Hello everyone,
I’ve been doing a few exercise of very basic English to Latin translation and had to translate “I found much money in the wood”.
I wrote ‘multam pecuniam in silva inveni’, which is horrible, I know, I understand that I should have noticed it would be genitive and kicked myself when I saw that, but I can’t make the neuter ‘multum’ fit. I think pecunia is feminine, so why would it not be ‘multae pecuniae in silva inveni’?
Any help much appreciated,
Thanks,
RP.
multum, – neuter, “a large amount”
pecuniae – partitive genitive, “of money”
multum pecuniae – “a large amount of money”
But I haven’t been able to satisfy myself that multam pecuniam is completely wrong.
You might find this helpful:
Quantity terms like multum and paulum are often followed by a partitive genitive to express “that of which” there is a large or small quantity,
e.g.:
paulum/multum aquae (ll.9, 117)
paulum cibī nec multum pecūniae (ll.61–62)
paulum temporis (l.108 margin)
“Lingua Latina A Companion to Familia Roman”
I think multam pecuniam would be unusual. Edit Deleted error corrected by Barry.
Actually, no, you didn’t write “horrible” Latin but a perfectly acceptable construction.
In sing., to denote quantity, much, great, abundant: multum aurum et argentum, Plaut. Rud. 5, 2, 8; 22: exstructa mensa multâ carne rancidâ, Cic. Pis. 27, 67: multo labore quaerere aliquid. with much labor, great exertion, Cic. Sull. 26, 73: cura, Sall. J. 7, 4: sol, much sun, Plin. 31, 7, 39, § 81: sermo, much conversation, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 20, 1
Lewis, C. T., & Short, C. (1891). Harpers’ Latin Dictionary (p. 1173). New York; Oxford: Harper & Brothers; Clarendon Press.
But using multum as a substantive with a partitive genitive is also good Latin.
multum1 ~ī neut. [multus] A large amount or number, much, plenty; (especially with partitive genitive, ex or de).
Glare, P. G. W. (Ed.). (2012). Oxford Latin Dictionary (Second Edition, Vol. I & II). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
While theoretically possible, “multum pecuniae” is not (edit: commonly) found in the ancient sources.* The correct expression is “magna pecunia” (or “magnam pecuniam” in the accusative):
https://latin.packhum.org/concordance?q=magnam+pecuniam
*It is found in a few medieval texts, though:
And Livy: pecuniae aurique et argenti haud sane multum fuit… (AUC 32.16.16). Your point about magna pecunia is well taken, though.
That’s a good catch, Barry, thank you. I have edited my post accordingly. “Never say never”, I guess.
Thank you all for this incredible feedback.
Much appreciated
RP