52 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 52 - HERCULES CROSSES THE STYX

HERCULES 52 - HERCULES CROSSES THE STYX

THESE PAINTINGS ARE OF MERCURY AND MINERVA, HERCULES COMPANIONS ON THIS PART OF HIS JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD. BY HENDRICK GOTZIUS, FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS.

a)Herculés postquam imperia Eurystheí accépit, in Lacóniam ad Taenarum statim sé contulit; ibi enim spélunca erat ingentí mágnitúdine, per quam, ut trádébátur, hominés ad Orcum déscendébant. Eó cum vénisset, ex incolís quaesívit quó in locó spélunca illa sita esset; quod cum cógnóvisset, sine morá déscendere cónstituit. Nec tamen sólus hóc iter faciébat, Mercurius enim et Minerva sé eí sociós adiúnxerant. Ubi ad rípam Stygis vénit, Herculés scapham Charontis cónscendit, ut ad últeriórem rípam tránsíret. Cum tamen Herculés vir esset ingentí mágnitúdine corporis, Charón solvere nólébat; mágnopere enim verébátur né scapha sua tantó pondere oneráta in medió flúmine mergerétur. Tandem tamen minís Herculis territus Charón scapham solvit, et eum incolumem ad últeriórem rípam perdúxit.

 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.

imperia – plural of the second declension neuter noun imperium, -í, command; sway, rule.

Laconia - also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regions of Greece, in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula whose capital is Sparta.  The word laconic, meaning abrupt, short or curt, derives from this and reflects the Athenians opinion of the Spartan pronunciation.

Taenarus, -í, m. -  a place in Southern Greece where there was a cave which gave access to the Underworld.

se contulit – from se conferre, ‘he took himself off’.

ingenti magnitudine – of/with a huge size, ablative of description.

per quam – through which, accusative after per, quam is feminine singular as it refers to spelunca, a feminine singular noun, in ohter words spelunca is the antecedent.

ut tradebatur – ut here means ‘as’ and is followed by tradebatur, imperfect passive indicative third person singular of trado, tradere, tradidi, traditus, which can mean hand over, surender, deliver or as here relate, so the translation could be, ‘as was related’, or ‘as was told’.

eo- ablative of is, meaning ‘at this place’

ex incolis – from the inhabitants, e ex before vowel or h, is followed by the ablative.

cum cognovisset – cum here means when, ‘when he had found out’.

ex.incolis – ex followed by ablative plural of incola ‘from the inhabitants’.

Mercurius, -í, m. – Mercury, son of Jupiter and one of the gods.

Minerva – ae, f. Roman goddess, daughter of Jupiter, associated with wisdom and crafts.

socios – accusative plural of the second declension masculine noun socius, ‘companion, comrade, ally’.

se ei socios – se = themselves, ei = dative of is, to him, socios =  (as) companions: se refers to the subject of the main clause which is Mercury and Minerva ‘they joined themselves as companions’, se is accusative of direct object and socios predicate accusative respectively.

adiunxerant – third person plural, pluperfect active indicative of adiungo, adiungere, adiunxi, adiunctus – join to, join, meaning therefore ‘they had joined’.

scapham – accusative singular of the first declension noun scapha, -ae, boat, skiff.

ad ulteriorem ripam – ad, motion towards followed by accusative case of ulterior, the farther, to the farther ripam, shore.

ut ... transiret – purpose clause introduced by ut requires a verb in the subjunctive mood, here the third person singular imperfect subjunctive of transeo, transire, to cross, meaning therefore, ‘that he might go’ or ‘in order to go’

ingenti magnitudine corporis – ablative of description ‘with a huge size’ corporis ‘of body’.

solvere – this is the present infinitive of solvo, solvere, solvi, solutus, which can mean to loosen, unbind, release; or pay; it can also mean, as here, to cast off, set sail, put to sea and can be used in this sense with or without navem.

verebatur – this is the third person singular of the deponent verb vereor, vereri to fear which look passive in form but are active in meaning so it means ‘he was fearing, he feared’

ne ... mergeretur – after verbs of fearing, ne means that, and is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood megeretur, from mergo, mergere, mersi, mersus, dip, plunge, sink, so it could be translated ‘lest it sink or that it might sink’. 

minis – ablative plural of the feminine noun mina, -ae threat, being here the ablative of cause, ‘because of the threats’

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 postquam imperia Eurysthei accepit,

after Hercules had received his orders from Eurysthei,

in Laconiam ad Taenarum statim se contulit;

he made his way at once into Laconia to Taenarus,

ibi enim spelunca erat ingenti magnitudine,

for there was a cave of enormous size there,

per quam, ut tradebatur,

through which, so it was said,

homines ad Orcum descendebant.

men descended to the Underworld.

