Textkit Greek and Latin Forums

hi, I'm having trouble with the second sentence in the "Days of the Week" paragraph of chapter 28.

Primum enim diem a Sole appellaverunt, qui princeps est omnium stellarum ut idem dies est prae omnibus diebus aliis.

I have: Truly they have called the first day away from the sun "the prince who is of all stars" in order that the same day is before all other days.
I don't know if the subordinate clause's meaning is to be taken in quotes or how the first ablative is used. thanks:)

Primum enim diem a Sole appellaverunt, qui princeps est omnium stellarum ut idem dies est prae omnibus diebus aliis.

I have: Truly they have called the first day away from the sun "the prince who is of all stars" in order that the same day is before all other days.
I don't know if the subordinate clause's meaning is to be taken in quotes or how the first ablative is used. thanks:)

"qui princeps est omnium stellarum" is an adjectival clause modifying sol.

Appello can also mean "appeal to" or "name". I suspect it means "name" since nowadays we consider the first day of the week to be Sunday. So, they have named the first day from the sun.

If the "ut" clause was a result clause, the verb would be subjunctive - "sit". As it isn't, we might conclude that the conjunction instead means "as". I'm not quite sure of that translation, but I would say it means "seeing as how". or maybe Wheellock's Latin is a bit strange.

Appellaverunt is perfect tense, which can be translated as a simple past tense. I think that sounds better, but that's a personal opinion.

A, ab also has the meaning "after." I think that would make more sense than "away from."

I would translate the sentence as:
Truly they named the first day after the Sun, who is the prince of all the stars (just) as the same day is before all other days.

Appellaverunt is perfect tense, which can be translated as a simple past tense. I think that sounds better, but that's a personal opinion.

A, ab also has the meaning "after." I think that would make more sense than "away from."

I would translate the sentence as:
Truly they named the first day after the Sun, who is the prince of all the stars (just) as the same day is before all other days.

That is indeed a more elegant translation than mine, but I would add that "princeps", as well as meaning "leader, chief, emperor" is also an adjective meaning "first, in front, most eminent". So it could be an adjective used substantively: "who is most important" or "who is chief among".

Or perhaps, if you'd like a less literal, more flowing but slightly periphrastic English translation, how about:

"Indeed, they called the first day after the Sun, the Prince among stars, in the same way as that day is first above all the other days"

But then again perhaps, it's no improvement at all?

With indebtedness to Dacicus and Turpissimus, and standing on giants' shoulders,
Yours,
Phylax

Thankyou thankyou to Dacicus, Turpissimus and Phylax. I'll definitely
ask you more questions in the future:)
-slow learner