04.07.26: Comenius XXI; singing birds [4]

the party colour’d (5) parret, | discolor (5) psittacus

the (6) black-bird, | (6) merula

the (7) stare, | (7) sturnus

with the mag-pie | cum pīcā,

and the jay, learn | et monedula, discunt

to frame men’s words. |  hūmānās vōcēs fōrmāre.  

A great many are wont to be shut in (8) cages. | Plēræque solent inclūdī (8) caveīs.

____________________

vocabulary

psittacus, -ī [2/m]: parrot

merula, -ae [1/f]: blackbird

sturnus, -ī [2/m]: the ‘stare’ (archaic); starling

pīca, -ae [1/f]: magpie

monēdula, -ae [1/f]: jackdaw (Hoole translates the noun as ‘jay’)

cavea, -ae [1/f]: cage

notes

(1) discolor, -ōris: [i] having a different colour; [ii] (here) variegated / of different colours

(2) plērusque, plēraque, plērumque: most (of); very many; a great number of

mostly occurs in plural forms:

plēraeque [feminine plural] | a great many (birds) …

(3) plēraeque solent inclūdī caveīs | a great many are accustomed to being shut in cages [ = the birds are usually shut in cages]

inclūdō, -ere [3]: shut in; confine; enclose

inclūdere: (present active infinitive) to confine

inclūdī: (present passive infinitive) to be confined

The birds may be accustomed to being shut in cages, but it is doubtful whether they wanted to be:

"A robin redbreast in a cage / Puts all Heaven in a rage." (Blake)

04.07.26: Comenius XXI; singing birds [3] the ‘Classical’ canary

When I’ve been working with Comenius’ book, 99% of it has been trouble free, but then there is the 1%! Sometimes, it is deciphering the 17th century translation where we can discover a treasure trove of English words that we never knew existed! However, the task can also be working out why Comenius chose a particular Latin word or phrase, especially when there was no original Classical Latin term. We must remember that this is during the Renaissance period, a time of new discoveries – with the need to find new terms to describe them.  

Therefore, today’s “task” was: Why does Comenius in 1658 use the term lūteola peregrīna to refer to a canary?

Both parts are CL words:

[i] lūteus, -a, -um: yellow; bright yellow;  saffron coloured

> lūteolus, -a, -um: (diminutive form) yellowish

The term is used as a descriptor for a number of species, for example:

vigna luteola, a type of vine with yellow flowers

sicalis luteola: grassland yellow finch

[ii] peregrīnus, -a, -um: strange; foreign exotic; the noun peregrīna, -ae [1/f] meaning ‘a foreign woman’ is attested in the work of Terence

We see the derivative in peregrine falcon (falcō, -nis [3/m] peregrīnus) i.e. a ‘wandering’ / migratory falcon.

Therefore, lūteola peregrīna literally means ‘the yellowish foreigner’ or ‘a foreign yellowish (bird)’.

The bird had been introduced to Europe by Spanish sailors from the Canary Islands in the 15^th century. By the time Comenius’ work was published, the canary was bred locally, but still had a ‘foreign’ or ‘exotic’ association.

Image #1: The German edition of Orbis Pictus refers to the bird as ‘der fremde Canarienvogel’ (the foreign canary bird).

However, even in the 17^th century, lūteola peregrīna does not appear to be the standard term for it. Online search does not find this attested in any other work apart from this one.

Image #2: Between 1551 and 1558 Conrad Gessner published the Historia Animalium, the first modern attempt to create a complete inventory of every known animal on earth. In Book 3 he describes birds, specifically referring to the canary as (avis) canaria.

canārius, -a, -um: (adjective) pertaining to dogs; Pliny the Elder uses the term Canāria to refer to one of what are now known as the Canary Islands owing to the presence of large dogs.

