47 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 47 - HERCULES BEARS UP THE HEAVENS_

HERCULES 47 - HERCULES BEARS UP THE HEAVENS

THIS IVORY STATUE IS OF HERCULES AND ATLAS; HERCULES IS TAKING THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD UPON HIS SHOULDERS.

a)

Atlás autem Herculí máximé pródesse potuit; ille enim cum ipse esset pater Hesperidum, certó scívit quó in locó esset hortus. Postquam igitur audívit quam ob causam Herculés vénisset, "Ipse," inquit, "ad hortum íbó et fíliábus meís persuádébó ut póma suá sponte trádant." Herculés cum haec audíret, mágnopere gávísus est; vim enim adhibére nóluit, sí rés aliter fierí posset. Cónstituit igitur oblátum auxilium accipere. Atlás tamen postulávit ut, dum ipse abesset, Herculés caelum umerís sustinéret. Hóc autem negótium Herculés libenter suscépit, et quamquam rés erat summí labóris, tótum pondus caelí continuós complúrís diés sólus sustinébat.

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. If you need help with points of grammar raised in today's excerpt, consult ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR NOTES also top right side bar.

prodesse – the infinitive of the verb prosum, prodesse,profui which means to be of advantage, profit, avail, assist, takes the dative.

ille –pronoun nominative masc singular ‘he’; when the subordinate and the main clause of a Latin sentence have the same subject, as here, the subject usually stands first followed by the subordinate clause, ;for he, since he etc.’

certo – adverb, ‘certainly, surely.’

esset – imperfect subjunctive, third personal singular, of the verb sum, esse, fui, the subjunctive is used after cum, meaning since or when,  when introducing a clause in the past tense ‘ where the garden was’ or ‘where the garden might be’.

quo in loco – ablative ‘in which place’, the preposition is sandwiched between the noun and relative adjective.

venisset – pluperfect subjunctive third person singular ‘he had come’ as this is an indirect question meaning ‘why he had come’.

inquit – this verb is used with direct quotations and is in the historical present.

filiabus – the dative and ablative plural of filia is filiabus to avoid confusion with the plural of filius which is filis.  This also happens with the dative and ablative plural of dea – goddess to avoid confusion with dative and ablative plural of deus.

filiabus meis – these words are in the dative as the verb persuadeo governs the dative case.

ut poma ... tradant – when we see ut introducing a clause we are always on the lookout for a result or purpose clause which require that the verb is in the subjunctiive; here the we have a result clause ‘that they hand over’ and the verb is in therefore in the present subjunctive plural of the verb tradere.

sponte sua – of his/her/thier own accord, voluntarily. Sponte, comes from the ablative of the third declension feminine noun spons, spontis, meaning free will and is often used with mea, tua, or sua, to mean ‘of my, your, his/her/their own accord.’

haec audiret – literally ‘was hearing these things’, the verb is in the imperfect subjunctive, third person singular, ‘he was hearing’ as it follows cum in a clause in the past tense.

oblatum auxilium – oblatum past participle as an adjective from offero, offerre, obtuli, oblatus , bear to, proffer, offer with neuter noun of the second declension auxilium i, together meaning ‘the offered help.’

adhibere – infinitive of the verb adhibeo, -hibere, -hibui, -hibitus, hold to, employ, show.

aliter - adverb, ‘in another way, otherwise, differently’.

dum ipse abesset – this is an example of indirect discourse after the verb ‘postulavit -he demanded’ that ‘while he was away’ and therefore the verb must be in the subjunctive, here it is third person singular imperfect subjunctive of abesse, be away, be absent.

umeris – this is ablative plural of the second declension noun umerus, -í, m., shoulder and means something like ‘with his shoulders’ (remember that Latin often leaves out his, her etc. especially with parts of the body) but we would probably say ‘on his shoulders’.

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.

Atlas autem Herculi maxime prodesse potuit;

Now Atlas could be very useful to Hercules;

ille enim cum ipse esset pater Hesperidum,

for he, since he himself was the father of the Hesperidies,

certo scivit quo in loco esset hortus.

cerainly knew where the garden was.

Postquam igitur audivit

Therefore after he heard

quam ob causam Hercules venisset,

for what reason Hercules venisset,

"Ipse," inquit, "ad hortum ibo

“I myself,” he says “will go to the garden”

et filiabus meis persuadebo

and I will persuade my daughters

ut poma sua sponte tradant."

to hand over the apples of their own accord.

