Mourning the loss of a friend: Antye, Greek Anthology 7.490

 

Name: Antye Date:    3rd century BCE Region:    Tegea [modern Greece] Citation: Greek Anthology 7.490
I mourn for the maiden Antibia. Because of her beauty and wisdom Many suitors flocked to her father’s home for her, But cursed Fate keeps all hope at bay.
παρθένον Ἀντιβίαν κατοδύρομαι, ἇς ἐπὶ πολλοὶ νυμφίοι ἱέμενοι πατρὸς ἵκοντο δόμον, κάλλευς καὶ πινυτᾶτος ἀνὰ κλέος: ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ πάντων ἐλπίδας οὐλομένα Μοῖρ᾽ ἐκύλισε πρόσω.	Virginem Antibiam deploro, quam propter multi Sponsi desiderantes, ad patris venerunt domum, Ob pulchritudinem & prudentiam inclytam; sed omnium Spem damnosa mors subverti prius. Translated into Latin by Christian Wolf [1735]

 

 

Antye [4^th century BCE, Modern Greece] was one of the famous “earthly Muses,” a group of nine women poets revered by classical Greek and Roman authors. Little is known about her, but it generally agreed that she was from Tegea [modern Greece] and lived during the 3^rd century BCE. Numerous poems of hers were preserved in the Greek Anthology.

Reminding Those You Care About to Care for Themselves: Four Letters Between Fronto and Marcus Aurelius

 

Name:  Fronto and Marcus Aurelius Date:  100 – 170 CE Region:  Cirta [modern Algeria], Rome [modern Italy] Citation: Fronto, Letters to Marcus Aurelius 5.1, 5.2, Index of Book 5, lines 7-8

Fronto to Marcus Aurelius:

To my lord:

If you love me at all, get some sleep the night before you come into the Senate, so you can give your speech with a healthy appearance and a strong voice.

Marcus Aurelius to Fronto:

To my teacher:

I will never love you enough! I’ll get some sleep.

 

Fronto to Marcus Aurelius:

To my lord: Get something to eat, lord...

 

Marcus Aurelius to Fronto:

To my teacher: I got something to eat...

Domino Meo.

Si quicquam nos amas, dormi per istas noctes, ut forti colore in senatum venias et vehementi latere legas.

Magistro meo:

Ego te numquam satis amabo: dormiam.

 

 

 [First lines of two lost letters]:

Domino meo: Sume cibum, Domine...

Magistro meo: Sumpsi cibum...

Fronto [Marcus Cornelius Fronto; 100 – 160 CE, modern Algeria and Italy] was a Roman statesman born in Cirta [modern Algeria] whose rhetorical and literary abilities earned him the nickname “the Second Cicero.” He was tutor and mentor to the future Roman emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. His correspondence with them provides unique insight into the personal lives of much of the Antonine dynasty.

Meeting a Dear Friend While Traveling Abroad, Egeria, It. Per. 1.23.2-3

 

Name:  Egeria Date:  4th century CE Region:  [modern Spain] Citation:   Journey Abroad 1.23.2-3

Egeria was a Christian woman from Spain who lived during the 4th century CE. The narrative of her pilgrimage is an important document, as it shows rare insight into the lives of women during that time period. She was not only able to travel to visit holy sites in Constantinople, Jerusalem, and other holy places, she was alsoliterate and able to write of her experiences to the women in her social circle, who were presumably also literate.  

From there we traveled to the [shrine of] St. Thecla, located about a mile and a half outside of the city on a small hill. I wanted to go there and spend some time there as I’d planned. There really isn’t anything there at the holy church except the living quarters of countless monks and nuns.

While I was there I found one of my dearest friends, a holy deaconess named Marthana, whose life everybody in the east could testify about. I had gotten to know her in Jerusalem, where she had visited for the sake of prayer; now, however, she was in charge of the nuns there. When she saw me, I can’t tell who was more full of joy, her or me!  

Et quoniam inde ad sanctam Theclam, qui locus est ultra civitatem in colle sed plano, habebat de civitate forsitan mille quingentos passus, malui ergo perexire illuc, ut stativa, quam factura eram, ibi facerem. Ibi autem ad sanctam ecclesiam nihil aliud est nisi monasteria sine numero virorum ac mulierum.

Nam inveni ibi aliquam amicissimam mihi, et cui omnes in oriente testimonium ferebant vitae ipsius, sancta diaconissa nomine Marthana, quam ego apud Jerusolimam noveram, ubi illa gratia orationis ascenderat; haec autem monasteria apotactitum seu virginum regebat. Quae me cum vidisset, quod gaudium illius vel meum esse potuerit, nunquid vel scribere possum?

