Multum crede juvat terras aluisse remotas...

[Hadassah Branch]

This is from Milton's Elegia prima ad Carolum Diodatum. I invoke ye, dear experts, to aid in my adventrous quest...

Multum crede juvat terras aluisse remotas
Pectus amans nostri, tamque fidele caput,
Quodque mihi lepidum tellus longinqua sodalem
Debet, at unde brevi reddere jussa velit.

*I'm sorry if this is so long. It's okay if you'll only give me the translation to a part.

 

[Bitmap]

That's how I would take the lines:

Believe me (crede), it is very delightful (multum iuvat) that foreign lands (terras remotas) have nourished (aluisse) a breast that loves us (pectus nostri amans) and such a faithful head (tamque fidele caput).

and [it is very delightful] that (quodque) a distant land (tellus longinqua) owes me (mihi debet) a pleasent friend (lepidum sodalem) - but I hope it will [want to] return him [to me] (at unde velit reddere) upon [my] order (iussa) within a short time (brevi).

(additions/corrections welcome)

 

[Pacifica]

"I'm very glad*, believe me, that remote lands have nourished a heart that loves me**, and such a loyal head/person, and that a faraway country owes me a delightful comrade, provided it's willing to return him to me shortly if ordered to***."

*Or more literally "it pleases (me) much".
**Literally "us", but it refers to Milton alone.
***Literally "but from where it would be willing to return [him] [once] having been ordered [to]".

Edit: Bitmap and I wrote at the same time.

 

[Hadassah Branch]

Thank you!

I still have to pound my head into how the second paragraph of your translation fits into the context of the poem. Thanks again!

 

[Bitmap]

It's a bit of a si-non-vis-comprendi-non-debes-legi text.

 

[Pacifica]

It's a bit of a si-non-vis-comprendi-non-debes-legi text.

What do you mean?

 

[Hadassah Branch]

Thank you!

I still have to pound my head into how the second paragraph of your translation fits into the context of the poem. Thanks again!

Edit: Thank you so much, Pacifica! I was confused why it was in first person plural. And the head thing. Haha, thanks for the addition! This is why I put this up for translation.

 

[Bitmap]

I still have to pound my head into how the second paragraph of your translation fits into the context of the poem.

I understand it as "I am glad to have a found such a good friend like you in a distant land (first 3 lines basically) and I hope you will pay me a visit as soon as you can when I wish so. (last line essentially)."

Edit: Thank you so much, Pacifica! I was confused why it was in first person plural. And the head thing. Haha, thanks for the addition! This is why I put this up for translation.

Yes, it's a lot of poetic diction ...

 

[Pacifica]

I was confused why it was in first person plural.

It isn't uncommon for Latin authors to refer to themselves in the plural. It's similar to the plural of majesty, except in Latin it doesn't necessarily have a connotation of majesty... sometimes even the contrary as I've seen it referred to as "plural of modesty" before, lol.

 

[Bitmap]

What do you mean?

Well, I think it's not the easiest elegy I've ever read.

 

[Pacifica]

Yes, it's a lot of poetic diction ...

The nostri and caput things aren't specifically poetic, though.

 

[Pacifica]

Regarding the context and the person to whom Milton was writing, I've found this note.

 

[Bitmap]

The nostri and caput things aren't specifically poetic, though.

Not in the sense that they're confined to poetry, but that they're stylistic devices that are slightly unusual in every day speech.

 

[Pacifica]

Not in the sense that they're confined to poetry, but that they're stylistic devices that are slightly unusual in every day speech.

Well, I'm not too sure what everyday speech was like (and no one can be), but "singular nos" is found even in Cicero's more "colloquial" letters, I think. The use of caput, if anything, sounds colloquial to me.

 

[Hadassah Branch]

True, and a lack of hold on how these devices can be used in Latin can lead a neophyte such as I astray. The note was interesting and very helpful. Thanks to both of you.
*Still reading it*

 

[Bitmap]

The use of caput, if anything, sounds colloquial to me.

Colloquial? Really? What makes you think so?

 

[Pacifica]

Colloquial? Really? What makes you think so?

The contexts where I've come across it, I guess...

L&S doesn't call it colloquial, but "very frequent in prose and poetry":

II. Per meton. (pars pro toto), a man, person, or animal (very freq. in prose and poetry; cf. κάρα, κεφαλή, , in the same signif.; “v. Liddell and Scott and Robinson): pro capite tuo quantum dedit,” Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 54; id. Pers. 1, 1, 37: “hoc conruptum'st caput,” id. Ep. 1, 1, 85: “siquidem hoc vivet caput, i. e. ego,” id. Ps. 2, 4, 33; so id. Stich. 5, 5, 10; cf. id. Capt. 5, 1, 25: “ridiculum caput!” Ter. And. 2, 2, 34: “festivum,” id. Ad. 2, 3, 8: “lepidum,” id. ib. 5, 9, 9: “carum,” Verg. A. 4, 354; Hor. C. 1, 24, 2: “liberum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 32, § 79: “vilia,” Liv. 25, 6, 9: “viliora,” id. 9, 26, 22: “vilissima,” id. 24, 5, 13: “ignota,” id. 3, 7, 7; cf. id. 2, 5, 6: “liberorum servorumque,” id. 29, 29, 3 al.—In imprecations: “istic capiti dicito,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 6, 47; cf.: “vae capiti tuo,” id. Most. 4, 3, 10; so id. Poen. 3, 3, 32; Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 6; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 1, 4; Tib. 1, 2, 12; Verg. A. 8, 484; 11, 399 al.—With numerals: “capitum Helvetiorum milia CCLXIII.,” souls, Caes. B. G. 1, 29; 4, 15: “quot capitum vivunt, totidem studiorum Milia,” Hor. S. 2, 1, 27; id. Ep. 2, 2, 189; cf. id. C. 1, 28, 20 al.; so, in capita, in distribution, to or for each person (cf. in Heb. also , for each head, poll, = for each individual, v. Robinson in h. v.), Liv. 2, 33, 11; 32, 17, 2; 34, 50, 6 al. (cf.: “in singulos,” id. 42, 4, 5).—Of. the poll-tax: “exactio capitum,” Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 5; so, “capite censi, v. censeo.—Of animals,” Verg. A. 3, 391; Col. 6, 5, 4 fin.; 8, 5, 4; 8, 5, 7; 8, 11, 13; Veg. Vet. 1, 18.—

 

[Bitmap]

Ok, I see ... I would have called it a metonomy (or pars pro toto) as well, but such things do indeed have a tendency to become very common in every day speech.

 

[Pacifica]

Cf. blockhead, metalhead, pothead

 

[Issacus Divus]

Just for additional information. Here.