The entertainment at the Pompeian Amphitheatre; Aemelius and Marcus Take a Trip to Ostia
Cambridge Book 1 and on Line – Gladiatores The events at the Amphitheatre and the bloodshed in the Streets, make Football hooliganism look tame!
Pages 98/99 of your Cambridge Book 1 – Nine picture with captions
| 1. nuntii spectaculum nuntiabant. Pompeiani nuntios audiebant | Messengers were announcing a spectacle. The Pompeians were listening to the messages |
| 2. gladiatores per viam procedebant. Pompeiani gladiatores laudabant. | Gladiators processed through the street. The Pompeians were cheering the gladiators. |
| 3. puellae iuvenes salutaverunt. iuvenes quoquo ad amphitheatrum contendebuant. | The girls greeted the young men. The young men were also hurrying to the amphitheatre. |
| 4. servi feminas spectabant, quod feminae ad spectaculum contendebant. | Slaves were looking at the women, but the women were hurrying to the spectacle. |
| 5. pueri per viam festinabant. puellae pueros salutaverunt | Boys were hurrying through the street. The girls greeted the boys. |
| 6. Pomeiani tabernas non intraverunt, quod tabernae erant clausae. | The Pompeians did not go into the pubs, because the pubs were closed. |
| 7. postquam gladiatores Pompeianos salutaverunt, Pompeians plausernt. | After the gladiators had saluted the Pompeians, the Pompeians applauded. |
| 8. Pompeiani gladiatores intente spectabant, quod gladiatores in arena pugnabant. | The Pompeians were watching the gladiators intently, because gladiators were fighting in the arena. |
| 9. spectatores murmillones incitabant, quod murmillones saepe victores erant. | The spectators urged on the murmillons because the murmillons were always the victors. |
Written pieces – Page 100 and 101
Gladiatores
| Regulus erat senator Romanus. in villa magnifica habitabat. villa erat prope Nuceriam. Nucerini et Pompeiani erat inimici. | Regulus was a Roman senator. He was living in a magnificent house. The house was near Nuceria. The people of Nuceria and the Pompeians were enemies. |
| Nucerini, quod amphitheatrum non habebant, saepe ad amphitheatrun Pompeianum veniebant; saepe erant turbulenti. | The Nucerians , because they did not have an amphitheatre, were always coming to the Pompeian amphitheatre; they were always disorderly. |
| Regulus olim spectaculum spendidum in amphitheatro edidit, quod diem natalem celebrabat. | Regulus once presented a splendid spectacle in the amphitheatre, that celebrated the birthday of a god. |
| multi Nucerini igitur ad urbem venerunt.cives Pompeiani errant irati, quod Nucerini vias complebant. | Therefore many Nucerians came to the city. The citizens of Pompey were angry, because the Nucerians were filling the streets. |
| Omnes tamen ad forum contenderunt, ubi nuntii stabant. nuntii spectaculum optimum nuntiabant. | Nevertheless everyone hurried to the forum, where messengers were standing. The messengers were announcing a great spectacle. |
| ‘gladiatores adsunt! Viginti gladiators hodie pugnant! retiarii adsunt! murmillones adsunt! Bestiarii bestias feroces agitant!’ | Gladiators are approaching! Twenty gladiators fight today! Retiarus are coming! Murmillons are coming! Beast fighters fight fierce beasts. |
| Pompeiani, postquam nuntios audiverunt, ad amphitheatrum quam celerrime contenderunt. | The Pompeians, after they had heard the messengers, hurried to the amphitheatre at top speed. |
in arena
| duo retiarii et duo murmilliones arenam intraverunt. postquam gladiators specatores salutaverunt, tuba sonuit, tum gladiators pugnam comisserunt. | Two retiarus and two murmillons entered. After saluting the spectators a trumpet sounded, then the gladiators began the fight. |
| Pompeianos valde delectabant, quod saepe victors errant. Pompeiani igitur murmillones incitabant. | The murmillons were pleasing the Pomeians greatly, because they were always the winners. Therefore the Pompeians urged on the murmillons. |
