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Full text of "Easy Latin prose"

EASY LATIN PROSE 




W.HORTON SPRAGGE,M.A 



1/6 



LaL.Gr 
$7667e.l 

EASY LATIN PROSE 



BY 



W. HORTON SPRAGGE, M.A. 
/ x , 

LATE SCHOLAR Of ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE 
ASSISTANT MASTER AT THE CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL 



Ev 
ARTBIENTAL 
-IBRARY 
J-g.. ^ -, 



Q - 

LONDON 

EDWARD ARNOLD 
41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W. 



PREFACE 

THIS book has been drawn up for the use of those 
who are commencing the translation of consecutive 
pieces of prose after having had some practice in 
rendering English into Latin in the form of sentences. 
All the extracts have been translated from Latin 
authors. It is hoped that this will suggest to the 
pupil the form and the phrase with which he has 
become familiar through his reading. In order to 
attain to this end the pieces chosen have been ren- 
dered in as literal a manner as is consistent with the 
structure of the English language. A few omissions 
and some slight adaptations have occasionally been 
found necessary. It is hoped that this plan will 
ensure that the fair copy at any rate will be Latin 
as it was actually written. The number of extracts, 
which are progressive in difficulty, will allow of 
selection in cases where the pupils happen to be 
reading the work from which any piece has been 
taken. A Latin-English Dictionary might be con- 
sulted for the construction and exact meaning of the 
words given in the notes, if they are not familiar. 
No other aid should be required. 

W. H. S 

May, 190G. 



CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION PAOE 

THE SIMPLE SENTENCE . . . . . .1 

THE COMPLEX SENTENCE . . . . .2 

VARIETIES OP SUBORDINATE CLAUSES . . . .4 

USE OF PARTICIPLES . . . . . .7 

SPECIMEN PIECE . . . . . .9 

CONNEXION OF SENTENCES . . . . .10 

ORDER OF WORDS AND CLAUSES . . . .11 

LIMITATIONS TO THE USE OF THE PERIOD . . .13 

ORATIO OBLIQUA . . . . . .13 

EXERCISES 

I. 'THE BITER BIT' . . . . .1.9 

II. A STORY OF REGULUS . . . . .20 

III. A PRUDENT COMMANDER . . . .21 

IV. THE FOUNDATION OF ROME . . . .22 
V. A RUDE AWAKENING . . . . .23 

VI. Two BAD CORRESPONDENTS . . . .24 

VII. AN OBSTINATE ENCOUNTER . . . .25 

VIII. STORY OF VALERIUS CORVUS . . . .26 

IX. MlLTIADES MAKES AN ENEMY OF DARIUS (1) . . 27 

X. (2) . . 28 

XI. PYRRHUS AT HERACLEA . . . .29 

XII. PYRRHUS ASKS FOR PEACE . . . .30 

XIII. PHOCION . . . . . . .31 

XIV. CAESAR PURSUES POMPEIUS TO EGYPT (1) . .32 

XV. (2) . 33 

XVI. STORY OF EPAMINONDAS . . . . .34 

XVII. DEATH OF EPAMINONDAS AT MANTINEA. . . 35 

XVIII. ALEXANDER BATHES IN THE RIVER CYDNUS (1) .36 

XIX. (2) . 37 



v 



CONTENTS 



EXERCISES 



XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XL1II. 

XLIV. 

XLV. 

XLVI. 

XLVII. 

XLVIII. 

XLIX. 

L. 

LI. 

LII. 

MIL 

LIV. 

LV. 



CAESAR ENCOURAGES HIS SOLDIERS AFTER A REVERSE 
POMPEIUS' PLANS FOR THE BATTLE OF PHARSALIA. 
ALEXANDER DECIDES TO FIGHT AT Issus . . 

INTEGRITY OF EPAMINONDAS . . . . 

PREPARATIONS FOR A NAVAL ENGAGEMENT . . 

A NAVAL BATTLE ..... 

ALEXANDER is WOUNDED . . . . 

THEMISTOCLES AND THE ATHENIAN FLEET . . 

A BRAVE CENTURION AT THE SIEGE OF GERGOVIA. 
A PLEA FOR MERCY . . . . . 

A BESIEGED CITY . . . . . 

A SURPRISE ATTACK . . . . . 

A BROKEN TRUCE . . . . . 

ALEXANDER BEFORE TYKE . . . . 

A VISIT TO THE OLD SCHOOL . . . 

A FIRE-SHIP . . . . . . 

CICERO WRITES TO HIS WIFE FROM ATHENS . 

HONESTY is THE BEST POLICY . . . 

THE DIFFICULTIES OF A GENERAL . . . 

ADVICE TO A PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR . . 

OPERATIONS BEFORE A BATTLE . . . 

A CUNNING TRICK (1) . . . . 

(2) . . . 

THE RELIGION OF THE GAULS . . . 

THE RELATIONS OF SICILY WITH ROME . . 

A GENERAL COMMUNICATES WITH HIS SUBORDINATES 
ATTACK ON A MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD (1) . . 

(2) . . 

(3) . . 

PARENTS MUST MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR THEIR SONS' 

FAILINGS . . . . . . 

FLIGHT OF DARIUS AFTER ARBELA . . . 

ALEXANDER REACHES THE Oxus . . . 

GERMANICUS ADDRESSES HIS MUTINOUS SOLDIERS (1) 



THE HUNTING EXPLOITS OF 
THE CASE FOR THE AEDUI 



LITERARY 




MAN 



38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65 
66 

67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 
73 



CONTENTS 



vn 



EXERCISES 1>AGI , 

LVI. WHEN CIVIL WAR THREATENS . . .74 

LVII. THE BEGINNING OF A BATTLE . . .75 

LVIII. CAESAR'S EXPLOITS IN GAUL . . . 7r> 

LIX. A JOINT TRIUMPH . . . .77 

LX. AN IMPERTINENT THEORIST . . .78 

LXI. A DESCENT UPON NEW CARTHAGE . . 79 

LXII. SOME NICE POINTS OF HONOUR . . .80 

LXIII. CJCERO ASKS FOR A FRIEND'S ADVICE . . 81 

LXIV. A TREACHEROUS SCHOOLMASTER (1) . .82 

LXV. (2) . . 83 

LXVI. YOUTH AND AGE . . . . .84 

LXVII. THE FOUNDATION OF ROME . . .85 

LXVIII. SPEECH OF AGRICOLA TO HIS SOLDIERS . . 86 

LXIX. CAESAR CROSSES THE RUBICON . . .87 

LXX. SOCRATES ON DEATH (1) . . . .88 

LXXI. (2) . . . . 81) 

LXXII. A PUBLIC APPEAL TO A TRAITOR (1) . . 90 

LXXIII. (2) . . 91 

LXXIV. CAESAR'S DISCIPLINE . . . .92 

LXXV. THE EXILED TARQUIN APPEALS FOR HELP . 93 

LXXVI. DEATH OF CAESAR . . . .94 

LXXVII. A MOMENTOUS WAR . . . .95 

LXXVIII. THE DEATH OF CACUS . . . .96 

LXXIX. THE SPIRIT OF OUR FATHERS . . .97 

LXXX. ROME AND THE PIRATES . . . .98 

LXXXI. HORATIUS (1) . . . .99 

LXXXII. (2) 100 

LXXXIII. (3) . . . . 101 

LXXXIV. THE VIRTUES OF POMPEIUS (1) . . .102 

LXXXV. ,, (2) . . . 103 

LXXXVI. UNITY is STRENGTH . . . .104 

LXXXVII. THE REASON OF RETREAT . . 105 

LXXX VIII. THE MOTHER OF CORIOLANUS TO HER SON . 106 

LXXXIX, CORIOLANUS RESIGNS THE ATTACK ON RoME . 107 

XC. Two ANECDOTES OF THEMISTOCLES . . 108 

XCI. MEETING OF HASDRUBAL AND SCIPIO . . 109 

XCII. CRITICISM INVITED 110 



Vlll 



CONTENTS 



EXERCISES 

XCIII. THE IDEAL STATESMAN 
XCIV. AN ADVOCATE'S CLOSING PLEA 
A ROMAN'S VIEWS ON DEATH 
A TREACHEROUS LIEUTENANT 
MAN'S NEED OP SOCIETY 
SOME VIEWS or FRIENDSHIP (1) 
(2) 

THE REWARD OF VIRTUE 
THE STORY OF DAMOCLES (1) 
(2) 



xcv. 

XCVI. 

XCVII. 

XCVIII. 

XCIX. 

c. 

CL 
GIL 



PAGE 
111 
112 

113 
114 
115 
116 
117 
118 
111) 
120 



INTRODUCTION 

1. THE base of all composition is the simple sentence. 
By this we can express (a) a statement of fact, (Z>) a con- 
ception of the mind. In order to write or say anything 
we must have first a subject to write or speak about, and 
then something to say about this subject. So in the 
simple sentence there are properly two parts, the Subject 
and the Predicate. 

Ex. Caesar sends messengers round to the neighbour- 
ing states. 

Caesar ad finitimas civitates nuntios dimitfcit. 

Subject = Caesar. 

Predicate = ad finitimas civitates nuntios dimittit. 

2. In Grammatical analysis the parts of the sentence 
are generally given as three, Subject, Predicate or Verb, 
Object of Verb. Each of these parts is capable of enlarge- 
ment. The subject and object may be enlarged by an 
adjective, adjectival phrase, or adjectival clause. The 
verb may be enlarged by an adverb, adverbial phrase, or 
adverbial clause. 

Ex. The warlike race of the Helvetii surpass the rest 
of the Gauls in valour. 

Helvetii, gens bellicosissima, reliquos Gallos virtute 
praecedunt. 

(i) Subject = Helvetii. 

(ii) Enlargement of Subject = gens bellicosissima. 

(iii) Object = Gallos, 



2 EASY LATIN PROSE 

(iv) Enlargement of Object = reliquos. 
(v) Predicate = praecedunt. 

(vi) Enlargement of Predicate = virtute. 

3. This is still a simple sentence. If any of these six 
parts consists of a clause headed by a relative pronoun or 
some conjunction, the sentence becomes Complex. 

Ex. When Caesar had been informed by his scouts 
that the Helvetii had already taken three-fourths of their 
army across that river, but that the fourth part was left 
on this side of the Arar, having started from the camp 
with three legions he attacked that part which had not 
yet crossed. 

Ubi per exploratores Caesar certior factus est tres iam 
partes copiarum Helvetios id flumen traduxisse, quartam 
vero partem citra flumen Ararim reliquam esse, cum 
legionibus tribus e castris profectus earn partem aggredie- 
batur quae nondum flumen transierat. 
(i) Subject = Caesar. 

(ii) Enlargement of (i) = cum legionibus tribus e castris 

profectus (participial phrase). 
(iii) Object = partem. 

(iv) Enlargement of (iii) = (a) earn ; 

(b) quae nondum flumen tran- 
sierat (adjectival clause). 
(v) Predicate = aggrediebatur. 

(vi) Enlargement of (v) = ubi per exploratores . . . reli- 
quam esse (adverbial clause). 

This sentence starts with the simple statement, Caesar 
partem aggrediebatur^ and is expanded into its complex 
form by the addition of the subordinate clauses and 
phrases. It could be made still more complicated by 



THE COMPLEX SENTENCE 3 

co-ordinating other clauses with these, or by introducing 
subordinate clauses of the second degree, i. e. clauses 
which are subordinate to a subordinate clause. Thus the 
enlargement (iv b) might be expanded to quae, cum sew 
domo cxiisset, flumcn nondum transicrat atque aitxilia 
expectabat (which, having left home late, had not yet 
crossed the river, but was awaiting reinforcements). The 
ff/m-clause is then of the second degree of subordina- 
tion, for it expresses the reason why the river had not 
been crossed ; atque auxilia eocpectdbat is of the first 
degree, being co-ordinate with quae flumen nondum 
transicrat. 

The analysis of this second complex sentence is left to 
the student. 

Labienus, ut ei erat praeceptum a Caesare ne proelium 
committeret, nisi ipsius copiae prope hostium castra visa 
essent, ut undique uno tempore in hostes impetus fieret, 
monte occupato nostros expectabat proelioque abstinebat. 

4. Instances of such complex sentences can easily be 
found in Latin authors. English prose has them also, 
but hardly to the same extent. A series of co-ordinate 
simple sentences is often found with the necessary con- 
nexion of thought left to the intelligence of the reader 
to determine. 

Ex. On such grounds as these Surajah Dowlah 
marched with a great army against Fort William. The 
servants of the Company at Madras had been forced by 
Dupleix to become statesmen and soldiers. Those in 
Bengal were still mere traders, and were terrified and 
bewildered by the approaching danger. The governor, 
who had heard much of Surajah Dowlah's cruelty, was 

B 2 



4 EASY LATIN PROSE 

frightened out of his wits, jumped into a boat, and took 
refuge in the nearest ship. The military commandant 
thought that he could not do better than follow so good 
an example. The fort was taken after a feeble resistance, 
and great numbers of the English fell into the hands of 
the conquerors. 

5. Before translating such a passage into Latin it is 
essential to read the whole of it through very carefully, 
and ascertain what are the main ideas, and what are the 
subordinate statements leading up to them, and pro- 
ceeding from them. The latter, in the English, are often 
put in the form of principal sentences, but in Latin 
a principal statement alone must be put into a principal 
sentence, while the attendant circumstances and causes, &c., 
must be rendered by subordinate phrases and clauses, each 
coming in the logical order of the thought or incident 
contained in them. So the complete Latin period is 
built up. 

6. Subordinate clauses are of three kinds : 

(i) A substantival or noun clause, which takes the 
place of subject or object. 



(a) How great is the force 
of friendship is but little 
understood. 

(I) You seem hardly to un- 
derstand the difference 
between a man and a 
beast. 

(c) I cannot reckon up the 
number of my friends. 



