Thursday, March 29, 2012

Haec tibi brumali...

Here is today's distich by Martial, 13.16. The notion of Romulus eating turnips - rather than the usual ambrosia - in heaven is part of an old Roman satirical tradition.

Haec tibi brumali gaudentia frigore rapa
quae damus, in caelo Romulus esse solet.


Here is the vocabulary:

hic - this, this one
tu - you
brumalis - winter (adj.)
gaudeo - rejoice, be joyful
frigus - cold, frost
rapa - turnip
qui - who, which, that
do - give
in - in
caelum - sky, heaven
Romulus - Romulus
edo - eat
soleo - be accustomed to, usually