69 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 69 - THE SOWING OF THE DRAGON'S TEETH

THE ARGONAUTS 69 - THE SOWING OF THE DRAGON'S TEETH

THIS LOVELY PICTURE SHOWS JASON PLOUGHNG THE FIELD PRIOR TO SEWING THE DRAGON'S TEETH

a) Ubi is diés vénit quem réx ad arandum agrum édíxerat, Iásón ortá lúce cum sociís ad locum cónstitútum sé contulit. Ibi stabulum ingéns repperit, in quó taurí erant inclúsí; tum portís apertís taurós in lúcem tráxit, et summá cum difficultáte iugum imposuit. At Aeétés cum vidéret taurós nihil contrá Iásonem valére, mágnopere mírátus est; nesciébat enim fíliam suam auxilium eí dedisse. Tum Iásón omnibus aspicientibus agrum aráre coepit, quá in ré tantam díligentiam praebuit ut ante merídiem tótum opus cónfécerit. Hóc factó ad locum ubi réx sedébat adiit et dentís dracónis postulávit; quós ubi accépit, in agrum quem aráverat mágná cum díligentiá sparsit. Hórum autem dentium nátúra erat tális ut in eó locó ubi sémentés factae essent virí armátí míró quódam modó gígnerentur.
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.

is dies – that/the day;  dies, as here, is regularly masculine, but when used of an appointed day it is often feminine.

quem – relative referring to the day which is why it is masculine singular, the day when/the day on which.

orta luce – orta from the verb orior, -iri, -tus, arise, come forth, spring up, together with the ablative of lux, lucem, light, gives the us adverbial phrase ‘when light comes forth’, or put more simply, ‘at dawn’.

cum sociis – cum takes ablative, here plural of socius ‘ally’.

constitutum – adjective agreeing with neuter locum, meaning the place ‘decided upon’ from the verb constituo, -stituere, -stitui, -stitutus, ‘set together or up; appoint; determine’.

se contulit – third person singular perfect active of se conferre, se contuli, se conlatus, ‘betake oneself, make one's way’.

repperit – third person singular perfect active of the fourth conjugation verb reperio, reperire, repperi, repertus, ‘find, discover’.

in quo – ‘in which’, ablative after in meaning place in which (as opposed to place into which involving the idea of motion into which requires accusative).

portis apertis – ablative absolute, ‘after the doors were opened, or ‘when the doors were opened’.

summa cum difficultate – with great difficulty, notice that the monosyllabic preposition (cum) is put between the noun and its adjective.

imposuit – third person singular perfect of impono -ere, imposui, impositus, ‘he put on’.

nihil valere – (were) in no way effecting, or ‘making no impression on’. This phrase is a combnation of nihil ‘no’ and valere the infinitive of the verb valeo, -ere, -ui, -iturus, be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail etc.

filiam suam – ‘his daughter’, notice that we have here suam the accusative of the possessive adjective adjective agreeing with the accusative feminine first declension noun filiam and so it would be the same if it was ‘her daughter’. 

auxilium ei dedisse – auxilium is the neuter noun ‘help, ei is masculine singular dative of the pronoun is, meaning therefore ‘to him’ with dedisse ‘to have given’; altogether they mean literally ‘help to him to have given’.

omnibus aspicentibus – ablative absolute, a construct composed of the ablative of a participle with the ablative of a noun or pronoun in agreement, which stands apart from the rest of the sentence grammatically; here it means something like ‘with everyone looking on’, aspicientibus being the third person plural of the present participle of aspicio, -spicere, -spexi, -spectus, ‘look at or on, behold’.

dentis draconis – dentis from the third declension masculine noun dens, -tis, is an alternative accusative plural for third declension nouns, and draconis is genitive case of the third declensionmasculine noun draco, -onis, together they mean ‘the teeth of the dragon’ or ‘the dragon’s teeth’.

gignerentur – third person imperfect subjunctive passive of the third conjugation verb gigno, gignere, genui, genitus, ‘produce, bring forth, bear, beget, give birth to’, meaning therefore ‘they were brought forth’ or ‘they were born’.

