The First Man in Rome (147 page)

Papirius
          Pah-pee-ree-uss

Perquitienus
    Pair-kwit-ee-ay-nuss
(pair
as in "air")

Petreius
           Pet-ray-uss
(pet
as in "yet")

Plautius
           Plow-tee-uss
(plow
as in "cow")

Plotius
             Ploh-tee-uss
(ploh
as in "so")

Pompeius
        Pom-pay-ee-uss
(pom
as in "torn"—
-pay
as in "say")

Pomponius
      Pom-poh-nee-uss
(poh
as in "so")

Popillius
          Pop-ill-ee-uss
(pop
as in "top"—
ill
as in "will")

Poppaedius
      Pop-eye-dee-uss
(pop
as in "top")

Porcius
            Por-shuss (more correctly, Por-kee-uss)

Postumius       
Poh-stoo-mee-uss
(poh
as in "so"—
stoo
as in "too")

Rutilius
           Roo-tee-lee-uss

Saufeius
          Sow-fay-ee-uss
(sow
as in "cow"—
fay
as in "say")

Sempronius     
Sem-proh-nee-uss
(sem
as in  "hem"—
proh
as in "so")

Sergius
            Sair-gee-uss
(sair
as in "air"—the
g
as in "gear")

Sertorius
         Sair-tor-ee-uss
(tor
as in "or")

Servilius
          Sair-vee-lee-uss

Siccius
             Sick-ee-uss
(sick
as in "kick")

Sosius
              Soh-see-uss
(soh
as in "so")

Sulpicius
         Sool-pick-ee-uss
(sool
as in "fool"—
pick
as in "kick")

Terentius        
Tair-en-tee-uss
(fair
as in "air"—
en
as in "ten")

Thorius
           Thor-ee-uss
(thor
as in "or")

Titius
              Tit-ee-uss
(tit
as in "fit")

Tullius
            Too-lee-uss

Turpilius
         Tur-pill-ee-uss
(tur
as in "fur"—
pill
as in "will")

Vagiennius      
Vah-gee-en-ee-uss (the
g
as in "gear")

Vettius
            Vet-ee-uss
(vet
as in "yet")

The
Cognomen
(the Last Name, Surname, or Distinguishing Name)

These names had definite meanings, so I shall give the meanings where we know them, as well as a guide to pronunciation.

Africanus         
Ah-frick-ah-nuss         "of Africa"

Agelastus          Ah-gel-ah-stuss           "never smiles" (the
g
as in "get")

Ahala               
Ah-hah-lah                 unknown

Ahenobarbus   
Ah-hay-noh-barb-uss       "red-or bronze bearded"

Albinus            
Ahl-bee-nuss              "whitish"

Augur              
Ow-goor
(goor
as in “good”      "an augur"

Balearicus        
Bah-lay-ah-rick-uss     "of the Balearic Isles"

Bambalio         
Bahm-bah-lee-oh        unknown

Bestia           
-  Best-ee-ah
(best
as in “rest”     "the beast"

Brocchus          
Broh-kuss                   "buck-toothed"

Brutus              
Broo-tuss                   "animal stupidity

Caecus
              Kye-kuss                    "blind"

Caepio             
Kye-pee-oh                "the onion vendor"

Caesar             
See-zar (Latin, Kye-sar)          "a fine head of hair

Caesoninus      
Kye-soh-nee-nuss       unknown

Caldus              
Kahl-duss                   "lukewarm"

Calvus              
Kahl-vuss                   "bald"

Camillus          
Kah-mill-uss              unknown

Caprarius        
Kah-prah-ree-uss         "billy goat"

Carbo              
Kar-boh                     "burned out" or "cinder"

Cato                 
Kay-toh (Latin, Kah-toh)          "shrewd but up-tight

Catulus             
Kah-too-luss               "pup" or "cub"

Cicero              
Siss-er-oh (Latin, Kick-er-oh)       "chick-pea"

Cotta                
Kot-tah
(kot
as in “pot”      "wine splash"(?)

