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casta nec antiquis cedens Laevina Sabinis
Translation:
“Laevina, no less pure than the Sabine women of old”
Stylistic Point:
Idealized Virtue: "casta" (chaste) immediately sets up Laevina as a paragon of virtue. The Sabine women were famously celebrated in Roman culture for their chastity and modesty, embodying the moral ideals of early Rome. By stating that Laevina is "nec cedens" (not yielding) to their example, Martial elevates her character to a near-mythical level of purity.
Word Placement: “casta” is the start of the sentence to emphasise here purity and “Sabine” at end for the same reason.
Historical Allusion: Martial references the Sabines, a people associated with the legendary episode of the “Rape of the Sabine Women.” This allusion may serve as a subtle hint that even women of the highest virtue are not immune to external forces, such as love or desire.
et quamvis tetrico tristior ipsa viro
Translation:
“and more severe than her ever so stern husband”
Stylistic Point:
Tone and Characterization: The phrase paints Laevina as a serious and perhaps emotionally distant woman, even surpassing her husband ("tetrico viro") in sombreness. This detail emphasizes her rigid, self-controlled nature, making her eventual surrender to passion all the more shocking.
Alliteration and Synonyms: “tetrico tristior” emphasises her purity
dum modo Lucrino, modo se demittit Averno,
Translation:
“While she lowers herself, sometimes in Lake Lucrine, sometimes in Lake Avernus”
Stylistic Point:
Geographical Symbolism:
The reference to Lucrinus and Avernus (both bodies of water near Baiae, a region associated with luxury and indulgence) suggests a lifestyle of sensuality and pleasure.
Dual Meaning: The phrase "se demittit" (lowers herself) has a dual meaning: physically immersing in the waters but also morally descending, hinting at her growing susceptibility to desire.
Rhythmic Movement: The repetition of "modo" (now... now...) mimics the rhythm of her frequent trips between the two lakes, emphasizing her restless state. This mirrors her internal turbulence as she transitions from virtue to passion.
Descent Imagery: "Avernus" was associated with the underworld in Roman mythology, adding a darker, almost foreboding undertone. Laevina’s descent into the waters of Avernus could symbolize her surrender to her baser instincts.
et dum Baianis saepe fovetur aquis,
Translation:
“and often being warmed up in the waters of Baiae”
Stylistic Point:
Setting and Connotation: Baiae was notorious in Roman culture as a hub of decadence and moral laxity, often associated with pleasure-seekers. By placing Laevina here, Martial suggests that her environment plays a role in her moral unraveling.
Repetition and Excess: "saepe fovetur" (often indulged) reinforces the idea of overindulgence, signaling that her exposure to luxury and sensual pleasures erodes her former chastity.
Symbolic Waters: Water usually is a metaphor for cleansing, but here it is washing away here chastity.
incidit in flammas: iuvenemque secuta relicto
Translation:
“She fell into the flame of love, having gone off with a young man and left…”
Stylistic Point:
Metaphor of Fire: "incidit in flammas" (she fell into the flames) is a powerful metaphor for falling in love or succumbing to passion. The imagery of fire evokes the consuming, uncontrollable nature of desire.
Dramatic Reversal: The contrast between Laevina’s earlier depiction as a chaste and somber figure and her now fiery passion highlights the transformative power of love. It underscores Martial’s theme that no one, not even the virtuous, is immune.
Word Placement: “incidit” (to fall) is first emphasising the speed of the reversal.
coniuge Penelope venit, abit Helene.
Translation:
“… her husband. She arrived a Penelope and left a Helen”
Stylistic Point:
Enjambment: The “coniuge” (husband) is kicked to the next line to emphasise how she left him, as this word left the line.
Mythological Juxtaposition: The comparison to Penelope (symbol of fidelity, who waited 20 years for Odysseus) and Helen (symbol of infidelity, whose love for Paris caused the Trojan War) epitomizes Laevina’s moral transformation from purity to infidelity.
