2011 LUPERCALIA CERTAMEN TOURNAMENT
LOWER LEVEL
ROUND 1
1. Welcome to the 2011 Lupercalia Tournament. Think about this sentence: We hope that you play well. Translate “we hope” in that sentence into Latin. SPERĀMUS
B1. How would the whole sentence translate into Latin? Nos SPERĀMUS TĒ/VŌS BENE LUDERE
B2. Change that sentence to mean, “We wished that you had won.”
CUPĪVIMUS/VOLUIMUS TĒ/VŌS VICISSE/SUPERAVISSE
2. In 59 BC, this man married a woman named Julia. He also had a son whom history remembers as a pirate, and was killed in Egypt after being defeated in battle by Julius Caesar. What man gave himself the name Magnus? Gn. POMPEIUS (POMPEY) Magnus
B2. Caesar was married three times, but which of those was Julia’s mother? CORNELIA
B1. Give the name of Pompey’s son who harassed Italy’s grain supply from Sicily.
SEXTUS POMPEIUS (POMPEY)
3. The oldest Latin inscription of substantial length outlawed the worship of this Roman deity in Italy except by decree of the senate. Who was this god known to carry the thyrsus and responsible for ritual madness and wine? BACCHUS, LIBER
B1. In Greek mythology, Dionysus is the son of Zeus and what mortal who was incinerated when she tricked Zeus into revealing himself to her? SEMELE
B2. Bacchus' tutor was Silenus, the chief of what mythological creatures known as bearded, pipe-playing, companions of Bacchus and Pan? SATYRS
4. Given the name Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, which is the man’s nomen? CORNELIUS
B1. According to Roman customs of naming, what would his daughter’s name be? CORNELIA
B2. If Cornelius is his nomen, what is Africanus? AGNOMEN
5. The ancient biographer Suetonius gives us quite a few famous quotes from his subjects. What Roman emperor apparently said, at the moment of his death, “Qualis artifex pereo,” which translates to “Oh what an artist dies in me”? So too did his dynasty, because he was the last Julio-Claudian emperor. NERO
B1. Which other Julio-Claudian is quoted on his deathbed saying, “Acta est fabula. Plaudite”? AUGUSTUS
B2. What other Julio-Claudian couldn’t believe he was actually dying and said, “Adhuc vivo!” This is probably because he thought he was Jupiter reincarnate. CALIGULA
6. This Roman king ruled from 673-642 BC and oversaw the destruction of Alba Longa. He also is credited with building the first curia, which bore his name until it burned down and was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and Augustus. Name Rome’s third king. TULLUS HOSTILIUS
B1 and B2. Name both Tullus’ predecessor and successor. NUMA POMPILIUS, ANCUS MARCIUS
7. Give the second person, plural, imperfect, passive, indicative form of audiō, audīre. AUDIĒBAMINI
B1. Translate that form. YOU WERE (BEING) HEARD
B2. Change audiēbāmini to the pluperfect active subjunctive AUDĪVISSETIS
8. Name the father of these mythical sons: Polydorus, Polites, Helenus, Troilus, Paris, and Hector. PRIAM
B1. Name the daughter of Priam who was cursed with the gift of prophecy? CASSANDRA
B2. Who was both Cassandra’s mother and Priam’s wife? HECUBA
9. Distinguish in meaning between the verbs morior and moror. MORIOR = TO DIE; MOROR = TO STAY
B1. What about solus and soleō? SOLUS = ALONE/ONLY; SOLEŌ = TO BE ACCUSTOMED
B2. What about servō and serviō?
SERVŌ = TO SAVE, GUARD, PROTECT; SERVIO = TO SERVE, BE A SLAVE
10. This city took six years to build and was fully settled in 330 AD. It was modeled on the city of Rome and its name persisted all the way into the twentieth century, when the Turkish leaders renamed it Istanbul. Name this capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. CONSTANTINOPLE
B1. The name apparently lasted a lot longer than the Empire for which it was the capital. In what year did the Eastern Roman Empire fall? 1453 AD
B2. By what other name do historians refer to the Eastern Roman Empire? BYZANTINE
11. This meal replaced the cena in later times as the main meal eaten at mid-day for many Romans. Name the meal that often consisted of breads, cheeses, and (if you were lucky) cured meat. PRANDIUM
B1. What did Romans call breakfast? IENTACULUM
B2. In early Rome, cena was the mid-day meal and not the nighttime dinner we might think of. What Roman meal is this that gets its name from the Latin word for evening? VESPERNA
11. The year is AD 2011. Express this year in Roman numerals. MMXI
B1. On which day of this month (we’re in February, if you’re not sure!) does the Ides fall? 13TH
B2. Today's date is February 12th. How would the Romans have rendered this date (Latin or English)?
