Level 4 Flashcards
The shortest poem of Catullus is only two lines long and begins Odi et amo.
Bonus: The whole poem reads: Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris?/ Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior. What are the principal parts and meaning of the verb from which fieri is derived?
“I HATE AND I LOVE”
FIO, FIERI, FACTUS SUM - “BE MADE, BECOME, HAPPEN”
In Book II of Vergil’s Aeneid, Venus explains to Aeneas : Iam summas arces Tritonia, respice, Pallas/ insedit. Who is this Tritonia Pallas?
Bonus: Venus also tells: Neptunus muros magnoque emota tridenti/ fundamenta quatit. What power of Neptune is being shown?
ATHENA/MINERVA
EARTHQUAKES
On his deathbed, Vergil ordered the unfinished Aeneid to be destroyed, but, instead, Augustus ordered what two individuals to polish and publish it?
Bonus: What fourth century AD Latin grammarian published a vaulable commentary on the works of Vergil?
VARIUS AND TUCCA
DONATUS
What nymph on Mt. Ida foretold to Paris that he would leave her, abduct Helen, and destroy Troy?
Bonus: By what other name was Paris known?
OENONE
ALEXANDER or ALEXANDROS
Identify the common bond: suavium, basium, osculum.
Bonus: Identify the kissers and the kissed in the following lines: Tum pavidae tectis matres ingentibus errant,/ amplexaeque tenent postes atque oscula figunt.
WORDS FOR A KISS
TROJAN WOMEN WERE KISSING COLUMNS
Distinguish between ludi and munera.
Bonus: The munera gladiatorum seem to have originated from what civilization?
LUDI WERE GAMES OR SHOWS AND MUNERA WERE FUNERAL OFFERINGS
ETRUSCAN
Who am I? I killed Pallas, the beloved son of Evander. My sister Juturna tried to save me and convince me to stop fighting, but I refused. I fought and was killed by Aeneas over the hand of Lavinia in marriage.
Bonus: Over what group was Turnus the king?
TURNUS
RUTULIANS
Who was the first Christian emperor of Rome?
Bonus: After defeating Eugenius in the Battle of Aquileia in AD 394, what emperor secured the abolishment of pagan worship and became known as “The Destroyer of Paganism”?
CONSTANTINE (THE GREAT)
THEODOSIUS (THE GREAT or THE FIRST)
What is the difference in meaning between gens and genus?
Bonus: What about mors and mos?
GENS - “CLAN, NATION” and GENUS - “RACE, KIND”
MORS - “DEATH” and MOS - “CUSTOM”
Identify the common bond: Epidaurus, Delos, Delphi.
Bonus: Identify: Albunea, Almathea, Deiphobe.
ORACLES
SIBYLS
What deity did Juno send to release Dido’s spirit?
Bonus: What did Iris do to release Dido’s spirit
IRIS
CUT A LOCK OF HER HAIR
When a crack opened in the Roman Forum in 362 BC, an oracle said that Rome had to throw its most precious resource into it. Who leapt into the abyss to save Rome?
Bonus: Speaking of pits, what was the name of the pit dug by Romulus into which were thrown the first fruits and earth from each of the countries of his followers?
METTIUS CURTIUS
MUNDUS
Literally speaking, what does it mean “to decimate”?
Bonus: Literally speaking, what does it mean “to obliterate”
TO REDUCE BY ONE-TENTH OF ORIGINAL SIZE
TO FORGET or CAUSE TO FORGET
What is the Latin derived term in English which means “the most excellent example” or “the perfect embodiment”? Hint: The Latin is literally translated “the fifth element” or “the fifth essence”.
Bonus: Besides the “fifth element” which moved the objects in the heavens, what were the four basic elements which were identified by Greek philosophers?
QUINTESSENCE
AIR, EARTH, FIRE, WATER
Some scholars have identified Catullus’ Lesbia as Clodia, the sister of what thorn in Cicero’s side?
Bonus: Who was Clodius’ husband at the time of Catullus’ affair?
PUBLIUS CLODIUS PULCHER
QUINTUS CAECILIUS METELLUS CELER
In what province did Catullus serve under Memmius?
Bonus: Why was Catullus angry with Memmius when he returned to Italy?
BITHYNIA
HE HAD NOT BEEN PAID VERY MUCH
We hope that all of you will enjoy this competition. In that sentence the verb spero would normally be followed by what kind of construction?
Bonus: Please translate that sentence.
INDIRECT SPEECH
SPERAMUS (OMNES) VOS GAVISURUOS (ESSE) HOC CERTAMINE
Distinguish between impero and impeto.
Bonus: Distinguish between latro and latro
COMMAND and ATTACK
BANDIT and TO BARK
What sad news did Antilochus bring to Achilles?
Bonus: Who was the father of Antilochus?
THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS
NESTOR
What was the mark of censure called in ancient Rome, placed next to a citizen’s name on the census lists by the censors?
Bonus: If you were a senator, the nota meant of course that you were removed from the Senate. But what did it mean if you were a private citizen?
NOTA
REMOVAL FROM YOUR TRIBE AND LOSS OF VOTING PRIVILEGES
Lucius wants to become famous, so he joins one of the Circus factions, buys a biga and enters the next race. What exactly is a biga?