Eo cum venisset, ex incolis quaesivit

When he had arrived there, he asked the inhabitants

quo in loco spelunca illa sita esset;

in what place that cave was situated;

quod cum cognovisset,

which, when he had found out,

sine mora descendere constituit.

he resolved to go down without delay.

Nec tamen solus hoc iter faciebat,

However not alone was he making this journey,

Mercurius enim et Minerva

for Mercury and Minerva

se ei socios adiunxerant.

had joined themselves to him as allies

Ubi ad ripam Stygis venit,

when he came to the bank of the Styx

Hercules scapham Charontis conscendit,

Hercules climbed into the boat of Charon,

ut ad ulteriorem ripam transiret.

so that he might go across to the other shore.

Cum tamen Hercules vir esset

Since however, Hercules was a man

ingenti magnitudine corporis,

with a huge size of body,

Charon solvere nolebat;

Charon did not want to cast off

magnopere enim verebatur

for he was very afraid

ne scapha sua tanto pondere onerata

that his boat laden with such weight

in medio flumine mergeretur.

might sink in the middle of the river.

Tandem tamen minis Herculis territus

At length however terrified by the threats of Hercules

Charon scapham solvit,

Charon cast off the boat,

et eum incolumem ad ulteriorem ripam perduxit.

and carried him across safe to the farther river bank.

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

Hercules postquam imperia Eurysthei accepit,

in Laconiam ad Taenarum statim se contulit;

ibi enim spelunca erat ingenti magnitudine,

per quam, ut tradebatur,

homines ad Orcum descendebant.

Eo cum venisset, ex incolis quaesivit

quo in loco spelunca illa sita esset;

quod cum cognovisset,

sine mora descendere constituit.

Nec tamen solus hoc iter faciebat,

Mercurius enim et Minerva

se ei socios adiunxerant.

Ubi ad ripam Stygis venit,

Hercules scapham Charontis conscendit,

ut ad ulteriorem ripam transiret.

Cum tamen Hercules vir esset

ingenti magnitudine corporis,

Charon solvere nolebat;

magnopere enim verebatur

ne scapha sua tanto pondere onerata

in medio flumine mergeretur.

Tandem tamen minis Herculis territus

Charon scapham solvit,

et eum incolumem

ad ulteriorem ripam perduxit.

51 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 51 - THE REALM OF PLUTO

HERCULES 51 - THE REALM OF PLUTO

THIS IS A VASE PAINTING SHOWING HERCULES AND CERBERUS.

a)

Ut autem mánés Stygem hóc modó tránsierant, ad alterum veniébant flúmen, quod Léthé appellábátur. Ex hóc flúmine aquam bibere cógébantur; quod cum fécissent, rés omnís in vítá gestás é memoriá dépónébant. Dénique ad sédem ipsíus Plútónis veniébant, cúius introitus á cane Cerberó custódiébátur. Ibi Plútó nigró vestítú indútus cum uxóre Próserpiná in solió sedébat. Stábant etiam nón procul ab eó locó tria alia solia, in quibus sedébant Mínós, Rhadamanthus, Aeacusque, iúdicés apud ínferós. Hí mortuís iús dícébant et praemia poenásque cónstituébant. Boní enim in Campós Élysiós, sédem beátórum, veniébant; improbí autem in Tartarum mittébantur ac multís et variís suppliciís ibi excruciábantur.

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.

Ut – in this context ut means ‘when’.

transierant – third person plural pluperfect active of transire, go across ‘they had gone across’.

ex hoc flumeni – ablative after e or ex (before vowel or h).

cogebantur – third person plural imperfect passive of cogo, cogere ‘they were forced’.

quod cum fecissent – quod here is the relative quod (not a conjunction meaning because) and is often used in Latin to connect a new sentence with the one preceding. When so used, it is generally best rendered by 'and' or 'but' and a demonstrative or personal pronoun, 'and when they had done this.'

deponebant – literally ‘they were put aside’ but we have translated ‘erased’ for memories.

sedem – accusative of sedes, seat or as here ‘dwelling, abode’.

ipsius Plutonis – genitive of ipse with Pluto, ‘of pluto himself’.

