29.09.26: Level 3+ (review); impersonal verbs [5] necessity, obligation and related ideas [ii] further examples

Translations are idiomatic and do not always reflect the literal meaning.

[1]

Pater vocat mē, eum sequor, eius dictō imperiō sum audiēns; ut fīlium bonum patrī esse oportet (Plautus)

• My father calls me; I follow him; I am obedient to his word and command—as a good son ought to be to his father.

[2]

mihi necesse est īre hinc (Plautus)

• I need to go from here.

[3]

CONGRIO

Quid, stolide, clāmās? │ What are you yelling for, stupid?

EUCLIO

Quia ad trīs virōs** iam ego dēferam nōmen tuom*. │ Because I am going to report your name to the police this instant.

CONGRIO

Quam ob rem? │ Why?

EUCLIO

Quia cultrum habēs. │ Because you have a knife.

CONGRIO

Cocum decet. │ And so a cook should.

*tuom = tuum

** trīs [trēs] virōs; trēsvirī: three men jointly holding responsibility for public office including overseer of prisons

[4]

At pol ego ibi sum, esse ubi miserum hominem decet atque īnfortūnātum (Plautus)

• By Pollux! But here I am where a wretched, unlucky man should be.

[5]

Bene mēcum agitur sī hoc ūnum senectūtem meam dēdecet (Seneca the Younger)

• It is going well for me if this is the only thing that is unbecoming to my old age.

[6]

Coquite, facite, festīnāte nunciam, quantum libet (Plautus)

• Cook away, work away, hurry around now to your hearts' content [literally: as much as it pleases]

[7]

Pol mē haud paenitet, sī licet bonī dīmidium mihi dīvidere cum Iove (Plautus)

• By Pollux, I do not at all regret it, if I may share half of the blessing with Jupiter.

[8]

LEONIDA

Certum est* crēdere │ I’m determined to trust you

LIBANUS

Licet audācter │ You can – boldly

*Literally: It is certain, but translates in various ways to express determination:

I’m determined; my mind’s made up; you can count on that

nunc certum est mihi (Plautus) │ I’m now resolved

[9]

Haud sciō quid eō opus sit, quae nec lac nec lānam ūllam habent (Plautus)

• I don’t know what need there is of that; they’ve neither milk nor any wool.

[10]

nam istīc fortasse aurō est opus … atque eō fortasse iam opust (Plautus)

• For there’s possibly need of gold in the affair … and furthermore there’s possibly need of it now.

[11]

itidem habet petasum ac vestītum: tam cōnsimilest [cōnsimilis + est]  atque ego; sūra, pēs, statūra, tōnsus, oculī, nāsum vel labra, mālae, mentum, barba, collus: tōtus. quid verbīs opust?

• He has on a travelling hat, and clothes the same as mine. He's as like me as I am myself! Same leg – foot – height – haircut – eyes – nose – lips, even – jaw – chin – beard – neck – everything. What need is there for words?

Quid verbīs opus [opus + est]? What need is there for words? [i.e. Enough said!]