[TPJY]

How does one translate this correctly?

'cur paucis centurionibus, paucioribus tribunis pareamus?'

[LuxVeritatis]

A sentence like this is hard to translate properly on its own - the context is necessary both to get the right flavour of the subjunctive and to determine whether the -ibus and -is endings are ablative or dative.

It could be something like "why would we prepare with a few centurions and even fewer tribunes?" but equally, if taken as dative, "why would we prepare for a few centurions, and even fewer tribunes?" - and that's taking the subjunctive as a pure speculative - it could be a variety of things

[TPJY]

ermmm pareamus is from pareo = to obey + dative

but i don't see why it's subj D:

the context = a soldier is trying to stir up a mutiny

[medbh4805]

(Original post by TPJY)
ermmm pareamus is from pareo = to obey + dative

but i don't see why it's subj D:

the context = a soldier is trying to stir up a mutiny

The translation would probably just be "Why should we obey so few centurions, and even fewer tribunes".

Allen and Greenough (444) "The subjunctive is used in questions implying (1) doubt, indignation, or (2) an impossibility of the thing's being done.".

[TPJY]

(Original post by medbh4805)
The translation would probably just be "Why should we obey so few centurions, and even fewer tribunes".

Allen and Greenough (444) "The subjunctive is used in questions implying (1) doubt, indignation, or (2) an impossibility of the thing's being done.".

Cheers

another question :

This girl is unwilling to tell me where her friends have gone.

is this a result clause?

[LuxVeritatis]

Oh god, I misread that as paramus, my mistake.

And no, that's an indirect question.

[LeSacMagique]

(Original post by TPJY)
Cheers

another question :

This girl is unwilling to tell me where her friends have gone.

is this a result clause?

A result clause would be something like 'The girl is so upset that she...'