THE XENIA BY MARTIAL
The Xenia (loosely meaning gifts), published in Rome for the festival of the Saturnalia (held every December) of 83, 84 or possibly 85, is the second surviving work of the Roman poet Marcus Valerius Martialis (AD 38/41-102/4), who was born in Bilbilis in Hispania Tarraconensis (Tarragonese Spain) of Spanish stock and lived in Rome from 64 to ca. 100.
It is comprised of independent poetic couplets cast as descriptive gift-tags about food and drink such as were customarily given away after dinner-parties and feasts. Compared to most of Martial’s poetry, little of it is to do with sex, even though it was written in the festive and often licentious spirit of the Saturnalia. Presented here are the only two couplets of Greek love interest.
The translation, the first in English to include translation of the obscene couplet 26, is by D. R. Shackleton Bailey for the Loeb Classical Library volume 480, published by the Harvard University Press in 1993.[1]
26
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Sorb apples[2] We are sorb apples, tautening too loose bellies. You will do better to give this fruit to your boy than to yourself.[3] |
Sorba Sorba sumus, molles nimium tendentia ventres: |
69
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Catta birds Umbria never gave us Pannonian catta birds. Pudens prefers to send these gifts to his “master.”[4] |
Cattae Pannonicas nobis numquam dedit Umbria cattas: |
[1] In this book and in almost all modern publication it is also titled Epigrams Book XIV. This misnomer is purely modern editing. The poems predate the twelve books of epigrams by Martial that were titled as Epigrams Books I to XII, and are also distinct from them in being couplets. [Website footnote]
[2] Berries of the service tree (Sorbus domestica) were noted for their astringent qualities by Pliny the elder, Natural History XXIII 141. [Website footnote]
[3] “This epigram humorously advises a master not to eat the berries himself (which, although recommended by Columella (5.10.19), might interfere with the digestion of his meal: […] but […] he is to give them to his catamite instead. Not only was it customary to fill one’s napkin at dinner with food to take home to one’s puer or slave (note Petr. 60.7, 66.4), but it was traditional to pass on unwanted Saturnalian gifts.[…] M’s point is that boys with leaky bowels are unpleasant to bugger.” (T. J. Leary, Martial, Book XIII: The Xenia, London: Duckworth, 2001, p. 76)
[4] The centurion Aulus Pudens was a boy- and poetry-loving friend of Martial frequently mentioned in his Epigrams (I 31, V 48, VI 58, VII 97VIII 63). [Website footnote]
The catta must be a species of bird native to Pannonia. Pudens, who came from Umbria, sent a brace or more to a favorite boy slave (cf. 1.31; 5.48; 8.63). For “master” see [Epigrams] 5.57.2n (“Favorite boy slaves were sometimes so addressed or referred to by their masters; cf. 11.70.2; 12.66.8; 13.69.2”). [Translator’s footnote]
“M’s point in the poem seems to be to complain that Pudens sends him ordinary Umbrian produce while preserving his exotic Pannonian birds to give to his fancy boy. […]Since he had travelled widely on military service (cf. Mart. 6.58), Pudens may have imported his catta birds from Pannonia himself.” (T. J. Leary, Martial, Book XIII: The Xenia, London: Duckworth, 2001, p. 125)
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