Dear Language Enthusiast,
Greetings from Transparent Language! Every so often we send out this free newsletter
with topics of interest to Latin language enthusiasts. Since the introduction of the
newsletter last year, we have received dozens of letters from readers with positive
feedback and suggestions. We are delighted that the newsletter has been so well received,
and are grateful for your insightful comments.
Of all the suggestions readers have sent, perhaps the most common one is to offer our
newsletter in both English and Latin. So, in response to your feedback, from this issue on
we are proud to offer newsletters in both languages. Our first selection is the original
Latin text of Suetonius' account of the assassination of Julius Caesar, followed by a
humorous retelling of the same events in English by Mark Twain. This will be a good tool
for practicing your Latin skills.
The topic for this month's newsletter is Mark Twain's account of the assasination of
Julius Caesar.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
latine:
ACTA URBANA: The Ides of March
Caesari futura caedes evidentibus prodigiis denuntiata est. Paucos ante menses, cum in
colonia Capua deducti lege Iulia coloni ad extruendas villas vetustissima sepulcra
disicerent idque eo studiosius facerent, quod aliquantum vasculorum operis antiqui
scrutantes reperiebant, tabula aenea in monimento, in quo dicebatur Capys conditor Capuae
sepultus, inventa est conscripta litteris verbisque Graecis hac sententia: quandoque ossa
Capyis detecta essent, fore ut illo prognatus manu consanguineorum necaretur magnisque mox
Italiae cladibus vindicaretur. Cuius rei, ne quis fabulosam aut commenticiam putet, auctor
est Cornelius Balbus, familiarissimus Caesaris.
Proximis diebus equorum greges, quos in traiciendo Rubiconi flumini consecrarat ac
vagos et sine custode dimiserat, comperit pertinacissime pabulo abstinere ubertimque
flere. Et immolantem haruspex Spurinna monuit, caveret periculum, quod non ultra Martias
Idus proferretur. Pridie autem easdem Idus avem regaliolum cum laureo ramulo Pompeianae
curiae se inferentem volucres varii generis ex proximo nemore persecutae ibidem
discerpserunt. Ea uero nocte, cui inluxit dies caedis, et ipse sibi visus est per quietem
interdum supra nubes volitare, alias cum Iove dextram iungere; et Calpurnia uxor imaginata
est conlabi fastigium domus maritumque in gremio suo confodi; ac subito cubiculi fores
sponte patuerunt.
Ob haec simul et ob infirmam valitudinem diu cunctatus an se contineret et quae apud
senatum proposuerat agere differret, tandem Decimo Bruto adhortante, ne frequentis ac iam
dudum opperientis destitueret, quinta fere hora progressus est libellumque insidiarum
indicem ab obvio quodam porrectum libellis ceteris, quos sinistra manu tenebat, quasi mox
lecturus commiscuit. Dein pluribus hostiis caesis, cum litare non posset, introiit curiam
spreta religione Spurinnamque irridens et ut falsum arguens, quod sine ulla sua noxa Idus
Martiae adessent: quanquam is venisse quidem eas diceret, sed non praeterisse.
Assidentem conspirati specie officii circumsteterunt, ilicoque Cimber Tillius, qui
primas partes susceperat, quasi aliquid rogaturus propius accessit renuentique et gestum
in aliud tempus differenti ab utroque umero togam adprehendit: deinde clamantem:
"Ista quidem vis est!" alter e Cascis aversum vulnerat paulum infra iugulum.
Caesar Cascae brachium arreptum graphio traiecit conatusque prosilire alio vulnere
tardatus est; utque animadvertit undique se strictis pugionibus peti, toga caput obvoluit,
simul sinistra manu sinum ad ima crura deduxit, quo honestius caderet etiam inferiore
corporis parte velata. Atque ita tribus et viginti plagis confossus est uno modo ad primum
ictum gemitu sine voce edito, etsi tradiderunt quidam Marco Bruto irruenti dixisse:
"Kai su, teknon?"; exanimis diffugientibus cunctis aliquamdiu iacuit, donec
lecticae impositum, dependente brachio, tres servoli domum rettulerunt.
EDITOR'S NOTE: "Kai su, teknon," is Greek, of course. We get the well-known
Latin phrase "Et tu, Brute," from Shakespeare's play.
In English:
Here's Mark Twain:
A feeling of regret has often come over me that I was not reporting in Rome when Caesar
was killed -- reporting on an evening paper, and the only one in the city, and getting at
least twelve hours ahead of the morning paper boys with this most magnificent
"item" that ever fell to the lot of the craft. However, as I was not permitted
to report Caesar's assassination in the regular way, it has at least afforded me rare
satisfaction to translate the following able account of it from the original Latin of the
Roman Daily Evening Fasces of that date.
