Seneca, dē beneficiīs 5.5: The debt we owe to our parents Introduction Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65), known as Seneca the Younger, was a Stoic philosopher and the tutor and political adviser of the Emperor Nero. After becoming implicated in a plot against Nero, he was forced to commit suicide. He was a prolific author, and among his many works were several philosophical treatises, including de beneficiis (On Benefits). The subject of this work is the nature of benefit, gratitude and ingratitude, and various problems concerned with the giving and receiving of benefits. Text This is an extract from a much longer work. A few small changes have been made to the text. Suggestions for reading and teaching The sentence structure is quite straightforward. However, vocabulary is a potential cause of difficulty, because several words which are probably known to the students require unfamiliar translations. These are pointed out in the notes. It would, therefore, be good to start by running through some of the vocabulary on the board. In three columns, first write the Latin word, ask the students what it means and put this meaning in the second column, put the new meaning in the third column. For example: vincō conquer, win, surpass Notes 1-2 ā … intellegimus: the syntax of the first two sentences is straightforward. Difficulties arise from the vocabulary, specifically some familiar words with unfamiliar meanings. It would therefore be a good idea to begin by running through the vocabulary. 1 ferē: here = ‘generally, ‘usually’. Students may have come across the meaning ‘almost’. vincimur: here = ‘outdo’, ‘surpass’. Students will know the meaning ‘conquer, win’. tam diū … quam diū … quam diū: ‘for as long as … for so long’ 2 gravēs: add illōs esse, iūdicāmus [illōs esse] gravēs, with illōs referring to ‘parents’. Students will be familiar with the meaning ‘heavy’ or ‘serious’. Here gravis = ‘harsh’, ‘severe’. beneficia: translate as ‘kindness’ or ‘support’. In the title of Seneca’s treatise beneficium is conventionally translated as ‘benefit’. The word covers a wide range of meanings involving reciprocal acts of giving, favour, service and kindness. 3 iam: translate here as ‘at last’. Students will know the meaning ‘now, already’. aliquid prūdentiae: ‘some [of] wisdom’. Partitive genitive: the genitive case indicates the whole of something, part of which has been mentioned. See Cambridge Latin Grammar, page 50, Section 14.4b. collēgit: students may have met colligō with the meaning ‘collect’. Translate here as ‘gain’ or ‘acquire’. appārēre: another word which requires a slightly different translation from the one with which students will be familiar. Translate here as ‘be evident, clear’ rather than ‘appear’. coepit: ‘it has begun’. The verb has an impersonal subject. 3-4 eōs … dēbēre: students may not recognise the indirect statement (accusative and infinitive). Help by asking: • Which word refers to parents? • Which word refers to children? • When children grow up, what do they realise about their parents, according to Seneca? If students answer, ‘that parents are loved by their children’, ask ‘How does dēbēre fit in?’ 4 illa ipsa: accusative neuter plural, ‘those very things’, ‘those very reasons’
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Seneca,dēbeneficiīs5.5:ThedebtweowetoourparentsIntroductionLuciusAnnaeusSeneca(c.4BC–AD65),knownasSenecatheYounger,wasaStoicphilosopherandthetutorandpoliticaladviseroftheEmperorNero.AfterbecomingimplicatedinaplotagainstNero,hewasforcedtocommitsuicide.Hewasaprolificauthor,andamonghismanyworkswereseveralphilosophicaltreatises,includingdebeneficiis(OnBenefits).Thesubjectofthisworkisthenatureofbenefit,gratitudeandingratitude,andvariousproblemsconcernedwiththegivingandreceivingofbenefits.TextThisisanextractfromamuchlongerwork.Afewsmallchangeshavebeenmadetothetext.SuggestionsforreadingandteachingThesentencestructureisquitestraightforward.However,vocabularyisapotentialcauseofdifficulty,becauseseveralwordswhichareprobablyknowntothestudentsrequireunfamiliartranslations.Thesearepointedoutinthenotes.Itwould,therefore,begoodtostartbyrunningthroughsomeofthevocabularyontheboard.Inthreecolumns,firstwritetheLatinword,askthestudentswhatitmeansandputthismeaninginthesecondcolumn,putthenewmeaninginthethirdcolumn.Forexample:
vincōconquer,win,surpassNotes1-2 ā…intellegimus:thesyntaxofthefirsttwosentencesisstraightforward.Difficultiesarise
fromthevocabulary,specificallysomefamiliarwordswithunfamiliarmeanings.Itwouldthereforebeagoodideatobeginbyrunningthroughthevocabulary.
1 ferē:here=‘generally,‘usually’.Studentsmayhavecomeacrossthemeaning‘almost’.vincimur:here=‘outdo’,‘surpass’.Studentswillknowthemeaning‘conquer,win’.tamdiū…quamdiū…quamdiū:‘foraslongas…forsolong’
2 gravēs:addillōsesse,iūdicāmus[illōsesse]gravēs,withillōsreferringto‘parents’.Studentswillbefamiliarwiththemeaning‘heavy’or‘serious’.Heregravis=‘harsh’,‘severe’.beneficia:translateas‘kindness’or‘support’.InthetitleofSeneca’streatisebeneficiumisconventionallytranslatedas‘benefit’.Thewordcoversawiderangeofmeaningsinvolvingreciprocalactsofgiving,favour,serviceandkindness.
3 iam:translatehereas‘atlast’.Studentswillknowthemeaning‘now,already’.aliquidprūdentiae:‘some[of]wisdom’.Partitivegenitive:thegenitivecaseindicatesthewholeofsomething,partofwhichhasbeenmentioned.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammar,page50,Section14.4b.collēgit:studentsmayhavemetcolligōwiththemeaning‘collect’.Translatehereas‘gain’or‘acquire’.appārēre:anotherwordwhichrequiresaslightlydifferenttranslationfromtheonewithwhichstudentswillbefamiliar.Translatehereas‘beevident,clear’ratherthan‘appear’.coepit:‘ithasbegun’.Theverbhasanimpersonalsubject.
3-4 eōs…dēbēre:studentsmaynotrecognisetheindirectstatement(accusativeandinfinitive).Helpbyasking:• Whichwordreferstoparents?• Whichwordreferstochildren?• Whenchildrengrowup,whatdotheyrealiseabouttheirparents,accordingtoSeneca?
Ifstudentsanswer,‘thatparentsarelovedbytheirchildren’,ask‘Howdoesdēbērefitin?’
4 illaipsa:accusativeneuterplural,‘thoseverythings’,‘thoseveryreasons’
quae:addpropter,‘onaccountofwhich’.‘forwhich’. amābantur:takecarewiththetense.Theimperfectsuggestshabitualbehaviour,‘usednotto
…’.6 nōbīs:thedativecaseisusedtoexpresstheidea‘from’withtheverbrapiō. nōbīsrapiuntur:ensurestudentsunderstandthatSenecaisreferringtothedeathofparents.
Checkbyaskingthemtoputthephrase‘theyaresnatchedfromus’intootherwords.6-7 paucōs…perdūxitaetās:theusualwordorderwouldbeaetāspaucōs…perdūxit.InLatin,
unusualwordordercanbeusedtohighlightaparticularwordorphrase,andawordcanbeemphasisedbybeingplacedeitherfirstorlastinthesentence.Here,paucōsisstressedbecauseofitspositionandbecauseoftheinversionofsubjectandobject(onlyafew).Thealliterationofp(paucōs…percipiendumperdūxit)intensifiesthestress.Thereissome,butlesser,emphasisonaetās.Aftertranslating,readaloudagainandask:• HowdoesSenecaemphasisethatonlyafewparentsderiveanybenefitfromtheir
children?(Hint:lookattheorderofthewords.) advērumfrūctum…percipiendum:‘togettingarealbenefit’.Translateas‘togetareal
reward’.percipiendumisagerundive.7 cēterī:noticethecontrastwithpaucōsinthefirstpartofthesentence. onerī:‘tobeaburden’.Literally,‘foraburden’.Thisisapredicativeuseofthedativecase.See
CambridgeLatinGrammar,page52,Section14.5c.Thereisasecondcontrastinthissentence,betweenfrūctumandonerī.Teacherscouldaskstudents:• Lookatthesentencepaucōs…sēnsērunt.HowdoesSeneca,byhischoiceandposition
ofwords,highlightthecontrastbetweenthetwogroupsofparents? fīliōs:Senecavarieshisvocabularybyusingaformoffīlius(‘son’)hereratherthanrepeating
līberī.Questions1.āparentibusferēvincimur.WhatdoyouthinkSenecameansbythis?2.Whatthreecomplaintsdochildrenhaveabouttheirparents,accordingtoSeneca?Wouldyou
agreewithanyofthem?What,ifanything,wouldyouadd?3.Senecasaysthatfewpeoplelivelongenoughtoreapanybenefitfromhavingchildren.Bearingin
mindthattheaveragelifeexpectancyforaRomanwasshorterthantoday,doyouagreewiththis?
4.CompareSeneca’sviewoftherelationshipbetweenparentsandchildreninRomansocietywithmodernattitudes.Towhatextentdoyouthinktheyaresimilar?Inwhatwaysaretheydifferent?
Pliny,Letters8.14:ThetraditionalRomaneducationIntroductionGaiusPliniusCaeciliusSecundus(c.AD61-c.112)hadasuccessfulcareerinRomeasalawyerandpolitician,culminatinginthegovernorshipoftheprovinceofBithynia.HeisknownasPlinytheYoungertodistinguishhimfromhisuncle,PlinytheElder,whoadoptedhimonhisfather’sdeath.Pliny’sletters,collectedintenbooks,giveavaluableinsightintothepeopleandeventsofhistimes,andthelifeofawealthymemberoftheRomanélite.Althoughmostarepersonalletterstofriendsandfamily,Plinywrotethemself-consciouslywithpublicationinmind,andhepublishedthemhimselfatregularintervals.Someoftheletterswererewrittenandeditedbeforepublication.Unlikenon-literaryletters,nearlyallofthemarerestrictedtoasinglesubject,sotheyresembleessays.SummaryPlinywritestohisfriend,theeminentlegalexpertTitiusAristo,askingforhisadviceaboutadetailofsenatorialprocedure.Inthisextracthesaysthathiscontemporarieshavenotbenefitedfrombeingabletoobservetheconductoftheireldersinthearmy,senateandlawcourts,aswasthepracticeinearliergenerations.Thereasonforthisisthat,underthetyrannicalregimeoftheEmperorDomitian,thearmywasundisciplinedandthesenatehadnofreedomtoact.TextThisisanexcerptfromalongerletter.ThetexthasbeenadaptedslightlytomakeitmoresuitableforstudentsatGCSElevel:thesyntaxhasbeensimplifiedinafewplacesandashortsectionhasbeenomitted.FurtherreadingCommentaryA.N.Sherwin-White,TheLettersofPliny:AHistoricalandSocialCommentary(OxfordUniversityPress,1966)TranslationsBettyRadice,TheLettersofPlinytheYounger(Penguin,1963;2ndedition1969)P.G.Walsh,PlinytheYounger:Completeletters(OxfordUniversityPress,2006)Notes1-3 erat…trāderēmus:thesyntaxofthefirstsentenceisquitecomplex.Teacherscanhelp
studentsbyfirstreadingthesentencealoudwithcarefulphrasing,thenbreakingthesentenceintopartsandusingcomprehensionandlinguisticquestions.Forexample:• erat…īnstitūtum:īnstitūtummeans‘custom’.Whichwordshowsthatthecustomwas
anancientone?(antīquitus)• ut…discerēmus:Accordingtothecustom,whatshouldtheRomansdo?Whenyou
answerthis,lookcarefullyattheendingsoftheverbs.(PlinyreferstotheRomansas‘we’).Whowouldtheylearnfrom?Inwhichtwowaysshouldtheylearn?
• quae…facerēmus:whatshouldtheRomanslearn?• ac…trāderēmus:oncetheyhadlearntwhattodowhatshouldtheRomansdowiththis
knowledge?Afterthewholesentencehasbeenreadandunderstood,studentscouldbeasked:• InyourownwordsexplainthedifferencebetweenthetwowaysoflearningPliny
mentions,auribusandoculīs.• Whichfourwordsemphasisethatbothkindsoflearningareimportant?
erat…īnstitūtumut…discerēmus…ac…trāderēmus:‘itwasthecustomthatweshouldlearn…andpasson’.Wheneratisthefirstwordinasentenceitisusuallytranslatedas‘Itwas’or‘Therewas’.ut+subjunctiveverb(discerēmus)=‘that…’.
1 maiōribusnātū:‘(our)elders’.Literally‘peoplegreaterinbirth’.(Butstudentsshouldusenaturaltranslationifaskedtotranslateinanexam.)
1-2 nōn…modovērumetiam:‘notonly…butalso’.Thephraseemphasisesthecontrastbetweenearsandeyes,auribusandoculīs.auribus…oculīs:‘with(our)ears…with(our)eyes’.Theablativecasewithoutaprepositionisusedtoexpressthemeansbywhichsomethingisdone.TheextensiveuseoftheablativeissomethingthatstudentswillgraduallybecomefamiliarwithastheyreadmoreLatinliterature.Atthisstageitisunnecessary,indeedcounterproductive,toburdenthemwithananalysisofthevarioususesoftheablative.Theycouldbegivenausefulruleofthumb:“theablativeisusedtotellyousomethingabouttheaction,i.e.whereorwhenorhowithappened,orthereason,oranyothercircumstance”or“oftenyoucantranslatetheablativeas‘in’,‘on’,‘by’,‘with’,‘from’or‘at’”.Aftertheinitialliteraltranslation,studentscouldbeaskedforanalternativetranslationsuchas‘byhearing…bywatching’.Askstudents:• HowdoesPlinyemphasisethecontrastheismakingbetweentwowaysoflearning?
2 quae:addea.[ea]quae=‘thethingswhich’,i.e.‘what’.ipsī:‘[we]ourselves’
2-3 pervicēsquāsdam:therearetwowaysofinterpretingthisphrase:(i)‘inturn’(ii)‘withsomechanges’
ThetranslationintheEduqasResources(‘aftercertainchanges’)follows(ii).Walshhas(i).3 minōribus:‘descendants’,‘theyoungergeneration’.Literally‘youngerpeople’.3-4 castrēnsibusstīpendiīs:upperclassyoungRomanmenwereexpectedtoserveinthearmyas
soonastheyreachedadulthood,beforeembarkingonapoliticalorlegalcareer.4-5 ut…adsuēscerent:agoodapproachherewouldbetoaskacomprehensionquestion:‘What
wasthepurposeofmilitaryservice?’Ifstudentsanswer‘sothattheywouldobey’,encouragethemtoreadtotheendofthesentence.Theymayneedthehintthatut,whenitindicatespurpose,hasasubjunctiveverb.Thenask:
• Whichtwothingsdidtheybecomeaccustomedtodo?’• Howdidtheylearntogiveorders?• Howdidtheylearntolead?