Images #3 and #4:

It was not until the mid 18^th century that Carl Linnaeus created the modern system for naming and grouping plants and animals by giving every living thing a two-part Latin name based on its physical traits. Linnaeus coined the term fringilla canaria in 1758; the same expression is also listed at:

https://neolatinlexicon.org/latin/canary/

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727088#page/200/mode/1up

Image #5: passer, -is [3/m] canārius (used in a later edition of Comenius’ own work)

Image #6: avis, -is [3/f] canariēnsis (complete English To Latin Dictionary Of 1838); note Linn. in the second definition i.e. referring to the classification by Linnaeus.

Over time, we can see that the original term used in Comenius’ work – which may have been either an independent attempt to describe the bird, or a light-hearted way of describing it to appeal to 17th century school pupils – became far more specific. 

04.07.26: Comenius XXI; singing birds [2]

others on the (4) boughs of trees | cēterae, in (4) rāmīs arborum

such as the canary-bird,│ ut lūteola peregrīna*.

the chaffinch,│ fringilla,

the goldfinch,│ carduēlis,

the siskin,│ acanthis,

the linnet,│ līnāria,

the little titmouse,│ parvus parus,

the wood-wall,│ galgulus,

the robin-red-breast,│ rubēcula,

the hedge-sparrow, &c.│ currūca, &c.

____________________

*lūteola peregrīna: this expression has an interesting background; see the next post

In the vocabulary images I have listed the noun as fringilla canāria.

vocabulary

rāmus, -ī [2/m]: branch; bough

fringilla, -ae [1/f]: CL: a small bird, possibly a robin or a chaffinch; (Neo-Latin) finch

carduēlis, -is [3/f]: goldfinch

acanthis, -idis [3/f]: siskin: the term for a green and yellow finch, “A little bird of a dark-green color, that lives in the thorn bushes, the thistle-finch or goldfinch” (Lewis & Short)

līnāria, -ae [1/f]: (Neo-Latin) linnet; the word did not exist in CL as a bird name but is derived from līnum, -ī [2/n]: flax (līnārius, -ī [2/m]: linen-weaver). The choice of the term refers to the bird’s fondness for flax seeds.

pārus, -ī [2/m]: tit(mouse); note the definition: “a small passerine bird of the genus Parus”; the term passerine is derived from Latin passer, -is [3/m]: sparrow

galgulus, -ī [2/m]: the translator describes it as a ‘wood-wall’ and Lewis & Short translate the noun as ‘witwall’, but those terms are obsolete; the noun refers to a woodpecker

rubēcula, -ae [1/f]: (Neo-Latin) European robin

currūca, -ae [1/f]: hedge-sparrow; hedge warbler; dunnock

04.07.26: Comenius XXI; singing birds [1]

SINGING BIRDS | OSCINĒS

the (1) nightingal singeth the sweetlyest of all | (1) luscinia cantat suāvissimē omnium

the (2) lark singeth as she flyeth in the air | (2) alauda cantillat volitāns in aere

the (3) quail sitting on the ground | (3) coturnīx sedēns humī

____________________

vocabulary

cantō, -āre [1]: sing; make music

cantillō, -āre [1]: hum, chirp; sing 

oscen, -inis [3 m/f]: singing bird; in Ancient Rome especially a bird whose song or cry was used by augurs to divine omens

alauda, -ae [1/f]: lark; skylark

luscinia, -ae [1/f]: nightingale; philomēla, -ae [1/f]: nightingale (poetic); swallow

cōturnīx, -cis [3/f]: quail

notes

(1) luscinia cantat ¦ suāvissimē ¦ omnium | the nightgale sings ¦ the most sweetly ¦ of all.

adjective

suāvis, -e: sweet

superlative adjective

suāvissimus, suāvissima, suāvissimum: the sweetest; very sweet

superlative adverb

suāvissimē: the most sweetly; very sweetly

suāvissimē ¦ omnium: the most sweetly of (them) all

(2) present active participles:

alauda cantillat ¦ volitāns ¦ in aere | the lark sings ¦ while (it is) flying / as it flies ¦ in the air

… coturnīx ¦ sedēns ¦ humī |  the quail ¦ while (it is) sitting / as it sits ¦ on the ground

