a)
Íphiclés,
fráter Herculis, mágná vóce exclámávit; sed Herculés ipse, fortissimus puer, haudquáquam
territus est. Parvís manibus serpentís statim prehendit, et colla eárum mágná
ví compressit. Tálí modó serpentés á pueró interfectae sunt. Alcména autem,
máter puerórum, clámórem audíverat,et marítum suum é somnó excitáverat.Ille
lúmen accendit et gladium suum rapuit;tum ad puerós properábat, sed ubi ad
locum vénit,rem míram vídit, Herculés enim rídébat et serpentís mortuás
mónstrábat.
b)
The words below have been selected for special attention. For words not included in this list pease refer to the WORDLIST in PAGES TOP RIGHT SIDE BAR.
Herculis – genitive case to express ‘of Hercules’.
Magna voce – ablative case to express ‘in a loud (literally big, great) voice. This is called the 'ablative of manner'. Notice you do not always need to put the preposition ‘in’ as the ablative case on its own is enough.
Ipse – himself, see PERSONAL PRONOUNS in ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR NOTES at the top right under PAGES.
Fortissimus – superlative adjective meaning the most brave, very brave.
Parvis manibus – ablative case here used to express 'with his little hands', notice again that the preposition ‘with’ is not translated as the ablative case expresses ‘with’ on its own without ‘cum’. This is called the 'instrumental ablative'.
Magna vi – ablative case again to express ‘with’ meaning ‘with great force’; this is the ablative of manner again.
A puero – a with puero to express ‘by the boy’. Here, we use the preposition ‘a’ as we are dealing with ‘by + a human being’; as we have seen, with things we can leave the preposition out but not when we are referring to human beings being the agent of an action.
Interfectae sunt – passive form as the snakes were having an action done to them; they were were killed they were not ‘doing’ the action.
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.
Íphiclés,
fráter Herculis, mágná vóce exclámávit;
Iphicles, Hercules’
brother, cried out in a large voice,
sed
Herculés ipse, fortissimus puer,
but Hercules himself, a most
brave boy,
haudquáquam
territus est.
Was not at all frightened.
Parvís
manibus serpentís statim prehendit,
With his small hands he
immediately seized the snakes
et colla
eárum mágná ví compressit.
And with great strength
squeezed their necks.
Tálí modó
serpentés á pueró interfectae sunt.
In this way the snakes
were killed by the boy.
Alcména
autem, máter puerórum, clámórem audíverat,
Alcmena however, the
mother of the boys, had heard the noise.
et
marítum suum é somnó excitáverat.
And had roused her husband
from his sleep.
Ille
lúmen accendit et gladium suum rapuit;
He lit a light and grasped
his sword,
tum ad
puerós properábat, sed ubi ad locum vénit,
Then hurried to the boys,
but when he came to the place,
rem míram
vídit, Herculés enim rídébat
he saw something
wonderful. For Hercules was smiling
et
serpentís mortuás mónstrábat.
And he was showing him the
dead snakes.
Iphicles,
frater Herculis, magna voce exclamavit;
sed
Hercules ipse, fortissimus puer,
haudquaquam
territus est.
Parvis
manibus serpentis statim prehendit,
et colla
earum magna vi compressit.
Tali
modo serpentes a puero interfectae sunt.
Alcmena
autem, mater puerorum, clamorem audiverat,
et maritum
suum e somno excitaverat.
Ille
lumen accendit et gladium suum rapuit;
tum ad
pueros properabat, sed ubi ad locum venit,
rem
miram vidit, Hercules enim ridebat
et
serpentis mortuas monstrabat.
