Trouble at the Local Elections . In early Rome, The abduction of the Sabine women, and at Troy the shame of Ajax.
MARCUS AND QUARTUS
| Marcus Tullius et Quartus Tullius erant fratres | Marcus And Quartus Tullius were brothers |
| Marcus et Quartus in villa contentionem habebant. | Marcus and Quartus were having an argument in the house. |
| Marcus Quarto dixit, ‘Afer candidatus optimus est. Afer multas villas et multas tabernas habet. | Marcus said to Quartus ‘Afer is the best candidate. Afer has many houses and many shops/inns. |
| Pompeiani Afro favent, quod vir dives est.’ | Pompeians support Afer, because he is a rich man. |
| ‘minime! Holconius candidatus optimus est.’ Quartus fratri respondit | No Way! Holconius is the best candidate’. Quartus replied to his brother. |
| Holconius est vir nobilis. Pompeiani Holconio credunt, quod pater senator erat. | Holconius is a nobleman. The Pompeians trust in Holconius, because his father was a senator. |
| Quartus quod erat iratissimus. e villa discessit. Quartus sibi dixit. ‘frater meus est stultissimus. gens nostra Holconio semper favet. | Quartus left the house because he was very angry. Quartus said to himself. ‘my brother is very stupid. Our family has always supported Holconius. |
| Quartus per viam ambulabat et rem cogitabat. subito parvam tabernam cospexit, ubi scriptor habitabat. | Quartus was walking through the street, and thinking things over. Suddenly he spotted a small shop, where a sign writer was living. |
| scriptor sulla erat. Quartus, postquam tabernam vidit consilium cepit, tabernam intravit et Sullam ad villam suam invitavit. | The signwriter was Sulla, After Quartus had seen the shop he devised a plan, went into the shop and invited Sulla to his house. |
| postquam ad villam venerunt, Quartus Sulla murem ostendit. | After they came to the house, Quartus showed Sulla a wall. |
| scribe hunc titulum!’ inquit. ‘scribe “Quartus et fraterHolconio favent Holconio credunt”. | .Write this slogan’ he said. ‘Write Quartus and his brother support and trust in Holconius.’ |
| Quartus scriptori decem denarios dedit.’ placetne tibi?’ rogavit Quartus. | Quartus gave the signwriter ten denarios. ‘ is that pleasing to you? asked Quartus. |
| ‘mihi placet’, Sulla quarto respondit. Sulla, postquam denarios accepit, titulum in muro scripsit. | It is pleasing to me, Sulla replied to Quartus. After he had accepted the denarios, to wrote the slogan on the wall. |
SULLA
| Marcus e villa venit. Sullam vidit, titulum conspexit. postquam titulum legit, iratus erat. | Marcus came out of the house. He saw Sulla, he spotted the slogan. After he read the slogan he was angry. |
| Marcus scriptorem valde vituperavit ‘frater tuus me ad villam intravit, inquit Sulla. | Marcus really abused the signwriter. ‘your brother brought me into the house, said Sulla. |
| ‘frater meus est stultior quam asinus’, Marcus Sullae respondit. ‘in villa nostra ego sum dominus, quod sum senior. | ‘my brother is more stupid than an ass’, Marcus replied to Sulla. ‘In our house I am master, because I am the elder’. |
| Sulla, erade illam insciptionem! scribe titulum novum!’ Marcus Sullam quindecim denarios dedit. | Sulla, erase this inscription. Write a new slogan. Marcus gave Sulla fifteen denarios. |
| ‘pacetne tibi? rogavit.’mihi placet,Sulla Marco respondit. sulla, postquam inscriptionem erasit, hunc titulum scripsit, ‘Marcus et frater Afro favent. Marcus et frater Afro credunt. | ‘Does that please you?’ he asked. ‘It pleases me’, Sulla replied to Marcus. After he erased the inscription, he wrote this slogan. ‘Marcus and his brother support Afer. Marcus and his brother trust in Afer.‘ |
| Marcus erat laetissimus et fratrem e villa vocavit. Marcus fratri titulu novum ostendit. Quartus, postquam titulum legit,iratus erat. | Marcus was most happy and called his brother from the house. Marcus showed his brother the new slogan. After Quartus read the slogan he was angry. |
