Gellius II: Papirius Praetextatus, Tria Epigrammata, et Socrates Gellius II: Papirius Praetextatus, Three Epigrams, and Socrates Gellius II: Papirius Praetextatus, Três Epigramas e Sócrates

I.23.

Quis fuerit Papirius Praetextatus; quae istius causa cognomenti sit; historiaque ista omnis super eodem Papirio cognitu iucunda. Who Papirius Praetextatus; it is for the surname, the reason for that; the whole story about that same Papirius. 1 Historia de Papirio Praetextato dicta scriptaque est a M. Catone in oratione, qua usus est ad milites contra Galbam, cum multa quidem venustate atque luce atque munditia verborum. 1 The story of Papirius Praetextatus was written and written by M. Cato in the speech which he used for the soldiers against Galba, with great elegance and light and cleanliness of words. 2 Ea Catonis verba huic prorsus commentario indidissem, si libri copia fuisset id temporis, cum haec dictavi. 2 I would have added those words of Cato to this commentary, if there had been an abundance of books at that time when I had dictated these things. 3 Quod si non virtutes dignitatesque verborum, sed rem ipsam scire quaeris, res ferme ad hunc modum est: 4 Mos antea senatoribus Romae fuit in curiam cum praetextatis filiis introire. 3 But if you seek to know not the virtues and the dignity of words, but the thing itself, the matter is almost as follows: 4 It was formerly the custom of the senators of Rome to enter into the senate-house with some old sons. 5 Tum, cum in senatu res maior quaepiam consultata eaque in diem posterum prolata est, placuitque, ut eam rem, super qua tractavissent, ne quis enuntiaret, priusquam decreta esset, mater Papirii pueri, qui cum parente suo in curia fuerat, percontata est filium, quidnam in senatu patres egissent. 5 Then, while some major matters were deliberated in the senate, and these were adjourned until the next day, it was agreed that no one should disclose the matter upon which they had dealt with them, before it had been decreed, that the mother of the child Papirius, who had been with her father in the senate, should inquire of her son. what the senate had done. 6 Puer respondit tacendum esse neque id dici licere. 6 The boy replied that it was to be kept secret, and that it was not lawful to say so. 7 Mulier fit audiendi cupidior; secretum rei et silentium pueri animum eius ad inquirendum everberat: quaerit igitur compressius violentiusque. 7 The woman becomes too fond of hearing; The secret of the matter and the silence of the boy had struck his mind to inquire: he inquired therefore more pressingly and urgently. 8 Tum puer matre urgente lepidi atque festivi mendacii consilium capit. Then the boy, on the insistence of his mother, adopts a witty and amusing lie. Actum in senatu dixit, utrum videretur utilius exque republica esse, unusne ut duas uxores haberet, an ut una apud duos nupta esset. He said that it was enacted in the senate, whether it would seem that it was more expedient to be out of the state, whether he should have two wives, or whether he should be married to one of the two. 9 Hoc illa ubi audivit, animus compavescit, domo trepidans egreditur ad ceteras matronas. When she heard this, her soul is astonished, and goes out of the house in a panic to the other matrons. 10 Pervenit ad senatum postridie matrum familias caterva; lacrimantes atque obsecrantes orant, una potius ut duobus nupta fieret, quam ut uni duae. The next day a crowd of women of the family arrived at the senate; Without tears, and begging, they begged that one should be married to two, rather than two to one. 11 Senatores ingredientes in curiam, quae illa mulierum intemperies et quid sibi postulatio istaec vellet, mirabantur. 11 When the senators entered the senate, they wondered what that unseasonableness of women and what this postulation meant. 12 Puer Papirius in medium curiae progressus, quid mater audire institisset, quid ipse matri dixisset, rem, sicut fuerat, denarrat. 12 The boy Papirius, having advanced into the middle of the senate, relates what his mother had urged him to hear, and what he himself had said to his mother, and relates the matter, as it had been before. 13 Senatus fidem atque ingenium pueri exosculatur, consultum facit, uti posthac pueri cum patribus in curiam ne introeant, praeter ille unus Papirius, atque puero postea cognomentum honoris gratia inditum "Praetextatus" ob tacendi loquendique in aetate praetextae prudentiam. 13 The senate kisses the boy's trust and wit, and makes it a decree that the boys should not enter the Senate with their fathers after this, except that one Papirius, and that the boy was later given the nickname "Prettatus" on account of his advanced prudence in silence and speech. I.24.