4 pārendō:‘byobeying’.Agerundintheablativecase.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammarpage82,Section26.1.
4-5 pārendō…dumsequuntur:thegerundandthetemporaldumclausebothexpressthemeansbywhichyoungmenaretrained(togiveordersandtolead).Infact,Plinycouldhavewrittendumpārent…dumsequunturorpārendō…sequendō.SyntacticalvariationisawayinwhichPlinygiveselegancetohisstyleofwriting:itisanexampleoftherhetoricalfigurevariātiō.
5 eīquīhonōrēspetitūrīerant:‘thosewhoweregoingtoseekpublicoffice’,i.e.theyoungmenwhoaimedtobecomecandidatesforofficeasmagistrates.petitūrīisafutureparticiple,‘goingtoseek’,‘intendingtoseek’.
6 adsistēbant:theimperfecttensehereconveystheideaofhabitualaction,‘usedtostandby’.cūriae:thecūriawasthebuildingwheretheRomansenatemet,thesenatehouse.Itwasintheforum.cōnsiliīpūblicī:‘publiccouncil’,i.e.meetingsofthesenate.
6-7 antequam:=antequam7-8 suus...parente:adifficultsentencetoconstrue.Comprehensionquestionswillhelpstudents
toelicitthemeaning.Forexample:• Whatwastherôleofthefather?• Whathappenedifayoungmannolongerhadafather?
7 suuscuiqueparēns:adderat,=[erat]cuiquesuusparēns,‘eachboyhadhisownfather’.erat+anouninthedativecaseisawayofexpressingtheideaofpossession.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammarpage52,Section5e.
prōmagistrō:‘actingasateacher’,i.e.‘ashisteacher’7-8 cuiparēnsnōnerat:addeī,=[eī]cuiparēnsnōnerat.Again,thedativecasewitherat
indicatespossession.Seethenoteonline7above.8 maximus...parente:adderateī,maximusquisqueetvetustissimus[erateī]prō
parente.maximusquisque:‘oneofthemostreveredmen’.Literally‘eachmanaccordingashewasmostrevered’.maximushere=‘mostrevered’or‘greatest’.prōparente:‘insteadofa/hisfather’
9-10 quae...docēbantur:onewayofhelpingstudentswiththissentenceistoexplainthatPlinyliststhethingsthatyoungmenlearnedbyexampleinaseriesofclausesdependentonexemplīsdocēbanturattheendofthesentence.quae/quod=‘what’.Usecomprehensionquestionstoelicitmeaning,suchas:• Howdidtheyoungmenlearn?• WhichfourthingsdoesPlinysaytheylearntspecifically?Startbypickingoutthefour
two-wordphrasesPlinyuses.Perhapsputthemontheboardbeforediscussinghowtotranslatethem.Supplyesset,e.g.potestas[esset]referentibus.
• PickoutthewordwhichshowsPlinyissumminguphislistofwhattheyoungmenlearn.• PickoutthethreewordphraseinwhichPlinysumsupwhatwaslearnt?Translateit.
9 potestāsreferentibus:‘theauthorityforproposingamotion’.Literally,‘theauthorityforthoseproposingamotion’.referentibusisapresentparticipleinthedativeplural.referōherehasthetechnicalsenseof‘proposingamotioninthesenate’.cēnsentibusiūs:‘therightsofvoters’.Literally‘therighttothosevoting’.vīsmagistrātibus:‘thepowerofthemagistrates’
10 dēnique:‘inshort’.ThiswordindicatesthatPlinyisnowsumminguphislistofsenatorialconventions.omnem...senātōriummōrem:‘allthecustomsofsenators’.mōremissingular,butcanbetranslatedhereasplural.Analternativetranslationwouldbe‘theentirepracticeofthesenate’,or‘everycustomofsenators’/‘everypracticeofsenators’.
11 quod...genus:addest,quod[est]fīdissimumpercipiendīgenus.quodrefersforwardtothewholeideaexpressedinexemplīsdocēbantur.percipiendīgenus:‘methodoflearning’.percipiendīisagerundinthegenitivecase.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammarpage82,Section26.1.
DiscussionPlinyiscontrastinghisownsocietywithearlierRomanpractices.Hesaysthatinthepastyoungmenlearntfromtheireldersbyexample.Intherestoftheletterheexplainswhythisisnolongerthecase.ThetyrannicalregimeoftheEmperorDomitian(AD81-96)restrictedthefreedomandactivitiesofthesenateandthelawcourts,andwascharacterisedbyindisciplineinthearmy.Duringhisreign,therefore,whenPlinyhimselfwasyoung,therewasnoopportunityforyoungmentolearnfromtheirfathersandeldersabouttheworkingsofthesenate,thelegalsystemandthearmy.AlthoughteachersmaywanttomentionthisbrieflytostudentsinordertoexplainPliny’sreferencetopasttradition,itshouldnotbethefocusofattention.ThemaininterestwilllieindiscussingwhatPlinysaysabouthowayoungRomanwaspreparedforacareerandcomparingthiswithwhathappensnowadays.Pliny’sfocusisnarrow.Heisconcernedonlywithhisownclassandgender.Thereisnothinghereabouthowyoungmenofthelowerclassesmightprepareforworkinglifeas,forexample,legionariesinthearmy,farmers,craftsmen,labourers,merchantsorshopkeepers,andnothingatallaboutwomenorslavesofeithergender.TheyoungmenPlinyhasinmindwillstarttheircareersasjuniorofficers(tribūnī)inthearmy,followedbystandingforofficeasjuniormagistrates,thenenteringthesenate.Plinyassumesthatboyswillfollowthesamecareerpathastheirfathers,andtheywillbehelpedtodothisbytheirfathers,or,insomecasesanotherseniorman(whowouldbeafriendoftheirfather).
ThepassagewillprovideplentyofmaterialforcomparingPliny’sviewswithmodernattitudesandpractices.Topicsfordiscussioncouldincludetherelativemeritsofgoingtouniversityversusapprenticeships;thebestwayoftrainingforvariouscareers,e.g.law,medicine,accountancyorengineering;thevalueofinternships;theroleofpatronageandnepotisminfindingajobandpursuingacareer.Questions1.WhatindicationsaretherethatPlinyisthinkingonlyabouttheélitemalemembersofRoman
society?Howdoyouthinktheeducationofothermembersofsocietymighthavebeendifferent?2.DoyouagreewithPlinythatlearning‘onthejob’isthebestwayofpreparingforajoborcareer?3.Howwouldayoungpersontodayprepareforacareerinpoliticsorlaw?
Martial,Epigrams11.39Thisisawholepoem.Themetreiselegiacs.1 cunarumfuerasmotor,Charideme,mearum:MartialaddressesCharidemusandstatesa
detailabouttheearliestpartoftherelationshipbetweenhimandCharidemus,whichhadstartedwhenMartialwasababyinhiscradle.ThepluperfectisfrequentinMartialfortheperfecttense.ThecradlefromHerculaneumwasahighlightoftherecentexhibitionattheBritishMuseum.
2 etpuericustosassiduusquecomes:MartialmovesontohisboyhoodwhenCharidemusbecamehispaedagogos.DoesthewordassiduushintthatCharidemuswasgoodathisjoboratsomeresentmentbyMartial?
3 iammihinigrescunttonsasudariabarba:sudariaarethebarber’stowels,usedeithertocatchtheshavingsortowipetherazor.Thereisalliterationof‘s’and‘r’.mihiisdative,butcanbeslippedintothetranslationas‘my’.IntheuseofthepresenttenseandinceptivenigrescuntMartialpresentshimselfasbeingattheagewhenaboybeginstovisitthebarber’sshopforashave.YoumayormaynotchoosetotellyourstudentsnowthatatthetimeofpublishingthepoemsMartialwasinfactover50.Aboy’sfirstshavewasconsideredanimportanteventandtheclippingsweresometimesdedicatedtothehouseholdgods.
4 etqueriturlabrispunctapuellameis:despiteonlyjuststartingabeard,Martialsaysthathisgirl-friendiscomplainingaboutit.Thealliterationof‘p’inpunctapuellaaddstothehumour.
5 sedtibinoncrevi:tibiisdativeofthepersonjudging–inyoureyes.Itfollowscloselyonmeisinthepreviousline.
5-6 tenostervilicushorret,tedispensator,tedomusipsapavet:MartialdeclaresthateveryoneisafraidofCharidemus.Martialusesanascendingtricolonofnounsinterspersedwithrepeated‘te’.Thevilicuswasthebailifforoverseeroftheslaves,althoughhewasausuallyslavehimself.Thedispensatorwasthehouseholdmanager,steward,accountant;hewasusuallyatrustworthyslavebutsometimeswasfree-born.Eveniftheywereslaves,thereisnoreasonwhythesepeopleshouldfearCharidemus–norshouldMartial!
7 luderenecnobisnectupermittisamare:adirectcriticismofCharidemus.AtfirstitlookslikeluderecouldreferbacktoachildhoodwhenCharidemuswouldn’tlettheboyMartialplay,butuseofthepresenttenseandtheadditionof‘amare’showsthatCharidemusistryingtopreventMartialindulginginadultformsofplay,suchasdrinking,gamblingorwritingpoetryorsexualencounters.
8 nilmihivisetviscunctaliceretibi:thehyperboleinnilmihivissoundslikethecaricatureofasulkyteenagerasdoestheaccusationthatCharidemusapparentlyhoweverwantsallpleasuresforhimself.
9 corripis,observas,quereris,suspiriaducis:thelistofsignsofdisapprovalfromCharidemusbeginsinquicksuccessionwiththesefourverbsinasyndetoninthe2ndperson.Charidemusisasassiduusinhiscriticismnowashehadbeenacompaniontotheboy.
10 etvixaferulistemperatiratua:MartialthentakesawholelinedescribinghowCharidemuscanscarcelyrefrainfromusingthecane.Martialmakesirathesubject,ratherthanCharidemus.ForferulaseenotesonMartialEpigram10.62.
11 siTyriossumpsicultus:Tyriandyewasmadefromshellfishandwasveryexpensive.Itgaveareddishorbrownishpurplecolour.Thewearingofpurpleclotheswouldbeconsideredextravagant.ItwouldbesuretodrawcommentfromoldCharidemus.Seethefollowingwebsitesformore:• ChrisCooksey• SaudiAramcoWorld• AncientHistoryEncyclopedia
unxivecapillos:Martialhasusedproductonhishair:thiswouldbeperfumedoil.Thisadvertisementportraysshockatahairstyle:
12 exclamas'numquamfeceratistapater':ThisistheonlytimethatCharidemusgetshisownsayinthepoem.CharidemusexpressesdisapprovalbyinvokingtheauthorityofMartial’sfather.Tennickwritesthatitisa‘remarkcarefullycalculated,giventheprominenceofthepaterfamilias,todeflatetheyoungmanabouttown’.Thepositionofpaterattheendofthelineandendofthesentencegiveitimpact.
13 etnumerasnostrosastrictafrontetrientes:theunitmeasurementwasacyathus(kyathos).Atrienswasacupwhichcontainedthreecyathii.e.aboutonefifthofalitre.Seeakyathos:• MetMuseum
Buyakyathos:• AlexanderAncientArt
Romancups• BritishMuseum• MetMuseum
14 tamquamdecellasitcadusilletua:sitissubjunctivebecausethisishypothetical–thejarandthecelladonotbelongtoCharidemus,althoughhecountsthecupsasiftheywere.Perhapsoncehewasorderedtokeepaneyeontheyoungmaster’sdrinking.IsMartial’sremarkaput-downtotheoldslavenottogetabovehisstation?Thefirsthalfofthelinecontainslongsyllablesgivingameasuredweighttoit.
15 desine:anabruptorder.nonpossumlibertumferreCatonem:MarcusPorciusCato(theonewhosaidCarthagodelendaest)andhisgrandsonMarcusPorciusCatoUticensiswereknownfortheiruncompromisingstrictjudgement.CiceropraisedtheyoungerCatoasbeinggravissimus.Thesecond,thirdandfourthfeetinthisline(nonpossumlibertum)arespondeesasMartialslowlydeclareshisview.
16 essevirumiammedicetamicatibi:MartialnowsaysthathisgirlfriendwilltellCharidemusthatMartialisaman.Virumcanmeanbothanadultandasexuallyactiveman.Aretheythesamething?Tennickwrites‘Nodoubtthegirlfriend,anoutsidertothefamily,willbebetterabletogethometoCharidemus’.Alternativelysomehumourliesintheclimb-downfromMartial’spomposityofthepreviousline-nowMartialseemstoneedcorroborationforhisadultstatus.
