o caritas
On the occasion of sineala's LJ anniversary, a miniature Latin Professionals fic, set in her amazing Miles Scortillusque universe.
Beta-read by classicguybrary, Classics major extraordinare. If there are any mistakes, they're mine, not his.
Amor Dormiens Cubat
Bellonus non obliviscitur belli, sed in hoc loco memoriae non eum terret. Cum expergiscitur, aspectus Deomiorigis apud eum sedat, et incubis superatis iterum dormire potest.
Sed hac nocte, Deomiorix non dormit. Voce leni inquit, "Me basies, Philippe."
Bellonus subridens obtemperat. Coeunt tenebris, et prima luce somniculosi sunt. Sed in Deomiorigis brachiis Bellonus situs est, et decernit somnum non esse talis magni momenti.
Partial Glossary
Love Lies Sleeping
Bellonus does not forget war, but in this place memories do not frighten him. When he wakes, the sight of Deomiorix beside him calms him, and, the nightmares having been conquered, he is able to sleep once more.
But on this night, Deomiorix is not sleeping. In a soft voice, he says, "Kiss me, Philippos."
Bellonus, smiling, obeys. They make love in the darkness, and by first light they are full of sleep. But Bellonus lies in Deomiorix's arms, and he decides that sleep is not of such great importance.
Beta-read by classicguybrary, Classics major extraordinare. If there are any mistakes, they're mine, not his.
Amor Dormiens Cubat
Bellonus non obliviscitur belli, sed in hoc loco memoriae non eum terret. Cum expergiscitur, aspectus Deomiorigis apud eum sedat, et incubis superatis iterum dormire potest.
Sed hac nocte, Deomiorix non dormit. Voce leni inquit, "Me basies, Philippe."
Bellonus subridens obtemperat. Coeunt tenebris, et prima luce somniculosi sunt. Sed in Deomiorigis brachiis Bellonus situs est, et decernit somnum non esse talis magni momenti.
Partial Glossary
- obliviscor, oblivisci: to forget; deponent verb that takes a genitive object
- in hoc loco: in takes the ablative here
- Temporal cum clauses can take the indicative or the subjunctive, and I don't like the subjunctive.
- expergiscor, expergisci: to awaken; deponent verb
- Deomiorix, Deomiorigis: declines like a third-declension -i stem noun
- apud: beside; takes accusative object
- sedo, sedare: to settle, to calm
- incubus, incubi: nightmare
- incubis superatis: ablative absolute
- hac nocte: tonight; literally "this night," an ablative of time when
- voce leni: ablative of manner
- basio, basiare: to kiss; present subjunctive, "sort of hortatory" according to Eric
- coeo, coire: to copulate, to make love; irregular verb, literally "to go together"
- tenebrae, tenebrarum: shadows, darkness
- prima luce: ablative of time when
- situs sum, situs esse: to lie, to be situated
- decernit: introduces indirect speech
- talis: such
Love Lies Sleeping
Bellonus does not forget war, but in this place memories do not frighten him. When he wakes, the sight of Deomiorix beside him calms him, and, the nightmares having been conquered, he is able to sleep once more.
But on this night, Deomiorix is not sleeping. In a soft voice, he says, "Kiss me, Philippos."
Bellonus, smiling, obeys. They make love in the darkness, and by first light they are full of sleep. But Bellonus lies in Deomiorix's arms, and he decides that sleep is not of such great importance.