Level 4; literature; Mediaeval; Gesta Rōmānōrum; Dē sequendā ratiōne [3]

[5]

Ait pater: "Quandō prius dīxistī, quod obligāta iūrāmentō fuistī etc., tāle obligāmentum nōn valet, quia praetendit ad malum fīnem, scīlicet ad mortem. Iūrāmentum semper dēbet esse ratiōnābile et ideō iūrāmentum tuum nūllum est.

Ad aliam ratiōnem, quandō dīxistī, quod istud est commendābile, quod uxor moriātur prō virō, nōn valet, quia, licet sint ūnum in corpore per carnālem affectiōnem, tamen in animā duo sunt, quae abinvicem reāliter differunt. Et ideō nōn valet, quod allēgāstī." Puella haec audiēns nōn poterat ulterius arguere, sed dictīs patris adhaesit, nec ulterius sē ipsam praecipitāre volēbat, nec amplius virō suō cōpulārī.

(1) “Ait pater … nūllum est.”

[a] Why does her father reject her view of an oath?

[b] What is his interpretation?

(2) “Ad aliam … cōpulārī.”

[i]

[a] Translate: … licet sint ūnum in corpore per carnālem affectiōnem, tamen in animā duo sunt, …

[b] Explain the use of the subjunctive.

[ii] Et ideō nōn valet, quod allēgāstī

The word in bold is an example of a syncopated verb form. Explain the meaning of the term.

[iii] dictīs patris adhaesit:

Identify the case of the noun in bold and explain why it is being used here.

____________________

[5]

(1)

[a] it is directed towards an evil end, namely death.

[b] an oath must always be reasonable

 

(2)

[i]

[a] Although they are one in body through physical affection, nevertheless they are two in soul.

[b] concessive clause introduced by licet [ = although]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20concessive%20clauses

[ii] a syncopated form is one where letters or syllables have been omitted; allēgāstī is shortened from allēgāvistī

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/syncopated%20verb%20forms

[iii] dative plural; adhaereō takes the dative; she adhered to [ = accepted] her father’s words

____________________

[5]

The father said: “Since you said earlier that you were bound by an oath, etc., such an obligation is not valid, because it tends towards an evil end, namely death. An oath must always be reasonable, and therefore your oath is invalid.

As for the other argument, when you said that it is praiseworthy that a wife should die for her husband, it is not valid, because, although they are one in body through physical affection, nevertheless in soul they are two, which differ from one another in reality. And therefore what you have argued is not valid.”

The girl, hearing this, could no longer argue further, but she adhered to her father’s words; and she no longer wished either to throw herself down again or to be united with her husband.

Level 3+ (review); a Second Latin Reader (Vincent) [23]: The advance against the Belgae

Hīs nuntiīs litterīsque mōtus Caesar duās legiōnēs in citeriōre Galliā novās cōnscrīpsit atque Quintum Pedium lēgātum mīsit quī in interiōrem Galliam dūceret. Ipse, ubi prīmum frūmentī cōpia esse coepit, ad exercitum vēnit. Dat imperāta Senonibus reliquīsque Gallīs, quī fīnitimī Belgīs erant, ut cognōscant atque sē dē hīs rēbus certiōrem faciant. Hī omnēs nuntiāvērunt manūs cōgī, exercitum in ūnum locum dūcī. Rē frūmentāriā comparātā castra movet et diēbus quindecim ad fīnēs Belgārum pervenit. Rēmī, quī proximī Galliae ex Belgīs sunt, ad eum lēgātōs mīsērunt, quī dīcerent sē imperāta Caesaris esse factūrōs.

[1] subjunctive usage

(1) purpose:

quī + subjunctive; when the focus is on a person who is to perform the action

… Quintum Pedium lēgātum mīsit quī in interiōrem Galliam dūceret.

