Congratulations

Congratulations to my (former) year 12 class (pictured) who sat their Latin Continuers exam the other day. It was (in my opinion) not a bad exam- there were a couple of questions slightly out of left field, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you're well prepared and able to think on your feet it gives you a chance to stand out from the other candidates. The unseens were alright too, and the exam committee was very generous with the amount of vocab they supplied.

Here are a couple of the questions, in case anyone is interested:

Ibi oratio habita nequaquam eius pectoris ingeniique quod simulatum ad eam diem fuerat, de vi ac libidine Sex. Tarquini, de stupro infando Lucretiae et miserabili caede, de orbitate Tricipitini cui morte filiae causa mortis indignior ac miserabilior esset. Addita superbia ipsius regis miseriaeque et labores plebis in fossas cloacasque exhauriendas demersae; Romanos homines, victores omnium circa populorum, opifices ac lapicidas pro bellatoribus factos. Indigna Ser. Tulli regis memorata caedes et inuecta corpori patris nefando vehiculo filia, invocatique ultores parentum di.

(Livy I.59, 8-10)

(i) Explain the connection implied in this extract between the fate of Lucretia and the current condition of the Roman people. (3 marks)

(ii) Explain how Livy uses language in this extract to make the speech moving and persuasive. (5 marks)

Iam res Romana adeo erat ualida ut cuilibet finitimarum civitatum bello par esset; sed penuria mulierum hominis aetatem duratura magnitudo erat, quippe quibus nec domi spes prolis nec cum finitimis conubia essent. Tum ex consilio patrum Romulus legatos circa vicinas gentes misit qui societatem conubiumque novo populo peterent: urbes quoque, ut cetera, ex infimo nasci; dein, quas sua virtus ac di iuvent, magnas opes sibi magnumque nomen facere; satis scire, origini Romanae et deos adfuisse et non defuturam virtutem; proinde ne gravarentur homines cum hominibus sanguinem ac genus miscere. Nusquam benigne legatio audita est:

(Livy I.9, 1-5)

(i) Analyse how Livy presents Romulus as a moral exemplar. Support your answer with specific examples from this extract. (7 marks)

haud procul inde citae Mettum in diversa quadrigae
distulerant (at tu dictis, Albane, maneres!),
raptabatque viri mendacis viscera Tullus
per silvam, et sparsi rorabant sanguine vepres.
nec non Tarquinium eiectum Porsenna iubebat
accipere ingentique urbem obsidione premebat;
Aeneadae in ferrum pro libertate ruebant.
illum indignanti similem similemque minanti
aspiceres, pontem auderet quia vellere Cocles
et fluvium vinclis innaret Cloelia ruptis.
in summo custos Tarpeiae Manlius arcis
stabat pro templo et Capitolia celsa tenebat,
Romuleoque recens horrebat regia culmo.

(Virgil, Aeneid VIII.642-54)

(i) Describe the narrative technique Virgil has used to include the events mentioned in this extract in his story of Aeneas. (2 marks)

(ii) What is Virgil's purpose in including the individuals mentioned in this extract? (7 marks)