Mundus Latinus: A Course in Practical Latin/Lesson I: Mercātūra - Business Latin
Lectio I: Mercātūra - Business Latin
[edit | edit source]Introduction
[edit | edit source]As a Roman merchant (mercātor), you'll direct a trading business using practical Latin. Managing workers, tracking inventory, and conducting sales requires clear communication. This lesson develops essential grammar through realistic business scenarios.
Remember that not all business people are honest, and workers are often not as interested in your business as you are. It is not their fault that fortune did not call them forward in the way you may have been, but strong Roman management techniques, backed by regular sacrifices to Mercury, should help ensure your business thrives.
Learning Objectives
[edit | edit source]- Present tense review
- Roman business vocabulary and phrases
- Negotiation skills
Tabernārius Līberālis
[edit | edit source]Publius Venustus vāsa Graeca pretiōsa vendit. Kalendīs, ut semper, templum Mercuriī modo relīquerat, ubi ingentī dōnō deōs placāverat. Nam, ut omnēs in forō nōrunt, negōtiātōrum patrōnō multum dēbet.
Nunc, dum ratiōnēs īnspicit, iterum suspīrat. Modo mercātōrī dīvitī dē pulchritūdine vāsōrum disseruit: quōmodō pictor celeberrimus umbram vestium pinxisset, quam subtīliter deōrum vultūs expressisset. "Ars," inquit superbē, "nōn pretium sōlum postulat, sed etiam cūram summam. Servī meī doctī sunt quōmodō tālia opera tractentur."
"Syrisce!" vocat. "Venī! Ratiōnēs nōn conveniunt. Vās illud pulcherrimum - Venere pictā - ubi est?"
Syriscus modestē intrat. "Eheu, domine! Dāvus heri vās illud dē manibus āmīsit. Fragmenta ipsi sustulimus, sed nihil agī poterat."
"Haec omnī mēnse accidunt!" exclāmat Publius. "Semperne tam ineptī eritis? Sī pergitis vāsa tam pretiōsa perdere, necesse erit mercēdem vestram dēminuere!"
Vesperī in tabernā vīnāriā Publius amīcō suō Lūciō querēlās nārrat. Lūcius frōntem contrahit. Nōn iam rīdet.
"Mī Publī," inquit asperē, "semper stultus es! Meministīne puer quōmodō dulciola tua cottīdiē amittēbās? 'Tam incūriōsus sum!' semper clāmābās. Omnēs puerī ea capiēbant, quod numquam cum aliīs partīrī volēbās!"
Publius tacet.
"Nunc quoque," pergit Lūcius, "servī tuī nihil accipiunt. Dē arte et cūrā multum loqueris, sed mercēdem minimam solvis! Mercuriō dōna ingentia das, servīs nē minimum quidem! In forō Subūrānō, ut audiō, multa vāsa Graeca pretiō parvō invenīrī possunt... "
Publius adhūc tacet.
"Tandem!" exclāmat Lūcius. "Post quadrāgintā annōs, tacēre potes! Et prō deīs immortālibus, vīnum mihi eme!"
Grammar Review and Context
[edit | edit source]Present Tense Usage
[edit | edit source]The present tense forms the foundation of business communication. You'll use it to track ongoing activities ("Mercennārius mercem portat" - the worker is carrying merchandise) and describe current situations in your shop.
Present Tense Formation
[edit | edit source]First Conjugation (-āre):
- portō, portās, portat, portāmus, portātis, portant
- numerō, numerās, numerat, numerāmus, numerātis, numerant
Second Conjugation (-ēre):
- habeō, habēs, habet, habēmus, habētis, habent
- videō, vidēs, videt, vidēmus, vidētis, vident
Third Conjugation (-ere):
- vendō, vendis, vendit, vendimus, venditis, vendunt
- scrībō, scrībis, scrībit, scrībimus, scrībitis, scrībunt
Fourth Conjugation (-īre):
- audiō, audīs, audit, audīmus, audītis, audiunt
- veniō, venīs, venit, venīmus, venītis, veniunt
Imperative Formation
[edit | edit source]First Conjugation:
- Singular: portā! (carry!)
