58 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 58 – A FATEFUL ACCIDENT

THE ARGONAUTS 58 – A FATEFUL ACCIDENT

THE ROMAN CALCEUS, OR SHOE MAY HAVE LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE THIS.  IN TODAY'S EPISODE YOUNG JASON LOSES ONE OF HIS WHILE CROSSING A RIVER.
 a)Post breve tempus Peliás, veritus né régnum suum tantá ví et fraude occupátum ámitteret, amícum quendam Delphós mísit, quí óráculum cónsuleret. Ille igitur quam celerrimé Delphós sé contulit et quam ob causam vénisset démónstrávit. Respondit óráculum núllum esse in praesentiá perículum; monuit tamen Peliam ut sí quis únum calceum geréns veníret, eum cavéret. Post paucís annís accidit ut Peliás mágnum sacrificium factúrus esset; núntiós in omnís partís dímíserat et certam diem conveniendí díxerat. Dié cónstitútá mágnus hominum numerus undique ex agrís convénit; in hís autem vénit etiam Iásón, quí á pueritiá apud centaurum quendam habitáverat. Dum tamen iter facit, únum é calceís in tránseundó nesció quó flúmine ámísit.
 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.

veritus ne – verbs of fearing are followed by ‘ne’ to mean that and ‘ut’ to mean that ...not, so this means ‘fearing that’.

amitteret – subjunctive after verbs of fearing, here third person singular imperfect subjunctive of amitto, amittere ‘to lose’ meaning therefore ‘that he might lose.’

amicum quendam – ‘a certain friend’, quendam is accusative singular masculine of the indefinite adjective quidam, agreeing with amicum.

Delphos – you will remember that the accusative is used when idnicating motion towards, or place to which, for example Romam means ‘to Rome’ and this also applies where the name of the town is always plural as here where Delphi Delphorum, masculine noun plural of the second declension means the place Delphi and the accusative plural Delphos means therefore ‘to Delphi.’

se contulit – third person perfect of se conferre, ‘he made his way’.

qui ... consuleret – subjunctive can give reason for the main verb, ‘in order to consult’.

oraculum -  we have already met the oracle at Delphi who ordered Hercules to obey Eurystheus and carry out his commands after he killed his children.

quam celerrime – quam with a superlative means as (something) as possible, here as quickly as possible.

venisset ... demonstravit – turn these two around and you will see that the meaning is that he made known, or explained the reason why he had come which is an example of indirect discourse which we know is associated with all verbs of saying, explaining, telling, relating etc. and so we must have the verb in the subjunctive ‘venisset’ third person singular pluperfect of venire, ‘he had come’.

nullum esse – there was no.

si quis ...veniret – third person singular imperfect subjunctive of venire after si quis, ‘if anyone ... should come’.

Post paucís annís – Post is here an adverb and not a preposition and this phrase means literally 'later by a few years.' or as we would say ‘a few years later’, paucis annis being ablative of degree of difference. The expression is equivalent to post paucos annos, which is the preposition post followed by the accusative.

accidit – is one of several impersonal verbs which take for their subject a clause of result : it happened that .. he was intending to make ..accidit ut ..facturus esset.

facturus – is the future participle of facere and means something like, ‘going to make’ or 'intending to make.' The future participle is used in the way with a form of the verb sum to express an intended or future action. This is called the active periphrastic construction.

certam diem – feminine as we are talking about a specific day, an appointed day, otherwise dies, diem is usually masculine.

conveniendi – this is the genitive of the gerund which you will remember corresponds to the ‘ing’ verbal noun in English, so this means ‘of assembling’.

Die constituta -  ablative of time when, ‘the appointed day’.

a pueritia - ablative ‘from childhood’.

dum ... facit – dum is followed by a present tense but translated with a past tense.

nescio – you may remember that we met a similar expression with nescio last week and that when nescio comes with the interrogative pronoun it is equivalent to an indefinite pronoun.

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.

