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[Shorter Table of Contents]
[List of Passages for Translation]
[Appendices]
[Index]

[Transcriber’s Notes]

HELPS TO
LATIN TRANSLATION AT SIGHT

HELPS TO

LATIN TRANSLATION AT SIGHT

BY THE

REV. EDMUND LUCE

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE

BY THE

REV. THE HON. E. LYTTELTON, M.A.

HEADMASTER OF ETON

‘Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento;

Hae tibi’erunt artes; pacisque imponere morem.

Parcere subiectis, et debellare superbos.’

Vergil, Aeneid, vi. 851 3

‘Fecisti patriam diversis gentibus unam,

Profuit iniustis te dominante capi.

Dumque offers victis proprii consortia iuris,

Urbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat.’

Rutilius, i. 63-6

ETON COLLEGE

SPOTTISWOODE & CO., LIMITED

1908

All rights reserved

[ INTRODUCTORY NOTE]

Whatever controversies may be astir as to the precise objects of a classical training, it will hardly be disputed that if that teaching has been successful the pupils will sooner or later be able to make out an ordinary passage of ‘unseen’ Latin or Greek. It is a test to which the purely linguistic teacher must obviously defer: while the master, who aims at imparting knowledge of the subject-matter must acknowledge, if his boys flounder helplessly in unprepared extracts, that they could have learnt about ancient life better through translations.

In, addition to the value of unseen translation, as a test of teaching it constitutes an admirable thinking exercise. But so numerous are the various books of extracts already published that I should have seen nothing to be gained from the appearance of a new one like the present volume were it not, as far as I know, different in two important respects from others. It contains six Demonstrations of how sentences are to be attacked: and further, the passages are chosen so that if a boy works through the book he can hardly fail to gain some outline knowledge of Roman Republican history.

As to the Demonstrations, their value will be evident if it is realised that failure in this sort of translation means failure to analyse: to split up, separate, distinguish the component parts of an apparently jumbled but really ordered sentence. A beginner must learn to trust the solvent with which we supply him; and the way to induce him to trust it is to show it to him at work. That is what a Demonstration will do if only the learner will give it a fair chance.

In regard to the historical teaching contained in the extracts, there can be little doubt that the present tendency of classical teaching is towards emphasising the subject-matter as well as the language. It is felt that as training in political principles the reading of Greek and Roman authors offers unique advantages, such as many English boys can appreciate, who are deaf to the literary appeal. The choice therefore of historical extracts in chronological order is an attempt to recognise both the two great aims of classical teaching at once. At any rate there is no reason to suppose that the linguistic exercise is in any way impaired by being combined with a little history.

I should like to direct attention also to the notes given on the extracts, and the purpose they are meant to serve. If no notes had been given some of the passages which are important or interesting historically would have been found too difficult for the boys for whom they are intended. Moreover, most of the notes concern the historical aspect of the extract to which they belong, and are part of the scheme by which the subject-matter of the passage is emphasised. Although the passages themselves are not strictly graduated, the help given in translation becomes less and less as the boy goes through the book; and it is obvious that those extracts which illustrate the later periods of Roman History will be found more difficult than the legends and stories which belong to an earlier age. In cases where no help at all is desired, the Miscellaneous Passages (which are without notes) may be used.

E. LYTTELTON.

Eton: April 1908.

[ EDITOR’S PREFACE]

The aim of the present book is to help boys to translate at sight. Of the many books of unseen translation in general use few exhibit continuity of plan as regards the subject-matter, or give any help beyond a short heading. The average boy, unequal to the task before him, is forced to draw largely upon his own invention, and the master, in correcting written unseens, has seldom leisure to do more than mark mistakes—a method of correction almost useless to the boy, unless accompanied by full and careful explanation when the written work is given back.

Now that less time is available for Latin and Greek, new methods of teaching them must be adopted if they are to hold their own in our public schools. When Lord Dufferin could say, ‘I am quite determined, so far as care and forethought can prevent it, that the ten best years of my boy’s life shall not be spent (as mine were) in nominally learning two dead languages without being able to translate an ordinary paragraph from either without the aid of a dictionary;’ and Dr. Reid could write, ‘It is not too much to say that a large number of boys pass through our schools without ever dreaming that an ancient writer could pen three consecutive sentences with a connected meaning: chaos is felt to be natural to ancient literature: no search is made for sense, and the Latin or Greek book is looked upon as a more or less fortuitous concourse of words;’ when Dr. Rouse can assert, ‘The public schoolboy at nineteen is unable to read a simple Latin or Greek book with ease, or to express a simple series of thoughts without atrocious blunders: he has learnt from his classics neither accuracy nor love of beauty and truth’—it is obvious that, for the average boy, the system of perfunctorily prepared set-books and dashed-off unseens is a failure. The experience of every teacher who is also an examiner, and who has had to deal with public schoolboys, will confirm this; but during twenty-five years’ teaching and examining of boys in almost every stage, I have found that translation at sight, taught upon the plan of this book, not only produces a good result, but teaches a boy how to grapple with the bare text of a Latin author better than the habitual practice of translating at sight without any help at all. If the average boy is to be taught how to translate, his interest must be awakened and sustained, and the standard of routine work made as high as possible. The clever boys are, as a rule, well provided for; but, even for them, the methods of this book have been found to be the shortest road to accuracy and style in translation. Moreover by this means they have gained a firsthand acquaintance with Latin literature and the sources of Roman history.

It is impossible here to enter into ‘the question of the close and striking correspondence between the history, the literature, and the language of Rome. It was not until the history of Rome threw its mantle over her poetry that the dignity of the poet was recognised and acknowledged. . . . In the same way the life of the Roman people is closely bound up with the prose records, and the phenomena of the Roman Empire lend a human interest to all representative Roman writers.’[1] Considerations of this kind form a sufficient justification of the method here adopted of employing the historical records of Rome as a basis of teaching.

In this book the Introduction (pp. 1-14) is written to teach a boy how to arrive at the meanings of words (Helps to Vocabulary, pp. 1-5); how to find out the thought of a sentence through analysis and a knowledge of the order of words in Latin (Helps to-Translation, pp. 5-12); how to reproduce in good English the exact meaning and characteristics of his author (Helps to Style, pp. 13-14).

In the Demonstrations (pp. 15-58) the boy is taught to notice all allusions that give him a clue to the sense of the passage, to grapple with the difficulties of construction, to break up sentences, and to distinguish between the principal and the subordinate thoughts both in prose and verse.

The Passages have been carefully selected, and contain accounts of nearly all the important events and illustrious men of the period of history to which they belong. They are chronologically arranged and divided into six periods, covering Roman history from B.C. 753 to B.C. 44, leaving the Augustan and subsequent period to be dealt with in a second volume. The translation help given in the notes is carefully graduated. The notes to Parts I., II., III. (marked D, pp. 60-107) are thus intended to help younger boys to deal with passages which would in some cases be too difficult for them; less help in translation is given in Parts IV. and V. (marked C, pp. 108-159); while the notes to Part VI. (marked B, pp. 160-236) are mainly concerned with historical explanation, illustration, or allusion.

The Miscellaneous Passages (pp. 238-271), chosen for me by my brother-in-law, Mr. A. M. Goodhart (Assistant Master at Eton College), are added to provide occasional passages in which no help is given. It is hoped that these, which deal with subjects of general interest, and include a somewhat wide range of authors, may give variety to the book, and supply more verse passages than the historical character of the rest would admit. For the sake of variety, or to economise time, some of the passages may be translated viva voce at the discretion of the master.

The [Appendices] (pp. 274-363) may be referred to when a boy finds himself in doubt about the value of a Conjunction (I.), the force of a Prefix (II.), the meaning of a Suffix (III.), the Life and Times of his Author (VI.), or the historical significance of a date (VII.). In Appendix V. a Demonstration is given to show how a boy, after sufficient practice in translation by the help of analysis, may to some extent learn to think in Latin, and so to follow the Latin order in arriving at the thought.

The important question of what maps should accompany the book will be best solved by providing each boy with a copy of Murray’s Small Classical Atlas, edited by G. B. Grundy, which will be found to be admirably adapted to the purpose. By the kindness of Mr. John Murray, two plans (Dyrrachium and Pharsalus), not at present included in the Atlas, have been specially drawn to illustrate passages on pp. [216] and [218], and are placed opposite the text.

As far as possible I have acknowledged my indebtedness to the Editors whose editions of the classics have been consulted. For the historical explanations I am under special obligation to the histories of Ihne and Mommsen, to the ‘Life of Cicero’ by the Master of Balliol, and to the ‘Life of Caesar’ by Mr. Warde Fowler. I have also to thank Messrs. Macmillan for allowing me to quote from Dr. Potts’ ‘Aids to Latin Prose,’ and from Professor Postgate’s Sermo Latinus. For the prose passages the best texts have been consulted, while for Livy, Weissenborn’s text edited by Müller (1906) has been followed throughout. As regards the verse passages, the text adopted is, wherever possible, that of Professor Postgate’s recension of the Corpus Poetarum Latinorum. For the Short Lives I have found useful ‘The Student’s Companion to Latin Authors’ (Middleton and Mills), but I owe much more to the works of Teuffel, Cruttwell, Sellar, Tyrrell, and Mackail.

The Head Master of Eton, besides expressing his approval of the book, has kindly offered to write an Introductory Note. He has also given me an exceptional opportunity of testing more than half the historical passages by allowing them to be used in proof, until the book was ready, for the [weekly unseen translation] in the three blocks of fifth form, represented by the letters, B, C, D. The criticisms and suggestions made by Classical Masters at Eton, who have used the passages week by week, have been very valuable, and, in particular, my thanks are due to Mr. Impey, Mr. Tatham, Mr. Macnaghten, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Ramsay. My thanks are also due to the Lower Master, Mr. F. H. Rawlins, for kindly reading the MS. of the Introduction, Demonstrations, and Appendices I.-IV., and for giving me the benefit of his wide experience.

To my brother-in-law, Mr. A. M. Goodhart, I owe it that I undertook to write the book; without his advice it would never have seen the light, and he has given me most valuable help and encouragement at every stage.

As regards the choice of type and style of printing, I owe a special debt of thanks to Mr. W. Hacklett (manager of Messrs. Spottiswoode’s Eton branch), whose unceasing care and attention has been invaluable in seeing the book through the press. I must also acknowledge the patience and skill of Messrs. Spottiswoode’s London staff in carrying out the many alterations which I have found to be inseparable from the task of bringing each passage and its notes into the compass of a single page.

In conclusion I should like to say that it has been my aim throughout to adhere to what is best in Roman literature, and to omit passages the choice of which can only be justified by regarding their literary form apart from their moral value. Latin literature contains so much that is at once excellent in style and noble in thought that it seems a grave mistake to exalt the one at the expense of the other.

Maxima debetur puero reverentia.

EDMUND LUCE.

Windsor: April 1908.

[1.] The late Professor Goodhart.

[ CONTENTS]

[ LIST OF PASSAGES FOR TRANSLATION.]