- Plural: portāte! (carry! - to multiple people)
Second Conjugation:
- Singular: habē! (have/hold!)
- Plural: habēte! (have/hold! - to multiple people)
Third Conjugation:
- Singular: vende! (sell!)
- Plural: vendite! (sell! - to multiple people)
Fourth Conjugation:
- Singular: audī! (hear/listen!)
- Plural: audīte! (hear/listen! - to multiple people)
Deponent Verbs in Business
[edit | edit source]Deponents have passive forms but active meanings.
First Conjugation Deponents
[edit | edit source]- mercor, mercārī - to trade
- Present: mercor, mercāris, mercātur, mercāmur, mercāminī, mercantur
- Imperative: mercāre! (singular), mercāminī! (plural)
Second Conjugation Deponents
[edit | edit source]- polliceor, pollicērī - to promise
- Present: polliceor, pollicēris, pollicētur, pollicēmur, pollicēminī, pollicentur
- Imperative: pollicēre! (singular), pollicēminī! (plural)
Third Conjugation Deponents
[edit | edit source]- ūtor, ūtī - to use
- Present: ūtor, ūteris, ūtitur, ūtimur, ūtiminī, ūtuntur
- Imperative: ūtere! (singular), ūtiminī! (plural)
Fourth Conjugation Deponents
[edit | edit source]- partior, partīrī - to share, divide
- Present: partior, partīris, partītur, partīmur, partīminī, partiuntur
- Imperative: partīre! (singular), partīminī! (plural)
Vocabulary and Collations
[edit | edit source]Places and Infrastructure
[edit | edit source]- taberna, -ae (f) - shop, store
- horreum, -ī (n) - warehouse, storehouse
- forum, -ī (n) - marketplace, forum
- portus, -ūs (m) - harbor, port
- cella, -ae (f) - storeroom, cellar
- Subūra, -ae (f) - a densely populated, lower-class neighborhood in Rome
Measures and Containers
[edit | edit source]- amphora, -ae (f) - amphora (vessel)
- modius, -ī (m) - modius (grain measure)
- dolium, -ī (n) - large storage jar
- saccus, -ī (m) - sack, bag
- congius, -ī (m) - congius (liquid measure)
- arca, -ae (f) - chest, strongbox
Commercial Terms
[edit | edit source]- merx, mercis (f) - merchandise, goods
- pretium, -ī (n) - price
- vectīgal, -ālis (n) - tax, duty
- ūsūra, -ae (f) - interest
- lucrum, -ī (n) - profit
- chirographum, -ī (n) - written contract
Currency and Payment
[edit | edit source]- dēnārius, -ī (m) - denarius
- sēstertius, -ī (m) - sestertius
- aureus, -ī (m) - gold coin
- nummus, -ī (m) - coin (general)
- pecūnia, -ae (f) - money
- as, assis (m) - copper coin of lowest value
Business Documentation
[edit | edit source]- ratiō, -ōnis (f) - account, calculation
- cōdex, -icis (m) - ledger, account book
- tabulae, -ārum (f.pl) - account records
- epistula, -ae (f) - letter, written message
- titulus, -ī (m) - label, title
Personnel
[edit | edit source]- mercātor, -ōris (m) - merchant
- īnstitor, -ōris (m) - agent, manager
- mercennārius, -ī (m) - hired worker
- scrība, -ae (m) - clerk, secretary
- servus, -ī (m) - slave
- lībertus, -ī (m) - freedman
Verbs of Business
[edit | edit source]- mercor, mercārī - to trade
- polliceor, pollicērī - to promise
- partior, partīrī - to share, divide
- ūtor, ūtī - to use
- computō, -āre - to calculate
- servō, -āre - to keep, preserve
Collations
[edit | edit source]- "meā fide" - on my word
- "sine dubiō" - without doubt
- "quam prīmum" - as soon as possible
- "rēs cūrābitur" - the matter will be handled
- "litterae mittentur" - letters will be sent
- "prō bonō pūblicō" - for the public good
- "rem neglegere" - to neglect a matter
- "pecūniam perdere" - to lose money
- "tribūta solvere" - to pay taxes
- "in forō" - in the marketplace
- "pecūnia nōn sufficit" - there isn't enough money
- "ratiōnēs tractāre" - to handle accounts
- "fidem servāre" - to keep faith
- "negotium gerere" - to conduct business
Written Exercises
[edit | edit source]Exercise A: Translation into Latin
[edit | edit source]Translate these sentences:
- The merchant counts the money carefully.
