DEMONSTRATIONS
IN
UNSEEN TRANSLATION

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NOTE

The use of a personal mode of address in the following Demonstrations is explained by the fact that they are written primarily for the use of boys. It is hoped, however, that they may be found useful to masters also, and that the fulness with which each passage is treated may supply some helpful suggestions.

Demonstration I.

Fierce encounter with the Germans.

(a) Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est. |II| At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt. |III| Reperti sunt complures nostri milites, qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent. |IV| Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset, a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant. |V| Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens, qui equitatui praeerat, quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur, tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit. |VI| Ita proelium restitutum est. ||

Caesar.

Fierce encounter with the Germans.

(b) Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est. II At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt. III Reperti sunt complures nostri milites [qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent.] IV [Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset,] a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant. V [Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens,] [qui equitatui praeerat,] [quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur,] tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit. VI Ita proelium restitutum est.

Caesar.

Demonstration I.

Caesar, B. G. i. 52. Reiectis pilis . . . restitutum est.

Heading and Author.—This tells you enough for working purposes, even if you do not remember the outline facts of Caesar’s campaign against Ariovistus, the chief of the Germans, called in by the Gauls in their domestic quarrels, who conquered and ruled them until he was himself crushed by the Romans.

Read through the passage carefully.—As you do this, notice all allusions and key-words that help you to the sense of the passage, e.g. Germani, nostri milites, Publius Crassus. The general sense of the passage should now be so plain (i.e. an incident in a battle between the Germans and the Romans) that you may begin to translate sentence by sentence.

I. Reiectis pilis cominus gladiis pugnatum est.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Reiectis = re + iacio = throw back or away. The context will tell you which is the better meaning for re-. Notice the force of all prefixes in composition, whether separate or inseparable as here. For re-, see pp. 280, 281.

pilis = the pīlum, the distinctively Roman missile weapon.

cominus = comminus: i.e. con (= cum) + manus = hand to hand. N.B.—In composition a often becomes i, cf. iacio, re-icio; and cf. e-minus = at a distance.

(ii.) Translation.—

PUGNATUM EST. The only finite verb in the sentence, and the principal one. The form shows you it is a so-called impersonal verb, and therefore the subject must be sought from the verb itself in connection with the context. Here, clearly, you must translate the battle was fought.

cominus tells us how, i.e. hand to hand.

reiectis pilis. You will recognise this as an ablative absolute phrase. But do not translate this literally their javelins having been thrown away, for this is not English. Let the principal verb and the sense generally guide you to the force of the phrase. Thus you can see here that the Roman soldiers had no use for their javelins, and so threw them away as a useless encumbrance. (The context tells us that the Roman soldiers had no time to hurl their javelins against the foe.) You can now translate the whole sentence—(and so) the Romans threw away their javelins and fought hand to hand with swords.

II. At Germani celeriter, ex consuetudine sua, phalange facta, impetus gladiorum exceperunt.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

ex consuetudine sua = according to their custom. You will probably have met with consuetudo, or consuesco, or suesco. Our own word custom comes from it through the French coutume. For this use of ex cf. ex sententia, ex voluntate.

phalange = phalanx. If you learn Greek, you will readily think of the famous Macedonian phalanx.

impetus = attacks = in + peto (= aim at). Cf. our impetus, impetuous.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains only one finite verb, the principal one.

EXCEPERUNT = (they) received. Who received? Clearly

GERMANI = the Germans. Received what?

IMPETUS = the attacks. impetūs must be Acc. Plur.

All you now have to do is to assign to their proper places the words and phrases that remain. Of these

1. celeriter 2. ex consuetudine sua 3. phalange facta	modify the action of exceperunt, telling us when and how they received, and
4. gladiorum belongs to impetūs.

Now translate the whole sentence. But the Germans quickly formed into a phalanx, as was their custom, and received the attacks of the swords (i.e. of the Romans with drawn swords).

III. Reperti sunt complures nostri milites, qui in phalangas insilirent, et scuta manibus revellerent, et desuper vulnerarent.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

insilirent = in + salio = leap-on. And cf. our insult. Notice the usual phonetic change of vowel from a to i. (English derivatives will often help you to the meaning of a Latin word, though, for reasons that are explained to you in the Introduction, pp. 1, 2, § 4, you must let them lead you up to the root-meaning of the Latin word rather than to an exact translation.)