DiscussionInthepoemMartialpresentshimselfasayouthandgivesaone-sidedconversationwithhispaedagogos.WehearCharidemus’voiceonceindirectspeech‘numquamfeceratistapater’.YetitispossibletotellquitealotaboutCharidemusfromwhatissaidabouthim,evenifitisfromonepointofview.IfyoudidnottellyourstudentsearlierthatMartialwasoldwhenhepublishedthepoem,whenyourevealthisattheend,youcanaskifitmakesadifferenceifyouknowthatthispoemwasnotwrittenbyateenager.Thispoemisthemostobviouspassageintheselectiontoillustratetheuseofpersona.ThetonewithwhichMartialspeakschangesthroughthepoem;studentsshouldlookcloselyattheLatinforevidenceforthis.Issuesraisedinclude:• Whatitmeanstobeamanortobeanadult• Slavery
FurtherReadingThispoemisdiscussedintheLibellusHandbookpages103-105
Cicero,prōCaeliō43:BoyswillbeboysIntroductionMarcusTulliusCicero(106-43BC)wasaneminentlawyer,oratorandpolitician.HewasborninArpinum,aboutseventymilessouth-eastofRome,butlivedmostofhislifeinRome.Hewasaprolificauthorofpoliticalandforensicspeeches,letters,andtreatisesonphilosophyandoratory.ThispassageispartofaspeechhemadeindefenceofMarcusCaeliusRufus,ayoungmanwhowasontrialin56BConseveralcharges,includingmurderandtryingtopoisonhisformermistress,Clodia.Atthetimeofthisspeech,Caeliuswastwenty-five.Hewasalawyerandaspiringpolitician,who,accordingtotheprosecution,enjoyedacolourfulandextravagantlifestyle.AlthoughtheremayhavebeenmoresubstancetothechargesthanCiceroallowed,Caeliuswasacquitted.InaRomancourtthethreeprosecutorsmadetheirspeechesfirst,followedbythethreespeakersforthedefence.Forthedefence,Caeliushimselfspokefirst,thenCrassusandfinallyCicero.Cicero’sistheonlyoneofthesixspeechesthathassurvived.HedoesnotsaymuchabouttheactualchargesagainstCaelius.Instead,hefocusesoncounteringtheprosecution’sattackonCaelius’characterandlifestyle.RomancourtsallowedthespeakerstomakepersonalattackswhichinamodernUKcourtwouldbedisallowedasirrelevant.InthesectionofthespeechincludedhereCiceroisarguingthatallowancesshouldbemadeforyouthfulmisdemeanours.TextThispassageisanextractfromaspeech.Onlyveryminorchangeshavebeenmadetothetext;threewordshavebeenomittedfromthefirstsentence.SuggestionsforreadingandteachingInordertounderstandandappreciatethistextstudentsdonotneedtoknowanythingaboutCiceroorthebackgroundtothecaseagainstCaelius.Itwould,however,behelpfultotellthemthatthepassageispartofaspeechinalawcourtandCicero,speakingindefenceofhisclient,Caelius,isaddressingthejury.Agoodwaytostartwouldbetoaskstudentswhattheythinkthetitlemeansandwhattheyexpectthepassagetobeabout.Thefirstsentenceischallengingandstudentswillneedhelpwiththewordorder.Guidestudentsbybreakingitdownintoitsconstituentclausesandphrases,asdemonstratedintheNotes.FurtherreadingCommentaryR.G.AustinproCaelio(OxfordUniversityPress,3rdedition,1960)TranslationsD.H.Berry,Cicero:DefenceSpeeches(OxfordWorldClassics,OxfordUniversityPress,2000)MichaelGrant,Cicero:SelectedPoliticalSpeeches(Penguin,1969)Notes1-2 multīetnostrāetpatrummaiōrumquememoriā,summīhominēsetclārissimīcīvēsfuērunt:
addmemoriāandreadintheorderetnostrā[memoriā]etmemoriāpatrummaiōrumquefuēruntmultīsummīhominēsetclārissimīcīvēs.Studentsmayhavedifficultywiththewordorder.Ratherthanshowingarearrangedwordorder,teacherscouldusepunctuationandreadingaloudtoguidestudents.Itmaybehelpfultosuggestthattheyimagineacommaaftermultī:thiswillshowclearlythatthewordsetnostrāetpatrummaiōrumquememoriāareseparatefromtherestofthesentence.Then,readaloudwithastrongpausebeforeandafterthephraseetnostrāetpatrummaiōrumquememoriā.Carefulpronunciationofthelongfinal–ainnostrāandmemoriāwillhelpstudentsidentifytheablativecase–themacraarenotmarkedintheGCSEtext,sostudentsarelikelytointerpretthesewordsasnominativesingular.Followupwithlinguisticandcomprehensionquestions,forexample:
• multī:Translate,butwaituntillaterinthesentencetofindoutwhothewordrefersto.• et…memoriā:Whosememoryisbeingreferredto?(Hint:therearethreegroupsof
people.)• HowdoesthephraseaboutmemoryshowthatCiceroistalkingabouttherelatively
recentpast?• nostrāetpatrummaiōrumquememoriā:translate.• Nowgobacktomultī:whichtwogroupsofpeopledoesthisworddescribe?(Hint:look
carefullyattheendingsofthenounsandadjectivesbeforeanswering.)• Nowitshouldbeclearthatthefirstetcan’tmean‘and’.Howelsecanitbetranslated?
(Hint:thereisanotheretsoonafterwards.)1 multī…summīhominēs…clārissimīcīvēs:theadjectivemultīisseparatedfromthetwo
adjective+nounphraseswhichitqualifies.et…et:‘both…and’.Studentsmayhavedifficultywiththedoubleet.Seethenoteaboveonlines1-2forhowtoapproachthis.maiōrumque:maiōrēs=‘ancestors’or‘grandfathers’nostrā…memoriā:splitadjective+nounphrase.Itiscommonforanadjectivetobeseparatedfromthenounitdescribesbyoneormorewords.
1-2 summīhominēsetclārissimīcīvēs:thedistinctionbetween‘greatmen’and‘veryfamouscitizens’isinsignificant;thephrasesare,ineffect,synonymoushere.Usingapairofwordsorphraseswiththesameorsimilarmeaningisawayofaddingemphasisandtryingtoensurethattheaudience(herethejury)understandsthepoint.ThisisafavouriterhetoricaltechniqueofCicero.Theuseofthesuperlativeformoftheadjectivealsostressestheimportanceofthesemen.Alliterationofthelettercinclārissimīcīvēsaddsfurtheremphasisbydrawingattentiontothewordsbytheirsimilarityofsound.SeveraltimesinthispassageCiceroemphasisesthatheistalkingaboutimportantmen.
2 fuērunt:‘therehavebeen’2-3 quōrum…eximiaevirtūtēs:‘whoseoutstandingvirtues’.Thesubjectoftherelativeclauseis
postponed.Afterdeterminingthatquōrummeans‘whose’tellstudentstowaituntillaterinthesentencetofindouthowtherelativeclausecontinues.cumadulēscentiaecupiditātēsdēfervissent:thetemporalcumclauseisembeddedintherelativeclause.Askstudentswhattheythinkcummeanshere,‘with’or‘when’.Mostshouldspotthesubjunctiveverbdēfervissent.
3 dēfervissent:acolourfulchoiceofverb.dēfervēscōmeans‘tocooldownaftercomingtotheboil’.Hereitisusedmetaphoricallyforthewearingofforcoolingdownofdesire.Thewordsuggeststheintensityandstrengthofyouthfulpassions.firmātāiamaetāte:‘atasettledage’.Literally,‘withagesettled’.Readingthisphrasealoudwillhelpstudentsrecognisetheablativeabsolute.Afteraninitialliteraltranslation,seeksuggestionsforamorenaturalEnglishversion,e.g.‘whentheyreachmaturity’,‘atamatureage’.
2-3 quōrum…exstitērunt:followingtheorderoftheLatinclausesproducesveryawkwardEnglish,onthelinesof‘whose,whenthepassionsofyouthhavesubsided,outstandingvirtues,atanowsettledage,havestoodout’.EncouragestudentstorearrangetheorderintoamorenaturalEnglishversion,e.g.‘whoseoutstandingvirtueshavestoodoutafterthepassionsofyouthhavesubsided,nowtheyhavereachedamatureage’.
1-3 multī…exstitērunt:sincethisissuchalongandcomplexsentence,itwouldbeagoodideatofollowuptheinitialtranslationbyaskingstudentstoputtheideaintotheirownwords.
3-4 exquibus:=exeīs,‘[out]ofthese[men]’.Formsoftherelativepronounareoftenusedatthestartofasentencewiththemeaning‘he’,‘them’,etc.tomakeaconnectiontotheprevioussentence.Thisisknownastheconnectinguseoftherelativepronoun.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammar,page21,Section5.7.
4 mihilibet:‘itispleasingtome’.libetisanimpersonalverb.Translateas‘Idon’twish’.
vōsmet:emphaticformofvōs.StudentsmayneedremindingthatCiceroisspeakingtoajuryinacourtoflaw.vōbīscum:‘foryourselves’.Literally‘withyou’.Anotherwayofemphasising‘you’(themembersofthejury).vōsmetvōbīscum:byplacingthetwowordsnexttoeachotherCiceroaddstothestress,andfurtherhighlightsthecontrastheisdrawingbetweenhimself(mihi)andthejury(vōsmetvōbīscum).
5 recordāminī:thiscouldbeinterpretedaseither:(i)2ndpersonpluralpresentindicative,‘yourecall’(ii)pluralimperative,‘recall!’
TheExplorerintheEduqasonlinematerialsoptsfor(i).Ineithercase,thetranslationrequiredhereis‘Youcanrecall’.enim:thiswordshowsthatCiceroisexplainingwhathehassaidintheprevioussentence,hisdisinclinationtonameanyone.cuiusquamfortisatqueillūstrisvirī:somestudentsmaybetemptedtoignorethewordendingsandtrytotakethisphraseastheobjectofeithernōlōorconiungere.Toanticipatethis,askstudentstotranslatethephraseandidentifythecaseofthenounandadjectives.Then,tellthemthattheexplanationofthegenitivecasewillberevealedlaterinthesentence.fortisatqueillūstrisvirī:anotherexampleofapairofadjectivesusedforemphasis.
5-6 nē…quidem:‘noteven’6 laude:laushere=‘glory’,‘achievement’.
quodsī:‘butif’6-7 sīvellem:theimperfectsubjunctiveverbcouldbetranslatedas‘ifIweretowant’or‘ifI
shouldwant’,but‘ifIwanted’islessformal.summīatqueōrnātissimī:anotherpairingofsimilarwordsforemphasis.Seethenoteonsummīhominēsetclārissimīcīvēs(line2).Thesuperlativeformoftheadjectiveōrnātissimīaddsfurtheremphasis.Askstudents:• HowdoesCiceroemphasisehowdistinguishedthesemenwere?
praedicārentur:‘mightbementioned’,‘couldbementioned’.praedicāremeans‘tomakepublic’.quōrumpartim…partim:partim…partimmeans‘some…others’.Hereitisusedlooselywithquōrumtomean‘inconnectionwithsomeofwhom…inconnectionwithothers’.Whenwritingoutatranslationitwouldbeeasiertostartanewsentencehere:‘Forsomeofthemexcessivewildnesscouldbementioned,forothers…’.
9 aerisaliēnī:aesaliēnum=‘debt’.Theliteraltranslationis‘moneybelongingtosomeoneelse’.sūmptūs:‘lavishexpenditure’,‘extravagance’.Plural,buttranslateassingular.libīdinēs:‘lust’.Thepluralcouldbetranslatedas‘debauchery’.
10 quae:‘whichthings’,referringbacktothelistofyouthfulmisdemeanoursCicerohasjustlisted.Translateas‘andtheseactions’.Inawrittentranslationitwouldbegoodtostartanewsentence.multīs…virtūtibus:splitadjective+nounphrase
10-11quae…dēfenderet:beforeattemptingatranslationofthispartofthesentencewiththeclass,teacherscouldusethefamiliartripartiteapproach:breakdownintoparts,readaloud,andaskcomprehensionquestions.Suitablequestionsare:• PickoutthewordwhichshowsCiceroisreferringnowtoatimewhenthesemenwere
nolongeryoung.• WhatdoesCicerosayhappenedtotheyouthfulactionsofgreatmenoncetheywereno
longeryoung?• Onwhatgroundscouldsomeonedefendthisyouthfulbehaviour?• quīvellet:Whomightdefendthisbehaviour?
11 quīvellet:‘anyonewhowants’.Thesubjunctiveaddsasenseofpossibility,‘anyonewhomightwant’.
DiscussionThispassageprovidesamplematerialforcomparisonwithattitudestoday.Severalstrandscouldbepickedup.First,theideathatyoungpeopleareexpectedto‘sowtheirwildoats’.(Itwouldbeinterestingtoseeifstudentsarefamiliarwiththisphrase.)Studentsshouldbeabletocomeupwithplentyofexamples,e.g.thewayschoolanduniversitystudentsareportrayedontelevisionandinthenewspapers(e.g.TVcomediessuchasFreshMeatorTheInbetweeners.)Asecondtopicfordiscussioniswhetheryouthisanexcuseforpoorbehaviour.Ifso,whatkindsofbehaviour?Thirdly,isitofpublicinteresttopublicisetheyouthfulindiscretionsorbadbehaviourofpoliticiansandotherpublicfiguresordoyouagreewithCicerothatreputationsshouldnotbetarnishedinthisway?Cantheclassthinkofanyexamples,e.g.takingdrugs(BillClinton’sadmissionthathesmokedmarijuanabut‘didn’tinhale’),excessivedrinkingandvandalism(DavidCameronandBorisJohnson’smembershipoftheBullingdonClub)?IntheageofFacebookandYouTubedoyoungpeoplehavetotakecareincaseevidenceofpoorbehaviouraffectstheirjobprospectswithfutureemployers?Questions1. InyourownwordsexplainwhyCicerodoesnotwanttonameanyofthegreatmenwhoindulged
theirpassionswhentheywereyoung.2. Ciceroisheretalkingabout“greatmen”.FindthreeexamplesofwordsorphraseswhereCicero,
byhisstyleofwriting,emphasisesthistothejury.Ineachcase,explainhowthewordorphraseyouhavechoseniseffective.
3. DoyouagreewithCicerothatyouthisanexcuseforbadbehaviour?4. Doyouthinkthatyoungpeoplenowadaysareperceivedbytheireldersasbehavingbadly?Think
ofthewayyoungpeopleareportrayedinthemedia.FindsomeexamplesfromnewspapersormagazinesorTVanddiscusshowyoungpeopleareportrayed.
5. Shouldpoliticiansandotherpublicfigurestodaybeexcusedformistakestheymadewhentheywereyoung?
Apuleius,Thethreephasesofeducation(Florida20.4)IntroductionThisisanextractfromaspeech.LuciusApuleiusMadaurensiswasborninaboutAD125inMadaurus,inNorthAfrica.HewaseducatedatCarthage,AthensandRome.Hismostwell-knownworkisTheGoldenAss(alsoknownastheMetamorphoses),theonlyLatinnoveltosurvivecomplete.Duringthe160sApuleiuswasapublicspeakerandteacherofphilosophyinCarthage,inNorthAfrica.TheFloridaisacollectionofexcerptsfromthespeechesandlectureshegavethen.FurtherreadingCambridgeLatinCourse,Stage10,pages140-143,SchoolsNotes1 sapientisvirī:anunidentifiedwiseman;thesourceofthequotationisunknown.Takecare
thatstudentsrecognisethegenitivecaseandreadontotheendofthesentencetofindthesubject,dictum.supermēnsam:‘attable’,i.e.‘atdinner’or‘overdinner’crēterra:=cratēra,avesselinwhichwinewasmixedwithwater.TheRomansdranktheirwinedilutedwithwater.Hereitmustmean‘cup’or‘drinkingbowl’.
2 adsitimpertinet:pertineōad=‘takescareof’,‘leadsto’.Agoodtranslationherewouldbe‘satisfies’or‘quenches’.secundaadhilaritātem:=secunda[crēterra]adhilaritātem[pertinet].Understandcrēterraandpertinetinthenexttwoclausesaswell.Studentsshouldnotfindtheconciseexpressiondifficult,asitcanbereproducedinEnglish.
