A fragment from Quintus Ennius.

Michael Zwingli

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If someone would indulge me, I would like to have a translation of the following, which is part of a fragment from Quintus Ennius (2nd Century BCE): ager oppletus imbrium fremitu / festiuum festinant diem. / induta fuit saeua stola. / ut uos nostri liberi / defendant, pro uostra uita morti occumbant obuiam. / ferro foedati iacent. / inprimitque genae genam. / deos aeui integros / uersat mucronem. Note that this is Early Latin, and uses archaic/older forms of some words, such as ge rather than gignō. Thank you in advance!
 

Agrippa

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Unconnected fragments!

ager oppletus imbrium fremitu = the field filled with the roaring sound of heavy rain

festivum festinant diem = they hasten the festive day

induta fuit saeva stola = she was clothed in a fierce gown

ut vos nostri liberi defendant, pro vostra vita morti occumbant obviam = that our children defend you, fall meeting death for your lives.

ferro foedati iacent = they lie polluted from sword-stroke

imprimitque genae genam = and impresses cheek upon cheek

deos aevi integros = gods unexhausted by time

versat mucronem = brandishes the point of the sword
 
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Dantius

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in orbe lacteo
such as ge rather than gignō.
I see no instance of either.

she was clothed in a fierce gown
The source that cites this line (Servius on the Aeneid) adduces it as evidence that the ancients used saevus to mean magnus. If he's correct in that, it would be "a great/large gown".
 

Michael Zwingli

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I see no instance of either.
Hahaha, I don't either....NOW! I had genam to be the supine of genō, rather than the dative of gena. :rolleyes:(ooooh, is my "green" showing?) Since they are specifically unconnected fragments, I don't feel so badly about their not having made any sense to me. This has not been an entirely fruitless exercise, though. At the very least it gave Agrippa an opportunity to flex his translatorial muscles. Thanks, Agrippa!
 
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Agrippa

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Servius.... the ancients used saevus to mean magnus.
That's correct, but magnus in the meaning of causing strong emotions, exciting amazement, causing awe, stupendous, &c. &c. &c.
 
E

Etaoin Shrdlu

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But Servius uses this passage as a comparison. I know he's not the most trustworthy, and he may well be wrong about the Virgil line, but it makes more sense here than a fierce gown. What is a fierce gown?
 

Michael Zwingli

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...it makes more sense here than a fierce gown. What is a fierce gown?
I understand you: "a fierce gown" is not any thing in nature, but, however, the phrase "to be clothed in a fierce gown" (which, after all, is verbal rather than nominal), though it employs very oblique and poetic language, is easily seen as meaning "to be clothed in a gown which makes one appear fierce", does it not? This is quite common in the business world: the jackets of men's suits traditionally are padded in the shoulder. Why? To make the man wearing the suit appear more masculine/effective/commanding... in a word: fierce. This is simply an example of a man employing "the trappings of power."(For, as character Cersei Lannister mentioned in the novel A Dance with Dragons: "It (is) never wise for a ruler to eschew the trappings of power, for power itself flows in no small measure from such trappings." - I personally found that bit of prose to be quite profound for a novelist such as George Martin, more worthy of such a writer as Robert Greene...I tore the page from the book (it was a paperback), and set it aside) By that token, and based upon that rationale, saying that "she was clothed in a fierce gown" appears tantamount to saying: "she appeared fierce in the gown which adorned her", or more expansively: "she was dressed in a gown obviously intended to make her appear fierce and effective to onlookers".
Whoa!!! See...fierce! (and something else as well...)
 
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