GCSE Latin Verse Set Text B 2025-2026 PDF

GCSE Latin Verse Set Text B 2025-2026 Virgil, Aeneid, 1 Lines 12-123 Introduction to the *Aeneid* Publius Virgilius Maro was born in 70 BC at Andes near Mantua in North Italy on a small farm. After being educated at Cremona and Mediolanum (Milan), he went to Rome to study rhetoric, evidence of...

GCSE Latin Verse Set Text B 2025-2026 Virgil, Aeneid, 1 Lines 12-123 Introduction to the *Aeneid* Publius Virgilius Maro was born in 70 BC at Andes near Mantua in North Italy on a small farm. After being educated at Cremona and Mediolanum (Milan), he went to Rome to study rhetoric, evidence of which can be seen in the speeches in Book 1. The *Aeneid* is an epic poem telling the story of the Trojan hero Aeneas and his journey to Italy after the Trojan War, where he is destined to found the next great city (the future site of Rome). It is the Roman equivalent of Homer's *Iliad* and *Odyssey* combined. Virgil was commissioned to write the *Aeneid* by the emperor Augustus in the 1^st^ Century BC. **Background and Context** {#background-and-context.H2} -------------------------- {#section.H2} When Troy was destroyed by the Greeks -- in revenge for the abduction of Menelaus' wife, Helen, from Sparta by Paris, son of Priam, the king of Troy -- a small band of Trojans escaped. They sailed across the Mediterranean towards Italy, where Aeneas has been told that it is his destiny to found a new Troy. As he nears his destination in Book 1, Juno, wife of Jupiter and an implacable enemy of Troy, bribes Aeolus, King of the winds, to raise a storm, which wrecks some of Aeneas's fleet, driving the rest onto the coast of Africa near Carthage. When you read *Aeneid 1,* bear in mind the following points: **1.** Aeneas is destined to found a new Troy in Italy. The whole future of Rome depends on him doing this, as Mercury tells him in Book 4, lines 274--276. Therefore, he cannot settle in Carthage. **2. There had been two major wars between Rome and Carthage in the third century BC, and Rome was defeated in three major battles between 218 and 216, which almost destroyed Rome. In 146, Carthage was completely razed to the ground. Consequently, Juno, as patroness of Carthage, was violently opposed to the Trojans, and Aeneas in particular.** **3.** The first century BC was a succession of power struggles, often marked by civil wars. In 27 BC, when Octavian had established his power by a new settlement, the Senate granted him the name Augustus, which he adopted until his death in AD 14. It was against this background that Virgil began to write the *Aeneid* from 29 BC onwards until his death in 19 BC. Consequently, Virgil saw Augustus as the bringer of peace; he therefore included several passages, notably, Book 1, lines 286--296, where he refers to Augustus closing the temple of Janus in 27 BC as a symbol of peace. Lines 12--123 of Book 1 deal largely with the gods, rather than with Aeneas, who, though referred to in lines 1--11, does not make a formal appearance until line 92. The gods are divided over which side to support. Venus, the mother of Aeneas, naturally supports the Trojans, but Juno is violently opposed to the Trojans. *Virgil describes Carthage, and Juno's concern for its wellbeing* \*sum, esse, fui I am antīquus, -a, -um ancient colonus, -i m settler Tyrĭus, -a, -um Tyrian, from Tyre Karthāgō, -ginis f Carthage Ītălĭa, -ae f Italy ostium, -i n mouth Tĭbĕrīnus, -a, -um of the Tiber\ dīves, divitis rich ŏpes, -um f pl resources asper, -era, -erum fierce studium, -i n activity Iūnō, Iunonis f Juno fero, ferre say, carry away cŏlo, -ere, -ŭi cherish\ posthăbeo, -ere, esteem less -ui, -itum Sămos, -i, f Samos hīc here currus, -us m chariot -que... -que both... and tendo, -ere aim foveo, -ere cherish fātum, -i n fate sĭno, -ere allow