Augustine, Confessions, 8.8.20

[hlawson38]

Context: Augustine discusses the problem of the will. Although he wants religious conversion, he is not able to make it happen.

tam multa ergo feci, ubi non hoc erat velle quod posse. . . .

I know what this is supposed to mean in English, because I have Hammond’s LCL, and she renders it thus:

I did so many things then, where being willing was not the same as being able. . . .

I see the first part, “So many things I did, where. . . .”

But I don’t know how to crank the English out of “non hoc erat velle quod posse”.

[Shenoute]

My two cents:
tam multa ergo feci, ubi non hoc erat velle quod posse [erat]

Taking velle as the subject, here is a literal translation to show how I understand the whole thing:
“I did so many things then, where willing was not this (hoc), which being-able was”.

Slightly less clunky maybe: “I did so many things then, where willing was not what being-able was”.

I admit I’d find the sentence easier to read (but less striking maybe) if id(em) had been used instead of hoc.

[hlawson38]

My two cents:
tam multa ergo feci, ubi non hoc erat velle quod posse [erat]

Taking velle as the subject, here is a literal translation to show how I understand the whole thing:
“I did so many things then, where willing was not this (hoc), which being-able was”.

Slightly less clunky maybe: “I did so many things then, where willing was not what being-able was”.

I admit I’d find the sentence easier to read (but less striking maybe) if id(em) had been used instead of hoc.

Many thanks Shenoute. Your reading looks good to me.

[Shenoute]

Glad I could help!