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Aegeus erat parens qui filio necato se occideret.

English translation: Aegeus was a (the) father who killed himself as (since, after, becuase) his son had been murdered

07:59 Oct 4, 2005
Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / Languages
Latin term or phrase: Aegeus erat parens qui filio necato se occideret.
This is a sentence im having trouble translating out of the book Latin via Ovid
Timochu
English translation:Aegeus was a (the) father who killed himself as (since, after, becuase) his son had been murdered
Explanation:
Literally: "Aegeus was a (yhe) father who, having his son been murdered, killed himself.
"Filio necato" is an "absolute ablative", which can be translated to express cause or time. In this case, it is most likely "cause", since Aegeus kills himself, thinking his son Theseus is dead (sailors had forgotten to lower the black sails of his ship, as agreed).
qui + subjunctive is a "consecutive relative" clause, thus requiring the subjunctive, just as all consecutive clauses. The "imperfect" (occideret) is because it hinges on a past tense (the imperfect "erat). "Consecutive relative" clauses are mot common after the verb "sum".

Hope it was what you needed from us. Still, you should tell us, just as Flavio said, what you really need, so we can help you the right way.

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Note added at 3 days 6 hrs 40 mins (2005-10-07 14:40:06 GMT)
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As Joseph rightly noted, "qui necaret" is probably a "relative characteristic" clause, since it describes the antecendent. I opted for explaining it as a the "result" clause, since it is quite frequent a "logical" attraction among sentence parts, so that "qui necaret" is, for me, more a consequence of his son's being killed, rather than a plain explanation of who Aegeus was, or both things at the same time. Infact, it is frequently impossible to distinguish a relative characteristic clause from a clause of result or cause.
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Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
Local time: 17:12
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Summary of answers provided
5 +3Aegeus was a (the) father who killed himself as (since, after, becuase) his son had been murdered
Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Aegeus was a (the) father who killed himself as (since, after, becuase) his son had been murdered


Explanation:
Literally: "Aegeus was a (yhe) father who, having his son been murdered, killed himself.
"Filio necato" is an "absolute ablative", which can be translated to express cause or time. In this case, it is most likely "cause", since Aegeus kills himself, thinking his son Theseus is dead (sailors had forgotten to lower the black sails of his ship, as agreed).
qui + subjunctive is a "consecutive relative" clause, thus requiring the subjunctive, just as all consecutive clauses. The "imperfect" (occideret) is because it hinges on a past tense (the imperfect "erat). "Consecutive relative" clauses are mot common after the verb "sum".

Hope it was what you needed from us. Still, you should tell us, just as Flavio said, what you really need, so we can help you the right way.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 6 hrs 40 mins (2005-10-07 14:40:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As Joseph rightly noted, "qui necaret" is probably a "relative characteristic" clause, since it describes the antecendent. I opted for explaining it as a the "result" clause, since it is quite frequent a "logical" attraction among sentence parts, so that "qui necaret" is, for me, more a consequence of his son's being killed, rather than a plain explanation of who Aegeus was, or both things at the same time. Infact, it is frequently impossible to distinguish a relative characteristic clause from a clause of result or cause.

Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
Local time: 17:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Giusi Pasi: fine grammar explanation
1 hr
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou: Good grammar and syntax lesson. Good morning, Leonardo!
20 hrs
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
2 days 4 hrs
neutral  Joseph Brazauskas: Good translation, but the subordinate clause looks more like a clause of characteristic to me.
3 days 30 mins
  -> As you know, characteristic clause is often afrer adjectives such as "idoneus" or negative/interrogative sentences.Still, it is often impossible to distinguish it. Ater "sum", it is most often a "result" clause., but you might be absolutely right here..
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