CEN: Lesson - Sight Reading Passage - Cena Fauni

An image showing the interior of a Roman house.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 case and use of the nouns? Is the noun functioning as an indirect object or showing possession? Is the noun the subject or the object of a preposition? 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 Cena 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 at the dinner party and discover Roman hospitality.

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

Nota bene: The recording of this passage includes some additional background noises, simulating the sound of a party.

Sight Reading Passage: Cena Fauni
Latin Text Notes and Translation Help

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

Dum Decimus est in urbe, non in caupona sed in villa amici remanet. Decimus amico pecuniam non debet. Amicus Decimi est bonus hospes et necessitates hospitis curat.
  • Dum - While (note: match tense of main verb)
  • caupona - inn (caupona, cauponae, f.)
  • hospes...hospitis - host...guest (note: the noun hospes can be used for both "host" and "guest" - use context to tell which usage is appropriate)
  • necessitates - needs (necessitas, necessitatis, f.)

Mane servus ad villam amici apparuit. Servus vocavit, "Militem, Decimum, rogo. Sum a Villa Fauni, servus Gaii Saturnini. Epistulam porto. Necesse est mihi Decimo epistulam dare. Obtine, Decime, epistulam! Specta epistulam, tum reponde mihi. Meo domino responsum tuum dabo."
  • Mane - In the morning (note: adverb)
  • Necesse est mihi - I must (literally: It is necessary for me to...)
  • Meo - my (note: this is the adjective meus, mea, meum)
  • tuum - your (note: this is the adjective tuus, tua, tuum)

Decimus epistulam spectavit. Epistula erat invitatio ad cenam in Villa Fauni. Decimus servo respondit, "Ita! Ibi ero cras. Ad cenam in Villa Fauni apparebo. Da tuo domino responsum meum!"
  • Ita! - Yes! (note: adverb, literally: thus)
  • Ibi - There (note: adverb)
  • cras - tomorrow (note: adverb)
  • Da - Give (note: this is the imperative form)

Secundo vespere

Decimus non erat tardus ad cenam. Gaius Decimum salutavit, "Salve, Decime! Cena bene in Villa Fauni!" Decimus villam per vestibulum et atrium intraverat et triclinium circumspectabat. Multum cibum in mensa vidit: gustatio erat ova et acetarium cum boletis et vinum. Tum primam mensam vidit: erat pavo et porcus et nuces et piscis et panis et vinum. Tandem secudam mensam vidit: erat mulsum et mala. Magnam cenam habuit et ab ovo usque ad mala cenabat.
  • Secundo vespere - On the next evening
  • tardus - late (note: this is the adjective tardus, tarda, tardum)
  • acetarium cum boletis - salad with mushrooms
  • nuces et piscis - nuts and fish

Quoque erant multi populi. Gaius Saturninus et Cassia, uxor Gaii, erant hospites. Multi amici cum hospitibus cenabant: senatores a Roma et clari viri a Pompeio cenam delectabant. Decimi dux, Publius Cornelius, quoque cenabat. Flavia prope Cassiam sedebat. Viri in lectis recumbabant; feminae in cathedris sedebant. Servi ad hospites cibum et vinum portabant. Poetae clara carmina recitabant; erat musica quoque. Poeta unus carmina de amore recitabat.
  • clari - famous (note: this is the adjective clarus, clari, clarum)
  • recumbabant - were reclining (recumbo, recumbare, recumbavi, recumbatus)
  • Poeta unus - A particular poet (literally: one poet)

Dum poeta carmina recitat, Decimus Flaviam spectabat. Putavit, "Si Flavia ad me vocaverit, ridebo et laete respondebo." Mox Flavia Decimo fabulam narrabat et Decimus risit et Flaviae repondit. Fabula Flaviae Decimum delectavit; Flavia Decimum delectavit.
  • vocaverit - calls (note: this is a future perfect verb in a "si" clause, so it is translated in the English present tense)
  • laete - happily (note: adverb)
  • fabulam - story (fabula, fabulae, f.)
  • delectavit - fascinated (delecto, delectare, delectavi, delectatus)

Decimi dux, P. Cornelius, Flaviam quoque spectabat. Decimum vidit et erat iratus et invidus: Flavia Cornelium delectavit! Publius Cornelius Decimo imperavit, "Festina, Decime, statim ad Misenum. Reporta ad Admiralem Plinium ibi. Noli dubitare. Da Plinio nuntium tuum de aquaductu et balneis."
  • quoque - also (note: adverb)
  • iratus - angry (note: this is the adjective iratus, irata, iratum)
  • invidus - jealous (note: this is the adjective invidus, invida, invidum)
  • statim - immediately (note: adverb)
  • Admiralem Plinium - Admiral Pliny (note: Pliny is the commanding naval officer at Misenum)
  • de aquaductu - about the aqueduct

Decimus respondit, "Statim, Dux Corneli!" Duci paruit. Decimus a cena statim festinavit et non etiam Flaviae inquit, "Vale."
  • non etiam - not even (note: adverb)
  • inquit - he says (note: inquit is an special verb that only appears in the 3rd person)

Practice Activity

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