21.01.26: Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [11] The apples of the Hesperides

Mox opus difficilius Herculī imperātum est; mala scīlicet Hesperidum iussus est asportāre, nōn enim locum sciēbat. In monte autem Atlante habitābant Hesperidēs. Ibi cum serpente ingentī māla aurea cūstōdiēbant. Locum tandem nactus Herculēs, Atlantī dīxit: "Vīsne mihi māla aurea auferre? Hoc tē faciente caelum humerīs impositum tuī vice sustinēbō." Cum malīs reversus Atlās Herculī dīxit: "Nunc tibi licet caelum humerīs semper sustinēre, ipse autem abībō." Tum Herculēs per dolum onere humerīs Atlantis iterum impositō, cum mālīs recessit.

Translate the phrases and explain the form and use of the words in bold:

[i] opus difficilius

[ii] locum tandem nactus

[iii] hoc tē faciente

[iv] caelum … tuī vice sustinēbō

[v] cum malīs reversus

[vi] tibi licet caelum humerīs semper sustinēre

[vii] ipse autem abībō

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[i] opus difficilius │ a more difficult work; comparative adjective (neuter singular) < difficilis, -e

[ii] locum tandem nactus │ having at last found the place; perfect active participle < nancīscor, -ī, nactus sum [3/dep]: to meet with, stumble on, encounter, acquire, find

[iii] hoc tē faciente │ while you are doing this; ablative absolute with a present active participle: faciēns, -entis

[iv] caelum … tuī vice sustinēbō │ I will support the sky … in your place [lit: in place / instead of you]; vice [+ genitive]: in place (of); tuī: genitive of tū

[v] cum malīs reversus │ having returned with the apples; perfect active participle < revertor, -ī, reversus sum [3/dep]: return

[vi] tibi licet caelum humerīs semper sustinēre │ you may always support the sky on your shoulders; licet: impersonal verb + dative [literally: it is allowed to you = you may]

[vii] ipse autem abībō │ but I myself will go away; emphatic pronoun ipse, -a, -um (myself, yourself, him/her/itself)

Soon a more difficult work was appointed for Hercules; that is to say, he was ordered to fetch the apples of the Hesperides, for he did not know the place. Now the Hesperides used to live on Mount Atlas. There, with a huge serpent, they used to guard the golden apples. Having at last found the place, Hercules said to Atlas, ‘Are you willing to carry off the golden apples for me? While you are doing this, I will support the sky placed on my shoulders in your stead.’ Atlas, having returned with the apples, said to Hercules: ‘Now you may always support the sky on your shoulders, but I myself will go away.’ Then Hercules, having again placed the burden on Atlas’ shoulders by a trick, retired with the apples.

The golden apples of the Hesperides by Edward Burne-Jones, 1869-73 (detail)