Friday, March 16, 2012

Nos bibimus vitro...

Here is today's distich by Martial, 4.85. As Martial tells it, Ponticus drinks his own wine from a stone goblet so that it will not be obvious that he is drinkng a different wine than what he is serving to his guests!

Nos bibimus vitro, tu murra, Pontice. Quare?
Prodat perspicuus ne duo vina calix.

We drink in glass, but you in stone; and why?
Lest clear glass should your better wine descry.
- Anon.

Here is the vocabulary:

nos - we
bibo - drink
vitrum - glass
tu - you
murra - murrine stone
Ponticus - Ponticus
quare - why
prodo - bring forth, reveal
perspicuus - transparent, clear
ne - so that not, lest
duo - two
vinum - wine
calix - cup, goblet