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.

Ubi is dies venit quem rex

When the day came when the king

ad arandum agrum edixerat,

had proclaimed the field had to be ploughed,

Iason orta luce cum sociis

Jason at sunrise with his allies

ad locum constitutum se contulit.

to the designated place made his way.

Ibi stabulum ingens repperit,

Here he found a huge stable,

in quo tauri erant inclusi;

in which bulls were locked in;

tum portis apertis

then when the doors were opened

tauros in lucem traxit,

he dragged the bulls into the daylight

et summa cum difficultate iugum imposuit.

and with great difficulty put on the joke.

At Aeetes cum videret tauros

But Aeetes when he saw that the bulls

nihil contra Iasonem valere,

were having no effect on Iason,

magnopere miratus est;

he was greatly astounded;

nesciebat enim filiam suam

for he did not know that his daughter

auxilium ei dedisse.

to have given him help.

Tum Iason omnibus aspicientibus

Then Jason with everyone looking on

agrum arare coepit, qua in re

began to plough the field, in which

tantam diligentiam praebuit

he displayed such diligence

ut ante meridiem totum opus confecerit.

that he had finished the whole task before midday.

Hoc facto ad locum

This having been done, to the place

ubi rex sedebat

where the king was sitting

adiit et dentis draconis postulavit;

he approached and asked for the dragon’s teeth;

quos ubi accepit,

which when he had received them,

in agrum quem araverat

on the field which he had ploughed

magna cum diligentia sparsit.

he scattered with great care.

Horum autem dentium natura

Now the nature of these teeth

erat talis ut in eo loco

was such that in the place

ubi sementes factae essent

where they were sown

viri armati miro quodam modo gignerentur.

in quite a marvelous way armed men were born.

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

Ubi is dies venit quem rex

ad arandum agrum edixerat,

Iason orta luce cum sociis

ad locum constitutum se contulit.

Ibi stabulum ingens repperit,

in quo tauri erant inclusi;

tum portis apertis tauros in lucem traxit,

et summa cum difficultate iugum imposuit.

At Aeetes cum videret tauros

nihil contra Iasonem valere,

magnopere miratus est;

nesciebat enim filiam suam

auxilium ei dedisse.

Tum Iason omnibus aspicientibus

agrum arare coepit, qua in re

tantam diligentiam praebuit

ut ante meridiem totum opus confecerit.

Hoc facto ad locum ubi rex sedebat

adiit et dentis draconis postulavit;

quos ubi accepit, in agrum quem araverat

magna cum diligentia sparsit.

Horum autem dentium

natura erat talis ut

in eo loco ubi sementes factae essent

viri armati miro quodam modo gignerentur.

68 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 68 - THE MAGIC OINTMENT

THE ARGONAUTS 68 - THE MAGIC OINTMENT

This picture is of a painting by John William Waterhouse of  Jason and medea.

a) Médéa, régis fília, Iásonem adamávit, et ubi audívit eum tantum perículum subitúrum esse, rem aegré ferébat. Intellegébat enim patrem suum hunc labórem próposuisse eó ipsó cónsilió, ut Iásón morerétur. Quae cum ita essent, Médéa, quae summam scientiam medicínae habébat, hóc cónsilium iniit. Mediá nocte ínsciente patre ex urbe évásit, et postquam in montís fínitimós vénit, herbás quásdam carpsit; tum súcó expressó unguentum parávit quod ví suá corpus aleret nervósque cónfírmáret. Hóc factó Iásoní unguentum dedit; praecépit autem ut eó dié quó istí labórés cónficiendí essent corpus suum et arma máne oblineret. Iásón etsí paene omnibus hominibus mágnitúdine et víribus corporis antecellébat (víta enim omnis in vénátiónibus atque in studió reí mílitáris cónsúmébátur), tamen hóc cónsilium nón neglegendum esse cénsébat.