| Quartus Marcum pulsavit. tum fratres in via pugnabant! ‘Marce!’ Quarte!’ desistite! intro ite! clamavit Sulla. consilium optimum habeo. | Quartus punched Marcus. Then the brothers were fighting in the street! ‘Marcus, Quartus, stop, go inside exclaimed Sulla I have a good plan. |
| postquam fratres villam intraverunt, Sulla celeriter rem confecit. duos titulos in muro scripsit. tum fratres e villa vocavit. | After the brothers went into the house, Sulla quickly finished the thing. He wrote two inscriptions on the wall. Then he called the brothers from the house. |
| scriptor fratribus murum ostendit. ecce! Marcus hunc titulum vivit. ‘Marcus Afro favet. Afer est candidatus optimus.’ | The signwriter showed the wall to the brothers. See! Marcus saw this slogan ‘Marcus supports Afer. Afer is the best candidate’ |
| ‘euge!’ hic titulus me valde delectat’, inquit Marcus. Quartus alterum titulum in muro conspexit. | Bravo, this slogan truly pleases me, said Marcus. Quartus spotted the other slogan on the wall. |
| ‘Quartus Holvonio favet. Holconius est candidatus optimus. Quartus quoque laetissimus erat. | ‘Quatus supports Holconius. Holconius is the best candidate. Quartus was also most happy. |
| fratres Sulla triginta denarios dederunt. Sulla ridebat. postquam Marcus et Quartus discesserunt, tertium titulum addidit. | The brothers gave Sulla thirty denarios. Sulla smiled. After Marcus and Quartus went out, he added a third slogan. |
| MARCUS ET QUARTUS SUNT LIBERALISSIMI | MARCUS AND QUARTUS ARE MOST GENEROUS. |
LUCIUS SPURIUS POMPONIANUS
Clemens: babae! togam splenidum geris
Hey! you are wearing a splendid toga!
Grumio: placetne tibi?
You like it?
Clemens: mihi placet. quo festinas, Grumio?
I like it. Where are you hurrying Grumio?
Grumio: ad amphitheatrum contendo. Afer fautores exspecat.
I am hastening to the amphitheatre. Afer is expecting his supporters.
Clemens: num tu Afro faves? Caecilius favet Holconio.
You’re not a supporter of Afer? Caecilius supports Holconius.
Grumio: Afer fautoribus quinque denarios promisit. Holconius fautoribus duos
denarios tantum promisit, ego Afro faveo, quod vir liberalis est.
We support Afer, he promises us five denarios. Holconius only promises us
two denarios. I support Afer, because Afer is a generous man.
Clemens: sed tu servus es. civis Pompeianus non es. Afer civibus Pompeianis
pecuniam promisit.
But you are a slave. You are not a citizen of Pompei. Afer promises
money to Pompeian citizens.
Grumio: Clemens, hodie non sum Grumio. hodie sum Lucius Spurius Pomponiamus
Clemens, today I am not Grumio. Today I am Lucius Spurius Pomponiamus.
Clemens: Lucius Spurius Pomponiamus! mendacissimus coquus es!
Lucius Spurius Pomponiamus! You are a most deceitful cook!
Grumio: minime! hodie sum pistor Pompeianus. hodie nospistores ad
amphitheatrum convenimus. nos Afrum ad forum ducimus, ubi cives
orationes exspectant. ego ad amphitheatrum contendo. tu mecum venis?
No way! Today I am a Pompeian baker. today our bakers gather at the
amphitheatre. We lead Afer to the forum, where the citizens expect the
orators. Are you coming with me.
Clemens: tecum venio. Afro non faveo. denarios non cupio, sed de te solicitus sum.
rem periculosam suscipsis.
I am coming with you. I am not a supporter of Afer. I do not want his money,
but I am worried for you. You are contemplating a dangerous thing. (You are
playing with fire)
prope amphitheatrum
multi pistores ad amphiteatrum conveniunt. Grumio et Clemens ad hanc turbam festinant.
Many bakers gather at the amphitheatre. Grumio and Clemens hurry into this crowd.
divisor: festinate! festinate! nos Afrum exspectamus.
Hurry! Hurry! we are expecting Afer.
Grumio: salve, divisor! ego sum Lucius Spurius Pomonianus et hic (Grumio
Clementem pulsat) servus meus est. ego et Afer amicissimi sumus.
Greetings, agent! I am Lucius Spurius Pomponianus ( Grumio punches
Clemens) and this is my slave. Afer and I are the best of friends.
divisor: ecce quinque denrii!
Here is five denarios.
(divisor Grumioni denarios dat. divisor grumioni fustem quoque tradit.)
(The agent gives the money to Grumio. The agent also hands him a club.)
Grumio: Afer mihi denarios, non fustem promisit.
Afer promised me money, not a club.
