aeneid 2.40-56

P. Vergilius Maro, Aeneid 2.40–56

Laocoon confronts the crowd of Trojans gathered around the wooden horse, urging them to distrust any Greek gift and famously declaring his fear of the Danaans. Vergil reflects bitterly on the moment: had fate and Trojan judgment not been adverse, this single warning might have saved Troy and Priam's citadel.

Tier 1

magna multitūdō aderat. Laocoon clāmāvit: "ō cīvēs miserī, estne haec īnsānia? hostēs absunt. crēditis hoc? nōnne dōnum Graecum malum est? num Graecī dōna bona dant?

aut Graecī latent in hōc equō. aut haec māchina franget mūrōs nostrōs et domōs spectābit et in urbem veniet. aut error in equō latet. nōlīte equō crēdere, Trōiānī!

quidquid id est, timeō Graecōs. timeō Danaōs quī dōna ferunt."

Laocoon sīc dīxit. tum Laocoon iēcit ingentem hastam in equum. hasta stetit et sonāvit.

ēheu! fāta deōrum sinistra erant. mēns Trōiānōrum quoque sinistra erat. Laocoon Graecōs in equō nōn vulnerāvit. itaque nunc neque Trōia neque arx Priamī stant.

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum (AP Core Vocabulary)

prīmus ibi ante omnēs magnā comitante catervā
Lāocoōn ardēns summā dēcurrit ab arce,

AP Core Vocabulary

prīmus, -a, -um=first; here adv., first, foremost

ibi=there, in that place

ante=before, in front of (+ acc.)

omnis, -e=all, every

magnus, -a, -um=great, large

caterva, -ae (f.)=crowd, throng

Lāocoōn, -ontis (m.)=Laocoön (Trojan priest)

ardēns, -entis=burning, fiery, impassioned

summus, -a, -um=highest, top of

ā, ab=from (+ abl.)

arx, arcis (f.)=citadel, height

et procul 'Ō miserī, quae tanta īnsania, cīvēs?
crēditis āvectōs hostēs? aut ūlla putātis
dona carēre dolīs Danaum? sīc nōtus Ulixēs?
aut hōc inclūsī lignō occultantur Achīvī,

procul=at a distance, from afar

ō=O! oh! (interj.)

miser, -era, -erum=wretched, unhappy

quī, quae, quod=who, which; here interrogative, what

tantus, -a, -um=so great, so much

cīvis, -is (m. or f.)=citizen, fellow citizen

crēdō, -ere, -didī, -ditum=believe, trust (+ dat. or acc. + inf.)

hostis, -is (m.)=enemy

aut=or; aut... aut, either... or

ūllus, -a, -um=any

putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum=think, suppose

dōnum, -ī (n.)=gift

Danaī, -ōrum (m. pl.)=Greeks; Danaum = Danaōrum (gen. pl.)

sīc=thus, so

nōtus, -a, -um=known, familiar

hic, haec, hoc=this

aut haec in nostrōs fabricāta est māchina mūros,
īnspectūra domōs ventūraque dēsuper urbī,
aut aliquis latet error; equō nē crēdite, Teucrī.

aut=or; aut... aut, either... or

hic, haec, hoc=this

noster, -tra, -trum=our

māchina, -ae (f.)=machine, contrivance, siege engine

mūrus, -ī (m.)=wall

domus, -ūs (or -ī) (f.)=house, home

veniō, -īre, vēnī, ventum=come

urbs, urbis (f.)=city

aliquis, aliquid=someone, something; aliquis... error, some trick

equus, -ī (m.)=horse

nē=not; nē + imperative, do not

crēdō, -ere, -didī, -ditum=believe, trust (+ dat.)

Teucrī, -ōrum (m. pl.)=Teucrians, Trojans

quidquid id est, timeō Danaōs et dōna ferentēs.'
sīc fātus validīs ingentem vīribus hastam
in latus inque ferī curvam compāgibus alvum
contorsit. stetit illa tremēns, uterōque recussō
īnsonuere cavae gemitumque dedēre cavernae.

quisquis, quidquid=whoever, whatever

sum, esse, fuī=be

timeō, -ēre, -uī=fear, be afraid of

Danaī, -ōrum (m. pl.)=Greeks

dōnum, -ī (n.)=gift

ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum=bear, carry; ferentēs, (even) bringing (gifts)

sīc=thus, so

for, fārī, fātus sum=speak; fātus (est), (he) having spoken

ingēns, -entis=huge, vast

vīs, vīs (f.)=force; pl. vīrēs, strength

hasta, -ae (f.)=spear

latus, -eris (n.)=side, flank

-que=and (enclitic)

ferus, -a, -um=wild; here as noun, the beast

stō, -āre, stetī, statum=stand, stand fast

ille, illa, illud=that, it

gemitus, -ūs (m.)=groan, moan

dō, dare, dedī, datum=give; dedēre = dedērunt

et, sī fāta deum sī mēns non laeva fuisset,
impulerat ferrō Argolicās foedāre latebrās,
Troiaque nunc stāret, Priamīque arx alta manēres.

sī=if

fātum, -ī (n.)=fate, destiny

deus, -ī (m.)=god; deum = deōrum (gen. pl.)

mēns, mentis (f.)=mind, judgment

sum, esse, fuī=be; fuisset, had been (plupf. subj. in contrary-to-fact)

impellō, -ere, -pulī, -pulsum=drive, urge; impulerat (= impulisset), would have urged (us)

ferrum, -ī (n.)=iron, sword, blade

Trōia, -ae (f.)=Troy

-que=and (enclitic)

nunc=now

stō, -āre, stetī, statum=stand

arx, arcis (f.)=citadel, fortress

altus, -a, -um=high, lofty

maneō, -ēre, mānsī, mānsum=remain, stay