Post breve tempus Pelias,

After a short time Pelias,

veritus ne regnum suum

fearing that his kingdom

tanta vi et fraude occupatum amitteret,

taken with such great force and deceit he might lose,

amicum quendam Delphos misit,

sent a certain friend to Delphos.

qui oraculum consuleret.

who was to consult the oracle.

Ille igitur quam celerrime

He therefore as fast as possible

Delphos se contulit et quam ob causam

made his way to Delphi and the reason why

venisset demonstravit.

he had come he made known.

Respondit oraculum nullum esse

The oracle replied that there was no

in praesentia periculum;

danger at present;

monuit tamen Peliam ut

she warned however that Pelias

si quis unum calceum gerens veniret,

if anyone should come wearing one shoe

eum caveret.

he should beware of him.

Post paucis annis accidit ut Pelias

A few years later it happened that Pelias

magnum sacrificium facturus esset;

was going to make a great sacrifice;

nuntios in omnis partis dimiserat

he had sent heralds to all parts

et certam diem conveniendi dixerat.

and he had announced a specific day to assemble

Die constituta magnus hominum numerus

The appointed day a great number of men

undique ex agris convenit;

from all directions out of the countryside gathered

in his autem venit etiam Iason,

amongst these came also Jason,

qui a pueritia apud

who since childhood at the home

centaurum quendam habitaverat.

a certain centaur had lived.

Dum tamen iter facit,

However while he was making his journey

unum e calceis in transeundo

one of his shoes when crossing

nescio quo flumine amisit.

who know what river he lost.

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

Post breve tempus Pelias,

veritus ne regnum suum

tanta vi et fraude occupatum amitteret,

amicum quendam Delphos misit,

qui oraculum consuleret.

Ille igitur quam celerrime

Delphos se contulit et quam ob causam

venisset demonstravit.

Respondit oraculum nullum esse

in praesentia periculum;

monuit tamen Peliam ut

si quis unum calceum gerens veniret,

eum caveret.

Post paucis annis accidit ut Pelias

magnum sacrificium facturus esset;

nuntios in omnis partis dimiserat

et certam diem conveniendi dixerat.

Die constituta magnus hominum numerus

undique ex agris convenit;

in his autem venit etiam Iason,

qui a pueritia apud

centaurum quendam habitaverat.

Dum tamen iter facit, unum e calceis in

transeundo nescio quo flumine amisit.

57 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION – THE ARGONAUTS 57 – THE WICKED UNCLE

THE ARGONAUTS 57 - THE WICKED UNCLE

Today we begin a new story: Jason and the Argonauts.

THIS MAP OF THE REGIONS OF ANCIENT GREECE SHOWS WHERE TODAY'S STORY TAKES PLACE - THESSALY IS APPROXIMATELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP.

a)Erant ólim in Thessaliá duo frátrés, quórum alter Aesón, Peliás alter appellábátur. Aesón prímó régnum obtinuerat; at post paucós annós Peliás régní cupiditáte adductus nón modo frátrem suum expulit, sed etiam in animó habébat Iásonem, Aesonis fílium, interficere. Quídam tamen ex amícís Aesonis, ubi sententiam Peliae cógnóvérunt, puerum é tantó perículó éripere cónstituérunt. Noctú igitur Iásonem ex urbe abstulérunt, et cum posteró dié ad régem rediissent, eí renúntiávérunt puerum mortuum esse. Peliás cum hóc audívisset, etsí ré vérá mágnum gaudium percipiébat, speciem tamen dolóris praebuit et quae causa esset mortis quaesívit. Illí autem cum bene intellegerent dolórem éius falsum esse, nesció quam fábulam dé morte puerí finxérunt.

 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.

erant – parts of sum are used to mean ‘there is, there are etc. as here erant means ‘there were.’

olim – adverb meaning ‘once upon a time’, or ‘once, formerly, of old etc.’