"Our usually quiet city of Rome was thrown into a state of wild excitement
yesterday by the occurrence of one of those bloody affrays which sicken the heart and fill
the soul with fear, while they inspire all thinking men with forebodings for the future of
a city where human life is held so cheaply, and the gravest laws are so openly set at
defiance. As the result of that affray, it is our painful duty, as public journalists, to
record the death of one of our most esteemed citizens -- a man whose name is known
wherever this paper circulates, and whose fame it has been our pleasure and our privilege
to extend, and also to protect from the tongue of slander and falsehood, to the best of
our poor ability. We refer to Mr. J. Caesar, the Emperor-elect.
"The facts of the case, as nearly as our reporter could determine them from the
conflicting statements of eye-witnesses, were about as follows: The Senate was already in
session, and Caesar was coming down the street toward the capitol, conversing with some
personal friends, and followed, as usual, by a large number of citizens. Just as he was
passing in front of Demosthenes & Thucydides' drugstore, he was observing casually to
a gentleman, who, our informant thinks, is a fortune-teller, that the Ides of March were
come. The reply was, 'Yes, they are come, but not gone yet.'
"At this moment Artemidorus stepped up and passed the time of day, and asked
Caesar to read a schedule or a tract, or something of the kind, which he had brought for
his perusal. Mr. Decius Brutus also said something about a 'humble suit' which he wanted
read. Artemidorus begged that attention might be paid to his first, because it was of
personal consequence to Caesar. The latter replied that what concerned himself should be
read last, or words to that effect. Artemidorus begged and beseeched him to read the paper
instantly. However, Caesar shook him off, and refused to read any petition in the street.
He then entered the capitol, and the crowd followed him.
"Caesar was talking to some of the back-country members about the approaching fall
elections, and paying little attention to what was going on around him. Billy Trebonius
got into conversation with the people's friend and Caesar's-- Mark Antony-- and under some
pretense or other got him away, and Brutus, Decius Casca, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, and
others of the gang of infamous desperadoes that infest Rome at present, closed around the
doomed Caesar. Then Metellus Cimber knelt down and begged that his brother might be
recalled from banishment, but Caesar rebuked him for his fawning, sneaking conduct, and
refused to grant his petition.
"Immediately, at Cimber's request, first Brutus and then Cassius begged for the
return of the banished Publius; but Caesar still refused. He said he could not be moved;
that he was as fixed as the North Star, and proceeded to speak in the most complimentary
terms of the firmness of that star, and its steady character. Then he said he was like it,
and he believed he was the only man in the country that was; therefore, since he was
'constant' that Cimber should be banished, he was also 'constant' that he should stay
banished, and he'd be d----d if he didn't keep him so!
"Instantly seizing upon this shallow pretext for a fight, Casca sprang at Caesar
and struck him with a dirk, Caesar grabbing him by the arm with his right hand, and
launching a blow straight from the shoulder with his left, that sent the reptile bleeding
to the earth. He then backed up against Pompey's statue, and squared himself to receive
his assailants. Cassius and Cimber and Cinna rushed upon him with their daggers drawn, and
the former succeeded in inflicting a wound upon his body; but before he could strike
again, and before either of the others could strike at all, Caesar stretched the three
miscreants at his feet with as many blows of his powerful fist.
"By this time the Senate was in an indescribable uproar; the throng of citizens in
the lobbies had blockaded the doors in their frantic efforts to escape from the building,
the sergeant-at-arms and his assistants were struggling with the assassins, venerable
senators had cast aside their encumbering robes, and were leaping over benches and flying
down the aisles in wild confusion toward the shelter of the committee-rooms, and a
thousand voices were shouting, 'Police! Police!' in discordant tones that rose above the
frightful din like shrieking winds above the roaring of a tempest. And amid it all, great
Caesar stood with his back against the statue, like a lion at bay, and fought his
assailants weaponless and hand to hand, with the defiant bearing and the unwavering
courage which he had shown before on many a bloody field. Billy Trebonius and Caius
Legarius struck him with their daggers and fell, as their brother-conspirators before them
had fallen.
"But at last, when Caesar saw his old friend Brutus step forward, armed with a
murderous knife, it is said he seemed utterly overpowered with grief and amazement, and
dropping his invincible left arm by his side, he hid his face in the folds of his mantle
and received the treacherous blow without an effort to stay the hand that gave it. He only
said, 'Et tu, Brute?' and fell lifeless on the marble pavement.
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