Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus [Suetonius]
69-130 AD
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Imperial Era)
SVETONI TRANQVILII VITA DIVI TITI
I. Titus cognomine paterno, amor ac deliciae generis humani,
[Titus was named for his father, and he was the love and delight of the entire human race,]
(tantum illi ad promerendam omnium voluntatem vel ingenii vel artis vel fortunae superfuit,
[so much of either his talent, or skill, or good fortune, prevailed for the purpose of gaining the respect of every person]
et, quod difficillimum est, in imperio:
[and in such a commanding position of power, something which is extremely difficult to attain.]
quando privatus atque etiam sub patre principe ne odio quidem,
nedum vituperatione publica caruit),
[When he was a private citizen, and under his father, who was emperor, he never incurred anyone's hatred, so long as he avoided the criticism of the public eye,]
natus est III. Kal. Ian. insigni anno Gaiana nece,
prope Septizonium, sordidis aedibus, cubiculo vero perparvo et obscuro
[He was born on the 3rd Kalends of January in the famous year when Gaius <Caligula> was assassinated, near Septizonium, in a rather filthy house, in fact, in an extremely small and dark room,]
(nam manet adhuc et ostenditur);
[you see, it still stands and is shown off to the public;]
II. educatus in aula cum Britannico simul,
[He was educated in the same school as Britannicus,]
ac paribus disciplinis et apud eosdem magistros institutus.
[and he was brought up with exact the same studies and by the same instructors.]
Quo quidem tempore aiunt metoposcopum, a Narcisso Claudii liberto adhibitum,
[At that time, in fact, people say that a spy, given his assignment by Claudius' freedman Narcissus,]
ut Britannicum inspiceret,
[to keep watch over Britannicus]
constantissime affirmasse,
[at most assuredly as possible asserted]
illud quidem nullo modo, ceterum Titum, qui tunc prope astabat, utique imperaturum.
[that, in fact, that boy, in no way, could be Titus' superior, in any respect, that is, the boy who was standing off from him nearby.]
Erant autem adeo familiares,
[And yet, they were such close acquaintances,]
ut de potione, qua Britannicus hausta periit,
[that when it concerned the very drink from which Britannicus died, gulping it down,]
Titus quoque iuxta cubans gustasse credatur
[Titus, who was lying next to him, is believed to have also sampled it]
gravique morbo adflictatus diu.
[and to have fallen sick for a long time from a grave illness.]
Quorum omnium mox memor,
[He soon mindful of all of these things,]
statum ei auream in Palatio posuit,
[dedicated a golden statue of him on the Palatine Hill,]
et alteram ex ebore equestrem,
[and another one, on horse-back, and made from ivory,]
quae Circensi pompa hodieque praefertur,
[which is rounded to this very day upon Circus' procession,]
dedicavit prosecutusque est.
[so he dedicated and followed through on this.]
