Wsa Pyramus Thisbe en

Pyramus and Thisbe: An impossible love affair? (Ov.met.
IV, 55-166)
Pyramus and Thisbe: An impossible love affair? 1

The three daughters of Minyas (King of Thebes) take turns telling each other stories to make their work at the loom entertaining. Another story has
just ended and one of the sisters is wondering whether to tell the story of the tree from Babylon, which used to bear white fruit but now has black fruit
because it has been splashed with blood. She decides to tell this story because it is not generally known.
55 “Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
Notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit:
60 tempore crevit amor. Taedae quoque iure coissent:
sed vetuere patres. Quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
! Linguistic peculiarities: tenuere = tenuerunt, vetuere = vetuerunt, potuere = …

56 Construction: altera praelata (erat) puellis, quas oriens habuit; praelatus ( praeferre) – more excellent than; Oriens, entis, f. – Orient; 57 contiguus –
neighbouring; dicitur + NcI – people say; 58 coctilibus muris – brick-built; cingo urbem muris, cinxi ( cingere) – I surround sth. with sth.; Semiramis, is, f.:
(legendary) founder of Babylon, wife of Ninus; 59 notitia – acquaintance; gradus, us, m. – step; vicinia – neighbourhood; 60 taedae coeo, coii ( coire) – I get
married; 61 veto, vetui ( vetare) – I forbid; 62 ex aequo – equally; captis mentibus ardent – they fall madly in love
1
Source of the Latin text: Ovid. Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha. F. A. Perthes. 1892.
Source of the visualisations: Hellmich, M. (2014): Ovid Verwandlungsgeschichten – Ein Comic als Ovid-Lektüre. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
For copyright reasons the illustrations need each to have a watermark.
© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 1

Pyramus and Thisbe: An impossible love affair? (Ov.met. IV, 55-166)
Vocabulary work (V. 55-62)

Task 1: Longs and shorts are very important in Latin in order to recognize the similarity of nouns and adjectives and to understand their meaning.
1. In verses 55-59, mark the long syllables in the nouns by activating your knowledge of case endings and the structure of the hexameter.
2. Give reasons for at least four lengths of your decision.
3. If you still have problems with the determination of the lengths, phrase a question about your problem using an example.
Task 2: After certain Latin verbs follows the AcI (Accusativus cum Infinitivo), e.g. after dicere, videre and sentire. The NcI (Nominativus cum
Infinitivo) works in a similar way, but is much easier to discover because it appears almost only after dicitur ("one says") and videtur ("it seems").
AcI: Ovid dicit Semiramem urbem coctilibus muris cinxisse. – Ovid says ___________________________________________________.
NcI: Dicitur Semiramis altam urbem coctilibus muris cinxisse. – One says ___________________________________________________.
1. Mark the comparable components of the AcI and the NcI as well as the superordinate verb in the same way
2. Translate both sentences (see help below the text).
3. *Consider why Ovid introduces the sentence information with dicitur.
Task 3: facere and tenere are often given with the English words make und have. But actually, it is their context, i.e. with which objects they are
related, that decides how the verbs are to be understood. It is a matter of practice to reproduce these word combinations accurately.
1. Express notitiam facere and domos tenere successfully.
pontem iniuriam castra ignem vim
2. *Choose at least two objects from the box that can be used together
with facere and translate them successfully. bellum initium testamentum finem pacem

Task 1: There are two different word formation rules: derivation and composition.
1. Give an English example for both word formation rules. Use the glossary if necessary.
1. conscius, abesse (v. 63) and transire (v. 70) are also created by word formation. Decide for each word whether it is a derivative or a compound
and give reasons for your decision.
2. *Why is it helpful for translating (and/or learning vocabulary) to be able to apply word formation rules?