Egeria [4th century CE, modern Spain] was a Christian woman who wrote a narrative of her pilgrimage to Constantinople, Jerusalem, and other places in the Holy Land. Her life provides insight into the lives of women during the 4th century CE, as she not only had the privilege of being able to travel extensively, but also was literate and able to share her story in writing with other literate women in her social circle. 

Mars & Pallas, Joined in Battle *and* Origin Stories: Faustus Sabaeus

Name: Faustus Sabaeus Date: 16th century CE   Region:  Brixia [Brescia, modern Italy] Citation:   Epigrams, book 1 p.61-2

Mars & Pallas

Over here, you see a woman

Wearing an aegis, a helmet, and a spear,

And over there, there’s a splendid looking youth in full armor.

One is the daughter of Jupiter,

The other is a son of Juno.

Both are warriors, and wage war effectively.

Both are around the same age,

But have different origin stories:

Mars doesn’t have a dad,

And Minerva doesn’t have a mom.

 

 

 

De Marte et Pallade

Gorgone munitam & galea quam cernis & hasta

tectum armis iuvenem conspicuum, atque trucem

Illa Jovis nata est, Junonis filius iste, 

Bella gerunt ambo, & strenue & arma movent.

Pene pares aetate ambo, sed dispare ab ortu

patre quidem Mavors, matre Minerva caret.

 

Faustus Sabaeus [16th century, modern Italy] was a librarian of the Vatican library who composed numerous poems on mythology-based themes.

Dux Femina Facti: Zenobia, A Better Warrior Than A Man, SHA Duorum Gallienorum 13.1-5

Zenobia vs. Gallienus

Name: Scriptores Historia Augusta Date:   Unknown Region:    Unknown Citation:     Life of The Two Gallieni 13.1-5

Often, authors will use depictions of other nations as a mirror for their own society. Here Zenobia’s exploits are used to criticize Gallienus’ masculinity and ability to rule effectively.  

At that time, Odenathus was killed by his cousin’s plot. He was killed along with his son Herodes, whom he had also named emperor. Since his remaining children Herennianus and Timolaus were too young to rule, his wife Zenobia took the throne. She ruled for a long time, not in a womanly manner, or like a girl, but cleverly and boldly, not only dissimilar to Gallienus (who any woman could do a better job than), but also even other rulers. For when Gallienus heard that Odenathus died, he gathered his forces for a war against the Persians in a too-little-too-late attempt to avenge his father. He assembled the troops and managed the war as a clever leader through the management of Heraclian. However, when Heraclian set out against the Persians, he was defeated by the Palmyrans and lost all of his soldiers, since Zenobia was ruling both Palmyra and many other eastern cities in a manly fashion.

Zenobia vs. Gallienus

Per idem tempus Odenatus insidiis consobrini sui interemptus est cum filio Herode, quem et ipsum imperatorem appellaverat. Cum Zenobia, uxor eius, quod parvuli essent filii eius, qui supererant, Herennianus et Timolaus, ipsa suscepit imperium diuque rexit, non muliebriter neque more femineo, sed non solum Gallieno, quo quae virgo melius imperare potuisset, verum etiam multis imperatoribus fortius atque solertius. Gallienus sane, ubi ei nuntiatum Odenatum interemptum, bellum Persis ad seram nimis vindictam patris paravit collectisque per Heraclianum ducem militibus sollertis principis rem gerebat. Qui tamen Heraclianus, cum contra Persas profectus esset, a Palmyrenis victus omnes, quos paraverat, milites perdidit, Zenobia Palmyrenis et orientalibus plerisque viriliter imperante.

Scriptores Historiae Augustae Little is known about the author(s) of the Historia Augusta; even internal evidence within the text is either falsified, skewed or utterly fictitious. Although attributed to six different authors, the text was likely written by a single author living during the 4th century CE. It is a series of imperial biographies modeled after the works of Suetonius; these biographies cover the reigns of the emperors Hadrian through Carus.

Dux Femina Facti: Zenobia, the Warrior Queen, SHA Trig. Tyr. 30.1-3

Zenobia, Following in the Footsteps of Greatness

Name: Scriptores Historia Augusta Date:   Unknown Region:    Unknown Citation:     Life of The Thirty Tyrants 30.1-3

Often, authors will use depictions of other nations as a mirror for their own society. Here Zenobia’s exploits are used to criticize Gallienus’ masculinity and ability to rule effectively.  