Parum intellegitur quanta 
vis amicitiae sit. 

Quid interhominemac behtam 
intersit parum intellegere 
videris. 

Quot mihi sint amid vix 
numerare possum. 



SUBORDINATE CLAUSES 



All these are indirect questions. In (a) the subordinate 
clause is subject, in (fc) and (c) object of a verb in the 
principal sentence. 



(d) He asked them to un- 
dertake the business. 



Ab iis petivit ut negotium 
susciperent. 

Here the clause is an indirect command. It is 
objective. 

(e) It happened by chance i Forte accidit tit intus essem. 
that I was indoors. 

The subordinate clause, often called consecutive, is here 
subject of accidit. Y 



(/) I pass over those in- 
stances that are of too 
great antiquity, the fact 
that Gains Ahala slew 
Spurius Maelius with his 
own hand. 



Ilia nimis antiqua prae- 
tereo, quod C. AJtala Sp. 
Macliuni manu sua occi- 
dit. 



The quod-clause is here substantival, and in apposition 
to nimis ilia antiqua. 

7. (ii) An adjectival clause. This qualifies or describes 
some noun or pronoun. 

(a) They are the nearest to 

the Germans, who live 

on the other side of the 

Rhine. 
(I) We seek those very 

things which we cannot 

have. 



Proximi sunt Germanis qul 
trans Elienum incolunt. 



Quae liabcre noti possumus 
ea quaerimus. 



6 



EASY LATIN PROSE 



In (a) the adjectival clause defines G-ermanis, in (b) ea. 
This adjectival use of the relative must be distinguished 
from its adverbial use, when qui = ut is, cum is, or 
qiiamvls is. 

8. (iii) An adverbial clause. Of such clauses there are 
seven varieties : 

(a) Final, expressing purpose. 

He carefully made all pre- j Ut ad hoc nefarium scelus 

parations, in order to ' acccderet, omnia dili- 

attempt this wicked ! genter paravit. 
crime. 

(b) Consecutive, expressing result. 



Nor am I so ignorant of 
your feelings as not to 
know this. 

(c) Temporal. 

After Caesar had arrived 
there he demanded hos- 



(d) Causal. 

He preferred peace to war, 
because he saw that 
Epaminondas gained suc- 
cess in the latter. 

(e) Conditional. 

Who could have borne 
such caprice on the part 
of the judges, if they had 
acquitted Oppianicus? 



Nee tarn sum sensus vestri 
ignarus ut hoc nesciam. 



Eo postquam Caesar venit (or 
ul>i venit or cum vetiisset) 
obsides poposcit. 

Is, quod in re militari flo- 
rere Epaminondam vi de- 
bat, pacem bello ante- 
ferebat. 



Si Oppianicum absolvissent, 
quis tantam libidinem 
iudicum ferre potuisset? 



SUBORDINATE CLAUSES 



(/) Concessive. 

Although Datis saw that 
the position was un- 
favourable to his men, 
he still desired to fight. 
(g) Comparative. 

They dreaded the cruelty of 
Ariovistus, just as if he 
had been present. 



Datis, ci&i non aequum locum 
videbat suis, tamen con- 
fligere cupiebat. 



Ariovisti crudelitatem, velut 
si adcsset, horrebant. 



9. These adjectival or adverbial ideas need not always 
be expressed by clauses. They can often be rendered by 
a noun in apposition or some phrase ; which will have 
the advantage, too, of being shorter and neater. Frequent 
use may be made of the different participles, which occur 
much more often in Latin than in English. 

(i) They serve to economize the use of main verbs. 

(a) I seized the nearest Proximum signiferum 
standard-bearer by the 

hand, and carried him 
along with me against 
the enemy. 

(b) He found the body of 
Marcellus there and 
buried it. 



manu arreptum mecum 
in hostem rapui. 



(c) Then he embraced his 
wife and sent her away. 



Ibi invention corpus 
celli sepelivit. 



Mar- 



Complcxus inde uxorem di- 
misit. 



(ii) They may take the place of a relative clause. 
(d) He drank the water Aquam cadaveribus 
which had been polluted natam bibit. 
by corpses. 



EASY LATIN PEOSE 



(iii) They express attendant circumstances, and thus 
are equivalent to an adverbial clause. 



(e) Though I asked him 
again and again, he made 
no reply. 

(/) That letter was de- 
livered to me after I had 
dined. 

(g) After they had dis- 
covered this circumstance 
by means of their scouts, 
the Gauls abandon the 
siege. 



Mihi persaepc roganti nihil 
respondit. 

Cenato mild epistula est ilia 
reddita. 

Galli, hac re per explora- 
tores cognita, obsidionem 
relinquunt. 



10. In the employment of participles it must be re- 
membered (i) that the present participle generally signifies 
time simultaneous with that of the main verb. In English 
it is used much more loosely. 



(a) Calling a council to- 
gether Caesar exhorted 
his soldiers not to be 
dismayed by their re- 



verse. 



Concilia convocato Caesar 
milites cohortatus est ne 
incommode perturbaren- 
tur. 



Concilium convocans would be quite incorrect, 
council was summoned first. 



The 



(&) Seeing that the enemy 

had crossed the river the 

dictator led out all his 

forces. 

' Seeing ' is causal, and therefore is rendered by cum 
vidcret. 



Dictator, cum videret hostes 
ilumen transiisse, omnes 
copias eduxit 



USE OF PARTICIPLES 



(ii) That only a deponent verb has a perfect participle 
with an active meaning. 

Caesar Remos coliortatiis 
ad 



(c) Caesar having encour- 
aged the Remi ordered 
all the senate to come to 
meet him. 

But(d) Caesar having reached 
Rome sent for his friends. 



omnem senatum 
convenire iussit. 



se 



Caesar, cum Romam per- 
venisset (or postquam . . . 
pervenit) amicos arces- 
sivit. 



(iii) That the future participle always has an active 
meaning. 



(e) Intending-to-attack the 
city he got together a 
large army. 



Urbem oppugnaturus exer- 
citum permagnum com- 
paravit. 



11. The participle is also used to make up for the lack 
of abstract nouns in such phrases as the following : 



(a) Prom the foundation of 
the city. 

(b) After the murder of the 
king. 

(c) Will you disregard loss 
of life ? 



Ab urbe condita. 

Post regem interfectum. 

Vos crcptam vitam neglege- 

tis? 



12. As an illustration, let us suppose that a passage of 
English, which has to be translated, runs thus : 

The above facts became known (1) to the leading men 
in Britain, who had joined Caesar after the battle. So 
they held a conference and discussed the matter ('2). 
They knew that the Romans were short of cavalry, ships, 

\ 



10 EASY LATIN PROSE 

and corn (3), and the narrow dimensions of the camp 
betrayed how small the number of their soldiers was (4). 
This camp was all the more limited (5), because Caesar 
had brought his legions across without the encumbrance 
of any baggage. The chiefs therefore considered the best 
course to adopt was (6) to renew the struggle (7), inter- 
cept the supplies of the Romans, and prolong the war 
into the winter. They were confident (8) that, if this 
expedition was crushed or prevented from returning (9), 
no other would cross over into Britain with hostile in- 
tentions (10). 

The Latin will be : 

Quibus rebus cognitis (1) principes Britanniae, qui 
post proelium ad Caesarem convenerant, inter se collo- 
cuti (2), cum equites et naves et frumentum Romanis 
deesse intellegerent (3), et paucitatem militum ex castro- 
rum exiguitate cognoscerent (4), quae hoc erant an- 
gustiora (5), quod sine impediments Caesar legiones 
transportaverat, optimum factu esse duxerunt (6), re- 
bellione facta (7), frumento commeatuque nostros pro- 
hibere, et rem in hiemem producere, quod, his superatis 
aut reditu interclusis (9), neminem postea belli inferendi 
causa (10) in Britanniam transiturum confidebant (8). 

The main idea of the piece is that the chiefs decided 
to renew the war. So this statement appears as the 
principal sentence (6). The other ideas are all subordinate, 
and are therefore expressed by subordinate clauses, par- 
ticipial phrases, or ablative absolutes. 

13. The connecting links between the co-ordinate 
sentences, often omitted in English, are generally inserted 



CONNEXION OF SENTENCES 



11 



in Latin. The relative is frequently employed for this 
purpose. 

(a) These people began to cut 
off our supplies. When 
Crassus noticed this he 
thought he ought not to 
hesitate to fight a de- 
cisive battle. 

(b) Our most reliable reve- 
nues are at stake. If 
these are lost, you will 
miss both the embellish- 
ments of peace and the 
sinews of war. 



Hi commeatibus nostros 
intercludere instituunt. 
Quod ubi Crassus anim- 
advertit non cunctandum 
exist imavit quin pugna 
decertaret. 

Vectigalia certissima agun- 
tur, quibus amissis et 
pacis ornamenta et sub- 
sidia belli requiretis. 



In (a) quod &c. = et ubi id Crassus animadvertit ; in 
(b) quibus amissis = et eis amissis. 

14. Such words also as autem, scd, rcro, cerum, itaque, 
tyitur, qua re, quam ob rcm, quocirca, deinde, turn, qiiam- 
quam (= and yet), etsi (= and yet) may be used, in accor- 
dance with the context, to define the connexion of 
sentences, which in English have no conjunction at all, 
or perhaps have simply and. 

ORDER OF WORDS AND CLAUSES. 

15. The normal order of words within the sentence is 
(i) Subject, (ii) Indirect Object, (iii) Direct Object, (iv) 
Predicate. But this arrangement is often changed. First, 
for the sake of emphasis. 



(a) Law is silent in 
midst of arms. 



the 



Inter arma silent leges. 



12 EASY LATIN PROSE 

To secure this emphasis in English it is often necessary 
to expand the sentence ; in Latin we merely change the 
order from the normal, for any word which is not in 
its usual position becomes conspicuous and therefore 
emphatic. The most emphatic place in the sentence is 
the end, and next to that the beginning. 

(b) It was not only the case | Movit patres conscriptos 
itself but also its sup- ' cum causa turn auctor. 
porter that influenced the 

senate. 

Notice the greater brevity which the flexible order of 
the Latin permits. In the English it was necessary to 
have a complex sentence in order to emphasize the two 
nominatives. 

Secondly, to point a contrast. 

(c) Hear much and say little. | Multa audi, loquere pauca. 

16. With regard to the order of clauses in a complex 
sentence the previous examples (6-8) may be consulted. 
The following general rules may be given. 

1. The noun-clause comes in the same position that an 
ordinary noun would have occupied. 

2. The adjective -clause conies as near as possible to the 
word that it concerns. 

3. The ad verb- clause, with the exception of the con- 
secutive, comes before the word which it modifies. 

The consecutive is placed differently because, in deter- 
mining the order of the clauses, we must consider their 
priority in regard to time. That which happens first or 
is first thought of comes first. 

4. The principal sentence is generally placed at the 
end of the series, in order to give it weight and emphasis. 



LIMITATIONS TO THE USE OF THE PERIOD 13 

17. A long complex sentence consisting of a series of 
subordinate clauses with the principal sentence coming 
at the end is called a Period. The frequent use of the 
Period is characteristic of the styles of Cicero and Livy. 
It is not however invariably employed by them. De- 
tached sentences are purposely used in the description of 
animated scenes, in summaries, and in letters. In a letter 
a more conversational and natural style is generally 
desirable. 

ORATIO OBLIQUA. 

18. There were two methods by which a Latin author 
could report the words used by any speaker. He could 
reproduce the speech word for word exactly as it was 
delivered. This way of writing is called Oratio Recta 
(Direct Speech). Or he could make the speech dependent 
on some such phrase as lie said that, and report it in 
another form with certain changes in the pronouns and 
tenses. Then his report is said to be in Oratio Obliqua 
(Indirect Speech). Oratio Eecta is generally preferred 
when the writer desires his narrative to be especially vivid 
or picturesque. For instance, in Caesar's account of the 
invasion of Britain the standard-bearer's exhortation to 
his fellows (De Bello Gallico, iv. 25) is put in Oratio Recta ; 
but when a formal speech is recorded, such as that of 
Ariovistus (-B. G. i. 36), the Oratio Obliqua is used. Both 
these methods are found in English also, but, as the in- 
direct form is frequently ambiguous owing to the paucity 
of pronouns to denote the third person, the direct form 
is often used in cases where a Latin author would employ 
the Oratio Obliqua. It is impossible to write correctly 
in Latin in Oratio Obliqua, unless the distinction between 



14 EASY LATIN PROSE 

the two methods in English is properly understood. 
Practice in this may be obtained from the reports of Par- 
liamentary speeches. The student should turn those 
speeches that are reported directly into the indirect form, 
and vice versa. 

19. Let us suppose the actual words used by a speaker 
to have been as follows : 



(i) I acknowledge (says he) 
that I owe a great debt 
to Caesar for his kindness 
towards me, because I 
have been freed by his 
help from the tribute 
which I used to pay to 
my neighbours, theAdua- 
tuci. 



Ego, inquit, pro Caesaris in 
me beneficiis plurimum ei 
confiteormedebere, quod 
eius opera stipend io libe- 
ratus sum, quod Adua- 
tucis, finitimis meis, pen- 
dere consueveram. 



20. In Indirect Speech the English runs : 

He said that he acknowledged that he owed a great 
debt to Caesar for his kindness towards him, because by 
his help he had been freed from the tribute which he had 
been accustomed to pay to his neighbours, the Aduatuci. 

21. In translating this into Latin Oratio Obliqua the 
following rules must be observed : 

(a) All principal statements in Oratio Recta are put in 
the accusative and infinitive in Oratio Obliqua. 

(b) All clauses subordinate to the main sentence, whether 
headed by a relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction, 
must be put in the subjunctive mood, with the proper 
tense required by the sequence. 



