In Cap. XIII, we met the demonstrative is, ea, id being used as an adjective with a dependent genitive:
Is mēnsis annī brevissimus est. (l.30)
Is diēs annī prīmus est atque initium annī novī. (ll.58–59)
In both of these examples, we see that the demonstrative generally pre- cedes the noun. In this chapter, we see a similar example:
Ea pars caelī unde sōl oritur dīcitur oriēns. (l.45)
In all these examples, the genitive follows the noun. Another very com- mon word order is for the genitive to come between the qualifier and its noun, as in the following example:
Merīdiēs dīcitur ea caelī pars ubi sōl merīdiē vidētur. (l.48)
Studia Rōmāna
The dangers of sea travel are widely attested in Roman literature. The gubernātor (whence we get the name governor and government, those who guide the ship of state) calls upon Neptūnus, the god of the sea, about whom you learned in Cap. X. Sailors also called on the twin heroes Castor and Pollūx (the Dioscūrī, or “sons of Zeus”) who are associated with the phenomenon we call St. Elmo’s Fire, electric currents around the masts of ships during thunderstorms that appear to be balls of heavenly fire.
to sea in a boat. The poet Horace wrote a poem begging Castor and Pollux to take care of his good friend, the poet Vergil, who was about to set out to Greece. He says the man who first entrusted a raft to the sea was a hard man whose heart was surrounded three times with bronze (Ōdēs 1.3.9–12: illī rōbur et aes
trīplex/circā pectus erat, quī fragilem trucī/conmīsit pelagō ratem/prīmus).
Despite its dangers, sea travel was efficient and lucrative. Ships carrying a wide variety of merchandise could be found at Ostia (Portus Ōstiēnsis), the port whence Medus and Lydia depart. Still visible among the remains at Ostia is the Square of the Corporations (called, in Italian, Piazzale delle Corporazio- ni). This porticus contains many small rooms with mosaic floors that proclaim a variety of trades and guilds (collēgia). Among those represented are traders in leather, rope, wood, and several of grain, but many more goods came and left through Ostia. A large number of warehouses (horrea) for storing grain attest to the importance of feeding a large population.
At line 119, the gubernātor tells his crew, “Iacite mercēs!” This iactūra, or throwing overboard of the ship’s cargo (i.e., jetsam) and thus making the boat less heavy, must have been the ruin of many a small merchant. Shipwreck,
naufragium, was such a common problem that a law (iūs naufragiī) regulated
against the appropriation of the discarded cargo (flotsam). Philosophers ex- plored as an ethical problem the decision of what to throw overboard. Which is sacrificed? The expensive racehorse or the cheap slave? Human feeling ar- gues for the latter, preservation of wealth for the former (Cicero, dē Officiīs, 3.89).3
Horace refers to both iactūra and to the saving power of Castor and Pol- lux in another ode; because he has no attachment to wealth, he has no need to grovel to the gods to save his goods when seas grow stormy. Castor and Pollux will carry him safely in his tiny boat: “It’s not my style, if the mast should wail in a hurricane from the south, to run to wretched prayers and bind myself with vows lest my Cyprian and Tyrian goods add wealth to the greedy sea; at such a time, with the help of my two-oared skiff, Pollux and his twin brother will carry me safely on the breeze through the Aegean storm.” (Odes 3.29.57–64)
Vocābula Disposita/Ōrdināta
Nōmina1st
nauta, -ae (m.) sailor
ōra, -ae border, coast
2nd
altum, -ī “the deep”: the open sea
locus, -ī place
3. Quaerit, sī in marī iactūra facienda sit, equīnē pretiōsī potius iactūram faciat an servulī vīlis. Hīc aliō
XVI. Tempestās 145
multum, -ī a lot, a good deal of
paulum, -ī a little (also, adv.)
vēlum, -ī sail
ventus, -ī wind
3rd
fulgur, fulguris (n.) flash of lightning
gubernātor, gubernātōris (m.) steersman
merx, mercis (f.) commodity, pl. goods
nāvis, nāvis (f.) ship
occidēns, occidentis (m.) west
oriēns, orientis (m.) east
puppis, puppis (f.) stern, poop deck
septentriōnēs, septentriōnum (m. pl.) north tempestās, tempestātis (f.) storm
4th flūctus, -ūs (m.) wave portus, -ūs (m.) harbor tonitrus, -ūs (m.) thunder Verba ‑āre (1)
appellō, appellāre call, address
cōnātur, cōnārī attempt, try
cōnsōlātur, cōnsōlārī comfort, console
flō, flāre blow
gubernō, gubernāre steer, govern
iactō, iactāre throw, toss about
invocō, invocāre call upon, invoke
laetātur, laetārī rejoice, be glad
nāvigō, nāvigāre sail
servō, servāre preserve, save
turbō, turbāre stir up, agitate
‑ēre (2)
impleō, implēre fill, complete
intuētur, intuērī look at, watch
verētur, verērī fear
‑ere (3)
cernō, cernere discern, perceive
cōnscendō, cōnscendere mount, board
īnfluō, īnfluere flow into
occidō, occidere fall, sink, set
complectitur, complectī embrace
ēgreditur, ēgredī go out
lābitur, lābī slip, drop, fall
loquitur, loquī speak, talk
proficīscitur, proficīscī set out, depart
‑īre (4)
hauriō, haurīre draw (water), bail
opperītur, opperīrī wait (for), await
oritur, orīrī rise, appear
Irregular
interest, interesse be between
fit, fierī be done, become, happen
Adiectīva
1st/2nd (‑us/er, ‑a, ‑um)
āter, -tra, -trum black, dark
contrārius, -a, -um opposite, contrary
īnferus, -a, -um lower
maritimus, -a, -um seaside, coastal
serēnus, -a, -um clear, cloudless
situs, -a, -um situated
superus, -a, -um upper
tranquillus, -a, -um calm, still
turbidus, -a, -um agitated, stormy
dēpōnēns (gen. depōnentis) deponent (verb)
Coniūnctiōnēs
sīve or, or if
Praepositiōnēs
propter (prp. + acc.) because of
Adverbia
iterum again, a second time
paulum a little, little
praetereā besides
semper always
simul at the same time
vix hardly
147
XVII. Numerī Difficilēs
Rēs Grammaticae Novae
1. Verbs
a. Passive Voice b. oportēre (impersonal) c. dare
2. Nouns: Case Uses a. Double Accusative 3. Adjectives: Numbers a. Cardinals b. Inflection c. Ordinals 4. Pronouns: quisque 5. Adverbs