Note: there were some minor inconsistencies in this text regarding the translation of certain words. Therefore, I have changed them to match with the Classical Latin meanings. Many of the words will be discussed in greater depth in the next post.
The mason │ faber murārius
The mason layeth a foundation │ faber murārius pōnit fundāmentum
And buildeth walls │ & struit mūrōs
Either of stones │ sīve ē lapidibus,
Which the stone-digger │ quōs lātomus
Getteth out of the quarry, │ ēruit in lapicidīnīs
And the stone-cutter │& lapidārius / lapicīda
Squareth by a rule │ conquadrat ad normam.
Or of bricks │ sive ē lateribus
Which are made │ quī formantur,
Of sand and clay │ex arēnā & lutō,
Steeped in water, │ aquā intrītīs
And are burned in fīre. │ & excoquuntur igne.
Afterwards he plaistereth it │ dein crustat
With lime, │ calce,
By means of a trowel, │ ope trullæ,
And garnisheth [ = renders] with │ & vestit
A rough-cast. │ tēctōriō.
Vocabulary [1]
calx, calcis [3/f]: limestone, chalk
crustō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: cover (with, for example, plaster); Engl. deriv. ‘crust’ < La: crusta, -ae [1/f]: rind, shell, hard surface
fundamentum, -ī [2/n]: foundation; Engl. dereiv. fundamental
tēctōrium, -ī [2/n]: (a common feature in Roman architecture) plaster, stucco, fresco-painting, a wash for walls
trulla, -ae [1/f]: a small ladle, a scoop; also attested as meaning a mason’s trowel
Vocabulary [2]
mūrus, -ī [2/m]: wall
mūrārius, -ī [2/m]: mason; bricklayer; the word can stand alone although Comenius uses:
faber, fabrī [2/m]: craftsman, artisan + mūrārius
Vocabulary [3]
lapis, lapidis [3/m]: stone
Not much distinction (if any) between the following although [i] do refer to working with stone (-ārius) and cutting (-cīda) it
[i] lapidārius, -ī [2/m] / lapīcida, -ae [1/m] / stone-cutter
[ii] lātomus, -ae [1/f]: quarryman
lapicidinae, -ārum / lautumiae, -ārum (lātomiae, -ārum) [1/f/pl]: (in Classical Latin, the nouns are usually plural) stone quarries
The idea of being sent to stone quarries can be interpreted as punishment:
dūcite, ubi ponderōsās crassās capiat compedēs. inde ībis porrō in lātomīās lapidāriās (Plautus) │ Take him where he may receive weighty and thick fetters, thence, after that, you shall go to the quarries for cutting stone.
Note:
The use of ē / ex + ablative (discussed in the previous post) to indicate what something is made of:
ex arēnā & lutō: (made) of sand and clay
ē lapidibus: (made) of stones
ē lateribus: (made) of bricks