revellerent = re + vello = pluck-away. If you forget the meaning of vello, the supine vulsum through some English derivative—e.g. re-vulsion, con-vulsion—will probably help you to the root-meaning.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains four finite verbs. As you read it through, underline the principal verb, clearly REPERTI SUNT, and bracket qui to vulnerarent. You cannot doubt which verbs to include in your bracket, for qui, which is a subordinate conjunction as well as a relative pronoun, serves as a sure signpost. Also revellerent and vulnerarent are joined by et—et to insilirent, so your bracket includes all from qui to vulnerarent. The commas in the passage will often help you to the beginning and end of a subordinate clause. Now begin with the principal verb REPERTI SUNT and its subject complures nostri MILITES, many of our soldiers were found.

qui . . . vulnerarent. This subordinate clause describes, just as an adjective does, the character of these complures nostri, so that qui = tales ut—i.e. brave enough to leap upon the phalanxes, and pluck away the shields (of the Germans) and wound them from above.

IV. Cum hostium acies a sinistro cornu pulsa atque in fugam conversa esset, a dextro cornu vehementer multitudine suorum nostram aciem premebant.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

ăcies = line of battle.

√ac = sharp (cf. ācer), perhaps thought of as the edge of a sword.

cornu = horn; so, figuratively, the wing of an army.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains three finite verbs. Underline PREMEBANT, clearly the principal verb, and bracket cum to conversa esset. Here the signpost is the subordinate conjunction cum. Next find the subject of premebant: obviously no word from a dextro to aciem can be the subject; it is implied in premebant—i.e. they, which as context shows = Germani. Now find the object = nostram aciem = our line.

Thus you have as the backbone of the whole sentence:—

They (the Germans) were pressing our line.

All the rest of the sentence will now take its proper place, as in some way modifying the action of premebant.

Thus:—

cum . . . conversa esset	tells us	when	they were pressing.
a dextro cornu	„   „	where	„ „
vehementer	„   „	how	„ „
multitudine suorum	„   „	how or why	„ „

N.B.—suorum, reflexive, must be identical with the subject of premebant.

Now translate

Though When	the enemy’s line had been routed and put to flight on their left wing,
on their right wing, owing to their great numbers, they were pressing hard upon our line.

V. Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens, qui equitatui praeerat, quod expeditior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versabantur, tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

animadvertisset = animum + ad + verto = to turn the mind to, to observe.

adulescens = here like our junior, to distinguish him from his father, Marcus Crassus the triumvir.

expeditior = more free (ex + pes = foot-free; so impeditus = hampered, hindered).

versabantur—(verso frequent. of verto) = turn this way and that; so verso-r dep. = turn oneself, engage in, be, according to the context.

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence is more involved, ‘periodic’8 in style. You will see on p. 23 how much help can be given by a more detailed analysis.

Now, as before, bracket the subordinate clauses thus:—

and then the only principal verb is MISIT. Underline this. Next underline the principal subject, clearly P. CRASSUS, which is also the subject of clause 1. Then, outside the brackets, the only possible object is ACIEM: underline this.

Now analyse, as on p. 23.

(a) Write down CRASSUS, MISIT, ACIEM.

(b) Place alongside these their proper enlargements.

(c) If necessary, analyse separately all subordinate clauses—e.g. A₁, A₂, A₃ in example on p. 23.

You should now be able to translate without any difficulty; only take care to arrange the enlargements so as to make the best sense and the best English. Thus: When Publius Crassus the younger, who was in command of the cavalry, had observed this, he sent the third line to the help of our men who were hard pressed, as he was more free to act than those who were engaged in action.

VI. Ita proelium restitutum est. In this way the battle was restored.

Final Hints.

Remember that one passage mastered is worth a great many hurriedly translated. So before you leave this passage notice carefully in the

I. Vocabulary.—

(i.) Any words that are quite new to you. Look them out in the dictionary, and notice their derivation and use; if you do not do this you will find the same word new to you the next time you meet with it.

(ii.) English Derivatives.—As you have seen, these will often help you to the root-meaning of a word. Thus:—

and in the case of verbs, as these two examples show, derivatives are most easily found from the supine stem.

N.B.—This must be done very carefully, because many such English derivatives have come from Latin words after they had wholly, or in part, lost their classical meaning, or from Latin words not found at all in classical Latin.

A great many other English words are derived from the Latin of this passage—e.g. pugnacious, (with) celerity, fact, except, military, manual, super-sede, vulnerable, hostile, sinister, uni-corn, and many others.

(iii.) Prefixes.—Notice especially the force of prepositions and inseparable particles in composition, e.g.:—

(iv.) Simple Phonetic Changes in Composition, e.g.:—

a to i in insilirent, cominus (con + manus).

(v.) Groups of Related Words.

Thus

II. Historical and other Allusions.—

(i.) Read a summary of Caesar’s campaign against Ariovistus.

