Ovid’s Flood from Metamorphoses

1. Ovid’s Floodfrom Metamorphoses

2. iamque erat in totās sparsurus fulmina terrās; erat...sparsurus – Jove, the king of the gods, is the subject Fulmina = acc. plural

3. sedtimuit, ne forte sacer tot abignibusaether conciperetflammaslongusqueardesceretaxis: • ne… conciperet…ardesceret – verb of fearing + subjunctive = fear clause! • conciperetflammas = burst into flames • ardesceret = burn • Axis = vault of heaven (the lovely arch of the horizon)

4. poenaplacetdiversa, genusmortale sub undis perdere et ex omninimbosdemitterecaelo. • Perdere…demittere = these actions serve as the direct object of placet; this is what Jove wanted to do. • Genus mortale = acc. sing; what are they the direct object of? • Nimbos = acc pl. what is it the direct object of? • Look at the first line; which type of noun-adjective pattern do we have?

5. Protinus Aeoliīs Aquilonem claudit in antrīs protinus = immediately Aeoliis –Aeolis is the god of winds; he resided in the area of Greece known as Aeolia, this is the region being discussed. aquilo = the northern wind which was thought to issue in winter…a calmer season. NOTE: what case is Aquilonem? claudit = who is the subject? antrīs: caverns

6. emittitqueNotum. madidīsNotusevolatalīs, emittit – has the same subject as the last several verbs. Notus = was the Greek god of the south wind. He was associated with the hot wind of midsummer, and brought the storms of late summer. Alīs= wings NOTE: what case is it?

7. barbagravisnimbis, canīsfluitundacapillīs; Barba – nom. “est” is understood as the verb. Unda – nom. Canīs…capillīs – what case? Why? What is the noun-adjective pattern?

8. fit fragor: hincdensifundunturabaetherenimbi • Fit = fio, fiere– to become, arise, be created • Fragor – crash (related to frangere, to break) • Hinc – then, next • Funduntur – passive voice

9. NeccaelocontentasuoestIovisira, sedillum caeruleusfrateriuvatauxiliaribusundis.  • nec – and…not; but…not • ira –which case? • illum – ille, illa, illus is often used when the focus switches back to a previous person or thing being spoken of. In this case the switch from ira to the god. • What is the noun-adj. pattern in the first line? The second?

10. Ipse tridentesuo terram percussit, at illa intremuit motūque vias patefecit aquarum. Ipse – used for emphasis; to intensify the subject. Illa – referring to terram. You can tell because both are feminine and sing. Motu – ablative of means Patefecit – exposed, revealed (think “patio”!)

11. exspatiataruunt per apertosfluminacampos exspatiatus, a, um – having been extended, spread out flumina – neuter plural. Is it the subject or direct object? Look at the verb for help. Is ruunt singular or plural? apertus, a, um : open Noun-adj. Pattern?

12. iamque mare et tellusnullumdiscrimenhabebant • mare and tellus are bothneuternouns. • Mare, maris – sea • Tellus, telleris – earth, land, shore • Discrimen—think about itsetymology: • Whenyou DISCRIMINATE against people, you createboundariesbetweenthem and yourself.

13. omnia pontus erant, derant quoque litora ponto. pontus: neut.acc.sing. Deep sea (like when you can’t see the shore because you are so far out) Desum, deesse, defui (+abl) – to be lacking, to be absent from, to abandon Litus, litoris – neuter ploral noun. shore

14. Occupathiccollem, cumbasedetalteraduncaet ducitremosillic, ubinuperarabat: hic…alter – this is a construction that aduncus, a, um: curved is comparing and contrasting two people collis: hill illic – to that place cumba: boat aro, arare, aravi – to plow

15. ille supra segetesautmersaeculminavillae navigat, hic summapiscemdeprendit in ulmo. Ille…hic – another contrast between people Segetes: crops Aut-or Mersae – from mergo, -ere, mersi, mersus – to sink Culmen, culminis – roof Summus, a, um – superlative of magnus; highest, greatest Ulmus: elm tree (weird looking 4th declension feminine noun)

16. nat lupus inter oves, fulvosvehitundaleones, • Nare : to swim • Ovis: shep • Vehit: think “vehicle” • Unda : nominative • Fulvus, a, um: tawny, light-brown

17. quaesitīsquediuterrīs, ubisisterepossit, -que:and NOTE: the first phrase is an ablative absolute Quaesitīs : quaero, -ere, quaesivi, quaesitus Diu: for a long time Sisto, -ere: to stop; to perch Possit: from possum, posse, potui (to be able) • What mood is this? Why?

18. in mare lassatīsvolucrisvaga decidit alīs. • Lasso, -are, -avi, lassatus: to fail • Decido, ere – to fall down • Volucris, is (f.): bird • Vagus, a, um : wandering • Noun-adj. pattern?

19. et, modo quā graciles gramen carpsēre capellae, • modo – just • quā – where • gramen –grass • Carpsēre – this is a contracted form of carsperunt and it means “chew, nibble” • Capella – she-goat

20. nunc ibi deformes ponunt suacorporaphocae. • deformis, is : ugly, shapeless, inelegant • phoca: seal

21. Analytical Skills • We often praise Ovid for his especially vivid, immediate language. Which phrase strikes you as most vivid? • What is it about the Latin that makes it so striking? • Word choice? • Word placement? • Use of literary devices?

22. iamque erat in totās sparsurus fulmina terrās; sedtimuit, ne forte sacer tot abignibusaether conciperetflammaslongusqueardesceretaxis:  poenaplacetdiversa, genusmortale sub undis perdere et ex omninimbosdemitterecaelo. Protinus Aeoliīs Aquilonem claudit in antrīs emittitqueNotum. madidīsNotusevolatalīs, barbagravisnimbis, canīsfluitundacapillīs; fit fragor: hincdensifundunturabaetherenimbi NeccaelocontentasuoestIovisira, sedillum caeruleusfrateriuvatauxiliaribusundis.  Ipse tridentesuo terram percussit, at illa intremuit motūque vias patefecit aquarum. exspatiataruunt per apertosfluminacampos iamque mare et tellusnullumdiscrimenhabebant.