1-3 prīmacrēterraadsitimpertinet,secundaadhilaritātem,tertiaadvoluptātem,quārtaadīnsāniam:asexplainedinthepreviousnote,theverbpertinethastobeunderstoodinthesecond,thirdandfourthclausesofthissentence.ButdifferenttranslationsofpertinetarerequiredtoproducenaturalEnglish.Forexample,‘Thefirstcupquenchesthirst,thesecondproducesgoodhumour,thethirdbringsonpassionandthefourthmadness’.Encouragestudentstomaketheirownsuggestions.
3 Mūsārum:theMuseswerethegoddesseswhoinspiredpoetry,otherliterature,theartsandscience.TraditionallytherewerenineMuses,eachresponsibleforabranchoftheartsorscience:Calliope(epicpoetry),Clio(history),Euterpe(flute-playingandlyricpoetry),Thalia(comedyandpastoralpoetry),Melpomene(tragedy),Terpsichore(dance),Erato(lovepoetry),Polyhymnia(hymnsandsacredpoetry;oratory),Urania(astronomy).Here,theystandlooselyforliteratureingeneral,includingoratory.Mūsārumcrēterra:theMuseswereassociatedwiththespringsofHippocreneandPireneinGreece,andconsequentlydrinkingfromthewaterofthesespringsbecameacommonmetaphorforpoeticinspiration.Keats,inhisOdetoaNightingale,referstodrinkingacupofHippocrene(althoughheconceivesitaswineratherthanwater):
OforabeakerfullofthewarmSouthFullofthetrue,theblushfulHippocrene,Withbeadedbubbleswinkingatthebrim,Andpurple-stainedmouth;ThatImightdrink,andleavetheworldunseen,withtheefadeawayintotheforestdim:
3-4 versāvice:‘ontheotherhand’,literally‘withturnreversed’.ThisLatinphraseisstillusedinEnglish:viceversa.
4 quantōcrēbrior:addest.‘Themorefrequent[itis]’,i.e.‘themoreoftenitisdrunk’.Literally‘byhowmuchmorefrequentitis’.Theablativecaseisusedwiththecomparativetoexpressthedegreeofdifference.
4-5 quantōcrēbriorquantōquemerācior,tantōpropioradanimīsānitātem:quantum…tantum=‘asmuch…as’.Usedashereintheablativecasewithcomparativeadjectives=‘byasmuchas…bythesameamount’.Translateas:‘themoreoften[itisdrunk]andthestronger[itis],thecloser[itbringsyou,lit.itis]tosoundnessofmind’.
4 merācior:thissuggeststhatApuleiusisthinkingofthecupoftheMusesascontainingwine,notwater.Bacchus,thegodofwine,anddrinkingwinewerecommonlyassociatedwithpoeticinspiration.
4-5 animīsānitātem:theoppositeofīnsāniaminline3.5 litterātoris:thelitterātor(sometimescalledlūdīmagister,‘schoolmaster’)taughtreadingand
writing(LatinandGreek),andperhapssomesimplearithmetic,toboys(andsomegirls)fromtheageofaboutseven.Thiswasthefirststageofeducation.Thewordmeans‘teacherofthebasics’(litterae,‘elements’,‘basics’).Therewasnolegalobligationforparentstosendtheirchildrentoschool,andeducationwasnotfree.However,sincethefeesofthelitterātorwerenothighandliteracyconferredsuchgreatadvantages,manyordinarypeoplesenttheirsonstoschoolforthefirststage.rudīmentōeximit:‘takes[thepupil]beyondthebasics.Theobjectofeximithastobesuppliedbythereader.rudīmentōisablativebecausetheverbeximōtakesanablativenoun.secunda:addcrēterra.
6 grammaticī:boysfromwealthyfamilieswentontothesecondstageofeducation,theschoolofthegrammaticus,betweentheagesofaboutelevenandsixteen(dependingontheirability).ThewordisatransliterationoftheGreek=‘literate/educated’,‘literaryscholar’.doctrīnāīnstruit:‘equips[thepupil]withlearning’.ThegrammaticustaughtGreekandLatinliterature,especiallypoetry;themainauthorsstudiedwereHomer(inGreek)andVirgilandHorace(inLatin).Thestudentshadtoreadpassagesaloud,learnthembyheart,andanalysethegrammar.Thegrammaticuswouldgiveadetailedline-by-lineexplanationandanalysisofthepassage.tertia:addcrēterra.rhētoris:afewboys,fromwealthyfamilies,wentontostudyattheschooloftherhētor,wheretheyweretrainedinrhetoric(theartofpublicspeaking)andreceivedmoreadvancedlessonsinliterature.Therhētortaughttherulesformakingdifferentkindsofspeechesandmadehisstudentspractisebyarguingforandagainstapointofview.StudentswhohavestudiedtheCambridgeLatinCoursemayrememberthedebatebetweenQuintusandAlexanderonthesubject‘TheGreeksarebetterthantheRomans’(CambridgeLatinCourse,Stage10,contrōversia).Oratorywasanessentialskillforyoungmenwhoaimedtoparticipateinpubliclife.Theywouldneedtobeabletospeakatpublicmeetings,argueacaseinthelawcourts,andmakespeechesatelections.ēloquentiāarmat:‘arms[thestudent]witheloquence’
DiscussionTheinterestofthispassageliesintheaccountofthethreestagesofeducation:primary(thelitterātor),secondary(thegrammaticus)andtertiary(therhētor).IntheschoolofthelitterātorthepupillearnedhisABCandperhapssomebasicarithmetic,andbegantostudyliterature.Thegrammaticustaughtliterature,bothGreekandLatin.Finally,afewboyswentontostudyoratoryattheschooloftherhētor.ThemetaphorofdrinkingfromthecupoftheMusestodescribetheincreasingpowerofeducationisappropriatebecauseRomaneducationwasalmostexclusivelyliteraryandrhetorical.AccordingtoApuleius,educationproducessoundnessofmind(animīsānitātem),incontrasttodrinkingwine,whichleadstomadness.Itisn’tclearexactlywhatApuleiusmeansbyanimīsānitātem,butperhapsitisthecapacityforrationalthought.Inthefinalmilitarymetaphor(ēloquentiāarmat)thereisasuggestionthatthestudyofrhetoricisgoingtobeausefulweaponinthebattleoflife.
Horace,Satires1.6,lines71-88IntroductionThisisanextractfromapoem.Itisindactylichexameter.Thepoem1.6startssayingthatMaecenasdoesnotdespiseHoraceassomepeopledoforbeingafreedman’sson.Maecenashassaidthatparentageisirrelevanttogaininghonour,(honos/honor)bywhichheseemstomeangoingupthecursushonorum,gaininghighofficeinthestate.Horaceatfirstdealswiththewordinthismeaningwithexamplesofotherpeople,thentalksabouthimself:heexplainshowsomepeoplehaveshownresentmentagainsthimfortworeasons.ThefirstishisbeingatribunecommandingaRomanlegion:hesaysutforsithonoremiuremihiinvideat-thatsomeonemayperhapsrightlyresentthishonour.TheotheristhatheisafriendofMaecenas:hesaysthatpeopleshouldnotresentthathehasMaecenas’friendshipbecauseMaecenasonlychoosesworthypeople-vitaetpectorepuro.HoraceisthustreatingfriendshipwithMaecenasasakindofhonour,oneforwhichthequalificationisagoodcharacter.Horacedescribeshimselfasagenerous,clean-living,decentman.Itisjustafterthisthatourpassagecomes.Notes1 pater:Horace’sfatherwasafreedman.
causafuitpaterhis:thisreferstothefactthatHorace’snature,hesays,hasonlyafewslightblemishes(vitiis)andhecannotbeaccusedofavarice,meannessorsexualimmorality(malalustra2)andheispureandinnocentandthatheislovedbyhisfriends.
2 Forlustrum,seethenotesontheCiceropassageline15inthisdocument.macropauperagello:thefarmwasonMountVultur,Apulia.Horacestatesthatthefarmwassmallandhisfatherpoor;hedoesnotmeanthathewasdestitute–justthathewasnotwealthy.Hehadenoughmoneytosendhissontoschoolinthelocaltown.AsHoracedidnothavethisfarm,itmaybepresumedthatitwasconfiscatedtoprovidelandforveteransattheendofthecivilwar.
2 Flaviludum:atVenusia–Flaviuswasprobablyalitterator,ateacherofreading,writingandbasicarithmetic.ForinformationaboutRomanschools,seetheCSCPwebsite.
3 magni…puerimagnisecenturionibusorti:Venusiawasacolony,atownestablishedforex-soldiers.Ithadbeenfoundedin262BC.Thecenturionsandtheirsonscouldbemagnibecausetheyarephysicallylarge,ortheycouldbemagnibecausecenturions,evenretiredcenturions,wouldbeconsideredmoreimportantthanothersoldierswithinthatcommunity.Thesonsofthesecenturionsmighthavelookeddownonthelowlysonofafreedman.OntheotherhandHoracedescribeshimselfasslight(corporisexegui)inEpist.120.21,soperhapstheboyswerebiggerthanhim.InthegreaterschemeofRomanstatus,centurionwasnotahighrankinthearmy.Horacehimself,ashementionsinthissatire,hadobtainedthemuchhigherrankoftribune.
4 laevosuspensiloculostabulamquelacerto:theboysinVenusiacarriedtheirownsatchels.Therearepicturesofschoolboys,satchelsandwritingtabletshere.
5 octonosreferentesIdibusaeris:theboystooktheschoolfeesofeightassestotheteacherontheIdesofeachmonth.AnalternativereadingisoctonosIdibusaerawhichwouldmeanthattheboystookthefeeseighttimesi.e.ontheIdesofeightmonthsoftheyearwhichweretermtimeandnotonfourmonthswhichwereholidays.GowrejectsthisreadingonthegroundsthatHorace’spointisthattheschoolwascheap:theteacherchargedonlyeightassesamonth.
6 estausus:Horacesuggeststhatittookcouragetodowhathisfatherdid-movefromsettledlifeonafarminasmallprovincialtowntofosterhisaspirationsforhissoninRome.portare:somepeoplehavesuggestedthatthewordportaresuggeststhatHoracewasveryyoungatthetime,butthisshouldnotbetakenliterally.Horacehadprobablystartedschoolat
theusualtimeagedaboutseven.ItisnotclearwhenthemovetoRometookplace.ElsewhereHoracedescribeshisschoolinRomeasbeingthatofagrammaticus.
7 artesquasdoceatquivisequesatquesenator:anequesorsenatorwouldneedtoknowliteratureandpublicspeaking.doceat:genericsubjunctive.HoracewritesasifwithinthetraditionthatRomanfatherstaughttheirchildrenthemselves.
8 semetprognatos:semetisablativeofseparation–descendedfromthemselves.Thestartofthislineisheavilyspondaic.servosquesequentes:liketheotherschoolboysinRome,Horacenowhadslavesaccompanyinghim:usuallythisconsistedofacapsariustocarrythesatchelandapaedagogos,aguard.
9 inmagnoutpopulo:Gowtakesthesewordstomeanutfitinmagnopopulo–ashappensinalargepopulation-andmeaningthatpeoplewouldseehimwithoutknowingwhohewas.ButthewordsmayrefertothelargenumberofslavesaccompanyingHoracetoschool–slavesfollowingasinalargeretinue.Thereisanelisionmagn(o)ut.
11 ipsemihicustosincorruptissimus:Horace’sfatherwentwithhissonasapaedagogos,aguardtoprotecthisson.Iftakenwiththepluralinthewordsservosquesequentesinline8,doesthismeanthathisfatherwouldwalkbehindyoungHoracetoschoolandcouldthenbemistakenforaslave?Theusualpaedagogoswasaslavewhomightbeconsidereduntrustworthybecausehewouldbesusceptibletobriberyandmightabandonhischargeinexchangeforareward.
12 quidmulta:astandardexpressiontoputanendtodetailedexposition,lit:‘why(say)many(words)?
12-13pudicum…servavit:Horacemakesitclearwhathisfather,ashiscustos,wasprotecting–hewaskeepinghissonchaste,i.e.safefromsexualpredators.
13 quiprimusvirtutishonos:quiismasculineattractedbythegenderofhonosbutitreferstopudicumservavitandquodcouldhavebeenused.Studentsmayneedhelptounderstandtheconceptshere.TheidearefersbacktothebeginningofthepoemwhereHoracementionsMaecenas’remarkabouthonour.TheadditionofthewordvirtutisherewithhonosshowsthatHoraceisthinkinglessoftheideaofhonosaspoliticalofficeorrank,butassomethingmoreakintorespectforhispurecharacterandlife,whichisthereasonthatheisacceptabletoMaecenas.Horacesaysinlines62-64ofthisSatire:magnumhocegoduco,quodplacuitui,quiturpisecernishonestumnonpatrepraeclaro,sedvitaetpectorepuro.TheusualsluronaRomanmantodiscredithischaracterwastosuggesttherehadbeenanimproperrelationshipinhisearlyyears.ItisduetoHorace’sfatherthatthiswasprevented.Hencehisfather’sactofkeepinghimsafewasprimusvirtutishonos:itwasprimusinthesenseoffirstandessentialandmostimportant;itwasanhonourinthesenseofadutywhichhisfatherdidforhimbutalsothefirstrungontheladdertowardsvirtus–agoodcharacter-whichhasinturnledtohisriseinsocietyasafriendofMaecenas.
14 abomninonsolumfacto,verumopprobrioquoqueturpi:turpigoeswithfactoaswellasopprobrio.Horace’sfatherkepthimsafenotonlyfromanyaction,butalsofromtheshamefromrumourofanywrong.IntheProCaelioCicerosaysthatanygood-lookingyoungmanwaslikelytohaverumoursspreadabouthim.Thefinalsyllableofverumiselided.
15 nectimuitsibinevitioquisverteretolimsipraecoparvasaut,utfuitipse,coactormercedessequerer:Horacementionsthesetwooccupationsasbeingthoseforwhichsomeonemightreproachhisfather:parvas…mercedessuggeststhatthesewerelowlypaidoccupations,buttheywerealsodespisedasnotbeinghigh-statusprofessions.Asthepraecoandcoactorprobablyworkedoncommission,apercentageofthemoniescollected,theirincomewoulddependontheirskillandsuccess.
InSatirell.2Horacementionsapraeco;calledGalloniuswhohadbeencriticisedbyLuciliusforservingahugeexpensivefishtohisguests.PresumablyGalloniushadmadeenoughmoneyfrombeingapraecotoaffordthefish.AnotherfabledwealthypraecowasQGranius.AuctioneeringwasoneofthejobsofCaeciliusIucundus,whowaslikeHoracethesonoffreedman,andhehadbecomerelativelywealthyinPompeii.Apraecowasanannouncer–atgames,auctions,incourt,publicassemblies.Acoactorwasacollector–ofdebts,taxes,moneypaidatauctions–anagentbetweenthepayerandpayee.Modernequivalentsofthesejobscouldincludebankers,brokers,estateagents,announcers.
