A Visit to the Palace*, and rude treatment of some Britons on the way. A Sacrifice, and Funeral Games that end in disaster.
*The Palace at Fishbourne was generally believed to have been built for King Cogidubnus, but it is now thought to be after his time.
| agmen longissimum ad aulam procedebat. in prima parte ibant decem servi. | A very long procession was proceeding to the palace. In the forefront ten slaves were marching. |
| hi servi, qui virgas langas tenebant, erant praecursores. | These slaves, who were holding long rods were the forerunners. |
| in medio agmine Slavius et Quintus equitabant. | In the middle of the procession Salvius and Quintus were riding. |
| post eos ambulabant tres ancillae, quae urnam et tripodas portabant, | After them three slave girls were walking, who were carrying the urn and the tripods. |
| aliae ancillae flores ferebant, postramo procedebant virginti servi. | They were also carrying flowers. Finally twenty slaves processed. |
| agmen, quod totam viam complebat, erat splendidum. | The procession that was filling the whole street was splendid. |
| multi quoque Britanni cum uxoribus ad aulam ibant. magna turba erat in via. | Many Britons walked to the palace with their wives. There was a great crowd in the street. |
| tum Varica, qui cum praecursoribus equitabat, ad Salvium rediit. | Then Varica, who was riding with the forerunners came back to Salvius. |
| V: domine, difficile est nobis procedere, quod hi Britanni viam complent. e via exire nolunt. quid facere debeo? | Master, it is difficult for us to proceed because these Britons have filled the road. They are unwilling to move out from the road. What do I have to do? |
| S: (iratus) necesse est praecursoribus Britanno e via emovere. non decorum est Britannis ceves Romanos impedire. ego quam celerrime ire volo, quod rex nos exspectat. | (angry) It is necessary for the forerunners to move the Britons out from the road. It is not acceptable for Britons to impede Roman Citizens. I wish to go quickly because the king epects us. |
| Varica, qui dominum iratum timebat, ad praecursores rediit. | Varica, who feared his angry master, returned to the forerunners. |
| V: asini estis! virgas habetis. emovete Britannos | You are donkeys! You have rods. Remove the Britons |
| tum praecursores statum virgas vibrabant. multi Britanni in fossas desiluerunt, quod virgas timebant. duo iuvenes tamen impavidi in via consistebant. prope iuvenes erat plaustrum, quod totam viam claudebat | Then at once the forerunners were brandishing their rods. Many of the Britons jumped down into the ditches, because they were afraid of the rods. Two young men, however stayed fearlessly in the road. Near the young men was a wagon that totally blocked the road. |
| V:cur viam clauditis? necesse est domino meo ad aulam ire. | Why are you blocking the road? it is necessary for my master to go to the palace. |
| I.P. nos quoque ad aulam contendimus. regem visitare volumus. sed plaustrum movere non possumus, quod plaustrum otam fractam habet. | We also hurrying to the palace. We wish to visit the king, but we cannot move the wagon because the wagon wheel has broken |
| I.S: amicus noster, quem nos exspectamus, aliam rotam quaerit. amicum expectare debemus.. | Our friend, who we are waiting for, is looking for another wheel: we are obliged to wait for our friend. |
| ( Varica anxius ad Salvium rediit) | (Varica anxiously returned to Salvius) |
| V: plaustrum, quod vides,domine, rotam fractam habet. difficle est nobis procedere, quod hoc plaustrum totam viam claudit. | The wagon that you see, master, has a broken wheel. It is difficult for us to proceed because the wagon totally blocks the road. |
| S: (iratior quam antea) num surdus es? caudex! non commodum est mihi in hoc loco manere. quam celerrime procedere volo. | (angrier than before) Are you deaf? Blockhead! It is not convenient for me to wait in this place. I wish to proceed with speed. |
| ( Varica ad praecursores iterm rediit) V: cudices! emoteve hoc plaustrm! deicie in fossam! | (Varica again returns to the forerunners. Move this wagon out! Throw it in the ditch |
| praecursores, postquam Vicaram audiverunt, plaustrm in fossam deiecerunt, | After they had heard Varica the forerunners pushed the wagon down into the ditch. |
