Reading (really reading) Latin

Below is a Latin story retelling the myth of Perseus in 11 chapters. The story is told in fairly simple and formulaic language, even if there will be some vocabulary that you wont have seen before. The present exercise does not require you to translate this story. Instead, your goal is to read with maximum comprehension. For example, you should be capable of answering the questions that follow each chapter. Before you begin, consider some strategies that will help you deal with this passage: (1) Read for word groups, not just for words. For example: Acrisius optbat Perseum neptem suum interficere quod puerum ob rculum timbat.
SOME WORD GROUPS:
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-- optbat + interficere (because opt governs the infinitive) -- Perseum neptem suum (because these words all appear to agree: acc. sg. masc.) -- ob rculum (because a preposition almost always governs the following noun) -- quod puerum ob rculum timbat (since quod introduces an explanatory because clause with an indicative verb) (2) Read for subject and object. This helps you keep track of the main characters in the story. For example: Acrisius optbat Perseum neptem suum interficere ... [subject] [object of interficere] ... quod puerum ob rculum timbat. [object of timbat] [implicit subject = Acrisius?] (3) Watch for compound versions of verbs you already know. For example, in the Perseus story you will encounter not only dcere lead but also addcere lead to and ddcere lead down. The meaning of these compound verbs is usually easy to guess once you recognize that they contain a verb you already know. Here are some of the other core verbs that recur in various compounds in the Perseus story:
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Adapted from Ritchies Fabulae faciles. For the stories of Hercules, the Argonauts, and Ulysses, see http://www.mythfolklore.net/fabulaefaciles/index.htm. 1

veni, venre, vn, ventum come fugi, fugere, fg, fugitum flee teg, tegere, tg, tctus cover, protect mitt, mittere, ms, missus send move, movre, mv, mtus move vd, vdere, vs, vsum go, rush pn, pnere, posu, positus place fer, ferre, tul, ltus bring, carry, bear -spici, -spicere, -spex, -spectus look -pell, -pellere, -pul, -pulsus drive (from pell) -cipi, -cipere, -cp, -ceptus take (from capi) -cd, -cdere, -cs, -csus cut (from caed) -d, -dere, -did, -ditus give (from d) -fici, -ficere, -fc, -fectus make, affect (from faci) -ici, -icere, -ic, -iectus throw (from iaci) -scend, -scendere, -scend, -scnsus climb (from scand) (4) Its okay to look up words, but it shouldnt be necessary to look up everything. If you look up words, first look up the words that recur most often. (You may want to preread a paragraph, or the whole story, to figure out which words it will be most essential to look up.) This will often bring everything else into focus. In the present passage these are words such as: cnstitu, cnstituere, cnstitu, cnstittus decide (+ infin.) cnsilium, -i n. plan ltus, ltoris n. shore tlria n.pl. sandals cnspectus, -s m. view, appearance vol (1) fly iterum again lim once upon a time ftum, - n. fate (5) Read the connectorsthat is, the conjunctions and particles. These words signal how the narrative is organized and can help you spot the major developments. Here are several basic types:
ADVERSATIVE

but, however, nevertheless

tamen, autem, sed, at

TEMPORAL/SEQUENTIAL

next, at the same time, later, etc.

prmum/prm first
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tum then deinde next tandem at length simul at the same time poste afterward postquam after ubi when dnique finally
INFERENTIAL/ILLATIVE

and so, therefore

igitur therefore ergo therefore itaque and so hc mod in this way ob hanc causam for this reason
EXPLANATORY/CAUSAL

for, because

nam, namque, enim for, because quod because

COORDINATIVE

and

et, autem

D Perse fbula
1. Perseus and his mother are thrown into the sea

haec scrbuntur pots d Perse: flius erat Iovis, maxim derum; avus eius Acrisius erat. Acrisius optbat Perseum neptem suum interficere quod puerum ob rculum timbat. comprehendit igitur Perseum adhc nfantem et cum mtre in arc ligne posuit. arcam autem in mare icit. postquam arca longe terr unds portata est, Dana, Perse mter, magnpere territa est; tempests enim saevissima mare turbbat. Perseus autem in sin mtris placidissim dormibat.
(a) Why did Acricius fear his grandson? (b) What did Acrisius do with the wooden chest? 2. Perseus and Danae are beached on the island of Seriphus

