Chapter 28 Reading Comprehension

The Days of the Week: Quintum ab stella Iovis. Sextum a Veneris stella, quam Luciferum appellaverunt, quae inter omnes stellas plurimum lucis habet.

Fifth from the star Jupiter. Sixth from the star Venus, which they have named Light-bringer (Lucifer), who among all stars has the most light.

Please Remove My Name from Your Mailing List: Cur non mitto meos tibi, Pontiliane, libello?- ne mihi tu mittas, Pontiliane, tuos!

Why do I not send my little books to you, Pontilianus? So that you do not send yours to me, Pontilianus.

Please Remove My Name from Your Mailing List: What meter is this?

elegiac couplet

To Have Friends One Must Be Friendly: What is the meter?

elegiac couplet

The Days of the Week: What three types of celestial bodies does the word stella refer to here?

stars, planet,

Please Remove My Name from Your Mailing List: How do word order and the use of pronouns underscore the insult in line 2?

The repetition of the word you/yours is meant as an insult and draws a distinct separation between Martial's writing and Pontilianus' writing. Inserting Pontilianus' name into the middle of the sentence directly addresses him and calls focus to the name, especially because it is repeated.

The Days of the Week: What is this passage about?

The Greco-Roman names for the days of the weeks, briefly comparing the Judeo-Christian system. The early Germanic calander adopted the Roman system but substitutes the names of Germanic dieties (including Tiu, Woden, Thor and Freya) for all but Saturday.

The Days of the Week: To what group specifically does Isidore refer to in the phrase "inter nos" ?

Christains

To Have Friends One Must Be Friendly: Ut praestem Pyladen, aliquid mihi praestet Oresten. Hoc non fit verbis, Marce; ut ameris, ama.

In order that I may show Pylades, may someone show Orestes to me. This is not accomplished with words Marcus, so that you may be loved, love.

To Have Friends One Must Be Friendly: Who are Orestes and Pylades?

Orestes is the son of Agamemon and Pylades is the son of King Strophius of Phocis and Agamemnon's sister Anaxibia. Orestes and Pylades were in Greek myth exemplars of close friendship

Please Remove My Name from Your Mailing List: What is this about?

Roman poets would often exchange copies of their works with one another; but Pontilianus' poems are not Martial's cup of tea! (literary circle: writers getting together to share their stuff with one another)

The Days of the Week: Sabbatum autem septimus dies a dominico est, quem pagani Saturno dedicaverunt.

The Sabbath however is the 7th day from the Lord's which the pagans have dedicated to Saturn.

The Days of the Week: Who is the author?

The Spanish writer (Saint) Isidore, Bishop of Seville, was a polymath best know for his 20-volume work, the Origines or Etymologiae, which he intended to be an encyclopedia of all that was worth knowing abou classical antiquity

The Days of the Week: Dies dicti sunt a deis quorum nomina Romani quibusdam stellis dedicaverunt. Primum enim diem a Sole appellaverunt, qui princeps est omnium stellarum ut idem dies est prae omnibus diebus aliis.

The days have been called/named by the gods whose names the Romans have dedicated to certain stars. Indeed, they have named the first day from the Sun, which is the chief of all stars just as the same day is before all other days.

The Days of the Week: Septimum ab stella Saturni, quae dicitur cursum suum triginta annis explore. Apud Hebraeos autem dies primus dicitur unus dies sabbati, qui inter nos dies dominicus et, quem pagani Soli dedicaverunt.

The seventh from the star Saturn which is said to complete its course in 30 years. Among the Hebrews however the first day is called one day of the Sabbath, which among us is the Lord's day which the pagans have dedicated to the Sun.

To Have Friends One Must Be Friendly: Explain how the second line's "ut"-clause + imperative parallel both the thought and the syntax of the first line.

The syntax replicated it because they both start with ut and are part of a subordinate clause that introduces the rest of the sentence. Both follow the structure of the follow the structure of "In order for A to happen, you must do B". The thought parallel because the first clause is giving a specific example of the moral being taught in the second clause. The author is giving a command, and requires something to be done in order for a goal to be obtained.

The Days of the Week: Secundum diem a Luna appellaverunt, quae ex Sole lucem accepit. Tertium ab stella Martis, quae Vesper appellatur. Quartum ab stella Mercurii.

They have named the second day from the Moon which has received light from the sun. Third from the star Mars, which is called the Evening star. Fourth from the star Mercury.