Beyond the Viator ad Aerarium

This post is the promised follow-up to my earlier one featuring the "Viator ad Aerarium" relief in the Italy section of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. There are lots of cool pictures, which are my own (except, of course, for the map included below).

Map of Italy and Festa Italia in Busch Gardens Williamsburg

The examples of the Roman-themed architecture, artwork, and graffiti surround the San Marco Theatre, which can be seen at the top of the map. just off center to the left. The theming created by the park works (in my humble opinion) and lends a classical flair to a comfortable and interesting recreation of a timeless Italian village. The largest and most impressive structure is a group of columns, reminiscent of Roman ruins.

Nearby -- next to a gelato shop! -- is an example of some faux, polychrome marble inlay, very well done. The object is a small stage.

But most impressive to me are the depictions of Roman art (the first one, at least) from an actual fresco found in the excavations of Stabiae near Mt. Vesuvius. Many will recognize the image of Flora picking flowers.

There is also a relief which may itself be inspired by actual Roman art. There are works such as these, surviving from ancient Rome, which depict scenes from work or businesses and give us insight into how things in the ancient Roman world worked.

What I have always found interesting, and somewhat surprising, is the inclusion of graffiti in what is supposed to be a form of Latin. The first example below (obviously in Italian) is an introduction to the theater.

I particularly like the depiction of the chariot pulled by horses and the other doodles which accompany the "Latin words".

So, what are we to make of all this? As a classicist, I am pleased and impressed that the park took the time to incorporate these details into their theming. Most people probably don't even notice them as the efforts blend into the background to make this area seem authentic and other worldly. Is there actual Roman art and Latin graffiti on the walls of villages in Italy today? Of course not, but these examples add to the effect and remain a whimsical and surprising addition to the park. I encourage you to check it out!

Materials on the Way for Pliny Outside the New AP Latin Curriculum

I recently posted an article on the revised AP Latin curriculum including some letters of Pliny the Younger in lieu of lengthy passages of the Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

I have long been a fan of Pliny and count him as my favorite writer of Latin prose. As I recounted in my earlier post, I had planned to create and distribute some handouts for teachers, only to discover that excellent and worthy materials were already available from Geoffrey Steadman.

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-latin-revised-framework-preview.pdf

Instead of giving up on my project completely, I decided that I would redirect my efforts to offer suggestions and materials for the "Teacher's Choice Prose" section (see image above). I agree with most of the choices that the College Board has made for Pliny, but also feel that they left out some interesting and iconic letters (the titles are my own):

• I.1: Publishing My Letters - A good lead-in to Pliny's epistles as he writes about how he collected his works and made them available for publication. I have always liked reading about what authors have to say about their own work and other authors (see III.21 below).
• I.6: Making the Most of the Hunt - A fun letter in which Pliny makes the most out of his hunting trip and uses it as an opportunity to get all sorts of work done.
• III.21: Lamenting the Death of Martial - Pliny's letter recalling his friend Martial and his character, and it seems Martial was quite the character.
• IV.19: She Really Loves Me! - A touching letter in which Pliny describes the relationship with his wife and how much she cares for him and loves him.
• X.96: What Do I Do about the Christians? - A truly iconic letter in which Pliny, as governor of the province of Bithynia, writes to the Emperor Trajan and asks for the proper procedure for handling those who have been accused of being Christians.
• X.97: Handling the Christians - Trajan's thoughtful and straightforward response to Pliny.

My plans are to create texts, notes, and materials in pdfs (and possibly even ppt) and make them available for teachers, hopefully by January or February 2025.

Ave atque Vale, Magistra!

Yesterday I attended the memorial service for Jane Hall: an outstanding teacher, amazing woman, and force of nature. This remarkable celebration of life, in the classically-inspired rotunda of James Farmer Hall on the campus of the University of Mary Washington, was well-attended, with numerous friends, colleagues, and former students sharing their memories and anecdotes of one who worked so hard to lift up the learning and teaching of Latin for so many. Please read below Jane's obituary:

Jane Harriman Hall, age 93, of White Stone, VA, formerly of Alexandria, VA, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 25, 2024. Jane was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 69 years, David Alan Hall and her parents, Roswell Hitchcock and Ruth Damman Harriman. She is survived by her daughter, Dianne Harriman Thomas (Stephen B.Thomas), two grandchildren Amanda Thomas Kaeser (Kyle C. Kaeser) and Stephen B. Thomas, Jr., and one great grandchild Riley Brooke Kaeser.

Jane earned her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1952, and her M.A. from the University of Maryland in 1969. Jane's extraordinary teaching career spanned 59 years. She taught every grade, with the majority of her teaching years at Fort Hunt High School in Fairfax County, VA, where she taught Latin, Ancient Greek and Russian. She finished her stellar career as an adjunct professor at the University of Mary Washington. Throughout her lifetime, Jane received numerous well-deserved awards and honors for her many accomplishments. Some of her awards include: Jane was chosen for the 1966 edition of Outstanding Young Women of America; being selected as Virginia’s Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in 1984; also in 1984, Jane was honored by the Classical Association of the Middle West and South. In 1996, she was awarded the John F. Latimer Award from the Washington Classical Society, and in 2001, she received a Merita Award from the American Classical League. Jane was the first Director of the Virginia Governor’s Academy.

