I am attempting to translate an English adaptation of an excerpt of the Satyricon, in which I have been instructed to use participles where possible. My level is that of Wheelock’s thirtieth chapter (which deals with subjunctives). I would immensely appreciate any suggestions with rendering the following phrase: “And so we were thinking about a plan by which we could be able to avoid the coming storm.”
Presently I have the following: “Itaque cogitabamus [I believe ‘de consilio’ is redundant, because ‘cogito, -are’ can mean ‘to plan’] ut venientem tempestatem avertere possemus.” Is there a way to incorporate ‘quo’? Is this even necessary (in your learned opinions)?
Please, magistri, share your advice.
One more thing, which I am embarrassed to ask for I really ought to know it. Does the addressee of speech take the accusative or dative? “Dixit nobis (he said to us)” or “Dixit nos (he told us)”? I am all but sure dative is correct, and accusative would only be used to ‘dixit’ several details of the accusative (e.g. he said US to be ugly, he said that YOU are pretty). Thank you.
Hi Allemang,
i think you’ve come across one of the problems with translation. It is often very difficult, if not impossible, to translate sentences verbatim.
As i read you translation at present, it appears to me to say: “Therefore we were thinking that we would be able to avert the coming storm.”
You are correct that ‘cogitare’ can mean ‘to plan’. However, it does not mean “to think about a plan”. It does mean “to consider”, “to think”, “to reflect” (per Cassells Latin-English School Dictionary). I also don’t think you need to use ‘de + ablative’ here with cogito, although it may be alright. I think an accusative will do fine.
Therefore I think (while wholeheartedly rejecting the title ‘magister’ as per you first post) that:
Itaque consilium (quoddam) cogitabamus quo venientem tempestatem avertere possemus
is a possible rendition the required phrase. I do wonder about ‘venientem’. For one thing I don’t know if the Romans described an on-coming storm that way (I’m not saying that they didn’t, i just don’t know), but if they did i wonder whether a future participle would perhaps be more appropriate…
Re ‘dico’, i believe that the dative is the more usual construction, but that ‘ad aliquem’ is also acceptable (in later latin).
Let’s hope for a magister to help us out!
Thanks, friend.