One of the challenges of beginning a new story is world building. Legonium is a very small town, but it is important to me that readers have a sense of place as the characters move around within it. The long journey from the street to the cenaculum gives the reader a chance to learn the 'geography' of the restaurant building.
Firstly, Marcellus climb the stairs to the balcony. The balcony is part of the restaurant.
When I went looking for a word to describe Marcellus' small home at the top of the building, I remembered that Quintus and Flaccus had rented this type of room in Rome in Chapter 18 of the Oxford Latin Course. The line is ibi erat cenaculum, parvum et sordidum. The definition in the margin defines cenaculum as garret or attic room. The Oxford Latin Dictionary adds that they were often let as lodgings.
The Cassell's Latin Dictionary says that a cenaculum literally means 'an eating room', of the same family as cena, dinner and cenare, to dine. And as the 'eating room' was commonly at the top of the building, it came to mean 'the upper story of a house' or 'attic'.
This is the reason that I decided to go with the passive verb vocatur, is called, rather than the more direct est, is.
Perhaps you are asking what a cenaculum is. A small room situated on the top floor of a building is called a cenaculum.
Some questions begin with a question word, such as quis, cur, quo modo or ubi. But questions asked to simply confirm whether or not something is a fact have their own elegant set of rules in Latin.
You can simply indicate a question with the tone of your voice or, in a modern punctuation system, with a question mark. But to very clear, you can add an enclitic -ne to the first word in the question (often a verb). For example. Marcellus in caupona habitat. Marcellus lives in the restaurant. habitatne Marcellus in caupona? Does Marcellus live in the restaurant?
If I have an opinion as to what I think the answer of my question should or will be, I can indicate that by adding nonne or num to my question. For example. nonne Marcellus in caupona habitat? Marcellus does live in a restaurant, doesn't he? num Marcellus in caupona habitat? Marcellus doesn't live in a restaurant, does he?
Surely Marcellus does't live in a restaurant? No, not at all! The restaurant is situated on the ground floor. Our Marcellus lives in the cenaculum.
This is the official Lego product image of Parisian Restaurant (Set No. 10243-1). This was the first modular set I ever saw being built - at my friend Will's house. It was also the first modular set I bought. It was Will who described this as the 'perfect modular'.
Talking about tabulata and the maenianum reminds me of Rusticatio and brings a smile to my face. If you don't know about the wonderful Rusticatio program, I highly recommend you look into it. If you have any opportunity of going (and you know some Latin) it is a life changing experience.
This is the building in which Marcellus lives. It has three floors. On the second floor there is a balcony.
Not too much to say here. Marcellus is crossing the modular boundary from the Brick Bank to the Parisian Restaurant. You can just make out the menu on the left side of the screen. I have a friend who describes the Parisian Restaurant as the 'perfect modular'. In that case, its probably not inappropriate to use the superlative pulcherrimum.
Marcellus is walking home. The home of Marcellus is situated in this street. Marcellus lives in a very beautiful building.
Finally, a picture I took myself. argentaria is a bank. The Brick Bank was released on the 1st of January of this year, and it's a great kit. Not as colourful as other recent modulars, but it adds a sense of gravitas to the street. perplacet is stronger than placet. Marcellus really likes walking. fortasse is a handy word - it means perhaps. Like, mea sententia, it can soften your more outlandish exclamations.
Today Marcellus is walking in the street near the bank. Marcellus really likes to walk in the street. Perhaps you are asking to where Marcellus is walking.
Remember The Sims? I only ever played the first of The Sims games, so I'm not sure how different it is now. But I remember that the way Sims would make friends (or not) was by walking up to complete strangers and talking to them about whatever was on their mind. If they liked the same things (tennis racket, judge's wig, video game) they became friends. If not, they did't.
One of the easiest way to make friends in Latin, then, must be mihi placet - it pleases me. Throw on an infinite verb and you have just declared one of your favourite things to do. mihi placet in horto ambulare - It pleases me to walk in the garden.
This picture was painted by Marcellus.* It pleases Marcellus to paint.
*It wasn't. Again, I don't know who made this, but I think its awesome.
Did you know that the most common word in Latin classical literature is the relative pronoun qui, quae, quod (in all its various forms)? I have to admit to being surprised by this, as I thought it would be et. But, the existence of -que splits the vote (so to speak) and so et and -que come in second and third respectively.
I didn't make this picture, but I think its awesome. I found it online by googling 'lego painter'. A better man than I would track down the original creator and ask for permission, but I have to confess to not even trying. Full disclosure.
Do you know what a painter is. I will tell you. Literally, I will make you more certain. A painter is a man or a women who paints pictures.
By the way, the direct question would be quid est pictor? est becomes sit in an indirect question.
