plural of pectus

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Junya
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plural of pectus

Post by Junya »

Hi.

About plural of pectus

When is the plural form of pectus (as meaning the seat of affection) used ?
From the samples in L&S, I feel it is used when it refers to the heart of plural persons.
Is it, I mean, the plural, used when referring to a single person's heart ?

adrianus
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by adrianus »

Yes, in the poets it often means a single person's heart, L&S says.
Et in L&S inquisivi et hoc legi:
L&S wrote:"—In the poets freq. in plur., of a person's breast..."
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.

Junya
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by Junya »

Hi, Adrianus. :)
These days I have been working only on Greek Aristotle, because of illness and the lack of energy from it, so Latin learning has not progressed much.


Your quote from L&S is written on the pectus as physical, bodily breast.
Can I extend it to the pectus as the seat of feelings ?

adrianus
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by adrianus »

Surely. // Certum licet.
OLD wrote: pectus...
3. The breast in respect of its imagined faculties, etc.: a (considered as the seat of the emotions, moral qualities, etc.). b (as the seat of intellectual faculties). c (considered as a source or organ of speech, prophecy, etc.)...
4. The soul, mind, or personality of a human being (including its emotional, moral and rational aspects). b toto ~ore, with one's whole soul, heart and soul...
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.

Junya
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by Junya »

I'm sorry but, I'm not sure.
Could you explain why you can say so ?
I mean, I am still bad at interpretation of L&S descriptions, and am not sure if an explanation given to the physical meaning (section 1) be also valid in the non-physical, tropical meaning (section 2) when that explanation is not explicitly written there (i.e. in section 2).

I mean...... I want to know why you can say the plural form of pectus, as meaning the seat of emotion, can be used with a single person,
when the explanation on the plural form usage with a single person is only given to pectus as the physical breast in L&S.

adrianus
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by adrianus »

Junya wrote:...not sure if an explanation given to the physical meaning (section 1) be also valid in the non-physical, tropical meaning (section 2) when that explanation is not explicitly written there (i.e. section 2).
You are right that L&S hasn't an example of a plural for pectus referring to the soul/feelings of a single person, not that I can see. However, OLD does have an example:
Non invenitur exemplum aptum in dictionario de A&G. Aliter autem in OLD:
OLD wrote:pectus...4. The soul, mind, or personality...(pl. of a single person) Aeneas, tristi turbatus ~ora bello VERG.A.8.29
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.

Junya
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by Junya »

Oh ! Thank you, Adrianus !

I don't have OLD.
Should I buy OLD, if I want to be fully equipped ?

adrianus
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by adrianus »

If you want to be fully equipped and have the money, yes, buy it second-hand (it's pretty expensive new). But L&S, I would say, is sufficient.

Si tu omnibus necessariis instrui vis et res tibi suppetit, eme quidem illud dictionarium,—redivivum, quod carius est. Sufficit autem illud de L&S.
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.

Junya
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by Junya »

What is the difference between OLD and L&S ?

adrianus
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Re: plural of pectus

Post by adrianus »

OLD does classical latin only, up to 200 AD
Verba classica sola in OLD, ante annum aevi communis ducentesimum.
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.

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