Friends Till The End: Martial 1.93

Aquinus and Fabricius, Friends ‘Till The End

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 1.93

Aquinus is buried next to his faithful Fabricius,

Who happily entered Heaven before him.

A double tombstone attests that both attained the rank of Head Centurion,

But, what’s more, is the inscription:

“Both are joined in a sacred relationship of a blessed life,

And something even more blessed: they were friends.”

Aquinus and Fabricius, Friends ‘Till the End

Fabricio iunctus fido requiescit Aquinus,

qui prior Elysias gaudet adisse domos.

Ara duplex primi testatur munera pili:

plus tamen est, titulo quod breviore legis:

“iunctus uterque sacro laudatae foedere vitae,

famaque quod raro novit: amicus erat.” 

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

The Avenger of Achilles: Martial, Epig.2.84.1-2

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 2.84.1-2

Note: Only the first half of the poem is printed here. In the second half, Martial makes an obscene comparison to this myth and one of his peers.

Philoctetes was gay, and openly flirty with men;

This is how Venus avenged the wounds of Paris*.

*In this version of the myth, Paris shoots and kills Achilles, and in turn is slain by Philoctetes' bow.

Mollis erat facilisque viris Poeantius heros:

     vulnera sic Paridis dicitur ulta Venus.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

M/M: Kisses Mixed With Wine, Martial 11.26

 

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 11.26

NOTE: Although the Romans did not find the relationship between Zeus and Ganymede problematic, it is important to not romanticize this relationship in the modern world, as the massive power imbalance negates the consent of the relationship in our views. 

Telesphorus, darling, my sweet respite from stress,

My love, I’ve never felt this way before I’d embraced you,

Give me kisses that taste like wine,

Give me wineglasses that your lips have first kissed.

If you also grant me your love,

I’d say I’m better than Jupiter with his Ganymede.

O mihi grata quies, o blanda, Telesphore, cura,
    qualis in amplexu non fuit ante meo,
basia da nobis vetulo, puer, uda Falerno,
    pocula da labris facta minora tuis.
Addideris super haec Veneris si gaudia vera,
    esse negem melius cum Ganymede Jovi.

 

 

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

M/M: Roses for Apollinaris, Martial, Epig. VII.87

The poet Martial uses erotic imagery in addressing his patron.

Go, blessed rose, weave yourself

Into a delicate crown

upon my Apollinaris’ hair.

Remember to crown him

Even when his hair is gray,

(that day will come, but not too soon)

And may Venus love you so forever.

 I, felix rosa, mollibusque sertis

nostri cinge comas Apollinaris.

Quas tu nectere candidas, sed olim,

sic te semper amet Venus, memento.

--Martial, Epig.VII.89

M 

Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These epigrams provide valuable insight into the mores and private lives of men and women from all of the city’s social classes.     

 

W/W: Bassa's Riddle, Martial 1.90.1-6

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams  1.90.1-6

Bassa,
Because I never saw you in any man's arms,
Because I never heard a rumor about you cheating,
Because no man ever dated you,
Because you were content

With the swarm of women always at your side,

You seemed to be an ideal of chastity to me.
But dang it, Bassa, all this time you’ve been dating them!

Latin Text: 

Quod numquam maribus iunctam te, Bassa, videbam

quodque tibi moechum fabula nulla dabat,

omne sed officium circa te semper obibat

turba tui sexus, non adeunte viro,

esse videbaris, fateor, Lucretia  nobis:

at tu, pro facinus, Bassa, [incasta]  eras!

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

A Marble Hermaphroditus: Martial, Epigr. 14.174

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 14.174

He entered the spring, but they emerged from it.
Their body has one part of a man's; the rest is a woman's.

Masculus intravit fontis: emersit utrumque:
pars est una patris, cetera matris habet.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

What's in a Name? Pueri & Puellae in Latin Love Poetry

When reading Latin love poetry, remember that puella means “girlfriend” and not “girl,” and puer means “boyfriend” and not “boy.”  Textual evidence supports that the Romans used these terms to refer to adult partners old enough to engage in romantic activity. [35] Although no author self-identifies as a puer in the nominative case [often preferring iuvenis 19], the term can be used to refer to another man (often a poet’s rival) [36]. Gender neutral terms (amores, delicias) would often be used in the plural, but sometimes in the singular (amanti/em). It is important to note, however, that although the term deliciae was used often with positive connotations (e.g., the Emperor Titus was called amor et deliciae generis humani [37]), the phrases “puer delicatus” and “in deliciis” tend to refer to a slave [38], not a consenting partner.  Regardless of their age, these people were not capable of consent due to their enslaved status. It is important to not joke about or romanticize poems that use these terms, as this damages the dignity of our youth.

