Livia and the Sacred Flame
A bilingual Latin story
Part A (Interleaved Text)
3.1 Līvia Livia puella girl nōbilis noble septem seven annōs years nāta born in in urbe city Rōmā Rome habitābat lived cum with patre father senātōre senator et and mātre mother piā pious
3.2 Ūnō on one diē day Pontifex Pontifex Maximus Maximus ad to domum house vēnit came quī who puellas girls idōneās suitable Vestālēs Vestals fierī to become quaerēbat was seeking
3.3 Līvia Livia pulchra beautiful erat was et and sine without ūllō any corpore body vitiō defect nāta born ex from familiā family antīquissimā most ancient patriciā patrician
3.4 Pontifex Pontifex eam her inter among vigintī twenty candidātās candidates ēlēgit chose et and parentēs parents eius her honōrem honor maximum greatest accipere to receive gaudēbant were rejoicing
3.5 In on diē day solemnī solemn Līvia Livia togam toga candidam white induit put on et and comās hair tōnsam cut habēbat had ut as signum sign novae new vītae life
3.6 Ad to aedem temple Vestae of Vesta ductā led est was ubi where ignis fire perpetuus perpetual ardēbat was burning quem which custōdīre to guard dēbēbat ought
3.7 Vestālis Vestal Maxima Maxima eam her in into Ātrium Atrium Vestae of Vesta indūxit led ubi where sex six virgināe virgins sacrae sacred habitābant lived
3.8 Prīmīs in first annīs years Līvia Livia discipula student erat was quae who ritūs rites sacrōs sacred et and carmina songs antīqua ancient discēbat was learning
3.9 Māne in morning omnī every diē day surgēbat rose ante before aurōram dawn ut so that aquam water pūram pure ex from fonte spring Egeriā Egeria hauriret might draw
3.10 Per for decem ten annōs years artem art ignem fire servandī of preserving didicit learned et and libōs cakes sacrōs sacred ex from mōlā meal salsā salted facere to make
3.11 Tandem finally ad to gradum rank sacerdōtis of priestess prōmōta promoted est was et and ignem fire perpetuum perpetual custōdīre to guard coepit began
3.12 Sī if ignis fire exstinctus extinguished esset had been Līvia Livia verbēribus with beatings graviter severely pūnīta punished et and Rōma Rome tōta all in in perīculō danger fuisset would have been
3.13 Sōla alone in in templō temple nocte at night sedēbat sat flammās flames spectāns watching et and prō for salvē safety urbis of city deīs to gods precāns praying
3.14 Festīs on festivals diēbus days in in prōcessiōnibus processions sacris sacred ambulābat walked dum while populus people Rōmānus Roman eam her reverenter reverently salūtābat greeted
3.15 Līvia Livia multōs many honōrēs honors habēbat had nam for in in theātrō theater sedēs seats optimās best et and in in viīs streets locum place prīmum first obtinēbat obtained
3.16 Post after trīgintā thirty annōs years servitūtis of service fīdēlis faithful Līvia Livia tandem finally lībera free factā made est was et and nūbere to marry poterat was able
3.17 Sed but vīta life in in templō temple eam her adeō so much dēlectāverat had delighted ut that ibi there manēre to remain māllet preferred
3.18 Usque until ad to mortem death suam her ignem fire sacrum sacred custōdīvit guarded et and exemplo by example virginēs virgins iuveniōrēs younger docuit taught
3.19 Cum when tandem finally morerētur she died populus people Rōmānus Roman eī to her fūnus funeral magnificentissimum most magnificent fēcit made
3.20 Nōmen name Līviae of Livia in in annālibus annals sacrīs sacred in for perpetuum eternity scrīptum written est was ut so that virtūs virtue eius her numquam never oblivīscerētur might be forgotten
Part B (Complete Latin Text)
3.1 Līvia puella nōbilis septem annōs nāta in urbe Rōmā habitābat cum patre senātōre et mātre piā.
3.2 Ūnō diē Pontifex Maximus ad domum vēnit quī puellas idōneās Vestālēs fierī quaerēbat.
3.3 Līvia pulchra erat et sine ūllō corpore vitiō nāta ex familiā antīquissimā patriciā.
3.4 Pontifex eam inter vigintī candidātās ēlēgit et parentēs eius honōrem maximum accipere gaudēbant.
3.5 In diē solemnī Līvia togam candidam induit et comās tōnsam habēbat ut signum novae vītae.
3.6 Ad aedem Vestae ductā est ubi ignis perpetuus ardēbat quem custōdīre dēbēbat.
3.7 Vestālis Maxima eam in Ātrium Vestae indūxit ubi sex virgināe sacrae habitābant.
3.8 Prīmīs annīs Līvia discipula erat quae ritūs sacrōs et carmina antīqua discēbat.
3.9 Māne omnī diē surgēbat ante aurōram ut aquam pūram ex fonte Egeriā hauriret.
3.10 Per decem annōs artem ignem servandī didicit et libōs sacrōs ex mōlā salsā facere.
3.11 Tandem ad gradum sacerdōtis prōmōta est et ignem perpetuum custōdīre coepit.
3.12 Sī ignis exstinctus esset Līvia verbēribus graviter pūnīta et Rōma tōta in perīculō fuisset.
3.13 Sōla in templō nocte sedēbat flammās spectāns et prō salvē urbis deīs precāns.
3.14 Festīs diēbus in prōcessiōnibus sacrīs ambulābat dum populus Rōmānus eam reverenter salūtābat.
3.15 Līvia multōs honōrēs habēbat nam in theātrō sedēs optimās et in viīs locum prīmum obtinēbat.
3.16 Post trīgintā annōs servitūtis fīdēlis Līvia tandem lībera factā est et nūbere poterat.
3.17 Sed vīta in templō eam adeō dēlectāverat ut ibi manēre māllet.
3.18 Usque ad mortem suam ignem sacrum custōdīvit et exemplo virginēs iuveniōrēs docuit.
3.19 Cum tandem morerētur populus Rōmānus eī fūnus magnificentissimum fēcit.
3.20 Nōmen Līviae in annālibus sacrīs in perpetuum scrīptum est ut virtūs eius numquam oblivīscerētur.
Historical Notes
The Vestal Virgins were among the most important priestesses in ancient Rome, charged with maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. They served for thirty years: ten years learning, ten years serving, and ten years teaching.
Selection Process: Girls between ages 6-10 from patrician families were chosen by the Pontifex Maximus. They had to be physically perfect and from families with both parents still living.
Privileges: Vestals enjoyed unprecedented privileges for Roman women - they could own property, make wills, and had the best seats at public events. They were escorted by lictors and could free condemned prisoners by touch.
Sacred Duties: Beyond tending the eternal flame, they prepared the mola salsa (sacred meal) for sacrifices, drew water from the sacred spring of Egeria, and participated in numerous festivals.
Punishments: If the sacred fire died, the responsible Vestal was beaten. Breaking the vow of chastity was punishable by being buried alive, as spilling a Vestal's blood was forbidden.
The Atrium Vestae, their residence next to the temple, housed six Vestals at any time, led by the Vestalis Maxima. This institution lasted over 1,000 years until Emperor Theodosius I disbanded it in 394 CE.
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