Hercules cum haec audiret,

When Hercules heard this,

magnopere gavisus est;

he rejoiced greatly;

vim enim adhibere noluit,

for he did not want to use force,

si res aliter fieri posset.

if the matter could be accomplished differently.

Constituit igitur oblatum auxilium accipere.

He resolved therefore to accept the proffered help.

Atlas tamen postulavit ut, dum ipse abesset,

Atlas however demanded that while he himself was absent,

Hercules caelum umeris sustineret.

Hercules was to hold the sky on his shoulders.

Hoc autem negotium Hercules libenter suscepit,

Now this task Hercules willingly undertook,

et quamquam res erat summi laboris,

and although it was very hard work,

totum pondus caeli continuos compluris dies solus sustinebat.

he bore alone the whole weight of the sky for several days

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

Atlas autem Herculi maxime prodesse potuit;

ille enim cum ipse esset pater Hesperidum,

certo scivit quo in loco esset hortus.

Postquam igitur audivit

quam ob causam Hercules venisset,

"Ipse," inquit, "ad hortum ibo

et filiabus meis persuadebo

ut poma sua sponte tradant."

Hercules cum haec audiret,

magnopere gavisus est;

vim enim adhibere noluit,

si res aliter fieri posset.

Constituit igitur oblatum auxilium accipere.

Atlas tamen postulavit ut,

dum ipse abesset,

Hercules caelum umeris sustineret.

Hoc autem negotium

Hercules libenter suscepit,

et quamquam res erat summi laboris,

totum pondus caeli

continuos compluris dies solus sustinebat.

46 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 46 - HERCULES ASKS AID OF ATLAS

HERCULES 46 - HERCULES ASKS AID OF ATLAS

In Greek mythology, Atlas supported the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. He was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the nymph Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. According to Hesiod, Atlas was one of the Titans who waged war against Zeus, and as punishment he was condemned to hold aloft the heavens. 

a) Herculés quamquam quiétem vehementer cupiébat, tamen Eurystheó párére cónstituit, et simul ac iússa éius accépit, proficíscí mátúrávit. Á multís mercátóribus quaesíverat quó in locó Hesperidés habitárent, nihil tamen certum reperíre potuerat. Frústrá per multás terrás iter fécit et multa perícula subiit; tandem, cum in hís itineribus tótum annum cónsúmpsisset, ad extrémam partem orbis terrárum, quae proxima est Óceanó, pervénit. Híc stábat vir quídam, nomine Atlás, ingentí mágnitúdine corporis, quí caelum (ita tráditum est) umerís suís sustinébat, né in terram décideret. Herculés tantás vírís mágnopere mírátus statim in conloquium cum Atlante vénit, et cum causam itineris docuisset, auxilium ab eó petiit.

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. If you need help with points of grammar raised in today's excerpt, consult ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR NOTES also top right side bar.

quietem – accusative case of quies, quietis, f., rest, repose.  Notice that cupiebat is in the imperfect tense as it describes the state he was in, ‘he wanted a rest’, not an action.

Eurystheo – dative of Eurystheus as parere is intransitive and takes the dative, meaning he submits to, he obeys.

iussa eius – eius, the genitive case of is meaning literally ‘of him’ often translates English ‘his’ as here ‘his commands’ (meaning the commands of Eursytheus).

maturavit – third person singular, perfect tense of maturo, -are, -aví, -atus, to ripen or hasten, meaning here ‘he hastened, he hurried’.

mecatoribus quaesiverat – ‘he asked many merchants’, notice that with the verb quaessiverat from the verb quaero, quaerere, quaesíví, quaesitus, seek; ask, inquire, .the person of whom the question is asked is put into the ablative case with a

quo in loco – ‘in what/which place’ the preposition is sandwiched between the relative adjective and the noun.

habitarent – this is third person plural, imperfect subjunctive of habitare which is used when there is doubt or uncertainty as here ‘where they might be living’.

potuerat – Be careful when translating this verb: this is the pluperfect ‘ he had been able’ which is easily confused with the imperfect poterat ‘he was able’.

iter fecit – iter means ‘journey’ and fecit is the third person singular perfect of the verb facio, facere, feci factus, make, do; together iter facere, means ‘to journey’.

subiit – ‘he endured’, third person singular, perfect tense, of sub-eo, -ire, -ii, -itus, go under; undergo, submit to, sustain, bear, endure.