… and sent Quintus Pedius, his envoy, to lead [literally: who would lead] (them) into interior Gaul.

ad eum lēgātōs mīsērunt, quī dīcerent …

… (they) sent envoys to him to say [literally: who would say]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/02/180526-level-3-subjunctive-38-dependent.html

(2) indirect command:

Dat imperāta Senonibus reliquīsque Gallīs … ut cognōscant atque sē … certiōrem faciant.

He gives orders to the Senones and the remaining Gauls … to find out [literally: in order that they may find out…] and to inform him [literally: in order that they may make him more certain]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/02/050526-level-3-subjunctive-32-dependent.html

[2] indirect statement

(1) Hī omnēs [i] nuntiāvērunt ¦ [ii] manūs [iii] cōgī, ¦ [ii] exercitum in ūnum locum [iii] dūcī.

They all [i] reported ¦ that [ii] bands (of men) [iii] were being collected ¦ (and) that [ii] an army [iii] was being led into one place.

06.01.26: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [7]; the present passive infinitive

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/10/060126-level-3-indirect-statement.html

(2) ad eum lēgātōs mīsērunt, [i] quī dīcerent ¦ [ii] sē imperāta Caesaris [iii] esse factūrōs

… (they) sent envoys to him [i] to say ¦ [ii] that they [iii] would do / were going to do Caesar’s commands

02.02.26: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [18]; future active infinitive

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/020226-level-3-indirect-statement.html

02.02.26: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [19]; future active infinitive: practice (1)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/020226-level-3-indirect-statement_14.html

05.02.26: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [20]; future active infinitive: practice (2)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/050226-level-3-indirect-statement.html

[3] ablative absolute

rē frūmentāriā comparātā | with the grain supply having been procured

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/ablative%20absolute

____________________

Moved by these reports and letters, Caesar enrolled two new legions in hither Gaul, and sent Quintus Pedius, his envoy, to lead them into interior Gaul. He himself, as soon as a supply of grain began to be available, came to the army. He gives orders to the Senones and the remaining Gauls, who were neighbours to the Belgae, to find out and (to) inform him about these matters. They all reported that bands of men were being collected and that an army was being led into one place. After the grain supply has been procured, he moves camp and within fifteen days arrives at the borders of the Belgae. The Remi, who are the closest of the Belgae to Gaul, sent envoys to him to say that they would do Caesar's commands.

Level 4; literature; Mediaeval; Gesta Rōmānōrum; Dē sequendā ratiōne [2]

[3]

At illa: "Nōlō, et hoc per tālem ratiōnem probō. Cum autem quis iūrāmentō est obligātus, tenētur adimplēre. Ego iūrāvī virō meō, quod prō eius amōre mē ipsam occīderem. Ideō nōn dēlīquī, sī iūrāmentum implēre volō; ergō extrā societātem tuam nōn dēbeō expellī. Item nūllus dēbet pūnīrī prō eō, quod est commendābile. Sed cum vir et uxor sint ūnum in carne secundum deum, commendābile est, quod uxor prō amōre virī suī moriātur.

[i] In what order are the following statements first made?

a praiseworthy action

details of the oath itself

has done no wrong

husband and wife united before god

obligation to fulfil an oath

refusal to agree

should not be exiled

should not be punished

[ii] Translate: Sed cum vir et uxor sint ūnum in carne secundum deum, commendābile est, quod uxor prō amōre virī suī moriātur.

[iii] What type of word are both expellī and pūnīrī?

[4]

“Unde in Indiā aliquandō erat lēx, quod uxor post mortem virī suī prae dolōre et amōre sē ipsam combūrere dēbēret, vel vīva cum eō in sepulcrum pōnī. Et ideō, ut mihi vidētur, nōn dēlīquī, quandō mē ipsam interficiō propter amōrem virī meī."

“Et ideō, ut mihi vidētur, nōn dēlīquī, quandō mē ipsam interficiō propter amōrem virī meī.”

What explanation does she give for this?