Bonus: Lucius has to finish how many laps in the Circus Maximus to complete the race?
TWO-HORSE CHARIOT
SEVEN
What bad emperor was slanderously accused of having sexual relations with his three sisters?
Bonus: What great-grandmother of Caligula referred to him as “Ulysses in petticoats”?
CALIGULA
LIVIA
“I saw you all walking down the hall.” Translate the participle in that sentence.
Bonus: Now translate the verb in the indirect speech clause of this sentence: “I knew that you would be walking down the hall”.
AMBULANTES
AMBULATUROS (ESSE)`]
How do you translate this Latin idiom: ubinam gentium?
Bonus: How would you say “nowhere in the world”?
WHERE IN THE WORLD
NUMQUAM GENTIUM
What ablative is seen in Vergil’s phrase natus dea?
Bonus: With that ablative usage, say in Latin. Lucius was born to Caesar’s daughter.
ABLATIVE OF ORIGIN
LUCIUS FILIA CAESARIS NATUS EST
The Appian Way was built in the late 4th cent. B.C. during a series of wars against what great confederation of tribes in central Italy?
Bonus: The Via Appia originally was designed to secure communications with Campania, the area around the Bay of Naples, and ran to what city located in the Campanian plain, often referred to at the time as the “second city of Italy”?
THE SAMNITES
CAPUA
Sagittae aureae et plumbeae were contained in the pharetra of what deus amoris?
Bonus: Quo nomine Cupido Graece notus est?
CUPID
EROS
What period of history does the 1st book of Livy cover?
Bonus: Livy became the greatest living historian of Rome and tutored what later emperor of Rome?
FALL OF TROY- END OF MONARCHY
CLAUDIUS
Suavium et basium verba sunt quae uno verbo anglice significare possunt. Quod verbum est?
Bonus: If you ended your Latin love letter with the phrase complexus basiaque, what would you be writing?
KISS
HUGS AND KISSES
What son of Autonoe and Aristaeus, and student of the centaur Chiron, was changed into a stag by Artemis?
Bonus: What crime had he committed?
ACTAEON
STUMBLING UPON ARTEMIS WHILE SHE WAS BATHING
What is the adverbial form of the adjective humanus?
Bonus: What two forms of adverbs exist for the adjective miser?
HUMANITER/HUMANE
MISERE, MISERITER
Distinguish in meaning between fauces and facies.
Bonus: Distinguish in meaning between solum and solium.
THROAT and FACE
GROUND and THRONE
The sentence: Non Cinnae, non Sullae longa dominatio is an example of what kind of rhetorical figure?
Bonus: What figure of speech (other than ellipsis) is in this sentence: Longa tibi exsilia et vastum maris aequor arandum.
ELLIPSIS
ZEUGMA
Tiberius spend the years 12-9 B.C. putting down a great rebellion, celebrating a triumph for his effort. Over what people did he triumph in 9 B.C.?
Bonus: Tiberius had a younger brother, with whom he also campaigned, until this brother died on the German frontier in 9 B.C. What was his name?
THE PANNONIANS
DRUSUS
What do the following having in common: far, flammeum, thalamus, nupta?
Bonus: Thalamus is the name of the marriage bed. But it had another name as well. What was it?
RELATED TO A WEDDING
LECTUS GENIALIS
What region of Greece would you be in if Macedonia was to the north, Epirus to the west, and Aetolia to the south?
Bonus: What great mountain, famous to the Greeks and known to all of you, lies between Thessaly and Macedonia?
THESSALY
MT. OLYMPUS
The Lex Hortensia of 287 B.C. Was marked the final stage of the struggle between the plebians and patricians for political and social equality. What did this law do?
Bonus: The Lex Poetilia of 326 B.C. was also a landmark in Roman law and a milestone in the plebeians’ struggle to free themselves from the domination of the patricians. What did the Lex Poetilia’ do?
IT MADE LAWS PASSED BY THE PLEBEIANS BINDING ON THE ENTIRE ROMAN PEOPLE
PROHIBITED IMPRISONMENT OF ROMAN CITIZENS FOR DEBT
Who am I? I was the daughter of Cadmus. Zeus was in love with me and told me that anything I asked of him, he would do. Foolishly, I told him that I wanted to see him in all his splendor. I didn’t survive the experience.
Bonus: My child, Dionysus, was saved by this god, who sewed him into Zeus’ thigh until he was ready to be born.
SEMELE
HERMES
If we wanted to say in Latin “I ran in order that no one might catch me” we would use ne quis, a negative ut clause of purpose. But what would we use if we wanted to express in this sentence a negative ut clause of result?
Bonus: Again, if we wanted to say in Latin “I was mean to them in order that they would never return” we would use ne umquam to express that negative clause of purpose. How about a negative result?
UT NEMO/NULLUS
UT NUMQUAM
We know about the major priesthoods of Rome: the pontifices, the augures, and the like. But Rome had during the republic a number of secondary religious groups charged with performing specific rituals. Name three of these groups.
FETIALES, SALII, LUPERCI, FRATRES ARVALES
A palladium was a miraculous guardian statue and almost every city had one. Who was depicted by the palladium of Troy, which they say had fallen from the sky and which safeguarded the city?
