Roman Table Talk

Roman Table Talk
Characters
Appius (A): The son (Eldest by 3 years, he is 16)
Julia (J): The daughter (youngest by 3 years, she is 13)
Silvia(S): The Mother
Nerva (N): The Father


N: Ah this cena looks wonderful Silvia my dear.

S: Why thank you Nerva. How was your day at the palace?

N: It was exquisite I was promoted to head guard so I went out and bought you this for the cena (Nerva holds up a piece of boar meat and a bottle of wine very uncommon for a poor family because if they ever had wine it is typically cheap and tastes like vinegar) Maybe you can cook it before our children get home?

S: Indeed I can.
(An hour and a half later the meat is cooked and all is ready except the children aren’t home)

N: where could those children of ours be?

S: I do not know my dear
(Just then a slam of a door opening and Appius and Julia rush through the door)

A: What’s for cena mother?

J: Indeed what is for cena mother dearest?

S: Well its gustatio as usual then prima mensa and finally secunda mensa.

J: Oh you know what I meant mother.

A: Father how was it at the plaice today?

N: Ah my son come close and I will tell you... (Appius advances towards his father) I was promoted
today my son…

A: Too what father?

N: To head guard.

A: Hurray Father how wonderful.

S: Alright will you two sit down Cena has been ready for awhile now.

A: Yes mother

J: Yes mother.

N: We have a very special gustatio tonight.

S: Alright here you go (she said as she put 4 bowls of salad on the table and a large bowl of boiled
eggs)

*As the ate gustatio*

N: So what happened at school today son?

A: A slave boy tried to fight Leonius’s son Otho

S: Oh my!

J: So what did Otho do brother?

A: he called the guards to take him away and said “Listen Jew! I am your better now leave my sight.

N: BAH!

A: father?

N: In my day you didn’t use your privileges to show your dominance. If a slave challenged you to a
fight you fight him…and win!

S: But Nerva dear you remember Otho he is a small weak child

N: Bah it makes no difference. I think I’ll have a talk with Leonius tomorrow at the palace.

A: fine

J: Mother can we have prima Mensa now please…? (She pleaded)

S: Fine come help me serve it then Julia.

*In a few moments Julia and Silvia were back with the cooked boar meat, wine, and carrots*
*As the ate Silvia talked about how their eldest son Vitus who was 22 was in the roman army*

S: Vitus has been sent away today Julia.

A: What!

S: what wrong son?

A: That lying bastard said he would wait till I was 18 and we would join together.

N: Watch your foul tongue boy!

A: sorry.

*they ate the rest of the meal in silence and they all skipped Secunda Mensa which was fresh apples*

By: Mack Jenkins

Hi! I'm anti-pop, and I'm going to point out a few things in this piece.
Also, instead of adding periods, comas, etc., I actually wrote 'period' ,'coma', yeah. That is simply because often when I edit a piece it's difficult to tell when I add punctuation

N: Ah this cena looks wonderfulcoma Silvia my dear.

S: Why thank you Nerva. How was your day at the palace?

N: It was exquisiteinsert period I was promoted to head guardcoma so I went out and bought you this for the cena (Nerva holds up a piece of boar meat and a bottle of wine very uncommon for a poor familyperiod [s]because[/s] If they ever [s]had[/s] have wine it is typically cheap and tastes like vinegar) Maybe you can cook it before our children get home?

S: Indeed I can.

(An hour and a half later the meat is cooked and all is ready except the children aren’t home)

N: where could those children of ours be?

S: I do not know my dearperiod

(Just then a slam of a door opening and Appius and Julia rush through the door)

A: What’s for cena mother?

J: Indeedsemi-colon what is for cena mother dearest?

S: Well itapostrophes gustatio as usualcoma then prima mensacoma and finally secunda mensa.

J: Ohcoma you know what I meant mother.

A: Fathercoma how was it at the plaice today?

N: Ah my son come close and I will tell you... (Appius advances towards his father) I was promoted
today my son period

A: Too what father?

N: To head guard.

A: Hurray Fatherexclamation point (they're supposed to be excited!) How wonderfulexclamation point

S: Alrightcoma will you two sit downquestion mark Cena has been ready for awhile now.

A: Yes motherperiod

J: Yes mother.

N: We have a very special gustatio tonight.

S: Alright here you go (she said as she put 4 bowls of salad on the table and a large bowl of boiled
eggs)

*As [s]the[/s] they ate gustatio*

N: So what happened at school today son?

A: A slave boy tried to fight Leonius’s son Otho

S: Oh my!

J: So what did Otho do coma brother?

A: he called the guards to take him away and said “Listen Jew! I am your better now leave my sight.

N: BAH!

A: Father?

N: In my day you didn’t use your privileges to show your dominance. If a slave challenged you to a
fight you fight him…and win!

S: But Nerva dear you remember Otho he is a small weak child

N: Bah it makes no difference. I think I’ll have a talk with Leonius tomorrow at the palace.

A: Fine period

J: Mother can we have prima Mensa now please…? [s](She pleaded)[/s] (I wuold take this out mainly because it sounds to much like story dialouge rather than how you have it written.)

S: Finecoma come help me serve it then Julia.

*In a few moments Julia and Silvia were back with the cooked boar meat, wine, and carrots*
*As the ate Silvia talked about how their eldest son Vitus who was 22 was in the Roman army*

S: Vitus has been sent away todaycoma Julia.

A: Whatquestion/exclamation mark--?!

S: [s]what wrong[/s] What's wrong, son?

A: That lying bastard said he would wait till I was 18 and we would join together.

N: Watch your foul tongue coma boy!

A: Sorry.

*They ate the rest of the meal in silence and they all skipped Secunda Mensa which was fresh apples*

Things you need to brush up on: punctuation and capitalization. That's all.
Keep up the good work,


anti-pop

Thanks