Wheelock Chapter 1

[fsohn]

Hi all. I've just started working through Wheelock today, on my own, as a summer project. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone cares to review my translation of the little piece entitled "The Poet Horace contemplates an invitation."

Here is the Latin, if you dont want to look it up:
Maecaenas et Vergilius me hodie vocant. Quid cogitare debeo? Quid debeo respondere? Si erro, me saepe moment et culpant; si non erro, me laudant. Quid hodie cogitare debeo?

And here's my translation:
Maecaenas and Virgil called me today. What ought I plan? What ought I respond? If I err, they remind me often and censure me; if I don't err, they praise me. What ought I plan today?

I guess my question comes in the sentence "Si erro, me saepe moment et culpant". Is it appropriate/acceptable to translate this as "If I err/make a mistake, they WILL remind me often and censure me"? Or is it completely off base to translate this in the future? Thanks for any advice

[benissimus]

It is probably best to translate literally for the time being. Also, pay attention to tenses: many people have a tendency to switch to past tense, but vocant here is by all means a present tense. Other than that error for which I hope I have not censured you, your translation is well done.