Cambridge Latin Course Book 1 Stage 10 Statuae Translation Hot! May 2026
Stage 10: Statuae
Postumus, when he heard this, was furious. He chased the sculptor through the workshop. Quintus and Alexander, who were standing in the street, heard the shouting. They entered the workshop and saw the statue.
In this stage, the story follows a Greek craftsman named Alexander who is visiting the house of Caecilius. The dialogue and descriptions center on his impressions of Roman life and the statues found in the city. cambridge latin course book 1 stage 10 statuae translation
- Pliny the Younger (Letters 7.27) tells a very similar story about a haunted house in Athens with a ghost that rattles chains. The CLC adapts this for younger readers.
- Household shrines – Romans believed Lares (guardian spirits) and Penates protected the house. A moving statue would be a terrifying perversion of that protective power.
- Statues as vessels – In Roman belief, statues could be inhabited by spirits (numina). A statue appearing suddenly meant a hostile spirit (larva or lemur).
(From the Cambridge Latin Course Book 1, Stage 10) Stage 10: Statuae Postumus, when he heard this,
Translation:
"Near the forum, there are statues. 'What is a statue?' Caecilius asked Curtius. 'They are images of the gods,' Curtius replied. 'What do you mean by images?' 'They are likenesses of the gods,' Curtius said, 'which have been made by human hands.' 'Where are the statues?' 'They are in the temple,' Curtius said." Pliny the Younger (Letters 7
Instead of dry grammar drills, "Statuae" uses a lively narrative about Quintus and the statues to show how adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe. Vocabulary Building: