eorum as the antecedent for quo?

Here you can discuss all things Latin. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Latin, and more.
Post Reply
akisame
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:13 am

eorum as the antecedent for quo?

Post by akisame »

uxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes et maxime fratres cum fratribus parentesque cum liberis; sed qui sunt ex iis nati eorum habetur liberi, quo primum virgo quaeque deducta est (de bello Gallico 5, 14).
How is the last phrase connected to the rest of the sentence? I thought it is a relative clause modifying the previous eorum but they don't agree in the number. Is agreement sometimes not so rigorously enforced?

adrianus
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 3270
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:45 pm

Re: eorum as the antecedent for quo?

Post by adrianus »

eorum habetur liberi, quo primum virgo quaeque deducta est
= eorum habentur liberi, quo primum virgo quaeque deducta est


"the children are considered to belong to those [/of those, masculini generis pluraliter], by whom [masculini generis singulariter] whatever woman was taken first [in marriage] as a virgin."

The sense can override agreement about number [and gender]. He's talking about the responsibilities of each (singularly) in a group (of several).
Sensus concordantiam numeri [et generis] superare potest. Caesar curas singulis in grege (plurum) proprias tractat.

See Allen & Greenough, §280a, on construing by sense.
De constructione ad sensum, vide A&G §280a.
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

Post Reply