Answer to Translation 5

Marcus, whose father was a farmer, used to work in the fields from day break until sunset. He gathered the grain which was carried to the city of Rome in carts. He often wanted to make this trip because he had not seen Rome.

Once his father said, "My son, because you have given me help for many days, I will take you with me to the city." When the grain was collected, they left the farmhouse. After five hours the father and his son were walking in the streets of the city. There they saw men who had come together from all the provinces.

On that day a famous general was coming in triumph with his soldiers through the Sacred Way. Great shouts of the citizens were heard because of his arrival. Marcus saw a slave who was holding a sword behind his back, and running toward the general. In a loud voice Marcus shouted, "Look, Romans! Catch that bad slave. He will kill our leader. I saw...!" But the slave was no longer there. He had fled!

Marcus was praised by everyone because he had saved the life of the general, and he received a large reward because of his courage.

Practice Translation 5

Marcus, cuius pater agricola erat, in agris a prima luce ad solis occasum laborabat. Frumentum cogebat quod ad urbem Romam carris portabatur. Hoc iter facere saepe cupiebat quod Romam non viderat.

Olim pater, "Quod, mi fili, " inquit, "mihi auxilium multos dies dedisti, te mecum ad urbem ducam." Ubi frumentum coactum est, a villa discesserunt. Post quinque horas pater filiusque eius in viis urbis ambulabant. Ibi homines qui ab omnibus provinciis convenerant viderunt.

Eo die per Viam Sacram cum militibus veniebat in triumpho imperator clarus. Propter eius adventum magni clamores civium audiebantur. Marcus servum vidit qui gladium post tergum tenebat et ad imperatorem currebat. Magna voce Marcus clamavit, "Spectate, Romani! Illum servum malum capite! Ducem nostrum interficiet. Vidi...!" Sed servus non iam aderat. Fugerat!

Marcus, quod vitam ducis servaverat, ab omnibus laudatus est et ob virtutem magnum praemium accepit.

Answer to Translation 4

The slave of an ancient king used to tell his master five stories every night. One night the king was disturbed by a great care; he did not sleep even after eight stories. And so he asked for eight stories again, which did not please the slave. "Master, what you wanted has already been done."

The king answered, "The stories which you told me were many, but short. I want a long story which has many words."

Then the slave began, "Once there was a farmer who had much money. In a town he gave money to a man and receved a hundred sheep. While he is leading these animals back, he comes near to a river, without any bridges, in which there is a great amount of water that day; and so he sees no way by which he can drive the sheep though the water. Finally he saw a boat in which two animals were placed and carried by the farmer."

When he said these words the slave was silent. The king begged him in this way: "Tell me the rest of your story."

The former answered, "The river is wide and deep, the boat is small, and there are many animals. If this farmer leads all his animals across the river, I will bring to an end the story which I began."