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Latin can be pretty interesting. Here is a legendary story from an old Smith and Thompson Latin book, presented in interlinear form, with the Latin on top, the translation below.
The original does not have the translation:

                      MUCIUS SCAEVOLA

Porsena, rex Clusi, Romam dui obsederat (had besieged )
Porsena, king of the Clusi often had besieged Rome

et magna fames in oppido erat. Mucius Romam
and his fame in this town was great. Mucius Rome

servare voluit itaque in castra Porsenae extra
to save he wished and so into the camp of Porsena out of

urbem ivit (went). Ibi multos milites vidit,
the city (Rome) he went. Here, many soldiers he saw

sed Porsenam de facie non novit.
but Porsena by sight he did not know.

Tandem per errorem scribam pro Porsena Mucius occidit.
At last in error, a scribe before Porsena he killed.
(thinking the scribe was Porsena).

Milites Mucium statim comprehenderunt et eum (him) ad
Soldiers Mucius quickly him they siezed and him to

Porsenam traxerunt. Porsena magnopere iratus est
Porsena they dragged. Porsena very mad he was

et iussit milites accendere ignem, nam Mucium
and ordered the soldiers to build a fire, for Mucius

igne consumere volebat.
in fire to be consumed he wanted.

Mucius autem neque ignum neque Porsenam timuit sed
Mucius however niether fire nor Porsena he feared but

dixit, "Romanus civis sum neque ignum neque mortem
Said "Roman citizen I am, niether fire nor death

timeo." Deinde dextram manum in ignem imposuit.
I fear." Then his right hand into the fire he thrust . Porsena, admirans virtutem Muci et timens alios
Porsena, admiring the bravery of Mucius and fearing other

Romanos qui eum interficere volebant, Mucium
Romans who him to kill they wished, Mucius

Romam dimisit.
to Rome he let go

Deinde ex agris Romanis copias reduxit
Then out of the fields of Rome troops he lead back

et Rome salva erat. Postea Mucius
and Rome saved it was. Afterwards Mucius

"Scaevola" appelltus est quod dextram manum amiserat.
Scaevola he was called because his right hand he was missing.

(Scaevola means "left hand" or "left handed" )

THHA 7 Dec 30
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2 comments

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1

I ordidarilly would have translated this, but meh. maybe tomorrow.

Look closer, it is already translated.

1

I love the way the translation follows the Latin syntax.

The thing I drew from the story is that it was about a time when there was more to war than winning.

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