Friday, May 21, 2010

What's the difference between the two Latin sentences?

1) Et pecūniam et corōnās poētīs dōnābis.


2) Et pecūniā et corōnīs poētās dōnābis.


I can hardly work out how they differ from each other. I translated the first as "You will give the poets both punishment and wreaths", but the translation of the second one seems to be "You will present the poets with both punishment and wreaths". But what on earth is the difference between the two?

What's the difference between the two Latin sentences?
There is a difference in declension:





In the first sentence, pecūniam and corōnās are in the accusative case: they are the direct objects. Poētīs is dative (well spotted, JJ), because it is receiving money and wreaths. That sentence would be translated 'you(S) will give both money and wreaths(Direct Object) to the poets(Indirect Objects).'





Dōnāre can, as you pointed out, be also translated as 'present,' but for this to happen, a change of cases is neccesary. In the sentence, 'you will present the poets with both money and wreaths,' the poets becomes accusative and the direct object (poetas), whereas money and wreaths, because they become indirect objects, turn into the dative (pecūniā et corōnis.)





I hope that this clarified the difference between the two.





(P.S. If you wanted to substitute 'punishment' for 'money' in these sentences, the first would use 'poenam' and the second would use 'poena.'








Best wishes,





C.s.
Reply:The first one is " You will give the poets (dative) money and wreaths ( both accusative).


In the second sentence the dative is turned into an accusative, which means the thing(s) given, and the datives which denote the person/thing being given to, turn into an accusative.


So the second one has to be translated as " You will give poets to the money and the wreaths.
Reply:I think the first one is "And you will give money and garlands/crowns to (the) poets." I can't figure out the second one.





EDIT: Just seen C-S's reply - great! One small point, poetis is in the DATIVE case, not the ablative, being indirect object. Poetis is both dative and ablative plural or poeta.
Reply:Is it one spanish and one portuguese?


they have similar words..
Reply:I'm not sure, but doesn't pecunia mean money (as in pecunia non olet - Money doesn't smell)?


punishment would be poena, right.


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