17 nequeegoessemquestus:althoughHoracesaysthathewouldnothavecomplained,clearlyhehadatsomepointdecidedthathedidnotwanttofollowthesecareersbutwantedtomakeitasapoetifhecould.Therearetwoelisionsherenequ(e)eg(o)essem.hoc:Gowtakesthiswithmaiorasanablativeofthemeasureofdifference=‘bythismuchallthemore’.Butitispossibletoseehocasanablativeofcausemeaning‘forthisreason’orasanaccusativeofrespect.nunc:now='asitis'.Horacemeansthathehadinfactdonewellforhimself,betterthanhewouldhavebeenasapraecoorcoactorandhewasreasonablywelloff.AfterstudyingatAthensforawhile,HoracehadjoinedBrutus’army.WhenthiswasdefeatedandAugustustookpower,heforgaveHorace.HoracereturnedtoRomeandfoundthathisfatherwasdeadandthefarmhadbeenconfiscated.Hefoundajobinthepublictreasury.Hewas,however,writingpoetryandbecomingfriendswithotherpoets.AsheexplainsinthisSatire,itwasVirgilandVarius,whointroducedhimtothegreatpatronMaecenas.In38BCHoracewaswellwithinMaecenas’circleoffriendsandprobablynolongerhadtoworryaboutmoneyorworkatanythingexceptpoetry:notlongafterthishewasgivenhisSabinefarm.Thecaesurainthefifthfootandthetwomonosyllablesgiveline17anunusualrhythm.
DiscussionThefirstbookoftheSatireswasprobablywrittenin35BCwhenHoracewasaged30.Horaceiswritingabouthimselfinthispassage.Thereisnoreasontodoubtthegeneraltruthofwhathesaysaboutevents:itisconsistentinmostofhisworksandplausible.Wemay,however,bescepticalaboutsomeofthespinwhichHoraceputsonhisaccount.Inthepartofthepoemwhichcomesafterthis,Horacearguesthatheenjoyshislifeasitisanddoesnotseektheburdensofwealthorinfluence.NiallRudddiscussesthispoemintheSatiresofHorace(BCP).HeseesitasanattemptbyHoracetoredefinetheconceptsofnobilitas,dignitasandlibertas.ThispassagerevealsalotaboutthecharacterofHoraceandofhisfather.Horace’sfatherhasconcernforhisson’sschoolingbutlowaspirationsforhisfuturecareerandinthisrespecthecanbecomparedwithEchioninPetroniusSatyricon46.Thepoemiswritteninaconversationalstyle,butisinastrictmetre.Abouthalfthelinesenjambandkeepthepacefast.PupilsmaywonderaboutHorace’smotiveinwritingthispoemandchoosingtoincludethisautobiographicalmaterial.Ithelpstoseethewholepoemforthisbutpupilscanbeencouragedtospeculatejustfromthepassage.Issuesarisinginclude:
• HowmuchdidparentingmatterinRomantimesandhowmuchdoesitmatternow?• Howimportantisagoodschool?• Howmuchdoparentalaspirationsandinfluencematter?• Whatissuccessandhonour?
Withregardstosuccess,someoftherecentdiscussionaroundtheWoman’sHourPowerListmaybehelpful.FurtherReadingJamesGow,HoraceSatiresLiberI,CUP(1901)SeealsoLibellusHandbookpages92-95foradiscussionofanearlierpassageinthepoem.
Petronius,Satyricon46IntroductionThisisanextractfromalongerwork.ItispartoftheCenaTrimalchionis,aworkoffiction.Somesentencesareomittedfromthepassage.Trimalchiohaslefttheroomandsomeguestshaveaconversation.Mostarefreedmenwhohavemadealotofmoney.Petroniushasshownallofthemasveryinterestedinmoneyandjudgingpeopleintermsoftheirwealth.TheydonotspeaktheLatinoftheeducatedupperclasses:theyuseGraecisms,slangandclichésandmakegrammaticalerrors.ItislikelythatthisisanattemptbyPetroniustoportraythelocaldialectofCampaniaasspokenbyfreedmenandthelowerclasses.Echion,thespeakerinourpassage,isdescribedasacentonarius.Thisusedtobethoughtofasaragmerchant(LewisandShort)butitisnowthoughtthathewasafiremanwhousedmatstoextinguishfires(OxfordLatinDictionary).Theconversationhasincludedarecentfuneral,thepriceofbread,thestateofthetown,andlocalpoliticians.Then,Echiontalksatlengthaboutaforthcominggladiatorialshowwhichisgoingtocostafortunetoputon.Henoticesthatanotherguest,ateacherofrhetoric,Agamemnon,looksbored.Heremarksthatheisnotofthesameclassasthemandislaughingatthewordsofpoorpeople.Thisiswhereourpassagebegins.Youmayneedtotellyourstudentsthatsomehumourisintendedinthispassage.Notes1 tu,Agamemnon:Agamemnonisateacherofrhetoric.Petroniushasshownhimasspeaking
conventionalLatinandbeingpedanticaboutlanguageuse.Heissittingatthetoptable.Echionandthepeopleheistalkingtoareonaseparatetable.praelitterisfatuuses:thesewordscanbeinterpretedinseveralwaysanditisnotclearwhetherEchionisbeingdeliberatelyinsulting,orisunawarethathiswordscouldbetakenasaninsult.Thereareseveralwaystounderstandthewords:madaboutbooks,crazyfromtoomuchliterature,afoolforlearning,dullwithbookishness,offyourheadwithallthatreading.AsEchionhimselfhassaid:thatAgamemnonhasnotactuallysaidanythingintheconversation;thatAgamemnonwasnotlikethemandwaslaughingatthewaythatpoorpeoplespeak;Echion’sassumptionpresumablyreflectshisownfeelingofinferiorityatnothavinghadaneducationinrhetoric.OfcoursethereasonmaybethatAgamemnonhasallthelearningbutcan’tjoininanordinarydinnerconversation.InthefirstfragmentoftheSatyricon,EncolpiustellsAgamemnon:etideoegoadulescentulosexistimoinscholisstultissimosfieri,quianihilexhis,quaeinusuhabemus,autaudiuntautvident.Ibelievethatcollegemakescompletefoolsofouryoungmen,becausetheyseeandhearnothingofordinarylifethere(Loebtranslation).Agamemnoninhisanswerdidnotdisagreewiththis,butsaidthatitwasnottheteachers’fault.Theprepositionpraeusuallytakestheaccusative,butEchionusestheablative–agrammaticalerror.
1-2 aliquodietepersuadeamutadvillamnostramvenias:thisappearstobeapoliteinvitationtoAgamemnontovisitEchion,butthewordingishesitant.Somesentencesaboutthefoodtobeenjoyedonthevisitareomittedfromthepassagehere.Echionmakesanothergrammaticalslipwiththeaccusativeteinsteadoftibi.
2 tibidiscipuluscrescitfiliusmeus:somepeopleseethisastheofferofajobfromtheculturallypoorEchiontothefinanciallypoorAgamemnon.
2-3 iamquattuorpartesdicit:oneclueabouttheageoftheboy?Ifhehasonlyjustlearnedthefour-timestable,itwouldbesometimebeforetheboyreachestherightageforthestudyofrhetoricwhichAgamemnonteaches.DoesEchionhaveamisguidedviewoftheboy’s
educationalprogressoralackofknowledgeaboutthestageatwhichboyslearnedrhetoric?InChapter4oftheSatyricon,Agamemnonlamentsthatparentssendtheirsonstolearnrhetorictooyoungandrushchildrenthroughtheirstudies.
3 sivixerit:thissoundpessimistic,butperhapsitwasjustrealisticinthedaysofhighinfantmortality.
3-4 habebisbonumdiscipulum…namquicquidillivacat,caputdetabulanontollit:Theboydoesnotlifthisheadfromthetablet.Echionregardsthisasdiligenceandanindicationofagoodpupil.Echion’ssonwasbeingeducatedbytutorsathomeanddidnotgotoschool.Echionisdissatisfiedwithacoupleoftheboy’spresenttutors.
4-5 ingeniosusest,etiamsiinavesmorbosusest:Echionfirstpraiseshissonandthenpointsoutafault.Isthistypicalofsomeparents?Echionseemstoregardhisson’spet-keepingorbird-watchingasunhealthy.
5-6 egoillitrescardelesoccidietdixi‘mustellaeoscomedit’:pupilswillformtheirownopinionofthisaction!GoldfincheswerekeptaspetsbytheRomansandalsobytheBritishevenuptoVictoriantimes.Theyhaveprettycolours,apleasantsongandtheyareeasytofeedonsmallseeds.Thechildmightwellbelievethataweaselhadeatenhispetasweaselswerekeptonfarmsandinhomestocontrolmice.
6 invenittamenaliasnenias:Echionagainadoptsadismissivetonewhendescribinghisson’sinterests:nenias–somenonsense.
6-7 etlibentissimepingit:paintingisnotmentionedasapastimeencouragedbyRomanparents.7 litterisGraeculis:agrammaticuswouldteachGreekaswellasLatinliterature.Thediminutive
hereistypicalofthelanguagewhichPetroniusgivestothefreedmen,butitmayalsoshowsomecontemptbyEchionofGreekliterature.calcemimpingit:somepeopletakethismetaphortomean‘tokickagainstsomething‘andthereforetogiveitup,butitseemsbetterheretotakeitas‘settingone’sheel’ontothetask,andhence‘getstuckinto’.
7-8 etLatinascoepitnonmaleappetere:thelitotesmakesthistrickytotranslate.8 emiergopueroaliquotlibrosrubricatos:Thecontextmakesitclearthatthebookswith
headingdrawninredareaboutlaw.Echionfocusesontheoutwardappearancetothebooks.Heisvagueaboutthequantity(aliquot)ofthebooksanddoesnotmentiontheauthororanydetail.Echiondoesnotmentionencouraginghisboytoreadthebooksnorhelpinghim:seemstothinkthatbuyingthebooksfortheboywillbeenough.
9 quiavoloillumaliquiddeiuregustare:gustaresuggeststhatEchionconsidersthatjustatasteofthelawwillbesufficient.
10 habethaecrespanem:Echionisconcernedonlywiththefinancialsideoflawasanoccupation.Again,inthewordpanemheusesametaphor.
9-10 sinoluerit:howmuchchoicewillEchiongivehisson?10-11destinaviillumartificiumdocere–auttonstrinumautpraeconem,autcertecausidicum–
quodilliauferrepossitnihilnisiOrcus:thereishumourinthearbitrarychoiceofoccupationsandtheorderinwhichEchionputsthem.Theadditionofthewordcerte,makesitlookasthoughcausidicusisanafterthought,thelastandleastoftheoccupationshehasdecidedforthisson.Thisisprobablythereverseorderofthesocialstatusaffordedbytheseoccupations,althoughcausidicusissometimesusedinacontemptuoussensecomparedwiththewordorator.Alltheoccupationsareoneswhichitwouldbepossibleforthesonofafreedmantotakeup,but,outofthese,acareerinlaw,evenasacausidicuswouldbethemostprestigious.ItwouldcertainlybetheonlyoneofthosementionedforwhichtheboywouldneedtobepupilwithAgamemnon.Martial2.64isaddressedtoamandecidingwhethertobecomeateacherofrhetoricoracausidicus:thetwooccupationswouldrequirethesamelevelofeducation.
Echionmaybelievethatworkasacausidicuswouldbelessprofitablethanasabarberorpraeco.Thereisnotenoughevidencetoknowwhetherheisrightorwrong.Horace,inthepassageinthisselection(qv),mentionssmallwagesinconnectionwithapraeco;ontheotherhand,inSatirell.2hementionsapraecoGalloniuswhohadbeencriticisedbyLuciliusforservingahugeexpensivefishtohisguests.PresumablyGalloniushadmadeenoughmoneyfrombeingapraecotoaffordthefish.Perhapstimeshadchanged.tonstrinus:GoingtothebarberwasanessentialactivityforaRomanman.Aswellashavinghishairtrimmed,hewouldhavehisfaceshavedandhisnailstrimmed,bothskilledtaskswiththetoolsavailableatthetimeandoneswhichweredifficulttodoforoneself.Thebarber’sshopwasalsovaluableasaplacetohearandpassonallthelatestnewsandgossip.
11-12quodilliauferrenihilnisiOrcus:anotherreferencetodeath.12 ideoillicotidieclamo:wemightspeculateastowhyEchionshoutsathissonratherthantalk
tohim!12-13'fili,credemihi,quicquiddiscis,tibidiscis:SenecaexpressesthesameideainLettersfroma
Stoic,Epistle7.13 litteraethesaurusest:actually,Echionsaysthesaurum,usingthewronggenderforthesaurus
–anothergrammaticalerror.ItissurprisingthatEchiontellshissontheliteratureisatreasuretrove,afterwhathesaidtoAgamemnonearlier.etartificiumnumquammoritur:atradeneverdies–atradeiswithyouforlife-anotherreferencetodeath,avariationonquodilliauferrenihilnisiOrcus.
DiscussionAlthoughEchionhassaidthatAgamemnonisnotofthesameclassashimandhisfriendsandislaughingatthewordsofpoorpeople,Echionisnotactuallypoor–allthefreedmenintheconversationarerich.Echionhasenoughmoneytohavetutorsforhisson,andhehasacountryestate.Agamemnon,ontheotherhand,isratherpoor–buthehashadaneducationandisateacherofrhetoric.Echion’s‘poverty’theniscultural,alackofeducation.HowseriouslythiscanbetakenasadescriptionofthethinkingandbehaviourofatypicalRomanfatherisquestionable.AswiththerestoftheCenaTrimalchionisthereisastrongelementoffantasyandexaggeration.Theremustbe,however,somegrainofrealityinit;otherwiseitwouldnothavebeenamusing.Echionisbeingmockedhere,butsoisAgamemnon.OneimportantthemeoftheSatyriconwasquestioningwhetherthesortoftraininginrhetoricwhichAgamemnontaughtwasvaluable.AtthestartoftheworkAgamemnonistold:pacevestraliceatdixisse,primiomniumeloquentiamperdidistis:WithyourpermissionImusttellyouthetruth,thatyouteachersmorethananyonehavebeentheruinoftrueeloquence.ThispassagecanbecomparedwiththepassageofHoraceinthisselectionforafather-sonrelationshipandforissuesofschoolingandparentalcareeraspirations.Horace’sfatherandEchionwerefreedmen.Whencomparingthetwopassages,doesitmakeadifferencethatonewasaboutrealpeopleandtheotherisfictional?Issuesraisedforcomparisonwithmoderntimes:
• Whichoccupationscanbeconsideredlowstatus?• Howimportantiseducation?• Doparentalaspirationsmatterincareerchoices?• Istraininginpublicspeaking(rhetoric)valuablenow?
