Pliny- Regulus Flashcards
Assem para et accipe auream fabulam,
Prepare a penny and recieve an excellent story,
LIT CRIT:
CHIASMUS in “assem” “para” “accipe” “auream”emphasises small price but great story
Antithesis between “assem” and “auream” highlights the importance of the story
C. PLINIUS CALVISIO SUO S.
Caius Pliny sends greetings to his friend Calvisius.
Fabulas immo;
Or rather, stories;
LIT CRIT:
Repetition of “fabulam”, “fabulas” highlights the importance of the story
Nam me priorum nova admonuit
For the new story has reminded me of earlier ones
LIT CRIT:
Juxtaposition between “priorum” and “nova” in “new” and “old” adds vividness and emphasises the importance of the new story
Nec refert a qua incipiam
And it does not matter with which I shall begin.
Verania graviter iacebat:
Verania was lying gravely ill:
LIT CRIT:
Avoids the word ill but just states “gravely” which emphasises the seriousness of her illness as it is obvious without explicitly stating she is ill
Ad hanc regulus venit.
Regulus came to her.
Primus, impudientam hominis,
Firstly, the shamelessness of the man,
qui venerit ad aegram,
in coming to a sick woman.
Cuius marito inimicissimus
To whose husband he had been the greatest enemy
LIT CRIT:
Sibilance in invisissimus and inimicissimus shows regulus as an evil and sly snake
Structural balance of dative, ablative, dative, ablative in “marito inimicissimus, ipsi invisissimus” emphasises Regulus’ evil
Ipsi invisissimum fuerat!
And by Verania herself had also been very detested!
LIT CRIT:
Sibilance in invisissimus and inicissimus shows regulus as an evil and sly snake
Structural balance of dative, ablative, dative, ablative in “marito inimicissimus, ipsi invisissimus” emphasises Regulus’ evil
Esto, si venit tantum;
It would have been enough if he only had visited her;
LIT CRIT:
“Esto”- “it would’ve been enough” emphasises how regulus has broken boundaries and has been evil
at ille etiam proximus toro sedit;
But he even sat very close to her bed
LIT CRIT:
Superlative of “proximus” stresses regulus’ impudence- highlighted by juxtaposition with “etiam” he EVEN
quo die, qua hora nata esset interrogavit
He asked her on what day and hour she had been born.
LIT CRIT:
Asyndeton in “quo die, qua hora” quickens pace and adds suspense
Ubi audivit,
When he heard
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Componit vultum
He fixed his expression,
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Intendit oculos,
Strained his eyes,
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Movet labra
Moved his lips
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Agitat digitos, computat.
Moved his fingers quickly and made calculations.
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Nihil.
Nothing
LIT CRIT:
Historic present and asyndeton in this section quickens pace and adds drama and vividness
Ubi diu miseram exspectatione suspendit,
When he had kept the wretched woman in suspense for a long time,
LIT CRIT:
“Diu” and “exspectatione” emphatically positioned on either side of “miserum” displays how long he kept her waiting and his evilness in doing so
‘Habes’ inquit ‘climacterium tempus
He says ‘you have a critical situation
Sed evades’
But you will escape it
Quod ut tibi magis liqueat,
So that it may become clearer to you,
Haruspicem consulam,
I will consult a soothsayer
quem frequenter expertus sum.’
Whom I have used frequently.’
Sine mora, sacrificium facit,
Without delay, he made a sacrifice
LIT CRIT:
Asyndeton and historic present in this section emphasises the speed at which regulus works
affirmat exta cum siderum signifactione congruere
and declared that the entrails agreed with the indication of the stars.
LIT CRIT:
Asyndeton and historic present in this section emphasises the speed at which regulus works
Illa, ut in periculo credula
Verania, as you might expect in a dangerous situation [was ready to believe anything]
Poscit testamentum
Asked for her will
LIT CRIT:
Historic present in this section and chiasmus of “poscit” “testamentum” “legatum” “scribit” emphasise the importance of the will being signed as regulus has tricked Verania
Legatum Regulus scribit.
Wrote a legacy for Regulus.
Mox ingravescit,
Soon she grew worse
Clamat moriens hominem scelestum
and dying she shouted that the man was wicked
LIT CRIT:
“Hominem” means man as in the species which emphasises regulus’ evil and sub-human nature
Perfidumque ac plus etiam quam periurum esse,
Treacherous and even more perjured
Qui sibi per salutem filii peieravisset
Since he had sworn falsely to her on the safety of his son.
Facit hoc regulus non minus scelerate quam frequenter
Regulus does this as wickedly as he does often,
Quod iram deorum
Since he calls down the anger of the gods,
quos ipse cotidie fallit,
Whom he cheats daily
In caput infelicis pueri detestatur.
On the head of the unfortunate boy
Velleius Blasus, ille dives consularis
Velleius Blasus, that wealthy ex-consul
Novissima valetudine conflictabatur:
Was afflicted with a terminal illness:
Cupiebat mutare testamentum.
He wanted to change his will.
Regulus, qui sperabat aliquid ex novo testamento
Regulus, who was hoping for something from the new will,
Quia nuper captare eum coeperat,
Because he had recently begun to win his favour
Medicos hortari
Encouraged the doctors
Et rogare ut quoquo modo vitam hominis prorogarent.
And asked them to prolong the man’s life by whatever means they could.
Postquam signatum est testamentum
After the will was signed,
Mutat personam,
Regulus changed his tune,
Verit adlocutionem eisdemque medicis:
Altered his tone and said to these doctors:
“Quousque” inquit “miserum cruciatis?”
How long are you going to torture the wretched man?
Cur invidetis bona morte,
Why do you begrudge a good death to a man,
Cui dare vitam non potestis?”
To whom you cannot give life?”
Moritur Blaesus et,
Blaesus died and,
Tamquam omnia audivisset,
As if he had heard everything,
Regulo ne tantalum quidem
Did not leave regulus the least amount.
