Drūsilla in Subūrā
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Reading level
Though the author's introduction gives no indication of the intended reading level, Drūsilla in Subūrā seems to have been written at the same level as the author's works that are intended for the first year of study (e.g. Rūfus et Arma Atra). Comprehensible Antiquity puts this novella at Level B, and gives a full review here.
Diverse & Multicultural Identities
For information about how representation of multicultural and diverse identities is analyzed in LNDb, see here.Parallel cultures
Features a depiction of Jewish culture in an ancient Roman context. While out in search of boar in the Subura, Drusilla meets a Jewish man named Joseph. She learns from him that Jewish people do not eat boar, and is invited into his house to eat porridge.Gender
Features one cis female main character (Drusilla). Features no cis male main characters or transgender characters.Sexual identity
No depictions identified. (Though Drusilla has a mother and a father in other stories in the Pisoverse series, only her mother is mentioned in Drūsilla in Subūrā.)SES/class
Features depictions of several socioeconomic statuses; in fact, these depictions form the crux of the plot. Drusilla herself is of the middle class: her family can afford bread, but not exotic meats. The residents of the Subura are of the lower class, since they can only afford porridge to eat, and are portrayed as generous despite their poverty. A rich man, Terrex, can eat peacock and boar and other delicacies, but Drusilla eventually finds him arrogant and unpleasant. The character arc of Drusilla involves her gaining perspective on the socioeconomic hierarchy of Rome.Religion
Features a depiction of the Jewish religion in an ancient Roman context (see above).Disability
No depictions identified.Language Statistics
Vocabulary
Word List
A complete word list for Drūsilla in Subūrā can be found here.
Glosses
This novella contains glosses in the form of both footnotes with English translations and pictures. It also features many illustrations. While they are not glosses of particular words, they are meant to depict the events of the story in a way that supports comprehension on a level broader than individual words.
Of the 52 unique words (not counting proper nouns) used in the text, 18 of them (34.6%) are glossed at their first appearance in the text. Of the 1915 total words in the text, 144 of them (7.5%) are glossed.
Of the 52 unique words (not counting proper nouns) used in the text, 18 of them (34.6%) are glossed at their first appearance in the text. Of the 1915 total words in the text, 144 of them (7.5%) are glossed.
Glossary
This novella contains a Latin-English glossary, with every form of each word listed separately. The glossary is complete.
Syntax
The ratio of complex sentences indicates what proportion of the total sentences are complex sentences, on average. A complex sentence is defined as a sentence with one or more subordinate clauses or verb phrases.
Summary
Genre & Sources
This novella is in the genre of historical (Classical).
It is not an adaptation of any particular piece of Classical literature. The author notes that reading this novella might be a good preparation to read Petronius’s Cēna Trimalchiōnis.
It is not an adaptation of any particular piece of Classical literature. The author notes that reading this novella might be a good preparation to read Petronius’s Cēna Trimalchiōnis.
CONTAINS SPOILERS
Drusilla is a Roman girl who likes fancy meats like boar and peacock. Her mother tells her these are too expensive, and gives her bread and porridge to eat instead. Drusilla is envious of a rich man who gets to eat fancy meats, and she goes out in search of boar to eat. She goes to the rich man's house, but he is not home. She then looks in the Subura, a poor district of Rome, and finds that the people there only have porridge to eat, not even bread. She also meets a Jewish person who does not eat boar at all. Even though they are poor, the Suburans share their porridge with her. She also visits the gladiator school and finds that they are not too well off either. On the way back home, the rich man whom she envied asks if she would like some meat, but she does not want it now that she has seen that many people have no meat at all. She decides to give her bread to the Suburans.
First 100 Words
Underlined words are glossed in the text. See also the preview found here.Drūsilla est Rōmāna.
Drūsilla Rōmae habitat.
Drūsillae placet consūmere animālia! Drūsillae placet consūmere pānem quoque, sed Drūsilla māvult consūmere animālia.
hodiē, Drūsilla vult consūmere animālia. pāvōnēs sunt animālia optima ad consūmendum. Drūsillae placet consūmere pāvōnēs!
Drūsillae placet consūmere pāvōnēs, sed Drūsilla iam consūmpsit pāvōnem diē Sāturnī. Drūsilla consūmpsit pāvōnem diē Sāturnī quia erat convīvium optimum diē Sāturnī. convīvium erat domī Drūsillae. convīvium erat optimum, sed parvum. diē Sāturnī, nōn erant multī Rōmānī domī Drūsillae.
pāvō est animal optimum ad consūmendum, sed hodiē, Drūsilla nōn vult consūmere pāvōnem. hodiē, Drūsilla vult consūmere aprum. Drūsillae placet consūmere aprōs!
Drūsillae placet consūmere aprōs, sed aper nōn est domī. ...
Supplementary Materials
The author has created some supplementary materials, including an audiobook.Presentation
| Illustrations? | yes |
| Illustrator | Lauren Aczon |
| Macrons? | yes |
| Font | Verdana, 14 pt |
| Pages of story | 55 |
| Total pages | 85 |
| Chapters | 10 |
Key Information
| Publication date | July 8, 2018 |
| Publisher | Poetulus Publishing (Createspace) |
| ISBN | 1986798440 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1986798440 |
