Latin Test Chapter 4

amicus

friend
amicable

auctor

author, originator
author

amicus

friend
amicable

auctor

author, originator
author

auctoritas

authority
authority

homō

human being, person
homicide

mulier

women
mulibrity

pars

part
partial

grātus-a-um

grateful
gratitude

novus-a-um

new
novice

autem

however

pro

for

clāmāre

to shout
exclaim

cōnficere

to finish, complete
confess

continēre

to hold together, keep, maintain
container

cupere

to desire, want
cupidity

dīcere

to say, speak
dictionary

legere

to read, choose, gather
legible

manēre

to stay, remain
permanent

nōscere

to learn, find out, recognize
knowledge

scrībere

to write
scribble

vidēre

to see
visual

vidor, vidērī

to seem
video

In pulchrō templō Apollinis, quod Augustus in bellō vōverat et posteā in Palātīnō cōnsecrāverat, erat bibliothēca pūblica ubi multī librī, et Graecī et Latīnī, continēbantur.

In the beautiful temple of Apollo, where Augustus had vowed in the war and later dedicated on the Palatine, there was a public library where many books, both Greek and Latin, were stored.

Ibi Pūblius et Fūriānus saepe diū manēbant.

There, Publius and Furiānus often stayed for a long time.

Saepe etiam per partem urbis in quā librāriōrum tabernae erant ambulābant.

They often walked through the part of the city where there were shops of booksellers.

Prō tabernīs pendēbant librī ab auctōribus et novīs et nōtīs scrīptī.

In front of the shops, books by both new and well-known authors were hanging.

In tabernīs servī librāriōrum semper librōs dēscrībēbant.

In the shops, the slaves of the booksellers always copied books.

Magna taberna Sosiōrum grātissima Fūriānō Pūbliōque erat.

The great shop of the Sosii was especially pleasing to Furiānus and Publius.

Quondam P. Ovidius Nāsō, poēta Rōmānīs eō tempore grātus, carmina legere parāvit.

Once P. Ovidius Naso, a poet beloved by the Romans at that time, prepared to read his works.

P. Caecilius Rūfus, pater Pūblī, amīcum poētae nōverat; itaque Rūfus cum amīcō et cum filiō Fūriānōque ad aedificium in quō Ovidius habitāvit prōcessit.

P. Caecilius Rufus, Publius's father, knew the poet as a friend; and so Rufus with his friend and with his son Furiānus proceeded to the building where Ovid lived.

Magnum erat studium Pūblī et Fūriānī; multa saepe Ovidium ipsum vidēre cupīverant.

Publius and Furiānus's great enthusiasm for Ovid had grown; they had often seen and discussed many of Ovid's poems in the Sosii's shop, and they longed to see Ovid himself.

In viā Rūfus amīcusque multa dē poētīs dīcēbant.

On the way, Rufus and his friend spoke much about the poets.

"Ovidius poētārum Rōmānōrum optimus est," amīcus clāmāvit.

“Ovid is the greatest of Roman poets,” the friend exclaimed.

"Ubi hominēs nōmina omnium aliōrum poētārum quī nunc sunt ex memoriā dēposuerint, nōmen Ovidī remanēbit."

“When people forget the names of all other poets who now are remembered, Ovid's name will remain.”

"Bonus est, sed nōn est melior quam Vergilius et Horātius, quōs puerī audiēbāmus.

“He’s good, but he’s not better than Vergil and Horace, whom we used to listen to as boys.

Meliōrēs quam illī erant Rōma neque vīdit neque audīvit," dīxit Rūfus.

There were none better than those two in Rome, neither did she see nor hear any,” said Rufus.

"Certe, certē, Aeneidem, Carmen Saeculāre nōn scrīpsit; Amōrēs et aliī librī eius grātī, sed nōn ēgregiī sunt.

“Certainly, Certainly, he didn’t write the Aeneid or the Carmen Saeculare; his Amores and other books are pleasing, but they’re not exceptional.

Sed multa dē novō librō eius, quī Metamorphōsēs appellātur, audīvī."

But I’ve heard much about his new book, which is called Metamorphoses.”

"Augustusne eum librum vīdit?"

“Did Augustus see that book?”

"Nēscio. Ovidius autem Augustō nōn grātissimus esse vidētur.

“I don’t know. However, Ovid doesn’t seem to be very favored by Augustus.

Augustus Horātium et Vergilium memoriā tenet."

Augustus remembers Horace and Vergil.”

Ad aedificium in quō Ovidius habitābat vēnerant, et Ovidius iam librum novum recitābat.

They had come to the building where Ovid lived, and Ovid was already reciting a new book.

Carmen dē Orpheō et uxōre eius legit.

He read a poem about Orpheus and his wife.

Pūblius et Fūriānus magnō cum studiō audīvērunt.

Publius and Furiānus listened with great enthusiasm.

Carmine lēctō, ex aedificiō tardē excessērunt.

After the poem was read, they slowly left the building.

"Poēta certē est!" erant verba Pūblī.

“He is certainly a poet!” were the words of Publius.

What was the location of the public library in which Publius and Furiānus often read? Who established it?

The library was located in the Temple of Apollo, which was established by Augustus.

Where else did the boys see many books?

They saw many books in the booksellers' shops.

How did they learn about Ovid and his poetry?

They learned about Ovid and his poetry through their interest in his works and through discussions about his new book, Metamorphoses.

Which poets did Augustus favor?

Augustus favored Horace and Vergil.

Which of his poems was Ovid reading? Where?

Ovid was reading a poem about Orpheus and his wife. He was reading it in the building where he lived.