| iuvenes, qui erant attoniti, vehemneer esistebant et cum praecursoribus pugnabant. tum praecursores iuvnes quoque in fossam deiecerunt, Salvius, qui rem spectabat, per viam processit. | The young men, who were astonished, were resisting vehemently and were fighting with the forerunners. Then the forerunners also threw the young men down into the ditch. Salvius who was watching the event, proceeded through the street. |
| S: (cachinnans) Britanni sunt molestissimi. semper Romanos vexant. | ( Laughing) Britons are troublesome. They always annoy us Romans. |
Caerimonia
| servus Salvium et Quintum ad atrium duit,illi, postquam atrium intraverunt, magnam turbam viderunt. | A slave lead Salvius and Quintus to the atrium. After they had entered the atrium they saw a huge crowd. |
| multi principes Britannici multaque feminae in atrio erant. sermones inter se habebant | Many Chieftans of the Britons and many women were in the atrium. They were talking amongst themselves. (having conversations between them) |
| aderant quoque multi Romani, qui prope principes sedebant. haec multitudo, quae atrium complebat, magnum clamorem faciebat. | Many Romans were also present, who were sitting near the Chieftans. The multitude, who filled the atrium, were making a lot of noise. |
| in medio atrio Quintus et Salvius lectum viderunt. in lecto erat effigies cerata. Quintus effigiem agnovit. | In the middle of the atrium Quintus and Salvius saw a couch. On the couch was a wax image. Quintus recognised the image. |
| ‘bona est effigies!’ inquit. ‘imperator Claudius est!’ ‘ita vero’, respondit Salvius.’ Rex cogidubnus Claudiam quotannis honorat. | It is a good image, he said. It is the Emperor Claudius. Yes indeed, replied Salvius. Every year King Cogidubnus honours Claudius greatly. |
| fabri ex Italia quotannis veniunt. fabri, qui peritissimi sunt, effigiem faciunt.’ | craftsmen came from Italy. The craftsmen, who are very skilful, made the effigy. |
| subito turba, quae prope ianuam stabat, ad terram procubuit. principes Britannici, qui in medio atrio sedebant, celeriter surrexerunt. etiam Romani tacebant. | Suddenly the crowd who were standing near the door fell to the ground. The British chieftans, who were sitting in the middle of the atrium quickly rose,even the Romans were silent. |
| ‘rex adest’, susurravit Salvius. per ianuam intravit senex. parvus puer senem ducebat, quod claudicabat. | The king comes, whispered Salvius. An old man entered through the door, A small boy lead the old man because he was lame. |
| rex et puer lente per turbam procedebant. rex, postquam ad effigiem advenit, vinum libavit. | The king and the boy were proceeding slowly through the crowd. The king, after he had come to the effigy, drank wine. |
| tum sacerdotes, qui prope effigiem stabant, victimas ad regem duxerunt. | Then the priests, who were standing by the effigy led the victims to the king. |
| Cogidubnus victimas diligenter inspexit. victima, quam rex elegit, erat agnus niveus. rex eum sacrificavit. | Cogidubnus inspected the victims closely. The victim, that the king. chose was a snowy white lamb. The king sacrificed it. |
| ‘decorum est nobis Claudiam honorare’, inquit. sacerdotes quoque victimas ceteras sacrificaverunt. | It is appropriate to honour Claudius, he said. The priests sacrificed all the other victims. |
| tum decem principes Britannici lectum in umeros sustulerunt. effigiem ex atrio portaverunt. post principes venerunt sacerdotes, qui sollemniter cantabant. | Then ten British Chiefs hoisted the couch on their shoulders. They carried the effigy from the atrium. After the chiefs came the priests, who sang solemnly. |
| in area erat rogus. principes, qui effigiem partabant, ad rogam cum magna dignitate processerunt. effigiem in rogum possuerunt. | In the courtyard was a pyre. The chiefs who were carrying the effigy, processed with great dignity. They placed the effigy on the pyre. |
| servus regi facem tradidit. tum res facem in rogum posuit. mox flammae rogum consumebant. flammae quae effigiem iam tangebant, ceram liquabant. | A slave of the king carried a torch. Then the king put the torch to the pyre. Flames soon consumed the pyre. the flames, which were now touching the effigy, melted the wax. |
| omnes effigiem intente spectabant. subito aquila e effigie evolavit. omnes spectores plauserunt. | All watched the effigy intently. Suddenly an eagle flew out out of the effigy. All the spectators applauded. |
| ‘ecce’, inquit rex. ‘dei Claudium arcessunt. animus ad deos ascendit. | See, said the king. The gods summon Claudius. His soul ascends to the gods |
ludi funebres 1
