Book II: The Burning of Troy
Peter Clark
10 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This AP Latin study guide covers Aeneid Book 2, focusing on the Fall of Troy. Key passages analyzed include: Laocoön's Warning, The Serpents and the Horse's Entry, Hector's Ghost, and Aeneas, Helen, and Divine Intervention. The guide emphasizes themes of fate, duty, divine intervention, and deception, and provides practice questions covering translation, literary devices, and character analysis.
#AP Latin: Aeneid Book 2 Study Guide 🚀
Welcome, future Latin legends! This guide is your secret weapon for acing the AP Latin exam, focusing on the key passages from Aeneid Book 2. Let's dive in and make sure you're feeling confident and ready to conquer this text!
#Unit 3: The Fall of Troy 🏛️
This unit focuses on the dramatic events of the fall of Troy, as told by Aeneas to Dido. We'll explore themes of deception, divine intervention, and the tragic consequences of war. Remember, AP questions often combine multiple concepts, so pay attention to the connections between different sections!
#Lines 40-56: Laocoön's Warning 🗣️
This section introduces Laocoön, a Trojan priest, who is suspicious of the Trojan Horse. His warnings are a crucial part of the narrative and highlight the theme of deception.
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Key Events: * Laocoön rushes down from the citadel with a crowd. * He questions the Trojans' sanity for believing the Greeks have left. * He asks if they think any Greek gifts are free from treachery, referencing Odysseus’s cunning. * He speculates about the horse's purpose, suggesting it could be a weapon or a hiding place for soldiers. * He hurls a spear into the horse, causing it to tremble and groan. * Aeneas laments that if they had listened to Laocoön, Troy would still stand.
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Key Vocabulary: * arx, arcis (f.): citadel, stronghold * dolus, doli (m.): trick, deceit * fatum, fati (n.): fate, destiny * caverna, cavernae (f.): cave, cavity
Remember Laocoön’s spear throw with the phrase: "Spear flies, horse cries!" to recall the action and the consequence.
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Visual Aid:
Caption: Laocoön, right of the horse, hurls his spear at the horse while Sinon plants the false story about the horse within the Trojans. Image Courtesy of University of Heidelberg
Pay close attention to Laocoön's use of rhetorical questions and his strong emotional language. This section is rich in literary devices.
When translating, pay close attention to verb tenses and case endings. This will help you accurately convey the meaning of the Latin text.
#Practice Questions
Practice Question
Multiple Choice:
- In line 51 (stetit illa tremens), what does illa refer to? a) The horse b) The spear c) Laocoön d) The Trojans
- Which stylistic device is most prominent in line 54 (insonuere cavae gemitumque dedere cavernae)? a) Metaphor b) Simile c) Assonance d) Hyperbole
Free Response: Analyze how Vergil uses the character of Laocoön to create tension and foreshadow the fall of Troy in lines 40-56. Be sure to include specific textual evidence in your response.
Scoring Rubric:
- 2 points: Correctly identifies Laocoön as a figure of warning and suspicion.
- 2 points: Provides textual evidence of Laocoön's warnings and actions (e.g., “ō miseri, quae tanta īnsania, civēs?”, spear throw).
- 2 points: Explains how Laocoön’s actions create dramatic tension and foreshadow the tragic events to come.
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