04.05.24: review; birthday plans [8] notes: other points (iii); demonstrative adjectives and pronouns [2] Examples of ille from the authors

If we ever had the opportunity to travel back in time, which Roman authors would we like to have met? For me, one of them would have been Plautus.

I can’t talk about the tradition of comedy in any other nation, but certainly British comedy often plays on the respective roles of men and women; men think they’re in charge, but it’s the women who call the shots. The men think they’re brave, but when the wives turn up, it’s a different story!

And that story has been going on for more than 2000 years.

From Plautus: Asinaria (the Comedy of Asses); date uncertain: possibly 200BC

ARGYRIPPUS: Ecquid mātrem amās? │ Don't you love my mother?

DEMAENETUS: Egone illam? nunc amō, quia nōn adest. │ Who, me? I love her just now, because she isn't here.

I also like his work because, of course, they’re plays, they’re talking to a Roman audience, and so the language can be simpler and can illustrate points in context. He’s a very handy author for Facebook!

[1] Here are a few examples from Plautus of ille, illa and illud being used in context.

ARTEMONA: Ille it ad cēnam cottīdiē. │ He's going out to dinner every day.

PARASITUS: Quīn tū illum iubēs ancillās rapere sublīmen domum? │ Why don't you tell your maid-servants to carry him off home upon their shoulders?

ARTEMONA: Tacē modo. nē ego illum ēcastor miserum habēbō. │ You just keep quiet. Oh, I'll surely make him miserable.”

PARASITUS: Ita fore illī dum quidem cum illō nūpta eris. │ I'm sure that’s what’ll happen to him, so long, indeed, as you stay married to (with) him.”

One character is suggesting a sort of ‘pre-nuptial’ agreement.

tū prō illā ōrēs ut sit propitius. neque illa ūllī hominī nūtet, nictet, annuat. │ You are to pray for her (on her behalf) that he (the god) be favourable, and she is neither to nod at any man, wink, or make a sign.

nam ego illud argentum tam parātum fīliō sciō esse │ For I know that money is as surely forthcoming for my son

[2] Catullus 51:

Ille mī pār esse deō vidētur, │He / that (man) seems to me to be equal to a god

ille, sī fās est, superāre dīvōs, │He, if it’s permissable, (seems to) surpass the gods

And it’s a spot-on example because Catullus is jealously looking at him from a distance, and that man is with the girl that Catullus loves.