VES: Lesson - Sight Reading Passage - Rescue, Part 1

The image shows Romans outside of a temple.

Sight Reading Passage - Rescue, Part 1

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 Vesuvius 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.

If you would like additional practice with the sight passage, please download the Vesuvius Sight Passage Work File Links to an external site.. It contains questions and exercises about the content and grammar found in the passage. Will Decimus find Admiral Pliny and his friends?

Sight Passage Part 1

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

Sight Reading Passage, Part 1: Mors Plinii et Ruina Pompeiiorum
Latin Text Translation Notes and Vocabulary Help

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

Secundo mane:

Decimus auctoritates audivit et Plinio paruerat. Decimus familiam Plinii curaverat. Decimus Plinio Secundo et sorori Plinii, "Nolite," narraverat, "relinquere! Ad urbem navigabo et Admiralem Plinium adiuvabo. Si revenero, vobis renuntiabo."
  • Secundo mane - The next morning
  • auctoritates - orders (auctoritas, auctoritatis, f.)
  • Plinio Secundo - Pliny the Younger
  • Si revenero - If I return (note: future perfect is often used with si - if. When used with si, translate as though it is a present tense verb.)

Decimus cum legione reconciliaverat. Cum Rufo et Maximo et legione convenit. "Cogite," dixit, "viros et materias. Ascendite naves. Hodie trans mare navigamus. Necesse est nobis cedere ad Admiralem Plinium et cives Pompeiorum adiuvare. Cavete! Est multum periculum in urbe."

Decimus in nave tacebat; de Flavia et de Gaio Cassiaque et de Admirale Plinio et etiam de duce, Publio Cornelio, putabat.
  • Decimus...reconciliaverat - Decimus had rejoined... (reconcilio, reconciliare, reconciliavi, reconciliatus)
  • "Cogite," dixit, "viros..." - He said, "Gather the men..." 
  • (note: the speaking verb is often placed after the first word of the quote in Latin, so "Cogite," dixit, "viros..."
     should be translated Dixit, "Cogite viros...")
  • convenit - He met (convenio, convenire, conveni, conventus)
  • Ascendite - Board (imperative: ascendo, ascendere, ascendi, ascensus)
  • Necesse est nobis cedere...et...adiuvare - We must go and help... (literally: It is necessary for us to...)
  • etiam - also, even (note: this is an adverb)

Decimus et socii et milites legionis cum viris novis et materiis trans mare navigaverunt. Ad litus advenerunt. Statim ruinam viderunt. Primo Plinium petiverunt. Admiralem non spectaverunt, sed mox militem prope litus invenerunt.

Miles Decimo, "Venistine?" inquit "Bene!"

Decimus, "Ita," respondit. "Viros et materias habeo. Ubi est Admiralis Plinius?"

Miles, "Ego," exclamavit, "tibi gratias ago! Noster autem admiralis, Plinius, cecidit. Tamen multi populi adhuc vivunt. Necesse est nobis homines et mulieres invenire et eripere."
  • socii - allies (socius, socii, m.)
  • novis - new (adjective, describing viris - novus, nova, novum)
  • litus - shore (litus, litoris, n.)
  • Statim - Immediately (note: this is an adverb)
  • ruinam - ruin, destruction (ruina, ruinae, f.)
  • Miles Decimo, "Venistine?" inquit "Bene!" - The soldier said to Decimus, "Have you come? Excellent!"
  • Ita - yes
  • autem - however (note: postpositive adverb)
  • Tamen - nevertheless (note: this is an adverb)
  • adhuc - still (note: this is an adverb)
  • Necesse est nobis - We must (literally: It is necessary for us to...)

Decimus statim de Flavia putavit. De salutate Flaviae desperavit. Officium autem timorem vicit. Decimus consilium cepit. Militibus legionis et viris novis, "Tu," imperavit, "Rufe, viros novos duces. Tu, Maxime, cum materiis cedes. Ego legionem nostram ducam. Petite in cinere et aedificiis. Invenite populos! Invenite ducem nostrum! Invenite vestros amicos familiasque! Servate cives Pompeiorum!"
  • De salutate Flaviae desperavit. - He (Decimus) despaired for Flavia's safety. (alternative: He worried about Flavia's wellbeing.)
  • nostram - our (noster, nostra, nostrum)
  • cinere - ash (cinis, cineris, m/f)
  • vestros - your (plural - vester, vestra, vestrum)
  • Petite...Invenite...Servate - Search...Find...Save (note: these are all plural imperatives)

Multas horas Decimus et milites petiverunt. Multos viros et feminas et liberos invenerunt et servaverunt. Tamen multi et milites et cives exspiraverunt. Decimus naves cum populis complevit, et populos ab litore misit. Tandem cinis et fuma Decimum et viros superaverunt. In navem fugerunt et a ruina navigaverunt. Mons Vesuvius Pompeios absolute vastaverat.

Decimus neque Ducem Cornelium neque Flaviam invenit.
  • Multas horas - For many hours (note: this is called accusative of duration)
  • multi et milites et cives - many people, both soldiers and citizens
  • absolute - completely (note: this is an adverb)
  • neque...neque - neither...nor (note: you can also translate this "did not find either...or")

Practice Activity