She

Composition and Communication Composition Board
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Image 18

Leo spoke to me in English. Billali did not understand.
Deinde, Leone Anglice mihi loquente, Villaricus non intellexit.

Ἔπειτα, Λέοντος Ἀγγλιστί μοι λαλοῦντος, Βιλλαρικὸς οὐ συνῆκεν.

She! The white queen of Kor! We’re on the right track!
Illa, regina alba Cori! Recte pervestigamus!

Ἐκείνη, ἡ λευκὴ βασίλισσα Κόρου. Ὀρθῶς ἀνιχνεύομεν.

I hope it does not cost us our lives!

Ne hoc nos perdat!

Μὴ τοῦτο ἀπολέσαι ἡμᾶς.

My men will carry you on litters. Swamp journey is long and treacherous. Make haste!
Viri mei portabunt vos in lecticis. Iter per paludem longum et periculosum. Festinate!

Ἄνδρες μου βαστάσουσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν φορείοις. Ὁδὸς διὰ τέλματος μακρὰ καὶ ἐπικίνδυνος. Σπεύδετε.

I wonder what reason there is for haste in a land where people speak an ancient Egyptian language and are ruled by a queen who is said to have lived for two thousand years!

Dubito qua de causa nobis festinandum sit, cum hic homines antiquorum lingua Ægyptiorum loquentes regantur a regina quæ dicitur duo milia annorum vixisse.

Ἀπορῶ διὰ τί δεῖ ἡμᾶς σπεύδειν, τῶν αὐτοῦ ἀνθρώπων λαλούντων τῇ τῶν ἀρχαίων Αἰγυπτίων γλώσσῃ καὶ ἀρχομένων ὑπὸ βασιλίσσης λεγομένης γε δισχίλια ἔτη βεβιωκέναι.

It was for this journey I had raised Leo. Twenty years of preparation to seek the white queen of Kor, murderess of Kallikrates!
Billali!

Help!

Propter vero iter hoc docueram Leonem, viginti annos parans eum quærere reginam albam Cori, homicidam Callicratis.

Villatice!

Succurrite!

Πρὸς μὴν ταύτην τὴν πορείαν ἐπεπαιδεύκη Λέοντα, εἴκοσιν ἔτη παρασκευάζων αὐτὸν ζητεῖν τὴν λευκὴν βασίλισσαν Κόρου, τὴν φονεύτριαν Καλλικράτους.

Βιλλαρικέ.

Βοηθήσατε.

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Image 19

What happened?
Billali slipped and fell!
I am lost!

Quid accidit?
Villaticus lapsus cecidit!
Pereo!

Τί ἐγένετο;
Βιλλαρικὸς ὀλισθήσας πέπτωκεν.
Ἀπόλλυμαι.

Why don’t they help him?
They are afraid!
I’ll save Billali.

Cur non succurrunt?
Quia pavent!
Ipse Villaticum salvum faciam!

Διὰ τί οὐ βοηθοῦσιν;
Ὅτι φοβοῦνται.
Αὐτὸς σώσω Βιλλαρικόν.

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Image 20

Hurry!

Festina!

Σπεῦδε.

Billali was our only hope. If he died, the Amahaggar would have killed us in cold blood!

Villaticus vero erat una spes nostra. Nam si mortuus esset, Amagerrhæi nos trucidavisset!

Ὁ δὴ Βιλλαρικὸς ἦν ἡ μόνη ἐλπὶς ἡμῶν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν, οἱ Ἀμαγερραῖοι ἀπέσφαξαν ἂν ἡμᾶς.

My friend! I will never forget that you saved my life. In the days ahead you may ask of me a favor. Be sure I will grant you any favor you ask!

Amice mi, numquam obliviscar te salvum me fecisse. In posterum fortasse gratiam a me petiveris. Profecto tibi concedam quodcumque petiveris.

Φίλε μου, οὔποτε ἐπιλήσομαί σού με σώσαντος. Ὕστερον ἴσως αἰτήσειας ἄν με χάριν. Ἀληθῶς συγχωρήσω σοι ὅ,τι ἂν αἰτήσῃς.

We started forward again. Little did I imagine the sight that would greet my eyes when I awakened in the morning!

Postea iterum profecti sumus. Mane autem surgens nequaquam conjectassem quod in oculis apparuit.

Ἔπειτα δὲ πάλιν ὡρμήσαμεν. Πρωῒ δ’ ἐγερθεὶς οὐδαμῶς ἂν ᾔκασα ὃπερ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐφάνη.

