Ecce Romani Chapter 51 Translations

Iam aderat mēnsis Mārtius.

Now the month of March was near.

Erat diēs Liberalium quō diē adulēscentēs Rōmāni togam pūram sūmere solēbant.

It was the day of the Liberalia, on the day which young Roman men were accustomed to assume the plain white toga.

Abhinc complūrēs mēnsēs Marcus sēdecim annōs complēverat; nunc togam virīlem sumptūrus erat.

Several months ago Marcus had completed his sixteenth year; now he was about to assume toga virilis.

Itaque Cornēlius amīcōs clientēsque omnēs invītāverat ut eō diē apud sē convenīrent.

And so Cornelius had invited all his friends and clients in order to come together at his house on the day itself.

Omnēs sciēbant patrem Marcī dīvitissimum esse; omnēs prō certō habēbant eum optimam cēnam amīcīs datūrum esse.

All (they) did know that the father of Marcus was the richest; everyone was sure that the best dinner will be given to his friends.

Domus Gaiī Cornēliī plēna erat tumultūs, sterpitūs, clāmōris.

The house of Gaius Cornelius was full of emotion, noise, and shouting.

Tot et tam variī hominēs eō conveniēbant ut iānitor, ab iānuā prōgressus, in ipsō līmine sollicitus stāret.

So many and so much various people were meeting him that the anxious doorkeeper, having advanced from the door, was standing in the doorway itself.

Sī quis appropinquābat, eum magnā vōce rogābat quis esset et quid vellet.

If anyone was approaching, he would ask him/her in a big voice who he/she was and what he/she was wanting.

Aliōs rogābat ut in domum prōcēderent, aliīs praecipiēbat ut in viā manērent.

He was asking some to go forward into the house, and he was ordering others to remain on the road.

Nōnnūllī autem, quī neque amīcī Cornēlliī erant neque clientēs, domuī appropinqāvērunt, quod spērābant Cornēlium sē ad cēnam invītātūrum esse.

However some, who were neither Cornelius' friends nor clients, approached his home, they were hoping that Cornelius himself would have invited them to the dinner.

Hi iānitōrem ōrābant nē sē dīmitteret; ille autem eīs imperābat ut statim discēderent.

These men were begging the doorkeeper in order to not be sent away, however that man (doorkeeper) was ordering them to immediately depart.

Tandem, omnibus rēbus parātīs, Cornēlius tōtam familiam rogāvit ut in ātrium convenīrent.

At last, with all things having been prepared, Cornelius has asked his whole family to meet in the atrium.

Aderant propinquī; aderant multī amīcī; aderant plūrimī clientium; aderant omnēs servī lībertīque Cornēliōrum.

The relatives were present; many friends were present; very many of the clients were present; all the servants and freedmen of Cornelius family were present.

Cūnctī inter sē colloquēbantur, cūnctī gaudēbant quod ad hoc officium togae virīlis invītātī erant.

All (together) were conversing among themselves, all (together) were rejoicing because they had been invited to this official ceremony of the toga virilis.

In ātriō ante larārium stābat Marcus togam praetextam bullamque auream in manibus tenēns.

In the atrium before the shrine of the household gods, Marcus, holding in his hands a toga praetexta and a golden bulla, was standing.

Sēnsit oculōs omnium in sē conversōs esse.

He felt that eyes of everyone had been turned on him.

Conticuērunt omnēs.

All have become silent.

Marcus prīmum togam praetextam atque bullam ante larārium dēpositās Laribus familiāribus cōnsecrāvit.

Marcus has first dedicated to the members of the household (Cornelius family) the toga praetexta and the bulla, (both) having been put aside before the shrine of the household gods.

Nunc vōbīs, ō Larēs familiārēs, haec libenter consecrō.

Now to you all, o the household gods belonging to the family (family's household gods), I gladly dedicate these. "

"Nunc," inquit, "hās rēs puerīlēs hīc dēpōnō.

"Now," he said, "Here I am setting down these childish things.

Quō factō, pater servō cuidam imperāvvit ut togam virīlem Marcō indueret.

With this having been done, his father has ordered the certain slave to put on the toga virilis for/on Marcus.

Deinde parentēs eum amplexī sunt et cēterī grātulātī sunt.

Then (his) parents have embraced him and others have congratulated him.

Nunc Marcus, multīs comitantibus, in Forum ā patre est dēductus.

Now Marcus, accompanied by many, has been escorted by his father into the Forum.

Quō cum pervēnissent, Marcō ad Tabulārium ductō, pater eōs quī comitābantur rogāvit ut extrā Tabulārium manērent.

When they arrived there, with Marcus having been led to the Public Records Office, his father asked them who were accompanying (them) to remain outside the Public Records Office.

Ipse ūna cum fīliō et paucīs propinquīs in Tabulārium ingressus est, nam ibi nōmen Marcī in tabulīs pūblicīs erat īnscrībendum.

That/The very man along/together with his son and a few relatives entered the Public Records Office, for there the name of Marcus had to be registered in the public records.

Quibus rēbus cōnfectīs, omnes adstantēs Marcum iam ēgressum magnō clāmōre salūtāvērunt.

With these things having already been finished, all the bystanders saluted Marcus with a great shout.

Deinde cum Marcus omnibus grātiās ēgisset propter tantam ergā sē benevolentiam, omnēs domum Cornēliōrum rediērunt, nam Cornēlius multōs invītāverat ut apud sē diē cēnārent.

Then when Marcus thanked everyone on the account of such a big kindness towards himself, many people returned to Cornelius' house, for Cornelius had invited many people to eat dinner with him on that day at his house.