Copy of a rendering shown up by a boy of fifteen in a recent scholarship examination:—
‘Happy is the man who is able to discern the reason of things, and controls under his feet all changes and inexorable destiny, and the groaning of greedy Acheron! |I| Blessed also is he who knows the rustic gods, Pan and old Silvanus, and those sisters, the nymphs! |II| He is not moved by the people’s axes, nor by the regal purple, nor by discord that rouses brothers to distrust each other. He is not moved by Dacus, coming down from the sacred Danube, nor by the affairs of Rome, and the realms about to perish. |III| He neither grieves for nor pities the helpless, nor does he envy the rich.’ |IV|
The above version is fair, but notice the following points:—
Sentence I.—
is able . . . and controls. The connection in thought is not shown: ‘He is happy because he knows and ∴ fears not.’
groaning—i.e. gemitum; strepitum = roar, din.
Sentence III.—
by the people’s axes. This suggests quite a wrong idea; contrast the version, ‘by the honours that the people confer.’
sacred. This is quite wrong. con-iurato = allied by oath.
the affairs of Rome. A very weak, and inadequate rendering.