hinc est quod eo veluti triario milite & principali ac nervoso,

[MichaelJYoo]

What does this mean?

 

[Pacifica]

It's a sentence fragment. We'd need the entire sentence to make full sense of it.

 

[MichaelJYoo]

The full quote is: "In hoc loco, quia catena actuum divinorum sibi mutuo succedentium in procuratione salutis hominum nectitur talis, que ab absolute decreto originem ducere videtur, hinc est quod eo veluti triario milite & principali ac nervoso, prout loquuntur, loco, uti solent ad hanc suam Thesini stabiliendum."

Do you have, by chance, experience translating Christian theological Latin?

 

[Pacifica]

I have a little experience in that, yes. Where is this passage from? Knowing more context might help to get everything right.

 

[MichaelJYoo]

Thanks so much. It is from a theological work from the Synod of Dort called Acta Et Scripta Synodalia Dordracena Ministrorum Remonstrantium. The broad subject of this book is on predestination. In the specific context, however, of this statement, they are focusing on the meaning of Romans 8:28-30.

 

[Pacifica]

OK, thanks. Here's a translation:

In this passage, the chain of divine actions succeeding one another in the provision of the salvation of men is being woven in such a way that it seems to originate from an absolute decree; that is why they use this passage as an elite*, chief and bold soldier (as they say) to support their thesis.

*More literally a soldier from the third rank of an army; those were well equipped considered elite soldiers. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triarii

 

[MichaelJYoo]

Thanks so much again. Just wondering, but do you opt for as literal a translation as possible? Or do you adopt a looser construction to make it flow nicer? Because your translations flow beautifully. My translation, compared to yours, went something like this:

"In this place, because so great a chain of mutually succeeding divine actions is fasted in the procuration of man's salvation, it seems to lead to the origin from the absolute decree."

And I didn't know how to translate the rest. Also, are you able to translate these without any help, or do you use a dictionary or some other tool to assist you? Thanks again!

 

[Pacifica]

Just wondering, but do you opt for as literal a translation as possible? Or do you adopt a looser construction to make it flow nicer?

When I feel that it is necessary or desirable, I change the grammatical construction somewhat to make it flow better in English, while being careful not to affect the message. I have changed the construction a little here.

Because your translations flow beautifully.

Thank you.

My translation, compared to yours, went something like this:

"In this place, because so great a chain of mutually succeeding divine actions is fasted in the procuration of man's salvation, it seems to lead to the origin from the absolute decree."

You've understood the part until "salvation" more or less correctly, but you misunderstood talis, which here doesn't imply greatness.

The second part doesn't convey the meaning of the original.

A more literal translation (compared to my first one) of que ab absoluto decreto originem ducere videtur is "which seems to draw [its] origin from an absolute decree".

Also, are you able to translate these without any help, or do you use a dictionary or some other tool to assist you?

I use various dictionaries, and also the internet at large when I need to research a certain topic to make sense of a passage.

 

[Gregorius Textor]

Thesini, I guess, is derived from thesis, thesis, f., but what sort of form is that?

 

[Pacifica]

That's a typo. It should be thesin (accusative singular, Greek declension).

 

[Gregorius Textor]

That's a typo. It should be thesin (accusative singular, Greek declension).

Aha! I considered Greek declension; I considered typo; I did not consider the two together.

 

[Pacifica]

I suppose it could also be a misscanning of the Latinized form thesim. I think that form is less common, though.