Bonus: What two stories are told about the fate of Troy’s palladium?
ATHENA
IT WAS CARRIED BY AENEAS TO ITALY and IT WAS STOLEN BY THE GREEKS
Translate this sentence: “Let’s live in the country”
Bonus: Now make the sentence negative
VIVAMUS RURI
NE VIVAMUS RURI
Who am I? Zeus formed me from a cloud in order to trick Ixion, who wished to seduce Hera. After accomplishing that purpose, I became the wife of Athamus and had two children, Phrixus and Helle.
Bonus: What creatures were the product of the union of Nephele and Ixion?
NEPHELE
THE CENTAURS
Distinguish in meaning between fistula and fibula.
Bonus: Now distinguish between vertex and vortex.
REED PIPE and BROOCH
PEAK and WHIRLPOOL
What am I? I was one of the more celebrated landmarks of ancient Rome and still stand today. I was commissioned by the Senate in 13 B.C. following Augustus’ victories in Spain and consecrated on the Campus Martius in 9 B.C. I’m rectangular in shape and my south side is decorated with sculptures of Augustus and the imperial family.
Bonus: That procession was led by two lictors, followed by Augustus between two consuls; then four Flaminian priests and the Flaminian lictor; and then Agrippa and his wife Julia. Between Agrippa and Julia is a young child, their son. What was his name?
THE ARA PACIS (ALTER OF PEACE)
GAIUS (IULIUS CAESAR)
Claudia, although born of a patrician family, is unfortunately not eligible to become a Vestal Virgin. What are two of the reasons that might disqualify her?
Bonus:We know that the Vestal Virgins tended the undying fire of Rome, but what was their other main duty?
OLDER THAN 10, YOUNGER THAN 6, NOT A VIRGIN, HER MOTHER AND FATHER ARE DEAD, HAS A SPEECH OR BODILY DEFECT, HER SISTER HAS ALREADY BEEN CHOSEN AS A VESTAL VIRGIN
TO PREPARE THE GRAIN FOR PUBLIC SACRIFICES
What epic poet of the empire, who wrote of the Civil War, was forced by Nero to commit suicide for his part in the Pisonian conspiracy of 65 A.D.?
Bonus: His work, an epic in 10 books covering the years 49-48 B.C., was known as de bello civili. But by what other name was it known in the ancient world?
LUCAN
PHARSALIA
Catullus opens one of his poems with “Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire / et quod uides perisse perditum ducas.” What advice is Catullus giving himself?
Bonus: What is the basic meter of these lines?
TO STOP PLAYING THE FOOL AND TO CONSIDER WHAT HE SEES TO BE LOST AS LOST
(LIMPING) IAMBIC
Paris, the son of Priam and Hecuba, had a lousy childhood. When his father Priam was warned by a soothsayer that his unborn son would be the destruction of Troy, what did Priam do?
Bonus: The king’s shepherd did as he was commanded, but when he returned to Mt. Ida five days later he found Paris still alive, being suckled by a wild animal. What kind of animal was that?
ORDERED THE INFANT TO BE EXPOSED ON MT. IDA
A WILD BEAR
Distinguish between appello, -are and appello, -ere
Bonus: Give me the third principal parts of both those verbs.
TO NAME and TO DRIVE/ STEER
APPELAVI, APPULI
Although the economic history of Rome is very murky to, 269 B.C. is generally regarded as the date the Romans first did what?
Bonus: Prior to the introduction of coinage, what did the Romans typically use for exchange?
COINED THEIR OWN MONEY BRONZE BARS (AES SIGNATUM)
A participle, of course, is a verbal adjective. But give me the principal parts and meaning of the Latin verb from which our word “participle” derives.
Bonus: Using a participle, say in Latin “Having delayed a little while, the soldiers left camp”.
PARTIOR, -IRI, ITUS SUM and TO SHARE
PAULUM MORATI, MILITES E CASTRIS EXCESSERUNT
What did Philoctetes receive as a reward for lighting Hercules’ funeral pyre?
Bonus: Philoctetes sailed with the Greeks to Troy, but was marooned at Lemnos due to a rancid wound he had recieved from a snake bite. Later, when the Greeks begged him to rejoin them, he refused until Hercules, now a god, appeared and promised that he would be healed if he joined the Greeks and that with his arrows he would kill what Trojan?
HERCULES’ BOW AND ARROW
PARIS
What right did Roman citizens have by virture of the ius honorum?
Bonus: What right did they have by virtue of the ius imaginis?
THE RIGHT TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE
THE RIGHT TO PLACE THE DEATH MASKS OF THEIR ANCESTORS IN THEIR ATRIA AND CARRY THEM IN FUNERALS
What two major sources did Livy use for his account of the Hannibalic War?
Bonus: It looks like Livy originally meant only to cover the history of Rome down to 43 B.C., when the liberty of the Roman people ended with the death of Cicero. But Livy lived on and so kept writing. With the events of what year did he finally finish his work?
FABIUS PICTOR AND POLYBIUS
9 BC
Distinguish faveo and foveo.
Bonus: Distinguish malus and malus (long -a).
