Ovid Heroides 7

[Katarina]

Nec mihi tu curae; puero parcatur Iulo.

I don't understand this construction. My commentary suggest that es is missing. Than it would mean that Dido (speaking) doesn't care about him (Aeneas), but he should spare the boy Iulus. But all translations that I have found translates it that Aeneas doesn't care of Dido (what makes more sense) but I don't know how to get this out of text.

 

[Bitmap]

Nec mihi tu curae; puero parcatur Iulo.

I don't understand this construction.

curae is a dativus finalis (final dative in English? don't know). And mihi is a dativus commodi (dative of reference).
You can't really mirror that construction in English I think ... it means 'You don't cause me trouble/grief/concern' ... or in other words: 'I don't care about you'.

My commentary suggest that es is missing. Than it would mean that Dido (speaking) doesn't care about him (Aeneas), but he should spare the boy Iulus. But all translations that I have found translates it that Aeneas doesn't care of Dido (what makes more sense) but I don't know how to get this out of text.

Those translations are wrong because it cannot possibly mean that Aeneas does not care about her.

I had a quick look at that passage and from what I gather, she pictures Aeneas being caught in a sea storm and being full of trouble, worry and regret.
And in that situation, she says 'I don't care much about you. May (just) Iulus be spared!' [note that she does not want Aeneas to spare him, more like the gods or something ... it's like saying 'I just hope Iulus is safe']

In other words: she says "I'm not sorry for you ... I'm just sorry for the boy".
If you look at the next couplet, she says, "What did Ascanius [= Iulus], what did your Penates [= the statues of his gods that he carries with him] do to deserve this [= being caught and possibly drowning in a sea storm]".

 

[Katarina]

adplicor ignotis fratrique elapsa fretoque
quod tibi donavi, perfide, litus emo;

I can't figrue how to put the words together.

adplicor - I have landed - ignotis - something unnown in pl. - fratrique elapsa freto - after I escaped brother on the sea - et quod tibi donavi, perfide, litus emo; - and I have bought the shore that I have given you, perfidious man.

 

[Bitmap]

applicari in this context means 'to land by ship'
ignotis = ignotis terris
I would not take emere as 'to buy' in this context, but in its basic meaning 'to take'.
Also, you translate this in the perfect tense. You can do that, just keep in mind that it's actually historic present:

"I landed on unknown shores / I steered to unknown lands after I had escaped from my brother and from the sea.
I took possession of the shore that I gave [or maybe also: offered] to you (later), you scammer!"

 

[Katarina]

applicari in this context means 'to land by ship'
ignotis = ignotis terris
I would not take emere as 'to buy' in this context, but in its basic meaning 'to take'.
Also, you translate this in the perfect tense. You can do that, just keep in mind that it's actually historic present:

"I landed on unknown shores / I steered to unknown lands after I had escaped from my brother and from the sea.
I took possession of the shore that I gave [or maybe also: offered] to you (later), you scammer!"

I think I should translate emere as 'to buy' since there is a commentary who says:

It is related of Dido that, upon her arrival in Africa, she purchased of larbas, king of Gajtulia, as much land as she could encompass with a bull's hide. This she cut into small thongs, and enclosed within them that piece of ground whereon she afterwards built the city of Carthage.

 

[Bitmap]

I think I should translate emere as 'to buy' since there is a commentary who says:

It is related of Dido that, upon her arrival in Africa, she purchased of larbas, king of Gajtulia, as much land as she could encompass with a bull's hide. This she cut into small thongs, and enclosed within them that piece of ground whereon she afterwards built the city of Carthage.

Ok, that makes sense.

 

[Katarina]

Si tibi mens avida est belli, si quaerit Iulus,
Unde suo partus Marte triumphus eat,

155​

Quem superet, ne quid desit, praebebimus hostem;
Hic pacis leges, hic locus arma capit.

I am not sure what quid means in this context and what is ne expresing: wish, fear, intention ...

 

[Bitmap]

ne quid desit = ne aliquid desit = "so that nothing is missing".
I/we will provide an enemy (= Carthago) for him (or actually his offspring) to overcome, so that nothing is missing (I take it kind of like 'so Rome also has a worthy opponent in its quest for power).

 

[Katarina]

ne quid desit = ne aliquid desit = "so that nothing is missing".
I/we will provide an enemy (= Carthago) for him (or actually his offspring) to overcome, so that nothing is missing (I take it kind of like 'so Rome also has a worthy opponent in its quest for power).

Good point! I haven't notice this twofold meaning.

So the ne is ut finalis + non?

 

[Bitmap]

Good point! I haven't notice this twofold meaning.

So the ne is ut finalis + non?

Yes, ne (or sometimes ut ne) is the negation of final ut.

ut non is the negation of consecutive ut.

 

[Dantius]

curae is a dativus finalis (final dative in English? don't know)

I know it as dative of purpose (just as final clause = purpose clause)