Domestic Bliss in Alexandria? Aristo, Galatea and Helena, and a disastrous hunting trip for Barbillus.
Aristo
| Aristo vir miserrimus est, quod vitam duram vivit. pater Aristonis scriptor notissimus erat, qui in Graecia habitabat. | Aristo is a most unhappy man, because he is living a hard life. Aristo’s father was a famous writer who lived in Greece. |
| Aristo, quod ipse tragoedias scribere vult, vitam quietam quaerit; sed uxor et filia ei obstant. | Aristo, because he himself wished to write tragedies, looked for a quiet life; but his wife and daughter prevented this. |
| Galatea, uxor Aristonis, amicos ad villam semper invitat. amici Galateae sunt tibicines et citharoedi. | Galatea, the wife of Aristo, was always inviting friends to the house. The friends of Galatea are pipe and Citara players. |
| hi amici in villa Aristonis semper cantant et iocis faciunt. Aristo amicos uxoris semper fugit. | These friends always sang and made merry in Ariso’s house. Aristo always avoids his wife’s friends. |
| Helena quoque, filia Aristonis et Galateae, patrem vexat. multos iuvenes ad villam patris invitat. amici Helenae sunt poetae. | Helena, the daughter of Aristo and Galatea also annoys her father. She invites many young men to her father’s house. The friends of Helena are poets. |
| in villa Aristonis poetae versus suos recitant. Aristo hos versus non amat, quod scurriles sunt. | They recite their verses in Aristo’s house. Aristo does not love these verses, because they are scurrilous. |
| saepe poetae inter se pugnant, saepe Aristo filiae e villa expellit. difficile est Aristoni tragoedias scribere. | The poets often fight amongst themselves, often Aristo throws out his daughter’s friends. It is difficult for Aristo to write tragedies. |
dies festus 1
| cives laeti erant. nam hiems erat confecta. iam primus dies veris erat. iam sacerdotes deam isidem per vias urbis ad portum ferre solebant | The citizens were happy, for winter was over. It was the first day of spring. Now the priests were accustomed to carry the goddess Isis through the streets of the city to the harbour. |
| pompa, quam plurimi Alexandrini spectare volebant, splendida erat. hanc pompam tandem Barbillus spectare nolebat. | The ceremony, that many Alexandrians wished to see, was splendid. However, Barbilllus did not wish to see it. |
| ‘ non commodum est mihi hodie ad urbem ire’, inquit.’ego hanc pompam saepe vidi, tu tamen numquam. amicus meus igitur, Aristo, te ad pompam ducere vult.’ | It is not convenient for me to go to the city today, he said. I have often seen this procession, you, however never have. Therefore my friend Aristo is willing to take you to the procession. |
| Barbillo gratias egi, et cum Aristone ad portum ibam. Galatea et filia, Helena, nobiscum ibant. | I thanked Barbillus, and I went with Aristo to the harbour. Galatea and her daughter Helena went with us. |
| vias urbis iam complebant cives Alexandrini. ubi portui appropinquabamus, Galatea filiam et maritum assidue vituperabt. | The streets of the city were now filling with citizens of Alexandria. When we were nearing the harbour, Galatea was continually criticising he husband and daughter. |
| ‘Helena! noli festinare! tolle caput! Aristo emove hanc turbam! turba Alexandrinorum totam viam complet. in magno periculo sumus.’ | ‘Helena, don’t rush! Hold up your head! Aristo geet rid of this crowd! A crowd of Alexandrians are filling the street totally. We are in great danger. |
dies festus 11
| postquam ad templum Augusti venimus, Galatea ‘locum optimum novimus’, inquit, unde totum spectaculum videre solemus. servus nobis illum locum servat. | After we had reached the temple of Augustus Galatea said we had found the best place from where we could watch the whole spectacle. Our slave saved it for us. |
| Aristo! nonne servum mane emisisti?’ ‘eheu!’ Aristo sibi dixit. ubi ad illum locum, quem Galatea elegerat, tandem prevenimus, Galatea duos iuvenes conspexit. | Aristo have you not despatched a slave this morning? Oh dear’ Aristo said to himself. When we came to the place which Galatea had chosen, Galatea spotted two young men. |
| hi iuvenes locum tenebant, ubi Galatea stare volebat. ‘marite!’ exclamavit. ’emove illos iuvenes! ubi est servus noster? nonne servum emisisti?’ | These young men were occupyuing the spot where Galatea wanted to stand. Husband, she exclaimed Remove these young men. Where is our slave? did you not send out a slave? |
| ‘carissima’, respondit Aristo, qui anxius circumspectabat, ‘melius est nobis locum novum quaerere. iste servus sane neglegens erat.’ | Dearest, replied Aristo, who was looking around anxiously. It is better for us to look for a new spot. That slave was obviously negligent. |
| Galatea tamen, quae iam iratissima erat, Aristonem incitavit. ille igitur iuvenibus appropinquavit et comiter locum poscebat. | Galatea, however, who was now very angry, urged Aristo on. He therefore approached the young men and courteously requested the spot. |
| uxor tamen vehementer clamavit, ‘iuvenes! cedite! nolite nobis obstare!’ iuvenes, quamquam rem graviter ferebant, cesserunt. iuvenes Galateam spectabant timidi, Helena avidi. | His wife, however, loudly exclaimed ‘Young men! Give way! Get out of our way! The young men, although they took the matter badly, gave way They were regarding Galatea fearfully, Helena lustfully. |
| subito spectatores pompam conspexerunt. statim multitudo spectatorum clamorem sustulit. ‘ecce pompa! ecce! dea Isis’. | Suddenly the spectators saw the procession. Immediately the multitude of spectators raised a shout. Look, the procession! Look! The goddess Isis. |
pompa
pompa adveniebat. pro pompa currebant multae puellae, quae flores in viam spargebant.