FurtherReadingACompaniontoPetronius,byEdwardCourtneyTranslationsTherearetranslationsonthesesites:
• AncientHistory
• SacredTexts• NewsGenius• Picador
AbouttheAuthorSeetheCSCPwebsite.
Juvenal,Whowouldbeateacher?(Satire7,lines215-232withomissions)IntroductionTheselinesaretakenfromneartheendofalongpoem.Apartfromtheomissionof5lines(lines220-224),thetextisunadapted.Themetreisdactylichexameter.DecimusIuniusIuvenaliswrotesixteenSatires,publishedintheearlypartofthesecondcenturyAD.HelivedinRome,butvirtuallynothingisknownabouthislife.IntheSatiresJuvenalattacksandmocksthefaultsofRomansociety.TheSatiresarewritteninverse,ofteninahighlyrhetoricalstyleandwithabitterandpessimistictone.Satire7isacomplaintaboutthelackofpatronageforpoets,historiansandrhetoricians,andtheresultantpovertyofthosewhopractisetheseprofessions.Inthefinalsectionofthepoemthethemeisthepovertyandlowstatusofteachers,firstteachersofrhetoricand,then,inthispassage,schoolteachers.Immediatelybeforetheselines,Juvenalhascomplainedthatstudentsnolongerrespecttheirteachersastheyusedto.FurtherreadingCommentaryJohnFerguson,Juvenal:theSatires(Macmillan1979;repr.BristolClassicalPress1998;Bloomsbury2013)TranslationsPeterGreen,Juvenal:theSixteenSatires(Penguin,1967;repr.1998)NiallRudd(trans.)andWilliamBarr(ed.,intro.andnotes),Juvenal:theSatires(OxfordUniversityPress,2008)Notes1-2 quis…labor?:thefirstsentenceneedssomecontext.Beforeattemptinganexploration,
teacherswillneedtogooversomevocabulary(quis?,gremium,grammaticus…labor,mereō),checkthatstudentsknowwhatagrammaticuswas,andexplainthepropernames.Then,aftertheinitialreadingaloud,perhapsstartwithquestions,suchas:• WhatcomplaintdoesJuvenalhaveaboutthewayschoolteachersaretreated?• Whichtwo-wordphraseinline1means‘pays’?• PickoutandtranslatethewordwhichdescribesPalaemon.
1 gremiō:‘pocket’.Theusualmeaningofgremiumis‘lap’or‘bosom’.Itisalsousedforaplacewherethingsareputforsafe-keeping.HereitreferstothehangingfoldofatogaorothergarmentwhichRomansusedasapocket,especiallyformoney.Celadī:aswearetoldinthepoem,Celaduswasagrammaticus;heisnotknownfromelsewhere.Celadusisacommonfreedmanname.doctīque:asJuvenalmakesclearlater,thegrammaticuswasexpectedtohaveanextensiveknowledgeofgrammar,historyandliterature.Palaemonis:QuintusRemmiusPalaemonwasafamousgrammaticus,mentionedbyJuvenalagaininSatire6,line452.HewasactiveduringthereignsofTiberiusandClaudiusi.e.intheyearsbetweenAD14andAD54,sohewasnotacontemporaryofJuvenal.HewroteagrammaticalhandbookinLatin,butonlyafewfragmentshavesurvived.Likemostgrammaticī,Palaemonwasafreedman.PalaemonsubvertsJuvenal’sargument.Hebecamearichman,butsquanderdhiswealth.
2 quantum:‘asmuchas’grammaticus:boysfromwealthyfamiliesattendedtheschoolofthegrammaticusbetweentheagesofaboutelevenandsixteen(dependingontheirability).ThewordisatransliterationoftheGreek=‘literate/educated’,‘literaryscholar’.ThegrammaticustaughtGreekandLatinliterature,especiallypoetry;themainauthorsstudiedwereHomer(inGreek)andVirgilandHorace(inLatin).Thestudentshadtoreadpassagesaloud,learnthembyheart,andanalyse
thegrammar.Thegrammaticuswouldgiveadetailedline-by-lineexplanationandanalysisofthepassage.grammaticus…labor:‘theworkofaschoolteacher’.Theadjectiveisseparatedfromthenounitqualifies;suchsplitadjective+nounphrasesarecommoninpoetry.meruit:strictlyperfecttense(theworkhasbeencompletedbeforetheteacherispaid),butapresenttenseismorenaturalinEngish.et:‘even’hōc:‘this[amount]’
3 minusestautemquamrhētorisaera:therhētorwastheteacheratthethirdstageofeducation.Hetaughtrhetoric,theartofpublicspeaking.Studentslearnedtherulesformakingdifferentkindsofspeechesandpractisedarguingforandagainstacase.RhetoricwasaveryimportantskillformiddleandupperclassRomanswhointendedtotakepartinpubliclife,forexamplearguingacaseinthelawcourts,presentinganargumentinanassemblyoraddressingthepeopleatelectiontimes.Arhētorwasoftenahighly-educatedGreek.Thefeesoftherhētorwerehigherthanthoseofthegrammaticus.Diocletian’sPriceEdict(AD301,anattempttohaltinflation)setmaximumfeespayabletotheludīmagister(primaryschoolteacher),thegrammaticusandtherhētorintheproportion1:4:5.Thisgivessomeideaoftherelativeincomeofthegrammaticusandtherhētor;thegrammaticuswouldearnaboutfourfifthsoftherhētor’spay.Thefinallineofthepoemcomparestheearningsofthegrammaticuswiththatofagladiatororcharioteer:cumsēverteritannus,accipe,victōrīpopulusquodpostulat,aurum;‘attheendoftheschoolyearacceptthegoldwhichthepeopledemandsforthevictoriousgladiator/charioteer’,i.e.thegladiatororcharioteerearnsinasinglefightorracewhatthegrammaticusearnsinayear.aera:‘wages’.Romanschoolswereprivateandparentspaidfeesdirectlytotheteacher.TheextractfromHoraceinthisselection(Satire1.6,line5)tellsusthatboystookthefeetotheirteacherontheIdesofeachmonth.
4 discipulīcustōs:thepaedagogus,aslavewhoescortedaboytoschoolandwasresponsibleforhisbehaviourandprotection.praemordet:presumablythepaedagoguswasresponsibleforgivingthefeetothegrammaticus.Juvenalallegesthatthepaedagoguswouldskimoffalittleforhimself.acoenonoētus:aGreekwordwhichmeanseither‘lackingcommonknowledgeorsense’or‘lackingcommonfeeling’,i.e.egotistical.Theworddrawsattentiontoitselfbyitsforeignnessanditslength,buttheeffectisdifficulttoappreciate;itmaybecontemptuous.
5 quī:=[is]quī.Theantecendenthastobesupplied.quīdispēnsatfrangitsibi:‘[he]whopaysout[themoney]breaksoff[aportion]forhimself’.Studentswillneedhelpwiththeconciseexpressionhere.Thedispēnsātorwasthehouseholdmanageroraccountant,responsibleforpayingoutmoneyforhismaster.Usuallyhewasatrustedslave.Presumably,theallegationisthatthedispēnsātortookacutforhimselffromthemoneyheshouldhavepaidasafeetothegrammaticus.
5-7 cēde…puerī:Juvenalissayingthatthegrammaticusshouldbesatisfiedaslongashehasreceivedsomepayment,howeverlittle,foreachofhispupils.
5 cēde,Palaemōn:‘Givein,Palaemon’,i.e.acceptwhatyouaregivenanddon’tattempttogetmoremoney.JuvenaladdressesPalaemonasarepresentativeofallgrammaticī.Thissentencehasbeenabridged.FivelineshavebeenomittedbetweenPalaemōnanddummodo.Themissinglinesare:‘acceptsomereductioninyourwage,justlikethehawkerwhosellswinterblanketsandwhiterugs,aslongasitdoesnotcountfornothingthatyouhavesatforanhourinthemiddleofthenightinaplacenocraftsmanwouldsit,ornoonewhoteacheshowtocardwoolwithaslantingtool’
Juvenalissayingthatthegrammaticushadtobargainforhisfee,likesomeonesellingblanketsinthemarket.Healsocomparestheroomwherethegrammaticushadhisschoolunfavourablywiththeworkroomofacraftsman.
6 dummodonōnpereattotidemolfēcisselucernās:nōnpereatisfollowedbyanaccusativeandinfinitive(indirectstatement);theaccusative(tē)hastobesupplied(nōnpereat[tē]…olfēcisse).Romanschoolsbeganveryearly,beforedaylight,soeachboywouldbringalamptoschool.Theoliveoilusedasfuelproducedsmoke.
7 puerī:somegirlsattendedschoolforthefirststageofeducation,butonlyboyswenttotheschoolofthegrammaticus.
7-8 tōtusdēcoloressetFlaccusethaerēretnigrōfūlīgoMarōnī:thisprobablymeansthatPalaemon’scopiesofthetextsheisteachingareblackenedbythesootfromthesmokinglamps.Itispossible,however,thatthereferenceistobustsofthepoetsHoraceandVirgilratherthantocopiesoftheirpoems.Thetextswerewrittenincolumnsonpapyrusrolls;thereaderwouldgraduallyunrollthepapyrusfromlefttorightasheread.Picture2showstwostudentsholdingpapyrusrolls;thestudentontherightisunrollinghis.Pictures1and3alsoshowboysholdingpapyrusrolls.Picture5showsaletterwrittenonpapyrus.PapyruswasmadefromthefibresofthepapyrusreedwhichgrewonthebanksoftheRiverNileinEgypt.Itwasquitelikemodernpaper,buthadaroughertexture.
8 Flaccus:QuintusHoratiusFlaccus,knowninEnglishasHorace.Horace(65BC-8BC)wasaRomanpoet;hisworksincludeEpistles,Epodes,Satiresand,mostfamously,fourbooksofOdes.Someofhisworkswerestudiedintheschoolsofthegrammaticī.AnextractfromoneofHorace’sSatiresisincludedinthisselection.FormoreinformationonthestudyofLatinliteratureinschoolsseethenoteongrammaticusinline2above.nigrō…Marōnī:splitadjective+nounphrase.PubliusVergiliusMaro(70-19BC),knowninEnglishasVirgil,wasaRomanpoet,whoseepicpoemtheAeneidwastaughtintheschoolsofthegrammaticī.AnextractfromtheAeneidisincludedinthisselection.
9-10 rāratamenmercēsquaecognitiōnetribūnīnōnegeat:‘rare,however,isthepaywhichdoesnotrequireinvestigationbythetribune’.cognitiōisajudicialenquiry.Thegeneralmeaningisclear,althoughthedetailsarenot.Juvenalissayingthatusuallythegrammaticushadtoappealtothetribunetogettheparentsofhisstudentstopaythefees.ItisunclearwhatexactlyJuvenalmeansherebytheinterventionofthetribune.Usuallythepraetorwasthemagistrateresponsibleforlawsuits.
9 tribūnī:thetribūnusplēbis(tribuneofthepeople)wasaRomanmagistrate.Eachyeartenmenwerechosenastribūnī.Thetribuneshipwasoneofthestepsonthecursushonōrum(thesenatorialcareerladder).Amanwhohadservedasaquaestorcouldcontinuehispoliticalcareerbybecomingeitheratribuneoranaedīlis(aedile).Thenextsteponthecursushonōrumwaspraetor.Originallythetaskofthetribūnīplēbiswastoactashelpersandadviserstothecommonpeople(plēbs),butbyJuvenal’stimetheirresponsibilitieshadbeengreatlyreduced.
10 vōs:Juvenalnowaddressestheparentsofthestudents.saevās…lēgēs:‘strictstandards’;splitadjective+nounphraseinpōnite:theimperativechallengestheparentstoimposestrictstandardsonthegrammaticus,despitetheirlackofrespectforhim:‘Goonanyway,demandstrictstandards’.Thetoneisironic.
11,12ut,ut:introducinganindirectcommand:‘[tellthem]that/to…’.12 verbōrumrēgula:‘theruleofwords’,i.e.grammar.Grammaticalanalysisofliterarytextswas
astaplepartoftheeducationofferedbythegrammaticus.11 praeceptōrī…cōnstet:‘[therulesofgrammar]shouldbeknowntotheteacher’.i.e.‘the
teachershouldknowtherulesofgrammar’.cōnstatisanimpersonalverb,meaning‘itisknown’tosomeone(dative).Themoreusualmeaningis‘itisagreed’.
12 historiās:‘historybooks’or‘historicalworks’;butcouldbetranslatedwiththesingular‘history’.Thegrammaticuswasexpectedtohaveknowledgeofhistorysothathecouldexplainthehistoricalallusionsintheliterarytextshisstudentswerereading.omnēs:takewithbothhistoriāsandauctōrēs.auctōrēs:seethenoteonline2(grammaticus)fortheauthorsstudiedintheschoolofthegrammaticus.Thegrammaticuswouldgiveadetailedexplanationandanalysisofthepassagesreadinclass.InthelineswhichfollowthisextractJuvenalgivesextremeexamplesofthekindsofobscurequestionsaboutliteraturethatparentsexpectedthegrammaticustobeabletoanswer,alltakenfromVirgil’sAeneid:WhowasAnchises’nurse?HowoldwasAcesteswhenhedied?HowmanyjarsofwinedidhegivetheTrojansasapresent?
13 tamquam:addnōvit;‘justas[heknows]’,i.e.‘aswellas[heknows]’.DiscussionJuvenalcomplainsaboutthelowpayofschoolteachers.Theextractopenswithaquestion(Whopaysthegrammaticuswhathedeserves?)andthelineswhichfollowprovidetheanswer(Noone).Hisfeesarelowbuthedoesn’tevenreceivetheminfull-thepaedagogusandthehouseholdmanagertaketheircutfirst.Hehastohaggleforhisfeeandshouldbegratefulthatheispaidsomething,howeverlittle.Usuallyhewillhavetoappealtothetribunetogetpaidatall.Despitethis,parentsexpectthegrammaticustobewell-educated,withdetailedknowledgeofgrammar,historyandliterature.Asthisisasatire,someallowancehastobemadeforexaggeration.QuestionWhatdoesthisextractshowaboutthegrammaticusandthestatusofteachersinRomansociety?