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.

adamavit – third person singular perfect tense of ad-amo, -amare, -amavi, -amatus, ‘feel love for, fall in love with’ meaning therefore ‘she fell in love with’.

subiturum esse – After the verb audire, a verb of sense perception, we require the Accusative Infinitive construction in Latin. Here we find a composite future infinitive of the verb subeo ‘to endure, to undergo etc.’ which is made up of the future active participle of subeo and the infinitive esse.  We would express this probably as ‘when she learned that he was going to be put in such danger’ but in Latin if we think of it in accusative infinitive terms literally we have ‘when she learned him going to be enduring such danger’ which is ‘eum subiturum esse’.

rem aegre ferebat – literally ‘the matter badly she took/carried’ but we would probably say something like 'she was greatly distressed' or more colloquially, ‘she took it very badly’.

patrem suum – ‘her father’, don’t forget that the possessive adjective agrees with the thing possessed not the possessor so patrem suum can mean his father or her father, unlike English where we have ‘her father’ and ‘his father’ which changes depending on whether the possesor is feminine or madculine.

proposuisse – perfect infinitive of the verb propono, proponere, proposui, propositus, ‘put or set before, offer, propose; set forth, say’.  Intellegebat ‘she knew’ is a verb of mental percecption which requires the accusative infinitive in Latin.  In English we would probably express the following idea as ‘she knew that he had proposed etc’ but when we think this in terms of the accusative and infinitive we get ‘she knew him to have proposed this etc.’ which is closer to the construction we have in Latin.

Consilium iniit - consilium, -i , neuter noun of the second declension meaning advice; plan, design, purpose; prudence, with the third person perfect of ineo, inire in-eo, -ire, -ii, -itus, go into, enter; adopt. together meaning ‘she adopted the plan’ or ‘she hatched the plan’.

quae cum ita essent - 'and this being the case,' 'and so,' literally 'since which things were so.'

scientiam medicinae – knowledge of the art of healing. Medicinae is the objective genitive.of the first declension feminine noun medicína, -ae , art of healing, medicine.

Media nocte – ablative of time when ‘in the middle of the night’.

insciente patre - ablative absolute, 'without the knowledge of her father,' insciente is ablative of the present participle insciens ‘not knowing’ and patre ablative of the noun pater ‘father’.

venit.- Postquam is regularly followed by the perfect or present indicative, but the English translation usually requires the pluperfect, ‘she had come’.

carpsit – third person singular perfect tense of the  verb carpo, -ere, -si, -tus, pluck.

suco expresso – ablative absolute ‘when she had squeezed out the juice’; suco is ablative of the second declension noun sucus, -i , juice and expresso the ablative of the past participle expressus from the verb exprimo, exprimere, expressi, expressus, ‘press out’.

aleret – third person singular imperfect subjunctive, he/she/it might nourish, from alo, -ere, -ui, -tus, nourish.

nervos – masculine plural accusative of the second declension noun nervus, -i, sinew, muscle.

quod ... confirmaret - a relative clause of purpose, quod vi sua corpus aleret nervosque confirmaret’ literally means ‘which with its force to nourish the body and strengthen the sinews’.

hoc facto – ablative absolute, ‘when this had been done.’

eo die quo – ablative of time when, ‘on that day when’.

oblineret – third person singular imperfect subjunctive of the verb oblino, -linere, -levi, -litus, ‘daub over, smear’. This is an example of a verb in a clause of indirect command ‘she ordered .. that .. he smear’.

magnitudine et viribus - ablative of specification.

antecellebat – third person singular imperfect tense of antecello, -cellere, ‘surpass, excel’.

omnibus hominibus ... antecellebat- omnibus hominibus is dative case as they are governed by the verb antecellebat, a compound verb from ante + cellare.

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.

Medea, regis filia, Iasonem adamavit,

Media the king’s daughter, was in love with Jason,

et ubi audivit

and when she heard

eum tantum periculum subiturum esse,

that he was going to face such great danger,

rem aegre ferebat.

she took it badly.

Intellegebat enim patrem suum

for she knew that her father

hunc laborem proposuisse eo ipso consilio,

proposed this task with the very intention,

ut Iason moreretur.

that Jason should die.

