sullafelix Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 (edited) OK Heeeeelllllp I am at my wits end with this: It is a nice piece of relatively early Latin; it comes from the tabulae censoriae and is suposedly the formula used by the censors to summon the people to the census itself. This tiny little query I have is driving me mad because it is so important. It means either every citizen had to turn up or they didn't all have to turn up (much rides on this in my life you understand - and yes I am aware of my pressing need to get out more, nevertheless...) Here we go: Ubi noctu in templum censor auspicaverit atque de caelo nuntium erit, praeconi sic imperato ut viros vocet: "Quod bonum fortunatum felix salutareque siet populo Romano Quiritibus reique publicae populi Romani Quiritium mihique collegaeque meo, fidei magistratuique nostro: omnes Quirites pedites armatos, privatosque, curatores omnium tribuum, si quis pro se sive pro altero rationem dari volet, voca inlicium huc ad me." Now the bit I am having some difficulty with is this omnes Quirites pedites armatos, privatosque, curatores omnium tribuum I have seen it variously translated as "all citizen soldiers, men able to bear arms (armatos) and private citizens as spokesmen of all the tribes" and also as "all citizen soldiers, mean able to bear arms, private citizens and spokesmen of all the tribes. The issue is one of commas and apposition. The original Latin is quoted by various authors with some commas, no commas or commas all over the place. Does this make any difference? In one version I have seen it quoted with no comma between armatos and privatosque, in another with no commas except between tribuum and si quis. Where the heck do these commas come from? Are they as I supsect put there by well meaning transcribers to aid our understanding (in which case I wish they woould either stop or talk to each other!) Please please help me Thanks SF Edited September 8, 2008 by sullafelix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryaxis Hecatee Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 latin would not have had any comma, they are a modern addition to the text but are not always well placed. so your analysis should not take them into account. if you want I can send the sentance to a friend doing a phd in classical philology... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullafelix Posted September 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 latin would not have had any comma, they are a modern addition to the text but are not always well placed. so your analysis should not take them into account. if you want I can send the sentance to a friend doing a phd in classical philology... That would be really great thanks. I didn't think they could be original. Many thanks SF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 (edited) Salve, SF ... It means either every citizen had to turn up or they didn't all have to turn up ... omnes Quirites pedites armatos, privatosque, curatores omnium tribuum I have seen it variously translated as "all citizen soldiers, men able to bear arms (armatos) and private citizens as spokesmen of all the tribes" and also as "all citizen soldiers, mean able to bear arms, private citizens and spokesmen of all the tribes. It Edited September 18, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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