I’ve finished a Latin reader series for the Metamorphoses which adapts the Metamorphoses into simple prose for beginner readers. A If you like this sort of thing, you can check out my series of readers for Plutarch’s Lives, Aesop’s Fables, and the Aeneid. And if you like this sort of thing, please buy a book, leave a positive review and like and share this post.

Metamorphoses Reader

Plutarch Reader

Aesop V Reader

Oratio Telluris

Aquae pelagī et undīque fontēs contrāxērunt. Sē condiderant in opācae viscera mātris. Alma Tellūs sustulit tenus collō vultūs, et dīxit:“Sī placet hoc meruīque, cūr ō tua fulmina cessant, summe deum? Licet mihī, quae perībō ab vīribus īgnis, ab īgne perīre tuō. Licet tibī clādem meam ab auctōre tuō levāre! Vix equidem faucēs in haec ipsa verba resolvō—”; (presserat ōra vapor) “tostōs en adspice crīnēs inque oculīs tantum, tantum super ōra favīllae! Hōsne mihī fructūs, hunc fertilitātis honōrem officiīque refers? Accipiō aduncī vulnera arātrī rāstrōrumque ferō tōtōque annō. Pecorī frondēs et hūmānō generī mītia alimenta ac frūgēs et vōbīs quoque tūra ministrō.

Sī exitium meruī, quid undae meruērunt, quid frāter tuus meruit? Quodsī nec grātia frātris nec grātia mea tē tangit, at caelī miserēre tuī! Circumspice utrumque: fūmat uterque polus. Sī polōs vitiat īgnis, ātria vestra ruent! Atlās en ipse labōrat vixque flammiferum axem cum suīs umerīs sustinet! Sī freta et terrae et rēgia caelī pereunt, in chaos antīquum dēscendimus! Sī quid adhūc superest, ēripe ex flammīs, et cōnsule summae rērum!”

Vocabulary

Ab (prep. + abl.) — from, by

Accipiō, ere, accēpī, acceptus : to receive, take, suffer.

Adhūc (adv.) — still, as yet

Adspice — (from adspiciō, ere) look at, behold!

Aduncus, a, um — hooked, curved

Alimentum, ī, n. — food, nourishment

Almus, a, um — nourishing, kind

Annus, ī, m. — year

Antīquus, a, um — ancient, old

Aqua, ae, f. — water

Arātrum, ī, n. — plow

At (conj.) — but, yet

Atlās, Atlantis, m. : Atlas.

Ātrium, iī, n. — hall, atrium

Auctor, auctōris, m. : author, cause, creator.

Axis, axis, m. : axle, chariot, the heavens.

Caelum, ī, n. — heaven, sky

Cessō, āre, āvī, ātus — to hold off, delay

Chaos, n. (nom/acc only) — chaos, the void

Circumspiciō, ere, circumspēxī, circumspectus : to look around.

Clādēs, clādis, f. : destruction, disaster.

Collum, ī, n. — neck

Condō, ere, condidī, conditus : to hide, bury, establish.

Cōnsulō, ere, cōnsuluī, cōnsultus : to consult, look out for (+ dat.).

Contrahō, ere, contrāxī, contrāctus : to draw together, shrink.

Crīnis, crīnis, m. : hair.

Cūr (adv.) — why

Dēscendō, ere, dēscendī, dēscēnsus : to climb down, descend.

Deus, deī, m. — god (gen. pl. deum)

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say, speak.

En (interj.) — look! behold!

Equidem (adv.) — indeed, truly

Ēripiō, ere, ēripuī, ēreptus : to snatch away, rescue.

Ex (prep. + abl.) — out of, from

Exitium, iī, n. — destruction, ruin

Faux, faucis, f. : throat, jaws.

Favīlla, ae, f. — glowing ashes

Ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus — to bear, carry

Fertilitās, fertilitātis, f. : fertility.

Flamma, ae, f. — flame

Flammifer, flammifera, um — flame-bearing

Fōns, fontis, m. : spring, fountain.

Frāter, frātris, m. : brother.

Fretum, ī, n. — strait, sea

Frōns, frondis, f. : leaf, foliage.

Fructus, ūs, m. — fruit, profit

Frūgēs, frūgum, f. pl. : fruits (of the earth), grain.

Fulmen, fulminis, n. : thunderbolt.

Fūmō, āre, āvī, ātus — to smoke

Genus, generis, n. : race, kind.

Grātia, ae, f. — grace, influence, gratitude

Honor, honōris, m. : honor, reward.

Hūmānus, a, um — human

Īgnis, īgnis, m. : fire.

Ipse, ipsa, ipsum — himself, herself, itself

Labōrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to work, struggle

Levō, āre, āvī, ātus — to lift, lighten, relieve

Licet, licēre, licuit — it is permitted (impersonal)

Māter, mātris, f. : mother.

Mereō, ēre, uī, itus — to deserve, earn

Ministrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to serve, supply

Miseret, miserēre, miseruit — it pities

Mītis, e — mild, soft, gentle

Oculus, ī, m. — eye

Officium, iī, n. — duty, service

Opācus, a, um — dark, shaded, opaque

Õs, ōris, n. : mouth, face.

Pecus, pecoris, n. : herd, flock, cattle.

Pelagus, ī, n. — sea

Perīō, perīre, periī, peritum — to perish

Placeō, ēre, uī, itus — to please (+ dat.)

Polus, ī, m. — pole, sky

Quid — (from quis, quid) what

Quodsī (conj.) — but if

Quoque (adv.) — also

Rāstrum, ī, n. — rake, hoe

Referō, referre, rettulī, relātus — to bring back, return

Rēgia, ae, f. — palace, royal hall

Rēs, reī, f. — thing, matter, circumstance

Resolvō, ere, resolvī, resolūtus : to loosen, open, release.

Ruō, ere, ruī, rutus : fall, to rush; collapse

Sī (conj.) — if

Summa, ae, f. — the whole, essence

Summus, a, um — highest, top of

Super (prep. + acc./abl.) — above, over

Superest — (from supersum) it remains, survives

Sustineō, ēre, sustinuī, sustentus — to hold up, support, endure

Tangō, ere, tetigī, tāctus : to touch.

Tellūs, tellūris, f. : the earth.

Tenus (prep. + abl.) — as far as, up to

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth

Tollō, ere, sustulī, sublātus : to lift, raise; (sustulit = perf.)

Torreō, ēre, torruī, torritus- to roast, parch, scorch

Tōtus, a, um — whole, entire

Tūra — (from tūs, tūris, n.) incense

Tuus, a, um — your (sing.)

Umerus, ī, m. — shoulder

Unda, ae, f. — wave, water

Undīque (adv.) — from all sides, everywhere

Uterque, utraque, utrumque — each (of two)

Utrumque — (from uterque) each (of two)

Vapor, vapōris, m. : steam, vapor, heat.

Verbum, ī, n. — word

Vīs, (vīs), f. : force, strength; (pl.) vīribus.

Viscera, um, n. pl. : vitals, entrails, heart.

Vitiō, āre, āvī, ātus — to spoil, damage, corrupt

Vix (adv.) — hardly, scarcely

Vulnus, vulneris, n. : wound.

Vultus, ūs, m. — face, expression

Translation

The waters of the sea and everywhere its fountains contract. They had hidden in the dark innards of their mother. Kind Earth raised her face as far as her neck and said, “If this is pleasing, and I have deserved this, O why does your lightning delay, highest of the gods? Allow me, who will perish from the force of the fires, to perish from your fire. You are allowed to lighten my destruction by your authority! Indeed I barely open my jaws in these words—”; (the steam had overwhelmed her face) “Behold! Look at my scorched hair, and so many embers in my eyes and so many on my face! Are you returning these gifts to me, this reword for my fertility and duty? I receive the wounds of the hooked plow and from iron hoes and in the entire year. I supply to livestock foliage and to the human race nourishment and fruits and you all also incense.

“If I have deserved destruction, what have the waters earned, what has your brother earned? But if neither the influence of your brother nor my influence touches you, but pity your heaven! Look around everywhere: each pole smokes. If the fire damages the poles, your halls will collapse! Look! Atlas himself struggles and barely sustains the flaming heavens with his shoulders! If the sea and the earth and the kingdom of heaven perishes, we will descend into ancient chaos! If anything still remains, rescue it from the flames and consider the whole of things!”

De Bello Civili Reader

Catilinarian Orations

Aesop in Latin For Beginners

[69] Ac primo Afraniani milites visendi causa laeti ex castris procurrebant contumeliosisque vocibus^[1] prosequebantur nostros: necessarii victus inopia coactos fugere atque ad Ilerdam reverti. Erat^[2] enim iter a proposito diversum, contrariamque in partem iri videbatur. Duces vero eorum consilium suum laudibus efferebant, quod^[3] se castris tenuissent; multumque eorum opinionem adiuvabat, quod sine iumentis impedimentisque ad iter profectos videbant, ut^[4] non posse inopiam diutius sustinere confiderent. Sed, ubi paulatim retorqueri agmen ad dextram conspexerunt iamque primos superare regionem castrorum animum adverterunt, nemo erat adeo tardus aut fugiens laboris, quin statim castris exeundum atque occurrendum^[5] putaret. Conclamatur ad arma, atque omnes copiae paucis praesidio relictis cohortibus exeunt rectoque ad Hiberum itinere contendunt.

^[1] Introduces an indirect statement

^[2] An impersonal construction

^[3] A quod substantive clause

^[4] Introduces a purpose clause

^[5] The passive periphrastic as an infinitive main verb in an indirect statement introduced by putaret

Vocabulary

A+ abl. – from, by

Ac – and

Ad + acc. – to, toward

Adeō – so much, to such an extent

Adiuvō, āre, āvī, ātus – to help, assist

Advertō, ere, vertī, versus – to notice, observe

Afrāniānī, ōrum, m. pl. – Afranius’ men

Agmen, agminis, n. – column, marching formation

Animus, ī, m. – mind, spirit

Arma, ōrum, n. pl. – arms, weapons

Castra, ōrum, n. pl. – camp

Causa, ae, f. – cause, reason

Cōgō, ere, coēgī, coāctus – to compel, force

Cohors, cohortis, f. – cohort

Conclāmō, āre, āvī, ātus – to shout together, cry out

Cōnfīdō, ere, fīsus sum – to trust, rely

Consilium, ī, n. – plan, decision

Cōnspiciō, ere, cōnspexī, cōnspectus – to catch sight of

Contendō, ere, contendī, contentus – to hasten, strive

Contrārius, a, um – opposite, contrary

Contumēliōsus, a, um – insolent, insulting

Cōpiae, ārum, f. pl. – forces, troops

Dextra, ae, f. – right hand, right side

Diūtius – longer, too long

Dīversus, a, um – different, separated

Dux, ducis, m. – leader, commander

Effero, efferre, extulī, ēlātus – to carry out, raise up

Enim – for

Eō, īre, iī, itus – to go

Ex + abl. – out of, from

Exeō, īre, exiī, exitus – to go out

Fugiō, ere, fūgī, fugitus – to flee

Hiberus, ī, m. – the Ebro River

Iamque – and now

Ilerda, ae, f. – Ilerda

Impēdīmentum, ī, n. pl. – baggage, impediments

Inopia, ae, f. – lack, scarcity

Iter, itineris, n. – route, march

Iūmentum, ī, n. pl. – pack animal

Labor, labōris, m. – labor, hardship

Laetus, a, um – joyful

Laus, laudis, f. – praise

Mīles, mīlitis, m. – soldier

Multum – much, greatly

Necessārius, a, um – necessary

Nēmō – no one

Occurrō, ere, occurrī – to meet, confront

Omnis, e – all

Opīniō, opīniōnis, f. – expectation, belief

Pars, partis, f. – part

Paucus, a, um – few

Paulātim – gradually

Possum, posse, potuī – to be able

Praesidium, ī, n. – guard, protection

Prīmus, a, um – first

Procurrō, ere, procucurrī – to run forward

Proficīscor, ī, profectus – to set out

Propositum, ī, n. – plan, intention

Prōsequor, ī, prōsecūtus – to pursue, follow

Putō, āre, āvī, ātus – to think, suppose

Quin – but that, indeed

Rectus, a, um – straight, direct

Rēgiō, rēgiōnis, f. – region

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus – to leave behind

Retorqueō, ēre, retorsī, retortus – to twist back, turn back

Revertor, ī, reversus – to return

Sine + abl. – without

Statim – immediately

Sum, esse, fuī – to be

Superō, āre, āvī, ātus – to overcome

Sustineō, ēre, sustinuī, sustentus – to endure, sustain

Tardus, a, um – slow

Teneō, ēre, tenuī, tentus – to hold

Ubi – when, where

Vērō – however, indeed

Videō, ēre, vīdī, vīsus – to see

Vincō, ere, vīcī, victus – to conquer

Vox, vōcis, f. – voice

Translation

[69] And at first the soldiers of Afranius, in order to see, rushed forth from their camp happily and pursued our soldiers with insulting words: that our soldiers were compelled by a lack of necessary provisions and were returning to Ilerda. Indeed it was a separate journey by plan, and it seemed to go in the opposite direction. But their leaders extolled their plan that they hold themselves in the camp; it greatly aided their opinion that they saw them setting out on their march without pack animals and baggage so that they believed our soldiers were no longer able to endure the scarcity. But when gradually they saw that the column had turned back to the right and intended that they first overtake the area of the enemy's camp, no one was so slow or avoiding of labor but that they immediately thought that they immediately must depart their camp and meet them. There was a cry to arms, and all of the troops, although a few cohorts had been left behind as a guard, departed and marched straight to the Ebro.

Augsburg Confession Latin Reader

Aesop's Fables in Latin V

Epistle to the Romans Latin Reader

105-107

105] Hunc parentum statum et ordinem Deus praecipue hoc ornavit elogio ante omnes alios, qui sub ipso sunt, status et ordines, ut^[1] non simpliciter praecipiat^[2] parentes esse amandos, sed honorandos. Nam erga fratres, sorores et proximum in genere nihil amplius praecipit, quam amore prosequendos esse, ita ut^[3] parentes ab omnibus aliis, qui in terra agunt, 106] segreget iuxtaque se collocet. Est enim honor res amore multis modis sublimior, utpote quae^[4] non tantum amorem in se complectatur, verum etiam singularem quandam modestiam, humilitatem et reverentiam, quae cuidam quasi maiestati hic occulte habenda sit.

107] Neque tantum exigit, ut^[5] amanter et cum honore parentes compellemus, sed omnium maxime, ut et corpore et animo ita nos geramus, exhibeamus, ut^[6] in existimatione magna apud nos sint, ac post Deum pro summis ac maximis inter homines intueamur. Cui enim non simulate, sed ex animo honorem dare volumus, hunc profecto maximi pretii hominem esse existimamus oportet.^[7]

^[1] A result clause

^[2] Introduces an indirect statement with passive periphrastics as the infinitive main verbs

^[3] A result clause

^[4] Res is the antecedent

^[5] An indirect command

^[6] A purpose clause

^[7] An indirect statement, but unlike classical Latin the accusative and infinitive is not used for existamamus and oportet.

Vocabulary

Ā / Ab (prep. + abl.) — from, away from, by

Ac — and, and also

Agō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to drive, do, act, conduct. (note: agunt is 3rd pl. pres. act. ind.)

Alius, alia, aliud — other, another

Amanter — lovingly, affectionately

Amō, āre, āvī, ātus — to love

Amor, amōris, m. : love, affection.

Amplius — more, further, longer, besides

Animus, ī, m. — mind, spirit, soul, heart

Ante (prep. + acc. / adv.) — before, in front of

Apud (prep. + acc.) — among, at, near, in the presence of, with

Cōllocō, āre, āvī, ātus — to place, station, set up

Compellō, āre, āvī, ātus- to address, speak to

Complector, complectī, complexus sum — to embrace, clasp, encircle

Corpus, corporis, n. : body.

Cum (prep. + abl.) — with; (conj. + subj./ind.) when, since, although

Deus, ī, m. — God, deity

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give, grant, surrender

Elōgium, iī, n. — inscription, eulogy, record

Enim — for, indeed, truly

Ergā (prep. + acc.) — toward, regarding, in relation to

Etiam — also, even, still

Ex / Ē (prep. + abl.) — out of, from, according to

Exhibeō, ēre, exhibuī, exhibitus — to show, display, offer, exhibit

Exigō, ere, exēgī, exāctus : to drive out, demand, require.

Existimātiō, existimātiōnis, f. : opinion, reputation, judgment.

Existimō, āre, āvī, ātus — to think, estimate, judge

Frāter, frātris, m. : brother.

Genus, generis, n. : birth, kind, class, type, origin.

Gerō, ere, gessī, gestus : to bear, carry on, perform, wage.

Habeō, ēre, habuī, habitus — to have, hold, consider

Hīc — here, in this place

Hic, haec, hōc — this

Homō, hominis, m./f. : human being, man, person.

Honor / Honōs, honōris, m. : honor, respect, distinction.

Honorō, āre, āvī, ātus — to honor, respect

Humilitās, humilitātis, f. : lowness, humility.

Inter (prep. + acc.) — between, among

Intueor, intuērī, intuitus sum — to look at, gaze upon, consider

Ita — so, thus, in such a way

Iūxtā — near, next to, alike

Magnus, a, um — large, great

Maiestās, maiestātis, f. : majesty, grandeur, dignity.

Māximē — especially, most of all, chiefly

Māximus, a, um — greatest, largest

Modestia, ae, f. — modesty, restraint, propriety

Modus, ī, m. — measure, manner, way

Multus, a, um — much, many

Nam — for, indeed, because

Neque / Nec — and not, nor; (neque... neque) neither... nor

Nihil — nothing

Occultē — secretly, in secret

Omnis, e — all, every, whole

Oportet, oportēre, oportuit (impers.) — it is fitting, it is necessary

Ordō, ordinis, m. : order, rank, row.

Ōrnō, āre, āvī, ātus — to equip, furnish, adorn, decorate

Parēns, parentis, m./f. : parent.

Post (prep. + acc. / adv.) — after, behind, afterwards

Praecipiō, ere, praecēpī, praeceptus : to instruct, order, advise.

Praecipuē — especially, chiefly, particularly

Pretium, iī, n. — price, value, worth

Prō (prep. + abl.) — for, on behalf of, in proportion to

Profectō — surely, certainly, indeed

Prosequor, prosequī, prosecūtus sum — to pursue, honor, accompany

Proximus, a, um — nearest, next, neighbor

Quasī — as if, just as, so to speak

Quī, quae, quod — who, which, what

Quīdam, quaedam, quiddam (quoddam) — a certain one, a certain thing

Quīdam, quaedam, quiddam (quoddam) — a certain, a kind of

Rēs, reī, f. — thing, matter, affair, circumstance

Reverentia, ae, f. — reverence, respect, awe

Segregō, āre, āvī, ātus — to separate, isolate, segregate

Simpliciter — simply, frankly, artlessly

Simulate - with pretense, falsely

Singulāris, e — single, singular, remarkable

Soror, sorōris, f. : sister.

