(马提乌斯依然在他的假期里,这是 Bona Dea 事件之后,他们俩都二十岁。兄弟姊妹肩并肩趴在一张大的躺椅上,支在靠枕上,吃着杏仁。拉维尼亚突然停下,把脸转向马提乌斯)
拉维尼亚:我有事想跟你说。
马提乌斯:什么?
拉维尼亚没有回答,伊捂住了马提乌斯在嚼杏仁的嘴,仔细听着。
拉维尼亚:这周围没有人吧?
马提乌斯:你知道,妈妈今天不回来过夜,我叫奴隶们早些回他们的下房去。
拉维尼亚:我听像是没有人。我可真是锻炼得好呢。
马提乌斯:你要说什么?
拉维尼亚:克里夫斯。
马提乌斯:谁?
拉维尼亚:首席贞女克里夫斯。
马提乌斯:怎样?
拉维尼亚:克里夫斯和我……
马提乌斯:和你?
拉维尼亚:别大惊小怪,她从我六岁起就知道了。而且,现在已经结束了。
马提乌斯:什么时候?
拉维尼亚:从三年多以前,我第二次值夜的时候睡着了,你知道,那屋子日夜燃着灶火暖得人昏昏欲睡。
马提乌斯:我怎么知道,我又没进去过。
拉维尼亚:克里夫斯发现了,叫我换班以后去她房间。我以为要挨训但是……我想跟你说的,但是父亲去世了,接着你又离家……
马提乌斯没说话,他用手指头捻着一颗杏仁,看碎屑轻轻掉下来。
马提乌斯:竟然在父亲死前就……
拉维尼亚:我可想不到他会死的啊!
马提乌斯:告诉我,缇利亚。
拉维尼亚:什么?
马提乌斯:你是像一个男人一样与克里夫斯在一起的吗?
拉维尼亚:我不明白。
马提乌斯:我看你明白得很,三年!
拉维尼亚:已经结束了。我乱得很,我觉得我没有明白过。今天德鲁苏斯还把我认作你,我更怕了。
马提乌斯:妈妈知道吗?
拉维尼亚:我怎么可能告诉她?克里夫斯是她最老的朋友……她是因为这样才把我托付给她的。
马提乌斯:我想别人不会跟你说,但是你很像妈妈,你知道吗?
拉维尼亚:这样说来你也该像她。我们长得一样。
马提乌斯:不,我不觉得我像。
拉维尼亚:这可是前后矛盾了。
马提乌斯:贞女大人,您现在不在法庭上!
拉维尼亚:你让我糊涂了,盖乌斯。
马提乌斯:还没明白吗?那么去读萨福吧,小妹妹。‘姑娘们,撕扯你们的衣服,尽情哭号吧!‘
拉维尼亚:我讨厌你叫我小妹妹。
马提乌斯:这正是我要这么叫你的原因。缇利亚,你想好了吗?你是像一个男人一样与克里夫斯在一块的吗?还是你们读了更多的萨福?
拉维尼亚:混蛋!不是只有你做儿子的受了教育,我想说很久了,你的希腊语咬字有问题。
马提乌斯:哎,那你得帮我练习。或者更妙,绞短头发,穿上我的衣服代我竞选二十人委员会1……
拉维尼亚:你要竞选二十人委员会?
马提乌斯:这让你吃惊吗?
拉维尼亚:我不知道。有时我夜半坐在灶火前,酥白的灰在灶中落下,我想起你,觉得明天就会传来消息,比如你偷了一艘老战舰航海去了……
马提乌斯:哈,说得真轻巧!大概还得偷一百个划桨的人罢!
拉维尼亚:小船也有可能,你知道我说的什么意思。
马提乌斯:这是你觉得我会做的吗?还是只是你想做的事?
拉维尼亚没有回答,也没有看哥哥。伊盯着杏仁碗。马提乌斯抓了一颗杏仁抛向空中,用嘴去接,但是没接到。杏仁掉在地上发出一点声音,像是终结一个话题。
马提乌斯:我还得向皇帝请求批准穿紫红镶边衣服呢。克劳狄乌斯是个狡猾的老东西……
拉维尼亚:呵,那不打紧,你可以随时借用我的头巾2。
马提乌斯:报应啊!我就知道你会取笑回来。我可不止要借你的头巾。
拉维尼亚:你连竞选游说——我们就叫那个游说好了,听起来比较文雅——的钱都要找我借?
马提乌斯:你去补维斯塔神庙的缺时就被赏了——多少?五十万塞斯特斯吗?你的俸禄又高。我看不出来你有什么要用钱的地方。
拉维尼亚:他们把我抓去神庙的那一天你可没惦记五十万塞斯特斯。你还挣开爸妈的手追在马车后面跑叫‘缇利亚!’
马提乌斯:我们那个时候六岁。他们是把你抢走的,当然后来我知道了,那是作戏……传统习惯。
拉维尼亚:深刻地概括了我国宗教的本质。
马提乌斯:那时候大祭司怎么说来着?‘阿玛塔,我带走你,众人中最合乎资格者……’ 首先,你不叫阿玛塔,第二,你跟我一样不合乎什么维斯塔贞女的资格。
拉维尼亚:这是台词的一部分,他们叫所有被选进神庙的女孩阿玛塔。你也知道,早在我们那会——早在提比略皇帝那会就不时兴送女儿进神庙了,他们让我进去是因为没得选了而已。
马提乌斯:好了,你今天说的大逆不道的话够多了。
拉维尼亚:是你先说的。至于我拿我的钱做什么,啐,我要买房子。
马提乌斯:你真的忍心看你哥哥连重大罪行审核三人委员会都进不去吗?
拉维尼亚:只要你别审我。你想的话,我会在竞技场上给你让座的3。
马提乌斯:如果这个男人没了,这可怜的女人还剩什么保护,什么安慰呢?4
拉维尼亚:看来你非得进元老院不可,哪怕是为了上别处练你那西塞罗去。
二十人委员会是帝国时期进入元老院的初级职位。分为财政三人委员会、法规十人委员会、修路四人委员会和重大罪行审核三人委员会,重要程度和显赫程度从左至右依次递减。一个有前途的元老到20岁有望担任初级职位。想进入元老院的公民须向皇帝请求批准穿紫红边长袍的权利。
维斯塔贞女的头巾上镶有紫红边。
公元前 63 年,Licinius Murena 竞选执政官职位时,他的亲戚(姑妈?)维斯塔贞女 Licinia 在竞技场上把自己的专属座位让给他,为他造势。这对故事中的角色来说是已知历史,缇利亚在嘲弄马提乌斯。
西塞罗为维斯塔贞女 Foeteia 的兄弟 M. Foeteius 辩护时所说。他的意思是如果 Foeteius 遭遇不幸的判决,Foeteia 念及手足之情的泪水会污染灶神的火焰。这次事件发生于公元前69年,对于故事中的人物来说同样是已知历史。以下摘录拉丁原文和英译:
cui miserae quod praesidium, quod solacium reliquum est hoc amisso? nam ceterae feminae gignere ipsae sibi praesidia et habere domi fortunarum omnium socium participemque possunt; huic vero virgini quid est praeter fratrem quod aut iucundum aut carum esse possit? (Font. 47)
What protection, what comfort is left to the poor woman, if this man is lost? Other women, for their part, can bear guardians for themselves, and have at home an ally and participant in all of life’s fortunes. But for this virgin, what can be either dear or pleasant except her brother?
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