Chapter XIV: caupōna magica      Back to Chapter 14 contents

Reading Comprehension Practice

Read the following passage and answer the multipe choice questions that follow. Underlined words are defined for you on the right side (or below on smaller screens).

A SUPER MAN
From cradle to Mt. Olympus
1 Inter deōs antīquōs hodiē nōtissimus est Herculēs,
2 fīlius Iovis. Fābulae dē Hercule sunt multae et mīrābilēs.
3 Hic corporis et virōs et deōs superābat. Dum īnfāns
4 in cūnīs iacet, in magnum perīculum vēnit. Iūnō, quod
5 semper inimīca erat, duōs serpentēs contrā eum mīsit.
6 Īnfāns serpentēs suīs manibus necāvit.
7 Post multōs annōs, quod Iūnō eum īnsānum fēcerat,
8 Herculēs uxōrem līberōsque necāvit. Magnō cum dolōre
9 discessit et ad Apollinis ōrāculum vēnit. Ā deō auxilium
10 petīvit. Apollō Herculem rēgī Eurystheō servīre et
11 duodecim labōrēs facere iussit. “Tum,” inquit deus,
12 “immortālis eris.” Post illōs duodecim labōrēs, Herculēs
13 ad Olympum vēnit et fīliam Iūnōnis in mātrimōnium dūxit.
(passage from 2013 National Latin Exam Level I)


nōtissimus = most famous
Iovis = of Jupiter
Hic = He; vī = in strength
cūnīs = cradle
eī = to him; eum = him
suīs manibus = with his own hands

uxōrem = wife
discessit = he departed
servīre (+ dat.) = to serve

illōs = those

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