Orberg Cap XLIII

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pmda
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Orberg Cap XLIII

Post by pmda »

Foedere icto, trigemini — sicut convenerat — arma capiunt. Cum utrique suos adhortarentur — 'deos patrios, patriam ac parentes omnesque cives illorum tunc arma, illorum intueri manus!'— feroces in medium inter duas acies iuvenes procedunt. Consederant utrimque pro castris duo exercitus intenti in minime gratum spectaculum.

The agreement having been struck, the triplets — came together — to seize the weapons. Each [side] would encourage their own 'The gods of the ancestors, the country and, indeed the parents and all citizens formerly to their arms now look to these hands — the ferocious youths walked between the two armies. They sat before the camp, the two armies from each side watched, a most displeasing sight.

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swtwentyman
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Re: Orberg Cap XLIII

Post by swtwentyman »

There are a few things wrong with your translation but I don't feel comfortable correcting them. However, I did have a bit of trouble understanding the quoted part: it is indirect speech (with adhortarentur) with "intueri" its verb. (As was the case a few days ago, the quotation marks (and the exclamation mark this time) threw me off.)

And a hint for the last sentence: "duo exercitus" is the subject of "consederant".

Qimmik
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Re: Orberg Cap XLIII

Post by Qimmik »

trigemini — sicut convenerat — arma capiunt -- "the triplets -- just as had been agreed on -- took up their weapons"

Cum utrique suos adhortarentur — 'deos patrios, patriam ac parentes omnesque cives illorum tunc arma, illorum intueri manus!'— -- "While each side was cheering on its own [champions, saying that 'their] ancestral gods, [their] fatherland, [their] parents and all [their fellow-]citizens were at that time looking on their weapons, their hands' . . ." (Again, quotation marks setting off indirect speech converted word-for-word from direct speech. Some editors use this punctuation, but of course the ancient Roman had no punctuation.)

feroces in medium inter duas acies iuvenes procedunt. -- "the savage young men come forward [procedunt] into the middle ground [in medium] between the two armies."

'And a hint for the last sentence: "duo exercitus" is the subject of "consederant".'

swtwentyman's hint is right on the mark.

intenti in minime gratum spectaculum -- intenti = "looking at, focused on"

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