| post caeriminiam rex Cogidubnus pompam ad litus duxit. ibi Britanni ludos funebres celebraverunt. aderant Regnenses, Cantic et aliae gentes Britannicae. | After the ceremony king Cogidubnus lead the procession to the sea shore. Here the Britons celebrated funeral games. The Regenses and the Cantici were in attendance, and other of the Btitish tribes. |
| competitores diu inter se certabant. Cantici laetissimi erant, quod semper vincebant. | The rivals had been competing amongst themselves for a long time. The Cantici were happy, because they were always victorious. |
| athleta Canticus, qui celerrime cocurrit, ceteros facile superavit. alter athleta Canticus, qui peritissimus erat, discus longius ceteri emisit. | Cantican athletes, who ran fast, easily beat everyone. Other Cantican athletes, who were most most skilled threw the discus further than everyone. |
| postremo Cogidubnus certamen navale inter Canticos et Regnenses nuntiavit. Belimicus navi Canticae praeerat; princeps Canticus erat, homo superbus et insolens. | Finally Cogidubnus announced a boat race between the Cantici and the regnenses. Belimicus was in charge of the Cantiti baoat. He was a Cantici chief, a haughty and insolent man. |
| Dumnorix, qui alter navi praeerat, princeps Regnensis erat, vir fortis et probus. nautae, postquam naves paraverunt, signum intente exspectabant. | Dumnorix who commanded the other boat, was a chief of the Regnenses, a brave and honest man. After they had prepared the boats the sailors were intently expecting a signal. |
| subito tuba sonuit. naves statim per undas ruerunt. spectores, qui in litore stabant, magnos clamores sustulerunt. | Suddenly the crowd made a great noise. Then the boats were rushed into the waves. The spectators, who were standing on the shore maintained a great noise. |
ludi funebres 2
| procul in mari erat saxum ingens, hoc saxum erat mets. naves ad metam ruebant. navis Regensis, quam Dumnorix dirigebat, iam prior erat. | Far off there was a huge rock in the sea. this rock was the turning point. The boat of the Regnenses, that Dumnorix steered was there first. |
| Dumnorix, ubi saxo appropinquavit, navem subito ad dextram vertit. | Dumnorix, as soon as he came close to the rock, quickly turned right. |
| ‘ecce’ inquit Dumnorix. ‘periculosum est nobis prope saxum navigare, quod scopulus sub undis latet. necesse est nobis scopulum vitare.’ | See said Dumnorix. It is dangerous for us to sail near the rock because a reef lies under the waves. it is necessary for us to avoid the reef. |
| Belimicus tamen, qui scopulum ignorabat, cursum rectum tenebat. ‘amici’, clamavit, ‘nos vincere possumus, quod Dumnorix ad dextram abiit. | Belimicus, however, who did not know about the reef, held a straight course. Friends, he cried, we are able to win, because Dumnorix has gone to the right. |
| hi Regenses sunt timidi; facile est nobis vincere, quod nos sumus fortiores.’ nautae Cantici Belimico credebant. | These Regnenses are timid; it is easy for us to win, because we are the braver. The Cantican sailors believed Belimicus. |
| mox navem Regensem superaverunt et priores metae appropinquaverunt. Belimicus, qui scopulum non vidit, Dumnorigem deridebat. | Soon they overtook the boat of the Regnenses and approached the turning point first. Balicimus, who did not see the reef, jeered at Dumnorix. |
| subito navis cantica in scopulum incurrit. nautae perterriti clamaverunt; aqua navem complebat. | Suddenly the boat of the Canticans ran on the reef. The sailors cried out in terror; the boat was filled with water |
| Belimicus et Cantici nihil facere poterant’ navis mox summersa erat. | Belimicus and the Canticans were unable to do anything. Soon the boat was submerged. |
| interea Dumnorix, qui cum summa cura navigabat, circum metam navem direxit, navis ad litus incolumnis pervenis. multi spectores Dumnorigem laudaverunt. | Meanwhile Dumnorix, who was sailing with great care, steered the boat around the rock. The boatsafely approached the shore. All the spectators praised Dumnorix. |
| Regnenses laeti, Cantici miseri erant. tum omnes ad mare oculos vertebant. difficile erat eis nautas videre, quod in undis natabnt. omnes tamen Belimicum videre poterant, quod in summo saxo sedebat. madidus ad saxum haerebat et auxilium postulabat. | The Regnenses were happy, the Cantici miserable. Then all turned their eyes to the sea. It was difficult to see their sailors, because they were swimming in the waves. Everyone was able to spot Belimicus, who was sitting on the top of the rock. he was soaked through and begging for help. |