Read the excerpt from Vergil's Aeneid (20–30 lines) below.
1 At pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem 2 solando cupit et dictis avertere curas, 3 multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore 4 iussa tamen divum exsequitur classemque revisit. 5 Tum vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens, 6 arrectaeque horrore comae et vox faucibus haesit. 7 Ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras, 8 attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum. 9 Heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem 10 audeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat? 11 Atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc 12 in partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat. 13 Haec alternanti potior sententia visa est: 14 Mnesthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum, 15 classem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant, 16 arma parent, et quae rebus sit causa novandis 17 dissimulent; sese interea, quando optima Dido 18 nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores, 19 temptaturum aditus et quae mollissima fandi 20 tempora, quis rebus dexter modus. 21 Olli omnes intenti parent iussisque capessunt.
Introductory context: Vergil dramatizes Aeneas's internal struggle when divine mandates force him to abandon a beloved queen.
Historical/cultural background: Epic heroes often embody public responsibility; the poem's divine machinery underscores that fate operates beyond human preference.
Glossary: arrectae = "raised"; alternanti = "wavering"; potior = "better"; aptent = "prepare"; mollissima = "most gentle."
How does Vergil convey psychological turmoil in lines 9–13?
- Through rapid rhetorical questions and shifting syntax that mimic a mind pulled in opposite directions. (correct answer)
- Through calm didactic exposition that resolves uncertainty with clear philosophical definitions.
- Through pastoral description that replaces fear with idyllic imagery and rustic simplicity.
- Through comic dialogue that minimizes crisis by ridiculing the gods' commands as trivial.
Explanation: This question tests AP Latin skills, specifically developing an interpretation about a main idea within a Latin text. Interpreting Latin texts involves understanding thematic elements and how authors use literary devices to convey meaning. In the passage, lines 9-13 highlight Aeneas's psychological turmoil through rapid rhetorical questions ('Heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem audeat adfatu?') and syntax that mimics mental division ('Atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc'). Choice A is correct because it accurately identifies how Vergil uses rapid rhetorical questions and shifting syntax to convey a mind pulled in opposite directions, showing Aeneas's internal conflict between duty and desire. Choice B is incorrect because the passage shows agitation and uncertainty, not calm didactic exposition - the rhetorical questions express confusion, not philosophical clarity. To help students: Encourage analysis of rhetorical questions as expressions of emotional turmoil. Teach students to recognize how syntax can mirror psychological states. Practice identifying literary techniques that convey internal conflict.