Humanitext Reader

Plutarch · Life of Publicola §20.1-20.3

Marcus Valerius' Victory and His Privileged House

Passage 20 of 23 · Greek

Summary

Describes Marcus Valerius' victory in the war against the Sabines, the reward of a privileged house on the Palatine with an outward-opening door, and the connection of this architectural feature to ancient Greek comedy and customs.

§20.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Σαβίνων ἐμβαλόντων εἰς τὴν χώραν ὕπατος μὲν ἀπεδείχθη Μᾶρκος Οὐαλλέριος, ἀδελφὸς Ποπλικόλα, καὶ Ποστούμιος Τούβερτος.
After this, when the Sabines invaded the territory, Marcus Valerius, the brother of Poplicola, and Postumius Tubertus were appointed consuls.
πραττομένων δὲ τῶν μεγίστων γνώμῃ καὶ παρουσίᾳ Ποπλικόλα δυσὶ μάχαις μεγάλαις ὁ Μᾶρκος ἐνίκησεν, ὧν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ μηδένα Ῥωμαίων ἀποβαλὼν τρισχιλίους ἐπὶ μυρίοις τῶν πολεμίων ἀνεῖλε.
While the most important affairs were being conducted with the advice and presence of Poplicola, Marcus conquered in two great battles, in the second of which, without losing any of the Romans, he slew thirteen thousand of the enemy.
§20.2καὶ γέρας ἔσχεν ἐπὶ τοῖς θριάμβοις οἰκίαν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι δημοσίοις ἀναλώμασιν ἐν Παλατίῳ.
And he had as a reward for his triumphs that a house should be built for him on the Palatine at public expense.
τῶν δʼ ἄλλων τότε θυρῶν εἴσω τῆς οἰκίας εἰς τὸ κλεισίον ἀνοιγομένων, ἐκείνης μόνης τῆς οἰκίας ἐποίησαν ἐκτὸς ἀπάγεσθαι τὴν αὔλειον, ὡς δὴ κατὰ τὸ συγχώρημα τῆς τιμῆς ἀεὶ τοῦ δημοσίου προσεπιλαμβάνοι.
While all other doors at that time opened inward into the house towards the chamber, they made the street-door of that house alone open outward, so that indeed, according to the concession of this honor, he might always encroach a little upon the public space.
§20.3τὰς δʼ Ἑλληνικὰς πρότερον οὕτως ἔχειν ἁπάσας λέγουσιν, ἀπὸ τῶν κωμῳδιῶν λαμβάνοντες, ὅτι κόπτουσι καὶ ψοφοῦσι τὰς αὑτῶν θύρας ἔνδοθεν οἱ προϊέναι μέλλοντες, ὅπως αἴσθησις ἔξω γένοιτο τοῖς παρερχομένοις ἢ προεστῶσι καὶ μὴ καταλαμβάνοιντο προϊούσαις ταῖς κλεισιάσιν εἰς τὸν στενωπόν.
And they say that all Greek houses formerly had theirs so, taking this from comedies, because those who are about to go out knock and make a sound upon their own doors from within, so that notice might be given outside to those passing by or standing in front, and they might not be caught by the doors opening out into the alley.

Notes

  1. §20.1τρισχιλίους ἐπὶ μυρίοις — "Three thousand in addition to ten thousand", meaning 13,000. In Greek numerical expressions, the preposition ἐπί with the dative is used to add numbers together.
  2. §20.2τῶν δʼ ἄλλων τότε θυρῶν... ἀνοιγομένων — Genitive absolute construction. It explains the standard direction of doors opening inward in contemporary houses, thereby highlighting the exceptional privilege (opening outward) granted to Marcus's house.
  3. §20.2ἐκείνης μόνης τῆς οἰκίας — Genitive noun phrase indicating the house to which the following accusative-with-infinitive clause ἐκτός ἀπάγεσθαι τὴν αὔλειον (the street-door being opened outward) belongs. It functions as a genitive of possession or reference in connection with the main verb ἐποίησαν.
  4. §20.3προϊούσαις ταῖς κλεισιάσιν — Dative noun phrase with the participle προϊούσαις. It functions as a dative of means or cause ("by the doors opening outward"), explaining the reason for the passive verb καταλαμβάνοιντο (to be caught or struck unawares).

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Publicola §20.1-20.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg008.humanitext-grc2:20.1-20.3

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