She also developed the Forum Romanum video series in order to provide a visual tool for teachers throughout the country. This series documented historic moments in Roman history with live characters speaking only Latin. These videos helped students’ ability to use Latin orally. Finding innovative ways to encourage students’ learning was one of Jane’s greatest strengths. She took students on numerous educational trips to foreign countries including Italy and Greece. She held toga parties and Latin banquets. She gave out awards in the classroom for academic achievements. She headed clubs, including the Latin Club and the Latin Honor Society.

In 1978, Jane founded The National Latin Exam on a card table in her family room. The annual exam rewards students for excelling in their study of Latin. She devoted 34 years of leadership and expertise to the National Latin Exam, before retiring in 2011. By the time she retired, nearly 3 million students had participated in taking the National Latin Exam. In addition, more than one million dollars in scholarships had been awarded. The National Latin Exam still thrives today, and the numbers have increased significantly. This year’s Exam boasts over 114,000 participants, including 26 countries, and $131,000 to be awarded in Scholarships. The NLE lives on as her legacy to the American Classical League and to the recognition of thousands of students, teachers, and schools around the world.

In 1970, Jane and Dave built a home on the Corrotoman River and began life part-time in the Northern Neck. Their love for this area grew over the years, until 2003, when they moved full-time to White Stone. Jane was an active resident of the Northern Neck and Tabbs Creek community. She volunteered at the Steamboat Museum, Meals on Wheels, the Animal Welfare League, the Lancaster Community Library, as well as various other community events and benefits. She enjoyed life on the creek, as she and David were seen most evenings taking a cruise on her beloved Duffy, the Festina Lente. She enjoyed the New York Times crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, opera, bridge, tennis, swimming, boating, entertaining, and especially traveling. Jane lived life to the fullest in every way, and she was known by her friends to be the life of any gathering. Jane and Dave were members of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kilmarnock, VA.

Memorial donations may be made in Jane’s honor to the National Latin Exam, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

What is pizza? And what is in that picture from Pompeii?

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/best-veggie-pizza/

What is pizza? I know that is a silly question, but there are so many varieties and toppings that settling on one definition, so dependent on personal preference, is next to impossible. The Romans got it right with the Latin phrases, quot homines tot sententiae and, of course, nil disputandum de gustibus.

The quintessential pizza, as if described by the philosopher Plato, to which all other pizzas aspire, is obviously a crust, sauce, cheese, and perhaps a variety of toppings. It bakes until the crust is done and the cheese is melted. This is the simplistic recipe for pizzaness or a pizza-like object. All pies are, indeed, a variation on a theme.

https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en/ricetta_pizza_napoletana

In an attempt to protect their heritage and define more clearly this culinary gift to the world, Italy has an official and legal definition of pizza, which sets the requirements for crust, sauce, cheese, toppings, and baking. Pizzaioli who follow these directives even display a sign or a sticker (pictured above) on the front door of their shop, advertising the authenticity of their product so that patrons know they are getting the real thing. (On a side note: While searching for this information on the official rules, I came across a great article from Pizza Bien which tells us where to buy real pizza in Italy. It is well worth a read.)

Although this gastronomic delight is now a staple around the world, pizza may have its origins in the ancient Roman world. For those who argue that this delicacy did not originate in ancient Rome, a pizza of sorts is mentioned in two passages of Vergil's Aeneid as a part of the same story arc.

https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/celaeno/

In their journey to found a new Troy somewhere in the west, the beleaguered Trojans attack the Harpies and kill some of their cattle. The harpy Celaeno (pictured above) then curses these wandering warriors to endure so much hunger that they cannot reach their promised land until they have eaten their very tables:

una in praecelsa consedit rupe Celaeno,                            245

infelix vates, rumpitque hanc pectore vocem:

'bellum etiam pro caede boum stratisque iuvencis,

Laomedontiadae, bellumne inferre paratis

et patrio Harpyias insontis pellere regno?

Accipite ergo animis atque haec mea figite dicta,              250

quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo

praedixit, vobis Furiarum ego maxima pando.

Italiam cursu petitis ventisque vocatis:

ibitis Italiam portusque intrare licebit.

Sed non nate datam cingetis moenibus urbem                   255

quam vos dira fames nostraeque iniuria caedis

ambesas subigat malis absumere mensas.'

Aeneid III.245-257

And my translation:

Celaeno alone settles on a very high rock,

an unhappy prophetess, and calls out this voice from her heart:

'Is it war actually for the slaughter of our herds and cattle laid low,

sons of Laomedon, war you intend to bring in

and drive the innocent Harpies from their native kingdom?

Therefore receive and fix in your mind these words of mine,

which the all-powerful father foretold to Phoebus, then Phoebus Apollo to me,

then to you I, the greatest of the Furies, reveal.

