latin lit, aulus gellius lines 39-49

atque illic primo quidem conspectu advenientis leonis territum sibi et pavefactum animum dixit.

And at that point he said that at first, indeed, his mind was terrified and alarmed by the sight of the approaching lion.

“sed postquam introgressus" inquit "leo, uti re ipsa apparuit, in habitaculum illud suum -

‘but,’ he said, ‘as was evident from the event itself, when the lion, having entered into that (place which was) his lair -

-videt me procul delitescentem, mitis et mansues accessit et sublatum pedem ostendere mihi et porrigere quasi opis petendae gratia visus est.’

-saw me lurking in the distance, he approached gently and tamely, lifted his foot and seemed to show and offer it to me as if in order to seek help.

atque illic primo quidem conspectu

“And at that point he said that at first”

The emphasis on the first sight here hints at the way in which Androclus’ (and the audience’s) expectations are to be flipped

territum sibi et pavefactum animum

“his mind was terrified and alarmed”

the tautology/pleonasm here - use of two words both meaning “terrified” - strengthen our sense of how scared Androclus is

“habitaculum”

“lair”, or “little lair”

This diminutive again upends our expectations for the lion’s living-space; our assumption of a den or more sinister home is dismantled by the homely, snug word - foreshadowing the fact that Androclus will live there in the future

“mitis et mansues”

“gently and tamely”

again, pleonasm, underlining through repeated words of similar meaning the gentleness of the lion; alliteration of the soft “m” highlights its soft, unthreatening approach

ostendere mihi et porrigere

“seemed to show and offer it to me”

the desperation of the lion in pleading for help is underlined by the pleonasm “to show” and “to offer”

“ibi" inquit "ego stirpem ingentem vestigio pedis eius haerentem revelli conceptamque saniem volnere intimo expressi accuratiusque sine magna iam formidine siccavi penitus atque detersi cruorem.

‘Then,’ he said, ‘I tore out a huge stalk sticking to the sole of his foot, squeezed out from the innermost (part of the) wound the pus which had gathered and more carefully, now without great fear, dried it completely and wiped away the blood.

illa tunc mea opera et medella levatus pede in manibus meis posito recubuit et quievit, atque ex eo die triennium totum ego et leo in eadem specu eodemque et victu viximus.

Then, relieved by that attention of mine and healing, having placed his foot in my hands, he lay down and rested, and for a whole three-year period from that day, I and the lion lived in the same cave and even on the same provisions.

conceptamque … accuratiusque … atque

“and (the pus that had) gathered . . . and more carefully . . , and (I) wiped away”

polysyndeton and first-person verbs at this moment forces the reader to focus upon the level of exacting care that Androclus takes over the lion

“ingentem”

“huge”

hyperbolic adjective explains the lion’s pain; creates empathy

volnere intimo

“from the innermost part of the wound”

adjective intimo reveals just how deep the thorn has gone, and thusthe depth of pain that the lion must be in.

accuratiusque

“and more carefully”

the comparative adverb shows that Androclus is taking even greater care at this most delicate of moments.

sine magna iam formidine

“now without great fear”

this phrase emphasises the shift in tone from fear to calm.

medella

“healing”

this is a unique coinage by Gellius (hapax legomenon): such is the uniqueness of this situation that he comes up with a new word to describe this act of care.

recubuit et quievit

“he lay down and rested”

he lion is so relaxed that we have two verbs to denote his resthe lion is so relaxed that we have two verbs to denote his rest; pleonasm, tautology

mea … meis

the polyptoton of meus emphasises the astonishing fact that it is Androclus who is caring for the lion.

in eadem specu eodemque et victu

“in the same cave and on the same food”

the polyptoton and zeugma underline the remarkable closeness of the relationship