I’ve set ot to translate Ovid’s Fasti. It’s been a while since I translated any Latin. I’'m working on Book 1, lines 5-10 and am trying to understand how the Latin works in lines 5-6. My aim is to translate quite literally to ensure that I understand the Latin.
Ovid is dedicating the work to Caesar Germanicus and invoking his blessing.
officioque, levem non aversatus honorem, 5
en tibi devoto numine dexter ades.
sacra recognosces annalibus eruta priscis,
et quo sit merito quaeque notata dies.
invenies illic et festa domestica vobis:
The first problem word here is the first, officioque, I’m sure this is the ablative (dative?) of officium (n) which the OLD has as “a helpful or beneficial act done to someone in fulfilment of an obligation” or several variants on the theme of a service rendered. The various translations I can find, including J. G. Frazer’s are all very poetical… and not that helpful with working out how the Latin works.
For example Frazer has “Spurn not the honor slight, but come propitious as a god to take the homage vowed to thee” — he seems to be simply ignoring officium.
So, for lines 5 and 6 I have
According to [my?] duty, [be] not averse to the slight honor.
Behold, you are with the divine spirit devoted to you.
officio … devoto will be dative with dexter ades (imperative, as usual with prayers). Ovid presents his poem as an officium offered to Germanicus—a “lightweight tribute” that he prays Germanicus won’t turn up his nose at. I’m not too sure about numine, which seems rather loosely attached to dexter ades, but it effectively deifies him.
Some textual emendations were suggested by J B Hall (1991) https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/pdf/10.1484/J.EUPHR.5.126466, which seem to offer perhaps a better solution. But keeping with the present text, I don’t know if numine could be “with a nod.” That is, it’s a small honor, and it is hoped it will be received with just a small token of appreciation. “Come, favorable one, favor with a nod the act of kindness promised to you, having not shunned a small honor.”
I suspect “as a god” or “god-like” is the most plausible. Maybe “incline your head”..? Looking at the OLD the term seems to embody both divine blessing or some kind of transcendent assent.
Anne and Peter Wiseman has it as ‘…give it your godlike blessing and support.