Italy in your course you seek and you call upon it with the winds:

You will go to Italy and you will be permitted to enter its ports,

but you will not surround your owed city with walls

before cruel hunger and the wrongdoing of our slaughter

forces you to eat your tables gnawed by your jaws.'

https://dcc.dickinson.edu/cultural-context/german?page=15

Further on, Aeneas' son Ascanius jests that the Trojans are eating their tables:

Aeneas primique duces et pulcher Iulus

corpora sub ramis deponunt arboris altae,

instituuntque dapes et adorea liba per herbam

subiciunt epulis (sic Iupitter ipse monebat)                            110

et Cereale solum pomis agrestibus augent.

Consumptis hic forte aliis, ut vertere morsus

exiguam in Cererem penuria adegit edendi,

et violare manu malisque audacibus orbem

fatalis crusti patulis nec parcere quadris:                              115

'heus, etiam mensas consumimus?' inquit Iulus,

nec plura, adludens, ea vox audita laborum

prima tulit finem, primamque loquentis ab ore

eripuit pater ac stupefactus numine pressit.

Continuo 'Salve fatis mihi debita tellus                                  120

vosque' ait 'o fidi Troiae salvete penates:

hic domus, haec patria est. Genitor mihi talia namque

(nunc repeto) Anchises fatorum arcana reliquit:

"Cum te, nate, fames ignota ad litora vectum

accisis coget dapibus consumere mensas,                              125

tum sperare domos defessus, ibique memento

prima locare manu molirique aggere tecta."'

Aeneid VII.107-127

And this is:

Aeneas and the first leaders and handsome Iulus

lay down their bodies beneath the branches of a tall tree,

and they set up their meals and they spread out their spelt cakes

through the grass for their dishes of food (thus Jupiter himself advised)

and they pile Ceres' plate with wild fruits.

With other things here eaten by chance, as their lack of eating

drove them to turn their bites onto their scanty Ceres/grain/cakes,

and to break the plate with their hand and bod jaws

and not to spare the spread out tables of fated baked item:

'Hey! Are we eating our tables too?' says Iulus, joking,

and there were no more. This statement having been heard

first brought an end of their labors, the first from the mouth of the speaker

the father snatched and stunned by the divine will he pressed.

Immediately he says 'Greetings, land owed to me by the fates

and greetings, i you faithful gods of Troy:

here is our home, this is our country. For my father Anchises

(I recall now) left behind such secret things of the fates:

"Son, when hunger will compel you, carried to unknown shores,

to eat your tables at a hewn feast,

then weary hope for homes, and there remember

to place with your first hand and to build houses with a wall."'

In these passages we clearly see that the Trojans are using their bread as plates to hold other food (VII.111: Cereale solum pomis agrestibus augent). The reference to gnawing or tough chewing (III.256-7: vos dira fames nostraeque iniuria caedis / ambesas subigat malis absumere mensas) indicates that these could very well be a form of hardtack (survival bread) typically used by sailors and other wandering groups for millennia.

https://secretsofsurvival.com/how-to-make-hardtack/

It makes perfect sense that pizza, as we know it, would have its roots in vegetables, fruits, meats, mushrooms, seafood, etc. placed upon various types of flatbread (leavened or unleavened). These foods add flavor, convenience, neatness, or even assist in the ability to eat the hard, dried-out wafer. Even though many will call this the ancestor of pizza, in reality there are many examples of this type of food from around the world: think about a tostada from Mexico, a gyro from Greece, a sandwich from Britain, and even that cheese on a cracker you constructed and ate yesterday.

The earliest mention in writing of the actual word "pizza" dates to AD 997 in the Codex Diplomaticus Cajenatus, a collection of documents pertaining to the governance of Gaeta in central Italy. The passage in medieval Latin records an annual requirement of payment to the house of the bishop:

Tantummoduo persolvere debeatis omni anno salutes in dies natali domini sive vos sive vestris heredes in suprascripto episcopio tam nobis quam a nostris posteris successores duodecim pizze et una spatula de porco; et unum lumbulum; simul et in die sanctum pascha resurrectionis domini annualiter duodecim pizze et unum parium de pulli.

And my translation:

You merely must pay in every year of salvation on the birthday of the Lord either you or your heirs in the aforementioned bishop's house either to us or to our following successors twelve pizzas and one leg of pork, and one loin; and likewise on the holy day Easter of the resurrection of the Lord annually twelve pizzas and one pair of chickens.

There is no description of what form this pizza takes, but the word is there. A search of the origin of this term reveals, in a variety of online dictionary sites, that pitta may be a variation in Italian (and, yes, pita should come to mind), maybe coming from the Vulgar Latin picea, and related to the Greek petea, or possibly even the Old High German bizzo or pizzo. What this tells me is that the origin of the name is unknown and most likely impossible to prove.

The impetus for this discussion of the definition and origin of pizza comes from the 2023 discovery of a fresco in Pompeii which seems to show a pizza with abundant toppings. Take a look at the entree on the left:

https://www.popsci.com/science/pompeii-ancient-pizza-fresco/

The item certainly looks like a pizza, and it surely looks appetizing! Both the daily British paper The Guardian and the American Smithsonian Magazine (along with numerous other news sources) ran articles announcing to the world that a snapshot of the ancestor of the pizza had been discovered.