[ INDEX OF AUTHORS]

Asinius Pollio, [223]

Aulus Gellius, [63], [177], [179]

Ausonius, [270]

Caesar, [16], [196], [197], [198], [199], [200], [201], [202], [212], [214], [216], [218], [220], [241], [265]

Catullus, [231], [243], [247], [264], [267]

Cicero, [54], [65], [79], [89], [97], [101], [102], [105], [111], [112], [113], [119], [127], [136], [161], [163], [166], [169], [177], [181], [184], [185], [188], [190], [193], [204], [205], [208], [225], [227], [230], [264], [265], [266], [270]

Claudian, [235]

Domitius Marsus, [270]

Ennius, [270]

Florus, [74], [103], [134], [149], [155], [157], [158], [164], [168], [169], [180], [183], [206]

Frontinus, [123], [131], [146], [149], [172], [173]

Horace, [86], [105], [106], [132], [133], [143], [152], [159], [182], [207], [238], [241], [244], [246], [250], [261], [265], [271]

Justinus, [100], [104], [109], [171]

Juvenal, [105], [116], [163], [165], [168], [231], [244], [246], [250], [265]

Livy, [32], [40], [61], [62], [64], [67], [68], [69], [70], [71], [72], [75], [76], [77], [78], [80], [81], [82], [83], [85], [86], [87], [90], [91], [93], [94], [95], [96], [98], [99], [115], [117], [118], [120], [121], [122], [124], [125], [128], [129], [130], [131], [133], [134], [135], [137], [138], [139], [140], [141], [142], [144], [145], [147], [148], [150], [153], [154], [232], [233], [246], [265]

Lucan, [82], [165], [174], [175], [207], [211], [213], [214], [215], [217], [219], [221], [222], [224], [227]

Lucilius, [245]

Lucretius, [246], [265]

Manilius, [249]

Martial, [69], [230], [243], [250], [251], [261], [265], [268], [269], [271]

Naevius, [270]

Nepos, [114], [151]

Ovid, [24], [61], [64], [73], [74], [88], [169], [207], [241], [242], [247], [248], [250], [251], [252], [260], [267], [271]

Pacuvius, [242], [270]

Persius, [245]

Petronius, [263]

Phaedrus, [258]

Plautus, [254], [264], [265]

Pliny the Elder, [256]

Pliny the Younger, [256], [257], [260]

Propertius, [79], [92], [132], [234], [253], [267]

Prudentius, [236]

Publilius Syrus, [265]

Quintilian, [244], [250], [257], [264], [266]

Sallust, [160], [162], [170], [177], [178], [194]

Seneca, [240], [265]

Silius Italicus, [114], [119], [123], [126]

Statius, [239], [243]

Suetonius, [176], [186], [187], [192], [226], [227], [246], [255]

Tacitus, [262], [265]

Terence, [255], [265]

Terentianus Maurus, [264]

Tibullus, [251], [259]

Valerius Flaccus, [242], [253]

Valerius Maximus, [84], [92], [176]

Varro, [265]

Velleius Paterculus, [156], [167], [173], [174], [175], [176], [177], [180], [189], [191], [195], [203], [224], [233]

Vergil, [48], [60], [62], [66], [67], [84], [107], [108], [110], [219], [247], [260], [265]

[INTRODUCTION]

[1.] Heading.—The selections in this book are in most cases intelligible apart from their context. In cases where this is not so, you will find it a valuable exercise to endeavour to arrive at the context for yourself. In all cases, however, you should pay attention to the Heading, which will give you a useful clue to the meaning of the passage,

[2.] Author.—When you see the author’s name, try to remember what you know about him. For example, Livy, the historian of Rome and friend of Augustus, the contemporary of Vergil and Ovid. The short Lives, pp. 293-345, will tell you the chief facts about the authors from whom the selections are taken, and will give you a brief summary of their chief works. Also, if you refer to Appendix VII., pp. 347-363, you will gain some idea of the time in which the authors lived and of their contemporaries.

[3.] Read the Passage through, carefully.—As you read—

(1) Notice all allusions and key-words that may help you to the sense of the passage.

(2) Pay special attention to the opening sentence. In translating a passage much depends on getting the first sentence right.

(3) Notice especially the connectives which introduce sentences and clauses marked off by commas. In this way you will be able to distinguish between a Principal Sentence and a Subordinate Clause.

(For List of Conjunctions see [Appendix I.] pp. 274-276.)

[ HELPS TO VOCABULARY.]

[4.] Through English Derivatives.—English derivatives, if used in the proper way, may give you valuable help in inferring meanings. The reason why you must generally not translate the Latin word by the derived English word is that, as you probably know, many English derivatives have come from Latin words which had wholly or in part lost their earlier classical meaning, or from Latin words not found at all in classical Latin. Yet in such cases the English word may be far from useless. You must take care to let it suggest to you the original or root-meaning, leaving the correct meaning of the Latin, whether the same as the English word or not, to be determined by the context.

For example, sē-cūr-us does not mean secure, but (like secure in Shakespeare and Milton) care-less.

‘This happy night the Frenchmen are secure,

Having all day caroused and banqueted.’

Shakespeare, Hen. VI. Part 1. II. i. 11.

In-crēd-ib-il-is, on the other hand, often cannot be better translated than by incredible, and im-plācā-bilis by implacable.

Notice, too, how often in the case of verbs the supine stem will suggest to you the meaning of the Latin through some English derivative, which the present stem conceals.

For example:—

[5.] Through French Derivatives.—Sometimes, when you cannot think of an English derivative, a French word that you know will help you to the meaning of the Latin.

For example:—

But, in order to make French derivatives a real help to you, you must know something of the origin of the French language and of the chief rules that govern the pronunciation (and therefore the spelling) of French. Without going too much into detail, it may help you to remember that—

(1) French has taken many words from colloquial Latin, which in the days of Cicero was very different from classical Latin.

For example:—

(2) Unaccented syllables are usually dropped.

For example:—

(3) The general tendency of French is towards smoothness and contraction.

For example:—

In fact, bearing in mind the caution given you, it is an excellent rule to try to think out the meaning of the Latin by the help of English and French derivatives.

[6.] Compound Words.—When you come to a word which you cannot translate, and in regard to which English and French derivatives do not help you, break up the word, if a compound, into its simple elements of Prefix, Stem, Suffix. Then from the meaning of its root or stem and from the force of the prefix and suffix, and by the help of the context, try to arrive at an English word to suit the sense.

In order to be able to do this you should have some knowledge of—

[(1)] A few simple rules for the vowel changes of verbs in composition. Thus:

a before two consonants (except ng) often changes to e.

E.g. sacr-o, con-secr-o; damn-o, con-demn-o.

a before one consonant and before ng often changes to i.

E.g. fac-io, ef-fic-io; căd-o, ac-cid-o; tang-o, con-ting-o.

But grăd-ior, ag-grĕd-ior.

a before l and another consonant changes to u.

E.g. salt-are, in-sult-are.

ĕ changes to ĭ (but not e before two consonants) and ae to i.

E.g. ten-ere, ob-tin-ere; quaer-ere, in-quir-ere.

au changes to u.

E.g. claud-ere, in-clud-ere.

[(2)] Prefixes:—To help you to detach the prefix more readily, notice these simple euphonic changes, all of which result in making the pronunciation smoother and easier. Thus:—

(i.) The last consonant of a Latin prefix is often made the same as, or similar to, the first consonant of the stem.

E.g. ad-fero = affero; ob-pono = op-pono; com(=cum)-tendo = con-tendo.

(ii.) The final consonant of a prefix is often dropped before two consonants.

E.g. ad-scendo = a-scendo.

Notice also that the prepositional prefixes to verbs express different ideas in different combinations.

Thus, sometimes the prefix has a somewhat literal prepositional force.

E.g. per-currere = to run through.

But sometimes an intensive force.

E.g. per-terrere = to thoroughly frighten.

In all such cases you must be partly guided by the context.

(For List of Important Prefixes, see [Appendix II.] pp. 277—281.)

[(3)] Suffixes (other than grammatical inflexions).

A knowledge of the most important suffixes will often help you to the correct meaning of a Latin word, the root of which is familiar to you.

Thus from the √ag = drive, move, we have—

(For List of Important Suffixes, see [Appendix III.] pp. 282—286.)

[(4)] Cognates, that is, words related in meaning through a common root. You will find it very useful to make for yourself lists of cognate words.

Thus from the √gna, gno = know, we have—

gna-rus = knowing.

i-gnarus (= in + gnarus) = ignorant.

nos-co (= gno-sco) = to get a knowledge of.

i-gno-sco = not to know, pardon.

no-bilis (= gno-bilis) = that can be known, famous, noble.

no-men (= gno-men) = a name.

To group together in this manner words of common origin and words closely associated in meaning is one of the best ways in which you can increase your vocabulary.

(For additional Examples of Cognates, see [Appendix IV.] pp. 287-8.)

[ HELPS TO TRANSLATION.]

You have now read the passage through carefully, and thought out the vocabulary to the best of your ability. Begin then to translate the opening sentence, and pay great attention to these

[7.] General Rules.—(1) Underline the Principal Verb, Subject (if expressed), and Object (if any).

(2) If the sentence contains only one finite verb, all you have to do is to group round Subject, or Verb, or Object the words and phrases that belong to each of the three.

(3) Translate the sentence literally. Do this mentally, without writing it down.

(4) Then write down the best translation you can.

For example:—

At GERMANI celeriter, consuetudine sua phalange facta, IMPETUS gladiorum EXCEPERUNT.

But the Germans quickly formed into a phalanx, as was their custom, and received the attacks of the swords (i.e. of the Romans with drawn swords).

(5) If the sentence contains one or more subordinate clauses, consider each subordinate clause as if it were bracketed off separately, and then deal with each clause as if it were a principal sentence, finding out its Subject, Verb, Object, and adding to each its enlargements. Then return to the sentence as a whole, and group round its Subject, Predicate, and Object the various subordinate clauses which belong to each.

[8.] Help through Analysis.—Very often analysis will help you to find out the proper relation of the subordinate clauses to the three parts of the Principal Sentence. You need not always analyse on paper, but do it always in your mind. You will find an example of a simple method of analysis at the close of Demonstrations I and IV, pp. 23, 47.

When analysing, notice carefully that:—

(1) An enlargement of a Noun may be

(2) An enlargement of a Verb may be

[9.] Help through Punctuation.—Though only the full-stop was used by the ancients, the punctuation marks which are now used in all printed texts should be carefully noticed, especially in translating long and involved sentences.

Thus in Demonstrations III and IV notice how the subordinate clauses are for the most part enclosed in commas.

[10.] Help through Scansion and Metre.—A knowledge of this is indispensable in translating verse. To scan the lines will help you to determine the grammatical force of a word, and a knowledge of metre will enable you to grasp the poet’s meaning as conveyed by the position which he assigns to the various words, and the varying emphasis which results from variation of metre. For example:—

(1) A grammatical help.—You know that final -a is short in nom. and voc. sing. 1st Decl., and in neut. plural, and is long in abl. sing. 1st Decl. and 2nd Imperat. 1st Conj.

Thus in [Demonstration II] (p. 24) you can easily determine the grammatical form of finals in -a.

In Sentence IV agnă, in VI cervă, in VIII iunctă columbă, in IX Cynthiă are all short and nom. sing.

In Sentence V umbrā unā are long and abl. sing. in agreement.

(2) A help to the poet’s meaning.—The more you know of the principles of scansion, the better able you will be to understand and appreciate the skill with which a great poet varies his metre and chooses his words.

[11.] Help through a Study of the Period in Latin.—One great difference between English and Latin Prose is that, while modern English is to a great extent a language of short, detached sentences, Latin expresses the sense by the passage as a whole, and holds the climax in suspense until the delivery of the last word. ‘This mode of expression is called a PERIOD (a circuĭtus or ambĭtus verborum), because the reader, in order to collect together the words of the Principal Sentence, must make a circuit, so to say, round the inserted clauses,’[2] ‘Latin possesses what English does not, a mode of expression by means of which, round one main idea are grouped all its accessory ideas, and there is thus formed a single harmonious whole, called the PERIOD.’[3]

A PERIOD then is a sentence containing only one main idea (the Principal Sentence) and several Subordinate Clauses. The Periodic style is generally used for History and Description, and is best seen in Cicero and Livy.

The following is a good example of the Period in Latin:—

Notice here that

(1) There is only one main idea, that of the ignominious return of the Volscians to their homes.

(2) The rest describes the attendant circumstances of the surrender and of the causes that led to it.

(3) In English we should translate by at least four separate sentences.

(4) The Latin contains only forty-eight words, while the English contains eighty-one.

Professor Postgate (‘Sermo Latinus,’ p. 45) gives the following example of the way in which a Latin PERIOD may be built up:—

Here, as in the previous example,

(1) There is only one main idea,

BALBUS MURUM AEDIFICAVIT.

(2) The rest consists of—

(a) Enlargements of BALBUS—vir optimus . . . carus; placed, therefore, directly after BALBUS.

(b) Enlargements of MURUM—laterīcium . . . persuaderes; placed, therefore, directly after MURUM.

(c) Enlargements of AEDIFICAVIT

rogitantibus . . . relinqueret = the cause of the building of the wall.

(murum) non sine . . . adfectaret = the attendant circumstances of the building of the wall; placed, therefore, before AEDIFICAVIT.

(3) In English we must translate by at least three separate sentences, and, where necessary, translate participles as finite verbs, and change dependent clauses into independent sentences.

It has been well said: ‘An English sentence does not often exhibit the structure of the Period. It was imitated, sometimes with great skill and beauty, by many of the earlier writers of English prose; but its effect is better seen in poetry, as in the following passage:—

“High on a throne of royal state, which far

Outshone the wealth of Ormuz and of Ind,

Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand

Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,

Satan exalted sat.”

