DI: Overview

Image: an illustration of a man riding in a litter carried by four other men.

Overview: Caedes Foedissima - pars VI

Rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!

Let us judge all the rumors of severe old men
to be worth nothing but a penny!

Catullus, Poem 5

Pseudolus was in a terrible position. On the one hand, he has been trying to find the truth: who murdered Marcellus. On the other hand, he has been trying to keep himself and his protégé Selene safe from harm. So far, he has managed both goals while finding out a good deal of information. A new challenge now faced Pseudolus: the information about poison has led him on a trail straight to the emperor's own household. How strong was a Roman family, especially such a complicated one? Could Tiberius or Livia have been involved in the death of Marcellus?

Handouts: Study Guide and Reading Help 

As you progress through the module, please download and use the Study Guide Links to an external site. to assist you in your note taking. The study guide can help guide your understanding of the module and provides important practice for the concepts covered on each page. At the end of the module, you can then use the study guide as a tool to help prepare you for the module exam.

For Latin II, there will be a story told in parts, with each module telling a part of the story by presenting Latin reading passages. To successfully complete the reading for each module, please download the Reading Help Links to an external site. handout now and use it while completing the story lessons.

Essential Questions

  1. What is a relative pronoun?
  2. What is a relative clause?
  3. What is an antecedent?
  4. In what way do relative pronouns agree with their antecedent?
  5. What is an interrogative pronoun?
  6. What is an intensive pronoun?
  7. What are the forms of the relative, interrogative and intensive pronouns?
  8. What social unit constituted a Roman family?
  9. What is a pater familias and what were his powers?
  10. What was the purpose of adoption in ancient Rome?
  11. How were Roman wills similar to or different from modern wills?

Key Terms

  1. Pronoun - a subset of nouns which serve specific roles - personal, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, intensive, reflexive.
  2. Gender - masculine, feminine or neuter
  3. Number - singular or plural
  4. Case - how a noun or pronoun is being used in a sentence
  5. Relative Pronoun - a pronoun that resides within a subordinate clause, connecting that clause to an antecedent noun, providing additional information about that noun
  6. Antecedent - the noun to which a pronoun refers
  7. Relative Clause - a clause which contains a relative pronoun
  8. Interrogative Pronoun - a pronoun that is used to form a question
  9. Familia - a social unit that included all the members of a household, including slaves.
  10. Gens - a social unit that contained a collection of familiae.  Large and powerful Roman gens wielded great political power in Rome.  Being a member of a particular gens could establish a Roman’s general social status.  Famous gentes include: gens Iulia , gens Claudia, and gens Aemilia.
    • Nota Bene:
      • Iulia = Julia
      • The family nomina are feminine to agree with the noun: gens, gentis, f.
  11. Pater Familias - the eldest male of a household and the most powerful member of a family unit.  The pater familias held patria potestas
  12. Patria Potestas - the power of the pater familias, including power over life and death.  This also included control over marriages, and the responsibilities of passing on the mos maiorum.
  13. Matrona - the eldest female member of a household.  The matron was in charge of running the household, including coordinating slaves and household finances.
  14. Testamentum - a will.  Consider the English phrase “Last Will and Testament”

ALL RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.