milesne Crassi coniuge barbara
turpis maritus vixit et hostium -
pro curia inversique mores! -
consenuit socerorum in armis
sub rege Medo Marsus et Apulus,
anciliorum et nominis et togae
oblitus aeternaeque Vestae,
incolumi Iove et urbe Roma?
I'm struggling to see how 'Marsus et Apulus' is supposed to be interpreted. So far my translation is:
'Has the soldier of Crassus lived as a disgraced husband with a barbarian wife and - shame on the senate-house and its perverted ways! -...'
After this, I am note sure what is the subject of consenuit - is it the 'miles' or is it 'Marsus et Apulus'? Also I am unclear whether Marsus and Apulus are to be taken separately from the miles or whether they are in fact adjectives describing the miles ('Marsian and Apulian')?
David West's translation is throwing me off and I haven't found any others which elucidate the grammar. He translates:
'Has the soldier of Crassus lived in disgrace as the husband of a barbarian wife, and have Marsian and Apulian grown old - shame on the Senate and our changed ways - serving the kind of the Medes, bearing arms for their enemies, their fathers-in-law...'
I'm not sure whether I'm really missing the point, but West's translation of 'Marsus et Apulus' doesn't make sense to me. I can only deduce that he's taken them as adjectives which describe the miles? ie 'and have the Marsian (soldier) and the Apulian (soldier) grown old...'. Does anyone know if this is correct?
Thank you in advance!
Edit: I can also think of one other explanation - perhaps it is 'and has he (the soldier), like the Marsians and Apulians (lit: 'like a Marsian (soldier) and Apulian (soldier)'), grown old under the King of the Medes, in the service of their (his?) enemies, their (his?) fathers-in-law...'
turpis maritus vixit et hostium -
pro curia inversique mores! -
consenuit socerorum in armis
sub rege Medo Marsus et Apulus,
anciliorum et nominis et togae
oblitus aeternaeque Vestae,
incolumi Iove et urbe Roma?
I'm struggling to see how 'Marsus et Apulus' is supposed to be interpreted. So far my translation is:
'Has the soldier of Crassus lived as a disgraced husband with a barbarian wife and - shame on the senate-house and its perverted ways! -...'
After this, I am note sure what is the subject of consenuit - is it the 'miles' or is it 'Marsus et Apulus'? Also I am unclear whether Marsus and Apulus are to be taken separately from the miles or whether they are in fact adjectives describing the miles ('Marsian and Apulian')?
David West's translation is throwing me off and I haven't found any others which elucidate the grammar. He translates:
'Has the soldier of Crassus lived in disgrace as the husband of a barbarian wife, and have Marsian and Apulian grown old - shame on the Senate and our changed ways - serving the kind of the Medes, bearing arms for their enemies, their fathers-in-law...'
I'm not sure whether I'm really missing the point, but West's translation of 'Marsus et Apulus' doesn't make sense to me. I can only deduce that he's taken them as adjectives which describe the miles? ie 'and have the Marsian (soldier) and the Apulian (soldier) grown old...'. Does anyone know if this is correct?
Thank you in advance!
Edit: I can also think of one other explanation - perhaps it is 'and has he (the soldier), like the Marsians and Apulians (lit: 'like a Marsian (soldier) and Apulian (soldier)'), grown old under the King of the Medes, in the service of their (his?) enemies, their (his?) fathers-in-law...'