Latin · Unit 17

Capita 41–46

Puer Romanus

Leō in arēnā; Pugilēs; Gladiātōrēs; Dē puerīs in Senātū; Lūcius patrī suō salūtem dat; Fīnis

185 lines

Leō in arēnā (Puer Rōmānus 41)

1
After this chariot race I saw what is called the beast hunt.
Postbehind, after
hochic: this
quadrīgārumquadrigae: four horse chariot (sg. or pl.)
certāmencertamen: struggle, contest, rivalry
vēnātiōnem,venatio: hunting
utthat, in order that, that not
appellātur,appello: call (upon)
vīdī.video: see, perceive
2
In this contest men called beast fighters fight against wild animals of every kind.
3
A great crowd and a wonderful variety of all kinds of wild beasts, gathered from everywhere, is let into the arena.
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But beyond everything else the hugeness of the lions filled me with wonder, and of one in particular.
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That one lion, by the rush and strength of his body, by his terrifying and resounding roar, by his muscles and by the waving mane of his neck, turned the minds and the eyes of all upon himself.
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Among several others there had been brought in, given to the beasts to fight, the slave of a man of consular rank.
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That slave's name was Androclus.
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When that lion saw him from a distance he suddenly stopped, as if in wonder; and then he comes to the man slowly and quietly; then he moves his tail gently and coaxingly, in the manner and fashion of fawning dogs, and joins himself to the man's body, and softly licks with his tongue the legs and hands of the man, who by now was almost fainting with fear.
9
Androclus, amid such caresses from so savage a beast, had got back the courage he had lost; little by little he turns his eyes to look at the lion; then, as though they had recognized each other, you would have seen the man and the lion glad and rejoicing together.
10
So wonderful a thing raised the greatest shouts from the people; and Caesar sent for Androclus and asked him why that fiercest of lions had spared him alone.

vēnātiōnem: hunting, from venatio
bēstiāriī: of, from bestiarius
cūiusvīs: who, from quivis
immīttitur: send in, from immitto
immānitās: brutality, savage character
rōbore: oak, from robur
terrificōque: terrifying, awe inspiring
fremitū: roar, loud noise, from fremitus
sonōrō: noisy, loud, from sonorus
torīs: swelling, protuberance, from tores
comīsque: hair, from coma
bēstiārum: beast, animal, from bestia
cōnsulāris: consular, of
Androclus: ring, circle, from Androcles
sēnsim: slowly, gradually
placidē: gently, calmly
adulantium: fawn upon, from adulo
clēmenter: leniently, mercifully
blandē: in coaxing, charmingly
lēniter: mild, gentle, from lenis
dēmulcet: stroke, stroke down, from demulceo
atrōcis: fierce, savage, from atrox
blandīmenta: blandishment, coaxing, from blandimentum
āmīssum: loss, from amissus
paulātim: little by little, by degrees
contuendum: look at, from contueor
recōgnitiōne: inspection, examination, from recognitio
grātulābundōs: congratulating, from gratulabundus

11
Then Androclus told a marvellous and astonishing story.
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'When my master held the province of Africa with proconsular power,' he said, 'I was driven there to flight by his unjust and daily beatings; and so that my hiding places might be safer from my master, the governor of that land, I went off into the wastes of the plains and the sands; and, if food failed me, my plan was to seek death in some way.
13
Then, in the fierce blazing midday sun, I came upon a certain remote and hidden cave, and I go into it and hide myself; and not long afterwards this lion came to the same cave, with one foot lame and bleeding, giving out groans and murmurs that told of the pain and torment of his wound; and at the first sight of the lion coming I was filled with the greatest terror; but after the lion had come into the cave and had seen me hiding at a distance, he came up gentle and tame; he showed and held out his lifted foot, as though to ask for help; then I pulled out a huge splinter that was sticking in his foot, and squeezed the gathered matter out of the depth of the wound, and more carefully, without much fear by now, I dried it thoroughly and wiped away the blood.
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Then he, relieved by my work, laid his foot in my hands, lay down and rested; and from that day on, for three whole years, the lion and I lived in the same cave on the same food.
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For of the beasts he hunted he brought the richer limbs to the cave for me; and these I, having no supply of fire, ate roasted by the midday sun.
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But when I had grown sick of that wild life, I left the cave while the lion had gone off hunting.
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Not long afterwards I was seen by soldiers and seized and taken from Africa to my master at Rome.
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He at once had me condemned on a capital charge and given to the beasts.
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And I understand that this lion too was captured, and is now repaying me for my kindness.'
20
When Androclus had told this story, at the request of all he was let go and freed from his punishment, and the lion was given to him by the votes of the people.

