The Forum in Pompey, Aemelius and Marcus Out and About in Rome, Androcles and the Lion, two dumb Roman Soldiers, Angels & shepherds
Cambridge Course Book 1.. Section 3, See pictures in your book or online –
In the Forum
Simple sentences with subject and object and matching verb endings in present tense. Translation is not as smooth as it could be, but have stuck to the text to keep word meanings clear.
| Caecilius non est in villa. Caecilius in foro negotium agit. Caecilius est argentarius. | Caecilius is not in (his) country house. Caecilius makes deals in the forum. Caecilius is a banker. |
| argentarius pecuniam numerat. Caecilius forum circumspectat. | A banker counts money. Caecilius looks around the forum. |
| ecce! pictor in foro ambulat.pictor est Celer. Celer Caecilium salutat. | See! and artist is walking in the forum. The artist is Celer. Celer greets Caecilius. |
| ecce! tonsor quoque est in foro.tonsor est Pantagathus. Caecilius tonsorem videt. | Look! a barber is also in the forum. The barber is Pantagathus |
| ‘salve’ Caesilius tonsorem salutat. ‘salve’ Pantagathus respondet | Hello Caecilius greets the barber. Hello Pantagathus replies. |
| ecce! venalicius forum intrat. venalicius est Syphax.venalicius mercatorem expectat. | Look! a slave trader enters the forum. The slave trader is Syphax. The slave dealer is waiting for a merchant |
| mercator non venit. Syphax est iratus.Syphax mercatorem vituperat. | The merchant does not come. Syphax is angry. Syphax curses the merchant. |
The Artist
| pictor ad villam venit. pictor est Celer. Celer ianuam pulsat. Clemens pictorem non audit. | The artist comes to the country house. The artist is Celer. Celer knocks on the door. Clemens doesn’t hear the artist |
| servus est in horto. Celer clamat. canis Celerem audit et latrat. Quintus canem audit. | The slave is in the garden. Celer shouts. The dog hears Celer and barks. Quintus hears the dog. |
| Quintus ad ianuam venit. filius ianuam aperit. Celer Quintum salutatet villam intrat. | Quintus comes to the door. The son opens the door. Celer greets Quintus and enters the villa. |
| Metella est in culina. Quintus matrem vocat. Metella atrium intrat. pictor Metellam salutat. Metellapictorem ad trinculinium ducit. | Metella (mother) is in the kitchen. Quintus calls his mother. Metella enters the atrium. The artist greets Metella. Metella leads the artist to the dining room. |
| pictorem in trinculino laborat. Celer pictorem pingit. magnus leo est in pictura. Hercules quoque est in pictura. leo herculem ferociter petit. Hercules magnum fustem tenet et leonem verberet. Hercules est fortis. | The artist works in the dining room. Celer paints a picture. A huge lion is in the picture. Hercules is also in the picture. The lion attacks the Hercules ferociously. Hercules holds a great club and lashes the lion. Hercules is brave. |
| Caecilius ad villam revenitet trinclinium intrat. Caecilius picturam intente spectat et picturam laudat. | Caecilius returns to the villa and enters the dining room. Caecilius looks at the picture intently and praises it. |
The Barber
| tonsor in taberna laborat. tonsor est Pantagathus. Caecilius intrat. | The barber works in the shop. The barber is Pantagathus. Caecilius enters. |
| “salve tonsor” inquit Caecilius. “salve” respondet Pnatagathus. | ‘Greetings barber’ says Caecilius. ‘greetings’ replies Pantagathus |
| tonsor est occupatus. senex in sella sedet | The barber is occupied. An old man is sitting in the chair. |
| Pantagathus novaculem tenet et barbam tondet. senes noviculemm intente spectat. | Pantagathus holds a razor and shaves his beard. The old man watches the razor intently. |
| poeta tabernam intrat. poeta in taberna stat versum recitat. | A poet enters the shop. The poet stands in the shop and recites a verse. |
| versus est scurrilis. Caecilius ridit sed tonsor non ridit. tonsor est iratus. | The verse is scurrilous. Caecilius laughs. But the barber does not laugh. The barber is angry. |
| “furcifer!” “furcifer!” clamat Pantagathus. Senex est perterritus. | ‘rogue!’, ‘rogue!’ he shouts. The old man is terrified. |
| tonsor barbam non tondet. tonsor senem secat. | the barber does not cut the beard. The barber cuts the old man. |
| multus sanguis fluit. Caecilius surgit et e taberna exit | Much blood flows. Caecilius rises and leaves the shop. |
The Slave Dealer