Tria epigrammata trium veterum poetarum, Naevii, Plauti, Pacuvii, quae facta ab ipsis sepulcris eorum incisa sunt. The three epigrams of the three ancient poets, Naevii, Plautus, and Pacuvius, which were engraved on their graves. 1 Trium poetarum inlustrium epigrammata, Cn. 1 The epigrams of three famous poets, Cn. Naevii, Plauti, M. Pacuvii, quae ipsi fecerunt et incidenda sepulcro suo reliquerunt, nobilitatis eorum gratia et venustatis scribenda in his commentariis esse duxi. I thought that in these commentaries, the Naevii, Plautus, and M. Pacuvii, which they themselves had made and left to be cut into their grave for the sake of their nobility and beauty, ought to be written in these commentaries. 2 Epigramma Naevi plenum superbiae Campanae, quod testimonium iustum esse potuisset, nisi ab ipso dictum esset: 2 The epigram of Naevius, full of Campanian pride, which could have been a just testimony had it not been said by him inmortales mortales si foret fas flere, fierent divae Camenae Naevium poetam. the immortal mortals, if it were permitted to weep, would become the poet of the goddess Muse Naevius.

itaque postquam est Orcho traditus thesauro, obliti sunt Romae loquier lingua Latina. And so, after he had been delivered to Orchus' storehouse, they had forgotten to speak the English language at Rome. 3 Epigramma Plauti, quod dubitassemus, an Plauti foret, nisi a M. Varrone positum esset in libro de poetis primo: 3 The epigram of Plautus, because we doubted whether it would be Plautus, had it not been put down by M. Varro in the first book of the poets

postquam est mortem aptus Plautus, Comoedia luget, scaena est deserta, dein Risus, Ludus Iocusque et Numeri innumeri simul omnes conlacrimarunt. After Plautus is fit for death, Comedy bemoans, the scene is deserted, then Laughter, Game and Joke and innumerable Numbers all cried together at the same time.

4 Epigramma Pacuvii verecundissimum et purissimum dignumque eius elegantissima gravitate: adulescens, tam etsi properas, hoc te saxulum rogat ut se aspicias, deinde, quod scriptum est, legas. 4 The epigram of Pacuvius, most modest and most refined, and worthy of his most elegant dignity: a young man, though you are in such a hurry, he begs you to look at this little stone, and then read what is written.

Hic sunt poetae Pacuvi Marci sita ossa. Here are the bones of the poet Pacuvius Marcus.

Hoc volebam, nescius ne esses. I meant this, lest you were ignorant. Vale. II.1.

Quo genere solitus sit philosophus Socrates exercere patientiam corporis; deque eiusdem viri temperantia. By what kind was the philosopher Socrates accustomed to practice the patience of the body; and about the temperance of the same man. 1 Inter labores voluntarios et exercitia corporis ad fortuitas patientiae vices firmandi id quoque accepimus Socraten facere insuevisse:2 stare solitus Socrates dicitur pertinaci statu perdius atque pernox a summo lucis ortu ad solem alterum orientem inconivens, immobilis, isdem in vestigiis et ore atque oculis eundem in locum directis cogitabundus tamquam quodam secessu mentis atque animi facto a corpore. 1 Among the voluntary labors and exercises of the body to fortify the turns of patience, we have also received that Socrates was wont to do: a place directly thought of as a sort of separation of mind and soul from the body. 3 Quam rem cum Favorinus de fortitudine eius viri ut pleraque disserens attigisset: pollakis inquit ex heliou eis helion heistÈkei astrabËsteros ton premnon. 3 Which circumstance when Favorinus, when discussing the strength of that man, had touched so many things: pollakis says of them helion heistÈkei astrabËsteros ton premnon heliou. 4 Temperantia quoque fuisse eum tanta traditum est, ut omnia fere vitae suae tempora valitudine inoffensa vixerit. 4 It is also said that he had temperance so great, that he lived almost all the times of his life without offending his health. 5 In illius etiam pestilentiae vastitate, quae in belli Peloponnesiaci principis Atheniensium civitatem internecivo genere morbi depopulata est, is parcendi moderandique rationibus dicitur et a voluptatum labe cavisse et salubritates corporis retinuisse, ut nequaquam fuerit communi omnium cladi obnoxius. 5 In the devastation of that pestilence, which in the Peloponnesian war, the state of the Athenians, was ravaged by an internecine kind of disease, he is said to have spared and moderated his means, and kept him from the decay of pleasures and the health of the body, so that he was by no means liable to the common calamity of all.