Download 2014 - Massachusetts Junior Classical League

2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 1
1. Who has the ability to calm the thundering waves when he drives his golden cart over the
waters of the sea while carrying his trident?
POSEIDON /
NEPTUNE
B1 What granddaughter of a Titan became the wife of Poseidon?
AMPHITRITE
B2 What “Trumpeter of the Sea” was the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite?
TRITON
2. What is the meaning of the Latin preposition circum?
AROUND / ABOUT
B1 What is the meaning of the Latin preposition contr ?
AGAINST
B2 What is the meaning of the Latin preposition intr ?
WITHIN / ON THE INSIDE
3. What intrepid Roman hero thrust his right hand into a pit of fire, frightening an Etruscan
King into letting him go?
MUCIUS SCAEVOLA
B1 Name that Etruscan King who also had a memorable encounter with Cloelia.
LARS PORSENNA
B2 From what Etruscan city did Porsenna hail?
CLUSIUM
4. Give the genitive plural of the phrase servus malus.
B1 Change serv rum mal rum to the ablative.
SERV RUM MAL RUM
B2 Change serv s mal s to the singular.
5. Give the Latin words and English meaning of the abbreviation e.g.
SERV S MAL S
SERV
MAL
EXEMPL
GRATI , “FOR (THE
SAKE OF AN) EXAMPLE”
B1 What Latin abbreviation is often confused with e.g. and is more specifically used to
indicate an explanation rather than an example?
I.E. (ID EST)
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 1
B2 What are you supposed to do if you are reading a scholarly journal that makes a major
argument and then, in parentheses, has “cf.” followed by a citation to the page of a book
on a related topic?
COMPARE THE POINT ARGUED BY THIS JOURNAL TO
WHEREVER THAT REFERENCE IS IN THE BOOK (accept anything
that shows understanding of confer = compare)
6. From what Latin noun, with what meaning, do we derive "ceiling"?
CAELUM - SKY / HEAVEN
B1 From what Latin noun, with what meaning, do we derive "casino"?
CASA - HOUSE / HUT
B2 From what Latin noun, with what meaning, do we derive "revelry"?
BELLUM - WAR
7. Who spent part of his childhood in an underground bronze chamber with his mother Danae?
PERSEUS
B1 What form did Zeus use to visit Danae in this underground bronze chamber?
SHOWER OF GOLD
B2 Who had imprisoned Danae in this bronze chamber in fear of a prophecy?
ACRISIUS
8. At what battle were the consuls of 216 BC completely encircled by a numerically inferior
force led by Hannibal?
CANNAE
B1 Of the two consuls that fought in the battle, one died and one survived. Name the one
who died.
(L.) AEMILIUS PAULLUS
B2 Name the other consul who, despite initiating the battle, was able to survive the conflict.
(C. TERENTIUS) VARRO
9. What part of the house would the Romans call the large hall, which housed the impluvium
and the compluvium?
ATRIUM
B1 What part of the Roman house was the “wings” of the atrium that housed the imagines?
ALAE
B2 What were the imagines?
WAXED FIGURES / MASKS(OF ANCESTORS)
10. The abduction of what beautiful woman was the cause of the Trojan War?
HELEN
B1 Who abducted Helen from Sparta and took her home to Troy?
PARIS / ALEXANDER / ALEXANDROS
B2 For how long did the Trojan War last?
10 YEARS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 1
11. Translate the following sentence from Latin into English: Vir f li s et f li s laud bat.
THE MAN WAS PRAISING HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS
B1 Now translate: F li f liaeque virum n n laud bunt.
THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL NOT PRAISE THE MAN
B2 Finally, translate this sentence: Vir inquit, “Cūr m n n laud tis?”
THE MAN SAID, “WHY ARE YOU NOT PRAISING ME?”
12. Respond Lat n : Quot sunt du et tr s?
B1 Respond Lat n : Quot sunt qu nque et octo?
B2 Respond Lat n : Quot sunt tr decim et qu nque?
QU NQUE
TR DECIM
DU D V GINT
13. Who watched in shock as his wife faded away and died a second time because he turned
around too soon?
ORPHEUS
B1 Who was this poor girl?
EURYDICE
B2 What kind of creature had caused Eurydice’s “first” death?
A (POISONOUS) SNAKE
14. Say in Latin, “I am a good student.”
SUM BONUS DISCIPULUS / BONA DISCIPULA
B1 Now, using the Latin verb habe , say in Latin, “I have a good teacher.”
HABE BONUM MAGISTRUM / DOMINUM // HABE BONAM MAGISTRAM
/ DOMINAM
B2 Finally, say in Latin, “Latin is a great language.”
LAT NA EST LINGUA MAGNA
15. What consul of 460 BC was relegated to a small farm due to his son's foolhardy actions, but
later became a national hero when he saved the consul Lucius Minucius during a 16 day
dictatorship in 458 BC?
(L. QUINCTIUS) CINCINNATUS
B1 On what mountain was Minucius trapped?
MT. ALGIDUS
B2 What long time enemy of the Romans had managed to trap Minucius on the mountain?
AEQUI
16. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 1
In nsul Corsic ant qu et agricolae et nautae habitant. Tullia est f lia pulchra
Horati nautae; Lūcia est f lia c ra Servili agricolae. Incolae nsulae f bul s d terr et
d aqu amant. Horatius Tulliae f bul s d aqu et Servilius Lūciae f bul s d silv s
saepe narrat. (repeat once)
The question: Who prefers to tell his daughter stories about the woods?
SERVILIUS
B1 The story continues:
Sed hodi Horatius puell s f bulam d p r t s narrat. P r tae alb s cas s propinqu s
aquae saepe v sitant. Ib et agricolae et nautae p r t s timent et p r t s pecūniam dant.
The question: Describe the interactions of the pirates and the residents of Corsica.
PIRATES OFTEN VISIT THEIR HOMES AND TAKE MONEY (or similar)
B2 What two things do we learn about the huts in which the Corsicans live?
WHITE, NEAR THE WATER/SEA
17. For the verb vide , give the second person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative.
B1 Change vid b s to the future.
VID B S
VID BIS
B2 Change vid bis to the perfect.
V DIST
18. What case in Latin is used to express the indirect object of a sentence?
DATIVE
B1 Name one case in Latin that can be used to express possession?
GENITIVE / DATIVE
B2 Which case in Latin is used for direct address?
VOCATIVE
19. Which immortal cupbearer of the gods was also the Goddess of Youth?
HEBE / JUVENTAS
B1 Who were the parents of Hebe?
ZEUS AND HERA / JUPITER AND JUNO
B2 What mortal replaced Hebe as the cupbearer of the gods?
GANYMEDE(S) / ATLANTIUS
20. What son of Demaratus was foretold to become the king of Rome when an eagle snatched his
hat only to place it back upon his head?
TARQUINIUS PRISCUS
B1 Name Priscus' wife who interpreted this omen as a divine right for her husband to rule
Rome.
TANAQUIL
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 1
B2 Priscus' otherwise peaceful reign ended when assassins entered his court and murdered
him. The sons of which former king had hired these assassins?
ANCUS MARCIUS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 2
1. Which of the following words does not belong because of meaning: avis, vulnus, canis,
equus?
VULNUS
B1 What is the meaning of vulnus?
WOUND
B2 What is the meaning of the other three words in the tossup?
BIRD, DOG, HORSE (respectively)
2. During which Roman war did the Mamertines, desperate and trapped by Hiero's siege, plead
to a passing Carthaginian armada for aid to their mercenary group in 265 BC?
FIRST PUNIC WAR
B1 Of what powerful Sicilian city was Hiero the king?
SYRACUSE
B2 Rome’s involvement in the war stemmed primarily from the fear of what potential action
by the Carthaginians should they became involved in Sicily?
INVASION OF ITALY (THROUGH SICILY)
3. What goddess was known as “Cytherea” because she rose from the sea-foams near the island
of Cythera?
APHRODITE / VENUS
B1 Around whose severed genitals did these sea-foams gather?
URANUS’
B2 According to the Iliad, what Olympian was the father of Aphrodite?
ZEUS
4. Which of the following nouns does NOT belong by gender: castra, signum, oppidum,
poena?
POENA
B1 Which of the following nouns does NOT belong by case: f liābus, am c , ann s, puer s?
ANN S
B2 Which of the following nouns does NOT belong by declension: arma, nauta, agricola,
patria?
ARMA
5. What two-word Latin phrase commonly used in English offers an antonym to the concept of
a revolution and refers to “the existing state of affairs”?
STATUS QUO
B1 What two-word Latin phrase is commonly used in English to refer to the college (or high
school) from which you graduate?
ALMA MATER
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 2
B2 Finally, once you land a job, you may end up on assignment out of town for some period
of time on the company’s expense. What two-word Latin phrase is commonly used to
refer to the daily allowance you are paid to cover the cost of your meals and other
incidentals?
PER DIEM
6. Translate this sentence into English: Portā, serve, cibum cul nā!
SLAVE / SERVANT, CARRY THE FOOD OUT OF THE KITCHEN
B1 Translate this sentence into English: Servus ad mensam cum cib ambulat.
THE SLAVE / SERVANT IS WALKING WITH THE
FOOD TO / TOWARDS THE TABLE
B2 Finally, translate this sentence: Cibus dominum n n delectat.
THE FOOD DOES NOT PLEASE / DELIGHT THE MASTER
7. What monstrous creature guarded the entrance to the Underworld?
CERBERUS
B1 Who ferried the souls of the dead across the River of Styx?
CHARON
B2 In what bottomless pit were the Titans imprisoned?
TARTARUS
8. Translate the following sentence from English into Latin: N nne c nam parābam?
WASN’T I / DIDN’T I PREPARE DINNER? // I
WAS PREPARING DINNER, WASN’T I?
B1 Translate this sentence: Num servus ignāvus c nam parat?
THE LAZY SLAVE IS NOT PREPARING DINNER, IS HE?
B2 Translate this sentence: Amāvist ne c nam?
DID YOU LIKE / LOVE THE DINNER?
9. Which king of Rome annexed the Aventine and Janiculum hills and constructed Rome's first
bridge across the Tiber, the Pons Sublicius, in order to access the Janiculum?
ANCUS MARCIUS
B1 What earlier king of Rome was the grandfather of Marcius?
NUMA POMPILIUS
B2 What other construction project of Marcius, today known as the Mamertine Prison, would
see the execution of many enemies of Rome?
TULLIANUM
10. Identify the use of the ablative case in the following sentence: Iūlia cum f li s diū
ambulābat.
ACCOMPANIMENT
B1 Translate that sentence (repeat sentence).
JULIA WAS WALKING / WALKED WITH (HER) SONS FOR A LONG TIME
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 2
B2 Identify the use of the ablative case in this sentence: Qu ntus fābūlam verb s narrābit.
MEANS / INSTRUMENT
11. Who relied on both his cleverness and his brute strength in defeating the Nemean Lion?
HERACLES / HERCULES
B1 Which of the creatures killed by Heracles eventually brought about Heracles’ own
demise?
THE (LERNEAN) HYDRA (OF LERNA)
B2 Who helped Heracles in killing the Hydra?
IOLAUS
12. What kind of toga did common citizens wear?
TOGA VIRILIS/ TOGA PURA
B1 What kind of toga, with a purple border did young boys and magistrates wear?
TOGA PRAETEXTA
B2 What kind of toga did victorious generals wear during a triumph?
TOGA PICTA
13. Whose love for each other is commemorated in Phrygia by a pair of intertwined trees?
BAUCIS & PHILEMON
B1 Into what kind of trees were Baucis and Philemon transformed?
LINDEN / WILLOW AND OAK
B2 To which two gods did Baucis and Philemon show hospitality, earning them this boon of
never being separated, even in death?
ZEUS AND HERMES / JUPITER AND MERCURY
14. Who were the first two men to co-rule in Roman history?
TITUS TATIUS & ROMULUS
B1 On what hill did Romulus build his palace?
PALATINE
B2 From which Sabine town did both Tatius and Numa Pompilius originate?
CURES
15. Give an antonym of timidus.
FORTIS / MAGNANIMUS
B1 Give an antonym of mortuus.
VIVUS
B2 Give an antonym of celer.
TARDUS / LENTUS / SEGNIS / PIGER
16. Which of the following, if any, is NOT derived from the same Latin verb as the others:
"admonish," "permanence," "monitor," "remonstrance"?
PERMANENCE
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 2
B1 Give the principal parts of the verb from which "permanence" is derived.
MANE , MAN RE, MANS , (MANSUM)
B2 Give the principal parts of the verb from which the other three words are derived?
MONE , MON RE, MONU , MONITUM
17. Who was the commander-in-chief for the Trojans during their 10-year conflict with the
Greeks?
HECTOR
B1 Who were the parents of Hector?
PRIAM AND HECUBA / HECABE
B2 Who killed Hector?
ACHILLES
18. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
R mulus et Remus patriā migrant, et R mam prope Faustul casam condunt. Sed
pugna magna est inter gemin s; s c R mulus solus R mam condit. Pr mum de s rat,
secundum arātr R mae mūr s designat; tum mūrum aedificat. (repeat once)
The question: According to the passage, where do Romulus and Remus found Rome?
NEAR THE HUT OF
FAUSTULUS
B1 What does Romulus do first after his fight with his twin brother?
PRAY TO THE GODS (or similar)
B2 An arātrum is a plow. What does Romulus do with a plow in this story?
INDICATE/MARK OFF THE SPACE FOR HIS WALLS (or similar)
19. Where was the consul Gaius Flaminius ambushed and killed by Hannibal in 217 BC?
LAKE TRASIMENE
B1 For what architectural achievement in the same region of Italy as Lake Trasimene is
Flaminius famous?
VIA FLAMINIA
B2 What man was elected dictator of Rome following the disaster at Trasimene?
(QUINTUS) FABIUS MAXIMUS (CUNCTATOR VERRUCOSUS)
20. What number does the Latin word septem express?
SEVEN
B1 What about decem?
B2 How did the Romans say “seventeen”?
TEN
SEPTENDECIM
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 3
1. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
In tr ri habit bant tr sc : inter tr sc s Lars Porsena regn bat. Ubi R m n
Tarquinium in tr riam fug v runt, tr sc contr R m n s pr Tarquini
conveni bant et soci s ad bellum voc bant. Copi s prope m r s R mae collocant et
agr s vastant: R m n s trans fl men fugant. Iam R mam paene occup verunt, sed
Hor tius C cles cum Spuri Larti et Tit Hermini patriam serv vit. (repeat once)
The question: What caused the Etruscans to assemble against Rome?
THE ROMANS HAD BANISHED TARQUINIUS (SUPERBUS) (IN)TO ETRURIA
B1 What two things did the Etruscans do to cause the Romans to flee across the river?
ASSEMBLE TROOPS NEAR (THE WALLS OF) ROME,
LAY WASTE TO THEIR TERRITORIES
B2 What point had the military situation reached before Horatius Cocles and his friends
saved Rome?
THE ETRUSCANS HAD NEARLY/ALMOST TAKEN ROME
2. What graceful and swift god is the son of Zeus and Maia?
HERMES
B1 What magical wand does Hermes carry?
B2 From what other Olympian did Hermes receive his “caduceus”?