The question remains, though, is it really a pizza? If we go by the official definition provided by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana listed above, we have to say no. Why does the dish in the fresco not make the cut? The main reason is that tomatoes were not introduced to Europe by the Spanish exploring South America until the 16th century. There is also some discussion that true mozzarella cheese may not have been available until the 12th century, but variations of this necessary topping may have been around since the 1st century AD.

So what mouth-watering dish do we see in this fresco? Publications which did not jump on the pizza bandwagon (including the New York Times, National Public Radio, and even Popular Science) claim that this is merely an ancestor of our modern staple, a sort of proto-pizza, or maybe even a tasty focaccia.

So, what does it all mean? My thoughts are that the entree represented in the fresco is not a pizza, but a disk of bread providing a base for other items, most likely a mix of fruit and vegetables. This does reflect the historical use of hardtack I described above, and continues a tradition of providing a platform for foods even exiled Trojans would recognize and enjoy.

Viator ad Aerarium

 

I had intended to write an article about some nonsensical Latin graffiti used as decoration in Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, but a quick check on the internet revealed that one item, which I had believed to be created in-house, was actually authentic!

I am a frequent visitor of the theme park and I often scoffed at the faux relief with the inscription viator ad aerarium mounted on the wall of the theater in San Marco, an Italo-Roman-themed section of the "countries" available to visit. I thought, "What in world do they mean by 'traveller to the treasury'? Did they mean to say, 'Way to the bank'? Is this what Google Translate generated for them?" I had to reconsider that last statement because I realized the relief has been in place long before Google Translate was been a thing.

Furthermore, the context of the inscription did not inspire confidence that the phrase was real. Take a look:

The items scrawled on the wall around the relief, with the exception of the horse, are basically meaningless, just doodles and letters in Latin word-like objects. It's not supposed to mean anything, but I didn't want to let it go.

Imagine my surprise when I did a search for "viator ad aerarium" and found that art pages and museums were selling pictures and posters of an actual relief which was obviously used to create this particular item. A little more digging revealed that this relief and inscription can be found in the Vatican Museums! Behold this work available from art.com:

So, what does the original and its decorative copy really mean beyond the literal "traveller to the treasury"? I learned that aerarium is the term used to describe public funds, kept separate from the fiscus, or private funds, or the Roman emperors. It's very important to keep these monies in different piles. The term viator denotes an actual public official who worked for the ancient Roman banking system. The best description I could find was translated from the Enciclopedia Italiana (1937):

The functions of the viatores were similar to those of the lictores; the most important were to communicate to the senators the convocation of the senate, to carry out judicial summonses, seizures, and arrests. They were also information officers. Outside Rome the governors of the provinces had viatores under them. There were also some in some municipalities; a dozen lictores and viatores were at the service of the municipality of Narbonne. In one relief, a bag is found as the emblem of a viator, employee of the treasury (viator ad aerarium), indicating the collection service and the qualification of cashier officer.

Essentially what we are looking at is the the sign of a real Roman tax collector! So, how did this copy of an authentic Roman relic come to set the scene in a theme park in southeast Virginia? I am guessing that such items were available for purchase and used without much thought of what it really meant. I applaud Busch Garden's attempt at authenticity.

The first two photographs are my own; the third is from the website art.com.

I will be making a future post showing more graffiti and art from San Marco, BGW.

Check Out Materials for the New AP Latin Curriculum

The College Board has announced that they are replacing Caesar with Pliny the Younger for the next iteration of the Advanced Placement Latin curriculum. Latin teachers are eagerly awaiting the final details on which letters will be included and how they will fit with the revised lines of Vergil's Aeneid. Hopefully the announcement will come soon so that writers can get started on materials. The 2025-2026 school year will be here before we know it!

Speaking of materials... since I am a fan of Pliny the Younger AND I have time on my hands through the joys of retirement, I decided that I would adapt some of the materials I had created for my own classroom and make them available to teachers, for a modest fee. I was getting excited over the possibility of creating materials and making a contribution to the Latin community.

I looked through my files, checked out the texts of Pliny I had on hand, and checked texts available online, and determined that all of them lacked macrons. I figured that I would need to offer these diacritical marks if I wanted to offer anything for sale, so I asked on the very useful Latin Teacher Idea Exchange (LTIE) on Facebook whether teachers would use materials without macrons, and good thing I did!

I received responses fairly quickly, including a post directing me to a prolific writer who included macrons. I took a look and my plans for developing materials came to a screeching halt. Not only were there letters of Pliny the Younger available with long marks, but there were facing notes, vocabulary, and review of grammar and syntax found in them... almost in the exact same format I was planning to offer! I was a little disappointed that someone had beat me to it, and had come up with the same idea I had, but after checking out the materials available, I was impressed and glad that they existed for teachers, AND for free!

Check out Geoffrey Steadman's copious materials available on the new AP Latin curriculum as well as numerous other Latin and Greek authors and works. I am impressed and wish I had known these existed when I was still teaching! Outside of the printed texts, there are new and FREE pdfs available to download with a promise of updated versions coming later in Spring 2024. Do check them out and see if you can use them! Good stuff!

