Marcus's Letter from Hadrian's Wall

A bilingual intralinear Latin letter

Marcus's Letter from Hadrian's Wall

Part A (Interleaved Text)

3.1 Marcus Marcus Luciō to Lucius patrī father carissimō dearest salūtem greetings plūrimam very much dīcit says ā from vallō wall Hadriānī of Hadrian in in Britanniā Britain

3.2 Spērō I hope tē you et and mātrem mother et and sorōrēs sisters omnēs all valēre to be well ego I quidem indeed bene well valeō am well quamquam although frīgus cold hīc here saevissimum most fierce est is

3.3 Ad to castra camp Vindolandae of Vindolanda pervēnī I arrived post after iter journey longum long difficileque and difficult per through montēs mountains et and pallūdēs marshes Britanniae of Britain

3.4 Centuriō centurion noster our Gaius Gaius Flavius Flavius homō man sevērus strict est is sed but iūstus just quī who nōs us iuvenēs young men rite properly exercet trains

3.5 Cotīdiē daily in on vallō wall excubiās watch agimus we keep Pictōsque and Picts barbarōs barbarians spectāmus we watch quī who trans across mūrum wall habitant live

3.6 Heri yesterday prīmum for first time hostēs enemies vīdī I saw quī who pictī painted coloribus with colors caeruleīs blue per through nebulam mist appropinquābant were approaching

3.7 Timeō I fear fateor I confess pater father sed but dē about timōre fear meō my sociīs to comrades nihil nothing dīcō I say nē lest mē me putent they think ignavum cowardly

3.8 Cibus food noster our satis enough bonus good est is panis bread carnēs meat caseus cheese et and cervēsia beer quam which incolae inhabitants locālēs local faciunt make

3.9 Mīlitēs soldiers veterānī veteran mē me docent teach quomodō how gladium sword tenēre to hold et and scūtum shield movēre to move dēbeam I ought

3.10 Saepe often dē about domō home et and agrīs fields nostrīs our et and olīvīs olive trees cogitō I think quae which nunc now longē far absunt are away

3.11 Epistulās letters tuās your exspectō I await quae which mihī to me maximum greatest solācium comfort afferunt bring in in hāc this terrā land aliēnā foreign

3.12 Amīcitiam friendship cum with Britannō Briton quōdam certain Caratācō Caratacus fēcī I made quī who linguam language nostram our discere to learn cupit desires

3.13 Is he mē me docet teaches quomodō how in in silvīs woods Britannicīs British cibum food invenīre to find possim I can et and viam way inter among saxā rocks legere to choose

3.14 Rōma Rome hīc here valdē very remōta remote vidētur seems et and nōnnullī some mīlitēs soldiers dīcunt say imperātōrem emperor nōs us oblītum forgotten esse to be

3.15 Sed but ego I sciō know nōs us rēs things magnās great gerere to do fīnēsque and boundaries imperiī of empire dēfendere to defend contrā against barbarōs barbarians

3.16 Pecūniam money quam which accēpī I received pars part tibī to you mittō I send ut so that familiīs to family nostrae our subveniās you may help

3.17 Valē farewell pater father dulcissime sweetest et and omnēs all familiārēs household members meō my nōmine in name salūtā greet

3.18 Datae given Vindolandae at Vindolanda Idibus on Ides Novembribus of November annō in year urbis of city conditae founded nōngentēsimō nine hundredth sexāgēsimō sixtieth tertiō third

Part B (Complete Latin Text)

3.1 Marcus Luciō patrī carissimō salūtem plūrimam dīcit ā vallō Hadriānī in Britanniā.

3.2 Spērō tē et mātrem et sorōrēs omnēs valēre. Ego quidem bene valeō quamquam frīgus hīc saevissimum est.

3.3 Ad castra Vindolandae pervēnī post iter longum difficileque per montēs et pallūdēs Britanniae.

3.4 Centuriō noster Gaius Flavius homō sevērus est sed iūstus quī nōs iuvenēs rite exercet.

3.5 Cotīdiē in vallō excubiās agimus Pictōsque barbarōs spectāmus quī trans mūrum habitant.

3.6 Heri prīmum hostēs vīdī quī pictī coloribus caeruleīs per nebulam appropinquābant.

3.7 Timeō, fateor, pater, sed dē timōre meō sociīs nihil dīcō nē mē putent ignavum.

3.8 Cibus noster satis bonus est: panis, carnēs, caseus et cervēsia quam Britannī faciunt.

3.9 Mīlitēs veterānī mē docent quomodō gladium tenēre et scūtum movēre dēbeam.

3.10 Saepe dē domō et agrīs nostrīs et olīvīs cogitō quae nunc longē absunt.

3.11 Epistulās tuās exspectō quae mihī maximum solācium afferunt in hāc terrā aliēnā.

3.12 Amīcitiam cum Britannō quōdam Caratācō fēcī quī linguam nostram discere cupit.

3.13 Is mē docet quomodō in silvīs Britannicīs cibum invenīre possim et viam inter saxā legere.

3.14 Rōma hīc valdē remōta vidētur et nōnnullī mīlitēs dīcunt imperātōrem nōs oblītum esse.

3.15 Sed ego sciō nōs rēs magnās gerere fīnēsque imperiī dēfendere contrā barbarōs.

3.16 Pecūniam quam accēpī pars tibī mittō ut familiīs nostrae subveniās.

3.17 Valē, pater dulcissime, et omnēs familiārēs meō nōmine salūtā.

3.18 Datae Vindolandae Idibus Novembribus annō urbis conditae nōngentēsimō sexāgēsimō tertiō.

Part C (English Translation)

Marcus sends very many greetings to his dearest father Lucius from Hadrian's Wall in Britain.

I hope that you and mother and all my sisters are well. I indeed am well although the cold here is most fierce.

I arrived at the camp of Vindolanda after a long and difficult journey through the mountains and marshes of Britain.

Our centurion Gaius Flavius is a strict but just man who properly trains us young men.

Daily we keep watch on the wall and observe the barbarian Picts who live across the wall.

Yesterday I saw enemies for the first time who, painted with blue colors, were approaching through the mist.

I am afraid, I confess, father, but I say nothing about my fear to my comrades lest they think me cowardly.

Our food is good enough: bread, meat, cheese and beer which the Britons make.

The veteran soldiers teach me how I ought to hold a sword and move a shield.

Often I think about home and our fields and olive trees which are now far away.

I await your letters which bring me the greatest comfort in this foreign land.

I have made friendship with a certain Briton, Caratacus, who desires to learn our language.

He teaches me how I can find food in the British woods and choose a path among the rocks.

Rome seems very remote here and some soldiers say that the emperor has forgotten us.

But I know that we are doing great things and defending the boundaries of the empire against barbarians.

Part of the money which I received I send to you so that you may help our family.

Farewell, sweetest father, and greet all the household members in my name.

Given at Vindolanda on the Ides of November in the 963rd year from the founding of the city.

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