| Caecilius ad portam ambulat. Caecilius portam circumspectat. Argentarius navem Syriam videt, et navem ambulat. | Caecilius walks to the port. Caecilius looks around the port. The banker sees a Syrian ship, and walks to the ship. |
| Syphax prope navem stat. “salve Syphax” clamat argentarius. Syphax Caecilium salutat. | Syphax stands near a ship. “Hello Syphax” exclaims the banker. Syphax greets Caecilius |
| Caecilius servum quaerit. Syphax ridit. ecce! Syphax magnum servum habet. | Caecilius is looking for a slave. Syphax smiles. See Syphax has a huge slave. |
| Caecilius servum spectat. Argentarius non est contentus. argentarius servus non emit. | Cecilius looks at the slave. The banker is not happy. The banker does not buy the slave. |
| “vinum” clamat Syphax. ancilla vinum ad Caecilium portat. argentarius vinum bibit. | ‘Wine!’ shouts Syphax. A slave girl carries wine to Caecilius. The banker drinks the wine. |
| Caecilius ancillam spectat. ancilla ext pulchra. ancilla ridet. ancilla Caecilium delectat. | Caecilius looks at the slave girl. The slave girl is beautiful. The slave girl smiles. The slave girl pleases Caecilius |
| venalicius quoque ridit. | The slave dealer also smiles |
| “Melissa cenam optimam coquit” inquit venalicius. “Melissa linguam Latinum discit. Melissa est docto et pulchra. Melissa …” | ‘Melissa cooks the best dinner’, says the slave dealer. ‘Melissa learns the Latin language. Melissa is clever and beautiful. Melissa …. |
| “satis!, satis!” clamat Caecilius. Caecilius Melissam emit et ad villam revenit. | ‘Enough! Enough!’ cries Caecilius. Caecilius buys Melissa and returns to the villa. |
| Melissa Grunionem delectat, Melissa Quintum delectat. ancilla Metellam non delectat. | Melissa pleases Grumio (the cook). Melissa pleases Quintus. Oh dear! She does not please Metella. |
Marcus and Aemilius out and about in Rome
The first paragraph is talking about yesterday, and begins to introduce the past tense of the verbs, known in English as the Perfect tense. Check out the verb endings in the two parts of the story.
| heri nundinae ferunt. magister Marcum in ludo non docuit; neque domi Marcus studuit. | Yesterday was market day (don’t know why market day is plural). The schoolmaster did not teach Marcus in school. Neither did Marcus study at home |
| post meridiem Aemilius cum Marco ad Campum ambulavit. | After noon Aemilius walked to the Campus (Mars Fields large area of drained marshland outside Rome where people exercised and troops trained) with Marcus. |
| ibi excercuerunt, Aemilius cum viris, cum pueris Marcus. trigon enim patrem et filium maxime delectat. | There they exercised, Aemilius with the men, Marcus with the boys. Truly father and son enjoy trigon very much.. (Trigon a fast ball game, where you catch with one hand and throw with the other, the skill being to keep the ball in the air. A point against you if you let it drop, and there were plenty of slaves and eunuchs around to pick them up for you.) |
| postea ad balnea festinaverunt. Aemilius intravit, sed Marcus foris patrem exspectavit. | Afterwards they hurried to the baths. Aemilius went in, but Marcus waited outside for his father. |
| in piscina Aemilius natavit. Marcus per vias erravit et tabernas spectavit. | Aemilius swam in the pool. Marcus wandered the streets and looked at the shops. |
| tandem, defessi sed laeti, pater et filius domum ad cenam redierunt. | Then, tired but happy, father and son returned home to dinner. |
| hodie non sunt nundinae. Marcus mane ad ludum it. per vias festinat. | Today is not market day. Macus goes to school this morning. He hurries through the streets. |
| magister enim tardos discipulos castigat. Aemilius quoque mane domo discedit. Ad Forum it. | The master always punishes late pupils. Aemilius also leaves the house this morning. He goes to the Forum. |
| oratorem audit sed orator hodie Aemilium non delectat. | He listens to an orator, but today’s orator does not please him. |
| somniat enim de balneis et trigone. mox discedit a Foro et ad villamfestinat. | He dreams of the baths and the ball game. Presently he leaves the Forum and hurries to the villa |
| Marcus quoque domum festinat. post cenam Marcus et pater in horto sedent | Marcus also hurries home. After dinner Marcus and his father sit in the garden. |
This, of course is a picture of the Roman Baths in Sulis Minerva (Bath). The upper buildings are not Roman , but much of the original baths survive. This picture was taken by David Iliff http://www.flickr.com/photos/diliff.
