Translation - Μετάφραση

Translation Assistance => Other language pairs => Ancient Greek→English translation forum => Topic started by: LittleHaze on 05 Apr, 2009, 22:38:52

Title: ὁ νόμος βούλεται μὲν εὑεργετεῖν βίον ἀνθρώπων (Democritus) → Law is meant to benefit human life
Post by: LittleHaze on 05 Apr, 2009, 22:38:52
There's a little bit more to it.

ὁ νόμος βούλεται μὲν εὑεργετεῖν βίον ἀνθρώπων˙  δύναται δὲ ὅταν αὐτοὶ βούλωνται πάσχειν εὖ˙  τοῖσι γὰρ πειθομένοισι τὴν ἰδίην ἀρετὴν ἐνδείκνυται.

ὁ νόμος = the law
βούλεται = want
μὲν =
εὑεργετεῖν = do good
βίον = life
ἀνθρώπων˙ = men?
δύναται = We are able
δὲ
ὅταν = when
αὐτοὶ = they
βούλωνται = want (present subjunctive, right?)
πάσχειν = suffer
εὖ˙  well?
τοῖσι = you know???
γὰρ = for
πειθομένοισι =
τὴν =
ἰδίην = private
ἀρετὴν = virtue
ἐνδείκνυται. = show

Hope you don't mind that I'm sort of working these out online here...
Title: Re: ὁ νόμος βούλεται μὲν εὑεργετεῖν βίον ἀνθρώπων (Democritus)
Post by: billberg23 on 06 Apr, 2009, 08:37:50
βούλεται = want
wants (3rd pers. sing.)
Quote
μὲν =
on the one hand
Quote
ἀνθρώπων˙ = men?
of men (genitive plural)
Quote
δύναται = We are able
it is able;  "we are able" would be δυνάμεθα.
Quote
δὲ
on the other hand
Quote
βούλωνται = want (present subjunctive, right?)
Right!
Quote
πάσχειν = suffer[
In this context, "to fare"
Quote
εὖ˙  well?
Yes.
Quote
τοῖσι = you know???
For some reason, your textbook wants you to learn this Ionic/epic form of τοῖς (masculine plural dative article) — probably to prepare you for Homer.
Quote
πειθομένοισι =
Again, an epic form instead of πειθομένοις, present middle participle of πείθω, dative plural masculine.
Quote
τὴν =
Feminine singular accusative article (review those first and second declension endings).
Quote
ἐνδείκνυται. = show
In the middle voice, this verb means "give proof of."