Cambridge Latin Course Book 1 Stage 10 Statuae Translation -
"My friend, who lives in Rome, gave me a statue in our city. The statue is tall and beautiful. On the statue is the figure of a man which is like me. My friend also wrote an inscription on the base of the statue. I read the inscription and am delighted."
Latin:
Syphax tacet et in cellam descendit. In cella invenit servum, qui statuam tenet. Servus est Salvius, quem Syphax in vinculis tenet.
Servus clamat: “Me miserum! Diu in hac cella laboro. Nunc statuam tenere iubeor. Cur me non liberas?”
Syphax ridet: “Quod statuam puellae pulchrae facere volo. Tu es optimus servus. Diu me adiuvabis.”
Translation:
Syphax is silent and goes down into the cellar. In the cellar he finds a slave who is holding a statue. The slave is Salvius, whom Syphax is keeping in chains.
The slave shouts: “Wretched me! I have been working for a long time in this cellar. Now I am ordered to hold a statue. Why don’t you free me?”
Syphax laughs: “Because I want to make a statue of a beautiful girl. You are the best slave. You will help me for a long time.”
Subject: Cambridge Latin Course (CLC) Book 1, Stage 10: Statuae Context: This stage serves as the dramatic climax of the first book. Having spent previous stages establishing the daily life, the household, and the merchant activities of Caecilius and his family in Pompeii, Stage 10 shifts the focus to politics, social status, and the foreshadowing of the city's doom.
For students and self-learners searching for "translation," this stage is often a stumbling block because the stories become longer and the sentence structures more complex. However, it is also one of the most rewarding sections of Book 1.
Here is the Latin text of statuae as found in CLC Book 1 (4th or 5th edition), with a literal, line-by-line English translation.
Line 1: Quintus et Gaius apud philosophum Graecum cenant.
Translation: Quintus and Gaius are dining at the house of a Greek philosopher.
Line 2: philosophus servum in culīnā terret.
Translation: The philosopher frightens a slave in the kitchen.
Line 3: servus e culīnā clāmat: “heu! statua in culīnā est!”
Translation: The slave shouts from the kitchen: “Alas! A statue is in the kitchen!” cambridge latin course book 1 stage 10 statuae translation
Line 4: philosophus rīdet. “nūllae statuae sunt in hāc domō,” inquit.
Translation: The philosopher laughs. “There are no statues in this house,” he says.
Line 5: “stultus es. nōlī timēre.”
Translation: “You are foolish. Don’t be afraid.”
Line 6: servus tamen perterritus in culīnā manet.
Translation: The slave, however, terrified, remains in the kitchen.
Line 7: Quintus et Gaius philosophum audiunt.
Line 8: “cūr servus clāmat?” rogat Gaius.
Translation: Quintus and Gaius listen to the philosopher. “Why is the slave shouting?” asks Gaius.
Line 9: philosophus respondet: “servus statuam vidēre sē putat.”
Translation: The philosopher replies: “The slave thinks that he sees a statue.”
Line 10: “nūlla autem statua est in hāc domō.”
Translation: “But there is no statue in this house.”
Line 11: “servus est stultissimus.”
Translation: “The slave is very foolish.”
Line 12: Quintus et Gaius ad culīnam ambulant.
Line 13: ubi ad culīnam appropinquant, clāmor iterum auditur.
Translation: Quintus and Gaius walk to the kitchen. When they approach the kitchen, a shout is heard again. "My friend, who lives in Rome, gave me a statue in our city
Line 14: “ecce! statua in culīnā est!” clāmat servus.
Translation: “Look! A statue is in the kitchen!” shouts the slave.
Line 15: Quintus ianuam aperit et in culīnam intrat.
Translation: Quintus opens the door and enters the kitchen.
Line 16: ubi in culīnam intrat, nihil videt.
Translation: When he enters the kitchen, he sees nothing.
Line 17: “nūlla statua est in culīnā,” inquit.
Translation: “There is no statue in the kitchen,” he says.
Line 18: “stultus es. nōlī timēre.”
Translation: “You are foolish. Don’t be afraid.”
Line 19: subito tamen ianua clauditur.
Line 20: Quintus circum spectat.
Translation: Suddenly, however, the door is closed. Quintus looks around.
Line 21: et ecce! in medio culīnae statua stat!
Translation: And look! In the middle of the kitchen, a statue stands!
Line 22: Quintus perterritus ad ianuam currit.
Translation: Terrified, Quintus runs to the door. Here is the Latin text of statuae as
Line 23: sed ianua non aperitur.
Translation: But the door is not opened.
Line 24: statua appropinquat.
Line 25: Quintus clamat: “servus nōn erat stultus. ego eram stultus.”
Translation: The statue approaches. Quintus shouts: “The slave was not foolish. I was foolish.”
Line 26: ecce! Gaius ianuam aperit.
Line 27: Quintus e culīnā currit et ianuam claudit.
Translation: Look! Gaius opens the door. Quintus runs from the kitchen and closes the door.
Line 28: “quid vīdistī?” rogat Gaius.
Translation: “What did you see?” asks Gaius.
Line 29: Quintus nihil respondet.
Line 30: est pallidus.
Translation: Quintus replies nothing. He is pale.
If you need the full passage including the subsequent part where Caecilius realises his mistake, let me know and I can provide that as well.
Latin:
Syphax, statuarius, in officina laborat. Subito Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, senator Romanus, officinam intrat. Senator statuas multas emit. Syphax senatorī valde placet. “Ego,” inquit senator, “statuam puellae pulchrae emere volo. Habesne statuam talem?”
Translation:
Syphax, a sculptor, is working in his workshop. Suddenly, Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a Roman senator, enters the workshop. The senator buys many statues. Syphax is very pleasing to the senator. “I,” said the senator, “want to buy a statue of a beautiful girl. Do you have such a statue?”