Status, ūs, m. — standing, position, status, condition

Sub (prep. + abl./acc.) — under, below

Sublīmis, e (comp. sublimior, ius) — high, lofty, elevated

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be, exist

Summus, a, um — highest, top of, supreme

Tantum — only, so much

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth, ground

Utpote — namely, seeing that, inasmuch as

Vērum — but, truly

Volō, velle, voluī — to wish, want, desire, intend, be willing

Translation

105] God has with this statement especially adorned this estate and order of parents before all others: those estates and orders which are beneath it such that He does not simply command that parents must be loved but that they must be honored. For towards brothers, sisters and our neighbor in general he commands nothing more than that they must be pursued with love, such that He separates parents from every other person who acts upon the land, and He gathers them alike. 106] Indeed honor is a thing more sublime in many ways than love in as much as this thing embraces in itself not only love but also certain unique modesty, humility and reverence which must be shown to certain majesty secretly there. 107] And He not only requires that we address parents lovingly and with honor but greatest of all that we conduct ourselves in body and soul also in such a way that we present them so that they are in great estimation among us and after God we keep them as the highest and greatest among men. Indeed to whom we wish to give honor not with pretense but from our heart, it is necessary that we think that this man is of the greatest worth.

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Bede Book I Reader - Teacher Edition

Bede Book I Reader - Student Edition

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Aesop's Latin Fables I

[14]

INTEREA Brettones fames sua praefata magis magisque adficiens, ac famam suae malitiae posteris diuturnam relinquens, multos eorum coegit uictas infestis praedonibus dare manus, alios uero numquam, quin potius confidentes in diuinum, ubi humanum cessabat auxilium, de ipsis montibus, speluncis, ac saltibus continue rebellabant; et tum primum inimicis, qui per multos annos praedas in terra agebant, strages dare coeperunt. Reuertuntur ergo inpudentes grassatores Hiberni domus, post non longum tempus reuersuri; Picti in extrema parte insulae tunc primum et deinceps quieuerunt, praedas tamen nonnumquam exinde et contritiones de Brettonum gente agere non cessarunt.

Cessante autem uastatione hostili,^[1] tantis frugum copiis insula, quantas nulla retro aetas meminit, affluere coepit; cum quibus et luxuria crescere, et hanc continuo omnium lues scelerum comitari adcelerauit; crudelitas praecipue, et odium ueritatis, amorque mendacii, ita ut, siquis eorum mitior et ueritati aliquatenus propior uideretur, in hunc quasi Brittaniae subuersorem omnium odia telaque sine respectu contorquerentur. Et non solum haec saeculares uiri, sed etiam ipse grex Domini eiusque pastores egerunt; ebrietati, animositati, litigio, contentioni, inuidiae, ceterisque huiusmodi facinoribus sua colla, abiecto leui iugo Christi, subdentes. Interea subito corruptae mentis homines acerba pestis corripuit, quae in breui tantam eius multitudinem strauit, ut^[2] ne sepeliendis quidem mortuis uiui sufficerent; sed ne morte quidem suorum, nec timore mortis hi, qui supererant, a morte animae, qua peccando sternebantur, reuocari poterant. Unde non multo post acrior gentem peccatricem ultio diri sceleris secuta est. Initum namque est consilium, quid^[3] agendum, ubi quaerendum esset praesidium ad euitandas uel repellendas tam feras tamque creberrimas gentium aquilonalium inruptiones; placuitque omnibus cum suo rege Uurtigerno ut^[4] Saxonum gentem de transmarinis partibus in auxilium uocarent; quod Domini nutu dispositum esse constat, ut^[5] ueniret contra improbos malum, sicut euidentius rerum exitus probauit.

^[1] An ablative absolute

^[2] Introduces a result clause

^[3] The first of two indirect questions

^[4] Introduces an indirect command

^[5] Introduces a purpose clause

Vocabulary

Abiciō, ere, abieci, abiectus : to cast aside, throw down, reject

Accelerō (Adcel-), āre, āvī, ātus — to hasten, accelerate

Ācer, ācris, ācre — sharp, fierce, spirited

Acerbus, a, um — harsh, bitter, severe

Adficiō (Aff-), ere, adfēcī, adfectus : to affect, afflict, weaken

Aetās, aetātis, f. : age, time of life, generation

Affluō, ere, affluxī, affluxūrus : to flow in, abound, overflow

Agō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to drive, do, conduct, launch (raids)

Aliquatenus — to some extent, somewhat

Alius, alia, aliud — other, another

Amor, amōris, m. : love, desire, affection

Anima, ae, f. — soul, life, spirit

Animositās, animositātis, f. : animosity, bold spirit, arrogance

Annus, ī, m. — year

Aquilōnālis, e — northern

Auxilium, iī, n. — help, aid, assistance

Brevis, e — short, brief

Britannia (Britt-), ae, f. — Britain

Britannus (Brett-), a, um — British

Cessō, āre, āvī, ātus — to cease, leave off, delay

Cēterī, ae, a — the rest, the others

Chrīstus, ī, m. — Christ

Coepī, coepisse, coeptus — to begin (defective verb)

Cōgō, ere, coēgī, coāctus : to drive together, collect, compel

Collum, ī, n. — neck

Comitor, ārī, ātus sum — to accompany, follow, attend

Cōnfīdēns, entis — confident, bold, trusting

Cōnsilium, iī, n. — plan, counsel, council, decision

Cōnstō, āre, stitī, stātūrus — to stand firm, remain, be established / clear

Contentiō, contentiōnis, f. : contention, strife, rivalry

Continuē — continuously, uninterruptedly

Continuō — immediately, successively

Contorqueō, ēre, contorsī, contortus — to twist, hurl, brandish

Contrā (prep. + acc. / adv.) — against, opposite to

Contrītiō, contrītiōnis, f. : bruising, physical devastation, ruin

Cōpia, ae, f. — abundance, supply; (pl.) forces, troops

Corripiō, ere, corripuī, correptus : to seize, snatch up, rebuke

Corrumpō, ere, corrūpī, corruptus : to corrupt, spoil, ruin

Crēber, crēbra, crēbrum — frequent, thick, repeated

Crēscō, ere, crēvī, crētus : to grow, increase

Crūdēlitās, crūdēlitātis, f. : cruelty, severity

Cum (prep. + abl.) — with; (conj.) when, since, although

Dē (prep. + abl.) — down from, about, concerning

Deinceps — thereafter, from then on, successively

Dīrus, a, um — fearful, dire, ominous

Dispōnō, ere, disposuī, dispositus : to arrange, set in order, ordain

Diūturnus, a, um — long-lasting, enduring

Dīvīnus, a, um — divine, sacred

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give, grant

Dominus, ī, m. — the Lord, master

Domus, ūs, f. — house, home, homeland

Ebrietās, ebrietātis, f. : drunkenness, intoxication

Ergō — therefore, consequently

Etiam — also, even, still

Ēvidenter — clearly, evidently

Ēvītō, āre, āvī, ātus — to avoid, shun

Exinde — from that place, thence, thereafter

Exitus, ūs, m. — departure, exit, end, outcome, death

Extrēmus, a, um — outermost, furthest, extreme

Facinus, facinoris, n. : deed, crime, outrage

Fāma, ae, f. — rumor, report, fame, reputation

Famis (Famēs), famis, f. : hunger, famine

Ferus, a, um — wild, savage

Frūx, frūgis, f. : fruit, produce, crops, grain

Gēns, gentis, f. : nation, people, tribe

Grassātor, grassātōris, m. : raider, plunderer, bandit

Grex, gregis, m. : flock, herd, band

Hibernus, a, um — Irish, pertaining to Ireland

Homō, hominis, m. : human being, man

Hostīlis, e — hostile

Huiusmodi — of this kind, such (indecl. phrase)

Hūmānus, a, um — human, humane

Improbus, a, um — wicked, depraved, shameless

Impudēns, impudentis — shameless, impudent

Ineō, īre, iniī, initus — to enter, begin

Infestus, a, um — hostile, troublesome, unsafe

Inimīcus, ī, m. — personal enemy, foe

Inruptiō (Irr-), inruptiōnis, f. : invasion, incursion

Insula, ae, f. — island

Intereā — meanwhile, in the meantime

Invidia, ae, f. — envy, jealousy, hatred

Ita — so, thus, in this manner

Iugum, ī, n. — yoke, ridge

Levis, e — light, trivial, gentle

Litīgium, iī, n. — dispute, litigation, strife

Longus, a, um — long, tedious

Lūes, lūis, f. : plague, pestilence, affliction, ruin

Luxuria, ae, f. — luxury, excess, extravagance

Magis — more, rather

Malitia, ae, f. — wickedness, malice, misery

Malum, ī, n. — evil, misfortune, calamity

Manus, ūs, f. — hand, band of forces

Meminī, meminisse — to remember, mention (defective verb + gen./acc.)

Mendācium, iī, n. — lie, falsehood, mendacity

Mēns, mentis, f. : mind, intellect, intention

Mītis, e — mild, soft, gentle

Mōns, montis, m. : mountain

Mors, mortis, f. : death

Mortuus, a, um — dead

Multitūdō, multitūdinis, f. : multitude, crowd

Multō — by much, by far

Multus, a, um — much, many

Namque — for indeed, for truly

Nonnumquam — sometimes, from time to time

Nullus, a, um — no, none, no one

Numquam — never

Nūtus, ūs, m. — nod, command, will, pleasure

Odium, iī, n. — hatred, animosity

Omnis, e — all, every

Pars, partis, f. : part, share, direction

Pāstor, pāstōris, m. : shepherd, pastor

Peccātrīx, peccātrīcis, f. : sinful; (subst.) female sinner

Peccō, āre, āvī, ātus — to sin, transgress

Per (prep. + acc.) — through, during, by means of

Pestis, pestis, f. : plague, pestilence, destruction

Pictī, ōrum, m. pl. — the Picts

Placeō, ēre, uī, itus — to please, be pleasing (+ dat.)

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able, can

Post (prep. + acc. / adv.) — after, behind

Posterī, ōrum, m. pl. — posterity, descendants

Potius — rather, preferably

Praecipuē — especially, chiefly

Praeda, ae, f. — booty, plunder, prey

Praedō, praedōnis, m. : plunderer, robber, pirate

Praefor, praefārī, praefātus sum — to say beforehand

Praesidium, iī, n. — protection, defense, garrison

Prīmum — first, for the first time

Probō, āre, āvī, ātus — to prove, approve, test

Propior, propius — nearer, closer

Quaerō, ere, quaesīvī, quaesītus : to seek, look for (quaerendum: gerundive)

Quantus, a, um — how great, how much

Quasi — as if, sort of, as it were

Quidem — indeed, true, certainly

Quiēscō, ere, quiēvī, quiētus : to rest, keep quiet, settle down

Quīn — indeed, furthermore, nay even

Rebellō, āre, āvī, ātus — to rebel, revolt

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus : to leave behind, abandon

Repellō, ere, reppulī, repulsus : to drive back, repel (repellendas: gerundive)

Rēs, reī, f. — thing, matter, circumstance

Respectus, ūs, m. — regard, respect, consideration

Retro — backward, back, in the past

Revertor, revertī, reversus sum — to turn back, return

Revocō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call back, recall, revoke

Rēx, rēgis, m. : king

Saeculāris, e — secular, worldly

Saltus, ūs, m. — forest pasture, woodland, glade, pass

Saxonēs, Saxonum, m. pl. : the Saxons

Scelus, sceleris, n. : crime, wickedness

Sepeliō, īre, sepelīvī (sepeliī), sepultus — to bury

Sequor, sequī, secūtus sum — to follow, accompany

Sīcut — just as, as

Sine (prep. + abl.) — without

Siquis, siqua, siquid — if anyone, if anything

Solum, ī, n. — ground, soil, foundation

Spelunca, ae, f. — cave, cavern

Sternō, ere, strāvī, strātus : to lay low, prostrate, pave

Strāgēs, strāgis, f. : slaughter, havoc, carnage

Strāvī — see Sternō

Subdō, ere, subdidī, subditus : to subdue, subject, substitute

Subitō — suddenly, unexpectedly

Subversor, subversōris, m. : subverter, overthrower, destroyer

Sufficiō, ere, suffēcī, suffectus : to suffice, be sufficient, supply

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Supersum, superesse, superfuī — to remain, survive, be left over

Tam — so, to such a degree

Tamen — nevertheless, yet

Tamque — and so (tam + enclitic -que)

Tantus, a, um — so great, so much

Tēlum, ī, n. — missile, weapon, spear

Tempus, temporis, n. : time, season

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth, country

Timor, timōris, m. : fear, dread

Transmarīnus, a, um — transmarine, from beyond the sea

Tum — then, at that time

Tunc — then, at that time

Ubī — where, when

Ultiō, ultiōnis, f. : vengeance, revenge, retribution

Unde — whence, from which source

Vāstātiō, vāstātiōnis, f. : devastation, laying waste

Vel — or, even

Veniō, īre, vēnī, ventūrus — to come

Vēritās, vēritātis, f. : truth

Vērō — truly, indeed, but

Videō, ēre, vīdī, vīsus — to see; (pass.) seem, appear

Vincō, ere, vīcī, victus : to conquer, defeat

Vir, virī, m. — man, hero

Vīvus, a, um — alive, living

Vocō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call, summon, name

Vurtigernus (Vort-), ī, m. — Vortigern (British king)

Translation

Meanwhile the plague, spoken of beforehand, while it was affecting the Bretons more and more and while it left to posterity a long lasting reputation of its malevolence, compelled the many of them to give their conquered hands to the dangerous bandits, truly some never did but instead, trusting more in the divine when human help ceased, continuously rebelled from the very mountains, caves and defiles; and then first they began to slaughter those enemies who for years drove spoils from the land. Therefore, the shameless footpads returned to their home of Ireland although not long after they would return; the Picts then first finally rested on the far part of the island; nevertheless, from there they did not cease to sometimes drive spoils and launch raids on the nation of the Bretons.

However, while the devastation of the enemy was yielding, the island began to abound in so great a bounty of crops, such as no age before recalled; with these things also luxury hastened to grow, and a plague of every wickedness hurried to accompany this; especially cruelty and hatred of the truth and the love of lies such that if any of them seemed gentler and up to a point nearer to the truth, on this one without respect the hatred and spears of everyone were flung as if on one who would overthrow Britain. And not only the men of this age did this but also the very flock of Christ and his shepherds: placing their necks under drunkenness, animosity, strife, contentiousness, envy and other sins of this sort once the light yoke of Christ had been set aside. Meanwhile, suddenly a plague, which in a short time spread in such a multitude that not even the living were sufficient to bury the dead, seized the men of a corrupt mind, but those who remained could not even be recalled by the death of their friends nor by the fear of death from the death of their spirit in which they were laid low by sinning. Whence not much after a more bitter retribution for their dire sin followed the sinful nation. For truly a plan was entered into regarding what must be done, where help must be sought in order to evade or repel so wild and so very frequent invasions of the northern tribes; it pleased everyone when they called in the nation of the Saxons with their king Vortigern from the regions across the sea for help; it is clear that this was established by the will of the Lord so that evil would come against these wicked men just as the outcome of things too clearly proved.

I’ve published a reader for this play, and you can find a translation of it which I published a few years ago. It is an excellent play and perhaps my favorite of Seneca’s plays.

Thyestes Latin Reader

Thyestes Translation

Lines 455-462

Non uertice alti montis impositam domum
et eminentem ciuitas humilis tremit
nec fulget altis splendidum tectis ebur
somnosque non defendit excubitor meos;
non classibus piscamur et retro mare
iacta fugamus mole nec uentrem improbum 460
alimus tributo gentium, nullus mihi
ultra Getas metatur et Parthos ager;

Vocabulary

Ager, agrī, m. — field, land, territory

Alō, ere, aluī, altus/alitus : to nourish, feed, sustain.

Altus, a, um — high, deep, lofty

Cīvitās, cīvitātis, f. : state, city, body of citizens.

Classis, classis, f. : fleet, naval force.

Dēfendō, ere, dēfendī, dēfēnsus : to ward off, protect.

Domus, ūs, f. — house, home, family

Ebur, eboris, n. : ivory.

Ēminēns, ēminentis — towering, projecting

Excubitor, excubitōris, m. : watchman, guard, sentinel.

Fugō, āre, āvī, ātus — to put to flight, drive away

Fulgeō, ēre, fulsī — to shine, gleam, glitter

Gēns, gentis, f. : nation, race, people.

Getae, ārum, m. (pl.) — the Getae (a Thracian people)

Humilis, e — low, humble, lowly

Iaciō, ere, iēcī, iactus : to throw, cast, build.

Impōnō, ere, imposuī, impositus : to place upon, set on.

Improbus, a, um — wicked, relentless, shameless

Mare, maris, n. : sea.

Mētātor, mētātōris, m. : surveyor, divider of land.

Mōlēs, mōlis, f. : mass, pier, dam, structure.

Mōns, montis, m. : mountain.

Nūllus, a, um — none, no, null

Parthī, ōrum, m. (pl.) — the Parthians (Eastern empire)

Piscō, āre, āvī, ātus — to fish

Retrō (adv.) — backward, back

Somnus, ī, m. — sleep

Splendidus, a, um — brilliant, magnificent, splendid

Tēctum, ī, n. — roof, house

Tremō, ere, tremuī : to tremble, dread, shake.

Tribūtum, ī, n. — tribute, tax

Ultrā (adv./prep + acc.) — beyond

Venter, ventris, m. : belly, stomach, appetite.

Vertex, verticis, m. : peak, summit, whirlpool

Translation

The lowly citizen does not shake at my secure and lofty house on a high mountain; splendid ivory does not shine from my lofty roof, and a watchman does not defend my sleep. We do not fish from fleets, and we do not drive the sea backwards with a constructed dam. We do not feed a greedy belly with the tribute of the nations; let no field beyond the Getans and the Parthians be reaped for me;

Read more

I’ve finished Volume V of Aesop’s fables in beginners’ Latin! You can find it and the other volumes by clicking the buttons below. If you’re looking for something else, you can check out my beginners’ adaptations for the Metamorphoses and Aeneid below. You can also find my recently published Hannibal Reader! If you like this sort of thing, please like and share this post and leave a positive review for a book on Amazon.

Hannibal Reader

Volume V

Volume I

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Iter Aeneae

Dē Virō et Imāgine

Ōlim vir pauper habēbat ligneam imāginem deī cui cotīdiē ōrat, “Sī vīs, dīvitiās mihi dā!” Diū ōrāvit, sed erat etiam pauper dōnec ūnō diē imāginem cum taediō sūmpsit et eam in mūrum iēcit. Vīs ictūs caput imāginis scidit, et numerus magnus nummōrum ad humum cecidit. Vir eōs avidē collēgit, et dīxit, “Ō tū mendāx senex! Ubī tē honōrō, nihil mihi dedistī. Nunc ubī tibi noceō, dīvitiās mihi dās!”

Vocabulary

Avidē — greedily, eagerly

Cadō, ere, cecidī, cāsum : to fall.

