AP Latin : Content of Prose Passages
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin
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Example Questions
Example Question #502 : Ap Latin Language
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
In lines 1-6, we learn that this story is about which of the following?
Semiramis
An Eastern nation
Towns
Love
Love
This story is about love. The first line introduces the two protagonists: Pyramus and Thisbe. Lines 2-5 talk about how they are young and beautiful and gives the setting of this story, and line 6 explains that the story is about their love.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #41 : Content Of Prose Passages
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
How is Pyramus and Thisbe's relationship viewed by their parents?
They are happy
They are indifferent
It is forbidden
They think it is sweet
It is forbidden
The parents (fathers, specifically) do not approve of the relationship. In line 7: but the fathers forbade that which they are not able to forbid.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #42 : Content Of Prose Passages
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
How do Pyramus and Thisbe communicate with one another?
Through letters
A friend relays their messages
They meet in the city
Through a crack in the wall
Through a crack in the wall
Lines 11-16 of this passage explain that Pyramus and Thisbe must resort to whispering through a crack in the wall, since their parents forbid their relationship.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #12 : Passage Comprehension In Prose Passages
Ecce cruentati redeunt et, Bacchus ubi esset,
quaerenti domino Bacchum vidisse negarunt;
'hunc' dixere 'tamen comitem famulumque sacrorum
cepimus' et tradunt manibus post terga ligatis
sacra dei quendam Tyrrhena gente secutum. 5
adspicit hunc Pentheus oculis, quos ira tremendos
fecerat, et quamquam poenae vix tempora differt,
'o periture tuaque aliis documenta dature
morte,' ait, 'ede tuum nomen nomenque parentum
et patriam, morisque novi cur sacra frequentes!' 10
ille metu vacuus 'nomen mihi' dixit 'Acoetes,
patria Maeonia est, humili de plebe parentes.
non mihi quae duri colerent pater arva iuvenci,
lanigerosve greges, non ulla armenta reliquit;
pauper et ipse fuit linoque solebat et hamis 15
decipere et calamo salientis ducere pisces.
In lines 1-2 of this passage, we learn that __________.
Bacchus refuses to do anything
Bacchus is speaking to his master
Bacchus is surrounded
Bacchus has returned from a trip
Bacchus is surrounded
In lines 1-2, some followers of Bacchus have returned from something and are surrounding him in such a way that he cannot be seen by anyone else.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, III 570-586)
Example Question #43 : Content Of Prose Passages
Ecce cruentati redeunt et, Bacchus ubi esset,
quaerenti domino Bacchum vidisse negarunt;
'hunc' dixere 'tamen comitem famulumque sacrorum
cepimus' et tradunt manibus post terga ligatis
sacra dei quendam Tyrrhena gente secutum. 5
adspicit hunc Pentheus oculis, quos ira tremendos
fecerat, et quamquam poenae vix tempora differt,
'o periture tuaque aliis documenta dature
morte,' ait, 'ede tuum nomen nomenque parentum
et patriam, morisque novi cur sacra frequentes!' 10
ille metu vacuus 'nomen mihi' dixit 'Acoetes,
patria Maeonia est, humili de plebe parentes.
non mihi quae duri colerent pater arva iuvenci,
lanigerosve greges, non ulla armenta reliquit;
pauper et ipse fuit linoque solebat et hamis 15
decipere et calamo salientis ducere pisces.
How does Pentheus feel towards Bacchus?
There is no indication of Pentheus' feelings given in the passage.
Curious
Happy
Angry
Angry
Pentheus is angry with Bacchus. In lines 8-10, he reprimands Bacchus, refers to him as someone about to die (implying he will kill Bacchus), and curses the God's name and his ancestors.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, III 570-586)
Example Question #364 : Sight Reading
In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas
corpora; di, coeptis (nam vos mutastis et illas)
adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi
ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen!
Ante mare et terras et quod tegit omnia caelum 5
unus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe,
quem dixere chaos: rudis indigestaque moles
nec quicquam nisi pondus iners congestaque eodem
non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum.
nullus adhuc mundo praebebat lumina Titan, 10
nec nova crescendo reparabat cornua Phoebe,
nec circumfuso pendebat in aere tellus
ponderibus librata suis, nec bracchia longo
margine terrarum porrexerat Amphitrite;
utque erat et tellus illic et pontus et aer, 15
sic erat instabilis tellus, innabilis unda,
lucis egens aer; nulli sua forma manebat,
obstabatque aliis aliud, quia corpore in uno
frigida pugnabant calidis, umentia siccis,
mollia cum duris, sine pondere, habentia pondus. 20
How is the word "lumina" (line 10) translated here?
