Currently I am trying to understand how to express directions in Latin. I have already created quite a list of these, but one thing is causing me problems: how to deal with directions like NE, SE, SW, and NW.
Now, the Nuntii Latini has adjectives like these:
- septentrionalis-orientalis
- orientalis-meridionalis
- meridionalis-occidentalis
- septentrionalis-occidentalis
- to the northeast, in the northeast: with verbs of rest (e.g. is, lie, etc.).
- to(wards) the northeast, (or simply) northeast: with verbs of movement (e.g. go northeast).
- from the northeast: with verbs of movement.
But, that sounds rather heavy-handed, and how can such a construct be adapted for use with verbs of movement (2nd of the above examples) or for indicating origin. I am able to come up only with really cumbersome sentences like:spectant [sc. Belgae] in septentrionem et orientem solem.
Isn't there anything a little shorter? Imagine a sentence like this: To the northwest of country xxx lies abc, to the southwest is def, to the southeast ghi, and to the northeast jkl. Using the above constructions would be, hmm, unwieldy, and outright ugly.
- Marcus contendit ad regionem, quae spectat in septentrionem et orientem solem.
- Marcus venit e (or ab?) regione, quae spectat in septentrionem et orientem solem.
Valete,
Carolus Raeticus