| sed retiarii, quod errant expediti, murmillones facile evitaverunt. | But the retiarus, because they were faster, easily avoided them. |
| ‘retiarii non pugnant! Retiarii sunt ignavi!’ clamaverunt Pompeiani. | ‘The retiarus are not fighting! The retiarus are cowards!’ cried the Pompeians. |
| Nucerini tamen responderunt,’retiarii sunt callidi!,retiarii murmillones decepiunt!’ | Nevertheless the Nicerians replied, ‘ the retiarus are clever, the retiarus are fooling the murmillons. |
| murmillones retiaros frustra ad pugnam provocaverunt.tum murmillo clamavit, ‘unus murmillo facile duos retiaros superat. | The murmillons provoked the retiarus to fight. Then a murmillon shouted ‘one murmillon easily beats two retiarus.’ |
| Pompeiani plauserunt. tum murmillo retiaros statim petevit. murmillo et retiarii ferociter pugnaverunt. | The Pompeians applauded. Then a murmillon immediately attacked a retarius. The murmillon and the retarius fought fiercely. |
| retarii tandem murmillonem graviter vulneraverunt tum retiarii alterum murmillonem petiverunt. | At length the retarius seriously wounded the murmillon. Then the retarius attacked the other murmillon |
| hic murmillo fortiter pugnavit, sed retiarii eum quoque superaverunt. | This murmillon fought bravely, but the retarius overcame him also. |
| Pompeiani, quod irati erant, murmillones vituperabant; missionem tamen postulabant, quod murmillones fortes erant. | The Pompeians, because they were angry were cursing the murmillons; nevertheless they were requesting a reprieve because the murmillons were brave. |
| Nucerini mortem postulabant, omnes spectores tacebant, et Regulum intente spectabant. | The Nucerians demanded death, all the spectators were silent, and were looking intently at Regulus. |
| Regulus, quod Nucerini mortem postulabant, policem vertit .Pompeiani errant irati, et vehementer calmabant. retiarii tamen, postquam Regulus signum dedit, murmillones interfecerunt. | Regulus, because the Nicerians demanded death, turned the thumb (gave the thumbs down). The Pompeians were angry, and cried out vehemently. Nevertheless the retiarus, because Regulus gave the sign, killed the murmillons. |
Venatio
| postquan retiarii ex arena discesserunt, tuba iterum sonuit. subito multi cervi arenam intraverunt. | After the retarius left the arena the trumpet sounded again. Suddenly many deer entered the arena. |
| cervi per totam arenam currebant, quod perterriti errant. | The deer ran all around the arena because they were terrified. |
| Tum canes feroces per portam intraverunt. Canes statim cervosperterritos agitaverunt et interfecerunt. | Then ferocious dogs entered through the door. The dogs immediately chased the terrified deer and killed them, |
| postquam canes cervos superaverunt, lupi arenam intraverunt. lupi, quod valde esuriebant, canes ferociter petiverunt. | After the dogs overcame the deer, wolves entered the arena, The wolves because they were very hungry, attacked the dogs fiercely. |
| canes erant fortissimo, sed lupi facile canes superaverunt. | The dogs were very brave, but the wolves easily overcame them. |
| Nicerini erant laetissimi, et Regulum laudabant. Pomeiani tamen non erant contenti, sed clamabant, ‘ ubi sunt leones? cur Regulus leones retinet?’ | The Nicerians were very happy, and were praising Regulus. The Pompeians, however were not content, but shouted ‘ where are the lions? Why does Regulus keep back the lions?’ |
| Regulus, postquam hunc clamorem audivit, signum dedit. statim tres liones per portam ruerunt. | Regulus, after he heard this noise gave a signal. Immediately three lions rushed in through the door. |
| tuba iterum sonuit. bestiarii arenam audacissime intraverunt, leones tamen bestiaros non petiverunt. | The trumpet sounds again. The animal fighters entered the arena boldly, however the lions did not attack the beast fighters |
