AP Latin : Context of Caesar
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Perspectives Of Roman Culture In Caesar
(1) Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. (2) Hi omnes lingua, institutis, legibus inter se differunt. Gallos ab Aquitanis Garumna flumen, a Belgis Matrona et Sequana dividit. (3) Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultu atque humanitate provinciae longissime absunt, minimeque ad eos mercatores saepe commeant atque ea quae ad effeminandos animos pertinent important, (4) proximique sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt. Qua de causa Helvetii quoque reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt, quod fere cotidianis proeliis cum Germanis contendunt, cum aut suis finibus eos prohibent aut ipsi in eorum finibus bellum gerunt. (5) Eorum una pars, quam Gallos obtinere dictum est, initium capit a flumine Rhodano, continetur Garumna flumine, Oceano, finibus Belgarum, attingit etiam ab Sequanis et Helvetiis flumen Rhenum, vergit ad septentriones. (6) Belgae ab extremis Galliae finibus oriuntur, pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni, spectant in septentrionem et orientem solem. (7) Aquitania a Garumna flumine ad Pyrenaeos montes et eam partem Oceani quae est ad Hispaniam pertinet; spectat inter occasum solis et septentriones.
Who/What are the Helvetii (part 4)?
A German Tribe
Another tribe of Gallia
A Spanish tribe
A branch of the Roman Army
Another tribe of Gallia
The Helvetii were another tribe of Gallia, but Caesar does not explicitly say this in the passage. You can tell they're Gallic, though, as they fight with Germans often (meaning they're located in north-eastern Gallia).
Passage adapted from De Bello Gallico by Caesar, I. 1-7
Example Question #1 : Influential People And Events In Caesar
inter quas Phoenissa recens a vulnere Dido
errabat silva in magna; quam Troius heros
ut primum iuxta stetit agnovitque per umbras
obscuram, qualem primo qui surgere mense
aut videt aut vidisse putat per nubila lunam, 5
demisit lacrimas dulcique adfatus amore est:
'infelix Dido, verus mihi nuntius ergo
venerat exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam?
funeris heu tibi causa fui? per sidera iuro,
per superos et si qua fides tellure sub ima est, 10
inuitus, regina, tuo de litore cessi.
The words "Troius heros" (line 2) refers to __________.
the Trojans
Aeneas
Ascanius
Dido
Aeneas
"Troius heros" is singular nominative, referring to one person in particular. The Trojan hero is the protagonist of this story, Aeneas.
(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 6.450-460)
Example Question #2 : Influential People And Events In Caesar
After being warned of an imminent attack by the Gauls, Caesar’s men debate whether to stay in their camp or attempt to join another unit.
1 Lucius Aurunculeius compluresque tribuni militum et primorum ordinum
2 centuriones nihil temere agendum neque ex hibernis iniussu Caesaris
3 discedendum existimabant: quantasvis [magnas] copias etiam Germanorum
4 sustineri posse munitis hibernis docebant: rem esse testimonio, quod
5 primum hostium impetum multis ultro vulneribus illatis fortissime
6 sustinuerint: re frumentaria non premi; interea et ex proximis hibernis et a
7 Caesare conventura subsidia: postremo quid esse levius aut turpius, quam
8 auctore hoste de summis rebus capere consilium?
What happens as a result of this debate?
The soldiers decide to leave the winter quarters.
Half of the soldiers defect to the enemy.
The soldiers cannot agree and a bloody fight ensues.
The soldiers decide to follow the plan outlined in the passage above.
The soldiers decide to leave the winter quarters.
While the above action, to stay in the winter quarters and wait until help arrives, is the sensible option, the generals Sabinus and Cotta eventually decide to leave the camp. Tricked by the enemy, most of the men are killed in an ambush.
(Passage adapted from Gallic Wars, 5:28)
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