A Traveller's Tale + Trigger Words

Question 1

egressum (1)

Answer 1

Aricia, a basic inn, welcomed me, when I had set out from great Rome: the teacher of rhetoric, Heliodorus, was my companion, by far the most learned of the Greeks.

Question 2

inde (1)

Answer 2

From there we went to the Appian forum, crammed full with sailors and grasping innkeepers.

Question 3

hoc (1)

Answer 3

Being lazy, we divided this journey into two days, even though more energetic travellers than us take only one: the Appian Way is less tiring when taken slowly!

Question 4

hic (1)

Answer 4

Here, I declared war on my stomach because of the terrible water, whilst waiting impatiently whilst the others dined.

Question 5

iam (2-3)

Answer 5

Night was already preparing to spread its shadows over the earth and to sprinkle stars in the sky.

Question 6

tum (2-3)

Answer 6

Then boys began shouting abuse at the bargemen and the bargemen shouted back at the boys: “Put the ship in here! You’re loading three hundred? Hey, that’s enough!”

Question 7

dum (2-3)

Answer 7

A whole hour slipped by, whilst they were collecting money and harnessing the mule.

Question 8

mali (2-3)

Answer 8

The damned mosquitos and marsh frogs drove away sleep whilst the boatman, drunk on lots of bad wine, sang the song of his girl left behind, and a traveller joined in the competition.

Question 9

tandem (2-3)

Answer 9

At last the traveller began to fall asleep, tired out, and the lazy boatman tied to a rock the halter of his mule, put it out to graze, and snored away lying on his back.

Question 10

iamque (2-3)

Answer 10

Now day dawned when we discovered that our barge was not yet moving, till a hot-headed traveller jumped out and beat the head and the backside of the mule and boatman with a willow branch.

Question 11

quarta (2-3)

Answer 11

At 10am at last we had only just set out.

Question 12

ora (3)

Answer 12

We washed our faces and hands in your water, Feronia.

Question 13

milia (3)

Answer 13

Then, after breakfast, we crawled on three miles and we came to Anxur, built upon rocks that shine white, far and wide.

Question 14

huc (3)

Answer 14

Here excellent Maecenas was going to meet us, and Cocceius, both sent has ambassadors on important business, both accustomed to reconciling friends who have fallen out.

Question 15

hic oculis (3)

Answer 15

Here, having inflamed eyes, I smeared black ointment on my eyes.

Question 16

intera (3)

Answer 16

Meanwhile, Maecenas arrived and Cocceius and at the same time Fonteius Capito, a man who is so perfectly finished that Mark Antony has no greater friend than him.

Question 17

postera (5-7)

Answer 17

The next day dawned, by far the most joyful: for Poltius, Varius and Viril met us at Sinuessa.

Question 18

O (5-7)

Answer 18

O what embraces and how much joy there was! Whilst in my right mind, I would not have compared anything to agreeable company.

Question 19

proxima (5-7)

Answer 19

A little lodge very close to the Campian Bridge offered us shelter and the local officers offered us salt and fuel, as they should.

Question 20

hinc muli (5-7)

Answer 20

Next to Capua, where the mules shed their saddlebags early.

Question 21

lusum (5-7)

Answer 21

Maecenas went to play ball, Virgil and I went to sleep: for playing ball-games is bad for sore eyes and stomachs.

Question 22

hinc nos (5-7)

Answer 22

Then we were welcomed by Cocceius’s most ample villa, which overlooks the inns of Caudium.

Question 23

tendimus (8-9)

Answer 23

From here we make straight for Beneventum, where our busy host nearly burned the inn whilst turning lean thrushes over the fire.

Question 24

nam (8-9)

Answer 24

As Vulcan escaped through the old kitchen, a darting flame rushed to lick the top of the roof.

Question 25

convivas (8-9)

Answer 25

Then you could see the starving guests and scared slaves snatching the dinner and everyone trying to extinguish the fire.

Question 26

Incipit (8-9)

Answer 26

From that point on, Apulia began to reveal to me her familiar hills, scorched by the Atabulus wind, and which we would never have climbed over if a villa close to Trivicum had not welcomed us with smoke, which brought tears to our eyes, from a fire burning up damp branches with foilage.

Question 27

quattor (10-11)

Answer 27

From here we rushed on in a carriage for twenty-four miles, intending to stay in a little town whose name is not very easy to say in verse but is very easy to refer to with clues:

Question 28

venit (10-11)

Answer 28

here water, the cheapest of things, is sold, but the bread is by far the finest, so an experienced traveller is accustomed to carrying some on his shoulders to the next stage of his journey.

Question 29

nam canusi (10-11)

Answer 29

For at Canusium, the bread is gritty...

Question 30

flentibus (10-11)

Answer 30

From here a sorrowful Varius leaves us, his friends weeping.

Question 31

inde (12-15)

Answer 31

From there we arrived at Rubi, exhausted because of taking a long route made worse by the rain.

Question 32

Postera tempestas (12-15)

Answer 32

On the next day, the weather was better but the road worse, all the way to the walls of Barium, renowned for its fish.

Question 33

Dein (12-15)

Answer 33

Then Gnatia, built where the water-nymphs were angry, brought us laughter and fun, as it wanted to persuade us that incense melts without fire on its threshold of the temple...

Question 34

Brundisium (12-15)

Answer 34

Brundisium is the end of a long road and this long poem.