Quae cum ita essent, Medea,

As this was so, Medea,

quae summam scientiam medicinae habebat,

who had very great knowledge of the healing arts,

hoc consilium iniit.

adopted this plan.

Media nocte insciente patre

In the middle of the night, without her father knowing

ex urbe evasit,

she got away from the town,

et postquam in montis finitimos venit,

and after she had come into the border mountains

herbas quasdam carpsit;

she picked certain herbs;

tum suco expresso unguentum paravit

then having squeezed the juice she made an ointment

quod vi sua corpus aleret

which with its strength might nourish the body

nervosque confirmaret.

and strengthen the sinews.

Hoc facto Iasoni unguentum dedit;

Having done this she gave the ointment to Jason;

praecepit autem ut eo die

and she ordered that on that day

quo isti labores conficiendi essent

when those tasks were to be accomplished

corpus suum et arma mane oblineret.

in the morning, he should smear his body and weapons.

Iason etsi paene omnibus hominibus

Jason though almost all men

magnitudine et viribus corporis

in size and strength of body

antecellebat (vita enim omnis in venationibus

he excelled (for all his life in hunting

atque in studio rei militaris consumebatur),

and in the pursuit of military affairs he had spent),

tamen hoc consilium non neglegendum esse censebat.

still he considered this advice should not be ignored.

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

Medea, regis filia, Iasonem adamavit,

et ubi audivit

eum tantum periculum subiturum esse,

rem aegre ferebat.

Intellegebat enim patrem suum

hunc laborem proposuisse eo ipso consilio,

ut Iason moreretur.

Quae cum ita essent, Medea,

quae summam scientiam medicinae habebat,

hoc consilium iniit.

Media nocte insciente patre

ex urbe evasit,

et postquam in montis finitimos venit,

herbas quasdam carpsit;

tum suco expresso unguentum paravit

quod vi sua corpus aleret

nervosque confirmaret.

Hoc facto Iasoni unguentum dedit;

praecepit autem ut eo die

quo isti labores conficiendi essent

corpus suum et arma mane oblineret.

Iason etsi paene omnibus hominibus

magnitudine et viribus corporis

antecellebat (vita enim omnis in venationibus

atque in studio rei militaris consumebatur),

tamen hoc consilium non neglegendum esse censebat.

67 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 67 - A HEAVY TASK

THE ARGONAUTS 67 - A HEAVY TASK

THIS SEVENTEENTH CENTURY PAINTING BY CHARLES LA FOSSE AT VERSAILLES PALACE DEPICTS JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS DISEMBARKING AT COLCHIS.
a) Breví intermissó spatió Argonautae ad flúmen Phásim vénérunt, quod in fínibus Colchórum erat. Ibi cum návem appulissent et in terram égressí essent, statim ad régem Aeétem sé contulérunt et ab eó postulávérunt ut vellus aureum sibi tráderétur. Ille cum audívisset quam ob causam Argonautae vénissent, írá commótus est et diú negábat sé vellus tráditúrum esse. Tandem tamen, quod sciébat Iásonem nón sine auxilió deórum hóc negótium suscépisse, mútátá sententiá prómísit sé vellus tráditúrum, sí Iásón labórés duós difficillimós prius perfécisset; et cum Iásón díxisset sé ad omnia perícula subeunda parátum esse, quid fierí vellet ostendit. Prímum iungendí erant duo taurí specié horribilí, quí flammás ex óre édébant; tum hís iúnctís ager quídam arandus erat et dentés dracónis serendí. Hís audítís Iásón etsí rem esse summí perículí intellegébat, tamen, né hanc occásiónem reí bene gerendae ámitteret, negótium suscépit.
 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.

brevi intermisso spatio – ‘in a short space of time’, ablative of time within which.

appullissent ... egressi essent – subjunctives after cum introducing past clauses.

in terram – preposition in followed by the accusative when indicating motion in to.

se contulerunt – ‘they made their way’ third person plural, perfect tense of the verb se confero, conferre, contuli, conlatus, ‘betake oneself, make one's way’.