cum ... consumpsisset – cum, meaning when, or since, is followed here by the pluperfect subjunctive, of consumo, -sumere, -sumpsi, -súmptus, take completely, use up, consume, spend. ‘when he had consumed, or when he had spent’.

totum annum – a whole year, the accusative is used to express the duration of time.

orbis terrarum - means literally 'of the circle of lands.' but is better translated as ‘of the world’.

oceano – dative of oceanus, ‘to the ocean’.

ingenti magnitudine – this is ablative of description which always consists of a noun with some modifying word, ‘with huge size’.

ita traditum est – this is an impersonal expression ‘so it is told/reported’ from the verb trado, -dere, -didi, -ditus -give across, over, up, deliver; hand down, relate, report.’

umeris suis – this is ablative of means, literally ‘using his shoulders or with his shoulders’ but we say 'on his shoulders.'

ne in terram decideret – ne is introducing a negative clause of purpose ‘so that ... not’ and it is, as always in purpose clauses, followed by a verb in the subjunctive, decideret being the third person singular imperfect subjunctive of decido, -cidere, -cidi, ‘so that it would not fall down.’

tantas viris – we can immediately tell that viris here has noting to do with ‘men’ as it has the adjective tantas accompanying it which is of course feminine accusative plural, coming from vis, vis, f., violence, force; virtue, potency, efficacy; plur. víres, -ium, strength;

miratus, - 'wondering at.' This is the perfect participle of the deponent verb, miror, mirari, miratus and as we have seen before, the perfect participle of deponent verbs is often best rendered into English by a present participle.

Atlante – ablative after the preposition cum, of the third declension noun Atlas, -antis, m., Atlas.

cum ... docuisset – ‘when he had explained’, another example of the subjunctive after cum introducing a past tense temporal clause.  Docuisset is third person pluperfect subjunctive of the verb doceo, -ere, -ui, -tus, teach, explain.

causam itineris – notice that in Latin we say the reason ‘of his journey’ i.e. we use the genitive case whereas in English we say ‘the reason for his journey’ using dative case.

ab eo petiit – notice that after the verb peto, -ere, -ivi or -ii, -itus, meaning ask the person asked is in the ablative case (eo being ablative of is) after the preposition a.

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.

Hercules quamquam quietem vehementer cupiebat,

Hercules, although he really wanted a rest,

tamen Eurystheo parere constituit,

nonetheless determined to obey Eurystheus,

et simul ac iussa eius accepit,

and as soon as he received his orders

proficisci maturavit.

he made haste to set out.

A multis mercatoribus quaesiverat

He made enquiries of many merchants

quo in loco Hesperides habitarent,

in what place the Hesperides might live

nihil tamen certum reperire potuerat.

but he could find out nothing certain.

Frustra per multas terras iter fecit

In vain he journeyed through many lands

et multa pericula subiit;

and underwent many dangers;

tandem, cum in his itineribus

at length, when on his journeys

totum annum consumpsisset,

he had spent a whole year,

ad extremam partem orbis terrarum,

at the furthest part of the world,

quae proxima est Oceano, pervenit.

which is nearest to the Ocean, he arrived.

Hic stabat vir quidam, nomine Atlas,

Here was standing a certain man, called Atlas,

ingenti magnitudine corporis,

with an enormous size of body,

qui caelum (ita traditum est)

who the sky (so it is reported)

umeris suis sustinebat,

was holding up on his shoulders,

ne in terram decideret.

so that it would not fall on to the land.

Hercules tantas viris magnopere miratus statim

Hercules wondering greatly at such great strenght at once

in conloquium cum Atlante venit,

engaged in conversation with Atlas,

et cum causam itineris docuisset,

and when he had explained the reason for his journey

auxilium ab eo petiit.

asked him for help.

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

Hercules quamquam quietem vehementer cupiebat,

tamen Eurystheo parere constituit,

et simul ac iussa eius accepit,

proficisci maturavit.

A multis mercatoribus quaesiverat

quo in loco Hesperides habitarent,

nihil tamen certum reperire potuerat.

Frustra per multas terras iter fecit

et multa pericula subiit;

tandem, cum in his itineribus

totum annum consumpsisset,

ad extremam partem orbis terrarum,

quae proxima est Oceano, pervenit.

Hic stabat vir quidam, nomine Atlas,

ingenti magnitudine corporis,

qui caelum (ita traditum est)

umeris suis sustinebat,

ne in terram decideret.