Quintilian,Atrickypointoflaw(ĪnstitūtiōŌrātōria,7.1.42)IntroductionThisisanextractfromamuchlongerwork.MarcusFabiusQuintilianuswasborninaboutAD35inCalagurrisinSpain;thedateofhisdeathisnotknown.Hewasafamousteacherofrhetoricand,undertheemperorVespasian,hewasthefirstrhetoriciantoreceiveasalaryfromthestate.Hebecameverywealthy.HisĪnstitūtiōŌrātōria(EducationofanOrator),publishedinaboutAD95,coveredthetrainingofanoratorfrominfancytoadulthood.Afewboys,fromwealthyfamilies,attendedtheschooloftherhētorbetweentheagesofaboutsixteenandeighteen.Thiswasthethirdstageofeducation(aftertheschoolsofthelitterātorandthegrammaticus),whereboysweretrainedinrhetoric(theartofpublicspeaking)andreceivedmoreadvancedlessonsinliterature.Therhētortaughttherulesformakingdifferentkindsofspeechesandmadehisstudentspractisebyarguingforandagainstapointofview.StudentswhohavestudiedtheCambridgeLatinCoursemayrememberthedebatebetweenQuintusandAlexanderonthesubject‘TheGreeksarebetterthantheRomans’(CambridgeLatinCourse,Stage10,contrōversia).Oratorywasanessentialskillforyoungmenwhoaimedtoparticipateinpubliclife.Theywouldneedtobeabletospeakatpublicmeetings,presentacaseinthelawcourts,andmakespeechesatelections.Thisisanexampleofacontrōversia,atopicdebatedintheschoolofarhētor.Thisparticularexampleinvolvesaproblemarisingoutoftheinterpretationofthelaw.Notes1 isquīpatrī…nōnadfuerit:‘themanwhohasnot(literally,willnothave)appearedindefence
ofhisfather’,i.e.anyonewhohasnotspokenincourtindefenceofhisfather.adsum(‘appearindefenceofsomeone’)takesadativecase(patrī).Thefutureperfecttenseisusedbecausethereferenceistoasituationsometimeinahypotheticalfuture,butstillinthepastinrelationtothemainverb(sit).TranslatewithanEnglishpresenttense.exhērēssit:‘lethimbedisinherited’.Translate‘shouldbedisinherited’.sitisajussivesubjunctiveverb.SeeCambridgeLatinGrammarpage48,Section12.3.
1-2 isquīprōditiōnis…abeat:theconstructionisparalleltothatofthefirstsentence,sostudentsshouldfindthissentenceeasier.isquīpatrī…abeat:usequestionstoelicitmeaning.Forexample:
• isquī:askforatranslationofthisphrase.Studentswillprobablycomeupwith‘themanwho’.Suggestusing‘anyonewho’here,becauseitisn’treferringtoaparticularperson.
• isquīpatrīprōditiōnisaccūsātōnōnadfuerit:whathasthemanfailedtodo?Whydoesthefatherneeddefending?
• exhērēssit:ifamanfailstospeakinhisfather’sdefenceincourtwhatshouldhappentohim?
• isquīprōditiōnisdamnātuserit:‘Anyonewho…’.Completethetranslation.• cumadvocātōinexiliumabeat:whatisthepunishmentfortreason?Besidesthe
personwhohascommittedtreason,whoelseispunished?2 exilium:exilewassometimesthepunishmentfortreason.3 patrīprōditiōnisreō:=patrīprōditiōnisaccūsātōinline1.
disertus…rūsticus:thecontrastbetweenthetwosonsisthatonehasreceivedrhetoricaltrainingandtheotherhasnot.ThewordQuintilianusestodescribethesonwhohashadnorhetoricaltrainingisrūsticus,whichliterallymeans‘belongingtothecountryside’(rūs).Theschoolsoftherhētoriswerelocatedinthecities,sostayingathomeinthecountrysidewasequatedwithreceivingonlyabasiceducationintheschoolsofthegrammaticusand,perhaps,thelitterātor.SeetheextractfromHorace(Satires1.6)inthisselection,whereHoracesays
thathisfathertookhimtoRometobeeducated.Describingsomeoneasrūsticuswastheequivalentofsayinghewasunsophisticatedanduneducated.rūsticus:addfīlius.
4 damnātus:addpater.advocātō:i.e.theeloquentsonwhohaddefendedhisfatherincourt.rūsticus:addfīlius.
4-5 cumaliquidfortiterfēcisset:‘afterhehadperformedabravedeed’.Literally‘whenhehaddonesomethingbravely’.
5 praemiīnōmine:‘asareward’.Literally‘inthenameofareward’.6,7 petit,vindicat:theverbsareinthepresenttense,althoughapasteventisstillbeing
described.Thisiscalledthehistoricpresenttense.Usuallythehistoricpresenttenseisusedtomakeeventsmoredramaticandvivid.Heretheeffectisdifferent.Firstly,itdrawsattentiontothissentence.Secondly,thepresenttensemakesthissentenceastatementofthesubjectofthedebate,aswellasacontinuationofthenarrative.
6-7 petitrūsticus…ōrātor…vindicat:theusualorderofsubjectandobjectisreversedinthefirstclause(petitrūsticusratherthanthemoreusualrūsticuspetit);thisisanexampleofchiasmus(ABBA:verb,noun,noun,verb).Theeffectistoemphasisethecontrastbetweenthetwosons.Thecontrastisfurtherstressedbytheabsenceofaconjunctionsuchassedjoiningthetwoclauses(asyndeton).
7 bonōrum:bona=‘goodthings’,‘estate’,‘inheritance’;theneuterpluraladjectiveisusedasanoun.tōtum:‘thewhole[inheritance]’.Theadjectiveisusedasanoun.
DiscussionQuintilian’shandbookincludesexamplesofhypotheticalsituationsinvolvingtrickyinterpretationsofthelaworconflictsoflaw,whichteachersofrhetoricusedintheirclasses.Thefirsttwolinesstatethelaw(inquotationmarks).Theremainderofthepassagedescribesaparticular,far-fetchedsituationwherethelawisbeingchallenged.Thefinalsentencestatesthetwosidesofthecasethatwascontendedincourt.Intheclassroom,onestudentwouldspeakinsupportoftheuneducatedsonandanotherinsupportoftheeducatedson.Insupportoftheuneducatedson,itcouldbearguedthatthestrictapplicationofthelawwouldresultinunfairness,ashehas,intheend,donemoretohelphisfather.Ontheotherhand,acasecouldbemadethatthelawshouldbesupreme.Studentsmightenjoycomposingtheirownspeechesononesideortheother,adducingasmanyargumentsastheycan,thenholdingadebateinclass.Quintiliancontinuesafterthisextracttogothroughthepotentialargumentsonbothsidesatlength.Atranslationcanbefoundatperseus.uchicago.edu.Suchimaginarysituationswereoftenveryfar-fetchedanditcouldbearguedthattheresultingdebateswereartificialandfarremovedfromtherealityofargumentsincourt.Activitiesandquestions1. LookatPicture3.Whatdoyouthinktheboyisdoing?2. Composeaspeechononesideofthedebate,thinkingupasmanyargumentsasyoucanin
favourofthepersonyourepresent.Thenholdadebateinclass.3. Howvaluabledoyouthinkthiskindofexerciseis(a)foraRomanstudentand(b)forastudent
today?
Virgil,Marcellus(Aeneid6,lines860-886)IntroductionThisisanextractfromanepicpoem.Themetreisdactylichexameter.PubliusVergiliusMaro(70-19BC)wasborninMantuainCisalpineGaul.HischiefworkistheAeneid,anepicpoemofalmosttenthousandlinesintwelvebooks.TheAeneidtellsthestoryoftheTrojanheroAeneas,thelegendaryancestoroftheRomans.InBook6oftheAeneid,AeneasgoesdowntotheUnderworldtomeethisdeadfather,Anchises,andfindoutmoreabouthisowndestiny.AnchisesgivesAeneasatouroftheUnderworld.Finally,AeneasseesthesoulsoffutureRomansyettobeborn.AmongthemisMarcellus,thenephewandson-in-lawoftheEmperorAugustus.MarcelluswouldpossiblyhavebeenAugustus’heir,buthediedofillnessin23BCwhenhewasjustnineteenyearsold.MarcelluswasthesonofAugustus’sister,Octavia.HewasmarriedtoAugustus’daughter,Julia.Inthelinesimmediatelyprecedingthis,AeneashasseenthesoulofanancestorofMarcellus(alsocalledMarcellus),whofoughtagainstHannibalinthesecondPunicWarandwasconsulin222BC.TheyoungMarcellusisbyhisside.FurtherreadingCommentariesR.G.Austin,AeneidosLiberSextus(OxfordUniversityPress,1977;repr.1979)KeithMaclennan,VirgilAeneidVI(BristolClassicalPress,2003;repr.2006)R.D.Williams,TheAeneidofVirgil,Books1-6,editedwithintroductionandnotes(Macmillan,1972;repr.BristolClassicalPress,1996)TranslationsSeamusHeaney,AeneidBookVI(Faber&Faber,2016)C.DayLewis,TheEclogues,GeorgicsandAeneidofVirgil(OxfordUniversityPress,1966)W.F.JacksonKnight,Virgil,TheAeneid(Penguin,1956)DavidWest,Virgil,TheAeneid,anewprosetranslation(Penguin,1990)Notes1 hīc:‘here’.Nottobeconfusedwithhic=‘this’.Themetreshowsthattheiislong.
ūnā:‘togetherwith[him]’,i.e.theelderMarcellus1-2 ūnānamqueīrevidēbatiuvenem:theusualorderofwordsinprosewouldbenamque
vidēbatiuvenemūnāīre.namquewouldusuallybethefirstwordintheclause.īre…iuvenemisanindirectstatement(accusativeandinfinitive),dependingonvidēbat:‘hesawayoungman(was)walking’.
2 ēgregiumfōrmāiuvenemetfulgentibusarmīs:‘ayoungmanwhostoodoutforhisbeautyandhisshiningarmour’.Literally,‘ayoungmanexceptionalinhisbeautyandinhisshiningarmour’.ThisistheyoungMarcellus,Augustus’nephew.Seetheintroduction.TheablativecaseisusedtoexplaininwhatwayMarcellusisexceptional.
3 frōnslaetaparum:adderat.Formsoftheverbesseareoftenomittedinpoetry.frōns:here=‘expression’laetaparum:‘toolittlehappy’,i.e.‘nothappyatall’.Theunderstatement(litotes)drawsattentiontothephrasebecauseitisanunusualwayofexpressingtheidea.dēiectōlūminavultū:adderant.Literally,‘hiseyeswerewithadowncastexpression’,i.e.‘hiseyesweredowncast’.Thisrepeatstheideaoffrōnslaetaparum.ItisatypicalVirgilianmannerismtorepeatanideainotherwordsforemphasis,especiallywhentherepetitionfillsthewholeline;thisiscalledthemeandvariation.dēiectō…vultū:theparticiple(oradjective)isseparatedfromthenounitqualifies;thisisacommonarrangementofwordsinpoetry.
1-4 atquehīcAenēās…quis:understanddīxittointroducethedirectspeech.ThelongparenthesisbeforeAeneasspeaksbuildssuspenseasthereaderhastowaittofindoutwhatAeneasisgoingtodo;theabrupthīchasalreadycreatedanticipation.
4 quis…ille:addest.pater:Aeneasisspeakingtohisfather,Anchises.virumquīsīccomitātureuntem:readintheorderquīvirumeuntemsīccomitātur.Therelativepronounispostponed-usuallyitisthefirstwordintheclause.virum…euntem:‘themanashewalks’.Literally‘themangoing’.Thenounandparticiplearesplit.Seethenoteonline3,dēiectō…vultū.ThemanistheelderMarcellus,whomAeneashasjustseen.
5 fīlius:addestne.‘Ishe[his]son?’magnādēstirpe:theprepositionissandwichedbetweenadjectiveandnoun.Thisisacommonarrangementofwords.
6 quīstrepituscircācomitum!:addest.‘Whatanoiseof[his]companions[thereis]around[him]!’i.e.Marcellusissurroundedbychatteringattendants.Whenahigh-rankingRomanwentoutinapublicplacehewouldbeaccompaniedbyathrongofattendantsandclients-thesizeofthecrowdwasanindicationofhissocialstatus.quantumīnstarinipsō!:addest.‘Whatagreatappearance[thereis]inhim!’,i.e.‘Whatagreatappearancehehas!’Apossibletranslationis‘Howimpressiveheis!’or‘Whatanimpressivepresencehehas!’
7 noxātra:blacknightisametaphorfordeath,theeternaldarkness.trīstī…umbrā:splitadjective+nounphrase
8 lacrimīs…obortīs:ablativeabsolute.Perhapsstartwithaliteraltranslation(‘withtearshavingrisen’),thenencouragestudentstosuggestanother,morenaturalversion.TheideaisthatthetearsareblockingAnchises’speech(theob-prefixsuggests‘gettinginthewayof’).Asuitabletranslationwouldbe‘althoughtearswererisingup’.Westsuggests‘begantospeakthroughhistears’andHeaneyhas‘Chokingbackhistears’.ingressus:addest.Here=‘began[tospeak]’.
9 ingentemlūctumnēquaeretuōrum:theusualorderwouldbenēquaereingentemlūctumtuōrum.ThisisagoodexampleofhowwordorderinLatincanbeusedtoenhancemeaning.Unusualwordorderdrawsattentiontoawordorphrase,andthefirstwordinthesentenceisemphatic.Askstudents:• HowdoesVirgilemphasisetheextentofthegriefAeneas’descendantswillsuffer?
nēquaere:=nōlīquaerere!Negativecommand.‘Don’taskabout…!’tuōrum:tuī=‘yourpeople’,i.e.‘yourdescendants’.Thepossessiveadjectiveisusedasanoun.ōgnāte,ingentemlūctumnēquaeretuōrum:readthislinealoudagainsothatstudentscanappreciatethewaysoundechoessense.Thelinehasthemaximumnumberofspondees(five)andheavysyllables(eleven),whichgivesitamournfulsoundandperhapsindicatesAnchises’reluctancetotalkaboutMarcellus.TheexclamatoryōalsoexpressesAnchises’sorrow.
10 ostendentterrīshunctantumfāta:readintheorderfātahuncterrīstantumostendent.tantumgoescloselywithostendent:thefateswillgivetheworldonlyaglimpseofthisyoungman.Marcellusdiedyoungwhenhewasjustnineteen.terrīs:plural,buttranslateassingular;thisisknownasthepoeticpluralandisacommonfeatureofpoetry.hunc:=theyoungMarcellustantum:‘only’ultrā:‘anylonger’
11 esse:here=‘toexist’,i.e.‘tolive’11-12nimiumvōbīsRōmānapropāgōvīsapotēns:‘itseemedtoyou(i.e.youthought)thatthe
Romanracewouldhavebeentoopowerful’.TheusualwordorderinprosewouldbeRōmāna
propāgōnimiumpotēnsvōbīsvisa.nimiumgoeswithpotēns.Separatingthetwowordssothattheyframetheclauseproducesemphasis.
