Stage summary
| Storyline |
This stage is set in the town of Aquae Sulis, its bath and temple complex. It is Spring, AD 83, in Fishbourne. Togidubnus has fallen ill and decides to make a trip to the sanctuary of Aquae Sulis to look for divine help. In Aquae Sulis, Salvius orders Memor, the manager of the baths, to kill Togidubnus. In turn, Memor orders his freedman, Cephalus, to kill the king. |
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| Main language features |
perfect passive participle |
| Sentences patterns |
participial phrase + preposition verb + accusative + nominative dative + verb + (nominative) increasing complexity of elements governed by infinitive |
| Building words |
Adverbs ending in -ē formed from 1st and 2nd declension adjectives.
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| Practising the language |
fōns sacer
A description of original local practices at the sacred spring and the buildings established round it by the Romans. |
| Cultural context |
Romano-British town of Aquae Sulis, its baths and temple complex.
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| Enquiry question |
What might the site of Aquae Sulis reveal about Roman attitudes towards the culture of the Britons?
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Model sentences
Story
When the king Togidubnus falls ill and his queen Catia’s doctors cannot find a cure, Dumnorix tells Quintus about the sacred spring at Aquae Sulis and suggests Togidubnus should seek a cure there. Vitellianus, Rufilla and Salvius each tell Quintus their thoughts too.
New language feature
Perfect passive participles, with ā or ab to cue passive translation.
About the language 2
New language feature
More about infinitives
Discussion
In Book II, students met the use of the infinitive after forms of verbs such as volo and possum where the subject of the sentence was carrying out the action of the infinitive, for example: iuvenēs fābulam audīre volunt. This usage was explained on page 10 of stage 13. Now sentences are introduced that have the accusative object of the main verb carrying out the action of the infinitive. For example: volō Catiam multās epistulās mittere. Focus on students finding the meaning of this new usage and help them build confidence by going through the examples in section 2 and 3 with them.
Building words
New language feature
Formation of adverbs from 1st and 2nd declension adjectives (adverbs ending in -ē ).
Discussion
This is the first of a series of exercises designed to increase students’ word power by encouraging them to notice cognate forms. Guide students through them orally; if students write them out, they should not look up items, or the exercises become pointless. The examples, both old and new, make the point that words not previously met can be interpreted correctly if a cognate form is known.
Practising the Language: fōns sacer
Story
As Quintus and Togidubnus travel to Aquae Sulis together, Togidubnus tells Quintus a version of the history of the town and its baths.
Cultural context material
Content
An account of the natural hot springs, the development of the baths as a healing and tourist center, and the discoveries made by archaeologists. Best studied in connection with Lūcius Marcius Memor and fōns sacer. Vitellianus' account of the building of the baths and temple in number 4 of the model sentences also ties in with the 'talking head' description of these buildings in the cultural background section.
Vocabulary checklist
Students are introduced to the fourth principal part of verbs in this Stage. Note that many English words come from the last part of the verbs, e.g. jussive.