Hercules tantas viris magnopere miratus statim

in conloquium cum Atlante venit,

et cum causam itineris docuisset,

auxilium ab eo petiit.

45 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 45 - ELEVENTH LABOUR: THE GOLDEN APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES

HERCULES 45 - ELEVENTH LABOUR: THE GOLDEN APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES

THIS PICTURE OF THE GARDEN OF HESPERIDES BY FREDERICK LORD LEIGHTON 1892 IS FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

 a)Eurystheus postquam bovés Géryonis accépit, labórem úndecimum Herculí imposuit, graviórem quam quós suprá nárrávimus. Mandávit enim eí ut aurea póma ex hortó Hesperidum auferret. Hesperidés autem nymphae erant quaedam fórmá praestantissimá, quae in terrá longinquá habitábant, et quibus aurea quaedam póma á Iúnóne commissa erant. Multí hominés aurí cupiditáte inductí haec póma auferre iam anteá cónátí erant. Rés tamen difficillima erat, namque hortus in quó póma erant múró ingentí undique circumdatus erat; praetereá dracó quídam cui centum erant capita portam hortí díligenter custódiébat. Opus igitur quod Eurystheus Herculí imperáverat erat summae difficultátis, nón modo ob causás quás memorávimus, sed etiam quod Herculés omnínó ígnórábat quó in locó hortus ille situs esset.

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.

imposuit – third person perfect of pono, ponere, posui, positus, place or lay upon, impose; embark.

graviorem – accusative of comparative adjective gravior agreeing with laborem (masculine noun of the third declension), ‘more difficult, more heavy, heavier’.

quam quos – abbreviated form of quam eos quos – ‘than those which’, accusative masculine plural to agree with the accusative masculine plural of the third declension masculine noun labor, laboris.

mandavit ei – dative of the pronoun is, ea, id after mandare.

ut ... auferret – that he steal, third person imperfect subjunctive after a verb of ordering, ‘he ordered ... that he steal’.

forma praestantissima – ablative forma meaning ‘in beauty’ from the first declension noun forma, meaning shape or form which is also used to mean beauty; here it is found with the superlative adjective from the adjective praestans, praestantis (gen) meaning ‘excellent, outstanding, surpassing all’ so together they mean ‘surpassing all in beauty’.

quae – relative pronoun feminine plural nominative referring to antecedent ‘Hersperides’.

terra longinqua – ablative of terra for place where after in terra ‘in a land’ and longinqua, feminine of adjective longinquus, longinqua, longinquum (comparative longinquior, superlative longinquissumus) meaning ‘remote, distant, far off’, together meaning therefore ‘in a far-off land’.

quaedam poma – literally means ‘the certain apples’ meaning the ones mentioned before, or those apples.

auri cupididitate – literally ‘desire, or greed of gold’ cupiditate is followed by a noun in the genitive but we would probably say ‘desire for gold’.

conati erant – third person plural pluperfect of the deponent verb (remember looks passive but is active) conor, conari, try, meaning therefore ‘they had tried’.

muro ingenti – ablative case ‘by a huge wall’.

cui centum erant capita – literally ‘to whom/to which a hundred there were heads’, or more idiomatically ‘who/which had a hundred heads’. Esse with the dative is often used to show possession in this way e.g.:  tibi est ...? – do you have...?; mihi est liber – I have a book.

undique – adverb, ‘from or on all sides’.

horti – genitive of the second declension noun hortus –i, garden ‘of the garden’.

quo in loco – ‘in what place’, notice the preposition is sandwiched between the relative adjective and the noun.

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.

Eurystheus postquam boves Geryonis accepit,

Eurystheus, after he had accepted the oxen of Geryon,

laborem undecimum Herculi imposuit,

laid upon Hercules the eleventh labour,

graviorem quam quos supra narravimus.

more difficult than those which we have related above.

Mandavit enim ei ut aurea poma

For he ordered him that the golden apples

ex horto Hesperidum auferret.

from the garden of the Hesperides he steal

Hesperides autem nymphae erant quaedam

the Hesperides however were certain nymphs

forma praestantissima,

surpassing all in beauty,

quae in terra longinqua habitabant,

who lived in a far-off land

et quibus aurea quaedam poma

and to whom the aforesaid golden apples

a Iunone commissa erant.

were given by Juno.

