Helps to Latin Translation at Sight Part 2

But sometimes an +intensive+ force.

_E.g._ {per}-terrere = to +thoroughly+ frighten.

In all such cases you must be partly guided by the context.

(For List of Important Prefixes, see Appendix II. pp. 277--281.)

(3) +Suffixes+ (other than grammatical inflexions).

A knowledge of the most important suffixes will often help you to the correct meaning of a Latin word, the root of which is familiar to you.

Thus from the vag = _drive, move_, we have--

by addition of +-tor+ (= _agent or doer_ of an action), +actor+ = _a doer_, _agent_.

+-men+ (= _acts or results of acts_), +agmen+ = _a course_, _line of march_, &c.

+-ilis+ (= _belonging to, able to_), +agilis+ = _easily moved_, _agile_.

+-ito+ (= _forcible or repeated action_), +agito+ = _put in action_, _agitate_.

(For List of Important Suffixes, see Appendix III. pp. 282--286.)

(4) +Cognates+, that is, words +related in meaning+ through a common root. You will find it very useful to make for yourself lists of cognate words.

Thus from the v+gna, gno+ = _know_, we have--

+gna-rus+ = _knowing_.

+i-gnarus+ (= +in + gnarus+) = _ignorant_.

+nos-co+ (= +gno-sco+) = _to get a knowledge of_.

+i-gno-sco+ = _not to know_, _pardon_.

+no-bilis+ (= +gno-bilis+) = _that can be known_, _famous_, _n.o.ble_.

+no-men+ (= +gno-men+) = _a name_.

To group together in this manner words of common origin and words closely a.s.sociated in meaning is one of the best ways in which you can increase your vocabulary.

(For additional Examples of Cognates, see Appendix IV. pp. 287-8.)

HELPS TO TRANSLATION.

You have now read the pa.s.sage through carefully, and thought out the vocabulary to the best of your ability. Begin then to translate the opening sentence, and pay great attention to these

+7. General Rules.+--(1) Underline the +Princ.i.p.al Verb+, +Subject+ (if expressed), and +Object+ (if any).

(2) If the sentence contains +only one finite verb+, all you have to do is to group round Subject, or Verb, or Object the words and phrases that belong to each of the three.

(3) Translate the sentence literally. Do this mentally, without writing it down.

(4) Then write down the best translation you can.

For example:--

+At GERMANI celeriter, consuetudine sua phalange facta, IMPETUS gladiorum EXCEPERUNT.+

_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).

(5) If the sentence contains one or more subordinate clauses, +consider each subordinate clause as if it were bracketed off separately+, and then deal with each clause as if it were a princ.i.p.al sentence, finding out its Subject, Verb, Object, and adding to each its enlargements. Then return to the sentence as a whole, and group round its Subject, Predicate, and Object the various subordinate clauses which belong to each.

+8. Help through a.n.a.lysis.+--Very often a.n.a.lysis will help you to find out the +proper relation of the subordinate clauses+ to the three parts of the Princ.i.p.al Sentence. You need not always a.n.a.lyse on paper, but do it +always in your mind+. You will find an example of a simple method of a.n.a.lysis at the close of Demonstrations I and IV, pp. 23, 47.

When a.n.a.lysing, notice carefully that:--

(1) An enlargement of a Noun may be

(a) An adjective +TERTIAM aciem.+ (b) A noun in apposition +Publius Cra.s.sus ADULESCENS.+ (c) A dependent genitive +impetus GLADIORUM.+ (d) A participle or participial +nostris LABORANTIBUS.+ phrase (e) An adjectival clause +Publius Cra.s.sus QUI EQUITATUI PRAEERAT.+

(2) An enlargement of a Verb may be

(a) An adverb +CELERITER exceperunt.+ (b) A prepositional phrase +EX CONSUETUDINE SUA exceperunt.+ (c) An ablative absolute +PHALANGE FACTA exceperunt.+ (d) An adverbial clause +ID c.u.m ANIMADVERTISSET, Publius Cra.s.sus misit.+

+9. Help through Punctuation.+--Though only the full-stop was used by the ancients, the punctuation marks which are now used in all printed texts should be carefully noticed, especially in translating long and involved sentences.

Thus in Demonstrations III and IV notice how the subordinate clauses are for the most part enclosed in commas.

+10. Help through Scansion and Metre.+--A knowledge of this is indispensable in translating verse. To scan the lines will help you to determine the grammatical force of a word, and a knowledge of metre will enable you to grasp the poet's meaning as conveyed by the position which he a.s.signs to the various words, and the varying emphasis which results from variation of metre. For example:--

(1) _A grammatical help._--You know that final +-a+ is _short_ in nom.

and voc. sing. 1st Decl., and in neut. plural, and is _long_ in abl.

sing. 1st Decl. and 2nd Imperat. 1st Conj.

Thus in Demonstration II (p. 24) you can easily determine the grammatical form of finals in +-a+.

In Sentence IV +agna+, in VI +cerva+, in VIII +iuncta columba+, in IX +Cynthia+ are all short and nom. sing.

In Sentence V +umbra una+ are long and abl. sing. in agreement.

(2) _A help to the poet's meaning._--The more you know of the principles of scansion, the better able you will be to understand and appreciate the skill with which a great poet varies his metre and chooses his words.

+11. Help through a Study of the Period in Latin.+--One great difference between English and Latin Prose is that, while modern English is to a great extent a language of short, detached sentences, Latin +expresses the sense by the pa.s.sage as a whole+, and holds the climax in suspense until the delivery of the last word. 'This mode of expression is called a +PERIOD+ (a +circuitus+ or +ambitus verborum+), because the reader, in order to collect together the words of the Princ.i.p.al Sentence, must make a _circuit_, so to say, round the inserted clauses,'[2] 'Latin possesses what English does not, a mode of expression by means of which, +round one main idea are grouped all its accessory ideas+, and there is thus formed a single harmonious whole, called the +PERIOD+.'[3]

[Footnote 2: Potts, _Hints_, p. 82.]

[Footnote 3: Postgate, _Sermo Latinus_, p. 45.]

A +PERIOD+ then is a sentence containing only one main idea (the Princ.i.p.al Sentence) and several Subordinate Clauses. The Periodic style is generally used for History and Description, and is best seen in Cicero and Livy.

The following is a good example of the PERIOD in Latin:--

[4]+VOLSCI exiguam spem in armis, alia undique abscissa, c.u.m tenta.s.sent, praeter cetera adversa loco quoque iniquo ad pugnam congressi, iniquiore ad fugam, c.u.m ab omni parte caederentur, ad preces a certamine versi, dedito imperatore traditisque armis, sub iugum missi, c.u.m singulis vestimentis ignominiae cladisque pleni DIMITTUNTUR.+