The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-06-06
LATIN STUDENTS
SURPRISED AUDIENCE
Roman Wedding in High School Pre-
sented in Thoroughly Enjoyable
Way-Large Number Present.

Of the many excellent entertainments
in the high school room one of the
most enjoyable was the Roman we'd
ding presented in Latin by the Latin
classes of the school last vening. An
unexpectedly large audience was pres
ent the recitation seats and nearly all
the desks being occupied and all were
greatly surprised by the high character
of the work done, which reflect |
ed much credit not only upon the
students, but upon the Latin teacher, |
Miss Florence c. Allen. 1t had the ef-
feet Of stimulating interest in this
study. and doubtless the result will be
felt III this branch Of the school work.
The setting was 63 b. G. and the
costumes and properties were charac
| teristic of that period. A drop cur
| tain in front of the central double
| doorway with screens at the side en-
frances gave the appearance of
stage. The dialouge was in Roman
accent, now in use IN the high school,
and while the dramatic abilities OF the
members of the east made a favorable
impression the real appealing and sig
! nifcant feature of the work OF the
young people was the conversational ana
thoroughly intelligent manner in which
they spoke the lines. Selections by the
high school orchestra and solo by Abb
bot Richmond gave added pleasure.
Dramatis Personae-SpCnsa: Tullia,
Gertrude Robbins; Sponsus: Gaius Pl-
so, Paul Chase; Sponsae pater: Marcus
TuIlius Cicero, Ralph Root; Sponsae
mater: Terentia, Ruth Prentiss; Spon-
i pater: Lucius Piso Grugi, Clyde Hor-
ton; Sponsi mater, Pauline Fisher;
Sponsae frater: Marcus Tullius Cicero,
adolescens, Bryan Gale; Flamen Dialis,
Harry Montgomery; Pontifex Maxi
mus. Roger Brackets; urls consultus,
Porter Spencer; Quintus Hortensius, ia
cob Estey; Uxor @. Hortensi, Maude Bar
rett; Pronuba, Janet Smith; Tibicines
Dennison Cowles and George Thomp-
son; Lictores, Leon Adams and Joseph
Estey; Servi: Marcipor, Philotimus
Trio and Anna, Alvin Wright, Lincoln
| Adams, George Chase and Leila Knapp;
signatOres, amiei, pueri, ceteri serVi
remaining members cf latin classes OF
the school
e Scene I-Sponsalia (BetrothaD. Cie
e GRO S House. Terentia complains thai
e Cicero neglects her and that he devote
Q Catihne, and to study The school re
e port (renuntiatio) Of her son. tn,
: Younger Cicero. also causes her anxiety
a Marcus junior adds to her anxiety b,
0 affirming that he wishes to become al
: | orator like his father. He promises
5 however, that he will study his geom
n etry more diligently and thereby gaii
the reward offered by Cicero. Luciu
s Piso calls at Cicero 5 home to ask tn
Il hand of Tullia for his son, Gaius PiSt
! Terentia is pleased with the prospect G
= marrying her daughter so well. Tullli
.. herself, and Cicero prefer to wait III
as Tullia is older. Tullia says she can syn
% pathize with Servilia and others WI
have no girlhood on account of MARI.
ing so yCung, but finally she yields
her mother 5 wish and consents 10 b
come betrothed to Gaius. The witnes
es arrive and the betrothal (sponsali;
takes place The marriage contra
in (tabulae nuptialesl is signed, showir
the amount of the dowrv. Refres
ments are partaken of, following a
er baton in honor of the gods. Congra
y; ulations are offered and the weddiI
nj hymn is sung.
Scene II-Nuptiae (Wedding Cel
. mony. The auspices are taken al
! pronounced favorable The groo
(sponsus) and bride (sponsa) assur
the names Of Gaius and Gaia, respt
lively. These particular names we
- chosen, according to some out Of
~ spect to the noted spinner. Gaius, a
=" his royal wife, who were held by t
Romans as pattern of coniugal fid
itv and skilled industry; according
others, because of the derivation frt
.r.. T,tl. -, :
- words, +" Ubit tn Gaius ego Ga
(where you are, Gaius, | am Gai
. signifies her wllngs to enter the q
of her husband. The eating of /
cake presented by the Pontifex is |
=. most important part of the ceremo
A suggesting the sacramental view
II marriage. The skin upon which
n bride and groom are seated is suppo
to be that cf q sheep sacrificed
N fore the ceremony begins. Prayer
l offered to Jupiter by the Pontifex {
M to Juno BY the Flamen Dialis, at
I which congratulations are offered.
Ai Scene III.-Deductio PROCESSION
l the Groom S House,. The bride
81 taken, to all appearances, by fo
"a from her mother e4nbrace-a 5
~ vival of the marriage by capture,
81 as the Romans themselves put, a re
niseence Of the Sabine marriage.
Isl mustaeeum, CT wedding cake, is ca
Nj and the procession begins, all sing
E the wedding hymn. The groom thr
xask nuts to the boys in the streets a
E sign that he will now put away eh
gM ish things. Arriving at the groo
< house, the bride anoints the door p
81 with oil to signify health and pie
and then offers prayer for fut
sd happiness.