Latin AS-Level Practice Passages 3 Verres in Cicero

來自專欄 Carpe Diem

【題解】

Gaius Verres在共和國歷史上可謂是個臭名昭著的大壞蛋，通過賄賂的手段他給自己買來了許多官職，並利用職權來擴大自己的政治影響力。期間他甚至從元老院手裡獲得了在西西里任職的機會。要知道，西西里作為地中海最大的島嶼，不僅坐擁豐富的資源，而且憑藉天然的地理優勢而成為了地中海世界的商業和交通樞紐。貪婪的Verres在這片島上椎服剝髓，橫徵暴斂，從各個神殿和民宅搜刮珍奇。本文講的就是Verres企圖佔有一尊墨丘利像的故事。有一天，他叫來這裡的長官Sopater，威脅他即刻把這尊雕像交出來。Sopater流著淚請求元老院予以批准，但由於這是當年西庇阿從迦太基得來送給當地人的戰利品和珍貴禮物，元老院說什麼也不願交出神像。於是Verres怒從心頭起，惡向膽邊生……

【練習】

erat olim in oppido Tyndaride statua Mercurii pulcherrima quam Scipio urbe Carthagine capta Tyndaritanis dederat, et victoriae suae et societatis eorum monimentum. Verres ubi primum advenit civibus imperavit ut statuam sibi darent. cui responderunt senatores statuam deo esse dedicatam nec ex loco moveri posse. Verres Sopatrum magistratum arcessitum se puniturum esse minatus est. tu ipse inquit morieris nisi statua mihi tradetur. ille lacrimans senatoribus persuadere conatus est ut consilium mutarent, sed frustra. quo audito Verres custodibus imperavit ut Sopatrium in medium forum traherent et nudarent. ibi enim stabat statua equestris ex aere facta, in qua Verres Sopatrum deligari iussit. sed Tyndaritani, cum vidissent hunc hominem innoccentem in frigore et imbre (erat enim media hiems) nudum in statua equestri relictum esse, tantos clamores extra senatum sustulerunt ut senatores Mercurium Verri tradere constituerent. tum denique Sopater semivivus vinculis liberatus est.

Cicero In Verrem 2.4.39-40

【講解】

[1] erat olim in oppido Tyndaride statua Mercurii pulcherrima quam Scipio urbe Carthagine capta Tyndaritanis dederat, et victoriae suae et societatis eorum monimentum.

There was once in the town of Tyndaris a very beautiful statue of Mercury which Scipio had given to the people of Tyndaris when he had captured the city of Carthage, as a memorial both of his victory and of their alliance.

• 主幹：erat statua Mercurii. There was a statue of Mercury.
• olim: adv. once
• in oppido Tyndaride: abl. in the town of Tyndaris.
• pulcherrima: superlative. of [pulcher, pulchra, um pretty, beautiful]
• quam: 從句修飾statua. 性數從statua, 格位取決於所在從句。
• quam Scipio Tyndaritanis dederat: which Strabo had given to the people of Tyndaris.
• urbe Carthagine capta: 獨立奪格 When the city of Carthage (was) captured.
• et 句省略erat, 主語仍然指代墨丘利雕像。monimentum (erat). it was a monument. victoriae suae, of his victory; societatis eorum, of their alliance.

[2] Verres ubi primum advenit civibus imperavit ut statuam sibi darent.

As soon as Verres arrived he ordered the citizens to give him the statue.

• 主幹：Verres advenit imperavit. Verres arrived there, and gave orders.
• ubi primum: adv. as soon as.
• civibus: imperavit(ordered) 間接賓語
• imperavit ut... 賓語從句, he ordered that...
• ut. 從句： 主語省略，(citizens) statum sibi darent. gave him the statue.

[3] cui responderunt senatores statuam deo esse dedicatam nec ex loco moveri posse.

The senators replied to him that the statue had been dedicated to the god and could not be moved from its place.

• 主幹：cui responderunt senatores. to him the senators replied. 回答的內容都是ACI結構。
• [ACI 1] statuam deo esse dedicatam, the statue being to be given to the god. dedicatam, acc. sing. f. perf.pas.pple. of [dedico, are, 1. to declare, dedicate]
• [ACI 2] nec moveri posse. could not be moved.
• ex loco. adv. from its place.

[4]Verres Sopatrum magistratum arcessitum se puniturum esse minatus est.

Verres summoned the magistrate Sopater and threatened to punish him.

• 主幹：Verres Sopatrum minatus est. Verres threatened Sopater. minor, 異態動詞，threaten.
• magistratum arcessitum. 修飾Sopatrum, 均為sing.m.acc. the magistrate being summoned. arcessitum, acc.sing.m.perf.pas.pple.of [arcesso, ere, sivi, situs. summon].
• se puniturum esse: ACI 結構，為minor (threaten)的內容, (going) to punish him. puniturum, acc.sing.m.f.act.pple of [punior, puniri, punitus sum, dep. 異態動詞]

[5] tu ipse inquit morieris nisi statua mihi tradetur.