About Those Ships in Pliny the Younger VI.16

When my students were reading authentic Latin literature, I would encourage them, as they worked through a passage, to pay attention to references to people, places, and things, and look them up so that they would have a fuller understanding of what the author was saying. To pass over a reference was an indication of trying to just get through the work and not really engage in the passage. A good example is the passage below from Pliny the Younger's description of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the actions of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, to observe and record this extraordinary event. When the reader gets to the mention of liburnicam, it is too easy to say "Hmm, that must be some sort of boat," and move on. You really don't have any more understanding of it until you get further in the letter and Pliny the Elder changes his mind and orders out the quadriremes. Then you think that a liburnicam must be smaller and that a more substantial vessel is necessary. Let's take a closer look.

https://pompeiitourguide.me/2013/10/21/miseno-cape/

In 79 CE, Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) was in command of the Roman fleet stationed at Misenum, the port located across the Bay of Naples from Mount Vesuvius. As the author of the Naturalis Historia, he would have been very interested in closely observing and experiencing a volcanic eruption, particularly one so close to him. His nephew, Pliny the Younger (Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus), writes:

Magnum propiusque noscendum ut eruditissimo viro visum. Iubet liburnicam aptari; mihi si venire una vellem facit copiam; respondi studere me malle, et forte ipse quod scriberem dederat. 8 Egrediebatur domo; accipit codicillos Rectinae Tasci imminenti periculo exterritae — nam villa eius subiacebat, nec ulla nisi navibus fuga -: ut se tanto discrimini eriperet orabat. 9 Vertit ille consilium et quod studioso animo incohaverat obit maximo. Deducit quadriremes, ascendit ipse non Rectinae modo sed multis — erat enim frequens amoenitas orae — laturus auxilium.

So here is a picture of a liburnica:

https://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/tag/boat/

This is not such a small ship and certainly would have served Pliny the Elder's purposes until he changes his mind and his plan.

In English the passage above reads:

"This [the eruption] was a great and rather close thing to be examined, as it seemed to a very learned man. He [Pliny the Elder] orders the liburnica to be made ready; he gives me the opportunity whether I wanted to come with him; I responded that I preferred to study, and by chance he himself had given me something to write. He was setting out from home; he receives a message from Rectina, the wife of Tascus, frightened by the impending danger -- for her villa was lying at the foot [of the mountain], and htere was no escape execpt by ships --: she was begging him to rescue her from such great peril. He changes his plan and what he had begun with a studious mind he finishes with a very great/noble one. He launches the quadriremes, he himself climbs on board, about to bring help not only for Rectina but for many -- for the pleasantness of that coast was popular." (The translation is my own.)

And this is a picture of a quadrireme:

https://naval-encyclopedia.com/antique-ships/roman-ships

This is certainly a larger ship and much faster with its four banks of oars.

So what does this contribute to the reading of the of the passage about Pliny's intentions? It illustrates that Pliny the Elder was taking a ship probably larger than we imagined, but that the quadrireme is definitely larger and better suited to his decisions to mount a rescue mission. The pictures helps us to imagine the scene better and understand fully the plan. 

Freshwater Crabs Live Beneath the Ruins of Rome

Every so often there appears a news story of classical interest which seems so unusual that you need to check the sources to make sure that the claim is true, and this is one of those:

Click here to get a better view and to read the article.

While the ruins beneath the Forum of Trajan seem to be the most populated, the crabs can be found in the sewers, in particular the remains of the Cloaca Maxima, which still drains this area of the city.

Click on this link to get a good view of Emanuele Biggi's award-winning photograph of the Gladiator Crab.

Many are the wonders of this world!

Evander Mourns the Death of His Son Pallas

Evander Mourning Over the Body of his Son, Pallas, Aeneid: Book XI,
from Les Oeuvres de Virgile, after Charles-Nicolas Cochin, the younger

This is follow-up is a companion piece to the post published on June 18: "Evander Begs Jupiter for his Son's Safe Return".

In Book XI, lines 148-163, of Vergil's Aeneid, Evander mourns his son Pallas killed in combat:

At non Evandrum potis est vis ulla tenere,
sed venit in medios. Feretro Pallante reposto
procubuit super atque haeret lacrimansque gemensque,    150
et via vix tandem voci laxata dolore est:
"Non haec, o Palla, dederas promissa parenti,
cautius ut saevo velles te credere Marti.
Haud ignarus eram quantum nova gloria in armis
et praedulce decus primo certamine posset.                       155
Primitiae iuvenis miserae bellique propinqui
dura rudimenta, et nulli exaudita deorum
vota precesque meae! Tuque, o sanctissima coniunx,
felix morte tua neque in hunc servata dolorem!
Contra ego vivendo vici mea fata, superstes                      160
restarem ut genitor. Troum socia arma secutum
obruerent Rutuli telis! Animam ipse dedissem
atque haec pompa domum me, non Pallanta, referret!"