Clemens: Afer vir liberalis est.
Afer is a generous man.
Grumio: tace, pessime serve
be quiet, you wicked slave.
divisor: fustes utilissimie sunt. Holconius et amici sunt in foro.
Clubs are most useful. Holconius and his friends are in the forum.
pistor: ecce Afer! Afer adest!
See Afer! Afer is coming!
(Afer et fautores per vias ad forum contendunt.)
(Afer and his supporters hastened through the streets to the forum)
in foro
pistores cum Clemens et cum Grumio Afrum ad forum ducunt.
The bakers with Grumio and Clemens lead Afer into the forum.
pistor primus: Pompeiani Afro favent.
Pompeians support Afer.
pistor secundus: Afer est melior quam Holconius.
Afer is better than Holconius.
Clemens: Grumio! in foro sunt Holconius et amici. Holconium et amicos video.
Grumio! Holconius and his friends are in the forum. I see Holconius
and his friends.
Grumio: euge! feminas video, ancillas video, puellas … eheu! Caecilium video!
Caecilius cum Holconio stat! ad villam revenio!
Bravo! I see women, I see slave girls, young girls Alas! I see Caecilius.
Caecilius stands with Holconius. I am going back to the house!
Clemens: Grumio mane!
(Grumio fugit)
Grumio wait!
(Grumio flees)
mercator primus: Holconius est vir nobilis.
Holconius is a noble man.
mercator secundus: Holconius melior est quam Afer.
Holconius is better than Afer
mercator tertius: nos mercatores Holconio favemus
We merchants are supporters of Holconius.
(pistores et mercatores conveniunt. irati sunt.)
( bakers and merchants come together. They are angry.)
pistor primus: Holconius est asinus. vos quoque estis asini quod Holconio
creditis.
Holconius is an ass. You are asses too because you trust
Holconius
mercator primus: Afer est caudex. vos quoque estis caudices, quod Afro creditis.
Afer is a blockhead. You are blockheads too because you believe
in Afer.
pistor secundus: Amici! mercatores nos ‘cuadices’ vocant. nos non sumus
caudices fortissimi sumus. fustes habemus.
Friends! The merchants call us ‘blockheads’. We are not
blockheads, we are the bravest. We have clubs.
mercator secundus: amici! pistores nos ‘asinos’ vocant. nos non sumus asini. nos
fortiores sumus quam pistores. magnos fustes habemus.
friends the bakers call us asses. We are not asses, we are braver
than the bakers. We have big clubs.
( mercatores et pistores in foro pugnant)
( The merchants and the bakers fight in the forum.)
in culina
(Clemens in culina sedet. Grumio intrat)
Clemens: salve Pomponianus! hercle! toga tua scissa est!
Greetings Pomponianus! Good heavens! Your toga is torn!
Grumio: eheu! Holconius et amici in foro me ceperunt. postquam fustem meum
conspexerunt, clamabant,’ ecce pistor fortis!’ tum mercatores
me verberaverunt. denarios meos rapuerunt. nunc nullos denarios habeo.
Alas! Holconius and his friends caught me. After they had seen my club, they
were shouting ‘ see, a brave baker! then the merchants beat me. They seized
my money. Now I have no money.
Clemens: ego decem denarios habeo!
I have ten denarios
Grumio: decem denarios?
ten denarios?
Clemens: Caecilius mihi decem denarios dedit, quod servus fidelis sum. postquam
pistores et mercatores pugnam comisserunt, Caecilius me conspexit .duo
pistores Caecilium verberabant. dominus noster auxilium postulabat.
Caecilius mecum e forum effugit dominus noster mihi decem denarios dedit,
quod liberalis est.
Caecilius gave me ten denarios, because I am a faithful slave. After the bakers
and the merchants began to fight Caecillius saw me. Two bakers were beating
Caecilius. Our master was calling for help. Caecillius escaped from the forum
with me. Our master gave me ten denarios becaue he is generous.
Grumio: Caecillius est …
Caecillius is ..
Clemens: Vale, Pomponiane!
Goodbye, Pomponianus!
Grumio: quo festinas, Clemens?
Where are you hurrying, Clemens?
Clemens: ad portum festino. ibi Poppaea me exspectat.
I am hurrying to the gate. There Poppaea is waiting for me.
Grumio: mihi non placet!
This is not pleasing to me.
TWO UNSEENS FROM GCE LATIN STORIES BY HENRY CULLEN, MICHAEL DORMANDY AND JOHN TAYLOR. (BLOOMSBURY. )
FOLLOWING ROMULUS IN EARLY ROME AND ANOTHER EPISODE FROM THE TROJAN WARS
Romulus and the Sabine Women
Romulus rex Romanorum erat. Romani,quamquam fortes, pauci tamen erant.
