Latin AS-Level Practice Passages 5 The Entreaty of Sophonisba

06-27

來自專欄 Carpe Diem

【題解】

作為羅馬史書中不常見的蠻族女性角色之一，Sophonisba卻在波利比烏斯、李維、狄奧多羅斯、阿庇安和卡西烏斯·狄奧等作家筆下均有描寫。後世悲劇作家尤其鍾愛這位迦太基貴婦的傳奇故事，自16世紀以來她就不斷搬上舞台，演繹那短暫而悲壯的一生。

Sophonisba是抗擊羅馬的迦太基名將Hasdrubal Gisco之女。在伊利帕被羅馬悍將、Publius Scipio 之子Scipio Africanus打敗後，鎩羽而歸的Hasdrubal試圖去北非尋求西努米底亞國王Syphax的幫助。沒想到，Scipio卻與他幾乎同時抵達了努米底亞海港。於是Hasdrubal只好把自己的女兒Sophonisba獻給這位國王，以從Scipio手中爭取到Syphax的盟約。而與此同時，作為Syphax對手的東努米底亞國王Masinissa則投靠了羅馬。可惜迦太基與Syphax的結盟最終還是在巴格布拉德斯之役中大敗給了Scipio和Masinissa，單槍匹馬的Syphax在做最後的衝鋒時因馬失前蹄而被擒獲，Sophonisba也落入了Masinissa手中。此時她的父親Hasdrubal已因戰敗而自殺身亡，不久後丈夫Syphax也死在了蒂沃利，Masinissa覬覦她的美麗，想要娶之為妻——不料疑心重重的Scipio對Sophonisba深感懷疑，為了防止她從中作梗而煽動Masinissa造反，Scipio堅持要求Masinissa交出Sophonisba，並要讓她作為戰利品在自己的凱旋式上展覽。然而在羅馬城裡受到遊街的侮辱，是Sophonisba無法忍受的，她匍匐在Masinissa腳下，乞求他不要把自己交給羅馬人……

【練習】

Masinissa, praesidio circa portas disposito, ad regiam occupandam processit. cui intranti vestibulum in ipso limine obviam it Sophonisba, uxor Syphacis; et, cum in medio agmine armatorum Masinissam insignem armis et cetera veste conspexisset, regem esse (id quod erat) putans, ante pedes eius proiecta, victoriam quidem istam inquit di virtusque et fortuna tua dederunt. sed, si captivae licet apud victorem verbis supplicibus loqui, precor per maiestatem regalem, in qua paulo antea nos quoque fuimus, per gentis Numidarum nomen, quod tibi cum Syphace commune fuit, per huius regiae deos, ne me in Romanorum superbum et crudele arbitrium venire sinas. si nihil aliud quam Syphacis uxor fuissem, tamen tibi, qui in eadem mecum Africa natus es, me dedere mallem quam externo hosti; cum et Carthaginiensis sim et filia Hasdrubalis, vides quantum mihi ab Romanis timendum sit. si nullo alio modo potes, oro obtestorque ut morte me liberes ab Romanorum arbitrio. forma eius erat insignis; amore captivae victor captus est.

Livy 30.12 (adapted)

【講解】

[1] Masinissa, praesidio circa portas disposito, ad regiam occupandam processit.

After a garrison had been stationed around the gates, Masinissa proceeded to seize the palace.

主幹：Masinissa processit. Masinissa proceeded. processit, 3rd,sing,perf,act,ind. of [procedo, ere, cessi, cessus, proceed]
praesidio circa portas disposit, 獨立奪格。主語praesidio, abl.sing.n. of [praesidium, ii, n protection, garrison], disposito, dat,sing.n.perf.pas.pple. of [dispono, ere, posui, positus, to dispose, to set], circa portas. around the gates.
ad regiam occupandam. occupandam, 動名詞表目的，acc.sing,f.fut.pas.pple. of [occupo, are, to seize], regiam, acc.sing.f. of [regia, ae, f, palace]

[2] cui intranti vestibulum in ipso limine obviam it Sophonisba, uxor Syphacis;