Thessalia – ablative of place where. ‘at Thessaly’.

alter ... alter – ‘the one ... the other’.

appellabatur – third person singular passive of appello, appellare, to call, meaning therefore ‘he was called’.

obtinuerat – third person singular pluperfect tense of obtineo, -ere, -ui, -tentus meaning ‘he had held’ or, as in this context, 'he had ruled'.

at – conjunction, ‘but’.

post – preposition governing the accusative, paucos annos, meaning ‘after a few years.’

regni cupiditate – genitive of the second declension noun regnum, meaning ‘of the realm, of the royal kingdom, royal power etc., followed with ablative of the third declension noun cupiditas, -atis meaning desire, longing, lust, greed, eagerness’ so together meaning something like ‘with a strong desire to have the kingdom’.

adductus – past participle of the verb adducere, literally ‘led to’, we have translated ‘motivated by’.

expulit – third person singular perfect tense of expello, -ere, -puli, pulsus drive out expel, meaning therefore ‘he drove out’.

non modo ... sed etiam – ‘not only but also.’

in animo habebat – in animo habere means literally ‘to have it in one’s mind’.

quidam – nominative plural indefinite pronoun, ‘certain (men)’

ubi – can mean ‘where’ or ‘when’, as it does here.

sententiam – accusative singular of the feminine first declension noun sententia, -ae which literally means ‘opinion; purpose’. 

e tanto periculo – ablative after e, and ex, ‘out of’.

noctu – adverb, ‘at night, by night.’

ex urbe – e becomes ex before a vowel, as above followed by ablative .

renuntiaverunt puerem mortuum esse – after verbs or telling, reporting etc. we have what is called the accusative infinitive construction which literally translates ‘they announced the boy to be dead’ but we would probably say ‘they reported that the boy was dead’.

etsí – conjunction, ‘even if, although.’

nescio quam – literally ‘I do not know what (feminine as refers to fabulam) but used in the sense of ‘who knows what story?’

de morte pueri – de followed by ablative, ‘about/concerning the death’, pueri – genitive of puer, ‘of the boy.’

finxerunt – third person plural perfect tense of the verb fingo, fingere, finxi, fictus, invent, make up.

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.

Erant olim in Thessalia duo fratres,

Once upon a time in Thessaly there were two brothers,

quorum alter Aeson, Pelias alter appellabatur.

of whom one was called Aeson, the other Pelias.

Aeson primo regnum obtinuerat;

Aeson at first ruled the kingdom;

at post paucos annos Pelias

but after a few years Pelias

regni cupiditate adductus

motivated by a desire to rule

non modo fratrem suum expulit,

not only drove his brother away,

sed etiam in animo habebat

but also took it into his mind

Iasonem, Aesonis filium, interficere.

to kill Jason, Aeson’s son,

Quidam tamen ex amicis Aesonis,

However certain friends of Aeson,

ubi sententiam Peliae cognoverunt,

when they learned what Pellae was planning,

puerum e tanto periculo eripere constituerunt.

decided to take the boy out of such great danger.

Noctu igitur Iasonem ex urbe abstulerunt,

By night therefore they took Jason out of the city,

et cum postero die ad regem rediissent,

and when the following day they returned to the king,

ei renuntiaverunt puerum mortuum esse.

they reported to him that the boy was dead.

Pelias cum hoc audivisset,

Pelias when he heard this,

etsi re vera magnum gaudium percipiebat,

although really he felt great joy,

speciem tamen doloris praebuit

showed however a sorrowful face

et quae causa esset mortis quaesivit.

and asked what was the cause of his death.

Illi autem cum bene intellegerent

They however since they knew well

dolorem eius falsum esse,

his sorrow to be false,

nescio quam fabulam de morte pueri finxerunt.

made up who knows what story about the boy’s death.

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

Erant olim in Thessalia duo fratres,

quorum alter Aeson, Pelias alter appellabatur.

Aeson primo regnum obtinuerat;

at post paucos annos Pelias

regni cupiditate adductus

non modo fratrem suum expulit,

sed etiam in animo habebat

Iasonem, Aesonis filium, interficere.