Romulus was the king of the Romans. The Romans though brave, were however few.
Romulus igitur feminas ex aliis oppidis quaerabat ut Romani uxores haberent et ut hae feminae liberos Romanis paterent.
Romulus therefore searched for women from other cities so that Romans could have wives and these women would breed Roman Children.
itaque ludos fecerunt Sabinisque invitaverunt ut feminas Sabinas raperent.
Accordingly, they held games and invited the Sabines so that they could carry off the Sabine women.
Sabini Romanis ceritererunt et Roman venerunt ut ludos spectarent.
The Sabines trusted the Romans and came to Rome to watch the games.
Romani feminas Sabinas spectaverunt ut pulcherrimas ex eis legerent. Deinde eas ceperunt.
The Romans looked at the Sabine women and picked out the most beautiful. Then they took them.
Postea Romulus haec facta defendens, ‘feminas cepimus’ inquit ‘ ut beneficia eis daremus. eas in matrimonium duximus ut Romanae essent.
Afterwards Romulus , defending this action, said ‘the women we took we would give a great benefit. We take them in marriage so that they will be Romans.
Romani sunt milites fortes, mariti benigni, viri optimi. Itaque uxor Roamana vitam meliorem habet quam uxor Sabina
.Romans are brave soldiers, kind husbands, the best of men. A Roman wife has a better life than the wife of a Sabine. Even now, they were telling themselves to be content. Therefore at Rome they planned to stay so that they might be free Romans
Iam Romanae, se contentas esse dicebant. Romae igitur manere constituerunt ut liberi sui Romani essent.
Even now, they were telling themselves to be content. Therefore at Rome they planned to stay so that they might be free Romans
The end of the Story
Tatius, the Sabine King did not rush to avenge the women. In fact other local cities fought and were beaten by Romulus before he finally attacked.
The Sabines were let into the city by Tarpeia, daughter of the Governor of the Citadel. She did it in return for being rewarded by ‘what they wore on their arms’ meaning their gold bracelets. However, they threw their heavy shields and crushed her, then threw her from the rock in the picture. (This was afterwards named the Tarpeian rock and Romans convicted of treason were thrown to their deaths from it.)
The picture was painted by David in the aftermath of the French Revolution. (I find the nudity a little strange!) The story goes that as the battle began, Hersilia, wife of Romulus and daughter of Tatius lead the women between the two warring parties and beseeched them to stop, because ‘Fathers and grandfathers would be killing husbands and grandchildren.’
It worked, and the battle ceased. The parties became reconciled and the families of many of the women moved to Rome, and became Roman Citizens
(Although the women were forcibly removed, The historian Tacitus makes the point that there was no rape, and the women were as Romulus maintained taken for marriage)
At Troy – the Humiliation and Death of Ajax
Ubi Achilles Troiae necatus erat, Ajax et Ulixes de armis eius Claris certamen
When Achilles was killed at Troy, Ajax and Ulysses were having an argument about his glittering armour.
Agamemnon et Menelaus certaminis iudices erant; arma Ulixi traditi sunt.
Agamemnon and Menelaus were the judges of the dispute; they are giving the armour to Ulysses.
Ajax igitur iratus consilium cepit ut duos duces oppugaret.
Angry Ajax therefore seized on a plan that he would kill the two leaders.
Dum Agamemnon et frater dormiunt, Ajax tentoriis eorum gladium tenens appropinquavit.
While Agamemnon and his brother slept, Ajax approached their tents gripping his sword.
Dea Minerva tamen eum tam insanum fecit et oves pro ducibus necaret.
The goddess Minerva however, made him mad and he killed sheep instead of the leaders.
Ajax prima luce inventus est cum ovibus mortuis; multus sanguis erat.
At first light Ajax is discovered with the dead sheep; there was much blood.
ceteri milites vehementer reidebant.
Moreover the soldiers were laughing vehemently (loudly, heartily,?)
Ajax igitur se gladio transfixit.
Ajax therefore stabbed himself with his sword. (Fell on his sword)
Agamemnon corpus eius primo sepelir vertuit; Ulixes tamen, quamquam inimicus mortui fuerat, ei persuasit ut Ajax sepeliretur.
At first Agamemnon wished to forbid the burial of his body; Ulysses however, although he was the enemy of the dead man, persuaded him that Axaj should be buried.