- Are you (sg.) buying wine or oil today?
- We write the accounts in the ledger.
- The workers carry heavy merchandise to the shop.
- Why don't you (pl.) use better containers?
- The apprentice promises good service to the customers.
- I am trading with merchants from Greece.
- The partner divides the profits with his workers.
- Who is selling grain in the forum today?
- You (pl.) must store the oil in large jars.
Exercise B: Business Report Instructions
[edit | edit source]Write a morning report (100 words) from a wine merchant describing:
1. Current inventory status:
- Count amphorae of Falernian wine (use: numerō)
- Record new Sicilian wine arriving (use: adveniō)
- Store wine carefully (use: servō)
2. Worker interactions:
- Order workers to move wine to cellar (use preposition: in + acc.)
- Tell workers to clean containers (use preposition: cum + abl.)
- Command apprentice to label jars (use imperative)
3. Business activities:
- Negotiate with Greek merchants (use: mercor)
- Make promises about delivery (use: polliceor)
- Ask about market prices (direct question with quantum)
- Ask workers whether enough wine remains (indirect question)
- Question when more ships arrive (direct question with quandō)
4. Movement and location:
- Wine moving to warehouse (use: ad + acc.)
- Wine stored in cellar (use: in + abl.)
Example Opening: Hodiē amphorās vīnī Falernī numerō. Vīnum novum ex Siciliā advenit. In cellā vīnum optimē servāmus...
Alternatively, try to use the same verbs and prepositions etc, to write your own scenario about a different kind of merchant activity, closer to your own business needs in Rome.
Colloquia
[edit | edit source]Colloquium Prīmum
[edit | edit source]Inventārium Mātutīnum
Dominus mercātōrem agit; mercennārius respondēbit. Dē rēbus cotīdiānīs in tabernā discēmus, praepositiōnibus et cāsibus, verbīs āctīvīs et dēponentibus in tempore praesentī ūtentēs.
| Exchange | Mercātor | Mercennārius |
|---|---|---|
| Instructiōnēs | Interrogā dē locīs et rēbus in tabernā.
Praepositiōnēs cūrā. |
Respondē, verbum in persōnam prīmam mūtāns.
Cāsūs et praepositiōnēs servā. |
| 0 Exemplum | "Quid in horreō facere dēbēs?" [placidē] | quis: servus, mercennārius, discipulus quid: amphora, saccus, dolium Solūtiō: "Servus amphorās in horreō numerō." |
| 1 | "Ubi mercātor rem tractat?" [studiōsē] | quis: mercātor, venditor, emptor quid: merx, pecūnia, contractus |
| 2 | "Quid dē pretiō cēnsēs?" [patienter] | quid: pretium genitīvus: mercātor, negotium, forum |
| 3 | "Quid in horreō faciunt servī?" [sevērē] | quis: servus, mercennārius, operārius quid: vīnum, oleum, frūmentum |
| 4 | "Cum quō dē negotiō locutūrus es?" [cautē] | praepositiō: cum quis: mercātor, emptor, venditor |
| 5 | "Quid in tabulīs scrībit scrība?" [sollicitē] | quis: scrība, mercātor, servus quid: ratiō, numerus, littera |
| 6 | "Quantum pecūniae servās?" [sevērē] | quid: pecūnia, dēnārius, lucrum relatio: ex, dē, cum |
| 7 | "Cum quibus in forō agis?" [graviter] | praepositiō: cum quis: mercātor, emptor, venditor |
| 8 | "Quid contrā fūrēs facitis?" [firmiter] | quid: custōdia, vigilia, cūra quōmodō: diligenter, sevērē, continenter |
| 9 | "Quid dē mercibus agis?" [patienter] | quid: merx, res, negotium quandō: māne, hodiē, crās |
| 10 | "Quid vesperī facitis?" [dēfessē] | quis: servus, mercennārius, mercātor quid: negotium, merx, pecūnia |
| 11 | Conclusiō: "Hoc bene convenit. Omnia in tabernā nunc intellegō." |
Conclusiō: "Omnia bene sunt. Taberna ordināta est." |
Colloquium Alterum
[edit | edit source]Negōtiātiō cum Clientibus
Mercātor cum emptōre agit; dē pretiīs et mercibus colloquuntur. Discimus quōmodō cum clientibus colloquāmur, verbīs āctīvīs et dēponentibus in tempore praesentī ūtentēs.
