I wonder if anyone would be so kind as to look over my translation of the following passage and point out any errors. I’m fairly confident about it in general, but there are one or two points where I’m not so sure.
Orator imitetur illum cui summa vis dicendi conceditur, Demosthenem, in quo tantum studium fuisse dicitur ut impedimenta naturae diligentia industriaque superaret. Nam cum ita balbus esset ut illius ipsius artis cui studeret primam litteram non posset dicere, perfecit meditando ut nemo planius loqueretur. Deinde, cum spiritus eius esset angustior, spiritu continendo multum perfecit in dicendo; et coniectis in os calculis, summa voce versus multos uno spiritu pronuntiare consuescebat; neque id faciebat stans uno in loco sed ambulans.
Let the orator imitate that man to/for whom the highest force/power is conceded to be spoken, Demosthenes, in whom it is said that zeal/study existed to such an extent that he overcame natural handicaps through diligence and industry. For when he was stuttering so that he was unable to say the first letter of that very art itself to/for which he studied, he practiced thoroughly so that nobody spoke more clearly. Then when his breath was lower, he much accomplished/brought about the breath to be contained in [the speech] to be spoken; and pebbles put in his mouth, he became used to proclaiming many verses through his highest voice in one breath; and nor did he do this standing in one location but walking.
As you’ve probably noticed, my translation of “perfecit meditando” and “spiritu continendo multum perfecit in dicendo” is somewhat halting. I can’t for the life of me though, see how it could be rendered any differently. Any suggestions?
For despite stuttering to the extent that he couldn’t say the first letter of that very art which he studied (Rhetoric), by practising he succeeded to the extent that no one spoke more clearly.
Deinde cum = as soon as his breath became more restricted, he accomplished a lot speaking with concentrated breath; and he formed the habit of reciting lots of verses in a single breath at the top of his voice with pebbles stuffed into his mouth.
Here’s a painting of Demosthenes in action, declaiming to the sea to practice his voice (coniecti in os calculi not pictured). Ecce tabula quae Demosthenen ostendit in pontum declamantem ut vocem melioret. (coniecti in os calculi non liquent).
Thanks for that, but I’m still somewhat confused over the two phrases I mentioned. First off: “perfecit metitando”. Am I right to translate the second word as the gerundive, “by going to be practiced/by to be practiced”? And if so, why is it used in the context of that sentence? Wouldn’t something like the present act. part, “metante” be better?
The same query applies to “dicendo”. A literal translation would be gerundive “by going to be spoken/to be spoken”. I know that idiom has to be accounted for, but still, wouldn’t “dicente” be more appropriate?
“meditando” and “in dicendo” are both gerunds (not gerundives). That is, they are verbal nouns in the ablative. “He accomplished through/by practicing,” and “he accomplished much in speaking” [i.e., he accomplished a lot with his speaking].
