aulus gellius lines 1-14 attic nights

Apion, qui "Plistonices" appellatus est,

Apion, who was called 'Plistonices',

litteris homo multis praeditus rerumque Graecarum plurima atque varia scientia fuit.

was a man endowed with much learning and very great and varied knowledge of Greek matters.

eius libri non incelebres (esse) feruntur,

His books are said (to be) not unrenowned,

quibus omnium ferme, quae mirifica in Aegypto visuntur audiunturque, historia comprehenditur.

in which is contained the history of nearly all the things which are seen and heard (to be) remarkable in Egypt.

hoc autem, quod in libro Aegyptiacorum quinto scripsit, neque audisse neque legisse,

However, he affirms that he neither heard nor read this which he wrote in the fifth book of Egyptian Wonders,

sed ipsum sese in urbe Roma vidisse oculis suis confirmat.

but that he himself saw it with his own eyes in the city of Rome.

"in Circo Maximo" inquit "venationis amplissimae pugna populo dabatur.

‘In the Circus Maximus,’ he said, ‘a contest consisting of very splendid hunting was being presented to the people.

eius rei, Romae cum forte essem, spectator" inquit "fui.

I was a spectator of this event, when I happened to be in Rome,’ he said.

multae ibi saevientes ferae, magnitudines bestiarum excellentes, omniumque invisitata aut forma erat aut ferocia.

‘There were many raging wild animals there, superior sizes of beasts, and either the shape or fierceness of all was extraordinary.’

sed praeter alia omnia leonum "inquit "immanitas admirationi fuit praeterque omnis ceteros unus.

‘But apart from everything else,’ he said, ‘the huge size of the lions was a source of wonder and besides all the others, one (in particular).

is unus leo corporis impetu et vastitudine terrificoque fremitu et sonoro, toris comisque cervicum fluctuantibus animos oculosque omnium in sese converterat.

This one lion, by the vigour and enormous size of his body and his terrifying, resounding, lion roaring, the muscles and hairs of his neck rippling, had turned everyone’s attentions and eyes towards him.