CADUCEUS
APOLLO
3. The prepositions circum, ante, post, and ad all govern what case in Latin?
B1 The prepositions sine, ab, d , ex, and pr all govern what case in Latin?
ACCUSATIVE
ABLATIVE
B2 Name two prepositions in Latin that can govern either the accusative or the ablative.
IN / SUB / SUPER / SUBTER
4. “Another such victory and I'm finished” are the words supposedly spoken by what general
after his victory at Ausculum in 279 BC?
PYRRHUS
B1 After the battle of Heraclea, Pyrrhus sent his agent Cineas to negotiate with the Romans.
Despite his eloquence, the Romans did not accept his terms due to what old man's
insistence that the Romans never surrender?
APPIUS CLAUDIUS CAECUS/CENSOR
B2 Caecus's pleas turned out to be heavily beneficial for the Romans as they defeated
Pyrrhus at what site in 275 BC?
BENEVENTUM/MAL(E)VENTUM
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 3
5. What gifted young sculptor of Cyprus was such a woman-hater that he decided to fashion his
own version of the perfect woman out of ivory?
PYGMALION
B1 What goddess granted Pygmalion’s prayer and brought his creation to life?
VENUS
B2 What name was given to this statue that became a real woman?
GALATEA
6. Say in Latin: “We were sailors yesterday”.
HER ER MUS NAUTAE
B1 Now, say in Latin, “The girls will be beautiful tomorrow.”
PUELLAE CR S PULCHRAE ERUNT
B2 Finally, say in Latin, “The students have been happy for a long time.”
DISCIPUL LAET DI FU RUNT
7. What general slew Viridomarus at Clastidium and later captured the city of Syracuse after a
two-year siege during the Second Punic War?
(M. CLAUDIUS) MARCELLUS
B1 What was Marcellus' nickname, given to him as an acknowledgment of his aggressive
and effective tactics?
SWORD OF ROME
B2 What award did Marcellus receive, one of only three Romans to attain it, after he killed
Viridomarus?
SPOLIA OPIMA
8. Quid Anglic significat “praemium”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “gaudium”?
REWARD / PROFIT / BOOTY / ADVANTAGE
B2 Quid Anglic significat “c nsilium”?
JOY / HAPPINESS / DELIGHT
PLAN / PURPOSE / COUNCIL
9. Complete this analogy: do: dare :: sum :
ESSE
B1 Complete this analogy: sum : es :: do :
DAS
B2 Complete this analogy: do : dabas :: sum :
ERAS
10. What derivative of the Latin noun animus means "showing no signs of life"?
INANIMATE
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 3
B1 What derivative of the Latin noun animus means "very generous or forgiving, especially
toward a rival"?
MAGNANIMOUS
B2 What derivative of the Laitn noun animus means "showing a lack of courage"?
PUSILLANIMOUS
11. Who won the cor na c vica at the battle of Lake Regillus, but is better remembered for his
march on Rome, which was stymied at the last moment by his mother and wife?
(GAIUS MARCIUS) CORIOLANUS
B1 What tribe did Coriolanus both defeat and later recruit for his march on Rome?
VOLSCI
B2 The capture of what city gave Gaius Marcius the agnomen Coriolanus?
CORIOLI
12. Who retraced his steps out of the Labyrinth by using a ball of golden thread?
THESEUS
B1 What monster did he kill while in the Labyrinth?
MINOTAUR / ASTERION / ASTERIUS
B2 Who had given Theseus this ball of golden thread?
ARIADNE
13. Translate: Bella in Hispani longa sunt.
THE WARS IN SPAIN (HISPANIA) ARE LONG AND FIERCE
B1 Now translate: In bell ant qu , R m n Gall s super bant.
IN AN ANCIENT WAR, THE ROMANS DEFEATED / OVERCAME THE GAULS
B2 Finally, translate: Gall saepe cum R m n s pugn bant.
THE GAULS OFTEN WERE FIGHTING / USED TO FIGHT /
FOUGHT WITH THE ROMANS
14. What part of the Roman baths was the hot room?
CALDARIUM
B1 What part of the Roman baths would a Roman go to, to enjoy a cool dip?
FRIGIDARIUM
B2 Before a Roman could enjoy these rooms, what changing room would they visit first?
APODYTERIUM
15. Who lost all but one of his ships in the land of the Laestrygonians while on his way back
home after the Trojan War?
ODYSSEUS / ULYSSES
B1 What island was Odysseus’ final destination on this voyage home?
ITHACA
B2 Who waited patiently on Ithaca for the return of her husband Odysseus?
PENELOPE
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 3
16. Name the son of Tarquinius Superbus who fled to Gabii after causing the expulsion of the
Tarquinians from Rome.
SEXTUS
B1 To which Etruscan city did Tarquinius flee after his expulsion?
CAERE
B2 After Superbus realized he had no hope of regaining the throne, at whose court did he
spend the rest of his life?
ARISTODEMUS (OF CUMAE)
17. Say in Latin: "Don't fight!"
NOL / NOL TE PUGN RE
B1 Now tell Marcus and Decimus not to fight.
NOL TE PUGN RE, MARCE ET DECIME
B2 Make nol pugn re positive.
PUGN
18. Which of the following would be most likely to embody the Latin abbreviation ad lib. in his
or her daily work? security guard, college counselor, tightrope walker, jazz soloist,
professional wrestler
JAZZ SOLOIST (ad lib = “at pleasure” and embodies a spirit
of improvisation common to jazz; all other professions have
strictures that make “improvisation” questionable or even risky)
B1 Which of the following words or phases in English is etymologically connected to the
Latin root of ad lib.? “women’s lib,” “healthy libido,” “left-wing liberal,” and
“absolutely livid.”
HEALTHY LIBIDO
B2 Let’s say a professional wrestler begins to ad lib too much and begins to cause injuries
among his colleagues, who must act as his opponents during televised matches. What
Latin phrase might apply to him if he keep this up too long and becomes shunned by his
co-workers?
PERS NA N N GR TA
19. What meaning is shared by the Latin verbs iube and imper ?
ORDER / COMMAND
B1 What meaning is shared by the Latin verbs monstr and ostend ?
SHOW
B2 What meaning is shared by the Latin verbs rog and pet ?
ASK
20. What pair of star-crossed lovers stained the mulberry with their blood as they lay dying
below the fruit tree?
PYRAMUS & THISBE
B1 What animal had caused this tragedy indirectly?
A LION(ESS)
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Round 3
B2 Near the tomb of what king of Babylon was this mulberry tree located?
NINUS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Semifinal Round
1. The defeat of Hanno the Great at what battle of 241 BC successfully ended the First Punic
War?
AEGATES ISLANDS
B1 Who was the victorious Roman admiral at the battle?
(Q. LUTATIUS) CATULUS
B2 What Sicilian fortress, which had long withheld sporadic Roman assaults, was Catulus
able to capture after the battle?
LILYBAEUM
2. Which of the following Latin abbreviations contains an abbreviated version of a word for a
Latin number? op. cit., M.D., A.M., per cent, and A.D.
PER CENT
B1 Of that same list, which contains a word that is often paired in abbreviated form with an
abbreviation for philosophiae?
M.D. (has Doctor, which is part of Ph.D.)
B2 Finally, of the same list above, which abbreviation contains two words in the ablative
case?
OP. CIT. (opere cit t )
3. Translate this sentence in English: Nol dorm re, discipule, in schol !
STUDENT, DON’T SLEEP IN SCHOOL!
B1 Now, translate: Magister erat r tus quod discipulus dormi bat.
THE TEACHER WAS ANGRY BECAUSE THE STUDENT WAS SLEEPING.
B2 Now, translate: Discipulus cum magistr ambul bit.
THE STUDENT WILL WALK WITH THE TEACHER
4. Handmaidens forged out of gold served as assistants in the workshop of which Olympian
god?
HEPHAESTUS / VULCAN
B1 According to Homer’s Odyssey, what goddess of love is the wife of Hephaestus?
APHRODITE
B2 Who incited the wrath of Hephaestus with illicit romps in the chambers of Aphrodite?
ARES
5. Yale University ranks third in U.S. News’ recent National University Rankings. What is the
Latin word for “third”?
TERTIUS
B1 What is the Latin word for “second”?
SECUNDUS
B2 How about “ninth”?
N NUS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Semifinal Round
6. Which king of Rome was able to divide the Romans into five classes after taking the first
census?
SERVIUS TULLIUS
B1 What slave woman was the mother of Servius Tullius?
OCRISIA
B2 To what goddess did Servius Tullius construct a major temple on the Aventine Hill?
DIANA
7. What tense in Latin is used to show incomplete or continuous action in the past?
IMPERFECT
B1 What tense in Latin is used to show completed action in the past?
PERFECT
B2 Which of the following, if any, is not a perfect tense verb: l b r v , fu , docu runt,
m sit?
THEY ARE ALL PERFECT TENSE
8. To what kingdom, ruled by King Aeetes, did Jason travel in order to retrieve the Golden
Fleece?
COLCHIS
B1 On what man-less island did Jason and the Argonauts spend some time while on their
way to Colchis?
LEMNOS
B2 What evil uncle had set Jason on this task of retrieving the Golden Fleece?
PELIAS
9. What country in South America takes its name from the Latin word for "silver"?
ARGENTINA
B1 What type of bird takes its name from the Latin word for "gold"?
ORIOLE
B2 Which element on the Periodic Table takes its symbol from the Latin word plumbum?
LEAD
10. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in LATIN the
quaestio that follows.
Pygmali n multam pecūniam et mult s serv s et domicilium pulchrum hab bat, sed
f min s n n am bat. Cot di magn cum d ligenti lab r bat et statu s pulchr s
sculp bat. Saepe Pygmali n vir s ac f min s convoc bat. “Spect te pulchr s me s
statu s!” Omn s magn cum studi cl m bant: “ Pygmali n, statuae tuae pulchrae
sunt!” (repeat once)
Quaestio: Quid Pygmali n n n am bat?
F MIN S / F MINAM
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Semifinal Round
B1 Quid magn cum d ligenti semper Pygmali n faci bat?
STATU S (PULCHR S)
B2 Quomod omn s Pygmali n cl m bant statu s pulchr s esse?
(MAGN CUM) STUDI (or equivalent adverb)
11. Whose death brought Achilles back to the battlefield at Troy, much to the chagrin of Hector
and the Trojans?
PATROCLUS’
B1 Who, wanting to bring a renewed strength to the Greeks, had convinced Patroclus to put
on Achilles’ armor to fight?
NESTOR
B2 What name, meaning “ant people”, was held by Achilles’ men, who failed to protect their
leader’s friend Patroclus?
MYRMIDONS
12. Give a Latin verb meaning “turn.”
B1 Give a Latin verb meaning “hide.”
B2 Give a Latin verb meaning “drink.”
VERT
C L
/ TORQUE
/ TEG
BIB
/ LATE
/ POT
13. Which Roman general, a five-time dictator, captured the cities of Falerii and Veii in the 390's
BC?
(MARCUS FURIUS) CAMILLUS
B1 Camillus was later forced into exile, only to return triumphantly when he defeated what
Senonian chieftain and rebuilt Rome?
BRENNUS
B2 What temple did Camillus later vow to construct as a commemoration to the newly found
harmony between plebeians and patricians after the passage of the Licinio-Sextian laws?
(TEMPLE OF) CONCORD
14. What king of Thebes died at the hands of his son Oedipus, though he didn’t know the brash
young man was his own son?
LAIUS
B1 What queen of Thebes married Oedipus, not knowing that he was her own son?
JOCASTA / EPICASTA
B2 Name two of the children of Oedipus and Jocasta.
ANTIGONE, ISMENE, ETEOCLES, POLYN(E)ICES
15. Give the vocative of the phrase meus puer.
M PUER
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Novice Division
Semifinal Round
B1 Give the vocative of the phrase carus f lius.
CARE F L
B2 Give the vocative of the phrase pulchra puella.
PULCHRA PUELLA
16. Translate this sentence into Latin: They are coming out of the farmhouse.
(EX) V LL VENIUNT
B1 Now say in Latin: We were coming towards the city.
AD URBEM VENI B MUS
B2 Now say in Latin: I will come to the Forum.
AD FORUM VENIAM
17. What office was at the top of cursus honorum.
CONSUL
B1 Who carried the fasces, or the bundle of sticks that signified the power of magistrates?
LICTORES / LICTOR(S)
B2 A Roman consul had 12 lictores, what special event in Rome would give a man 24
lictores?
DICTATOR
18. Give the adverbial form of longus.
LONG
B1 Give the adverbial form of bonus.
BENE
B2 Give the adverbial form of magnus.
MAGNOPERE
19. What beautiful disaster was created as punishment for mankind?
PANDORA
B1 To whom was Pandora given as wife?
B2 What is the only thing that remained in Pandora’s box?
EPIMETHEUS
HOPE
20. At what battle did Rome achieve a convincing victory against Octavius Mamillius and the
Latin League in 496 BC?
LAKE REGILLUS
B1 Which two gods are said to have appeared to the Romans at Lake Regillus and granted
them victory?
CASTOR & POLLUX
B2 What treaty was signed three years after the battle of Lake Regillus and ended the war
between Rome and the Latin League?
FOEDUS CASSIANUM / TREATY OF CASSIUS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Final Round
1. Who, often depicted as a beautiful maiden carrying a knife in one hand and a tragic mask in
the other, was the muse of tragedy?
MELPOMENE
B1 Who, often depicted as a beautiful maiden wearing boots and carrying a comedy mask in
her hand, was the muse of comedy?
THALIA
B2 Who, often depicted as beautiful maiden holding a flute, was the muse of lyric poetry?
EUTERPE
2. Translate the verb form ded runt.
B1 Translate the verb form cucurr runt.
THEY HAVE GIVEN / THEY GAVE
THEY HAVE RUN / THEY RAN
B2 Translate the verb form g runt.
THEY HAVE DRIVEN / THEY DROVE (accept other meanings of ag )
3. Kaeso, Lucius, Gnaeus, Quintus and Publius are all examples of what part of a Roman’s
name?
PRAENOMEN
B1 What Roman praenomen was abbreviated A.?
AULUS
B2 Differentiate between the praenomens abbreviated Ti. and T. ?
TI = TIBERIUS T = TITUS
4. Who am I? The son of a notable Roman general, I was elected consul after winning victories
at Baecula and Ilipa. I led the Roman invasion of Africa, winning several battles against the
Carthaginians before ultimately prevailing against Hannibal at Zama.
(P. CORNELIUS) SCIPIO ACRICANUS
B1 What Numidian chieftain’s cavalry corps was instrumental in Scipio’s defeat of Hannibal
at Zama?
MASSANISSA
B2 What cavalry general also played an integral role in Scipio's successes throughout the
African campaigns?
(C.) LAELIUS
5. Of the Latin mottoes s c transit gloria mund , err re h m num est, d mortu s nil nisi
bonum, and in h c sign vinc s, which one, when spoken in a context for which the
quotation was intended, would best be accompanied by a sheepish shrug?
ERR RE H M NUM EST
B1 Which one might a despairing teacher who has taught 10 years of outstanding Latin II
Honors students mutter ironically when grading the D-averaging papers of his current,
inexplicably underachieving class?