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Image 21
Image 22

Home of the Amahaggar. A mile-deep volcanic crater, seven miles wide. A strange remote land within a strange land, where the Amahagger people, remnants of an ancient race, lived out their lives in rock caves!

Ecce patria Amagerrhæorum, scilicet crater mille passuum altus, septem autem millia latus. Terra vero mira atque remota intra terram miram, ubi populus Amagerrhæorum, reliquiæ gentis antiquæ, vivebat in cavernis!

Ἰδοὺ ἡ πατρὶς τῶν Ἀμαγερραίων, δηλαδὴ κρατήρ τις ὀκτὼ μὲν σταδίους τὸ βάθος, ἑξήκοντα δὲ τὸ εὖρος. Γῆ δὴ θαυμασία καὶ κεχωρισμένη ἐν γῇ θαυμασίᾳ, ὅπου ὁ τῶν Ἀμαγερραίων λαὸς καταλειφθεὶς γένους ἀρχαίου ἐβιότευεν ἐν ἄντροις.



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Image 23

What do you make of this, uncle Holly?

It dates back to the early kings of Ra!

Quid de hoc censes, avuncule Ilex?

Factum est tempore antiquorum regum Ra!

Τί δοκεῖ σοι περὶ τούτου, θεῖε Πρῖνε;

Ἐποιήθη ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων βασιλέων Ῥά.

Keep your hand on your gun.

You are the white queen… She!

Habe manum ad sclopetum!

Tu es regina alba… Illa!

Ἔχε τὴν χεῖραν ἐπὶ τῷ πυροβόλῳ.

Σὺ εἶ ἡ λευκὴ βασίλισσα… Ἐκείνη.

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Image 24

No! I am Ustane, proud daughter of Amahaggar.

White queen sits on her throne in the palace of Kor.

Leo could not resist the exotic Egyptian nymph.

Non, verum Statia sum, gloriosa filia Amagerrhæorum.

Regina alba sedet super solium in regia Coris.

Leo ne potuit quidem peregrinæ ex Ægypto virgini obsistere.

Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ Στατή εἰμί, ἔνδοξος θυγάτηρ Ἀμαγερραίων .

Βασίλισσα λευκὴ κάθηται ἐπὶ θρόνου ἐν βασιλείοις Κόρου.

Λέων μὲν οὐκ ἐδυνήθη τῇ ξένῃ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου νύμφῃ ἐνίστασθαι.

I was struck by Leo’s amazing resemblance to the lost race of Egypt. He belonged to this ancient land!

You are my husband, Ustane is your wife!

Ego autem mirans animadverti Leonem ablatis ex Ægypto gentilibus similem esse. Pertinebat enim isti antiquæ terræ!

Tu vir meus, Statia uxor tua!

Ἐγὼ δ’ ἐνεθυμήθην θαυμάζων Λέοντα ἐοικότα τοῖς ἠφανισμένοις ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ὁμοεθνέσι. Προσῆκεν γὰρ ταύτῃ τῇ ἀρχαίᾳ γῇ.

Σὺ ἀνήρ μου, Στατὴ γυνή σου.

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Image 25

Mohamed seemed next in line for matrimony.

No! No! You strange people!

Mahometus videbatur mox nuptias celebraturus.

Nequaquam! Vos homines alieni!

Μουχαμέτης ἐδόκει αὐτίκα ποιήσειν γάμους.

Μηδαμῶς. Ὑμεῖς ἄνθρωποι ἀλλότριοι.

An odd custom of the Amahaggar people. The women choose their own husbands. Leo and Ustane are wed as long as he stays here.

Θαυμάσιον ἔθος λαοῦ Ἀμαγερραίου· γυναῖκες αἱροῦνται ἑαυτῶν ἄνδρας. Λέων καὶ Στατὴ γεγαμήκασιν ἕως αὐτὸς παρ’ ἡμῖν μένει.

Mirus mos populi Amagerrhæi: mulieres sibi suos viros capiunt. Leo et Statia nuptiis juncti sunt dum ipse apud nos manet.

No want man with beard. Do not trust black beard!

Dangerous people! Leo is young. He fails to see that this so-called marriage can complicate the search for the white queen.

Non cupio barbatum. Non confido barbæ nigræ!

Populus periculosus! Cum Leo adolescens sit, non videt quomodo istis, ut ita dicam, nuptiis inquisitio reginæ albæ impeditior fieri possit.

Οὐκ ἐπιθυμέω πωγωνίου. Οὐ πιστεύω πώγωνι μέλανι.