Caput, capitis, n. : head, summit.

Colligō, ere, lēgī, lēctus : to collect, gather.

Cotīdiē — daily

Cum (prep. + abl.) — with

Deus, ī, m. — god

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say.

Diēs, diēī, m./f. : day.

Diū — for a long time

Dīvitiae, ārum, f. pl. — riches, wealth

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give (dās: you give)

Dōnec — until

Etiam — also, even

Habeō, ēre, uī, itus — to have

Honōrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to honor, respect

Humus, ī, f. — ground, earth

Iaciō, ere, iēcī, iactus : to throw, hurl.

Ictus, ūs, m. — blow, strike

Imāgō, imāginis, f. : image, statue.

Ligneus, a, um — wooden

Magnus, a, um — large, great

Mendāx, mendācis — lying, deceitful

Mūrus, ī, m. — wall

Nihil (indeclinable) — nothing

Noceō, ēre, uī, itus — to harm, injure (+ dat.)

Numerus, ī, m. — number, count

Nummus, ī, n. — coin

Nunc — now

Ōlim — once

Ōrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to pray, beg

Pauper, pauperis — poor

Scindō, ere, scidī, scissus : to split, cut.

Sed — but

Senex, senis, m. : old man.

Sum, esse, fuī — to be (erat: he was)

Sūmō, ere, sūmpsī, sūmptus : to take up, assume.

Taedium, iī, n. — weariness, disgust

Ubī — where, when

Ūnus, a, um — one

Vir, virī, m. — man

Vīs, (vīs), f. : force, power.

Translation

Once a poor man had a wooden image of a god to which he prayed daily. “Please give riches to me!” For a long time he prayed, but he was still poor until one day he took up the image with disgust and threw it at the wall. The force of the blow split the head of the image, and a great number of coins fell to the ground. The greedily collected them and said, “O you lying old man! When I honored you, you gave me nothing. Now when I harm you, you give me riches!”

Hannibal Reader

Bede Reader

Vita Hannibalis

[4]

Conflixerat apud Rhodanum cum P. Cornelio Scipione consule eumque pepulerat. Cum hoc eodem Clastidi apud Padum decernit sauciumque inde ac fugatum dimittit. 2 Tertio idem Scipio cum collega Tiberio Longo apud Trebiam adversus eum venit. Cum his manum conseruit, utrosque profligavit. Inde per Ligures Appenninum transiit, petens Etruriam. 3 Hoc itinere adeo gravi morbo afficitur oculorum, ut^[1] postea numquam dextro aeque bene usus sit. Qua valetudine cum etiam tum premeretur lecticaque ferretur C. Flaminium consulem apud Trasumenum cum exercitu insidiis circumventum occidit neque multo post C. Centenium praetorem cum delecta manu saltus occupantem. Hinc in Apuliam pervenit. 4 Ibi obviam ei venerunt duo consules, C. Terentius et L. Aemilius. Utriusque exercitus uno proelio fugavit, Paulum consulem occidit et aliquot praeterea consulares, in his Cn. Servilium Geminum, qui superiore anno fuerat consul.

^[1] A result clause

Vocabulary

Ac / Atque — and, and also

Adeō — to such a degree, so, so much

Adversus / Adversum — against, facing, opposite (+ acc.)

Aemilius, iī, m. — Aemilius

Aeque — equally, alike

Afficiō, ere, affēcī, affectus : to affect, afflict, weaken, influence

Aliquot — some, several, a few

Annus, ī, m. — year

Appennīnus, ī, m. — the Apennines

Apud — at, near, among, with (+ acc.)

Apulia, ae, f. — Apulia

Bene — well, successfully

C. (Gāius), ī, m. — Gaius

Centenius, iī, m. — Centenius

Circumveniō, īre, circumvēnī, circumventus — to surround, encircle, trap

Clastidium, iī, n. — Clastidium

Cn. (Gnaeus), ī, m. — Gnaeus

Collēga, ae, m. — colleague, partner in office

Cōnflīgō, ere, cōnflīxī, cōnflīctus : to clash, engage in combat, fight

Cōnserō, ere, cōnseruī, cōnsertus : to join, connect; (with manum) to join battle, engage

Cōnsul, cōnsulis, m. : consul

Cōnsulāris, e — consular, pertaining to a consul; (subst. m.) ex-consul

Cornēlius, iī, m. — Cornelius

Dēcernō, ere, dēcrēvī, dēcrētus : to decide, contend, fight, decree

Dēligō, ere, dēlēgī, dēlēctus : to select, choose, pick out

Dexter, dextra, dextrum — right, on the right hand

Dīmittō, ere, dīmīsī, dīmissus : to send away, dismiss, release

Duo, duae, duo — two

Eōdem — to the same place

Etiam — also, even, still

Etrūria, ae, f. — Etruria

Exercitus, ūs, m. — army

Ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus — to carry, bear, endure; (pass.) move, rush

Flaminius, iī, m. — Flaminius

Fugō, āre, āvī, ātus — to put to flight, rout, drive away

Geminus, iī, m. — Geminus

Gravis, e — heavy, severe, serious

Hinc — from here, hence, next

Ibi — there, in that place

Īdem, eadem, idem — the same

Inde — from there, thence, next

Insidiae, ārum, f. pl. — ambush, plot, snare

Iter, itineris, n. : journey, march, route, path

L. (Lūcius), iī, m. — Lucius

Lectīca, ae, f. — litter, sedan chair

Ligur, Liguris, m./f. : Ligurian, inhabitant of Liguria

Longus, a, um — long

Manus, ūs, f. — hand, band of soldiers, force

Morbus, ī, m. — disease, sickness, illness

Multō / Multum — much, by far, greatly

Neque / Nec — and not, nor; (neque... neque) neither... nor

Numquam — never

Obviam — in the way, to meet (+ dat.)

Occīdō, ere, occīdī, occīsus : to kill, slay, cut down

Occupō, āre, āvī, ātus — to seize, occupy, take possession of

Oculus, ī, m. — eye

P. (Pūblius), iī, m. — Publius

Padus, ī, m. — the River Po

Paullus / Paulus, ī, m. — Paullus

Pellō, ere, pepulī, pulsus : to push, drive off, defeat, rout

Per — through, across, by means of (+ acc.)

Perveniō, īre, pervēnī, perventus — to arrive, reach, attain

Petō, ere, petīvī (petiī), petītus : to seek, head for, attack

Post — after, behind, afterwards

Posteā — afterwards, later

Praetereā — besides, moreover, in addition

Praetor, praetōris, m. : praetor

Premō, ere, pressī, pressus : to press, oppress, harass, overwhelm

Proelium, iī, n. — battle, combat

Prōflīgō, āre, āvī, ātus — to crush, rout, overthrow

Rhodanus, ī, m. — the River Rhone

Saltus, ūs, m. — forest pasture, woodland, mountain pass

Saucius, a, um — wounded, hurt

Scīpiō, Scīpiōnis, m. : Scipio

Servilius, iī, m. — Servilius

Superior, superius — higher, upper, former, previous

Terentius, iī, m. — Terentius

Tertius, a, um — third

Tiberius, iī, m. — Tiberius

Trānseō, īre, trānsiī (iī), trānsitus — to go across, cross over, pass through

Trasumēnus / Trasimēnus, ī, m. — Lake Trasimene

Trebia, ae, m. — the River Trebia

Tum — then, at that time

Ūnus, a, um — one, single, alone

Uterque, utraque, utrumque — each (of two), both

Ūtor, ūtī, ūsus sum — to use, employ, enjoy, experience (+ abl.)

Valetūdō, valetūdinis, f. : health, state of health, illness

Veniō, īre, vēnī, ventus — to come, arrive

Translation

[4]

He had fought with Publius Cornelius Scipio, a consul, near the Rhone River and defeated him. He fought with this same man at Clastidium near the River Po and sent him away from there hurt and routed. ² A third time the same Scipio with his colleague Tiberius Longus encountered him near Trebia. When he had engaged them, he routed each of them. From there he crossed with the Ligurians through the Apennines as he sought Etruria. ³ On this journey he was so afflicted by a serious sickness of the eyes that afterwards he never used his right eye equally well. When he was still pressed by this illness and was being carried in a litter, he killed the consul Caius Flaminius, who was surrounded with his army by plots, near Trasimene and not much after this Caius Centenius a praetor who was occupying the mountain passes with a handpicked band. From here he arrived in Apulia. ⁴ There two consuls, Caius Terentius and Lucius Aemilius, met him. He routed the armies of each of them in a single battle, killed the consul Paulus besides also several former consuls among these Gnaeus Servilius Geminus who had been a consul in the previous year.

I’ve finished a Latin reader series for the Metamorphoses which adapts the Metamorphoses into simple prose for beginner readers. A If you like this sort of thing, you can check out my series of readers for Plutarch’s Lives, Aesop’s Fables, and the Aeneid. And if you like this sort of thing, please buy a book, leave a positive review and like and share this post.

Metamorphoses Reader

Plutarch Reader

Aesop V Reader

Tellus Ardens

Postquam lora tergum tetigerunt, equi errant, et per auras ignotae regionis eunt. Modo summa petunt, modo per declive viasque praecipites in spatio terrae propiore eunt. Equi fraterni inferius equis Lunae currunt, et ambusta nubila fumant. Corripiunt tellus flammae. Tellus fissa agit rimas et tellus aret. Pabula canescunt, et cum frondibus ardet arbor, et seges arida materiam suo damno praebet. Parva queror: magnae pereunt cum moenibus urbes cumque suis totas populis gentes in cinerem incendia vertunt. Silvae cum montibus ardent.

Tum vero Phaeton cunctis e partibus orbem adspicit, nec tantos sustinet aestus, et ferventes auras, velut e fornace profunda, cum ore trahit currusque suos candescere sentit. Neque iam cineres et favillam ferre potest calidusque eum involvit undique fumus. Putavit, “Ubi eo? Ubi sum?” Arbitrium autem volucrum equorum eum raptat.

Tum color Aethiopum factus est niger ubi calor sanguinem in corpus summum traxit. Tum Libye facta est arida ubi aestus umores rapuerat. Tum nymphae cum passis comis, fontesque lacusque defleverunt. Dissilit omne solum, penetratque in Tartara ab rimis lumen, et lumen infernum terret cum coniuge regem. Mare contrahitur,[1] et est campus siccae harenae ubi fuerat pontus. Ubi aequor altum texerat, existunt montes. Ima petunt pisces, nec curvi delphines se super aequora in consuetas auras tollere audent. Corpora phocarum resupina exanimata in summo profundo natant. Nerea ipse et Doris et natas tepides sub antris latuerunt. Ter Neptunus ex aquis bracchia cum torvo vultu exserere temptaverunt, ter non tulit aeris ignes.

[1] is shrunk

Vocabulary

Ab (prep. + abl.) — from, by

Adspiciō, ere, adspēxī, adspectus : to behold, look at.

Aequor, aequoris, n. : level surface, sea.

Aes, aeris, n. : air, atmosphere.

Aestus, ūs, m. — heat, tide, seething

Aethiops, Aethiopis, m.- Ethiopians

Agō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to drive, do

Altus, a, um — high, deep

Ambūstus, a, um — scorched, burned

Antrum, ī, n. — cave, grotto

Aqua, ae, f.- water

Arbitrium, iī, n. — judgment, will, authority

Arbor, arboris, f. : tree.

Ārdēscō, ere, ārsī : to catch fire; (ārdet) is burning.

Ārēō, ēre, uī — to be dry, parched

Āridus, a, um — dry, parched

Audēō, ēre, ausus sum — to dare

Aura, ae, f. — breeze, air

Autem (conj.) — however, but

Brācchium, iī, n. — arm

Calidus, a, um — hot, warm

Calor, calōris, m. : heat.

Campus, ī, m. — field, plain

Candēscō, ere, canduī : to become white-hot, glow.

Cānēscō, ere, cānuī : to whiten, turn gray/hoary.

Cinis, cineris, m. : ash.

Color, colōris, m. : color.

Coma, ae, f. — hair, foliage

Coniunx, coniugis, m./f. : spouse, wife.

Cōnsuēscō, ere, cōnsuēvī, cōnsuētus : to accustom;be used to.

Contrahō, ere, contrāxī, contrāctus : to draw together, shrink.

Corpus, corporis, n. : body.

Corripiō, ere, corripuī, correptus : to seize, ignite, snatch.

Cūnctus, a, um — all, whole

Currō, ere, cucurrī, cursus : to run.

Currus, ūs, m. — chariot

Curvus, a, um — curved, bent

Damnum, ī, n. — loss, damage, harm

Dēclīve, dēclīvis, n. : slope, descent.

Dēfleō, ēre, ēvī, ētus — to weep for, lament

Delphīn, delphīnis, m. : dolphin.

Dissiliō, īre, uī : to leap apart, burst open.

Doris, Dōridis, f. — Doris (sea goddess)

Ē, ex (prep. + abl.) — out of, from

Eō, īre, iī, itum — to go;

Equus, ī, m. — horse

Errō, āre, āvī, ātus — to wander, stray

Exanimātus, a, um — lifeless, dead

Exserō, ere, exseruī, exsertus : to thrust out, put forth.

Existō, ere, exsititī : to stand forth, emerge.

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to make, do.

Favilla, ae, f. — glowing ashes, embers

Ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus — to bear, carry

Ferveō, ēre, ferbuī — to glow, boil, seethe

Fissus, a, um — split, cloven

Flamma, ae, f. — flame

Fōns, fontis, m. : spring, fountain.

Fornāx, fornācis, f. : furnace, oven.

Frāternus, a, um — of a brother

Frōns, frondis, f. : leaf, foliage.

Fūmō, āre, āvī, ātus- to smoke

Fūmus, ī, m. — smoke

Gēns, gentis, f. : race, people, clan.

Harēna, ae, f. — sand

Iam (adv.) — now, already

Īgnis, īgnis, m. : fire.

Ignōtus, a, um — unknown

Ima, ōrum, n. pl. — the bottom, the depths

Incendium, iī, n. — fire, conflagration

Infernus, a, um — of the lower world

Inferus, a, um — lower

Involvō, ere, involvī, involūtus : to wrap up, envelop.

Ipse, ipsa, ipsum — himself, herself, itself

Lacus, ūs, m. — lake, pool

Lateō, ēre, uī — to lie hidden

Libyē, ēs, f. — Libya

Lōrum, ī, n. — thong, rein

Lūmen, lūminis, n. : light; (pl.) eyes.

Lūna, ae, f. — the moon

Māgnus, a, um — great, large

Mare, maris, n. : sea.

Māteria, ae, f. — material, fuel

Modo (adv.) — now, recently; modo... modo = now... now

Moenia, ium, n. pl. : walls

Mōns, montis, m. : mountain.

Nāta, ae, f.- daughter

Natō, āre, āvī, ātus — to swim

Neptūnus, ī, m. — Neptune

Nēreus, ī, m. — Nereus (sea god)

Niger, nigra, nigrum — black, dark

Nūbilum, ī, n. — cloud

Nympha, ae, f. — nymph

Omne — (from omnis, e) all, every

Orbis, orbis, m. : circle, world, orbit.

Ōs, ōris, n. : mouth, face.

Pābula, ōrum, n. pl. — fodder, pasture

Pandō, ere, passī, passus : to spread out, dishevel.

Pars, partis, f. : part, direction.

Parvus, a, um — small

Penetrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to penetrate, enter

Per (prep. + acc.) — through

Pereō, perīre, periī, peritum — to perish

Petō, ere, petiī, petītus : to seek, head for.

Phaethōn, Phaethontis, m. : Phaethon.

Phōca, ae, f. — seal

Piscis, piscis, m. : fish.

Pontus, ī, m. — sea

Populus, ī, m. — people, nation

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able

Postquam (conj.) — after

Praebeō, ēre, uī, itus — to offer, provide

Praeceps, praecipitis — headlong, steep

Profundus, a, um — deep; (n.) the deep

Propior, propius — nearer

Putō, āre, āvī, ātus — to think

Queror, querī, questus sum — to complain, lament

Rapiō, ere, rapuī, raptus : to seize, snatch away.

Raptō, āre, āvī, ātus — to snatch, carry off

Regiō, regiōnis, f. : region, direction.

Resupīnus, a, um — lying on the back

Rex, rēgis, m. : king.

Rīma, ae, f. — crack, fissure

Sanguis, sanguinis, m. : blood.

Seges, segetis, f. : crop, grainfield.

Sentiō, īre, sēnsī, sēnsus — to feel, perceive

Siccus, a, um — dry

Silva, ae, f. — forest, woods

Solum, ī, n. — ground, soil

Spatium, iī, n. — space, distance

Sub (prep. + abl./acc.) — under

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Summus, a, um- top of, highest, highest point

Super (prep. + acc./abl.) — above, over

Sustineō, ēre, sustinuī, sustentus — to hold up, endure

Tangō, ere, tetigī, tāctus : to touch, reach.

Tantus, a, um — so great, so much

Tartarus, ī, m. — Tartarus (the underworld)

Tellūs, tellūris, f. : the earth.

Temptō, āre, āvī, ātus — to try, attempt

Tepidus, a, um — warm, lukewarm

Ter (adv.) — three times

Tergum, ī, n. — back

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth

Terreō, ēre, uī, itus — to terrify, frighten

Texō, ere, texuī, textus : to weave, cover.

Tollo, ere, sustulī, sublātus : to endure, lift

Tollō, ere, sustulī, sublātus : to lift, raise.

Torvus, a, um — grim, fierce, stern

Tōtus, a, um — whole, entire

Trahō, ere, trāxī, trāctus : to drag, draw.

Tum (adv.) — then

Tunc (adv.)- then

Ubi (adv./conj.) — where, when

Ūmor, ūmōris, m. : moisture, liquid.

Undīque (adv.) — from all sides, everywhere

Urbs, urbis, f. : city.

Velut (adv.) — just as, as if

Vērō (adv.) — truly, indeed

Vertō, ere, vertī, versus : to turn.

Via, ae, f. — way, road

Volucris, volucris, f. : bird, winged creature.

Vultus, ūs, m. — face, expression

Translation

After the reins had touched their back, the horses wander and go though the breezes of an unfamiliar region. Now they seek the highest places, now they go through a descent and steep paths into the space nearer to the earth. The fraternal horses run lower than the horses of the Moon, and the scorched clouds smoke. Flames ignite the earth. The split earth cracks, and the earth is parched. Fodder turns white, and a tree burns with its foliage, and dry corn offers material for its own harm. I lament the little things: great cities with their walls perish, and the fires turn entire nations with their whole peoples into ash. The woods burn on the mountains.

Then truly Phaethon beholds the world from all its parts, and he does not endure such heat, and he draws in the boiling winds, just as from a deep furnace, with his mouth, and he feels the chariot become white-hot. And now he cannot endure the ashes and embers, and hot smoke everywhere envelops him. He thought, “Where am I going? Where am I?” But will of the swift horses carries him off.

