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Greek Too!

Saturnalia Skit & More

Michael Myer's Martial Selections

Well, since it IS Saturnalia time again, I thought I'd repost my long, disorganized guide to Saturnalia via Martial that I sent out last year. Perhaps by next year I will have actually whipped it into shape.  Since everyone will doubtless do different things with different poems, I've included my whole selection.

And just what IS this selection?  These are the poems that (apart from the entire books of gifts [xenia] and party favors [apophoreta] in general) have some connection with Saturnalia.

A few THEMES here:

THE SORTS OF PRESENTS GIVEN (but keep in mind that a read through books 13 & 14 will turn up all manner of presents) 

  • 4.19 (whole poem on an unfashionable but useful garment)  
  • 4.46 (list of gifts a laywer got from his clients; cf. 7.72, the stuff a patron doesn't want)  
  • 7.53 (a whole list of recycled gifts I could have done without)  
  • and of course, those drawn from book 14

GRUMBLING ABOUT PRESENTS (or lack thereof) 

  • 2.85 (my basket of ice isn't a good gift for December?  You could retaliate by sending me a summer-weight suit.)  
  • 4.88 (why didn't you give me any gifts?  you could have at least recycled something)  
  • 5.18 (why I don't send better gifts to my patrons; cf. 5.59)  
  • 5.19 (why patrons aren't sending better gifts)  
  • 5.84 (I can give as poorly as I get)  
  • 7.53 (what you should have sent instead)  
  • 7.72 (stuff the patron doesn't want to get)  
  • 10.29 (I know why you don't send ME gifts any more)

GAMBLING (nuts) -- 5.30, 5.84 (taken away by the teacher), 7.91 (all the produce that's left to give, because...), 14.1

and OTHER NORMALLY ILLICIT BEHAVIORS: 11.2, 11.15, 14.1

MATTERS OF DRESS: 6.24, 14.1

READING: 5.30

Particular notes that come to my twisted mind:

5.84 is a great one to use in class for several reasons; the reference to schools & gambling, the complaint about stinginess and threat of retaliation, the reference to the matronalia.

7.53 a good, quick list of the usual sorts of gifts, the suspicion that they were all recycled, and a gift suggestion that will save the slaves' backs

7.72 although the connection with Saturnalia is only passing, it's a nice poem for the sorts of things Martial imagines might or might not be valuable to a patron (gifts, winning at various games) and what Martial expects from a patron (defense of his poetic reputation)

7.91 will probably be left out of most classrooms, for obvious reasons. You could leave off the last line, however, and have something a bit more suitable.  (I don't know what to do about 10.29 if the kids can actually attempt to read the Latin; if you are supplying translations, you can probably sneak it in with something like "you pay for your dates with my presents.")

10.18 has passing historical interest as well as a demanding patron and Martial's high opinion of how engrossing he is to read.  But it's the first poem I cut from the short list.

11.15 makes a nice companion to Cat. 16 in separating the poet's morals from those espoused in his poems.

12.81 -- note the pun, wherein the diminutive word is for an object of much greater value.

Some Saturnalicia from Martial: 

2.85
Vimine clausa levi niveae custodia coctae,
   Hoc tibi Saturni tempore munus erit.
Dona quod aestatis misi tibi mense Decembri,
   Si quereris, rasam tu mihi mitte togam.

4.19
    Hanc tibi Sequanicae pinguem textricis alumnam,
       Quae Lacedaemonium barbara nomen habet,
    Sordida, sed gelido non aspernanda Decembri
       Dona, peregrinam mittimus endromida:
 5  Seu lentum ceroma teris tepidumve trigona,
       Sive harpasta manu pulverulenta rapis,
    Plumea seu laxi partiris pondera follis,
       Sive levem cursu vincere quaeris Athan-
    Ne madidos intret penetrabile frigus in artus,
10     Neve gravis subita te premat Iris aqua.
    Ridebis ventos hoc munere tectus et imbris:
       Nec sic in Tyria sindone tutus eris.

4.46
    Saturnalia divitem Sabellum
    Fecerunt: merito tumet Sabellus,
    Nec quemquam putat esse praedicatque
    Inter causidicos beatiorem.
 5  Hos fastus animosque dat Sabello
    Farris semodius fabaeque fresae,
    Et turis piperisque tres selibrae,
    Et Lucanica ventre cum Falisco,
    Et nigri Syra defruti lagona,
10  Et ficus Libyca gelata testa
    Cum bulbis cocleisque caseoque.
    Piceno quoque venit a cliente
    Parcae cistula non capax olivae,
    Et crasso figuli polita caelo
15  Septenaria synthesis Sagunti,
    Hispanae luteum rotae toreuma,
    Et lato variata mappa clavo.
    Saturnalia fructuosiora
    Annis non habuit decem Sabellus.

