One of the most amusing
books in Latin must be the Noctes Atticae of Attic Nights by Aulus Gellius (125
– after 180). It is a compendium of anecdotes, which he started writing
spending the nights during a winter at Attica. He tells how the last Roman king
Tarquinius Superbus got the Sibylline Books. These books contained oracles written
in Greek hexameters and were consulted during times of dangers and distress. An
old woman, the Cumaean Sybil Amalthea, in disguise, offered nine books with these
oracles. Tarquinius refuses twice, whereupon the old woman each time burned
three books. Finally Tarquinius buys the remaining three. What would have
happened to the Roman Empire having had the possession of nine such books?
Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 1.19
Historia super libris Sibyllinis ac de Tarquinio Superbo rege.
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.
super (+ abl.): about
prodo prodidi proditum: to transmit
anus (f.):
old woman
hospitus:
foreign
venundo = venum-do: to put for sale, to sell
percontor percontatus: to inquire
nimius: too
great, excessive
posco poposci:
to ask, demand
desipio ( -ere): to act silly
derideo derisis derisum: to laugh at, deride
foculus:
fire-pan
coram
(adv.): before the eyes
deuro deussi deustum: to burn up
ecquid: whether
emo emi emptum:
to buy
procul dubio:
without doubt
ibidem: at
the same place
statim:
immediately
denuo: a
second time
placide: quietly
os oris:
facial expression (the ablatives are ablatives of description)
non insuper habendem: must not be regarded as superfluous, not be despised
mercor mercatus: to buy
nusquam loci:
litt. nowhere of place (loci gen.
partitivus) = at no place
constitit: it
is certain
sacrarium:
shrine (in the temple of Jupiter on the Capitol. Augustus transferred them to
the temple of Apollo on the Palatine.)
conditus:
hidden
quindecimviri:
the 15 (originally 10) priests who were appointed to consult the Sibylline
books
Translation by J.C. Rolfe
(1927)
19 The story of king Tarquin the Proud and the
Sibylline Books.
1 In ancient annals we
find this tradition about the Sibylline Books. 2 An old woman, a perfect
stranger, came to king Tarquin the Proud, bringing nine books; she declared
that they were oracles of the gods and that she wished to sell them. 3 Tarquin
inquired the price; 4 the woman demanded an immense p91 and exorbitant sum: the king laughed her
to scorn, believing her to be in her dotage. 5 Then she placed a lighted
brazier before him, burned three of the books to ashes, and asked whether he
would buy the remaining six at the same price. 6 But at this Tarquin laughed
all the more and said that there was now no doubt that the old woman was crazy.
7 Upon that the woman at once burned up three more books and again calmly made
the same request, that he would buy the remaining three at the original figure.
8 Tarquin now became serious and more thoughtful, and realising that such
persistence and confidence were not to be treated lightly, he bought the three
books that were left at as high a price as had been asked for all nine. 9 Now
it is a fact that after then leaving Tarquin, that woman was never seen again
anywhere. 10 The three books were deposited in a shrine and called
"Sibylline"; 11 to them the Fifteen resort whenever the immortal gods
are to be consulted as to the welfare of the State.
