Cambridge Latin Course Book 1 Stage 10 Statuae Translation May 2026

Latin:
Syphax, statuarius, in officina laborat. Subito Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, senator Romanus, officinam intrat. Senator statuas multas emit. Syphax senatorī valde placet. “Ego,” inquit senator, “statuam puellae pulchrae emere volo. Habesne statuam talem?”

Translation:
Syphax, a sculptor, is working in his workshop. Suddenly, Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a Roman senator, enters the workshop. The senator buys many statues. Syphax is very pleasing to the senator. “I,” said the senator, “want to buy a statue of a beautiful girl. Do you have such a statue?” cambridge latin course book 1 stage 10 statuae translation

The title Statuae (Statues) refers to the central plot device: the procurement and dedication of public statues to honor local politicians. Latin: Syphax, statuarius, in officina laborat

The pluperfect is the “past in the past.” In the story, when Clemens narrates events, he uses the pluperfect to describe what had already happened before Syphax realized the trick. This temporal shift is crucial for understanding the twist: the escape, the imitation, and the senator’s foolishness all occurred before Syphax’s anger. Stage 10 introduces the Roman belief in the

Latin:
Syphax statuam dei Bacchi ex silice facit. Caecilius, vir dives, statuam magnam emit. servus Caecilio statuam ad atrium portat. ubi statuam videt, Caecilius iratus est. "di te perdant, Syphax!" clamat. "cur statuam dei cum naso fracto facis?" Syphax perturbatus est. "nasus fractus?" inquit. "nullus nasus fractus est. ecce! nasus egregius est!"

Translation:
Syphax makes a statue of the god Bacchus out of flint. Caecilius, a rich man, buys the large statue. A slave carries the statue to Caecilius in the atrium. When he sees the statue, Caecilius is angry. "Damn you, Syphax!" he shouts. "Why do you make a statue of the god with a broken nose?" Syphax is upset. "Broken nose?" he says. "There is no broken nose. Look! The nose is excellent!"

Stage 10 introduces the Roman belief in the power of the dead (the manes), the practice of household shrines (lararia), and the tension between rational skepticism (like the philosopher) and traditional superstition. The story statuae is a ghostly tale set in a Greek bathhouse, adapted from a famous account by Pliny the Younger.

  • Irony: Caecilius inspects a statue meant to honor his father (or himself, depending on the specific edition's interpretation of the family lineage). The vanity of the act is palpable. The statue is a symbol of permanence—a tragic irony given that Vesuvius will destroy the city shortly.
  • Critical Moment: The men discuss the virtues of Holconius. This is a prime example of how the CLC uses dialogue to convey historical fact: the Romans viewed the baths as a social and political hub, not just a place for hygiene.