Villa Rustica

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salvete!

First of all, thanks for the responses to my post yesterday.

Quick question for ya’; would appreciate your views.

I had always used fundus for farm.

A friend said fundus was more the land on the farm and that farm itself is villa rustica.

Anyone able to comment on this?

Gratia ago.

David

2

Hi David,

for such little detail differences in meanings, you can always check books about Latin synonyms like Menge’s Lateinische synonimik. He mentions indeed that fundus indicates more the groud and also in regard to the fruits and vegetables you callect from it etc. If you want to indicate countryHOUSE villa is already sufficient. If you want you can also add the adjective villa rustica.

Moerus

3

Thanks for the reply.

It was a German who suggested Villa Rustica instead of Fundus.


The German concept of farm (Bauernhof) concentrates on the buildings whereas English concentrates on the expanse (fields etc.)


Would you agree that in referring to the totality of a farm, one could use fundus?

Thanks,

David

4

To indicate the totallity, I think you can use fundus, yes. I quickly went trhough a few examples of Cicero and indeed it seems fundus is used to indicate the totallity of a farm; but villa is also used to indicate the totallity. So I think you can choose, but normally you will always indicate more one of both: the fields or the building.

Moerus