AP Latin : Vocabulary in Poetry Passages

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin

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Example Questions

Example Question #91 : Content Of Poetry

Quo tamen haec Ithaco, qui clam, qui semper inermis
rem gerit et furtis incautum decipit hostem?
ipse nitor galeae claro radiantis ab auro              
insidias prodet manifestabitque latentem;
sed neque Dulichius sub Achillis casside vertex                5
pondera tanta feret, nec non onerosa gravisque
Pelias hasta potest inbellibus esse lacertis,
nec clipeus vasti caelatus imagine mundi               
conveniet timidae nataeque ad furta sinistrae:
debilitaturum quid te petis, inprobe, munus,                    10
quod tibi si populi donaverit error Achivi,
cur spolieris, erit, non, cur metuaris ab hoste,
et fuga, qua sola cunctos, timidissime, vincis,              
tarda futura tibi est gestamina tanta trahenti?

The word "clipeus" in line 8 means __________.

Possible Answers:

shield

breastplate

sword

armor

Correct answer:

shield

Explanation:

The word "clipeus" comes from "clipeus, clipei," which is the word for a circular shield.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 103-117)

Example Question #92 : Content Of Poetry

Quo tamen haec Ithaco, qui clam, qui semper inermis
rem gerit et furtis incautum decipit hostem?
ipse nitor galeae claro radiantis ab auro              
insidias prodet manifestabitque latentem;
sed neque Dulichius sub Achillis casside vertex                5
pondera tanta feret, nec non onerosa gravisque
Pelias hasta potest inbellibus esse lacertis,
nec clipeus vasti caelatus imagine mundi               
conveniet timidae nataeque ad furta sinistrae:
debilitaturum quid te petis, inprobe, munus,                    10
quod tibi si populi donaverit error Achivi,
cur spolieris, erit, non, cur metuaris ab hoste,
et fuga, qua sola cunctos, timidissime, vincis,              
tarda futura tibi est gestamina tanta trahenti?

The word "improbe" (line 10) means __________.

Possible Answers:

cherished

unlikely

chaste

wicked

Correct answer:

wicked

Explanation:

The word "improbe" comes from the adjective "improbus, a, um," which means wicked/shameless.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 103-117)

Example Question #93 : Content Of Poetry

Quo tamen haec Ithaco, qui clam, qui semper inermis
rem gerit et furtis incautum decipit hostem?
ipse nitor galeae claro radiantis ab auro              
insidias prodet manifestabitque latentem;
sed neque Dulichius sub Achillis casside vertex                5
pondera tanta feret, nec non onerosa gravisque
Pelias hasta potest inbellibus esse lacertis,
nec clipeus vasti caelatus imagine mundi               
conveniet timidae nataeque ad furta sinistrae:
debilitaturum quid te petis, inprobe, munus,                    10
quod tibi si populi donaverit error Achivi,
cur spolieris, erit, non, cur metuaris ab hoste,
et fuga, qua sola cunctos, timidissime, vincis,              
tarda futura tibi est gestamina tanta trahenti?

The word "cunctos" in line 13 means __________.

Possible Answers:

repaired

crowded

all

worn

Correct answer:

all

Explanation:

The word "cunctos" comes from the adjective "cunctus, a, um," which means all/whole/together.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 103-117)

Example Question #94 : Content Of Poetry

At vos, o proceres, vigili date praemia vestro,              
proque tot annorum cura, quibus anxius egi,
hunc titulum meritis pensandum reddite nostris:
iam labor in fine est; obstantia fata removi
altaque posse capi faciendo Pergama, cepi.                     5
per spes nunc socias casuraque moenia Troum              
perque deos oro, quos hosti nuper ademi,
per siquid superest, quod sit sapienter agendum,
siquid adhuc audax ex praecipitique petendum est,
[si Troiae fatis aliquid restare putatis,]                           10
este mei memores! aut si mihi non datis arma,             
huic date!' et ostendit signum fatale Minervae.

The word "proceres" in line 1 means ___________.

Possible Answers:

priests

gods

people

nobles

Correct answer:

nobles

Explanation:

The word "proceres" comes from "procer, proceris," which means  a noble/chief/leader of a country.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 370-382)

Example Question #95 : Content Of Poetry

At vos, o proceres, vigili date praemia vestro,              
proque tot annorum cura, quibus anxius egi,
hunc titulum meritis pensandum reddite nostris:
iam labor in fine est; obstantia fata removi
altaque posse capi faciendo Pergama, cepi.                     5
per spes nunc socias casuraque moenia Troum              
perque deos oro, quos hosti nuper ademi,
per siquid superest, quod sit sapienter agendum,
siquid adhuc audax ex praecipitique petendum est,
[si Troiae fatis aliquid restare putatis,]                           10
este mei memores! aut si mihi non datis arma,             
huic date!' et ostendit signum fatale Minervae.

The word "vigili" (line 1) means ____________.

