VIRGIL Aeneid Book 1, 8-22: Musa, mihi causas memora
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- Опубликовано: 24 дек 2024
- Virgil’s Aeneid Book 1, 8-22 continues the introduction to his epic masterpiece about the hero Aeneas and the founding of Rome.
#vergil #aeneid #latinpoetry #latinpronunciation
Notes:
Mūsa: Muse; there were nine Muses; here it’s Calliope, the patron goddess of heroic poetry
Compare the beginning of the Odyssey and the Iliad:
“Tell me, O Muse, of the man of many devices, who wandered full many ways after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy.”
“Sing the wrath, Goddess, of Peleus' son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans.”
memorā: remind, recount, relate, tell
mihī: to me
causās: the causes, the reasons
quō: what
nūmine: divine will, command; divinity, deity, god
laesō: having been offended, violated, wounded; “because of what aspect of her divinity having been offended”
-ve: or
dolēns: being displeased, angry, feeling indignation
quid: at what
rēgīna: the queen, Juno
deum = deorum; of the gods; This gen. pl ending is very common in poetry.
impulerit: forced, compelled, drove, pushed; perfect subjunctive, indirect question.
virum: a man
īnsīgnem: renowned, distinguished, remarkable
pietāte: for his loyalty and devotion to his family, the gods, and country
volvere: to live through, experience, endure, suffer
tot: so many
cāsūs: hardships, misfortunes, dangers, perils
adīre: to encounter, undergo
tot: so many
labōrēs: hardships, difficulties, dangers, misfortunes
-ne: introduces a question
(sunt): are, are there; understood
tantae: such great, so great
īrae: feelings of anger, wrath, rage, hatred, resentment
animīs: in the minds; dative of possession
caelestibus: celestial, heavenly, divine, of the gods
fuit: there was, it was
antīqua: (an) ancient; Carthage was actually founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC, about 300 years after the Trojan war!
urbs: city
Tyriī: Tyrian, Phoenician, of Tyre; Tyre is a city in Lebanon.
colōnī: settlers, colonists
tenuēre = tenuerunt; held, inhabited, ruled
Karthāgō: Carthage
contrā: in front of, across from, opposite; in opposition to
Ītaliam: Italy. Note the juxtaposition of Karthago and Italiam.
-que: and
ōstia: the shores; acc. after “contra”.
Tiberīna: of the Tiber
longē: at a distance, far, far off; an adverb. Note how “ostia” being on the next line and the lack of “elision” (longe…ostia) emphasizes the distance.
dīves: rich
opum: in resources, power, lit. “of resources”
-que: and
asperrima: very (most) fierce, cruel, formidable
studiīs: in its pursuits, zeal, desires, endeavors
bellī: of war
quam: which
ūnam: alone
magis: more
omnibus: than all; ablative of comparison
terrīs: lands, countries
Iūnō: Juno
fertur: is said, is reported
coluisse: to have cared for, cherished, loved
Samō: Samos, an island near Ephesus in Asia Minor, a center of the worship of Juno, her birthplace and site of a very famous temple. Ablative absolute.
posthabitā: having been placed after, having been esteemed less; “Even Samos having been put in second place”
hīc: here; probably Carthage
(sunt/fuerunt): are/were
illius: “Iunonis”, her, Juno’s
arma: armor, weapons
hīc: here
fuit: was
currus: (her) chariot; refers to relics preserved in her temple
hoc: for/that this (city, refering to Carthage); acc subject of infinitive; neuter because of proximity to “regnum”. Note repetition of hic, hic, hoc.
esse: to be, be; infinitive with tendit and fovet
rēgnum: the ruling power, the royal authority
gentibus; over nations
sī: if
quā (viā): in any way
Fāta: the fates, the godesses that determine the will of the gods. Note that the Fates are more powerful than Juno.
sinant: would allow it; subjunctive.
iam: already
tum: then
dea: the goddess
tendit: endeavors, designs, intends; present used instead of the past, for vividness.
-que….. que: and; the repetition is a feature of epic poetry.
fovet: cherishes, hopes, longs for, desires; present referring to the past
sed enim: but indeed
audierat = audiverat: she had heard
prōgeniem: (that) a race, lineage; acc subject of infinitive in indirect statement.
dūcī: was being derived, was springing from, was descended; passive infinitive.
ā: from
Trōiānō: Trojan
sanguine: blood
quae: which, ref. to progeniem
olim: one day
verteret: would overturn; imperfect subjunctive.
Tyriās: the Tyrian (Carthaginian)
arcēs: citadels, strongholds, fortresses, palaces
hinc: (that) from here (the race from Trojan blood)
populum: a people; acc subject of infinitive
rēgem: ruling, the noun being used as a participle, regentem
lātē: widely, far and wide
-que: and
superbum: proud, arrogant, fierce, mighty
bellō: in war
ventūrum (esse): was going to come; future infinitive
excidiō: for the destruction, ruin, overthrow; dative of purpose
Libyae: for/of Libya, (especially Carthage); dative object of excidio.
sīc: thus
Parcās: the Parcae, the Fates
volvere: were ordaining, decreeing
Your vocabulary list really highlighted the fact that so much of our vocabulary was born from Latin.
Yes, maybe 60% of English words are Latin-based. Helps a lot! :)
It is wonderful to be able to listen to this important poem in Latin, and an interesting exercise to try to scry out the meaning from the list of vocabulary. Thank you for making this available to us.
I’m glad you liked it. Virgil is amazing :)
Short and Informative :) Very well-
Made. Thanks for the video David.
Thanks!!!