Pliny-an alarming dream comes true

Question 1

Who is the letter about?

Answer 1

Pliny is writing to his friend Novius who asked Pliny to read a pierce of work he had written
after critiquing Novius work he wrote account of their mutual friend Gaius Fannius who recently died

Question 2

What did Fanius do?

Answer 2

he was creating a piece of work about the crimes of the emperor Nero

Question 3

What is the letter about?

Answer 3

Fanius interpreted his dream about Neros visit and how he was going to die.

Question 4

What was the dreams about?

Answer 4

Nero reads the first 3 scrolls of Fanius work and then leaves
Fanius think this means he will only complete three of this scrolls and he assumes he will die after this
Pliny is speaking directly to Novius and gives him advice
he is afraid for him self and novius

Question 5

What is section 1 about?

Answer 5

Brief intro about his dream description

Pliny is vague which engages us as readers

Question 6

What does “quod accidit” & “Ante prasenit” mean?

Answer 6

Quod accidit-What has happened-Fanius death

Ante prasenit-he foresaw long before-tells us fanius interpreted his dream

Question 7

What is the translation of section 2?

Answer 7

He seemed to him to be lying down on the couch in the quiet of the night arranged in a writing posture

Question 8

What quote in section 2 reoccur the them of night and why?

Answer 8

“Nocturnem quitem”-quiet of the night

nighttime was a suitable time for magical event (superstition)

Question 9

What do we find out in section 3 give a quote?

Answer 9

Fanius was at a writing desk-“ITA SOLEBAT”

gives a perceptive image of how Fanius is positioned

Question 10

What quotes reinforces the dream in section 4/what is the translation?

Answer 10

“imginatus est”–he imagined that links with “visus est”

soon he imagined that Nero came sat down on the couch

Question 11

Who was “Neronem”?

Answer 11

Emperor from AD54-68

his reign was full of executions of rivals and those suspected of conspiring against him

Question 12

What happened is section 5?

Answer 12

He asked for the first volume that he had published about his crimes and unrolled it right to the end

Question 13

What does “ad extremum revolvisse” in section 5 suggest?

Answer 13

unroll it to the end

means to read it right through highlights Nero was paying attention to Fanius writing as it mirrors him

Question 14

What does “de sceleribus euis ediderat”mean?

Answer 14

about his crimes
adds to the tension of the dream the emperor known for killing enemies is reading fannius not so flattering account of his life.

Question 15

Explain section 6 and use a quote?

Answer 15

“Tunc abisse”-then he left

Fanius heart is racing which mirrors the short sentences this quick cut off leaves Fanius concerned

Question 16

What does “expavit” in section 7 mean?

Answer 16

it means he was terrified

verb emphatically placed at the very start of the sentence highlight Fannius reaction was sudden .

Question 17

What does the prefix “ex” suggest in “expavit”?

Answer 17

stresses he was terrified from his core

highlight Fannius emotions to the audience

Question 18

What is the translation for section 7?

Answer 18

He was terrified and interpreted it in this way

Question 19

What does “et fuit idem” mean in section 8?

Answer 19

and it was the same-the dream came true
very short clause explain what had happened
we don’t know how long after the dream he died all we know is he’s dead

Question 20

What is the translation for section 8?

Answer 20

As though the end point of his writing would be the same as it had been of Nero reading and it was the same

Question 21

What literacy device is used in section 9?

Answer 21

“QUANTUM”
amphora
stresses Pliny despair at the event emphasised by “fustra” being delayed until the end of the sentence

Question 22

What dos the quotes “exhausenit” suggest?

Answer 22

he used up
Vivid verb to imply hard work has been squandered (wasted)
Pliny feels pity for Fannius as he put so much work into writing a text that was incomplete

Question 23

How does the focus shift in section 10?

Answer 23

“mea”-my
adds the idea of urgency
my morality,my writings having thought about Fanius Pliny now turns to him self

Question 24

how does Fanius unfinished work affect Pliny?

Answer 24

There comes to my mind “occursant animo” inversion of word order with the verb coming first emphasises the thought leaps into his mind about his unfinished work

Question 25

What is the translation for section 9?

Answer 25

When i think about this i am filled with pity for how many sleepless nights ,how much effort he used up in vain

Question 26

What is the translation for section 10?

Answer 26

There comes to my mind my own morality and my own writings

Question 27

How does Pliny move on to noviues in section 11?

Answer 27

“te”-you

personal pronoun refers to Novius and how he will feel pressure as he has got unfinished work

Question 28

Why was finishing their writing of so important in last section?

Answer 28

For ancient writers their morality was linked to the survival of their work
they had to finish everything so it would be finished so people could remember them.
but when all 3 friend die only Pliny work is remembered

Question 29

What is the meaning of section 11?

Answer 29

I doubt that you too are alarmed by the same thought for those project which you have in hand

Question 30

What is the meaning of section12?

Answer 30

Therefore while life lasts let us try to ensure that death finds as few things to destroy as possible

Question 31

What is the superlative in the last section?

Answer 31

“quam paucissima”-a few things

shows the strength Pliny is feeling on this matter