mīrificam: wonderful, from mirificus
admīrandam: wonderful, admirable, from admirandus
prōcōnsulārī: proconsular, from proconsularis
cottidiānīs: daily, everyday, from cottidianus
praeside: protector, from praeses
sōlitūdinēs: solitude, loneliness, from solitudo
concessī: relinquish, from concedo
flagrante: be on fire, from flagro
spēluncam: cave, from spelunca
latebrōsamque: full of lurking places
penetrō: enter, penetrate
dēbilī: weak, from debilis
cruciātumque: crusade
commiserantia: feel pity, from commiseror
intrōgrēssus: enter, from introgradior
mītis: mild, meek
mānsuētus: tame, from mansuesco
stirpem: race, from stirps
pedī: Pedius, from pedis
revellī: tear, from revello
conceptamque: fetus, that which is conceived
intimō: tell, tell about
accūrātiusque: carefully, accurately
formīdine: fear, from formido
siccāvī: dry, drain, from sicco
penitus: thoroughly, completely
dētersī: wipe, from detergeo
levātus: lift, from levo
triennium: three years
vīctū: living, way of life, from victus
vēnābātur: hunt, from venor
suggerēbat: suggest, furnish, from suggero
merīdiānō: of midday, noon, from meridianus
tosta: parch, roast, from torreo
ferīnae: game, flesh of wild animals, from ferina
profectō: surely, certainly
apprehēnsus: seize, grasp, from apprehendo
dēdūctus: downward pull
capitālis: of
bēstiāsque: beast, animal
suffrāgiīs: vote, from suffragium
dōnātus: present, grant, from dono

21
For my part I afterwards used to see Androclus and the lion, tied with a thin strap, going round the shops through the whole city; Androclus given money, the lion sprinkled with flowers; and almost everyone they met anywhere saying, 'This is the lion that was the man's host; this is the man that was the lion's doctor.'
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What sort of men were the beast fighters?
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What was the greatest lion like?
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What does the lion do when he has seen Androclus?
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Why does the slave get back his courage?
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What does Caesar ask?
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With what purpose did Androclus go off into the wastes of the sands?
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What sort of cave did he see?
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What does Androclus do for the lion?
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How long did they live together?

revīnctum: bind fast, fasten, from revincio
dōnārī: part of temple where votive, from donarium
medicus: healing, curative

31
What did the lion do for Androclus?
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With what purpose did the lion set out?
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What does Androclus understand?
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What did people say when they had seen Androclus and the lion?
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Imagine that you are Androclus. Describe what happened in the arena.
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What sort of food can be found in the wastes?
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How does the lion give thanks?
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Describe a beast hunt.
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What men were of consular rank?
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What were the lion's caresses?

41
What does grātulābundus mean?
42
What do men do in hiding places?
43
What does spēlunca mean?

Pugilēs (Puer Rōmānus 42)

44
Then there were contests of running, jumping, wrestling, boxing and throwing the discus.
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I shall describe only the boxers, those tooth-breaking men.
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What broad shoulders, what great arms they had!
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Entellus came forward first into the arena and threw into the middle two boxing gloves of great weight; the spectators were amazed, so stiff were they with the lead and iron sewn into them.
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The other boxer, Dares by name, seemed not at all afraid.
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Both at once bared their great limbs, their great bones and their arms; huge they took their stand in the middle of the arena.
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How I should not wish to meet such men at night, or in a dark and empty street!
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Slaves bound the hands of each with equal gloves; at once each stood upright on the balls of his feet, and fearlessly raised his arms on high; and now they turn their raised heads back and away from the blows; they deal each other blow after blow, Dares stronger, protected by his quickness of foot and his youth, Entellus sturdy in the size of his limbs, but his sluggish knees waver as he trembles, and a difficult panting shakes his huge limbs; they land many blows on each other's hollow sides; great sounds come from their chests; and their jaws crack under the heavy blows.
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Entellus stands heavy and unmoving in the same position, and only dodges the blows with his body and his watchful eyes.
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The other craftily tries now these openings, now those, and presses him in vain with one attack after another.

