The above topic name is given as an answer to a question in Orberg’s Exercitia latina Ch12. Exercise 12. Question 3. The question is: Quid est eques? Now I thought that equites meant cavalry or some such but it seemed to me that the correct answer to Orberg’s question should be:
Eques est miles qui ex equo pugnat.
Does anyone have a view on this? Would it be right to say that cavalry man fights from the cavalry? Thanks.
I don’t know, but it wouldn’t surprise me, to say in English “in the cavalry” (not “from the cavalry”) for “ex equite”. E/ex means also “on behalf of” or “for” or “in the person of a cavalryman”. I might say “eques equo pugnat” or “est miles qui equo pugnat” and not “eques est miles qui ex equo pugnat”.
Id non nosco (anglicè “in the cavalry” pro “ex equite” dicere) at non mirum mihi est. Praepositio e/ex enim et “ob” et “pro” et “ex personâ equitis” significare potest. “Eques est miles qui equo pugnat” dicam, non “qui ex equo pugnat”.
qui equo pugnat might mean he fights with a horse…as in Miles gladio pugnat. The soldier fights with a sword. Whereas I think the sense is that he fights from hosrseback…
Here it is: // Ecce “ex equo pugnare” for//pro “on horseback” or “from a horse” as you have it // ut dicis in//apud Pliny//Plinium 7.56 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6_IsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=ex+equo+pugnare&source=bl&ots=9_F3Je-lDk&sig=blZfmsI7C4Hcnitkn7YaSWO-l9c&hl=en&ei=_nNJTK6nDsK5jAeJppDNDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ex%20equo%20pugnare&f=false
Thanks Adrianus very stimulating stuff… I’m having fun with Orberg…but I find one really has got to pay attention.