| Exchange | Mercātor | Emptor |
|---|---|---|
| Instructiōnēs | Interrogā dē mercibus dēsīderātīs. | Ēlige verba et mūtā īnfīnītīvum in tempus praesēns, modo et persōnā in exemplō monstrātīs. |
| 0 Exemplum | "Quid emere cupis?" [comiter] | quid: oleum, vīnum, frūmentum quālis: optimus, novus, vetus Solūtiō: "Oleum optimum emō." |
| 1 | "Quantum emere vīs?" [placidē] | numerus: decem, vīgintī, trīgintā quid: amphora, modius, congius |
| 2 | "Ecce pretiā in tabulā scrīpta. Quid dē hīs cēnsēs?" [patienter] | quid: pretium quōmodō: nimis, satis, parum |
| 3 | "Quōmodō pecūniam solvere vīs?" [cautē] | tempus: statim, hodiē, crās quid: pecūnia, fidēs, pignus |
| 4 | "Quōmodō mercēs portāre vīs?" [sollicitē] | quis: servus, carrus, nāvis relātiō: per, ex |
| 5 | "Quid mercātōrēs dē pretiīs dīcunt?" [cūriōsē] | actio: dīcō (1s), nūntiō (1s), audiō (1s) quis: mercātōrēs |
| 6 | "Cum quibus mercātōribus agere solēs?" [callidē] | relātiō: cum quis: mercātōrēs (Graecī, Siculī, Āfrī) |
| 7 | "Quandō mercēs trādere potes?" [impatienter] | relātiō: post, ante, intrā diēs: trēs, quīnque, septem |
| 8 | "Quantum temporis ad cōgitandum petis?" [dēfessē] | tempus: hōra, diēs, hebdomas relātiō: ad |
| 9 | "Quās condiciōnēs mercātōrēs offerunt?" [cupidē] | quid: pretium, vectūra, solūtiō quālis: levis, facilis, commodus |
| 10 | "Quōmodō pactum signāre vīs?" [sollicitē] | quōmodō: testis, signum, chirographum tempus: hodiē, statim, crās |
| 11 | Conclusiō: "Hoc bene convenit. Pactum optimum fēcimus." |
Conclusiō: "Omnia bene prōcessērunt. Pretium iūstum pactī sumus." |
Colloquium Tertium
[edit | edit source]Operārum Administrātiō
Dominus servīs imperat; illī respondent quōmodō mandata perficiant. Imperātīvīs et respōnsīs in tempore praesentī ūtēmur.
| Exchange | Dominus | Servus |
|---|---|---|
| Instructiones | Ēlige verba et fac imperātīvum singulārem: 1. Mūtā nōmina in cāsum aptum: |
Respondē quōmodō imperāta faciēs: 1. Mūtā imperātīvum in tempus praesēns prīmae persōnae. |
| 0 Exemplum | quid: amphora
Solutiō: "Amphorās in horreum portā!" [Addere potes: statim, bene, diligenter] |
Respondē: "Amphorās in horreum portō."