cuius introitus – genitive of quo cuius meaning ‘of which’ with introitus ‘the entrance’.

a cane – a meaning ‘by’ to express the agent, is followed by the ablative, here the ablative of cane, canis third declension noun, ‘by a dog’.

custodiebatur – third person singular imperfect passive of custodio, custodire, to guard, meaning therefore ‘it was guarded’.

nigro vestitu indutus – nigro is ablative singular of the adjective niger, nigra, nigrum, black together with the ablative of vestíius, -us it means ‘in black clothing’ indutus dressed, altogether best rendered by ‘dressed in black clothing’, or ‘wearing black clothing’.

in solio – I expect you guessed that this means ‘on a throne’, from the second declension neuter noun solium, -í , seat, throne.

ab eo loco – a, (ab before the vowel) takes ablative case, ‘from this place’.

in quibus – in which (referring to the three other thrones).

Hi – nominative plural of hic, haec, hoc meaning ‘these’ referring to the three judges, Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacusque.

mortuis – this is dative of indirect object with dicebant , ‘the told or used to tell to the dead’ etc.

praemia poenasque – -que which here connects praemia and poenás denotes a close connection between the two words connectd.

ac multis et variis – here we have the other common words for ‘and’ or connecting words.  Multi is often joined by et to another adjective modifying the same noun.

excruciabantur – third person plural imperfect passive of excrucio, excruciare, excruciavi, cruciatus, torture, ‘they were tortured’.

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.

Ut autem manes Stygem hoc modo transierant,

when however the shades had crossed the Styx in this manner

ad alterum veniebant flumen,

they came to another river,

quod Lethe appellabatur.

which was called Lethe.

Ex hoc flumine aquam bibere cogebantur;

They were forced to drink water from this river;

quod cum fecissent,

and when they had done so,

res omnis in vita gestas e memoria deponebant.

everything done in their life was erased from memory.

Denique ad sedem ipsius Plutonis veniebant,

and then to the dwelling of Pluto himself they came,

cuius introitus a cane Cerbero custodiebatur.

whose entrance was guarded by the dog Cerberus.

Ibi Pluto nigro vestitu indutus

there Pluto dressed in black

cum uxore Proserpina in solio sedebat.

with his wife Prosperine sat on a throne.

Stabant etiam non procul ab eo loco tria alia solia,

Three other thrones stood not far off from this place,

in quibus sedebant Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacusque,

on which were seated Monos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus,

iudices apud inferos.

judges in the Underworld.

Hi mortuis ius dicebant

These used to pronounced the judgement of the dead

et praemia poenasque constituebant.

and decided on rewards and punishments.

Boni enim in Campos Elysios,

For the good into the Elysian fields,

sedem beatorum, veniebant;

the abode of the blessed were coming;

improbi autem in Tartarum mittebantur

the wicked however weer sent to Tartarus

ac multis et variis suppliciis ibi excruciabantur.

and many and various torments they were suffering there.

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

Ut autem manes Stygem hoc modo transierant,

ad alterum veniebant flumen,

quod Lethe appellabatur.

Ex hoc flumine aquam bibere cogebantur;

quod cum fecissent,

res omnis in vita gestas e memoria deponebant.

Denique ad sedem ipsius Plutonis veniebant,

cuius introitus a cane Cerbero custodiebatur.

Ibi Pluto nigro vestitu indutus

cum uxore Proserpina in solio sedebat.

Stabant etiam non procul ab eo loco tria alia solia,

in quibus sedebant Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacusque,

iudices apud inferos.

Hi mortuis ius dicebant

et praemia poenasque constituebant.

Boni enim in Campos Elysios,

sedem beatorum, veniebant;

improbi autem in Tartarum mittebantur

ac multis et variis suppliciis ibi excruciabantur.

50 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 50 - CHARON'S FERRY

HERCULES 50 - CHARON'S FERRY

This is from an etching by Gustave Dore 1861 showing Charon crossing the Styx. (from Wikipedia commons)

 a)