(ii.) Terms relating to War.—Thus notice:—

pilum, the distinctively Roman infantry weapon, and see a good illustration.

phalanx; cf. the Roman testudo.

tertiam aciem—i.e. the line of reserves, kept for just such emergencies. Read, if necessary, some short account of the triplex acies, the usual Roman order of battle.

III. Some Authorities.—

(i.) Caesar, Allen and Greenough, published by Ginn & Co. (an admirable edition).

(ii.) Froude’s Caesar, p. 50.

(iii.) Mommsen’s History of Rome, vol. iv. p. 295.

(iv.) Napoleon’s Caesar, vol. ii. cap. 4, and vol. ii. p. 405.

Demonstration I.

Caesar, B. G. i. 52: ‘Reiectis pilis . . . restitutum est.’

Sentence	Kind of Sentence	Con­nective	Subject		Predicate		Object
			Simple	Enlarged	Simple	Enlarged	Simple	Enlarged
A. Id cum animadvertisset Publius Crassus adulescens, qui equitatui praeerat, quod expeditior rat quam hi ui inter aciem versabantur, tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit.	Principal (complex)		CRASSUS	1. Publius 2. adules­cens 3. qui . . . praeerat	MISIT	1. Id cum . . . adulescens (= when) 2. quod . . . versabantur (= why) 3. laborantibus . . . subsidio (= how)	ACIEM	tertiam
A1. Id cum animad­vertisset Publius Crassus adules­cens	Subordinate adverbial to MISIT in A	cum	Crassus	Publius	animad­vertisset	—	id	—
A2. qui equitatui praeerat	Subordinate adjectival to CRASSUS in A	qui	qui (= Crassus)	—	praeerat	equitatui	—	—
A3. quod expedi­tior erat quam hi qui inter aciem versa­bantur	Subordinate adverbial to MISIT in A	quod	(Crassus)	—	erat expedi­tior	quam . . . hi versa­bantur	—	—

8. See Introduction, pp. 7-9, § 11.

Demonstration II.

The Music of Arion.

The Music of Arion.

Demonstration II.

Ovid, Fasti ii. 83-92 (Hallam’s Edition).

Heading and Author.—The heading will probably suggest to you the well-known story of Arion and the Dolphin, and the name of the author, Ovid, will lead you to expect a beautiful version of the legend.

Read the Passage carefully.—As you read, notice all allusions that help you to the sense of the passage. Thus the first line (which you can no doubt translate at once) tells of the fame of Arion, and the succeeding lines describe the charm of his music.

The Form of the Passage: Elegiac Verse.—Scan9 as you read, and mark the quantity in the verse of all finals in -a. You will see the value of this, as you translate.

You can now begin to translate, taking one complete sentence at a time.

I. Quod mare non nōvit, quae nescit Ărīŏnă tellūs?

(i.) Vocabulary.—You will know all the words here, but observe nōvit = knows, not knew, for nōvi means I have become acquainted with, I have learned, and [Symbol: therefore] I know; and notice also the important cognates from the √γνο-, γνω-, -gna, -gno, γι-γνώ-σκω = I learn to know, cf. our know, ken, can, con—νό-ος (mind), -gna-rus = know-ing; no-sco (= gno-sco).

(ii.) Translation.—This sentence contains no subordinates; the two finite verbs, nōvit, nescit, are both principal.

Next, the form of the sentence, with the question-mark at the end, shows that mare must be the subject of nōvit, and tellus of nescit. (Ărīŏnă cannot be nominative, for the suffix -a is the usual Greek 3rd decl. Acc. Sing., where Latin has -em.) Also quod and quae are clearly interrogative and adjectival; so translate:—

What sea does not know, what land is ignorant of Arion?

N.B.—Try to render this line a little more poetically.

II. Carmine currentes ille tenēbat aquās.

(i.) Vocabulary.—You will know all these simple words.

(ii.) Translation.—Here again there are no subordinates. The principal verb is tenebat, the subject ille, and the object aquas; so translate:—

He used to stay the running waters by his song.

N.B.—Notice force of Imperfect in tenebat.

III. Saepe, sequens agnam, lupus est a voce retentus;

(i.) Vocabulary.—All you need notice here is the force of re- in retentus = held back, cf. our re-tain.

(ii.) Translation.—Before you translate, notice Ovid’s frequent use of parataxis, i.e. placing one thought side by side with another thought, without any connective, even although one thought is, in sense, clearly subordinate to another. This is one of the ways in which all great poets heighten the effect of what they say, and many examples of it are to be found in Ovid’s best elegiac verse. As you look through this passage you will find:

The principal verb is retentus est, the subject lupus. Sequens agnam describes lupus, and saepe and a voce tell us when and why the wolf was stayed.