quā in any way progenies, -ei f offspring \*duco, -ere produce, lead\ \*ā + ablative from, by Troīānus, -a, -um Trojan arx, arcis f citadel hinc from this populus, -i m people ventum lātē far and wide superbus, -a, -um arrogant, proud excĭdĭum, -i n destruction Lĭbya, -ae f Libya Parca, -ae f Fate *Virgil gives the reasons for Juno's hatred of the Trojans* 3 2 6 4 5 1 7 Sāturnia, -ae f the daughter of Saturn mĕtŭo, -ere fear mĕmor + genitive mindful of vetus, vĕtĕris old Troīa, -ae f Troy cārus, -a, -um beloved Argi, -orum m Greeks causa, -ae f cause dolor, -oris m pain, grief                \ necdum not yet excido, -ere, -cĭdi disappear iudĭcĭum, -ii n judgement Paris, Părĭdis m Paris iniuria, -ae f insult sprētus, -a, -um despised forma, -ae f beauty\ gĕnŭs, -eris n race invīsus, -a, -um hated honor, -oris m honour Gănymedes, -is m Ganymede repostus, -a, -um buried mens, mentis f mind accensus, -a, -um fired sŭper as well arceo, -ere keep away Troes, -um m pl Trojans aequor, -oris n sea rēlĭquĭae, -arum f pl remnants Dănăi, -orum m pl Greeks immitis, -e savage Ăchilleus, -i m Achilles Lătĭum, -ii n Latium\ erro, -are wander mōles, -is f difficulty condo, -ere found *The Trojans sail from Siciliy; Juno expresses her anger* vix scarcely conspectus, -us m sight tellus, -ūris f land Sĭcŭlus, -a, -m Sicilian, of Sicily vela do, dăre set sail altum, -i n high seas\ ruo, -ere churn up spūma, -ae f foam sal, sălis m salt sea aes, aeris n bronze (prow) aeternus, -a, -um everlasting pectus, -oris n breast dēsisto, -ere + ablative give up inceptum, -i n purpose, undertaking\ Teūcri, -orum m pl Trojans quippĕ of course, doubtless vĕto, -are forbid Pallas, -adis f Pallas (Athene) exuro, -ere burn up classis, -is f fleet\ Argivi, -orum m Argive, Greek submergo, -ere drown pontus, -i m sea  \ ob + accusative because of noxa, -ae f offence fŭrĭa, -ae f madness Aīax, -ācis m Ajax\ Oileus, -i m Oileus (father of Ajax) iăcŭlor, -ari, -atus hurl sum (dept.) răpĭdus, -a, -um swift ignis, -is m fire\ Iuppiter, Iŏvis m Jupiter nubes, -is f cloud disicio, -ere, -iēci scatter rătis, -is f ship everto, -ere, -verti upturn ventus, -i m wind\ exspīro, -are breathe forth transfigo, -ere, -fixi, pierce -fixum flamma, -ae f flame\ corrĭpio, -ere, -ŭi snatch up turbo, -ĭnis m whirlwind infigo, -ere, -fixi impale acutus, -a, -um sharp scŏpŭlus, -i m rock *Juno travels to Aeolia to seek help from Aeolus, king of the winds* ast but incēdo, ere walk stately dīvus, -i m god sŏrŏr, -oris f sister coniunx, -iugis m/f wife, husband Iuppiter, Iovis m Jupiter\ quisquam, quaequam, anyone quicquam adoro, -are worship\ nūmen, -inis n divine power praetĕrĕā any more aūt or supplex, -icis as a suppliant honos, -oris m offering ara,-ae f altar voluto turn over flammātus, -a, -um inflamed cor, cordis n heart nimbus, -i m cloud fētus, -a, -um teeming with fŭro, -ere rage Auster, -ri m south wind Aeŏlĭa, -ae f Aeolia Aeolus, -i m Aeolus premo, -ere confine luctor, -ari (dept.) struggle sonorus, -a, -um sounding\ vastus, -a, -um huge antrum, -i n cave\ freno, -are curb vinclum, -i n chain carcer, -eris m prison\ indignor, -ari (dept.) be indignant fremo, -ere roar claustrum, -i n (prison) bar murmur, -uris n murmur celsus, -a, -um lofty arx, arcis f citadel sceptrum, -i n sceptre mollio, -ire soothe tempero, -are restrain *Aeolus explains why the winds were imprisoned; Juno seeks his help* profundus, -a, -um high verro, -ere sweep aura, -ae f breeze omnĭpŏtens, -entis all-powerful\ abdo, -ere, -didi hide mĕtŭo, -ere fear ater, -ra, -rum dark spēlunca, -ae f cave mōles, -is f mass\ insuper on top certus, -a, -um fixed foedus, -eris n contract prĕmo, -ĕre tighten laxus, -a, -um relaxed habena, -ae f rein utor, -i, usus sum use \+ ablative (dept.) namquĕ for mulceo -ere calm fluctus, -us m wave Tyrrhēnus, -a, -um