09.01.27: Level 3+ (review); Dooge LXXVI [2] (1) deponent verbs; (2) subjunctive usage; (3) participial constructions

THE TRIUMPH OF CAESAR [1]

Pompēiō amīcīsque eius superātīs atque omnibus hostibus ubīque victīs, Caesar imperātor Rōmam rediit et extrā moenia urbis in campō Mārtiō castra posuit. Tum vērō amplissimīs honōribus adfectus est. Dictātor creātus est, et eī triumphus ā senātū est dēcrētus. Quō diē dē Gallīs triumphum ēgit, tanta multitūdō hominum in urbem undique cōnflūxit ut omnia loca essent cōnferta. Templa patēbant, ārae fūmābant, columnae sertīs ōrnātae erant. Cum vērō pompa urbem intrāret, quantus hominum fremitus ortus est! Prīmum per portam ingressī sunt senātus et magistrātūs. Secūtī sunt tībīcinēs, signiferī, peditēs laureā corōnātī canentēs: “Ecce Caesar nunc triumphat, quī subēgit Galliam,” et “Mīlle, mīlle, mīlle, mīlle Gallōs trucīdāvimus.” Multī praedam captārum urbium portābant, arma, omnia bellī īnstrūmenta. Secūtī sunt equitēs, animōsīs atque splendidissimē ōrnātīs equīs vectī, inter quōs Pūblius adulēscēns fortissimus habēbātur. Addūcēbantur taurī, arietēs, quī dīs immortālibus immolārentur. Ita longō agmine prōgrediēns exercitus sacrā viā per forum in Capitōlium perrēxit.

(1) review: deponent verbs

Deponent verbs look passive but they are active in meaning which can lead to misunderstanding since their forms are the same. You should become familiar with deponent verbs so that you recognise them when they occur in texts. A large number of them have been discussed in previous posts, but reference lists of the most common ones have also been given here.

Compare in the text [i] the passive forms of verbs and [ii] the deponent verbs:

[i]

amplissimīs honōribus adfectus est | he was bestowed with the highest honours

dictātor creātus est | he was made dictator

eī triumphus ā senātū est dēcrētus | a triumph was decreed for him by the senate

columnae sertīs ōrnātae erant | the columns had been decorated with garlands

Pūblius … fortissimus habēbātur. | Publius was regarded as the bravest

addūcēbantur taurī, arietēs, … | Bulls and rams were being led along, …

… quī dīs immortālibus immolārentur | … which were to be sacrificed to the immortal gods.

[ii]

sequor, sequī, secūtus sum [3/deponent]: follow

ingredior, ingredī, ingressus sum [3-iō / deponent]: enter

orior, orīrī, ortus sum [4/deponent]: arise

secūtī sunt equitēs | the horsemen followed; not the horsemen *were followed*

secūtī sunt tībīcinēs | the flute-players followed

ingressī sunt senātus et magistrātūs | the senate and magistrates entered

quantus hominum fremitus ortus est! | what a great roar of people arose!

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/deponent%20verbs

(2) review: subjunctive usage

[i] Cum vērō pompa urbem intrāret

[ii] arietēs, quī … immolārentur

[iii] tanta multitūdō hominum in urbem undique cōnflūxit ut omnia loca essent cōnferta

(3) review: participial constructions

[i] Pompēiō amīcīsque eius superātīs …

[ii] omnibus hostibus ubīque victīs …

[iii] equitēs … splendidissimē ōrnātīs equīs vectī

[iv] peditēs laureā corōnātī …

[v] peditēs laureā corōnātī canentēs …

[vi] Ita longō agmine prōgrediēns exercitus …

____________________

After Pompey and his friends had been defeated, and all the enemies everywhere had been conquered, Caesar the commander returned to Rome and pitched camp outside the city walls in the Campus Martius.

Then indeed he was honoured with the highest distinctions. He was made dictator, and a triumph was decreed for him by the senate. On the day on which he celebrated his triumph over the Gauls, such a crowd of people poured into the city from all directions that every place was packed. The temples were open, the altars were smoking, and the columns had been decorated with garlands.