luctātiōnis: grief, sorrow, from luctatio
iaciendī: throw, hurl
dentifrangibulōs: tough, goon
Entellus: being
caestūs: band supporting breasts
obstupuērunt: oppose, hinder, from obstupeo
rigēscēbant: grow stiff or numb
plumbō: solder, lead
īnsūtō: sew up, sew, from insuo
obviam: in the way
dēsertō: abandoned, from desertum
paribus: equal, from par
alligāvērunt: bind, from alligo
intrepidus: undaunted, fearless
retrō: backwards, back
crēberrima: frequent, from creber
agilitāte: activity, quickness, from agilitas
iuventūte: youth, from juventus
pigra: lazy, slow, from piger
vacillant: stagger, totter, from vacillo
trementī: tremble, shake, from tremo
anhēlitus: panting, puffing
vasta: huge, vast, from vastus
agitat: stir, from agito
cavīs: hollow, from cavum
ingerunt: carry in, throw in, from ingero
mālae: bad, wicked, from mala
immōtus: unmoved, unchanged
ēlūdit: elude, escape from, from eludo
dolōsē: craftily, cunningly
tentat: handle, feel, from tento
aditūs: approach, access

54
Entellus rises up, shows his right hand and lifts it high, and the other is quick to foresee the blow and slips away with his light body and escapes.
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Entellus pours out his blow into the air, and himself, heavy, falls heavily with his great weight to the ground.
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With differing feelings all the spectators rise, some raising laughter, others cries of pity; the noise is sent up to the sky.
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But Entellus, neither slowed nor frightened by so great a fall, rises and comes back to the fight all the keener; anger adds force, and courage that knows itself kindles his strength; he presses Dares as he runs over the whole ground, and deals blows now with the right hand, now with the left.
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There was no delay and no rest; but as thick as the rain clouds rattle with hail on the roofs, so thick are the blows with which Entellus strikes and drives Dares again and again with both hands.
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Then at last, when the end of the contest had been declared, some slaves led Dares away, worn out, dragging his weak knees, moving his head from side to side, spitting out of his mouth thick blood and teeth mixed with the blood; Entellus had clearly made him a tooth-gatherer.
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His head was also swollen with a great swelling, which, if that reader of faces Zopyrus had seen it, he would have said that he was the wisest of all men.
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Describe the boxers.
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What did Entellus do?
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What sort of gloves did he wear?

īnsurgēns: rise up, from insurgo
praevidet: foresee, see in advance, from praevideo
ēlāpsus: lapse
Dīversīs: separate, from diverto
cachinnōs: loud, guffaw, from cachinnus
tardātus: check, retard, from tardo
territus: frighten, scare, from terreo
ardentiorque: burning, flaming
īnflammat: set on fire, inflame, from inflammo
requiēs: rest, respite
grandine: hail, hail-storm, from grando
nimbī: rainstorm, cloud, from nimbus
utrimque: on each side, on either
spissum: thick, dense, from spissus
exspuentem: spit out
Dentilegum: one who collects teeth
tumēbat: swell, become inflated, from tumeo

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What did Entellus and Dares do first?
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What do the slaves do?
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Compare Dares with Entellus.
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What did the spectators do when Entellus had fallen?
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In what state did Entellus come back?
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What was Dares like after the fight?
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Describe the boxers' fight.
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Why did Entellus win?
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Imagine that you are Entellus and describe the fight with Dares.
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What does caestus mean?
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List and describe the parts of the body.

Gladiātōrēs (Puer Rōmānus 43)

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'And the trumpet with its terrible sound said taratantara,' and the gladiators came in.
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Turning to the emperor they cried, 'Those about to die salute you,' and at once the fighting is fierce.
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Some are called net men, others murmillos; for the latter carry the figure of a fish on their helmets, while the former have a net and a fish-spear (or trident).
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One net man was trying to entangle a murmillo in his net, and as the other fled he cried, 'It is not you I am after, it is the fish I am after; why do you run from me, Gaul?
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I want to fish.'
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When they heard this everyone praised the man's wit; but he threw his net and entangled the murmillo. 'He has him, he has him,' they all cried, and the victor turned to the emperor and waited for the signal.
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The emperor, understanding that the spectators favoured the net man, turned his thumb and gave the signal of death (the signal to spare is given with the thumb pressed down).
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Slaves dragged the murmillo, who had been killed, out of the arena with a hook.
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I could see no more, but at once begged my father to take me away from so cruel a show.
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So we went home.

terribilī: frightful, terrible, from terribilis
taratantara: taratantara
rētiāriī: net-fighter in the arena, from retiarius
mirmillōnēs: murmillo, from mirmillō
fuscinam: trident, three-pronged fishing spear, from fuscina
tridentem: with three teeth, from tridens
implicāre: implicate, from implico
facētiās: wit, joke, from facetia
pressō: press, squeeze
uncō: unite, combine into one
abdūceret: lead away, carry off, from abduco

85
What words did the gladiators usually cry before the fight?
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After those words, what happened?
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What did the net man carry? What the murmillo?
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Whom did the spectators favour?
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What was the signal of death?
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Who was killed?
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What was done when the murmillo had been killed?
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Turn into indirect speech: Those about to die salute you.
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Why do you run from me, Gaul?
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I want to fish.

