Another episode of Odysseus’ journey home:
Ulixēs, postquam magnā cum audāciā diū per undās nāvigāvit, īnsulam Circae intrāvit. Ibi ille vir callidus nōnnūllōs sociōs in vīllam Circae mīsit. Quibus illa dea vīnum venēnō mixtum praebuit; venēnō domitōs in suēs mūtāvit. Ūnus ex iīs, quī venēnum negāverat, ēvāsit docuitque Ulixem. Quem Mercurius quoque dē dolīs Circae docuerat remediumque praebuerat et eī suāserat: “Hōc remediō ā mē datō perīculum dolōsque deae vītābis!” Quibus verbīs monitus Ulixēs illō remediō tūtus vīllam Circae intrāvit, Circam ipsam gladiō ursit, dolōs perniciōsōs eius arcuit. Iussit eam illōs sociōs iam in suēs mūtātōs rūrsus in virōs mūtāre. Sīc ūnā cum sociīs vīvus ex illā īnsulā ēvāsit.
Circa, -ae [1/f]: (alternative to Circē) name of a witch in Greek mythology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circe
venēnum, -ī [2/n]: (here) magic potion; poison
sūs, suis [3 m/f]: pig
[1] The connecting relative
[i] The following is incorrect in standard written English:
I bought a book. *Which I gave* to my brother.
English cannot begin a sentence with a relative pronoun that refers to something / someone in the previous sentence. The idea would be expressed in the following ways:
I bought a book which I gave to my brother [i.e. as one sentence, which introducing a subordinate clause]
I bought a book. I gave it to my brother. [i.e. two sentences; English would most commonly avoid repeating the noun by using a pronoun]
I bought a book and I gave it to my brother [i.e. as one sentence with a coordinating conjunction]
[ii] Latin, however, can begin a sentence with the relatives quī, quae, quod referring to something / someone in the previous sentence, known in grammar as the antecedent:
Ibi ille vir callidus nōnnūllōs sociōs [antecedent] in vīllam Circae mīsit. Quibus [connecting relative] illa dea vīnum venēnō mixtum praebuit; …
Such sentences can be translated in different ways, the choice determined by style and context:
(a) as separate sentences with the inclusion of a pronoun referring to the antecedent
There, that clever man sent some of his companions into her house. The goddess offered them wine mixed with poison; …
(b) combining those sentences with ‘and’; that neatly conveys the “connecting” nature of quī, quae, quod
… and the goddess offered them …
(c) a relative clause
… docuitque Ulixem [antecedent]. Quem [connecting relative] Mercurius quoque dē dolīs Circae docuerat …
… and informed Ulysses whom Mercury had also informed about Circe’s tricks, …
[iii] Translations are not interchangeable; a common example is when the connecting relative refers to an entire preceding statement where a relative clause would sound clumsy:
“Hōc remediō ā mē datō perīculum dolōsque deae vītābis!” Quibus verbīs monitus Ulixēs …
“With this remedy given by me, you will avoid the danger and the tricks of the goddess.” Having been warned by these words, Ulysses … [or: …, and having been warned …]
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/connecting%20relative
[2] Taking care when translating:
Latin word order is far more flexible than English and so, when translating, be conscious of what is and is not acceptable in standard English translation:
Quibus illa dea vīnum venēnō mixtum praebuit; venēnō domitōs in suēs mūtāvit.
The goddess offered them wine mixed with poison; *having been subdued by the potion*, she changed them into pigs.
Although “having been subdued by the potion” is the correct translation, its position in the English sentence above would indicate that she had been subdued by the potion, which is incorrect. Rewording is needed to be clear who that phrase is referring to:
“… once / after / when they had been subdued by the potion, she changed them …”
____________________
Ulysses, after he had sailed for a long time over the waves with great boldness, entered the island of Circe. There that clever man sent some companions into Circe’s house. The goddess offered them wine mixed with a (magic) potion; after they had been subdued by the potion, she changed them into pigs.
One of them, who had refused the potion, escaped and informed Ulysses. Mercury also had warned him about the tricks of Circe, had provided a remedy, and had advised him: “With this remedy given by me, you will avoid the danger and the tricks of the goddess.”
(Having been) warned by these words, Ulysses, safe because of that remedy [ = protected by that remedy], entered Circe’s house, threatened Circe herself with his sword, and drove away / warded off her deadly tricks. He ordered her to change those companions, who had already been turned into pigs, back into men. Thus he escaped alive from that island together with his companions.
