FAM: Lesson - Sight Reading Passage, Part 1

The image shows an illustration of the Villa Jovis

Sight Reading Passage, 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 Familia 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 Familia Sight Passage Work File Links to an external site.. It contains questions and exercises about the content and grammar found in the passage. Join Decimus at the dinner party and discover Roman hospitality.

Illustration Information: Villa Jovis, Reconstructed by by Carl Weichardt (1846-1906), German architect.

Sight Passage Part 1

  • Amici, diem perdidi. - Friends, I have lost a day.
  • Imperator Titus said these words upon realizing that he had done no good deeds on a particular day.

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

Sight Reading Passage, Part 1 - In Regia Imperatoris Titi

Latin Text

Notes and Vocabulary Help

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

Imperator Titus Decimum ad regiam vocavit. In atrio steterunt. Imperator dixit, “Iterum, Decime, magna facta pro Roma fecisti. Vigiles mei mihi reportaverunt: ‘Decimus multos populos servavit. Bene fecit.’ Ceteri cives de virtute mihi narraverunt. Ob nuntios, te iterum augeo. Eris Praefectus Praetorio. Praetorianis imperabis et mecum de tota urbe consules. Locum praefecti sub patre meo habui - est summus locus militi.”

Decimus respondit, “Magnopere me iterum celebras! Te magno cum honore servabo.”
  • Praefectus Praetorio - Praetorian Prefect (praefectus is a military rank)
  • consules - you will consult (consulo, consulere, consului, consultus)
  • Locum - rank (locus, loci, m.)
  • summus - highest (summus, summa, summum)
  • militi - for a soldier (dative)

Titus extendit, “Bene! Multum opus facere habemus! In regia mea nunc habitabis et solus me caute custodies. Amphitheatrum novum est paene absolutum. Necesse est mihi aedificium ludis celebrare. Nonnulla consilia parabis: assigna praetorianos custodes in caveis: lege milites bonos. Memoriam tene: praetorianis iam imperas: inveni et auge milites in praetorianos.”
  • extendit - continued (extendo, extendere, extendi, extensus)
  • caute - carefully (note: adverb from cautus, cauta, cautum - careful; cautious)
  • ludis - with games (note: ablative of means)
  • custodes - as guards (note: predicate accusative)
  • Memoriam tene: - Remember (idiom: memoriam tenere - to hold a memory of = to remember)

Decimus dixit, “Ita, Imperator! Mei duo socii, Rufus et Maximus, Pompeiis me magnopere adiuverunt. Praetorianos bene servabunt et ludis adiuvabunt.”

Titus respondit, “Vere! Unum reliquum: convenistine filiam sororis meae? Flavia, eveni!” Tum Flavia apparuit: ex ala in atrium evenit.

Decimus exclamavit, “Flavia! Eheu! Gratias deis!”

Flavia risit et dixit, “Post cenam, navem ascenderam. Illa nocte ad caput Tiberis fluminis  navigavimus et Romam reddidi. De eruptione montis Vesuvii postmodo audivi.”
  • Pompeiis - in Pompeii (note: this is called the locative case)
  • Unum reliquum: - One other thing:
  • navem ascenderam - I had boarded a ship (navem ascendere: idiom - to board a ship)
  • Illa nocte - That night (note: ablative of time)
  • Tiberis fluminis - of the Tiber River
  • Romam - to Rome (note: accusative of place to which)
  • postmodo - later

Duo amici paucas horas laete dicebant.

Dum Decimus Flaviae dicit, Domitianus, frater Titi, ad imperatorem appropinquavit. Dixit, “Ave, frater. Quid fecisti? Quis est miles? Cur hunc nullum auxisti? Locum mihi promisisti.”

Titus respondit, “Tace, frater. Memoriam tui non deposui! Semper me adiuvisti! Populi autem et alii milites Decimum respiciunt. Erit magnus praefectus. Me facere bona facta adiuvabit. Noli esse invidus! Sustine Praefectum Decimum.”

Iratus Domitianus ab Imperatore ambulavit.
  • paucas horas - for a few hours (note: accusative of extent of time)
  • hunc nullum - this nobody
  • Memoriam tui non deposui! - I haven't forgotten you! (idiom: memoriam deponere + gen = to forget)
  • Sustine - Support (imperative. sustineo, sustinere, sustinui, sustentus)

Practice Activity

Mosaic Images from VRoma Links to an external site..