____________________

[3]

[i]

a praiseworthy action [7]

details of the oath itself [3]

has done no wrong [4]

husband and wife united before god [8]

obligation to fulfil an oath [2]

refusal to agree [1]

should not be exiled [5]

should not be punished [6]

[ii] But since husband and wife are one flesh according to God, it is praiseworthy for a wife to die out of love for her husband.

[iii] present passive infinitives

[4]

In India there was once a law requiring a wife, after her husband's death, either to burn herself out of grief and love or to be placed alive with him in the tomb.

____________________

[3]

But she said: “I do not wish to [agree], and I prove this by the following reasoning. When, however, someone is bound by an oath, he is obliged to fulfil it. I swore to my husband that I would kill myself out of love for him. Therefore, I have done no wrong, if I wish to fulfil my oath; therefore, I should not be expelled from your community. Likewise, no one should be punished for that which is praiseworthy. But since husband and wife are one flesh according to God, it is praiseworthy that a wife should die out of love for her husband.”

[4]

“Concerning this, at one time in India there was a law that a wife, after the death of her husband, should burn herself because of grief and love, or be placed alive with him in the tomb. And therefore, as it seems to me, I have done no wrong when I kill myself because of my love for my husband.”

Topic / Level 4; transport [16]; on water [vi] vocabulary review; parts of a ship

[1] Match the English and the Latin

[2] Label the images:

āncora, -ae [1/f]

antenna, -ae [1/f]

aplustre, -is [3/n]

carīna, -ae [1/f]

forus, -ī [2/m]

fūnis, -is [3/m]

gubernāculum, -ī [2/n]

mālus, -ī [2/n]

prōra, -ae [1/f]

puppis, -is [3/f]

rēmus, -ī [2/m]

rōstrum, -ī [2/n]

vēlum, -ī [2/n]

vēxillum, -ī [2/n]

____________________

Level 3 / 3+; GCSE 2021 [iii]; Section B; Passage 3; + supplementary questions

 Translate Passage 3 into English

Later Paetus is condemned to death and once again Arria puts her husband’s needs before her own.

Names

Scribonianus, Scriboniani (m): Scribonianus (the governor of Dalmatia)

Claudius, Claudii (m): Claudius (the Roman emperor)

Paetus, Paeti (m): Paetus

Arria, Arriae (f): Arria

Words

rebellio, rebellionis (f): revolt, rebellion

finio, finire, finivi, finitus: I finish, end

dubito, dubitare, dubitavi: I hesitate

doleo, dolere, dolui: I hurt

dolor, doloris (m): pain

Supplementary

Passage 3 is the last question of the GCSE language paper. It is clearly testing knowledge of many grammatical concepts that will become increasingly important as the student moves up to the UK AS and A2 examinations; in this group, I classify those as Level 4. The following questions did not form part of the examination.

paucos post annos Scribonianus, homo audax, rebellionem contra Claudium imperatorem fecit. sperabat enim se ipsum, Claudio victo, imperatorem futurum esse. rebellione tamen quinque diebus oppressa, Scribonianus statim interfectus est.

interea Paetus, qui Scriboniano auxilium dederat, a militibus Claudii Romam tractus est. ibi Claudius ei imperavit ut vitam gladio finiret. sed Paetus tam perterritus erat ut id facere nollet. tum Arria, cum intellegeret cur maritus dubitaret, gladium rapuit. ‘noli timere!’ ei dixit, corpus suum gladio simul vulnerans. ‘ecce! hoc vulnus, quod mihi dedi, non dolet.’ ita locuta Paeto gladium reddidit. nam Arria Paetum adeo amabat ut ipsa dolorem pati vellet.

Successful translation of Passage 3 in the examination itself would show recognition of the grammatical features contained within it. Therefore, the questions below are simply testing your familiarity with grammatical terms and your ability to make brief comment about them.

[1] Identify the grammatical features in bold; (1) give the grammatical term and (2) give one other relevant piece of information about each one, for example:

noli timere: (1) negative imperative; (2) 2^nd person singular [or: followed by an infinitive]

The second pieces of information given in the answers are suggestions; there are other valid statements that can be made about each form.