The procession was approaching. Before the procession many girls were running, who were scattering flowers in the street.
post multitudinem puellarum tubicines et pueri procedebant.
After the many girls, trumpeters and boys were advancing.
pueri suaviter cantabant. tubicines tubas inflabant.
The boys were singing sweetly. The trumpeters blowing their trumpets.
nos, qui pompam plane videre poteramus, assidue plaudebamus.
We who could plainly see the procession, applauded assiduously.
duo iuvenes tamen, quo Galatea e loco emoverat, pompam vix poterant.
However, two young men, whom Galatea had moved out of their place, could hardly see the procession.
| H: specta illas rosas, quas feminae in viam spargunt! rosas pulchriores quam illas numquam vidi. | See the roses that the women are scattering in the street! I have never seen such beautiful roses as those! |
| I.P. pompam videre non possum. sed specta illam puellam! puellam pulchriorem quam illam raro vidi. | I cannot see the procession, but look at that girl! I have rarely seen a more beautiful than that one. |
| G. Helena! huc veni! sta prope me! Aristo! cur filiam tuam in tanta multitudine non curas? | Helena! come here! stand near me! Aristo! Why don’t you look after your daughter in such a great crowd? |
| (Subito omnes tubicines tubas vehementer inflabant) | Suddenly all the trumpeters blew their trumpets loudly.) |
| G. o me miserum! o caput meum! audite illos tubicines! audite illum sonitum! quam raucus est sonitus tubarum! | Oh unhappy me! oh my head! listen to those trumpeters! Listen to that noise! How harsh is the sound of trumpets! |
| I.S. tubicines vix audire possum. quam raucae sunt voces feminarum Graecarum! | I can hardly hear the trumpeters. How harsh are the voices of Greek women/ |
| (post turbam puerorum tubicinumque veni dea ipsa. quattuor sacerdotes effigiem deae in umeris ferebant.) | (After the crowd of boys and trumpeters came the goddess herself. Four priests were carrying the effigy of the goddess on their shoulders.) |
| G. specta illam stolam! pulcherrima est illa stola, pretiosissima quoque. eheu! viles sunt omnes stolae meae, quod maritus avarus est. | Look at that dress! That dress is very beautiful and most expensive. Alas! my dresses are cheap, because my husband is a miser. |
| ( subito iuvenes, qui effigiem videre non poterant, Galateam truserunt. iuvneis forte pedem Galateaea calcavit.) | (Suddenly the young men, who could not see the image, pushed Galatea. A young man accidentally trod on Galatea’s foot.) |
| G. o iuvenem pessimum! noli me vexare! non decorum est matronam trudere. num bestia es? | Oh you wicked young man! Don’t make me angry! It isn’t right to push a lady. Surely you are not a wild beast? |
| H. mater! hic iuvenis forte tibi nocuit. spectatores non premunt, quod pompam videre cupiunt. | Mother, this young man hurt you accidentally. The spectators are pushing us, because they want to see the procession. |
| G. Helena! noli istum iuvenem defendere! insolentissimus est. Aristo! cur me non servas? uxorem filiamque nuI mquam curas. miserrima sum! | Helena! Do not defend that young man. He is most rude. Aristo! Why don’t you protect me/ You never look after your wife and daughter. I am most unhappy! |
| A. eheu! uxor me vexat, filia matrem. clamores earum numquam effugere possum. facile est mihi tragoedias scribere. tota vita mea est tragoegia. | Oh dear! My wife annoys me, and my daughter her mother. can never escape their nagging. It’s easy for me to write tragedies. My whole life is a tragedy. |
venatio 1
| Barbillus me et Aristonem ad venationem invitavit. mane vilicum Phorionem cum multis servis emisit. | Barbillus invited Aristo and myself to a hunt. In the morning he sent our his steward Phormio with many slaves. |
| Phormio secum duos haedo duxit. sed, ubi e villa descedebamus, astrologus /Barbilli commotus ad nos concurrit. | Phormio took with him two goats, but when we were leaving the villa the anxious astrologer of Barbillus ran up to us. |
| ‘domine, quo festinas’ clamavit ‘ cur e villa hodie exire vis?’ | masrer, where are you hurrying? he exclaimed. Why do you wish to leave the house today? |
