Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, John C. Rolfe (Translator), 28.4.34

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[34] The greater number of these gentry, given over to over-stuffing themselves with food,¹ led by the charm of the odour of cooking² and by the shrill voices of the women, like a flock of peacocks screaming with hunger, stand even from cockcrow beside the pots³ on tip-toe and gnaw the ends of their fingers⁴ as they wait for the dishes to cool. Others hang over the nauseous mass of half-raw meat, while it is cooking, watching it so intently that one would think that Democritus⁵ with other dissectors was examining the internal organs of dismembered animals and showing by what means future generations might be cured of internal pains.

Res Gestae. Ammianus Marcellinus. John C. Rolfe (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1935-1940.

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Current edition Perseus

History (English) (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Res Gestae Perseus (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).) — 28.4.34 focus

[34] In his plerique distentioribus saginis addicti, praeeunte nidoris indagine, acutisque vocibus feminarum, a galliciniis ipsis, in modum pavonum ieiunitate¹ clangentium, humum summis pedum unguibus contingentes, aulis assistunt, digitos² praerodentes, dum patinae defervescunt: alii nauseam horridae carnis, dum excoquitur, intentius despectantes, ut discissarum pecudum exta rimari cum anatomicis Democritum putes, docentem quibus modis posteritas mederi doloribus possit internis.

Notes on the current edition

History

1. Cf. xxii. 12, 6, for similar language.

2. Cf. Suet., Claud., 33, 1,

ictus nidore prandii.

3. Wagner and T.L.L. take aulis = ollis, which suits the context; cf. Gell. xvii. 8, 2, 3, etc.

4. Cf. Plaut., Pseud. 881 ff.

ego ita convivis cenam conditam dabo . . . ut quisque quidque conditum gustaverit, ipsus sibi faciam ut digitos praerodat suos.

5. The famous Greek physical philosopher, from Abdera; cf. xv. 1, 4; xiv. 5, 1. There is a word-play on anatomis and anatomicis; see p. 97, note 2.

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 28.4.34

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

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