Cato, Marcus Porcius, De agri cultura

Haec erunt vilici officia. disciplina bona utatur. feriae serventur. alieno manum abstineat, sua servet diligenter. litibus familia supersedeat: siquis quid deliquerit, pro noxa bono modo vindicet. familiae male ne sit, ne algeat, ne esuriat: opere bene exerceat, facilius malo et alieno prohibebit. vilicus si nolet male facere, non faciet. si passus erit, dominus inpune ne sinat esse. pro beneficio gratiam referat, ut aliis recte facere libeat. vilicus ne sit ambulator, sobrius siet semper, ad cenam nequo eat. familiam exerceat, consideret, quae dominus imperaverit fiant. ne plus censeat sapere se quam dominum. amicos domini, eos habeat sibi amicos. cui iussus siet, auscultet. rem divinam nisi Conpitalibus in conpito aut in foco ne faciat. iniussu domini credat nemini: quod dominus crediderit, exigat. satui semen, cibaria, far, vinum, oleum mutuum dederit nemini. duas aut tres familias habeat, unde utenda roget et quibus det, praeterea nemini. rationem cum domino crebro putet. operarium, mercennarium, politorem diutius eundem ne habeat die. nequid emisse velit insciente domino, neu quid dominum celavisse velit. parasitum nequem habeat. haruspicem, augurem, hariolum, Chaldaeum nequem consuluisse velit. segetem ne defrudet: nam id infelix est. opus rusticum omne curet uti sciat facere, et id faciat saepe, dum ne lassus fiat: si fecerit, scibit in mente familiae quid sit, et illi animo aequiore facient. si hoc faciet, minus libebit ambulare et valebit rectius et dormibit libentius. primus cubitu surgat, postremus cubitum eat. prius villam videat clausa uti siet, et uti suo quisque loco cubet et uti iumenta pabulum habeant. Boves maxima diligentia curatos habeto. bubulcis opsequito partim, quo libentius boves curent. aratra vomeresque facito uti bonos habeas. terram cariosam cave ne ares, neve plostrum neve pecus inpellas. si ita non caveris, quo inpuleris, triennii fructum amittes. pecori et bubus diligenter substernatur, ungulae curentur. scabiem pecori et iumentis caveto: id ex fame et si inpluit fieri solet. opera omnia mature conficias face. nam res rustica sic est, si unam rem sero feceris, omnia opera sero facies. stramenta si deerunt, frondem iligneam legito, eam substernito ovibus bubusque. stercilinum magnum stude ut habeas. stercus sedulo conserva: cum exportabis, purgato et conminuito; per autumnum evehito. circum oleas autumnitate ablaqueato et stercus addito. frondem populneam, ulmeam, querneam caedito per tempus: eam condito non peraridam, pabulum ovibus. item faenum cordum, sicilimenta de prato, ea arida condito. post imbrem autumnum rapinam, pabulum lupinumque serito.

