 | No, this is not another room in my domus!
For visitors who may not have any Latin, I thought that a glossary of frequently used terms might be helpful. These are words and phrases that a person might encounter when touring the premises or wandering about in Rome. I hope that you will find this list of vocabulary to be helpful. |
| ager | land, field, or farm |
| apodytērium | dressing room at the baths |
| casa | hut, cottage, or cabin |
| cūrā ut valeās | "take care and farewell" |
| domus | house, home, household, or dwelling |
| ēcastor! (mēcastor!) | exclamation or oath: "By Castor!", common among women |
| edepol! | exclamation or oath: "By Pollux!, indeed!, truly!" |
| genius | guardian spirit of a man that enabled him to beget children |
| iō | exclamation: "hurrah!, oh!, or ho!" |
| Iūno (Juno) | guardian spirit of a woman equivalent to the genius of a man |
| Lār (pl. Lares) | protective spirit of a household, perhaps a farmland god introduced into the home |
| lūdus (pl. lūdī) | game, sport, or pastime; school |
| manō fīcō | fertility charm made with the thumb between the middle of the closed fingers |
| multās grātiās agō | "thank you" or "many thanks" |
| Penātes (pl.) | protective spirits of the household pantry |
| pontifex maximus | head of the college of priests |
| salvē | "be in good health", or "be well" |
| tālī (sing. tālus) | game similar to jacks played with the knucklebones of a sheep |
| valē | "good-bye, adieu, or farewell" |
| via | highway, road, or street |
| vicus | quarter, district, or street |
| villa rustica | country house, estate, or farm |
| viridārium | ornamental garden, or pleasure garden |
| vīta ōtiōsa | peaceful, quiet, or carefree life |
Some of the preceding information comes from Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, written by Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins and published in1994 by The Oxford University Press (New York).