Task 2: Verse 64 is particularly poetic in its design, since it contains two stylistic figures. These are a chiasm and a metaphor.
1. Mark the two stylistic figures (differently) and explain the meaning of the metaphor
2. Assign the metaphor to a word field that is important in this metamorphosis.
3. Prove your decision by finding another example of this word field in the following verses.
4. *Think about the benefits you can derive from the composition of a word field.
Conscius omnis abest: nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis.
65 Fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret paries domui communis utrique.
Id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum
(quid non sentit amor?) primi vidistis amantes,
et vocis fecistis iter; tutaeque per illud
70 murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
63 conscius – confidant; nutus, us m. – nod; 64 aestuare – flare up; 65 fissus – split; tenuis, e – fine; rima – gap; duco – I get; olim – once; 66 paries, etis, m. –
wall; 67 (id vitium) nulli notatum (erat) - … had not been noticed by anyone;
70 murmur, uris, n. – mumbling; blanditiae Pl. – blandishments


Translations are interpretations of the translator. He shows how he
understood the original text by translating the content and sometimes
also the form into another language. However, those who are just
learning to translate translate "very closely to the text", i.e. they try to
translate every grammatical form and every word in an equation.
However, since two languages and their cultural contexts (backgrounds)
are usually quite different, this can lead to the fact that the translated
text can only be understood with difficulty.
Saepe, ubi constiterant hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc, Often, as soon as Thisbe here, Pyramus set himself up there
inque vices fuerat captatus anhelitus oris, and took turns trying to catch the breath of the mouth, they said,
“invide” dicebant “paries, quid amantibus obstas? “Grudging wall, why do you stand in the way of lovers?
quantum erat, ut sineres toto nos corpore iungi, How much was it that you allow us to be connected with a whole body or,
75 aut hoc si nimium est, vel ad oscula danda pateres? if that is too much, that you stand open to give kisses?
Nec sumus ingrati: tibi nos debere fatemur, And we're not ungrateful: We confess that we owe it to you,
quod datus est verbis ad amicas transitus aures.” that words have been given a passage to loving ears.”
Task 1: Underline the words and the sentence order in the English translation that you did not understand immediately on first reading.
Task 2: Work with a partner on the sentence structure and word choice of the translation so that it is easier to understand without losing its poetic
character.


talia diversa and sub noctem are Latin expressions.
Task 1: Think about how you can reproduce these expressions accurately in
English.
Task for repetition: dixere and dedere are poetic verb forms. How are they
written by prose writers like Caesar?
Talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti
sub noctem dixere ”vale” partique dedere
80 oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra.
Postera nocturnos aurora removerat ignes, The next dawn had driven away the stars of the night and the sun had dried
solque pruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas: the dew-damp grasses with its rays:
ad solitum coiere locum. … They met in their usual place. …
78 nequiquam – in vain; sedes, is, f. – side; 80 oscula do ( dare) – I kiss; contra – across

The context, e.g. an illustration, is very important for the (pre-) comprehension of a text, because the reader forms an expectation of what he is about
to read. Keywords such as names or verbs are equally helpful. In the next section, the lovers decide (statuunt) something. The pictures and highlighted
keywords tell you what they agree on.
Task 1: Continue telling the story using this context so that you can establish an expectation of the text.
Task 2: Using this pre-expectation and the Latin text, write then an appropriate English paraphrase of the original text.

© Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
… Tum murmure parvo
multa prius questi, statuunt, ut nocte silenti
85 fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent,
cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant;
neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo,
conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra
arboris. Arbor ibi, niveis uberrima pomis
90 ardua morus, erat, gelido contermina fonti.
83 murmur, uris, n. – mumbling; 84 silere – be silent; 85 fores, ium f. – door; 86 tectum – house; 87 neve = et ne; spatior ( spatiari) – I walk; lato arvo = in
lato arvo; arvum – premises; 88 busta, orum n. – mausoleum; Ninus: husband of Semiramis; 89 niveus – snow-white; uber, eris – fertile; pomum – fruit; 90
arduus – towering; morus f. – mulberry tree; gelidus – cool; conterminus – neighbouring
*Task 3: Acquire characteristics of paraphrase (vv. 83-90) and translation (vv. 71-77) by discussing your experiences with these types of texts.


