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Vergil Test 7
Lines 817-831
1.
2.
3
4
5
6
7
vis et Tarquinios reges animamque superbam
ultoris Bruti, fascesque videre receptos?
consulis imperium hic primus saevasque secures
accipiet, natosque pater nova bella moventes
ad poenam pulchra pro libertate vocabit,
infelix, utcumque ferent ea facta minores:
vincet amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido.
8
9
10
11
12
13
illae autem paribus quas fulgere cernis in armis
concordes animae nunc et dum nocte prementur,
heu quantum inter se bellum, si lumina vitae
attigerint, quantas acies stragemque ciebunt,
aggeribus socer Alpinis atque arce Monoeci
descendens, gener adversis instructus Eois!
a)
(i)
Who is speaking here ?
[1]
Anchises, Aeneas’s father.
(ii) What particular group of souls is he speaking about?
[1]
These souls form part of the group of the descendants of Anchises
who will create and extend the Roman state and its empire. All these
souls are occupying that part of the underworld reserved for the
good and the great and is described as bright and beautiful. They are
also the ones who will be reborn after drinking the waters of oblivion
of the river Lethe.
b)
Line 1(animamque superbam):
(i)
Who is being referred to here?
[2]
This is Brutus who expelled Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of
Rome, and set up a republican form of government with himself as
the first consul (the two chief officials of this form of government
were two consuls elected annually).
(ii) What is the force of the adjective ‘superbam’
[2]
Ambiguity: the word can carry two meanings: a favourable idea
‘splendidly proud’ or unfavourable ‘dominating, arrogant’. Does
Vergil regard Brutus as a hero or an anti-hero? He leaves the
question open.
c)
Line 2 (ultoris Bruti): why is Brutus referred to in this way?
[2]
Brutus was an avenger on two counts: He avenged Tarquin’s tyranny
by expelling him and his sons’ treachery (they plotted against their
father and tried to restore Tarquin as king) by executing them.
d)
Lines 2-3:
(i)
What are the fasces and the secures?
[2]
The fasces (bundles of rods) and the secures (axes) were the
symbols of the authority of the consuls. The secures symbolised in
particular their power over life and death. They were carried before
the consuls at ceremonies by special bearers.
(ii) Pick out, translate and explain the adjectives used to
describe these two objects.
[2]
receptos (recovered) describes the bundles of rods and saevas (cruel)
is the adjective describing the axes. The rods are described as
‘recovered’ because Brutus had put down the plot to restore the
monarchy. The axes are described as ‘cruel’ because they are used to
execute.
e)
Lines 4-5:
(i)
Who are the natos?
[1]
Brutus’s sons.
(ii) What are the ‘nova bella’?
[2]
The ‘new wars’ refer to his sons attempt to restore the monarchy.
(iii) What action did Brutus take against them and why?
[2]
He had them executed because of their attempt to bring down the
republic by conspiring to restore the monarchy.
Line 7 (vincet … cupido) : what two emotions governed
Brutus’s behaviour?
Love for his country and an immense desire for glory.
f)
[2]
g)
Lines 4-7: Show how sounds, position and choice of words
illustrate Brutus’s emotions. Pick out and translate the relevant
Latin words or phrases.
[3]
natosque pater: The juxtaposition of ‘filios’ and ‘pater’ is the first
intimation of the struggle between public duty and paternal
love which must have afflicted Brutus.
poenam pulchra: there is tension here between the splendour of
liberty and the horror of having to execute one’s own sons. The
alliteration of the ‘p’ and the juxtaposition of two opposite
words (beauty and punishment) illustrate this tension.
infelix: this exclamation placed at the beginning of the lines and after
vocabit which seems to bring the sentence to an end emphasises
Brutus’s suffering
utcumque … minores: Brutus is unlucky however later generations
receive his deed, even if they glorify him, they will fail to understand
his distress.
amor patriae laudumque … cupido: another juxtaposition to show the
tensions afflicting Brutus: on one hand his love for his country
and sense of duty and on the other an immense desire for glory
h)
Line 8-9 (illae ... prementur):
(i)
Who are the people referred to here?
Julius Caesar and Pompeius Magnus.
[2]
(ii) What two things do we learn about them in these lines? [2]
They are both wearing the same shining armour
They are ‘concordes’ or at unity with each other.
What does ‘nocte’ refer to and why is it an odd choice of
word in this context?
[2]
It refers to them being in the underworld
It is an odd expression because earlier on Vergil had stressed the
brightness of this part of the underworld.
(iii)
Lines 10 -11 (heu … ciebunt):
(i)
What do we learn will happen to these people?
[1]
They will engage in a particularly bloody and bitter war against each
other if they are ever reborn. Vergil is referring to the events of 49
BC when Caesar invaded Italy from Gaul while Pompey withdrew to
the east in order to gather strength to fight him.
i)
(ii)
How does choice, sound and position of words make
these lines effective. Quote from the Latin in your
answer.
[2]
heu (alas) underlines Vergil’s disapproval of the conflict between
Caesar and Pompey
quantum bellum … quantas acies stragemque: the repetition of
quantum / quantas and the use of three increasingly strong words
(war, battle – but acies has the original meaning of the edge of a
blade – and slaughter) emphasise the bitterness and destructiveness
of the conflict between the two men.
j)
Lines 11- 13:
(i)
What do we learn about the relationship between them? [2]
Caesar is Pompey’s father-in-law because Pompey married his
daughter and is, therefore, Caesar’s son-in-law.
(ii) Explain the references Alpinis ... Monoeci ... Eois?
[3]
Arx Monoeci is the ancient name for Monaco and refers to the fact
that Caesar invaded Italy from Gaul which he had conquered over
the previous nine years.
The ‘aggeribus .. Alpinis’ (alpine ranges) refers to the Alps which
form a barrier between Rome and the western provinces.
Eois or eastern refers to the fact that Pompey had his power base in
the eastern provinces.
Total: 36 marks