The following chart provides a list of vocabulary for married couples:

Feminae (Women)	Communis (Gender Neutral)	Viri (Men)
Nouns: Domina [1] Femina [2] Mulier [3] Uxor [4] Verbs: nubo, -ere [5]	Nouns: Coniunx [6]    Verbs: coniungo, -ere [7]	Nouns: Dominus [8] Maritus [9] Vir [10] Verbs: in matrimonio habeo, -ere [1]] In matrimonio[con]iungo,   -ere [12] uxorem duco, -ere [13]

 

 

 

The following chart provides a list of vocabulary for dating couples:

IF YOU’RE A…
	Feminae (Women)		Communis (Gender Neutral)	Viri (Men)
You Call Yourself A…	Puella [14] Unica [15]		Amans [16]	Amans -17] Amator [18] Iuvenis[19]
You Call Your Partner A…	Femina: Amica [20] Unica [21]	Vir: Amasius[22] Dominus [23] Iuvenis[24] Vir [25]	Amans [26] Amores [27]  Deliciae [28]	Femina: Amica [29]  Domina [30] Mulier [31] Puella [32]	Vir: Amasius [33] Puer [34]

 

 

 

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[1] Catullus, Poem 61.31

[2] Catullus, Poem 61.173

[3] Catullus, Poem 70.1

[4] Catullus, Poem 71.178

[5] Martial, Epigram 9.10.1

[6] Catullus, Poem 61.32

[7] Catullus, Poem 64.373

[8] Catullus, Poem 45.14

[9] Catullus, Poem 61.55

[10] Catullus, Poem 61.3

[11] Cicero, On Behalf of Caecina 10.9

[12] Livy, From the Founding of the City 1.46.5

[13] Martial, Epigram 9.10.2

[14] Sulpicia, Poem 5.1

[15] MGH 8:7, line 5

[16] Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.73

[17] Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.73

[18] Ovid, Loves, 1.4.39

[19] Ausonius, Epigram 40.4

[20] Martial, Epigram 7.70.2

[21] MGH 8:7, line 3

[22] Plautus, Cas.589

[23] Ovid, Loves,3.7.11

[24] CIL 6.37965

[24] Plaut. Casina 146

[26] Catullus, Poem 73.3

[27] Catullus, Poem 10.1

[28] Catullus, Poem 22.2

[29] Catullus, Poem 72.3

[30] Propertius, Elegies1.1.21

[31] Catullus, Poem 71.1

[32] Catullus, Poem 71.1

[33] Jacob Mycellus, Lucian’s Dialogue of the Gods14

[34] Martial, Epigram 4.42.14

[35] cum puero ut bello bella puella cubet, Catullus Poem 78.4; vir reliquis, uni sit puer mihi, Martial Epigram 4.42.14

[36] Horace, Odes 1.5.1

[37] Suetonius, Titus 1

[38] Pliny, Natural History, 7.34

M/M: Hard to Get: Martial, Epig. 5.83

Playing Hard to Get: Martial and Dindymus

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 5.83

You flirt, I play hard to get.
You play hard to get, I flirt.
This is my mindset, Dindymus,
I don't want to want to be yours,
I want to not want you.

Playing Hard to Get: Martial and Dindymus

Insequeris, fugio; fugis, insequor. Haec mihi mens est:

velle tuum nolo, Dindyme, nolle volo.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

M/M: Counting Kisses: Martial, Epig. 6.34

Counting Kisses: Martial’s Remix To His Boyfriend

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 6.34

Diadumenus, give me rapid-fire kisses. How many, you ask?

You order me to count the waves of the Ocean,

And the number of shells scattered on the Aegean beaches,

And the number of bees wandering over the Athenian hills,

And the number of voices and applause heard in an amphitheater whenever Caesar suddenly appears.

I don't want the amount that Lesbia gave to her Catullus, who made a similar request:

A number of kisses that can be counted is not enough!

Counting Kisses: Martial’s Remix To His Boyfriend

Basia da nobis, Diadumene, pressa. "Quot?" inquis.
Oceani fluctus me numerare iubes
et maris Aegaei sparsas per litora conchas
et quae Cecropio monte vagantur apes,
quaeque sonant pleno vocesque manusque theatro
cum populus subiti Caesaris ora videt.
Nolo quot arguto dedit exorata Catullo
Lesbia: pauca cupit qui numerare potest.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.

What's Your Type?: Martial, Epig. 6.54

What’s Your Type, Sextilianus?

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 6.54

Aulus, if you forbid Sextilianus to talk about “so many men and women,”

The poor man won't be able to string three words together.

You ask, “What's his type?” 

Well, I'll tell you what I suspect:

That Sextilianus likes “so many men and women.”

 

 

Latin Text: 

Tantos et tantas si dicere Sextilianum,

Aule, vetes, iunget vix tria verba miser.

“Quid sibi vult?” inquis. Dicam quid suspicer esse:

tantos et tantas Sextilianus amat.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.