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Ch. 35 sentence

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:21 am
by fancyfree
Hello, all.

Ch. 35 S.A., # 11

In urbe nostra mihi contigit doceri quantum iratus Achilles Graecis nocuisset.
I translated, "In our city it fell to my lot to teach how much angry Achilles had injured the Greeks.

Is there any reason that the form "doceri" is used- "to be taught" instead
of the more english sounding "docere?"
Thanks!

Re: Ch. 35 sentence

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:39 am
by benissimus
fancyfree wrote:Hello, all.

Ch. 35 S.A., # 11

In urbe nostra mihi contigit doceri quantum iratus Achilles Graecis nocuisset.
I translated, "In our city it fell to my lot to teach how much angry Achilles had injured the Greeks.

Is there any reason that the form "doceri" is used- "to be taught" instead
of the more english sounding "docere?"
Thanks!
It should say "...fell to my lot to BE taught how much...", which is why the passive infinitive was used. Had the active infinitive been used, then your translation would be correct. As you can see, the meaning is reversed if you switch the two.