4.88
    Nulla remisisti parvo pro munere dona,
       Et iam Saturni quinque fuere dies.
    Ergo nec argenti sex scripula Septiciani
       Missa nec a querulo mappa cliente fuit,
 5  Antipolitani nec quae de sanguine thynni
       Testa rubet, nec quae cottana parva gerit,
    Nec rugosarum vimen breve Picenarum,
       Dicere te posses ut meminisse mei?
    Decipies alios verbis voltuque benigno,
10     Nam mihi iam notus dissimulator eris.

5.18
    Quod tibi Decembri mense, quo volant mappae
    Gracilesque ligulae cereique chartaeque
    Et acuta senibus testa cum Damascenis,
    Praeter libellos vernulas nihil misi,
 5  Fortasse avarus videar aut inhumanus,
    Odi dolosas munerum et malas artes:
    Imitantur hamos dona: namque quis nescit,
    Avidum vorata decipi scarum musca?
    Quotiens amico diviti nihil donat,
10  O Quintiane, liberalis est pauper.

5.19
    Si qua fides veris, praeferri, maxime Caesar,
       Temporibus possunt saecula nulla tuis.
    Quando magis dignos licuit spectare triumphos?
       Quando Palatini plus meruere dei?
 5  Pulchrior et maior quo sub duce Martia Roma?
       Sub quo libertas principe tanta fuit?
    Est tamen hoc vitium, sed non leve, sit licet unum,
       Quod colit ingratas pauper amicitias.
    Quis largitur opes veteri fidoque sodali,
10     Aut quem prosequitur non alienus eques?
    Saturnaliciae ligulam misisse selibrae
       Flammarisve togae scripula tota decem
    Luxuria est, tumidique vocant haec munera reges:
       Qui crepet aureolos, forsitan unus erit.
15  Quatenus hi non sunt, esto tu, Caesar, amicus:
       Nulla ducis virtus dulcior esse potest.
    Iam dudum tacito rides, Germanice, naso,
       Utile quod nobis do tibi consilium.

5.30
    Varro, Sophocleo non infitiande coturno,
       Nec minus in Calabra suspiciende lyra,
    Differ opus, nec te facundi scaena Catulli
       Detineat, cultis aut elegia comis;
 5  Sed lege fumoso non aspernanda Decembri
       Carmina, mittuntur quae tibi mense suo:
    Commodius nisi forte tibi potiusque videtur,
       Saturnalicias perdere, Varro, nuces.

5.84
    Iam tristis nucibus puer relictis
    Clamoso revocatur a magistro,
    Et blando male proditus fritillo,
    Arcana modo raptus e popina,
 5  Aedilem rogat udus aleator.
    Saturnalia transiere tota,
    Nec munuscula parva nec minora
    Misisti mihi, Galla, quam solebas.
    Sane sic abeat meus December:
10  Scis certe, puto, vestra iam venire
    Saturnalia, Martias Kalendas;
    Tunc reddam tibi, Galla, quod dedisti.

6.24
Nil lascivius est Charisiano:
Saturnalibus ambulat togatus.

7.53
    Omnia misisti mihi Saturnalibus, Umber,
       Munera, contulerant quae tibi quinque dies:
    Bis senos triplices et dentiscalpia septem;
       His comes accessit spongia, mappa, calix,
 5  Semodiusque fabae cum vimine Picenarum,
       Et Laletanae nigra lagona sapae;
    Parvaque cum canis venerunt cottana prunis
       Et Libycae fici pondere testa gravis.
    Vix puto triginta nummorum tota fuisse
10     Munera, quae grandes octo tulere Syri.
    Quanto commodius nullo mihi ferre labore
       Argenti potuit pondera quinque puer!

7.72
    Gratus sic tibi, Paule, sit December,
    Nec vani triplices brevesque mappae
    Nec turis veniant leves selibrae,
    Sed lances ferat et scyphos avorum
 5  Aut grandis reus aut potens amicus,
    Seu quod te potius iuvat capitque;
    Sic vincas Noviumque Publiumque
    Mandris et vitreo latrone clusos;
    Sic palmam tibi de trigone nudo
10  Unctae det favor arbiter coronae,
    Nec laudet Polybi magis sinistras:
    Si quisquam mea dixerit malignus
    Atro carmina quae madent veneno,
    Ut vocem mihi commodes patronam
15  Et quantum poteris, sed usque, clames:
    'Non scripsit meus ista Martialis.'

