Saturday, April 28, 2012

Qui potuit Bacchi matrem...

Here is today's distich by Martial, 5.72. The distich joking alludes to Dionysus' birth from Zeus' thigh.

Qui potuit Bacchi matrem dixisse Tonantem,
ille potest Semelen dicere, Rufe, patrem.

He that affirms Jove Bacchus' mother may
Prove Semele his father the same way.
- Anon.

Here is the vocabulary:

qui - who, which, that
possum - can, be able
Bacchus - Bacchus
mater - mother
dico - say
Tonans - thundering; Thunderer
ille - that, that one
Semele - Semele
Rufus - Rufus
pater - father