[i] Claudio victo

[ii] Scribonianus statim interfectus est

[iii] qui Scriboniano auxilium dederat

[iv] corpus suum gladio simul vulnerans

[v] hoc vulnus, quod mihi dedi

[vi] ita locuta

[2] What types of subjunctive are being used?

[i] Claudius ei imperavit ut vitam gladio finiret.

[ii] tam perterritus erat ut id facere nollet; adeo amabat ut ipsa dolorem pati vellet

[iii] tum Arria, cum intellegeret …

[iv] … cur maritus dubitaret

[3] Explain the use of the ablative case:

[i] rebellione tamen quinque diebus oppressa

[ii] a militibus Claudii Romam tractus est

[4]

[i] sperabat enim se ipsum … imperatorem futurum esse.

[a] What type of structure is being used here?

[b] Why is se used?

[c] What part of speech is futurum esse?

____________________

Supplementary

[1]

[i] (1) ablative absolute; (2) noun + perfect passive participle in the ablative case [or: literally: with X having been Y-ed]

[ii] (1) perfect passive; (2) 3^rd person singular [or: perfect passive participle + present tense of esse; or: from interficio, -ere (3-io)]

[iii] (1) pluperfect (active, indicative); (2) 3^rd person singular [or: perfect stem + imperfect of esse]

[iv] (1) present active participle; (2) nominative singular [or: = (who / which / while) …. ing; or: from vulnerāns, -antis]

[v] (1) relative pronoun; (2) neuter accusative singular [or: agrees with antecedent in gender and number; or: from qui, quae, quod]

[vi] (1) perfect participle of a deponent verb; (2) passive form but active meaning, i.e. having spoken [or: from loquor, -i, locutus sum]

[2]

[i] indirect command

[ii] result

[iii] cum-clause; circumstantial

[iv] indirect question

[3]

[i] time within which

[ii] agent

[4]

[a] indirect statement

[b] refers back to the subject i.e. he was hoping that he (himself) ….

[c] future active infinitive

Level 4; literature; Mediaeval; Gesta Rōmānōrum; Dē sequendā ratiōne [1]

[1]

Erat quīdam imperātor potēns sed tyrannus, quī quandam puellam, rēgis fīliam, pulchram valdē, dēspōnsāvit. Factā dēspōnsātiōne ambō adinvicem iūrāmentum fēcērunt, quod, sī quis eōrum prius morerētur, alter prae nimiō amōre sē ipsum occīderet.

Accidit semel, quod imperātor iste ad partēs longinquās sē trānstulit et diū moram ibīdem trāxit. Volēns probāre uxōrem ad eam nūntium dēstināvit, ut eī dē morte suā dīceret. Audiēns hoc uxor propter iūrāmentum, quod ante fēcerat virō suō, dē altō monte sē praecipitāvit, ut morerētur. Vērumtamen mortua nōn est, sed īnfrā breve tempus sānitātī est restitūta. Deinde iterātō sē ipsam volēbat praecipitāre, ut morerētur.

[i] Translate: Ambō adinvicem iūrāmentum fēcērunt, quod, sī quis eōrum prius morerētur, alter prae nimiō amōre sē ipsum occīderet.

[ii] How did the emperor test his wife, and what was the reason for it?

[iii] How did his wife react when she heard the news?

[iv] What was the result of her first attempt?

[v] How do we know she was determined to achieve her aim?

[vi] Explain the use of the subjunctive in: ad eam nūntium dēstināvit, ut eī dē morte suā dīceret

[2]

Pater eius hoc audiēns eī praecēpit, ut praeceptō et iūrāmentō virī nōn oboedīret. Illa vērō nōlēbat cōnsentīre. Ait pater: "Ex quō nōn vīs mihi cōnsentīre et oboedīre, celeriter extrā societātem meam exeās!"

[i] Translate: Pater eius hoc audiēns eī praecēpit, ut praeceptō et iūrāmentō virī nōn oboedīret.