Task 1: The context of the text is made clear both by connecting words
(connectors) and by the logic of the content.
Put the translated sentences in the correct order and make necessary changes
(punctuation marks, sentence order, "and").
Task 2: Explain the meaning of the English words audacious, recent, false and
beef by retracing them to a Latin word (v. 93-98).
*Task 3: In English, many words of written and technical language are derived
Procedure for the text puzzle: from Latin. Find out the reason for this.
1. Use familiar words for understanding the meaning.
2. Consider signal words (but, here, relative pronouns etc.) and chronological order.
3. Note the verb endings and put the figures in a meaningful relationship.
Pacta placent. Et lux, tarde discedere visa, from the same sea the night rises up  night comes after day and the same sea = sea has
already been mentioned  position after daylight + sea, best connect with "and"
92 praecipitatur aquis, et aquis nox exit ab isdem. daylight sinks into the sea  What can the connection to the sentence before be?
that only seems to go away slowly  reference to daylight: that  position after daylight
they like the date
Callida per tenebras versato cardine Thisbe here comes a lioness
to quench their thirst in the water of the nearby spring
egreditur fallitque suos, adopertaque vultum love made her bold
lo and behold
95 pervenit ad tumulum, dictaque sub arbore sedit.
with her face veiled, she reaches the burial mound
Audacem faciebat amor. Venit ecce recenti so she deceives her loved ones
whose foaming mouth is stained by a recent murder of an ox
caede leaena boum spumantes oblita rictus, she settles under the agreed tree
after opening the door the clever Thisbe now sneaks out through the darkness
depositura sitim vicini fontis in unda.
93 callidus – clever; versato cardine – after opening the door; 94 adoperior vultum, adopertus sum – I cover …; 95 tumulus – burial mound; dictus – agreed; sido, sedi (
sidere) – I sit down; 96 audax, cis – bold; 97 caedes, is f. – blood; leaena – lioness; spumare – foaming; oblino, oblevi, oblitum ( oblinere) – stain; rictus, uum m. Pl. –
mouth; 98 sitim deponere – to quench thirst; vicinus – neighbouring

Task 1: Being able to decipher structures is an important prerequisite for a good understanding of texts. In order not to get lost in details such as single
word meanings right at the beginning, one should proceed strategically when decoding texts, e.g.:
1. Read through the entire text section slowly and search for possible keywords (e.g. names)
2. Take a deliberate pause at each punctuation mark while reading and mark this place e.g. with a thin dividing line.
3. After the first reading, think briefly about what you have already understood. Include your context knowledge (type and topic of the text,
experience with similar texts, domain specific knowledge) and your knowledge what has happened so far.
4. Read the text section by section (see 2.) and mark words that belong together (keyword: congruency) with arrows. Sometimes you have to
use your knowledge of the verse meter (which syllables have to be long?).
5. Only then, start translating the text section by section. Pay attention to the help under the text.
Apply this procedure to verses 99-104.
Task 2: In verses 99-100 there are two word combinations (collocations), which can be translated word by word, but which are then not phrased
appropriately in English: ad lunae radios and timido pede. Find a suitable English phrase for each one.
*Task 3: In poetry, acting figures often acquire special attributes that clearly characterize them. Sometimes only the attributes are used to represent
the characters. In this section, Ovid has chosen Babylonia Thisbe and lea saeva. Think about what he wanted to express with this choice.

Quam procul ad lunae radios Babylonia Thisbe
100 vidit et obscurum timido pede fugit in antrum,
dumque fugit, tergo velamina lapsa reliquit.
Ut lea saeva sitim multa conpescuit unda,
dum redit in silvas, inventos forte sine ipsa
ore cruentato tenues laniavit amictus.
99 quam <leaenam> (leaena – lioness); luna – mond; radius – streak; 100 timidus – shy; antrum – cave;
101 velamina Pl. n. – veil; labor, lapsus sum ( labi) – I let sth. slide down; 102 ut (+ Ind. Perf.) – as soon as; lea – lioness;
sitim conpesco, compescui (conpescere) – I quench my thirst; 103 sine ipsa – without the owner;
104 cruentatus – bloodstained; tenuis, e – tender; lanio ( laniare) – I tear sth. up; amictus Pl. m. – veil

