Monday, February 08, 2021
Defending the Borders
Catullus 61.71-75 (my translation):
C.J. Fordyce on line 72:
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A land that lacks your sacred rites cannot supply guards for its borders. But it can if you are willing. Who would dare to be matched with this god?The god is Hymen, the god of marriage.
quae tuis careat sacris,
non queat dare praesides
terra finibus: at queat
te volente. quis huic deo
compararier ausit?
C.J. Fordyce on line 72:
praesides: the sense of 'defender', which is normal in praesidium, is rare in praeses: but cf. Cic. Sest. 137 'senatum rei publicae custodem praesidem propugnatorem', Livy vi.16.2 'uestrum (i.e. deorum) militem ac praesidem ', xxiii.48.7 'praesides prouinciarum exercitus'.