TO FAVOR and TO FOSTER/CHERISH
EVIL/BAD and MAST OF A SHIP
In Book IV of the Aeneid what does Vergil describe as rushing through the cities of Africa, a malum qua non aliud velocius ullum / mobilitate viget, viresque adquirit eundo, a monstrum horrendum, ingens, cui, quot sunt corpore plumae / tot vigiles oculi subter?
Bonus: Please explain the grammar of eundo in that last line (repeat if necessary).
RUMOR
GERUND, ABLATIVE OF MEANS
Who am I? I was tribune in 57 B.C. and worked for Cicero’s recall from exile. During the 50’s I led a faction in the city riots while I rose through the curus honorum. In 52 B.C. I removed my chief enemy, but failed in my bid to become consul. I was brought to trial and, though Cicero defended, was convicted and went into exile at Massilia.
Bonus: Milo did not die in Massilia. Describe the circumstances of his death.
(T. ANNIUS) MILO
HE RETURNED TO ITALY DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND WAS KILLED ATTEMPTING REVOLUTION
The “Proverbs of Seneca,” an apocryphal collection from the Middle Ages, is full of good advice. Please translate this one: Bonum est non laudari, sed esse laudabilem.
Bonus: Here’s another: Bonis nocet qui malis parcit.
IT IS GOOD NOT TO BE PRAISED BUT TO BE PRAISEWORTHY
HE HARMS THE GOOD WHO SPARES THE EVIL
Many excavations of republican and imperial houses reveal cultic meeting places of an eastern god, some 35 known from Rome itself. Typically these meeting places had an altar on a young man was depicted plunging a dagger into the flank of a bull. Who was this young man, the center of the cult worship?
Bonus: Mithraism was only one of the eastern religions that spread throughout the Roman Empire. What rival cult was centered around an Egyptian goddess, whose name means “mistress of the house of life”?
MITHRAS
ISIS
Translate and give me the use of the subjunctive in this sentence: Scio nonnullos esse qui mihi nocere temptaverint.
Bonus: Translate and give me the use of the subjunctive in this sentence: Nemo satis scit quid speret aut timeat
I KNOW THAT SOME TRIED TO HARM ME AND SUBJUNCTIVE IN ORDINATE CLAUSE WITHIN INDIRECT SPEECH
NO ONE SUFFICIENTLY KNOWS WHAT HE SHOULD HOPE OR FEAR AND SUBJUNCTIVE OF INDIRECT QUESTION
For whom were these verses written: Unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem. / Non enim rumores ponebat ante salutem?
Bonus: Who wrote these lines?
FABIUS MAXIMUS (CUNCTATOR) ENNIUS
Who am I? I was born a girl, but after being raped by Poseiden, he offered to grant me any wish. I wished to become a man and was granted that wish.
Bonus:What other boon did Poseiden grant me?
CAENIS OR CAENEUS
INVULNERABILITY
Tiberius did not have a happy family. His sons died before they could suceed him, victims of what malicious praetorian prefect?
Bonus: Sejanus wished to marry into the imperial family and did succeed in seducing what sister of Claudius and wife of Tiberius’ son Drusus?
SEJANUS
LIVILLA
In how many declensions are both feminine and masculine nouns found?
Bonus: What declensions have no neuter nouns?
ALL FIVE
FIRST AND FIFTH
Bacchus is not really the Roman name for Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Bacchus, in fact, is simply another Greek name for Dionysus. With what purely Roman god was he associated?
Bonus: Give me the name for this god’s main festival and the month in which it occurs.
LIBER
LIBERALIA, MARCH
You’re in the countryside, looking at a beautiful landscape. You say to your friend, Locus est amoenius. Now change that to the plural.
Bonus: Now distinguish between the plural nominatives loca and loci.
LOCA SUNT AMOENIA
LOCA REFERS TO PLACES and LOCI REFERS TO PASSAGES IN A BOOK
What marshes, south of Rome along the coast, remained the haunt of highwaymen and robbers until well into the Empire?
Bonus: What emperor of the 2nd century attempted in vain to have the Pomptine Marshes drained?
POMPTINE MARSHES
TRAJAN
Why people have double names in the ancient is a real puzzle. But, in any case, what were the names by which the son of Achilles was known?
Bonus: What common circumstance did Neoptolemus share with Philoctetes?
PYRRHUS AND NEOPTOLEMUS
THE PROPHECY THAT TROY WOULD NOT FALL UNTIL NEOPTOLEMUS FOUGHT ON THE GREEK SIDE
Sometimes a Roman general was denied a triumph by the Senate and held one anyway, paid for out of his own pocket. Where were such triumphs usually held?
Bonus: Sometimes a general was awarded a lesser form of triumph, in which he entered Rome not in a chariot but on horseback. What was this called?
ON THE ALBAN MOUNT
OVATION (OVATIO)
Welcome to the Upper Level Finals of the Ad Fontes Certamen. Participles yet again. We all know that the dative of agent is regularly used with the gerundie or the Future Passive Periphrastic construction. But with what participle is the dative of agent commonly seen?
Bonus 1: Keeping that in mind, translate the following sentence, which might have come from the mouth of a tyrant or king: Mihi deliberatum et constitutum est.
Bonus 2: In poetry, the use of the dative of agent was even more widely used, appearing commonly with what type of verb?
PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED AND DELIBERATED BY ME
PASSIVE VERBS
When the Gauls attacked Rome in 390 B.C., who led the Roman garrison in repelling the attack on the citadel?
Bonus 1: Who was appointed dictator to drive the Gauls out of Rome?
Bonus 2: With what title was Camillus rewarded for this service to Rome?
M. MANLIUS CAPITOLINUS
CAMILLUS
THE SECOND FOUNDER OF ROME
Adrastus, Polynices, Tydeus, Capaneus, Parthenopaeus, Mecisteus, and Amphiaraus are all part of what group?
Bonus 1: What Greek playwright immortalized this group by a play of the same name?
Bonus 2: What poet of the Silver Age of Latin recounted the same story in his epic Thebaid?
THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES
AESCHYLUS
STATIUS
A comitia of course is an assembly of the Roman people, but what was the name of the place where the comitia normally met?
Bonus 1: Tell me the names of the three comitia under the Republic.
Bonus 2: Which of these had the duty of formally conferring imperium by means of a lex de imperio on the magistrates and later on the emperors?
COMITIUM
COMITIA CURIATA, CENTURIATA, TRIBUTA
COMITIA CURIATA
Translate this verse and tell me it’s author: Exegi monumentum aere perennius.
Bonus 1: In what work did Horace say this line?
Bonus 2: In that same poem, what does Horace consider his greatest poetic achievement to be?
I HAVE BUILT A MONUMENT MORE LASTING THAN BRONZE and HORACE
THE ODES
TO HAVE ADAPTED GREEK METER INTO LATIN POETRY
The perfect tense tetuli makes its appearance in Plautus, but how would Cicero have written it?
Bonus 1: If tetuli had survived it would have made fero what type of verb?
Bonus 2: Petronius is famous for odd verb forms. How would Cicero have written his fellitus sum?
TULI
A REDUPLICATIVE
FALSUS SUM
The games that Aeneas held in Sicily were in honor of whom?
Bonus 1: In which book of the Aeneid does these games occur?
Bonus 2: Who was the Trojan king of Eryx who entertained Aeneas and his followers during their stay in Sicily?
ANCHISES
5
ACESTES
Who was the worshiper of the deus Sol invictus, an odd emperor of Rome who did himself no good with the conservative Roman establishment by instituting orgiastic ceremonies of his Syrian cult?
Bonus 1: Elagabalus was actually related to the Severan dynasty. His mother Iulia Bassiana was niece to what powerful woman, the wife of Septimius Severus and mother of Caracalla and Geta?
Bonus 2: When dynasties changed in Rome, new emperors often adopted the name of some predecessor by spurious adoption. Elagabalus was a Varius by birth, a Severan by maternal blood, but what was the gens name he adopted (as Caracalla had done before him) in his official nomenclature?
ELAGABUS
IULIA DOMNA
AURELIUS
A few unfortunates in the ancient world were marked out for special punishment in the Underworld. What was the crime and punishment of Ixion?
Bonus: 1: How was Ixion tricked?
Bonus 2: Ixion had once been the proud king of what region of Greece?
HE TRIED TO SEDUCE HERA and WAS TIED TO A TURNING WHEEL FOR ETERNITY
ZEUS FORMED A CLOUD IN HERA’S LIKENESS
THESSALY
Tombstone Latin is sometimes grim. Translate this inscription found on a Roman gravestone near a road: Viator, viator! Quod tu es, ego fui; quod nunc sum, et tu eris.
Bonus 1: This fellow must have a delightful soul with a keen sense of humor. Translate his tomb inscripton: Vixi quem ad modum volui; quare mortuus sum, nescio.
Bonus 2: This inscription, a common one, may have a Christian meaning: Ego cum eo eo eo.
TRAVELLER, TRAVELLER! WHAT YOU ARE, I WAS; WHAT I AM NOW, YOU ALSO WILL BE
I LIVED HOW I WANTED, WHY I AM DEAD NOW, I DO NOT KNOW
I AM GOING THERE WITH HIM
Who am I? I was a disciple of Plato and brought my master to Syracuse in 367. I was banished later by the tyrant of Syracuse, but then returned in 357, captured Syracuse and ruled there off and on until my assassination in 357. You all know so much about me because Plutarch wrote my biography.
Bonus 1: Which Dionysius was this, the First or Second?
Bonus 2: In his parallel lives, Plutarch matched this man with this historical figure, a man who also fought against tranny and created chaos in his homeland.
DION
FIRST
BRUTUS
What author established hexameter as the meter for Roman poetry?
Bonus 1: Well, we don’t have much poetry of Lucilius, but we have a number of Satires of Juvenal? In fact, how many have come down to us?
Bonus 2: One of these Satires is a famous tirade against women. Which one was it?
LUCILIUS
16
SATIRE VI
If you saw a bottle that said q.i.d., you might be able to give me the Latin of abbreviation and tell me what it means.
Bonus 1: What kind of number is quater?
Bonus 2: Now give me the distributive of this number.
QUATER IN DIE and 4 TIMES A DAY
NUMERICAL ADVERB
QUATERNI
The earliest assembly at Rome was called the comitia curiata, instituted under the kings. It eventually lost its legislative and electoral functions to the comitia centuriata, but apart from passing the lex de imperio what function did it retain until late in the Empire?