These will be the duties of the overseer. Let him maintain good discipline. Let the holidays be observed. Let him keep his hands off what belongs to others and look after his own carefully. Let the household keep out of disputes; if anyone has done wrong, let him punish it in fair measure for the offence. Let the household not be badly off, not be cold, not go hungry; let him keep them well occupied with work, and he will more easily keep them from mischief and from what belongs to others. If the overseer is unwilling to do wrong, he will not do it. If he allows it, let the master not let him go unpunished. Let him repay good service with thanks, so that others may be glad to do right. Let the overseer not be a gadabout; let him always be sober; let him not go out anywhere to dinner. Let him keep the household at work and see that what the master has ordered is done. Let him not think he knows more than the master. Let him hold the master's friends as his own friends. Let him give heed to anyone he has been told to heed. Let him perform no religious rite except at the Compitalia at the crossroads, or at the hearth. Let him lend to no one without the master's order; what the master has lent, let him collect. Let him lend no one seed for sowing, rations, emmer, wine or oil. Let him have two or three households from which to borrow what is needed and to which to lend, and no one besides. Let him go over the accounts with the master often. Let him not keep the same labourer, hired hand or politor [share-cultivator] for more than a day. Let him buy nothing without the master's knowledge, nor hide anything from the master. Let him have no hanger-on. Let him consult no haruspex, augur, soothsayer or Chaldaean [astrologer]. Let him not cheat the seed-field; for that is unlucky. Let him take care to know how to do every kind of farm work, and let him do it often, provided he does not become exhausted; if he does so, he will know what is in the minds of the household, and they will work with a better will. If he does this, he will be less inclined to gad about, he will be in better health, and he will sleep more soundly. Let him be the first to rise from bed and the last to go to bed. Before that, let him see that the farmhouse is shut, that each sleeps in his own place, and that the draught animals have fodder. Keep the oxen cared for with the greatest diligence. Humour the ox-drivers in some things, so that they may care for the oxen more willingly. See that you have good ploughs and ploughshares. Take care not to plough crumbling ground, and not to drive a cart or cattle over it. If you do not take this care, wherever you have driven you will lose three years' yield. Let litter be carefully spread for the flock and the oxen, and let their hooves be cared for. Guard the flock and the draught animals against scab: it usually comes from hunger and from rain getting in. See that you finish all work in good time. For farming is like this: if you do one thing late, you will do all your work late. If straw runs short, gather holm-oak leaves and spread them as litter for the sheep and oxen. Make sure you have a large dung-heap. Save the dung carefully; when you carry it out, clean it and break it up; cart it out during the autumn. In autumn, dig round the olive trees and add dung. Cut poplar, elm and oak leaves in season; store them before they are completely dry, as fodder for the sheep. Likewise store the late hay and the second mowings from the meadow, dry. After the autumn rain, sow turnips, fodder crops and lupines.

Dapem hoc modo fieri oportet. Iovi dapali culignam vini quantam vis polluceto. eo die feriae bubus et bubulcis et qui dapem facient. cum pollucere oportebit, sic facies: 'Iuppiter dapalis, quod tibi fieri oportet in domo familia mea culignam vini dapi, eius rei ergo macte hac illace dape pollucenda est.' manus interluito, postea vinum sumito: 'Iuppiter dapalis, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto.' Vestae, si voles, dato. daps Iovi assaria pecunia urna vini. Iovi caste profanato sua contagione. postea dape facta serito milium, panicum, alium, lentim.

The daps [sacred feast] should be offered in this way. Offer to Jupiter Dapalis a cup of wine, as large as you wish. That day is a holiday for the oxen and the ox-drivers and those who perform the daps. When the offering is to be made, you will do it thus: 'Jupiter Dapalis, since it is fitting that a cup of wine be offered to you in my house and household for your sacred feast, for that reason be honoured by the offering of this feast.' Wash your hands, then take the wine: 'Jupiter Dapalis, be honoured by the offering of this feast, be honoured by the wine of offering.' Give to Vesta, if you wish. The feast for Jupiter: roast meat, money, an urn of wine. Make the offering to Jupiter in purity, with its own contact. Afterwards, when the feast is done, sow millet, panic, garlic and lentils.

Priusquam messim facies, porcam praecidaneam hoc modo fieri oportet. Cereri porca praecidanea porco femina, priusquam hasce fruges condas, far, triticum, hordeum, fabam, semen rapicium. thure vino Iano Iovi Iunoni praefato, priusquam porcum feminam inmolabis. Iano struem commoveto sic: 'Iane pater, te hac strue ommovenda bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi liberisque meis domo familiaeque meae.' fertum Iovi ommoveto et mactato sic: 'Iuppiter, te hoc fercto obmovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi liberisque meis domo familiaeque meae mactus hoc fercto'. postea Iano vinum dato sic: 'Iane pater, uti te strue commovenda bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferiori esto'. postea Iovi sic: 'Iuppiter macte isto fercto esto, macte vino inferiori esto'. postea porcam praecidaneam inmolato. ubi extra prosecta erunt, Iano struem commoveto mactatoque item, uti prius obmoveris. Iovi ferctum obmoveto mactatoque item, uti prius feceris. item Iano vinum dato et Iovi vinum dato, item uti prius datum ob struem obmovendam et fertum libandum. postea Cereri exta et vinum dato.