Then the color of the Ethiopians became black where the heat drew the blood into the top of the body. Then Libya became dry where the heat had snatched away the moisture. Then the nymphs with spread out hair wept for the fountains and lakes. The whole earth burst part, and the light penetrates into Tartarus from the cracks, and the light terrifies the king of underworld with his queen. The sea is shrunk, and there is a field of dry sand where there had been a sea. Where the sea had hid the deep, mountains stand forth. Fish seek the lower places, and the curved dolphins do not dare to lift themselves above the seas into their usual breezes. The bodies of seals lying dead on their backs swim on top of the deep. Nerea herself and Doris and have hidden their lukewarm daughters beneath caves. Three times Neptune tried to thrust forth his arms from the waters with a fierce expression, three times he did not endure the fires of the air.

De Bello Civili Reader

Catilinarian Orations

Aesop in Latin For Beginners

[68] Caesar exploratis regionibus^[1] albente caelo omnes copias castris educit magnoque circuitu nullo certo itinere exercitum ducit. Nam quae itinera ad Hiberum atque Octogesam pertinebant castris hostium oppositis tenebantur. Ipsi erant transcendendae^[2] valles maximae ac difficillimae; saxa multis locis praerupta iter impediebant, ut^[3] arma per manus necessario traderentur, militesque inermes sublevatique alii ab aliis^[4] magnam partem itineris conficerent. Sed hunc laborem recusabat nemo, quod eum omnium laborum finem fore existimabant,^[5] si hostem Hibero intercludere et frumento prohibere potuissent.

[1] An ablative absolute

[2] The passive periphrastic

[3] Introduces a result clause

[4] The some participial phrase is parenthetic: one lifted up by another

[5] Introduces an indirect statement

Vocabulary

Ab + abl. – from

Ac – and

Ad + acc. – to, toward

Albēns, albentis – whitish, gleaming

Alius, a, ud – other

Arma, ōrum, n. pl. – arms, weapons

Atque – and, and also

Caelum, ī, n. – sky, heaven

Caesar, Caesaris, m. – Caesar

Castra, ōrum, n. pl. – camp

Certus, a, um – sure, certain

Circuitus, ūs, m. – circuit, detour

Cōnficiō, ere, cōnfēcī, cōnfectus – to accomplish, complete

Cōpiae, ārum, f. pl. – forces, troops

Difficillimus, a, um – very difficult

Dūcō, ere, dūxī, ductus – to lead

Educō, ere, ēdūxī, ēductus – to lead out

Exercitus, ūs, m. – army

Existimō, āre, āvī, ātus – to think, judge

Explōrō, āre, āvī, ātus – to investigate, reconnoiter

Fīnis, fīnis, m. – boundary, end

Fore – to be (future infinitive)

Frūmentum, ī, n. – grain

Hiberus, ī, m. – the Ebro River

Hostis, hostis, m. – enemy

Impediō, īre, īvī, impeditus – to hinder, block

Inermis, e – unarmed

Interclūdō, ere, interclūsī, interclūsus – to shut off, cut off

Ipse, ipsa, ipsum – self, himself

Iter, itineris, n. – route, march

Labor, labōris, m. – effort, hardship

Locus, ī, m. pl. – places

Magnus, a, um – great

Manus, ūs, f. – band, force

Maximus, a, um – greatest

Mīles, mīlitis, m. – soldier

Multus, a, um – many

Nam – for

Necessāriō – necessarily

Nēmō – no one

Nullus, a, um – none

Octogēsa, ae, f. – Octogesa

Omnis, e – all

Oppositus, a, um – placed opposite, opposed

Pars, partis, f. – part

Per + acc. – through

Pertineō, ēre, pertinuī – to extend, pertain

Possum, posse, potuī – to be able

Praeruptus, a, um – steep, precipitous

Prohibeō, ēre, prohibuī, prohibitus – to prevent

Recūsō, āre, āvī, ātus – to refuse

Rēgiō, rēgiōnis, f. – region

Saxum, ī, n. – rock

Sī – if

Sublevō, āre, āvī, ātus – to support, relieve

Sum, esse, fuī – to be

Teneō, ēre, tenuī, tentus – to hold

Trādō, ere, trādidī, trāditus – to hand over

Trānscendō, ere, trānscendī, trānscēnsus – to cross, climb over

Vallis, vallis, f. – valley

Translation

[68] Caesar, once these parts had been explored, under a bright sky led all his forces from the camp and led the army on an uncertain march in a large circuit. For the roads, which extend to the Ebro and Octogesa, were held by the opposed camp of the enemy. The very large and steep valleys had to be climbed; rocks, which had to be broken apart in many places, impeded the march so that arms were necessarily handed over, and the soldiers completed a great part of the journey, one lifted up by another. But no one refused this work because they thought that it would be the end of all labors if they would be able to keep the enemy from the Ebro and from grain.

Augsburg Confession Latin Reader

Aesop's Fables in Latin V

Epistle to the Romans Latin Reader

Sections 103-104

103] Hactenus tria priora praecepta didicimus, quae erga Deum servanda nobis tradita sunt. Primum, ut^[1] ei ex toto corde fidamus, eum per omnem vitam nostram metuamus et diligamus. Deinde, ut eius sancto nomine nequaquam ad^[2] mendacia aut ullam aliam nequitiam tuendam abutamur, sed idem ad laudem Dei ac utilitatem et salutem proximi atque etiam nostram usurpemus. Tertio, ut diebus festis Verbum Dei diligenter audiatur et exerceatur, ut^[3] tota vita nostra ad eius gnomonem et regulam non discrepante amussi respondeat. Sequuntur nunc deinceps reliqua septem praecepta, quae erga proximum nobis conservanda sunt,^[4] quorum primum et summum hoc est:

104] Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut^[5] sis longaevus super terram.

^[1] The first of several indirect commands

^[2] Ad…tuendam- ad with the gerundive to indicate purpose

^[3] A purpose clause

^[4] The passive periphrastic

^[5] A purpose clause

Vocabulary

Abūtor, ere, abūsus sum : to waste, misuse, abuse

Ac — and, and also

Ad (prep. + acc.) — to, toward, for

Alius, alia, aliud — other, another

Amussis, amussis, f. : ruler, mason’s line, standard

Audiō, īre, audīvī (audiī), audītus — to hear, listen to

Aut — or; (aut... aut) either... or

Cōnservō, āre, āvī, ātus — to preserve, keep safe, maintain

Cor, cordis, n. : heart, mind.

Deinceps — successively, next in order, thereafter

Deinde — then, next, thereupon

Deus, ī, m. — God, deity

Diēs, diēī, m./f. — day

Dīligenter — carefully, diligently

Dīligō, ere, dīlēxī, dīlēctus : to love, esteem highly.

Discō, ere, didicī : to learn.

Discrepō, āre, discrepuī — to differ, disagree, vary

Ergā (prep. + acc.) — toward, regarding, in relation to

Etiam — also, even, still

Ex / Ē (prep. + abl.) — out of, from, according to

Exerceō, ēre, exercuī, exercitus — to train, exercise, practice

Festus, a, um — festive, solemn, holy

Fīdō, ere, fīsus sum — to trust, rely upon (+ dat./abl.)

Gnōmōn, gnōmonis, m. : indicator, pointer, index, rule.

Hactenus — thus far, up to this point

Honorō, āre, āvī, ātus — to honor, respect

Īdem, eadem, idem — the same

Laus, laudis, f. : praise, glory, renown.

Longaevus, a, um — aged, long-lived

Māter, mātris, f. : mother.

Mendācium, iī, n. — lie, falsehood

Metuō, ere, metuī : to fear, dread, be afraid of.

Nequāquam — by no means, not at all

Nequitia, ae, f. — wickedness, evil, worthless conduct

Nōmen, nōminis, n. : name, reputation, account.

Nunc — now, at present

Omnis, e — all, every, whole

Pater, patris, m. : father.

Per (prep. + acc.) — through, by means of, during

Praeceptum, ī, n. — order, instruction, precept, commandment

Prīmum — first, in the first place

Prior, prius — former, earlier, previous

Proximus, a, um — nearest, next, neighbor

Rēgula, ae, f. — rule, standard, pattern

Reliquus, a, um — remaining, rest, left over

Respondeō, ēre, respondī, respōnsus — to answer, reply, respond, correspond

Salūs, salūtis, f. : safety, health, salvation.

Sānctus, a, um — holy, sacred

Septem — seven

Sequor, sequī, secūtus sum — to follow, come next

Servō, āre, āvī, ātus — to save, preserve, keep

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be, exist

Summus, a, um — highest, top of, supreme

Super (prep. + acc./abl.) — above, over, concerning

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth, ground

Tertius, a, um — third

Tōtus, a, um — whole, entire, all

Tradō, ere, trādidī, trāditus : to hand down, deliver, surrender.

Trēs, tria — three

Tueor, tuērī, tuitus (tūtus) sum — to protect, guard, preserve

Tuus, a, um — your, yours (sing.)

Ūllus, a, um — any

Usurpō, āre, āvī, ātus — to make use of, employ, adopt

Ūtilitās, ūtilitātis, f. : utility, usefulness, benefit.

Verbum, ī, n. — word

Vīta, ae, f. — life

Translation

103] Henceforth we have learned the prior three commandments which have been taught to us to keep in relation to God. First that we trust him from our entire heart, we fear and love Him with our entire life. Second that we by no means use His sacred name to preserve lies or any other wickedness but that we employ the same name for the praise of God and the benefit and preservation of our neighbor and ourselves. Third that on holy days we diligently hear and practice the Word of God so that our whole life responds to His rule and standard while it does not differ from his plumb line. Now finally the remaining seven commandments, the first of which and the greatest is this which must be kept in relation to our neighbor:

104] Honor your father and your mother so that you may be long upon the land.

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Bede Book I Reader - Teacher Edition

Bede Book I Reader - Student Edition

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Aesop's Latin Fables I

[13]

ANNO dominicae incarnationis CCCCXXIII, Theodosius iunior post Honorium XLV ab Augusto regnum suscipiens, XX et VI annis tenuit; cuius anno imperii VIII Palladius ad Scottos in Christum credentes a pontifice Romanae ecclesiae Celestino primus mittitur episcopus. Anno autem regni eius XXIII, Aetius uir inlustris, qui et patricius fuit, tertium cum Simmacho gessit consulatum. Ad hunc pauperculae Brettonum reliquiae mittunt epistulam, cuius hoc principium est: ‘Aetio ter consuli gemitus Brittanorum;’ et in processu epistulae ita suas calamitates explicant: ‘Repellunt barbari ad mare, repellit mare ad barbaros; inter haec oriuntur duo genera funerum, aut iugulamur, aut mergimur.’ Neque haec tamen agentes quicquam ab illo auxilii impetrare quiuerunt, utpote qui grauissimis eo tempore bellis cum Blaedla et Attila regibus Hunorum erat occupatus; et quamuis anno ante hunc proximo Blaedla Attilae fratris sui sit interemtus insidiis, Attila tamen ipse adeo intolerabilis reipuplicae remansit hostis, ut totam pene Europam, excisis inuasisque ciuitatibus atque castellis, conroderet. Quin et hisdem temporibus fames Constantinopolim inuasit; nec mora pestis secuta est; sed et plurimi eiusdem urbis muri cum LVII turribus conruerunt; multis quoque ciuitatibus conlapsis,^[1] fames et aerum pestifer odor plura hominum milia iumentorumque deleuit.

^[1] An ablative absolute

Vocabulary

Adeō — so, to such a degree, even

Aer, aeris, m. : air, atmosphere, climate

Aetius, iī, m. — Aetius (Roman patrician and general)

Agō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to drive, do, conduct, pass (time)

Annus, ī, m. — year

Ante (prep. + acc. / adv.) — before, in front of

Atque / Ac — and, and also

Attila, ae, m. — Attila (King of the Huns)

Augustus, ī, m. — Augustus (imperial title)

Autem — however, but, moreover

Auxilium, iī, n. — help, aid, assistance

Barbarus, a, um — barbarian, foreign

Bellum, ī, n. — war

Bleda (Blaedla), ae, m. — Bleda (brother of Attila)

Britannus (Brett-), a, um — British; (subst. m. pl.) the Britons

Caelestīnus (Celest-), ī, m. — Celestine (Pope Celestine I)

Calamitās, calamitātis, f. : loss, disaster, calamity

Castellum, ī, n. — fort, fortress, stronghold

CCCCXXIII — four hundred and twenty-three

Chrīstus, ī, m. — Christ

Cīvitās, cīvitātis, f. : state, community, walled city

Collabor (Conl-), collābī, collapsus sum — to collapse, fall to ruin

Cōnstāntīnopolis, is, f. : Constantinople

Cōnsul, cōnsulis, m. : consul

Cōnsulātus, ūs, m. — consulship

Corrōdō (Conr-), ere, corrōsī, corrōsus : to gnaw away, consume

Corruō (Conr-), ere, corruī : to fall down, collapse, perish

Crēdō, ere, crēdidī, crēditus : to believe, trust (+ dat.)

Cum (prep. + abl.) — with; (conj.) when, since, although

Dēleō, ēre, lēvī, lētus — to destroy, wipe out, efface

Dominicus, a, um — of the Lord, dominical

Duo, duae, duo — two

Ecclēsia, ae, f. — church

Episcopus, ī, m. — bishop

Epistula, ae, f. — letter, epistle

Eurōpa, ae, f. — Europe

Excīdō, ere, excīsī, excīsus : to cut out, destroy, raze

Explicō, āre, āvī, ātus — to unfold, explain, set forth

Famis, famis, f. : hunger, famine

Frāter, frātris, m. : brother

Fūnus, fūneris, n. : funeral, death, dead body, ruin

Gemītus, ūs, m. — groan, lamentation, sigh

Genus, generis, n. : race, kind, class, type

Gerō, ere, gessī, gestus : to carry on, perform, wage (war)

Gravis, e — heavy, severe, serious (grauissimis: superl. abl. pl.)

Hūni (Hunī), ōrum, m. pl. — the Huns

Īdem, eadem, idem — the same

Imperium, iī, n. — supreme power, command, empire

Impetrō, āre, āvī, ātus — to obtain (by request), procure

Incarnātiō, incarnātiōnis, f. : incarnation

Inlūstris, e — illustrious, bright, distinguished

Insidiae, ārum, f. pl. — ambush, plot, treachery

Inter (prep. + acc.) — between, among

Interimō (Interem-), ere, interēmī, interēmptus : to destroy, slay

Intolerābilis, e — intolerable, unbearable

Invādō, ere, invāsī, invāsus : to enter, invade, attack

Ita — so, thus, in this manner

Iugulō, āre, āvī, ātus — to slit the throat, slaughter, murder

Iūmentum, ī, n. — beast of burden, draft animal

Iunior, iunius — younger (comparative of iuvenis)

LVII — fifty-seven

Mare, maris, n. : sea

Mergō, ere, mersī, mersus : to dip, plunge, sink, overwhelm

Mīlia, mīlium, n. pl. — thousands

Mittō, ere, mīsī, missus : to send

Mora, ae, f. — delay

Multus, a, um — much, many

Mūrus, ī, m. — wall

Occupō, āre, āvī, ātus — to seize, occupy, engage (occupātus: busy)

Odor, odōris, m. : stench, smell, odor

Orior, orīrī, ortus sum — to arise, spring up, proceed from

Paene (Pene) — almost, nearly

Palladius, iī, m. — Palladius (bishop sent to the Scots)

Patricius, iī, m. — patrician (Roman noble title)

Pauperculus, a, um — poor, wretched, meager

Pestifer, fera, ferum — pestilential, destructive, deadly

Pestis, pestis, f. : plague, pestilence, destruction

Plūrīmus, a, um — most, very many

Plūs, plūris — more (plura: acc. n. pl. “more things”)

Pontifex, pontificis, m. : pontiff, high priest, pope

Post (prep. + acc. / adv.) — after, behind

Prīmus, a, um — first

Principium, iī, n. — beginning, origin

Processus, ūs, m. — advance, progress, course

Proximus, a, um — nearest, next, most recent

Quamvīs — although, however much

Queō, quīre, quīvī (quiī), quitus — to be able, can

Quīn — indeed, furthermore, nay even

Quisquam, quaequam, quicquam (quidquam) — anyone, anything

Quoque — also, too

Rēgnum, ī, n. — kingdom, royal power, realm

Reliquiae, ārum, f. pl. — remains, remnants, relics

Remaneō, ēre, mānsī, mānsūrus — to remain behind, stay

Repellō, ere, reppulī, repulsus : to drive back, repel, reject

Rēs pūblica, reī pūblicae, f. — commonwealth, state

Rēx, rēgis, m. : king

Rōmānus, a, um — Roman

Scottī, ōrum, m. pl. — the Scots / Gaels

Sequor, sequī, secūtus sum — to follow, accompany (secūta: f. part.)

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Suscipiō, ere, suscēpī, susceptus : to take up, receive, adopt, capture

Symmachus (Simmachus), ī, m. — Symmachus (Roman consul)

Tamen — nevertheless, yet

Tempus, temporis, n. : time, season

Teneō, ēre, uī, tentus — to hold, keep, possess

Ter — three times, thrice

Tertius, a, um — third

Theodōsius, iī, m. — Theodosius (Theodosius II, Eastern Emperor)

Tōtus, a, um — whole, entire

Turris, turris, f. : tower

Urbs, urbis, f. : city, walled town

Utpote — namely, seeing that, inasmuch as

VI — six

VIII — eight

Vir, virī, m. — man, hero

XLV — forty-five

XX — twenty

XXIII — twenty-three

Translation

In the four hundred twenty-third year of the incarnation of the Lord, Theodosius the younger, after Honorius and the forty-fifth from Augustus, assuming rule held it for twenty-six years; in the eighth year of his reign, Palladius, the first bishop wassent to the Scotts, who believed in Christ, by Celestinus the bishop of the Roman church. Moreover, in the twenty-third year of his reign, Aetius, a distinguished man, who was a patrician held a third consulship with Simmachus. To this man the remaining poor people of Britain sent a letter the beginning of which was this: “The groans of the Britains to the Aetius three-times a consul;” and in the course of the letter in this way they explained their calamities: “The barbarians drive us to the sea, the sea drives us to the barbarians; between these two kinds of funerals arise: either our throats are slit, or we are drowned.” Nevertheless, although they did these things, they were not able to obtain any help from him since he was occupied at that time with the most serious wars with Bleda and Attila the kings of the Huns; even though Bleda before the next year would be slain by the treachery of his brother Attila. Nevertheless, Attila himself remained such an intolerable enemy to the state that he nearly chewed up all of Europe after its cities and towns had been invaded and destroyed. Indeed in these same times famine took possession of Constantinople; and without delay pestilence followed; but also several walls of the same city with seventy-seven towers fell; likewise after many cities fell to ruin, famine and the pestilent odor of the air destroyed several thousand men and pack animals.

I’ve published a reader for this play, and you can find a translation of it which I published a few years ago. It is an excellent play and perhaps my favorite of Seneca’s plays.