| leones in arena recumberunt. leones obdormiverunt! ridiculum edebat. Pomeiani Regulum et Nucerinos ex amphitheatro agitaverunt. | The lions lay down in the arena. The lions went to sleep! He was presenting the ridiculous. The Pompeians drove Regulus and the Nucerians out of the amphitheatre |
| per vias Nucerini fugiebant, quod valde timebant. Pompeiani tamen gladius suos destrinexerunt et multos Nucerinos interfecerunt. | The Nucerians were fleeing through the streets, because they were greatly afraid. Nevertheless the Pompeians drew their swords and killed many Nucerians. |
| Ecce! sanguis non in arena sed per vias fluebat. | Behold! Blood was flowing through the streets not in the arena. |
The story is based on a real event which occurred in AD 59. Tacitus reports that a ‘slight incident’ lead to rioting between Nucerians and Pompeians at a gladiatorial show put on by Livineius Regulus. It began with insults and then escalated to stone thowing and finally the drawing of swords. The Pompeiaans won and most of the families of Nuceria lost a father or a son. The Emperor Nero ordered an enquiry, and the Pompeians were banned from holding such shows for ten years. Regulus and others who had encouraged the riot were exiled.
(I have missed out the other piece in this section as it is a very similar story to ‘Androcles and the Lion’ which we read a few weeks ago.)
In Rome Aemelius and Marcus pay a visit to Ostia –
Marcus and Aemilius go to Ostia – verbs changing from present to future tense Ostia was the main port on the mouth of the Tiber which served Rome, about 25km. away. It was a huge centre for all sorts of trade, but gradually fell into disuse as silt from the Tiber rendered it shallow, and the shallows and marshes formed bred mosquitos and hence malaria. There is still a town of Ostia and an archeological site, but it is now 5km. from the sea.
Pater: age, Marce. quo hodie ibimus? tempestas est serena. Ibimusne ad urbem Ostiam?
Come, Marcus. Where shall we go today? The weather is calm. Shall we go to the town of Ostia?
Marcus: numquam Ostiam vidi, pater. ubi est? quid ibi videbo?
I have never seen Ostia, father. Where is it? What shall I see there?
Pater: proper mare est, Marce. ibi multas naves. onerarias videbis.per aestatem enim mercatores in Italiam multa importabunt.
It is beside the sea, Marcus. There are many ships. You will see cargo ships. Indeed through the summer merchants will bring in much(many things)
Marcus: quae importabunt, pater?
What do they import, father?
Pater: oleum fortasse a Graecia. Vinum a Gallia, metella ab Hispana, marmor ab Africa, servos ab Asia.
Oil perhaps from Greece,wine from Gaul, metal from Spain, marble from Africa, slaves from Asia.
Marcus: optima dicis, pater: laetus Ostiam ibo. magnum enim spectaculum erit.
You say the best,(this sounds good) father: I will go happily to Ostia. Indeed it will be a great spectacle(sight).
tandem Ostiam venerunt Marcus et pater, multa Marcus vidit, multa rogavit, navem vidit discessuram et ita magistrum interrogavit.
At length Marcus and father came to Ostia, Marcus saw much, asked much, he saw a ship leaving and questioned its captain.
Marcus: quo, magister, tu et naute navigabitis?’
Where, captain, will you and your sailors be sailing?
Magister: ad Aegyptum, puer, cras navigabo.post quinque dies, si tempestas serina erit Aegyptum videbimus.
Tomorrow, we travel to Egypt, my boy. We shall see Egypt in five days if the weather is calm.
Marcus: quid ab Aegyptum reportabis, magister?
What will you bring back from Egypt captain
Magister: frumentum reportabo. magna enim est in urbe inopia
I will bring back corn. Indeed there is a great scarcity in the city (Rome)
Marcus: vale, magister. multa hodie vidi, malta audit.’
Goodbye captain. I have seen and heard much today.
Magister: vale, puer.
Goodbye my boy.