Before you harvest, the porca praecidanea [sow sacrificed beforehand] should be offered in this way. [Offer] to Ceres the porca praecidanea with a female pig, before you store away these crops: emmer, wheat, barley, beans, turnip seed. Make a preliminary offering with incense and wine to Janus, Jupiter and Juno before you sacrifice the female pig. Offer a strues [heaped cake] to Janus thus: 'Father Janus, in offering you this heaped cake I pray good prayers, that you may be willing and favourable to me and my children, my house and my household.' Offer the fertum [sacrificial cake] to Jupiter and honour him with it thus: 'Jupiter, in offering you this cake I pray good prayers, that you may be willing and favourable to me and my children, my house and my household, being honoured with this cake.' Then give wine to Janus thus: 'Father Janus, as in offering the heaped cake I prayed good prayers to you well, for the same purpose be honoured with the wine of offering.' Then to Jupiter thus: 'Jupiter, be honoured with that cake, be honoured with the wine of offering.' Then sacrifice the porca praecidanea. When the entrails have been cut out, offer the heaped cake to Janus and honour him in the same way as you offered before. Offer the cake to Jupiter and honour him in the same way as you did before. Likewise give wine to Janus and give wine to Jupiter, in the same way as it was given before for offering the heaped cake and presenting the cake. Then give the entrails and wine to Ceres.

Agrum lustrare sic oportet. impera suovitaurilia circumagi: 'cum divis volentibus quodque bene eveniat, mando tibi, Mani, uti illace suovitaurilia fundum agrum terramque meam quota ex parte sive circumagi sive circumferenda censeas, uti cures lustrare'. Ianum Iovemque vino praefamino, sic dicito: 'Mars pater, te precor quaesoque uti sies volens propitius mihi domo familiaeque nostrae, quoius rei ergo agrum terram fundumque meum suovitaurilia circumagi iussi, uti tu morbos visos invisosque, viduertatem vastitudinemque, calamitates intemperiasque prohibessis defendas averruncesque; utique tu fruges, frumenta, vineta virgultaque grandire beneque evenire siris, pastores pecuaque salva servassis duisque bonam salutem valetudinemque mihi domo familiaeque nostrae: harumce rerum ergo, fundi terrae agrique mei lustrandi lustrique faciendi ergo, sicuti dixi, macte hisce suovitaurilibus lactentibus inmolandis esto: Mars pater, eiusdem rei ergo macte hisce suovitaurilibus lactentibus esto'. item esto item cultro facito struem et fertum uti adsiet, inde obmoveto. ubi porcum inmolabis, agnum vitulumque, sic oportet: 'eiusque rei ergo macte suovitaurilibus inmolandis esto'. † nominare vetat Martem neque agnum vitulumque. si minus in omnis litabit, sic verba concipito: 'Mars pater, siquid tibi in illisce suovitaurilibus lactentibus neque satisfactum est, te hisce suovitaurilibus piaculo'. si in uno duobusve dubitabit, sic verba concipito: 'Mars pater, quod tibi illoc porco neque satisfactum est, te hoc porco piaculo'.

A field should be purified in this way. Order the suovetaurilia [pig, sheep and bull for sacrifice] to be led around [it]: 'With the gods' good will, and that everything may turn out well, I charge you, Manius, to see to the purifying of my farm, field and land with this suovetaurilia, over whatever part you judge it should be either led or carried round.' Invoke Janus and Jupiter first with wine; then say thus: 'Father Mars, I pray and beseech you to be willing and favourable to me, my house and our household; for which purpose I have ordered the suovetaurilia to be led around my field, land and farm: that you keep away, ward off and avert diseases seen and unseen, dearth and devastation, disasters and bad weather; and that you allow the crops, the grain, the vineyards and the plantations to grow tall and turn out well, keep the shepherds and the flocks safe, and give good safety and health to me, my house and our household. For these things, for the purifying of my farm, land and field and the making of the purification, as I have said, be honoured with the sacrifice of these suckling suovetaurilia. Father Mars, for the same purpose be honoured with these suckling suovetaurilia.' Likewise let it be; likewise, with the knife, see that the heaped cake and the sacrificial cake are at hand; then offer them. When you sacrifice the pig, the lamb and the calf, [say] thus: 'And for that purpose be honoured with the sacrifice of the suovetaurilia.' † forbids naming Mars, or the lamb and the calf. If favourable signs are not obtained from all [the victims], frame the words thus: 'Father Mars, if anything in those suckling suovetaurilia has not satisfied you, I make atonement to you with these suovetaurilia.' If there is doubt about one or two, frame the words thus: 'Father Mars, since you were not satisfied by that pig, I make atonement to you with this pig.'