And when the procession entered the city, what a great roar of people arose! First the senate and magistrates entered through the gate. The flute-players followed, standard-bearers, and infantry crowned with laurel, singing: “Behold Caesar now triumphs, who has conquered Gaul,” and “A thousand, a thousand, a thousand, a thousand Gauls we have slain.”

Many were carrying the spoils of captured cities — weapons, all the equipment of war. The cavalry  followed, riding on [literally: conveyed by] spirited and most splendidly decorated horses, among whom the young man Publius was regarded as the bravest. Bulls and rams were being led along, which were to be sacrificed to the immortal gods.

Thus, advancing in a long procession, the army made its way along the Sacred Way through the Forum and on to the Capitoline.

09.01.27: Level 3+ (review); Dooge LXXVI [1] comprehension

THE TRIUMPH OF CAESAR [1]

Pompēiō amīcīsque eius superātīs atque omnibus hostibus ubīque victīs, Caesar imperātor Rōmam rediit et extrā moenia urbis in campō Mārtiō castra posuit.

[1] “Pompēiō … posuit.”

[i] When did Caesar return to Rome? (2)

[ii] Where did he pitch camp? (2)

[2] Give the four headings (listed below) in any order that refer to each section of the passage.

[A] __________; __________; __________; __________

Tum vērō amplissimīs honōribus adfectus est. Dictātor creātus est, et eī triumphus ā senātū est dēcrētus. Quō diē de Gallīs triumphum ēgit, tanta multitūdō hominum in urbem undique cōnflūxit ut omnia loca essent cōnferta. Templa patēbant, ārae fūmābant, columnae sertīs ōrnātae erant.

[B] __________; __________; __________; __________

Cum vērō pompa urbem intrāret, quantus hominum fremitus ortus est! Prīmum per portam ingressī sunt senātus et magistrātūs. Secūtī sunt tībīcinēs, signiferī, peditēs laureā corōnātī canentēs: “Ecce Caesar nunc triumphat, quī subēgit Galliam,” et “Mīlle, mīlle, mīlle, mīlle Gallōs trucīdāvimus.”

[C] __________; __________; __________; __________

Multī praedam captārum urbium portābant, arma, omnia bellī īnstrūmenta. Secūtī sunt equitēs, animōsīs atque splendidissimē ōrnātīs equīs vectī, inter quōs Pūblius adulēscēns fortissimus habēbātur. Addūcēbantur taurī, arietēs, quī dīs immortālibus immolārentur. Ita longō agmine prōgrediēns exercitus sacrā viā per forum in Capitōlium perrēxit.

A CROWDED CITY

A LONG PROCESSION

A MILITARY AND MUSICAL ESCORT

A NOISY REACTION

A TRIUMPH IS DECREED

CAESAR’S HONOURS

PUBLIC PREPARATIONS

SACRIFICES TO THE GODS

MAGNIFICENT HORSES

THE OFFICIALS ENTER

THE SOLDIERS CHANT

THE SPOILS OF WAR

____________________

[1]

[i] After Pompey and his friends had been defeated (1) and all the enemies everywhere had been conquered (1)

[ii] outside the city walls (1); in the Field of Mars (1)

[A]

CAESAR’S HONOURS

A TRIUMPH IS DECREED

A CROWDED CITY

PUBLIC PREPARATIONS

[B]

A NOISY REACTION

THE OFFICIALS ENTER

A MILITARY AND MUSICAL ESCORT

THE SOLDIERS CHANT

[C]

THE SPOILS OF WAR

MAGNIFICENT HORSES

SACRIFICES TO THE GODS

A LONG PROCESSION

08.01.27: Level 2 (review); Carolus et Maria [38] (1)

Nox est et in casā nautae est agricola, pater Cassī. Omnēs prope focum sedent et virī fābulās nārrant. Haec est fābula agricolae.

