Aulus Gellius (125 - after 180 AD) was a Roman
grammarian, antiquarian, philosopher and writer. He is hardly read anymore – I can’t
remember having read anything from him before till now. In some respects he
reminds of those 17th and 18th century writers who loved
reading and displaying their knowledge in writing books: never original, but
amusing to read. His only known work is the Noctes
Atticae (Attic nights), called so because he started this work when he
studied at Athens and started to write notes and extracts from the books he
read during the evening. He is important because he often quotes from sources
now lost. There is hardly any organisation in his book and Gellius delights in
telling anecdotes – a major reason for reading his book. Take for instance the
following story about why Socrates could endure his wife:
Aulus Gellius, book 1, XVII
1 Xanthippe,
Socratis philosophi uxor, morosa admodum fuisse fertur et iurgiosa irarumque et
molestiarum muliebrium per diem perque noctem scatebat. 2 Has eius intemperies
in maritum Alcibiades demiratus interrogavit Socraten, quaenam ratio esset, cur
mulierem tam acerbam domo non exigeret. 3 "Quoniam," inquit Socrates
"cum illam domi talem perpetior, insuesco et exerceor, ut ceterorum quoque
foris petulantiam et iniuriam facilius feram."
morosus: stubborn
iurgiosus:
quarrelsome
molestia:
trouble
muliebris:
pertaining to a woman
scateo (+
gen.): to abound in
intemperies
(f.): outrageous conduct
maritus:
husband
demiror demiratus
sum: to wonder
exigo exegi
exactum: to drive out
illam talem:
her being of that kind
perpetior
perpessus sum: to suffer firmly
insuesco insuevi:
to become used to
petulantia:
freakishness
Two chapters further he tells about how the Sibylline
books came into the possession of Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome
(534-509 BC): an old woman comes to him and offers nine books for a ridiculous high
price. Tarquinius thinks he is crazy and refuses to buy. Then she burns three
of the books and offers the remaining for the same price. Tarquinius still refuses
and she burns another three. Now the king changes his mind, as somehow he feels
that these books could be very important and agrees to buy the remaining three
for the price originally asked. The old woman disappears never to be seen
again. She was a Sibyl herself and according to tradition the Sibyl of Cumae.
XIX
1 In antiquis annalibus memoria super libris Sibyllinis
haec prodita est: 2 Anus hospita atque incognita ad Tarquinium Superbum regem
adiit novem libros ferens, quos esse dicebat divina oracula; eos velle venundare.
3 Tarquinius pretium percontatus
est. Mulier nimium atque inmensum poposcit; 4 rex, quasi anus aetate desiperet,
derisit. 5 Tum illa foculum coram cum igni apponit, tris libros ex novem deurit
et, ecquid reliquos sex eodem pretio emere vellet, regem interrogavit. 6
Sed enim Tarquinius id multo risit magis dixitque anum iam procul dubio
delirare. 7 Mulier ibidem statim tris alios libros exussit atque id ipsum denuo
placide rogat, ut tris reliquos eodem illo pretio emat. 8 Tarquinius ore iam
serio atque attentiore animo fit, eam constantiam confidentiamque non insuper
habendam intellegit, libros tris reliquos mercatur nihilo minore pretio, quam
quod erat petitum pro omnibus. 9 Sed eam mulierem tunc a Tarquinio digressam
postea nusquam loci visam constitit. 10 Libri tres in sacrarium conditi "Sibyllini" appellati; 11 ad
eos quasi ad oraculum quindecimviri adeunt, cum di immortales publice
consulendi sunt.
anus: old
woman
hospita: as
guest
venundo:
to sell
percontor
percontatus sum: to inquire
posco poposci:
to demand
desipio: to
act foolishly
foculum:
fire-pan
coram (adv.):
in front, nearby
deuro deussi
deustum: to burn completely
ecquid:
whether
emo emi emptus:
to sell
enim id multo risit
magis: laughed at this even much more
procul dubio:
without doubt
denuo: anew
placide:
calmly
ore serio: with
a serious face
non insuper:
not to disregard (litt. `not above, not in excess’)
mercor: to buy
constitit eam:
it is agreed that she
sacrarium: shrine
(in the temple of Juno)
quindecimviri:
the fifteen men appointed to consult the Sibylline books)
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