Rendering into Greek

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Skirnir
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Rendering into Greek

Post by Skirnir »

I am attempting to render this motto 'From two (gold coins) (spawn/emerge) a third'. Thus far, I have Ἐκ δυοῖν χρυσίοιν γίγνεται τὸ τρίτο; have I rendered correctly? Furthermore, would a re-ordering of the words be advisable, and is δυοῖν redundant as the quantity is implied through the use of the dual? Thank you for your help.

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Polyfloisbos
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Re: Rendering into Greek

Post by Polyfloisbos »

That sounds good to me, but maybe you can change the dual to singular without preposition, as in the beginning of the Anabasis by Xenophon: Δαρείου καὶ Παρυσάτιδος γίγνονται παῖδες δύο...

Sceptra Tenens
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Re: Rendering into Greek

Post by Sceptra Tenens »

Polyfloisbos wrote:That sounds good to me, but maybe you can change the dual to singular without preposition, as in the beginning of the Anabasis by Xenophon: Δαρείου καὶ Παρυσάτιδος γίγνονται παῖδες δύο...
I'm not sure what you are saying - the only dual I see is δυοῖν, which should maybe be plural instead, but it definitely can't be made singular, and is not analogous to the δύο in Xenophon - Xenophon was referring to the two sons, but this one is referring to the two "parents", as it were.

My Greek, however, approaches to nonexistence.
mihi iussa capessere fas est

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Polyfloisbos
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Re: Rendering into Greek

Post by Polyfloisbos »

Sceptra Tenens wrote:
Polyfloisbos wrote:That sounds good to me, but maybe you can change the dual to singular without preposition, as in the beginning of the Anabasis by Xenophon: Δαρείου καὶ Παρυσάτιδος γίγνονται παῖδες δύο...
I'm not sure what you are saying - the only dual I see is δυοῖν, which should maybe be plural instead, but it definitely can't be made singular, and is not analogous to the δύο in Xenophon - Xenophon was referring to the two sons, but this one is referring to the two "parents", as it were.

My Greek, however, approaches to nonexistence.
Well, there's also χρυσίοιν as a dual, but you're right, I meant plural, not singular. The analogy with Xenophon is still valid: χρυσέoιν (αργυρίοιν) δυοῖν γίγνεται τὸ τρίτον (genitive wihtout prep. plus verb plus subject).

But there are also lots of uses of δυοῖν with preposition ἐκ in Thucyidides (ex.: 8, 44, 2), so it's up to you.

Sceptra Tenens
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Re: Rendering into Greek

Post by Sceptra Tenens »

Aha, got it. Thank you.
mihi iussa capessere fas est

Skirnir
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Re: Rendering into Greek

Post by Skirnir »

I had not thought to make reference to Xenophon or another author in the motto. I am sadly not well-versed in Greek letters save for Aristotle.

The idea is that one is rubbing two coins together to spawn a third, so perhaps Χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου γίγνονται παῖδες πολλοί would be suitable. My main concern there would be that the *ahem* παῖδες would be neuter (i.e. χρύσιον & ἀργύριον) yet the gender of παῖδες must either be masculine or feminine, though this might fall under 'poetic license'.

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