Crassus            
Krass-uss
(krass
as in “ass”    "thick"

Cunctator         
Koonk-tah-tor            "he who holds back"

Dalmaticus      
Dahl-mah-tee-kuss      "of Dalmatia"

Dentatus          
Den-tah-tuss
(den as in “ten”)     
"born with teeth"

Diadematus     
Dee-ah-dem-ah-tuss         "of a royal head-band

Dives                
Dee-vays                   "the heavenly one
"

Drusus             
Droo-suss
(droo
as in “too”    unknown

Eburnus           
Ay-boor-nuss             "made of ivory"

Fimbria           
Fim-bree-ah
(fim
as in “Him”
       
"hair worn in a fringe

Flaccus             
Flah-kuss                  "big ears"

Galba              
Gahl-bah                   "potbelly"

Getha               
Gay-thah                   "from the ends of  the earth"

Glaucia            
Glow-kee-ah
(glow
as in “cow”
   
"grey-green"

Gracchus         
Grah-kuss                  "jackdaw"(?)

Laenas             
Lye-nahss (sibilant ending    "priestly mantle"

Lentulus          
Len-too-luss
(len
as in “ten”
      
"tardy" or "slow"

Lepidus            
Lep-id-uss
(lep
as in “step”      "a wonderful fellow"

Limetanus       
Lim-ay-tah-nuss  (
lim
as in “dim”      "of a boundary"

Longinus         
Long-gee-nuss (the g as in “get”    "in the far distance

Lucullus           
Loo-kull-uss
(kull
as in “pull”
     
"a little grove oftrees"

Macedonicus   
Mahn-ked-on-ee-kuss        “of Macedonia''

Mactator          
Mahk-tah-tor             "slaughterman"

Magnus            
Mahg-nuss                 "great"

Mancinus         
Mahn-kee-nuss           "of a cripple"

Margarita        
Mar-gah-ree-tah         "pearl"

Maximus         
Mahx-ee-muss            "greatest"

Meminius        
Mem-in-ee-uss  (
mem
as in “hem”)         "of the GallicMeminii"

"hem")

Merula             
Me-roo-lah
(me
as in “met”      "blackbird"

Metellus            
Met-ell-uss
(met
as in “get”    "a liberated mercenary"

Mus
                  Moos                        "rat" or "mouse"

Nasica              
Nah-see-kah              "nosy"

Nerva               
Nair-vah
(nair
as in “air”       "stringy" or"tough"

Numidicus       
Noo-mid-ee-kuss  (
mid
as in “bid”)      "of Numidia"

Orator             
Oh-rah-tor                 "the public speaker''

Orestes             
Oh-rest-ays
(rest
as in “nest”     "mother died inbirth"

Paullus             
Pow-luss
(pow
as “cow”      "wee one" or"trifle"

Philippus         
Fill-ip-uss
(fill
as in “will”)       "of Philippi"

Pipinna            
Pip-in-ah
(pip
as in “hip)       "little boy's  penis"

Piso                  
Pee-soh                     "I grind down"

Porcella           
Por-kell-ah                "piglet" or "little girl's genitals"

Postumus         
Poss-too-muss (
poss
as in “boss”          "born after father died"

Pulcher            
Pool-ker                    "beautiful"

Ravilla             
Rah-vill-ah
(vill
as in “will”     "talked himself hoarse"

Reginus            
Ray-gee-nuss (the       "of a queen"
g
as in "get")

Rex                   
Rayx                        "king"

Rufinus            
Roo-fee-nuss             "of a red-haired family"

Rufus               
Roo-fuss
(fuss
as IN “PUSS”       "red-haired"

Ruso                 
Roo-soh                    "a country bumpkin"

Saturninus       
Sah-tur-nee-nuss         "of Saturn"

Scaevola
           Skye-voh-lah             '' left-handed''