Eyes
Energy
Lights
Stars
Lights
The word "lumina" is translated as lights in this sentence: "The Titan supplied the lights for the world . . ." While "lumina" can also be translated as eyes, depending on the context of a sentence, there is no indication here that we are talking about faces, expressions, or otherwise that would refer to eyes.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, ln.1-20)
Example Question #44 : Content Of Prose Passages
Primus amor Phoebi Daphne Peneia, quem non
fors ignara dedit, sed saeva Cupidinis ira,
Delius hunc nuper, victa serpente superbus,
viderat adducto flectentem cornua nervo
'quid' que 'tibi, lascive puer, cum fortibus armis?' 5
dixerat: 'ista decent umeros gestamina nostros,
qui dare certa ferae, dare vulnera possumus hosti,
qui modo pestifero tot iugera ventre prementem
stravimus innumeris tumidum Pythona sagittis.
tu face nescio quos esto contentus amores 10
inritare tua, nec laudes adsere nostras!'
filius huic Veneris 'figat tuus omnia, Phoebe,
te meus arcus' ait; 'quantoque animalia cedunt
cuncta deo, tanto minor est tua gloria nostra.'
What is the best translation of "quid tibi" in line 5?
What is present . . .
What business do you have with . . .
What was given to . . .
What is right . . .
What business do you have with . . .
The translation of "quid tibi" relies mainly on the context of the sentence. Apollo is asking why Cupid is messing around with weapons. In the later sentences of this passages, Apollo continues to brag to Cupid. The best translation is what business do you have with.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, 1.452-465)
Example Question #45 : Content Of Prose Passages
Primus amor Phoebi Daphne Peneia, quem non
fors ignara dedit, sed saeva Cupidinis ira,
Delius hunc nuper, victa serpente superbus,
viderat adducto flectentem cornua nervo
'quid' que 'tibi, lascive puer, cum fortibus armis?' 5
dixerat: 'ista decent umeros gestamina nostros,
qui dare certa ferae, dare vulnera possumus hosti,
qui modo pestifero tot iugera ventre prementem
stravimus innumeris tumidum Pythona sagittis.
tu face nescio quos esto contentus amores 10
inritare tua, nec laudes adsere nostras!'
filius huic Veneris 'figat tuus omnia, Phoebe,
te meus arcus' ait; 'quantoque animalia cedunt
cuncta deo, tanto minor est tua gloria nostra.'
The word "cornua" (line 4) is best translated as which of the following?
Horns
Bow
Spears
Pillars
Bow
The best translation of "cornua" here is bow. Sometimes bows are referred to as horns because the shape of a bow looks similar to two horns (think that of a longhorn) put back-to-back.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, 1.452-465)
Example Question #365 : Sight Reading
Saepe pater dixit: 'generum mihi, filia, debes,'
saepe pater dixit: 'debes mihi, nata, nepotes';
illa velut crimen taedas exosa iugales
pulchra verecundo suffuderat ora rubore
inque patris blandis haerens cervice lacertis 5
'da mihi perpetua, genitor carissime,' dixit
'virginitate frui! dedit hoc pater ante Dianae.'
ille quidem obsequitur, sed te decor iste quod optas
esse vetat, votoque tuo tua forma repugnat:
Phoebus amat visaeque cupit conubia Daphnes, 10
quodque cupit, sperat, suaque illum oracula fallunt,
utque leves stipulae demptis adolentur aristis,
ut facibus saepes ardent, quas forte viator
vel nimis admovit vel iam sub luce reliquit,
sic deus in flammas abiit, sic pectore toto 15
uritur et sterilem sperando nutrit amorem.
The word "ora" in line 4 translates as which of the following?
Lips
Mouth
Speech
Face
Face
All of the answer choices are possible translation of the word "ora." The word comes from "os, oris," which literally translates as mouth. By way of metonymy, however, it is often used to refer to a person's face or expression. Here, the word "ora" is doing exactly that, since the other words of the sentence describe the "ora" as flushing with red—something the face does when someone is embarrassed, as is happening here.
(Adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, 1.481-496)
Example Question #46 : Prose
Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures
carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram;
tum secum: 'laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae
numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus.'
Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, 5
quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis
audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis
clara, sed arte fuit: pater huic Colophonius Idmon
Phocaico bibulas tinguebat murice lanas;
occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque 10
aequa viro fuerat; Lydas tamen illa per urbes
quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis
orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis.
huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe
deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, 15
deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas.
What is the best translation of "secum" in line 3?
To her
With him
To herself
It
To herself
The word "se" is an example of a reflexive pronoun, a word that refers back to the subject of the sentence. These words end in "-self" in English. Since the subject is "Tritonia," we know the translation should be somewhere along the lines of herself, but the addition of "cum" tells us that "se" is in the ablative case and therefore literally translates as with herself, but that does not make the most sense in English, for what she is doing is speaking to herself. Contextually, and in translation, the most appropriate translation is to herself.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.1-16)
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