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Latin-German Text Comparison

Context

Publius's father is away travelling. During his absence, the slave Colaphus is supposed to look after Publius. Yet Colaphus tries to talk Publius into throwing a feast.

Dialogue (Latin - German)

Colaphus: | Latin | German (translation) | |---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Cur semper labori studes? | Why do you always dedicate yourself to studying/working? | | Nonne iucunde vivere cupis? | Don't you want to live pleasantly? | | Sine me amicos tuos vocare! | Without me, call your friends! | | Da eis cibos bonos atque vinum bonum! | Give them good food and good wine! |

Publius: | Latin | German (translation) | |---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Licetne nobis convivium instituere? | Is it permitted that we hold a feast? | | Num ego dominus sum? | Am I perhaps the master? |

Colaphus: | Latin | German (translation) | |---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Ita est. | It is so. | | Pater non adest. | The father is not here. | | Itqeue tibi omnia agere licet. | Therefore you are allowed to do everything.| | Ergo amicos invita! | So invite your friends! |

Publius: | Latin | German (translation) | |---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Bene! | Well! | | Hodie patri parere non cupio. | Today I have no desire to attend to the father. | | Voca amicos meos! | Call my friends! | | Hodie cum eis vinum eius bibere cupio. | Today I want to drink his wine with them. |

Colaphus: | Latin | German (translation) | |---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Hoc mihi placet. | This pleases me. |

Explanation of the translation

  1. Dative and accusative:
  2. In Latin the dative is often used for indirect objects:
    • "nobis" (us) in "Licetne nobis convivium instituere?" (Is it permitted that we hold a feast?)
    • "tibi" (you) in "Itqeue tibi omnia agere licet." (Therefore you are allowed to do everything.)

  3. The accusative is used for direct objects:

    • "amicos tuos" (your friends) in "Sine me amicos tuos vocare!" (the friends are the direct object of "vocare")
    • "vinum eius" (his wine) in "Hodie cum eis vinum eius bibere cupio." (the wine is the direct object of "bibere")

  4. Verb "licere":

  5. This verb is often used to express permission or possibility:

    • "Licetne nobis convivium instituere?" (Is it permitted that we hold a feast?)
    • "agere licet" (it is permitted to do/make)

  6. Declensions:

  7. Important declensions in the text:
    • "nobis" (dative plural of "nos")
    • "tibi" (dative singular of "tu")
    • "amicos meos" (accusative plural of "amicus" with possessive pronoun)

Declension table for key words

Pronouns "nos/tu"

Case Singular (tu) Plural (nos)
Nominative tu nos
Genitive tui nostrum
Dative tibi nobis
Accusative te nos
Ablative te nobis

Noun "convivium" (feast, neuter)

Case Singular Plural
Nominative convivium convivia
Genitive convivi conviviorum
Dative convivio conviviis
Accusative convivium convivia
Ablative convivio conviviis

Noun "pater" (father, masculine)

Case Singular Plural
Nominative pater patres
Genitive patris patrum
Dative patri patribus
Accusative patrem patres
Ablative patre patribus

Noun "amicus" (friend, masculine)

Case Singular Plural
Nominative amicus amici
Genitive amici amicorum
Dative amico amicis
Accusative amicum amicos
Ablative amico amicis

Answer to task 4 (dative or accusative)

  1. Pater: Da mihi sororem donum, Aule!
  2. Dative: "mihi" (to me)

  3. Accusative: "sororem" (the sister)

  4. In horto ludere liberis placet.

  5. Here "liberis" is in the dative (to the children).

  6. Veni, Lyce! Nobis adiuva!

  7. "Nobis" is in the dative (us).

  8. Colaphus officia non bene studet.

  9. Here "officia" should stand in the accusative (his duties), since it is the direct object of "studet" (he studies).

Summary of the translation technique

  1. Faithful translation:
  2. "Cur semper labori studes?" → "Why do you always dedicate yourself to studying/working?"
    • "labori studere" literally means "to dedicate oneself to working"

  3. "Nonne iucunde vivere cupis?" → "Don't you want to live pleasantly?"

    • "iucunde" means "pleasantly"

  4. Contextual adjustments:

  5. Publius's reluctance is explained by his responsibility toward the father ("patri parere")

  6. Colaphus leverages rhetorical questions and appeals to Publius's wishes in order to persuade him

  7. Special constructions:

  8. "Hodie cum eis vinum eius bibere cupio" uses:
    • "cum eis" (with them)
    • "vinum eius" (his wine) - "eius" is a possessive pronoun in the genitive singular
    • "bibere cupio" (I wish to drink)

Hint: This time the Latin text could be recognized in full and correctly. The translation takes account of all grammatical idiosyncrasies of Latin, in particular the cases (dative and accusative) as well as typical rhetorical structures in dialogues.