31(2) RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 31

HERCULES 31 - EIGHTH LABOUR: THE MAN-EATING HORSES OF DIOMEDES - PART TWO

a)
Ita míra rérum commútátió facta est; is enim quí anteá multós cum cruciátú necáverat ipse eódem supplició necátus est. Cum haec núntiáta essent, omnés quí eam regiónem incolébant máximá laetitiá adfectí sunt et Herculí meritam grátiam referébant. Nón modo máximís honóribus et praemiís eum decorávérunt sed órábant etiam ut régnum ipse susciperet. Ille tamen hóc facere nólébat, et cum ad mare rediisset, návem occupávit. Ubi omnia ad návigandum paráta sunt, equós in náví conlocávit; deinde, cum idóneam tempestátem nactus esset, sine morá é portú solvit, et pauló post equós in lítus Argolicum exposuit.

b)

Some words have been chosen for special consideration and are listed below. For the words not included in this list please refer to the WORDLIST in PAGES TOP RIGHT SIDE BAR. There are also more grammar explanations in GRAMMAR NOTES also in PAGES TOP RIGHT SIDE BAR.

mira rérum commutatio. When a noun (in this case commutatio) has both an adjective (mira) and a genitive modifier (rerum) it often follows in the order adj, genitive modifier, noun. 'A wonderful of things change' literally, we might translate as 'a strange turn of events'.

cum cruciatu – with cruelty, in a cruel way, ablative of manner.

necaverat – he had killed, necare is used when the means of killing is unusual or cruel and interficere used as a more general word for to kill.

gratiam referebant – from gratiam referre – to show gratitude to.

non modo …. sed … etiam – modo here is an adverb, not a case of modus; this frequently used construction can be found over the next two lines and means ‘not only but also’.

orabant – like imperare and postulare, orare is followed by ut and a clause with the verb in the subjunctive.

cum … rediisset – cum introducing a clause in the past tense ‘when he had returned’ requires the verb to be in subjunctive.

ubi omnia ad navigandum - 'when everything' (literally when all things)  followed by ad plus the accusative gerund of navigare, meaning 'for sailing' ad + gerund means for the purpose of + verbal noun 'sailing', bit tricky this, but you will get used to when we come across further examples just try to remember for now that ad + gerund is often used to express purpose.

in navi - ablative of navis, gen. is f. ship, because this is a third declension i stem noun.
nactus esset – subjunctive again after cum introducing a clause in the past, nactus is the past participle of the verb nanciscor meaning get, find, obtain.

paulo post – adverbial phrase a short time afterwards, a little while later.

in litus – I expect you were expecting in litore here ablative of litus, gen. litoris, third declension noun? The reason is is litus is that it is the accusative of the neuter noun litus, it is third declension, the ablative singular ends in i. It is followed by the accusative when it means ‘on to’ or ‘in to’ with motion implied not just 'in' or 'on' meaning place where.

 

c)

Note: This section is not translated into idiomatic English but is intended, together with the notes, to give you the gist of the meaning; you can then come up with your own improved translation.

Ita míra rérum commútátió facta est;

And so this strange change of events came about;

is enim quí anteá multós cum cruciátú necáverat

for he who previously had killed many men in a cruel way

ipse eódem supplició necátus est.

himself with the same torture was killed.

Cum haec núntiáta essent,

When these things were announced,

omnés quí eam regiónem incolébant

all those who were living in that region

máximá laetitiá adfectí sunt et

experienced the greatest happiness and

Herculí meritam grátiam referébant.

Showed deserved gratitude to Hercules.

Nón modo máximís honóribus et praemiís eum decorávérunt

They decorated him not only with the greatest honors and rewards

sed órábant etiam ut régnum ipse susciperet.

But also pleaded with him that he himself take over the kingdom.

Ille tamen hóc facere nólébat,

But he did not want to do this,

et cum ad mare rediisset, návem occupávit.

And when he had returned to the shore he took a ship.

Ubi omnia ad návigandum paráta sunt,

When everything was prepared for sailing,

equós in náví conlocávit; deinde,

he placed the horses in the boat; then,

cum idóneam tempestátem nactus esset,

when he had got suitable weather

sine morá é portú solvit,

without delay he set sail from the port,

et pauló post equós in lítus Argolicum exposuit.

and shortly afterwards he landed the horses on to the shore of Argolis.

d) The following section is for you to copy and translate.

Ita mira rerum commutatio facta est;

is enim qui antea multos cum cruciatu

necaverat ipse eodem supplicio necatus est.

Cum haec nuntiata essent, omnes qui

eam regionem incolebant maxima laetitia

adfecti sunt et Herculi meritam gratiam referebant.

Non modo maximis honoribus et praemiis

eum decoraverunt sed orabant etiam

ut regnum ipse susciperet. Ille tamen hoc facere

nolebat, et cum ad mare rediisset, navem occupavit.

Ubi omnia ad navigandum parata sunt,

equos in navi conlocavit; deinde,

cum idoneam tempestatem nactus esset,

sine mora e portu solvit, et paulo post equos

in litus Argolicum exposuit.