in epics, for heroes and famous individuals to be given an epithet (or many) to highlight their traits, typically in regard to a particular situation.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 8.1-6)
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In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas
corpora; di, coeptis (nam vos mutastis et illas)
adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi
ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen!
Ante mare et terras et quod tegit omnia caelum 5
unus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe,
quem dixere chaos: rudis indigestaque moles
nec quicquam nisi pondus iners congestaque eodem
non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum.
nullus adhuc mundo praebebat lumina Titan, 10
nec nova crescendo reparabat cornua Phoebe,
nec circumfuso pendebat in aere tellus
ponderibus librata suis, nec bracchia longo
margine terrarum porrexerat Amphitrite;
utque erat et tellus illic et pontus et aer, 15
sic erat instabilis tellus, innabilis unda,
lucis egens aer; nulli sua forma manebat,
obstabatque aliis aliud, quia corpore in uno
frigida pugnabant calidis, umentia siccis,
mollia cum duris, sine pondere, habentia pondus. 20
In lines 1-4, what is the author doing?
In the first few lines of this passage, the author is reaching out to the gods and asking for them to bless his work for the years to come. He is asking them to make his work everlasting. This is a common convention among Roman authors, where they invoke the blessings of a Muse or some other god.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, ln.1-20)
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Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.
"Aestimemus"translates as __________.
"Aestimemus"is the first-person, plural, present-tense, active, subjunctive form of the verb "aestimo,""aestimare."Therefore, the correct translation is let us estimate.
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Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.
How is "cum"in line 13 translated?
"Cum"in line 13 is translated as when because it is in a "cum" temporal subjunctive clause. In these clauses, "cum" is used as an adverb to indicate the time in which an action is happening.
Passage adapted from "Catullus 5," ln.1-13
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Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam, non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
plenus sacculus est aranearum.
sed contra accipies meros amores
seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,
quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,
totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.
How should "candida"in line 4 be translated?
While the word "candida" literally means white, the poet is not talking about the color of this girl's skin (not something the Romans would have cared much about). Just like today in Western Culture, the color whiteis often associated with innocence and purity.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 13," ln.1-14)
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Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam, non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
plenus sacculus est aranearum.
sed contra accipies meros amores
seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,
quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,
totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.
How does "ut" in line 14 translate?
The construnction of these last few lines can be a bit confusing. While it is true that "ut" is followed by a subjunctive verb (which normally indicates a subjunctive ut clause), reading closely shows that it makes no sense for there to be an ut clause in this area: there is no explanation of purpose and there is no cause and effect. In fact, what we have here is a cum temporal clause. "Cum"in the previous line does not have a direct object. That it is followed by a subjunctive verb ("faciant") indicates a temporal clause.
There is a word missing from this sentence: "est." As usual, Latin authors often leave out this word, but we know that it must be present here because of the succession of accusative words. We do not have multiple direct objects here, but instead a set of appositives. The word "te"is being described as "totum nasum." The line translates as: When you will smell (it), they (the gods) will make you like/as your entire nose.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 13," ln.1-14)
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Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla. 5
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat,
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.
nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli,
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive, 10
sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura.
vale puella, iam Catullus obdurat,
nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam.
at tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta, vae te, quae tibi manet vita? 15
quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella?
quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris?
quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?
at tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.
How should "ducas" be translated in line 2?
Other translations for "duco," "ducere" include to consider and to regard.The usual definition, to lead, does not make sense in the context of this sentence. The line translates: that which you saw to have died, you should consider dead.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 8," ln.1-19)
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Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta, 5
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.
How does "fuere" (line 2) translate?
"Fuere"is the syncopated form of "fuerunt,"which translates as they were. "Fuere"comes from the verb "sum, esse, fui, futurus."The syncopated form is recognizable because of the use of the perfect stem with an infinitive-like ending ("-ere").
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 49," ln.1-7)
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Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta, 5
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.
"Gratias tibi maximas" (line 4) could be translated as which of the following?
"Gratias ago tibi"is a common Latin idiom, meaning thank you. The addition of the word "maximas"could be translated as very much.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 49," ln.1-7)
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Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle
quam mihi, non si se Iuppiter ipse petat.
dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
"Se"(line 1) translates as which of the following?
The word "se"is a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject of the sentence. Since the subject of the sentence is "mulier" (woman), the most fitting translation is she.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 70," ln.1-4)
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Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle
quam mihi, non si se Iuppiter ipse petat.
dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
The word "quam"(line 2) translates as which of the following?
The word "quam"is being used here to indicate comparison. The comparison is between the author and everyone else. When "quam"is used for comparison like this, it is translated as than.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 70," ln.1-4)
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Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
cui primum digitum dare appetenti
et acris solet incitare morsus,
cum desiderio meo nitenti 5
carum nescio quid lubet iocari
et solaciolum sui doloris,
credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curas! 10
The word "deliciae"(line 1) translates as __________.