vellus – notice that this is a third declension neuter noun, not second declension masculine as you might have thought: vellus, velleris, n., ‘fleece’.

traderetur – third person singular imperfect subjunctive; the subjunctive is used here as this is another example of indirect discourse with the verb is in a clause following a verb of petition or asking.

negabat - . Third person singular imperfect tense of negare; this verb is often used instead of dico when a negative statement follows; when thus used, it should be translated by 'say' with the appropriate negative, here 'said that he would not.'

se traditurum esse  - accusative infinitive construction as this is indirect discourse, ‘he said that he would not hand over’. Notice that later we have promisit se vellus traditurum, ‘he promised he would hand over the fleece’ and esse is left out this often happens when the participle is part of the infinitive.

Iasonem ... suscepisse – Accusative infinitive after sciebat ‘he knew’.

prius - Notice that Latin is here more exact than English, using the comparative because only two actions are spoken of.

Primum – ‘first’ or ‘first of all’; primum is chiefly used in enumeration, primo in contrasting an action or state with one that follows it.

quid fieri vellet – literally ‘what to be done he was wanting’.

iungendi erant – ‘had to be joked together’; the gerundive is used with sum to denote necessary action. This is called the passivecperiphrastic conjugation.

rei bene gerendae - 'of accomplishing his mission', literally ‘of doing the thing well’.

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.

Brevi intermisso spatio Argonautae

In a short space of time the Argonauts

ad flumen Phasim venerunt,

came to the river Phasis

quod in finibus Colchorum erat.

which was in the territory of the Colchians

Ibi cum navem appulissent

Here when they had moored the ship

et in terram egressi essent,

and had disembarked on land,

statim ad regem Aeetem se contulerunt

they made they way at once to King Aeetes

et ab eo postulaverunt

and requested from him

ut vellus aureum sibi traderetur.

that he hand over to them the golden fleece.

Ille cum audivisset

He, when he had heard

quam ob causam Argonautae venissent,

for what reason the Argonauts had come,

ira commotus est et diu

he was angry and for a long time

negabat se vellus traditurum esse.

said that he would not hand over the fleece.

Tandem tamen, quod sciebat Iasonem

At length however, since he knew that Jason

non sine auxilio deorum hoc negotium suscepisse,

had not undertaken this business without the help of the gods,

mutata sententia promisit se

he changed his mind and promised he

vellus traditurum, si Iason

would hand over the fleece if Jason

labores duos difficillimos prius perfecisset;

would first carry out two most difficult tasks

et cum Iason dixisset se

and when Jason had said that he

ad omnia pericula subeunda paratum esse,

was prepared to suffer all dangers

quid fieri vellet ostendit.

he explained what he wanted to be done.

Primum iungendi erant

Firstly had to be joked together

duo tauri specie horribili,

two bulls of horrible appearance,

qui flammas ex ore edebant;

which poured forth flames from their mouths;

tum his iunctis ager quidam

then when these were yoked a certain field

arandus erat et dentes draconis serendi.

had to be ploughed and dragon’s teeth had to be sown.

His auditis Iason etsi

When he had heard this, Jason though

rem esse summi periculi intellegebat,

he understood the task to be most dangerous

tamen, ne hanc occasionem

yet, not this opportunity

rei bene gerendae amitteret,

to lose of accomplishing his mission

negotium suscepit.

undertook the business.

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

Brevi intermisso spatio Argonautae

ad flumen Phasim venerunt,

quod in finibus Colchorum erat.

Ibi cum navem appulissent

et in terram egressi essent,

statim ad regem Aeetem se contulerunt

et ab eo postulaverunt

ut vellus aureum sibi traderetur.

Ille cum audivisset

quam ob causam Argonautae venissent,

ira commotus est et diu

negabat se vellus traditurum esse.

Tandem tamen, quod sciebat Iasonem

non sine auxilio deorum hoc negotium suscepisse,

mutata sententia promisit se

vellus traditurum, si Iason

labores duos difficillimos prius perfecisset;

et cum Iason dixisset se

ad omnia pericula subeunda paratum esse,

quid fieri vellet ostendit.