Milton, Paradise Lost, ii. 1-5.

[12.] Help through a Knowledge of the Order of Words in Latin.—If you study the examples already given of the Period you will see that the Order of Words in English differs very much from the Order of Words in Latin.

Dr. Abbott writes as follows: ‘The main difference between English and Latin is that in English the meaning depends mainly on the order of words, and the emphasis mainly on the voice, while in Latin the meaning depends almost entirely on the inflexions, and the emphasis upon the order.’

Thus, if we take the English sentence, Caesar conquered the Gauls, we cannot invert the order of Caesar and Gauls without entirely changing the meaning. In Latin, however, we may write (since each Latin word has its own proper inflexion, serving almost as a label)

Caesar vicit Gallos: Gallos Caesar vicit: Caesar Gallos vicit, without any change of meaning except that of shifting the emphasis from one word to another.

The usual order of words in a Latin Prose Sentence may be said to be

(1) Particles, or phrases of connection (with some exceptions, e.g. vero, autem, quidem, enim, which stand second).

(2) Subject.

(3) Words, phrases, clauses, as enlargements of Subject.

(4) Adverbial enlargements of Predicate (though an Ablative Absolute must generally stand first).

(5) Indirect Object (if any) and its enlargements.

(6) Direct Object (if any) and its enlargements.

(7) The Principal Verb.

To take a simple example:—

To take another example:—

Notice here the following special points of order:—

(1) The two most important positions in the sentence are the beginning and the end.

(2) Special emphasis is expressed by placing a word in an unusual or prominent position.

E.g. here, the unusual position of Archimedis and sepulcrum.

(3) In the middle of the sentence the arrangement is such that the words most closely connected in meaning stand nearest together.

E.g. here, ignoratum . . . dumetis is all logically connected with the object sepulcrum, which for the sake of emphasis is put in an unusual position at the end of the sentence.

[13.] Additional Hints.—(1) Remember that Latin is often concrete where English is abstract.

E.g.—

[(2)] The same Latin word may stand for different English words. Take, for example, the various uses of the word RES in the following passage of Livy, xlv. 19:—

In translating RES, avoid at all costs the word THING, or THINGS, and let the context guide you to the appropriate English word.

[(3)] You may often translate a Latin Active by an English Passive. Latin prefers the Active because it is more direct and vivid.

For example:—

[(4)] Use great care in translating Latin Participles, and make clear in your translation the relation of the participial enlargements to the action of the main Verb.

For example:—

Notice also:—

[(5)] In translating, try to bring out the exact force of the Ablative Absolute, by which a Latin writer shows the time or circumstances of the action expressed by the Predicate. The Ablative Absolute is an adverbial enlargement of the Predicate, and is not grammatically dependent on any word in the sentence. It is, therefore, called absolutus (i.e. freed from or unconnected). It should very seldom be translated literally. Your best plan will be to consider carefully what the Ablative Absolute seems to suggest about the action of the Principal Verb.

For example:—

[HELPS TO STYLE.]

Though Style cannot perhaps be taught, it can certainly be formed and improved. There are several ways of improving your Style. For example:—

[14.] Through the Best English Literature.—Read good Literature, the best English Authors in prose and verse. You will know something, perhaps, of Shakespeare and Scott, of Macaulay and Tennyson. Though you may not be able to attack the complete works of any great author, you ought not to have any difficulty in finding good books of selections from the English Classics.

[15.] Through good Translations.—Study a few good English Versions of passages from the best Latin writers. You may often have a good version of the passage you translate read to you in your Division after your mistakes have been pointed out to you, and to this you should pay great attention. You will thus learn eventually to suit your style to the Author you are translating, while at the same time you render the passage closely and accurately.

[16.] Be Clear.—Remember that the first characteristic of a good style is clearness—that is, to say what you mean and to mean what you say. Quintilian, the great critic, says that the aim of the translator should be, not that the reader may understand if he will, but that he must understand whether he will or not. The more you read the greatest Authors the more you will see that, as Coleridge says, ‘there is a reason assignable not only for every word, but for the position of every word.’

[17.] Be Simple.—With clearness goes simplicity—that is, use no word you do not understand, avoid fine epithets, and do not choose a phrase for its sound alone, but for its sense.

[18.] Avoid Paraphrase.—You are asked to translate, not to give a mere general idea of the sense. What you have to do is to think out the exact meaning of every word in the sentence, and to express this in as good and correct English as you can.

[19.] Pay attention to Metaphors.—The subject of Metaphor is of great importance in good translation. You will find that every language possesses its own special Metaphors in addition to those which are common to most European languages. As you become familiar with Latin Authors you must try to distinguish the Metaphors common to English and Latin and those belonging only to English or to Latin.

For example:—

(1) Metaphors identical in Latin and English—

(2) Metaphors differing in Latin and English—

[20.] Careful Translation a Help to Style.—In conclusion. Nothing will help your style more than to do your translations as well as you possibly can, and to avoid repeating the same mistakes. The Latins themselves knew the value of translation as a help to style.

For example, Pliny the Younger says:—

‘As useful as anything is the practice of translating either your Greek into Latin or your Latin into Greek. By practising this you will acquire propriety and dignity of expression, an abundant choice of the beauties of style, power in description, and gain in the imitation of the best models a facility of creating such models for yourself. Besides, what may escape you when you read, cannot escape you when you translate.’

[2.] Potts, Hints, p. 82.

[3.] Postgate, Sermo Latinus, p. 45.

[4.] Potts, Hints, p. 85.

[5.] Postgate, Sermo Latinus, p. 38.

[6.] [Demonstration VI. Sent. 1.] p. 55.

[7.] Postgate, Sermo Latinus, p. 34.

[DEMONSTRATIONS]
IN
UNSEEN TRANSLATION

NOTE

The use of a personal mode of address in the following Demonstrations is explained by the fact that they are written primarily for the use of boys. It is hoped, however, that they may be found useful to masters also, and that the fulness with which each passage is treated may supply some helpful suggestions.

[Demonstration I.]

Fierce encounter with the Germans.

(a) Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est. |II| At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt. |III| Reperti sunt complures nostri milites, qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent. |IV| Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset, a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant. |V| Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens, qui equitatui praeerat, quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur, tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit. |VI| Ita proelium restitutum est. ||

Caesar.

Fierce encounter with the Germans.

(b) Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est. II At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt. III Reperti sunt complures nostri milites [qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent.] IV [Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset,] a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant. V [Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens,] [qui equitatui praeerat,] [quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur,] tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit. VI Ita proelium restitutum est.

Caesar.

Demonstration I.

Caesar, B. G. i. 52. Reiectis pilis . . . restitutum est.

Heading and Author.—This tells you enough for working purposes, even if you do not remember the outline facts of Caesar’s campaign against Ariovistus, the chief of the Germans, called in by the Gauls in their domestic quarrels, who conquered and ruled them until he was himself crushed by the Romans.

Read through the passage carefully.—As you do this, notice all allusions and key-words that help you to the sense of the passage, e.g. Germani, nostri milites, Publius Crassus. The general sense of the passage should now be so plain (i.e. an incident in a battle between the Germans and the Romans) that you may begin to translate sentence by sentence.

[I.] Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Reiectis = re + iacio = throw back or away. The context will tell you which is the better meaning for re-. Notice the force of all prefixes in composition, whether separate or inseparable as here. For re-, see [pp. 280], [281].

pilis = the pīlum, the distinctively Roman missile weapon.

cominus = comminus: i.e. con (= cum) + manus = hand to hand. N.B.—In composition a often becomes i, cf. iacio, re-icio; and cf. e-minus = at a distance.

(ii.) Translation.—

PUGNATUM EST. The only finite verb in the sentence, and the principal one. The form shows you it is a so-called impersonal verb, and therefore the subject must be sought from the verb itself in connection with the context. Here, clearly, you must translate the battle was fought.

cominus tells us how, i.e. hand to hand.

reiectis pilis. You will recognise this as an ablative absolute phrase. But do not translate this literally their javelins having been thrown away, for this is not English. Let the principal verb and the sense generally guide you to the force of the phrase. Thus you can see here that the Roman soldiers had no use for their javelins, and so threw them away as a useless encumbrance. (The context tells us that the Roman soldiers had no time to hurl their javelins against the foe.) You can now translate the whole sentence—(and so) the Romans threw away their javelins and fought hand to hand with swords.

[II.] At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

ex consuetudine sua = according to their custom. You will probably have met with consuetudo, or consuesco, or suesco. Our own word custom comes from it through the French coutume. For this use of ex cf. ex sententia, ex voluntate.

phalange = phalanx. If you learn Greek, you will readily think of the famous Macedonian phalanx.

impetus = attacks = in + peto (= aim at). Cf. our impetus, impetuous.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains only one finite verb, the principal one.

EXCEPERUNT = (they) received. Who received? Clearly

GERMANI = the Germans. Received what?

IMPETUS = the attacks. impetūs must be Acc. Plur.

All you now have to do is to assign to their proper places the words and phrases that remain. Of these

Now translate the whole sentence. But the Germans quickly formed into a phalanx, as was their custom, and received the attacks of the swords (i.e. of the Romans with drawn swords).

[III.] Reperti sunt complures nostri milites, qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

insilirent = in + salio = leap-on. And cf. our insult. Notice the usual phonetic change of vowel from a to i. (English derivatives will often help you to the meaning of a Latin word, though, for reasons that are explained to you in the Introduction, pp. 1, 2, § 4, you must let them lead you up to the root-meaning of the Latin word rather than to an exact translation.)

revellerent = re + vello = pluck-away. If you forget the meaning of vello, the supine vulsum through some English derivative—e.g. re-vulsion, con-vulsion—will probably help you to the root-meaning.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains four finite verbs. As you read it through, underline the principal verb, clearly REPERTI SUNT, and bracket qui to vulnerarent. You cannot doubt which verbs to include in your bracket, for qui, which is a subordinate conjunction as well as a relative pronoun, serves as a sure signpost. Also revellerent and vulnerarent are joined by et—et to insilirent, so your bracket includes all from qui to vulnerarent. The commas in the passage will often help you to the beginning and end of a subordinate clause. Now begin with the principal verb REPERTI SUNT and its subject complures nostri MILITES, many of our soldiers were found.

qui . . . vulnerarent. This subordinate clause describes, just as an adjective does, the character of these complures nostri, so that qui = tales ut—i.e. brave enough to leap upon the phalanxes, and pluck away the shields (of the Germans) and wound them from above.

[IV.] Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset, a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

ăcies = line of battle.

√ac = sharp (cf. ācer), perhaps thought of as the edge of a sword.

cornu = horn; so, figuratively, the wing of an army.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains three finite verbs. Underline PREMEBANT, clearly the principal verb, and bracket cum to conversa esset. Here the signpost is the subordinate conjunction cum. Next find the subject of premebant: obviously no word from a dextro to aciem can be the subject; it is implied in premebant—i.e. they, which as context shows = Germani. Now find the object = nostram aciem = our line.

Thus you have as the backbone of the whole sentence:—

They (the Germans) were pressing our line.

All the rest of the sentence will now take its proper place, as in some way modifying the action of premebant.

Thus:—

N.B.—suorum, reflexive, must be identical with the subject of premebant.

Now translate

[V.] Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens, qui equitatui praeerat, quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur, tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

animadvertisset = animum + ad + verto = to turn the mind to, to observe.

adulescens = here like our junior, to distinguish him from his father, Marcus Crassus the triumvir.

expeditior = more free (ex + pes = foot-free; so impeditus = hampered, hindered).

versabantur—(verso frequent. of verto) = turn this way and that; so verso-r dep. = turn oneself, engage in, be, according to the context.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is more involved, ‘periodic’[8] in style. You will see on [p. 23] how much help can be given by a more detailed analysis.

Now, as before, bracket the subordinate clauses thus:—

1. Id . . . adulescens

2. qui . . . praeerat

3. quod . . . versabantur

and then the only principal verb is MISIT. Underline this. Next underline the principal subject, clearly P. CRASSUS, which is also the subject of clause 1. Then, outside the brackets, the only possible object is ACIEM: underline this.

Now analyse, as on [p. 23].

(a) Write down CRASSUS, MISIT, ACIEM.

(b) Place alongside these their proper enlargements.

(c) If necessary, analyse separately all subordinate clauses—e.g. A₁, A₂, A₃ in example on p. 23.

