An anecdote concerning Augustus Caesar

[ewx]

He returned to Rome with all the glory of the victory at Actium. Among those congratulating him was a man carrying a raven which he had taught to say 'Hail, Caesar, victor, commander!' Caesar was amazed by this patriotic bird, and paid 20,000 sesterces for it. A friend of this operator who had received no part of the gift told Caesar that the man had a second raven and asked him to insist on its production. The bird was brought and spoke the words it had learned 'Hail, victor, commander, Antony!' Caesar was not angry, but was content to order the man to divide the gift with his partner.

He was greeted in like manner by a parrot, and oredered its purchase; so too with a magpie. This example persuaded a poor cobbler to train a raven to a similar greeting. Ruined by the expense when the bird refused to reply he would say 'I've wasted my money and my effort.' Eventually the bird began to speak the prescribed greeting. Augustus, passing by, heard this and said 'I've enough claqueurs at home already.' The raven's memory was good enough to add the words it had repeatedly heard its own grumbling 'I've wasted my money and my effort.' At this Caesar roared with laughter and ordered the bird to be purchased at a higher price than any of the others.

(From Macrobius's Saturnalia, as translated by one J. Ferguson.)

Comments

[nassus.livejournal.com]

That's way cool!