And my translation:

Yet no force can hold back Evander,
But he comes into their midst. He threw himself
onto Pallas laid out on a litter, crying and groaning he clings,
and after a hard while he finds a way to utter from grief:
“O Pallas, you had not given these promises to your father,
that you would want to entrust yourself more warily to savage Mars,
I was by certainly not ignorant how much new glory there is in arms
and how much very sweet pride there can be in your first fight.
The wretched firsts of youth and the hard first attempts at war nearby,
no gods heard my vows and my prayers!
And you, O most holy wife, were lucky to die
and to have saved yourself from this grief!
As for me I have overcome my fates by stay alive,
so that I might remain a father surviving my son.
The Rutulians with their weapons should have overwhelming me having followed 
the allied arms of the Trojans. I myself should have given my soul
and this procession should be carrying me home, not Pallas!

Sage Advice for the Traveler

The Villa Vergiliana: https://www.vergiliansociety.org/villa/

When I was a student in college, I had the privilege, in the fall of 1985, of spending a semester abroad in Rome at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS), more affectionately called the Centro. While we were on a two-week excursion to southern Italy and Sicily, we stayed a few nights at the Villa Vergiliana near Pozzuoli and Naples. While there, I found on the bulletin board this practical list, which should be considered by all who set out for vacation:

The Ten Commandments of Travel

1. Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou hast left them at home - for thou hast left thy home to find things different.
   
   
2. Thou shalt not take things too seriously - for a carefree mind is the beginning of a happy vacation.
   
   
3. Thou shalt not let other tourists get on your nerves - as thou art paying out good money to have a good time.
   
   
4. Remember thy passport where it is at all times - for a man without a passport is a man without a country.
   
   
5. Blessed is the man who can make change in any language - for, lo, he shall not be cheated.
   
   
6. Blessed is the man who can say "Thank You" in any language - it shall be worth more than many tips.
   
   
7. Thou shalt not worry. He that worrieth hath no pleasure - and few things are ever fatal.
   
   
8. Thou shalt not judge a people of a country by one person with whom thou hast had trouble.
   
   
9. Thou shalt not make thyself too obviously American - when in Rome, do somewhat as the Romans do.
   
   
10. Remember thou art a guest in every land - and he that treats his host with respect shall be treated as an honored guest.

Evander Begs Jupiter for his Son's Safe Return

On this Father's Day 2023, a quick look around the internet reveals that the theme of the relationship between fathers and their sons are a ripe topic for exploration in Vergil's Aeneid. As I surveyed the options form this work, one scene stood out as particularly poignant: the passage in Book VIII where Evander bids a sad, foreboding farewell to his son Pallas as he sets out with Aeneas to battle. Evander is too old and infirm to lead and teach his son himself, so he has entrusted this task to the surrogate Aeneas.

In Book VIII, lines 558-584, Evander begs Jupiter for his son's safe return:

tum pater Evandrus dextram complexus euntis
haeret inexpletus lacrimans ac talia fatur:
'o mihi praeteritos referat si Iuppiter annos,                560
qualis eram cum primam aciem Praeneste sub ipsa
stravi scutorumque incendi victor acervos
et regem hac Erulum dextra sub Tartara misi,
nascenti cui tris animas Feronia mater
(horrendum dictu) dederat, terna arma movenda—    565
ter leto sternendus erat; cui tunc tamen omnis
abstulit haec animas dextra et totidem exuit armis:
non ego nunc dulci amplexu divellerer usquam,
nate, tuo, neque finitimo Mezentius umquam
huic capiti insultans tot ferro saeva dedisset               570
funera, tam multis viduasset civibus urbem.
at vos, o superi, et divum tu maxime rector
Iuppiter, Arcadii, quaeso, miserescite regis
et patrias audite preces. si numina vestra
incolumem Pallanta mihi, si fata reservant,                575
si visurus eum vivo et venturus in unum,
vitam oro, patior quemvis durare laborem.
sin aliquem infandum casum, Fortuna, minaris,
nunc, nunc o liceat crudelem abrumpere vitam,
dum curae ambiguae, dum spes incerta futuri,           580
dum te, care puer, mea sola et sera voluptas,
complexu teneo, gravior neu nuntius auris
vulneret.' haec genitor digressu dicta supremo
fundebat; famuli conlapsum in tecta ferebant.

And my translation here:

Then father Evander, having embraced his son, and weeping uncontrollably,
clings to the right hand of the one departing and says such things:
“O, if Jupiter should return to me my past years,
the sort I was when I laid low the front line beneath Praeneste herself
and as victor set fire to the heap of shields
and sent King Erulus beneath Tartarus with this right hand,
to whom at birth his mother Feronia had given three lives
(horrible to say), three arms had to be moved --
three times he had to be laid low by death; then nevertheless
this right hand took away all his lives and stripped just as many arms:
now I should not ever be torn away from from your sweet embrace,
son, and Mezentius, insulting his neighbor’s very existense, would not have given
so many cruel funerals by his sword,
he would not have deprived this city of so many citizens.
But you, gods above, and you especially, Jupiter, the ruler of the gods,
take pity, I beg, on this Arcadian king
and hear this father’s prayers. If your divinities
keep my Pallas safe, if the fates keep him safe,
if I live to see him and to meet him again,
I beg for life, I agree to endure whatever hardship you wish.
But if you, Fortune, threaten some unspeakable disaster,
now, O let it be permitted to destroy this cruel life now,
while cares are uncertain, while hope for the future is unsure,
while I hold you, dear boy, in my embrace, you, my last, lone delight,
and may some too painful message not wound my ears.”
The father poured out these words in his last parting;
and his attendants carried him, having collapsed, home.

