The Story of Icarus


Icarus was the son of Daedalus who built the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete where he kept the Minotaur. After he built it, Daedalus and Icarus were both kept prisoner and the only way to escape was to fly.

olim in insula Creta Daedalus labyrinthum aedificavit. in labyrintho habitabat Minotaurus, terribile monstrum. Daedalus filium, Icarum nomine, habebat. per multos annos, Daedalus et filius, erant captivi. Daedalus effugere ex insula volebat et consilium audax invenit. constituit alas facere et ex insula volare.

Daedalus built wings for himself and Icarus; he warned Icarus not to fly too high or his wings would fall apart. Icarus forgot his father’s warning and his flight ended in disaster.

lignum et pennas collegit, et ceram in pennis pinxit. post multos menses, Daedalus alas confecit. tum pater et filius ad caelum volaverunt. sed Icarus, qui erat semper puer temerarius, patrem audire non volebat. Icarus novam libertatem amabat; volavit celerius quam aquila, sed pater eum monuit: “noli volare adversus solem: calor ceram solvet.” sed Icarus non audivit; sol alas destruit, et Icarus in mare cecidit prope insulam quae Icaria hodie nominatur.

Wordlist

ad (+ acc.) = towards
adversus = towards
aedificare = to build
ala = wing
amare = to love
annus = year
aquila = eagle
audax = daring
audire = to listen to
caelum = sky
calor = heat
captivus = prisoner
cecidit = fell
cera = wax
cerlerius = faster
colligere = to collect
confecit = (he) finished
consilium = plan
constituit = he decided
Creta = Crete
Daedalus = Daedalus
destruit = destroyed
effugere = to escape
erant = (they) were
et = and
eum = him
ex (+ abl.) = out of
facere = to make
filius = son
habere = to have
habitare = to live
hodie = today
Icaria = Icaria
Icarus = Icarus
in (+abl.) = in; on
insula = island
invenire = to dream up

 labyrinthus = labyrinth
libertas = freedom
lignum = wood
mare = sea
mensis = month
Minotaurus = Minotaur
monstrum = monster
monuit = warned
multos = many
noli = don’t
nominatur = is called
nomine = called; by name
non = not
novam = new-found
olim = once upon a time
pater = father
penna = feather
per (+ acc.) = for
pinxit = painted
post (+ acc.) = after
prope (+ acc.) = near
quae = which
quam = than
qui = who
sed = but
semper = always
sol = sun
solvet = “will melt”
temerarius = reckless
terribile = terrible
tum = then
volare = to fly
volebat = (he) wanted

Latin — National Unit 1

Learning Outcome 2 — Translate a short passage of Latin

Translate the following passage into English; use the wordlist to help you.

N.B. In the word list, verbs areusually given in their infinitive and you have to work out what tense the author has used.
         Nouns are given in the nominative singular, and you have to work out what case they are and whether they are singular or plural.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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