Dé Orcó, quí ídem Hádés appellábátur, haec tráduntur. Ut quisque dé vítá décesserat, mánés éius ad Orcum, sédem mortuórum, á deó Mercurió dédúcébantur. Húius regiónis, quae sub terrá fuisse dícitur, réx erat Plútó, cui uxor erat Próserpina, Iovis et Cereris fília. Mánés igitur á Mercurió déductí prímum ad rípam veniébant Stygis flúminis, quó régnum Plútónis continétur. Hóc tránsíre necesse erat antequam in Orcum veníre possent. Cum tamen in hóc flúmine núllus póns factus esset, mánés tránsvehébantur á Charonte quódam, quí cum parvá scaphá ad rípam exspectábat. Charón pró hóc offició mercédem postulábat, neque quemquam, nisi hóc praemium prius dedisset, tránsvehere volébat. Quam ob causam mós erat apud antíquós nummum in óre mortuí pónere eó cónsilió, ut cum ad Stygem vénisset, pretium tráiectús solvere posset. Ií autem quí post mortem in terrá nón sepultí erant Stygem tránsíre nón potuérunt, sed in rípá per centum annós erráre coáctí sunt; tum démum Orcum intráre licuit.

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.

Orco – ablative of Orcus as following the preposition ‘de’ ‘concerning, or about which takes the ablative case. Orcus is another name for the Underworld in Greek mythology.

qui idem – literally ‘which the same’, ‘which ...also'.

appellabatur – second person imperfect passive indicative of appello, appellare, ‘call’ meaning therefore ‘it was called’.

Ut – means in this context 'when.'

decesserat – second person pluperfect of decedo, decedere, -cessi, -cessus, ‘go away, depart’, therefore ‘he/she/it had departed, left

de vita – ablative of separation, ‘from life’ so with the previous ‘he/she had departed from life’ means quite simply ‘when he/she had died’.

manes eius – the shade (ghost, spirit) from the third declension masculine plural noun manes, manium with eius ‘of him’ which together mean – ‘his shade/ghost’.

ad Orcum – to Orcus, accusative case when motion towards in involved.

sedem mortuorum – sedes, sédés, -is [sedeó], f., seat, abode.

a Mercurio – ablative of Mercurius after a meaning ‘by’. Mercurius, i – masculine noun second declension, Mercury, a mythological god and messenger of the gods.

ducebantur – third person imperfect passive indicative of ducere, meaning therefore ‘they were led, or they used to be led’ (to indicate customary or habitual action).

quae sub terra fuisse dicitur – quae ‘which’ is feminine as it refers to region, dicitur ‘is said’, sub terra fuisse ‘to have been underground’.

cui uxor – cui here is dative of possessor, ‘to whom’ so this phrase means literally ‘to whom the wife’, or as we would say ‘whose wife’.

I expect yu

Stygis fluminis – genitive case of Styx, stygis , Styx and flumen –inis, ‘of the river Styx’. The river Styx separates the land of the living from the Underworld.

quo ... continetur – quo, ablative of means ‘by which’, (the realm of Pluto) is contained.

antequam ...possent. - The third person present subjunctive of possum (be able) is used here with antequam to show that the action is intended. ‘before they can come’

cum ... nullus pons factus esset – when cum meaning ‘since’ introduces a clause the verb must be in the subjunctive as here, factus esset is third person pluperfect subjunctive passive of facere; the meaning therefore is ‘since/as ...no bridge had been made’.

transvehebantur – passive again, this time third person impefect tense indicative of the third conjugation verb transvehere, meaning therefore ‘they were carried across’.

a Charante quodam – a ‘by’ governs the ablative therefore we have Charonte and in agreement quodam  meaning ‘by a certain Charon’.

nisi.... prius.dedisset – nisi ‘unless’ .... prius ‘before’ (latin uses the comparative here as two actions are spoken of ; one to pay, two to be carried over; dedisset is second person imperfect subjunctive of dare, dedi, datus, ‘give’; the subjunctive is used here because this is an example of indirect.discourse: Charon’s words would have been “Nisi dederis (future perfect – literally, ‘unless you shall have given’ which is used to indicate an action in the future which must happen before another action, which is quite logical when you think about it, whereas in English we would just say ‘unless you give me’ in the present tense, which is not logical really ), “non transveham” ‘ I will not (take you) across.’

mortui – of a dead man.

eo consilio – to this end, with this purpose.

licuit – impersonal ‘it was permitted’ but we would probably say ‘they were allowed.’

coacti sunt – they were compelled, perfect passive of cogo, cogere, coegi, coactus.

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.