Often has the wolf in pursuit of the lamb been stayed at the sound.

(For this use of a or ab to express origin or source cf. Ovid, Fasti, v. 655: Pectora traiectus Lynceo Castor ab ense.)

IV. Saepe avidum fŭgiens restitit agnă lupum.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Restitit = stood still; re + si-st-o, i.e. from √sta-, strengthened by reduplication; cf. ἵ-στη-μι. Contrast carefully meaning of re-sto, = stand firm or be left.

(ii.) Translation.—Again a very simple sentence. The principal verb is restitit, the subject agnă; fugiens avidum lupum enlarges the subject ăgna, and saepe tells us when the lamb stood still.

Often has the lamb, when fleeing from the hungry wolf, stood still (stopped short in its flight).

N.B.—Notice the parallelism in this couplet, where the parallel lines express the same idea. This is a characteristic feature of Hebrew poetry, e.g.:

and is frequently employed by Ovid.10

V. Saepe cănes lepŏresque umbrā cŭbuēre sub unā.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Lepŏres = hares. As this is closely connected by -que with cănes, you are not likely to confuse it with lĕpor (lepos; cf. λάμπω) = a charm, grace.

Cubuere = lay down. Cp. -cumbo in composition, and our recumbent, succumb, and cub-icle.

(ii.) Translation.—Another simple sentence about which there can be no doubt. The metre shows that umbrā must be taken with sub unā:—

Often have the dogs and the hares reclined beneath the same shade.

VI. Et stetit in saxo proximă cervă leae.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Leae = lioness. Lea (poetical form of leaena) suggests leo.

(ii.) Translation.—The metre shows proximă must be taken with cervă. But to translate the nearest stag (hind) makes nonsense, and renders leae untrans­latable, while the hind very close to the lioness makes good sense.

And the hind has stood still on the crag close beside the lioness.

VII. Et sĭne līte lŏquax cum Palladis ālite cornix sēdit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Līte = strife. To litigate = contest in law (lit + agere) may help you to the root-meaning.

Loquax = talkative, clearly connected with lŏq-uor, and loq-uacious. Alite = a bird, lit. winged; cf. āl-a, a wing.

Cornix = a crow, probably from √καρ; cf. our croak, and κόραξ, cor-vus, a raven.

Palladis. You have no doubt heard of Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη, the virgin goddess of war and of wisdom.

(ii.) Translation.—The force of the illustration lies in the strong contrast between the chattering, tale-bearing crow and the wise, silent owl sacred to the goddess of wisdom. Two such opposites, under the spell of Arion’s music, forget to quarrel, though for the time in close company.

And the chattering crow has without strife sat in company with the bird of Pallas.

VIII. Et accipitri iunctă cŏlumbă fuit.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Accipitri = hawk (a general name for birds of prey), probably from √πετ-, pet- = move quickly; cf. πέτ-ομαι = fly about; pĕt-o = fall upon, attack, seek.

So accipiter = ac + pĕt-, swift + flying; cf. ὠκύπτερος = swift-winged.

(ii.) Translation.—The metre shows that columbă and iunctă must be taken together:—

And the dove has-been-joined-to (has consorted with) the hawk.

IX. Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vōcalis Ărīōn,
   Tamquam fraternis obstŭpuisse mŏdis.

(i.) Vocabulary.—

Cynthia = Diana (Artemis), so called from Mt. Cynthus, in Delos, where she and Apollo were born.

Fertur = is said, asserted; cf. fĕrunt = they say.

Vōcalis = tuneful, clearly from same root as vox, vŏc-o, &c., of our vocal. For change of quantity cf. rex, rēgis, from rĕgo.

Obstŭpuisse = to have been spell-bound; stŭp-eo, stŭp-idus, and our stupefy, stupid will suggest the root-meaning.11

Mŏdis = measures, especially of verse, or, as here, of music.

(ii.) Translation.—You will remember that Apollo, the god who brings back light and sunshine in spring, is also the god of music and of poetry. Ovid skilfully implies that Arion’s playing was so beautiful that even Diana, Apollo’s own sister, mistakes Arion’s playing for her brother’s.

This sentence takes up a whole couplet, but is in form quite simple. Thus fertur is the incomplete predicate, and obstupuisse saepe tuis modis tamquam fraternis completes the predicate, i.e. tells us all that is said of the subject Cynthia.

Vōcalis Ărīon is clearly vocative, or nominative of address.