Quidam tamen ex amicis Aesonis,

ubi sententiam Peliae cognoverunt,

puerum e tanto periculo eripere constituerunt.

Noctu igitur Iasonem ex urbe abstulerunt,

et cum postero die ad regem rediissent,

ei renuntiaverunt puerum mortuum esse.

Pelias cum hoc audivisset,

etsi re vera magnum gaudium percipiebat,

speciem tamen doloris praebuit

et quae causa esset mortis quaesivit.

Illi autem cum bene intellegerent

dolorem eius falsum esse,

nescio quam fabulam de morte pueri finxerunt.

56 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 56 - THE DEATH OF HERCULES

HERCULES 56 - THE DEATH OF HERCULES

THE APOTHEOSIS OF HERCULES FROM THE LOUVRE PARIS

Today we say goodbye to Hercules and his adventures as his story comes to a sad close ; I hope you have enjoyed reading about his labours as much as I have and that my ‘gist’ translations have helped you.  Next week we will continue our Latin journey with Jason and the Argonauts.

 a)Herculés nihil malí suspicáns vestem quam Lichás attulerat statim induit; pauló post tamen dolórem per omnia membra sénsit, et quae causa esset éius reí mágnopere mirábátur. Dolóre paene exanimátus vestem détrahere cónátus est; illa tamen in corpore haesit, neque úlló modó abscindí potuit. Tum démum Herculés quasi furóre impulsus in montem Octam sé contulit, et in rogum, quem summá celeritáte exstrúxit, sé imposuit. Hóc cum fécisset, eós quí circumstábant órávit ut rogum quam celerrimé succenderent. Omnés diú recúsábant; tandem tamen pástor quídam ad misericordiam inductus ígnem subdidit. Tum, dum omnia fúmó obscúrantur, Herculés dénsá núbe vélátus á Iove in Olympum abreptus est.

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.

nihil mali – genitive after nihil, literally, ‘nothing of bad’ but we would say ‘nothing bad’.

suspicans – present participle, ‘suspecting’.

vestem – accusative singular of the third declension noun, vestis, -is, f., clothing, dress, robe.

quam – ‘which’, feminine accusative singular as it refers to ‘vestem’.

mirabatur – looks passive as it comes from a deponent verb which you remember looks passive but is active in meaning, so this means ‘he was wondering’.

exanimatus – past participle from the verb exanimo, -animare, -animavi, -animatus, put out of breath, fatigue, tire, exhaust; stupefy; kill., ,meaning therefore something like ‘half-dead’ ... or 'beside himself.'

conatus est – perfect tense of another deponent verb (looks passive but is active in meaning) conor ‘I try’, so it means ‘he tried’.

illa tamen – illa here is feminine nominative as it refers to ‘vestem’ (see above) and could be translated simply as ‘it’.

in corporem – the preposition in can mean ‘in, on or on to’; here it means on to and it is followed by the accusative of the third declension neuter noun corpus, corporis, ‘body’, so together they mean ‘on to his body’.

abscindi – this is the genitive of the gerund of the verb abscindo, -scindere, -scido, -scissus, tear away or off, meaning therefore ‘of tearing off’.

nullo modo – ablative phrase meaning ‘in no way’.

quasi furore - quasi is a conjunction meaning ‘as if’, followed by the ablative of the third declension masculine noun.furor, -oris . rage, fury, frenzy, or madness, together meaning ‘as if in a rage’ or ‘as if in a frenzy’, or ‘as if driven insane’. etc.

impulsus – past participle of the verb impello, -pellere, -puli, -pulsus , drive or urge on, incite, urge, which taken in the context could be translated ‘driven’.

se contulit – third person singular perfect tense of se conferre, meaning to take oneself off, to make one’s way, to betake oneself etc. meaning therefore ‘he made his way’.

ut ... succederent – third person imperfect subjunctive of the verb succendo, -cendere, -cendi, -census, kindle beneath, set on fire, meaning therefore ‘to set (him) on fire’. This is an example of the use of the subjunctive in indirect discourse which is often found with verbs of asking, requesting, as here ‘he asked ... that etc.’.