Iuppiter tamen haec omnia vdit, et flium suum servre cnstituit. tranquillum igitur fcit mare, et arcam ad nsulam Serphum perdxit. huius nsulae Polydects tum rx erat. postquam arca ad ltus appulsa est, Dana in harn dormibat. post breve tempus pisctre qudam inventa est et ad domum rgis Polydectis adducta est. ille mtrem et puerum benign excpit, et es saltem in fnibus sus dedit. Dana hoc dnum libenter accpit, et pr magn benefici rg summs grtis git.
(a) What did Jupiter do to save his son? (b) What happened to Danae after the fisherman found her? (c) How were Perseus and Danae received by king Polydectes? 3. Perseus is sent off by Polydectes

Perseus igitur mults anns ibi habitbat, et cum mtre su vtam betam agbat. sed Polydects Danan magnpere ambat atque eam in mtrimnium dcere optbat. hoc tamen cnsilium Perse minim placbat. nam mtrem scibat Polydect nbere nn optre. Polydects igitur Perseum dmittere cnstituit n is cnsilium dlret. tum iuvenem ad s vocvit et haec e dxit: turpe est hanc ignvam vtam agere; t nunc adulscns es. qu sque hc manbis? tempus est arma capere et virttem mnstrre. hinc ab, et caput Medsae mihi report.
(a) What was Polydectess plan for Danae?

(b) How did Polydectes persuade Perseus to leave? 4. Perseus hunts for the Gorgon

ubi Perseus haec audvit, ex nsul discessit et per omns terrs Medsam quaesvit. di frstr quaerbat. post longum tempus Apoll et Minerva viam dmnstrvrunt ut Medsam facilius invenret. prmum ad Graes, sorrs Medsae, pervnit. ab hs talria et galeam magicam accpit. Apoll autem et Minerva falcem et speculum Perse dedrunt. tum postquam tlria pedibus induit, in era ascendit. di per era volbat; tandem tamen ad eum locum vnit ubi Medsa cum cters Gorgonibus habitbat. Gorgons autem mnstra erant speci horribilia; capita enim erum anguibus omnn contcta erant, mans etiam ex aere factae erant.
(a) How did Perseus come into possession of the magic sandals and helmet? (b) Where did he get the sickle and mirror? (c) By what mode of transportation did Perseus arrive at the home of the Gorgons? 5. Perseus decapitates Medusa

rs dificillima erat caput Gorgonis abscdere; eius enim cnspect homins in saxum vertbantur. Perseus autem cognvit Minervam e ob hanc causam dedisse speculum. ille igitur tergum vertit, et in speculum nspicibat. hc mod ad locum vnit ubi Medsa placidissim dormibat. tum falce su caput eius n ct abscdit. cterae Gorgons statim smn excittae sunt, et ubi rem vdrunt r maxim commtae sunt. Perseum occdere optbant et arma rapurunt. ille autem fugit et galeam magicam induit; et ubi hoc fcitmrbile dictstatim cnspect erum vsit.
(a) What did Perseus realize about the gift from Minerva? (b) How did the other Gorgons respond when Perseus cut off Medusas head? (c) What happened to Perseus when he put on the magic helmet? 6. Cepheus is ordered to give his daughter to a monster to eat

post haec Perseus in fns Aethiopum vnit. ibi Cpheus rx ill tempore rgnbat. hic Neptnum, maris deum, lim offenderat; Neptnus autem mnstrum saevissimum mserat. hoc cotdi mar venibat et homins dvrbat. ob hanc causam timor anims omnium occupverat. Cpheus igitur rculum de Hammnis cnsuluit, atque deus e dxit fliam mnstr trdendam esse. eius autem flia, nmine Andromeda, virg pulcherrima erat.
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Cpheus ubi haec audvit, magnum dolrem percpit. optbat tamen cvs sus tant percul extrahere, atque ob eam causam imperta Hammnis facere cnstituit.
(a) How did the monster come to plague the Ethiopians? (b) Why did Cepheus finally decide to sacrifice Andromeda? 7. Preparations are made for the sacrifice

