"a golden bridge beckoned out of it"

English translation: literal sense, a real bridge

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	a golden bridge beckoned out of it
Selected answer:	literal sense, a real bridge
Entered by:	Rafa Lombardino

15:03 Apr 24, 2005

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - History / estrat�gias de guerra

English term or phrase: "a golden bridge beckoned out of it"

Hi everybody:

I'm translating a text about the history of the conquistador Cortez, the Spaniard who captured Montezuma in Mexica. I came across this sentence, which says that Montezuma's brother was trying to force the Spanish troops out of their territory: "That same day Cuitlahuac sent several captains to pry Cortez from the city by suggesting that a golden bridge beckoned out of it." My problem here is to know if this "golden bridge" is a physical place or a figure of speech.

Well, if anyone has the time to give me different perspectives regarding this sentence, I would really appreciate it!

Thanks!

Rafa Lombardino KudoZ activity Questions: 223 (1 open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 2463 United States
Local time: 00:10

literal sense

Explanation:
Perhaps Cuitlahuac was banking on the conquistadores' greed. After all, they were looking for El Dorado - and the promise of a 'puente dorado' would have been likely to lure them out of the city...

Selected response from:

Ioana Costache
Romania

Grading comment

Thanks everybody! Unfortunately I can only choose one person, so I decided on Ioana, who was the first to respond. I believe it would be a physical place then and Cuitlahuac was probably "offering" Cortez a way out of Mexica before more of the Spaniards got themselves killed. Thanks!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +1

a figurative exaltation or a nationalist concealment

smyrna

3 +2

literal sense

Ioana Costache

him

lucasm (X)

could be physica.

humbird

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

a golden bridge beckoned

literal sense

Ioana Costache
Romania
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Romanian
PRO pts in category: 6

Grading comment

52 mins confidence:

a golden bridge beckoned out of it him

Explanation:
Grammatcally, you need to let the reader know who or what is being beckoned. It sounds like Cortez is the one being beckoned. Try this:

a golden bridge beckoned him out of the city.

lucasm (X)
Local time: 09:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

52 mins confidence:

could be physica.

Explanation:
I agree with Ioana's answer. However, to the point of the asker, because they were so desperate to rescue the captured King-demi-god, they must had named some hidden place where a bridge is actually made of gold. What size could that be I have no idea. Maybe a miniature sized one to be used at a ceremony, or could be a size at least the King or highest priest alone could pass.
Given the amount of gold Spaniard found there, this could be possibility.

humbird
Native speaker of:

Japanese,

English

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

a golden bridge beckoned out of it a figurative exaltation or a nationalist concealment

Explanation:
To tackle with fictional texts, its best to look back on the author's tone, style, even his/her perspective on life. A deatailed search on Aztec civilization and herementioned characters will spread light on what you really are into.I scent a metaphorical usage in this context mixed with nationalism and exaltaion imposed by the author himself on bias since to my knowledge , never in the history of mexico was a golden bridge built up save for a make-shift one. take a look at this side http://www.dushkin.com/text-data/articles/16361/16361.pdf

smyrna
Local time: 10:10

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