some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum ess

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pmda
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some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum ess

Post by pmda »

Is tum Euander a pastoribus trepidantibus arcessitus, postquam facinus facinorisque causam audivit, formam viri ampliorem augustioremque humana [humana : quam formam humanam] intuens rogitat 'qui vir esset?' Ubi nomen patremque ac patriam accepit, "Iove nate, Hercules [Hercules est filius Iovis et Alcmenae, uxoris Amphitryonis], salve!" inquit, "Mater mea, vates divina, te deorum numerum aucturum esse [numerum deorum augere : deus fieri] cecinit [canere = praedicere versibus] tibique aram hic dictatum iri, quam opulentissima olim in terris gens 'aram Maximam' vocet." Dextra data Hercules 'se fatum impleturum esse ara dicata' ait. Ibi tum primum, bove eximia capta de grege, sacrum Herculi factum est.

This Euander when called by the terrified shepherds, afterwards heard of the crime and the cause of the crime, seeing the greater and more noble human form asked: 'What man could this have been' [not sure why it's imperf subj.]. As soon as he knew the family [nomen], the father and the land, [?] [i.e. he recognises who Hercules is?]. 'Son of Jupiter, Hercules, greetings1' he said, 'My mother, a prophetess, has sung [predicted] that you are to be raised to be of the Gods [numbered amongst the gods] and the alter here, which by the old noble race of the land was known [vocet] as the 'Great alter' to be brought in dedication [dicatum - supine] to you.' Receiving his [Euander's] right hand, Hercules says that the alter being dedicated was to fulfill [impleturum] destiny [fatum] [?]. Then the finest cow having been selected from the herd, he [Euander] made a sacrifice to Hercules.

I'm very unsure about: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum esse ara dicata' ait.

Qimmik
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Re: some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum

Post by Qimmik »

Evander, approached by the trembling shepherds, after he heard of the crime and the cause of the crime, looking on the shape of the man, [which was] larger and more impressive than a human shape, asked him what man [who] he was [subjunctive because indirect question]. When he learned his name [just 'name' here], father and native land, he said, "Son of Jupiter, Hercules, hail! My mother, a divine prophetess, foretold that you would increase the number of the gods and that an altar [not 'alter'] would be dedicated to you here [dicatum iri (not dictatum) is the future passive infinitive], which the wealthiest nation on earth would one day [olim] call the Ara maxima. Having given Evander his hand, Hercules said that he would fulfill his destiny when the altar had been dedicated. On that spot for the first time, after an outstanding cow was taken from the herd, a sacrifice was performed to Hercules.

This is adapted from Livy 1.7; the story is also told in Vergil Aeneid 8.185 ff, when Aeneas visits Evander at the future site of Rome. The point is that this was the first time a sacrifice to Hercules was performed at the site of the Ara Maxima, which was restored by Augustus. By recounting the mythical history and significance of the altar, Livy and Vergil are writing propaganda for the Augustan regime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Altar_of_Hercules

pmda
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Re: some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum

Post by pmda »

Quimmik, many, many thanks.

pmda
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Re: some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum

Post by pmda »

Quimmik - two questions:

1) You have translated 'arcessitus' as 'approached' whereas all the translations I have suggest it means 'to send for' or some variation of that and in the perfect passive would be something like 'was called' or 'was asked for...was asked to come'...?

2) '...formam viri ampliorem augustioremque humana (abl)...' I may be forgetting something elementary here.

If X if greater than Y then Y would be ablative case, right?

Qimmik
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Re: some text from LLPSI XLI: Hercules 'se fatum impleturum

Post by Qimmik »

Yes, arcesso is 'to call for' 'summon', 'send for'.

humana is ablative of comparison, with forma understood -- "a shape larger and more impressive than a human shape"

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