ORATIO OBLIQUA 



15 



(c) Only the third person of pronouns must be used. 
Oratio Obliqua has se (occasionally ipsc) where ratio 
Recta has ego or nos, and is (or ille) where Oratio Recta 
has tu or vos. 

* (d) Suus takes the place of the meus or noster of Oratio 
Recta ; illius and illorum or eius and eorum replace tuus 
and vester. 

(e) Inqiiit must only be used when the speech is reported 
directly. Some such word as dixit may be used to intro- 
duce the Oratio Obliqua, but the introductory word of 
saying is often implied only. 

22. So the Latin for (i) in Oratio Obliqua is : 
Locutus est (e) sese (c) pro Caesaris in se (c) beneficiis 
plurimum ei confiteri (a) debere. quod eius opera stipendio 
liberatus esset (b), quod Aduatucis, finitimis suis (d), pen- 
dere consuesset (b). 



23. (ii) Having heard this 
the consul began to up- 
braid those who hesitated 
to take up arms. ' Why 
do you linger and hang 
back ? The enemy will 
enter the camp, unless 
you have gone outside 
the camp. March out, 
therefore, and wrest vic- 
tory from your foes. To 
whom is it not clear that 
he who waits here for 
the enemy unarmed must 



Quae ubi consul accepit, 
cunctantes arma capere 
increpans, ' Quid,' inquit, 
4 cessatis, quid tergivers- 
amini ? Hostis in castra 
veniet, nisi vos extra 
castra exieritis. Signa 
igitur proferte, victoriam 
hosti extorquete. Cui 
non apparet, qui hie in- 
ermis hostem maneat, ei 
aut mortem aut servi- 
tutemperferendam? Tri- 
buni quidem atque eorum 



16 EASY LATIN PROSE 



qui mecum dissentiunt, 
consilium quern habebit 
exitum ? Postremo cur 
nunc cunctamur? Nolite 
de virtute ducis despe- 
rare.' 



suffer either death or 
slavery? What will be 
the issue of the plans of 
the tribune and of those 
who disagree with me ? 
Why, in fine, do we 
now hesitate? Do not 
despair of your leader's 
valour.' 

24. To change this to Oratio Obliqua these additional 
rules must be followed : 

(/) Questions which in Oratio Recta are of the second 
person in Oratio Obliqua are put into the subjunctive in 
the third person. 

(g) Questions which in Oratio Recta are in the first or 
third person are rendered by the accusative and infinitive 
in Oratio Obliqua. Such questions are generally merely 
rhetorical. They are statements put in an animated 
form. (If the question in the third person is really asked 
for information and expects an answer, it is then put 
in the subjunctive as the questions under rule (/).) 

(h) Commands expressed by the imperative in Oratio 
Recta require the subjunctive in the third person in Oratio 
Obliqua. 

(i) What is already in the subjunctive in Oratio Recta 
naturally remains so in Oratio Obliqua. 

(Jc) Nunc, now, becomes in Oratio Obliqua tuni or tune, 
then ; hie, here, becomes ibi, there. The pronouns hie and 
iste are rare in Oratio Obliqua, being generally changed 
to is or illc. 

Note. It will be observed that no other moods are 



OKATIO OBLIQUA 17 

required (as a rule) in Oratio Obliqua but the infinitive 
and subjunctive, and no other person but the third 

pei son. 

25. So example (ii) may be rendered in Oratio Obliqua 
thus : 

Quae ubi consul accepit, cunctantes anna capere incre- 
pabat (e) : quid cessarent tergiversarenturque(/) ? Hostem 
in castra veiiturum (), nisi illi extra castra exiissent (b) ; 
signa igitur proferrent (/*) : victoriam hosti extorque- 
rent (h). Cui non apparere (g) ei qui ibi (A 1 ) inermis 
hostem maneret (I) aut mortem aut servitutem perfe- 
rendam ? Tribuni quidem atque eorum qui secum (c) 
dissentirent (b) consilium quem habiturum esset (y) 
exituni ? Postremo cur se (c) tune (k) cunctari (y) ? 
Nollent (h) de virtute ducis desperare. 

26. It is clear how necessary it is, if the English 
happens to be in indirect speech, to understand what it 
would have been in the direct form. It is advisable, 
therefore, before rendering into Latin, to change the whole 
into the direct form in English, in the mind, at least, if 
not on paper. 

27. For practice in these rules the following exercises 
will be useful : 

I. Turn from the Oratio Kecta into the Oratio Obliqua 
(i) Desilite, inquit, commilitones, nisi vultis aquilam 

hostibus prodcre : ego certe meum reipullicae atque 

imperatori officium praestitero. 

(ii) Quid dubitas ? inquit, aut quem locum tuae pro- 

bandae virtutis spectas ? hie dies de nostris controversiis 

iudicabit. 



18 EASY LATIN PROSE 

(iii) Una ratio belli gerendi adversus Hannibalem est, 
qua ego gessi. 

(iv) Si igitur edere nolunt, inquit, bibendi dabo facul- 
tatem. 

(v) Noli adversus eos me ducere, cum quibus ne contra 
te arma ferrem, Italian! reliqui, 

II. Turn from Oratio Obliqua into Oratio Recta 

(i) Publius Scipio dixit nunquam se minus otiosum 
esse quam cum otiosus, nee minus sol um quam cum 
solus esset. 

(ii) Legatis Helvetiorum Caesar ita respondit : eo sibi 
minus dubitationis dari, quod eas res quas legati com- 
memorassent memoria teneret. Quod si veteris contu- 
meliae oblivisci vellet, num etiam recentium iniuriarum, 
quod iter per Provinciam per vim tentassent, quod 
Aeduos, quod Ambarros, quod Allobroges vexassent, me- 
moriam deponere posse ? 

(iii) Dixit ille dictator! magistrum equitum intolera- 
bilem fuisse : quid consuli adversus collegam seditiosum 
atque temerarium virium atque auctoritatis fore? se 
populare incendium priore consulatu semustum effugisse : 
optare ut omnia prospere evenirent ; sed si quid adversi 
caderet, hostium se telis potius quam suffragiis iratorum 
civium caput obiecturum. 



EXERCISES 

[Words that are enclosed in round brackets may be omitted in 
translating into Latin. 

The references in the notes are to the numbered paragraphs in 
the Introduction.] 



'THE BITER BIT' 

NASICA once paid a visit l to the poet Ennius, and when 
he asked for him at the door 2 the maidservant 3 said that 
he was not at home. Nasica saw that she said this by 
her master's orders, and that he really was within. A 
few days afterwards Ennius came to the house of Nasica, 
and when he inquired for him at the street-door Nasica 
exclaimed, 'I am not at home.' Then says Ennius, 
' What ! do not I recognize your voice ? ' Thereupon the 
other rejoined, l Shameless fellow that you are 4 ! when 
I asked for you I believed your maid when she told me 
that you were not at home ; do not you believe me in 
person 5 ? ' 

1 venio, and see 10 (rf). 2 ab ostio. 3 ancilla. * = you 
are a shameless (impudent) man. 5 ipse. 



C 2 



20 EASY LATIN PROSE 

II 

A STORY OF REGULUS 

AFTER these reverses the Carthaginians asked Regains, 
whom they had captured, to set out for Rome and obtain 
peace for them. Having come 1 to Rome he was led 
before the senate, but acted in no way like a Roman 2 , 
saying that from that day when he fell into the power 
of the Africans he ceased to be a Roman. And so he 
advised the senate not to make peace with the Cartha- 
ginians ; that they were crushed 3 by so many disasters 
and 3 had no hope ; that he himself was not of such value 
that so many thousand prisoners should be given back 
in return for him alone and for the few of the Romans 
who had been captured. He went back to Carthage, and 
when the Romans offered 4 to keep him at Rome said that 
he would not remain in a city in which he could not 
hold the position 5 of an honourable citizen. He re- 
turned therefore to Africa, and was put to death with 
every kind of torture fi . 

1 see 10 (cf). 2 = did nothing as if (quasi) a Koman. s frango, 
and see 9 (i). 4 see 9 (iii). 5 dignitas. 6 supplicium. 



EXERCISES 21 

III 
A PRUDENT COMMANDER 

MEANWHILE, a few days afterwards, our commander 
receives information 1 from the Egyptians that all the 
Arabs are collecting their forces together 2 , and issuing 
orders to those tribes which are under their sway to send 
reinforcements both of infantry and cavalry. In con- 
sequence of this information he looks to 3 his supply of 
corn, selects a suitable position for a camp, and orders 
the Egyptians to lead home their cattle and take all their 
belongings out of the fields into the towns, anticipating 4 
that, uncivilized and unskilled as they were 5 , they might 
be induced by stress of lack of provisions to fight on 
unfavourable terms 6 ; he commissions them to send 
many scouts among the Arabs, and to ascertain what 
is going on there. They carry out his commands, and 
after the interval of a few days 7 report that all the 
Arabs, with their own forces and those of their allies 
whom they had mustered, had withdrawn to the extreme 
limits of their territories 8 , as soon as more reliable 9 
intelligence of the British army reached them. 

1 = is informed by. 2 = into one place. 3 provideo. 

4 spero. 5 use Apposition. 6 = might be led to unfavour- 

able terms (condicio) of fighting. 7 = a few days having 

intervened (intermittor). 8 = far in to their furthest borders. 

9 certus. 



22 EASY LATIN PROSE 

IV 
THE FOUNDATION OF ROME 

THE memory of man can call to mind scarcely any 
empire that was smaller at its commencement, or 
more extensive in its increase 1 throughout the whole 
world 2 , than that of Rome. It takes its beginning 3 
from Romulus, who was the son of Rea Silvia and, as 
it was supposed, of Mars. When leading-a-robber's-life 4 
amongst the shepherds, at the age of eighteen, he founded 
a little * city on the Palatine mount, 394 years after the 
destruction B of Troy. When he had founded the state, 
which he called Rome after his own name, he acted 
pretty-nearly 7 as follows. He admitted a number of his 
neighbours into citizenship, and picked out one hundred 
of the older men, by whose advice he might always act. 
Then, as he himself and his people had no wives, he 
invited the tribes that were neighbours to the city of 
Rome to a show 8 of games, and seized their maidens. 



1 increment-urn. 2 orbis. 3 exordium. 4 latrocinor. 

exiguns. 6 excidium. 7 fero. 8 spectaenlum. 



EXERCISES 23 

V 
A RUDE AWAKENING 

THE Gauls, under the leadership of Belgius, in order 
to test l the feelings of the Macedonians sent ambassadors 
to Ptolemy 2 , offering peace if he was willing to purchase 
it, but Ptolemy boasted :{ among his companions that the 
Gauls sought for peace through fear of war. When the 
result-of-the embassy* was reported the Gauls laughed, 
exclaiming on all sides that he would soon realize 5 
whether they offered peace through consideration G for 
him or for themselves. After some days' interval they 
engaged in conflict ; and the Macedonians were beaten 7 
and cut to pieces. Ptolemy, wounded 8 in many places, 
was taken prisoner. His head was cut off 7 , fixed to 
a lance, and carried all along the line for the intimida- 
tion 9 of the enemy. When this had been announced 
throughout Macedonia, the gates of the cities were shut, 
and there was general mourning 10 . At one time they 
feared the destruction of their towns ; at another they 
called to their assistance the names of Kings Alexander 
and Philip. 

1 tento. 2 Ptolemaeus. 3 glorior. 4 legatio. 5 sentio. 
6 use pres. participle of consulo. 7 see 9 (i). 8 saueius. 

9 terror. 10 = all things were filled with mourning. 



24 EASY LATIN PROSE 

VI 

TWO BAD CORRESPONDENTS 

(a) You have not sent me any letters now for a long 
time. There is nothing, you say, for me to write. 
Well ', write just this, that you have nothing to write, 
or nothing more than that (phrase) with-which 2 your 
previous letters were wont to commence ; ' If you are in 
good health 3 , it is well; I myself am in good health/ 
This is sufficient for me ; for it is the most important 
point. Do you think that I am joking 4 ? I ask this 
seriously 5 . Let me know what you are doing, for I can- 
not be ignorant of that without feeling the utmost 
anxiety . Farewell 7 . 

(6) I am angry, and it is not clear 8 to me whether 
I ought to be, but I am angry (you know how love is 
sometimes unfair 9 ) because no letters have come from 
you for a long time. You can prevail 10 on me by one 
method alone, by sending me, now at least, many long 
ones. I shall regard this excuse 11 alone as genuine, and 
all others as false. At my country-house 12 I am taking 
pleasure partly in study, partly in indolence 13 , both of 
which are-the-result 14 of leisure. Farewell. 

1 At. 2 unde. 3 valeo. * ludo. 5 serio. 6 sol- 
licitudo. 7 iinperat. of valeo. 8 liquet. 9 iniquus. 

10 exoro (with ace.). n excusatio. 12 villa. ls desidia. 

14 nascor. 



EXERCISES 25 

VII 

AN OBSTINATE ENCOUNTER 

AT dawn our men had all been taken across the river, 
and the enemy's line was in sight. Our leader exhorted 
his men to remember their former 1 valour and their 
many successful engagements, and to think that Germani- 
cus himself was present, under whose command they 
had so often routed their foes. Then he gave the signal 
for battle. On the right wing, where the seventh legion 
had taken its position 2 , the enemy were driven back at 
the first encounter :{ , and put to flight. On the left, 
which was held by the twelfth legion, the front ranks 
of the enemy fell pierced by the spears, but the rest 
vigorously held-their-ground 4 . Their leader himself was 
with his men and encouraged them. While the issue 5 
of the fight was still uncertain 6 , intimation of what was 
happening on the left wing reached the officers 7 of the 
seventh legion, and they displayed their troops in the 
enemies' rear 8 , and commenced an attack 9 . Not even 
then did any of the enemy yield ground 10 , but they were 
all surrounded and slain. 

1 pristinus. 2 consisto. 8 concursus. 4 resisto. 