“Ōlim multīs ante annīs ad oppidum frūmentum ferēbam. Illīs temporibus oppidum longē aberat. Equī erant tardī et saepe necesse erat sērā hōrā per silvam redīre. Ubi in oppidum pervēnī, multī aliī agricolae hūc convēnerant et colloquium erat longum et omnibus grātum. Vesper appropinquābat et erat tempus domum redīre. Tandem cum pecūniā quam prō frūmentō accēperam iter facere coepī. Nihil timēbam. Nihil perīculī in cōnspectū erat. Ubīque erat pāx. Lūna erat magna et clāra.

[i] Where exactly is this scene taking place? (2)

[ii] Quote and translate the phrase that indicates this story was not recent. (1)

[iii] What was the farmer doing? (1)

[iv] Why did the horses affect his journey? (3)

[v] What had taken place when he reached the town? (2)

[vi] Quote and translate the phrase that indicates that it was not yet night time. (1)

[vii] When he did start making the journey home? (1)

[viii] “Nihil … clāra.” Explain with reference to the text how he felt at this point and why. (4)

[2] Translate:

Quandō pontem trānsīre coepī, subitō ā dextrā et ā sinistrā duo virī erant in cōnspectū. Alter corpus parvum sed vōcem magnam habēbat; alter erat vir magnā vī. Carrō statim appropinquāvērunt. Vir parvus magnā vōce hōc modō clāmāvit: “Stā! Quantam pecūniam habēs? Eam nōbis dā. Properā. Sī id nōn faciēs, tē occīdēmus. (15)

____________________

[i] farmer’s cottage (1); (sitting) by the fireplace (1)

[ii] multīs ante annīs | many years before

[iii] carrying grain to town

[iv] horses were slow (1); he had to go through the forest (1) at a late hour (1)

[v] many farmers had gathered there (1); they were having a long and pleasing conversation (1)

[vi] vesper appropinquābat | evening was approaching / drawing near

[vii] When he had received the money for the grain.

[viii] feared nothing (1); could see no danger (1); everywhere peaceful (1); moon large and clear (1)

[2]

When I began to cross the bridge (1), suddenly on the right and on the left (1) two men came into / were in view (1). One had a small body (1) but a loud voice (1); the other was a man of great strength (1). They immediately approached the cart (1). The small man shouted in a loud voice (1) in this way (1): “Stop! (1) How much money do you have? (1) Give it to us. (1) Hurry. (1) If you do not do this (1), we will kill you. (1)”

07.01.27: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [9] (2)

HORĀTIUS COCLES (2)

Intereā Porsennae facta Rōmānōs nōn fefellērunt. Virginēs vestālēs prope ignem sacrum deōs ōrābant; mātrōnae cum līberīs suīs dōna ad templa ferēbant; senēs victimās in ārīs mactābant; iuvenēs in Campō Mārtiō sē ad arma proeliumque parābant, et moenia multō labōre firmābant; vigilēs in moenibus stābant et campōs clīvōsque spectābant.

Subitō vigilēs corusca Etrūscōrum arma procul vīdērunt. Mox inter hostēs Porsennam, et Porsennae ā dextrā Sextum, vīdērunt. Deinde cīvēs odiī et terrōris plēnī magnā vōce clāmāvērunt et animōs ad proelium firmāvērunt. Sed cōnsulēs timēbant, quod paucī erant Rōmānī, multī et validī hostēs.

[i]

cōnsul, -is [3/m]: consul, chief magistrate at Rome

dextra, -ae [1/f]: right hand; ā dextrā: on the right

hostis, -is [3 m/f]: enemy

ignis, -is [3/m]: fire

mātrōna, -ae [1/f]: matron

moenia, -ium [n pl]: town walls

odium, -ī [2/n]: hatred

proelium, -ī [2/n]: battle

senex, senis [3 m/f]: old person

vigil, -is [3/m]: sentinel

[ii]

firmō, -āre [1]: strengthen

[iii]

paucī, -ae, -a: few

sacer, -cra, -crum: sacred

Vestālis, -e: Vestal, belonging to Vesta

____________________

Meanwhile Porsenna’s actions did not deceive / escape the Romans’ notice. The Vestal Virgins were praying to the gods near the sacred fire; the matrons were carrying gifts to the temples together with their children; the old men were sacrificing victims on the altars; the young men were preparing themselves on the Campus Martius for weapons and battle, and were strengthening the walls with great effort; the watchmen stood on the walls and observed the fields and slopes.

