Superlative Practice Reading

Superlative Practice Reading

"Sisyphus"

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Sisyphus rex Corinthi erat:

Sisyphus

the king of Corinth;

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

erat callidissimus virorum omnium

he was the

of all men;

(callidus, a, um clever)

Why is calidissimus "cleverest" or "most clever"?

• By adding "-issimus, a, um to the base, we change it from "clever" (callidus) to calidissimus, a, um (cleverest, most clever, very clever)

• The three degrees of the adjective look like this:

• callidus, a, um (clever); callidior, callidius (more clever); callidissimus, a, um (most clever).

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Eius poena in Tartaro est notissima;

in Tartarus is most famous;

(poena, poenae f punishment)

Why is eius poena "his punishment"?

• Eius does not agree with poena; it is therefore a third person pronoun.

• Eius is considered m, sg, gen. It refers back to Tantalus, and therefore translates as "his":

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Sisyphus amplissimum saxum sub verticem collis altissimi semper trudit.

Sisyphus always pushes the largest rock up to the top

Note: collis, collis m hill / for altus, a, um use "high"

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Sed ubi prope verticem accedit,

But when

near the top,

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

dei saxum rursus volvunt durissimā crudelitate

the gods roll the rock back

(durus, a, um harsh / crudelitas, crudelitatis f cruelty)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Quod crimen acerrimum Sisyphus admisit?

did Sisyphus commit?

(crimen, criminis n crime ; acer, acris acre fierce)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Sisyphus longissimum tempus vixerat

Sisyphus

(vivo, vivere, vixi, victum to live)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

itaque Iuppiter Mortem portare (to bring) eum

ad Orcum iussit.

and so Juppiter ordered Death to bring

(Orcus, Orci m Underworld)

Eum / ad Orcum

• eum is the masc, acc, sg of is, ea, id replacing Sisyphus.

• It is used here as acc. d.o.

• ad Orcum = Acc. PTW ("to the Underworld")

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Sed Sisyphus cupidissimus vivendi (of living) erat;

But

of living;

(cupidus, a, um desirous)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

itaque consilium calidissimum ceperat.

And so he

(consilium, i n plan / calidus, a, um clever / use the English 'to adopt' for capio, ere, cepi, captum)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

Constitua* die, Mors, miserrimus deus, ad Sisyphum venit

On the decided day, Death, a

, came to Sisyphus.

(for miser, -era, -erum use "sad" ; venio, venire, veni ventum)

Miserrimus deus

• This phrase is in apposition to deus, meaning it "renames" the word in front of it.

• Appositives are put in the same case as words which they rename.

• Note that "miser" is an "-er" superlative Miser + rimus (instead of issimus)

Fill in the Blanks

Provide the translation of the missing word (in green):

et secum manicas validissimas portavit

...and brought with himself the

Validissimas manicas

• This phrase is accusative direct object.

• Appositives are put in the same case as words which they rename.

• Note that "miser" is an "-er" superlative Miser + rimus (instead of issimus)

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Sisyphus, qui simillimus Odysseo sollertia* erat...

(sollertia, sollertiae f cleverness)

• Sisyphus, who is similar to Odysseus' cleverness...

• Sisyphus, who was most similar to Odysseus in cleverness...

• Sisyphus, who was more similar to Odysseus' cleverness...

• Sisyphus, who is very similar to Odysseus in cleverness...

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

....Mortem benevolentiā amplissimā salutavit.

(benevolentia, ae f kindness; saluto, are, avi, atum to greet)

• greeted Death with most ample kindness

• greeted Death with more ample kindness

• greets death with ample kindness

• greets death with most ample kindness

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

....Dixit voce gratissimā:

(vox, vocis f voice; gratus, a, um pleasing)

• He spoke with a most pleasing voice

• The most pleasing voice speaks

• He speaks with a pleasing voice

• The most pleasing voice spoke

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Quid in tuis manibus est?

• What is in your hands?

• What are you doing with your hands?

• What is in your pockets?

• Who remanis with you?

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Mors, qui consili Sisyphi ignorantissimus erat....

(ignorans, -antis unknowing)

• Death, who was most unknowing of Sisyphus's plan...

• Death, which is unknowing of Sisyphus' plan...

• Death, which didn't know Sisyphus had a plan...

• Death, who is most unknowing of Sisyphus' plan....

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

dicit superbissimis verbis

(superbus, a, um proud)

• he says with very proud words

• he said with very proud words

• he says with prouder words

• he said with very prouder words

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

"Hae sunt manicae meae"

(manicae, arum f(pl) chains)

• "These are my chains."

• "Here are my chains."

• Those are my chains"

• "This is my chain."

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Sisyphus sollertiā amplissimā dicit:

(sollertia, ae f cleverness)

• Sisyphus says with most ample cleverness

• Sisyphus said with most ample cleverness

• Sisyphus says with ample cleverness

• Sisyphus said with ample cleverness

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Mors, demonstrabisne mihi quo modo manicis tuis utaris (you use)?

(Note: utaris takes its object in the ablative case)

• Death, will you show me how you use your chains?

• Death, did you show me how you use your chains?

• Death, were you showing me how to use your chains?

• Death, are you showing me how to use your chains?

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Pone eas in te.

• You will put them on.

• Put them on me.

• Put them on yourself.

• You will put them on me.

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Mors, qui stultissimus erat, dixit, “Certe.” .

• Death, who was most foolish, said, "Certainly."

• Death, who is foolish, said, "Certainly."

• Death, who was foolish, says, "Certainly."

• Death, who was most foolish says, "Certainly."

Multiple Choice

Provide the following:

Mors, qui stultissimus erat, dixit, “Certe.” .

• Death, who was most foolish, said, "Certainly."

• Death, who is foolish, said, "Certainly."

• Death, who was foolish, says, "Certainly."

• Death, who was most foolish says, "Certainly."

Open Ended

Provide the Translation For the Following:

Mors miserrimus vinctus est, simillimus captivo. Itaque nemo mori (to die) potest (is able).

(vinco, ere, vinxi, victum to bind / nemo = no one)

Open Ended

Provide the Translation For the Following:

Ares, deus belli acerrimus, irā crudelissimā occupatus est; nam nemo in proelio moriebatur (was dying)

(crudelis, crudele cruel / proelium, i n battle)

Open Ended

Provide the Translation For the Following:

Itaque Ares Mortem ex manicis validissimis liberavit; tum poena crudelissima Sisypho data est.

(manicae, aroum f chains / crudelis, crudele cruel / poena, ae f punishment)