The Barber (page 30)
The barber is working in the shop. The barber is Pantagathus. Caecilius enters.
“Hello, barber!” says Caecilius.
“Hello!” replies Pantagathus.
The barber is busy. A old man is sitting in the chair. Pantagathus is holding a razor and trimming his beard carefully. The old man looks closely at the razor.
A poet enters the shop. The poet stands in the shop and recites a verse. The verse is rude. Caecilius laughs. But the barber does not laugh. The barber is angry.
“Scoundrel! Scoundrel!” shouts Pantagathus. The old man is terrified. The barber does not trim the beard. The barber cuts the old man. Much blood flows. Caecilius gets up and goes out of the shop.
The Slave-Dealer (page 31)
Caecilius walks to the harbour. Caecilius looks around the harbour. The banker sees a Syrian ship, and he walks to the ship. Syphax stands near the ship.
“Hello, Syphax!” shouts the banker. Syphax is a slave-dealer. Syphax greets Caecilius.
Caecilius is looking for a slave. Syphax laughs. Look! Syphax has a big slave. Caecilius looks at the slave. The banker is not satisfied. The banker does not buy the slave.
“Wine!” shouts Syphax. The slave girl carries the wine to Caecilius. The banker drinks the wine.
Caecilius looks at the slave girl. The slave girl is beautiful. The slave girl laughs. The slave girl pleases Caecilius. The slave-dealer also laughs.
“Melissa cooks the best dinner,” says the slave-dealer. “Melissa is learning the Latin language. Melissa is educated and beautiful. Melissa…”
“Enough! Enough!” shouts Caecilius. Caecilius buys Melissa and returns to his house. Melissa pleases Grumio. Melissa pleases Quintus. Oh dear! Oh no! The slave girl does not please Metella.
Hermogenes (page 43)
Caecilius is in the forum. Caecilius has a banker’s stall in the forum. Hermogenes comes to the forum. Hermogenes is a Greek merchant. The merchant had a ship. The merchant greets Caecilius.
“I am a Greek merchant,” says Hermogenes. “I am an honest merchant. I am looking for money.”
“Why are you looking for money?” says Caecilius. “You have a ship.”
“But the ship is not here,” replies Hermogenes. “The ship is in Greece. I do not have money. However I am honest. I always give back money.”
“Look!” says Caecilius. “I have a wax-tablet. Do you have a ring?”
“I have a ring,” replies Hermogenes. “The ring has a seal. Look! I am pressing the seal in the wax.”
Caecilius hands over the money. The merchant takes the money and runs out of the forum.
Oh dear! Oh no! Hermogenes does not come back. The merchant does not return the money. Caecilius calls Hermogenes to the law court.
In the Law Court (page 44)
Judge: Who are you?
Caecilius: I am Lucius Caecilius Iuncundus.
Judge: Are you a citizen of Pompeii?
Caecilius: I am a citizen of Pompeii.
Judge: What do you do in the city?
Caecilius: Each day I come to the forum. I am a banker.
Judge: Why do you come to the law court today?
Caecilius: Hermogenes owes me much money. Hermogenes does not give back the money.
Hermogenes: Caecilius is a liar!
Judge: Who are you?
Hermogenes: I am Hermogenes.
Judge: Hermogenes, what do you do in the city?
Hermogenes: I do business in the forum. I am a merchant.
Judge: What do you reply? Do you owe money?
Hermogenes: I do not owe money. My friend is a witness.
Friend: I am a witness. Hermogenes does not owe money. Caecilius is a liar.
Caecilius: You, Hermogenes, are a liar. Your friend is also a liar. You do not give back the money…
Judge: Enough! You accuse Hermogenes, but you do not prove the case.
Caecilius: I have the wax tablet. You see the seal in the wax.
Hermogenes: Oh dear! Oh no!
Judge: Hermogenes, do you have a ring?
Caecilius: Look! Hermogenes is hiding the ring.
Judge: Where is the ring? Look! The ring proves the case. I find Hermogenes guilty.
Actors (page 58)
There is a huge crowd in the city. Women and girls are in the crowd. Old men and young men are also in the crowd. The slaves are not working today. The old men are not sleeping today. The merchants are not busy today. The citizens of Pompeii are on holiday. However the city is not quiet. The citizens of Pompeii are hurrying to the theatre. There is a great uproar in the city.