Multi homines auri cupiditate inducti

Many men induced by desire for gold

haec poma auferre iam antea conati erant.

had already tried to steal these apples previously.

Res tamen difficillima erat,

It was a very difficult thing to do however,

namque hortus in quo poma erant

for the garden in which the apples were

muro ingenti undique circumdatus erat;

was encircircled all around by a huge wall

praeterea draco quidam cui centum erant capita

besides a certain dragon who had a hundred heads

portam horti diligenter custodiebat.

carefully guarded the garden gate.

Opus igitur quod Eurystheus Herculi imperaverat

The task therefore which Eurystheus had ordered Hercules

erat summae difficultatis,

was of the utmost difficulty,

non modo ob causas quas memoravimus,

not only on account of the reasons which we have mentioned

sed etiam quod Hercules omnino ignorabat

but also because Hercules was entirely ignorant

quo in loco hortus ille situs esset.

in which place the garden might be situated.

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

Eurystheus postquam boves Geryonis accepit,

laborem undecimum Herculi imposuit,

graviorem quam quos supra narravimus.

Mandavit enim ei ut aurea poma

ex horto Hesperidum auferret.

Hesperides autem nymphae erant

quaedam forma praestantissima,

quae in terra longinqua habitabant,

et quibus aurea quaedam poma

a Iunone commissa erant.

Multi homines auri cupiditate inducti

haec poma auferre iam antea conati erant.

Res tamen difficillima erat,

namque hortus in quo poma erant

muro ingenti undique circumdatus erat;

praeterea draco quidam

cui centum erant capita

portam horti diligenter custodiebat.

Opus igitur quod Eurystheus Herculi imperaverat

erat summae difficultatis,

non modo ob causas quas memoravimus,

sed etiam quod Hercules omnino ignorabat

quo in loco hortus ille situs esset.

44 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 44 - HERCULES AND CACUS

HERCULES 44 - HERCULES AND CACUS

a)
 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. If you need help with points of grammar raised in today's excerpt, consult ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR NOTES also top right side bar.

nullum alium introitum – nullum and alium (no other) in agreement with the accusative of introitus, -us , fourth declension masc noun, ‘entrance’.

cum ... posset – cum meaning ‘since’ is followed by subjunctive, here the imperfect third person imperfect subjunctive of posse – since he was unable (to find).

conatus est – perfect tense of the deponent verb conor, conari, try, ‘he tried’.

magnitudem – accusative of the third declension feminine noun magnitudo, -tudinis, ‘greatness, size’ as it is governed by propter, ‘on account of’, which takes the accusative case.

eius – genitive of is, ea, id ‘of it’ referring to the rock.

res erat difficuillima – res, the thing feminine noun of the fifth declension, followed by erat ‘was’, followed by the superlative adjective difficillima ‘most difficult’.

neque quicquam – variant of neque quisquam, 'and not any one, and no one.' Quisquam is used chiefly in negative sentences.

quicquam – indefinite neuter pronoun, anything, anything whatsoever.

effició, -ficere, -fécí, -fectus [ex + fació], make or work out, accomplish, effect.

magno conatu – ablative case, ‘with a great effort’.

patefecit – third person singular perfect tense of the verb patefacio, -facere, -feci, -factus, ‘he threw open, he made open, he opened’.

more suo – ablative expression of the third declension feminine noun mos, moris meaning way, manner, habit, custom with the personal possessive adjective suus, -a, -um meaning his or hers, together meaning ‘according to his custom’.

inusitata specie – feminine ablative of adjective unusitatus –a -um, ‘unusual, extraordinary’, agreeing with ablative of feminine fifth declension noun specie, together meaning something like ‘by the extraordinary sight’, or, ‘by the unusual spectacle’.

turbatus -  - 'was confused’, the participle is frequently best rendered by a finite verb.

in speluncam – remember that where we have motion into somewhere in is followed by the accusative case.  Although inrupit means 'burst into,' the preposition is nevertheless required with the noun to express the place into which he burst.

nulla falcultas respirandi – no chance/opportunity followed by the genitive of the gerund (remember the gerund is a verbal noun, here meaning ‘the act of breathing’); together the phrase means therefore ‘no chance of breathing’.

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.

Hercules cum nullum alium introitum

Hercules, since no other entrance

reperire posset,

could find,

hoc saxum amovere conatus est,

he tried to move this stone away,

sed propter eius magnitudinem

but on account of its size

res erat difficillima.

the matter was most difficult.