[Addere potes: statim, libenter, diligenter] |
| 1 | quid: ratiō
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: statim, accurātē, diligenter] |
| 2 | quid: pecūnia
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: cautē, attentē, precīsē] |
| 3 | quid: vīnum
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: lentē, cautē, aptē] |
| 4 | quid: merx
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: libenter, clārē, studiōsē] |
| 5 | cum: socius
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: honestē, prudenter, sapienter] |
| 6 | quid: horreum
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: penitus, omnīnō, perfectē] |
| 7 | quid: frūmentum
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: ordināte, compositē, aptē] |
| 8 | quid: merx
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: attentē, studiōsē, dīligenter] |
| 9 | cum: emptor
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: urbānē, comiter, benignē] |
| 10 | quid: taberna
|
Respondē dē actiōne tuā.
[Addere potes: firmiter, cautē, dīligenter] |
| 11 | Conclusiō: "Hoc suffēcit. Mandata prōbē intellēxistī." |
Conclusiō: "Omnia mandata intellēxī et perficiam." |
Lūdus Scaenicus
[edit | edit source]Scaena Prima
[edit | edit source]Negōtium Subūrānum
Context: In the shadier districts of Rome, a seller approaches a merchant about some suspiciously obtained Greek vases. Success depends on establishing a connection with a well-placed freedman.
| Exchange | Dāvus (Seller) | Mercātor (Buyer) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 Exemplum | Lead: "Vās Graecum pretiōsum habeō." [confidenter] quis: mercātor, venditor, artifex |
quis: mercātor, venditor, artifex quālis: Graecus, pretiōsus, antiquus |
| 1 | Lead: "Artifex Athēniēnsis hoc vās pinxit." [persuāsīvē] quid: vās, pictūra, opus |
quis: artifex, pictor, servus quālis: mediocris, incertus, dubius |
| 2 | Lead: "Venus ipsa in latere pulcherrimē picta est." [enthusiasticē] quis: deus, dea, hērōs |
quid: pictūra, imāgō, figura quālis: recēns, vetus, novus |
| 3 | Lead: "Mercātōrēs novōs cognōscō, quī tālia dēsīderant." [callidē] quis: mercātor, emptor, patrōnus |
quis: mercātor, emptor, negōtiātor quālēs: novus, incertus, ignōtus |
| 4 | Lead: "Quantum mihi dare potes?" [cupidē] quid: pecūnia, pretium, merx |
quid: pretium, pecūnia, summa quālis: iūstus, aequus, legitimus |
| 5 | Lead: "Chrȳsanthus, lībertus Claudiōrum, amīcus meus est." [subtiliter] quis: lībertus, amīcus, patrōnus |
quis: lībertus, amīcus, familiāris quālis: fidēlis, honestus, probus |
| 6 | Lead: "Chrȳsanthus emptōrēs dīvitēs novit." [callidē] quis: emptor, patrōnus, amīcus |
quis: emptōrēs, patrōnī, clientēs quālis: dīves, potēns, nobilis |
| 7 | Lead: "Tertiam partem lūcrī Chrȳsanthō dabimus." [cautē] quid: pars, lūcrum, merx |
quid: pars, portio, summa quantum: tertius, dimidius, totus |
| 8 | Lead: "Tū quoque tertiam partem accipiēs." [persuāsīvē] quis: ego, tū, nōs |
quis: ego, tū, nōs quid: pars, lūcrum, pecūnia |
| 9 | Lead: "Chrȳsanthus documenta cūrābit." [confidenter] quid: documentum, testimōnium, litterae |
quis: lībertus, scrība, testis quid: documentum, testimōnium, litterae |
| 10 | Lead: "Omnia tūta et lēgitima erunt." [solemniter] quid: negōtium, pactum, rēs |
quid: negōtium, pactum, condiciō quālis: tūtus, legitimus, honestus |
| 11 | Conclusiō: "Hoc bene convenit. Mercēs optimās intrā trēs diēs habēbis." |
Conclusiō: "Omnia bene prōcessērunt. Pactum nostrum perficiēmus." |
Cultural Notes
[edit | edit source]- Freedmen often acted as business intermediaries
- Many freedmen maintained connections with their former household
- Wealthy Romans collected Greek art through trusted agents
- Three-way profit sharing was a common arrangement
- Documentation could be "arranged" through the right connections
- Discretion was essential in such transactions
- Personal recommendations and trust networks were crucial
- A freedman's word could carry significant weight in business dealings