S C TRANSIT GLORIA MUND
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Final Round
B2 What three-word Latin phrase not listed in the tossup best summarizes the give-and-take
nature of ancient pagan religion in which a god might be reasonably expected to offer
protection or answer a prayer if a sacrifice was offered in exchange?
QUID PR QU
6. What young huntress and a follower of Artemis was transformed into a sacred spring that can
be found on Sicily?
ARETHUSA
B1 What river god had fallen in love with Arethusa and chased her to Sicily?
ALPHEUS
B2 In what city on Sicily can the sacred spring of Arethusa be found?
SYRACUSE
7. The Second Samnite War was indirectly begun when what city, the original terminus of the
Via Appia, pleaded to Rome to protect it from the Samnites who were besieging Neapolis?
CAPUA
B1 Capua proved to be a capricious ally of the Romans when it switched allegiance
following what embarrassing Roman defeat of 315 BC?
LAUTULAE
B2 Where did Decius Mus and Fabius Rullianus defeat the Samnites during the Third
Samnite War?
SENTINUM
8. Of the words v num, multitud , corona, lacrima, and umbra, which is being described in
the following Latin sentence: Vir, qui sub duobus arboribus est, in h c sedet.
UMBRA
B1 ... Est signum potentiae r gis r g naeque.
CORONA
B2 ... Tr s homin s satis huius sunt.
MULTITUD
9. Translate the following sentence into English: Sunt duae f liae pulchrae c nsul .
THE CONSUL HAS TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS / THERE ARE TWO BEAUTIFUL
DAUGHTERS TO THE CONSUL
B1 Now, translate: Miser consul nam f li bus m sit.
THE SAD / WRETCHED CONSUL LOST ONE OF (HIS) DAUGHTERS.
B2 Finally, translate this sentence: Rel qua f lia cum patre lacrim bat.
THE REMAINING DAUGHTER WAS CRYING/CRIED WITH HER
FATHER
10. Who drew first blood with her arrow during the hunt for the Calydonian Boar?
ATALANTA
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B1 Who rudely insisted that Atalanta should not be given the prize of the hunt and caused
their own demise as a result?
HER UNCLUES (TOXEUS AND PLEXIPPUS)
B2 Who then threw a magical log into a fire, causing the death of her own son Meleager?
ALTH(A)EA
11. Change the phrase c vis R m nus to the ablative singular.
B1 Change c ve R m n to the genitive.
B2 Change c vis R m n to the plural.
C VE R M N
C VIS R M N
C VIUM R M N RUM
12. Which king of Rome and grandson of Romulus' champion Hostius based his palace on the
Caelian Hill, which he had annexed after capturing Alba Longa?
TULLUS HOSTILIUS
B1 What dictator of Alba Longa had Hostilius ordered to be drawn and quartered for his
perfidious attempts to defeat Rome?
METTIUS (FUFFETIUS)
B2 Tullus Hostilius died when a lightning bolt struck his palace, setting it on fire. To what
deity had Hostilius improperly performed rites, inciting the god's wrath?
JUPITER (ELICIUS)
13. From what Latin verb, with what meaning, do we derive "duke" and "produce"?
D C - LEAD
B1 What derivative of d c , d cere is a type of water channel built by the Romans?
AQUEDUCT
B2 What derivative of d c , d cere refers to a method of reasoning in which conclusions
are drawn from making observations?
INDUCTIVE / DEDUCTIVE
14. Who was briefly given the ability to distinguish immortals and mortals and was able to
wound two immortals on the battlefield at Troy as a result?
DIOMEDES
B1 Name the two immortals Diomedes wounded.
ARES AND APHRODITE / MARS AND VENUS
B2 With whom did Diomedes sneak into the city of Troy to steal the statue of Athena?
ODYSSEUS
15. Quid Anglic significat “stude ”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “d le ”?
BE EAGER / STUDY
DESTROY / ERASE
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Novice Division
Final Round
B2 Quid Anglic significat “cave ”?
TAKE CARE / BEWARE
16. Say in Latin: We will send the men into Italy.
VIR S IN TALIAM MITT MUS
B1 Now say in Latin: The men walked around the mountains.
VIR CIRCUM MONT S AMBUL V RUNT/AMBUL BANT
B2 Finally, using the Latin verb p n , p nere, say in Latin: The men pitched camp in the
woods.
VIR IN SILV / SILV S CASTRA POSU RUNT/PON BANT
17. Lucius Verginius killed his own daughter to avoid her being raped by what man?
APPIUS CLAUDIUS DECEMVIR
B1 As the only member of the decemviri to serve for both years, Appius Claudius was
instrumental to the writing of the Twelve Tables. How many of the tables were written in
the first year of the commission?
TEN
B2 Marriage between patricians and plebeians was banned by the Twelve Tables until the
passage of what law in 445 BC?
(LEX) CANULEIA
18. What name is given to particles such as n and que?
B1 What is the function of the enclitic n ?
ENCLITICS
TO ASK A (GENERAL) QUESTION
B2 Using a preposition and an enclitic, say in Latin: "with the gods and goddesses."
CUM DE S DE BUSQUE
19. How long did it take Hercules to eventually capture the Erymanthia Boar?
ONE YEAR
B1 How did Hercules trap the Erymanthian Boar in order to capture it alive?
HE TRAPPED IT IN DEEP SNOW
B2 What did Eurystheus do upon hearing the news that Hercules had brought back the
Erymanthian Boar?
HE HID IN A JAR
20. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in LATIN the
quaestio that follows.
Dea I n propter Paridis i dicium Tr i n s semper inim ca erat. Bellum inter
Tr i n s et Rutul s incit vit. Di Tr i n cum Rutul s pugn v runt. Aen s victor
cum L v ni uxore r gn vit, et c vibus urbis l g s aequ s dedit. (repeat once)
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Final Round
Quaestio: Ob i dicium Paridis, quis inim ca Tr i n s semper erat?
I N
B1 Quale bellum fuit inter Tr i n s et Rutul s?
LONGUM / DI PUGN V RUNT (or similar)
B2 Qu iustitiam ab Aen acc p runt?
C V S (TR I N )
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 1
1. Cycnus, a mythological king of the Ligurians and noted musician, was turned into a swan as
he sang in mourning for what cousin of his, who had fallen to a fiery death in the Eridanus
river?
PHAETON
B1 What happened to Phaeton’s sisters, the Heliades, as they wept for their brother along the
riverbank?
THEY TURNED INTO POPLAR TREES (AND THEIR TEARS TO AMBER)
B2 Another Cycnus fought in the Trojan War against Achilles, who found him problematic
because he had been made invulnerable to weapons by his father Poseidon. How did
Achilles kill Cycnus?
STRANGLED HIM WITH HIS OWN HELMET STRAPS
2. What is the meaning of the Latin adjective aureus?
GOLDEN
B1 What is the meaning of the Latin adjective fessus?
TIRED
B2 What is the meaning of the Latin adjective satis?
ENOUGH / SUFFICIENT
3. For the verb cr d , give the 1st person singular future perfect active indicative.
CR DIDER
B1 Make cr dider passive and plural.
CR DIT /-AE/-A ERIMUS
B2 Give the same form for the verb scind .
SCISS /-AE/-A ERIMUS
4. What battle of 52 BC saw the defeat of Vercingetorix at the hands of Caesar?
ALESIA
B1 What lieutenant of Caesar aided him at this battle?
LABIENUS
B2 To what tribe did Vercingetorix belong?
ARVERNI
5. Translate the following sentence into English: Puer clam nt s in vi puell s n n
audi bantur.
THE BOYS, SHOUTING IN THE STREET, WERE NOT HEARD BY THE GIRLS.
B1 Now translate this sentence into English: Verba puer rum, puell s aud ta, n n erant
gr ta.
THE BOYS’ WORDS, (HAVING BEEN) HEARD BY THE GIRLS, WERE NOT
PLEASING
B2 Finally, translate this sentence into English: Puellae puer s vituper turae sunt.
THE GIRLS ARE ABOUT TO SCOLD/YELL AT/CUSS OUT THE BOYS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 1
6. What sport, which derives part of its name from the Latin verb meaning “to fly”, involves the
hitting of a ball back and forth over a net?
VOLLEYBALL
B1 What derivative of vol , vol re describes a person or situation that is prone to break out
into open violence?
VOLATILE
B2 What derivative of vol , velle is a person who performs a service willingly and without
pay?
VOLUNTEER
7. In the Iliad, who stops Achilles from outright killing Agamemnon when, forced to give up
his concubine Chryseis, he dishonors Achilles by taking Briseis from him?
ATHENA (SENT BY HERA)
B1 Athena also often participates in the Trojan War in shapes that are not her own. Whom
does she trick into breaking truce by shooting at Menelaus?
PANDARUS
B2 What guise does Athena take to trick Hector into thinking he has reinforcements during
his fatal duel with Achilles?
(HIS BROTHER) DEIPHOBUS
8. Whose controversial legislation brought about his demise at the hands of a mob of senators
led by Scipio Nasica in 133 BC?
TIBERIUS (SEMPRONIUS) GRACCHUS’S
B1 How many followers of Gracchus were said to have been killed with him?
300
B2 What office did Scipio Nasica hold at the time?
PONTIFEX MAXIMUS
9. Identify the use of the ablative in the following sentence: Vict ab exercit barbar rum,
m lit s R m n f g runt.
AGENT
B1 Identify the use of the ablative in the following sentence: Barbar acrius R m n s
pugn v runt.
COMPARISON
B2 Identify the two uses of the ablative in the following sentence: C pi s auct s, R m n
redi runt et magn fortit dine pugn v runt.
ABSOLUTE AND MANNER
10. In the Odyssey, on what island is Odysseus detained by the goddess Circe?
AIAIA
B1 On what island is he detained seven times longer by Calypso?
OGYGIA
B2 On what island is he sheltered by the Phaeacians?
SCHERIA
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 1
11. Statumen, rudus, nucleus and dorsus, are all parts of what Roman structure?
ROAD
B1 What part of the road was the lowest?
STATUMEN
B2 What was the top layer of the road, designed to cast of rain like a tortoise shell?
DORSUS
12. Which Roman emperor conquered Armenia, Mesopotamia, Arabia, and Dacia?
TRAJAN
B1 On what monument is the Dacian conquest memorialized?
COLUMN OF TRAJAN
B2 What previous emperor had also had some dealings with Decebalus of Dacia, forcing him
into the role of Client King?
DOMITIAN
13. Say in Latin: I was making dinner for my mother.
C NAM/CIBUM M TR (MEAE) FACI BAM
B1 Now, say in Latin: My mother, for whom I was working, praised the dinner.
M TER, CUI LABOR BAM, C NAM/CIBUM LAUD VIT
B2 Finally, say in Latin: My sisters, who do not like me, also liked the dinner.
MEAE SOROR S, QUAE M N N AMANT, QUOQUE C NAM
AMAV RUNT
14. Which woman did Zeus abduct in the form of an eagle, who gave birth to the king Aeacus
who ruled the island named after her?
AEGINA
B1 In what form did Zeus seduce Callisto?
ARTEMIS
B2 In what form did Zeus seduce Antiope?
SATYR
15. Which of the following Latin phrases seems to express something inherently contradictory?
vice vers , pater patriae, m ns s na in corpore s n , cum gran salis, fest n lent .
FEST N LENT
B1 What three-word Latin phrase, also ostensibly contradictory, might offer a summary of
the famous quotation, “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of
infinite space” from Hamlet?
MULTUM IN PARV
B2 What four-word Latin phrase utilizes contrast to make a point about the potential
universality and immortality offered to man, who is himself doomed to die, through the
achievement of great art?
ARS LONGA, V TA BREVIS
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 1
16. Give a Latin word meaning “star.”
STELLA / SIDUS / ASTRUM
B1 Give another.
B2 Give a Latin word meaning “cloud.”
SEE ABOVE
N BIS / N B S / NIMBUS/NEBULA
17. What Etruscan city was captured by the Romans in 396 BC?
VEII
B1 By what means did the Romans capture Veii?
DUG TUNNELS UNDER THE WALLS
B2 How long was the siege of Veii?
TEN YEARS
18. What man was hurriedly married upon the instigation of queen Arete in order to avoid the
pursuit of the soldier’s of his Aean bride’s father, king Aeetes of Colchis?
JASON
B1 What brother of Medea, Jason’s bride, did he treacherously slay in an ambush on the
island of Athena?
ABSYRTUS / APSYRTUS
B2 Although some say Medea killed him with sorcery, whom did Poeas slay with a wellaimed arrow through his vulnerable ankle?
TALUS
19. When recognized by the spotter, perform the following commands: surge et tange amb
genua.
(STUDENT SHOULD STAND
AND TOUCH BOTH KNEES)
B1 Now perform these commands: mane in s de et tange supercilia digit minim in
man dextr .
(ONE PLAYER SHOULD REMAIN IN SEAT AND TOUCH
BOTH EYEBROWS WITH THE SMALLEST FINGER ON
THEIR RIGHT HAND)
B2 Finally, perform these commands: st te et l tr te s cut can s.
(MORE THAN ONE PLAYER SHOULD STAND AND BARK LIKE
DOGS)
20. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
Initi trium bell rum gravissim rum, quae bella P nica appell ta sunt, et R ma et
Carth g erant urb s potent s. R m n exercitum potentissimum sed n ll s n v s
potent s; Poen magn s d viti s et magnam scientiam r rum n v lium, sed n ll s
valid s copi s hab bant.
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 1
The question: Describe the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Roman and Carthaginian
forces.
ROMANS HAD POWERFUL ARMY BUT
LACKED SHIPS; THE CARTHAGINIANS
WERE THE OPPOSITE
B1 The passage continues:
R m n igitur mult s n v s long s celeriter aedific v runt simil s n v longae quae in
aqu s prope taliam inventa erat. Mox pr mam classem n vium long rum R m n
hab bant.
The question: What did the Romans do to acquire their first fleet of warships?
BUILT MANY SHIPS SIMILAR TO THE ONE WHICH HAD BEEN DISCOVERED
IN WATERS NEAR ITALY
B2 The passage continues:
Qu nt ann bell P nic Pr m G ius Duilius, c nsul R m nus sti n vig vit. Ille
Poen s in mar inv nti ubi iam di imperium hab bant. Corv in n vibus R m n s
aedific t erant. Ubi n v s Poen rum ad n v s R m n s appropinqu bant, Duilius
corv s d mitt i ssit. R m n trans corv s in n v s Poen rum cucurr runt et gladi s
atque ali s t l s magnum numerum hostium occ d runt.
The question: Describe the stratagem Duilius devised to fight the Carthaginians on the sea.
GANGWAYS WERE BUILT AND LOWERED SO THAT THE
ROMANS COULD RUN ONTO ENEMY SHIPS AND FIGHT HANDTO-HAND
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 2
1. Translate ‘home’ into Latin for the sentence: I left home at six o’clock to get to school.
DOM
B1 Aside from place from which, what other use of the ablative would be required to
translate that English sentence into Latin?
TIME WHEN
B2 Say in Latin, “at the sixth hour.”
SEXT H R
2. The English words “molasses” and “mellifluous” ultimately derive from what Latin noun
with what meaning?
MEL – HONEY
B1 From what Latin noun with what meaning do we derive the English words “cabbage” and
“cadet”?
CAPUT – HEAD
B2 From what Latin noun with what meaning do we derive the English words “lettuce” and
“lactic”?
