Fabulae Equitis Capitulum IV

[Matthaeus]

There should be a Latin composition sub-forum here, I suggest.

After the battle and defeat, the pillagers were busy to search through the heaps of dead, to strip them of harness and garments; and so it happened that in the heap they came upon two young knights, lying near each other, pierced through and through by many grievous, bloody wounds, both bearing arms of one style, richly fashioned; of these two, the one was called Arcite and the other knight Palamon. They were not fully alive nor fully dead, but by their escutcheons and their accoutrements the heralds knew them among the rest to be of the royal blood of Thebes and born of two sisters. Out of the heap the pillagers dragged them, and bore them softly to Theseus' tent. And he dispatched them immediately to Athens to dwell in prison perpetually; he would take no ransom. And when this worthy duke had done this, swiftly he rode homeward with his entire host, crowned with laurel like a conqueror, and there in joy and honor he lived to the end of his life; what need of more words? And Palamon and Arcite in a tower dwelt in anguish and woe; no gold could free them. 1032

Proelio cladeque facta, direptores quidem occupati erant perscrutando occisorum cumulos ut eos armis vestimentisque spoliarent; ex quo factum est ut duos equites iuvenes alterum iuxta alterum in cumulo invenerint, multis gravibus cruentis vulneribus perfossos, utrumque unius generis arma ornatissime confecta gerentes, ex quibus alter eques Arcitus, alter vero Palamon nuncupabatur. Semimortui erant, sed insignibus atque armaturis suis praecones agnoverant eos stirpe regali oriundos duabusque ex sororibus natos fuisse. Quos direptores ex cumulo extraxerunt et in Thesei tabernaculum insone* deduxerunt. Quos statim Athenas dimisit ut perpetuo in carcere iacerent; nullam redemptionem accepturus erat. Hoc facto dux honestus celeriter domum toto cum exercitu suo contendit ut victor laurea coronatus ibique laetanter atque honeste vitam finivit. Quid plura? Et Palamon et Arcitus in quadam turri cum angore et dolore manebant; nihil auri eos liberare potuit.

*adverb I coined from insonus

 

[Pacifica]

There should be a Latin composition sub-forum here, I suggest.

Not a bad idea actually! True that, while we are technically in "speak Latin", we're not so much speaking Latin as composing Latin.

This passed on by day and by year until it happened, once upon a May morning before daybreak, that Emily, who was fairer to see than the lily upon its green stalk, and fresher than May with its new flowers (Her cheeks competed with the rose--I know not which was the fairer.) Emily, I say, as was her custom, had arisen and was already dressed, for May will have no sluggishness at night. The season pricks every gentle heart and arouses it out of sleep and says, "Arise, and make your observance." Thus Emily remembered to rise and do honor to May. She was freshly clothed and her yellow hair was braided in a tress behind her back, a yard long, I believe; and in the garden at sunrise she walked up and down gathering the red and white flowers at will, to make a delicate garland for her head; and she sang heavenly, like an angel. 1055

Diem de die, annum de anno sic tempus lapsum est donec accidit, uno matutino mensis Maii ante diluculum, ut Aemilia, visu pulchrior lilio viridem super cauliculum sedente, et vegetior mense Maio cum novis floribus suis (Genae illius rosam aemulabantur - utrum pulchrius fuerit, haud scio.) Aemilia, inquam, ut solebat, surrexerat et iam vestita erat, mensis enim Maius pigritiam nocte non habet. Mitem quemque animum stimulat tempus anni, e somno excitat aitque, "Surge, et honorem mihi habe." Sic meminerat Aemilia surgere et mensem Maium honorare. Commodum vestita, crinibus flavis in tergo inter se implexis - ulnam longis, credo - in hortis solis ortu huc illuc ambulabat rubros et albos flores ad voluntatem colligens quibus coronam delicatam conficeret capiti suo; et cantabat divine velut angelus.

 

[Matthaeus]

Let's take a vote on it, then. But can it be that difficult for a mod to create a subforum for us two?

 

[Pacifica]

Well, for us two, yes... Lol. Though perhaps if the forum exists others will use it...

 

[Matthaeus]

Hence we humbly ask and entreat the moderating team, especially Akela to grant us the privilege of composing good Latin prose by publically inaugurating a subforum under the name "Latin composition".

