AP Latin : Grammar, Syntax, and Scansion in Poetry
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin
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Example Questions
Example Question #27 : 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.
The word artus in line 10 is in which case?
Accusative
Nominative
Genitive
Vocative
Accusative
The word "artus" comes from "artus, artus." In this sentence, it is acting as the direct object of the infinitive "perfundere," so it is in the accusative case.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
Example Question #292 : 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.
What is the use of the word "piceis" in line 1?
Dative Indirect Object
Genitive of Possession
Ablative of Means
Ablative of Manner
Ablative of Manner
The word "piceis" in line 1 must be in the ablative case because it comes from the word "picea, piceae," which is first declension and means a spruce tree. That limits the choices for this form to dative or ablative plural, but the word does not make much sense in the dative case due to context. In fact, "piceis" is acting in the same way as "cupressu," in that it is describing exactly how the valley is severely dense ("acuta densa"). This use of the ablative case in order to describe the way in which something is or happens is called ablative of manner.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)
Example Question #291 : Poetry
quae, quamquam comitum turba est stipata suarum,
in latus obliquum tamen adstitit oraque retro
flexit et, ut vellet promptas habuisse sagittas,
quas habuit sic hausit aquas vultumque virilem
perfudit spargensque comas ultricibus undis 5
addidit haec cladis praenuntia verba futurae:
'nunc tibi me posito visam velamine narres,
si poteris narrare, licet!' nec plura minata
dat sparso capiti vivacis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collo summasque cacuminat aures 10
cum pedibusque manus, cum longis bracchia mutat
cruribus et velat maculoso vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius heros
et se tam celerem cursu miratur in ipso.
What is the case of "latus" in line 2?
Dative
Genitive
Nominative
Accusative
Accusative
The word "latus" comes from "latus, lateris," a third declension neuter word. Since it is neuter, the accusative forms will be exactly the same as the nominative cases. In fact, "latus" is the accusative object of "in."
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 3.186-200)
Example Question #292 : Poetry
quae, quamquam comitum turba est stipata suarum,
in latus obliquum tamen adstitit oraque retro
flexit et, ut vellet promptas habuisse sagittas,
quas habuit sic hausit aquas vultumque virilem
perfudit spargensque comas ultricibus undis 5
addidit haec cladis praenuntia verba futurae:
'nunc tibi me posito visam velamine narres,
si poteris narrare, licet!' nec plura minata
dat sparso capiti vivacis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collo summasque cacuminat aures 10
cum pedibusque manus, cum longis bracchia mutat
cruribus et velat maculoso vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius heros
et se tam celerem cursu miratur in ipso.
"Spargens" (line 5) is an example of a __________.
Present Active Participle
Future Active Participle
Perfect Passive Participle
Present Passive Participle
Present Active Participle
The word "spargens" comes from the verb "spargo, spargere" and is the present active participle form of the verb. Note: there is no such thing as a present passive participle.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 3.186-200)
Example Question #293 : Poetry
quae, quamquam comitum turba est stipata suarum,
in latus obliquum tamen adstitit oraque retro
flexit et, ut vellet promptas habuisse sagittas,
quas habuit sic hausit aquas vultumque virilem
perfudit spargensque comas ultricibus undis 5
addidit haec cladis praenuntia verba futurae:
'nunc tibi me posito visam velamine narres,
si poteris narrare, licet!' nec plura minata
dat sparso capiti vivacis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collo summasque cacuminat aures 10
cum pedibusque manus, cum longis bracchia mutat
cruribus et velat maculoso vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius heros
et se tam celerem cursu miratur in ipso.
The word "comitum" in line 1 is in which case?
Dative
Accusative
Genitive
Nominative
Genitive
THe word "comitum" comes from the word "comes, comitis," which is the word for a companion. "Comitum" is the genitive plural form of this word.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 3.186-200)
Example Question #294 : Poetry
Inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5
fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
exitus auspicio gravior: nam nupta per herbas
dum nova naiadum turba comitata vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
What case is "omen" in line 5?
Vocative
Accusative
Dative
Nominative
Accusative
The word "omen" comes from "omen, ominis," which means omen or sign. Here, "omen" is the direct object of the verb "attulit." Since omen is neuter in gender, omen is also the accusative singular form of this word.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.1-10)
Example Question #295 : Poetry
Inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5
fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
exitus auspicio gravior: nam nupta per herbas
dum nova naiadum turba comitata vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
How is the word "auspicio" in line 8 being used?