Bonus 1: What official probably presided over the meetings of the comitia curiata in the late Republic?
Bonus 2: What momentous change was made concerning electoral assemblies during the reign of Tiberius?
THE VALIDATION OF WILLS/CONFIRMATION OF PRIESTS/CONFIRMATION OF ADOPTIONS
THE PONTIFEX MAXIMUS
THE ELECTION OF MAGISTRATES WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE SENATE
Who was the king of Thebes, talented at the lyre?
Bonus 1: Who gave Amphion his lyre?
Bonus 2: What task did Amphion accomplish with the lyre?
AMPHION
HERMES
HE PUT THE STONES OF THE CITY WALLS IN PLACE
Being completely alliterative say in Latin “I will dedicate the teeth of the dragons, gifts to the gods”.
Bonus 1: Say alliteratively: “Decius slept sweetly at home”.
Bonus 2: That was easy. But now say alliteratively: “Rabarius again looks back at the royal pyre”.
DICABO DENTES DRACONUM DONA DEIS
DECIUS DULCITER DORMIT DORMI
RABIRIUS RURSUS RESPEXIT ROGUM REGIUM
What are the modern names of these ancient cities? Watch out - it starts easy, but gets harder! Londinium, Lugdunum, Augusta Treverorum.
Bonus 1: How about these? Antium and Masillia.
Bonus 2: Now what were these modern cities called by the Romans: Rhodes and Perugia?
LONDON, LYONS, TRIER
ANZIO and MARSEILLE
RHODOS and PERUSIA
What general lost his command by the lex Manilia?
Bonus: Lucullus had invaded Armenia in pursuit of Mithridates and his army revolted and refused to march further. Who was the ringleader of this revolt?
Bonus: At what new capital of Armenia being founded by Tigranes did this revolt occur?
LUCULLUS
P. CLODIUS PULCHER
TIGRANOCERTA
What is a noun called, such as domus, which varies between declensions?
Bonus 1: How about a noun that varies in gender, like dies?
Bonus 2: Some nouns are found in only one case. What are these nouns called?
HETEROCLITE
HETEROGENOUS
MONOPTOTES
When recognized, perform the following command: Sta et primam partem fabulae trium ursorum anglice narra mihi.
Bonus: Now perform this command: State uno pede et cantate modo gallinae.
STAND AND SAY IN ENGLISH THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS
STAND ON ONE FOOT AND SING LIKE A CHICKEN
Listen to the following passage. I will read it twice. Then answer the question concerning that passage. Coriolänus malus cïvis erat sed bonus mïles. Römänï nüllum frümentum habëbant et timëbant magnam famem. Iam rëx in Siciliä Römänïs multum frümentum dederat sed Coriolänus frümentum pauperibus nön dabat. Itaque pauperës Coriolänum ex urbe exturbävërunt. Why was Coriolanus driven from Rome?
Bonus: From where had that grain come?
BECAUSE HE DID NOT SHARE THE GRAIN WITH THE POOR
FROM THE KING IN SICILY
Welcome to the Upper Level Finals of the Ad Fontes Certamen. Let’s start with a little geography. In what region would you find the cities Utica, Cirta, and Zama?
Bonus 1: Where would you find the cities Ilerda, Gades, and Corduba?
Bonus 2: Where would you find the cities Pergamum, Smyrna, and Ephesus?
AFRICA
SPAIN
ASIA MINOR
With what great confederation of tribes did Rome fight a long series of war between 340 and 285 B.C. resulting in their conquest of the moutainous interior of Italy?
Bonus 1: The Romans were not always successful. What was the name of the area where a Roman army was surrounded by the Samnites in 323 B.C. and forced to surrender?
Bonus 2: When the Samnites wars were over, it wasn’t long before the Romans faced a more dangerous antagonist in Southern Italy, who always defeated them but could never win the decisive victory. Who was he?
SAMNITES
THE CAUDINE FOLKS
PYRRHUS
Participles yet again. Listen carefully to this sentence: Ab oppido discessuri videmus hostes advenientes. What are the two tenses of the participles in that sentence?
Bonus 1: Please translate that sentence.
Bonus 2: Now make everything singular in that sentence.
FUTURE AND PRESENT
WE, ABOUT TO LEAVE THE TOWN, SAW THE ENEMY ARRIVING
AB OPPIDO DISCESSURUS, VIDEO HOSTIS ADVENIENTEM
Ancient warships weren’t much for fighting. What was their standard weapon for sinking an enemy’s ship?
Bonus 1: The Romans improved on this by use of a corvus. What kind of device was this?
Bonus 2: Much later the Romans developed a frightening weapon to defend Constantinople against the Arabs, a secret weapon that burned on water and could not be extinguished. What was it called?
RAM
BOARDING PLANK
GREEK FIRE
Being completely alliterative, say in Latin “Kings ruled at Rome”.
Bonus 1: Now the same for “The boys fought beautiful pigs”.
Bonus 2: Now the same for “Why does Crassus kill the swift stag”.
REGES ROMAE REXERUNT
PUERI PULCHROS PORCOS PUGNAVERUNT
CUR CRASSUS CELEREM CERVUM CAEDIT
What is the central event of Book VI of the Aeneid?