Diu frustra laborabat

For a long time he worked in vain,

neque quicquam efficere poterat;

but he could accomplish nothing at all.

tandem tamen magno conatu

at length however with a great effort

saxum amovit et speluncam patefecit.

he moved the rock away and opened up the cave.

Ibi amissos boves

where the lost cattle

magno cum gaudio conspexit;

he saw with great joy

sed Cacum ipsum vix cernere potuit,

but Cacus himself he could scarcely perceive

quod spelunca repleta erat fumo

because the cave was filled with smoke

quem ille more suo evomebat.

that he was spewing as was his custom

Hercules inusitata specie turbatus

Hercules disturbed by the unusual spectacle

breve tempus haesitabat;

hesitated for a brief while

mox tamen in speluncam inrupit

but soon he burst into the cave

et collum monstri bracchiis complexus est.

and with his arms squeezed the monster’s neck

Ille etsi multum repugnavit,

He, although he struggled a lot

nullo modo se liberare potuit,

in no way could free himself

et cum nulla facultas respirandi daretur,

and since no chance of breathing was given to him

mox exanimatus est.

soon he died

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

Hercules cum nullum alium introitum

reperire posset,

hoc saxum amovere conatus est,

sed propter eius magnitudinem

res erat difficillima.

Diu frustra laborabat

neque quicquam efficere poterat;

tandem tamen magno conatu

saxum amovit et speluncam patefecit.

Ibi amissos boves

magno cum gaudio conspexit;

sed Cacum ipsum vix cernere potuit,

quod spelunca repleta erat fumo

quem ille more suo evomebat.

Hercules inusitata specie turbatus

breve tempus haesitabat;

mox tamen in speluncam inrupit et

collum monstri bracchiis complexus est.

Ille etsi multum repugnavit,

nullo modo se liberare potuit,

et cum nulla facultas respirandi daretur,

mox exanimatus est.

Herculés cum núllum alium introitum reperíre posset, hóc saxum ámovére cónátus est, sed propter éius mágnitúdinem rés erat difficillima. Diú frústrá labórábat neque quicquam efficere poterat; tandem tamen mágnó cónátú saxum ámóvit et spéluncam patefécit. Ibi ámissós bovés mágnó cum gaudió cónspéxit; sed Cácum ipsum vix cernere potuit, quod spélunca repléta erat fúmó quem ille móre suó évomébat. Herculés inúsitátá specié turbátus breve tempus haesitábat; mox tamen in spéluncam inrúpit et collum mónstrí bracchiís complexus est. Ille etsí multum repúgnávit, núlló modó sé líberáre potuit, et cum núlla facultás respírandí darétur, mox exanimátus est.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF HERCULES KILLING CACUS WHILE ONE OF THE OXEN LOOKS ON FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAVE

Beham, (Hans) Sebald (1500-1550): Hercules killing Cacus at his cave, from The Labours of Hercules (1542-1548). Engraving, 1545. (Wikimedia Commons)

43 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 43 - HERCULES DISCOVERS THE THEFT

HERCULES 43 - HERCULES DISCOVERS THE THEFT

HERCULES FAST ASLEEP

after-baccio-bandinelli-1550-sleeping-hercules

a)

Posteró dié simul atque é somnó excitátus est, Herculés fúrtum animadvertit et bovés ámissós omnibus locís quaerébat. Hós tamen núsquam reperíre poterat, nón modo quod locí nátúram ígnórábat, sed quod vestígiís falsís déceptus est. Tandem cum mágnam partem diéí frústrá cónsúmpsisset, cum reliquís bóbus prógredí cónstituit. At dum proficíscí parat, únus é bóbus quós sécum habuit múgíre coepit. Subitó ií quí in spéluncá inclúsí erant múgítum reddidérunt, et hóc modó Herculem certiórem fécérunt quó in locó célátí essent. Ille vehementer írátus ad spéluncam quam celerrimé sé contulit, ut praedam reciperet. At Cácus saxum ingéns ita déiécerat ut aditus spéluncae omnínó obstruerétur.