[ii] What was her reaction, and how did her father respond?

[iii] Explain the use of the subjunctive in:

[a] eī praecēpit, ut praeceptō et iūrāmentō virī nōn oboedīret

[b] celeriter extrā societātem meam exeās

____________________

[1]

[i] They both swore an oath  to one another  that, if either of them should die first,  the other would kill himself or herself  out of excessive love .

[ii] He went to distant regions and remained there for a long time; he then sent her a messenger to tell her of his death.

[iii] She threw herself from a high mountain.

[iv] She did not die but was restored to health after a short time.

[v] She wanted to throw herself down again in order to die.

[vi] purpose clause: ut + imperfect subjunctive after dēstināvit; ad eam nūntium dēstināvit, ut eī dē morte suā dīceret | he then sent her a messenger to tell her of his death [literally: in order that / so that he might / would tell her …].

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20purpose

[2]

[i] Her father, hearing this, ordered her not to obey her husband's command and oath.

[ii] She refused to agree. Her father ordered her to leave his community immediately.

[iii]

[a] indirect command after praecēpit; eī praecēpit, ut praeceptō et iūrāmentō virī nōn oboedīret | he ordered her not to obey [literally: he gave the order to her that she should not obey]

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20indirect%20commands

[b] jussive subjunctive expressing a command; the 2^nd person frequently translates as ‘you should’

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/01/280326-level-3-subjunctive-7.html

____________________

There was once a powerful emperor, but a tyrant, who became betrothed to a certain young woman, the very beautiful daughter of a king. After the betrothal had taken place, they both swore an oath to one another that, if either of them should die first, the other would kill himself or herself out of excessive love.

It happened one day that this emperor travelled to distant regions and stayed there for a long time. Wishing to test his wife, he sent a messenger to her to tell her of his death. When his wife heard this, because of the oath which she had previously made to her husband, she threw herself from a high mountain in order to die. Nevertheless, she did not die, but within a short time she was restored to health. Then she again wished to throw herself down in order to die.

Her father, hearing this, ordered her not to obey her husband's command and oath. However, she did not wish to agree. Her father said: "Since you do not wish to agree with me and obey me, leave my community at once!"

Topic / Level 4; transport [15]; on water [v] you’re gonna need a bigger boat …

From Spielberg’s Jaws (1974): in the quest to kill the great white shark that has been wreaking havoc, Brody – on board a medium-sized fishing vessel – finally spots the predator, and it is enormous. Stunned, he steps backwards into the cabin, uttering the immortal line to the captain “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”. It is a typical ‘plot point’ in conventional dramatic structure; the danger has now physically increased, with an attendant increase in the audience’s tension since this boat may not be strong enough to conquer the shark.

2000 years ago we can see a similar ‘Hollywood’ narrative technique in Pliny the Younger’s letters describing the events surrounding the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pliny the Younger refers to his uncle (Pliny the Elder) who, out of academic interest, prepares a boat in order to sail across to the location of the volcano:

Iubet liburnicam aptārī

• He orders a “Liburnian” to be prepared

liburna, -ae [1/f]: a Liburnian was a type of light and fast ship, two banks of oars (biremes) on each side.

That he opts for a fast boat would reflect his eagerness to satisfy his intellectual curiosity.

However, Pliny the Elder receives a letter from Rectina, an inhabitant unable to escape by land. Personally, I find this incident highly questionable from the points of view of timing and logistics. Nevertheless, this event serves as an escalating moment since Pliny the Elder decides to “upgrade” to a bigger boat, his role in the narrative “evolving” from mere academic interest to that of a rescuer i.e. the bigger the problem, the bigger the boat, and the “bigger” the man.

