OXFORD, 1875.

The news of this defeat filled the minds of all with alarm and consternation. The two prætors 2 sat day and night before the gates of the city receiving the reports of messengers, who had just returned from the field of battle. Old men and matrons crowded together from all sides to ask questions and to learn tidings of those nearest and dearest to them. The deepest sorrow reigned everywhere.

4

But the senate remained firm, and gave such orders as seemed to them expedient 5 for retrieving the disaster and rescuing their country from the danger which threatened it. They resolved to appoint a dictator, who, after enrolling fresh legions might march with all possible speed to meet the enemy, before he could descend with all his forces into the plains of Latium.

Notes.

1 Hæc clades nunciata is more elegant than the use of two substantives, of which the latter is in the genitive.

2 Place the verb for "sat" at the end of the last sentence; audientes quæ nuntii afferrent will render "receiving the reports of messengers." Venire frequentes is to come in crowds; and the active supine is often used after a verb of motion.

3 Sciscitatum quid agerent will render "to learn tidings of." Altus cannot be used figuratively as summus and magnus are. Regnare is not so used metaphorically; omnia tenere will do.

5 The gerundive of medeor with clades, and of libero with patria, may be used.

6 Use quum with scribo; "to meet" is contra.

CAMBRIDGE, 1875.

And do not you, my judges, fear death, for nothing bad can befal a good man, whether he be alive or dead, nor are his concerns ever overlooked by the gods, nor in my case either has this befallen me by chance; and I have nothing to charge those men with who accused or condemned me, but the fact that they believed that they were doing me harm. But it is time for me now to go hence, that I may die; and for you that you may continue to live. Which 2 condition of the two is the best the immortal gods know; but I do not believe that any mortal man does.

Notes.

1 The Imperative cannot be used in Prose with a prohibitive particle; accidere, is to befal in an indifferent sense; contingere implies good fortune; utrum and an are Interrogative; sive. sive or seu . . . . seu must be used for explanation; negligere not curare is required for this sense of "to overlook; " quod ad me pertinet will render "in my case;" to charge anyone with anything, is objicere or exprobrare aliquid alicui ; "but the fact" may be rendered by nisi quod; and “continue to live" by diutius vivere.

2 The Latin is more correct in rendering by uter, whether of the two. End the passage with the verb for "know;" and use credo nullum in preference to non credo ullum, as the former is more emphatic.

OXFORD, 1876.

As1 soon as the engagement had begun, and the leaders pushed forward the elephants against the Roman camp, in order to decide the battle by them. alone, the proconsul sent reinforcements to the lines incessantly, while he kept the remaining part of the army in the town ready to sally. The elephants chased 2 the Roman light-armed troops into the camp: but while their leaders were driving them into the trenches, in order to storm the rampart, the Romans availed themselves of the moment to shower missiles upon them. Many fell; the rest fled in confusion.

Notes.

1 This is suitable for formation into a Latin Period. Proconsul may commence as the subject, then may come an abl, abs, clause for "the engagement having begun" (committere prælium); then a clause introduced by simul or simul ac, with pello or impello; then an UT-clause, with decerno; then the clause beginning “while he kept ” (retinens) . . . . ; and lastly, the clause sent reinforcements (subsidia) to the lines incessantly" (continenter). Place the verb for "sent" last after the adverb.

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2 Agitare is to chase ; velites are "light-armed troops ;” fossa is a trench; ad vallum oppugnandum, “in order to storm the rampart ;" and uti qua re is to avail oneself of anything.

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CAMBRIDGE, 1876

Our

My1 lads, you must all have observed this day, as well as myself the great increase of the enemies' force (for enemies we must now consider them), and 2 the threatening position they have assumed. I have, on various grounds, strong reason to believe they will attack us this night. I do not wish to conceal 4 real state, because I think there is not a man here who is afraid to face any sort of danger. 6 We are now strongly fenced in, and our position is in all respects so good, that, armed as we are, we ought to make a formidable defence, even against regular troops; what then would be thought of us, if we allowed ourselves to be surprised by a set of naked savages?-Captain Murray Maxwell to the Shipwrecked Crew of H.M.S. Alceste, A.D. 1816.

Notes.

1 Viri or milites. The phrase non potest fieri quin vos omnes may follow; observare is to pay respectful attention to; acque atque is "as well as ;" quod with subj. of a verb to be increased after animadver to is preferable for "observed."

2 Render thus: quam minàciter contra nos, they have posted themselves (consido).

3 This may be thus rendered: Equidem, variis de causis, adducor ut credam.

4 Celare aliquem aliquid is to conceal anything from anyone; verum discrimen or periculum will render "real danger.'

5 Qui, being equivalent to talis ut ille, requires the Subjunctive.

Paraphrase thus: It certainly behoves us, thoroughly protected (summè munitus) by a very favourable position (locus aequus), especially since (praecipuè quum) we are armed, to defend ourselves even against experienced (etiam adversum veterani) soldiers.

7 Use future tenses as if the English were will and allow; to surprise is opprimere.

OXFORD, 1877.

3

No1 one could behold the sufferings of these exiles unmoved. A great many perished 2 of hunger, especially those of tender years. Mothers, with scarcely strength to support themselves, carried their famished infants in their arms, and died with them.

Many fell

a prey to the cold, others to intense thirst, while the unaccustomed distresses belonging to a sea voyage increased their diseases. They 5 arrived at the city in crowds; but were not suffered to remain there long by reason of a law which forbade them to tarry more than three days.

Notes.

1 The Co-ordinate and Detached style is suitable to this passage. Mala or calamitas may be used for "sufferings;" ita might be prefixed to the verb for "behold;" and "unmoved" be rendered by ut non with commoveor, i.e., without being moved or affected.

2 This is not a Latin use of the genitive. The ablative must be used.

3 Say, who were scarcely able; to support, hold up, is sustinere; to maintain, nourish, is alere; "famished is inediâ confectus; "hunger" requires fames in the second sentence.

Nimius may be used for "intense;" miseriae for "distresses ;" and navigatio for "sea-voyage."

5 Say, when they had arrived in crowds (pervenio frequens), and omit "but;" commorari diutius is "to tarry more."