Thyestes Latin Reader

Thyestes Translation

Lines 440-445

TANTALVS: Euince quidquid obstat et mentem impedit 440
reducemque quanta praemia expectent uide.
pater, potes regnare. THYESTES: Cum possim mori.
TANTALVS: Summa est potestas - THYESTES: Nulla, si cupias nihil.
TANTALVS: Natis relinques. THYESTES: Non capit regnum duos.
TANTALVS: Miser esse mauult esse qui felix potest?

Vocabulary

Capiō, ere, cēpī, captus : to take, contain, seize.

Cupiō, ere, cupīvī, cupītus : to desire, long for.

Duo, duae, duo — two

Ēvincō, ere, ēvīcī, ēvictus : to conquer, overcome, prevail.

Expectō, āre, āvī, ātus — to wait for, expect

Fēlīx, fēlīcis — lucky, fortunate, happy

Impediō, īre, īvī, ātus — to hinder, block, impede

Mālō, malle, maluī- to prefer

Mēns, mentis, f. : mind, intellect.

Miser, misera, miserum — wretched, miserable

Morior, morī, mortuus sum — to die

Nātus, ī, m. — son, offspring

Nihil (n. indecl.) — nothing

Nūllus, a, um — none, no, null

Obstō, āre, obstitī — to stand in the way, oppose (+ dat.)

Pater, patris, m. : father.

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able, can

Potestās, potestātis, f. : power, authority.

Praemium, iī, n. — reward, prize

Quantus, a, um — how great, how much

Quidquid (pron.) — whatever

Redux, reducis — returning, led back

Rēgnō, āre, āvī, ātus — to reign, rule

Rēgnum, ī, n. — kingdom, royal power

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus : to leave behind, abandon.

Sī (conj.) — if

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Summus, a, um — highest, greatest

Videō, ēre, vīdī, vīsus — to see

Translation

Tantalus: Subdue whatever hinders you and impedes your courage, and consider your return and whatever gifts await you. Father, you can rule.

Thyestes: Because I am able to die.

Tantalus: The highest power is—

Thyestes: Nothing if you desire nothing.

Tantalus: You will bequeath it to your sons.

Thyestes: A throne does not hold two.

Tantalus: Does he, who is able to be happy, prefer to be miserable?

Read more

I’ve finished Volume V of Aesop’s fables in beginners’ Latin! You can find it and the other volumes by clicking the buttons below. If you’re looking for something else, you can check out my beginners’ adaptations for the Metamorphoses and Aeneid below. You can also find my recently published Hannibal Reader! If you like this sort of thing, please like and share this post and leave a positive review for a book on Amazon.

Hannibal Reader

Volume V

Volume I

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Iter Aeneae

Fābula Decima Quarta Decima Dē Mūribus et Mustēlīs

Ōlim inter mūrēs et mustēlās erat bellum in quō mustēlae semper mūrēs vincunt et eōs dēvorant. Ūnō diē mūrēs in conciliō bellī convēnērunt, et mūs senex stetitque dīxit, “Mustēlae semper nōs vincunt, nam ducēs nūllōs, quī pūgnās nostrās parant et aciēs in campō pūgnae dūcunt, habēmus.” Itaque mūrēs maximōs ducēs ēlēgērunt, et mūrēs hī galeās cum plūmīs festūcārum gerēbant. Ducēs cōnfidentēs mūrium exercitūs in pūgnam dūxērunt, sed iterum mustēlae eōs vīcērunt, et mox mūrēs omnēs ad forāmina fugiēbant. Omnēs mūrēs praeter ducēs, quī sunt gravēs ob galeās et quōs mustēlae facile capiunt, fūgiunt.

Vocabulary

Aciēs, aciēī, f. : battle-line, rank.

Ad (prep. + acc.) — to, toward, at

Bellum, ī, n. — war

Campus, ī, m. — field, plain

Capiō, ere, cēpī, captus : to take, seize, catch.

Concilium, iī, n. — council, assembly

Cōnfīdēns, cōnfīdentis — confident, bold

Conveniō, īre, vēnī, ventus — to assemble, meet

Dēvorō, āre, āvī, ātus — to devour, swallow

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say, speak.

Diēs, diēī, m./f. : day.

Dūcō, ere, dūxī, ductus : to lead, conduct.

Dux, ducis, m. : leader, general.

Ēligō, ere, elēgī, elēctus : to choose, elect.

Exercitus, ūs, m. — army

Facile — easily

Festūca, ae, f. — stalk, straw

Forāmen, forāminis, n. : hole, opening.

Fugio, ere, fūgī, fugitus : to flee, escape.

Galea, ae, f. — helmet

Gerō, ere, gessī, gestus : to carry, wear, wage.

Gravis, e — heavy, serious, burdensome

Habeō, ēre, uī, itus — to have, hold

Inter (prep. + acc.) — between, among

Itaque — and so, therefore

Iterum — again

Maximus, a, um — greatest, very large

Mox — soon, presently

Mūs, mūris, m./f. : mouse.

Mustēla, ae, f. — weasel

Nam — for

Nūllus, a, um — no, none

Ob (prep. + acc.) — because of, on account of

Ōlim — once, formerly

Omnis, e — all, every

Parō, āre, āvī, ātus — to prepare, get ready

Plūma, ae, f. — feather, plume

Praeter (prep. + acc.) — except, beyond

Pūgna, ae, f. — fight, battle

Semper — always

Senex, senis, m. : old man.

Stō, stāre, stetī, statum — to stand

Sum, esse, fuī — to be (erat: was)

Ūnus, a, um — one

Vincō, ere, vīcī, victus : to conquer, defeat

Translation

Once between the mice and weasels there was a war in which the weasels always defeated the mice and devoured them. One day the mice came together in a council of war, and an old mouse stood and said, “The weasels always defeat us, for we have no generals who prepare our battles and lead our lines into the field of battle.” And so the mice chose their greatest generals, and these mice wore helmets with plumes of straw. The confident leaders of the mice led their armies into battle, but again the weasels defeated them, and soon all the mice fled to their holes. Every mouse beside the leaders, who were heavy on account of their helmets and whom the weasels easily captured, fled.

I’ve finished Volume V of Aesop’s fables in beginners’ Latin! You can find it and the other volumes by clicking the buttons below. If you’re looking for something else, you can check out my beginners’ adaptations for the Metamorphoses and Aeneid below. You can also find my recently published Hannibal Reader! If you like this sort of thing, please like and share this post and leave a positive review for a book on Amazon.

Hannibal Reader

Volume V

Volume I

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Iter Aeneae

Fābula Decima Tertia Decima Dē Mercuriō et Tabernāriīs

Ubī Iuppiter hominem creāt, Mercuriō dīxit, “Mixtiōnem mendāciōrum fac, et paulum pigmentīs, ā quibus tabernāriōs creābō, adde.” Mercurius mixtiōnem fēcit, et partēs aequālēs invicem pigmentīs candēlābrāriōrum et mercātōrum et sartōrum addidit. Tandem modo caballāriī remānsērunt, sed Mercurius multum mixtiōnis etiam habuit. Itaque omnem mixtiōnem in pigmentīs caballāriōrum posuit. Ob rem hanc, tabernāriī omnēs mentiuntur, sed nēmō sīcut caballāriī mentītur.

Vocabulary

Ā (prep. + abl.) — from, by

Addō, ere, addidī, additus : to add, give to.

Aequālis, e — equal, fair, like

Caballārius, iī, m. — horseman, stableman

Candēlābrārius, iī, m. — lamp-maker, candlemaker

Creō, āre, āvī, ātus — to create, make

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say, tell.

Etiam — also, even, still

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to do, make.

Habeō, ēre, uī, itus — to have, hold

Homō, hominis, m. : human, man.

Invicem — in turn, mutually

Itaque — and so, therefore

Iuppiter, Iovis, m. : Jupiter.

Mendācium, iī, n. — lie, falsehood

Mentior, īrī, ītus sum — to lie, deceive

Mercātor, mercātōris, m. : merchant, trader.

Mercurius, iī, m. — Mercury

Mixtiō, mixtiōnis, f. : mixture, mixing.

Modo — only, merely

Multus, a, um — much, many

Nēmō, nēminis, m./f. : no one, nobody.

Ob (prep. + acc.) — on account of, because of

Omnis, e — all, every

Pars, partis, f. : part, portion.

Paulum — a little, a small amount

Pigmentum, ī, n. — ingredient, pigment, paint, dye

Pōnō, ere, posuī, positus : to put, place.

Remaneō, ēre, mānsī, mānsus — to remain, stay behind

Rēs, reī, f. : thing, matter, business.

Sartor, sartōris, m. : tailor, mender.

Sīcut — just as, as, like

Tabernārius, iī, m. — shopkeeper, innkeeper

Tandem — finally, at last

Ubī — where, when

Translation

When Jupiter created man, he said to Mercury, “Make a mixture of lies, and add a little to the ingredients from which I will create the merchants.” Mercury made the mixture and added equal parts in turn to the ingredients of the candlemakers and merchants and tailors. At last only the stablemen remained, but Mercury also had much of the mixture. And so he put the entire mixture into the ingredients of the stablemen. For this reason, all shopkeepers lie, but no one lies like the stablemen.

Hannibal Reader

Bede Reader

Vita Hannibalis

[3]

Cuius post obitum, Hasdrubale imperatore suffecto,^[1] equitatui omni praefuit. Hoc quoque interfecto exercitus summam imperii ad eum detulit. Id Carthaginem delatum publice comprobatum est. 2 Sic Hannibal, minor V et XX annis natus imperator factus, proximo triennio omnes gentes Hispaniae bello subegit; Saguntum, foederatam civitatem, vi expugnavit; tres exercitus maximos comparavit. 3 Ex his unum in Africam misit, alterum cum Hasdrubale fratre in Hispania reliquit, tertium in Italiam secum duxit. Saltum Pyrenaeum transiit. Quacumque iter fecit, cum omnibus incolis conflixit: neminem nisi victum dimisit. 4 Ad Alpes posteaquam venit, quae Italiam ab Gallia seiungunt, quas nemo umquam cum exercitu ante eum praeter Herculem Graium transierat, quo facto is hodie saltus Graius appellatur, Alpicos conantes prohibere transitu concidit; loca patefecit, itinera muniit, effecit, ut^[2] ea elephantus ornatus ire posset, qua antea unus homo inermis vix poterat repere. Hac copias traduxit in Italiamque pervenit.

^[1] An ablative absolute

^[2] A purpose clause

Vocabulary

Ā / Ab — from, away from, by

Ad — to, toward, at, near

Āfrica, ae, f. — Africa

Alpēs, Alpium, f. pl. : the Alps

Alpicus, ī, m. — inhabitant of the Alps, Alpine

Alter, altera, alterum — the other (of two), another, second

Annus, ī, m. — year

Ante — before, in front of

Antea — before, previously, formerly

Appellō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call, name, address

Bellum, ī, n. — war

Carthāgō, Carthāginis, f. : Carthage

Cīvitās, cīvitātis, f. : state, citizenship, city, community

Comparō, āre, āvī, ātus — to prepare, provide, raise, gather

Comprobō, āre, āvī, ātus — to approve, confirm, verify, prove

Concidō, ere, concidī : to fall down, collapse, perish; to cut down, chop to pieces, kill, destroy

Cōnflīgō, ere, cōnflīxī, cōnflīctus : to clash, engage in combat, fight

Cōnor, ārī, ātus sum — to try, attempt, endeavor

Cōpia, ae, f. — abundance, supply; (pl. cōpiae) forces, troops

Dēferō, dēferre, dētulī, dēlātus — to carry down, report, confer, deliver

Dīmittō, ere, dīmīsī, dīmissus : to send away, dismiss, release

Dūcō, ere, dūxī, ductus : to lead, conduct, guide

Efficiō, ere, effēcī, effectus : to bring about, cause, accomplish, make

Elephantus, ī, m. — elephant

Eō, īre, iī (īvī), itus — to go

Equitātus, ūs, m. — cavalry

Ex / Ē — out of, from, on account of

Exercitus, ūs, m. — army

Expugnō, āre, āvī, ātus — to take by storm, capture, conquer

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to make, do

Foederātus, a, um — leagued, allied, bound by treaty

Frāter, frātris, m. : brother

Gallia, ae, f. — Gaul

Gēns, gentis, f. : clan, tribe, nation, people

Graius, a, um — Greek, Grecian

Hannibal, Hannibalis, m. : Hannibal

Hasdrubal, Hasdrubalis, m. : Hasdrubal

Herculēs, Herculis, m. : Hercules

Hispania, ae, f. — Spain, Hispania

Hodiē — today, nowadays

Homō, hominis, m./f. : human being, man, person

Imperātor, imperātōris, m. : commander, general, emperor

Imperium, iī, n. — command, power, empire, supreme authority

Incola, ae, m./f. — inhabitant, resident

Inermis, e — unarmed, defenceless

Interficiō, ere, interfēcī, interfectus : to kill, destroy

Italia, ae, f. — Italy

Iter, itineris, n. : journey, march, route, path

Locus, ī, m. (pl. loca, ōrum, n.) — place, region, position

Māgnus (comp. māior / minor, sup. māximus), a, um — large, great; (māximus) greatest, largest; (minor) smaller, younger

Mittō, ere, mīsī, missus : to send, let go, release

Mūniō, īre, mūnīvī (mūniī), mūnītus — to fortify, build, defend, pave (a road)

Nāscor, nāscī, nātus sum — to be born, arise

Nēmō, nēminis, m./f. : no one, nobody

Nisi — unless, except, if not

Obitus, ūs, m. — approach, departure, downfall, death

Omnis, e — all, every, whole

Ōrnō, āre, āvī, ātus — to equip, furnish, adorn, decorate

Patefaciō, ere, patefēcī, patefactus : to open up, disclose, expose

Perveniō, īre, pervēnī, perventus — to arrive, reach, attain

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able, can

Post — after, behind, afterwards

Posteāquam — after that, as soon as, when

Praesum, praeesse, praefuī — to be in charge of, command (+ dat.)

Praeter — except, beyond, past

Prohibeō, ēre, prohibuī, prohibitus — to hold back, prevent, hinder, prohibit

Proximus, a, um — nearest, next, previous

Pūblicē — publicly, on behalf of the state

Pyrēnaeus, a, um — Pyrenean; (m. pl. Pyrēnaēī) the Pyrenees

Quīcumque, quaecumque, quodcumque — whoever, whatever

Quoque — also, too

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus : to leave behind, abandon, relinquish

Rēpō, ere, rēpsī, rēptus : to creep, crawl

Saguntum, ī, n. — Saguntum

Saltus, ūs, m. — forest pasture, woodland, mountain pass

Sēcum — with himself, with herself, with themselves

Sēiungō, ere, sēiūnxī, sēiūnctus : to separate, sever, disjoin

Sīc — so, thus, in this manner

Subigō, ere, subēgī, subāctus : to conquer, subdue, tame

Sufficiō, ere, suffēcī, suffectus : to appoint in place of, substitute, supply, suffice

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be, exist

Summa, ae, f. — highest place, sum total, supreme command

Tertius, a, um — third

Trādūcō, ere, trādūxī, trāductus : to lead across, transfer

Trānseō, īre, trānsiī (iī), trānsitus — to go across, cross over, pass through

Trānsitus, ūs, m. — crossing, transit, passage

Trēs, tria — three

Triennium, iī, n. — space of three years, three years

Umquam — ever, at any time

Ūnus, a, um — one, single, alone

V (Quīnque) — five

Veniō, īre, vēnī, ventus — to come, arrive

Vincō, ere, vīcī, victus : to conquer, defeat, overcome

Vīs, vīs, f. (pl. vīrēs, vīrium) : force, power, violence, strength

Vix — scarcely, hardly, with difficulty

XX (Vīgintī) — twenty

Translation

[3]

After his death and after Hasdrubal had been appointed as the general, Hannibal surpassed the entire cavalry. After Hasdrubal also had been killed, the army delivered him to the height of command. This, after it was reported at Carthage, was approved publicly. ² Thus Hannibal, a youth of twenty-five years, had become the general and in approximately three years defeated all the tribes of Spain n war; he captured Saguntum, a confederated city, by force; he prepared three very great armies. ³ Of these he sent one into Africa; another he left with his brother Hasdrubal in Spain; the third he led with him into Italy. He crossed the narrow passes of the Pyrenees. In whatever part he crossed, he clashed with all the natives: he allowed no one to escape unless he had been conquered. ⁴ After he came to the Alps, which separate Italy from Gaul and which no one ever had crossed with army before him except Hercules Graius from whose deed today the pass is called Graius, and Hannibal killed the Alpine tribes who tried to hinder his crossing; he uncovered their places, fortified the routes and made it so that an armed elephant was able to cross where before one man scarcely was able to crawl unharmed. Here he led his forces and arrived in Italy.

I’ve finished a Latin reader series for the Metamorphoses which adapts the Metamorphoses into simple prose for beginner readers. A If you like this sort of thing, you can check out my series of readers for Plutarch’s Lives, Aesop’s Fables, and the Aeneid. And if you like this sort of thing, please buy a book, leave a positive review and like and share this post.

Metamorphoses Reader

Plutarch Reader

Aesop V Reader

Equi Currunt

Puer occupat levem cum iuvenālī currum statque super manibusque levēs contingere habēnās gaudet et invītō grātēs agit inde parentī.

Intereā volucrēs Pyrōis et Eōus et Aethōn, Sōlis equī, quārtusque Phlegōn cum hinnītibus aurās flammiferīs inplent pedibusque repāgula pulsant. Tethys, fātōrum īgnāra nepōtis, repāgula reppulit, et equī viam corripuērunt et cum pedibus per aera scindunt. Sed leve erat pondus quod Sōlis equī cōgnōscere possunt, et solita iugum gravitāte carēbat. Currus, onere adsuētō vacuus, dat in aera saltūs, et equī succutiunt currum altē similem inānī.

Quadriiugī hoc simulac sēnsērunt, et ruunt trītumque relinquunt spatium. Puer ipse pavet, nec habēnās flectere potest, nec iter invenīre potest, nec illīs imperāre potest. Tum prīmum cum radiīs gelidī caluērunt Triōnēs, et vetitō frūstrā temptāvērunt in aequore tingī.[1] Serpēns, polō glaciālī proxima, erat frīgore pigra nec formīdābilis ullī, sed incaluit sūmpsitque novās ē fervōribus īrās. Boōtēs quoque fūgit quamvīs tardus erat et plaustra eum tenent.

Ut īnfēlīx Phaethōn ab summō aethere terrās dēspēxit, palluit, et subitō genua intremuērunt cum timōre, et oculīs tenebrae per tantum lūmen surrēxērunt. Iam māvult equōs numquam tangere paternōs, iam cōgnōscere genus piget et valēre illud quod rogāvit.[2] Iam vult esse fīlius Meropis. Quid facere potest? Multum caelī est post terga, sed plūs ante oculōs. In animō mētītur[3] utrumque et occāsūs, quōs ēius fātum contingere nōn est, prōspicit, interdum respicit ortūs. Stupet, et nec frēna remittit nec retinēre valet nec nōmina nōvit equōrum. Quoque in variō passim caelō videt mīrācula vāstārumque simulācra ferārum. Est locus ubī in geminōs brācchia concavat arcūs Scorpios, et cum caudā utrimque et lacertīs porrigit membra in spatium sīgnōrum duōrum. Ut puer hunc madidum cum sūdōre venēnī vīdit, mentis inops cum formīdine gelida lōra remīsit.