As he was coming into the entrance, Sophonisba, the wife of Syphax, came to meet him on the very threshold;

主幹：cui obviam it Sophonisba. Sophonisba came to meet him. alicui obviam ire. come to meet. sb. obviam, adv. against, to meet.
intranti vestibulum. intranti, dat,sing.pres.act.pple. of [intro, are, avi, atus, to enter] 關聯cui. him entering. vestibulum, acc.sing.n. of [vestibulum, i, court, entrance]
in ipso limine, adv. limine, loc./abl. sing.n. of [limen, minis, n. threshold]
uxor Syphacis. wife of Syphax. Sophanisba同位語。

[3] et, cum in medio agmine armatorum Masinissam insignem armis et cetera veste conspexisset, regem esse (id quod erat) putans, ante pedes eius proiecta, victoriam quidem istam inquit di virtusque et fortuna tua dederunt.

and when she caught sight of Masinissa in the midst of a column of armed men, distinguished by his armour and other clothing, thinking that he was a king (which was the case) and flinging herself down at his feet, she said: 『The gods and your courage and luck indeed gave you that victory.

主幹：cum Masinissam conspexisset, inquit. when (she) had seen Massinisa, she said. conspexisset, 3rd,sing,plperf.act.subj. of [conspicio, cere, spexi, spectus. to observe, to see]
in medio agmine armatorum. in the midst of a column of armed men. medio, adj. 修飾agmine, loc./abl. of [agmen, minis, n. crowd, column], armatorum, gen.pl.m. of [armatus, i, m. armed men, soldiers]
insignem armis et cetera veste. conspicuous because of his armour and other clothing. insignem, 關聯Masinissam, acc.sing.m. of[insignis, e, adj. conspicuous], armis, abl.pl.n. of [armum, i. n. arms. pl.], veste, abl.sing.f. of [vestis, is, f. clothing.]
regem esse putans. 現在時分詞(-ing)修飾主語she (Sophonisba)，putans, nom.sing.pres.act.pple. of [puto, are, to think], 接ACI, 省略se.
id quod erat. which is it/the case.
ante pedes eius proiecta. 同樣修飾主語she, proiecta, nom.sing.f of [proiectus, a, um. projecting, groveling], 來自動詞proicio/projicio. ante pedes. before the feet. eius, 修飾pedes, his
victoriam di virtusque et fortuna dederunt. di, virtusque, fortuna 均為主語，gods, courage and luck. dederunt, 3rd.pl.perf.act.ind. of [do, are, dedi, datus, to give]. victoriam, acc.sing.f. of [victoria, ae, f. victory]
quidem, adv. indeed, certainly.
istam, acc.sing.f. of [iste, a, ud. pron. that, such] 關聯victoriam.

[4] sed, si captivae licet apud victorem verbis supplicibus loqui, precor per maiestatem regalem, in qua paulo antea nos quoque fuimus, per gentis Numidarum nomen, quod tibi cum Syphace commune fuit, per huius regiae deos, ne me in Romanorum superbum et crudele arbitrium venire sinas.

But, if a captive is allowed to speak with words of humble entreaty before the victor, I beg you through your royal majesty, in which state we also were just a short time ago, through the name of the Numidian race, which was common to you and Syphax, and through the gods of this palace, that you do not allow me to come under the arrogant and cruel judgement of the Romans.

主幹：si captivae licet loqui, precor ne me in Romanorum arbitrium venire sinas. if it is allowed for a captive to speak, I beg you that you do not allow me to come to the judgement of the Romans. licet, + dat +inf. it is allowed for sb. to do sth. captivae, dat.sing.f. of [captiva, ae, f. prisoner, captive], loqui, pres.inf. of [loquor, loqui, locutus sum speak]. precor ne, I beg that... sinas, 2nd,sing.pres,act.subj. of [sino, ere, sivi, situs, allow, permit], + ACI. me venire. me to come. in Romanorum arbitrium. under the judgement of the Romans.
apud victorem: before the victor.
verbis supplicibus. with words of humble entreaty.
per maiestatem regalem. through royal majesty. regalem, acc.sing.adj. of [regalis, e, royal], maiestatem, acc.sing.f. of [majestas, atis, f. majesty]
in qua 關聯maiestatem. in which. nos quoque fuimus. we were likewise. quoque. adv. likewise, fuimus, 1st,pl.perf.act.ind. of [sum to be]. paulo antea, a short time ago.
per nomen. through the name. gentis, gen.sing.f. of [gens, gentis,f. tribe, people], Numidarum, 修飾gentis. of the Numidians
quod 句關聯nomen, which... commune fuit. commune, nom.sing.n. of [communis, e, common], tibi cum Syphace. to you and Syphax.
per huius rigiae deos, huius regiae 修飾deos, of this palace.
superbum et crudele, acc.sing.n.修飾arbitrium. arrogant and cruel.

