Section 1, Lines 40-56

Question 1

Primus ibi ante omnis magna comitante caterva

Answer 1

First there before all with a great crowd attending,

Question 2

Laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce,

Answer 2

Laocoon raging rushes from the top of the citadel

Question 3

et procul ‘o miseri, quae tanta insania, cives?

Answer 3

and from afar cries ‘o wretched citizens, what madness is so great?

Question 4

creditis avectos hostis? aut ulla putatis

Answer 4

Do you believe the enemies have been borne away? Or do you think

Question 5

dona carere dolis Danaum? sic notus Ulixes?

Answer 5

any gifts of the Greeks to lack deceit? Thus Ulysses known?

Question 6

aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi,

Answer 6

Either the Aecheans are concealed shut in this wood,

Question 7

aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros,

Answer 7

or this is a seige-engine constructed against our walls

Question 8

inspectura domos venturaque desuper urbi,

Answer 8

about to inspect homes and about to come upon the city,

Question 9

aut aliquis latet error; equo ne credite, Teucri.

Answer 9

or some other deception lies hidden; do not trust the horse, Trojans.

Question 10

quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis.’

Answer 10

Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even bearing gifts.

Question 11

sic fatus validis ingentem viribus hastam

Answer 11

Having spoken in this way, with mighty strength, he hurled his huge spear

Question 12

in latus inque feri curvam compagibus alvum

Answer 12

into the side and into the belly of the beast with its curved joints.

Question 13

contorsit. stetit illa tremens, uteroque recusso

Answer 13

. It stood trembling, and with the belly shaken,

Question 14

insonuere cavae gemitumque dedere cavernae.

Answer 14

hollow cavities resounded and gave a groan.

Question 15

et, si fata deum, si mens non laeva fuisset,

Answer 15

And if the fates of the gods, if our minds had not been unfavourable,

Question 16

impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras,

Answer 16

he would have driven us to defile the Argive (Greek) hiding places with our swords,

Question 17

Troiaque nunc staret, Priamque arx alta maneres.

Answer 17

and now Troy would stand and the high citadel of Priam would remain.