LAC – MILK
3. In what precarious manner was the Sibyl at Cumae accustomed to give prophecy-seekers
their answers?
WRITTEN ON/IN OAK LEAVES (WHICH
EASILY BLEW AWAY AT THE LEAST DRAFT)
B1 In the Aeneid, the Trojans consult an oracle of Apollo long before they reach Cumae; it
tells them to seek their ancient mother. Where was this oracle located and where did
Anchises take its prophecy to mean?
DELOS AND CRETE, RESPECTIVELY
B2 Who gives the Trojans their next prophecy, telling them they will not found their city in
Hesperia until they have been forced to eat their tables?
(THE HARPY) CELAENO
4. What king of Rome was originally named Lucumo?
TARQUINIUS PRISCUS
B1 Who predicted that Priscus would become king?
TANAQUIL
B2 Who murdered Priscus?
SONS OF ANCUS MARCIUS
5. What garment did a man running for office wear, known for it pure white look?
TOGA CANDIDA/ TOGA SPLENDENS
B1 While the Romans’ famous garment was the toga what was the name for the heavy wrap
Roman men would wear over their togas like an overcoat?
LACERNA/PAENULA
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Round 2
B2 What was the term for the hood a Roman would wear in addition to his toga?
CUCULLUS
6. Quid Anglic significat “m rus”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “praesidium”?
B2 Quid Anglic significat “fl men”?
WALL
DEFENCE / PROTECTION / GARRISON
RIVER
7. In what general literary genre would one expect to see the Latin phrases exit and exeunt in
regular use?
(as some of the the stage directions for)
PLAYS/DRAMA (prompt on “theater”)
B1 Of course, epic poems don’t have stage directions and even if they did, it might not
alleviate possible audience confusion since, aside from the proem, most classical epics
tend to commence after the start of the story and then contain a lengthy “flashback”
narrative at some point. What Latin phrase is used as a literary term to describe this
convention of starting the epic well after the beginning of the story?
IN MEDI S R S
B2 Perhaps some of your non-classical friends wish to borrow your copies of the Aeneid or
Sophocles’ Theban plays. That’s all well and good, but to make sure your knucklehead
friends reminder that those are your books, you would be well advised to write what twoword Latin phrase inside the cover and signing your name below?
EX LIBR S
8. Near the end of the Trojan War, Ajax the Greater, bulwark of the Achaeans, went mad,
slaughtered a herd of sheep in perceived revenge on his fellows, and then killed himself out
of shame, over his loss of what contest?
POSSESSION OF
ACHILLES’ ARMOR
B1 What half-brother of Ajax the Greater was unjustly blamed by their father Telamon for
Ajax’ death and so exiled on his return from Troy?
TEUCER
B2 How did Ajax the Lesser, who survived until the end of the war, during the sack of Troy
bring the wrath of Athena down upon the Greek fleet?
RAPED CASSANDRA IN ATHENA’S TEMPLE
9. Translate into English: Exercitus R m nus Ath n s mult s ann s man bat.
THE ROMAN ARMY STAYED IN ATHENS FOR MANY YEARS
B1 Translate: Aest te exercitus rus bit.
THE ARMY WILL GO TO THE COUNTRY(SIDE) IN THE SUMMER.
B2 Translate: Exercitus dom miser excessit.
THE ARMY UNHAPPILY LEFT HOME.
2014 Yale Certamen Invitational
Intermediate Division
Round 2
10. Name two verbs whose 2nd personal singular present active imperatives end in a consonant.
D C , D C , FACI , FER , SUM
B1 Name two more.
(see above)
B2 Of d c , d c , faci , and fer , which has compounds whose imperatives regularly end in
a vowel?
FACI
11. Who was forced to banish his own daughter, Julia, from Rome for adultery?
AUGUSTUS
B1 To what island was Julia banished?
PANDATERIA
B2 To whom was Julia married at the time?
TIBERIUS
12. For what mythological figure is the Bosporus named and why?
IO, BECAUSE SHE JUMPED
ACROSS IT IN COW FORM
B1 What son did Io bear to Zeus after finally regaining her human form in Egypt?
EPAPHUS
B2 For whom is the Hellespont named and why?
HELLE, BECAUSE SHE FELL INTO IT FROM THE BACK OF THE FLYING
(GOLDEN) RAM (ON WHICH SHE AND HER BROTHER PHRIXUS WERE ESCAPING
BEING SACRIFICED)
13. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in LATIN the
quaestio that follows.
Arachn arte lanific ali s omnibus mort libus praest bat, quam ob causam magnam
ubique f mam compar vit et multae undique puellae domum eius veni bant t l sque
qu s texuerat spect bant. (repeat once)
Quaestio: Quibus puella n mine Arachn praest bat arte lanific ?
(ALI S) OMNIBUS
(MORT LIBUS)
B1 Quid undique puella obtinuit quae tam arte lanific mir bil tex bat?
(MAGNAM) F MAM
B2 Qu multae undique puellae bant spect tum t l s Arachn s?
DOMUM (EIUS/ARACHN S)
14. Give the genitive singular of the phrase ille caecus senex.
ILL US CAEC SENIS
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Intermediate Division
Round 2
B1 Change that to the plural.
ILL RUM CAEC RUM SENUM
B2 Change that to the accusative.
ILL S CAEC S SEN S
15. What son of Themis and Iapetus mixed rain water with earth and fashioned mankind in the
form of the gods?
PROMETHEUS
B1 Name two brothers of Prometheus?
SEE BELOW
B2 Name the third brother of Prometheus?
ATLAS, MENOETIUS, EPIMETHEUS
16. Give the Latin term for any of the four seasons.
AESTAS / V R / HIEMS / AUTUMNUS
B1 Give another.
SEE ABOVE
B2 Give another.
SEE ABOVE
17. What desert plateau did Flavius Silva capture in 73 AD after several months besieging the
rebel Jews?
MASADA
B1 What heartbreaking sight did the Romans find when they reached the top of the fortress?
ALL OF THE (male) JEWS HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE
B2 Who sacked Jerusalem and commemorated this on his arch?
TITUS
18. Say in Latin: Run more quickly, boy!
CURRE, PUER, CELERIUS!
B1 Now say in Latin: Send the soldiers onto the boats, commanders!
MITTITE, IMPER T R S, M LIT S IN N V S!
B2 Say in Latin: Don’t walk across the fields, Lucius!
NOL AMBUL RE, L C , TR NS CAMP S / AGR S!
19. What land is the home of the bold suitor Phineus, the boastful Cassiopeia, and the beautiful
Andromeda, soon to be eaten by a sea monster?
ETHIOPIA
B1 Which king of Ethiopia allowed his daughter to be thus offered up as sacrifice?
CEPHEUS
B2 How was the suitor Phineus related to his betrothed Andromeda?
UNCLE-NEICE (BROTHER OF CEPHEUS, HER FATHER)
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Intermediate Division
Round 2
20. What enemy of Rome did Sulla fight in the East from 88 to 84 BC in the East, including on
his home soil of Pontus?
MITHRIDATES VI
(OF PONTUS/EUPATOR)
B1 At what battle of 82 BC did Sulla defeat Papirius Carbo and a group of Samnites,
becoming the first Roman to capture Rome?
COLLINE GATE
B2 What future Triumvir assisted Sulla at the battle of the Colline Gate?
CRASSUS
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Intermediate Division
Round 3
1. Although there were no casualties, what embarrassing defeat occurred in 321 BC against the
Samnites?
CAUDINE FORKS
B1 What did the Samnites do to embarrass the Romans?
MADE THEM WALK UNDER THE YOKE
B2 Who was the Samnite commander at Caudine Forks?
GA(V)IUS PONTIUS
2. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
Iam Caesar summam in r public potest tem s lus hab bat; mult s mod s imperium
eius t t popul R m n pr derat. Inter pauper s agrum publicum div sit, pr vinci s
d ligentius administr vit, ipse magistrat s pler sque n min bat. (repeat once)
The question: Name one of the ways that Caesar’s rise to power was beneficial for the
Roman people.
(any one of) HE DISTRIBUTED PUBLIC LAND AMONG THE POOR;
HE MANAGED THE PROVINCES MORE CAREFULLY;
HE NOMINATED VERY MANY MAGISTRATES
B1 The passage continues:
Quondam consule ultim ann di mortu , alterum in duodecim hor s n min vit: ita,
ut d xit Cicero, “n m Canini consule prandit.”
The question: What is remarkable about the circumstances surrounding Caesar’s appointment
of Caninius as a consul suffectus?
THERE WERE ONLY TWELVE HOURS LEFT IN THE YEAR / THE ORIGINAL
CONSUL DIED ON THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR
B2 Explain the joke Cicero made about Caninius’ length of service as consul.
SINCE CANINIUS ONLY SERVED FOR TWELVE HOURS (ON THE
LAST DAY OF THE YEAR), CICERO JOKED THAT NOBODY
(EVEN) EATS LUNCH DURING THE CONSULSHIP OF CANINIUS
3. Which daughter of Triton was startled by Zeus’ aegis and subsequently mortally wounded
when Zeus intervened in a quarrel between her and her playmate Athena?
PALLAS
B1 What did the grief-stricken Athena do after she realized what she had done?
MADE A WOODEN IMAGE OF PALLAS (THE PALLADIUM)
B2 What cryptic epithet of Athena might either refer to her being reared by a certain sea god
or to her being so-called “thrice-born”?
TRITOGENEIA
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Intermediate Division
Round 3
4. Translate the following sentence into English: Urb s Graec rum sunt pulchrior s
R m n rum.
THE CITIES OF THE GREEKS ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN (THOSE OF) THE
ROMANS’
B1 Now, translate: Sparta est urbs quam pulcherrima.
SPARTA IS A CITY AS BEAUTIFUL AS POSSIBLE
B2 Finally, translate: Sparta n n est maior quam Corinthus.
SPARTA IS NOT LARGER/GREATER THAN CORINTH
5. Change the phrase canis celer to the genitive plural.
CANUM CELERIUM
B1 Change canum celerium to the ablative.
CANIBUS CELERIBUS
B2 Change canibus celeribus to the singular.
CANE CELER
6. What was the occupation of a Roman pistor?
BAKER
B1 What was the occupation of a Roman caupo?
INN KEEPER
B2 was the occupation of a Roman argentarius?
BANKER
7. Ovid’s Metamorphoses involve a fair amount of gender-bending. What famous seer changed
gender twice, each time after striking a pair of copulating snakes with his staff?
TIRESIAS
B1 Who disguised himself as an old crone to get close to the adamantly celibate object of his
love where she hid in her garden?
VERTUMNUS
B2 Who, after raping Caenis, promised any favor she asked and ended up having to turn her
into a man (Caeneus)?
NEPTUNE
8. What do the following Latin nouns all have in common: cervus, tigris, f les, le ?
THEY ARE ALL ANIMALS
B1 What animal did the Romans call test do?
TORTOISE
B2 What animal did the Romans call agnus?
LAMB
9. What wife of Prasutagus and chieftain of the Iceni rebelled in Britain during Nero’s reign,
massacring thousands of Roman citizens at Londinium and Camulodunum?
BOUDICCA
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Intermediate Division
Round 3
B1 Who finally defeated Boudicca?
SUETONIUS PAULINUS
B2 Where was Boudicca finally defeated?
LICHFIELD
10. What Latin noun with what meaning lies at the root of “affiliate”?
B1 What Latin noun with what meaning lies at the root of “filament”?
FILIUS – SON
F LUM – THREAD
B2 What Latin verb with what meaning lies at the root of “deflate”?
FL – TO BREATHE/BLOW
11. What is the meaning of the Latin verb frang ?
B1 What is the meaning of the Latin verb verber ?
B2 What is the meaning of the Latin verb sole ?
BREAK
BEAT / STRIKE
BE ACCUSTOMED
12. What adopted son of Micipsa declared Rome to be “a city for sale”?
JUGURTHA
B1 Who eventually handed Jugurtha over to the Romans?
BOCCHUS
B2 What was Jugurtha’s eventual fate?
(HE WAS) STRANGLED (IN THE TULLIANUM)
13. What man was auctioned off by Hermes to a Lydian queen after murdering Iphitus, his
brother by marriage through Iole?
HERACLES
B1 Name this woman, who made Heracles dress as a woman and spin wool?
OMPHALE
B2 With whom did Heracles wrestle over a sacred tripod while trying to discover proper
penance for Iphitus’ murder?
APOLLO
14. For the verb m l , give the 2nd person singular perfect indicative.
M LUIST
B1 Give the same form for the verb aufer .
ABSTULIST
B2 Give the same form for the verb stern .
STR VIST
15. Say in Latin: Is this book suitable for children?
ESTNE HIC LIBER ID NEUS L BER S?
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Intermediate Division
Round 3
B1 Using the Latin adjective propinquus, say in Latin: Your horse is too close to me.
EQUUS TUUS PROPINQUIOR MIHI EST.
B2 Using the Latin adjective similis, say in Latin: Marcus Aurelius was like Augustus in
virtue.
MARCUS AURELIUS SIMILIS AUGUST VIRT TE ERAT.
16. Which Latin phrase might come closest to corresponding to the kind of formality conveyed
when a journalist asks for a response “on the record”? pr bon public , ex offici , ips
fact , v v voce.
EX OFFICI
B1 One thing that JCL sponsors often have to do when acting ex offici is chaperone
students on overnight trips to conventions or certamina that are held far away. What
Latin phrase conveys the legal and moral responsibility such teachers have to protect
their students when working in these situations?
IN LOC PARENTIS
B2 Imagine a student who, due to an irreconcilable conflict, was away on an overnight trip to
a JCL function while class leadership positions were being voted upon back at school.
What two Latin words would be used to describe her candidacy if she got her name on
the ballot anyway?
IN ABSENTI
17. In the Iliad, which gods does Diomedes, with the support of Athena, wound in battle at Troy?
ARES AND APHRODITE
B1 Aphrodite was wounded saving her son Aeneas from being killed by Diomedes. To
whom did she bring Aeneas to be healed?
APOLLO
B1 Diomedes also nearly dueled the Lycian chieftain Glaucus to the death, only for both to
call it off upon discovering what connection between their grandfathers?
GUEST-HOST BOND/THEY HAD BEEN GUEST-FRIENDS/SACRED HOSPITALITY
18. What beloved general’s death at Antioch in 19 AD sparked outrage, including an accusation
of poisoning levied against L. Calpurnius Piso?
GERMANICUS
B1 Name Germanicus’ son who eventually became emperor.
CALIGULA
B2 Who was Caligula’s mother and Germanicus’ wife?
AGRIPPINA THE ELDER
19. Complete the following analogy: cl rus:cl r ::similis:____
SIMILITER
B1 Complete the following analogy: cl rus:cl rissimus::similis:____
SIMILLIMUS
B2 Complete the following analogy: cl rus:cl rissimus::id neus:____
MAXIM IDON US
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Intermediate Division
Round 3
20. According to Vergil’s Aeneid, King Latinus was descended from Saturn through his
grandfather Picus, first king of the Latins, who offended the goddess Circe by refusing her
advances. How did Circe revenge herself for her rejection?
TURNED HIM INTO A WOODPECKER
B1 Who was Picus’ beautiful wife for whose love he had scorned Circe?