In one short and carefully crafted passage, Pliny significantly enhances his uncle’s involvement, portraying him as a decisive and heroic leader:

Vertit ille cōnsilium et quod studiōsō animō incohāverat obit maximō. Dēdūcit quadrirēmēs, ascendit ipse nōn Rectīnae modō sed multīs (erat enim frequēns amoenitās ōrae) lātūrus auxilium.

amoenitās, -ātis [3/f]: pleasantness; beauty

dēdūcō, -ere, dēdūxī, dēductus [3]: to draw out, launch (ships)

frequēns -ntis: crowded, densely populated

incohō, -āre [1]: to begin, start

obeō, obīre, obiī, obitus [irr.]: go towards; go to meet; undertake

[i] Vertit ille cōnsilium et

[i] He changes his plan, and

• In dramatic theory, this is – as in ‘Jaws’ – the moment the protagonist realises his initial assumptions are inadequate for the magnitude of the task.

[ii] quod studiōsō animō incohāverat obit maximō.

[ii] Literally: What he had begun with a studious mind, he executes with the greatest.

that which he had begun with an attitude of study he takes on with a spirit of courage.

• The enormity of the task demands far more than the purely academic, but the greatest Roman characteristic.
• That shift in priorities is conveyed in a shift of tense from the pluperfect incohāverat to the historical present obit.
• The verb obeō, obīre [irr.] can have the meaning of go to meet or go to face, and neatly conveys the idea of a hero willingly about to encounter an ‘enemy’; to face danger or death is often expressed as perīculum obīre (to go to meet danger) or mortem obīre (to go to meet death).

[A] studiōsō animō [B] incohāverat ¦ [B] obit [A] (animō) maximō.

• In this specific line, Pliny uses ellipsis, the omission of a second animō, to create a deliberate contrast between an ‘academic’ state of mind and a courageous one: studiōsō ¦ animō ¦ … maximō.
• Note also the repetition of the grammatical ending -ō which binds the contrasting ideas.
• We also have here an example of chiasmus:  this is a rhetorical device where words or grammatical structures are repeated in reverse order to create an A-B-B-A pattern. Here it emphasises the dramatic and decisive change.

[iii] Dēdūcit quadrirēmēs,

[iii] He draws out quadriremes;

• Designed for heavy transport and troop movement, these massive four-banked warships were part of the imperial fleet based at Misenum, and Pliny the Elder was the fleet commander. By using the plural (dēdūcit quadrirēmēs), Pliny the Younger reveals that his uncle launched a full-scale naval evacuation.

[iv] ascendit ipse,

[iv] he himself boards,

• The emphatic pronoun ipse presents him not as a rear-guard commander, but one who will lead the evacuation irrespective of the consequences that he may personally face.
• Note also, between [iii] and [iv] the omission of the conjunction et:

Dēdūcit quadrirēmēs, ascendit ipse

• This is known as asyndeton and conveys here actions that are taking place rapidly and almost simultaneously.
• The use of the historical present (dēdūcit / ascendit) gives a greater sense of immediacy.

[v] nōn Rectīnae modō sed multīs (erat enim frequēns amoenitās ōrae) lātūrus auxilium.

[v] intending to bring assistance not only to Rectina, but to many (for the pleasantness of that shore was crowded).

• He is not just saving a single ‘damsel in distress’; he is saving the masses (multīs). The future active participle lātūrus (intending to / about to bring) frames him as a man with an active, noble destiny.

Ultimately there may be a sad irony in the decision to employ larger but slower ships. While the veracity of at least some of Pliny’s narrative is debatable, there were about 300 people on the shore at Herculaneum waiting for boats to rescue them. They took shelter in the boatsheds, but tragically, the pyroclastic flow from Vesuvius reached them before any boats did. That irony is compounded by the fact that, however much of a ‘saviour’ Pliny the Elder wanted to be, he never managed to save himself.

In one short passage we have a rapid sequence of escalating events conveyed succinctly and, in places, poetically. It captures the metamorphosis of a man from intellectual Roman official to a selfless and decisive hero, ready to face the deadliest of enemies as a saviour of the people. It is the stuff of which gripping narratives are made, and was designed to appeal directly to the man who had asked Pliny the Younger to write about it: the eminent historian, Tacitus.