2nd ANNUAL CAPITAL CERTAMEN – FEBRUARY 2002
Sponsored by the Maryland Senior Classical League


LEVEL II
ROUND II

1 Translate the two adjectives in this English sentence into Latin: Even though the elephant at the zoo is bigger, this is the biggest one we’ve ever seen today. MAIOR, MAXIMUS
Now, translate the adjectives indicated in these sentences:
A The lions try to chase the larger elephants but constantly overtake them. MAIORES
B The lions find more competition when chasing smaller and faster wildebeests. CELERIORES

2 This man, a grandson of Scipio Africanus, put forth some of the land reform of the late 2nd century BC, only to be murdered by the Senate because of his anti-patrician measures. TIBERIUS GRACCHUS
A Who was Tiberius Gracchus’ mother? CORNELIA
B His grandfather defeated Hannibal at what battle in Africa, effectively ending the 2nd Punic War.
[Battle of] ZAMA

3 Place these cities in order from west to east: Lutetium, Olympia, Roma. LUTETIUM, ROMA, OLYMPIA
A What modern day city is Lutetium. PARIS
B What was the Roman name for London. LONDINIUM

4 Who wore the toga candida? CANDIDATES
A What was the length of a term for consul in the Roman Republic. ONE YEAR
B How many years were ex-consuls supposed to wait before being to run again for the consulship.
TEN YEARS

5 She was left on the island of Naxos by Theseus on his return from Crete to Athens.
ARIADNE
A What mother of Ariadne sired the mintotaur with a bull? PASIPHAE
B Who was Pasiphae’s husband? MINOS

6 Canine and feline are obviously derived from the Latin nouns canis and felis, cat and dog. From what Latin noun is the zoological adjective bovine derived? BOS, bovis
A What is the meaning of that Latin noun? COW
B What is the genitive plural of bos? BOVUM

7 What is the 2nd person singular, future active indicative of the 3rd conjugation verb that means to put or place. PONES
A Make pones future perfect. POSUERIS
B Make posueris passive. POSITUS ERIS

8 Translate the two verbs in this sentence: He says that you are thinking wrong. NARRAT/DICIT, PUTARE
A In the previous sentence, change “thinking” to “thought.” PUTAVISSE
B Now change “thought” to “will think.” PUTATURUM/PUTATURAM ESSE

9 What title was given to the spokesman of the plebians who was allowed to veto the laws passed by the Senate. Tiberius Gracchus held this post in the late 2nd century BC. TRIBUNE
A What office in the cursus honorum was a financially-related position that involved keeping track of the money. He can be thought of as a treasurer in many respects. QUAESTOR
B What office was in charge of putting on the public games? AEDILE

10 Julius Caesar and the rest of the Julian clan claimed that they were descended from what goddess?
VENUS
A By what son of Venus did they claim this lineage. AENEAS
B Through which son of Aeneas did they further claim this lineage. IULUS or ASCANIUS

11 Translate this Latin sentence into English: Putamus eum cucurrisse ab suo patre.
WE THINK THAT HE RAN AWAY FROM HIS (OWN) FATHER
A In the previous sentence, change the infinitive cucurrisse to the future active. CURSURUS ESSE
B Make “currere” passive. CURRI

12 A vestal virgin devoted how many years of her life to their service. THIRTY YEARS
A If a vestal virgin were to break her vow of celibacy, what would be her punishment. BURIAL ALIVE
B Not only did they manage the hearth, but the vestal virgins also maintained what personal documents.
WILLS

13 What elderly couple were turned into the oak and linden trees? BAUCIS & PHILEMON
A What two gods visited Baucis and Philemon? JUPITER & MERCURY
B For their kindness, Baucis and Philemon were saved from what disaster? A FLOOD

14 Hadrian was the first Roman emperor to fashion what facial feature that had previously been merely a Greek practice? BEARD
A This Roman emperor was the first to be born outside of Italy and reigned at the time of the largest extent of the Empire. Name this emperor who reigned from AD 98-117 and was succeeded by his adopted son Hadrian.
TRAJAN
B What territory, modern-day Romania, caused the extent of the empire to decrease between the reigns Trajan and Hadrian? DACIA

15 Ovid was exiled by what emperor to the Pontus Euxinus? AUGUSTUS
A If one were exiled to Syracuse, what island would he or she be on? SICILY
B What other Mediterranean island could serve as a place for exile, especially at the capital city of Knossos?
CRETE

16 The English word barbarian is derived from what Latin word meaning bearded? BARBARUS
A What color hair would someone with the nomen “Flavius” usually have? BLOND/YELLOW
B How about someone with the nomen Rufus? RED

17 What TV game show would the Romans have called: Dicere Verum. TO TELL THE TRUTH
A Try this TV show: Lex Ordoque. LAW & ORDER
B And this TV show: In Stellas Iter. STAR TREK

18 Give three Latin words that might serve as the origin for the English word ‘regal’.
REX, REGINA, REGIA, REGNUM, OR REGO
A Give another English derivative from these words.
REIGN, REGENT, REGICIDE, INTERREGNUM, etc
B Give an English derivative from the Latin word for a general. IMPERIAL, EMPEROR, EMPIRE, etc

19 This couple, who communicated through a crack in the wall, met their end when they tried to meet each other at a mulberry tree. PYRAMUS & THISBE
A What item of Thisbe’s did Pyramus find stained with blood. VEIL
B What animal bloodied that veil? LIONESS


20 Translate as an ablative absolute, “when Caesar was leader.” CAESARE DUCE
A Translate as an ablative absolute, “when Caesar was killed.” CAESARE INTERFECTO
B Translate as an ablative absolute, “since the citizens were brave.” CIVIBUS FORTIBUS