Latin II/Household Lesson 3/Reading exercise
In Domō: Māter Īrāta (At Home: An Angry Mother)
Before You Begin
Review these lessons:
Reading
dramatis personae:
- Claudia - māter
- Cornēlia - Claudiae amīca
- Sabīna - fīlia minor
- Lūcius - fīlius minor
- Mārcus - fīlius maior
Claudia amīcam suam Cornēliam in triclīniō exspectat. Puerī in ātrium currunt et clāmant.
Claudia: Quid est? Quis tumultus est?
Sabīna (fīlia minor): Frāter meus mē petit!
Lūcius (fīlius minor): Nōn! Illa rēs meās habet!
Claudia: Tacēte! Cornēlia mox venit. In cubiculum īte nunc!
Puerī: Sed māter...
Claudia: Nōn! In manū meā est domus!
[Puerī trīstēs in cubiculum eunt. In culīnā...]
Marcus (fīlius maior): Dum māter īrāta est, ego garum in placentās dulcēs pōnō. Hahahae!
[In triclīniō...]
Cornēlia: Ō Claudia, hae placentae pulchrae sunt... sed... ō! Quid est hic sapor?
Claudia: Ō! Ignōsce mihi, cara Cornēlia! Mārcus fēcit, certē Mārcus! Semper malus est! Nōn intellegō cūr!
Cornēlia: Nōn flē, Claudia. Puerī hodiē malī sunt. Sed... vīnum habēs? Sine garō, quaesō!
Claudia: Certē! MAARCEEE! VENĪ!
[Marcus celeriter currit...]
Claudia: Mārce! Pater tuus sevērus est, et tū hoc scīs. Hodiē in ludō manēbis et cum magistrō verba Graeca scrībēs. Et pater tuus dē garō sciet!
Marcus (timidus): Sed māter...
Claudia: Nōn! Et pater tuus dē garō sciet. Fortasse cum virgā veniet!
Cornēlia: (subrīdēns) Ego quoque puerōs habeō, Claudia. Sed numquam garum in placentīs pōnunt!
Vocabulary Notes
House parts:
- triclīnium (dining room); culīna (kitchen); cubiculum (bedroom); ātrium (main hall)
Family:
Food:
Emotions:
Common phrases:
Comprehension Questions
- Quae est amīca Claudiae?
- Cūr puerī in ātrium currunt?
- Quid Mārcus in culīnā facit?
- Quōmodo Cornēlia placentam invenit?
- Quid Cornēlia post placentam malam cupit?
- Quōmodo Claudia Mārcum pūnīre vult?
- Cūr Marcus timet?
- Quid Claudia dē domū suā dīcit?
- Cūr Cornēlia subrīdet?
- Quālis pater est?
Grammar Practice
Complete these sentences using the correct form:
- In _____ (manus) meā est _____ (domus).
- Mārcus _____ (rēs) malās facit.
- Puerī in _____ (cubiculum) _____ (eō).
- Māter cum _____ (virga) _____ (veniō).
- _____ (Puer) in _____ (ātrium) _____ (currō).
- _____ (Amīca) meae _____ (placenta) nōn placet.
Translate these sentences:
- Mother is angry with Marcus.
- The boys are running into the bedroom.
- I do not understand why he is bad.
- The cakes are sweet but have fish sauce.
- We were better children than these.
- Come quickly to the dining room!
Put these words in the correct order to make sentences:
- est / in / culīnā / Mārcus / malus
- placentās / dulcēs / garum / in / pōnit
- venit / mox / Cornēlia / ad / triclīnium
- manū / in / domus / meā / est
Cultural Notes
Roman family life centered around the home (domus), with distinct spaces for different activities:
- triclīnium - dining room with couches for formal meals
- culīna - kitchen where slaves usually worked
- ātrium - main reception hall
- cubiculum - bedroom
Garum was a fermented fish sauce commonly used in Roman cooking - but definitely not in desserts! Roman mothers, like mothers everywhere, had to deal with mischievous children.
Roman fathers (patrēs familiās) had significant authority over their children's discipline. Common punishments included extra schoolwork in the ludus (school), particularly Greek lessons which many Roman children found challenging. More serious infractions could result in corporal punishment with a virga (rod), though this was usually a last resort for upper-class families.
Grammar Notes
Key constructions:
- Commands (īte in cubiculum)
- Questions (Quid est?)
- Possession (rēs meae)
- Location phrases (in culīnā)
- Simple subordinate clauses with dum