Ablative of Means
Ablative of Specification
Ablative of Comparison
Dative Indirect Object
Ablative of Specification
The word "auspicio" is ablative because it is specifying exactly how/given what circumstances the subject of the sentence has set out (exitus). This is ablative of specification. Even though a comparative adjective is present, it is not being used to compare anything, but to reinforce the seriousness of the subject's actions.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.1-10)
Example Question #298 : Poetry
Dignane, cui grates ageret, cui turis honorem
ferret, Adoni, fui? nec grates inmemor egit,
nec mihi tura dedit. subitam convertor in iram,
contemptuque dolens, ne sim spernenda futuris,
exemplo caveo meque ipsa exhortor in ambos: 5
templa, deum Matri quae quondam clarus Echion
fecerat ex voto, nemorosis abdita silvis,
transibant, et iter longum requiescere suasit;
illic concubitus intempestiva cupido
occupat Hippomenen a numine concita nostro. 10
luminis exigui fuerat prope templa recessus,
speluncae similis, nativo pumice tectus,
religione sacer prisca, quo multa sacerdos
lignea contulerat veterum simulacra deorum;
hunc init et vetito temerat sacraria probro. 15
Why is "ferret" (line 2) subjunctive?
Because it is an indirect command
Because it is an indirect question
Because it is an indirect statement
Because it is in the optative subjunctive
Because it is an indirect command
The word "ferret" (along with "ageret") is subjunctive because it is in an indirect command. The commands are in the form of questions, but is introduced by "digna" (consider), which itself is imperative. By forming these questions, the speaker is in fact urging the recipient to do the things he states.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 10.681-696)
Example Question #296 : Poetry
Dignane, cui grates ageret, cui turis honorem
ferret, Adoni, fui? nec grates inmemor egit,
nec mihi tura dedit. subitam convertor in iram,
contemptuque dolens, ne sim spernenda futuris,
exemplo caveo meque ipsa exhortor in ambos: 5
templa, deum Matri quae quondam clarus Echion
fecerat ex voto, nemorosis abdita silvis,
transibant, et iter longum requiescere suasit;
illic concubitus intempestiva cupido
occupat Hippomenen a numine concita nostro. 10
luminis exigui fuerat prope templa recessus,
speluncae similis, nativo pumice tectus,
religione sacer prisca, quo multa sacerdos
lignea contulerat veterum simulacra deorum;
hunc init et vetito temerat sacraria probro. 15
What is the case of "Hippomenen" in line 10?
Dative
Accusative
Ablative
Nominative
Accusative
The word "Hippomenen" is a Greek name. "Hippomenen" is an example of a Greek accusative. From time to time, Latin authors will use Greek when referring to something Greek, but usually only in the Nominative or Accusative cases. The Greek accusative ends with "-n" and you should be able to recognize it.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.681-696)
Example Question #301 : Sight Reading
Forsitan audieris aliquam certamine cursus
veloces superasse viros: non fabula rumor
ille fuit; superabat enim. nec dicere posses,
laude pedum formaene bono praestantior esset.
scitanti deus huic de coniuge 'coniuge' dixit 5
'nil opus est, Atalanta, tibi: fuge coniugis usum.
nec tamen effugies teque ipsa viva carebis.'
territa sorte dei per opacas innuba silvas
vivit et instantem turbam violenta procorum
condicione fugat, 'ne' c 'sum potiunda, nisi' inquit 10
'victa prius cursu. pedibus contendite mecum:
praemia veloci coniunx thalamique dabuntur,
mors pretium tardis: ea lex certaminis esto.'
illa quidem inmitis, sed (tanta potentia formae est)
venit ad hanc legem temeraria turba procorum. 15
sederat Hippomenes cursus spectator iniqui
et 'petitur cuiquam per tanta pericula coniunx?'
dixerat ac nimios iuvenum damnarat amores;
What is the use of "laude" in line 4?
Ablative of Comparison
Ablative of Specification
Ablative of Value
Ablative of Separation
Ablative of Specification
The word "laude" is being used with "praestantior" in order to specify exactly how the person is outstanding. Even though a comparative adjective is present and it may seem like this is comparison, a comparative phrase specifically translates as "more _________ than," which makes no sense here. This is ablative of specification.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 10. 560-578)
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