The word "deliciae," specifically in the plural, colloquially means darling or any other such term to denote fondness of something - a pet name.
(Passage adapted from "Poem II" by Gaius Valerius Catullus, 1-10)
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Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes
tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque.
quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae
lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis
oraclum Iovis inter aestuosi 5
et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum;
aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox,
furtivos hominum vident amores:
tam te basia multa basiare
vesano satis et super Catullo est, 10
quae nec pernumerare curiosi
possint nec mala fascinare lingua.
The word "mihi" (line 1) is best translated as ___________.
The word "mihi" is in the dative case, but often in Latin, the dative case is used to show agency or origination. The correct translation in the context of this poem is from me.
(Passage adapted from "Poem II" by Gaius Valerius Catullus, 1-10)
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Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis 5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
* * * * * * * *
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur 10
lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes. 15
The word "lumina" (line 11) is translated as _____________.
The word "lumina" comes from "lumen," "luminis," which literally means lights; however, it is often used in Latin to refer to the eyes. From context, eyes makes more sense, since the author has been listing a variety of body parts to this point.
Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
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Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.
poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo
aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat
iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti. 5
nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,
montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,
nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;
nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;
non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi, 10
non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu
mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.
What's the best translation of "legebantur"in line 4?
All of the above choices are possible translations of the word "lego," "legere," "legi," "lectus,"which this word comes from. This form, however, is in the 3rd person, plural, imperfect, passive, indicative form. They are read does not make much sense in the context of this sentence. The best choice is they are collected.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 1. 89-101)
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Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.
poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo
aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat
iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti. 5
nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,
montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,
nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;
nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;
non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi, 10
non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu
mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.
The word "ut"in line 6 is translated __________.
The word "ut"in this line accompanied by the subjunctive verb "viseret." Therefore, the translation possibilities are limited to that or so that, based on how the word is being used. There is no purpose being mentioned here; in other words, something is not happening so that something else may happen. What we have here is a result clause_,_showing that men were able to visit the world because there was nothing stopping them. The best translation is that.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 1. 89-101)
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Tertia post illam successit aenea proles,
saevior ingeniis et ad horrida promptior arma,
non scelerata tamen; de duro est ultima ferro.
protinus inrupit venae peioris in aevum
omne nefas: fugere pudor verumque fidesque; 5
in quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolusque
insidiaeque et vis et amor sceleratus habendi.
vela dabant ventis nec adhuc bene noverat illos
navita, quaeque prius steterant in montibus altis,
fluctibus ignotis insultavere carinae, 10
communemque prius ceu lumina solis et auras
cautus humum longo signavit limite mensor.
nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives
poscebatur humus, sed itum est in viscera terrae,
quasque recondiderat Stygiisque admoverat umbris, 15
effodiuntur opes, inritamenta malorum.
The word "vela" in line 8 should be translated __________.
The word "vela" comes from the word "velum," "veli," which means a hide and can be used to refer to coverings. Here, however, it means a sail. In Latin literature, the sails of a ship are often referred to as "vela." Additionally, we have words that are associated with sailing in this sentence like "navita." In the same clause itself, you have the phrase "dabant ventis" - they give them to the winds. There would be no purpose in giving a hide or covering to the wind, literally.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.125-141)
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Vallis erat piceis et acuta densa cupressu,
nomine Gargaphie succinctae sacra Dianae,
cuius in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu
arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem
ingenio natura suo; nam pumice vivo 5
et levibus tofis nativum duxerat arcum;
fons sonat a dextra tenui perlucidus unda,
margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
hic dea silvarum venatu fessa solebat
virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore. 10
quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,
altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis
Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos 15
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.
How does the word "acuta" in line 1 translate?
The word "acuta" comes from the adjective "acutus, a, um," which usually translates as sharp/wise. Another translation for this word, however, is serious or severe. In the line where "acuta"appears, the story is describing a valley and the trees in it. The meaning sharp does not fit in well here. Instead, the word "vallis" is being described by "acuta," in order to describe the valley as immensely dense with trees.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
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Vallis erat piceis et acuta densa cupressu,
nomine Gargaphie succinctae sacra Dianae,
cuius in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu
arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem
ingenio natura suo; nam pumice vivo 5
et levibus tofis nativum duxerat arcum;
fons sonat a dextra tenui perlucidus unda,
margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
hic dea silvarum venatu fessa solebat
virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore. 10
quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,
altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis
Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos 15
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.
The word "hic" in line 9 should be translated _____________.
The word "hic" should be translated as here in this sentence. Often, forms of the word "hic" and "ille" are used to indicate spatial concepts. The most common are "hic" - here, "huc" _- from here, "_huic" - to here, "ille" - there, "illuc" - from there, and"illic" - to there.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
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