95
When the spectators wanted a gladiator to be killed, what did the emperor do?
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Why were gladiators, net men and murmillos so called?
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Where did the gladiators fight?
98
Why is a show so called?

Dē puerīs in Senātū (Puer Rōmānus 44)

99
Again and again I wanted to go to the senate with my father, but once, when I pressed him more than usual to take me with him, my father answered, 'Boys are no longer allowed to go into the senate.'
100
Then, when I asked the reason, he explained this: 'Formerly,' he said, 'it was the custom for senators at Rome to go into the senate house with their sons in the bordered toga.
101
When some rather important matter had been debated in the senate and put off to the next day, and it had been agreed that no one should give out the matter they had dealt with before it was decided, the mother of the boy Papirius, who had been in the senate house with his father, asked her son what on earth the senators had done in the senate.
102
The boy answered that he must keep quiet and that it was not allowed to tell; the woman becomes keener to hear; the boy's insisting that the matter was a secret and owed silence stirs her mind to enquire; so she asks all the more and all the more violently.
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Then the boy, pressed by his mother, makes a plan of a charming and amusing lie.
104
He said that it had been debated in the senate which of these two seemed more useful and more in the state's interest, that one man should have two wives, or that one woman should be married to two men.
105
When she heard this, her mind is struck with alarm; she goes trembling out of the house; she carries what she had heard to the other married women; the next day they come to the senate; weeping and beseeching they begin to beg that one woman should rather be married to two men than two women to one man.
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The senators, as they went into the senate house, wondered what this women's frenzy was and what that demand of theirs meant.
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The boy Papirius came forward into the middle of the senate house and told what his mother had asked, what he himself had said to his mother, and the whole story.
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The senate praises the boy's good faith and his wit, and makes a decree that from then on boys should not come into the senate house with their fathers, except that one Papirius; and afterwards the surname 'Praetextatus' was given to that boy as an honour, for his good sense in speaking and keeping silent while still of the age of the bordered toga.'

praetextātīs: underage, from praetextatus
introīre: enter, go in or into, from introeo
quaepiam: who, from quispiam
cōnsultāta: resolution, decision, from consultatum
prōlāta: lengthen, enlarge, from prolato
ēnūntiāret: reveal, from enuntio
tractāvissent: draw, haul, from tracto
dēcreta: dogma, principle, from decretum
percūnctāta: fish, the perch
sēcrētum: secret, mystic rite
dēbērī: owe, ought, from debeo
affīrmāns: affirm, from affirmo
inquīrendum: examine, investigate, from inquiro
violentiusque: violently, w
lepidī: agreeable, charming, from lepidus
festīvī: feast, from festivus
mendāciī: lie, lying, from mendacium
nūpta: bride
compavēscit: become very afraid, from compavesco
trepidāns: tremble, be afraid, from trepido
mātrōnās: wife, from matrona
dēfert: carry, from defero
intemperiēs: intemperateness
postulātiō: petition, request
inditum: put in or on, from indo
prūdentiam: discretion, from prudentia

109
What are boys not allowed to do?
110
Were they allowed to before?
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How were they dressed when they went in?
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What did the mother ask the boy?
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What did he answer? Give his own words.
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How does the boy stir his mother's mind?
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What plan does he form?
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Recite the decree of the senate.
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How did the mother behave when she heard the decree?
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What do the other married women beg?

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Why were the senators surprised?
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Did Papirius explain the matter well?
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What was agreed?
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Why was the surname Praetextatus given to the boy?
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What did the Roman senate do?
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Do you know why boys used to go into the senate house with their fathers?
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What sort of boy was Papirius?
126
Tell what happened in the senate house.
127
What does cūria mean? What did the senators do in the senate house?
128
Explain what a lie is.
129
When is a boy in the bordered toga?

