Guest ParkerW Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hello, I was interested in the phrase, "Urbani, servate uxores: moechum calvum adducimus." I have used my knowledge of latin to infer that it means, "Citizens, save your wives: we lead the bald adulterer." If anyone has a better translation, I'd be most pleased. I also would like to know the context in which it was first said, and by whom. And possibly some more information such as to what each word/concept refers. I already know it was written by Suetonius in De Vita LI (51) Thanks a lot! -Parker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 It was part of the song sung by Caesar's legions as they marched the triumph's in Rome in 47 BC. I've seen it translated numerous ways, including: 'Men of Rome, keep close your consorts, here's a bald adulterer." They all essentially say the same thing, though. Here is the song in the full context, though butchered to rhyme in English: Gaul was brought to shame by Caesar:By King Nicomedes, he. Here comes Caesar, wreathed in triumph For his Gallic victory! Nicomedes wears no laurels Though the greatest of the three. Home we bring our bald whoremonger; Romans, lock your wives away! All the bags of gold you lent him Went his Gallic tarts to pay. Basically, this was Caesar's adoring troops mocking him for the scandalous and rumored affair that he had had with King Nicomedes of Bythnia. Though never proven, Caesar's enemies took great delight in mocking him with it. But Caesar, probably in part because of this rumor from his youth, countered it by becoming a well known womanizer (not in a chauvinistic sense but as a seducer, especially of enemies wives and relatives). The song refers to both the rumor and Caesar's known behavior, and because it was his own men, Caesar apparantly did nothing to stop the song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurius Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 I've heard the last line tranlated as: Beware all you Romans and your wives, we bring a lecher bald! All your gold lent [now] graces Gallic tarts untold! Who says Latin class has to be boring? Oh, and if Suetonius was writing today...would it be People magazine or the World Weekly News? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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