[1] To be touched

[2] To avail that which he asked for

[3] measures

Vocabulary

Ā, ab (prep. + abl.)—from, away from; by

Adsuēscō, ere, adsuēvī, adsuētus : to accustom, become used to.

Aequor, aequoris, n. : sea, level surface.

Aes, aeris, n. : bronze, air.

Aether, aetheris, m. : ether, upper air, sky.

Aethōn, Aethōntis, m. : Aethon (one of the sun’s horses).

Agō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to lead, drive, do.

Altē (adv.) — on high, deeply

Animus, ī, m. — mind, spirit, courage

Ante (prep. + acc.) — before, in front of

Arcus, ūs, m. — bow, arch

Aura, ae, f. — breeze, air

Boōtēs, Boōtae, m. — Bootes (the wagoner constellation)

Brācchium, iī, n. — arm

Caelestis, e — celestial, heavenly

Caelum, ī, n. — heaven, sky

Caleō, ēre, uī — to be warm, glow

Careō, ēre, uī — to lack, be without (+ abl.)

Cauda, ae, f. — tail

Cōgnōscō, ere, cōgnōvī, cōgnitus : to know, recognize.

Concavō, āre, āvī, ātus — to hollow out, curve

Contingō, ere, contigī, contāctus : to touch, reach.

Corripiō, ere, corripuī, correptus : to seize, snatch up.

Currus, ūs, m. — chariot

Dēspiciō, ere, dēspēxī, dēspectus : to look down at.

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give

Duo, duae, duo — two

Ē, ex (prep. + abl.) — out of, from

Eōus, ī, m. — Eous (one of the sun’s horses)

Equus, ī, m. — horse

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to make, do.

Fātum, ī, n. — fate, destiny

Fera, ae, f. — wild beast

Fervor, fervōris, m. : heat, boiling.

Fīlius, iī, m. — son

Flammifer, flammifera, um — flame-bearing

Flectō, ere, flēxī, flexus : to bend, turn.

Formīdābilis, e — formidable, terrifying

Formīdō, formīdinis, f. : fear, terror.

Frēnum, ī, n. — bridle, rein

Frīgus, frīgoris, n. : cold.

Frūstrā (adv.) — in vain

Fugio, ere, fūgī : to flee.

Gaudeō, ēre, gāvīsus sum — to rejoice

Gelidus, a, um — icy, cold

Geminus, a, um — twin, double

Genū, genūs, n. — knee

Genus, generis, n. : race, lineage, kind.

Glaciālis, e — icy, frozen

Grātēs, f. pl. — thanks

Gravitās, gravitātis, f. : weight, gravity.

Habēna, ae, f. — rein

Hinnītus, ūs, m. — neighing

Iam (adv.) — now, already

Īgnārus, a, um — ignorant, unknowing (+ gen.)

Imperō, āre, āvī, ātus — to command, order (+ dat.)

Inānis, e — empty, hollow

Incalēscō, ere, incaluī : to grow hot.

Inde (adv.) — then, from there

Īnfēlīx, īnfēlīcis — unhappy, unlucky

Inops, inopis — helpless, destitute (+ gen.)

Inpleō, ēre, ēvī, ētus — to fill

Interdum (adv.) — sometimes

Intereā (adv.) — meanwhile

Intremō, ere, intremuī : to tremble, shake.

Inveniō, īre, invēnī, inventum — to find

Invītus, a, um — unwilling

Ipse, ipsa, ipsum — himself, herself, itself

Īra, ae, f. — anger, wrath

Iter, itineris, n. : journey, path.

Iugum, ī, n. — yoke

Iuvenālis, e — youthful

Lacertus, ī, m. — arm, upper arm

Levis, e — light, slight

Lēvis, e — smooth, polished

Locus, ī, m. — place

Lōrum, ī, n. — thong, rein

Lūmen, lūminis, n. : light; (pl.) eyes.

Madidus, a, um — wet, dripping

Manus, ūs, f. — hand

Māvult — (from mālō) prefers

Membrum, ī, n. — limb

Mēns, mentis, f. : mind.

Merops, Meropis, m. : Merops (husband of Clymene).

Mētior, mētīrī, mēnsus sum — to measure, estimate

Mīrāculum, ī, n. — miracle, wonder

Multum (adv.) — much

Nepōs, nepōtis, m./f. : grandson, descendant.

Nōmen, nōminis, n. : name.

Nōscō, ere, nōvī, nōtus : to know, recognize.

Novus, a, um — new

Numquam (adv.) — never

Occāsus, ūs, m. — setting (of the sun), west

Occupat — (from occupō, āre) seizes, takes

Oculus, ī, m. — eye

Onus, oneris, n. : burden, weight.

Ortus, ūs, m. — rising (of the sun), east

Pallēscō, ere, palluī : to grow pale.

Parēns, parentis, m./f. : parent.

Passim (adv.) — everywhere, far and wide

Paternus, a, um — of a father, paternal

Paveō, ēre, pāvī : to tremble, be terrified.

Per (prep. + acc.) — through

Pēs, pedis, m. : foot.

Phaethōn, Phaethontis, m. : Phaethon.

Phlegōn, Phlegōntis, m. : Phlegon (one of the horses).

Piger, pigra, pigrum — lazy, slow, sluggish

Piget, pigēre, piguit — it irks, causes regret (impers.)

Plaustrum, ī, n. — wagon, wain

Plūs, plūris — more

Polus, ī, m. — pole, sky

Pondus, ponderis, n. : weight.

Porrigit — (from porrigō, ere) stretches forth

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able

Post (prep. + acc.) — after, behind

Prīmum (adv.) — first

Prōspiciō, ere, prōspēxī, prōspectus : to look forward.

Proximus, a, um — nearest (+ dat.)

Puer, puerī, m. — boy

Pulsō, āre, āvī, ātus — to strike, beat

Pyrōis, Pyrōentis, m. : Pyrois (one of the horses).

Quadriiugī, ōrum, m. pl. — four-horse team

Quamvīs (conj.) — although

Quārtus, a, um — fourth

Quis, quid — who, what

Quoque (adv.) — also

Radius, iī, m. — ray

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus : to leave, abandon.

Remittō, ere, remīsī, remissus : to send back, let go.

Repāgula, ōrum, n. pl. — barriers, starting gates

Repellō, ere, reppulī, repulsus : to drive back.

Respiciō, ere, respēxī, respectus : to look back.

Retineō, ēre, uī, retentus — to hold back, retain

Rogō, āre, āvī, ātus — to ask

Ruō, ere, ruī, rutum : to rush.

Saltus, ūs, m. — leap, jump

Scindō, ere, scidī, scissus : to cut, split.

Scorpios, m. : Scorpio (the constellation).

Sentiō, īre, sēnsī, sēnsus — to feel, perceive

Serpēns, serpentis, f. : Snake (the constellation).

Sīgnum, ī, n. — sign, constellation

Similis, e — similar, like (+ dat./gen.)

Simulac (conj.) — as soon as

Simulācrum, ī, n. — likeness, image

Sōl, sōlis, m. : sun.

Solitus, a, um — accustomed, usual

Spatium, iī, n. — space, track

Stō, stāre, stetī, status — to stand

Stupeō, ēre, uī — to be stunned, dazed

Subitō (adv.) — suddenly

Succutiō, ere, succussī, succussus : to toss up, shake.

Sūdor, sūdōris, m. : sweat.

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Summus, a, um — highest, top of

Sūmō, ere, sūmpsī, sūmptus : to take, assume.

Super (adv./prep. + acc.) — above

Surgō, ere, surrēxī, surrēctum : to rise, get up.

Tangō, ere, tetigī, tāctus : to touch.

Tantum (adv.) — so much

Tardus, a, um — slow, sluggish

Temptō, āre, āvī, ātus — to try, attempt

Tenebrae, ārum, f. pl. — darkness

Teneō, ēre, uī, tentus — to hold

Tergum, ī, n. — back

Terō, ere, trīvī, trītus : to rub, wear, beat (a path).

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth

Tethys, f. : Tethys (sea goddess).

Timōr, timōris, m. : fear.

Tingō, ere, tīnxī, tīnctus : to wet, dip.

Triōnēs, m. pl. : the Plow (the Great/Little Bear).

Tritus, a, um- well-trodden, well-worn, familiar

Tum (adv.) — then

Ubī (adv./conj.) — where, when

Ullus, a, um — any

Ut (adv./conj.) — as, when

Utrimque (adv.) — on both sides

Utrumque — (from uterque) each (of two)

Vacuus, a, um — empty

Valēō, ēre, uī — to be strong, be able

Varius, a, um — varied, changing

Vāstus, a, um — vast, immense

Venēnum, ī, n. — poison, venom

Vetitus, a, um — forbidden

Via, ae, f. — way, road

Videō, ēre, vīdī, vīsus — to see

Volō, velle, voluī- to want, wish

Volucris, e — winged; (noun f.) bird

Translation

The boy occupies the light chariot with his youth and stands above and rejoices to touch the light reins with his hands and then gives thanks to his unwilling father.

Meanwhile swift Pyrois and Eous and Aethon, the horses of the Sun, and the fourth Phlegon fill the air with fiery neighing and strike the starting barriers. Tethys, unaware of the fates of her grandson, drive back the starting gates, and the horses grasp the path and with their feet cut through the air. But light is the weight which the horses of the Sun can recognize, and used to the yoke, they lack weight. The chariot, empty of the accustomed weight, gives leaps into the air, and the horses toss the, similar to empty, high.

As soon as the four-horse team sensed this, they rush and leave the well-worn space. The boy himself is scared and cannot turn the reins and cannot find the route and cannot command them. Then first the cold Ursa Major and Ursa Minor warmed with its rays, and in vain they tried to be touched by the forbidden sea. Draco, nearest the glacial pole, was sluggish from the cold and not formidable to any, but it warms and takes new wraths from the heat. Bootes also fled although he was slow and his wagon held him.

As unhappy Phaethon looked down from the height of heaven, he grew pale, and suddenly his knees trembled with fear, and shadows rose in his through such light. Now he prefers to never touch his father’s horses, now it causes him regret to know his lineage and to avail that which he asked for. Now he wishes to be the son of Merops. What can he do? Much of heaven is behind his back, but more is before his eyes. In his mind he measures each and the west which it is not his fate to reach, he looks forward, sometimes he looks back at the east. He is stunned, and he does not let go the bridle and is not strong enough to hold it back and did not know the names of the horses. Also everywhere in differ parts of heaven he sees wonders and the likenesses of vast wild animals. There is a place where Scorpio curves its arms in twin arcs and, with its tail everywhere and arms, spreads out its members into the space of the two signs. As the boy sees this dripping with its sweat of venom, destitute of his mind with icy terror he let go the reins.

De Bello Civili Reader

Catilinarian Orations

Aesop in Latin For Beginners

[66] Media circiter nocte eis, qui aquandi causa longius a castris processerant, ab equitibus correptis fit ab his certior^[1] Caesar duces adversariorum silentio copias castris educere. Quo cognito^[2] signum dari iubet et vasa militari more conclamari. Illi exaudito clamore veriti, ne^[3] noctu impediti sub onere confligere cogerentur aut ne ab equitatu Caesaris in angustius tenerentur, iter supprimunt copiasque in castris continent. Postero die Petreius cum paucis equitibus occulte ad exploranda loca^[4] proficiscitur. Hoc idem fit ex castris Caesaris. Mittitur L. Decidius Sasa cum paucis, qui loci naturam perspiciat. Uterque idem suis renuntiat:^[5] V milia passuum proxima intercedere itineris campestris, inde excipere loca aspera et montuosa; qui prior has angustias occupaverit, ab hoc hostem prohiberi nihil esse negotii.

^[1] The linking verb and predicate adjective introduce an indirect statement: he became more certain that…

^[2] An ablative absolute

^[3] Introduces two fear clauses

^[4] Ad with the gerundive to indicate purpose: to explore the area

^[5] Introduces an indirect statement

Vocabulary

Ā + abl. – from

Accipiō, ere, accēpī, acceptus – to receive

Ad + acc. – to, toward

Afferō, afferre, attulī, allātus – to bring; pronounce

Afranius, ī, m. – Afranius

Aliquō – to some place

Alius, a, ud – other

Angustiae, ārum, f. pl. – narrow pass, difficulty

Argumentum, ī, n. – argument, proof

At – but

Caesar, Caesaris, m. – Caesar

Capiō, ere, cēpī, captus – to take, seize

Castra, ōrum, n. pl. – camp

Cēnseō, ēre, cēnsuī, cēnsus – to judge, decide

Centuriō, centuriōnis, m. – centurion

Circumfundō, ere, circumfūdī, circumfūsus – to surround

Cīvīlis, e – civil

Clām – secretly

Coerceō, ēre, coercuī, coercitus – to restrain

Conclāmō, āre, āvī, ātus – to shout aloud

Consilium, ī, n. – plan, counsel

Cōnstituō, ere, cōnstituī, cōnstitūtus – to decide, establish

Cōnsuēscō, ere, cōnsuēvī – to become accustomed

Cōnsulō, ere, cōnsuluī, cōnsultus – to consult; pay attention to

Contineō, ēre, continuī, contentus – to restrain, hold

Dētrīmentum, ī, n. – loss, damage

Disputō, āre, āvī, ātus – to discuss, debate

Dissēnsiō, dissēnsiōnis, f. – disagreement

Equitātus, ūs, m. – cavalry

Etiam – also

Etsī – although

Exeō, īre, exiī, exitus – to go out

Exercitus, ūs, m. – army

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus – to do, make

Interdiū – by day

Iter, itineris, n. – route, march

Locus, ī, m. – place

Locus, ī, m. pl. – places

Lūx, lūcis, f. – light, daylight

Magis – more

Mīles, mīlitis, m. – soldier

Multum – much

Noctū – by night

Nocturnus, a, um – nightly

Obsideō, ēre, obsēdī, obsessus – to besiege

Oculus, ī, m. – eye

Officium, ī, n. – duty

Omnis, e – all

Per + acc. – through

Perrumpō, ere, perrūpī, perruptus – to break through

Perterritus, a, um – thoroughly frightened

Petō, ere, petīvī, petītus – to seek

Petreius, ī, m. – Petreius

Plērusque, plēraque, plērumque – most

Possum, posse, potuī – to be able

Postrīdiē – on the next day

Praesentia, ae, f. – presence

Prīdiē – on the day before

Prīmus, a, um – first

Prius – earlier

Proelium, ī, n. – battle

Profectiō, profectiōnis, f. – departure

Proficīscor, ī, profectus sum – to set out

Pudor, pudōris, m. – shame, honor

Quaerō, ere, quaesīvī, quaesītus – to seek

Quam – than

Quārē – therefore

Ratiō, ratiōnis, f. – reason, method

Religiō, religiōnis, f. – religious obligation

Rēs, reī, f. – matter, affair

Salvus, a, um – safe, unharmed

Sententia, ae, f. – opinion, judgment

Sentiō, īre, sēnsī, sēnsus – to perceive, feel

Soleō, ēre, solitus sum – to be accustomed

Sum, esse, fuī – to be

Summa, ae, f. – highest point, total

Sūmō, ere, sūmpsī, sūmptus – to take

Tamen – nevertheless

Tempus, temporis, n. – time

Timor, timōris, m. – fear

Tribūnus, ī, m. – tribune

Veniō, īre, vēnī, ventus – to come

Vincō, ere, vīcī, victus – to conquer

Vitō, āre, āvī, ātus – to avoid

Translation

[67] It was discussed in council by Petreius and Afranius, and a time of departing was sought. Several decided that they would march at night: that before night it was possible to come to the narrow passes before they were perceived. Some, because on the previous night there had been an alarm in Caesar’s camp, took up arguments that there could not be a secret exit from this place and that Caesar’s cavalry was dispersed at night and blocked every place and the march; that a night battle must be avoided because a terrified soldier in civil strife is accustomed to pay attention to fear rather than his obligation. But daylight by itself brings much shame from the eyes of all, and even the presence of the tribunes of the soldiers and centurions produces much; coerced by these things, soldiers are accustomed to be held in their station. Therefore, there must be breakthrough during the day with every plan: even if some damage is accepted, nevertheless, the place, which they were seeking, could be captured while the essence of the army was preserved. This argument prevailed in the counsel, and at first light on the following day, they decided to proceed.

Augsburg Confession Latin Reader

Aesop's Fables in Latin V

Epistle to the Romans Latin Reader

III.100-102

100] Hoc enim tibi praedictum sit, quamquam Verbi divini omnium esses scientissimus, omnesque reliquos huius anteires cognitione et magisterio: quotidie tamen in Satanae potestate et regno positus es diu noctuque non desinentis tibi machinari perniciem, ut in corde tuo incredulitatem excitet, teque malis cogitationibus adversus priora et omnia praecepta incendat. Quare omnibus modis necessarium est, ut^[1] Verbum Dei in promptu, habeas et, quod dici solet, in numerato,^[2] hoc est, in corde, in ore, in auribus. Quiescente autem corde, nec Verbo Dei personante, impressionem facit^[3] ac prius, quam animadvertamus, damnum dedit.

101] Contra, ea vis et virtus Verbi est, ut,^[4] ubi seria quadam animi agitatione revocatur in memoriam, aut auditur et tractatur, nunquam sine fructu evanescat, sed subinde nova quadam intelligentia, voluptate ac devotione auditorem afficiat, retineat ac excitet, pectusque et cogitationes purificet. Neque enim verba sunt putrida aut emortua, succo et vigore carentia, 102] sed plane viva et efficacia. Adhaec, si nulla alia utilitas aut necessitas ad crebro et diligenter audiendum Dei Verbum nos provocaret, tamen haec una satis vehemens esse debebat, quae merito omnes nos excitaret, quod Verbi divini tractatione daemon fugatur et abigitur, et hoc praeceptum impletur, Deoque acceptius est sui Verbi exercitium, quam omnia alia splendida hypocritarum opera.

^[1] Introduces an indirect command

^[2] An idiomatic expression meaning in ready money

^[3] The implied subject is the devil

^[4] Introduces a result clause

Vocabulary

Abigō, ere, ēgī, āctus : to drive away, banish.

Acceptus, a, um — acceptable, welcome

Ad (prep. + acc.) — to, toward, for

Adhaec — besides, in addition, moreover

Adversus (prep. + acc.) — against, toward

Afficiō, ere, fēcī, fectus : to affect, influence, move.

Agitātiō, agitātiōnis, f. : movement, agitation, activity.

Alius, alia, aliud — other, another

Animadvertō, ere, vertī, versus : to notice, attend to, punish.

