Monday, January 05, 2015
Not an Ancient Latin Proverb
Dear Mr Gilleland,
'Ne tu aliis faciendam trade, factam si quam rem cupis' is not an ancient Latin proverb, but Lindsay's own translation of 'If you want a thing done, do it yourself', which he quotes as 'that golden rule of scientific research' in the preface to Notae Latinae. He seems to have forgotten that an injunction to the world at large, rather than a particular person, should be cast in the present subjunctive: 'tradas' and 'uelis' (since 'cupias' won't scan).
Best wishes
Leofranc Holford-Strevens
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'Ne tu aliis faciendam trade, factam si quam rem cupis' is not an ancient Latin proverb, but Lindsay's own translation of 'If you want a thing done, do it yourself', which he quotes as 'that golden rule of scientific research' in the preface to Notae Latinae. He seems to have forgotten that an injunction to the world at large, rather than a particular person, should be cast in the present subjunctive: 'tradas' and 'uelis' (since 'cupias' won't scan).
Best wishes
Leofranc Holford-Strevens