Blocking positions of noun and attribute (hyperbata) are often found in Latin
poetry. There are two explanations for the separation of these word pairs: the
verse meter is to blame or the author wanted to emphasize something.
Task 1: Find as many as possible of the 12 existing hyperbata.
Task 2: Determine the hyperbata according to case, number and gender.
*Task 3: Select two Hyperbata and justify their existence.
105 Serius egressus vestigia vidit in alto
pulvere certa ferae totoque expalluit ore
Pyramus: ut vero vestem quoque sanguine tinctam
repperit, “una duos” inquit “nox perdet amantes.
E quibus illa fuit longa dignissima vita,
110 nostra nocens anima est: ego te, miseranda, peremi,
in loca plena metus qui iussi nocte venires,
nec prior huc veni. Nostrum divellite corpus,
et scelerata fero consumite viscera morsu,
o quicumque sub hac habitatis rupe, leones.
115 Sed timidi est optare necem.”
105 serius – later; 106 pulvis, pulveris m. – dust; expallesco, expallui ( expallescere) – I blanch; 107 ut (+ Ind. Perf.) – as soon as;
sanguine tinctus – bloody; 108 perdo ( perdere) – I ruin sb./sth.; 109 illa <Thisbe>; fuit = fuisset; 110 nostra = mea; nocens – guilty;
miserandus – deplorable; perimo, peremi ( perimere) – I destroy sb.; 111 K: qui iussi (, ut) … venires; 112 divello ( divellere) – I rip sth.;
113 sceleratus – criminal; consumo ( consumere) – I consume; viscera n. Pl. – intestines; morsus, us m. – bite; 114 rupes, is f. – rock; 115 timidus – coward;
est + Gen. – it is a sign (of) … + Infinitive


The choice of words and the level of detail differ depending on the type of text. In contrast
to a factual text, an epic can have a "flowery" (e ferventi vulnere) or apparently absurd
choice of words (haustus nostri sanguinis) and numerous stylistic features.
Aufgabe 1: Who does Pyramus address in verse 118?
Aufgabe 2: This stylistic feature is called personification. Make a reasonable assumption
as to the function of this form of address in the context.
*Aufgabe 3: In seven verses Ovid has the figure Pyramus perform eight actions
(verbs). What impression does he thereby create on you? Justify your answer.
115 … Velamina Thisbes
tollit et ad pactae secum fert arboris umbram;
utque dedit notae lacrimas, dedit oscula vesti,
“accipe nunc” inquit “nostri quoque sanguinis haustus!”
quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum,
120 nec mora, ferventi moriens e vulnere traxit.
Et iacuit resupinus humo: …
115 velamina Pl. n. – veil; 116 pactus – agreed; 117 ut (+ Ind. Perf.) – after; (vesti) lacrimas dare – dampen sth. with tears;
osculum dare – kiss; 118 haustus m. Pl. – swig; 119 K: quoque = et quo ( ferrum); accingere (PPP: accinctum) – to arm;
demittere – push into; ilia, ium n. Pl. – belly; 120 nec mora – immediately; fervere – be burning hot;
121 resupinus – on one's back; humo – on the ground


In order to be able to find a word quickly in the dictionary, one must develop
strategies to be able to infer the basic form from an inflected word form.
Task 1: Determine the basic form of the underlined words and explain how
you arrived at the basic form.
…: cruor emicat alte, The blood rises high,

non aliter quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo not other than when the pipe of a water pipe is filled with damaged lead
scinditur et tenui stridente foramine longas bursts and long jets of water from the thin, hissing opening
eiaculatur aquas atque ictibus aera rumpit. shoot out and the air breaks through in bursts.
125 Arborei fetus adspergine caedis in atram The tree fruits are transformed by the blood splashes into a dark
vertuntur faciem, madefactaque sanguine radix appearance and the blood-soaked root
purpureo tingit pendentia mora colore. dyes the hanging mulberries purple.
*Task 2: In verses 121-124 Ovid uses a simile 2. What do you think is the point of comparison? Make a reasonable assumption as to why Ovid might
have used this simile.
2
Definition simile:
A simile is a linguistic means of expression in which an idea, a process or a state is compared for illustration with a fact from another, usually sensual-concrete area. The
correspondences of both parts are concentrated in a single point of comparison that is essential for the statement, the tertium comparationis.

Ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem, Behold, although Thisbe is still afraid, she returns so as not to disappoint her
illa ________ iuvenemque oculis animoque ________, lover. She searches for the young man with her eyes and her heart. She longs
130 quantaque vitarit ________ pericula gestit. to tell him of the great danger she has escaped. Although she recognizes the
Utque locum et visa ________ in arbore formam, place and the outline of the tree she has just seen, the colour of the fruit makes
sic ________ incertam pomi color: haeret, an haec sit. her uncertain: she is at a loss as to whether it is the right one. While still
Dum ________, tremebunda ________ ________ cruentum hesitating, she sees trembling limbs beating the bloody ground. She stepped
membra solum, retroque pedem tulit, oraque buxo back, her face paler than boxwood, and she shivered like a sea that trembles
135 pallidiora gerens ________ aequoris instar, when a faint breath of air lightly touches its surface.
quod ________, exigua cum summum stringitur aura.

