Hic manebimus optime: A TL

This is a timeline I didn't really plan out, just an idea I had yesterday. There are few Roman TLs on this board, and I think no one has made anything of this sort. Your comments and criticisms will be instrumental in keeping it going.
Hereunder is a letter that sets out the PoD.
I'll wait a bit before posting the translation, to see if anyone understands and let the suspense build up:p
I'd be glad if you pointed any mistakes, be they in English or in Latin...
Without further ado, I present to you



Hic manebimus optime

A timeline by JaneStillman
 
Prologue


JcmQs.png
 
If you're going to put it fully in Latin can you at least make the text selectable so we can copy it into Google Translate?
 
From what I gather, they are in Lisbon. And one Caius Marius, that I suppose is the father of the famous one, is dead.
It is promising.
I volunteer my help with Latin if needed.
 
If you're going to put it fully in Latin can you at least make the text selectable so we can copy it into Google Translate?
I would have done that if vBulletin displayed the interpunct correctly (it just shows as a little box)
From what I gather, they are in Lisbon. And one Caius Marius, that I suppose is the father of the famous one, is dead.
It is promising.
You get an internet cookie, sir;)
But it's not his father...
I volunteer my help with Latin if needed.
Is it that bad?:p I did my best!:eek:
But thanks, I might use it...
 
Last edited:
Prologue (cont'd)

Lisbon, the third day before the Ides of April of the year of the consulate of M'. Acilius Balbus and C. Porcius Cato.
D. Junius Brutus to Quintus Caecilius Metellus, hail!
I am writing to you to announce to you the death of Praetor Gaius Marius, your client. The few soldiers who made it back alive to Lisbon reported to me that they were attacked by about a hundred Lusitanians shortly before dawn, on the day before the Nones of April, by the very bandits Gaius had departed with one maniple one month earlier to hunt. I was told he went down bravely, covering the retreat of his men. As soon as I learned this, I wrote this letter to you and ordered that another expedition be prepared, to teach this scum who style themselves as warlords that the Romans do not tolerate such a cowardly murder of their own and leave no dead unavenged. Meanwhile, I had the best wine poured to him and took care of the funeral. I have sent a slave to his father in Arpinum, bearing the news and his ashes. I hope my next letter to you will be more joyous. Be well.


From the repository of historical correspondence, National Library of Rome.
 
Last edited:
From what I can tell, it is pretty good. ;)
Thanks:)
I did not check the consulates, but I gather we are in the time of Viriathus' resistance?
No, it's later. The year is 113 BC, and Gaius Marius is the one we all know about, not his father (none of his ancestors are known to history). By the time, Viriathus' organised resistance had long subsided and the Lusitanian nobility had descended into petty thuggery. Apparently, as is alluded to in the letter, the problem was that they had developed a mentality similar to that of the samurai much later in history: that trade, husbandry and agriculture were lowly activities and only war and fighting were becoming to their rank.
Or at least that's what Roman sources, who were never known for their objectivity about enemy people, tell us...
 
Top