Animus, ī, m. — mind, spirit, soul

Anteeō, īre, iī (īvī), itus — to go before, surpass

Audiō, īre, īvī, ītus — to hear

Audītor, audītōris, m. : hearer, listener.

Auris, auris, f. : ear.

Autem — however, but

Carentia, ae, f. — lack, freedom from, absence

Cōgitātiō, cōgitātiōnis, f. : reflection, thought, framing.

Cognitiō, cognitiōnis, f. : knowledge, acquaintance, learning.

Contrā — on the other hand, opposite

Cor, cordis, n. : heart.

Crēbrō — frequently, repeatedly

Daemon, daemonis, m. : demon, evil spirit.

Damnum, ī, n. — hurt, damage, loss

Dēbeō, ēre, uī, itus — to owe, ought, must

Dēsinō, ere, sīvī (siī), situs : to leave off, cease.

Deus, ī, m. — God

Devōtiō, devōtiōnis, f. : devotion, piety, consecration.

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say, speak

Dīligenter — diligently, carefully

Diū — for a long time, long

Dīvīnus, a, um — divine, sacred

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give, render

Efficacia, ae, f. — efficacy, efficiency, power

Emortuus, a, um — dead, lifeless, decayed

Enim — for, indeed

Evānēscō, ere, vān uī — to vanish, fade away, disappear.

Excitō, āre, āvī, ātus — to rouse, excite, stir up

Exercitium, iī, n. — exercise, practice, discipline

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to do, make.

Fructus, ūs, m. — fruit, profit, enjoyment

Fugō, āre, āvī, ātus — to put to flight, chase away

Habeō, ēre, uī, itus — to have, hold

Hypocrita, ae, m. — hypocrite

Impleō, ēre, ēvī, ētus — to fill up, fulfill

Impressiō, impressiōnis, f. : onset, impression, stamp.

Incendō, ere, cendī, cēnsus : to set on fire, inflame, kindle.

Incrēdulitās, incrēdulitātis, f. : unbelief, incredulity.

Intelligentia, ae, f. — intelligence, understanding

Māchinor, ārī, ātus sum — to contrive, plot, devise

Magisterium, iī, n. — office of master, teaching, mastery

Malus, a, um — bad, evil

Memoria, ae, f. — memory, recollection

Meritō — deservedly, with reason

Modus, ī, m. — measure, manner, way

Necessārius, a, um — necessary

Necessitās, necessitātis, f. : necessity, need.

Noctuque — by night

Novus, a, um — new, fresh

Nullus, a, um — none, no, no one

Numerātus, a, um — counted out, paid down, prompt

Nunquam — never

Omnis, e — all, every

Opus, operis, n. : work, task, deed.

Ōs, ōris, n. : mouth, face.

Pectus, pectoris, n. : breast, heart, soul/mind.

Perniciēs, perniciēī, f. : destruction, ruin, disaster.

Persōnāns, antis — sounding through, echoing

Plānē — plainly, clearly, entirely

Positus, a, um — placed, situated, set down

Potestās, potestātis, f. : power, authority, ability.

Praeceptum, ī, n. — precept, command, rule

Praeceptum, ī, n. — precept, command, rule

Praedictus, a, um — predicted, foretold, aforesaid

Prior, prius — former, prior

Prius — before, earlier, first

Promptus, ūs, m. — readiness, visibility

Provocō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call forth, challenge, provoke

Pūrificō, āre, āvī, ātus — to purify, cleanse

Putridus, a, um — rotten, putrid, decayed

Quamquam — although

Quāre — why, wherefore, therefore

Quīdam, quaedam, quiddam — a certain one/thing

Quiēscēns, entis — resting, quiet, still

Quōtīdiē — daily, every day

Regnum, ī, n. — kingdom, realm

Reliquus, a, um — remaining, rest of

Retineō, ēre, uī, tentus — to hold back, retain, keep

Revocō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call back, recall, regain

Satana, ae, m. — Satan

Satis — enough, sufficiently

Scientissimus, a, um — most skillful, most knowledgeable

Sērius, a, um — serious, earnest, grave

Sī — if

Sine (prep. + abl.) — without

Soleō, ēre, solitus sum — to be accustomed

Splendidus, a, um — splendid, bright, magnificent

Subinde — immediately after, from time to time

Succus, ī, m. — juice, sap, moisture/vigor

Sum, esse, fuī — to be

Tamen — nevertheless, yet

Tractātiō, tractātiōnis, f. : handling, treatment, discussion.

Tractō, āre, āvī, ātus — to handle, treat

Ubī — where, when

Ūnus, a, um — one, alone

Ūtilitās, ūtilitātis, f. : utility, advantage, profit.

Vehemēns, entis — vehement, violent, vigorous

Verbum, ī, n. — word

Vigor, vigōris, m. : vigor, liveliness, force.

Virtūs, virtūtis, f. : virtue, power, excellence.

Vīs, vīsris, f. : force, power, strength.

Vīvus, a, um — living, alive

Voluptās, voluntātis, f. : pleasure, delight, enjoyment.

Translation

[100] Indeed this has been proclaimed to you that although you are the most knowledgeable of all of the divine Word and you surpass every other person in understanding and mastery: nevertheless, daily you have been for a long time placed in the power and kingdom of Satan who does not cease at night to devise destruction for you so that he excites disbelief in your heart and ignites evil thoughts against the prior and every commandment. Wherefore, it is necessary that you have the Word of God at ready, that which is accustomed to be said, in cash, that is, in the heart, mouth and ears. Moreover, while the heart is resting and the Word of God is not echoing, he is making an impression and before we notice, he gives damage.

[101] On the contrary, the force and power of the Word is such that, when it is recalled in our memory in a certain serious agitation of the mind or it is heard and handled, it never vanishes without fruit, but it immediately after affects its hearer with a new certain understanding, desire and devotion, preserves it and excites it, and it purifies the heart and thoughts. Indeed these words are not rotten and lifeless, lacking moisture and liveliness, but plainly alive and efficacious. Moreover, if no other use or necessity provokes us to repeated and diligent hearing of the Word of God, nevertheless, this one ought to be vigorous enough, which deservedly excites us all, that the evil spirit is put to flight and driven out by the handling of the divine Word, and this commandment is fulfilled and the practice of the His Word is more accepted by God than every other splendid work of the hypocrites.

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Bede Book I Reader - Teacher Edition

Bede Book I Reader - Student Edition

Learning Latin With the Metamorphoses

Aesop's Latin Fables I

[12]

Exin Brittania^[1] in parte Brettonum, omni armato milite, militaribus copiis uniuersis, tota floridae iuuentutis alacritate spoliata,^[2] quae tyrannorum temeritate abducta nusquam ultra domum rediit, praedae tantum patuit, utpote omnis bellici usus prorsus ignara; denique subito duabus gentibus transmarinis uehementer saeuis, Scottorum a circio, Pictorum ab aquilone, multos stupet gemitque per annos. Transmarinas autem dicimus has gentes, non quod extra Brittaniam essent positae; sed quia a parte Brettonum erant remotae, duobus sinibus maris interiacentibus, quorum unus ab orientali mari, alter ab occidentali, Brittaniae terras longe lateque inrumpit, quamuis ad se inuicem pertingere non possint. Orientalis habet in medio sui urbem Giudi, occidentalis supra se, hoc est ad dexteram sui, habet urbem Alcluith, quod lingua eorum significat petram Cluith; est enim iuxta fluuium nominis illius.

Ob harum ergo infestationem gentium Brettones legatos Romam cum epistulis mittentes, lacrimosis precibus auxilia flagitabant, subiectionemque continuam, dummodo hostis inminens longius arceretur, promittebant. Quibus mox legio destinatur armata, quae, ubi insulam aduecta, et congressa est cum hostibus, magnam eorum multitudinem sternens, ceteros sociorum finibus expulit; eosque interim a dirissima depressione liberatos, hortata est instruere inter duo maria trans insulam murum, qui arcendis hostibus posset esse praesidio; sicque domum cum triumpho magno reuersa est. At insulani murum, quem iussi fuerant, non tam lapidibus quam cespitibus construentes, utpote nullum tanti operis artificem habentes, ad nihil utilem statuunt. Fecerunt autem eum inter duo freta uel sinus, de quibus diximus, maris, per milia passuum plurima; ut, ubi aquarum munitio deerat, ibi praesidio ualli fines suos ab hostium inruptione defenderent. Cuius operis ibidem facti, id est ualli latissimi et altissimi, usque hodie certissima uestigia cernere licet. Incipit autem duorum ferme milium spatio a monasterio Aebbercurnig ad occidentem in loco, qui sermone Pictorum Peanfahel, lingua autem Anglorum Penneltun appellatur; et tendens contra occidentem terminatur iuxta urbem Alcluith.

Uerum priores inimici, ut Romanum militem abisse conspexerant, mox aduecti nauibus inrumpunt terminos, caeduntque omnia, et quasi maturam segetem obuia quaeque metunt, calcant, transeunt; unde rursum mittuntur Romam legati, flebili uoce auxilium inplorantes, ne^[3] penitus misera patria deleretur, ne nomen Romanae prouinciae, quod apud eos tam diu claruerat, exterarum gentium inprobitate obrutum uilesceret. Rursum mittitur legio, quae inopinata tempore autumni adueniens, magnas hostium strages dedit, eosque, qui euadere poterant, omnes trans maria fugauit, qui prius anniuersarias praedas trans maria nullo obsistente^[4] cogere solebant.

Tum Romani denuntiauere^[5] Brettonibus non se ultra ob eorum defensionem tam laboriosis expeditionibus posse fatigari; ipsos potius monent arma corripere, et certandi cum hostibus studium subire, qui non aliam ob causam, quam si ipsi inertia soluerentur, eis possent esse fortiores. Quin etiam, quia et hoc sociis, quos derelinquere cogebantur, aliquid commodi adlaturum putabant, murum a mari ad mare recto tramite inter urbes, quae ibidem ob metum hostium factae fuerant, ubi et Seuerus quondam uallum fecerat, firmo de lapide conlocarunt; quem uidelicet murum hactenus famosum atque conspicuum, sumtu puplico priuatoque, adiuncta secum Brittanorum manu, construebant, VIII pedes latum, et XII altum, recta ab oriente in occasum linea, ut usque hodie intuentibus clarum est; quo mox condito^[6] dant fortia segni populo monita, praebent instituendorum exemplaria armorum. Sed et in litore oceani ad meridiem, quo naues eorum habebantur, quia et inde barbarorum inruptio timebatur, turres per interualla ad prospectum maris conlocant, et ualedicunt sociis tanquam ultra non reuersuri.

Quibus ad sua remeantibus,^[7] cognita^[8] Scotti Pictique reditus denegatione, redeunt confestim ipsi, et solito confidentiores facti, omnem aquilonalem extremamque insulae partem pro indigenis ad murum usque capessunt. Statuitur ad haec in edito arcis acies segnis, ubi trementi corde stupida die noctuque marcebat. At contra non cessant uncinata hostium tela; ignaui propugnatores miserrime de muris tracti solo adlidebantur. Quid plura?^[9] relictis ciuitatibus ac muro fugiunt, disperguntur. Insequitur hostis, adcelerantur strages cunctis crudeliores prioribus. Sicut enim agni a feris, ita miseri ciues discerpuntur ab hostibus; unde a mansionibus ac possessiunculis suis eiecti, inminens sibi famis periculum latrocinio ac rapacitate mutua temperabant, augentes externas domesticis motibus clades, donec omnis regio totius cibi sustentaculo, excepto uenandi solacio, uacuaretur.

^[1] The main verb, stupet, for this subject is delayed until the end of the sentence

^[2] Ablative absolutes

^[3] Introduces an indirect command

^[4] An ablative absolute

^[5] Denuntiavere=denuntiaverunt

^[6] An ablative absolute

^[7] An ablative absolute

^[8] Cognita reditus denegatione- an ablative absolute

^[9] Quid plura (dicimus)?

Vocabulary

Abducō, ere, abdūxī, abductus : to lead away, carry off, withdraw

Abeō, īre, abiī (abīvī), abitūrus — to go away, depart

Accelerō (Adcel-), āre, āvī, ātus — to hasten, accelerate

Aciēs, aciēī, f. — line of battle, sharp edge, keenness

Adiungō, ere, adiūnxī, adiūnctus : to join to, add, attach

Adlātūrus — see Afferō (Adfer-), adferre, attulī, allātus — about to bring, destined to carry

Advehō, ere, advexī, advectus : to carry to; (pass.) arrive by sea

Adveniō, īre, advēnī, adventūrus — to arrive, come to

Aebbercurnig, n. indecl. — Abercorn (monastery at the Firth of Forth)

Afferō (Adfer-), adferre, attulī, allātus — to bring to, introduce

Agnus, ī, m. — lamb

Alacrītās, alacrītātis, f. : alacrity, eagerness, liveliness

Alcluith, n. indecl. — Alcluith (Dumbarton Rock on the Clyde)

Aliquis, aliquid — someone, something, anyone, anything

Alius, alia, aliud — other, another

Allīdō (Adl-), ere, allīsī, allīsus : to dash against, crush

Alter, altera, alterum — the other (of two), second

Altissimus, a, um — highest, deepest (superlative of altus)

Altum, ī, n. — the deep, the open sea

Anglī, ōrum, m. pl. — the Angles / English

Anniversārius, a, um — annual, anniversary

Annus, ī, m. — year

Appellō, āre, āvī, ātus — to call, name, address

Apud (prep. + acc.) — among, near, at

Aqua, ae, f. — water

Aquilō, aquilōnis, m. : the north wind / the North

Aquilōnilis, e — northern

Arceō, ēre, uī — to ward off, enclose, restrain (arcendus: gerundive)

Arma, ōrum, n. pl. — arms, weapons

Armātus, a, um — armed, equipped

Artifex, artificis, m./f. : artisan, craftsman, master builder

Arx, arcis, f. : citadel, stronghold, height

Augeō, ēre, auxī, auctus — to increase, augment

Autem — however, but, moreover

Autumnus, ī, m. — autumn

Auxilium, iī, n. — help, aid, assistance

Barbarus, a, um — barbarian, foreign

Bellicus, a, um — military, pertaining to war

Britannī (Bretto-), ōrum, m. pl. — the Britons

Britannia, ae, f. — Britain

Caedō, ere, cecīdī, caesus : to cut down, strike, slaughter

Caespes (Cesp-), caespitis, m. : turf, sod

Calcō, āre, āvī, ātus — to tread upon, trample underfoot

Capessō, ere, capessīvī (capessiī), capessītus : to seize eagerly, take up (arms)

Causa, ae, f. — cause, reason, lawsuit

Cernō, ere, crēvī, crētus : to discern, see, perceive

Certō, āre, āvī, ātus — to strive, contend, fight (certandus: gerund)

Certus, a, um — certain, sure (certissima: superlative)

Cessō, āre, āvī, ātus — to cease, leave off, delay

Cēterī, ae, a — the rest, the others

Cibus, ī, m. — food

Circius, iī, m. — West-Northwest wind

Cīvis, cīvis, m./f. : citizen, fellow-citizen

Cīvitās, cīvitātis, f. : state, community, city

Clādēs, clādis, f. : destruction, disaster, slaughter

Clāreō, ēre, uī — to shine, be bright, be manifest / illustrious

Clārus, a, um — clear, bright, famous

Cluith, f. indecl. — the Clyde (river in Scotland)

Cōgnōscō, ere, cōgnōvī, cōgnitus : to get to know, learn; (perf.) know

Cōgō, ere, coēgī, coāctus : to drive together, collect, compel

Commodum, ī, n. — advantage, profit, convenience

Condō, ere, condidī, conditus : to build, found, establish, hide

Confestim — immediately, without delay

Cōnfīdēns, entis — confident, bold (confidentiores: comp.)

Congredior, congredī, congressus sum — to meet, encounter, join battle

Conlocō (Coll-), āre, āvī, ātus — to place, station, set up

Cōnspiciō, ere, cōnspexī, cōnspectus : to catch sight of, perceive

Cōnspicuus, a, um — conspicuous, visible, remarkable

Construō, ere, constrūxī, constrūctus : to build, construct, erect

Continuus, a, um — continuous, unbroken

Contrā (prep. + acc. / adv.) — against, opposite to

Cōpia, ae, f. — abundance, supply; (pl.) forces, troops

Cor, cordis, n. : heart, mind, soul

Corripiō, ere, corripuī, correptus : to seize, snatch up, attack

Crūdēlis, e — cruel (crudeliores: comparative)

Cūnctus, a, um — all, entire, whole

Dē (prep. + abl.) — down from, about, concerning

Defendō, ere, defendī, defēnsus : to ward off, protect, defend

Defēnsiō, defēnsiōnis, f. : defense

Dēleō, ēre, lēvī, lētus — to destroy, wipe out

Denegātiō, denegātiōnis, f. : denial, refusal

Dēnique — finally, in short, at last

Dēnuntiō, āre, āvī, ātus — to declare, announce, threaten

Depressiō, depressiōnis, f. : pressing down, subjection, low point

Derelinquō, ere, derelīquī, derelictus : to abandon, desert, leave behind

Destinō, āre, āvī, ātus — to destine, resolve, send, fix

Dēsum, deesse, dēfuī — to be wanting, be missing, fail (+ dat.)

Dextera (Dext-), ae, f. — right hand

Dīcō, ere, dīxī, dictus : to say, speak

Diēs, diēī, m./f. : day

Dīrus, a, um — fearful, dire, ominous (dirissima: superlative)

Discerpō, ere, discerpsī, discerptus : to tear to pieces, mangle

Dispergō, ere, dispersī, dispersus : to scatter, disperse

Diū — for a long time

Dō, dare, dedī, datus — to give, grant

Domesticus, a, um — domestic, private, native

Domus, ūs, f. — house, home

Dōnec — until, as long as

Dummodo — provided that, if only (conj. + subj.)

Duo, duae, duo — two

Edītus, a, um — elevated, high, raised

Eiciō, ere, eiēcī, eiectus : to cast out, eject, expel

Enim — for, indeed, truly

Epistula (Epist-), ae, f. — letter, epistle

Ergō — therefore, consequently

Etiam — also, even, still

Ēvādō, ere, ēvāsī, ēvāsūrus : to escape, go out, pass over

Exceptus, a, um — excepted, except for

Exemplar, exemplāris, n. : pattern, copy, model

Exin / Exinde — thence, next, after that

Expedītiō, expedītiōnis, f. : military campaign, expedition

Expellō, ere, expulī, expulsus : to drive out, expel, banish

Exter, extera, exterum — outward, foreign (exterarum: gen. pl. f.)

