Dec 10, 2008 10:37
15 yrs ago
Latin term
ne velocissima quidem venena ei nocerent
Latin to English
Other
Other
It is a latin joke, but i fail to understand it. Please, who can help me?
Mithridates, rex Ponti saepe venenum hauserat, ut sibi a clandestinis caveret insidiis. Hinc factum est, ut, quum a Pompejo superatus mortem sibi consciscere vellet, ne velocissima quidem venena ei nocerent.
Mithridates, rex Ponti saepe venenum hauserat, ut sibi a clandestinis caveret insidiis. Hinc factum est, ut, quum a Pompejo superatus mortem sibi consciscere vellet, ne velocissima quidem venena ei nocerent.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | there were no poisons quick (enough) to kill him |
Luis Antonio de Larrauri
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| 4 +4 | not even the fastest (working) poisons could hurt/harm him |
Anders Dalström
|
Proposed translations
+1
17 mins
Luis Antonio de Larrauri
Legal, business, literature specialized
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Latin to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
there were no poisons quick (enough) to kill him
This King Mithridates used to take little amounts of poisson to be immune in future intrigues against him. But, when he was beaten by Pompeius and wanted to commit suicide, he couldn't find a proper poison that could kill him before Pompeius shall seize or kill him.
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Note added at 22 mins (2008-12-10 11:00:31 GMT) Post-grading
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It is not a literal translation, just an interpretation. Nocere means "to do harm", although in this case is unto death.
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Note added at 22 mins (2008-12-10 11:00:31 GMT) Post-grading
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It is not a literal translation, just an interpretation. Nocere means "to do harm", although in this case is unto death.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Joseph Brazauskas
: I agree with the general tenor of your translation, although I personally would have incorporated a rendering of 'ne...quidem' into it.
3 hrs
|
|
You are right, "not even" would be required in an exact translation
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thank you a lot. u really helped me"
+4
2 hrs
Anders Dalström
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden
EN, DE, LA -> SV
Native in: Swedish 
Works in: English to Swedish, German to Swedish, Latin to English, and 1 more.
not even the fastest (working) poisons could hurt/harm him
I agree with the general meaning of Luis's answer, but 'ne...quidem' means 'not even' and 'nocerent' is in the subjunctive so indicates a conditional 'could'/'would'
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Joseph Brazauskas
1 hr
|
| agree |
Rebecca Garber
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Luis Antonio de Larrauri
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Péter Jutai
18 hrs
|
Discussion