Section 5A(ii) Sempronia, a surprising conspirator

Question 1

eō tempore plūrimōs hominēs adiūnxisse sibi Catilīna dīcitur, mulierēs etiam aliquot, …

Answer 1

Catiline is said to have joined many people to him at that time, even several women, …

Question 2

… quae prīmō ingentīs sūmptūs stupro tolerāuerant, …

Answer 2

… who at first had sustained huge expenditures by prostitution, …

Question 3

posteā, cum propter aetātem quaestum sīc facere nōn possent, …

Answer 3

… (but) later, when they couldn’t make a living in that way because of age, …

Question 4

… in aes aliēnum maximum inciderant.

Answer 4

… they had fallen into the greatest debt.

Question 5

igitur sē Catilīnae adiūnxērunt ut sē aere aliēnō līberārent, …

Answer 5

Therefore they joined themselves to Catiline so that he would free them from debt,

Question 6

… et Catilīna eās in coniūrātiōnem laetus accēpit …

Answer 6

… and Catiline happily received them into the conspiracy, …

Question 7

… ut per eās seruōs urbānōs sollicitāret atque urbem incenderet.

Answer 7

… so that he could stir up the city slaves through them, and set fire to the city.

Question 8

uirōs eārum sē uel adiūnctūrum sibi uel interfectūrum putābat.

Answer 8

He thought that he would join their husbands to him or would kill (them).

Question 9

sed in eīs erat Semprōnia, …

Answer 9

But among them was Sempronia, …

Question 10

… quae multa saepe uirīlis audāciae facinora commīserat.

Answer 10

… who had often committed crimes of masculine daring.

Question 11

haec mulier genere atque fōrmā, praetereā uirō atque līberīs satis fortūnāta fuit;

Answer 11

This woman was fortunate enough in her birth and looks, (and) besides that in her husband and children;

Question 12

litterīs Graecīs et Latīnīs docta, …

Answer 12

(she was) learned in Greek and Latin literature, …

Question 13

… cantū et saltātiōne magis docta quam necesse est mātrōnae.

Answer 13

(and she was) more learned in singing and dancing than is necessary for a respectable married lady.

Question 14

sed eī cāriōra semper omnia quam decus atque pudīcitia fuit;

Answer 14

But everying (in the world) was always more dear to her than honor and chastity;

Question 15

libīdo sīc accēnsa, ut saepius peteret uirōs quam peterētur.

Answer 15

(her) lust was so on fire that she would more often proposition men than be propositioned.

Question 16

uērum ingenium eius haud absurdum;

Answer 16

But her intellect was not foolish;

Question 17

posse uersūs facere, iocum mouēre, sermōne ūtī uel modestō uel mollī uel procācī.

Answer 17

(she) could write poetry, make a joke, employ conversation that was either modest, or gentle, or forward.

Question 18

prōrsus multae facētiae multusque lepōs inerat.

Answer 18

In a word, there was in her much wit (singular for plural) and much charm