ad misericordiam inductus – notice the use of ad here before the accusative of the first declension feminine noun misericordia, ‘pity’ or ‘compassion’, to mean ‘because of pity’ which together we would probably translate: ‘moved by pity’.

subdidit – third person singular perfect tense of subdo, -dere, -didi, -ditus, put under.

fumo – ablative of the second declension masculine noun fumus, fumi, ‘smoke’ meaning ‘by smoke’.

velatus – past participle of velo, velare, -avi, -atus, meaning therefore ‘veiled, or covered’.

a Iove – notice that the preposition a comes before a person who is agent as here ‘by Jupiter’.

abreptus est – perfect passive singular of abripio, -ripere, -ripui, -reptus, meaning therefore ‘snatched away’ or ‘carried off’.

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 nihil mali suspicans

Hercules, suspecting nothing untoward

vestem quam Lichas attulerat statim induit;

immediately put on the robe which Lichas had brought;

paulo post tamen dolorem

after a little while however, pain

per omnia membra sensit,

throughout all his limbs he felt,

et quae causa esset

and what was the cause

eius rei magnopere mirabatur.

of this matter he greatly wondered at.

Dolore paene exanimatus

Almost dead with pain

vestem detrahere conatus est;

he tried to take off the robe

illa tamen in corpore haesit,

it clung to his body however,

neque ullo modo abscindi potuit.

and in no way could he tear it off.

Tum demum Hercules quasi furore impulsus

Then at long last Hercules as if driven to a frenzy

in montem Octam se contulit,

took himself off to Mount Octa,

et in rogum, quem summa celeritate exstruxit,

and on a pyre, which he had set up with great speed,

se imposuit.

he placed himself.

Hoc cum fecisset,

When he had done this,

eos qui circumstabant oravit

he begged those who were standing around

ut rogum quam celerrime succenderent.

to set fire to the pyre as quickly as possible.

Omnes diu recusabant;

All refused for a long time;

tandem tamen pastor quidam

at length however a certain shepherd

ad misericordiam inductus

moved by pity

ignem subdidit.

kindled the fire.

Tum, dum omnia fumo obscurantur,

Then, while everything was obscured by smoke,

Hercules densa nube velatus

Hercules, concealed by the dense cloud

a Iove in Olympum abreptus est.

by Jupiter was carried off to Olympus.

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

Hercules nihil mali suspicans

vestem quam Lichas attulerat statim induit;

paulo post tamen dolorem

per omnia membra sensit,

et quae causa esset

eius rei magnopere mirabatur.

Dolore paene exanimatus

vestem detrahere conatus est;

illa tamen in corpore haesit,

neque ullo modo abscindi potuit.

Tum demum Hercules quasi furore

impulsus in montem Octam se contulit,

et in rogum, quem summa celeritate exstruxit,

se imposuit.

Hoc cum fecisset,

eos qui circumstabant oravit

ut rogum quam celerrime succenderent.

Omnes diu recusabant;

tandem tamen pastor quidam

ad misericordiam inductus

ignem subdidit.

Tum, dum omnia fumo obscurantur,

Hercules densa nube velatus

a Iove in Olympum abreptus est.

55 RITCHIE’S FABULAE FACILES TRANSLATION - HERCULES 55 - THE POISONED ROBE

HERCULES 55 - THE POISONED ROBE

  

a)Nessus igitur sagittá Herculis tránsfíxus moriéns humí iacébat; at né occásiónem suí ulcíscendí dímitteret, ita locútus est: "Tú, Déianíra, verba morientis audí. Sí amórem marítí tuí cónserváre vís, hunc sanguinem quí nunc é pectore meó effunditur súme ac repóne; tum, sí umquam in suspíciónem tibi vénerit, vestem marítí hóc sanguine ínficiés." Haec locútus Nessus animam efflávit; Déianíra autem nihil malí suspicáta imperáta fécit. Pauló post Herculés bellum contrá Eurytum, régem Oechaliae, suscépit; et cum régem ipsum cum fíliís interfécisset, Iolén éius fíliam captívam sécum redúxit. Antequam tamen domum vénit, návem ad Cénaeum prómunturium appulit, et in terram égressus áram cónstituit, ut Ioví sacrificáret. Dum tamen sacrificium parat, Licham comitem suum domum mísit, quí vestem albam referret; mós enim erat apud antíquós, dum sacrificia facerent, albam vestem gerere. At Déianíra verita né Herculés amórem ergá Iolén habéret, vestem priusquam Lichae dedit, sanguine Nessí ínfécit.

