[V.] Sed adeo ne fugae quidem iter patuit omnibus viis ab equite insessis, ut ex tanta multitudine vix mille evaserint, ceteri passim alii alia peste absumpti sint.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

pătuit = was open. Cf. păte-facio = to make open; păt-ulus = open, spread out; păt-era = a broad, flat dish. English, patent.

insessis = occupied; in + sed-eo = sit upon—so, occupy.

passim = hither and thither, far and wide, formed from passus (pando), expand.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence resembles in form Sentence IV., with one principal verb patuit, and a principal subject iter, and a subordinate clause of result, ut . . . absumpti sint, modifying the action of the principal verb patuit. You may conveniently break up this sentence into two, by beginning a new sentence with Ceteri. Thus:—

So completely closed against them was every chance of escape, all the roads being beset by cavalry, that out of so numerous a host hardly a thousand escaped. The rest perished as they fled, some by one death and some by another.

Before laying aside these two passages, you should pay attention to the following points:—

(i.) Vocabulary.—Besides carefully noticing new words, try to form groups of cognates (i.e. related words). One of the best ways to enlarge your vocabulary is to group together words of common origin, and to add to each, where you can, derivative and cognate English words. To take a few examples from this passage:—

Word.Meaning.English Derivative.
ALIUS= another (of many).
ali-enus= that belong to anotheralien, alienate.
ali-quot= some, severalaliquot (parts).
al-ter= other of twoalter, alternate.
ali-bi= elsewherealibi.
etc.
SENATUS= the Council of the EldersSenate.
sen-ex= old
sen-ior= oldersenior, sire, sir.
sen-ile= belonging to old peoplesen-ile.
sen-ectus= old age.
etc.
ITER = (i-tiner)= a goingitin-erant.
amb-it-io= a going round, canvassingambition.
comes (cum + eo)= a comrade.a Count (Fr. Comte).
in-it-ium= a going in, a beginninginitial.
sed-it-io= a going apart, seditionsedition.
etc.