Section 3C(i) Flashcards
dum forte cēnant, Sextus Tarquinius et Collātīnus, coniūnx Lucrētiae, et aliī iuuenēs, dē uxōribus loquī coepērunt.
While they were dining, Sextus Tarquinius and Collatinus, the husband of Lucretia, and other young men, by chance began to talk about their wives.
suam quisque uxōrem magnopere laudāuit; et inde certāmen ortum est.
Each (man) praised his own wife a great deal; and from this arose a contest.
“uxor mea,” dīxit quīdam “honestius uīuit quam uestrae omnēs.
“My wife,” said one [a certain one], “lives more honorably than all yours.
“nam lānam dīligentius facit, domum impigrius cūrat, līberōs seuērius ēdūcat.”
“For she works wool more carefully, she looks after the home more energetically, she educates the children more strictly.”
alius autem respondit: “immō uxor mea dīligentius, impigrius, seuērius uīuit quam aliae.
Another, however, replied: “Actually my wife lives more carefully, more energetically, more strictly than the others.
“ego certō uictor futūrus sum.”
“I will certainly be the victor.”
tum Collātīnus eīs sīc locūtus est: “nōlīte plūs loquī.
The Collatinus said to them as follows: “Do not say (anything) more.
“nēmō honestius uīuit quam uxor mea.
“No one lives more honorably than my wife.
“nēmō Lucrētiam meam uictūrus est.
“No one is going to conquer my Lucretia.
“cūr nōn cōnscendimus equōs?
“Why do we not mount our horses?
“mox oculīs melius quam uerbīs cognitūrī sumus mulierum nostrārum ingenia.”
“Soon with our eyes better than our words we are going to find out about the nature of our wives.”
Rōmam igitur equīs celerrimē prōgressī sunt.
To Rome therefore they proceeded most quickly on horseback.
quō ubi peruēnērunt, aliae mulierēs in conuīuiō luxūque cum aequālibus tempus terunt;
When they came there [to which place when they came], the other women were wasting time with their contemporaries in feasting and extravagance:
Lucrētia autem inter seruās in mediō aedium sedet et lānam facit.
Lucretia however was sitting among her female slaves in the middle of the house and was working wool.
“ut uidētis,” inquit Collātīnus “uxor mea semper eadem est.
“As you see,” said Collatinus, “my wife is always the same.
“ego certissimē uictor sum.”
“I most certainly am the victor.”
Lucrētia coniugem et aliōs iuuenīs benīgnē excēpit.
Lucretia received her husband and the other young men kindly.
uictor marītus etiam benīgnius domum inuītāuit aliōs iuuenīs.
Her victorious husband even invited the other young men (into his) home in a more kindly fashion.
ibi Tarquinium mala libīdō stuprī cēpit;
There an evil desire for (illicit) sex seized Tarquin;
nam Lucrētiae et pulcherrima fōrma et castitās admīrābilis eum incitāuit.
for both the extremely beautiful appearance and the astonishing chastity of Lucretia excited him.
ubi rediērunt in castra iuuenēs, etiam magis incendit libīdō eadem animum Tarquiniī.
When the young men returned to camp, the same desire inflamed the mind of Tarquin even more.
sēcum meditātus “nōnne uultus eī pulcherrimus?” inquit “nōnne uerba optima?
Having thought to himself, he said “Has she not the most beautiful face, the best words?
“nōnne color ēlegantissimus?
“Surely her complexion is the most elegant?
“nōnne faciēs fōrmosissima?
“Surely her face is the most beautiful?
“magis magisque in diēs amōre ārdeō.
“More and more every day [over days] I burn with love.
“sed quid futūrum est?
“But what will happen?
“nōnne Lucrētia mē amātūra est? nesciō.
“Surely Lucretia will be in love with me? I don’t know.
“difficillimum erit, sed nihilōminus ausūrus sum ultima;
“It will be extremely difficult, but nonetheless I am about to dare the greatest (things);
ausūrōs forsque deusque maximē iuuat.”
“fortune and god very much help those who will be daring.”