CANENS
B2 Picus and Canens’ son Faunus was Latinus’ father; what advice did he give Latinus about
the marriage of his daughter Lavinia, leading to her betrothal to the Trojan Aeneas?
MARRY HER TO A FOREIGNER
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Intermediate Division
Semifinal Round
1. Quid Anglic significat “c ra”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “sepulcrum”?
B2 Quid Anglic significat “f r”?
WAX
TOMB / GRAVE
THIEF / ROBBER
2. Give all the participles of the verb arbitror.
ARBITR NS, ARBITR TUS, ARBITR T RUS, ARBITRANDUS
B1 Give all the infinitives of the same verb.
ARBITR R , ARBITR TUS/A/UM ESSE, ARBITR T RUS/A/UM ESSE
B2 Give all the infinitives of the verb n l .
N LLE, N LUISSE
3. Who sought to clean up the corruption in the court of Nero when he declared the governor of
Hispania Terraconensis, Galba, as emperor in 68 CE?
VINDEX
B1 At what battle was Vindex defeated?
VESONTIO
B2 What governor of Upper Germany finally defeated Vindex?
VERGINIUS RUFUS
4. Who, knowing the first ashore would be the first to die, was the first Greek to land at Troy?
PROTESILAUS
B1 Who had already been left behind with a poisoned snakebite on the island of Lemnos
when the Greeks landed at Troy?
PHILOCTETES
B2 What ugly Greek both trash-talked Agamemnon in favor of Achilles and mocked
Achilles for mourning the Amazon Penthesileia?
THERSITES
5. Translate the following sentence into English: Hic porcus parvus ad forum vit, hic porcus
parvus dom man bat?
THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO MARKET (THE FORUM);
THIS LITTLE PIGGY STAYED HOME
B1 Now, we deviate from the normal rhyme…translate this sentence: Hic porcus parvus
cert men l sit, ille porcus parvus multum cibum dit et nunc est porcus maximus.
THIS LITTLE PIGGY PLAYED CERTAMEN; THAT LITTLE PIGGY ATE A LOT
OF FOOD AND IS NOW A VERY BIG (LITTLE?) PIGGY
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B2 Finally, translate this sentence: Hic porcus parvus cert men v cit itaque omn s porc
reliqu usque ad domum lacrim v runt.
THIS LITTLE PIGGY WON THE CERTAMEN, SO ALL THE
REMAINING LITTLE PIGGIES CRIED (WEE, WEE, WEE
OPTIONAL) ALL THE WAY HOME.
6. What building in the Roman Forum housed the treasury?
TEMPLE OF SATURN
B1 What building in Rome housed the mint?
TEMPLE OF JUNO MONETA
B2 What was the first Temple consecrated in Rome by Romulus, with the spoils of the spolia
opima?
TEMPLE OF JUPITER FERETRIUS
7. Identify the case and use of the first noun in the following sentence: Sen t ribus qu
fr mentum dare pollicit sunt n n cr d b mus.
DATIVE WITH SPECIAL VERBS
B1 Identify the case and use of the adjective in the following sentence: Equus v ginti m lia
passuum r s ex urbe cucurrit.
ACCUSATIVE OF EXTENT OF SPACE
B2 What other use of the accusative can be found in the previous sentence?
PLACE TO WHICH
8. According to Ovid, what couple turned into kingfishers when the husband was lost at sea and
the wife flung herself into the water to join him.
CEYX & ALCYONE
B1 What group of nine sisters dared challenge the Muses to a singing contest, and upon
complaining when they lost, were turned into chattering magpies.
PIERIDES
B2 What individual was thrown off the Acropolis by his uncle Daedalus, who envied his
intellect, and was turned into a partridge.
PERDIX
9. Which tribune, infamous for his use of mob tactics, died on the Capitoline after being pelted
by roof tiles?
SATURNINUS
B1 What ally of Saturninus died with him?
GLAUCIA
B2 What decree had been passed by the Senate, marking Saturninus as a public enemy?
SENATUS CONSULTUM ULTIMUM
10. Say in Latin: I did not know that I was the best.
NESC V M OPTIMUM/OPTIMAM ESSE
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Semifinal Round
B1 Now say in Latin: I believe that I am the greatest of all
CR D M ESSE OPTIMUS(-A)/MAXIMUS(-A) OMNIUM
B2 Finally, say in Latin: We know that we will do better tomorrow.
SC MUS N S CR S MELIUS FACT R S ESSE
11. In the Odyssey, where does Telemachus first go to inquire after his missing father?
(SANDY) PYLOS (PROMPT ON NESTOR’S COURT)
B1 Nestor sends Telemachus on to Sparta to talk to Menelaus, and Telemachus arrives amid
the celebration of both the prince and the princess’ marriages. For five points each, name
both of Menelaus and Helen’s children.
HERMIONE and MEGAPENTHES
12. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
Mult s ante ann s quod homin s pessim erant, Iuppiter ipse m xim r commov b tur
et ill s d l re c nstituit. Deucali nem autem et Pyrrham ux rem eius serv re
magnopere cupi bat quod optim erant. Pater de rum Nept num terram pl rim aqu
circumd re et del re i ssit sed Deucali n et uxor ben gnissima monit erant et s
serv re potu runt. Ille maximam n vem aedific v runt et in e cum ux re c rissim
mult s mens s m nsit. Poste etsi omnia aqu s d l ta sunt, c nsili de rum pl rim vir
et f minae iterum v v bant.
The question: How long did Deucalion and his wife remain on the ship he built?
MANY MONTHS
B1 Which character from the story might best be described as potentissimus maris?
NEPTŪNUS / NEPTUNE
B2 What two actions did Jupiter want Neptune to do to the earth with water?
SURROUND, DESTROY/ERASE (PROMPT ON “FLOOD”)
13. When recognized by the spotter, perform the following command: iub num soci s
narr re r sponsum tibi.
(PLAYER SHOULD ORDER ONE OF HIS/HER
TEAMMATES TO TELL HIM/HER THE ANSWER)
B1 Now perform this command: vet soci s part r vestra r sponsa cum ali s l soribus.
(ONE PLAYER SHOULD FORBID HIS/HER TEAMMATES TO SHARE THEIR
ANSWERS WITH OTHER PLAYERS/TEAMS)
B2 Finally, perform this command: dic moder tor t pec niam pr tu r spons accipere
velle.
(ONE PLAYER TELLS THE MODERATOR THAT HE/SHE WANTS
TO RECEIVE MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS/HER ANSWER)
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14. Which group includes members such as Eurytus, slain by a thyrsus, Mimas, killed by molten
metal, Enceladus, crushed by the island of Sicily and Agrius, clubbed to death by the Fates in
a huge war with the gods?
GIANTS / GIGANTES
B1 Which prominent Giant was struck by a thunderbolt after trying to rape Hera?
PORPHYRION
B2 Which brother of Porphyrion was immortal in his home land of Pallene, so Heracles
dragged him to foreign soil and slew him there?
ALCYONEUS
15. What war started when the consuls Gnaeus Fulvius Centumalus and Lucius Postumius
Albinus led a massive armada down the coast of Adriatic to dislodge the pirates that had
taken refuge in the ports of Queen Teuta?
ILLYRIAN WAR
B1 Who was the governor of Corycys who betrayed Teuta to the Romans?
DEMETRIUS (OF PHAROS)
B2 To which capital of Illyria did two consuls sail, only for Teuta to send an envoy
requesting peace?
SCADRA
16. Of the words impetus, ferrum, ancilla, vestis, and sanguis, which is being described in the
following Latin sentence: Tu nudus eris sine h c.
VESTIS
B1 Which is described in the sentence: Mult gladi de h c fact sunt.
FERRUM
B2 Which is described in the sentence: Post funebre proelium, terra h c tegitur.
SANGUIS
17. Which of the following words, if any, does not share the same Latin root as the others?
monocle, annoy, antler, inveigle, binocular
ANNOY
B1 What Latin verb with what meaning lies at the root of “annoy”?
OD – TO HATE
B2 What English derivative of oculus means “to implant a disease agent or antigen into a
body to induce immunity”?
INOCULATE
18. Of the abbreviations op. cit., q.v., pro tem., and ibid., which is the only one that contains a
Latin word in the imperative mood?
Q.V.
B1 Ibid. is short for ibidem, which itself is a contraction of what two Latin words?
IBI AND DEM
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Semifinal Round
B2 Give the exact form of the two Latin words abbreviated as et al. when referring to a group
of famous, Hollywood actresses exclusively?
ET ALIAE (must be feminine gender)
19. Who is reported to have said “Go to the rising sun. My sun is setting” as he died of the
plague at Vindobona in 180 AD?
MARCUS AURELIUS
B1 Of what philosophical school was Marcus Aurelius a disciple?
STOICISM
B2 What was Marcus Aurelius’ original name?
MARCUS ANNIUS VERUS
20. What man, the father of Melanippus by Perigune, defeated a giant sow near Crommyon and
killed the burly King Cercyon with his wrestling skills on the road to Athens?
THESEUS
B1 What man, also called Pityocamptes, was the father of that Perigune?
SINIS
B2 From what city, where he grew up, did Theseus depart on the dangerous road to Athens?
TROEZEN
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Intermediate Division
Final Round
1. Put the following battles into correct chronological order from earliest to latest and give the
years in which they were fought: Magnesia, Munda, Mutina, and Mylae.
MYLAE, MAGNESIA, MUNDA,MUTINA
B1 Give the years of two of the four battles from the tossup.
260 BC, 190 BC, 45 BC, 43 BC (RESPECTIVELY)
B2 What general won his agnomen at the battle of Magnesia?
(LUCIUS CORNELIUS) SCIPIO ASIATICUS
2. Udaeus, Pelorus, Chthonius, Hyperenor, and Echion comprise which group of men sprung
from serpent’s teeth after Cadmus sewed them?
SPARTOI / SPARTI
B1 Which daughter of Cadmus married Echion?
AGAVE
B2 Which πα ὸ was the great-great-grandfather of Laius through his granddaughter
Nycteis?
CHTHONIUS
3. What is the impersonal Latin verb buried inside of the abbreviation viz.?
LICET
B1 What is the impersonal Latin verb buried inside of the abbreviation ad lib.?
LIBET
B2 If your oft-abbreviating Latin teacher wanted you to make special note of something he
wrote in the class notes, even more than usual, he might cheekily introduce the point with
the abbreviation N.M. rather than the usual N.B. If so, what would the M. stand for?
MELIUS/MAXIM
4. Quid Anglic significat “marītus”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “marmor”?
B2 Quid Anglic significat “macula”?
HUSBAND
MARBLE
SPOT / STAIN
5. What use of the genitive is found in the following sentence? Merc tor vendidit nulum
aurī.
MATERIAL
B1 What use of the genitive is found in this sentence? Victī sumus nōn ab hostibus, sed
timōre hostium.
OBJECTIVE
B2 What use of the genitive is found in this sentence? Aedific vit parietem novem pedum.
MEASURE
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6. Say in Latin: Who of you is the fastest?
QUIS VESTRUM CELERRIMUS EST?
B1 Say in Latin: Five of us will go to the harbor today.
QUIσQUE /D σ̄B̄S AD PτRTUM HτDI ̄BUσT.
B2 Say in Latin: Many of the soldiers will have been wounded by the weapons of the
enemies.
MULT̄ M̄LITUM/ M̄LITIBUS T L̄S/ARM̄S HτSTIUM
VULσER T̄ ERUσT
7. Adonis, a beautiful youth loved by both Venus and Proserpina, was killed by a wild boar he
was hunting. What plant sprang up from his blood?
ANEMONE
B1 Boys loved by Apollo fared little better. Who was killed during a game of discus out of
jealousy by Zephyr, and produced from his spilt blood an eponymous flower with the
mourning cry “ai” written on its petals?
HYACINTHUS
B2 Cyparissus, another boy beloved of Apollo, was turned into what plant as he mourned the
loss of his pet stag to a hunter?
CYPRESS TREE
8. What Roman general subdued the Caledonian tribes with a victory at Mons Graupius in 84
AD?
(CN. JULIUS) AGRICOLA
B1 Name the Caledonian leader defeated at Mons Graupius.
CALGACUS
B2 Rome’s involvement in Britain initially began in the early 40s AD when what queen of
the Brigantes requested Roman aid in dealing with the bellicose Catuvelani?
CARTIMANDUA
9. Name two of the Greeks whom, in the Iliad, Agamemnon sends as an embassy to Achilles to
appease him and bring him back into the fight.
ANY TWO OF PHOENIX, ODYSSEUS, OR AJAX
THE GREATER/TELAMONIAN AJAX/AJAX OF SALAMIS
B1 Name the third member of the embassy.
SEE ABOVE
B2 Name one of the heralds who accompanies the embassy, among their other tasks in the
Iliad.
EURYBATES OR ODIUS (DO NOT ACCEPT TALTHYBIUS)
10. What member of your family was your gener?
SON-IN-LAW
B1 Family connections like, a son-in-law were only related through marriage, what was the
Roman term for this kind of connection?
ADFINES
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B2 What was the Roman term for people related by blood?
COGNATI
11. What English word derived from the Latin adjective aptus means “lacking skill for a
particular task”?
INEPT
B1 What English word also derived from aptus means “a pair of successive lines of verse,
which typically rhyme and have the same metrical length”?
COUPLET
B2 What English word again derived from aptus means “a long, noosed rope or lasso used to
catch livestock”?
LARIAT
12. Give the accusative singular of the phrase, “this rather beautiful town.”
HOC PULCHRIUS OPPIDUM
B1 Now make that phrase plural.
HAEC PULCHRĪRA τPPIDA
B2 Now make it dative singular.
HUIC PULCHRĪR̄ τPPID̄
13. Translate into English: Po ta Vergilius, quī optima carmina scripsit, nōtissimus mīlia
annōrum esse vol bat.
THE POET VERGIL, WHO WROTE THE BEST SONGS/POEMS,
WANTED TO BE VERY FAMOUS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
B1 Now translate: Po ta Horatius dīxit s propter carmina in perpetuum victūrum esse.
THE POET HORACE SAID THAT, BECAUSE OF HIS
POEMS/SONGS, HE WOULD LIVE FOREVER
B2 Finally translate: Victori hodi , nōs quoque in perpetuum vīv mus.
BECAUSE OF OUR VICTORY TODAY, WE
TOO SHALL LIVE FOREVER.
14. Who, mortally wounded, exclaimed “imperator se bene habet” in an attempt to encourage
his troops to defeat Caesar at Thapsus?
METELLUS SCIPIO
B1 Who committed suicide at Utica after learning that Caesar had won the battle of Thapsus?
CATO THE YOUNGER
B2 What Numidian chieftain assisted Metellus Scipio at the battle of Thapsus?
JUBA
15. To what region did both Aeneas and Odysseus first sail upon leaving Troy?
THRACE
B1 What city there did Odysseus sack, only to be driven out again by the native Cicones?
ISMARUS
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B2 Aeneas found in Thrace the unfortunate youngest son of Priam, Polydorus, who had been
betrayed and killed by his guardian Polymestor. In what form did Aeneas find him?
A BLEEDING BUSH
16. Differentiate in meaning between genus and gena.
GENUS – RACE / FAMILY / KIND; GENA – CHEEK
B1 Differentiate in meaning between unguis and anguis.