The Roman Baths
were very busy places, where you could swim, have hot and cold dips, massages, even eat. Although a lot of facilities were available it was not exclusive, or expensive. And sometimes a rich person would donate money so that people could go in free.
They must have been pretty noisy. The writer Seneca, who lived above a baths tells of hearing weight lifters grunting, masseurs pommelling, pickpockets being arrested, divers plunging into the swimming pool and the cries of the cake seller, the sausage man and the confectioner.
Curse Tablets
It seems that it was pretty common occurrence to have your belongings stolen while you were in the baths, and you could then have a curse cut into a lead tablet. There are about 130 of them surviving at Bath. They are pretty severe –
“Docernedus has lost two gloves and asks that the thief responsible should lose their minds and eyes in the Goddess’s Temple”
“So long as someone, whether slave or free, keeps silent or knows anything about it may he be accursed in his blood and eyes and every limb and even have all his intestines quite eaten away if he has stolen the ring or been privy to the theft”
Makes community service seem a bit tame doesn’t it?
Verbs – Perfect tense (past or completed action)
Examples
- Aemilius in piscina natat : Aemilius in piscina natavit
- Aemilius is swimming in the pool: Aemilius swam in the pool
- Aemilius in Campo se exercet : Aemilius in Campo se exercuit
- Aemilius exercises in the Campus: Aemilius exercised in the Campus
- pueri non ignavi sunt: pueri non ignavi fuerunt
- The boys are not lazy : The boys were not lazy
- Cornelia ad villam redit Cornelia ad villam rediit
- Cornelia returns to her country house: Cornelia returned to her country house
- feminae ad villas redeunt: feminae ad villas rederunt
- The women return to their country houses: The women returned to their country houses
- In all Latin verbs the third person singular (he,she,it) of the perfect tense ends in -it. The third person plural(they) ends in erunt.
ANDROCLES AND THE LION – our first Latin “unseen”
in Circo Maximo pugnas populi spectant. multae ibi sunt ferae et una praetor ceteras admirationi est.
The people watch fights In the Circus Maximus (a racecourse outside Rome for chariot races, games, fighting etc.). There are many wild animals, and one is admired more than all the rest.
hic enim leo feris oculis, corpore magnifico, et fremitu terrifico homines in timore converterat. quoque in Circum ductus est servus cui nomen Androclus est.
Truly, this lion, with wild eyes, magnificent body, and ferocious roar, drIves people back (turns people around) in fear. Also into the Circus is lead the slave who is called Androclus
sed leo, ubi Androclum vidit, stat, deinde sensim et placide homine appropinquate. tum caudam motat et crura eius et manus leniter demulcet.
But the lion, when he sees Androclus, stops still, next he approaches the man sensitively and gently. Then he wags his tail and softly rubs up against his leg and hand.
Primum Androclus timidus est. Deinde, ubi animum recuperavit, paulatim oculos ad leonem vertit. laetus leonem Androclus agnoscit.
At first Androclus is frightened. Then, when he recovers his senses, little by little he turns his eyes to the lion. Happily Androclus recognises the lion
statim cives conclamunt et Androclus a Caesare arcessitus est. ibi Androclus fabulam novam narrat.
At once the citizens cry out and Androclus is brought before the Emperor. There Androclus tells a strange story
“dum peovinciam Africam meus dominus obtinet, ego eius crudelitate ad fugam coactus sum. in loco deserto diu latebam, deinde quod calorem, solis vitare volebam, in caverna intravi.
While my master remains in charge of an African province I am forced to flee by his cruelty. I hid in a desert place for a long time, then, because I wished to avoid the heat of the sun I went into a cave.
brevi post ad eandem cavernam venit hic leo, gemitus edens. primo periterritussum, deinde, postquam me vidit appropinquavit et pedem mihi demonstravit.
Shortly after this lion came into the cave, emitting groans. At first I am terrified, then, after he had seen me, he approached and showed me his paw.
erat enim in uno pede stirps ingens. stirpem revelli et vulnus cuavi. ex eo die tres annos ego et leoin eadem caverna viximus. quando exierat venatum, ad me membra pinguiora reportabat.