You should now be able to translate without any difficulty; only take care to arrange the enlargements so as to make the best sense and the best English. Thus: When Publius Crassus the younger, who was in command of the cavalry, had observed this, he sent the third line to the help of our men who were hard pressed, as he was more free to act than those who were engaged in action.

[VI.] Ita proelium restitutum est. In this way the battle was restored.

[ Final Hints.]

Remember that one passage mastered is worth a great many hurriedly translated. So before you leave this passage notice carefully in the

I. Vocabulary.—

(i.) Any words that are quite new to you. Look them out in the dictionary, and notice their derivation and use; if you do not do this you will find the same word new to you the next time you meet with it.

(ii.) English Derivatives.—As you have seen, these will often help you to the root-meaning of a word. Thus:—

reiectis = reject, throw away

insilirent = insult, jump on

and in the case of verbs, as these two examples show, derivatives are most easily found from the supine stem.

N.B.—This must be done very carefully, because many such English derivatives have come from Latin words after they had wholly, or in part, lost their classical meaning, or from Latin words not found at all in classical Latin.

A great many other English words are derived from the Latin of this passage—e.g. pugnacious, (with) celerity, fact, except, military, manual, super-sede, vulnerable, hostile, sinister, uni-corn, and many others.

(iii.) Prefixes.—Notice especially the force of prepositions and inseparable particles in composition, e.g.:—

re- in re-iectis, re-vellerent, restitutum.

in- in impetus, insilirent.

ex- in exceperunt, expeditior.

(iv.) Simple Phonetic Changes in Composition, e.g.:—

a to i in insilirent, cominus (con + manus).

(v.) Groups of Related Words.

Thus

acies √ac = sharp, is related to ăc-er, sharp; ăc-ervus, a heap; ăc-utus, sharp, &c.

expeditior √ped = tread, go, is related to pes, a foot; impedio = entangle; impedimentum = hindrance, etc.

II. Historical and other Allusions.—

(i.) Read a summary of Caesar’s campaign against Ariovistus.

(ii.) Terms relating to War.—Thus notice:—

pilum, the distinctively Roman infantry weapon, and see a good illustration.

phalanx; cf. the Roman testudo.

tertiam aciem—i.e. the line of reserves, kept for just such emergencies. Read, if necessary, some short account of the triplex acies, the usual Roman order of battle.

III. Some Authorities.—

(i.) Caesar, Allen and Greenough, published by Ginn & Co. (an admirable edition).

(ii.) Froude’s Caesar, p. 50.

(iii.) Mommsen’s History of Rome, vol. iv. p. 295.

(iv.) Napoleon’s Caesar, vol. ii. cap. 4, and vol. ii. p. 405.

[ Demonstration I.]

Caesar, B. G. i. 52: ‘Reiectis pilis . . . restitutum est.’

[8.] See Introduction, pp. 7-9, [§ 11].

[Demonstration II.]

The Music of Arion.

(a) I

Quod mare non novit, quae nescit Ariona tellus?

Carmine currentes ille tenebat aquas.

Saepe, sequens agnam, lupus est a voce retentus;

Saepe avidum fugiens restitit agna lupum;

Saepe canes leporesque umbra cubuere sub una,

Et stetit in saxo proxima cerva leae:

Et sine lite loquax cum Palladis alite cornix

Sedit, || et accipitri iuncta columba fuit.

Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vocalis Arion,

Tamquam fraternis obstupuisse modis.

Ovid.

The Music of Arion.

(b) I

Quod mare non novit, quae nescit Ariona tellus?

Carmine currentes ille tenebat aquas.

Saepe, sequens agnam, lupus est a voce retentus;

Saepe avidum fugiens restitit agna lupum;

Saepe canes leporesque umbra cubuere sub una,

Et stetit in saxo proxima cerva leae:

Et sine lite loquax cum Palladis alite cornix

Sedit, et accipitri iuncta columba fuit.

Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vocalis Arion,

Tamquam fraternis obstupuisse modis.

Ovid.

Demonstration II.

Ovid, Fasti ii. 83-92 (Hallam’s Edition).

Heading and Author.—The heading will probably suggest to you the well-known story of Arion and the Dolphin, and the name of the author, Ovid, will lead you to expect a beautiful version of the legend.

Read the Passage carefully.—As you read, notice all allusions that help you to the sense of the passage. Thus the first line (which you can no doubt translate at once) tells of the fame of Arion, and the succeeding lines describe the charm of his music.

The Form of the Passage: Elegiac Verse.—Scan[9] as you read, and mark the quantity in the verse of all finals in -a. You will see the value of this, as you translate.

You can now begin to translate, taking one complete sentence at a time.

[I.] Quod mare non nōvit, quae nescit Ărīŏnă tellūs?

(i.) Vocabulary.—You will know all the words here, but observe nōvit = knows, not knew, for nōvi means I have become acquainted with, I have learned, and [Symbol: therefore] I know; and notice also the important cognates from the √γνο-, γνω-, -gna, -gno, γι-γνώ-σκω = I learn to know, cf. our know, ken, can, con—νό-ος (mind), -gna-rus = know-ing; no-sco (= gno-sco).

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains no subordinates; the two finite verbs, nōvit, nescit, are both principal.

Next, the form of the sentence, with the question-mark at the end, shows that mare must be the subject of nōvit, and tellus of nescit. (Ărīŏnă cannot be nominative, for the suffix -a is the usual Greek 3rd decl. Acc. Sing., where Latin has -em.) Also quod and quae are clearly interrogative and adjectival; so translate:—

What sea does not know, what land is ignorant of Arion?

N.B.—Try to render this line a little more poetically.

[II.] Carmine currentes ille tenēbat aquās.

(i.) Vocabulary.—You will know all these simple words.

(ii.) Translation.—Here again there are no subordinates. The principal verb is tenebat, the subject ille, and the object aquas; so translate:—

He used to stay the running waters by his song.

N.B.—Notice force of Imperfect in tenebat.

[III.] Saepe, sequens agnam, lupus est a voce retentus;

(i.) Vocabulary.—All you need notice here is the force of re- in retentus = held back, cf. our re-tain.

(ii.) Translation.—Before you translate, notice Ovid’s frequent use of parataxis, i.e. placing one thought side by side with another thought, without any connective, even although one thought is, in sense, clearly subordinate to another. This is one of the ways in which all great poets heighten the effect of what they say, and many examples of it are to be found in Ovid’s best elegiac verse. As you look through this passage you will find:

(a) Lines 1, 2, 3, 4 each form a complete sentence.

(b) In the whole passage there is not one subordinate conjunction.

(c) The only expressed connective is the simplest link-word et.

The principal verb is retentus est, the subject lupus. Sequens agnam describes lupus, and saepe and a voce tell us when and why the wolf was stayed.

Often has the wolf in pursuit of the lamb been stayed at the sound.

(For this use of a or ab to express origin or source cf. Ovid, Fasti, v. 655: Pectora traiectus Lynceo Castor ab ense.)

[IV.] Saepe avidum fŭgiens restitit agnă lupum.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Restitit = stood still; re + si-st-o, i.e. from √sta-, strengthened by reduplication; cf. ἵ-στη-μι. Contrast carefully meaning of re-sto, = stand firm or be left.

(ii.) Translation.—Again a very simple sentence. The principal verb is restitit, the subject agnă; fugiens avidum lupum enlarges the subject ăgna, and saepe tells us when the lamb stood still.

Often has the lamb, when fleeing from the hungry wolf, stood still (stopped short in its flight).

N.B.—Notice the parallelism in this couplet, where the parallel lines express the same idea. This is a characteristic feature of Hebrew poetry, e.g.:

‘Seek ye the Lord while He may be found:

Call ye upon Him while He is near.’

Is. lv. 6.

and is frequently employed by Ovid.[10]

[V.] Saepe cănes lepŏresque umbrā cŭbuēre sub unā.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Lepŏres = hares. As this is closely connected by -que with cănes, you are not likely to confuse it with lĕpor (lepos; cf. λάμπω) = a charm, grace.

Cubuere = lay down. Cp. -cumbo in composition, and our recumbent, succumb, and cub-icle.

(ii.) Translation.—Another simple sentence about which there can be no doubt. The metre shows that umbrā must be taken with sub unā:—

Often have the dogs and the hares reclined beneath the same shade.

[VI.] Et stetit in saxo proximă cervă leae.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Leae = lioness. Lea (poetical form of leaena) suggests leo.

(ii.) Translation.—The metre shows proximă must be taken with cervă. But to translate the nearest stag (hind) makes nonsense, and renders leae untrans­latable, while the hind very close to the lioness makes good sense.

And the hind has stood still on the crag close beside the lioness.

[VII.] Et sĭne līte lŏquax cum Palladis ālite cornix sēdit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Līte = strife. To litigate = contest in law (lit + agere) may help you to the root-meaning.

Loquax = talkative, clearly connected with lŏq-uor, and loq-uacious. Alite = a bird, lit. winged; cf. āl-a, a wing.

Cornix = a crow, probably from √καρ; cf. our croak, and κόραξ, cor-vus, a raven.

Palladis. You have no doubt heard of Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη, the virgin goddess of war and of wisdom.

(ii.) Translation.—The force of the illustration lies in the strong contrast between the chattering, tale-bearing crow and the wise, silent owl sacred to the goddess of wisdom. Two such opposites, under the spell of Arion’s music, forget to quarrel, though for the time in close company.

And the chattering crow has without strife sat in company with the bird of Pallas.

[VIII.] Et accipitri iunctă cŏlumbă fuit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Accipitri = hawk (a general name for birds of prey), probably from √πετ-, pet- = move quickly; cf. πέτ-ομαι = fly about; pĕt-o = fall upon, attack, seek.

So accipiter = ac + pĕt-, swift + flying; cf. ὠκύπτερος = swift-winged.

(ii.) Translation.—The metre shows that columbă and iunctă must be taken together:—

And the dove has-been-joined-to (has consorted with) the hawk.

IX. Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vōcalis Ărīōn,
Tamquam fraternis obstŭpuisse mŏdis.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Cynthia = Diana (Artemis), so called from Mt. Cynthus, in Delos, where she and Apollo were born.

Fertur = is said, asserted; cf. fĕrunt = they say.

Vōcalis = tuneful, clearly from same root as vox, vŏc-o, &c., of our vocal. For change of quantity cf. rex, rēgis, from rĕgo.

Obstŭpuisse = to have been spell-bound; stŭp-eo, stŭp-idus, and our stupefy, stupid will suggest the root-meaning.[11]

Mŏdis = measures, especially of verse, or, as here, of music.

(ii.) Translation.—You will remember that Apollo, the god who brings back light and sunshine in spring, is also the god of music and of poetry. Ovid skilfully implies that Arion’s playing was so beautiful that even Diana, Apollo’s own sister, mistakes Arion’s playing for her brother’s.

This sentence takes up a whole couplet, but is in form quite simple. Thus fertur is the incomplete predicate, and obstupuisse saepe tuis modis tamquam fraternis completes the predicate, i.e. tells us all that is said of the subject Cynthia.

Vōcalis Ărīon is clearly vocative, or nominative of address.

O tuneful Arion, often is Cynthia said to have been spell-bound by thy strains, as by those of her brother (Apollo).

[ Final Suggestions.]

You have now learnt how to translate this passage, but you must do more before you can master it. Thus in these simple but beautiful lines notice:—

(i.) Vocabulary.—This is easy and familiar, but even if you know the meaning of the words study their cognates—i.e. related words—as pointed out to you in the vocabulary, e.g. under nōvit, [p. 25, sentence I].

(ii.) English Derivatives.—Remember that often, where you cannot think of an English derivative, some very familiar French word will help you to the root-meaning of the Latin. Thus:—

and notice that where the English word, e.g. charm, differs in spelling from the Latin, it is because it comes to us through a French channel. Cf. feat from Fr. fait = L. factum.

(iii.) Allusions and Parallel Passages.—In verse these are often numerous and important. Poetry is naturally full of imagery, and borrows from many sources. Thus, for ll. 1-8, compare Hor. Od. I. xii. 5:

‘Aut in umbrosis Heliconis oris

....

Arte materna rapidos morantem

Fluminum lapsus . . .’

and Verg. G. iv. 510:

‘Mulcentem tigris et agentem carmine quercus.’

Shakesp. Hen. VIII. III. i.:

‘Orpheus with his lute made trees,

And the mountain-tops that freeze,

Bow themselves when he did sing’;

or read Tennyson’s poem ‘Amphion.’