All decency is gone, when the broken down state has come to such a new low that on good-for-nothing Gallienus’ watch that even women can rule well—even foreign ones! For Zenobia, a foreigner (about whom much ink has been spilled) who boasted that she was descended from Cleopatra and the Ptolemies of Egypt, took up rule after the death of her husband Odenathus. Wearing a military cloak on her shoulders, and dressed like Dido, she took up the crown in the name of her sons Herennianus and Timolaus, and ruled longer than a woman should. This woman ruled while Gallienus was in charge at Rome and while Claudius was distracted by his war with the Goths, and was just barely (but ultimately) defeated by Aurelian. Finally defeated by him, she was led in triumph at Rome and gave up her throne.

Zenobia, Following in the Footsteps of Greatness

Omnis iam consumptus est pudor, si quidem fatigata re publica eo usque perventum est, ut Gallieno nequissime agente optime etiam mulieres imperarent, et quidem peregrinae. Peregrina enim, nomine Zenobia, de qua multa iam dicta sunt, quae se de Cleopatrarum Ptolemaeorumque gente iactaret, post Odenatum maritum imperiali sagulo perfuso per umeros, habitu Didonis ornata, diademate etiam accepto, nomine filiorum Herenniani et Timolai diutius, quam femineus sexus patiebatur, imperavit. Si quidem Gallieno adhuc regente rem publicam regale mulier superba munus obtinuit et Claudio bellis Gothicis occupato vix denique ab Aureliano victa et triumphata concessit in iura Romana.

Scriptores Historiae Augustae Little is known about the author(s) of the Historia Augusta; even internal evidence within the text is either falsified, skewed or utterly fictitious. Although attributed to six different authors, the text was likely written by a single author living during the 4th century CE. It is a series of imperial biographies modeled after the works of Suetonius; these biographies cover the reigns of the emperors Hadrian through Carus.

A More Perfect Union? Using the Gender Roles of Other Nations to Critique Your Own, Tacitus, Germania 18

Gender Roles in Germanic Marriage Rites

Name:   Tacitus Date:    56 – 117 CE Region:   [modern Italy]  Citation:  Germania 18

Often, authors will use depictions of other nations as a mirror for their own society. Here Tacitus is glamorizing his depiction of Germanic marriages to criticize Roman women and marriages.

 

[Germanic tribes] treat marriage very seriously, and it’s the best part of their value system. Of all the other barbaric tribes out there, the Germans are the only ones who practice monogamy. Of course, there are a handful of exceptions, but the noblemen who have multiple wives do so out of political gain, and definitely not out of lust. The wife doesn’t provide a dowry to her husband; instead, the husband gives a dowry to his wife. Their parents and kin evaluate what he has to offer in the relationship—and these aren’t trifles that women nag for, or other things that new brides have. No, these are a yoke of bulls, a bridled horse, and a shield, spear, and sword. The wife accepts these gifts, and in turn, gives the same to her husband. This is seen as the highest bond, the holy rite of marriage that their religion dictates. To keep the woman from thinking that she is immune from hard work or military valor, she is warned at the start of the marriage that she is entering the relationship as a partner to her husband’s exploits and dangers, in both war and peace. This is what the team of bulls, the bridled horse, and the set of armor represents. They live together as one, and they die together as one. She is to accept this union, which she will in turn pass down untouched and pure to her children, her daughters-in-law, and her descendants.

Tacitus [Publius Cornelius Tacitus; 56 – 117 CE, modern Italy] is considered one of the best Roman historians of the 1st century CE. He wrote numerous works, including the Annals [Roman history beginning with the death of the Emperor Augustus and the rise of Tiberius], the Histories [about the Year of the Four Emperors], and a biography of his father-in,-law, the Agricola.

Gender Roles in Germanic Marriage Rites

Quamquam severa illic matrimonia, nec ullam morum partem magis laudaveris. Nam prope soi barbarorum singulis uxoribus contenti sunt, exceptis admodum paucis, qui non libidine, sed ob nobilitatem plurimis nuptiis ambiuntur. Dotem non uxor marito, sed uxori maritus offert. Intersunt parentes et propinqui ac munera probant, munera non ad delicias muliebres quaesita nec quibus nova nupta comatur, sed boves et frenatum equum et scutum cum framea gladioque. In haec munera uxor accipitur, atque in vicem ipsa armorum aliquid viro adfert: hoc maximum vinculum, haec arcana sacra, hos coniugales deos arbitrantur. Ne se mulier extra virtutem cogitations extraque bellorum casus putet, ipsis incipientis matrimonii auspiciis admonetur venire se laborum periculorumque sociam, idem in pace, idem in proelio passuram ausuramque. Hoc iuncti boves, hoc paratus equus, hoc data arma denuntiant. Sic vivendum, sic pereundum: accipere se, quae liberis inviolate ac Digna reddat, quae nurus accipiant, rursusque ad nepotes referantur.