Translation

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salvete,

Am having a little trouble nailing down a precise translation for the following from Cap XXXI in LL:

Quam ob rem nec ipse praesens nec absens per litteras quidquam cognovi de eo quod nuper Romae factum est

I’d appreciate someone setting me straight on it!

Also, from the Grammatica Latina section in the same chapter, I noticed the following:

Discipulus piger reprehendendus et puniendus est. Tacendum est.

The translation’s no problem. I’m unsure though as to why the first two verbs are in the nominative whilst the second is in the accusative.

Thanks,
Einhard.

2

On account of which, neither [me/myself] present nor absent have I learned anything by correspondence about what has happened recently in Rome.

Addendum

Nominative neuter not accusative case it’s in. If the case is wrong, the translation must have a problem, no? //Nominativo non accusativo casu neutrius generis est. Si falsus est casus, nonnè traductio aberret?
“Tacendum est” A&G §500.3 impersonal use // usus impersonalis: “You/one/we/all must be silent!”/

  • “ipse” A&G, §298.d.2
3

Nunc est bibendum!

4

So the nominative neuter passive periphrastic can be used in an impersonal sense, akin to a strongly stated suggestion, or even a command? I didn’t realise that. Looks like there are things in heaven and earth that aren’t dreamed of in my Wheelock!! Thanks for the info.

5

Also note that “taceo” is an intransitive verb so the only sort of passive it has is the impersonal passive (the English equivalent has no passive at all). This also applies with verbs like “credo” that dative objects. You have to say “credendum est Ciceroni” = “we must believe Cicero” / “Cicero is to be believed”. But these constructions with the gerundive can also have subjects in the dative, e.g. “discipulis tacendum est” = “students ought to be silent” and I think that might be implied in your sentence, although the general reading makes more sense to me.