Before diving into paragraph 2, let’s set the scene. Stage 17 follows the dramatic events of Stage 16 (the assassination of the former king). The Roman governor of Britain, , is trying to maintain order. A British king named Cogidubnus (a Roman ally) has been poisoned. Suspicion falls on a Roman official named Salvius . In Tumultus , the native Britons are rioting. The Roman military has been called in to suppress the uprising.
When Salvius heard this, he was furious.
The boy (puer) bravely attempts to defend Quintus and Barbillus. He shows remarkable loyalty, standing his ground against the rioters. The Tragedy: stage 17 tumultus 2 translation
The centurion, who had stepped into the hall, drew his sword.
For students navigating the rigorous and rewarding journey of Latin studies, certain stages act as significant milestones. Stage 17, typically found within the Cambridge Latin Course (CLC), represents a pivotal turning point in the narrative. It is here that the story shifts from the quiet, domestic life of Caecilius and his family in Pompeii to the tumultuous, dangerous world of Roman politics and military intrigue in Britain. Before diving into paragraph 2, let’s set the scene
| Latin | English | |-------|---------| | tumultus, -ūs (m.) | uprising, disturbance, rebellion | | advenit | arrives | | Caledonii | Caledonians (northern British tribe) | | arma capiunt | take up arms | | incendunt | they burn | | rapiunt | they seize, plunder | | interficiunt | they kill | | auxilium | help | | custōdēs | guards | | mīlitēs | soldiers | | prope Eborācum | near York | | sine imperātōre | without a commander | | nihil audent | dare nothing / don’t dare to act | | frīgidē rīsit | smiled coldly | | properābimus | we will hurry | | concitāvit | stirred up, provoked |
To help students who are stuck, here is how to approach the translation of typical sentences found in this stage. (Sentences may vary slightly depending on the edition of the CLC). A British king named Cogidubnus (a Roman ally)
Mastering the is more than a homework checkpoint. It introduces you to Roman political rhetoric, indirect statements, pluperfect tense, and the delicate relationship between colonizer and colonized. Agricola’s speech— Nolite timere —is ironically undercut by the Britons’ final realization: no one is truly safe under Roman rule.
Interim Britanni, qui in foro stabant, nihil de morte regis cognoverant. subito tamen milites Romani cum armis appropinquaverunt. dux militum, Gnaeus Iulius Agricola, ipse Britannos in foro convocavit. "Nolite timere," inquit. "nemo vestrum periculō adficietur. servi sunt qui regem necaverunt. servi, non cives Britanni, punientur." haec postquam dixit, omnes Britanni in forum redierunt. multi tamen timebant quod servos non solum sed etiam cives in periculo esse intellexerunt.
Sensing the danger, the Egyptian slave boy leads Quintus to the nearby house of , a Greek craftsman. While they take refuge inside, the mob begins a hostile attack on the house. Diogenes hands out clubs for defense, but the Egyptians break down the door. In the ensuing fight, Quintus is knocked unconscious. When he wakes, he finds the house ransacked and the slave boy dead, having sacrificed his life to defend Quintus. Full Latin-to-English Translation