| ‘ad praedium meum iter facimus’, Barbillus astrologo respondit. | Barbillus replied to the astrologer. We are making the journey to my estate. |
| ‘sed domine’, inquit astrologus, ‘immemor es. periculosum est tibi hodie e villa exire, quod hodie sol Arieti appropinquat.’ | But master, said the astrologer, you are forgetful. It is dangerous for you to leave the hpuse today because the sun is approaching Aries. |
| ubi hoc audivi, astologum derisi. Barbillus, quamquam ei credebat, me offendere noluit. postquam rem diu cogitavit, ‘mihi placet exire’, inquit. | When I heard this I laughed at the astrologer. Barbillus, although he believed him did not wish to offend me. It suits me to go today he said |
| astrologus igitur, ubi domino persuadere non potuit, amuletum ei dedit. tum securi praedium Barbilli. | Therefore, when he was not able to persuade his master, he gave him a charm. Then we, set out for Barbillus’s estate without a care. |
| ubi illus advenimus, multos servus vidimus collectos. in hac multitudine servorum erant nonnulli Aehtiopes, qui hastas in manibus tenebant. prope Aethios stabat Phormio, vilicus Barbilli. | Through part of the estate the river Nile flowed slowly. When we came there we saw many slaves assembled. In this crowd of slaves there were a few Ethiopeans, who were holding spears in their hands. Near the Ethiopeans stood Phormio, Barbillicus’s steward. |
| Phormio ‘salve, domine!’ inquit. ‘omnes res tibi paravimus. scaphas, quas postulavisti, comparavimus.’ | Greetings master. We have prepared things for you. We have acquired the boats you asked for. |
| ‘haedos cecidistis?’ rogavit Barbillus. duos haedos cecidimus, domine’, respondit vilicus.’eos in scaphas iam posuimus.’ | Have you killed the goats? asked Barbillus. We have killed the goats master replied the steward. We have already placed them in a boat. |
venatio II
| tum Phormio nos ad ripam flumenis duxit, ubi scaphae, quas comparaverat, deligatae erant. | Then Phormio lead us to the bank of the river, where the boats which he had obtained were tied up. |
| postquam scaphas, conscendimus, ad paludem, in qua crocodili latebant, caute navigavimus. | After we went on board the boats, we sailed cautiously to the marsh where the crocodiles lay. |
| ubi mediae paludi appropinquabamus, Barbillus Phormioni signum dedit. haedos Phormio in aquam iniecit. | When we were approaching the middle of the marsh, Barbillus gave a sign to Phormio. Phormio threw the goats into the water. |
| crocodili, ubi haedos conspexerunt , praecipites eos petebant. Aethiopes crocodilos agitare coeperunt. | When the crocodiles saw the goats they beganto to make headlong for them. The Ethiopeans began to chase the crocodiles. |
| hastas emittebant et crocodili nterficiebant. magan erat fortitudo crocodilorum, maior peritia Aethiopum. mox multi crocodili mortui erant. | They kept throwing their spears, and kept killing the crocodiles. The courage of the crocodiles was great; however the skill of the Ethiopeans was greater. Soon many crocodiles were dead. |
| subito ingentem dlamorem audivimus. ‘domine’ clamavit Phormio. ‘hippopotamus, quem Aethiopes e palude exitaverunt, scapham Barbillis evertit. Barbillum et tres servos in aquam deiecit,’ | Suddenly we heard a huge commotion, ‘Master’ shouted Phormio, ‘ a hippopotamus that the Ethiopeans have roused from the marsh, has overturned Barbillius’s boat. Barbillus and three slaves have fallen in the water. |
| quamquam ad Barbillum et ad servos, qui in aqua natabant, celeriter navigavimus, crocodili iam eos circumvenerunt. hastas in crocodilos statim emisimus. | Nevertheless, we sailed quickly to Barbillus and the slaves who were swimming in the water. Already the crocodiles surrounded them. We immediately threw spears into the crocodiles. |
| ubi crocodilos depulimus Barbillum et unum servum servare potuimus. sed postquam Barbillus ex aqua traximus, eum invenimus vulneratum. | When we drove off the crocodiles we were able to save Barbillus and one slave. But after we dragged Barbillus from the water we discovered an injury. |
| hasta, quam servus emiserat, umerum Barbilli percusserat. Barbillus a servo suo graviter vulneratus erat. | A spear that a slave threw had pierced Barbillus’s shoulder. Barbillus was gravely injured by his own slave. |