UNGUIS – NAIL / CLAW; ANGUIS – SNAKE
B2 Differentiate in meaning between ager and agger.
AGER – FIELD; AGGER – HEAP / PILE / MASS
17. Listen to the following Latin passage, which I shall read twice, and answer in ENGLISH the
question that follows.
Rex quidam, Diom des nōmine, equ s su s carne hūm n pasc bat. H s Mycen s
port re iūssus Hercules cum paucīs comitibus ad ōram duxit. Quō cum cīv s r gis
v nissent, diū et acriter pugn tum est. Equ s, dum proeliō interest, Hercules amīcō suō
Abderō mandat, quem illae statim vorant. (repeat once)
The question: Whom, while the fighting raged on, did Diomedes’ mares immediately
consume?
HERCULES’FRIEND (ABDERUS)
B1 The story continues:
Hercules, cum host s vīcisset, r gem occīdit corpusque equ bus iact vit: tum urbem in
eō locō condidit, quam urbem Abd ra voc vit.
The question: Which of the following best expresses the likeliest motivation behind
Hercules’ founding of a city? 1) ut equīs pascua praeb ret; 2) ut memoriam suī amīcī
honōr ret; 3) ut locum qui tī post iter longissimum ten ret; 4) ut umbram Diom dis
castig ret
2) UT MEMτRIAM SŪ AM̄C̄ Hτσ̄RET
B2 The story continues:
Equ s, quae cum dominī carnem edissent mansu verant, Mycen s avexit: mox līber tae
et ipsae ferīs in Monte τlympō vor bantur.
The question: Explain what happened to the horses both when they ate Diomedes flesh and
when they were later freed?
THEY BECAME TAME (AFTER THEY ATE DIOMEDES FLESH) + THEY
WERE EATEN BY (OTHER WILD) ANIMALS (ON MT. OLYMPUS)
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18. What woman conspired with Gaius Silius to overthrow her husband, Claudius?
MESSALINA
B1 Though Messalina was highly unfaithful to Claudius, she did bear him two children. For
five points each, name them.
BRITTANNICUS and OCTAVIA
19. Which deity’s epithets include Polysemantor, Zeus Katachthonios, Necrodegmon, and
Plutos?
HADES (PLUTO)
B1 What does the epithet Plutos mean?
THE RICH ONE
B2 What related epithet did the Romans give Pluto, which also meant “the rich one”?
DIS (from div s)
20. For the verb d sīderō, give the 3rd person plural imperfect passive subjunctive.
D S̄DER RENTUR
B1 Make d sīder rentur present.
D S̄DERENTUR
B2 Make d sīderentur 2nd person singular.
D S̄DER RIS
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Advanced Division
Round 1
1. At what battle off the coast of Sicily did Lutatius Catulus defeat the Carthaginian fleet and
effectively end the First Punic War?
AEGATES ISLAND
B1 At which nearby port city had Claudius Pulcher lost terribly in 249 BC after ignoring the
unfavorable omen of the sacred chickens?
DREPANUM / DREPANA
B2 Which other western port city, near Drepanum, was besieged unsuccessfully by Atilius
Regulus in 250 BC but finally fell to Catulus after the victory at the Aegates Islands?
LILYBAEUM
2. When recognized, perform the following commands. St , tolle pugnum, et contr host s
bellum nunti re.
PLAYER SHOULD STAND, RAISE A FIST, AND DECLARE WAR
AGAINST THEIR OPPONENTS / AN ENEMY
B1 Now perform this command: Omn s qu nqui ns latr te velut can s.
ALL PLAYERS SHOULD BARK LIKE DOGS FIVE TIMES
B2 Now perform this command: Omn s st nt s in sell s, clam te, “N n potestis hoc
tangere!”
ALL PLAYERS, STANDING ON THEIR CHAIRS, SHOULD YELL,
“YOU CAN’T TOUCH THIS!”
3. “S quis in h c artem popul n n n vit amand , hoc legat et lect carmine doctus amet.”
These words begin what didactic elegaic work written by Ovid circa 1 BC, which teaches the
arts of seducing and keeping a lover?
ARS AMATORIA
B1 How many books comprise the Ars Amatoria?
THREE
B2 Which book of the Ars Amatoria is directed entirely to women?
THREE
4. What mother of Euneus and Nebrophonus and queen of Lemnos was seduced by Jason?
HYPSIPYLE
B1 The women of Lemnos were famous for their androcide, or their murder of all the men on
the island. Hypsipyle, however, secretly spared her father from this fate. What was his
name?
THOAS
B2 When Hypsipyle’s secret was discovered, she was forced to flee from Lemnos and was
captured by pirates. To what king of Nemea was she thereafter sold?
LYCURGUS
5. What derivative of the Latin noun sol refers to the biannual period at which the sun reaches
its greatest distance from the equator?
SOLSTICE
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B1 What derivative of sol is a lightweight umbrella used as a sunshade?
PARASOL
B2 What derivative of the Latin verb sole is an adjective describing something which is no
longer in general use?
OBSOLETE
6. Differentiate in meaning between the verbs nat and nu .
NAT – SWIM
NU – NOD
B1 Differentiate in meaning between the nouns r ma and rixa.
R MA – CLEFT / CRACK / FISSURE
RIXA – QUARREL / BRAWL / DISPUTE
B2 Differentiate in meaning between calidus with one ‘L’ and callidus with two ‘L’s.’
CALIDUS – WARM / HOT
CALLIDUS – SHREWD / EXPERIENCED / CRAFTY / CLEVER /
ETC.
7. What novus homo and native of Amiternum was a follower of Julius Caesar and a governor
of Africa Nova, but is best known for writing historical monographs like Bellum
Jugurthinum and Bellum Catilinae?
SALLUST
B1 As governor of Africa Nova, Sallust extorted huge amounts of money, which he later put
to use in the creation of what landmark on the Quirinal Hill?
(PLEASURE) GARDENS / THE GARDENS OF SALLUST / HORTI SALLUSTIANI
B2 What work of Cicero served as the primary source for much of Sallust’s Bellum
Catilinae?
DE CONSULATU SUO
8. Using two datives translate into Latin: The wall is a hindrance to the soldiers.
MURUS EST IMPEDIMENT MILITIBUS
B1 Using two ablatives translate into Latin: The Albans, a nation of great courage, are skilled
in war.
ALBAN , NATI MAGN VIRT TE, PERIT BELL SUNT
B2 Using two accusatives translate into Latin: The soldiers concealed the weapons from the
enemy.
MILIT S ARMA HOSTEM / HOST S CEL V RUNT
9. Though probably for tax revenue purposes, what man instituted the constitutio Antoniniana
in 212 AD, effectively making all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire citizens?
(M. AURELIUS ANTONINUS) CARACALLA
B1 What man had earlier instructed Caracalla and his brother Geta to be harmonious, pay the
soldiers, and spurn all other men?
SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
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B2 Where did Severus give these dying words to his sons while on campaign in Britannia?
EBORACUM / YORK
10. Which of the following does not belong because of gender? Gel , genus, gen , gens.
GENS
B1 For five points each, name two fourth declension neuter nouns besides gel and gen .
(ANY TWO OF) CORN , PEC , VER
11. What unfaithful lover of Apollo slept with another mortal while pregnant with the god’s son
Asclepius?
CORONIS
B1 How was Coronis punished for her unfaithfulness to her divine lover?
SHOT TO DEATH BY ARTEMIS OR APOLLO
B2 What was the name of the man with whom Coronis cheated on Apollo?
ISCHYS
12. What text, written in the first century AD, claimed to contain everything its author knew
about the world in its 37 books?
NATURALIS HISTORIA / NATURAL HISTORY
B1 Who first published the Naturalis Historia?
PLINY THE YOUNGER
B2 To whom was Naturalis Historia dedicated?
TITUS
13. Listen carefully to the following letter of Cicero to his wife Terentia, which I will read twice.
Then answer the question that follows in Latin.
S val s, ben est, vale . N s neque d Caesaris advent neque d litter s, qu s
Philotimus hab re d citur, quicquam adh c cert hab mus. S quid erit cert , faciam t
statim certiorem. Val t dinem tuam fac ut c r s. Val . Terti dus Sext lis.
Question:
qu litter s Cicer exspectat?
( ) PHILOTIM
B1 D qu Cicer nihil nov habuit?
(D ) ADVENT CAESARIS
B2 Quid faciet Cicer , s quid cert accipiet?
TERENTIAM / UXOREM CERTIOREM FACIET
14. Translate into English: Fur aedificium intr vit d num raptum.
THE THEIF ENTERED THE BUILDING TO SEIZE THE GIFT
B1 What verb form is exemplified by raptum in this sentence?
(ACCUSATIVE) SUPINE
B2 Translate into English: Erat d num difficile rapt .
IT WAS A GIFT DIFFICULT TO SEIZE
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Advanced Division
Round 1
15. After the plebeians seceded to the Mons Sacer in 494 BC, what eloquent statesman
convinced them to return by comparing the patricians to the stomach and the plebs to the
limbs of a body, working together for a greater function?
MENENIUS AGRIPPA
B1 What law allowed patricians and plebeians to intermarry in 445 BC?
LEX CANULEIA
B2 What step towards equality did the Lex Hortensia accomplish much later in 287 BC?
ALL CITIZENS WERE BOUND BY PLEBISCITES / PLEBISCITA
(RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE COMITIA TRIBUTA)
16. What eternally young mortal sleeps forever on Mount Latmus, a gift granted to him by his
lover Selene?
ENDYMION
B1 How many daughters did Selene bear to Endymion?
FIFTY
B2 Endymion was said to have founded or been the son of the founder of what city?
ELIS
17. Give the English for the Latin motto of Missouri.
LET THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE BE THE HIGHEST LAW
B1 Give the English for the Latin motto of West Virginia.
MOUNTAINEERS ARE ALWAYS FREE
B2 Give the English for the Latin motto of Arizona.
GOD ENRICHES
18. Although he was both a prominent actor and a playwright, what freedman’s role as a
schoolteacher brought about his greatest contribution to Latin literature when he translated
the Odyssey into Latin to serve as a textbook for his students?
LIVIUS ANDRONICUS
B1 Name one of Livius Andronicus’s tragedies.
ACHILLES / AEGISTHUS / AJAX MASTIGOPHOROUS / ANDROMEDA
ANTIOPA / DANAE / EQUUS TROIANUS / HERMIONA / TEREUS
B2 In what meter did Livius Andronicus compose his translation of the Odyssey?
SATURNIAN
19. What was your occupation in Rome if you were a iudex?
JUDGE
B1 What was your occupation in Rome if you were a sutor?
SHOEMAKER
B2 What was your occupation in Rome if you were an atriensis?
BUTLER
20. What two groups of goddesses are said to have been mothered by Themis?
HORAE AND FATES/MOIRAI
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Advanced Division
Round 1
B1 Themis was said to be the goddess of what?
DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS/LAW/JUSTICE
B2 According to some versions of mythology, what Titan of forethought is also said to have
been mothered by Themis?
PROMETHEUS
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Round 2
1. What food did the Roman call puls?
PORRIDGE
B1 What meal was the secunda mensa?
DESSERT
B2 What common dish today did the Romans call epityrum?
SALAD
2. What king of Troy suffered the wrath of Heracles when he refused to repay the hero for the
rescue of his daughter, Hesione, from a sea monster?
LAOMEDON
B1 Heracles exacted vengeance on Laomedon by besieging Troy. What ally of Heracles and
son of Aeacus was the first to breach the Trojan walls, a feat for which he was awarded
Hesione afterward?
TELAMON
B2 What payment had Heracles originally demanded from Laomedon for the rescue of
Hesione?
MARES (WHICH ZEUS HAD GRANTED AS COMPENSATION FOR
GANYMEDE’S KIDNAPPING)
3. What brave man returned with an army of scattered Romans after the capture of the
Capitoline by Brennus and sent the Gauls packing as they were trying to wring tribute from
the conquered city?
(MARCUS FURIUS) CAMILLUS
B1 What Roman champion earned his nickname by defeating a giant Gaul in a duel with the
help of a crow that attacked his foe’s face?
(MARCUS VALERIUS) CORVUS
B2 What skilled warrior earned the second spolia opima by defeating the chief Lars
Tolumnius in single combat?
(AULUS CORNELIUS) COSSUS
4. Quid Anglic significat “ulc scor”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “nanc scor”?
AVENGE
GET / OBTAIN / FIND
B2 Quid Anglic significat “pac scor”?
MAKE A BARGAIN/AGREEMANT/CONTRACT
5. What first century BC former military engineer wrote a ten-book treatise on architecture
called D Architectura?
VITRUVIUS
B1 To whom was D Architectura dedicated?
AUGUSTUS
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B2 “The Vitruvian Man,” a famous work of Leonardo Da Vinci’s, is so named because it
was inspired by Vitruvius’s notes on what topic?
GEOMETRY / PROPORTION / IDEAL HUMAN PROPORTIONS
(PROMPT ON “THE HUMAN BODY”)
6. Translate into English: Si eum d caus s r rum rog s, verit tem tibi narret.
IF YOU SHOULD ASK HIM ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THINGS,
HE WOULD TELL YOU THE TRUTH
B1 Translate into English: Si suaviter cant res, pecūniam tibi d rem.
IF YOU WERE TO SING SWEETLY, I WOULD GIVE YOU MONEY
B2 Translate into English: Si gladi tor s spect vissemus, pericul s pugn fruit simus.
IF WE HAD WATCHED THE GLADIATORS,
WE WOULD HAVE ENJOYED THE DANGEROUS FIGHT
7. What son of Lycaon was the second best of the archers at Troy and broke the truce by
shooting at Menelaus?
PANDARUS
B1 For what Trojan did Pandarus serve as charioteer?
AENEAS
B2 Who killed Pandarus by striking him in the face with a spear?
DIOMEDES
8. According to Suetonius, what author from Aquinum was banished to Egypt after using his
famously caustic wit to insult a high-profile actor?
JUVENAL
B1 What other Roman author is sometimes said to have been Juvenal’s teacher?
QUINTILIAN
B2 How many of Juvenal’s Satires are only partially extant?
ONE
9. What case is used with the prepositions p ne, penes, and praeter?
B1 What case is used with the preposition erg ?
ACCUSATIVE
ACCUSATIVE
B2 What two cases are used with the preposition tenus?
GENITIVE AND ABLATIVE
10. Who sought refuge from Thebes at Colonus, having been led by his daughter Antigone?
OEDIPUS
B1 Who comes to Colonus in an attempt to persuade Oedipus to return to Thebes?
CREON
B2 Who is the only one who knows the location of Oedipus’s tomb?
THESEUS
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Round 2
11. Which of the following words, if any, is not derived from reg ? regular, escort, alert, rear,
address
REAR
B1 What Latin word with what meaning lies at the root of “rear”?
RETR – BACKWARDS, BEHIND
B2 What derivative of regō means “expert or nimble in the use of hands or body”?
ADROIT
12. What literary device is found in the phrases “haud laeta” and “n n semel?”
B1 What literary device is found in the phrase “quae m cumque?”
LITOTES
TMESIS
B2 What literary device is found in the line “Qu s ego—sed m t s praestat comp nere
fluctūs?”
