Trouble with a passage

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TimG
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Trouble with a passage

Post by TimG »

I am attempting to translate a passage from John Wyclif (14th C) and really struggling. Any help would be appreciated (not for homework, I am a PhD student in the UK writing my thesis).

Sic igitur nedum rex et papa, sed omnia membra ecclesie commilitancia, faciunt quicquid meritorie fit a suo toto ad quod adiuvant, ut multi homines et eorum quilibet trahit navem.

I think it begins "Therefore thus much more king and pope, but all members of the church being comrades in arms (or fellow soldiers) ...?

I'm not sure how to translate the quicquid ... adiuvant clause. And the trahit navem has me confused. I'm taking omnia ... as the subject of faciunt and think the quicquid clause is the object.

Any pointers suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated! I'm learning so feel free to help me learn rather than give me the answers if you prefer :)

Thanx
Tim

adrianus
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Re: Trouble with a passage

Post by adrianus »

Forsit hoc?

"Thus therefore not just the king and pope but all members of the church as brothers in arms do, whatever is in the nature of bringing in money wholeheartedly is done for what they avail [gain], as many men do and no matter who of them hauls the ship [is in charge or the opposite?]."
Last edited by adrianus on Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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.

Nesrad
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Re: Trouble with a passage

Post by Nesrad »

TimG wrote:Sic igitur nedum rex et papa, sed omnia membra ecclesie commilitancia, faciunt quicquid meritorie fit a suo toto ad quod adiuvant, ut multi homines et eorum quilibet trahit navem.
This is how I understand it:

And so this is why not just the king and the pope, but every member of the Church militant takes part in anything the whole Church does with merit, by the help they offer, just as a boat that is rowed by many men gives any one of them the right to claim he is rowing it.

On the Church militant as opposed to the Church triumphant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_mil ... triumphant

It really helps to have some general understanding of the subject you're reading to understand it properly.

TimG
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Re: Trouble with a passage

Post by TimG »

Thank you both for your help. That gives me some ideas to work with.

Tim

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