5 exitus. G use abl. abs. 7 tribunus. 8 tergum. 

9 signa infero. 10 loco cedo. 



26 EASY LATIN PROSE 

VIII 
STORY OF VALERIUS CORVUS 

WHEN the Latins, who had been subdued by the 
Romans, refused to supply 1 soldiers, recruits 2 were picked 
from the Romans only, and ten legions were made up. 
So great was the bravery of the Romans in war, although 
their power 3 was as yet small 4 . When these 5 legions 
had set out against the Gauls, under the leadership of 
Lucius Furius, one of the Gauls challenged 6 one of the 
Romans. Marcus Valerius, a military tribune, offered 
himself, and when he had stepped forward fully armed 7 
a raven 8 perched 9 on his right arm. Afterwards, when 
the combat had begun, the same raven struck-at the 
eyes of the Gaul with his wings n and claws 12 , in order 
that he might not be able to see straight 1:< . And so he 
was killed by the tribune. The raven gave the latter not 
only victory, but also a name, for after this he was called 
Corvus. 



praesto. 2 tiro. 3 res. * use abl. abs. '"' see 13. 

8 cor 
rectum. 



- tiro. 3 res. * use abJ. abs. ' see 13 

6 provoco. 7 armatus. 8 corvus. 9 sedeo. 10 verbero 
11 ala. 12 unguis, 



EXERCISES 27 

IX 

MILTIADES MAKES AN ENEMY OF DARIUS (1) 

ABOUT the same time Darius 1 , the King of Persia, 
brought his army across from Asia to Europe, and decided 
to make war on the Scythians. He made a bridge over 
the river Hister, by which to lead across his troops. He 
left as guardians of that bridge the princes 2 whom he 
had brought with him from Ionia and Aeolis 3 , to each of 
whom he had given the government of their cities for 
life 4 . Miltiades was one of those to whom that charge r ' 
was to be entrusted. As several couriers' 3 reported that 
Darius was unsuccessful 7 and was hard-pressed by the 
Scythians, Miltiades exhorted the guardians of the bridge 
not to lose 8 the opportunity of delivering Greece. For 
(he said) 9 if Darius perished with his troops, not only 
would Europe be safe, but also all those of Greek blood 10 
who inhabited Asia would be delivered from the Persian 
yoke ll . It could easily be effected ; for if the bridge was 
destroyed 12 the king would perish in a few days, either 
by the sword of the enemy or through want. 

1 Dareus. 2 princeps. 3 Aeolis, -idis. 4 = the perpetual 
government. 5 custodia. nuntius. male rem gero. 

8 dimitto. put all the rest of the piece in Oratio Obliqua. 
10 _ Greeks by race. ll dominatio. 12 rescindo, and see 

9 (iii). 



28 EASY LATIN PROSE 



MILTIADES MAKES AN ENEMY OF DARIUS (2) 

ALTHOUGH many supported 1 this plan, Histiaeus of 
Miletus prevented its accomplishment. He said that 
they who held the supreme command 2 had not the same 
interests 3 as the common-people, because their sovereignty 
depended 4 on the rule of Darius ; if he 5 was killed they 
themselves would be driven from power and pay the 
penalty to their countrymen, and therefore he was so 
opposed to 6 the plan of the others that he thought there 
was nothing -more beneficial to them than the main- 
tenance 7 of the Persian rule. As the majority followed 
his opinion, Miltiades left the Chersonese and moved 
back 8 again to Athens, for he had no doubt that his 
propositions 9 would reach the king's ears. Although 
his 5 reasoning did not prevail 10 , it is nevertheless greatly 
to be commended, since he was a better-friend to the 
freedom of all than he was to his own sovereignty. 

1 accede ad. 2 summa imperil. 3 = the same thing was 

not expedient to (expedio). 4 nitor. 5 see 9 (iii). fl abhor- 
reo a. 7 = than for the rule to be confirmed. 8 demigro. 

9 = plans. 10 valeo. 



EXERCISES 29 

XI 

PYRRHUS AT HERACLEA 

ABOUT the same time, because they had wronged * the 
ambassadors of Rome, war was declared against the Taren- 
tines. These called in Pyrrhus the King of Epirus, who 
traced his descent 2 from the family of Achilles, to aid 
them against the Romans. The consul Publius Valerius 
was dispatched against him. Having captured the scouts 
of Pyrrhus, he ordered them to be led through the camp, 
and then to be sent away, in order that they might report 
to Pyrrhus all that was being done by the Romans. 
A battle soon began, and Pyrrhus was just beginning to 
flee, when he gained the day by the aid of his elephants, 
at which, being strange 3 , the Romans were greatly -terri- 
fied 4 . Pyrrhus captured 1,800 Romans, whom he treated 5 
with the greatest respect G . He also buried the dead ; 
and 7 when he saw them lying with their wounds in-front 8 
and with a fierce 9 expression 10 even in death, it is said 
that he raised his hands to heaven with the remark 11 , 
that he could have been master of the world, if such 
soldiers had fallen to his lot 12 . 

1 iniuriam facio. This clause is in virtual Oratio Obliqua 
(reported reason). 2 originem traho. 3 iiicognitus. 4 ex- 
pavesco (gov. ace.). 5 tracto. honos. 7 see 13. 8 ad- 
versus. 9 trux, trucis. 10 vultus. u vox. 12 coiitingo. 



30 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XII 

PYRRHUS ASKS FOR PEACE 

AMBASSADORS were sent to Pyrrhus concerning the 
ransoming 1 of the captives, and were honourably 2 re- 
ceived 3 by him. He sent the captives to Rome without 
ransom 4 . He so admired Fabricius, one of the Roman 
ambassadors, when he had ascertained he was poor, that 
he wanted to tempt 5 him to come over to his side, by 
promising c him a fourth part of his kingdom. He was 
scorned by Fabricius, and so, filled 7 with great admiration 
for the Romans, he sent a distinguished 8 man named 
Cineas to ask for peace on equal terms, so that Pyrrhus 
should retain 9 that part of Italy, which he had already 
seized by force of arms. Peace was not to their liking 10 , 
and word was sent back to Pyrrhus by the senate that he 
could not have peace with the Romans, unless he retired 
from Italy. So the ambassador returned, and 11 when 
Pyrrhus asked him what sort (of a place) he had found 
Rome to be, he said that he had seen a nation of kings ; 
and that in truth almost all there were such as Pyrrhus 
alone was thought to be in Epirus and the rest of Greece. 



1 redimo. 2 honorificc. 3 suscipio. * pretium. 

5 sollicito. 6 use abl. abs. 7 since he was held by. 

8 praecipuus. 9 obtineo. 10 was displeasing. u see 13. 



EXERCISES 31 

XIII 
PHOCION 

ALTHOUGH Phocion the Athenian often commanded 
armies and filled high offices, the blamelessness T of his 
life is much better known than his labours in war. So 
of the latter we have no records 2 , but for the former his 
reputation is great. From this circumstance he received 
the title 3 of * the Good '. For he was always poor, 
although he could have been very rich by means of the 
many honours offered 4 to him and the high powers which 
were granted him by the people. Once 5 he refused 
a present 6 of a large sum of money from King Philip. 
The envoys advised him, even if he could easily dispense 7 
with it himself, to consider his children, who would find 
it difficult to maintain 8 their father's glory in extreme 
poverty. To which he replied 3 , 'If they are like me, 
this small estate 9 , which has brought me to such a posi- 
tion-of-honour 10 , will also support them ; if they are going 
to prove degenerate 11 , I do not want their self-indul- 
gence 1 " to be supported and fostered 13 at my expense 14 .' 

1 integritas. 2 memoria. 3 = he was called good by title 
(cognomen). * defero. 5 Put all this in one complex sen- 

tence, 5. 6 munus. 7 careo. 8 tueor. 9 agellus. 

10 dignitas. n dissimilis. 
pensa. 



32 EASY LATIN PKOSE 

XIV 

CAESAR PURSUES POMPEIUS TO EGYPT (1) 

CAESAR was of the opinion that he ought to abandon 
everything and pursue Pompeius into whatever regions 
he had retired after his flight, in order that he might not 
be able to get fresh l forces together and renew 2 the war. 
He advanced each day over as great a distance as he 
could accomplish with his cavalry, and ordered one legion 
to follow by shorter stages 3 . A decree had been issued 
at Amphipolis 4 in the name of Pompeius, that all the 
young men of that province, Greeks and Romans, should 
assemble to take-the-oath 5 . No one could determine 
whether Pompeius had done this to avert suspicion, so 
that he might conceal his plan of a further flight for as 
long as possible, or whether he was attempting, in case 
he was not pressed 6 , to hold Macedonia by new levies 7 . 
He himself lay at anchor 8 for one night, and summoned 
his friends at Amphipolis to meet him. From them he 
collected y money for his necessary expenses 10 ; but on 
hearing of Caesar's approach he left that place, and in the 
course of a few days arrived at My tilene n . After having 
been detained two days by bad-weather 12 he reached 
Cilicia and afterwards Cyprus. 

1 alius, 2 renovo. 3 iter. 4 Amphipolis, -is. B iuro. 
6 = if no one pressed. 7 dilectus, -us. 8 ad ancoram consisto. 
9 corrogo. 10 suraptus, -us. n Mytilenae, -arum. la tem- 
pestas. 



EXERCISES 33 

XV 

CAESAR PURSUES POMPEIUS TO EGYPT (2) 

THERE he learnt that, with the consent 1 of all the 
people-of- Antioch 2 , and of the Roman citizens who were 
doing-business 3 there, the citadel had been seized with the 
object of keeping him out 4 , and that messages had been 
sent round to those who were said to have retired after 
their flight into the neighbouring states, that they were 
not to approach Antioch 5 , and that if they did so, it would 
be at the risk of their lives 6 . The same thing had hap- 
pened at Rhodes to Lentulus and some others. When, 
following Pompeius in his flight, they came to the island, 
they were not admitted in the town or the harbour, and 
a message was sent to them that they should leave the 
place ; so contrary to their own wishes they put to sea 7 . 
And now the news of Caesar's approach was reaching the 
states. Aware of this Pompeius gave up 8 his plan of 
going to Syria. He placed on board his vessels a large 
quantity 9 of money for military needs 10 and two thousand 
armed men, and so made his way to Pelusium. After 
stopping a few days in Asia, Caesar arrived at Alexandria 
with two legions and eight hundred cavalry. 

1 consensus. 2 Antioehenses. s negotior. * exclude. 

5 Antioch ia. caput. 7 naves solvo. 8 depono. 

9 pondus. 10 usus. 



34 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XVI 
STORY OF EPAMINONDAS 

THERE was a law at Thebes, which punished * with 
death any one who had retained his command for a longer 
period than had been previously-fixed 2 by statute. As 
Epaminondas saw that this had been passed in order to 
preserve the state, he did not want it to contribute 3 to 
its destruction, and so held his command for four months 
longer than the people had enjo'ned. After their return 
home 4 , his colleagues were brought to trial on this charge ; 
but he permitted them to transfer the whole case to him, 
and to assert that they disobeyed the law at his instance r> . 
By this defence they were released from their dangerous- 
position G , and no one thought that Epaminondas would 
make any answer, as he had nothing to plead 7 . But he 
came before the court 8 , and denied none of the charges 
which his enemies imputed 9 to him, but admitted all 
that his colleagues had said. Nor did he refuse to submit 10 
to the legal penalties, but only asked them to inscribe 
the following on his tomb : ' Epaminondas was punished 
with death by the Thebans, because he forced them to 
overcome the Lacedaemonians, and because in one battle 
he not only saved u Thebes from destruction, but also 
secured the freedom 12 of all Greece.' After he had said 
this general laughter arose, and no judge ventured to 
give in his vote 13 on the matter. 

1 multo. 2 praefinio. 3 confero. * use pass, imper- 

sonal. 5 = that it was done by his efforts (opera) that they did 
not obey the law. 6 periculum. 7 dico. 8 indicium. 

9 = none of those things which his enemies gave for a charge to 
him. 10 subeo. ll retraho. 12 in libertatem vindico 

(gov. ace.). r! fero suffragium. 



EXERCISES 35 



XVII 

DEATH OF EPAMINONDAS AT MANTINEA 

EPAMINONDAS was in command at l Mantinea, and, 
after forming his line, was pressing 2 boldly on the enemy 
when he was recognized by the Lacedaemonians. In-a- 
body n they made an attack on him alone, because they 
thought that the safety of their country depended on 4 
his death ; nor did they retire until they saw him fall, 
struck by a spear from-a-distancc r> , while fighting bravely 
in the midst of great bloodshed and destruction". By 
his fall the advance of the Boeotians was considerably 
retarded ; but still they did not leave the field 7 until 
they had routed their opponents. Now Epaminondas 
saw that he had received a mortal 8 wound, and that he 
would die at once if he extracted the head 9 of the spear, 
which had remained in his body ; but he kept it there 
until 10 it was announced that the Boeotians were vic- 
torious. After he heard that, he said, ' I have lived long 
enough, for I die unconquered.' Then he pulled out the 
spear-head and immediately breathed his last. 



1 apud. 2 insto. 3 uni versus. * situs esso. 
6 = great slaughter having been made and many killed, 
exoedo. * mortifer. 9 ferrum. 10 quoad. 



5 eminus. 
7 pugna 



D 2 



36 EASY LATIN PROSE 



XVIII 

ALEXANDER BATHES IN THE RIVER 
CYDNUS (1) 

IN this way Alexander arrived at the city of Tarsus, to 
which the Persians were just setting fire 1 , to prevent the 
enemy attacking the wealthy town. But he sent on 
Parmenio with a body of light-armed 2 soldiers to stop " 
the conflagration, and, as soon as he heard that the bar- 
barians had been put to flight by the approach of his 
men, he entered the town which he had preserved. The 
river Cydnus flows through the middle of it. It was 
then summer, and the hottest 4 part of the day had just 
commenced. The coolness r> of the water enticed 6 the 
king, covered-as-he-was 7 with dust * and perspiration *, to 
bathe 10 his body whilst it was still heated n . So he took 
off his clothes and stepped down into the water in the 
sight of his army. His limbs had hardly been immersed 
when 12 they began to stiffen". Then paleness 14 spread 
over them, and the warmth of-life 15 all but left the 
whole body. His servants took him out, apparently 
lifeless 16 , and carried him to his tent 17 hardly in-posses- 
sion 18 of his senses. 