APOSIOPESIS
13. Which emperor appointed two Praetorian Prefects to balance each other and allowed Gauls
into the Senate, one of Rome’s traditional Republican institutions that he claimed to respect
much more than his predecessors Gaius and Tiberius?
CLAUDIUS
B1 Claudius famously employed many freedmen in his administration, like which secretary
of the treasury who was reportedly a lover of Claudius’ last wife Agrippina?
(M. ANTONIUS) PALLAS
B2 Which other freedman of Claudius, his secretary of correspondence, was accused of
embezzlement and eventually executed by Agrippina, possibly for his intention to expose
her affair with Pallas?
(TI. CLAUDIUS) NARCISSUS
14. Soliloquiorum Libri Duo, D Consensu Evangelistarum, D Natura Boni Contra
Manichaeos, D Trinitate, D Civitate Dei, and Confession s were all written by what
bishop of Hippo who flourished in the fourth century AD?
(ST.) AUGUSTINE
B1 What other Christian writer, the bishop of Milan, was a major influence of Augustine’s
and even baptized him?
(ST.) AMBROSE
B2 What contemporary of Augustine was the first to translate the Bible into Vulgar Latin?
(ST.) JEROME
15. Using imper say in Latin “He ordered six legions to stay in Rome”.
SEX LEGI NIBUS IMPER VIT UT ROMAE (RE)MANERENT
B1 Using appropinqu say in Latin “He encouraged all the legates to approach that city”.
OMN S LEGAT S HORT BATUR / HORT TUS EST
UT AD ILLAM URBEM / ILL URB APPR PINQU RENT
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B2 Using pet say in Latin “He asked Marcus where the army was going”?
MARC PET BAT / PET VIT QU EXERCITUS RET
16. What unfaithful goatherd of Odysseus allied himself with the suitors and armed them during
the battle with Odysseus?
MELANTHIUS
B1 Who was the aged father of Melanthius who remained faithful to Odysseus and was
Laertes’s servant?
DOLIUS
B2 Who was the cowherd of Odysseus, who also remained faithful to him?
PHILOETIUS
17. What series of fourteen speeches given at a public assembly, in a temple, to the senate, and in
one case through a pamphlet served as a bitter condemnation of the actions and character of
Mark Antony?
PHILIPPICS / PHILIPPICAE
B1 When it comes to the Philippics, Cicero is to Demosthenes as Mark Antony is to whom,
specifically?
PHILIP II OF MACEDON
B2 Which of Cicero’s Philippics was delivered at the Temple of Jupiter?
THE FIFTH
18. Give in Latin the accusative singular of the phrase “foul treaty.”
FOEDUS FOEDUM
B1 Change foedus foedum to the dative.
B2 Change foederi foed to the vocative.
FOEDERI FOED
FOEDUS FOEDUM
19. At which battle did Terentius Varro pressure his colleague Aemilius Paullus into attacking,
whereupon Paullus and nearly 50,000 Romans were slain by Hannibal’s men while Varro
escaped?
CANNAE
B1 In what year did the Battle of Cannae take place?
216 BC
B2 What other Roman consul lost a significant battle and his life the year before?
(C.) FLAMINIUS
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Round 2
20. Listen carefully to the following passage, which I will read twice, and answer in English the
question that follows.
N s ca, cui volenti inv sere famili rem Ennium, ancilla, iussū er , neg sset esse dom ,
s nsit, et discessit. Ub Ennius vicissim ingressus domum N s cae rog bat puerum num
esset intus, N s ca cl m vit d concl v , “N n sum dom !” Cumque Ennius, gnit v ce,
d xisset “Impud ns, n nn gn sc t loquentem?”, “Imm ,” inquit N s ca, “tu
impudentior, qu n n hab s fidem mihi, cum ego cr diderim tuae ancillae!”
Question: What did Ennius ask the boy?
WHETHER NASICA / HIS MASTER WAS WITHIN / WAS HOME
B1 What did Ennius ask Nasica?
(IMPUDENT MAN,) DON’T I RECOGNIZE YOU SPEAKING?
B2 Why did Nasica claim Ennius was more impudent than himself?
SINCE HE DIDN’T TRUST NASICA ALTHOUGH
NASICA HAD TRUSTED HIS SLAVE WOMAN
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Advanced Division
Round 3
1. Translate into Latin: He is the sort who prefers the Greek language.
EST QU L NGUAM GRAECAM M LIT
B1 What use of the subjunctive is exemplified by this sentence?
RELATIVE CLAUSE OF CHARACTERISTIC
B2 Translate into Latin using an impersonal verb: There is no one who does not like
Certamen.
NEM EST CUI CERT MEN N N PL CEAT / LIBET
2. What work of Ennius is often termed a “gastronomical epic”?
HEDYPHAGETICA
B1 In what meter is Hedyphagetica written?
DACTYLIC HEXAMETER
B2 What work of Ennius presented mythology as actual historical events and figures whose
stories were merely distorted over time?
EUHEMERUS
3. Listen carefully to the following poem of Catullus, which I will read twice in prose, and
answer in English the question that follows.
I cundum, mea v ta, mihi pr p nis am rem
hunc nostrum inter n s perpetuumque fore.
d magn , facite ut v r pr mittere possit,
atque id sinc r d cat et ex anim ,
ut liceat n b s t t perd cere v t
aeternum hoc sanctae foedus am citiae.
Question: What has the receiver of the letter promised Catullus?
THAT THEIR LOVE WILL LAST FOREVER
B1 What does Catullus ask the gods?
TO LET THE PROMISE BE TRUE / SINCERE / FROM THE HEART
B2 In the last line, as what does Catullus describe their love?
AN ETERNAL TREARY OF SACRED FRIENDSHIP
4. What nymph did Juno promise to Aeolus in marriage if he sent his winds against the fleet of
Aeneas?
DEIOPEA
B1 For five points each, name the two sea deities who helped dislodge the ships of Aeneas
after Aeolus’s storm.
TRITON AND CYMOTHOE
5. The characters of Menalcas, Thyrsus, Corydon, Meliboeus, Tityrus, and Silenus appear in
which work of Vergil famously based off the Idylls of Theocritus?
ECLOGUES / BUCOLICS
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B1 What work features the characters of Cylindrus, Erotium, Peniculus, and Messenio?
MENAECHMI
B2 What work features the characters of Pamphile, Photis, Milo, and Lucius?
METAMORPHOSES / THE GOLDEN ASS / ASINUS AUREUS
6. What man kissed the ground after hearing the Delphic oracle that whoever kissed his mother
first would rule Rome next, and consequently he became one of the first two consuls?
(LUCIUS JUNIUS) BRUTUS
B1 What other consul of 509 BC helped Brutus overthrow Tarquinius after the rape of his
wife Lucretia, though he later went into exile because of his close ties with the Etruscans?
(LUCIUS TARQUINIUS) COLLATINUS
B2 What later consul of the same year was the father of Collatinus’ wife Lucretia?
(SPURIUS) LUCRETIUS TRICIPITINUS
7. The body of what trumpeter did Aeneas have to bury before he could enter the Underworld?
MISENUS
B1 Misenus once challenged the gods to a music contest with his conch shell trumpet. Which
deity killed him for his insolence?
TRITON
B2 Misenus’s parentage is fitting, considering that he played a wind instrument. Name the
father of Misenus.
AEOLUS
8. What is the Latin for the abbreviation s.v.b.?
S VAL S BENE
B1 There are two meanings for the Latin abbreviation q.v. For five points each, give the
Latin and English for both.
QUOD VID , WHICH SEE
QUANTUM V S, AS MUCH AS YOU WANT
9. Give the comparative and superlative forms of the adjective fr g .
FR G LIOR, FR G LISSIMUS
B1 Give the two possible positive degrees of the superlative adverb minim .
PARV , PARUM
B2 Give the positive degree of the superlative adjective cissimus.
DOESN’T EXIST
10. What man, emboldened by the victory at Cannae, decided to throw his kingdom into alliance
with Hannibal in 215 BC, dragging the Romans into involvement with Macedon and the
Greek world?
PHILIP V
B1 Valerius Laevinus secured the alliance between Rome and which hostile Greek
confederation in 211 BC, weakening the Macedonians’ land power?
AETOLIAN LEAGUE
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B2 Which king of Pergamum also threw his weight in with the Romans, further distracting
the Macedonians under Philip V?
ATTALUS I
11. What daughter of Erechtheus was carried off by Boreas while she was dancing along the
Ilissus River?
OREITHYIA
B1 What daughter of Boreas and Oreithyia was seduced by Poseidon, but was so ashamed of
their son Eumolpus that she flung him into the sea?
CHIONE
B2 What other daughter of Boreas and Oreithyia was married to King Phineus?
CLEOPATRA
12. What was the purpose of the destrictarium in the Roman bathhouse?
SCRAPING OFF OIL
B1 What slave would accompany you to the baths carrying your towel, and oil and strigiles?
CAPSARIUS
B2 Where in the bathhouse would you go to be anointed with oil?
UNCTORIUM
13. Who decided to honor his father-in-law by writing a glowing biography of him that extolled
his virtues in the face of a corrupt empire?
TACITUS
B1 Who was this father-in-law?
AGRICOLA
B2 What other work of Tacitus was a short treatise on rhetoric?
DIALOGUS DE ORATORIBUS
14. Keeping in mind a classic movie from the 30s, translate this sentence into English: Latericia
via fl va n b s sequenda est.
WE MUST FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
B1 Translate into English: Pax advers s regn s mox petenda erit.
THE OPPOSING KINGDOMS WILL HAVE TO SEEK PEACE SOON
B2 Now translate this sentence into Latin: We had to spare all the captives.
OMNIBUS CAPTIV S A NOB S PARCENDUM ERAT
15. From what Latin word with what meaning do we derive the English words “scald” and
“calorie”?
CALE – TO BE WARM
B1 What English verb, derived from cale , means “to treat tenderly” or “nurse indulgently”?
CODDLE
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B2 What English adjective, derived from cale , describes someone who is coolly
unconcerned or indifferent?
NONCHALANT
16. Differentiate in meaning between terre and torre .
TERRE – FRIGHTEN / TERRIFY
TORRE – DRY / PARCH / ROAST / SCORCH
B1 Differentiate in meaning between claud and claude .
CLAUD – CLOSE / SHUT
CLAUDE – LIMP / BE LAME(-O)
B2 Differentiate in meaning between hi and hauri .
HI – OPEN / YAWN / GAPE
HAURI -- DRAIN / DRINK / DRAW (UP, OUT, etc.)
17. What type of poem, literally meaning “near the bedroom,” was typically sung to a bride in
honor of her wedding ?
EPITHALAMIA / EPITHALAMION / EPITHALAMIUM
B1 What Roman author dedicated an epithalamion to the newlyweds Manlius and Junia?
CATULLUS
B2 What other form of early Latin poetry influenced the aforementioned Carmen 61 of
Catullus?
FESCENNINE VERSES / FESCENNINA CARMINA
18. Identify the use of the dative case in the following sentence: Gaius duodecim equ s Marc
d trahit.
SEPARATION
B1 Identify the use of the dative case in the following sentence: gn scendum est patribus
m tribus.
SPECIAL VERBS
B2 Identify the use of the dative case in the following sentence: Manubiae maxim su re
p blicae erant.
DOUBLE DATIVE / REFERENCE / PURPOSE
19. What young man, later ordered by Apollo to stay away from the battle, makes his first kill by
shooting Numanus while the Trojans are being besieged by the Italians?
ASCANIUS
B1 To what sister of Turnus was Numanus married?
JUTURNA
B2 Ascanius made an earlier kill when he accidentally shot a stag belonging to what Italian
herdsman?
TYRRHENUS
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20. What Roman emperor celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Rome in 248 AD, and had used
his praetorian prefecture to supplant Gordian III four years earlier, though he is often
remembered for coming from the area of Damascus in the East?
(M. IULIUS PHILIPPUS) / PHILIP (“THE ARAB”)
B1 Philip avoided the contemporary fashion of imperial assassination by dying in battle
against which revolting general?
(C. MESSIUS) DECIUS (TRAIANUS)
B2 Decius expanded on this trend by becoming the first Roman to die in battle against a
foreign enemy, falling at Abrittus against Cniva, the king of which people?
GOTHS
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Semifinal Round
1. What Latin noun with what meaning lies at the root of “squad” and “square”?
QUATTUOR – FOUR
B1 What Latin verb with what meaning lies at the root of “rescue” and “discussion”?
QUATI – TO SHAKE
B2 What Latin noun with what meaning lies at the root of “coy” and “requital”?
QUI S – SILENCE, REST
2. After the slaughter of Italians at Cirta, what adopted brother of Hiempsal and Adherbal came
into conflict with Rome while vying for sole rule of the kingdom of Numidia?
JUGURTHA
B1 What adoptive father of Jugurtha and son of Masinissa had troublesomely bequeathed his
kingdom three ways amongst his sons upon his death?
MICIPSA
B2 What Roman general held the command against Jugurtha from 109 BC until he was
supplanted by the machinations of Gaius Marius?
(Q.) CAECILIUS METELLUS
3. Consider the sentence “Aurelia doubted that her horse returned home”. What Latin word
would be necessary to introduce the subordinate clause?
QU N
B1 Translate that sentence into Latin.
AURELIA DUB T VIT / DUB T BAT QU N EQUUS (SUUS)
D MUM RED RET / REVERTERET
B2 Translate into Latin: There is great doubt that Aurelia is in Egypt with her huge family.
MAGNUM DUBIUM EST QU N AURELIA SIT IN AEGYPT
CUM FAMILI (SU ) INGENT
4. The true identities of elegiac mistresses such as Perilla, Cynthia, Delia, and Lesbia were
revealed by what author of the second century AD?
APULEIUS
B1 In which work were these pseudonyms exposed?
APOLOGIA
B2 Give the real names according to Apuleius for THREE of the women listed in the toss-up.
PERILLA = METELLA, CYNTHIA = HOSTIA,
DELIA = PLANIA, LESBIA = CLODIA
5. When recognized, perform the following command: Rog me ūtrum liceatne tibi me
vocare forsan.
PLAYER SHOULD ASK WHETHER THEY CAN CALL YOU (MAYBE)
B1 When recognized, perform the following command: Min re sumere poenam ex
omnibus mend cibus.
PLAYER SHOULD THREATEN TO PUNISH ALL LIARS
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B2 When recognized, perform the following command: St et procl m , “N fueris aliquis
qu n n es.”
PLAYER SHOULD STAND AND PROCLAIM, “DON’T BE
SOMEONE YOU’RE NOT!”
6. Who tore the infant Astyanax from his mother Andromache’s arms and hurled him from the
walls of Troy?
NEOPTOLEMUS
B1 Who had encouraged this act by warning the Greeks not to allow any descendants of
Priam to survive?
ODYSSEUS
B2 What daughter of Priam did Neoptolemus sacrifice on Achilles’s grave after his father’s
ghost demanded it?
POLYXENA
7. What epic written in dactylic hexameter was dedicated to the politician Gaius Memmius?
DE RERUM NATURA
B1 Although Lucretius spoke highly of Memmius in this poem, what other Roman poet
famously disliked Memmius?
CATULLUS
B2 Catullus’s disapproval began after he served on Memmius’s staff in what province of
Rome?
