https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv2rBVkfsDY
The moment you
step into “real” Latin, everything – everything – will be thrown at you
and so, although mentioned many times before, be wary of diving in at the deep
end because Barbarians wasn’t produced for Latin learners, but for a
Netflix audience. While Barbarians is a tremendous example of how Latin
may well have been spoken at this period, the dialogue contains a whole range
of features some of which are straightforward, and some of which, if you want
to explore the language in greater depth, involve considerable study. Therefore,
I’ve broken it up:
Post #1:
transcription and translation (with literal translations added in brackets so
you can get a grip on what the Latin actually says)
Post#2: reading / listening comprehension to get the
“gist” of the dialogue and to focus on some key words in Latin
Posts #3 - #5: vocabulary
and brief notes on sections of the dialogue together with links which refer to higher
level points of language not yet covered in the group
transcription;
translation
[1] Segestes: Ego
salūtem tibi dīcō, Rōmae lēgāte.
[2] Varus: Eius
sonus omnīnō mihi intolerandu’st.
[3] Tamquam
moechae cuiusdam ēdentulae quae poētārī cōnētur.
[Gmn: Bitte,
sprich deine Sprache]
[4] Varus: Dūc mē
ad Folkwinī pāgum, barbare.
[5] Sī mentītus es
tē iubēbō in cruce fīgī.
[6] Segestes: Gentēs
sunt inter sē discordēs.
[7] Tamen apud eōs
ego magnum mōmentum habēre possum in rem Rōmae optimam.
[8] Sī ego rēx gentis
meae essem …
[9] Varus: In
Germāniam nōn pervēnī quī honōribus tuīs essem subsidiō, barbare.
[10] Segestes: Veniam
ā tē petō, lēgāte, sed virī meī cōnsimilēs tibi opus erunt.
__________
[1] Greetings / I
greet you [literally: I say a greeting to you], Roman governor [literally:
governor of Rome]
[2] I can’t stand
/ bear his accent [literally: his accent is utterly intolerable to me]
[3] Just like some
toothless whore [literally: just like (the accent) of some toothless whore]
who’s trying / who would try to be a poet.
[4] Take me to
Folkwin’s district (small point but among early Germanic tribes, it is more
likely to refer to a territory larger than a village)
[5] If you’ve
lied, ¦ I’ll have you crucified. [Literally: I’ll order you to be fastened on a
cross.]
[6] The tribes are
divided. [Literally: the tribes are in disagreement / disagreeing amongst
themselves.]
[7] However, I can
have great influence among them in the best interests of Rome.
[8] If I were the
‘reik’* (ruler) of my tribe … [*reik: Gothic reiks]
[9] I didn’t come
to Germania / I haven’t reached Germania ¦ to support your advancement,
Barbarian. [Literally: (that) I might be (a means) of support to
your honours]
[10] Forgive me, [Literally:
I seek forgiveness from you] governor, but you will need men like me.
