BOGDAN-VLĂDUȚ BRÎNZĂ

MUTTIO

The verb muttio, -īvī, -ītum, -īre (-or-, īrī) is an onomatopoeic expression which
indicates effectively an action of mumbling, babbling.
The term might be compared with following expressions:
1. mu = this syllable is used in order to reproduce a mumbling. We can find this
interjection in Petr. 57, 8: „tu lacticulosus nec mu nec ma argutas”1.
2. mutmut = is an onomatopoeic sound which express babbling – „mutmut non
facere audet”2 (Apul. poet. 5(6)).
3. mūtus ~ a ~ um, when it refers to an animal has the meaning muttering (that can
only mutter, inarticulate). If it is neutral plural as a subject indicates dumb creatures
(of utterance), inarticulate – ex. Luc. 5, 218: „sic muta levant suspiria vatem”3.
4. musso, -āre, -āvi, -ātum [gr. μύζω] which means to speak in low tones (mutter,
whisper) or to mutter in indecision, hmm and ham; the word with infinitive indicates
to hesitate (to) – ex. Verg. A. 11, 345: „cuncti se scire fatentur quid fortuna ferat
populi, sed dicere mussant”4.
We can find the verb muttio in two general situation: the first is when it refers to
living creatures (humans and animals) and, the second one, when the term is attributed
to things.
When the verb is related to humans, it occurs with three possibilities: simple, only
with accusative and, finally, with preposition.
When it is simple (absolute), the term muttio is used, primarily, by roman
dramatists (Ennius, Plautus, Terentius) and by christian authors (Arnobius, Fulgentius,
etc.).

1
„You just weaned, you can`t prattle nor mu neither ma”.
2
„Don't you dare to do mutmut”.
3
„So silent sighs shake the prophetess”.
4
„All claim to know what bears the fate of the people, but they hesitate to speak”.
 Plautus (250 B.C. - 184 B.C.) used the verb in Amphitryon (381) „Etiam muttiis ::
iam tacebo”5, in Bacchanalia (800): „Impinge pugnum, si muttiverit”6 and in
Mostellaria (401) „Intus cave muttire quemquam siveris”7.
In Ennius (239 B.C. - 169 B.C.) the term occurs in the scene 331: „palam muttire
plebeio piaculum est”8.
Terentius (185 B.C. - 159 B.C.) used muttio in his work Hecyra (866): „numquid
dixit…? :: nil. :: neque opus est adeo muttito”9.
Another citation of the verb is in Petronius: „nescio quid nunc taces nec muttis”
(Trimalchio 61, 2). The dinner of Trimalchio is designed as a large theater.
The last important occurrence of the term is in Arnobius, in his opera Adversus
nations: „cupimus scire, an muttire, an hiscere deorum in mentione possitis”.
Within the second possibility, the term occurs with accusative case. There are two
occurrences in Plautus. First is in Curculio (21): „numquam ullum verbum muttit”10.
The second is in Miles Gloriosus (566): „egone si post hunc diem muttivero, etiam
quod egomet certo sciam, dato excruciandum me”.
Another testimony of the verb is in Terentius: Andria (505) „nihil iam muttire
audio”.
The last possibility reside in presence of the verb with preposition. This occurrence
is in Itala11, in the book of Joshua 10, 21: „nec muttivi quisquam de filiis Israel”.
Another presence is on Hieronymus, in his opera Adversus Vigilantium (6, p. 344C):
„pro his … muttire non poterit”. Also Rufin in Origen comments over the Romans use
this term: „illud … ad quod muttire non poterunt”. We find the verb with preposition
also in Augustin opera’s Contra duas epistolas Pelagianorum (4, 12, 32, p. 569, 1):
„quodlibet … muttire audeant adversus sanam fidem”.
In context of animals (de bestiis) the verb muttio is present in Itala, book of Exodus
11, 7: „in filiis … Israel non muttiet canis linqua sua ab homine usque ad pecus”. In
relation with animals is used only in Christian writings, as we saw in previous citation,
5
„What mumble? :: Now I keep silent”.
6
„You give him a slap, if he mumbles”.
7
„Inwardly, make sure that no one makes noise”.
8
„It is sacrilege, for a plebeian, to mutter in public”.
9
„Did you say something...? :: nothing :: It should not be told, take it for yourself”.
10
„He doesn't miss a word”.
11
Vetus Latina: the collective name given to the biblical texts in Latin that existed before the Vulgate.
and in comment related to it, made by Augustin (Locutiones in heptateuchum 2, 61, p.
552, 8) and Rufin (Origen comment on Judges 6, 2, p. 499, 28).
At this point, we can observe that the verb muttio is used mostly in two contexts: in
the works of Roman playwrights and in Christian writings. As we have already
observed, the verb muttio is an onomatopoeic expression and, therefore, the term is
very expressive and it has great mimetic value. For this reason the word is used a lot in
theatre.
This colloquial verb, later, is inherited by Christian authors and, as we know, they
cater to a diverse audience. They didn’t address only to a high educated auditorium,
but especially to all believers. For this reason their style of writing is a linear one,
close with colloquial language.
Finally, the verb muttio is attributed to things only once in Plautus, in Curculio 94:
„num muttit cardo?”12. This is very interesting because Plautus used, mainly, the
language of daily life (very versatile language). The uses of the terms were numerous
but, over time, the speakers have selected only a few uses of the words.

12
„perhaps the hinge creaks?”.