Lines 5, 6.—Cf. Isaiah xi. 6: ‘The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.’

(iv.) Hints for Verses.—Ovid is the acknowledged master of elegiac verse. Therefore, whenever you have a passage of his elegiacs to translate, you should, if possible, learn it by heart. (The Arion story as told by Ovid is well worth a place in any collection of Ediscenda.) If you cannot do this, notice useful phrases and turns of expression, e.g.:—

Line 1.—A question, instead of a bare statement, where no answer is expected.

Cf. ‘Quod crimen dicis praeter amasse meum?’

(Dido to Aeneas, Ov. Her. vii. 164.)

Lines 3, 4.—Parataxis and repetition of idea.

Line 9.—Vocalis Arion, apostrophe.

Line 2.—Simplicity; alliteration.

(v.) The Poem as Literature.—Ovid here depicts in language purposely exaggerated the power of music over the hearts of men, and even over nature, animate and inanimate. This gives point to the strong contrast in the lines which follow, where greed dominates all the feelings. Shakespeare refers to the love of music as a test of character:—

‘The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,

Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.’

[9.] See Introduction, pp. 6, 7, [§ 10].

[10.] E.g.:

Plena fuit vobis omni concordia vita,

Et stetit ad finem longa tenaxque fides.

Amores ii. 6. 13-14.

[11.] Notice this word, which is often employed to express the ideas of entránce, enthrall, strike dumb, amaze.

[Demonstration III.]

PART I.

A rash promise rashly believed.

Hannibali alia in his locis bene gerendae rei fortuna oblata est. |I| M. Centenius fuit cognomine Paenula, insignis inter primipili centuriones et magnitudine corporis et animo. |II| Is perfunctus militia, per P. Cornelium Sullam praetorem in senatum introductus, petit a Patribus, uti sibi quinque milia militum darentur: |III| se peritum et hostis et regionum, brevi operae pretium facturum et, quibus artibus ad id locorum nostri et duces et exercitus capti forent, iis adversus inventorem usurum. |IV| Id non promissum magis stolide, quam stolide creditum, tamquam eaedem militares et imperatoriae artes essent! |V| Data pro quinque octo milia militum; pars dimidia cives, pars socii. |VI| Et ipse aliquantum voluntariorum in itinere ex agris concivit, ac prope duplicato exercitu in Lucanos pervenit, ubi Hannibal, nequiquam secutus Claudium, substiterat. |VII|

Livy.

A rash promise rashly believed.

Hannibali alia in his locis bene gerendae rei fortuna oblata est. I M. Centenius fuit cognomine Paenula, insignis inter primipili centuriones et magnitudine corporis et animo. II Is perfunctus militia, per P. Cornelium Sullam praetorem in senatum introductus, petit a Patribus, [uti sibi quinque milia militum darentur]. III Centenius dixit se peritum ethostis et regionum, brevi operae pretium facturum: et, [quibus artibus ad id locorum nostri et duces et exercitus capti forent], iis adversus inventorem usurum. IV Id non promissum magis stolide, quam stolide creditum: [tamquam eaedem militares et imperatoriae artes essent!] V Data pro quinque octo milia militum; pars dimidia cives, pars socii. VI Et ipse aliquantum voluntariorum in itinere ex agris concivit, ac prope duplicato exercitu, in Lucanos pervenit, [ubi Hannibal, nequiquam secutus Claudium, substiterat]. VII

Livy.

Demonstration III.

Livy, xxv. 19.

Read the passage through carefully. As you read—

(i.) Make all the use you can of your previous knowledge of History, Geography, and Antiquities.

Thus, Hannibali suggests an episode in the Second Punic War.

M. Centenius is clearly the unfortunate subject of the episode.

in Lucanos . . . substiterat helps to fix the date as later than Cannae, 216 B.C.

(ii.) Observe carefully all phrases that will require special care in translating—e.g. bene gerendae rei—inter primipili centuriones—perfunctus militia—operae pretium—ad id locorum.

You will now have a sufficient general idea of the form and general sense of the passage, and may begin to translate sentence by sentence.

[I.] Hannibali alia in his locis bene gerendae rei fortuna oblata est.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

oblata, cf. ob-lation = an offering and of-fer.

(ii.) Translation.—

oblata est shows that the subject must be fortuna, with which alia must agree, and gerendae rei is dependent genitive. So you may at once translate literally Another fortune (chance) of carrying-on the matter well in these parts was offered to Hannibal. But you must not be satisfied with this, for though literally correct it is neither good History nor good English. So render: In this district Hannibal had another chance presented to him of achieving a success.

Here notice especially the use of the word res,[12] a remarkable example of the tendency of Roman writers to employ the ordinary and simple vocabulary wherever possible instead of inventing a new word. As a writer well says, ‘Res is, so to say, a blank cheque, to be filled up from the context to the requisite amount of meaning.’ Cf. ‘Consilium erat quo fortuna rem daret, eo inclinare vires,’ where res = victory.

[II.] M. Centenius fuit cognomine Paenula, insignis inter primipili centuriones et magnitudine corporis et animo.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

primipili = the chief centurion of the triarii (the third, veteran line of the legion), the primipilus, or primus pilus. So Livy vii. 41, ‘primus centurio erat, quem nunc (centurionem) primi pili appellant.’

cognomine, i.e. co-nomen, a name added to the nomen, a title, epithet, e.g.:

Publius = the distinctive praenomen.
Scipio = nomen, designating his gens.
Africanus = cognomen.

(ii.) Translation.—The form of this sentence is quite simple. The subject is M. Centenius, with which insignis agrees. There was a certain M. Centenius, by surname Penula, distinguished among the first-rank (or chief) centurions (of the Triarii) both for his great bodily size and courage.

[III.] Is perfunctus militia, per P. Cornelium Sullam praetorem in senatum introductus, petit a Patribus, uti sibi quinque milia militum darentur.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

perfunctus, cf. function, and notice force of per = discharge completely.

(ii.) Translation.—The principal verb is clearly petit, and is is the only possible subject (= Centenius), with which introductus agrees. There is one subordinate clause, introduced by ut, telling us the object of his request.

Translate, first literally, He having discharged completely his military service, being introduced into the Senate by P. C. Sulla, the Praetor, asks the Fathers that 5000 soldiers should be given him. Now improve this: get rid at all costs of the having and being, which are not English, and change the asks into the past tense of narration. Thus:—

After he had completed his term of service, and had been introduced to the Senate by P. Corn. Sulla, the Praetor, he petitioned the Fathers that 5000 soldiers should be given him.

[IV.] Se peritum et hostis et regionum, brevi operae pretium facturum: et, quibus artibus ad id locorum nostri et duces et exercitus capti forent, iis adversus inventorem usurum.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

peritum, cf. ex-peri-enced. √par-, per-, pierce, go through; so, ex-per-ior, per-iculum, in sense of a trial.

operae pretium = lit. ‘what will pay for the trouble,’ i.e. worth while, i.e. worth the time (or labour) spent upon it.

artibus—ars. √ar = fit, join = skill in joining something, skill in producing; so, artist, artisan, artifice, etc.

ad id locorum[13] = to that point of time. The ideas of place and time readily interchange; so, in loco = at the right place or time.

(ii.) Translation.—The form of the sentence shows that it is reported speech, and not the actual words of the speaker Centenius, who is still the principal subject, and dixit, understood, the principal verb, and se peritum . . . usurum the object of dixit. You should now be able to translate without any difficulty, and the logical common-sense rules for the conversion of Or. Recta into Or. Obliqua explain the mood of the verb capti forent in the subordinate clause introduced by quibus.

Literally: Centenius said that he, experienced in both the enemy and the districts, would soon make it worth (their) while: and that he would use against their inventor those arts by which up to that time both our leaders and our armies had been overcome. Notice that the long relative clause quibus artibus . . . forent is in Latin placed before the antecedent iis.

You will readily see that this must be improved in several points. Thus:—

(a) Use Oratio Recta—more graphic and better suited to our idiom.

(b) arts. Change this to some more suitable military term—e.g. tactics.

He was well acquainted (he said) both with the enemy and the country, and would shortly make it worth their while, and would employ against their originator those very tactics by which both our leaders and our armies had up to that time been baffled.

[V.] Id non promissum magis stolide, quam stolide creditum: tamquam eaedem militares et imperatoriae artes essent!

(i.) Vocabulary.—

stolide, cf. stolid = dull, foolish.

(ii.) Translation.—The finite copula est is, as often, omitted; the two principal verbs are promissum (est) and creditum (est) linked by the comparative particles magis—quam, and the subject is id; tamquam—essent! is a subordinate clause modifying the two principal verbs, and expressing contemptuous wonder.

Cf. ‘tamquam clausa sit Asia, sic nihil perfertur ad nos.’

You can now translate

Literally: That was promised not more foolishly than it was foolishly believed, just as if the arts of a soldier and of a general were the same.

Here you can make several improvements; avoid the repetition of foolishly, and use a better term than arts, and perhaps break up the sentence into two short ones. Thus:—

The folly of the promise was not greater than that of the credit it received. Just as though the qualities of a soldier and of a general were the same!

[VI.] Data pro quinque octo milia militum; pars dimidia cives, pars socii.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

dimidia √med-, mid- = middle, so dimidius = dis + medius.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is very simple: notice that here, too, sunt and erant are omitted.

Eight thousand soldiers were given him instead of five: half were citizens, half allies.

[VII.] Et ipse aliquantum voluntariorum in itinere ex agris concivit, ac prope duplicate exercitu, in Lucanos pervenit, ubi Hannibal, nequiquam secutus Claudium, substiterat.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

aliquantum = considerable, used in the neuter as a noun, with a partitive genitive voluntariorum. Cf. use of satis, parum, etc.

concivit = raised, lit. roused, stirred up. Cf. ci-eo, and our ex-cite, in-cite.

substiterat = had halted. si-st-o is only a form of sto strengthened by reduplication (cf. ἵστημι) with a causal force. Cf. restitit, [p. 27, sentence iv].

(ii.) Translation.—The principal subject is clearly ipse; there are two principal verbs, concivit and pervenit, coupled by ac, and one subordinate clause, ubi . . . substiterat, introduced by ubi, and modifying pervenit.

The sense is so clear that you may translate at once into good English:—

Moreover he himself raised a considerable number of volunteers in the country during his march; and so, with his numbers nearly doubled, he reached Lucania, where Hannibal, after his fruitless chase of Claudius, had halted.

The following version was shown up by a boy of fifteen in a recent scholarship examination:

‘Hannibal in carrying on his successful campaign met with some different luck in this district. Marcus Centenius, whose cognomen was Penula, was famous among the centurions of the first rank for his huge limbs and great courage. This man, after having accomplished his years of military training, on being introduced into the Senate by the Prætor P. Cornelius Sulla, requested the Patricians to give him 5000 soldiers. He said that he was well acquainted both with the enemy’s tactics and the district round about, and in a short time would convert the engagement into a prize for the State: moreover, he added, I will employ the same tactics against the enemy as those by which our generals and troops have been captured in these parts. This was faithfully believed as it was faithfully promised: the tactics of the soldiers and of the commanders were so much alike! He received 8000 men instead of 5000: half of them were Roman citizens, half allies: moreover he himself got some volunteers while on the march in the country districts and so almost doubled his army: he thus reached the territory of the Lucani, where Hannibal after a fruitless pursuit after Claudius, had taken up his position.’

This version is neither bad nor good. The style is, on the whole fair, knowledge of vocabulary very fair, and the rendering generally accurate. It will, however, be of use to you as an object lesson: so notice carefully the following points:—

I. Style.

Sentence IV.—

(i.) The Oratio Obliqua of the original he renders partly as Reported Speech and partly as Oratio Recta. This is, of course, to be avoided. Contrast the rendering given under Sentence IV.

Sentence III.—

(ii.) Is perfunctus . . . darentur. He uses too many participles. Contrast version under Sentence III.

Sentences VI., VII.—

(iii.) He translates data pro quinque . . . substiterat by one long sentence, instead of breaking it up into two at least.

II. Vocabulary.

Sentence IV.—

Se peritum . . . usurum. He confuses pretium with praemium, operae with rei publicae (?). He should have been familiar with the phrase operae pretium.

inventorem he renders by enemy; perhaps a careless mistake, as if the word were inimicum (which after all does not = hostem).

Sentence V.—

stolide he renders by faithfully. A moment’s thought given to the English word stolid should have put him on the right track.

