SP: Lesson - Reading Passage, Part 2
Suggestiones Primae, Part 2
The story continues. Before continuing, a reminder that you can use the SP Reading Help Links to an external site. handout to access the full Latin text along with notes on vocabulary and grammar. Some additional notes will be included as well. If you see a word or phrase highlighted in bold, check below the passage for additional information.
Chapter 3: Suggestiones Primae, part 2
After Anna left, another slave, Pharnaces, entered Pseudolus' study. Pharnaces served Octavia, Marcellus' mother. Although he was not well know to Pseudolus, Pharnaces spoke in confidence (in fide dixit),
| Another slave, Pharnaces, provides another clue. |
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"Magister, informationem habeo. Selene mihi credit. Abhinc paucos noctes, clamorem inter Agrippam Octaviamque audivi. Domina clamavit, 'Cur filium meum cadere cupivisti? Eras potens, sed Marcellus non; es et vetus et sapiens, sed Marcellus non. Cur filius meus te terruit?' Agrippa nihil in responso dixit, sed e cubiculo celerrime festinavit." Pseudolus miravit et servo gratias egit. Notes:
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Guiding Questions
Use the following context clues to help read the final paragraphs correctly. Also, don't forget to check your reading log for additional notes on vocabulary and grammar, if you need any help!
- What did Pharnaces hear a few nights ago?
- What did his mistress shout?
- Octavia compared Marcellus and Agrippa. What did she conclude?
- How does Agrippa respond?
Chapter 3: Suggestiones Primae, conclusion
Pseudolus multam informationem coegerat: alii servi et ancillae famas utiles parare potuerant. Selene res similes reportaverat: Pseudolo epistulam brevem dederat. Epistula informationem a cena Maecenatis habuit: Selene multas res auscultaverat. Una res iterum iterumque exstitit: viri potentes Marcellum non amaverunt. Nomen Agrippae erat infelix et periculosus. Erat potentissimus. Omnia diligenter contemplavit.
Dum putat, sibi dixit, "Necesse est mihi cavere et magna cum cura agere. Dictum Horatio est, ‘Dimidium facti qui coepit habet.’ Itaque memoriae meae nuntium scribam."
Notes:
- potentissimus – most powerful
- Dum putat: dum is regularly followed by the present tense, but the verb matches the tense of the main clause: While he was thinking...
- sibi: to himself.
- Necesse est mihi cavere: I must be careful – literally: it is necessary for me to...
- Dictum Horatio est: Horatio is dative of possession. Translate: Horace has a saying. Literally: There is a saying for Horace.
- ‘Dimidium facti qui coepit habet.’: A work that is begun well is already half done.
- memoriae: dative – for my memory
Investigation Notes: Part 2 and Conclusion
Pseudolus is visited by a slave named Pharnaces. He considers all the information he has been given so far. Consider how you would answer the following questions.
- Who is Pharnaces? (hint: this is not the historical figure!) For whom does Pharnaces work?
- How does Pharnaces claim to be credible (hint: he uses a reference)?
- Whom does Pharnaces claim were fighting? What was the content of their argument?
- What are Pseudolus’ conclusions after his two meetings?
- What do the three new characters (Maecenas, Anna, Pharnaces) add to the story? What becomes clear about how Pseudolus must run his investigation - can he go straight to the top to ask questions? What do you think Pseudolus will do with the information he gathered in this segment of the story?
- What does the current story show about slavery in Rome? How did slaves interact with each other? How do they relate with their masters?
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