Task 1: The following verbs are missing in the gaps: pulsare, narrare, tremit, videt, requirit, facit, redit, exhorruit, dubitat, cognoscit.
Insert them appropriately.
Task 2: Work out a word field from the section with at least three references. Give the word field a suitable heading.
*Task 3: The word combinations (collocations) "retro pedem tulit - she stepped back" and "ora buxo pallidiora gerens - her face became paler than
boxwood" are so-called real collocations, because their meaning cannot be inferred from the sum of the single meanings of the words when
translating. Justify this statement.


Task 1: Especially verbs often need grammatically defined additions in sentences, otherwise their statement is not complete. This phenomenon exists
in many languages and is called the valence of the verb.
Examples:
I go. – Eo.  [Verb] + ----  The verb needs no addition: null-value.
I see you. – Te video.  [Verb] + [Accusative object]  The verb requires an accusative object: monovalent.
I answer you. – Tibi respondeo.  [Verb] + [Dative object]  The verb requires a dative object: monovalent.
I give you a book. – Librum tibi do.  [Verb] + [Accusative object]
+ [Dative object]  The verb needs two objects: bivalent.
Most of these verb constructions are identical in English and Latin, so that one can often infer the Latin construction from the English. This is very
helpful for translating, because you can search for the necessary additions to the verb. Search the verses for any necessary additions to the following
predicates, determine their value and translate the constructions.
percutit (V.138) indignos lacertos (monovalent, only Acc.obj.) – she beats her unworthy arms (/ her arms, which do not deserve to embrace Pyramus)
supplevit (V.140)
miscuit (V.141)
clamavit (V. 142)
ademit (V. 142)
nominat (V. 144)
Task 2: Every culture has certain gestures to express grief. From this section, work out the obvious ancient mourning gestures and compare them with
modern mourning gestures you are familiar with.
*Task 3: Some Latin verbs have different valences and then change their English meaning. Explain this with the verbs adesse and consulere.

lacertos percutit comas laniatur corpus amatum amplectitur vulnera lacrimis supplet clamat
Sed postquam remorata suos cognovit amores, But after she paused for a moment and recognized her lover,
percutit indignos claro plangore lacertos,
et laniata comas amplexaque corpus amatum
140 vulnera supplevit lacrimis fletumque cruori
miscuit et gelidis in vultibus oscula figens
“Pyrame” clamavit “quis te mihi casus ademit?
Pyrame, responde: tua te carissima Thisbe
nominat: exaudi vultusque attolle iacentes!”
138 plangor, oris m. – wailing; lacertus – arm; 140 fletus, us m. Pl. – tears; cruor, is, m. – blood;
141 gelidus – cool; oscula figere (in vultibus) – to kiss (sth. / sb.) desperately;
142 adimo, ademi ( adimere) – I take sth. away; 144 exaudi = audi; attollo ( attollere) – I raise


Task 1: Complete the English cloze text by translating the underlined Latin
words appropriately.
Task 2: Explain the technical terms vacuum, visa, ocular, manual and post
mortem by e.g. tracing them back to words in the text.
*Task 3: The German word "man" (engl.: you, one) does not exist as a word
in the Latin language. Think how the Romans expressed it. You will find a
hint in verse 151.
145 Ad nomen Thisbes oculos iam morte gravatos At the name "Thisbe" Pyramus opened his eyes already weighted down by death
Pyramus erexit, visaque recondidit illa. and closed them again, ______________________________________.
Quae postquam vestemque suam cognovit et ense After ___________________________________________________, _______
vidit ebur vacuum, “tua te manus” inquit “amorque ___________ that the sword was missing from the ivory scabbard, __________:
perdidit, infelix. Est et mihi fortis in unum „______________________________________________________. I too have
150 hoc manus, est et amor: dabit hic in vulnera vires. a hand strong enough for this one thing, and enough love: this will give me the
Persequar exstinctum letique miserrima dicar strength to do it. I will follow you, the slain, and __________________________
causa comesque tui; quique a me morte revelli _______________________________________. And, alas, you could only be
heu sola poteras, poteris nec morte revelli. separated from me by death, ________________________________________.
149 perdo ( perdere) – I am ruining; 152 revelli possum ( revellere) – I can be separated from sth.