The farmers enter the city. The sailors make for the city. The shepherds are coming from the mountain and hurrying to the city. The crowd is rushing through the gate.
A messenger shouts in the forum: “The actors are in the city. The actors are in the theatre. Priscus is putting on a play. Priscus is putting on an excellent play. The actors are Actius and Sorex.”
Caecilius and Metalla are leaving the house. The banker and his wife are walking to the theatre. Clemens and Melissa are hurrying to the theatre. But Grumio stays in the house.
Poppy (page 61)
Poppy is a slave girl. The slave gril stands near the door. The slave girls looks at the street. Her master is sleeping in the garden. The master is Lucrio. Lucrio is an old man.
Poppy: I am waiting for my friend. Where is my friend?
(Lucrio groans)
Oh! Lucrio is in the house.
(The farmers are shouting in the street.)
Farmers: Hurray! Farmers are not working today!
Poppy: Lucrio! Lucrio! The farmers are entering the city. The farmers are here.
Lucrio; (Half-asleep) F…F…Farmers?
Boys: Hurray! Sorex! Actius! The actors are here!
Poppy: Lucrio! Lucrio! The boys are running through the street.
Lucrio: What are you shouting, Poppy? Why are you making a noise?
Poppy: Lucrio, the citizens of Pompeii are making the noise. Farmers and boys are in the street.
Lucrio: Why are you annoying me?
Poppy: The actors are acting a play in the theatre.
Lucrio: Actors?
Poppy: Sorex and Actius are here.
Lucrio: What do you say?
Poppy: (Angry) Old men are walking to the theatre, young men are hurrying to the theatre, all the citizens of Pompeii are rushing to the theatre. The actors are acting a play in the theatre.
Lucrio: Hurray! The actors are here. I am also rushing to the theatre.
(Lucrio goes out. A friend enters the villa.)
Friend: Hello! My dove!
Poppy: Grumio, my darling! Hello!
Grumio: Where is your master?
Poppy: Lucrio is out.
Grumio: Hurray!
Fight (page 72)
Clemens was walking in the forum. There was a very large crowd in the forum. Slaves and slave girls were buying food. Many bakers were selling bread. A poet was reciting. A Greek merchant was having an argument with a farmer. The angry merchant was demanding money. Suddently the farmer punched the Greek, because the Greek was cursing the farmer. The citizens of Pompeii were laughing, and they were urging on the farmer. Clemens, after he heard the shout, hurried to the fight. At last the farmer overpowered the merchant and chased him from the forum. The citizens of Pompeii praised the strong farmer.
Felix (page 72)
Many citizens of Pompeii were drinking wine in the inn. Clemens entered the inn. Suddenly Clemens shouted “Felix!” Clemens happily greeted Felix. Felix was a freedman.
Clemens invited Felix to his house. Clemens and Felix entered the house. Clemens sought out Caecilius and Metella. Caecilius was writing in his study. Metella was sitting in the garden. Caecilius and Metella hurried to the main hall and greeted Felix. After Quintus entered the main room, Felix saw the young man. The freedman was very moved. He was almost crying; but he was laughing.
Then Clemens hurried to the kitchen. Grumio was sleeping in the kitchen. Clemens woke up the cook and told him the whole story. The cook, because he was happy, prepared an excellent dinner.
Felix and the thief (page 73)
After dinner Quintus asked, “Father, why is Felix now a freedman? Once he was your slave.” Then his father told the whole story.
Caecilius: Felix was once writing in the study. Felix was alone. Clemens and Grumio were looking for food in the forum. Metella was out because she was visiting her sister.
Felix: Your father was out because he was looking after the banker’s stall in the forum.
Caecilius: No one was in the house except Felix and the baby. The little baby was sleeping in a bedroom. Suddenly a thief entered through the door. The thief quietly looked around the main room; quietly he entered the bedroom, where the baby was. Felix heard nothing because he was working intently. The thief was quietly carrying the little baby from the house. Suddenly the baby cried. Felix, after he heard the shout, at once hurried from the study. “Scoundrel!” Felix shouted, angry, and punched the thief fiercely. Felix almost killed the thief. In this way Felix saved the little baby.
Felix: My master, after he heard this story, was happy and freed me. Therefore I am now a freedman.
Quintus: But who was the baby?
Caecilius: It was Quintus!