1 ignem subicio. 2 expeditus. 3 inhibeo. 4 fervidus. 

5 liquor. 6 invito. 7 use participle of perfundo. 8 pulvis. 
? sudor. 10 abluo. u calidus. 12 = his limbs hardly 

having entered began to stiffen. w rigeo. 14 pallor. 

15 vitalis (adjective). ]6 = similar to one expiring. " taber- 



EXERCISES 37 



XIX 

ALEXANDER BATHES IN THE RIVER 
CYDNUS (2) 

THERE was now in the camp great anxiety and mourn- 
ing. With tears in their eyes 1 they lamented " the fact 
that he, the most famous sovereign of any age or time s , 
had not been overthrown by his enemies on the field-of- 
battle, but had lost his life whilst bathing in a stream. 
'We must' (Oratio Obliqua) (said they) 'now again 
return to those lands, which we have traversed 4 in vic- 
tory ; either we ourselves or the enemy have laid every- 
thing waste ; and who will give the signal to us in our 
flight? who will venture to take the place 5 of Alex- 
ander? Though in flight we reach the Hellespont, who 
will prepare a fleet, wherein we may cross ? ' Then their 
pity reverting to the king himself, unmindful of them- 
selves, they mourned that their king and comrade 6 was 
separated 7 and sundered 8 from them. Meanwhile the 
king raised 9 his eyes, and gradually coming to himself 10 
recognized his friends that stood round. 

1 = weeping. 2 queror. 3 memoria. * peragro. 

5 succedo (with chit.). 6 commilito. 7 divello. 8 abrumpo. 
9 adlevo. lu * his mind gradually returning. 



38 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XX 

CAESAR ENCOURAGES HIS SOLDIERS AFTER 
A REVERSE 

DIVERTED J from his former plans Caesar came to the 
conclusion that he must change the whole scheme 2 of 
the war. So collecting 3 all his army together he made 
a speech and encouraged them not to be deeply affected 4 
by what had happened or alarmed by these events. ' You 
ought ' (Oratio Obliqua) (said he) ' to be grateful to fortune 
for having gained Italy without a wound ; for having 
subdued the two Spains, and for having reduced the 
neighbouring and corn-bearing n provinces to subjec- 
tion ; in short, you should remember with what good- 
luck G all have been brought safely across to Greece, in 
the midst of hostile fleets, when not only the harbours 
but also the coasts were occupied 7 . If everything does 
not turn out prosperously, you must aid 8 fortune by your 
own efforts. Whatever loss has been received ought to 
be ascribed y to any one's fault rather than mine. I have 
given you favourable ground to fight on, and I have 
gained possession of the enemies' camp ; I have driven 
out and defeated my opponents. But whether it has 
been our own confusion 10 , or some mistake, or even 
fortune that n has interrupted 12 the victory when already 
won and in-our-hands 10 , all must strive by their valour 
to repair 14 the reverse 1 which we have sustained 16 .' 

1 depello. - ratio. :i eee9(iii). 4 graviter fero. 

5 frumentarius. 6 felicitas. T opplco. 8 sublcvo. 

8 tribuo. 10 perturbatio. n see 15 (&';. 12 interpello. 

13 praesens. 14 sarcio. 15 incommodum. lrt = received. 



EXERCISES 39 



XXI 

POMPEIUS' PLANS FOR THE BATTLE OF 
PHARSALIA 

POMPEIUS, as was afterwards ascertained, had deter- 
mined with the encouragement of all his soldiers to fight 
a decisive battle 1 . For in his council some days pre- 
viously he had declared that Caesar's army would 
be defeated before the lines met 2 . When several ex- 
pressed their surprise at that, 'I know,' said he, 'that 
I am promising what is almost incredible, but hear the 
reasons for my decision, so that you may go forward into 
battle with the more resolution 3 . I persuaded my 
cavalry, and they asserted that they would comply, to 
attack Caesar's right wing on their exposed 4 flank, as 
soon as it approached nearer, so that, by surrounding 
their line from the rear, they might throw the whole 
army into confusion and defeat them, before a single 
spear was thrown by us at the enemy. Thus we shall 
bring the war to a conclusion without risking 5 our 
legions and almost without a wound. Now this is not 
difficult, as we are so strong 6 in cavalry.' 

1 proelio decerto. - concurro. :: = with a firmer mind. 

4 apertus. 5 periculum. G valco. 



40 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXII 

ALEXANDER DECIDES TO FIGHT AT ISSUS 

PARMENIO had been sent on in advance to explore the 
road through the defile 1 , through which they had to 
make their way to the city called Issus. After having 
seized the passes 2 and left a small guard there, he had 
captured Issus also, which was deserted by the barbarians. 
Then the king moved his forces to Issus. There he held 
a council (to decide) whether he ought to advance further 
or wait 3 there for the new troops which it was known 4 
were coming from Macedonia. Parmenio thought that 
110 other place was more suited for a battle; there 
(Oratio Obliqua) the forces of both kings would be equal 
in number, since the passes did not hold 5 very many ; 
they must avoid level ground and plains, where they 
might be surrounded and overwhelmed by an attack 
on-both-flanks ; he was afraid that they would lose in 
consequence of their own fatigue 7 rather than through 
the valour of the enemy. The arguments 8 of such salu- 
tary 9 advice were easily admitted, and so the king decided 
to wait for the enemy in the narrow defile. 

1 saltus. - angustiae. s opporior (gov. ace.). 4 constat. 
:> capio. 6 anccps. 7 lassitude. 8 ratio. 9 saluber. 



EXERCISES 41 

XXIII 

INTEGRITY OF EPAMINONDAS 

AT the request of Artaxerxes Diomedon had under- 
taken 1 to bribe 2 Epaminondas with money. He came 
to Thebes with a large quantity of gold, and by a present 
of five talents won over to his views a lad named Micythus, 
of whom Epaminondas was then very fond. Micythus 
went-to-see 3 his master, and explained the reason of 
Diomedon's arrival. 'But,' said Epaminondas in the 
presence of Diomedon, ' I do not want the money ; for 
if the king desires what is beneficial 4 to the Thebans, 
I am ready to do it for nothing n ; if, on the other hand, 
it is opposed -to- their-interests 6 , he has not enough silver 
and gold. For I would not take the wealth of the whole 
world in-exchange-for my country's love. I am not 
surprised at you, who have thought me like yourself, 
and I pardon you ; but depart at once, lest you corrupt 
others, since you have not been able to corrupt me. And 
do you, Micythus, give him back his money, or I will 
hand you over to justice V 

1 suscipio with gerundive construction as object; cf. 'pontem 
faciendum curavit '. 2 corrumpo. 3 convenio. 4 utili*. 

5 gratiis. 6 contrarius. 7 magistratus (using the concrete 

instead of the abstract;. 



42 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXIV 
PREPARATIONS FOR A NAVAL ENGAGEMENT 

WHILE this was going on at Her da the people-of-Mar- 
seilles, following 1 the advice of Domitius, got ready 
seventeen ships of war, eleven of which were decked 2 . 
To these they added many smaller vessels 8 , in order that 
our fleet might be terrified by the mere numbers. They 
placed on them a large number of archers 4 ," whom they 
urged on 5 by means of large rewards and promises. 
Domitius demanded particular 6 ships for himself, and 
filled them with colonists and shepherds, whom he had 
brought with him. After the fleet had thus been equipped 7 
with all requisites, they went forward with all confidence 8 
to meet our vessels, which were under the command of 
Brutus. These were holding positions 9 near the island 
which is opposite to 10 Marseilles. When the enemy's 
arrival was known, Brutus led his ships out of the 
harbour and engaged with the enemy. Both sides carried 
on the contest with great courage and vigour. Brutus 
was much inferior in actual numbers, but Caesar had 
picked out the bravest men from all the legions, who 
had claimed that service 11 for themselves, and had 
assigned 12 them to the fleet. 

1 - having used, sec 9 (i) (c). 2 = covered (tego). 3 navigium. 
4 Sagittarius. r > incite. 6 certus. 7 instruo. 8 fiducia. 
' J static. 10 contra. n munus. 13 attribuo. 



-EXERCISES 43 

XXV 

A NAVAL BATTLE 

THE enemy, trusting to the speed of their ships and 
the skill 1 of their steersmen 2 , easily baffled 3 our men, 
and did not await 4 their attack. As long as it was 
possible to avail themselves of the wider space, they 
attempted, by extending their line further, to surround 
us or to attack individual ships with greater numbers, 
or, running past , to sweep oft' 7 their oars. Our men, 
however, were not only employing less practised 8 rowers ' 
and less experienced helmsmen, who had suddenly been 
taken from merchant 10 vessels, and had as yet no know- 
ledge even of the names of the sails, but also were 
embarrassed by the slowness 11 and weight 1 - of their 
ships. And so they contentedly 13 exposed single vessels 
to double their number 14 , provided that an opportunity 
was given of fighting at close quarters 15 , and by throwing 
grappling irons lt; and catching hold of both ships boarded 17 
the enemies' vessels. After killing large numbers they 
sank 18 part of them, captured some with their crews 1!l , 
and drove the rest into the harbour. 

1 scientiu. 2 gubornator. 3 eludo. * cxcipio. 5 sin- 
guli. 6 transciirro. 7 detergco. 8 exercitatus. 9 rein ex. 
ln onerarius. ll tarditas. I2 gravitas. 13 = with a calm 

v aequus) mind. * = to two apiece. 15 cominus. 16 manus 
lerrca. 17 transcendo in. 18 deprimo. ly = with the men. 



44 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXVI 
ALEXANDER IS WOUNDED 

MEANWHILE the Macedonians, having gone out in 
a disorderly 1 line to seek fodder 2 , were surprised 3 by 
the barbarians, who rushed down from the nearest 
mountains. More were captured than slain, and the 
barbarians, driving their prisoners before them, retired 
back again into the mountains. While the king was 
attacking them 4 , fighting amidst the foremost r> , he was 
struck by an arrow, which, planted in the middle of his 
thigh 6 , left its point 7 there. The Macedonians in sorrow 
and dismay carried him back to camp. 

On the next day the barbarians sent ambassadors to 
the king. He ordered them* at once to be admitted, 
and, loosening the bandages 8 , showed them his thigh. 
Being ordered to sit down they asserted that the Mace- 
donians were not sadder than they were when they heard 
of his wound, and that if they discovered the culprit 9 , 
they would surrender him ; for only the impious 10 fought 
against the gods. 

After giving pledges 11 and recovering the captives the 
king received their capitulation. 

1 incompositus. : pabulum. 3 opprimo. 4 see 13. 

" prompt us. 6 crus. 7 spiculum. * fascia, -ae. 9 auctor. 
10 sacrilegus. u fides. 



EXERCISES 45 

XXVII 

THEMISTOCLES AND THE ATHENIAN FLEET 

SINCE the public revenue ' which accrued 2 from the 
mines 3 was wasted 4 year after year by the lavishness r> 
of the magistrates, Themistocles persuaded the people to 
build a fleet of a hundred ships with that money. What 
a means of safety that was to the whole of Greece was 
proved in the Persian war, when Xerxes attacked Europe 
by land and sea with such forces as no one ever employed 
either before or after. When the news of his approach 
reached Greece and it was said that the Athenians in 
particular were the object of his attack, they sent to 
Delphi to ask what they were to do. In answer to their 
inquiry the Pythian-priestess 6 told them to protect them- 
selves by means of their wooden 7 walls. When no one 
understood what that reply meant, Themistocles persuaded 
them that the advice of Apollo was that they should take 
refuge 8 on board the ships with their property : for they 
were the wooden wall signified by the god. Approving 
of such a plan they took such property as could be moved 
either to Salamis 10 or Troezen n ; they handed over the 
care of the citadel and the temples to the priests and 
a few old men, and abandoned the rest of the town. 

1 pecunia. 2 redeo. s metalla, -orum. * intereo (inti-nns.). 
5 largitio. 6 Pythia. 7 ligneus. 8 se conferre. 9 probo. 
10 Salamis, -is, or -inos. " Troezen, -enis. 



46 EASY LATIN PROSE 



XXVIII 

A BRAVE CENTURION AT THE SIEGE OF 
GERGOVIA 



VALERIUS, a centurion of the eighth legion, 
had attempted to burst open the gates, but was over- 
whelmed by numbers. Despairing for himself, as he had 
received many wounds, he said ' to the-men-of-his-com- 
pany 2 , who had followed him, 'Since I cannot save 
myself along with you, I will at all events provide 3 for 
the lives of you whom I, led on by the desire of glory, 
have brought into danger. Now that the opportunity is 
given, consult your own safety.' With that he charged 4 
into the midst of the enemy, and, after slaying two, 
pushed r> the rest back a little way from the gate. When 
his men tried to help him, 'It is in vain/ he said, 'that 
ye try to succour my life. Leave this j lace therefore, 
while there is a chance 6 , and return to the legion.' So 
shortly after he fell fighting, but proved the salvation 
of his men. Our soldiers, hard pressed on all sides, 
were dislodged 7 from the position with the loss of forty- 
six centurions. 

1 make this one sentence, 5. 2 manipularis. 3 prospicio 

(with dat.). * irrumpo (intrans.X '" summoveo. faeultas. 
7 deicio. 