Lūcius patrī suō salūtem dat (Puer Rōmānus 45)

130
Seven days ago, dearest father, I reached Athens, having crossed the sea from Brundisium on the quickest of voyages; for the winds were always favourable.
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I know that you and my mother will be very glad to learn this.
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For the sea is full of dangers.
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On the voyage I was filled with the greatest delight, as I looked at the brilliant sun, the blue waves, and now and then the Greek cities set on the coast.
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So I sailed without fear or sickness.
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Put ashore at the Piraeus I made my way to Athens on foot, and while I was doing so I met my uncle, who took me to his house.
136
My aunt is well, and so are my cousins.
137
They all please me, and when my studies are done I play with them every day.
138
The city itself, my father, how beautiful it is!
139
What men those Greeks were, who made so many temples and so many statues with such great art!

Athēnās: Athens, from Athenae
trānsvectus: transport, lead across, from transveho
gāvīsūrōs: be glad, rejoice
voluptāte: pleasure, delight, from voluptas
nauseāve: nausea, from nausea
Pīraeum: pear-tree, from Piraceus
meo: go along, pass
Amita: paternal aunt, father's sister
cōnsobrīnī: first cousin, from consobrinus

140
At Rome I used to hate the Greeks; now at Athens I admire them, and I understand those great minds, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Thucydides, better.
141
For at Rome the Greeks seem worse, because, as I think, most of them are slaves, and all of them hired men.
142
I thank you, father, as warmly as I can, for allowing me to learn the art of oratory at Athens.
143
I shall give myself wholly to my studies, so that I may be taught the Greek language as quickly as possible.
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Now I feel the same as Propertius felt:
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There I shall begin to improve my mind with the studies of Plato
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or in your gardens, learned Epicurus;
147
or I shall follow the study of speech, the weapons of Demosthenes,
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and the wit of your books, learned Menander;
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or certainly painted panels will catch my eyes,

Aeschylum: money, pay, from Aeschylus
Sophoclem: Sophocles
mercēnāriī: hired for wages, from mercenarius
permīsistī: let through, from permitto
ōrātōriam: of an orator, from oratorius
ēdoctus: teach or inform thoroughly, from edoceo
ēmendāre: correct, emend, from emendo
librōrumque: scales, balance
salēs: open sea, high sea, from sal

150
or works finished in ivory, or rather in bronze.
151
Take care to keep well, dearest father.
152
Farewell.
153
When did I reach Athens?
154
What was the voyage like? What were the winds like? What is the sea like?
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What do I see on the voyage? What else?
156
How did I make my way to Athens from the Piraeus?
157
How are my aunt and my cousins?
158
What is the city itself like?
159
What are the Greeks like at Rome? What at Athens?

ebore: ivory, from ebur

160
What shall I do at Athens?
161
Why shall I do so?
162
What did Propertius do at Athens?
163
Describe in your own words the journey Lucius made to the Piraeus.
164
Why were the Greeks of old to be admired?
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What sort of life does Lucius enjoy at Athens?
166
Why do the Greeks please us less when they live at Rome?
167
Why does Lucius write to his father?
168
What do you know about Plato, Demosthenes and Menander?
169
When is a wind favourable?

prīscī: praetor

170
What causes seasickness?
171
What do the words amita, cōnsobrīnī, patruus mean?
172
Put 'when my studies are done' another way.

Fīnis (Puer Rōmānus 46)

173
The end of this tale is at hand, and the end of boyhood is at hand as well.
174
And now I bid farewell to all of you who read this book aloud.
175
For as you must learn the Latin language, so I, who am now a young man and not a boy, must learn the art of oratory at Athens.
176
Farewell to you all, and be good pupils.
177
What is at hand?
178
What must I do?
179
What must you do, and what must I do?
180
Where shall I learn now?
181
What shall I learn?
182
What ought you to do when you have reached the end of the book?

nārrātiōnis: narrative, story, from narratio
pueritiae: childhood, boyhood, from pueritia
adulēscēns: a youth, young man
ōrātōria: speaker, orator

183
What sort of boys learn from the Roman Boy?
184
Why must the art of oratory be learnt at Athens above all?
185
What does the Roman boy tell English boys to do?

potissimum: chief, principal, from potissimus

The particulars

The course: Paine and Mainwaring, Prīmus Annus (Oxford, 1912) and Secundus Annus (1917); Appleton and Jones, Puer Rōmānus (1913); D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Boston, 1911); Ritchie, Fabulae Faciles (1903). Public domain. The teaching pages, the glosses and the narration are ours.
Reading aloud: Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The app: The course on your phone, with the drills, your place kept and the audio offline.
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The book: The Aeneid, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
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