12.02.25: Barbarians [2] [iv]: notes [2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv2rBVkfsDY

[4] Dūc mē ad Folkwinī pāgum, barbare.

[5] Sī mentītus es tē iubēbō in cruce fīgī.

[6] Gentēs sunt inter sē discordēs.

[7] Tamen apud eōs ego magnum mōmentum habēre possum in rem Rōmae optimam.

[8] Sī ego rēx gentis meae essem …

[4] Dūc mē ad Folkwinī pāgum, barbare. │ Take me to Folkwin’s district (small point but among early Germanic tribes, it is more likely to refer to a territory larger than a village)

• dūc (singular) / dūcite (plural); dūc is an irregular imperative (command form of the verb) < dūco, -ere [3]: lead; other irregular command forms (in the singular only) are: [i] dīc (mihi): tell me; dīc (sg.) / dicite (pl.) < dīcō, -ere [3]: say; tell [ii] fac (sg.) / facite (pl.) < faciō, -ere [3-iō]: do; make
• pāgus, -ī [2/m]: “In ancient Rome, the Latin word pāgus (plural pāgī) was an administrative term designating a rural subdivision of a tribal territory, which included individual farms, villages (vīcī), and strongholds (oppida) serving as refuges” (Wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagus

[5] Sī mentītus es tē iubēbō in cruce fīgī. │If you’ve lied, ¦ I’ll have you crucified. [Literally: I’ll order you to be fastened on a cross.]

• fīgī: to be fastened, passive infinitive of figō, -ere [3]: fix, fasten
• iubeō, -ēre, iussī [2]: command; order
• mentior, mentīrī, mentitus sum [4/deponent]: lie; tell lies, cheat, deceive
• crux, crucis [3/f]: not necessarily a cross (although generally interpreted as such) but any wooden frame used for execution; the most horrific and tortuous form of execution

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/597984456146160/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/414449861166288/

[6] Gentēs sunt inter sē discordēs. │ The tribes are divided. [Literally: the tribes are in disagreement / disagreeing amongst themselves.]

• discors, discordis: inharmonious; disagreeing
• gēns, gentis [3/f]: various meanings including ‘nation’, ‘country’, Roman family ‘clan’ or, here, ‘tribe’
• sē: reflexive pronoun as in English himself, herself, itself or, here, themselves

[7] Tamen apud eōs ego magnum mōmentum habēre possum in rem Rōmae optimam. │ However, I can have great influence among them in the best interests of Rome.

• mōmentum, -ī [2/n]: (here) ‘weight’ in the sense of ‘influence’
• rēs, -eī [5/f]: not always straightforward to translate; has multiple meanings including ‘thing’, ‘matter’, ‘affair’; the plural translation is good i.e. “in the best interests of Rome”

[8] Sī ego rēx gentis meae essem …│ If I were the ‘reik’ (ruler) of my tribe …

• The choice of the word ‘reik’ in the translation is from Gothic 𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (reiks) meaning ruler / lord
• Sī ego rēx … essem … │ If I were the ruler …; essem: imperfect subjunctive of ‘esse’ and there is a 100% equivalent in English: If I were = Gmn: wenn ich wäre [imperfect subjunctive in German too] i.e. it is a hypothetical / unreal statement