Externus, a, um — external, foreign

Extrā (prep. + acc. / adv.) — outside of, beyond

Extrēmus, a, um — outermost, furthest, extreme

Faciō, ere, fēcī, factus : to do, make

Famis, famis, f. : hunger, famine

Fāmōsus, a, um — famous, notorious

Fatigō, āre, āvī, ātus — to weary, fatigue, harass

Fermē / Ferē — almost, approximately, about

Ferus, a, um — wild, savage; (subst. f.) wild beast

Fīnis, fīnis, m./f. : end, limit; (pl.) borders, territory

Firmus, a, um — firm, strong, secure

Flagitō, āre, āvī, ātus — to demand urgently, importune

Flēbilis, e — lamentable, tearful, doleful

Flōridus, a, um — blooming, florid, bright

Fluvius, iī, m. — river, stream

Fortis, e — brave, strong

Fretum, ī, n. — strait, channel, sea

Fugiō, ere, fūgī, fugitūrus : to flee, escape

Fugō, āre, āvī, ātus — to put to flight, rout, chase away

Gemitō, āre — to groan, lament

Gemō, ere, gemuī, gemitus : to groan, bewail, sigh

Gēns, gentis, f. : nation, people, tribe

Giudi, n. indecl. — Giudi (ancient stronghold near Firth of Forth)

Habeō, ēre, uī, itus — to have, hold, possess

Hāctenus — up to this point, thus far, hitherto

Hodiē — today, nowadays

Hortor, ārī, ātus sum — to encourage, urge, exhort

Hostis, hostis, m./f. : enemy

Ibī — there, in that place

Ibīdem — in the same place

Ignārus, a, um — ignorant, unaware, unfamiliar with (+ gen.)

Ignāvus, a, um — cowardly, lazy, spiritless

Improbitās (Inp-), improbitātis, f. : wickedness, shameless boldness

Incipiō, ere, incēpī, inceptus : to begin, commence

Inde — thence, from that place, next

Indigena, ae, m./f. — native, indigenous inhabitant

Inertia, ae, f. — inactivity, laziness, inertia

Infestātiō, infestātiōnis, f. : disturbance, infestation, raiding

Inimīcus, ī, m. — personal enemy, foe

Inmineō (Imm-), ēre — to overhang, threaten, be imminent

Inopīnātus, a, um — unexpected, unlooked for

Inplōrō (Imp-), āre, āvī, ātus — to implore, beseech

Inrumpō (Inr-), ere, inrūpī, inruptus : to burst into, invade

Inruptiō, inruptiōnis, f. : invasion, inruption

Insequor, insequī, insecūtus sum — to follow after, pursue

Instituō, ere, instituī, institūtus : to establish, train, construct (instituendorum)

Instruō, ere, instrūxī, instrūctus : to build, equip, instruct

Insula, ae, f. — island

Insulānus, ī, m. — islander

Inter (prep. + acc.) — between, among

Interiaceō, ēre, uī — to lie between

Interim — meanwhile, in the meantime

Intervallum, ī, n. — interval, space between

Intueor, ēre, itus sum — to look upon, gaze at, consider

Invicem — turn by turn, mutually, one another

Is, ea, id — he, she, it, this, that

Ita — so, thus, in this manner

Iubeō, ēre, iussī, iussus — to order, command

Iuventus, iuventūtis, f. : youth, young men (collectively)

Iuxtā (prep. + acc. / adv.) — near, next to, close by

Laboriōsus, a, um — laborious, full of hardship

Lacrimōsus, a, um — tearful, mournful, lamentable

Lapis, lapidis, m. : stone

Lātē — widely, far and wide

Lātissimus, a, um — widest, broadest (superlative of lātus)

Latrōcinium, iī, n. — robbery, brigandage, piracy

Lātus, a, um — wide, broad

Lēgātus, ī, m. — ambassador, envoy, lieutenant

Legiō, legiōnis, f. : legion (Roman military unit)

Līberō, āre, āvī, ātus — to set free, liberate

Licet — it is permitted, one may (impersonal verb + subj./inf.)

Linea, ae, f. — line, boundary line

Lingua, ae, f. — tongue, language

Lītus, lītoris, n. : shore, coast, beach

Locus, ī, m. — place

Longe — far, far off, by far

Magnus, a, um — large, great

Mānsiō, mānsiōnis, f. : dwelling, station, night-quarters

Manus, ūs, f. — hand, band of men, force

Marceō, ēre — to wither, droop, decay, grow feeble

Mare, maris, n. : sea

Matūrus, a, um — mature, ripe, timely

Medius, a, um — middle, the middle of

Merīdiēs, merīdiēī, m. — midday, noon, the South

Metō, ere, messuī, messus : to reap, harvest, cut down

Metus, ūs, m. — fear, dread

Mīles, mīlitis, m. : soldier, military force

Mīlia, mīlium, n. pl. — thousands

Mīlitāris, e — military, martial

Mīlium — genitive plural of mīlia (thousands)

Miser, misera, miserum — wretched, unfortunate

Miserrimē — most wretchedly (superlative adverb of miserē)

Mittō, ere, mīsī, missus : to send

Monastērium, iī, n. — monastery

Moneō, ēre, uī, itus — to warn, advise, remind

Mōtus, ūs, m. — motion, movement, uprising, rebellion

Mox — soon, presently

Multitūdō, multitūdinis, f. : multitude, crowd

Multus, a, um — much, many

Mūnītiō, mūnītiōnis, f. : fortification, defense structure

Mūrus, ī, m. — wall

Mutuus, a, um — mutual, reciprocal

Nāvis, nāvis, f. : ship

Nihil / Nīl, n. indecl. — nothing

Noctuque — and by night (noctū + enclitic -que)

Nōmen, nōminis, n. : name, title

Nullus, a, um — no, none, no one

Nusquam — nowhere; on no occasion, never

Ob (prep. + acc.) — on account of, because of

Obruō, ere, obruī, obrutus : to overwhelm, bury, crush

Obsistō, ere, obstitī — to oppose, resist, stand in the way (+ dat.)

Obvius, a, um — in the way, meeting, confronting (+ dat.)

Occāsus, ūs, m. — the setting (of the sun), the West

Occidēns, occidentis, m. : the West, the setting sun

Occidentālis, e — western

Ōceanus, ī, m. — ocean

Omnis, e — all, every

Opus, operis, n. : work, labor, military fortification

Oriēns, orientis, m. : the East, the rising sun

Orientālis, e — eastern

Pars, partis, f. : part, direction, region

Passus, ūs, m. — pace (measure of distance, approx. 5 Roman feet)

Patria, ae, f. — fatherland, native country

Peanfahel, n. indecl. — Kinneil (place at the end of the Antonine Wall)

Penītus — inwardly, thoroughly, entirely

Penneltun, n. indecl. — Wallsend / Penteltoun

Per (prep. + acc.) — through, during, by means of

Perīculum, ī, n. — danger, peril

Pertingō, ere : to stretch out, extend to, reach

Pēs, pedis, m. : foot

Petra, ae, f. — rock, boulder

Pictī, ōrum, m. pl. — the Picts

Plūrīmus, a, um — most, very many

Plūs, plūris — more (plūra: acc. n. pl. “more things”)

Ponō, ere, posuī, positus : to place, set up, pitch (camp)

Populus, ī, m. — people, nation

Possessiuncula, ae, f. — small property, tiny estate

Possum, posse, potuī — to be able, can

Potius — rather, preferably

Praebeō, ēre, uī, itus — to offer, provide, show

Praeda, ae, f. — booty, plunder, prey

Praesidium, iī, n. — guard, garrison, protection

Prex, precis, f. : prayer, entreaty (commonly pl. precēs)

Prior, prius — former, prior, earlier (priōrēs: nom. pl. m.)

Prius — before, earlier, first

Prīvātus, a, um — private, personal

Prō (prep. + abl.) — in front of, on behalf of, in place of, for

Promittō, ere, promīsī, promissus : to promise, send forward

Propugnātor, propugnātōris, m. : defender, champion

Prōrsus — straightway, entirely, absolutely

Prospectus, ūs, m. — view, outlook, prospect

Provincia, ae, f. — province

Pūblicus (Pupl-), a, um — public

Putō, āre, āvī, ātus — to think, suppose

Quamvīs — although, however much

Quasi — as if, sort of, as it were

Quia — because

Quin — indeed, furthermore, nay even

Quīque, quaeque, quodque — each, every

Quondam — formerly, once, at one time

Rapācitās, rapācitātis, f. : rapacity, greediness, plundering

Rectus, a, um — straight, direct, right

Redeō, īre, rediī, reditūrus — to return, go back

Regiō, regiōnis, f. : region, district, direction

Relinquō, ere, relīquī, relictus : to leave behind, abandon

Remeō, āre, āvī, ātus — to go back, return

Remōtus, a, um — remote, distant

Revertor, revertī, reversus sum — to turn back, return

Rōma, ae, f. — Rome

Rōmānī, ōrum, m. pl. — the Romans

Rursum / Rursus — backward, again, back

Saevus, a, um — savage, fierce, cruel (saeuis: abl. pl.)

Scottī (Scoti), ōrum, m. pl. — the Scots / Gaels

Seges, segetis, f. : cornfield, crop, standing grain

Segnis, e — sluggish, lazy, slow

Sermō, sermōnis, m. : speech, talk, discourse, language

Sevērus, ī, m. — Severus (Septimius Severus)

Sī — if

Sīcque — and thus, and so (sīc + enclitic -que)

Sīcut — just as, as

Significō, āre, āvī, ātus — to indicate, signify, mean

Sinus, ūs, m. — curve, fold, gulf, bay

Socius, iī, m. — ally, companion, partner

Sōlācium, iī, n. — comfort, solace, relief

Soleō, ēre, solitus sum — to be accustomed

Solitus, a, um — usual, customary

Solum, ī, n. — ground, soil, foundation

Solvō, ere, solvī, solūtus : to loosen, release, dissolve, untie

Spatium, iī, n. — space, distance, interval of time

Spoliō, āre, āvī, ātus — to strip, plunder, despoil

Statuō, ere, statuī, statūtus : to set up, establish, determine

Sternō, ere, strāvī, strātus : to spread out, pave, lay low, prostrate

Strāgēs, strāgis, f. : slaughter, havoc, carnage

Studium, iī, n. — zeal, study, desire, pursuit

Stupeō, ēre, uī — to be astounded, amazed, stunned

Stupidus, a, um — amazed, senseless, dull, stupid

Subeō, īre, subiī, subitus — to undergo, submit to, go under

Subiectiō, subiectiōnis, f. : subjection, submission

Subitō — suddenly, unexpectedly

Sum, esse, fuī, futūrus — to be

Sūmptus (Sumt-), ūs, m. — expense, cost

Suprā (prep. + acc. / adv.) — above, over, before

Sustentāculum, ī, n. — prop, support, sustenance

Tam — so, to such a degree

Tanquam / Tamquam — as if, just as, as it were

Tantum — only, merely

Tantus, a, um — so great, so much

Tēlum, ī, n. — missile, weapon, spear

Temerītās, temerītātis, f. : rashness, temerity

Temperō, āre, āvī, ātus — to restrain, control, temper, refrain from

Tempus, temporis, n. : time, season

Tendō, ere, tetendī, tentus (tēnsus) : to stretch, extend, direct a course

Terminō, āre, āvī, ātus — to limit, end, terminate

Terminus, ī, m. — boundary, limit, end

Terra, ae, f. — land, earth, country

Timeō, ēre, uī — to fear, dread

Tōtus, a, um — whole, entire

Trahō, ere, trāxī, trāctus : to draw, drag, derive

Trāmes, trāmitis, m. : crossway, path, course

Trāns (prep. + acc.) — across, over, beyond

Trānseō, īre, trānsiī, trānsitus — to cross over, pass through

Transmarīnus, a, um — transmarine, from beyond the sea

Tremedus, a, um / Tremēns, entis — trembling, shaking

Triumphus, ī, m. — triumph, triumphal procession

Tum — then, at that time

Turris, turris, f. : tower

Tyrannus, ī, m. — tyrant, usurper

Ubī — where, when

Uilesceret — see Vīlescō, ere, vīluī : to become cheap, grow worthless / vile

Ultra (prep. + acc. / adv.) — beyond, further

Uncinātus, a, um — hooked, barbed

Unde — whence, from which source

Ūniversus, a, um — all together, entire, universal

Ūnus, a, um — one, alone, single

Urbs, urbis, f. : city, walled town

Usque — all the way, continuously, up to

Usus, ūs, m. — use, employment, experience, utility

Ūtilis, e — useful, profitable

Utpote — namely, seeing that, inasmuch as

Vacuō, āre, āvī, ātus — to empty, evacuate, clear out

Valedīcō, ere, valedīxī, valedictus : to say farewell

Vallum, ī, n. — rampart, earthen wall

Vehementer — vehemently, vigorously, exceedingly

Vēnor, ārī, ātus sum — to hunt (uenandi: gen. gerund)

Vērum — but, truly, in truth

Vestīgium, iī, n. — footstep, track, trace

Vīdelicet — clearly, namely, that is to say

VIII — eight

Vōx, vōcis, f. : voice, cry, word

XII — twelve

Translation

Afterwards Britain in the region of the Bretons, after every soldier had been armed, all the supplies belonged to the military and the entire liveliness of the flowering youth, which led away by the rashness of the tyrants had besides never returned home, had been stripped, so much lay open for plunder since it was entirely ignorant of every experience of war; in short it was suddenly amazed by the two violently fierce tribes from across the sea, the Scotti from the northwest and the Picts from the north, and lamented them for many years. But we call these tribes, from across the sea, not because they were located outside of Britain; but because they were remote from the region of the Bretons, because between them two bays of sea lay of which one intruded on the lands of Britain far and wide from the eastern sea, the other from the western although they were not able to reach each other in turn. The eastern has in its midst the city of Giudi, west above it, that is to its right, has the city Alcluith which means in their tongue the Clyde rock; for it is according to the river of that name.

Therefore, because of the infestation of these tribes, the Bretons, when they sent messengers to Rome with letters, urgently demanded help with tears and prayers and promised continuous subjection provided that the present enemy be restrained far away. Soon to them an armed legion was sent, which, when it had arrived at the island and met with the enemy and was laying low a great number of them, expelled other of their allies from their borders; meanwhile it encouraged those who had been freed from their very dire low point to build across the island between the two seas a wall which could be a guard against the restrained enemies; and thus they returned home with a great triumph. But the islanders, constructing the wall, which they had been ordered, not with stones as much as with sod since they had no craftsmen of such fortifications, constructed nothing useful. Moreover, they made it between the two straits or bays about which we have spoken, of the sea for several miles; so that, where the fortification of the waters was lacking, there with the protection of their rampart they defended their borders from the invasion of enemies. Of this work done in the same place, that is of the rampart very wide and very high, all the way to today one may recognize very certain traces. Moreover, it began nearly in the space of two miles from the monastery Abercorn to the west in the place which in the language of the Picts is called Peanfahel but in the language of the Angles Penneltun; and stretching opposite the west it ended near the city Alcluith.

But their former enemies, as soon as they had seen that the Romany army had gone away, soon, after they had arrived by ships, invaded their borders, cut down everything, and af if they feared the mature standing grain and everything which stood in front of them, they trampled it as they crossed it; thence again messengers were sent to Rome who begged for help with fearful voices so that their poor country would not be entirely destroyed and so that the name of a Roman province, which among them had been illustrious for so long, not become worthless after it had been ruined by the wickedness of foreign nations. Again a legion was sent which, arriving in the unexpected season of autumn, provided a great slaughter of the enemy and drove all of those, who were able to escape and who previously were accustomed to collect yearly plunder because nothing opposed them, across the sea.

Then the Romans announced to the Bretons that they no longer could be harassed with so laborious expeditions on account of their defense; rather they warned them to take up arms and undertake the pursuit of the struggle with their enemies who could be stronger than them for no other reason than if the Bretons themselves were lax with laziness. Furthermore also because they thought to offer some advantage to their allies whom they were forced to abandon, they set up a wall out of firm stone from sea to sea with a straight path between cities which had been made in the same place because of the fear of their enemies where also formerly Severus had made the rampart; in fact they constructed this wall up to this point famous and remarkable, undertaken by the public and private and joined by the hand of the Britains with their own, eight feet wide and twelve high, in a straight line from the east to the west as all the way to today it is clear to those who look upon it; soon after this had been established, they gave strong warnings to the lazy people and provided examples of making arms. But also on the shore of the Ocean to the south where their ships were held, because also from there an invasion of the barbarians was feared, they placed towers at intervals to the sight of the sea, and they said goodbye to their allies as if they would not further return.

As they were going back to their country and once their refusal to return was known, the Scotti and Picts themselves immediately returned, and because they had become more confident than usual, they seized the entire far northern region of the island for their inhabitants all the way to the wall. To these things a lazy battle line was established on the height of the citadel where dull from their trembling hearts, they day and night grew feeble. But the hooked javelins of their enemies did not withdraw; the cowardly defenders, pulled very unfortunately from the walls, were crushed by the ground. What more should I say? They fled from the abandoned cities and walls and dispersed. The enemy pursued, and the slaughter, crueler than all the previous ones, were hurried. Indeed just as lambs are torn to pieces by wild beasts, so the poor citizens were by their enemies; whence cast from their dwellings and possessions, they with mutual robbery and plundering, spared themselves the danger of famine while they increased the foreign disasters with their native riots until the entire region was deprived of the substance of all food except the solace of hunting.

I’ve published a reader for this play, and you can find a translation of it which I published a few years ago. It is an excellent play and perhaps my favorite of Seneca’s plays.

Thyestes Latin Reader

Thyestes Translation

Lines 429-433

TANTALVS: Quae causa cogit, genitor, a patria gradum
referre uisa? cur bonis tantis sinum 430
subducis? ira frater abiecta redit
partemque regni reddit et lacerae domus
componit artus teque restituit tibi.

Vocabulary

Ā (prep. + abl.) — from, away from

Abiciō, ere, abiēcī, abiectus : to throw away, cast down.

Artus, ūs, m. — joint, limb, member

Bonus, a, um — good; (as noun) a good thing, blessing

Causa, ae, f. — cause, reason

Cōgō, ere, coēgī, coāctus : to compel, force.

Compōnō, ere, composuī, compositus : to settle, arrange, join.

Cūr (adv.) — why?

Domus, ūs, f. — house, home, family

Frāter, frātris, m. : brother.

Genitor, genitōris, m. : father, begetter.

Gradus, ūs, m. — step, pace, position

Īra, ae, f. — anger, wrath

Lacer, lacera, lacerum — torn, mangled, shattered

Pars, partis, f. : part, portion.

Patria, ae, f. — fatherland, native country

Reddō, ere, reddidī, redditus : to give back, restore.

Redūcō, ere, redūxī, reductus : to lead back, bring back.

Referō, referre, rettulī, relātus — to bring back, carry back

Rēgnum, ī, n. — kingdom, royal power

Restituō, ere, restituī, restitūtus : to restore, replace.

Sinus, ūs, m. — fold of a garment, bosom, bay

Subdūcō, ere, subdūxī, subductus : to withdraw, lead away.

Tantus, a, um — so great, such a great

Videō, ēre, vīdī, vīsus — to see; (pass.) to seem, be seen

Translation

Tantalus: What cause compels you, father, to retrace your step from the country which you have seen? Why do you withdraw your bosom from such goods? Your brother relents from his anger, which has been cast away, and he returns your part of the kingdom. He composes the frame of the mangled house, and he has restored you to yourself.

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