opus sunt parentur curenturque diligenter. vilicae quae sunt officia, curato faciat. si eam tibi dederit dominus uxorem, ea esto contentus. ea te metuat facito. ne nimium luxuriosa siet. vicinas aliasque mulieres quam minimum utatur neve domum neve ad sese recipiat. ad cenam nequo eat neve ambulatrix siet. rem divinam ni faciat neve mandet, qui pro ea faciat, iniussu domini aut dominae. scito dominum pro tota familia rem divinam facere. munda siet: villam conversam mundeque habeat: focum purum circumversum cotidie, priusquam cubitum eat, habeat. Kalendis, Idibus, Nonis, festus dies cum erit, coronam in focum indat, per eosdemque dies lari familiari pro copia supplicet. cibum tibi et familiae curet uti coctum habeat. gallinas multas et ova uti habeat. pira arida, sorba, ficos, uvas passas, sorba in sapa et pira et uvas in doliis et mala struthea, uvas in vinaciis et in urceis in terra obrutas et nuces Praenestinas recentes in urceo in terra obrutas habeat. mala Scantiniana in doliis et alia quae condi solent et silvatica, haec omnia quotannis diligenter uti condita habeat. farinam bonam et far suptile sciat facere.

are needed may be prepared and attended to carefully. See that the housekeeper performs the duties that are hers. If the master has given her to you as your wife, be content with her. Make her stand in awe of you. Let her not be too extravagant. Let her have as little to do as possible with the neighbour women and other women, and not receive them either into the house or into her own quarters. Let her not go out to dinner anywhere, nor be a gadabout. Let her not perform a religious rite, nor commission anyone to perform one for her, without the order of the master or the mistress. Let her know that the master performs the rites for the whole household. Let her be clean; let her keep the farmhouse swept and clean; let her keep the hearth clean and swept round every day before she goes to bed. On the Kalends, the Ides and the Nones, and whenever there is a feast day, let her put a garland on the hearth, and on those same days let her pray to the household Lar as her means allow. Let her take care to have food cooked for you and the household. Let her keep many hens and eggs. Let her have dried pears, sorbs, figs, raisins, sorbs in boiled-down must, and pears and grapes in jars, and quinces, grapes in grape-pulp and in pots buried in the ground, and fresh Praenestine nuts in a pot buried in the ground. Scantian apples in jars, and other fruits that are usually preserved, and wild ones — let her have all these carefully preserved every year. Let her know how to make good flour and fine-ground emmer.

Luxum siquod est, hac cantione sanum fiet. harundinem prende tibi viridem P. IIII aut quinque longam, mediam diffinde, et duo homines teneant ad coxendices. incipe cantare in alio s. f. moetas uaeta daries dardaries asiadarides una petes usque dum coeant: 'motas uaeta daries dardares astataries dissunapiter', usque dum coeant. ferrum insuper iactato. ubi coierint et altera alteram tetigerint, id manu prehende et dextera sinistra praecide, ad luxum aut ad fracturam alliga, sanum fiet. et tamen cotidie cantato in alio s. f. vel luxato. vel hoc modo, huat hauat huat ista pista sista dannabo dannaustra et luxato vel hoc modo: 'huat haut haut istasis tarsis ardannabou dannaustra'.

If there is any dislocation, it will be made sound by this charm. Take a green reed four or five feet long, split it down the middle, and let two men hold it to their hips. Begin to chant: in alio s. f. moetas uaeta daries dardaries asiadarides una petes, until they come together: 'motas uaeta daries dardares astataries dissunapiter', until they come together. Wave a piece of iron over it. When [the halves] have come together and touched one another, take hold of it with your hand and cut it off right and left, bind it to the dislocation or the fracture, and it will become sound. And all the same, chant every day in alio s. f., or for a dislocation, or in this way: huat hauat huat ista pista sista dannabo dannaustra; and for a dislocation, or in this way: 'huat haut haut istasis tarsis ardannabou dannaustra'.