In fact he had an enormous thorn in one paw. I pulled the thorn and took care of the wound. From that day myself and the lion lived in that same cave for three years. When he went out hunting, he brought me back fat limbs (good food).
sed olim, illa vita farina defessus, ubi leo e caverna exit, fugi. postquam ita breve a militibus visus et captus et domino ex Africa Romam ductus sum. capitis damnatus et ad bestias datus sum. hic leo mihi gratias, amicum non nocebit.
But one day, tired of this wild life, when the lion was out, I fled. After a short space of time I was seen and captured by our soldiers, and was brought from Africa to Rome by the master. Condemned to death I am given to the wild beasts This lion gives thanks to me. (is grateful to me). He will not harm a friend.
Androclus libertus est et leo suffragiis populi donatus
Androclus is freed and the lion is voted a gift to the people
Two Soldiers Puzzled
Grammar notes – This piece is fairly straightforward, so we are starting to concentrate of the verbs, identifying the declensions and seeing how they correspond to each other (or not).
duo pedites legionis Caesaris fossam fodiebant. dixit unus altero, “nonne vides centurionem stantem super aggerem castrorum?”
Two foot soldiers of the Emperor were digging a ditch. One said to the other “Do you not see the centurion standing on top of the rampart of the camp?”
me rogabam: “quare super aggerem stat ille, dum nos in hoc fossa fodimus?” respondit ei alter, “hoc non scio. ut roges eum?”
I ask myself: “Why does he stand on top of the rampart, while we dig in the ditch?” The other replied, “This I don’t know. Would that you might ask him.”(Why not ask him?)
pedes ad centurionem venit et rogavit eum. “Quare super aggerem stas dum nos in illa fossa fodimus? respondit centurio, “hoc facillime demonstrandum est.” centurio pugnam fecit pro vallo, dicens pediti. “pugnam meum fortissime feri”.
The foot soldier came to the centurion and asked him. “Why do you stand up on the rampart while we dig in this ditch?” The centurion replied “this is easily demonstrated” The centurion made a fist in front of the stockade, saying to the foot soldier. “hit my fist with maximum force”. (As hard as you can)
pedes pugnum centurionis feriturus erat cum alter cerrime pugnam removit. pedes ergo fortissimo vallum ferevit. dolor! dixit centurio, “nunc scisne quare sto ego super aggerum dum vos in illa fossa foditis. ego intelligens, vos stulti.
The foot soldier was about to hit the centurian’s fist when the latter quickly removed it. Thus the foot soldier hit the stockade as hard as he could. Pain (sorrow) The centurion said “now do you know why I am standing on top of the rampart while you are digging in the ditch? I am intelligent, you are stupid.“
“sic” respondit pedes, et rediit in fossam. amicus eius rogavit eum, “centurio dixitne tibi quare super aggerum stat ille dum nos in fosse fodimus?”
“Yes” replied the foot soldier and went back into the ditch. His friend asked him “did the Centurion tell you why he stands on top of the rampart while we dig in the ditch”.
“vero”, respondit ei alter. “facillime est demonstrandum” . et pugnam faciens pro ore dixit amico. “pugnam meum fortissimo feri.
“Indeed”, replied the other, “it is very easily demonstrated” And making a fist in front of his mouth he said to his friend “Hit my fist as hard as you can”...
(I have no attribution for this story, I found it in a very approachable Latin book entitled “Latina pro Populo” – “Latin for the People” by Alexander and Nicholas Humez. Published by Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-38149-7 It was published in 1950, but still to be found secondhand.)