De Orco, qui idem Hades appellabatur,

Concerning Orcus, which Hades was also called,

haec traduntur. Ut quisque de vita decesserat,

these things are said.  When whoever had left life,

manes eius ad Orcum, sedem mortuorum,

his shade to Orcus, the abode of the dead,

a deo Mercurio deducebantur.

by the god Mercury, they were led down

Huius regionis, quae sub terra fuisse dicitur,

Of this region, which is said to have been under the ground,

rex erat Pluto, cui uxor erat Proserpina,

the king was Pluto, whose wife was Prosperine,

Iovis et Cereris filia. Manes igitur

daughter of Jove and Ceres. The shades therefore

a Mercurio deducti primum ad ripam

by Mercury led down first to the bank

veniebant Stygis fluminis,

they used to come, of the river Styx,

quo regnum Plutonis continetur.

by which the realm of Pluto is contained.

Hoc transire necesse erat

It was necessary to go across this

antequam in Orcum venire possent.

before they could come into Orcus.

Cum tamen in hoc flumine

Since however on this river

nullus pons factus esset,

no bridge had been made,

manes transvehebantur

the shades used to be taken across

a Charonte quodam,

by a certain Charon,

qui cum parva scapha

who with a small boat

ad ripam exspectabat.

used to wait on the river bank.

Charon pro hoc officio

Charon, for this service

mercedem postulabat,

used to ask for a reward,

neque quemquam,

and no one,

nisi hoc praemium prius dedisset,

unless he paid this reward before,

transvehere volebat.

did he want to take across.

Quam ob causam mos erat

Because of this, it was the custom

apud antiquos nummum in ore mortui

with the ancients, a coin in the mouth of a dead man

ponere eo consilio,

to put, with this purpose,

ut cum ad Stygem venisset,

so that when he came to the Styx

pretium traiectus solvere posset.

he could pay the price of the crossing.

Ii autem qui post mortem

those however who after death

in terra non sepulti erant

in the gound were not buried

Stygem transire non potuerunt,

could not go across the Styx,

sed in ripa per centum annos

but on the river bank for one hundred years

errare coacti sunt;

were compelled to wander

tum demum Orcum intrare licuit.

then at long last they were allowed to enter Orcus.

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

De Orco, qui idem Hades appellabatur,

haec traduntur. Ut quisque de vita decesserat,

manes eius ad Orcum, sedem mortuorum,

a deo Mercurio deducebantur.

Huius regionis, quae sub terra fuisse dicitur,

rex erat Pluto, cui uxor erat Proserpina,

Iovis et Cereris filia. Manes igitur

a Mercurio deducti primum ad ripam

veniebant Stygis fluminis,

quo regnum Plutonis continetur.

Hoc transire necesse erat

antequam in Orcum venire possent.

Cum tamen in hoc flumine

nullus pons factus esset,

manes transvehebantur

a Charonte quodam,

qui cum parva scapha

ad ripam exspectabat.

Charon pro hoc officio

mercedem postulabat,

neque quemquam, nisi hoc praemium

prius dedisset, transvehere volebat.

Quam ob causam mos erat

apud antiquos nummum in ore mortui

ponere eo consilio,

ut cum ad Stygem venisset,

pretium traiectus solvere posset.

Ii autem qui post mortem

in terra non sepulti erant

Stygem transire non potuerunt,

sed in ripa per centum annos

errare coacti sunt;

tum demum Orcum intrare licuit.

49 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 49 - TWELFTH LABOUR: CERBERUS THE THREE-HEADED DOG

HERCULES 49 - TWELFTH LABOUR: CERBERUS THE THREE-HEADED DOG

THIS PICTURE SHOWS DETAIL FROM A SCULPTURE OF HADES AND CERBERUS (from Wikipedia Commons)

AND THIS IS FROM A PAINTING BY WILLIAM BLAKE - I can't decide if I think he is hideous or cartoon-style funny. (Picture from Wikipedia Commons)

a) Postquam aurea póma ad Eurystheum reláta sunt, únus modo relinquébátur é duodecim labóribus quós Pýthia Herculí praecéperat. Eurystheus autem cum Herculem mágnopere timéret, eum in aliquem locum mittere volébat unde numquam redíre posset. Negótium igitur eí dedit ut canem Cerberum ex Orcó in lúcem traheret. Hóc opus omnium difficillimum erat, némó enim umquam ex Orcó redierat. Praetereá Cerberus iste mónstrum erat horribilí specié, cui tria erant capita serpentibus saevís cincta. Antequam tamen dé hóc labóre nárrámus, nón aliénum vidétur, quoniam dé Orcó mentiónem fécimus, pauca dé eá regióne própónere.