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.

postero die – ablative to indicate time when, ‘on the following day’.

e somno – ablative after the preposition e meaning literally ‘out of sleep’.

amissos – past participle of amitto, -ere, -misi, -missus, third conjugation verb meaning sent away or as here ‘lost’.

hos – plural accusative masculine of the pronoun hic, haec, hoc, referring to boves, meaning ‘these’.

omnibus locis – this is ablative of place without the preposition ‘in’ meaning literally ‘in all places’.

nusquam – nowhere, notice that in English we say ‘could not find anywhere’ but Latin prefers ‘could find nowhere’.

consumpsisset – pluperfect subjunctive after ‘cum’ when introducing a clause in the past, notice that the second ‘cum’ in this sentence is the preposition meaning ‘with’ and is followed by the ablative case ,reliquis, ‘the rest’.

dum profisci parat – literally ‘while he is preparing to set out’ but we have translated with a past tense; dum meaning ‘while’ is followed by the present tense in Latin.

unus e bobus – e followed by the ablative, ‘one out of the oxen’, ‘one of the oxen’. You might have expected the partitiive genitive here but with unus the ablative with ex or de is often used to express the idea of ‘one of a group’.

quos – relative pronoun ‘which’, masculine accusative plural as it is referring to the oxen.

ii – personal pronoun, masculine plural (see is ea id – GRAMMAR NOTES, top right sidebar) meaning ‘those’ or ‘the ones’.

certiorem fecerunt – third person plural perfect tense of certiorem facere ‘to inform, or to make more certain’.

quam celerimme – the superlative adverb with quam is used to express ‘as ... as possible’ so here it means ‘as fast as possible’.

se contulit – ‘he made his way’, third person singular of perfect tense of the verb se conferre, contuli, conlatus, meaning to betake oneself, make one's way.

ut praedam reciperet – ut introducing a purpose clause takes the subjunctive case, here the third person singular imperfect subjunctive of the verb recipio, -cipere, -cepi, -ceptus, take or get back, recover.

praedam – accusative singular of praeda, -ae, f., booty, spoil, plunder, referring to the oxen which had been stolen.

deiecerat – third person singular pluperfect of the verb deicio, -icere, -ieci, -iectus, to throw down.

ut ... obstrueretur – ut introducing a result clause, ‘so that it was blocked’, the verb is third person singular imperfect subjunctive passive of the verb obstruere meaning to block.

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.

Postero die simul atque e somno excitatus est,

The following day as soon as he roused from sleep,

Hercules furtum animadvertit

Hercules noticed the theft

et boves amissos omnibus locis quaerebat.

and he looked for the lost cattle everywhere.

Hos tamen nusquam reperire poterat,

These however he could find nowhere,

non modo quod loci naturam ignorabat,

not only because the did not know the nature of the place,

sed quod vestigiis falsis deceptus est.

but because he was deceived by the false tracks.

Tandem cum magnam partem diei frustra consumpsisset,

At length when he had spent a large part of the day in vain,

cum reliquis bobus progredi constituit.

he decided to set out with the remaining cattle

At dum proficisci parat,

but while he was preparing to set out,

unus e bobus quos secum habuit mugire coepit.

one of the oxen which he had with him began to low.

Subito ii qui in spelunca inclusi erant

Immediately those which were shut up in the cave

mugitum reddiderunt,

returned the lowing,

et hoc modo Herculem certiorem fecerunt

and in this way they let Hercules know

quo in loco celati essent.

in which place they were hidden.

Ille vehementer iratus ad speluncam

He, very angry, towards the cave

quam celerrime se contulit,

made his way, as fast as possible

ut praedam reciperet.

in order to get back his plunder

At Cacus saxum ingens ita deiecerat

but Cacus had thown down a huge rock in such a way

ut aditus speluncae omnino obstrueretur.

that the entrance of the cave was completely blocked.

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

Postero die simul atque e somno excitatus est,

Hercules furtum animadvertit

et boves amissos omnibus locis quaerebat.

Hos tamen nusquam reperire poterat,

non modo quod loci naturam ignorabat,

sed quod vestigiis falsis deceptus est.

Tandem cum magnam partem diei frustra consumpsisset,

cum reliquis bobus progredi constituit.

At dum proficisci parat,

unus e bobus quos secum habuit mugire coepit.

Subito ii qui in spelunca inclusi erant

mugitum reddiderunt,

et hoc modo Herculem certiorem fecerunt

quo in loco celati essent.

Ille vehementer iratus

ad speluncam quam celerrime se contulit,

ut praedam reciperet.

At Cacus saxum ingens ita deiecerat

ut aditus speluncae omnino obstrueretur.