Λαὸς ἐπικίνδυνος. Λέων δὲ νεανίας ὤν, οὐχ ὁρᾷ πῶς τούτοις, ὡς εἰπεῖν, γάμοις ἡ τῆς λευκῆς βασιλίσσης ζήτησις ἐμποδίζοιτο ἄν.

Billali must leave you for now. You have good time… banquet…much to eat!

Nunc Villarico abeundum est a vobis. Avete… convivium… multi cibi!

Νῦν δεῖ Βιλλαρικὸν ἀπαλλαχθῆναι ὑμῶν. Εὐψυχεῖτε… συμπόσιον… πολλὰ ἐδέσματα.

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Image 26

The woman spurned by Mohamed…

An odd banquet.. no food in sight! The Amahaggar seemed angry because Mahomed had refused to marry the woman.

Mulier a Mahometo recusata…

Mirum convivium! Nullus enim cibus erat in conspectu! Amagerrhæi autem irati videbantur quia Mahometus ducere uxorem recusavisset.

Ἡ γυνὴ Μουχαμέτῃ ἀνανενευμένη.

Θαυμάσιον συμπόσιον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἓν ἔδεσμα ἦν ἐν ὄψει. Οἱ δ’ Ἀμαγερραῖοι ὀργιζόμενοι ἐφαίνοντο ὅτι Μουχαμέτης ἀνανεύσειε γαμεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα.

A large pot was heated in the flames.

Your revolver, Leo! Shoot! Or Mahomed will die!

Olla magna flammis urebatur.

Sclopetum, Leo! Jace aut Mahometus morietur!

Χύτρα μεγάλη φλοξὶν ἐκαίετο.

Τὸ περίστροφον, Λέον. Βάλε ἢ Μουχαμέτης ἀποθανεῖται.

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Image 27

We broke loose in the confusion.

Run for it! Outside!

A boulder makes a good fort!

E tumultu nos eripuimus.

Eja, excurre!

Saxum fit utile castellum!

Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ θορύβου ἐξωρμήσαμεν.

Εἶα, ἔκδραμε.

Πέτρος γίγνεται χρηστὸν φρούριον.

I was glad I had taught Leo to shoot straight!

Bullseye, Uncle Holly!

Leo was seriously wounded. Perhaps fatally.

Gunfire could not stop the Amahaggar!

Gavisus sum quod Leonem docueram recta jaculari.

In scopum, avuncule Ilex!

Leo autem sæve vulneratus prope aderat quin moriretur.

Νam utentes sclopetis non potuimus arcere Amagerrhæos.

Ἐχάρην μὲν παιδεύσας Λέοντα εὐθὺ βάλλειν.

Ἐπὶ σκοπόν, θεῖε Πρῖνε.

Λέων δὲ χαλεπῶς τραυματισθεὶς ἐκινδύνευε ἀποθανεῖν.

Χρώμενοι γὰρ τοῖς πυροβόλοις οὐκ ἐδυνήθημεν εἴργειν τοὺς Ἀμαγερραίους.

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Image 28
Image 29

Stop in the name of She!

Leo is wounded! His side has been pierced by a spear!

Silence! She comes!

Cessate in nomine Illius!

Leo vulneratus est! Nam unus istorum lancea latus ejus aperuit!

Silete! Illa venit!

Λήγετε ἐν ὀνόματι Ἐκείνης.

Λέων τέτρωται. Εἷς γὰρ τούτων λόγχῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυξεν.

Σιγᾶτε. Ἐκείνη ἔρχεται.

The white queen!

Dogs! Let the fighting cease!

Welcome to the land of Kor!

Regina alba.

Canes, desinite pugnare!

Recipio vos in terram Cori!

Ἡ λευκὴ βασίλισσα.

Κύνες, παύσασθε μαχόμενοι.

Ὑποδέχομαι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν Κόρου.



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Image 30

She believed in the Egyptian idea that the dead came back to earth in new bodies.

Illa autem hoc Ægyptiorum persuasum habebat, animas post mortem in alia corpora ingredi.

Ἐκείνη δὲ τῷδε τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐπέπειστο, ὅτι αἱ ψυχαὶ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον εἰς ἄλλα σώματα ἐνδύοιντο.

Two thousand years have I waited for the return in the flesh of one whom I loved, but murdered in a jealous rage. His name was Kallicrates.

Duo milia annorum expecto incarnationem amasii quidem mei, quem autem ob zelotypiam irata occidi. Nomen vero ei Callicrates.