Bonus 1: What is the central event of Book V?
Bonus 2: What is the central event of Book IV?
AENEAS’ JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD
GAMES IN HONOR OF ANCHISES
THE ROMANCE OF AENEAS AND DIDO, THE DEATH OF DIDO
It was certainly tragic, but had the virtue of being quick and often painless. By what means did two great enemies of Rome, Hannibal and Cleopatra, end their lives?
Bonus 1: Hannibal was handy with snakes, too. By what means did he defeat the Roman fleet off Asia Minor in 190 B.C.?
Bonus 2: Some of Rome’s greatest enemies were not killed in battle, but captured and taken to Rome for execution. Who was the leader of the Gallic revolt of 52-51 who suffered this fate?
POISON
JARS FULL OF VIPERS WERE CATAPULTED ONTO THE ROMAN SHIPS
VERCINGETORIX
Women never fared well after the fall of a city. To whom was Cassandra given as a concubine?
Bonus 1: To whom was Hecuba given as a slave?
Bonus 2: To whom was Andromache given?
AGAMEMNON
ODYSSEUS
NEOPTOLEMUS (PYRRHUS)
Here’s a word to the wise: Qui a multis timetur, multos timet. What does that mean?
Bonus 1: How about this little nugget of wisdom: Quae sunt maximae divitiae? Non desiderare divitias.
Bonus 2: Along the same lines: Est difficillimum se ipsum vincere.
HE WHO IS FEARED BY MANY, FEARS MANY
WHAT IS THE GREATEST WEALTH? NOT TO DESIRE WEALTH
THE MOST DIFFICULT THING IS TO CONQUER YOURSELF
Place these coins in order of value, from least to greatest: quadrans, denarius, sestertius.
Bonus 1: What was the denarius minted from?
Bonus 2: What is the literal meaning of quadrans?
QUADRANS, SESTERTIUS, DENARIUS
SILVER
A FOURTH PART
What early Roman writer, who might have been a freed slave, is well known for his comedy Pseudolus?
Bonus 1: Another of Plautus’ famous plays is Miles Gloriosus. Translate that title into English.
Bonus 2: Plautus was followed by another Roman writer of comedies, more sophisticated and less well known. Who was he?
PLAUTUS
THE BRAGGART SOLDIER
TERENCE
If you saw a bottle with the abbreviation t.i.d., you might be able to give me the Latin of abbreviation and tell me what it means.
Bonus 1: What kind of number is quater?
Bonus 2: Now give me the distributive of this number.
TER IN DIE, THREE TIMES A DAY
NUMERICAL ADVERB
TERNI
At the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 B.C. T. Quinctius Flamininus utterly defeated what Macedonia king, who shared his name with the father of Alexander the Great?
Bonus 1: Flaminius won that victory because his legions were more flexible than the rigid Macedonian battle formation. What was the Macedonian formation called?
Bonus 2: After ending the war, Flaminius proclaimed the freedom of the Greeks at what Greek city?
PHILIP
PHALANX
CORINTH
Who resolved the dispute between Zeus and Hera about which gender, men or women, enjoys sex more?
Bonus 1: What was Teiresias’ answer?
Bonus 2: Why would he know?
TEIRESIAS
WOMEN
HE HAD BEEN BOTH MAN AND WOMAN
What do the Latin nouns coma and crinis mean?
Bonus 1: What is your frons?
Bonus 2: What are your supercilia?
HAIR
FRONS
EYEBROWS
In what Roman province would you find the city Alesia?
Bonus 1: In what province would you find Munda?
Bonus 2: Where would you find Thapsus?
GAUL
SPAIN
AFRICA
What general took over the command against Mithridates by the lex Manilia?
Bonus 1: From whom did he take it over?
Bonus 2: What handsome Roman youth had led the mutiny against Lucullus as prelude to the loss of his command?
POMPEY
LUCULLUS
P. CLODIUS PULCHER
Why is humus an unusual noun?
Bonus 2: What other large category of 2nd declension nouns are feminine?
IT TAKES THE LOCATIVE AND IT’S FEMININE
THE NAMES OF TREES
When recognized, perform the following command: Sta et primam partem fabulae de tribus porcis parvis mihi narra.
Bonus 1: Now perform this command: Sta et primam partem fabulae de Nivea et septem homunculis narra mihi.
Bonus 2: Now perform this command: Sta et narra mihi primam partem fabulae de Auricoma et tribus ursis.
STAND AND SAY THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY ABOUT THE THREE PIGS
STAND AND SAY THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY ABOUT SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES
STAND AND SAY THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY ABOUT GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
What English word derives from the Latin word that means “things that must be done”?
“A—–” is just one of many future passive participles that have come to English unchanged. For your bonus, give these English words that are Latin future passive participles.
Bonus 1: “Something that must be brought back (to the people)”
Bonus 2: “Something that must be remembered”
AGENDA
REFERENDUM
MEMORANDUM
What was Dido’s dead husband’s name?
Bonus 1: When Dido finally dies in the Aeneid, whom does Juno send to take a lock of her hair as an offering in the underworld?
Bonus 2: Who was Dido’s evil brother?