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.

aurea poma – golden apples, this is plural as poma is nominative plural of the neuter noun pomum, -i, n., fruit, apple; relata sunt agrees with poma.

unus ... e duodecim laboribus – with unus the ablative with ex or de is commonly used instead of the partitive genitive to mean ‘one out of the twelve labours’.

modo – here it is the adverb ‘only’.

relinquebatur – this is the third person imperfect passive of the third conjugation verb relinquo, -linquere, -liqui, -lictus, leave behind, leave, so it means, ‘it was left, it was remaining’.

Pythia Herculi praeceperat – praeceperat – he/she had ordered, third person singular pluperfect of the verb praecipio, -cipere, -cepi, -ceptus which governs the dative case so we have Herculi . Pythia you will remember is the oracle who ordered Hercules to carry out the labours asked of him by Eursytheus.

cum ... timeret – cum followed by imperfect subjunctive, ‘since he feared’.

in aliquem locum – accusative as motion into another place is implied.

numquam redire posset – imperfect subjunctive ‘posset,’ he might never be able to come back.

negotium – neuter noun can mean business, also as here, task.

ut .. in lucem traheret – that he bring drag/bring into the light/daylight.

ex Orco – ex followed by ablative of Orcus, masculine noun of the second declension, meaning therefore ‘from Orcus, from the underworld.

omnium difficillimum – ommnium is partitive genitive ‘of all’ followed by difficillimum , superlative adjective ‘most difficult’ neuter as it refers to the neuter third declension noun ‘opus’.

redierat – third person singular pluperfect of the verb redire, return meaning therefore ‘had returned’.

praeterea - adverb, besides this, besides, moreover.

horribili specie - 'of terrible appearance.' ablative of description. A noun never stands alone in this construction.

cui erant tria capita – literally ‘to whom there were three heads’ but we would probably say ‘who had three heads.

cincta – past participle of the verb cingo, cingere, cinxi, cinctus, surround, being used as an adjective and therefore agreeing with the neuter plural third declension noun capita, ‘three heads surrounded’.

serpentibus saevis – ablative plural ‘with fierce snakes’.

narramus – the present is being used here with antequam to express future action, as in English with ‘before’, ‘before we  nárrámus. The present is sometimes used with antequam to express future action, as in English with 'before.

de hoc labore – de followed by ablative meaning ‘concerning, about this labour’.

non alienum videtur – it does not seem out of place.

pauca – a few things.

proponere - infinitive of the third conjugation verb propono, -ponere, -posui, -positus, put or set before, offer, propose; set forth, or as here simply say.

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.

Postquam aurea poma

After  the golden apples

ad Eurystheum relata sunt,

were taken back to Eurystheus

unus modo relinquebatur

only one was remaining

e  duodecim laboribus

out of the twelve labours

quos Pythia Herculi praeceperat.

which Pythia had ordered Hercules (to do).

Eurystheus autem cum Herculem magnopere timeret,

Eurystheus  however, since he greatly feared Hercules,

eum in aliquem locum mittere volebat

wanted to send him into another place

unde numquam redire posset.

from where he could never return.

Negotium igitur ei dedit

Therefore he gave him the task

ut canem Cerberum ex Orco in lucem traheret.

to bring the dog Cerberus out of Orcus into the daylight.

Hoc opus omnium difficillimum erat,

this task was the most difficult of all,

nemo enim umquam ex Orco redierat.

for no one had ever returned from Orcus.

Praeterea Cerberus iste monstrum

Moreover this monster Cerberus

erat horribili specie,

was of horrible appearance,

cui tria erant capita

he had three heads

serpentibus saevis cincta.

surrounded with fierce snakes.

Antequam tamen de hoc labore narramus,

But before we speak about this labour,

non alienum videtur,

it seems not out of place,

quoniam de Orco mentionem fecimus,

since we have mentioned Orcus,

pauca de ea regione proponere.

to say a few things about that region.

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

Postquam aurea poma

ad Eurystheum relata sunt,

unus modo relinquebatur

e duodecim laboribus

quos Pythia Herculi praeceperat.

Eurystheus autem

cum Herculem magnopere timeret,

eum in aliquem locum mittere volebat

unde numquam redire posset.

Negotium igitur ei dedit

ut canem Cerberum ex Orco in lucem traheret.

Hoc opus omnium difficillimum erat,

nemo enim umquam ex Orco redierat.

Praeterea Cerberus iste monstrum

erat horribili specie,

cui tria erant capita

serpentibus saevis cincta.

Antequam tamen de hoc labore narramus,

non alienum videtur,

quoniam de Orco mentionem fecimus,

pauca de ea regione proponere.