Suddenly the watchmen saw the flashing weapons of the Etruscans in the distance. Soon they saw Porsenna among the enemy, and on Porsenna’s right Sextus. Then the citizens, full of hatred and fear, cried out loudly and steeled their spirits for battle. But the consuls were afraid, because the Romans were few, and the enemy many and strong.

06.01.27: Vincent and the Headache (3); step-by-step; saying what’s wrong with you [i]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/06/210626-vincent-and-headache-1-step-by.html

Caput multum dolet | I have a bad headache

One of the reasons to practise speaking the language, rather than only reading it, is that what the Romans said on a daily basis did not involve those lengthy speeches of Cicero. They used simple constructions just as we do today. By extracting them, particular features of the language can be reinforced in a practical way.

The Roman author Juvenal was worried about falling roof tiles. If you’re still beginning Latin, then just read the English and picture in your mind what Roman streets were really like!

Respice nunc alia ac dīversa perīcula noctis: | Now look at other, quite different dangers of the night:

quod spatium tēctīs sublīmibus unde cerebrum  / testa* ferit, … | how much room there is – from those lofty roofs — for a potsherd to smash your skull!

*potsherd: a broken shard of pottery

… quotiēns rīmōsa et curta fenestrīs / vāsa cadant, quantō percussum pondere signent / et laedant silicem,  | How often cracked and battered pots fall from windows, striking the pavement with such weight that they mark and mar the stone!

… possīs ignāvus habērī │ You might be thought a fool,

et subitī cāsus inprōvidus, … │ and careless of sudden disaster,

ad cēnam sī intestātus eās: │ if you go out to dinner without first making your will

If a roof tile fell on a Roman’s head then, apart from some undoubtedly ‘colourful’ language, he most likely said:

Caput (mihi) dolet! | Literally: the head is causing pain (to me) = My head hurts / I have a headache

And it’s not really any different from equivalents in some other modern languages:

Fr: la tête me fait mal; Gmn: der Kopf tut mir weh

Both the French and German literally say: “The head makes / does pain to me”. There are other ways of expressing those ideas in French and German, but the ones noted here are remarkably similar to Latin.

X mihi ¦ dolet | X (whatever is it) causes / is causing pain ¦ to me.

Dorsum mihi dolet. │My back is hurting. (My back is causing me pain.)

If the cause of the pain is plural, then the verb ending changes:

Dēns mihi dolet. │ My tooth hurts.

Dentēs mihi dolent. | My teeth hurt.

Exercises:

[1] Practise saying what’s wrong with you using these singular nouns:

__________ mihi dolet

[a]

1. auris: ear
2. caput: head
3. dēns: tooth
4. nāsus: nose
5. oculus: eye

[b]

1. bracchium: arm
2. collum: neck
3. dorsum: back
4. umerus: shoulder
5. pectus: chest; breast
6. venter: stomach

[c] 

1. manus: hand
2. digitus: finger

[d]

1. calcāneum: heel
2. crūs: leg
3. genū: knee
4. pēs: foot

[2] Now here are some plural forms:

__________ mihi dolent

1. aurēs: ears
2. dentēs: teeth
3. digitī: fingers
4. manūs: hands
5. oculī: eyes
6. pedēs: feet

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/vocabulary%3A%20body

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/topic%3A%20human%20body%3B%20accident%20and%20illness

05.01.27: Level 4; literature; Mediaeval; Gesta Rōmānōrum; Fīlia Pīrātae [1]

Compiled by an unknown author about the late 13^th / early 14^th century, Gesta Rōmānōrum (the deeds of the Romans) is a collection of anecdotes and tales which, despite its title, have little, if anything, to do with the Romans. Nevertheless, it was not only one of the most popular books at the time but also a direct or indirect source for literature including the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Giovanni Boccaccio and William Shakespeare.