SYCHAEUS
IRIS
PYGMALION
Translate “leader” in the following sentence: He knew that the leader would come to Rome.
Bonus 1: From the same sentence, translate “would come.”
Bonus 2: Make the phrase above a perfect infinitive.
DUCEM
VENTURUM ESSE
VENISSE
Give the Latin comparative adjective and meaning from which the English word “ameliorate” comes.
Bonus 1: What is the comparative of “malus?”
Bonus 2: Make the adjective above superlative.
MELIOR- BETTER
PEIOR
PESSIMUS
What woman with powers of sorcery helped Jason obtain the Golden Fleece?
Bonus 1: What Trojan woman had the power of prophecy?
Bonus 2: What Greek king killed his father while trying to avoid a prophecy that said he’d do just that?
MEDEA
CASSANDRA
OEDIPUS
Use an ablative absolute to translate the subordinate clause in this sentence: “After dinner was prepared, everyone sat down to eat.”
For your bonus, translate the subordinate clauses in the following sentences as ablative absolutes:
Bonus 1: When Augustus was leader, Rome thrived.
Bonus 2: If peace is made, all nations will rejoice.
CENA PARATA
AUGUSTO DUCE
PACE FACTA
What figurative device is evident in the first 3 words of the Aeneid?
Bonus: What two poetic devices are used in the phrase: “magno cum murmure montis?”
METONYMY
ALLITERATION, ONOMATOPOEIA, PERSONIFCATION
What lyric meter has each line consist of eleven syllables?
Bonus 1: What poet wrote this line of hendecasyllabic? “Vivamus mea Lesbia atque amemus.”
Bonus 2: What Greek poet was the poet above honoring by naming his lover Lesbia?
HENDECASYLLABIC
CATULLUS
SAPPHO
What Roman orator was considered the best advocate of all?
Bonus 1: His most famous oration was against which conspirator?
Bonus 2: What rhetorical device is illustrated by his famous words: “O tempora, O mores!”
CICERO
CATILINE
APOSTROPHE
What ablative is illustrated in this sentence? “Miles erat fortior ullo homine.”
Name the uses of ablative in the following sentences:
Bonus 1: Caesar vir humili genere erat.
Bonus 2: Captivus gladio interfectus est.
ABLATIVE OF COMPARISON
ABLATIVE OF DESCRIPTION
ABLATIVE OF MEANS
What case would “we” be in this sentence? We had to do the work.
Bonus 1: Say in Latin: It had to be seen.
Bonus 2: Translate “working” in this sentence: We did it by working hard.
DATIVE
VIDENDUM ERAT
LABORANDO
Who took Aeneas to the underworld?
Bonus 1: Who was Aeneas’ faithful companion?
Bonus 2: Whom did Aeneas have to defeat in Latium?
SIBYL
ACHATES
TURNUS
What Shakespearean tragedy would the Romans have called “Labor amoris amissus?”
Bonus 1: What classic would this be? “ Fortis novus orbis terrarum”
Bonus 2: How about this one? “Murum et hominum”
LOVE’S LABOR LOST
BRAVE NEW WORLD
OF MICE AND MEN
Give the genitive singular endings from 1st through 5th declension.
Bonus 1: Now give the ablative singular endings.
Bonus 2: Now give the genitive plural endings.
AE, I, IS, US, EI
A, O, E, U, E
ARUM, ORUM, UM, UUM, ERUM
What mythological father and son were the first to fly?
Bonus 1: What famous winged horse flew?
DAEDALUS and ICARUS
PEGASUS
What Roman holiday was similar to our Christmas?
Bonus 1: To what deity was the holiday of Lupercalia dedicated?
Bonus 2: What happened to some slaves during the Roman Christmas?
SATURNALIA
FAUNUS
THEY COULD EXCHANGE ROLES WITH THEIR MASTERS/BECOME FREE TEMPORARILY
What use of the subjunctive is illustrated in this sentence?
Miratus est quid puellae in casa agerent.
Bonus 1: Translate the above sentence.
Bonus 2: Make “agerent” pluperfect.
INDIRECT QUESTION
HE WONDERED WHAT THE GIRLS WERE DOING IN THE HOUSE
EGISSENT
What do the verbs obliviscor and memini have in common?
Bonus 1: What else is special about “obliviscor?”
Bonus 2: Give 3 deponent verbs that take the ablative case.
BOTH TAKE THE GENITIVE CASE
IT IS A DEPONENT VERB
UTOR, FRUOR, FUNGOR, POTIOR, VESCOR
Where would you be if you were floating down the river Phlegethon?
Bonus: What river were souls who had not received proper burial forbidden to cross?
THE UNDERWORLD
STYX
This round is over, but don’t shout for joy! Say in Latin “Don’t shout.”
Bonus 1: Say in Latin “Come, my son.”
Bonus 2: What command in Latin is the first person sg. personal pronoun in English?
NOLI CLAMARE/NOLITE CLAMARE
VENI, MI FILI
I
Translate “not to go” in the following sentence. He persuaded us not to go.
Bonus 1: Translate the subjunctive verb in this sentence: He asked me where I was going.
Bonus 2: Translate the subjunctive verb in this sentence: I will urge him to follow.
NE IREMUS
IREM
SEQUATUR