BITHYNIA
8. Of the words fūstis, z na, rogus, gener, manubiae, and full , which is described in the
following Latin sentence: Est quod f liam in m trim nium dūxit.
GENER
B1 Of fūstis, z na, rogus, gener, manubiae, and full , which is described in this Latin
sentence: M lites hoc ab hostibus capiunt.
MANUBIAE
B2 Of fūstis, z na, rogus, gener, manubiae, and full , which is described in this Latin
sentence: Corpus exanime h c ūritur.
ROGUS
9. For the verb d lig , give the second person plural future active imperative.
B1 Change d ligit te to the passive.
D LIGIT TE
CANNOT BE DONE
B2 Change d ligit te to the syncopated form of the third person plural perfect active
indicative.
D LEX RE
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10. After hails of stones on the Alban Mount, a pestilence at Rome, and a lingering personal
illness, what Roman king turned to the obscure rites of Jupiter Elicius, but performed the
rituals so badly an angry Jupiter fried him with a thunderbolt?
TULLUS HOSTILIUS
B1 What Alban dictator did Hostilius have pulled apart with chariots for betraying Rome in
the war with Fidenae?
METTIUS FUFETIUS
B2 Mettius had been appointed dictator during an earlier war with Rome after what king of
Alba Longa died in the military camp?
(G.) CLUILIUS
11. In the Odyssey, who was the beggar who served as a messenger to the suitors and lost to
Odysseus in a wrestling match?
IRUS
B1 What son of Terpes was the bard who so distressed Penelope with his songs about the
Trojan War?
PHEMIUS
B2 What seer and suitor of Penelope had predicted Odysseus’s return and was the last person
Odysseus killed in his homecoming battle, pleading in vain for mercy?
LEODES
12. For millennia he was assumed to be one of the greatest elegists of all time, based on the
praises of contemporaries like Ovid. However, when a poem of his in praise of Lycoris was
recently unearthed, scholars were underwhelmed. Who was this disappointing elegist, born at
Forum Livii circa 70 BC?
CORNELIUS GALLUS
B1 What famous poem was dedicated to Gallus?
ECLOGUE 10
(PROMPT ON “ECLOGUES”)
B2 Some scholars say that Gallus would have appeared in two of Vergil’s works had the
disapproval of what famous Roman not caused his elimination from the Georgics?
AUGUSTUS
13. Listen carefully to the following passage from Vergil’s Aeneid, which I will read twice in
prose. Then answer the question that follows in Latin.
Laurus erat tect medi in penetr libus altis
s cra comam mult sque metū serv ta per ann s,
quam pater inventam, prim s cum conderet arc s,
ipse fer b tur Phoeb sacr sse Lat nus,
Laurent sque ab e n men posuisse col n s.
huius ap s summum densae (m r bile d ctū)
str d re ingent liquidum trans aethera vectae
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obs d re apicem, et pedibus per mūtua nexis
ex men subitum r m frondente pependit.
Question: Cui Lat nus d c b tur d dic visse arborem?
B1 Arbore d dic ta, quod n men Lat nus col n s dedit?
B2 Qu mod cr brae ap s apicem obs d runt?
PHOEB
/ APOLLINI
LAURENT S / LAURENT S
STR D RE INGENT
14. What verb construction combines the future active participle with forms of sum in order to
denote an intended action?
ACTIVE / FIRST PERIPHRASTIC
B1 Translate into English: Tibi creditūrus erat.
HE WAS ABOUT TO BELIEVE YOU
B2 Translate into English: Lepus putat s testūdinem super tūrum esse?
THE HARE THINKS THAT IT IS ABOUT TO SURPASS /
OVERCOME THE TORTOISE
15. What Roman besieged Perusia against Fulvia and her brother-in-law Lucius Antonius in 41
BC, even though this man had a political agreement with her husband Marcus Antonius?
OCTAVIAN
B1 What law of 43 BC had officially ratified this power-sharing agreement among Octavian,
Antonius, and Lepidus?
LEX TITIA
B2 Ironically, Octavian and Antonius had been up in arms against each other earlier that
year, resulting in the death of which pair of consuls at Mutina?
(A.) HIRTIUS & (G. VIBIUS) PANSA
16. In the Iliad, who has the sad task of telling Achilles that Patroclus has been killed?
ANTILOCHUS
B1 What brother of Antilochus accompanied him to the Trojan War with their aged father
Nestor.
THRASYMEDES
B2 At the hands of what Ethiopian general was Antilochus killed while trying to defend
Nestor?
MEMNON
17. What do the following Latin words have in common? pelagus, v rus, vulgus.
SECOND DECLENSION NEUTERS (ENDING IN –US)
B1 Two of those nouns have no existing plural form. Give the plural form of the third one.
PELAG
B2 Give a similar nominative plural neuter form, meaning “sea monsters.”
C T
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18. What history of Roman oratory written in 46 BC takes the form of a dialogue between Cicero
and two other men?
BRUTUS
B1 One of the two others is, of course, the titular Marcus Junius Brutus. Who is the third
interlocutor?
ATTICUS
B2 What work of Cicero was dedicated to Atticus?
LAELIUS DE AMICITIA / LAELIUS / DE AMICITIA
19. The daughters of what king were transformed into bats after scorning the worship of
Bacchus?
MINYAS
B1 The daughters of what king were transformed into magpies after challenging the Muses
to a singing contest and losing?
PIERUS
B2 The daughters of what king became the first prostitutes after refusing the worship of
Venus?
PROPOETUS
20. What Roman festival originally celebrated the location where Romulus and Remus were
suckled by a she-wolf and later included women being stricken by strips of goatskin to
promote fertility?
LUPERCALIA
B1 What festival featured Roman husbands giving their wives gifts similar to our mother’s
day?
MATRONALIA
B2 What festival celebrated the start of the grape harvest with the flamen dialis breaking
grapes off the vine?
VINALIA RUSTICA
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1. What late Roman author wrote In tria Virgilii opera expositio, a commentary on the
Eclogues, the Georgics, and the Aeneid?
SERVIUS (HONORATUS)
B1 What grammarian and tutor of St. Jerome wrote on the life of Vergil?
(AELIUS) DONATUS
B2 Donatus’s biography of Vergil was supposedly based on the now lost work of what
earlier author?
SUETONIUS
2. The verbs arcess and accers , meaning “to summon,” provide an example of the rearranging of sounds in one word to create a variant of the same word. What is the name,
derived from a Greek verb meaning “put in a different order,” for such re-arranging?
METATHESIS
B1 The “-esso” ending of arcess and accers indicates that they are what specific kind of
iterative verb?
MEDITATIVE / VERBS OF PRACTICE
B2 What conjugation are diminutive verbs, such as cavillor?
FIRST
3. What Latin word with what meaning lies at the ultimate root of “fusillade” and “fuel”?
FOCUS – HEARTH
B1 What Latin word with what meaning lies at the ultimate root of “meager” and
“emaciation”?
MACER – THIN
B2 What Latin word with what meaning lies at the ultimate root at the ultimate root of
“roulette” and “control”?
ROTA – WHEEL
4. What daughter of Salmoneus bore the twins Pelias and Neleus to Poseidon?
TYRO
B1 Poseidon was disguised as what river-god when he lay with Tyro?
ENIPEUS
B2 To what brother of Salmoneus did Tyro bear her other sons Aeson, Pheres, and
Amythaon?
CRETHEUS
5. At the battle of Locus Castorum, what man held off the forces of Caecina, though he is better
known for being an earlier husband of Poppaea Sabina, Nero’s empress, and for losing to the
combined forces of Caecina and Valens at the First Battle of Cremona?
(M. SALVIUS) OTHO
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B1 What native of Narnia, who had earned rewards from Nero for helping suppress the
Pisonian Conspiracy, allowed the execution of Domitian’s assassins, even though they
allowed him to take the purple?
(M. COCCEIUS) NERVA
B2 In what general direction would one travel going from Nerva’s birthplace, Narnia,
towards Otho’s Etruscan hometown, Ferentinum, and Nero’s birthplace, Antium?
SOUTH (and slightly East)
6. Listen carefully to this passage from Ovid’s Heroides, a letter from Ariadne to Theseus,
which I will read twice in prose. Then answer in English the question that follows.
nunc ego n n tantum, quae sum passūra, recordor,
s d quaecumque potest ulla relicta pati.
occurrunt anim pereund mille figūrae,
morsque minus poenae quam mora mortis habet.
iam iam ventūr s aut h c aut suspicor ill c,
qui lanient avid viscera dente lup s.
forsitan et fulv s tellūs alat ista le n s?
quis scit an et saev s t gridas insula habet?
Question: According to Ariadne, what is more painful than death itself?
THE DELAY OF DEATH / WAITING FOR DEATH
B1 Which of the three animals mentioned does Ariadne fear will tear out her organs with its
teeth?
WOLF / WOLVES
B2 Translate the last line of the passage: quis scit an et saev s t gridas insula habet?
WHO KNOWS WHETHER THE / THIS ISLAND HAS SAVAGE
TIGERS TOO?
7. Translate into English: Nullum periculum n s impedi t quominus Athen s navig mus.
NO DANGER WILL PREVENT US FROM SAILING TO ATHENS
B1 Translate into English: Nol tim re n periculum adsit.
DON’T FEAR THAT DANGER IS PRESENT
B2 Translate into English: N s tut erimus dummodo quam celerrim navem solv mus.
WE WILL BE SAFE PROVIDED THAT WE SET SAIL
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
8. Acontizemenos, Hector Proficiscens, Glaucoma, and Leo were all dramas written by what
early Latin author?
GNAEUS NAEVIUS
B1 What does Naevius’s epitaph say will happen after he dies?
ROMANS WILL FORGET HOW TO SPEAK LATIN
B2 What genre was Naevius credited with starting?
FABULA PRAETEXTA
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9. What Argive seer advised Bellerophon on how to tame Pegasus?
POLYIDUS
B1 What son of Minos was Polyidus commanded to find? He discovered the boy drowned in
a vat of honey.
GLAUCUS
B2 Who was the son of Polyidus who was killed at Troy, as his father had predicted?
EUCHENOR
10. Identify the use of the genitive case found in the following sentence: Dupl M nius
condemn tus est.
GENITIVE OF CHARGE / PENALTY
B1 Identify the use of the genitive case found in the phrase, “foederis heu tacit !”
GENITIVE OF EXCLAMATION
B2 Identify the use of the genitive case found in the phrases “callidus re m lit ris” and
“pauper aquae?”
SPECIFICATION (GRUDGINGLY ACCEPT “WITH ADJECTIVES”)
11. What event in Rome would a town crier announce with the line: “Ollus quiris l t datus?
FUNERAL
B1 What professional mourners would be hired to mourn publicly at funerals?
PERFICAE
B2 On what object would the deceased be placed in front of rostra during the laudatio?
LECTUS FUNEBRIS
12. Being completely alliterative say in Latin: Fabius, confess the foolish crime.
FAB , FAT RE FACINUS FATUUM
B1 Again being alliterative, say in Latin: If Statius were wise, he would follow the silent
slave.
SI STATIUS SAP RET / SAPI NS ESSET,
SERVUM SIL NTEM SEQUERETUR
B2 Still being alliterative, say in Latin: Antony thought that the weapons were increasing the
bravery of the battle line.
ANT NIUS ARBITR TUS EST / ARBITR BATUR ARMA
AUD CIAM ACI / AGMINIS AUG RE
13. What emperor’s imperial descendants include a grandson who penned “The Beard Hater”
and opposed Christianity, another grandson who was executed for supposedly lusting for his
step-mother, and a son who famously converted to Christianity and defeated Maxentius?
CONSTANTIUS I / CHLORUS
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B1 Name that grandson of Constantius who allegedly was falsely accused of attempted rape
by Constantine’s second wife Fausta, though her later execution by suffocation in a bath
suggests Constantine eventually discovered the truth?
(FLAVIUS JULIUS) CRISPUS
B2 Name that other grandson of Constantius who tried to revive Rome’s traditional pagan
customs and intellectualism before dying from a wound suffered in a raid by the
Sassanids?
(FLAVIUS CLAUDIUS) JULIANUS / JULIAN (“THE APOSTATE”)
14. What name is shared by a daughter of Strymon who was married to Argus, a daughter of
Poseidon who bore Iamos to Apollo, and the wife of Capaneus?
EVADNE
B1 After her husband Capaneus was killed in the expedition of the Seven Against Thebes,
what act of devotion did Evadne perform?
THREW HERSELF ON HIS PYRE
B2 In a bed of what kind of flowers did Evadne expose her child Iamos, fearing to take the
child home? Iamos gained his name from these flowers.
VIOLETS
15. “Oderint dum metuant,” or “let them hate so long as they fear,” was famously appropriated
by Caligula as a motto for his tyrannical regime. However, what tragedian originally coined
this phrase in “Atreus,” one of his first of about fifty plays written in the first and second
centuries BC?
ACCIUS
B1 What author, who claimed to have once met an elderly Accius, quotes this phrase twice
in his works?
CICERO
B2 What later grammarian dedicated one of his works to Accius?
VARRO
16. Quid Anglic significat “fraxinus”?
B1 Quid Anglic significat “fr num”?
B2 Quid Anglic significat “faenum”?
ASH TREE / ASH SPEAR
BRIDLE / CURB / BIT
HAY
17. Give the English for the motto of the University of Southern California, “Palmam qu
meruit ferat.”
LET (S)HE WHO EARNED THE PALM BEAR IT
B1 Give the English for the motto of the University of Kansas, “Vid b v si nem hanc
magnam quar n n comburatur rubus.”
I WILL SEE THIS GREAT VISION, WHY THE BUSH IS NOT BURNED UP /
DOES NOT BURN
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B2 Give the English for the motto of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which shares
its motto for the state of Massachusetts.
BY THE SWORD (S)HE SEEKS A QUIET PEACE UNDER LIBERTY
18. A pseudepigraph is a falsely attributed work of literature. What famous Latin pseudepigraph
is also arguably the most famous Roman cookbook?
DE RE COQUINARIA / APICIUS
B1 The Appendix Vergiliana is a collection of works attributed to Vergil that most scholars
consider to be pseudepigraphical. For five points each, give the Latin titles for two pieces
from this collection.
CATALEPTON / CIRIS / COPA / CULEX / DIRAE /
ELEGIAE IN MAECENATEM / LYDIA / MORETUM / PRIAPEA
19. Who drove the cattle of Iphicles to Pylos so that he could bring back Nestor’s daughter for
his brother Bias to marry?
MELAMPUS
B1 Who was this daughter of Nestor whom Melampus won for Bias?
PERO
B2 What great-grandson of Melampus was a seer who accompanied Telemachus in the
Odyssey and told the story of Melampus?
THEOCLYMENUS
20. In which war did the generals Papius Mutilus and Poppaedius Silo, leaders of the Samnites
and Marsi respectively, engage with Roman commanders such as Sulla in a bid for
citizenship?
SOCIAL / MARSIC / ITALIAN WAR
B1 In what city, the site of a Pyrrhic battle, did hostilities spark with a Roman massacre in 91
BC, leading to a long siege and capture?
ASCULUM
B2 What Roman commander led the siege that captured Asculum?
(CN.) POMPEIUS STRABO