Like the Vulgate it can be regarded as a “bridge” between textbook Latin and the works of the Roman authors. Sentence structure is generally less complex, and language is neither poetic nor oratorical in style. The only proviso is that certain features occur that are not evident in Classical Latin, although the meaning remains clear. Where variations occur, they will be noted.

Rēx quīdam rēgnāvit, in cuius imperiō erat quīdam iuvenis ā pīrātīs captus, quī scrīpsit patrī suō prō redemptiōne. Pater nōluit eum redimere sīc, quod iuvenis multō tempore in carcere erat macerātus. Ille, quī eum in vinculis habēbat, quandam pulchram fīliam ac oculīs hominum grātiōsam genuerat, qu(a)e nutrīta in domō erat, quousque vīgintī annōs in etāte (aetāte) suā complēverat, quae saepius incarcerātum visitātum īvit ac cōnsōlābātur. Sed ille in tantum dēsōlātus erat, quod nūllam cōnsōlātiōnem recipere poterat, sed suspīria et gemitūs continuē ēmittēbat.

Accidit quōdam diē, quod, cum puella eum visitāret, ait iuvenis eī: “Ō bona puella, utinam vellēs prō meā līberātiōne labōrāre!”

Quae ait: “Quōmodo poterō hoc attentāre! Pater tuus, quī tē genuit, nōn vult tē redimere, ego vērō, cum sim tibi extrānea, quōmodo deberem hoc cogitāre? “Et sī tē līberārem, offēnsiōnem patris meī incurrerem, quia tuam redemptiōnem perderet pater meus. Vērumtamen mihi ūnum concēde, et līberābō tē.”

Ait ille: “Ō bona puella, pete ā mē quid tibi placuerit! Sī mihi est possibile, ego concēdam.”

At illa: “Nihil aliud petō prō tuā līberātiōne, nisi quod mē in uxōrem dūcās tempore opportūnō.”

Quī ait: “Hoc tibi firmiter prōmittō.”

Vocabulary

[i]

consolātiō, -ōnis [3/f]: consolation, comfort

gemitus, -ūs [4/m]: groan

offēnsiō, -ōnis [3/f]: offence, wrongdoing

pīrāta, -ae [1/m]: pirate

rēdemptiō, -ōnis [3/f]: ransom, redemption

suspirium, -ī [2/n]: sigh

vinculum, -ī [2/n]: bond, chain, fetter

[ii]

cōnsolor, cōnsolārī, cōnsolātus sum [1 deponent]: console, comfort

dēsolō, dēsolāre, dēsolāvī, dēsolātus [1]: desolate, distress

gignō, gignere, genuī, genitus [3]: beget, bring forth

incurrō, incurrere, incursī, incursus [3]: incur, fall into (e.g. offence/blame)

macerō, macerāre, macerāvī, macerātus [1]: wear down, exhaust

nūtrīō, nūtrīre, nūtrīvī, nūtrītus [4]: nourish, bring up, rear

rēdīmō, rēdimere, redēmī, redemptus [3]: ransom, redeem

[iii]

dēsōlātus, -a, -um: desolate, distressed

extrāneus, -a, -um: foreign, unrelated, outsider (as adjective)

grātiōsus, -a, -um: pleasing, charming, graceful

opportūnus, -a, -um: suitable, favourable, opportune

Notes

[1] Rēx quīdam rēgnāvit, in cuius imperiō erat quīdam iuvenis ā pīrātīs captus …

A feature of some texts in the Gesta Rōmānōrum is their deliberate vagueness. The phrase rēx quīdam introduces an unnamed and unspecified king, while in cuius imperiō provides only a minimal narrative setting. This lack of specificity shows that the king serves merely as a framing device and plays no further role in the story. This kind of opening is similar to a folk tale (“once there was a king”), signalling that the moral narrative, rather than historical detail, is the focus.

