VIL: Lesson - Sight Reading Passage - A Day at the Theater

The image shows an illustration of a Roman theater's stage.Sight Reading Passage

It is very important to practice reading and understanding Latin sentences. Below you will find a sight reading passage. Read each sentence aloud. Think about the tense of each verb you encounter. Is it present, imperfect, future, perfect, pluperfect or future perfect? Then practice translating each sentence into English. As you meet new vocabulary words in the story, think about English cognates and context within the sentences to help you decipher the meaning. Once you have read through the story, please use the Villa Sight Passage Reading Guide Links to an external site., to take a closer look at the passage. The Reading Guide contains several vocabulary and grammar notes to help you understand what you are reading more clearly. The reading guide will help prepare you for the module test. Join Decimus and friends at the theater.

Please listen to the narration of the Latin passage as you read along with the text below.

Sight Reading Passage - A Day at the Theater
Latin Text Notes and Vocabulary Help

Note: words/phrases that are in bold are explained in the Notes section

Decimus et Flavia Gaium Saturninum et uxorem Cassiam in Villa Fauni visitabant. Extra tabernam remanserant. Subito servus Flaviam salutavit. Tum Decimus et Flavia villam intraverant. Primo per vestibulum in atrium ambulaverant. Statua fauni in vestibulo stetit.

Cassia in atrio Flaviam et Decimum salutaverat. In atrio, Decimus picturas in muro viderat. Flavia in atrio remanserat dum Decimus tablinum circumspectat.
  • uxorem Cassiam - his wife, Cassia
  • Fauni - of the Faun
  • Primo - First (note: this is an adverb)
  • fauni - of the faun
  • picturas in muro - murals (note: literally, this means "pictures on the wall")
  • dum Decimus...circumspectat - while Decimus was looking around... (note: the verb following "dum" will always match the time of the main verb)

Flavia ab atrio moverat. Ancillam in cubiculo viderat. Ancilla cubiculum lavabat. Flavia servos in culina quoque spectaverat. Decimus peristylium et hortum laudaverat. Tandem Decimus et Flavia et Gaius et Cassia in triclinio cenabant. Cassia carmen recitavit. Tum Gaius exclamavit, "Cras, Flavia et Decime, ad theatrum ambulabimus. Si in villa remanseritis, ludum non videbitis! Ambulate nobiscum ad theatrum."
  • quoque - also (note: adverb)
  • carmen - poem
  • Cras - tomorrow (note: adverb)
  • Si in villa remanseritis - If you remain in the house (note: remanseritis is future perfect, but is here translated in English in the present tense)
  • ludum - play (a theatrical play)
  • nobiscum - with us

Prima luce Decimus cum Flavia et Gaio et Cassia ex villa ambulavit. Per vias festinaverunt. In Foro populi in aedificiis stabant. Erant multi populi! Cassia retinuit. Deam Iunonem in templo adoravit. Gaius retinuit. Basilicam intravit et epistulam obtinuit. Interim Decimus cum Flavia haesit et circumambulaverunt. Praeter macellum et pistrinum moverunt. Flavia balneas laudavit. Decimus Flaviam laudavit.
  • in aedificiis - in buildings
  • Deam Iunonem - the goddess Juno
  • interim - meanwhile (note: adverb)
  • Praeter - Past (note: this is a preposition, used with the accusative)

Tandem Decimus et Flavia erant ad theatrum. Gaium et Cassiam viderunt. Una theatrum intraverunt. Theatrum tres partes habebat: scaena et orchestra et cavea. Actores in scaena stabant; Chorus in orchestra remanebat; populi in cavea sedebant. Gaius et Cassia cum Decimo et Flavia in ima cavea sederunt. Decimus nuntiavit, "Sede, Flavia, prope me.
  • Tandem - Finally (adverb)
  • ad - at (note: "ad" usually means "to" but can also be "at")
  • Una - together (note: adverb)
  • tres partes - three parts
  • ima cavea - the lowest seats (note: these were the seats closest to the stage, reserved for the most wealthy patrons)

Si riseris, ridebo quoque." Ludus primus erat comedia et populi ridebant. Ludus secundus erat tragoedia et Flavia lacrimavit. Dum Flavia ludos spectat, Decimus Flaviam spectabat. Ludus Flaviam delectat; Flavia Decimum delectat. Fine ludorum populi actores et chorum celebrabant.
  • Si riseris - If you laugh (note: riseris is future perfect, but translates in English in the present tense)
  • Ludus primus - The first play
  • Ludus secundus - The second play
  • Dum - While (note: remember to match the tense to the main verb: While...was watching...)
  • delectat - fascinates
  • Fine ludorum - At the end of the play

Practice Activity