Sentence VII.—

concivit he renders by got, vague and inappropriate. He fails to bring out the root-meaning of cieo = to stir up.

III. Construction.

Sentence I.—

This is very bad. Analysis would at once have shown him that the logical order of the sentence was

Alia fortuna bene gerendae rei oblata est Hannibali in his locis,

though he might not see that in his locis must be closely connected with oblata est.

Sentence IV.—

brevi operae pretium facturum. Very bad: due probably to not carefully weighing the meaning of each word.

You will now see that a strict attention to analysis and to the root-meanings of words really familiar would have enabled this candidate to send up a good version.

[12.] Cf. Introduction, [p. 11].

[13.] Cf. Sallust, Jugurtha, 63 Tamen is ad id locorum talis vir = Such was his character up to this time.

[Demonstration IV.]

PART II.

Rashness justly punished.

Haud dubia res est, quippe inter Hannibalem ducem et centurionem; exercitusque, alterum vincendo veteranum, alterum novum totum, magna ex parte etiam tumultuarium et semiermem. |I| Ut conspecta inter se agmina sunt, et neutra pars detrectavit pugnam, extemplo instructae acies. |II| Pugnatum tamen, ut in nulla pari re, duas amplius horas, concitata et, donec dux stetisset, Romana acie. |III| Postquam is non pro vetere fama solum, sed etiam metu futuri dedecoris, si sua temeritate contractae cladi superesset, obiectans se hostium telis cecidit, fusa extemplo est Romana acies. |IV| Sed adeo ne fugae quidem iter patuit omnibus viis ab equite insessis, ut ex tanta multitudine vix mille evaserint, ceteri passim alii alia peste absumpti sint. |V|

Livy.

Rashness justly punished.

Haud dubia res est, [quippe inter Hannibalem ducem et centurionem; exercitusque, alterum vincendo veteranum, alterum novum totum, magna ex parte etiam tumultuarium et semiermem.] I [Ut conspecta inter se agmina sunt, et neutra pars detrectavit pugnam], extemplo instructae acies. II Pugnatum tamen, ut in nulla pari re, duas amplius horas, concitata et, [donec dux stetisset], Romana acie. III {Postquam is non pro vetere fama solum, sed etiam metu futuri dedecoris, [si sua temeritate contractae cladi superesset], obiectans se hostium telis cecidit}, fusa extemplo est Romana acies. IV Sed adeo ne fugae quidem iter patuit omnibus viis ab equite insessis, [ut ex tanta multitudine vix mille evaserint, ceteri passim alii alia peste absumpti sint]. V

Livy.

Demonstration IV.

Livy, xxv. 19.

Read through the Passage carefully.—The context will be familiar to you, as this piece is a continuation of Demonstration III; but, none the less, read the passage through very carefully. Notice, for example, the use of quippe, the various uses and meanings of ut, alterum . . . alterum, alii alia.

You can now begin to translate.

[I.] Haud dubia res est, quippe inter Hannibalem ducem et centurionem; exercitusque, alterum vincendo veteranum, alterum novum totum, magna ex parte etiam tumultuarium et semiermem.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

quippe = qui + pe. pe = a form of que (cf. nempe = nam-pe = indeed) = since of course.

alterum (comparative of al-ius), cf. alter, alternate, either, other.

In distributive clauses, alter—alter = the one, the other.

tumultuarium (cf. tumultus), used of troops brought hurriedly together; so, disorderly.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is quite simple, consisting of one main statement, Haud dubia res est, and an explanatory subordinate statement of fact introduced by quippe. Notice that the influence of inter extends over the whole of the subordinate clause.

Literally: ‘The affair was not doubtful, since, of course, it was between Hannibal as general and a centurion, and between armies, the one grown old in victory, the other wholly new, and for the most part also hurriedly raised and half-armed.’

There are several points in which this rendering must be improved. Thus:—

(a) Affair for res is too vague. You will remember what was said about res in Sentence I. of Part I. pp. 33, 34.

(b) You must try to express more strongly the contrast in generalship between Hannibal and a mere centurion. Thus:—

‘The result was not doubtful, considering that the contest was between a general such as Hannibal and a (mere) centurion; and between two armies, the one grown old in victory, the other consisting entirely of raw recruits, and for the most part undrilled and half-armed.’

[II.] Ut conspecta inter se agmina sunt, et neutra pars detrectavit pugnam, extemplo instructae acies.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

neuter = ne + uter (uter = eu-ter or quo-ter-us = comparative in form of quis), neither of two.

detrectavit = declined (de + traho, draw-off).

extemplo = immediately. Ex + templum (dimin. tempulum).

templum √tem = cut; cf. τέμνω = prop. a section. So

(a) a space marked out, a consecrated place, a temple.

(b) a portion of time; cf. extempore.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence again is quite simple (in form very similar to Sentence I.), consisting of one main statement, extemplo instructae acies, and an introductory subordinate statement of time introduced by ut = when.

‘When the armies came in sight of each other, and neither side declined battle, the ranks were at once drawn up in fighting order.’

[14][III.] Pugnatum tamen, ut in nulla pari re, duas amplius horas, concitata et, donec dux stetisset, Romana acie.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

concitata = stirred-up, roused. con + ci-eo; cf. ex-cite, incite, cĭ-tus = put in motion, swift, &c.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is not quite so simple and needs care. Notice—

(a) Pugnatum (est). The Impersonal Pass. serves as the principal subject and predicate.

(b) ut in nulla pari re. ut is here not a conjunction but a relative adverb of manner, referring the assertion pugnatum duas amplius horas to the particular circumstance—i.e. of a battle fought under very unequal conditions. This use of ut = considering occurs frequently—e.g. consultissimus vir ut in illa quisquam esse aetate poterat (Livy). Cf. also [p. 124, l. 19].

(c) concitata Romana acie is clearly ablative absolute. To make quite sure that you understand the logical connection of the thought conveyed by this sentence, you may consult the detailed analysis on page 47.

In spite of its being such an unequal match, the battle was maintained for more than two hours; the Roman army (as well as [et] the enemy’s) being roused (to great exertions) so long as their leader survived.

[IV.] Postquam is non pro vetere fama solum, sed etiam metu futuri dedecoris, si sua temeritate contractae cladi superesset, obiectans se hostium telis cecidit, fusa extemplo est Romana acies.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

dedecoris = of dis-grace, for de in composition = separation, and so removal of the fundamental idea. Cf. un-, dis-, e.g. dis-par = un-equal.

contractae = brought on, caused. con + traho = bring about, cause.

(ii.) Translation.—The meaning of this sentence should be quite plain to you if you notice carefully that

(a) the principal verb is fusa est, and the principal subject Romana acies, and

(b) that Postquam . . . cecidit is a subordinate clause of time modifying the action of the principal verb fusa est.

It would perhaps be well to translate at first literally:—

After that he, not only out of regard for (pro) his old fame, but also from fear of future disgrace, if he should survive a disaster brought about by his own rashness, exposing himself to the weapons of the enemy fell, the Roman army was at once routed.

You will see that this rendering, though verbally correct, is not English, and must be considerably altered before it can be called a good translation. Thus:—

(a) It is too long. You can remedy this by taking postquam . . . cecidit as one complete sentence, and fusa . . . acies as another.

(b) Exposing himself. Better exposed himself to . . . and. Notice here the strictly accurate use of the Pres. participle in Latin.

(c) ‘future’ may be omitted, as tautological[15] in English. Cf. our inexact idiom ‘he promised to come’ (Lat. ‘that he would come’).

At last, both for the sake of his old renown and from the fear of disgrace should he survive a disaster brought on by his own rashness, he threw himself among the enemy’s darts and was slain. The Roman army was routed in a moment. —Church and B.

[V.] Sed adeo ne fugae quidem iter patuit omnibus viis ab equite insessis, ut ex tanta multitudine vix mille evaserint, ceteri passim alii alia peste absumpti sint.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

pătuit = was open. Cf. păte-facio = to make open; păt-ulus = open, spread out; păt-era = a broad, flat dish. English, patent.

insessis = occupied; in + sed-eo = sit upon—so, occupy.

passim = hither and thither, far and wide, formed from passus (pando), expand.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence resembles in form Sentence IV., with one principal verb patuit, and a principal subject iter, and a subordinate clause of result, ut . . . absumpti sint, modifying the action of the principal verb patuit. You may conveniently break up this sentence into two, by beginning a new sentence with Ceteri. Thus:—

So completely closed against them was every chance of escape, all the roads being beset by cavalry, that out of so numerous a host hardly a thousand escaped. The rest perished as they fled, some by one death and some by another.

Before laying aside these two passages, you should pay attention to the following points:—

(i.) Vocabulary.—Besides carefully noticing new words, try to form groups of cognates (i.e. related words). One of the best ways to enlarge your vocabulary is to group together words of common origin, and to add to each, where you can, derivative and cognate English words. To take a few examples from this passage:—

(ii.) Useful Phrases for Latin Prose.—You should try gradually to put together your own phrase-book. You will find this much more useful to you than any ready-made collection. A good and simple plan is to have a special note-book for this purpose. Mark in the text as you read useful phrases, and in your note-book write the Latin on the right-hand page and a good idiomatic rendering on the left. For example, from this passage you might collect the following:—

(iii.) HANNIBAL.—Read some good short estimate of Hannibal as a patriot, statesman, and soldier—such as may be found in Mommsen’s or Ihne’s History of Rome. If you have time, you will find much to interest you in the Hannibal (‘Heroes of the Nations’) by O’Connor Morris.

[ Demonstration IV.]

[14.] Weissenborn and Müller read:—Pugnatum tamen, ut in nulla pari re, diu: duas amplius horas constitit pugna spe concitante, donec dux stetit, Romanam aciem.

[15.] i.e. needless repetition (ταὐτὸ λέγειν = to say the same thing).

[Demonstration V.]

The Happy Life.

(a) I

Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas,

Atque metus omnes et inexorabile fatum

Subiecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari! ||

Fortunatus et ille, deos qui novit agrestes,

Panaque, Silvanumque senem, Nymphasque sorores! ||

Illum non populi fasces, non purpura regum

Flexit et infidos agitans discordia fratres,

Aut coniurato descendens Dacus ab Histro,

Non res Romanae, perituraque regna; || neque ille

Aut doluit miserans inopem aut invidit habenti. ||

Vergil.

The Happy Life.

(b) I

Felix, (qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas,

Atque metus omnes et inexorabile fatum

Subiecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari!)

Fortunatus et ille, (deos qui novit agrestes,

Panaque, Silvanumque senem, Nymphasque sorores!)

Illum non populi fasces, non purpura regum

Flexit et infidos agitans discordia fratres,

Aut coniurato descendens Dacus ab Histro,

Non res Romanae, perituraque regna; neque ille

Aut doluit miserans inopem aut invidit habenti.

Vergil.

Demonstration V.

Vergil, Georg. ii. 490-499.

Read the Passage carefully.—Notice as you read the many allusions and key-words in the passage, e.g. Acherontis, Pana, Silvanum, Nymphas, Dacus ab Istro, res Romanae, rerum causas, and populi fasces. These, taken in connection with the main predicates felix, fortunatus, non flexit, neque doluit, aut invidit, will readily suggest to you the main thought of the passage:—

Happy is Nature’s bard who knows and fears not: happy he too who knows the gods of the country. He is not distressed by ambition, nor wars, nor pain, nor envy.

I. Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas,
Atque metus omnes et inexorabile fatum
Subiecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari!

(i.) Vocabulary.—

inexorabile = relentless; lit. that cannot be moved by entreaty. in (not) + ex (easily) + orabilis (entreated).

For oro cf. ōs = mouth; orator = speaker; oratio = speech.

fatum = fate, i.e. of death, as the common lot of all men, the decree of nature.

fatum = that which is said, espec. prophetically. √fa, φα. Cf. for (fā-ri), speak; fā-ma, report; fā-bula, a story; in-fans, that cannot speak; fā-cundus, eloquent.

strepitum = roar; lit. a wild, confused noise, din of any kind; cf. obstreperous.

Acherontis = Acheron = (a) a river in the Lower World; (b) the Lower World itself. Perh. Acheron = ὁ ἄχεα ῥέων = the stream of woe; cf. Κωκυτός = Cocytus, river of wailing.