A.D. II IDIBUS FEBRUARIIS/the SECOND DAY BEFORE THE IDES OF FEBRUARY
12. What case is used to show place where with the names of cities and towns? LOCATIVE
B1. The locative looks like what two noun cases? One in the singular and one in the plural.
SINGULAR = GENITIVE; PLURAL = ABLATIVE
B2. “Titus decided to stay at Athens.” Translate the place construction in that sentence into Latin. ATHENĪS
13. Cadmus was sent by his father King Agenor to look for this sister, and in doing so founded Thebes. Name this young girl who was abducted by Zeus in the guise of a white bull. EUROPA
B1. What constellation did Zeus create in the shape of that white bull? TAURUS
B2. In addition to turning himself into a bull, Zeus also turned which other of his love affairs into a bull to hide her from Hera? IO
14. Give the correct form of the relative pronoun in this sentence: “Certamen, which you are playing, is a lot of fun.” QUOD
B1. Give the correct form of the relative pronoun in this sentence. “Every year there are several certamina in which you can participate. (IN) QUIBUS
B2. Now, give the correct form of the indefinite pronoun in this sentence. “I saw someone playing certamen.”
ALIQUEM
15. Much like a resumé, give the full Latin phrase for which c.v. is an abbreviation. CURRICULUM VITAE
B1. Translate curriculum vitae into English. COURSE OF LIFE (or similar)
B2. Perhaps on your c.v. one day will be the letters, M.A. Give the Latin phrase for which this is an abbreviation. MAGISTER ARTIUM
LOWER LEVEL
ROUND 2
1. What famous Roman was consul when Gaius Octavius, later to be known as Augustus, was born? Name this famous ego-maniac who later spoke frequently about how he saved Rome from certain destruction. Marcus Tullius CICERO
B1. In what year was Cicero consul and Octavian born? 63 BC
B2. What man attempted to overthrow the state and have Cicero killed during his consulship?
Lucius Sergius CATILINA (CATILINE)
2. Give the Latin for the abbreviation R.I.P. REQUIĒSCAT IN PACE
B1. What is the full English translation of that phrase?
MAY HE/LET HIM REST IN PEACE (prompt if the response is “rest in peace”)
B2. What use of the subjunctive is this? JUSSIVE
3. From Roman history, in what city would you have found the following figures: Gaius Clulius, Mettius Fufetius, Numitor, Amulius, and Rhea Silvia? ALBA LONGA
B1. Who is credited by Livy as the founder of Alba Longa? ASCANIUS
B2. How were the kings Numitor and Amulius related? They were BROTHERS
4. Originally, these ludī only took place during the Consualia, an agricultural celebration. Quickly though, Romans became captivated by their loyalties to the different factionēs. Name this popular Roman pastime that took place in the Circus Maximus. LUDĪ CIRCENSES/CHARIOT RACING
B1. Give the Latin term and its English meaning for the item used to signal the start of a chariot race?
MAPPA, NAPKIN/HANDKERCHIEF
B2. Which emperor tried to add two additional chariot factions, purple and gold? DOMITIAN
5. Had Hera not intervened and provoked several Amazons to violence, what hero would have stolen a girdle from the queen of the Amazons? HERAKLES (HERCULES also acceptable)
B1. Give the answer to this math problem in Latin: Take the number of Hercules’ labors, subtract number of Cerberus’ heads, and subtract again the number of heads on the hydra. NIHIL/NĪL
B2. Hera also tried to attack Heracles while he was fighting the Lernaean Hydra. Give the Latin for the name of the creature Hera sent, which was later a constellation after Hercules crushed it. CANCER
6. Listen to the following story which I will read twice and then answer the question that follows in English. Lucius, praefectus castrōrum, centuriōnibus iussa dedit quī militēs parārent. Deinde legatus multa consilia capere coepit. Itaque, legatus cum Luciō conversatiōnem habēbat. Lucius eī respondit, “Rex inimicus mē corrumpere temptāvit, sed sum vir summae fideī.” Lucius, quī blanditiās rēgis spernēbat, omnia legatō patefēcit.
Here’s the question: What two men are speaking to each other? LEGATUS and LUCIUS
B1. What were Lucius’ orders to the centurions? TO GET THE SOLDIERS READY (or similar)
B2. Why does Lucius describe himself as vir summae fideī?