[5] si nihil aliud quam Syphacis uxor fuissem, tamen tibi, qui in eadem mecum Africa natus es, me dedere mallem quam externo hosti;

If I had been nothing other than the wife of Syphax, I should nonetheless prefer to surrender myself to you who were born with me in the same Africa, rather than to a foreign enemy;

主幹：si nihil fuissem, tibi me dedere mallem quam externo hosti. if I were nothing, I would rather give myself to you rather than to a foreign enemy. fuissem, 1st,sing.plperf.act.subj. of [sum], mallem, 1st,sing.imperf.act.subj. of [malo, malle, malui,- to prefer] + http://ACI.me dedere. to give myself. tibi, to you. quam 表比較，externo hosti, 對應tibi, 均為dat. foreign enemy.
aliud quam, else than. Syphacis uxor. wife of Syphax
tamen, adv. yet, still.
qui 關聯tibi, natus es. 2nd,sing,nom. of [nascor, nasci, natus sum. dep. to be born], in eadem Africa. in the same Africa. mecum. with me.

[6] cum et Carthaginiensis sim et filia Hasdrubalis, vides quantum mihi ab Romanis timendum sit.

since I am both a Carthaginian and the daughter of Hasdrubal, you see how much I have to fear from the Romans.

主幹：cum sim..., vides quantum mihi timendum sit. Since I am ..., you see how much it is to be feared by me... sim, 1st,sing.pres,act,subj. of [sum], quantum, adv. how much. timendum sit. 來自[timeo, ere, timui, to fear]
ab Romanis, from the Romans.

[7] si nullo alio modo potes, oro obtestorque ut morte me liberes ab Romanorum arbitrio.

If you can do it in no other way, I pray and entreat you to free me from the judgement of the Romans by death.』

主幹：si nullo alio modo potes, oro obestorque ut. if you can do it in no other way, I pray and entreat that... oro, to beg. obtestor, to implore. +虛擬語氣
liberes, 2nd,sing.pres.act.subj. of [libero, are, to free] + me (acc.)
ab Romanorum arbitrio, from the judgement of the Romans. arbitrio, abl.sing.n. of [arbitrium, ii, n. arbitration, judgement]
morte, abl.sing.f. of [mors,mortis, f. death] 表方式，by death.

[8] forma eius erat insignis; amore captivae victor captus est.

Her beauty was distinguished; the victor was captivated by love of his captive.

簡單句：forma erat insignis. forma, nom.sing.f. of [forma, ae, f. form, figure, appearance.], insignis, nom.sing.f. of [insignis, e, conspicuous, eminent]
victor capus est. the victory was captivated.
amore captivae. amore, 施動奪格, abl.sing.m. of [amor, oris, m. love], captivae, gen.sing.f. of [captiva, ae, f. prisoner.f.].

【圖解】

題圖為義大利畫家Giovanni Battista Pittoni的作品，畫作的名字為我們交代了這個故事的結局：The Death of Sophonisba。無論Masinissa如何同情和深愛著Sophonisba，他終於還是不敢違抗Scipio的命令。走投無路的Sophonisba為了免受遊行之辱，最終從努米底亞國王獲賜了一瓶毒藥，結束了自己短暫的一生。

（圖片來源於網路：維基用戶Mutter Erde上傳至Wikimedia Common, Public Domain.）