EXERCISES 47 

XXIX 

A PLEA FOE MERCY 

AT last the enemy were beleagured l on all sides. 
Suffering from the want of water, firewood 2 , and corn, 
they asked for a parley 3 , as their cattle had been kept for 
four days without fodder, and for that to be in a place 
apart 4 from the soldiers, if it were possible. When it 
was granted on the condition that they were willing to 
hold the conference in-public 5 , in the hearing of both 
armies the ambassadors urged that no one should be 
angry either with themselves or with the soldiers, be- 
cause they wished to keep faith with their commander. 
But they had now satisfied the claims of duty 6 and 
borne sufficient punishment 7 . They had suffered the 
want of all necessaries ; and now they were hemmed 
round 8 almost like wild beasts, prevented from obtaining 
water and prevented from advancing 9 ; their bodies 
could no longer bear their hardships nor their minds the 
disgrace ; and so they acknowledged themselves beaten 
and earnestly begged :0 that, if any room was left for com- 
passion, they might not find it necessary to proceed to 
extreme punishment. All this they set forward n with 
the greatest possible humility and submission 12 . 

1 obsideo. ligna, -orum. 3 colloquium. * semotus. 
5 palam. = they had done enough for duty (officium). 

7 supplicium. 8 circummunio. 9 = were cut off from water, 

cut off from an advance (ingressus). 10 = begged and beseeched. 

Two synonymous verbs in Latin often = a verb with inten- 
sive adverb in English. n exj: 
.submissively (subiecte^ as possible. 



48 EASY LATIN PROSE 



XXX 

A BESIEGED CITY 

FROM the camp and from all the higher ground it was 
easy to look down into the city, (and see) how all the 
young men who had stayed in the town, and all those of 
riper years with their wives and children, either stretched 
out their hands to the sky from the wall, or visited the 
temples of the gods, and falling before the images 1 
entreated their deities for victory. And of them all 
there was no one who did not think that the fate of all 
their possessions 2 depended on 3 the results of that day. 
For all the distinguished youths and the most honour- 
able 4 persons of every age, in answer to a personal sum- 
mons and appeal 5 , had embarked on the ships, in order 
that they might see, if anything untoward 6 had happened 
to them, that there was nothing further left for them to 
attempt ; if they had gained the victory, either through 
their own resources or by means of foreign assistance, 
they would be sure of the safety of their city. 

1 simulacrum. 2 = fortunes. 3 consisto in. * amplus. 

5 = having been called out by name (nominatim) and entreated. 

6 adversus. 



EXERCISES 49 

XXXI 

A SUEPRISE ATTACK 

THE dictator then marched all his forces out of camp, 
and ordered the cavalry, which he thought had been 
cowed ! by the recent engagement, to follow the main- 
body-. He formed them in a triple line, and quickly 
accomplished a march of ten miles. So he reached the 
enemy's camp before they could discover what was going 
on. The latter"' were terrified both by the rapidity of 
our approach and by the departure of their friends, and as 
no time 4 was given them for holding a council or getting 
their arms they were undecided whether it was more 
advisable to lead their forces against the enemy, to 
defend the camp, or to seek safety in flight. This fear 
on their 3 part was made plain by their shouting and 
ruiining-to-and-fro 5 . So our soldiers, enraged by the 
treachery of the previous day, burst into the camp. 
There 3 those who were able in the hurry to seize their 
arms for a while resisted our attack, and fought in the 
midst of their carts 7 and baggage, but the residue, consist- 
ing of boys and women, who had left their homes and 
crossed the river with all their men, began to take to 
flight on all sides. The dictator sent his cavalry in 
pursuit 8 of them. The others, hearing the shouting in 
the rear and seeing their friends cut down, threw away 
their arms, abandoned their standards 9 , and rushed out 
of the camp. 

1 perterrco. 2 agiuuii. 3 st-e 13. ' .spat him. 5 dia- 
cursus. 6 pristinus. 7 carrus, -i. 8 connector. " sigiuun. 



50 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXXII 

A BROKEN TRUCE 

THE enemy disloyally 1 were looking for an opportu- 
nity for treachery 2 and deceit, as after the interval of 
a few days our men became-weary 3 and relaxed ' in spirit. 
So at midday, when some had gone away, when others, 
after their protracted ' labour had fallen asleep actually on 
the works, and all their arms were laid aside and covered 
up fi , the enemy suddenly sally forth from the gates and 
set fire 7 to the works. A strong and favouring 8 wind 
spread this in such a way that the mantlets , the towers, 
and the engines 10 all at once became alight 11 , and these 
were entirely consumed before what had happened could 
be noticed. Our men, aroused by the sudden mishap 1;i , 
snatched up what arms they could ; and others rushed up 
from the camp. They made an attack on the enemy, 
but were prevented by the arrows and catapults 13 from 
pursuing the fugitives. So the labour of many months 
was ruined 14 in a moment 15 of time by the treachery of 
the enemy and the power of the gale. 

1 = -without faith. 2 perfidiu. 3 langueo. * remissus. 
-' diutiims. 6 contego. 7 ignem infero. 8 secundus. 

'' pluteiisi. 10 tormentuin. n flammam concipio. 12 for- 

13 tormentum. ll intereo (intrans. ). r> puiictum. 



EXERCISES 51 

XXXIII 

ALEXANDER BEFORE TYRE 

ALEXANDER having 1 a fleet close at hand and thinking 
that a long siege would be a great hindrance to his other 
plans, sent heralds 2 to induce the Tyrians to make peace. 
These the Tyrians put to death, contrary to the law of 
nations 3 , and hurled into the sea. Alexander, there- 
lore, moved by this shameful death of his men, decided 
to lay siege to the city. But it was necessary first to 
construct 4 a mole 5 , in order to join the city with the 
mainland ". Great despair, therefore, came-over 7 the 
minds of the soldiers, when they looked at the depth of 
the sea s , which could scarcely be filled up even with divine 
aid. But the king, by no means unversed 1J in managing ]0 
the minds of soldiers, announced that a vision of Her- 
cules had appeared to him in a dream, stretching n out his 
right hand, and that with Hercules as leader and clear- 
ing 12 the way he seemed to enter the city. He spoke 
also of the murder 13 of the heralds, and the violation of 
the law of nations, and said that there was only one city, 
which had dared to hinder his victorious progress 1J . 

1 see 1O (&). 2 caduceator. 3 ius gentium. l iauio. 

5 moles. 6 contiiieiis. 7 incedo (with dat.). 8 = the deep 
sea. 9 rudis (with genitive). lu pertracto. u porrigo. 

13 aperio. IJ see 11. H = the course (cursus) of the victor. 



E 2 



52 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXXIV 

A VISIT TO THE OLD SCHOOL 

WHAT more pleasant task could be imposed * upon me 
by you than to search for a tutor for your brother's 
children ? For by your favour 2 I return to school ;i , and 
renew, as-it-were 4 , that most agreeable time of life ; I 
take my seat among the lads, as I was wont to do, and 
I actually discover how much influence, in consequence 
of my pursuits, I possess among them. For recently 
they were joking 5 together audibly 6 in the crowded 
lecture-hall 7 in the presence of many of our rank-of-life 8 . 
I entered ; they became silent. I would not mention 
this, if it did not conduce 9 to their credit rather than to 
mine, and if I did not wish that you should be able to 
hope that } 7 our nephews are studying earnestly. For 
what is of greater moment to you, than that the children 
should be found worthy of their father and their uncle ? 

I should have claimed 10 this n charge as mine 12 , even 
if you had not entrusted it to me. 

1 iniungo. 2 beneficium. 3 schola. * quasi. 5 iocor. 
c clare. 7 auditorium. 8 ordo. 9 pertineo. 10 vindico. 

II see 13. 12 = for me. 



EXERCISES 53 

XXXV 

A FIRE-SHIP 

IN the meantime the Tyrians had propelled 1 forward 
with the oars a ship of extraordinary size, laden at the 
stern 2 with stones and sand ', and smeared 4 with pitch ' 
and sulphur 1 '. When the sails had caught 7 the full 
force of the wind, it quickly moved up to the mole 8 . 
Then, after the prow had been set on fire, the rowers 
leapt down into the boats '', which followed, provided 
for that very purpose. The ship, however, as the flame 
caught, began to spread the fire more widely, and it 
seized on the tower and the other works placed on the 
mole, before any resistance could be offered 10 . And 
those who had leapt down into the little boats threw 
torches 11 , and whatever was suitable for feeding 1 ' 2 the 
fire, on to these works. And now, not only the foot of 
the towers, but also the topmost stories 11 had caught 
lire, while those who were on the towers were either 
swallowed up in the flames, or, throwing away their 
arms, lowered themselves into the sea. 

1 concito. 2 puppis. 3 arena. 4 illino. 5 bitumen. 

fl sulphur. 7 concipio. 8 moles. 9 scapha. 10 -= before 

it could be met (occurro) ; use pass, impers. n fax. 12 alo. 
::! tabulatum. 



54 EASY LATIN PEOSE 



XXXVI 

CICERO WRITES TO HIS WIFE FROM 
ATHENS 

IF it is well with you and Tullia 1 , it is also well with 
our dear Marcus and with myself. We came to Athens 
on the 14th of October, after having had unfavourable 2 
winds, and a slow and disagreeable voyage 3 . As we left 
the ship, your slave met us with the letters. I received 
your missive and gathered from it that you were afraid 
the previous ones might not have been delivered *. All 
have been delivered, and you have given a very careful 
account 5 of everything, which was particularly agreeable 
to me. I am not surprised that this letter which he 
brought was short, for you are now waiting for me, or 
rather for us, in person ; and we indeed are anxious to 
come to you as soon as possible, although I understand 
to what a country we are coming ; for I learn from the 
letters of many friends, which the slave brought me, 
that everything looks towards war, so that, when I have 
come, I shall not be allowed to conceal my opinions. 
But as I must submit to 7 my fate, I shall endeavour 
to come with all the more haste, that I may consider the 
whole case with greater ease. I should like you to come 
on to meet me as far as you possibly can. 

1 = if you and Tullia are well. 2 adversus. :: = after 

having voyaged slowly and disagreeably (incommode). * reddo. 
' I give an account = perscribo. 6 specto. 7 subeo (trans.). 



EXERCISES 55 



XXXVII 

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY 

AFTER his victory in the war against the Persians 
Themistocles announced in the assembly 1 that he had 
a plan which would benefit the state, but that it must 
not become generally known. So he asked the people 
to appoint some one to whom he might communicate it. 
Aristides was appointed. Then Themistocles informed 
him that it was possible to set fire secretly to the Lace- 
daemonian fleet, which had been drawn-up-on-shore 2 at 
Gythaeum, by which action the power of Lacedaemon 
would inevitably " be shattered. When Aristides heard 
this, he returned to the assembly, and said : i What 
Themistocles proposes is very advantageous, but by 110 
means honourable.' The Athenians, therefore, came to 
the conclusion that what was not honourable was not 
advantageous either 4 , and, by the advice of Aristides, 
rejected r> the proposition entirely, though they had never 
even heard what it was. 

1 contio. 2 subduco. 3 = by which action it was necessary 
that the power would be broken. * not . . . cither -- in- . . . 

quidem. 5 repudio. 



56 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XXXVIII 
THE DIFFICULTIES OF A GENERAL 

SULLA had everything to do at once ; he had to display 1 
the flag 2 , which was a signal when it was necessary to 
begin the battle ; he had to make a signal with the 
bugle 3 , to recall the soldiers from the works and to send 
for those who had gone on in advance a little way in 
order to seek materials-for-an-earthwork 4 . He had to 
draw up his line, and encourage his soldiers. A great 
part of all this was prevented by the shortness of time 
and the arrival of the enemy. Two circumstances proved 
of assistance in these difficulties. First, the knowledge 
and experience 5 of the men, who from having been 
trained 6 in previous engagements could lay down for 
themselves what was the necessary course, just as well 
as be shown it by others ; and secondly, the fact that 
Sulla had forbidden the several lieutenants to leave the 
works and their respective 7 regiments, unless the camp 
had been fortified. The latter, because of the close- 
proximity 8 and rapid-movements of the enemy, no 
longer waited for Sulla's orders, but of themselves carried 
out all that seemed necessary. 

1 propono. - vexillum. 3 tuba. * agger. 5 usus. 

c exercito. 7 singuli. s propinquitns. 9 celeritas. 



EXERCISES 57 

XXXIX 

ADVICE TO A PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR 

MY love towards you compels me, not to instruct l you 
(for indeed you need no instructor), but to warn 3 r ou to 
remember and heed 2 what you already know. Consider 
that 5 r ou have been sent to the province of Achaia, which 
is the real and genuine 3 Greece, in which culture 4 , 
letters, and even the fruits of the earth are said to have 
first been discovered. Respect 5 the gods who were its 
founders r> and the names of the gods, respect its past 
glory and even its old age, old age which in a man is 
venerable, but in cities is sacred. Let there be in your 
mind respect for its antiquity, for its mighty deeds, and 
even for its legends 7 . Always keep before your eyes 
the fact that this is the land which sent us its laws, that 
it is Athens which you are visiting and Lacedaemon 
that you are governing. It would be hard and cruel, 
(nay) barbarous, to rob these cities of the shadow * and 
name of liberty which remains to them. Remember 
what each -state has been, but not in order that you may 
despise them for having ceased so to be, and let all pride 
and harshness be put on one side . I wish you to 
believe, as I said at the beginning, that I have written 
this by way of advice 10 , not instruction 10 , but in truth 

I have no fear that in my love for you I have exceeded 
the limit". 

1 praecipio. 2 observe. 3 mems. 4 humanitas. 

5 revereor. e conditor. 7 fabula. 8 umbra. u = let 

pride and harshness be absent. 10 use participles, =1 ... advising. 

II modus. 