[2] visitātum īvit | she went to visit …; supine

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/supine

[3] There are few challenges in reading Mediaeval Latin (ML); differences will be noted as we work through the text:

[i] ae > e; this reflects the shift in pronunciation from the Classical Latin (CL) diphthong /ae/ to /e/ and commonly occurs in Mediaeval writing:

CL: quae > ML: que (Compare Fr. / Sp. que)

CL: aetate > ML: etate

[iii] word order, although still displaying Classical Latin structure, is simpler in style; note in particular that verbs are trending towards an order similar or identical to, for example, French and English:

… quī scrīpsit patrī suō prō redemptiōne.

who wrote to his father about a ransom

… cum sim tibi extrānea, …

since I am a stranger to you, …

Nihil aliud petō prō tuā līberātiōne, …

I ask nothing else for your freedom

Sī mihi est possibile …

If it is possible for me,

līberābō tē

I will free you

[iv] A major change to note: far wider-ranging use of quod to express the conjunction ‘that’; these are not CL structures but show the influence of Romance languages that had developed from Latin. Both of the examples below would require ut + subjunctive in CL:

Sed ille in tantum dēsōlātus erat, quod nūllam cōnsōlātiōnem recipere poterat

But he was so utterly desolate that he was unable to receive any consolation

Accidit quōdam diē, quod, … ait iuvenis eī

It happened one day that, … the young man said to her

Subjunctive usage

The text is an excellent source of review of the subjunctive, and their uses are very clear:

[i] cum puella eum visitāret, …

when the girl was visiting him,

cum sim tibi extrānea, …

since I am a stranger to you, …

cum-clause: circumstance

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20cum-clauses

[ii] utinam vellēs prō meā līberātiōne labōrāre!

if only you were willing to work for my freedom!

optative

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20optative

[iii] quōmodo deberem hoc cogitāre?

how should I think of doing this?

deliberative

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20deliberative

[iv] Et sī tē līberārem, offēnsiōnem patris meī incurrerem, …

And if I were to free you, I would incur the anger of my father, …

conditional clause: present contrary-to-fact

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/03/100926-level-3-conditional-clauses-7.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/03/100926-level-3-conditional-clauses-8.html

[v] … quia tuam redemptiōnem perderet pater meus.

… because my father would lose your ransom.

causal clause

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/03/230826-level-3-subjunctive-90-dependent.html

[vi] pete ā mē quid tibi placuerit [perfect subjunctive]

ask from me whatever you please [literally: what may have pleased you]

indirect question

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20indirect%20questions

[vii] Nihil aliud petō …, nisi quod mē in uxōrem dūcās

I ask nothing else …, except (for the fact) that you take me as your wife

indirect command: in CL usually with ut but ML uses quod [see note [1][iv] above]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/subjunctive%3A%20indirect%20commands

____________________

A certain king reigned, in whose realm there was a certain young man who had been captured by pirates, and who wrote to his father about a ransom. The father was unwilling to ransom him in this way, because the young man had been worn down by a long time in prison. The man who was holding him in chains had begotten a certain beautiful daughter, pleasing in the eyes of men, and she had been brought up in the house until she had reached twenty years of age. She often went to visit the imprisoned man and used to comfort him. But he was so utterly desolate that he was unable to receive any consolation, and instead he continually let out sighs and groans.

It happened one day that, when the girl was visiting him, the young man said to her: “O good girl, if only you were willing to work for my freedom!”

She said: “How shall I be able to attempt this? Your father, who begot you, is unwilling to ransom you; but I, since I am a stranger to you, how should I think of doing this? And if I were to free you, I would incur the anger of my father, because my father would lose your ransom. Nevertheless, grant me one thing, and I will free you.”

He said: “O good girl, ask from me whatever you please! If it is possible for me, I will grant it.”

But she said: “I ask nothing else (in exchange / in return) for your freedom, except that you should take me as your wife at a suitable time.”

He said: “I firmly promise you this.”

Gesta Romanorum (1493)

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