Viria Acte, born in Valentia Edetanorum, present-day Valencia, ca. 90 AD, was an extraordinary woman who, went from been a slave, to a successful businesswoman. She was the owner of a statue workshop that she run herself and that became very prestigious. She was praised and honoured for her work and her contributions to the city of Valencia. 

In this activity, we will imagine Viria, still incredibly young, as a slave in a Roman tavern, where she is responsible for cooking. Today her mistress, Domitia, has guests for dinner, so Viria will tell us what she plans to cook for dinner. We suggest that you identify and relate the Latin terms related to Roman food to those of your own language and that you contribute with other terms that are derived from them. 

Read the text and look at the words in bold and in italics. Then answer the questions.

1- Domitia's dinner.

Today Domitia closes her establishment early, a tavern where there are no tables or chairs, only a counter, as only fast food is served. She has sent her slave Viria home to prepare dinner, as she is expecting guests, while she closes up, checks the supplies and counts the money collected during the day. The hours pass like a breath.

Viria, on the other hand, does not feel the same way: her day has been as long and tiring as usual, and now she must prepare a special dinner. Tonight, the mistress is hosting her father, her mother and some friends at home.

For the gustatio he will prepare vegetables, including lettuce, cucumbers, asparagus, fava beans and olives; he will also prepare eggs and cheese. He would have liked to serve mussels or salmon but it was too expensive. For the prima mensa, a pork stuffed with pears and dates and seasoned with garum sauce. Domitia had asked for venison but could not find any; for the secunda mensa she has planned an excellent platter of exotic fruits, which she bought at the market, although they were a bit expensive. There will be plenty of wine, and of course, water.

The decision as to what will be served at the dinner has been Domitia's and Viria thinks she has spent a lot of money, for it is not as if her mistress is swimming in plenty like the patricians. Domitia, however, though of plebeian origin, is a free and independent woman, who earns her own money and can afford a slave even if she is not rich. So, she intends to give her parents to understand that she is doing well.

2- Fill in the table by writing the Latin word that you think corresponds to each of the words by selecting it from the list. Then try to give at least one derivative of each Latin word in your language. This etymological dictionary can help you: https://www.etymonline.com/ 

Latin terms: dis-ieiunare (Late Latin) / cena, stabilire + -mentum, pirum, lactuca, caseus, oliva, tabula, moneta, vegetabilis, porcus, sclava (Medieval Latin), musculus, asparagus, venatio, salmo (salmonis), dactylus, vinum, faba, cathedra, taberna, cucumis (cucumer-), fructus, mercatus, expendere, exoticus, hora.

3- Write down the Latin terms in italics which appear in the text and, based on what you have understood, try to give their meaning. Consult a dictionary if you need to.