Δισχίλια ἔτη ἀναμένω τὴν σάρκωσιν τοῦ μὲν ἐρωμένου μου, ὃν δὲ διὰ ζηλοτυπίαν ὀργισθεῖσα ἐφόνευσα. Ὄνομα δὴ αὐτῷ Καλλικράτης.

That is why you have been brought here. I hope that each passing traveler will be my beloved Kallicrates.

Propterea huc adducti estis. Spero enim quemque hac iter facientem Callicratem meum dilectum fore.

Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν δεῦρο ἤχθητε. Ἐλπίζω γὰρ ἕκαστόν τινα τῇδε πορευόμενον Καλλικράτην μου τὸν ἀγαπητὸν ἔσεσθαι.

I have found the secret of life for ever! The pillar of flame!

She believed that the dead Kallikrates would return to the earth alive!

Inveni secretum vitæ æternæ, columnam ardentem!

Illa ergo persuasum habebat mortuum Callicratem fore ut in terris reviviscat.

Εὔρηκα τὸ ἀπόρρητον ζωῆς αἰωνίου, τὴν φλεγομένην κίονα.

Ἐκείνη οὖν ἐπέπειστο τὸν τεθνηκότα Καλλικράτην κατὰ τὴν γῆν ἀναζήσειν.

When Kallikrates returns, I will show him the secret of life for ever. We will bathe in the pillar of flame!

Who is this man? Can it be?

Cum Callicrates reversus erit, monstrabo ei secretum vitæ æternæ. Lavabimur enim in columna ardenti!

Quis homo ’st? Num fieri potest?

Ὅταν Καλλικράτης ἐπανέλθῃ, δείξω αὐτῷ τὸ ἀπόρρητον ζωῆς αἰωνίου. Λουσόμεθα γὰρ ἐν τῇ φλεγομένῃ κίονι.

Τίς ἅνθρωπος; Ἆρα τοῦτο δυνατόν;

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Image 31

She believed Kallicrates had returned to earth at last.

Kallikrates! You have come back to me!

Et Illa persuasum habebat Callicratem tandem ad terram rediisse.

O Callicrates, ad me rediisti!

Καὶ Ἐκείνη ἐπέπειστο Καλλικράτην εἰς τὴν γῆν διὰ χρόνου τοσούτου ἐπανεληλυθέναι.

Ὦ Καλλίκρατες, ἐπανελήλυθας παρ’ ἐμέ.

Kallikrates! I have waited two thousand years for your soul to journey through the spirit world and return to me in the flesh!

He is badly wounded, unconscious and on the verge of death!

O Callicrates, duo milia annorum expecto dum anima tua, itinere per Orcum perfecto, incarnata ad me redeat.

Sæve vulneratus est, sensu caret, moribundus videtur.

Ὦ Καλλίκρατες, δισχίλια ἔτη ἀναμένω ἕως ἂν ἡ ψυχή σου, πορευθεῖσα διὰ τοῦ Αἵδου καὶ σαρκώσασα, παρὰ ἐμὲ ἐπανέλθῃ.

Χαλεπῶς τέτρωται, ἀναίσθητός ἐστι, καὶ ὅσον οὐ τελευτῶν.

An ancient Egyptian drug that will save him from death!

I allowed She to minister to the dying Leo. I could not help him. She might. I had heard much of the amazing cures of Egypt.

Ecce, medicamentum antiquorum Ægyptiorum quod eum salvum faciet.

Concessi ergo Illi ut Leoni morienti mederetur. Nam ego non poteram eum juvare. Illa autem fortasse posset. Multa enim de mirificis medicinis Aegyptiorum audiveram.

Ἰδού, φάρμακον τῶν ἀρχαίων Αἰγυπτίων, τὸ σῶσον αὐτόν.

Eἴασα οὖν Ἐκείνην θεραπεύειν τὸν Λέοντα ἀποθνῄσκοντα. Ἔγωγε μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἐδυνάμην ὠφελεῖν αὐτόν. Ἐκείνη δὲ τάχ’ ἂν ἐδύνατο. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἠκηκόη περὶ τῶν θαυμαστῶν ἰαμάτων τῶν Αἰγυπτίων.

How strange if Leo would come to love this evil woman who had murdered the first of the Vincey family!

I love you, Kallikrates!

Quam mirum si Leo istam scelestam, quæ primogenitum familiæ Vinciææ ceciderat, amaturus fuisset!

Te amo, o Callicrates!

Ὡς θαυμαστὸν εἰ Λέων ἔμελλεν ἐρᾶν ταύτης τῆς πονηρᾶς τῆς φονεύσης τὸν τοῦ Οὐιγκιαίου οἴκου πρωτότοκον.