Possible Answers:

guard

client

people

crowd

Correct answer:

guard

Explanation:

The word "vigili" comes from "vigil, vigilis," which means a guard. The adjective of this word has the same form and means awake/watchful, but can be used substantively as well to mean guard.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 370-382)

Example Question #96 : Content Of Poetry

At vos, o proceres, vigili date praemia vestro,              
proque tot annorum cura, quibus anxius egi,
hunc titulum meritis pensandum reddite nostris:
iam labor in fine est; obstantia fata removi
altaque posse capi faciendo Pergama, cepi.                     5
per spes nunc socias casuraque moenia Troum              
perque deos oro, quos hosti nuper ademi,
per siquid superest, quod sit sapienter agendum,
siquid adhuc audax ex praecipitique petendum est,
[si Troiae fatis aliquid restare putatis,]                           10
este mei memores! aut si mihi non datis arma,             
huic date!' et ostendit signum fatale Minervae.

The word "obstantia" (line 4) means __________.

Possible Answers:

work

lucky

port

hinderance

Correct answer:

hinderance

Explanation:

The word "obstantia" comes from "obstantia, ae," which means a hinderance/obstacle.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8. 370-382)

Example Question #97 : Content Of Poetry

Occiderat Tatius, populisque aequata duobus,               
Romule, iura dabas: posita cum casside Mavors
talibus adfatur divumque hominumque parentem:
'tempus adest, genitor, quoniam fundamine magno
res Romana valet nec praeside pendet ab uno,                  5
praemia, (sunt promissa mihi dignoque nepoti)               
solvere et ablatum terris inponere caelo.
tu mihi concilio quondam praesente deorum
(nam memoro memorique animo pia verba notavi)
"unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli"                         10
dixisti: rata sit verborum summa tuorum!'               
adnuit omnipotens et nubibus aera caecis
occuluit tonitruque et fulgure terruit orbem.

"Nepoti" in line 6 means __________.

Possible Answers:

new

student

hero

descendant

Correct answer:

descendant

Explanation:

The word "nepoti" comes from "nepos, nepotis," which means a descendant/grandson/granddaughter. A "nepos" cannot be a person's immediate children.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 9. 805-818)

Example Question #98 : Content Of Poetry

Occiderat Tatius, populisque aequata duobus,               
Romule, iura dabas: posita cum casside Mavors
talibus adfatur divumque hominumque parentem:
'tempus adest, genitor, quoniam fundamine magno
res Romana valet nec praeside pendet ab uno,                  5
praemia, (sunt promissa mihi dignoque nepoti)               
solvere et ablatum terris inponere caelo.
tu mihi concilio quondam praesente deorum
(nam memoro memorique animo pia verba notavi)
"unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli"                         10
dixisti: rata sit verborum summa tuorum!'               
adnuit omnipotens et nubibus aera caecis
occuluit tonitruque et fulgure terruit orbem.

The word "concilio"in line 8 means __________.

Possible Answers:

ruler

judgment

lawyer

decision

Correct answer:

decision

Explanation:

The word "consilio" comes from "consilium, consilii," which means a plan/decision or advice.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 9. 805-818)

Example Question #99 : Content Of Poetry

Occiderat Tatius, populisque aequata duobus,               
Romule, iura dabas: posita cum casside Mavors
talibus adfatur divumque hominumque parentem:
'tempus adest, genitor, quoniam fundamine magno
res Romana valet nec praeside pendet ab uno,                  5
praemia, (sunt promissa mihi dignoque nepoti)               
solvere et ablatum terris inponere caelo.
tu mihi concilio quondam praesente deorum
(nam memoro memorique animo pia verba notavi)
"unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli"                         10
dixisti: rata sit verborum summa tuorum!'               
adnuit omnipotens et nubibus aera caecis
occuluit tonitruque et fulgure terruit orbem.

The word "fulgere" in line 13 means __________.

Possible Answers:

to steal

to sneak around

to destroy

to shine

Correct answer:

to shine

Explanation:

The word "fulgere" comes from "fulgeo, fulgere, fulsi," which means to flash or shine.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 9. 805-818)

Example Question #100 : Content Of Poetry

Occiderat Tatius, populisque aequata duobus,               
Romule, iura dabas: posita cum casside Mavors
talibus adfatur divumque hominumque parentem:
'tempus adest, genitor, quoniam fundamine magno
res Romana valet nec praeside pendet ab uno,                  5
praemia, (sunt promissa mihi dignoque nepoti)               
solvere et ablatum terris inponere caelo.
tu mihi concilio quondam praesente deorum
(nam memoro memorique animo pia verba notavi)
"unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli"                         10
dixisti: rata sit verborum summa tuorum!'               
adnuit omnipotens et nubibus aera caecis
occuluit tonitruque et fulgure terruit orbem.

The word "occiderat" should be translated __________.

Possible Answers:

he had tripped

he had died

he fell

he had fallen

Correct answer:

he had died

Explanation:

The word "occiderat" comes from "occido, occidere, occidi, occisus," which means to fall/die. The word is more often used to mean to fall (in battle)/to die, though.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 9. 805-818)

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