(ii.) Translation.— You cannot be in doubt about the principal subject and predicate. Felix is the only word outside the subordinate clause from qui . . . avari. The sense, too, of these lines is clear, so you may translate at once; but you must take special care to use dignified and appropriate language:—

Happy the man who has availed to know the causes of things, and so trampled under foot all fears and fate’s relentless decree, and the roar of insatiate Acheron.

II. Fortunatus et ille, deos qui novit agrestes,
Panaque, Silvanumque senem, Nymphasque sorores!

(i.) Vocabulary.—

agrestes = of the country; cf. ager (ἀγρός), agrarius, agrarian; peragro (per + ager), travel over. Perhaps to be traced to the same root as ag-o = drive, ager and ἀγρός being so named a pecore agendo (cf. Germ. trift = pasturage, treiben = drive).

Silvanum = Silvanus = Latin god of fields and woods (silva), sylvan.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence closely resembles in form Sentence I, Ille Fortunatus being the principal subject and predicate.

He too is blest who knows the gods of the country, Pan, and old Silvanus, and the sisterhood of the Nymphs.

III. Illum non populi fasces, non purpura regum
Flexit, et infidos agitans discordia fratres;
Aut coniurato descendens Dacus ab Histro,
Non res Romanae, perituraque regna;

(i.) Vocabulary.—

fasces = fasces, i.e. honours; populi, i.e. conferred by the people.

fascis = a bundle, espec. of wood.

fasces = the lictors’ rods (rods + axe in certain cases) carried before the highest magistrates, as an emblem of authority.

purpura, i.e. the purple robe worn by kings and magistrates.

Cf. [16]‘Purpura Pompeium summi velabit honoris.’

Ov. Ex Ponto IV. iv. 25.

agitans = driving, i.e. moving, impelling.

discordia = discord. Notice force of dis- = separation, negation; cf. dis-crimen, dis-par.

coniurato = united by oath, sworn confederate.

Dacus, the Dacians, akin to the Thracians, N. of Danube, conquered by Trajan. Cf. modern Roumanians.

Histro = the Lower Danube.

(ii.) Translation.—You will see there is only one principal verb, flexit (or flexerunt), with several principal subjects, fasces, purpura, discordia, res Romanae, perituraque regna, and no subordinate clauses. You may therefore translate at once:—

(a) Him fasces of the people or purple of kings sway not, not maddening discord among treacherous brethren, nor the Dacians swarming down from the leagued Danube, not the Roman State, or realms destined to decay;

OR

(b) He is not (1) moved by honours that the people confer, or the purple of empire, or civil feuds, that make (2) brothers swerve from brothers’ duty; or the Dacian coming down from the Hister, his sworn (2) ally; no, nor by the great Roman State and the death-throes of subject kingdoms.

N.B.—(b) is superior to (a) in—

(1) the use of Passive for Active;

(2) the predicative use of agitans, infidos, coniurato.

IV. neque ille
Aut doluit miserans inopem, aut invidit habenti.

(i.) Vocabulary.—You will probably know the meanings of the words in this sentence. Thus the meaning of—

(ii.) Translation.—You have here two principal verbs, doluit, invidit, joined by aut, and a principal subject ille.

Notice that inopem must be the object of the participle miserans, and that habenti is used as a noun.

He never felt the pang of pity for the poor, or of envy for the rich.

Copy of a rendering shown up by a boy of fifteen in a recent scholarship examination:—

‘Happy is the man who is able to discern the reason of things, and controls under his feet all changes and inexorable destiny, and the groaning of greedy Acheron! |I| Blessed also is he who knows the rustic gods, Pan and old Silvanus, and those sisters, the nymphs! |II| He is not moved by the people’s axes, nor by the regal purple, nor by discord that rouses brothers to distrust each other. He is not moved by Dacus, coming down from the sacred Danube, nor by the affairs of Rome, and the realms about to perish. |III| He neither grieves for nor pities the helpless, nor does he envy the rich.’ |IV|

The above version is fair, but notice the following points:—

Sentence I.—

is able . . . and controls. The connection in thought is not shown: ‘He is happy because he knows and ∴ fears not.’

groaning—i.e. gemitum; strepitum = roar, din.

Sentence III.—

by the people’s axes. This suggests quite a wrong idea; contrast the version, ‘by the honours that the people confer.’

sacred. This is quite wrong. con-iurato = allied by oath.

the affairs of Rome. A very weak, and inadequate rendering.

Sentence IV.—

grieves for nor pities. This quite obscures the point. Vergil says that a country life, with its absence of poverty, so commonly met with in a town, saves a man from the necessity of feeling a pang of pity for the poor.

Before you put aside this passage, try to avail yourself of some of the following suggestions. Thus:—

I. For the Poet Vergil[17] (70 B.C.-19 B.C.).—The chief facts of his life and the subject of his great poems are clearly and shortly given in the Student’s Companion to Latin Authors (a useful and convenient book of reference).

II. For the Georgics, Poems on Husbandry. (The passage for translation is taken from Georgic II. lines 490-499.) See—

(i.) Student’s Companion to Latin Authors, pp. 157-8.

(ii.) Nettleship’s Vergil, pp. 37-45.

(iii.) Sellar’s Vergil, pp. 174-198.

Notice especially the political purpose of the Georgics—to help the policy of Augustus, which aimed at checking the depopulation of the country districts. Compare the alarming migration from the country to the towns in England at the present day.

III. Relation of Lucretius to the Georgics.

(i.) Sellar’s Vergil, pp. 199-243.

(ii.) Munro’s Lucretius, Notes on Book i. line 78, and Book iii. line 449.

Notice in this connection the opening lines of the passage, Felix qui potuit . . . Acherontis avari, which may be summarised as follows: ‘Happy he who knows the laws of Nature, and has therefore ceased to fear natural phenomena and has learnt to despise the fabled terrors of Hades.’ Munro says: ‘I feel that by his Felix qui Vergil does mean a poet-philosopher, who can only be Lucretius.’

Cf. also Lucretius, iii. 1-30. His address to Epicurus.

For the thought, cf. Wordsworth’s Happy Warrior—

‘He therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait

For wealth, or honours, or for worldly state.’

[16.] ‘The purple (the insignia) of the highest office shall clothe Pompeius.’

[17.] See [Short Lives, p. 343].

[Demonstration VI.]

The Tomb of Archimedes.

I (a) Archimedis ego quaestor ignoratum ab Syracusanis, cum esse omnino negarent, saeptum undique et vestitum vepribus et dumetis, indagavi sepulcrum. |II| Tenebam enim quosdam senariolos, quos in eius monumento esse inscriptos acceperam: qui declarabant in summo sepulcro sphaeram esse positam cum cylindro. |III| Ego autem, cum omnia collustrarem oculis—est enim ad portas Agragantinas magna frequentia sepulcrorum—animadverti columellam non multum e dumis eminentem, in qua inerat sphaerae figura et cylindri. |IV| Atque ego statim Syracusanis—erant autem principes mecum—dixi me illud ipsum arbitrari esse quod quaererem. |V, VI| Immissi cum falcibus multi purgarunt locum. || Quo cum patefactus esset aditus, accessimus: |VII| apparebat in sepulcro epigramma, exesis posterioribus partibus versiculorum, dimidiatis fere. ||

Cicero.

The Tomb of Archimedes.

I (b) Archimedis ego quaestor ignoratum ab Syracusanis, [cum esse omnino negarent,] saeptum undique et vestitum vepribus et dumetis, indagavi sepulcrum. II Tenebam enim quosdam senariolos, [quos in eius monumento esse inscriptos acceperam]: [qui declarabant in summo sepulcro sphaeram esse positam cum cylindro.] III Ego autem, [cum omnia collustrarem oculis]—est enim ad portas Agragantinas magna frequentia sepulcrorum—animadverti columellam non multum e dumis eminentem, [in qua inerat sphaerae figura et cylindri]. IV Atque ego statim Syracusanis—erant autem principes mecum—dixi me illud ipsum arbitrari esse [quod quaererem]. V, VI Immissi cum falcibus multi purgarunt locum. [Quo cum patefactus esset aditus], accessimus: VII apparebat in sepulcro epigramma, exesis posterioribus partibus versiculorum, dimidiatis fere.

Cicero.

Demonstration VI.

Cicero, Tusc. v. 23. 64.

Read the Passage through carefully.—As you read you will notice many allusions and key-words, e.g. Archimedes, ego quaestor, Syracusanis, sepulcrum, etc. These, taken in connection with the heading and the author, will suggest to you the main subject of the passage—the finding of the Tomb of Archimedes by Cicero.

[I.] Archimedis ego quaestor ignoratum ab Syracusanis, cum esse omnino negarent, saeptum undique et vestitum vepribus et dumetis, indagavi sepulcrum.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Quaestor (contr. from quaesītor—quaero), i.e. investigator, originally two main functions:—

(a) The preparation of evidence in public prosecutions (this about 240 B.C. transferred to the Tribunes).

(b) Treasurers of State. Of these the Quaestores urbani stayed at Rome, while the Quaestores provinciales or militares acted as financial assistants to the Consuls or Praetors for the provinces.

saeptum = hedged in; saepes = a hedge, fence.

vepribus = with bramble-bushes.

dumetis = with brushwood.

indagavi = I traced out. A metaphor from hunting. Cf.

‘Dum trepidant alae, saltusque indagine cingunt.’

Verg. Aen. iv. 121.

‘While the scouts (beaters) are all busy, and are encircling the coverts with nets.’

(ii.) Translation.—The form of the sentence is quite simple. The principal verb is indagavi, with subject ego quaestor, and object sepulcrum. From ignoratum . . . dumetis describes sepulcrum, and the subordinate clause cum . . . negarent emphasises ignoratum a Syracusanis. You may now translate

(a) literally: I, when Quaestor, traced out the tomb of Archimedes, not known of by the Syracusans, for they said it was not there at all, hedged in on all sides and covered with brambles and brushwood.

(b) A better rendering: When I was Quaestor I was able to trace the tomb of Archimedes, overgrown and hedged in with brambles and brushwood. The Syracusans knew nothing of it, and entirely denied its existence.

Notice here the improvement made by breaking up the one long sentence into two.

[II.] Tenebam enim quosdam senariolos, quos in eius monumento esse inscriptos acceperam: qui declarabant in summo sepulcro sphaeram esse positam cum cylindro.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

senariolos = some lines, i.e. of poetry—dimin. of senarius (seni) = consisting of six each, especially of the iambic senarii.

sphaeram = a sphere, globe—σφαῖρα.

cylindro = a cylinder. κύλινδρος.

(ii.) Translation.—The only principal verb is clearly tenebam (with subject contained in the verb), and the principal object senariolos (sc. versus). From quos . . . cylindro we have two subordinate adjectival clauses enlarging senariolos.

The fact is, I remembered some iambic lines which I had been told were inscribed on his monument, and which set forth that his tomb was surmounted by a sphere and a cylinder.

[III.] Ego autem, cum omnia collustrarem oculis—est enim ad portas Agragantinas magna frequentia sepulcrorum—animadverti columellam non multum e dumis eminentem, in qua inerat sphaerae figura et cylindri.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

collustrarem = I was surveying on all sides; con (cum) + lustro.

lustro, perhaps akin to luc-eo, lu-men; so, il-lustris = lighted up, illustrious.

frequentia = a large number; cf. frequens, √φρακ, farc; cf. φράγ-μα = a fence, farc-io = pack close together; so, con-fer-tus = crowded, freq-uens = repeated, frequent.

columellam = a small column, dimin. of columen, √cel; cf. cel-sus = lofty; cf. ex-cello, col-umen (= cul-men) = the summit; cf. culminate.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is apparently not quite so simple, but if you carefully bracket the subordinate clauses you will see that the only principal verb is animadverti, with subject ego and object columellam. Notice next that—

(a) cum . . . oculis modifies the principal verb animadverti and is an adverbial clause of time.

(b) The parenthetical clause est enim . . . sepulcrorum explains collustrarem.

(c) in qua . . . cylindri is an adjectival clause enlarging columellam.

You may now translate into your best English, following closely the thought and the order of the Latin:—

Well, as I was surveying the whole place (there is a large number of tombs at[18] the Agrigentine gate) I perceived a small column just showing above the undergrowth, on which appeared the figure of a sphere and a cylinder.

[IV.] Atque ego statim Syracusanis—erant autem principes mecum—dixi me illud ipsum arbitrari esse, quod quaererem.

(i.) Vocabulary.—The words of this sentence present no difficulty.