Task 1: Derive the meaning of the underlined words from your entire
vocabulary knowledge.
Task 2: Explain the English words certain, sign, hour, corpse and parents by
e.g. tracing them back to words in the text.
Task 3: Translate the highlighted words appropriately into English. Use your
considerations from task 1 and 2.
Hoc tamen amborum verbis estote rogati, So let us at least ask you in both our names,
155 o multum miseri meus illiusque parentes, oh you most unfortunate
ut quos certus amor, quos hora novissima iunxit,
conponi tumulo non invideatis eodem.
At tu quae ramis arbor miserabile corpus But you, tree, whose branches now _________________________________
nunc tegis unius, mox es tectura duorum, __________________, will soon shade the body ______________________.
160 signa tene caedis pullosque et luctibus aptos Hold ________________________ and always bear the dark fruits and those
semper habe fetus, gemini monimenta cruoris.” appropriate to grief, ___________________________________________ .“
156 novissimus – the last; 157 conponere – (here:) bury; tumulus – burial mound; invideo ( invidere) – I begrudge; 160 caedes, is f. – murder;
161 geminus – double (spilled); cruor, is m. – blood

Dixit, et aptato pectus mucrone sub imum
incubuit ferro, quod adhuc a caede tepebat.
Vota tamen tetigere deos, tetigere parentes:
165 nam color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit, ater,
quodque rogis superest, una requiescit in urna.”
162 mucronem sub imum pectus aptare – place the point of the sword at the bottom of the chest;
163 incumbo, incubui ferro ( incumbere + Dat.) – plunge on the sword; caedes, is f. – blood; tepeo ( tepere) – be warm;
164 votum – wish; tetigere = tetigerunt; 165 pomum – fruit; permaturesco, permaturui ( permaturescere) – to ripen;
ater, atra, atrum – dark; 166 rogus – funeral pyre; requiescere – rest; urna – urn

Glossary
Technical term English meaning Explanation
Chiasm Cross-over position A – B + B – A: satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum
(stylistic device) enough of eloquence – of wisdom too little
Derivation The derivative is derived from another word and consists of a basic word and a prefix
 derivative or suffix, e.g. book-let, parv-ulus, vic-tor.
Epic Narrative The epic belongs as a genre to poetry. In it, deeds of real or fictional heroes are often
(literary genre) told, e.g. the deeds of Hercules or Ulysses.
Collocation A collocation is a combination of at least two words that occur together and have a
fixed meaning, e.g. brushing teeth, res publica.
Composition The compound is made up of at least two independent words, e.g. blue-berry, ab-ire,
 compound agri-cola.
Connector Logic element A connector has the task of putting sentences into a relationship with each other.
Typical connectors are: but, yesterday, and, then, therefore, here, he/she etc.
Metaphor Figurative transmission The actual expression is replaced by something that is supposed to be clearer, more
(stylistic device) vivid or linguistically richer, e.g. "desert ship" for "camel".
Paraphrase Circumscription The paraphrase is...
(stylistic device, ... the paraphrasing of the meaning of one linguistic expression by other linguistic
type of text) expressions.
... a faithful rendering of a linguistic expression or a text.
... a free translation into another language only in the sense of its meaning.
Personification Abstract and lifeless concepts or processes are being humanized, i.e. addressed.
(stylistic device) However, they can also appear as acting persons themselves.
Textual coherency Context of a text Textual coherency is the logical and thematic context of a text: So if Pyramus talks
to Thisbe, the reader expects an answer from Thisbe (or a reason why she does not
answer) in the next section.
Word field In a word field, related words of a language are combined, which cover a common
area of meaning in an overlap, e.g. the word field "colours": green, blue, black etc.