Orpheus: "I was thinking about you. And music."

My wife and I took a trip across Afton Mountain to the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA. Performances at the ASC take place in the Blackfriars Theater, billed as the world's only reproduction of the late 16th/early 17th century indoor theater used by Shakespeare to stage many of his performances. Watching a play in this unique venue is an experience not to be missed.

We were not there to take in one of their performances of Shakespeare, which (I must say) are always outstanding, but their production of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice. This modern retelling of the ancient Greek myth was familiar, interesting, and, at times, a little bizarre.

First, the familiar. All the elements of the ancient myth are there. Without giving anything away, I can reveal that Eurydice dies on her wedding day and ends up in the Underworld. Orpheus, heartbroken, works to find his way back to his bride, only to lose her again when a misstep on their exit nullifies the deal Hades made for her release.

The interesting element comes from the story being told from the point of view of Eurydice. She arrives in the Underworld after a long and tiring journey. After having been bathed in the river (which is obviously the Lethe,  but never mentioned by name), she arrives unable to speak, remember her name, or even recognize anyone or anything. She is greeted by the shade of her father, who takes on the task of teaching her who she is, who they are (and were), and about her love and marriage to the musician Orpheus. It was fascinating, and a little touching, to watch Eurydice learn and grow, until she almost reaches the level of consciousness when she died.

Finally, the bizarre, and again I will try not give too much away about some other characters, namely the chorus and Lord of the Underworld. The chorus is played admirably by three individuals who represent rocks in the Underworld. They do not so much comment on the thoughts and actions of Eurydice as they try to teach her the rules of dead and existing in the Underworld. They are affected by Orpheus' sad music and, at one point, are so overcome that they roll across the stage and exit. They do provide an important part of the story, but I kept thinking that this is what it must have been like to watch a beatnik performance way back in the early 1960s. The Lord of the Underworld was portrayed as a childish, creepy individual "who is starting to grow" and "ready to become a man." It was uncomfortable watching his performance, as (I believe) it should have been. My wife commented on the way home that this whole character could have been removed, and the play would have continued on without him.

In all, this was a great performance, and I was glad to have seen it. This work fits right in with the recent publications of ancient myths and stories from the female perspective, and illustrates well the power of myth to remain timeless and meaningful, not matter the age.

Felicem, Roma, diem natalem!

Ancient and modern Rome has always considered April 21 to be the date of its founding. In honor of this auspicious day, I have read Ovid's version of the founding of this city and provided my own translation.

From Book IV, lines 807-862, of the Fasti:

Urbis origo
     venit; ades factis, magne Quirine, tuis.
iam luerat poenas frater Numitoris, et omne
     pastorum gemino sub duce volgus erat;
contrahere agrestes et moenia ponere utrique
     convenit: ambigitur moenia ponat uter.
'nil opus est' dixit 'certamine' Romulus 'ullo;
     magna fides avium est: experiamur aves.'
res placet: alter init nemorosi saxa Palati;
     alter Aventinum mane cacumen init.
sex Remus, hic volucres bis sex videt ordine; pacto
     statur, et arbitrium Romulus urbis habet.
apta dies legitur qua moenia signet aratro:
     sacra Palis suberant; inde movetur opus.               820
fossa fit ad solidum, fruges iaciuntur in ima
     et de vicino terra petita solo;
fossa repletur humo, plenaeque imponitur ara,
     et novus accenso fungitur igne focus.
inde premens stivam designat moenia sulco;
     alba iugum niveo cum bove vacca tulit.
vox fuit haec regis: 'condenti, Iuppiter, urbem,
     et genitor Mavors Vestaque mater, ades,
quosque pium est adhibere deos, advertite cuncti:
     auspicibus vobis hoc mihi surgat opus.
longa sit huic aetas dominaeque potentia terrae,
     sitque sub hac oriens occiduusque dies.'
ille precabatur, tonitru dedit omina laevo
     Iuppiter, et laevo fulmina missa polo.
augurio laeti iaciunt fundamina cives,
     et novus exiguo tempore murus erat.
hoc Celer urget opus, quem Romulus ipse vocarat,
     'sint' que, 'Celer, curae' dixerat 'ista tuae,
neve quis aut muros aut factam vomere fossam
     transeat; audentem talia dede neci.'
quod Remus ignorans humiles contemnere muros
     coepit, et 'his populus' dicere 'tutus erit?'
nec mora, transiluit: rutro Celer occupat ausum;
     ille premit duram sanguinulentus humum.
haec ubi rex didicit, lacrimas introrsus obortas
     devorat et clausum pectore volnus habet.
flere palam non volt exemplaque fortia servat,
     'sic' que 'meos muros transeat hostis' ait.
dat tamen exsequias; nec iam suspendere fletum
     sustinet, et pietas dissimulata patet;
osculaque adplicuit posito suprema feretro,
     atque ait 'invito frater adempte, vale',
arsurosque artus unxit: fecere, quod ille,
     Faustulus et maestas Acca soluta comas.
tum iuvenem nondum facti flevere Quirites;
     ultima plorato subdita flamma rogo est.
urbs oritur (quis tunc hoc ulli credere posset?)
     victorem terris impositura pedem.
cuncta regas et sis magno sub Caesare semper,
     saepe etiam plures nominis huius habe;
et, quotiens steteris domito sublimis in orbe,
     omnia sint umeris inferiora tuis.

