NLE Prep

1. NLE Prep Houses and Domestic Life

2. House Layout

3. Domestic Nomenclature • Ianua = front door (from Ianus or Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, comings and goings) • Fauces = foyer • Atrium = reception hall: This is the family and guest room where the household gods, the Penates and Lares, were kept in a shrine; here also could be found the ancestral masks

4. Impluvium = pool for rainwater that fell from the Compluvium, an opening in the roof • Cubiculum = bedroom • Triclinium = dining room so named because of the 3 dining couches arranged around a small table. Here the paterfamilias (head of the family with absolute power) and eldest sons, guests and perhaps the materfamilias (“grand dame”) reclined

5. Hortus = garden: this was designed for reflection, conversation with friends, business deals, etc. Around the hortus was the peristylium, a colonnade of pillars. Enter from the peristylium the surrounding rooms such as the … • culina = kitchen • Latrina = toilet • Summer triclinium • Slaves quarters and storage rooms

6. Dining Nomenclature • Coquus = cook; usually a slave or a freedman • Culina = kitchen • Meals (consolidated) • Ientaculum = breakfast – light with cup of water, bread or some fish • Prandium = light lunch, perhaps leftovers from dinner • Cena = dinner; for the wealthy or fortunate diners, this was a grand affair with many courses • Ab ovo usque ad mala = from the egg to the apples

7. Triclinium

8. Lectus triclinaris • 3 dining couches arranged around a small table • 3 diners to a couch; reclining [in lecto recumbit] • Slaves brought in food; solid foods cut by slaves and eaten with fingers by the diners • Soups/liquid dishes served with spoons (obviously) • Diners engaged in topical talks, business transactions or watched performances

9. Family Nomenclature • Paterfamilias: [pater = father] head of household; held absolute authority over family; patron to his clients whom he met and greeted early in the day • Materfamilias: [mater = mother] wife who maintained the house and managed domestic slaves; arranged business deals for husband, etc. • Nutrix: house nanny, usually an elderly, long-term slave of the family

10. Filius = son • Filia = daughter • Frater = brother • Soror = sister • Uxor = wife • Maritus = husband • Servus/-a = slave// Ancilla = slave girl • Canis = dog [cave canem = beware of the dog]

11. Types of Living Quarters • Casa = small house, hut, cottage • Domus = generic term for house of any ilk • Insulae = apartments • Villa = “mansion” • Villa rustica = country farm house • Villa urbana = large city estate

12. Insulae illustrated in Rome

13. An Atrium Scene

14. Relevant Sentences • “Ubi est servus fratris mei?” rogavit soror. • The sister asked, “Where is my brother’s slave?” • “[Is]” inquit amica, “in culina dormit.” • “He is sleeping in the kitchen,” the friend replied. • “Cur non in cubiculo dormit?” • Why isn’t he sleeping in the bedroom? • Interea frater culinam intrat et “Noli dormire, serve!” clamat. “Surge!” • Meanwhile, the brother enters the kitchen and shouts, “Don’t sleep, slave! Get up!”

15. 3rd Declension • Frater, fratris, m., brother • SG PL • NOM frāter frātrēs • GEN frātris frātrum • DAT frātrī frātribus • ACC frātrem frātrēs • ABL frātre frātribus

16. An Unfortunate Diner • “Domine, cibus est paratus et in mensa,” inquit servus. • “The food is prepared and on the table, master,” says the slave. • Dominus non est tristis sed laetus quod solus cenat. • The master isn’t sad but happy because he dines alone. • “Numquam cenam meliorem consumpsi,” inquit dominus. • The master says, “I have never eaten a better dinner.” • Sed subito per triclinium sagitta volat et eum vulnerat. Decidit exanimatus. Multus sanguis fluit. • But suddenly an arrow flies through the dining room and wounds him. He falls, unconscious. Much blood flows.