 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.

sagitta – this is ablative of the first declension feminine noun sagitta ae, arrow, it is called the ablative of instrument and can therefore be translated as ‘by/with an arrow.’

moriens – present participle ‘dying’.

humi – locative of humus, meaning, 'on the ground.'

iacebat – third person singular imperfect of iaceo, iacere, iacui, lie, be prostrate., not to be confused with iacio, iacere, ieci, iactus, throw, cast, hurl.

ne... dimitteret – ne introduces here a negative clause of purpose which of course requires the subjunctive, here the third person singular imperfect indicative active of dimitto, -mittere, -misi, -missus, send different ways, send forth or away, despatch; let slip, lose, meaning therefore ‘so as not to lose’, or, ‘that he might not lose’.

occasionem sui ulciscendi – accusative of occasio, ‘the opportunity’ followed by the genitive of se with the genitive gerundive of ulciscor, ‘sui ulciscendi’, meaning ‘of avenging himself’. This gerundive construction is regularly used instead of the gerund when the gerund would have an accusative object, (se ulciscendi – se = acc objective himself + of avenging).  Notice that the gerund is a verbal noun whereas the gerundive is a verbal adjective and agrees with its noun like any other adjective.

locutus est – third person singular perfect of the deponent verb loquor, which looks passive but is active in meaning ‘he said.’

morientis – adjective used as noun from the participle moriens, dying, meaning therefore 'of a dying man.'

audi – imperative of audire ‘listen’.

vis – second person singular of the irregular verb volo, velle ‘you wish’ or ‘you want’.

sume ac repone – imperatives, sume from  sumo, sumere, sumpsi, sumptus, ‘take up’, and repone imperative from repono, -ponere, -posui, -positus, ‘store up or away’.

si ... venerit – literally, ‘if he shall ever come under suspicion’ but probably better expressed by 'if you ever suspect him.' Notice that in English we use the present tense, while Latin uses the future perfect to indicate that the action is to precede that of the main clause.

vestem ...inficies – second person singular future indicative of inficio, -ficere, -feci, -fectus,to stain, dye,  with the accusative of vestis, -is, third declension feminine noun, clothing, dress, robe.. The future indicative is sometimes used, as in English, for the imperative,so together they mean ‘stain/dye his clothes’.

haec locutus – literally, ‘having said these things’, or ‘having said this’.

efflavit – third person singular perfect indicative active of efflo, -flare, -flavi, -flatus, ‘he breathed out’.

nihil mali – this is an example of the partitive genitive, a part of something bigger, literally, ‘nothing of bad’, we would say ‘nothing bad’.

suspicata – ‘suspecting’, often the perfect participle of deponent verbs is best rendered in English by a present participle.

imperata fecit – ‘carried out his orders.’

Iolen filiam captivam – ‘Iolen the captive daughter’, all three words refer to the same person, in the following order: direct object, appositive, and predicate accusative respectively.

domum reduxit – ‘brought her home’, domum – domum reduci without the preposition means ‘to be brought back home’ whereas ad domum means 'to the house'.

navem appulit – third person singular perfect tense of appello, -pellere, -puli, -pulsus [ad + pelló], drive to, bring to; with or without navem, put in.

promunturium – neuter noun of the second declension,  headland, promontory.

ut Iovi sacrificaret – ut introduces a purpose clause here, which of course requires the subjunctuve, ‘in order to make a sacrifice to Jupiter.

dum ... parat – dum is followed by the present tense, literally ‘while he prepares’ but is translated into English with a past tense, ‘while he was preparing’.

qui ...referret – A clause of purpose is frequently introduced by a relative and can be translated like an ut-clause of purpose, here 'who was ... to bring back.'

verita  ne - . This participle is regularly rendered as present, ‘fearing that’.

vestem – accusative masculine singular of vestis, -is, f., clothing, dress, robe, is the direct object of ínfecit as well as of dedit

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.

