Pyrrha's Roman
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HARRY POTTER, characters, names and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros © 2001
J.K. Rowling studied Classics at university and she obviously enjoys playing with language. Many spells and a few of the names she uses are based on Latin words, so see how many you can remember - or work them out with the help of the Latin vocabulary list!
This quiz is based on the first four books.
1. What is the spell to conjure up a phantom figure which can protect against Dementors?
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2. How does Hermione make a feather rise into the air?
Clue : The spell begins with the ENGLISH word 'wing', which I imagine must be used as a verb and mean 'fly up'.
(I am grateful to the Harry Potter Lexicon [see below] for this idea).
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3. What is the spell to make a light appear at the end of a wizard's wand?
- and how can it be removed again?
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4. What is the curse (which is illegal for wizards to use) which puts another person in their power and makes them do whatever they are ordered?
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5. How does a witch or wizard cause fire to appear?
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6. Why is Ludo Bagman's first name appropriate for the job he does?
What about Professor McGonagall's first name, and the owl which has the same name as a Greek god?
Why is Sirius Black's first name so apt?
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7. What is the spell to disarm an opponent?
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8. Which curse accidentally hit Hermione and made her teeth grow to an alarming size?
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9. What does a wizard or witch say to make something fly immediately to them, even if it is some distance away?
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10.. DRACO DORMIENS NUNQUAM TITILLANDUS
Can you work out what the Hogwarts School motto means?
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If you have enjoyed this quiz, I can recommend the Harry Potter Lexicon, which contains everything you could possibly want to know about the Harry Potter books.
- or why not try the Harry Potter Animals Quiz (no Latin!) , the Classical Face Quiz or the Classical Computers Quiz?
accio - I summon, call to me
arduus - steep, high
arma - weapons, armour
augeo - I increase
dens - a tooth
dormio - I sleep (dormiens is a present participle : sleeping)
draco - a snake or dragon
ex - out of, from
expello - I send away
expectoro - I send out from my chest / heart (pectus means chest or heart)
exspecto - I wait for / expect / need
Hermes - the (Greek) name of the Messenger god. (His Roman name is Mercury).
imperium - power, area of supreme authority
impero - I order or command
incendium - a fire
incendo - I kindle, set alight
levo - I make light. (levitas = lightness)
lumen - light
ludo - I play
Minerva - the Roman goddess of Wisdom
nox - night, darkness
nunquam (or numquam) - never
patronus - a protector or sponsor
Sirius - the Roman name for the star known as the Dog-star
titillo - I tease / tickle (titillandus is a gerundive : should be teased / tickled)
Harry says expecto Patronum to conjure up an image which drives away Dementors.
The word Patronus ends in the letter 'm' when it is the object of a verb (Latin accusative case).
There are two possible derivations for 'expecto'. It might mean 'I need' (from 'exspecto') or 'I send out from my heart / chest' (from 'expectoro' - 'pectus' is heart or chest).
(Can you see why some cough medicines are described as 'expectorant'?)
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Hermione says wingardium leviosa to make the feather rise.
'wing' is an English word and is probably here used as a verb : fly up! 'ardium' possibly comes from 'arduus' = steeply or high. 'levo' = I make light, and 'levitas' = lightness. ('-osa' is a typical ending for an adjective in Latin).
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lumos makes a light appear at the end of a wand
- and nox switches it off again.
'lumen' = light, and 'nox' = night
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imperio is an Unforgivable Curse which puts someone in the power of a wizard.
It comes from the verb 'impero' = I order - or it could be the Ablative case of the noun 'imperium', meaning 'in (my) power'.
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incendio will start a fire when required.
It comes from the verb 'incendo' = I kindle, set alight - or it could be the Ablative case of the noun 'incendium', meaning 'with fire'.
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Ludo works in the Department of Magical Games and Sports.
'ludo' = I play.
Professor McGonagall's first name is Minerva - the Roman goddess of Wisdom, and Hermes the owl takes messages between wizards. (Hermes is the messenger god).
Sirius is the Roman name for the star known as the Dog-Star, and Sirius Black can change into a dog when he wishes to do so.
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expelliarmus will disarm an enemy.
It comes from the verb 'expello' = I thrust away or expel PLUS the noun 'arma' which means armour or weapons.
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densaugeo is the spell which hit Hermione by mistake and made her teeth grow.
It comes from the noun 'dens' = tooth PLUS the verb 'augeo' = I increase
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accio will bring an object to a wizard or witch.
It comes from the verb 'accio' = I call to myself, summon
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A sleeping dragon should never be tickled
'dormiens' (sleeping) and 'titillandus' (should be tickled / teased) both agree with 'draco' = dragon. nunquam (or numquam or nusquam) means never, in no circumstances.
(N.B. The English word 'agenda' is the same kind of word as 'titillandus' - a gerundive. It means '[things which] should be done' or '[things] needing to be done'.)
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Classical Computers Quiz
Harry Potter Animals Quiz (no Latin!)