Latin For Beginners, section 318 probably mental block.

[Episcopus]

I've had this a few times, when I just am confused by a sentence and then I usually find an embarrassingly simple solution. It's probably the same with this. The others, even English to Latin, I found very easy as usual (methinks I may be able to faire Greek soon) However I am ashamed of my nonsense attempt at this so I am just going to ask:

1. Barbari proelium committere statuerunt eo magis quod Romani infirmi esse videbantur.

I know all the words but can't figure out why a comparison would be here.

Something like 'the savages decided to join battle more by this because the Romans were said to be weak...' but that does not make sense to me.

Thanks in advance, we need more threads like this! Hell I'm finishing this course I am no quitter loser some random claimer.

[phil]

OK, I'm not afraid to show that I still don't know Latin. Is 'eo' meaning 'there' in this sentence?
The savages decided to join battle there, more because the Romans seemed to be weak.
Maybe the comparison is that they chose the reason of the Romans appearing weak rather than any other reason for deciding to join the fray.

[benissimus]

Well... choose your own wording, but this is what I get out of it:

Barbari proelium committere statuerunt eo magis quod Romani infirmi esse videbantur.

The barbarians decided to engage (in) battle with him instead ("to a greater extent") because the Romans seemed to be weak.

[Magistra]

eo magis

According to Casell's, Cicero has used this phrase with the meaning of "so much the more" or "all the more". That seems to fit in this context.

Magistra

[Episcopus]

Dr. D'Ooge can be a sly bugger sometimes, flopping out a Cicero in my face.

Thanks