Nessus igitur sagitta Herculis transfixus

Nessus therefore pierced by the arrow of Hercules

moriens humi iacebat;

was lying on the ground dying;

at ne occasionem sui ulciscendi dimitteret,

but in order not to miss the opportunity of avenging himself,

ita locutus est: "Tu, Deianira,

said this: ‘You Deianira,

verba morientis audi.

listen to the words of a dying man.

Si amorem mariti tui conservare vis,

If you want to keep the love of your husband

hunc sanguinem qui nunc e pectore meo

this blood which is now from my breast

effunditur sume ac repone;

pouring collect and store;

tum, si umquam in suspicionem tibi venerit,

then, if ever he comes under suspicion by you,

vestem mariti hoc sanguine inficies."

stain your husband's clothes with this blood.

Haec locutus Nessus animam efflavit;

Having said this Nessus berathed his last;

Deianira autem nihil mali suspicata

And so Deianira suspecting nothing bad

imperata fecit. Paulo post

carried out his orders.  Shortly after

Hercules bellum contra Eurytum,

Hercules a war against Eurytus,

regem Oechaliae, suscepit;

king of Oechalia, undertook;

et cum regem ipsum cum filiis interfecisset,

and since he had killed the king himself and his sons,

Iolen eius filiam captivam secum reduxit.

Iole his captured daughter, he took home with him.

Antequam tamen domum venit,

Before however he arrived home,

navem ad Cenaeum promunturium appulit,

he put the ship in at the promontry of Cenaeus,

et in terram egressus aram constituit,

and when he came on to land, built an altar,

ut Iovi sacrificaret. Dum tamen sacrificium parat,

to sacrifice to Jupiter. Whilst however he prepared the sacrifice,

Licham comitem suum domum misit,

he sent Licha, a companion, to his home,

qui vestem albam referret;

to bring back white clothes;

mos enim erat apud antiquos,

for it was the custom with the ancients,

dum sacrificia facerent, albam vestem gerere.

when making sacrifices, to wear white clothes.

At Deianira verita ne Hercules

But Deianira, fearing lest Hercules

amorem erga Iolen haberet,

felt love for Iole,

vestem priusquam Lichae dedit,

before she gave the clothes to Licha,

sanguine Nessi infecit.

stained (them) with the blood of Nessus.

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

Nessus igitur sagitta Herculis transfixus

moriens humi iacebat;

at ne occasionem sui ulciscendi dimitteret,

ita locutus est: "Tu, Deianira,

verba morientis audi.

Si amorem mariti tui conservare vis,

hunc sanguinem qui nunc e pectore meo

effunditur sume ac repone;

tum, si umquam in suspicionem tibi venerit,

vestem mariti hoc sanguine inficies."

Haec locutus Nessus animam efflavit;

Deianira autem nihil mali suspicata

imperata fecit. Paulo post

Hercules bellum contra Eurytum,

regem Oechaliae, suscepit;

et cum regem ipsum cum filiis interfecisset,

Iolen eius filiam captivam secum reduxit.

Antequam tamen domum venit,

navem ad Cenaeum promunturium appulit,

et in terram egressus aram constituit,

ut Iovi sacrificaret. Dum tamen sacrificium parat,

Licham comitem suum domum misit,

qui vestem albam referret;

mos enim erat apud antiquos,

dum sacrificia facerent, albam vestem gerere.

At Deianira verita ne Hercules

amorem erga Iolen haberet,

vestem priusquam Lichae dedit,

sanguine Nessi infecit.