Introduction
Romans began March, the month of the war-god Mars, by celebrating the ‘Matronalia’, a kind of mothers’ day with presents for the ladies and a day off for slaves. The strange juxtaposition of war and love was said to go back to the legend of how Romulus’s Rome was settled.
THE first inhabitants of Romulus’s city were mostly desperate outlaws from outlying states, and no father would give them his daughter in marriage.
So on the advice of his grandfather Numitor, Romulus held a great feast in honour of Neptune, with music and dancing.
As anticipated, young women of the neighbouring Sabine tribe came to it, and when it was in full swing the Roman youths snatched six hundred and eighty-three of their fair guests.
For two years, the Sabines protested at this outrage, until Tatius, their chieftain, came with arms to recover his women. The Sabines fought fiercely, and things might have gone ill for Romulus.
But the women of Rome rushed out of their houses, their hair flying and their children in their arms, crying that they had never been dishonoured, but had married willingly, and begging their Sabine fathers not to slay their Roman husbands.
A peace was agreed, and Romulus and Tatius thereafter reigned together at Rome.
Précis
When Romulus founded Rome it was peopled by outlaws, and no women would dwell with them. So Romulus threw a party to attract the women of the neighbouring Sabines, and snatched them for Roman wives. When the Sabines came to rescue their maidens, the women assured them that they had married willingly, and peace was made. (56 / 60 words)
When Romulus founded Rome it was peopled by outlaws, and no women would dwell with them. So Romulus threw a party to attract the women of the neighbouring Sabines, and snatched them for Roman wives. When the Sabines came to rescue their maidens, the women assured them that they had married willingly, and peace was made.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, just, not, otherwise, ought, since, whereas, whether.
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Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Fair. Honor. Protest.
2 Full. Great. Thing.
3 City. Father. Guest.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
brds (10+3)
bards. beards. birds. boards. braids. breads. breeds. brides. broads. broods.
abrades. birdies. brads.