Software-supported vocabulary tasks for: Pyramus und Thisbe: An impossible love affair? (https://korpling.org/mc/exercise-list)
Verse Cloze exercise Keyword-in-Context Mark words
55-166 single Lemmata (e.g. hic-ille), otherwise too extensive Adp. (49), Adv. (48), Gen. (22), Adj. Verb (223), Nouns (188), Adp.
(70), Conj. (64)  Position of (49), Conj. (64), Subj. (31),
adj./gen.? Characteristics, Copula (9)
categorization, task of adverbs?
Which information is wrong in the
exercise and why?
55-62 Conj. (3), Adj. (3, puellis falsch), Pron. (4), Obj. (7), 2 Adp. (primosque false), 2 Adv. Nom. (9), Verb (11, some errors;
Lemmata (tempore, gradus, domos, urbem, amor, (quoque, non) Error = E)
mentibus)
63-70 Acc. (3), Verbs (vidistis, solebant, fieret, fecistis, Adverbs (3x magis, 1x non) Acc. (3), Nom. (15, 3 E), Pron. (7)
sentit)
71-77 Verbs (19), Conj. (6), Adv. (3, 1 F.), Abl. (4), Conj. (6), Aux. (3), Abl. (4) Verb (19, 5 E.), Pron. (8, 1 E.),
Lemmata (amicas, oris, oscula, amantibus), Lemmata Abl. (4), Gen. (2, 1 E.), CConj. (3),
(obstas, fatemur, constiterant, dicebant, sineres, Subj. (8, 3 E.), Nom. (16, E.)
(danda), debere, (datus), iungi, (amantibus)), Pron. (8,
1 E.), Subj. (4, 1 E.)
78-83 Adv. (3, 1 E.), Adj. (6, 1 E.), Adp. (3), Nouns (8, 1 E.), Adj. (6), Verbs (8), Dat., Acc., Acc. (6, 1 E), Nom. (11, 6 E),
Acc. (6, 1 E.), Lemmata (dixere, dedere, removerat, osculum, aurora Pron. (3, 2 E), Verbs (8, 1 E)
siccaverat, vale, pervenientia)
83-90 Lemmata (arboris, morus, arbor, tecta, busta, Nouns (13), arbor Verbs (15, 3 E), Adj. (8, 3 E),
custodes, domo, murmure), (fallere, statuunt, exierint, Subj. (3, 2 E), Adp. (5, 2 E), Nom.
relinquant, convenient), Acc. (4), Adp. (5), Conj. (4) (9, 6 E), Abl. (14, 4 E)
91-98 Lemmata (pacta, sitim, nox, leaena, fontis, lux, aqua (2), tenebrae (1), Verbs (17), Abl. (6), Verbs (17, 5 E), Conj.
vultum), (placent, faciebat, discedere, egreditur, exit, Acc. (8) (5), Subj. (6, 1 E)
venit, pervenit), Adp. (6, 1 E)
99-104 Conj. (3), Pron. (4, 2 F), Adp. (4), Nouns (9), Lemmata Acc. (8), Abl. (5), Adp. (4) Adj. (5, 2 E), Pron. (4, 2 E), Acc.
(vidit, laniavit, fugit, reliquit, redit, inventos, fugit) (8, 2 E), Obj. (5, 1 E)
105-115 Acc. (9), Abl. (6), Conj. (5, 1 E), Lemmata (anima, Adp. (4), Conj. (5) Subj. (9, 2 E), Adj. (12, 7 E),
metus, (leones), vestem, (viscera), sanguine, loca, Verbs (18, 7 E), Pron. (10, 1 E)

