The Farmer and the Ostrich

Agricola Strithiocamelusque

This is a short story that follows the life of a small time Roman farmer and his pet ostrich. It is an intermediate level story that I would share with my first year Latin students towards the end of their year once they had mastered many of the basics of the Latin language.

Augustus, in a sense, is modeled after the Roman hero Cincinnatus. Cincinnatus was a Roman farmer who was elected dictator to lead Rome in its time of need. After successfully defending Rome he, of his own accord, relinquished his power and returned to his farm. Years later he was once again called upon to lead his countrymen; and once again, upon completion of his duty, he faithfully returned to his farm.

English

This is a story of the love between a man and an ostrich. First, there was a fat cockroach king. That king did not give food to his cockroaches. Therefore the cockroaches were full of anger. There is also a great hero, Augustus.

Augustus is a good farmer and he has an ostrich who he loves. The ostrich was not able to eat many worms. Therefore, it has a bad sickness. The friend of the ostrich, Augustus, gave money to the doctor. But the doctor was not able to save the bird.

Then, the bloodthirsty famished cockroaches attacked the farmers ostrich.

Augustus with his two sons, Maximus and Gluteus waged war against the cockroaches. With fire and courage, the men were able to overcome the troops of the evil cockroach king. But the cockroaches killed the ostrich. Therefore Augustus and Gluteus and Maximus give the city the name Strithiocamela after their friend.

Latin

Hic est fabula de amore inter virum strithiocamelumque. Primera, erat magnus rex blatta. Ille Rex no dabat cibum sibi blattīs. Igitur, blattae erant plenī irae. Quoque magnus vir est, Augustus.

Augustus est bonus agricola et habet strithiocamelum qui amat. Strithiocamelus non potest cenare multōs vermōs. Igitur, habet malus morbus. Amicus strithiocamelī, Augustus, dabat pecuniam medicō. See medicus nōn poterat conservare avem.

Proxima, sanguinariae et famiculae blattae pugnabant stithiocamelum agricolae. Augustus cum duobus filiīs, Maximus et Gluteus gerebant bellum contrā blattās. Cum flammā et virtute, viri poterant superare copiās malās blattās. Sed, blattae strithiocamelum necabant. Igitur, Augustus et Gluteus et Maximus dant nominum, Strithiocamela, oppidō pro amicum mortuum.