Classical and Medieval Latin examples for learners
Hexagonal statue base. RIB 21. Museum of London: 3375
D M
CL MARTI
NAE AN XIX
ANENCLE
TVS
PROVINC
CONIVGI
PIENTISSIMAE
H S E
D(is) M(anibus) | Cl(audiae) Marti|nae an(norum) XIX | Anencle|tus | provinc(ialis) | coniugi | pientissimae | h(ic) s(ita) e(st)
Note: provincialis seems to mean “slave of the province.”
ca. 300 AD. Inscription for Prisca, the wife of the emperor Diocletian.
AVRELIAE
PRISCAE
NOBILISSIMAE
FEMINAE
(1) Base with the inscription of the Empress Prisca, Diocletian’s wife; found at #Salona (Croatia), ca. 300 AD. Split Archaeological Museum pic.twitter.com/icKjGuwfoG
— Tom Ljevar (@tomljevar) March 10, 2017
Note the small, “superscripted” final e of nobilissimae
Nil lascivius est Charisiano:
Saturnalibus ambulat togatus.
Excellent discussion at https://llewelynmorgan.com/2014/10/11/help-me-is-this-funny/
ad Marcum Tullium Ciceronem
Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta,
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.
Verani, omnibus e meis amicis
antestans mihi milibus trecentis,
venistine domum ad tuos Penates
fratresque unanimos anumque matrem?
venisti. o mihi nuntii beati!
visam te incolumem audiamque Hiberum
narrantem loca, facta, nationes,
ut mos est tuus, applicansque collum
iucundum os oculosque saviabor.
o quantumst hominum beatiorum,
quid me laetius est beatiusve?
Could reasonably be done with Shelmerdine 18 (but 21 would cover last two lines)
domum – Shelmerdine 16
participles – Shelmerdine 17
nuntius – Shelmerdine 17
mos – Shelmerdine 18
Interrogative pronoun quid – Shelmerdine 18
Comparative adjectives – Shelmerdine 21
Issa est passere nequior Catulli,
Issa est purior osculo columbae,
Issa est blandior omnibus puellis,
Issa est carior Indicis lapillis,
Issa est deliciae catella Publi. 5
Hanc tu, si queritur, loqui putabis;
sentit tristitiamque gaudiumque.
Collo nixa cubat capitque somnos,
ut suspiria nulla sentiantur;
et desiderio coacta uentris 10
gutta pallia non fefellit ulla,
sed blando pede suscitat toroque
deponi monet et rogat leuari.
Castae tantus inest pudor catellae,
ignorat Venerem; nec inuenimus 15
dignum tam tenera uirum puella.
Hanc ne lux rapiat suprema totam,
picta Publius exprimit tabella,
in qua tam similem uidebis Issam,
ut sit tam similis sibi nec ipsa. 20
Issam denique pone cum tabella:
aut utramque putabis esse ueram,
aut utramque putabis esse pictam.
Textbooks notes:
In Shelmerdine, comparative adjectives (ch. 21) are 2 chapters after indirect statement (ch. 19), so could read most of it. Could revisit when get to purpose and result (lines 17–20).
In Wheelock, the sequence is indirect statement (25), comparatives (26 & 27), purpose (28), result (29).
Handout with interlinear translation (omits a couple of lines) and grammar exercises at
http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/Latin1000/Readings/1020B/29Martial22.pdf