Stuck on "miserabiliter"

convector · Post by **convector** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:38 am

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but have been following for sometime. Just for fun, I decided to go back to relearn the Latin I learned many years ago in High School. Iv've been through D'Ooge's book twice, and now I'm working on Greenrough's second year Latin. On Page 6, story #9 (The Lion and the Mouse) line 6 it says:

Iam devoraturus erat bestiolam, miserabiliter tamen oranti benigne vitam condonavit

My problem is with "miserabiliter". I guess it is an adverb, but I don't see how it fits into the sentance. I translate the sentance:

"He was about to devour the little creature, but benevolently made a gift of life to the praying (mouse)."

So how do I translate "miserabiliter" and where do I put it in my sentance?

Thanks for your help, and for running such a great forum.

Alatius · Post by **Alatius** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:28 am

Sure enough, it's an adverb, from miserabilis. Adverbs don't only modify finite verbs, but also participles, such as oranti. Note how tamen usually comes as second word in a clause, and thus separates miserabiliter and oranti; that is very common, but might be distracting at first.

convector · Post by **convector** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:07 pm

Thanks, Alatius. I see it now. The mouse is praying pitiably.