『You yourself』 he said 『will die unless the statue is handed over to me.』

• 主幹：inquit. he said.
• tu ipse morieris: tu ipse, 主語 you yourself. morieris, 2nd,sing.fut.ind. of [morior, mori, mortuus sum, dep. to die]
• nisi: 讓步從句, unless。
• statua mihi tradetur: 3rd,sing,fut,pas,ind. of [trado, ere, tradidi, traditus, to hand over]. the statue is handed over to him.

[6] ille lacrimans senatoribus persuadere conatus est ut consilium mutarent, sed frustra.

Sopater in tears tried to persuade the senators to change their decision, but in vain.

• 主句：ille persuadere conatus est, sed frustra. he tried to persuade, but in vain.
• lacrimans: nom.sing.pres.act.pple. of [lacrimor, ari, atus sum dep. to shed tears] 現在時分詞形容主語，crying. senatoribus. to the senators.
• ut consilium mutarent. 試圖說服的內容，mutarent, 3rd,pl.imperf.act.subj. of [muto, are, 1 to move, to change.] 虛擬式動詞，受persuadere支配。
• frustra. adv. in vain.

[7] quo audito Verres custodibus imperavit ut Sopatrium in medium forum traherent et nudarent.

When he heard this, Verres ordered his guards to drag Sopater into the middle of the forum and strip him naked.

• 主幹：Verres imperavit ut. Verres ordered that...
• quo audito: 獨立奪格，with this being heard.
• custodibus. dat. pl. the guards. imperavit 的間接賓語
• ut 從句，命令的內容。
• Sopatrium traherent et nudarent. 主語guards 省略，（guards）to drag Sopater and to strip him naked. traherent, 3rd, pl, imperf.act.subj. of [traho, ere, traxi, tractus, to drag], nudarent, 3rd,pl,imperf,act,subj. of [nudo,are,1 to strip]
• in medium forum. into the middle of the forum.

[8] ibi enim stabat statua equestris ex aere facta, in qua Verres Sopatrum deligari iussit.

For there stood a statue of a knight made of bronze, on which Verres ordered Sopater to be tied up.

• 主幹：ibi stabat statua. there stood a statue.
• enim. adv. for, indeed.
• equestris ex aera facta. facta 修飾statua, nom.sing.f.perf.pas.pple. of [facio, facere, feci, factus, to make], ex aera. of bronze. equestris. gen.sing.m. of [equester, equestris, m. knight] 修飾statua. a statue of a knight (made of bronze).
• in qua. 從句關聯statua. on which
• Verres Sopatrum deligari iussit. iussit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [jubo, ere, to order], deligari, pres.pas.inf. of [deligo, are, 1, to bind fast, to tie up]. Verres ordered Sopater to be tied up.

[9] sed Tyndaritani, cum vidissent hunc hominem innoccentem in frigore et imbre (erat enim media hiems) nudum in statua equestri relictum esse, tantos clamores extra senatum sustulerunt ut senatores Mercurium Verri tradere constituerent.

• 主幹：Tyndaritani tantos clamores sustulerunt. the people of Tyndaris raised great shouts.
• cum. 狀語從句, when...
• vidissent hunc hominem innoccentem [in frigore et imbre] nudum [in statua equestri] relictum esse. 主動詞vidissent, 3rd.pl.plperf.act.subj. of [video, ere, vidi, visus. to see, look at], 後接ACI結構，看到的內容: (acc)hunc hominem (inf.)relictum esse. this man being left. 承接地點 in statua equestri. on the statue of knight. innoccentem 和nudum 關聯hominem, 均為m.sing.acc. innocent and nude. in frigore et imbre, adv. in the cold and rain.
• erat enim media hiems. 插入說明句。enim. for. media hiems. the middle winter. hiems. nom.sing.f. of [hiems, hiemis, f. winter].
• extra senatum. outside of the senate.
• ut 從句為人群呼籲的內容，虛擬語氣。senatores Mercurium Verri tradere constituerent. constituerent, 3rd,pl,imperf.act.subj. of [constituo, ere, stitui, stitutus, to place, to decide], 後接decide的內容，不定式tradere, to give. Mercurium, 直接賓語 the statue of Mercury, Verri, 間接賓語，to Verres.

[10] tum denique Sopater semivivus vinculis liberatus est.

Then finally Sopater, half-alive, was set free from his ropes.

• 主幹：Sopater liberatus est. Sopater was set free. liberatus, nom.sing.m.perf.pas.pple. of [libero, are, 1 to free].
• tum : adv. then
• denique: adv. finally.
• semivivus: nom.adj. 形容主語, half-alive.
• vinculis. abl.pl.n. of [vinculum, i, n. chain, bond] away from the bond.

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