(ii.) Translation.—With the practice you have now had, you may translate at once; but notice carefully that—

(a) the parenthetical clause erant . . . mecum enlarges Syracusanis; and

(b) quod quaererem describes illud ipsum.

So I immediately said to the Syracusans who were with me (some people of importance) that I thought that was the very thing I was looking for.

[V.] Immissi cum falcibus multi purgarunt locum.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

falcibus = with bill-hooks; falx perh. akin to flect-o = bend, from its shape. Cf. falcon (from its hooked claws).

purgarunt = cleared; purgo, contr. from pur-igo = purum + ago = purge. Cf. pur-us.

(ii.) Translation.—

Some men sent in with bill-hooks cleared out the space.

[VI.] Quo cum patefactus esset aditus, accessimus.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

patefactus = laid open: pateo + facio. Cf. patent.

(ii.) Translation.—

As soon as the way was open, we went up to it.

[VII.] Apparebat in sepulcro epigramma, exesis posterioribus partibus versiculorum, dimidiatis fere.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

epigramma = inscription. Cf. epi-gram.

exesis = lit. ‘eaten out’; ex + edo. Cf. ed-ible.

dimidiatis = halved = dis + medius, i.e. divided into halves.

(ii.) Translation.—There was the inscription on the tomb: the latter part of each line was gone, nearly half the verse.

Note.—Notice here the rendering of the Lat. abl. absol., an idiom foreign to our language except for example in the so-called nom. absol. of Milton. Cf. Introduction, [p. 12 (5)].

Cicero adds the following reflection:—‘Ita nobilissima Graeciae civitas, quondam vero etiam doctissima, sui civis unius acutissimi monumentum ignorasset, nisi ab hoimine Arpinate didicisset.’

Thus it was that one of the most renowned of Greek cities, and in ancient times one of the most enlightened, would have remained ignorant of the monument of the greatest genius it ever produced, if it had not learnt it from a man born at Arpinum.[19]

Some Suggestions and Authorities.

Before you leave this passage, try to notice some of the following points, and if possible consult some of these authorities:—

(i.) Read (e.g. in Church and Brodribb’s translation) Livy’s account of the siege of Syracuse by Marcellus, 214-212 B.C., Book xxiv. cap. 34; Book xxv. caps. 23-31.

(ii.) Freeman’s History of Sicily. Notice especially the admirable plan of Syracuse illustrating the siege by Nicias.

Or Sicily—‘Story of the Nations’ Series.

(iii.) Some good Life of Archimedes. The Encyclopaedia Britannica supplies a good short life and refers to Cicero’s finding the Tomb of Archimedes, and to the still extant work of Archimedes on the Sphere and the Cylinder.

(iv.) For Cicero’s Quaestorship in Sicily, 75 B.C., consult some Life of Cicero, e.g. Forsyth’s, pp. 38-58, where reference is made to this incident.

(v.) For the Tusculanae Disputationes (conversations between Cicero and a friend at his Tusculan villa, the subject of which is the chief essentials of happiness) consult the admirable introduction to the edition by T. W. Dougan, Camb. Press.

[18.] Var. lect. ad portas Achradinas.

[19.] Also the birthplace of Marius. Cf. [p. 163].

PASSAGES
FOR
TRANSLATION AT SIGHT

In the original text, lines were numbered continuously on each page. For this e-text, verse selections have been renumbered to match the actual line numbers as cited in the text. Selections from the Hallam edition of Ovid’s Fasti are numbered from 1 within each passage.

Line numbers in prose have been retained for completeness, except that markings of line 1 have been omitted. Since your browser’s line breaks will not correspond to line breaks in the printed book, words mentioned in the linenotes have also been underlined.

In the “Miscellaneous Passages” section, which has no linenotes, line numbers were omitted in all prose and in the shorter verse passages. Longer verse passages have been renumbered as elsewhere.

REGAL PERIOD, 753-509 B.C.

[D₁]

The Vision of Anchises.—The Kings that are to be.

Quin et avo comitem sese Mavortius addet

Romulus, Assaraci quem sanguinis Ilia mater

Educet. Viden’ ut geminae stant vertice cristae,

Et pater ipse suo superum iam signat honore?

En huius, nate, auspiciis illa incluta Roma

Imperium terris, animos aequabit Olympo,

Septemque una sibi muro circumdabit arces,

Felix prole virum.

. . .. . ..

Quis procul ille autem ramis insignis olivae

Sacra ferens? Nosco crines incanaque menta

Regis Romani; primam qui legibus urbem

Fundabit, Curibus parvis et paupere terra

Missus in imperium magnum. Cui deinde subibit,

Otia qui rumpet patriae residesque movebit

Tullus in arma viros et iam desueta triumphis

Agmina. Quem iuxta sequitur iactantior Ancus,

Nunc quoque iam nimium gaudens popularibus auris.

Vis et Tarquinios reges animamque superbam

Ultoris Bruti fascesque videre receptos?

Vergil, Aen. vi. 777-784, 808-818.

777 Avo = grandsire, i.e. Numitor, the father of the Vestal Rhea or Ilia.

Mavortius = child of Mavors, old and poetic name for Mars.

778 Assaraci: King of Phrygia and grandfather of Anchises.

779 geminae cristae. The double-crested helm, a distinction of Mars.

780 superum = for the world above, i.e. as a god. Acc. Sing.

808 ille = Numa Pompilius (716-673 B.C.), a native of Cures (12) in Sabine country, whom the Romans regarded as the founder (fundabit, 12) of their religious and legal institutions.

813 qui = Tullus Hostilius (673-640 B.C.), a man of war, destroyed Alba.

resides = sluggish, lazy (re + sedeo).

815 Ancus Martius (640-616 B.C.), conqueror of the Latins.

817 Tarquinios reges = (i.) Tarquinius Priscus (616-578 B.C.) of Tarquinii in Etruria; (ii.) Tarquinius Superbus (534-509 B.C.), expelled by Brutus. Vergil omits Servius Tullius (578-534 B.C.).

817-818 animamque . . . receptos. Brutus, nephew of T. Superbus, roused Rome to expel the Tarquins and found the Republic: and thus the fasces (the sign of power) were recovered (receptos) by the people.—Sidgwick.

[D₂]

ROMULUS, 753-716 B.C.

[A.] The Passing of Romulus.

His immortalibus editis operibus cum ad exercitum recensendum contionem in campo ad Caprae paludem haberet, subito coorta tempestas cum magno fragore tonitribusque tam denso regem operuit nimbo, ut conspectum eius contioni abstulerit; nec 5 deinde in terris Romulus fuit. Romana pubes, sedato tandem pavore, postquam ex tam turbido die serena et tranquilla lux rediit, ubi vacuam sedem regiam vidit, etsi satis credebat patribus, qui proxumi steterant, sublimem raptum procella, tamen velut 10 orbitatis metu icta maestum aliquamdiu silentium obtinuit. Deinde a paucis initio facto deum deo natum, regem parentemque urbis Romanae salvere universi Romulum iubent; pacem precibus exposcunt, uti volens propitius suam semper sospitet progeniem. 15

Livy, i. 16.

2-3 ad Caprae paludem = near the Goat’s pool.

4 operuit = enveloped (ob + pario = get for, put upon, cover), cf. opposite a-per-io = get from, uncover.

5 abstulerit = auferret. The event is regarded simply as past, without reference to other past events.

5-6 nec deinde . . . fuit, cf. ‘Quirinus | Martis equis Acheronta fugit.’ Hor. Od. iii. 3. 15.

7 sēdato = settled, calmed. Sēd-o = cause to sit, cf. sēd-es, and our seat, settle.

11 orbitatis = of orphanhood; cf. orb-us = bereaved, and our orphan.

15 volens propitius, an ellipse of et, cf. optimus maximus.

sospitet = he may keep safe, preserve, cf. sospes = safe.

[B.] The Mystery explained.

Pulcher et humano maior trabeaque decorus

Romulus in media visus adesse via,

Et dixisse simul: ‘Prohibe lugere Quirites,

Nec violent lacrimis numina nostra suis.

Tura ferant placentque novum pia turba Quirinum,

Et patrias artes militiamque colant.’

Ovid, Fasti, ii. 379-384. H.

1-6 Romulus appears as a god to Proculus Julius, an honourable man, bidding him tell his people not to mourn for him, but to worship him as Quirinus, and practise valour and all warlike virtues.

1 trabea = in the (striped) robe of state.

3-5 Quirites (cf. Quirinus = the deified Romulus) = lit. spearmen. Connected with Cures and curis (Sabine word for a spear), used of Roman citizens as opposed to Roman soldiers.

[D₃]

NUMA POMPILIUS, 716-673 B.C.

The Gate of Janus, open in war but shut in peace.

[A.] Qui regno ita potitus urbem novam, conditam vi et armis, iure eam legibusque ac moribus de integro condere parat. Quibus cum inter bella adsuescere videret non posse, quippe efferari militia animos, mitigandum ferocem populum armorum 5 desuetudine ratus Ianum ad infimum Argiletum indicem pacis bellique fecit, apertus ut in armis esse civitatem, clausus pacatos circa omnes populos significaret.

Livy, i. 19.

1 Qui = Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome.

4-5 quippe . . . animos = since (he thought that) men’s tempers were made savage (brutalised) by warfare. efferari = orat. obl. part of Numa’s thoughts.

6 desuetudine = by disuse, i.e. by a cessation from the use of. Cf. de-docēre = unteach.

Ianum . . . Argiletum = (a temple of) Janus at the foot of the Argiletum, a slope to the N.E. of the Forum. (Prob. = the clayey ground, from argilla = white clay.)

8 clausus. It was closed for a short time, circ. 238 B.C., and again by Augustus 29-25 B.C.

[B.]

Sunt geminae Belli portae, sic nomine dicunt,

Religione sacrae et saevi formidine Martis:

Centum aerei claudunt vectes aeternaque ferri

Robora, nec custos absistit limine Ianus.

Has, ubi certa sedet patribus sententia pugnae,

Ipse Quirinali trabea cinctuque Gabino

Insignis reserat stridentia limina Consul;

Ipse vocat pugnas; sequitur tum cetera pubes,

Aereaque adsensu conspirant cornua rauco.

Vergil, Aen. vii. 607-615.

609 vectes = bolts or bars, prob. from √veh = carry. Cf. vect-īgal.

612 Quir. trabea = in the state robe of Romulus, i.e. the striped robe of state, purple, with white stripes across.

cinctu Gabino = with the Gabine girdle, formed by girding the toga tight round the body by one of its loose ends.

613 reserat = un-bars. For sĕro = join, cf. our series.

Parallel Passages. Ovid, F. i. 115-132. Cf. Hor. Od. iv. 15. 9. Verg. Aen. i. 293-4.

Numa Pompilius. ‘The name of Numa is significant, and denotes an organiser or lawgiver. (For Numa cf. numerus, nummus, νόμος.) As Romulus was the founder of the State and of political and military order, so the legend regards Numa as the founder of the national religion.’—Ihne.

[D₄]

TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS, 534-509 B.C.

The Purchase of the Sibylline Books.

In antiquis annalibus memoria super libris Sibyllinis haec prodita est. Anus hospita atque incognita ad Tarquinium Superbum regem adiit, novem libros ferens, quos esse dicebat divina oracula: eos velle venundare. Tarquinius pretium percontatus 5 est: mulier nimium immensum poposcit. Rex, quasi anus aetate desiperet, derisit. Tum illa foculum coram eo cum igne apposuit, et tres libros ex novem deussit; et, ecquid reliquos sex eodem pretio emere vellet, regem interrogavit. Sed enim 10 Tarquinius id multo risit magis dixitque anum iam procul dubio delirare. Mulier ibidem statim tres libros alios exussit; atque id ipsum denuo placide interrogavit, an tres reliquos eodem pretio emat. Tarquinius ore iam serio, atque attentiore animo fit; eam 15 constantiam confidentiamque non insuper habendam intelligit: libros tres reliquos mercatur nihilo minore pretio, quam quod erat petitum pro omnibus. . . . Libri tres in sacrarium conditi Sibyllini appellati. Ad eos, quasi ad oraculum, quindecimviri 20 adeunt, cum dii immortales publice consulendi sunt.

Aulus Gellius (fl. 143 A.D.), i. 19.

1, 2 libris Sibyllinis, i.e. a collection of prophecies uttered by the legendary prophetess who lived at Cumae, near Naples.