HE WOULDN’T ALLOW THE KING TO BRIBE HIM (or similar)
7. This Roman god was known as Sethlans by the Etruscans, but to the Romans sometimes as Mulciber. His more common Latin name is thought possibly to derive from the Latin noun fulmen. The Greeks call him Hephaestos. What deity was the focus of the August 23rd celebration, the Vulcanalia? VULCANus
B1. What does the Latin noun fulmen mean in English? LIGHTNING
B1. All major gods in the Roman pantheon had priests to look after them. What Latin word, similar to fulmen, is used for this priestly position? FLAMEN
8. It is about time for the Oscars, so let’s try some Cinema Romana. What film out in theaters now would the Romans have called Cygnus Niger? BLACK SWAN
B1. Keeping with the colorful theme, what film would be Crabo Viridis? THE GREEN HORNET
B2. What film, also in theaters, would the Romans have called Nulla Fila Adhaesita?
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
9. In 33 BC, Octavian had his ally Agrippa elected to this position so he could do things like build five hundred water fountains, construct a new aqueduct, and give free games to the people of Rome. What government position was in charge of public works and putting on games? AEDILE
B1. The aedileship was not considered a true part of the standard course of offices in the Roman world. How did the Romans refer to this sequence of positions in the government? CURSUS HONŌRUM
B2. Name the three positions of the cursus honōrum in order from lowest to highest.
QUAESTOR, PRAETOR, CONSUL
10. Distinguish in meaning between the nouns virī and virēs. VIRĪ = MEN; VĪRĒS = POWER, STRENGTH
B1. Give the nominative singular for the word that means “strength” or “violence.” VĪS
B2. What term, roughly translated to “concerning violence,” was used as a charge in Roman law courts? DĒ VĪ
11. What is the perfect active infinitive of the verb from which we derive the English noun "spectator"?
SPECTĀVISSE
B1. Change spectāvisse to the present passive. SPECTĀRĪ
B2. Translate spectārī in this sentence: Gaius cognoscit filium ā matre spectārī. IS (being) SEEN
12. Using dicere, say, “Marcus, speak!” MARCE, DĪC
B1: Using facere, say “Cornelius, do it!” CORNĒLĪ, FĀC
B2: Now, using ferre, say, “Marcus and Cornelius, carry it!” MARCE ET CORNĒLĪ, FERTE!
13. Which of the following does not belong: adeptus, locutus, visus, secutus, progressus. VISUS
B1. Change visus to the future and translate it. VISŪRUS = ABOUT TO/GOING TO SEE
B2. The other verbs on the list, such as locutus, are deponent and so by rule exist only in the passive. However, this is actually not true, as locutūrus, meaning “about to speak,” is active. Provide one more of the two remaining active forms of the deponent verb loquor, loquī, locutus. LOCUTURUS ESSE, LOQUĒNS
14. What mythological musician and crew member of the Argo was so talented he could make rocks weep and animals follow him to hear his music? ORPHEUS
B1. What god of music was Orpheus' father? APOLLO
B2. Who did Orpheus attempt to bring back form the Underworld? EURYDICE
15. To what office was Cincinnatus appointed in 458 BC to rescue a Roman army from the Aequians?
DICTATOR
B1. For how long is the constitutional dictatorship allowed to last? SIX MONTHS
B2. What Roman assumed the dictatorship for about a year after he marched on Rome and while he reformed and rewrote Roman law from 82-81 BC? SULLA
LOWER LEVEL
ROUND 3
1. Identify the common bond: camillus, far, pronuba. CONFARREATIO WEDDING (prompt at “wedding”)
B1. What is far, to which the name confarreatio relates? GRAIN or MEAL CAKE
B2. A confarreatio sealed a type of marriage arrangement which legally bound the woman into the husband’s family. How did the Romans refer to this kind of marriage? CUM MANŪ
2. What Roman emperor built the last of the imperial fora, part of which is sometimes compared to a shopping mall? He is also known for extending the boundaries of the Roman world to its furthest extent during his reign of 98-117 AD. Marcus Ulpius TRAJANus
B1. What emperor succeeded Trajan and decided to relinquish the new provinces of Mesopotamia because he thought the empire was too big? Publius Aelius HADRIAN
B2. What two countries did Hadrian’s wall roughly separate? BRITANNIA/BRITAIN, SCOTIA/SCOTLAND
3. Most people know that Homer’s Iliad is the story of the sack of Troy, but many forget that the main focus of the poem is the rage of Achilles. What is the name of the girl Agamemnon stole from Achilles to make him angry and withdraw from the war? BRISEIS
B1. What other captive was Agamemnon forced to give up, prompting him to go after Achilles’ war prize? CHRYSEIS
B2. What is the name of Achilles’ friend whom Hector erroneously killed because the boy was dressed in Achilles’ armor? PATROCLUS/PATROKLOS