tum rx diem certam dxit et omnia parvit. ubi ea dis vnit, Andromeda ad ltus dducta est, et in cnspect omnium ad rpem adligta est. omns d ft eius cram maximam habbant, nec lacrims tenbant. at subit, dum mnstrum exspectant, Perseus advnit; et lacrims erum vss, causam dolris quaerit. ill rem ttam expnunt et puellam dmnstrant. dum haec geruntur, fremitus terribilis ab omnibus audtur; simul mnstrum conspicitur. eius cnspectus timrem maximum omnibus inicit. mnstrum celerrim ad ltus contendit, et nunc ad locum appropinqubat ubi puella stbat.
(a) How did the citizens respond when Andromeda was tied up at the edge of the cliff? (b) What happened when the citizens were explaining things to Perseus? 8. Perseus kills the monster

at Perseus ubi haec vdit, gladium suum dxit et tlria induit ut volre posset. hc mod enim putbat s mnstrum occdere virginemque servre posse. tum dsuper in mnstrum impetum subit fcit, et gladi su collum eius graviter vulnervit. mnstrum ubi snsit vulnus, fremitum ingentem didit, et sine mor ttum corpus in aquam mersit. Perseus dum circum ltus volat, reditum eius exspectbat. mare autem intere undique mult crure nficitur. post breve tempus mnstrum iterum caput sustulit et fremitum extrmum didit; mox tamen Perse ct gravire vulnertum est. tum iterum s in unds mersit, neque poste vsum est neque fremits audt sunt.
(a) What tactics did Perseus use to kill the monster? (b) How many times does the monster sink under the water? 9. Perseus and Andromeda get married (Perseus Andromedam in mtrimnium dcit = Andromeda Perse nbit)

Perseus postquam ad ltus descendit, prmum tlria exuit. tum autem tlribus iterum indts ad rpem volvit ubi Andromedam adligata erat. ea autem

omnem spem saltis dposuerat, et ubi Perseus adiit, terrre paene exanimta erat. ille vincula statim solvit, et puellam patr reddidit. Cpheus ob hanc rem maxim gaudi adfectus est. meritam grtiam pr tant benefici Perse rettulit; praetere Andromedam ipsam e in mtrimnium dedit. ille libenter hoc dnum accpit et puellam dxit. paucs anns cum fmin in e regine habitbat, et in magn honre erat apud omns Aethiops. magnpere tamen mtrem suam iterum vidre optbat. tandem igitur, tlribus indts, cum fmin rgn Cphe volvit.
(a) What state was Andromeda in before Perseus freed her? (b) Why did Perseus eventually decide to fly away? 10. Polydectes is turned into stone

postquam Perseus et Andromeda ad nsulam Serphum advolvrunt, s ad locum contulrunt ubi mter Perse lim habitverat, sed domum invnrunt vacuam esse et omnn dsertam. trs dis per ttam nsulam mtrem quaerbant; tandem quart di ad templum pervnrunt. hc Dana refgerat, quod Polydectem timbat. Perseus ubi haec cognvit, r magn commtus est; ad rgiam Polydectis sine mor contendit, et ubi e vnit, statim in trium ambulvit. Polydects magn timre adfectus est et fugere optbat. dum tamen ille fugere cntur, Perseus caput Medsae mnstrvit; ille autem simul atque hoc vdit, in saxum versus est.
(a) What did they find at Danaes old house? (b) How long did it take them to find Danae, and where did they find her? (c) What state was Polydectes in when they found him? 11. Acrisius gives up the ghost

post haec Perseus cum fmin ad urbem Acrisi rediit. ille autem ubi Perseum vdit magn terrre adfectus est; nam ob rculum neptem suum adhc timbat. in Thessaliam igitur ad urbem Lrsam statim refgit ut mortem vderet, frstr tamen; neque enim ftum suum vtre potuit. post paucs anns rx Lrsae lds magns fcit; nntis in omns parts dmserat et diem dxerat. mult ex omnibus urbibus Graeciae ad lds convnrunt. ipse Perseus inter alis certmen discrum iniit. at dum discum conicit, avum suum cas occdit; Acrisius enim inter specttrs eius certminis frte stbat.
(a) What does Acrisius do when Perseus arrives? (b) How does Perseus finally kill his grandfather?