nocte, (necem), (vestigia), corpus), (vidit, repperit,

inquit, consumite, (divellite), veni, (perdet))
115-121 Acc. (6), Gen. (3), Lemmata (ad, utque, sed, in, ut, et, Conj. (5), Adv. (3), Adp. (4), Subj. Subj. (7, 4 E), Gen. (3), Acc. (6, 1
nec, e), (oscula, vulnere, ferrum, (humo), sanguinis, (3) E), Conj. (5), Verbs (17, 6 E)
(arboris), (umbram), lacrimas), (demisit, inquit, tollit,
iacuit, traxit, fert, accipe)
121-127 Conj. (6), Abl. (9), Lemmata (non, ut, cum, in, et) Abl. (9), Subj. (3), Adj. (5, 2 E) Abl. (9, 2 E), Nom. (10, 4 E)
128-136 Lemmata (facit, redit, exhorruit, requirit, videt, visa, Conj. (7), Subj. (8) Acc. (10, 1 E), Nom. (11, 5 E),
(tremit), (pulsare), (narrare)), (locum, pericula, metu, Adv. (5, 2 E), Pron. (4, 1 E)
formam, (animoque), oculis, color, (aura)), Conj. (7)
137-144 Acc. (11), Lemmata (gelidis, claro, indignos, Subj. (5), Conj. (4) Pron. (8, 2 E), Verbs (19, 5 E),
carissima), (cognovit, miscuit, (attolle), exaudi, Dative (3), Abl. (7, 3 E)
(ademit), clamavit, (percutit), iacentes, responde,
(supplevit), nominat, (laniata))
145-153 Adj. (3), Abl. (7, 2 E), Acc. (11, 2 E), Lemmata (a, et, Abl. (7), Adj. (3) Pron. (11, 2 E), Conj. (7), Adp. (5,
ad, et, in, nec, in, postquam, et), (mihi, tua, te, tui, illa, 2 E), Nom. (17, 7 E)
me, hic, hoc), (vires, oculos, vulnera, nomen, morte,
manus, manus, causa) (dicar, inquit, cognovit, poteras,
dabit, perdidit, persequar)
154-161 Lemmata (corpus, signa, (cruoris), (luctibus), verbis, Pron. (9), Adv. (7) Verbs (7, 3 E), Adj. (7, 2 E), Gen.
caedis, hora, (monimenta), arbor, amor), (aptos, (5, 2 E), Acc. (5, 1 E)
novissima, miserabile, multum, certus), (hoc, duorum,
amborum, eodem), (conponi, tegis, invideatis, tene,
habe, iunxit)
162-166 Conj. (4), Adp. (4), Lemmata (incubuit, tetigere, Adp. (4), Adv. (4) Nom. (8, 3 E), Abl. (4), Verbs (11,
tetigere, requiescit, superest, dixit), (adhuc, ater, una, 2 E), Adp. (4), Nouns (9, 1 E),
imum, tamen, nam) Conj. (4)

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Pyramus and Thisbe: An impossible love affair? (Ov.met.

Pyramus and Thisbe: An impossible love affair? 1

55 “Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,

altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,

contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam

coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.

Notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit:

60 tempore crevit amor. Taedae quoque iure coissent:

sed vetuere patres. Quod non potuere vetare,

ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.

! Linguistic peculiarities: tenuere = tenuerunt, vetuere = vetuerunt, potuere = …

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 1

Vocabulary work (V. 55-62)

Vocabulary work (V. 63-70)

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 2

Conscius omnis abest: nutu signisque loquuntur,

quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis.

65 Fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,

cum fieret paries domui communis utrique.

Id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum

(quid non sentit amor?) primi vidistis amantes,

et vocis fecistis iter; tutaeque per illud

70 murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 3

Vocabulary work (V. 71-77)

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 4

Vocabulary work (V. 78-80)

Talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti

sub noctem dixere ”vale” partique dedere

80 oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra.

Vocabulary work (V. 83-90)

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 5

© Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

… Tum murmure parvo

multa prius questi, statuunt, ut nocte silenti

85 fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent,

cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant;

neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo,

conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra

arboris. Arbor ibi, niveis uberrima pomis

90 ardua morus, erat, gelido contermina fonti.

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 6

Vocabulary work (V. 91-98)

Vocabulary work (V. 99-104)

Apply this procedure to verses 99-104.

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 8

Quam procul ad lunae radios Babylonia Thisbe

100 vidit et obscurum timido pede fugit in antrum,

dumque fugit, tergo velamina lapsa reliquit.

Ut lea saeva sitim multa conpescuit unda,

dum redit in silvas, inventos forte sine ipsa

ore cruentato tenues laniavit amictus.

© Andrea Beyer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DFG-Projekt CALLIDUS, Projektnummer 316618374 9

pulvere certa ferae totoque expalluit ore

Pyramus: ut vero vestem quoque sanguine tinctam

repperit, “una duos” inquit “nox perdet amantes.

E quibus illa fuit longa dignissima vita,

110 nostra nocens anima est: ego te, miseranda, peremi,

in loca plena metus qui iussi nocte venires,

Quae postquam vestemque suam cognovit et ense After _____________________________________________, _