12 vīsa:addest.superī:vocative;Anchisesisnowspeakingtothegods.propriahaecsīdōnafuissent:‘ifthisgifthadbeenlasting’.Readintheordersīhaecdōnapropriafuissent.Theconjunctionsīispostponedandtheadjectivepropriaishighlightedbybeingplacedfirstintheclause.haec…dōna:poeticplural.ThegiftisametaphorforMarcellus,agifttotheRomanrace.Studentswillneedhelptounderstandtheideainthesetwolines.Thegodsarethoughtofasbeingjealousofhumanpowerandsuccess;theydidnotallowMarcellustolivelongbecausehewouldhavebroughttheRomanssuchsuccessthattheywouldhavebecomerivalstothegods.
13-14quantōsillevirummagnamMāvortisadurbemcampusagetgemitūs!:‘whatloudgroansofmenwillthatfieldbringtothegreatcityofMars!’ReadintheorderquantōsgemitūsvirumillecampusadmagnamurbemMāvortisaget!quantōs…gemitūs:splitadjective+nounphraseille…campus:theCampusMartius(fieldofMars),anareaofRomenexttotheRiverTiberusedforpublicassembliesandparadesandasanexerciseground.ItismentionedherebecauseitwaswhereMarcellus’funeraltookplaceanditwasalsothesiteofAugustus’Mausoleum,whereMarcelluswasburied.ARomanofthefirstcenturyBCwouldassumecampusreferredtotheCampusMartius.
13 virum:alternativeforvirōrum,thegenitivepluralmagnamMāvortisadurbem:theadjective(magnam)andthenounitqualifies(urbem)areseparatedbyagenitivenounandapreposition;sandwichingadependentgenitiveorapreposition(here,ofcourse,both)betweenanadjectiveanditsnounisacommonarrangementofwords.ThiswordorderisastrongargumentfortakingMāvortiswithurbemratherthanwithcampus.Marswasthegodofwar.RomewasMars’citybecauseitsfounder,Romulus,wasthesonofMars.ThereisalsoacloseassociationofMāvortiswithcampus,but,asstatedinthepreviousnote,thewordcampusbyitselfwouldindicatetheCampusMartius.
14 Tiberīne:Tiberinus,theRiverTiber,whichflowedthroughRomebythesideoftheCampusMartius.Anchisesnowaddressestheriver,whichwasregardedbyRomansasagod.Romansbelievedthatmanynaturalphenomenasuchasrivers,streams,treesandmountainsweregods,andwouldworshipthemwithprayersandsacrifices.
14-15quae…fūnera:splitadjective+nounphrase,‘whatfuneralrites’.Marcellus’funeraltookplaceontheCampusMartiusbesidetheTiber.
15 tumulum…recentem:splitnoun+adjectivephrase.Studentsshouldbebecomingfamiliarwiththisarrangementofwords.MarcelluswasburiedinthetombwhichatthetimeAugustuswashavingbuiltforhimself.praeterlābēre:alternativeforpraeterlābēris,2ndpersonsingularfuturetense.Englishusesapresenttensehere.
16-17necpuerĪliacāquisquamdēgenteLatīnōsintantumspētolletavōs:theinterlacedwordorderwillbedifficultforstudents,eventhoughtheyshouldbegrowingfamiliarwithsplitadjective+nounphrases.TheusualorderinprosewouldbenecpuerquisquamdēgenteĪliacāavōsLatīnōsintantumspētollet.
16 necpuer…quisquam:‘andnootheryoungman’(i.e.besidesMarcellus).Literally‘andnotanyyoungman’.Īliacā…dēgente:‘descendedfromtheTrojanrace’.TheRomanstracedtheirdescentbacktoAeneas,andthereforetotheTrojans.WhenTroy(Ilium)wasdestroyedbytheGreeks,AeneasescapedandeventuallyarrivedinItaly,wherehemarriedanItalian,Lavinia.TheirdescendantsbecametheRomans.
16-17Latīnōs…avōs:theLatinswerethenativeinhabitantsofLatium,theregionofItalywhereAeneaslanded.AeneasmarriedLavinia,thedaughterofLatinus,KingofLatium.TheRomanswerethusdescendedjointlyfromtheTrojansandtheLatins.
17 intantumspētolletavōs:therearetwowaysofinterpretingthis:(i)‘willraisehisancestorssohighbyhispromise’.spēsistakentorefertoMarcellus’promiseinthesenseof‘expectationofsuccess’.CompareEnglishphrasessuchas‘ayoungmanofpromise’,‘apromisingyoungwoman’,‘apromisingcareer’.Marcellusdiedtooyoungtohaveanysignificantachievements,butexpectationsofhimweregreat.Eventhepromiseofgreatachievementsreflectedwellonhisancestors.Theunderlyingideaisthatancestorssharedthegloryoftheirdescendants.Asuitabletranslationwouldbe:‘willexalthisancestorssomuchbyhispromise’.(ii)‘willraisehisancestorssohighinhope’.spēsreferstothehopeorexpectationtheancestorshaveforthesuccessoffuturegenerations.Asuitabletranslationwouldbe:‘willraisethehopesofhisancestorssohigh’.
Translatorsandcommentatorsaredivided.Austin,MaclennanandDayLewisoptfor(i);Williams,West,JacksonKnight,HeaneyandthetranslationintheEduqasResourcesoptfor(ii).TheexpressionisanexampleofVirgil’scharacteristicambiguity;asoftenbothmeaningscoexist.intantum:‘tosuchanextent’,’sohigh’
17-18Rōmula…tellūs:‘thelandofRomulus’.Romulus,adescendantofAeneas,wasthemythicalfounderofthecityofRome.Accordingtothemyth,RomulusandhistwinbrotherRemuswerethesonsofRheaSilviaandthegodMars.Theboys’great-unclehaddeposedthepreviousking,whowashisbrotherandthetwins’grandfather.Hewasafraidthatthetwinswouldseekvengeancefortheirgrandfatherwhentheygrewup,andso,assoonastheywereborn,heorderedthemtobethrownintotheRiverTiber.Buttheinfanttwinswerefoundbyashe-wolf,whosuckledthemasthoughtheywereherowncubs.Theywerelaterfoundbyaherdsman,whobroughtthemupashisownsons.Whentheygrewuptheboysfoundouttheirtrueancestry,killedtheirgreatuncleandreinstalledtheirgrandfatherasking.Later,theyfoundedacityoftheirownonthesiteofRome.TheyquarrelledandeitherRomulusoroneofhissupporterskilledRemus.RomulusthenreignedsuccessfullyforaboutfortyyearsasthefirstkingofRome.
17 quondam:‘oneday’-someindefinitetimeinthefuture,fromAnchises’perspective.18 ūllō…alumnō:‘becauseofany[other]offspring’.Theablativeexpressesthegroundsfor
boasting.sē…iactābit:takethesetwowordscloselytogether.sēiactāre=‘boastaboutoneself’.Itcanbetranslatedsimplyas‘boast’.tantum:‘somuch’.Takewithsē…iactābit.
16-17Īliacā…Latīnōs…Rōmula:VirgilcleverlyincludesthethreestagesoflegendaryRomanancestry(Trojan,ItalianandRoman)inasinglesentence.
19 heu:‘alasfor’.AnchisesthengoesontolistMarcellus’virtues,whichwillallbeoflittleusetoRomebecauseofhisearlydeath.
19-20pietās…fidēs…dextera:Marcellus’virtues.Thenominativecaseisusedherewithheuforanexclamation-theaccusativeismoreusual.
19 pietās:asenseofdutytoone’sfamily,one’scountryandtothegods.ThewordishardtotranslateasthereisnoEnglishequivalent.‘Piety’hastoonarrowameaningandisbestavoided.‘Duty’or‘dutifulness’ispreferable.pietāsisthequalitywhichdefinesAeneasinVirgil’spoem;heisoftencalledpiusAenēās.prīscafidēs:‘old-fashionedloyalty’.fidēsmeans‘keepingone’sword’.prīscaisareminderthatthisisatraditionalRomanvirtue.
19-20invictaquebellōdextera:dexterahere=‘strength’or‘courage’.bellō(‘inwar’)goescloselywithinvicta.MarcellustookpartinamilitarycampaigninSpainin25BC.YoungRomannoblemenwereexpectedtospendsometimedoingmilitaryservice.heupietās,heuprīscafidēsinvictaquebellōdextera:thesentenceiscomposedofthreeparts(cola),eachlongerthanthepreviousone.Thisisacommonrhetoricaltechniqueusedtoconveyemotion;itiscalledatricoloncrescendo.Therepetitionofthewordheuatthebeginningofsuccessivephrasesisalsoemotional:thiskindofrepetitioniscalledanaphora.
20-21nōnillīsēquisquamimpūnetulissetobviusarmātō:readintheordernōnquisquamobviusillīarmātōimpūnesētulisset.‘Noone(literally‘notanyone’)wouldhaveconfrontedhimwhenhewasarmedwithoutbeingharmed’.AnchisesisspeculatingaboutthemilitarysuccessMarcellusmighthaveachievedhadhelived.
20 illī:‘him’,i.e.Marcellus.Dativecasewithsē…tulissetobvius(seenextnote).20-21sē…tulissetobvius:sēobviusferre=‘toconfront’.Literally,‘tocarryoneselfagainst’.The
persononeconfrontsisexpressedbythedativecase.20-22tulisset…īret…foderet:subjunctiveverbsexpressthehypothetical(whatmighthave
happenedifMarcellushadlived).Contrastwithanepitaphwhereindicativeverbswouldbeusedtolistthedeadperson’sachievements.Theuseofthesubjunctivemoodherecreatespathos.
21-22seucum…seu:‘eitherwhen…orif’.seu…seuisgenerallytranslatedas‘whether…or’.21 pedes:‘asafoot-soldier’,‘onfoot’23 heu,miserandepuer:AnchisesnowaddressesMarcellushimself.Callinghim‘boy’stresseshis
youthandisareminderofhisearlydeath.fātaaspera:plural,butcanbetranslatedassingular
23-24heu,miserandepuer,sīquāfātaasperarumpās,tūMarcelluseris:therearetwowaysofinterpretingthis.
(i)Alas,poorboy(Ifonlyinsomewayyoucouldrupturecruelfate!),youwillbeMarcellus.sī+presentsubjunctive(rumpās)expressesawish.sīquāfātaasperarumpāsistreatedasaparenthesis.Someeditors,includingAustinandWilliams,makethistranslationclearbypunctuatingwithanexclamationmarkafterrumpās:Alas,poorboy,ifonlyinsomewayyoucouldrupturecruelfate!YouwillbeMarcellus.(ii)Alaspoorboy,ifinsomewayyoucouldrupturecruelfate,youwillbeMarcellus.sī…rumpāsisinterpretedasaconditionalclause.Butitisdifficulttomakesenseofthis.
ThetranslationintheEduqasResourceshas(i).24 tūMarcelluseris:atlastAnchisesnamesMarcellus.Theshortsimplestatementhasa
dramaticimpact.ARomanreaderwouldhaveguessedtheidentityoftheyouthbeforethisrevelation.
24-27manibus…mūnere:gifts,suchaswine,oil,cakesandincense,wereofferedtothedead,eitheraspartofthefuneralritesorwhenvisitingthetombofthedeceased.AnchisesisimagininghimselfbeingpresentatthefuneralofMarcellus.
24 manibus…plēnīs:‘inhandfuls’.Literally‘withhandsfull’.24-25datelīlia…purpureōsspargamflōrēs:spargamhastobepresentsubjunctivehere(not
futureindicative),asshownbytheparallelaccumuleminthenextline.Therearetwowaysofinterpretingtheconstructionhere:(i)=[mihi]datelīlia[ut]spargampurpureōsflōrēs:‘Give[me]lilies[sothat]Imayscatter[their]purpleflowers’.Anchisesisspeakingasiftherewereattendantspresenttogivehimtheflowers,anddateisanimperativeaddresseddirectlytothem.līliaistheobjectofdate.spargamissubjunctivebecauseitisinapurposeclause,withtheconjunctionutomitted.ThisistheinterpretationfollowedbyAustin,MaclennanandthetranslationintheEduqasResources.
(ii)‘Letmescatterlilies,purpleflowers’.Heredatemeans‘let’or‘allow’(=permitte)andspargamisadependentjussivesubjunctive.purpureōsflōrēsisinappositiontolīlia.ThisistheinterpretationfollowedbyWilliams.
25 purpureōs:either‘bright’or‘purple’.Liliesarenotallwhite,soeithertranslationispossible.25-6 animamquenepōtishīssaltemaccumulemdōnīs:‘and,atleast,heapthesegiftsonthespirit
ofmydescendant’.Literally‘and,atleast,heapthespiritofmydescendantwiththesegifts’.26 saltem:thiswordhastheeffectofcreatingpathos.
inānī:theideahereisprobablythatperformingthisdutyisfutilebecausethedeadcannotgivethanksfortheofferingsoftheliving.Theadjectivehastheeffectofintensifyingthepathos.
27 mūnere:thisfinalwordemphasisesthatAnchisesisperforminghisdutytohisfamily,i.e.heisdemonstratinghispietās.Thewordisemphasisedbyitsposition:finalwordinthesentenceandthespeech,andoverrunningtheline.tōtā…regiōne:=intōtā…regiōne‘inthewholeregion’,i.e.‘intheUnderworld’.Theablativecaseisusedwithoutaprepositiontoexpresstheideaof‘in’aplace;thisiscommoninLatinpoetry.vagantur:Latinwritersoftenuseapresenttensetorefertoeventswhichtookplaceinthepast;thisisknownasthehistoricpresenttense.Translateaseitherapresenttenseorapasttense.MarcellusisthelastintheprocessionofhisdescendantswhomAeneasseeswaitingtobeborn.HeandAnchisesthencontinuetheirtouroftheUnderworld.
DiscussionTherewasastorythatMarcellus’mother,Octavia,faintedwhensheheardVirgilreadtheselinesaloud.Studentscouldbeaskedtopickoutparticulardetailsofcontentoruseoflanguagewhichheightentheemotionandproduceasenseofpathos.Topicsfordiscussioncouldinclude:
• TheidealRomanyoungman.Whatwouldbetheidealqualitiesinayouthoftoday?• Theimportanceofthefamilylineandtheideaofchildrenasaninvestmentinthefuture.To
whatextentdopeopletodaysharetheseideasaboutfamily?Questions1. WhatqualitiesinMarcellusarepraisedinthispassage?2. Studylines19-24(heu…eris).Examinethelanguageandthestyleofwriting.HowdoesVirgil
arousepityforMarcellus.
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