58 EASY LATIN PROSE 



XL 
OPERATIONS BEFORE A BATTLE 

THERE was a small marsh between our army and that 
of the enemy. The latter were waiting to see if our men 
would cross this ; while our troops were under arms, 
prepared, if the others commenced to cross, to attack 
them whilst in-difficulties l . Meanwhile a cavalry 
skirmish was fought between the two lines. When 
neither side took the initiative 2 in crossing, Scipio led 
back his men to camp, though the cavalry engagement 
proved more favourable 3 to us. The enemy immediately 
hastened from that place to the river Ebro 4 , which was 
in the rear of our camp. There they discovered a ford 5 , 
and attempted to take over a part of their forces, with 
the intention, if they could, of capturing the fort c , which 
the lieutenant commanded, and of destroying the bridge ; 
or, if they could not do this, of laying waste the fields in 
the vicinity, which were of great use to us in carrying on 
the war, and of cutting off our supplies 7 . 

1 impeditus. - initium faeio. 3 secundus. * Hiberus. 

5 vada, -orum. 6 castellum. 7 nostros commeatu prohibeo. 



EXEECISES 59 



XLI 

A CUNNING TRICK (1) 

A EOMAN knight named Tullius, a man of wit and 
liberal education 1 , had betaken himself to Syracuse, 
with the idea 2 , as he used to say, of taking a holiday ", 
not of doing business 4 . He repeatedly said that he 
wished to buy a small garden, to which he could invite 
his friends and where he might amuse himself without 
fear of any interruption 5 . When this had got about", 
a certain Greek, who carried on the trade of a banker 7 at 
Syracuse, said to him that his grounds were not for-sale s , 
but that Tullius might use them, if he wished, as his 
own. At the same time he invited the man to dinner 
in his gardens on the next day. Now the Greek, being 
a banker , was popular with all classes, and so, when 
Tullius had promised (to come), he summoned some 
fishermen 10 , and asked them to fish 11 on the next day 
opposite to his garden ; and he told them what he wanted 
them to do, 

1 = not unwitty (infacetus) and sufficiently educated (litteratus). 
~ cnnsa. 3 otior. * negotior. 5 = without interrupters 

(interpellator). " percrebresco. 7 argentariam facio. 

8 venalis (adj.). 9 argentarius. 10 piscator. n piscor. 



60 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XLII 
A CUNNING TRICK (2) 

TULLIUS came to dinner at the proper time, and found 
tli at a banquet 1 had been prepared by the Greek on- 
a- magnificent-scale 2 . There were a large number of 
fishing-boats 3 in -sight, and each fisherman brought what 
he had caught. The fish were cast at the feet of the 
host. Then says Tullius. 'What, pray, is this? Are 
there so many fish, and so many boats here?' To which 
the other replies, ' Of course 4 ; all the fish there are in 
Syracuse are here.' Then Tullius, fired by desire, urged 
the Greek to sell, and buys the garden at the price which 
the Greek asked. On the next day Tullius invites his 
friends, and comes himself in-good-time "'. He does not, 
however, see a single vessel. So he asked his next-door f> 
neighbour 7 whether it was a fishermen's holiday 8 , because 
he did not see any of them. i It is no holiday,' says he, 
'as far as I know, but none are accustomed to fish here : 
I was wondering therefore what happened yesterday.' 
Tullius was indignant 9 ; but what was he to do ? 
(Render this piece in conversational style ; see 17.) 

1 convivium. 2 opipare (adv.). 3 cymba. * - what is 
wonderful ? 5 mature (adv.). 6 proximus. 7 vicinus. 

8 ferine. stomacher. 



EXERCISES 61 

XLIII 

THE KELIGION OF THE GAULS 

EVEKY tribe among the Gauls is extremely super- 
stitious \ On this account, those who are afflicted " with 
serious illnesses, and those who are engaged 3 in scenes- 
of-danger or in battles, either sacrifice 4 or make a vow 
that they will sacrifice human beings as victims. They 
employ the Druids as ministers 5 for these sacrifices. 
They think that, unless a man's life is given up in 
return for a man's life, the power of the gods cannot be 
appeased . Others have idols 7 of gigantic size, whose 
limbs are woven 8 of osiers u ; these they fill with living 
persons, and when they are set on fire the victims are 
surrounded by the flames and suffocated U) . They think 
that the torture 11 of those who have been detected in 
theft or brigandage 12 or some heinous-crime 13 is more 
pleasing to the gods, but when there are none of this class 
they also have recourse 14 to the torture of the innocent. 
Mercury 13 is the god whom they worship most ; there 
are many idols of him, and they regard him as the dis- 
coverer of all arts. 

1 = is given up to superstitious (religio). - affecttis. 
3 versor. * imiuolo. 5 administer. c placo. 7 simula- 
crum. 8 coiitexo. vinu'ii. 10 oxunimo. u sii};- 
plicium. ia latrocinium. 13 nuxia, -ae. X1 duscendu. 
15 see 15 (6). 



62 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XLIV 

THE RELATIONS OF SICILY WITH ROME 

BEFOKE I speak of the troubles 1 of Sicily, I think 

I ought to say a few words about the dignity, antiquity, 
and usefulness of that province. Now you ought to take 
careful account '- of all your provinces, but in particular 
of Sicily for many very good reasons. Sicily was the 
first of all foreign ;! countries to attach 4 itself to the 
friendship and faith of the Roman people : Sicily was 
the first country to be styled a province, that glory of the 
Roman empire, and the first to teach our ancestors how 
glorious a thing it was to rule foreign nations. Sicily 
alone has showed such loyalty and goodwill towards the 
Roman people, that, when once the states of that island 
had entered into friendship with us, they never after- 
wards fell away". The majority and those the most 
distinguished continued to be our friends in-perpetuity 7 . 
Nor would the great power of Carthage have fallen so 
easily, if Sicily had not been accessible 8 to us, both to 
furnish a supply of corn and to be a refuge 9 for our 
fleets. It was for this reason that the Sicilian towns, 
after the destruction of Carthage, were adorned by Afri- 
canus with beautiful statues 10 and memorials 1J . 

1 iiicommodum. 2 = carefully to take account (ratiouem 

habere). 3 extents. * applico. 5 ornameutum. c deficio. 

7 perpetuo (adv.). 8 pateo. 9 receptaculum. J0 signum. 

II monumentum. 



EXERCISES 63 



XLV 

A GENERAL COMMUNICATES WITH HIS 
SUBOKDINATES 

So the general made his way by forced l marches into 
the territories of the Caiitabrians ' 2 . There he ascertained 
from his prisoners what was going on in the camp of his 
lieutenant, and in what danger our cause was. There- 
upon by large bribes :i he persuaded one of the Spanish 4 
troopers to carry a letter to his lieutenant. He sends 
this written in Greek characters 5 , to prevent our plans 
being discovered by the enemy, if the letter was inter- 
cepted. He advised the messenger, if he could not 
approach, to hurl a spear, with the letter attached G to 
the thong 7 , within the lines 8 of the camp. In the 
letter he said that he had started with his regiment, and 
would soon arrive, and he encouraged them to maintain 
their former 9 courage. The Spaniard, fearing the risk, 
threw the spear, just as he had been instructed. By 
chance this stuck to one of the towers, and was not 
noticed by our men for two days. On the third day it 
was seen by some soldier, taken down and carried to 
the lieutenant. He perused it, and then read-it-aloud 10 at 
a meeting of the soldiers. All were filled with great joy. 

1 = by great marches. a Caiitaber, -abri. 8 praemium. 

* Ilispaims. 6 littera. c deligo. 7 amentum. "munitio. 
9 pristinus. 10 recito. 



64 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XLVI 
ATTACK ON A MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD (1) 

MANY obscure l towns were abandoned by their in- 
habitants and fell into the king's hands. Their people, 
fully armed, seized on a mountain named Aornis, which, 
it was rumoured, had been in vain besieged by Hercules, 
who was compelled by an earthquake - to desist 3 . As 
the rock was steep and precipitous 4 on all sides, Alex- 
ander was at-a-loss 5 for a plan, when an old man well- 
acquainted with the country c came up to him with his 
two sons, promising, if it was made worth his while 7 , to 
point out the way-of-approach. Alexander decided to 
give him eighty talents, and after detaining one of the 
young men as a hostage, sent him away to carry out 
what he had offered. The rock did not rise to a high 
summit 8 , as most do, by moderate and gentle slopes '\ 
but was set up exactly in the shape of a pyramid 10 ; the 
lowest parts of it were the widest, the higher portions 
came together more closely, and the top rose to a sharp 
peak n . The river Indus, very deep, with rugged banks 
on both sides, came up close to the foot 12 of it, and on 
the other side were chasms 13 and steep 14 gullies 15 . 

1 ignobilis. ' 2 terrae inotus. 3 absisto. * abruptus. 

5 mops (with geuit.}. = the places. 7 to be worth while 

= operae pretium esse. 8 fastigium. y clivus. 10 ineta, -ac. 
11 cacuincn. l ~ = the roots (radix). 13 vorago. u prae- 

ruptus. J5 eluvies. 






EXERCISES 65 

XL VII 

ATTACK ON A MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD (2) 

AT first, because the danger was so evident, it was 
decided that the king should not run the risk l . But 
when the signal was given with the trumpet, he turned 
to his body-guard 2 , ordered them to follow him, and was 
the first to attack the cliff. Then no Macedonian stood 
still, but leaving their posts 3 all of their own accord 
followed their king. The fate of many was pitiable, for 
falling from the steep cliff they were swallowed up 4 by 
the neighbouring river ; a sad sight even to those who 
were not making-the-venture 5 . They were warned by 
the fate of the others of what they had to fear for them- 
selves, and, their pity turning to alarm, they mourned 6 , 
not for those whom they had lost, but for themselves. 
And now they had reached 7 a point from which they 
could not return without fatal-consequences 8 , unless they 
were victorious, since the barbarians were rolling down 
huge stones upon them as they ascended. They were 
struck by these, and fell headlong 9 , as the foothold 10 was 
insecure " and slippery 12 . 

1 discrimen subeo. 2 = the guardians of his body. 3 statio. 

4 haurio. 5 periclitor. 6 defleo (trans.). 7 use pass, 

impers. 8 pernicies. 9 praeceps. 10 gradus. u insta- 
bilis. 12 lubricus. 



66 EASY LATIN PROSE 

XLYIII 

ATTACK ON A MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD (3) 

NEVERTHELESS Alexander and Charon, whom the king 
had sent on with thirty picked 1 men, made their way up 
and began to fight at-close-quarters 2 . But, as the bar- 
barians showered missiles upon them from-above 3 , they 
received wounds themselves more often than they in- 
flicted them. So Alexander, while fighting with more 
daring than caution 4 , mindful both of his name and his 
promise, was stabbed 5 and overwhelmed 6 on all sides. 
And when Charon saw him lying prostrate, he began to 
rush upon the enemy, forgetful of everything except 
vengeance 7 , and slew many with the spear and some 
with the sword. But as so many were attacking him 
alone, he fell lifeless 8 on the body of his friend. The 
king, just as was meet 9 , was moved by the death of his 
most forward 10 warriors and of the other soldiers, and 
gave the signal for retreat 11 . It proved their salvation 
that they retired gradually and without fear, and that 
the barbarians did not press upon them in their retreat. 
The king, however, decided to give up 12 the attempt 13 , 
because no hope presented itself of gaining possession 
of the cliff; but still he made an appearance of per- 
severing 14 in the attack, for he ordered the roads to be 
blocked, towers to be moved up, and others to relieve 15 
the wearied soldiers. 

1 delectus. 2 cominus. 3 superne. * note idiom = more 
boldly than more cautiously (caute). 5 confodio. 6 obruo. 

7 ultio. 8 exanimis (adj.). 9 par. ] promptus. 

11 signum do receptui. 12 desisto. 
vero. 15 succedo (with dat.). 



EXERCISES 67 



XLIX 

PARENTS MUST MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR 
THEIR SONS' FAILINGS 

A CERTAIN person was chiding l his son, because (as he 
said) he used to buy horses and dogs at too extravagant 
a rate 2 . I say to him, after the young man had gone, 
* Ah ! did you never do anything which your father could 
censure ? Do you not sometimes now do that which 
your son would blame with the like severity 3 , if he were 
suddenly to become the father and you the son ? Are 
not all men tempted 4 by some failing 5 ? Does not one 
person indulge himself in this, and another in that ? ' 
Warned by this instance of excessive 6 severity, I have 
written this to you in the name of the love which we 
have for each other, lest at any time you also should 
treat 7 your son too harshly and sternly. Consider that 
he is a boy, and that you were once, and so use your 
fatherhood 8 that you may remember that you are a 
human being and the father of a human being. 

1 castigo. 2 = too extravagantly (sumptuose). 3 gravitas. 
4 duco. 5 error. 6 immodicus. 7 tracto. 8 = use the 
fact that you are a father. 



F 2 



68 



EASY LATIN PROSE 



FLIGHT OF DARIUS AFTER ARBELA 

DAKIUS with a few companions of his flight had hastened 
to the river Lycus. After he had crossed it he was 
in doubt whether he should destroy the bridge, as it 
was announced that the enemy would soon arrive. But 
he saw that if he broke down the bridge many thousands 
of his men. who had not yet each the river, would be 
at the mercy l of the enemy. It is well known 2 that on 
his departure, leaving 3 the bridge intact, he remarked 
that he would rather grant a passage to his pursuers than 
deprive 4 the fugitives of one. After traversing 5 a great 
distance in his flight he reached Arbela 6 at about mid- 
night. Chance had directed thither the flight of the 
greater part of his friends and soldiers. And so he called 
them together and explained that he had no doubt that 
Alexander would attack the most populous 7 cities, and 
the fields that abounded 8 in all kinds of supplies: the 
furthest parts of his kingdom were still intact ; and from 
these he would repair his strength without difficulty ; let 
that greedy 9 race, destined soon to be at his mercy, seize 
on his treasure 10 and glut n themselves with gold. 