Primum iungendi erant

duo tauri specie horribili,

qui flammas ex ore edebant;

tum his iunctis ager quidam

arandus erat et dentes draconis serendi.

His auditis Iason etsi

rem esse summi periculi intellegebat,

tamen, ne hanc occasionem

rei bene gerendae amitteret,

negotium suscepit.

66 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 66 - THE SYMPLEGADES

THE ARGONAUTS 66 - THE SYMPLEGADES

 a)Hóc factó Phíneus, ut pró tantó benefició meritam grátiam referret, Iásoní démónstrávit quá ratióne Symplégadés vítáre posset. Symplégadés autem duae erant rúpés ingentí mágnitúdine, quae á Iove positae erant eó cónsilió, né quis ad Colchida perveníret. Hae parvó interválló in marí natábant, et sí quid in medium spatium vénerat, incrédibilí celeritáte concurrébant. Postquam igitur á Phíneó doctus est quid faciendum esset, Iásón sublátís ancorís návem solvit, et léní ventó próvectus mox ad Symplégadés appropinquávit. Tum in prórá stáns columbam quam in manú tenébat émísit. Illa réctá viá per medium spatium volávit, et priusquam rúpés cónflíxérunt, incolumis évásit caudá tantum ámissá. Tum rúpés utrimque discessérunt; antequam tamen rúrsus concurrerent, Argonautae, bene intellegentés omnem spem salútis in celeritáte positam esse, summá ví rémís contendérunt et návem incolumem perdúxérunt. Hóc factó dís grátiás máximás égérunt, quórum auxilió é tantó perículó éreptí essent; omnés enim sciébant nón sine auxilió deórum rem tam félíciter événisse.

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.

Hoc facto - 'when this had been accomplished.'  The ablative absolute is often used instead of a subordinate clause of time, cause, condition, or the like. The ablative absolute construction consists of two parts, a noun, or pronoun corresponding to the subject of a clause, and a participle corresponding to the verb of a clause.

pro tanto – as we have seen before tanto is a signal word alerting us to a coming result clause which will have the verb in the subjunctive mood, as here with referret.

referret.- 'To give thanks' or 'thank' is usually gratias agere; gratiam referre means 'to show one's gratitude,' 'to recompense' or 'requite.'

qua ratione – in what way, how

eo consilio – ‘for this purpose’, or ‘to this end’, obviously introducing a purpose clause which will have its verb in the subjunctive mood, which turns out to be perveniret, ‘so that no one might reach’ or ‘in order that no on might come to’.

ne quis – ‘so that no one.' 'Negative clauses of purpose and negative clauses of result may be distinguished by the negative: ne, ne quis, etc., for negative purpose clauses; ut non, ut nemo, etc., for result clauses.

Colchida – this is an alternative feminine accusative singular Greek version of the third declension feminine latinised noun Colchis.

Hae – ‘these’, this feminine nominative plural pronoun refers to the two huge cliffs, or rocks, rupes, -is, f., rock, cliff; reef.

natabant – third person plural imperfect tense indicative active of nato, natare, -avi, -atus, first conjugation verb means ‘swim’ and also, as here, ‘float’.

parvo intervallo – this is ablative of degree of difference meaning ‘by a small distance’ meaning, 'a short distance apart.

in medium spatium - 'between them.'

quid faciendum esset – 'what was to be done.' This is the gerundive which is used with the verb sum to indicate obligation, that something should, or must be done. This is called the passive periphrastic conjugation.

sublatis ancoris – ablative absolute again, literally: ‘when the anchors had been lifted’.

sublatis – though it is not obvious at a glance where this comes from; it is from the verb tollo, tollere, sustuli, sublatus, meaning lift, raise; take away, remove.  When used with anchor, ancoras tollere, it means ‘to raise anchor’ and there is another expression in English which means exactly the same which is ‘to weigh anchor.’  sublatis ... solvit, 'weighed anchor and put to sea.'

provectus – past participle of proveho, -ere, -vexi, -vectus ‘carry forward.’

concurrerent, - 'could rush together.'  The subjunctive is used with antequam to denote that the action is expected or intended.

utrimque - adverb, ‘on either side or both sides’.

intellegentes - equivalent to cum intellegerent.

dis - the usual form of the dative and ablative plural of deus, as di of the nominative plural.

quorum auxilio - equivalent to cum eorum auxilio, ‘by or with whose help’. A relative clause of cause, like a cum-clause of cause, has its verb in the subjunctive.