First declension verbs
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatum –ask
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | rogo | rogas | rogat | rogamus | rogatis | rogant |
| Past (perfect) | rogavi | rogavisti | rogavit | rogavimus | rogavistis | rogaverunt |
| Future | rogabo | rogabis | rogabit | rogabimus | rogabitis | rogabunt |
sto, stare, steti, statum – stand
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You (pl) | They | |
| Present | sto | stas | stat | stamus | statis | stant |
| Past (perfect) | steti | stetisti | stetit | stetimus | stetistis | steterunt |
| Future | stabo | stabis | stabit | stabimus | stabitis | stabunt |
Second Declension
respondeo, respondere, respondi, responsum – reply
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | respondeo | respondis | respondit | respondemus | respondetis | respondent |
| Past (perfect) | respondi | respondisti | respondit | respondimus | respondistis | responderunt |
| Future | respondeo | respondebis | respondebit | respondebimus | respondebit | respondebunt |
removeo, removere, removei, remotum – remove
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | removeo | removes | removet | removemus | removet | removent |
| Past (perfect) | removi | removisti | removit | removimus | removistis | removerunt |
| Future | removebo | removebis | removebit | removibimus | removistis | removebunt |
video, videre, vidi, vidi, visum -see
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | video | vides | videt | videmus | videtis | vident |
| Past (perfect) | vidi | vidisti | vidit | vidimus | vidistis | viderunt |
| Future | videbo | videbis | videbit | videbimus | videbitis | videbunt |
Third Declension
fodio, fodere, fodi, fossum – dig
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | fodio | fodis | fodit | fodimus | foditis | fodiunt |
| Past (perfect) | fodi | fodisti | fodit | fodimus | fodistis | foderunt |
| Future | fodiam | fodies | fodiet | fodiemus | fodietis | fodient |
redo, reddere, reddidi, redditum – return
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | reddo | reddis | reddimus | redditis | ||
| Past (perfect) | reddidi | rediddisti | reddidit | reddidimus | reddidistis | reddiderunt |
| Future | reddam | reddes | reddet | reddemus | reddetis | reddent |
dico, diceri, dixi, dictum – say
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | dico | dicis | dicit | dicimus | dicitis | dicunt |
| Past (perfect) | dixi | dixisti | dixit | diximus | dixistis | dixerunt |
| Future | dicam | dices | dicet | dicemus | dicetis | dicent |
facio, facere, feci, factum – make
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | facio | facis | facit | facimus | facitis | faciunt |
| Past (perfect) | feci | fecisti | fecit | fecimus | fecistis | fecerunt |
| Future | faciam | facies | faciet | faciemus | facietis | facient |
Fourth Declension
venio,venire,veni, ventum- come
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | venio | venis | venit | venimus | venitis | veniunt |
| Past (perfect) | veni | venisti | venit | venimus | venistis | venerunt |
| Future | veniam | venies | veniet | veniemus | venietis | venient |
Scio, scire, scivi,scitum – know
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | scio | scis | scit | scimus | scitis | sciunt |
| Past (perfect) | scivi | scivisti | scivit | scivimus | scivistis | sciverunt |
| Future | scibo | Scibis | Scibit | Scibimus | Scibitis | scibunt |
Peculiar ones
sum, esse, fui (no supine) – be
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | sum | es | est | sumus | estis | sunt |
| Past (perfect) | fui | fuisti | fuit | fuimus | fuistis | fuerunt |
| Future | ero | eris | erit | erimus | eritis | erunt |
fero, ferre, tuli, latum – force
| I | You(s) | He/she/it | We | You(pl) | they | |
| Present | fero | fers | fert | ferimus | fertis | ferunt |
| Past (perfect) | tuli | tulisti | tulit | tulimus | tulistis | tulerunt |
| Future | feram | feres | feret | feremus | feretis | ferent |
If you have the time and the inclination – as an exercise – change the tense of each verb between present, perfect and future, and change first and second declension nouns from singular to plural. Good luck!
As it is nearly Christmas here is Angels and Shepherds – From different Sources (to show how translations can differ)
- = Vulgate Latin Bible
- = My attempt at a more or less word for word translation
- = King James Bible
- et pastores erant in regione eadem, vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis supra gregem suum.
- And there were shepherds in this region, watchers and guardians, watching over their herd in the night
- And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
- et ecce! angelus stetit iuxta illos, et claritudus Dei circumfulsit illos, et timuerunt timore magno. et dixit illis angelus:
- And behold! an angel stood among them, and the brightness of God surrounded them, and they were afraid with a great fear. and the angel said to them
- And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them.
- “nolite timere! ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quod erit omni populo. quia natus est vobis hodie salvator, qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate David.
- Do not be afraid! behold truly, I proclaim to you great joy.which will be for all people, because a saviour is born to you Christ the Lord, in the city of David
- Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.
- et hoc vobis signum: invenietis infantem pannis involutum, et positum in praesepio.
- And this is a sign to you: you will find the infant wrapped in cloths and placed in a stable.
- And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
- “et subito facta est cum angelo multitudo militiae caelestis, laudantium Deum et dicentium:
- and suddenly at once appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly soldiers. they praise God, saying
- And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying
- “gloria in altissimis Deo
- Glory to God in the highest
- Glory to God in the Highest
- et in terra pax in hominibus bonae voluntatis.”
- and on earth peace much goodwill to men.
- And on earth peace, goodwill toward men
(Well, the King James did take a long time and quite a few Bishops to get it to that level, so I don’t think we should feel too despondent!)