Etruscan Ilĭum, -ii n Troy penates, -ium m pl household gods\ incŭtio, -ere strike vis, vim, vi f violence submergo, -ere, sink -mersi, -mersum obruo, -ere destroy puppis, -is f ship dīversus, -a, -um in different directions dissĭcio, -ere scatter pontus, -i m ocean, sea        *Juno bribes Aeolus to help her* bis twice Nympha, -ae f nymph praestans, -an outstanding Dēĭŏpēă, -ae f Deiopea\ iungo, -ere join stăbĭlis, -is, -e steadfast conŭbĭum, -ii n marriage dico, -are consecrate prŏprĭus, -a, -um one's own mĕrĭtum, -i n service\ exĭgo, -ere spend parens, -entis m/f  parent proles, -is f offspring explōro, -are search out opto, -are desire\ fas (indec.) right căpesso, -ere carry out iussum, -i n order\ concĭlĭo, -are grant quodcumque whatever accumbo, -ere recline ĕpŭlae, -arum f pl banquet(s) *Aeolus lets the winds loose, causing a storm* converto, -ere, -verti, -versum reverse cuspis, -idis f spear căvus, -a, -um hollow lătus, -eris n side vĕlŭt as if agmen, -inis n army column rŭo, -ere rush, churn up (line 85) qua where perflo, -are blow through\ incumbo, -ere, -cŭbŭi fall upon Eūrus, -i m Eurus (East wind) Nŏtus, -i m Notus (South wind) una together Afrĭcŭs, -i m Africus (SW wind) crēber, -ra, -rum abundant procella, -ae f storm   imus, -a, -um lowest sedes, -is f depth, dwelling litus, -oris n coast strīdor, -oris m hissing, creaking rudens, -entis m cable ŏcŭlus, -i m eye incubo, -are fall upon pŏlus, -i m heaven, pole intono, -are, -tŏnŭi thunder aether, -eris m upper air mĭco, -are flash intento, -are threaten praesens, -entis instant *Aeneas panics and wishes he had died at Troy* extemplo immediately membrum, -i n limb Aeneas, Aēnēaē m Aeneas solvo, -ere loosen frigus, -oris n cold, icy terror\ ingĕmo, -ere groan tendo, -ere stretch out dŭplex, -ĭcis both palma, -ae f palm sidus, -eris n star ter thrice, three times quăter four times bĕātus, -a, -um blessed\ contingo, -ere, -tĭgi befall, happen oppĕto, -ere die ante + accusative before os, ōris n face, mouth moenia, -ium n pl walls             Tydīdēs, Tydīdis m son of Tydeus occumbo, -ere fall, die Īlĭăcus, -a, -um Trojan, of Troy campus, -i m plain\ effundo, -ere pour out ănĭma, -ae f life, soul dextra, -ae f right hand Hectŏr, -oris m Hector telum, -i n spear, weapon Aēăcĭdes, -ae m grandson of Aeacus\ Sarpēdōn, -onis m Sarpedon Sĭmŏis, -entis m Simois scutum, -i n shield gălĕa, -ae f helmet unda, -ae f wave  *The storm wrecks Aeneas's fleet* iacto, -are shout Ăquĭlo, -onis m North wind fĕrio, -ire strike\ velum, -i n sail adversus, -a, -um opposite, full in front rēmus, -i m oar frango, -ere break prōra, -ae f prow praeruptus, -a, -um sheer\ cŭmŭlus, -i m mass, heap pendeo, -ere hang dehisco, -ere yawn\ ăpĕrio, -ire reveal aestus, -us m seething sea harena, -ae f sand torqueo, -ere hurl lătens, -entis hidden saxum, -i n rock Ĭtălus, -a, -um Italian Ara, -ae f Altar\ immānis, -e huge dorsum, -i n ridge urgeo, -ere push syrtis, -is f sandbank mĭsĕrabilis, -e wretched\ inlīdo, -ere dash vădum, -i n shoal cingo, -ere surround agger, -ĕris m mound *Various ships are sunk* vertex, -icis m highest point, whirlpool (line 117) vĕho, -ere, vexi, vectum carry Lycĭus, -a, -um Lycian fīdus, -a, -um faithful Orontes, -is m Orontes\ ŏcŭlus, -i m eye magister, -ri m helmsman, master excŭtĭo, -ere shake off prōnus, -a, -um bending forward ibidem in the same place\ circum (adverb) around vŏro, -are swallow up\ rārus, -a, -um far apart appāreo, -ere become visible no, nare swim gurges, -itis m whirlpool\ tăbŭla, -ae f plank Trōĭus, -ă, -um Trojan gaza, -ae f treasure\ hĭems, hiemis f storm, winter Īlĭŏneus, -ei m Ilioneus Achates, -ae m Achates \ Ăbās, Abantis m Abas Aletes, -is m Aletes grandaevus, -a, -um advanced in years compages, -is f joint imber, -ris m water fatisco, -ere gape rima, -ae f crack