And now my translation, which (I must admit) I have rendered a bit more freely than I have allowed my in the past: 

…The beginning of the City has come;
be present for your deeds, great Quirinus!
The brother of Numitor had paid for his crimes,
and every flock of shepherds was under twin leadership;
each one decided to gather the rustic folk and build walls:
“There is no need for any argument,” said Romulus;
“There is great faith in birds: let’s see what the birds have to say.”
The matter is agreed: one goes to the rocks of the woodsy Palatine;
the other heads to the top of the Aventine in the morning.
Remus sees six birds, this guy twelve in a row;
the agreement stands, and Romulus has control of the city.
A suitable day is chosen to mark the place for the walls with a plow:
the sacred rites of Pales were going on; then they get to work.
A ditch is made in the solid rock. They fill it with fruits
and earth gathered from neighboring territories;
The ditch is filled with dirt, and an altar is placed on the pile,
and a kindled fire burns on the new hearth.
Then, pressing down the handle of his plow, he traces out walls with his furrow;
a white cow with a snow-white bull brought the yoke.
These were the words of the king: “Jupiter and Father Mars
and Mother Vesta, be present for the founding of our city,
and whatever gods it is right to invite, pay attention, everyone:
let me do my work with you as my presiders.
May the age for this city and the power of this land as ruler be long,
and let the rising and setting day be under her power.”
That one was praying, and Jupiter thundered his omens
on the left and sent lightning bolts to the left in the sky.
From this good omen the happy citizens lay the foundations,
and in no time at all there was a new wall.
Celer, whom Romulus himself had summoned, urges on this work,
and he had said, “Celer, may those things be your concerns,
and do not let anyone cross these walls or ditch made from the plow;
kill anyone daring such things.”
Remus, not aware of this, began to despise these lowly walls,
and said, “The people will be safe with these?”
And quickly he leapt over: Celer attacks the offender with a shovel;
Remus bloody falls to the hard ground.
When the king learned of this, he fights back his rising tears
and keeps the pain shut away in his heart.
He does not show his grief openly and feigns strength,
and says, “Likewise to any enemy who crosses my walls.”
However he gives him funeral rites; he is no longer able
to hold back his tears, and his hidden devotion is made obvious;
and he gave kisses to the funeral bier having been set down,
and said, “my brother, unwillingly taken from me, farewell!”
He anointed his limbs about to burn: Faustulus and Acca
having let down her hair in grief, did the same as Romulus.
Then those not yet having been made Quirites wept for the youth;
the last flame was placed beneath the pyre wet with tears.
The city rises (who could have believe any of this then?),
about to place its foot as victor over all the lands.
May you rule the world and may you always be under the power of great Caesar,
and may you often have more of this name name also;
and, as long as you stand high over a conquered world,
may all else be lower than your shoulders.

"Division is Destruction"

The Vatican Museum's decision to return artwork from the Parthenon to Athens unfortunately has not provided any incentive for the British Museum to follow suit.

I remember when I was a student in an art history class way back in the mid-80s, the professor stated one of the primary reasons for the existence museums is to preserve and protect art and artifacts from around the world. The idea was that all of the works of one artist or monument or culture should not be contained in one location, but should be distributed to museums and collections around the world in order to insure their survival. To have all of the works of Monet, for example, in one location made the likelihood of their destruction, by man or natural disaster, possible. This statement does carry some truth, BUT the artifact itself should not be hacked up to be dispersed like pieces of cake.

Catherine Titi argues in her latest article that "to divide is to destroy":

The division of the Parthenon marbles between two museums can only be compared to the fragmentation of a monument. Can we imagine the Sistine Chapel split in two? Michelangelo’s famous fresco The Creation of Adam divided, God’s outstretched hand separated from that of Adam to whom it gives life?

Do read the article and give some thought to the matter. The Parthenon deserves to be made as whole as possible and preserved, not scattered around the museums of the world. 

Vatican To Return Fragments of the Parthenon

Photograph of the the Vatican fragments (courtesy of Kathimerini newspaper) frpm the Greek City Times article (referenced below)

Pope Francis has decided that it is time for the Vatican to return some fragments from the Parthenon in Athens. The Greek City Times reported this development after a recent visit by the Pope to Greece. Even though the article reports that the Pontiff does not intend this move to be seen as a prod to the British Museum to return the Elgin Marbles, one can hope that it provides another example and opportunity to review and reconsider the ongoing dispute.