7.91
De nostro, facunde, tibi, Iuvenalis, agello
   Saturnalicias mittimus, ecce, nuces.
Cetera lascivis donavit poma puellis
   Mentula custodis luxuriosa dei.

10.18
    Saturnalicio Macrum fraudare tributo
       Frustra, Musa, cupis: non licet: ipse petit;
    Sollemnesque iocos nec tristia carmina poscit,
       Et queritur nugas obticuisse meas.
 5  Mensorum longis sed nunc vacat ille libellis.
       Appia, quid facies, si legit ista Macer?

10.29
    Quam mihi mittebas Saturni tempore lancem,
       Misisti dominae, Sextiliane, tuae;
    Et quam donabas dictis a Marte Kalendis,
       De nostra prasina est synthesis empta toga.
 5  Iam constare tibi gratis coepere puellae:
       Muneribus futuis, Sextiliane, meis.

11.2
    Triste supercilium durique severa Catonis
       Frons et aratoris filia Fabricii
    Et personati fastus et regula morum
       Quidquid et in tenebris non sumus, ite foras.
 5  Clamant ecce mei 'Io Saturnalia' versus:
       Et licet et sub te praeside, Nerva, libet.
    Lectores tetrici salebrosum ediscite Santram:
       Nil mihi vobiscum est: iste liber meus est.

11.15
    Sunt chartae mihi, quas Catonis uxor
    Et quas horribiles legant Sabinae:
    Hic totus volo rideat libellus
    Et sit nequior omnibus libellis.
 5  Qui vino madeat nec erubescat
    Pingui sordidus esse Cosmiano,
    Ludat cum pueris, amet puellas,
    Nec per circuitus loquatur illam,
    Ex qua nascimur, omnium parentem,
10  Quam sanctus Numa mentulam vocabat.
    Versus hos tamen esse tu memento
    Saturnalicios, Apollinaris:
    Mores non habet hic meos libellus.

12.62
    Antiqui rex magne poli mundique prioris,
       Sub quo pigra quies nec labor ullus erat,
    Nec regale nimis fulmen nec fulmine digni,
       Scissa nec ad Manes, sed sibi dives humus:
 5  Laetus ad haec facilisque veni sollemnia Prisci
       Gaudia: cum sacris te decet esse tuis.
    Tu reducem patriae sexta, pater optime, bruma
       Pacifici Latia reddis ab urbe Numae.
    Cernis, ut Ausonio similis tibi pompa macello
10     Pendeat et quantus luxurietur honos?
    Quam non parca manus largaeque nomismata mensae,
       Quae, Saturne, tibi pernumerentur opes?
    Utque sit his pretium meritis et gratia maior,
       Et pater et frugi sic tua sacra colit.
15  At tu sancte-tuo sic semper amere Decembri-
       Hos illi iubeas saepe redire dies.

12.81
Brumae diebus feriisque Saturni
Mittebat Umber aliculam mihi pauper;
Nunc mittit alicam: factus est enim dives.

14.1
    Synthesibus dum gaudet eques dominusque senator
       Dumque decent nostrum pillea sumpta Iovem;
    Nec timet aedilem moto spectare fritillo,
       Cum videat gelidos tam prope verna lacus:
 5  Divitis alternas et pauperis accipe sortes:
       Praemia convivae dent sua quisque suo.
    'Sunt apinae tricaeque et si quid vilius istis.'
       Quis nescit? vel quis tam manifesta negat?
    Sed quid agam potius madidis, Saturne, diebus,
10     Quos tibi pro caelo filius ipse dedit?
    Vis scribam Thebas Troiamve malasve Mycenas?
       'Lude,' inquis, 'nucibus'. Perdere nolo nuces.

14.71   Porcus
Iste tibi faciet bona Saturnalia porcus,
   Inter spumantes ilice pastus apros.

14.72   Botulus
Qui venit botulus mediae tibi tempore brumae,
   Saturni septem venerat ante dies.

14.182   Sigillum Gibberi Fictile
Ebrius haec fecit terris, puto, monstra Prometheus:
   Saturnalicio lusit et ipse luto. 

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