Σοῦ ἐρῶ, ὦ Καλλίκρατες.

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Et Illa persuasum habebat Callicratem in terras postremo rediisse.

tandem ad terram

Καὶ Ἐκείνη ἐπέπειστο Καλλικράτην εἰς τὴν γῆν τὸ τελευταῖον ἐπανεληλυθέναι.

διὰ χρόνου τοσούτου

Καλλίκρατες, ἐπανελήλυθας παρ’ ἐμέ.

ὦ Κ.,

Sæve vulneratus est, sensu caret, in præcipiti 'st.

moribundus videtur.

Χαλεπῶς τέτρωται, ἀναίσθητός ἐστιν, εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον ἐλήλυθεν.

καὶ ὅσον οὐ τελευτῶν.

Ecce, medicamentum antiquorum Ægyptiorum quod eum salvum faciat.

faciet.

Nam ego non poteram eum juvare. Illa autem potuisset.

, Illa autem fortasse posset. (potuisset suggests she could have done but didn’t.)

Συνεχώρησα οὖν Ἐκείνῃ θεραπεύειν τὸν ἀποθνῄσκοντα Λέοντα.

εἴασα οὖν Ἐκείνην
τὸν Λέοντα ἀποθνῄσκοντα.

Ἐκείνη **δ’ ἐδυνήθη ἄν.

δὲ τάχ’ ἂν ἐδύνατο.**
I had heard much of the amazing cures of Egypt.
multa enim de mirificis medicinis Aegyptiorum audiveram
πολλὰ γαρ …
Ὡς θαυμαστὸν εἰ Λέων ἐμέλλησεν ἐρᾶν ταύτης τῆς πονηρᾶς φονεύσης τὸν τοῦ Οὐιγκιαίου οἴκου πρωτότοκον.
ἐμέλλεν
τῆς φονεύσης
Σοῦ ἐρῶ, Καλλίκρατες.
ὦ Κ.

Hope this helps. Do ask if you don’t see the reason for the suggested change. It still reads very English and flat, and I haven’t done much about that.

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Thank you!

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(Disclaimer: I have not read most of it)

In fact you could take a hint from Xenophon here maybe:

φησὶ γὰρ Ἡρακλέα, ἐπεὶ ἐκ παίδων εἰς ἥβην ὡρμᾶτο, ἐν ᾗ οἱ νέοι ἤδη αὐτοκράτορες γιγνόμενοι δηλοῦσιν εἴτε τὴν δι᾽ ἀρετῆς ὁδὸν τρέψονται ἐπὶ τὸν βίον εἴτε τὴν διὰ κακίας, ἐξελθόντα εἰς ἡσυχίαν καθῆσθαι ἀποροῦντα ποτέραν τῶν ὁδῶν τράπηται (Memorabilia 2.1.21)

I’m interested to know the goal of this exercise? Is it to improve your own Latin/Greek, create a pedagogical tool, …? And why did you choose this book?

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Wouldn’t posset imply lack of fulfillment? I think that’s what’s generally implied by a potential imperfect subjunctive. Or does posse work differently? (I wouldn’t be surprised)

I agree with your comment on potuisset of course.

37

ἐμέλλεν > ἔμελλεν. (Sorry about that. In changing the ending of your ἐμέλλησεν I neglected to change the accent.)

38

I like comic books. That’s how I learned to read as a child. So they are, at least for me, a great pedagogical tool. When I was in high school,. I liked to translate from Italian to Latin. Now this exercise helps me remember the grammar and improve my knowledge of phraseology. I chose this book because it is in the public domain, has good graphics, and the story (so archetypal!) is very engaging.
I do recommend you read the real thing, the book, which has Greek composition (and Latin translation) within! Much better than mine, needless to say. If you are interested, I completed the translations of BenHur and Aladdin. They are also available for free on archive.org, or you can order printed copies on Lulu.

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Thank you. I should have known myself.

40

Callisper, Sorry, I missed your post. Thanks for querying posset. possit would have been better, wouldn’t it? (That may be what I meant to write.) But I suppose we should really be in oratio obliqua for this bit, e.g. Illam fort. posse putabam. That conveniently dodges the question of both tense and mood :smiley: (unless you’d prefer periphrastic future, rather cumbersome).

My own disclaimer: I haven’t read more than these particular bits myself. I look in on these threads of bedwere’s only very occasionally (he has an Aesop’s fables one too) and suggest a change or two, whereupon he usually goes back and edits his original post to silently adopt my suggestions (without signalling an edit—hey, he’s a Moderator, he can do things like that).