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LATIN 116
Latin 116 Final Examination (after the fact)

on Ovid's Metamorphoses I

passage 4

     Ipse tridente suo terram percussit, at illa
intremuit motuque vias patefecit aquarum.
exspatiata ruunt per apertos flumina campos               
285
cumque satis arbusta simul pecudesque virosque
tectaque cumque suis rapiunt penetralia sacris.

si qua domus mansit potuitque resistere tanto
indeiecta malo, culmen tamen altior huius
unda tegit, pressaeque latent sub gurgite turres.               290
iamque mare et tellus nullum discrimen habebant:
omnia pontus erat, derant quoque litora ponto.

Rolf Humphries translates the passage in red this way:

“His trident struck the shuddering earth; it opened
Way for the rush of waters. The leaping rivers
Flood over the great plains. Not only orchards
Are swept away, not only grain and cattle,
Not only men and houses, but altars, temples,

and shrines with holy fires…”

1. Note how Humphries uses repetitious language to reflect the scope and fast pace of the destruction caused by the flood. How does Ovid accomplish the same effect (look at word choice, word order, meter, subject/verb presentation, etc)

Translate lines 285-7 and then explain how Ovid achieves the effect (10 pts for translation, 5 pts for explanation):

 2. syntax of sub gurgite  (290)      ___________________ (5 pts)

 3. form of nullum discrimen (291) ___________________ (5 pts)

 4. translate omnia pontus erat, derant quoque litora ponto (292)

 _______________________________________________________ (5 pts)

 5. form of ponto and why (tricky): _____________________________ (5 pts)

return to 116 Final Exam list of questions

 


copyright 2001 Janice Siegel, All Rights Reserved
send comments to: Janice Siegel (jfsiege@ilstu.edu)

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