With gratitude,
Pacis Puella et Matthaeus

 

[Laurentius]

I'd say "gerentem" and "natos esse", since it is already past. About "insignibus atque armaturis suis", and "cum novis floribus suis", isnt it "eorum" and "eius"? Wouldn't with "suis" mean that the new flowers belong to Emily rather than to May? Or you can use it with the comparative?

 

[Pacifica]

I'd say "gerentem"

Indeed with uterque it's more usual to have adjectives/verbs referring to it in the singular, though the plural can happen too.

and "natos esse"

It would be more classical, but fuisse isn't wrong, some (less classical I think) authors sometimes used it instead of esse for the perfect passive (and fuit for est, fuerat for erat etc.). They probably felt a need to mark the past more clearly, I don't know.

About "insignibus atque armaturis suis", and "cum novis floribus suis", isnt it "eorum" and "eius"? Wouldn't with "suis" mean that the new flowers belong to Emily rather than to May? Or you can use it with the comparative?

With insignibus atque armaturis, I thought the same thing, that it should be eorum (or even no possessive at all). But for the flowers I don't know, mense Maio cum novis floribus eius somewhat feels weird, it felt to me as if the flowers were too closely associated with May for eius to be used and not the reflexive (almost as if there were a verb cum floribus suis veniente or whatever). But I am not sure.

Edit: More exactly, as if it were the same as vegetior quam (est) Mensis maius cum floribus suis.

 

[Ignis Umbra]

Well, for us two, yes... Lol. Though perhaps if the forum exists others will use it...

I certainly would use it; I love composing stories, whether in Latin or English!

 

[Matthaeus]

Of course, sure! It would be a place for LCF to post his poems as well. Pity no one thought of creating this earlier!

 

[Ignis Umbra]

It'll probably happen if the idea generates enough interest.

 

[Matthaeus]

Thus I sincerely hope.

 

[Christian Alexander]

I would definitely use it as well! I'm always working on Latin prose, have just started to delve into composing Latin verse as well! It does seem strange that these pieces ended up in "Speak Latin"..

 

[Ater Gladius]

What does the number 1032 mean at the end of the story?

 

[Pacifica]

Just line numbering (the English was copied and pasted from a site).

 

[Aurifex]

I don't think the Speak Latin forum was ever intended exclusively for people to upload audio files, was it? Most of its content seems to be composition. What if we just change the name of the forum to "Speak or Write Latin"?

 

[Pacifica]

I think most people understand that "speak" in the title is used figuratively for "write"; but what Christian means, I think, and that's my opinion too, is that it seems to have been originally intended for holding written conversations (entirely) in Latin rather than for exhibiting compositions and waiting for comments (possibly in English) - but since there isn't really a forum for compositions, we post them here because "speak Latin" is the closest we can find here to "compose Latin"...

 

[Aurifex]

I see.

So as far as the content of the present sub-forum is concerned we're talking about three separate things:

• people having conversations
• people doing extended translations such as the Fabula Equitis
• people composing their own original Latin

Should we have different sub-forums for each of them or subsume them all within one?

 

[Pacifica]

Hmm... I'm not sure but I would say either three separate ones or two - one for conversations in Latin, and another for posting big Latin texts you had written yourself, whether translations or original compositions, where comments or ensuing conversations could be in English.

 

[Christian Alexander]

I agree, that "translations from English into Latin" and "original Latin composition" could easily go together. I think they would get more attention (and seem a bit more organized imo).. at least in my own mind, conversational-Latin and formal Latin comp/translation are a bit different. But moreso the previous remark on expecting English commentary/discussion, whereas this area is expected to have discussion and convo in Latin.

I'd also think even just re-naming the section to "Speak and Write Latin" would be okay too... but a separate forum would be cool, and deserves its own space.

 

[Aurifex]

Hmm... I'm not sure but I would say either three separate ones or two - one for conversations in Latin, and another for posting big Latin texts you had written yourself, whether translations or original compositions, where comments or ensuing conversations could be in English.

The question of the need for a new sub-forum is complicated by the fact that we already have a Creativity forum, where you can "Post any of your own creations: stories, poetry, images, etc."