Tricky Sentence! I need Help!

Latin Learning Latin
1

This is probably simple for some of you guys, but it is only my 3rd week of Latin 1 in school. I can’t translate the following sentence correctly from a reading in my book…

Propter perículum sacra deórum ad portam portábámus, et Anchísae dabámus.

I am very unsure if this is the correct translation…

On account of danger, we were carrying the sacreds of the gods toward the gate, and we were giving to Anchísés.

Could someone please tell me if this is right or not. If it is not, could you translate it for me? Also it would help to give the case and why of the nouns so I can understand why it should be.

threewood14

2

It is all right. “… and we were giving it (the sacra, implied) to Anchises.”

3

So the adjective sacra is the direct object? And they are giving sacreds to Anchises. Gotcha! Thanks!

threewood14

4

Yes. Perhaps sacred things. And the gate may be a door.

5

Rather than an adjective, sacred things, is sacra not plural of sacrum - sacrifices/sacred vessels, or religious rites?

6

Of course it’s a noun – sacrum indeed. I was not suggesting that Latin treats it as an adjective and silently assumes a noun, merely that English requires a noun (things) since in English sacred is an adjective and sacreds is odd. But (1) it can’t be rites, because you can’t carry them! (2) Vessels is too narrow: sacrum just means “sacred object”.

7

Thankyou so much

threewood14