O tuneful Arion, often is Cynthia said to have been spell-bound by thy strains, as by those of her brother (Apollo).

Final Suggestions.

You have now learnt how to translate this passage, but you must do more before you can master it. Thus in these simple but beautiful lines notice:—

(i.) Vocabulary.—This is easy and familiar, but even if you know the meaning of the words study their cognates—i.e. related words—as pointed out to you in the vocabulary, e.g. under nōvit, p. 25, sentence I.

(ii.) English Derivatives.—Remember that often, where you cannot think of an English derivative, some very familiar French word will help you to the root-meaning of the Latin. Thus:—

Latin.	French.	English.
Carmine	Charme	Charm (Song)
Agnam	Agneau	Lamb
Lupus	Loup	Wolf
Cerva	Cerf	Stag (Hind)

and notice that where the English word, e.g. charm, differs in spelling from the Latin, it is because it comes to us through a French channel. Cf. feat from Fr. fait = L. factum.

(iii.) Allusions and Parallel Passages.—In verse these are often numerous and important. Poetry is naturally full of imagery, and borrows from many sources. Thus, for ll. 1-8, compare Hor. Od. I. xii. 5:

and Verg. G. iv. 510:

‘Mulcentem tigris et agentem carmine quercus.’

Shakesp. Hen. VIII. III. i.:

or read Tennyson’s poem ‘Amphion.’

Lines 5, 6.—Cf. Isaiah xi. 6: ‘The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.’

(iv.) Hints for Verses.—Ovid is the acknowledged master of elegiac verse. Therefore, whenever you have a passage of his elegiacs to translate, you should, if possible, learn it by heart. (The Arion story as told by Ovid is well worth a place in any collection of Ediscenda.) If you cannot do this, notice useful phrases and turns of expression, e.g.:—

Line 1.—A question, instead of a bare statement, where no answer is expected.

Cf. ‘Quod crimen dicis praeter amasse meum?’

(Dido to Aeneas, Ov. Her. vii. 164.)

Lines 3, 4.—Parataxis and repetition of idea.

Line 9.—Vocalis Arion, apostrophe.

Line 2.—Simplicity; alliteration.

(v.) The Poem as Literature.—Ovid here depicts in language purposely exaggerated the power of music over the hearts of men, and even over nature, animate and inanimate. This gives point to the strong contrast in the lines which follow, where greed dominates all the feelings. Shakespeare refers to the love of music as a test of character:—

Demonstration III.

PART I.

A rash promise rashly believed.

Hannibali alia in his locis bene gerendae rei fortuna oblata est. |I| M. Centenius fuit cognomine Paenula, insignis inter primipili centuriones et magnitudine corporis et animo. |II| Is perfunctus militia, per P. Cornelium Sullam praetorem in senatum introductus, petit a Patribus, uti sibi quinque milia militum darentur: |III| se peritum et hostis et regionum, brevi operae pretium facturum et, quibus artibus ad id locorum nostri et duces et exercitus capti forent, iis adversus inventorem usurum. |IV| Id non promissum magis stolide, quam stolide creditum, tamquam eaedem militares et imperatoriae artes essent! |V| Data pro quinque octo milia militum; pars dimidia cives, pars socii. |VI| Et ipse aliquantum voluntariorum in itinere ex agris concivit, ac prope duplicato exercitu in Lucanos pervenit, ubi Hannibal, nequiquam secutus Claudium, substiterat. |VII|

Livy.

A rash promise rashly believed.

Hannibali alia in his locis bene gerendae rei fortuna oblata est. I M. Centenius fuit cognomine Paenula, insignis inter primipili centuriones et magnitudine corporis et animo. II Is perfunctus militia, per P. Cornelium Sullam praetorem in senatum introductus, petit a Patribus, [uti sibi quinque milia militum darentur]. III Centenius dixit se peritum ethostis et regionum, brevi operae pretium facturum: et, [quibus artibus ad id locorum nostri et duces et exercitus capti forent], iis adversus inventorem usurum. IV Id non promissum magis stolide, quam stolide creditum: [tamquam eaedem militares et imperatoriae artes essent!] V Data pro quinque octo milia militum; pars dimidia cives, pars socii. VI Et ipse aliquantum voluntariorum in itinere ex agris concivit, ac prope duplicato exercitu, in Lucanos pervenit, [ubi Hannibal, nequiquam secutus Claudium, substiterat]. VII

Livy.

Demonstration III.

Livy, xxv. 19.

Read the passage through carefully. As you read—

(i.) Make all the use you can of your previous knowledge of History, Geography, and Antiquities.

Thus, Hannibali suggests an episode in the Second Punic War.