AP Latin : Content of Poetry
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Example Questions
Example Question #2 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla. 5
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat,
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.
nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli,
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive, 10
sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura.
vale puella, iam Catullus obdurat,
nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam.
at tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta, vae te, quae tibi manet vita? 15
quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella?
quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris?
quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?
at tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.
How does the author feel?
Angry
In Love
Happy
Miserable
Miserable
The author uses many negative words to describe what it going on in the poem. Foremost, he starts off using the word "miser " (miserable), and he goes on to talk about other negative things that he needs to come to terms with.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 8," ln.1-19)
Example Question #3 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla. 5
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat,
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.
nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli,
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive, 10
sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura.
vale puella, iam Catullus obdurat,
nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam.
at tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta, vae te, quae tibi manet vita? 15
quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella?
quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris?
quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?
at tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.
What is the author describing in this poem?
A broken friendship
An insult
A breakup
A death
A breakup
Throughout the poem, many references to a girl, "puella," and love are made. The whole poem is about the change in relationship between Catullus and this girl.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 8," ln.1-19)
Example Question #4 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Cui dono lepidum novum libellum
arida modo pumice expolitum?
Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas
meas esse aliquid putare nugas.
Iam tum, cum ausus es unus Italorum 5
omne aevum tribus explicare cartis . . .
Doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis!
Quare habe tibi quidquid hoc libelli—
qualecumque, quod, o patrona virgo,
plus uno maneat perenne saeclo! 10
Why does the author give his book to Cornelius?
Cornelius is his patron
Cornelius is a friend
Cornelius believed in the author's work
Cornelius is famous
Cornelius believed in the author's work
In line 3-4, the author gives the reason as to why he wants Cornelius to have his book: you were accustomed to think that my trifles were something. In other words, he believes in/likes the author's writing, even though the author thought that they were nothing significant.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 1," ln.1-10)
Example Question #4 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta, 5
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.
Marcus Tullius is a(n) __________.
advisor
lawyer
entertainer
poet
lawyer
The author reveals who Marcus Tullius is in the last line of the poem: a "patronus" (lawyer).
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 49," ln.1-7)
Example Question #5 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle
quam mihi, non si se Iuppiter ipse petat.
dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
The author claims that the woman in the poem __________.
is a liar
has met Jupiter
wants to marry Jupiter
loves him very much
is a liar
The author states in the last two lines: She says this, but that which a woman says to a passionate lover ought to be written in the wind and swift water. This idiom, common in English as well, is used to indicate that a person is lying about something.
(Passage adapted from "Catullus 70," ln.1-4)
Example Question #6 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
cui primum digitum dare appetenti
et acris solet incitare morsus,
cum desiderio meo nitenti 5
carum nescio quid lubet iocari
et solaciolum sui doloris,
credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curas! 10
Which of the following actions does the girl NOT do with the sparrow?
Pet it
Play with it
Hold it
Let it bite her
Pet it
The author uses the words "ludere," "tenere," and "dare digitum" to describe the actions she does with the bird. She plays with it, holds it, and lets it bite her finger, but does not pet it.
(Passage adapted from "Poem II" by Gaius Valerius Catullus, 1-10)
Example Question #11 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
cui primum digitum dare appetenti
et acris solet incitare morsus,
cum desiderio meo nitenti 5
carum nescio quid lubet iocari
et solaciolum sui doloris,
credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curas! 10
Why does the author think the girl has the bird?
For fun
To ease her pain
She really loves all sorts of birds
It was a gift
To ease her pain
The author states in line 7 and 8: I believe that it is a consolation for her grief.
(Passage adapted from "Poem II" by Gaius Valerius Catullus, 1-10)
Example Question #12 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Lesbia mi praesente viro mala plurima dicit:
haec illi fatuo maxima laetitia est.
mule, nihil sentis? si nostri oblita taceret,
sana esset: nunc quod gannit et obloquitur,
non solum meminit, sed, quae multo acrior est res, 5
irata est. hoc est, uritur et loquitur.
According to the author, why does Lesbia speak badly of him?
She is not over their relationship
The author does not give a reason
The author wronged her
The man has asked her to
She is not over their relationship
The author states the reason why he thinks Lesbia speaks ill of him in lines 3-6: If she, having forgotten, was silent of us, she would be healed: now, because she speaks ill and interrupts, she not only remembers, but that thing which is more sharp by much is her anger. That is, she burns (with passion) and she speaks.
Passage adapted from "Carmen 83" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #13 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Lesbia mi praesente viro mala plurima dicit:
haec illi fatuo maxima laetitia est.
mule, nihil sentis? si nostri oblita taceret,
sana esset: nunc quod gannit et obloquitur,
non solum meminit, sed, quae multo acrior est res, 5
irata est. hoc est, uritur et loquitur.
In lines 1-2, we learn that Lesbia ___________.
hates the author
is insulting the author's friends
is telling the author about someone she dislikes
is slandering the author
is slandering the author
According to lines 1-2, Lesbia is insulting the author to some other man, the lines can be roughly translated as: Lesbia presently says many bad things about me to that man: this is a source of the greatest joy for that idiot.
Passage adapted from "Carmen 83" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #14 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum,
Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Iovem.
dilexi tum te non tantum ut vulgus amicam,
sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos.
nunc te cognovi: quare etsi impensius uror, 5
multo mi tamen es vilior et levior.
qui potis est, inquis? quod amantem iniuria talis
cogit amare magis, sed bene velle minus.
How does the author feel about Lesbia?
He does not love her.
He has forgotten about her.
He loves her.
He hates her.
He does not love her.
The author claims that he loved Lesbia at one point ("dilexi tum"), but now that he knows her better, he no longer loves her. He does not literally say he does not love her now, but it is implied based on the wording and context of the poem. He does not hate her; he just does not love her anymore.
Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
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