AP Latin : Grammar, Syntax, and Scansion in Poetry
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin
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Example Questions
Example Question #101 : Grammar, Syntax, And Scansion In Poetry
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.
"Velle" (line 2) is ___________.
an adverb
a noun
an imperative
an infinitive
an infinitive
The word "velle" comes from "volo," "velle" and is the infinitive form of that verb.
Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #431 : Ap Latin Language
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.
"Vilior" and "levior" (line 6) are both examples of _____________.
superlative adjectives
passive verbs
comparative adjevtives
nouns
comparative adjevtives
Both "vilior" and "levior" are examples of comparative adjectives. In this sentence, they are being used to describe the subject of "es" (line 6).
Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #282 : Poetry
Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis 5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur 10
lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes. 15
What is the case of "mi" (line 1)?
Nominative
Genitive
Ablative
Dative
Dative
The word "mi" is a shortened form of "mihi," the genitive singular form of "ego," "meus."
Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #283 : Poetry
Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis 5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur 10
lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes. 15
What is the case of "te" (line 3)?
Genitive
Ablative
Dative
Accusative
Accusative
The form "te" can be either accusative or ablative, but we know it must be in the ablative case here because it is acting as the object of "spectat" and "audit" on line 4.
Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #284 : Poetry
Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis 5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur 10
lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes. 15
What is the case of "sensus" in line 6?
Genitive
Accusative
Nominative
Vocative
Accusative
The word "sensus" comes from "sensus," "sensus," a fourth declension word meaning senses/feelings. "Sensus" is acting as the direct object of the verb "eripit" in line 6, so it must be accusative.
Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #285 : Poetry
Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis 5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur 10
lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes. 15
What part of speech is "dulce" (line 5)?
Verb
Adverb
Adjective
Noun
Adverb
The word "dulce" as used here comes from the word "dulcis," "dulcis" meaning sweet. It is an adjective, but it is being used as an adverb to describe the action of smiling ("ridentem").
Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Example Question #286 : Poetry
Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.
poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo
aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat
iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti. 5
nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,
montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,
nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;
nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;
non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi, 10
non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu
mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.
What is the case of "aetas" (line 1)?
Accusative
Dative
Nominative
Ablative
Nominative
The word "aetas" comes from "aetas," "aetatis." "Aetas," therefore, is the nominative singular form of this word.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 1. 89-101)
Example Question #27 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages
Tertia post illam successit aenea proles,
saevior ingeniis et ad horrida promptior arma,
non scelerata tamen; de duro est ultima ferro.
protinus inrupit venae peioris in aevum
omne nefas: fugere pudor verumque fidesque; 5
in quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolusque
insidiaeque et vis et amor sceleratus habendi.
vela dabant ventis nec adhuc bene noverat illos
navita, quaeque prius steterant in montibus altis,
fluctibus ignotis insultavere carinae, 10
communemque prius ceu lumina solis et auras
cautus humum longo signavit limite mensor.
nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives
poscebatur humus, sed itum est in viscera terrae,
quasque recondiderat Stygiisque admoverat umbris, 15
effodiuntur opes, inritamenta malorum.
The word "habendi" in line 7 is an example of __________.
a gerundive
a perfect passive participle
a passive infinitive
a gerund
a gerund
The word "habendi" is the gerund form of the verb "habeo," "habere," "habui," "habitus." The "-nd-" gives away that the word is a gerund or gerundive; however, it is being used as a noun here, which means that it is a gerund.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.125-141)
Example Question #28 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages
Vallis erat piceis et acuta densa cupressu,
nomine Gargaphie succinctae sacra Dianae,
cuius in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu
arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem
ingenio natura suo; nam pumice vivo 5
et levibus tofis nativum duxerat arcum;
fons sonat a dextra tenui perlucidus unda,
margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
hic dea silvarum venatu fessa solebat
virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore. 10
quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,
altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis
Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos 15
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.
What is the case of the word "arcum" in line 6?
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
Ablative
Accusative
The word "arcum" comes from "arcus, arcus," a fourth declension word. In the fourth declension, the "-um" ending is reserved only for the accusative singular form. Additionally, "arcum" is functioning as the direct object of the word "duxerat" in this sentence.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
Example Question #291 : Sight Reading
Vallis erat piceis et acuta densa cupressu,
nomine Gargaphie succinctae sacra Dianae,
cuius in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu
arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem
ingenio natura suo; nam pumice vivo 5
et levibus tofis nativum duxerat arcum;
fons sonat a dextra tenui perlucidus unda,
margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
hic dea silvarum venatu fessa solebat
virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore. 10
quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,
altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis
Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos 15
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.
How should the word "venatu" (line 9) be translated?
With the hunter
With the hunt
For the hunter
To hunt
To hunt
The word "venatu" comes from the verb "venor, venari, venatus sum," which means to hunt. The form "venatu" is an example of a supine, which looks like the perfect passive participle with either a "-um" or "-u" ending, depending on how the supine is being used. Here, it is being used with "solebat" (she is accustomed to hunt). To hunt is the appropriate translation.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
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