1 = would be the prey (praeda). 2 constat. 3 sino. 

* aufero (with ace. of thing and dat. of person). 5 emetior. 

6 Arbela, -orum ; a town of Assyria. 7 celeber. 8 abundo. 
9 avidus. ] gaza. :1 satio. 



EXERCISES 69 

LI 
ALEXANDER REACHES THE OXUS 

AT last he reached the river Oxus, at about the begin- 
ning of the evening, but a large part of his army had not 
been able to follow. He ordered fires to be lighted on 
a high mountain, in order that those who found difficulty 
in following might be aware that they were not far from 
the camp. He quickly refreshed l the soldiers who be- 
longed to the van-guard 2 with food and drink 3 , and 
ordered some to fill skins 4 , and others all the vessels 5 in 
whieh water could be carried, and bear help to their com- 
rades. But those who drank too eagerly 6 died from 
suffocation 7 , and the number of these was larger than 
he had lost in any battle. Alexander, however, without 
refreshing himself 8 either with food or drink, took his 
stand where the army was coming, and did not retire 
to attend to 9 his own person until those who closed the 
line had all passed. He spent the whole of that night 
in great mental distress 10 , nor was he happier on the 
next day, because he had no boats, and a bridge could 
not be constructed. 

1 firmo. 2 primum agmen. 3 potio. 4 uter. 5 vas, 

vasis. c intemperanter. 7 = the breath (s>piritus) having 

been cut off. 8 = not refreshed (reficio). 9 euro. 10 motus, 
-us. 



70 EASY LATIN PROSE 



LIT 

GERMANICUS ADDRESSES HIS MUTINOUS 
SOLDIERS (1) 

NEITHER wife nor son are dearer to me than my father 
and the state ; but he wi 1 be defended by his own 
majesty, and the empire of Rome by the other armies. 
My wife and children, whom I would willingly offer up 
to destruction for the sake of your glory, I now remove 
out of the reach of your madness 1 ; in order that, what- 
ever crime this is that threatens 2 , it may be expiated 3 
by my blood alone, and that the murder 4 of a great- 
grandson of Augustus and a daughter-in-law c of Tiberius 
may not make your guilt greater still 7 . What name 
shall I give this assembly ? Am I to call you soldiers, 
you who have beset 8 your commander's son with an 
entrenchment and with arms, or am I to call you citi- 
zens, you who have renounced 9 the authority of the 
Senate ? You have violated even the rights of enemies, 
the privileges of ambassadors, and the law of nations. 

1 = far from those-being-mad (furo). 2 immineo. 3 pio. 

4 see 11. 5 pronepos. G minis. 7 = make you more 

guilty. 8 circumsedeo. 9 proicio. 



EXERCISES 71 



LIII 

GERMANICUS ADDRESSES HIS MUTINOUS 
SOLDIERS (2) 

A FINE return, first and twentieth legions, do you make 1 
to your leader ! Shall I carry this report to my father, 
who hears from the other provinces nothing but what is 
welcome 2 , that his own recruits 3 , his own veterans 4 are 
not satisfied 5 with discharge G or bounty ; that only here 
centurions are murdered, tribunes cast out, and envoys 
imprisoned 7 ; that camps and rivers are stained 8 with 
blood, and that I drag on a precarious 9 life amidst bitter 
foes. Why, my friends, on the first day of our meeting, 
in your heedlessness 10 did you snatch from me that 
weapon, which I was preparing to plunge into my breast ? 
he who offered me his sword acted better and more 
lovingly. I should at least have perished before I was 
conscious of so many crimes, and you would have chosen 
a leader who might leave 11 my death unpunished, but 
would avenge that of Varus and his three legions. 

1 I make a return = gratiam refero. 2 laetus. 3 tiro 

4 veteranus. 5 satio. 6 missio, -onis. 7 include. 

8 inficio. 9 precarius. 10 improvidus (adj.). ll sino. 



EASY LATIN PROSE 



LIV 

THE HUNTING EXPLOITS OF A LITERAKY 

MAN 

You will laugh, and laugh you may. I, the man you 
know, have caught three wild-boars ] , and very fine they 
are too. Yourself? you say. Myself; not that I de- 
parted in any degree from my (usual) indolence' 2 and 
calm 3 . I sat by the nets 4 ; there was no hunting-spear 5 
or lance at hand, but a pen 7 and a notebook 8 . I was 
musing over 9 something and making notes 10 , so that 
I might bring back my tablets n full, though my hands 
were empty. There is no reason why you should despise 
this method of study. It is wonderful how the mind is 
stirred by the exercise 12 and movement of the body. 
Moreover the woods and the solitude and the very 
silence itself are great incentives 13 to thought. So when 
you go a-hunting, you will be allowed, on my authority, 
to take your note book with you. You will find that 
Minerva wanders over the mountains just as much as 

Diana. 

[Translate in epistolary style, see 17.] 

1 aper. 2 inertia. 3 quies. 4 rete. 5 venabulum. 

6 lancea. 7 stilus, -i. 8 pugillares, -ium. 9 meditor. 

10 enoto. n cerae, -arum. 12 agitatio. 13 incitamentum. 



EXERCISES 73 



LV 
THE CASE FOR THE AEDUI 

THE Aedui (Orat. Obliqua) and their dependents 1 have 
fought again and again with the Germans. They have 
been defeated, and have suffered great reverses ; they 
have lost all their nobles, all their senate, all their 
cavalry. Crushed by these battles and reverses, they, 
who formerly possessed the most influence 2 in Gaul 
through their own valour and the friendship of the 
Roman people, have been compelled to give as hostages 
the most noble of their state, and to bind 3 the community 
by an oath not to demand the hostages back, or to ask 
for assistance from Rome, or to refuse to be for ever 
under the sway 4 and authority of their enemies. I am 
the only one out of the whole state, who could not be 
induced to take the oath or to surrender my children as 
hostages. For that reason I have fled from my country, 
and come to the senate at Rome to demand help. 

2 I possess most influence = plurimum possum. 
4 dicio. 



74 EASY LATIN PROSE 

LVI 
WHEN CIVIL WAR THREATENS 

You can tell in what a critical-position 1 my safety is, 
together with that of all respectable 2 citizens, and even 
of the entire commonwealth, from the fact that we have 
left our homes and our country itself to the mercy of the 
spoiler and incendiary 3 . Matters have reached such 
a pass that, unless some god or some accident 4 come to 
our assistance, it is impossible for us to be saved. For 
my part, ever since I came to the city, I never ceased to 
plan, to say, and to do everything that might conduce 5 to 
harmony 6 . But an extraordinary fit of madness had 
come over all, not the disaffected 7 only, but those also 
who are regarded as respectable ; and so they desired 
a contest in spite of my protesting 8 that there was nothing 
more harrowing 9 than civil war. So when Caesar was 
carried away by a sort of frenzy 10 and had so far forgotten 
his fame and his position as to seize on Arretium, we 
abandoned the city ; as to how far we acted wisely or 
bravely there is no advantage in discussing 11 ; you see 
indeed in what a plight 12 we are. 

1 discrimen. 2 bonus. 3 = to be spoiled and burnt. 

4 casus. 5 pertineo. c concordia. 7 improbus. 8 clamo. 
9 miser. 10 amentia. n dispute. 12 casus. 



EXERCISES 75 

LYII 
THE BEGINNING OF A BATTLE 

IN the evening the consul passed the word J through 
the camp that before daybreak the men and horses should 
be attended to 2 and fed 3 , and that the troopers should be 
armed and keep their horses saddled 4 and bridled 5 . 
Almost before it was light, he sent out all the cavalry 
with the light-armed troops c against the Carthaginian 
outposts 7 , and then immediately went forward himself 
with the heavy-armed legions 8 . Contrary to the expecta- 
tions of his own men and the enemy the wings were 
guarded by the Roman soldiery, and the allies were placed 
in the centre. Hasdrubal, aroused by the shouting of the 
cavalry, rushed from his tent 9 , and saw the confusion in 
front of the camp and the panic 10 of his troops while the 
standards of the legions were gleaming in the distance 
and the plains were filled with the enemy. So at once 
he sent out all his cavalry against the enemy's horsemen, 
and marched out of the camp with a body of infantry. 
In drawing up his line he made no change from his 
usual custom. 

1 tesseram do. 2 curatus. 3 praiisus. * instratus. 

5 frenatus. c levis armatura. 7 static. 8 = with the 

heavy-armed (gravis) body of legions. 9 tabernaculum. 
10 trepidatio. 



76 EASY LATIN PROSE 

LVIII 
CAESAR'S EXPLOITS IN GAUL 

IN the course of the nine years in which he was in 
authority l his achievements were pretty nearly as fol- 
lows. He reduced all Gaul, which is bounded by the 
pass 2 of-the-Pyrenees :< , by the Alps and Cevennes 4 , and 
by the rivers Rhine and Rhone, and has a circumference 5 
of about 3,200 miles, to the form of a province, with the 
exception of the allied states and those that had served 
him well 6 . He was the first of the Romans, by con- 
structing a bridge, to attack the Germans who live across 
the Rhine, and to inflict severe defeats upon them. He 
also attacked the Bri tains who were formerly unknown, 
and having vanquished them demanded hostages and an 
indemnity 7 . Amongst so many successes he experienced 
a reverse 8 on tfyree occasions, and no more ; in Britain, 
when his fleet was almost destroyed by a violent storm ; 
in Gaul, when a legion was routed at Gergovia ; and in 
the territory of the Germans, when his lieutenants lost 
their lives by an ambuscade. To the legions which he 
had received from the state he added others at his own 
private expense 9 , one of which was levied lo in Trans- 
alpine Gaul, and had a Gallic title n , for it was called 
' Alauda ', which he trained 12 and equipped 13 in the 
Roman fashion, and to which he afterwards gave the 
citizenship 14 . 

1 imperium. 2 saltus. 3 Pyrenaeus (adj.). * moiis 

Gebenna. 5 circuitus. = that deserved well. 7 pecuniae 
(pi.). 8 adversus casus. 9 sumptus. 10 conscribo. " vo- 
cabulum. Vi instituo. 13 orno. H civitate dono. 



EXERCISES 77 

LIX 
A JOINT TRIUMPH 

AN arrangement-was-made l between the two consuls 
by letter that, although they were coming from different 
directions, they should approach the city at one and the 
same time, just as they had carried on the government 
with one mind. The one who reached Praeneste 2 first 
was requested to wait 3 there for his colleague. It so 
happened that they both arrived at Praeneste on the same 
day. A proclamation was sent on from there that the 
senate should meet three days afterwards at the temple of 
Bellona, and they approached the city, all the population 
pouring out 4 to meet them. Some congratulated 5 them, 
others expressed their thanks 6 that the state had been 
saved by their exertions. After 7 giving an account to 
the senate of their achievements, in the manner of all 
commanders, they requested that, in return for the reso- 
lute and successful management 8 of public affairs, honour 
should be rendered to the gods, and they themselves 
should be allowed to enter the city in triumph. The 
Fathers replied that they granted their request from 
thankfulness 9 first to the gods, and then after the gods 
to the consuls 7 . So to avoid dividing their triumph 
after having carried on the war in mutual accord, they 
arranged that one consul should enter the city in a four- 
horse car 10 followed by the soldiers, while the other 
should ride in n unattended 12 . 

1 it is arranged convenit (impers.). 2 Praeneste, -is (neut.), 
a town of Latium. 3 opperior. 4 effundor. 5 gratulor. 

6 gratias ago. 7 Make this one complex sentence. Which is 

the main idea? see 5. 8 I manage = administro: see 11. 

9 = through the desert (meritum) of .... 10 quadrigae, -arum. 
11 equo invehor. 12 = without soldiers. 



EASY LATIN PROSE 



LX 



AN IMPERTINENT THEORIST 

WHEN Hannibal, after being banished from Carthage, 
came as an exile to Antiochus at Ephesus, he was invited 
by his hosts l to hear the philosopher Phormio. He said 
he had no objection, and then that eloquent 2 personage 
discoursed to him for several hours on the duties of a 
general and the whole art of war. All the rest of the 
audience were highly delighted, and asked Hannibal what 
he thought 3 of that philosopher. The Carthaginian there- 
upon is said to have replied that he had seen many crazy 4 
old men, but no one who was more crazy than Phormio. 
And rightly too. For what could be more presumptuous 5 
than for a Greek, who had never seen the face of the 
enemy G , or a camp, who in short had never come-into- 
contact 7 with even the humblest department 8 of any 
state office 9 , to give instruction 10 in the art of war to such 
a man as Hannibal, who in the course of so many years 
had contested the supremacy n with the Roman people, 
the conquerors of the world ? 



hospes. 



copiosus. 



3 iudico. 



gans. 
8 pars. 



5 = had never seen an enemy, 
munus. 10 praecepta, -orum. 



4 delirus. 5 arro- 

7 attingo (trans.). 

11 de imperio certo. 



EXERCISES 79 

LXI 
A DESCENT UPON NEW CARTHAGE 

WHILE Mago was preparing to cross over to Africa, 
news was brought to him from Carthage that the senate 
ordered him to take his fleet across to Italy. As he was 
sailing along * the Spanish coast, he landed 2 some troops 
near to New Carthage and laid waste the fields in the 
vicinity. Then he brought 3 his fleet up to the city. 
During the day 4 he kept his soldiers in the ships, but at 
night he effected a landing on the shore and marched up 
to the walls, for he thought that the city was not held 
by an adequate 5 garrison, and that some of the towns- 
people would make a movement in the hope of bringing 
about a revolution. But the news of the raid 6 , of the 
flight of the country-people 7 , and the approach of the 
enemy had been carried to the city by some panic- 
stricken 8 messengers from the fields, and the fleet had 
been seen during the day. So the inhabitants were kept 
under arms in battle order within the gate that faced