 

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.

Hoc facto Phineus,

When this had been done, Phineus,

ut pro tanto beneficio

in return for such great kindness

meritam gratiam referret,

gave deserved gratitude

Iasoni demonstravit qua ratione

explained to Jason in what way

Symplegades vitare posset.

he might avoid the Symplegades.

Symplegades autem duae erant

Now the Symplegades were two

rupes ingenti magnitudine,

rocks of enormous size,

quae a Iove positae erant

which by Jupiter had been placed

eo consilio, ne quis ad Colchida perveniret.

for this purpose, so that no one could come to Colchis.

Hae parvo intervallo in mari natabant,

These were floating close together in the sea

et si quid in medium spatium venerat,

and whenever anything came into the space in the middle

incredibili celeritate concurrebant.

they used to run together with incredible speed.

Postquam igitur a Phineo doctus est

therefore after they it was explained by Phineus

quid faciendum esset,

what must be done,

Iason sublatis ancoris navem solvit,

Jason having weighed anchor, set sail,

et leni vento provectus

and carried forward by a gently wind

mox ad Symplegades appropinquavit.

soon they approached the Simplegades.

Tum in prora stans columbam

Then standing in the prow, the dove

quam in manu tenebat emisit.

which he held in his hand, he released.

Illa recta via per medium spatium volavit,

The dove flew straight through the middle,

et priusquam rupes conflixerunt,

and before the cliffs dashed together,

incolumis evasit cauda tantum amissa.

it escaped unharmed with only its tail missing.

Tum rupes utrimque discesserunt;

Then the cliffs on both sides moved apart;

antequam tamen rursus concurrerent,

and before they could again rush together,

Argonautae, bene intellegentes

The Argonauts, knowing well

omnem spem salutis in celeritate positam esse,

that all hope of safety was to be placed in speed

summa vi remis contenderunt

rowed with the utmost effort

et navem incolumem perduxerunt.

and brought the ship through unharmed.

Hoc facto dis gratias maximas egerunt,

Having done this, they gave great thanks to the gods

quorum auxilio e tanto periculo erepti essent;

by whose help they had been snatched from such danger;

omnes enim sciebant non sine auxilio deorum

for they all knew that without the help of the gods

rem tam feliciter evenisse.

the affair would not have turned out so happily.

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

Hoc facto Phineus,

ut pro tanto beneficio

meritam gratiam referret,

Iasoni demonstravit qua ratione

Symplegades vitare posset.

Symplegades autem duae erant

rupes ingenti magnitudine,

quae a Iove positae erant

eo consilio, ne quis ad Colchida perveniret.

Hae parvo intervallo in mari natabant,

et si quid in medium spatium venerat,

incredibili celeritate concurrebant.

Postquam igitur a Phineo doctus est

quid faciendum esset,

Iason sublatis ancoris navem solvit,

et leni vento provectus

mox ad Symplegades appropinquavit.

Tum in prora stans columbam

quam in manu tenebat emisit.

Illa recta via per medium spatium volavit,

et priusquam rupes conflixerunt,

incolumis evasit cauda tantum amissa.

Tum rupes utrimque discesserunt;

antequam tamen rursus concurrerent,

Argonautae, bene intellegentes

omnem spem salutis in celeritate positam esse,

summa vi remis contenderunt

et navem incolumem perduxerunt.

Hoc facto dis gratias maximas egerunt,

quorum auxilio e tanto periculo erepti essent;

omnes enim sciebant non sine auxilio deorum

rem tam feliciter evenisse.