Translation

[minstrel-ivare.livejournal.com]

I was rereading Lewis Thorpe's translation of "The History of the Kings of Britain" (Geoffrey of Monmouth) last night, and noticed this footnote (written by the translator):

On 4 August 1960 I visited Camelford and walked along the River Camel as far as Slaughter Bridge. According to local legend the battle between Arthur and Mordred took place in the near-by water-meadow. On the bank of the Camel, where the stream had cut for itself a steep bluff overhung with hazel bushes, in a spot most difficult of access, I found an ancient stone, 2' 1.5'' X 9'5'', with some partly-defaced lettering in mixed classical and rustic capitals. The stone was uneven and broken, and the letters were straggling and irregular, but the following fragment of an inscription was clearly to be deciphered:LATIN...IIC IACIT FILIVS M...AR...=possibly 'Latinus hic iacet filius Merlini Arturus.'...

(text taken from pages 259-60 of the Penguin Classics edition)

My knowledge of Latin is nonexistent: would any of you be capable of providing a translation?

Comments

[geca.livejournal.com]

My knowledge of Latin is also nonexistent, my knowledge of French though is decent and my knowledge of Greek is fluent.

The little I can glean from it is something about Arthur...son of Merlin? Something to that effect. Whoowee. That helped you loads, I'm sure. ;D

[volterraread.livejournal.com]

*pulls latin dictionary off shelf, 'cause there's a word there I don't know*

Basically, "Here lies Merlini Arturus, Roman citizen and son." or (as I'm a bit hazy of my noun tenses, it could read: "Here lies Arturus, Roman citizen and son of Merlini" (the -i being the wotsit tense.)

Although getting "Merlini Arturus" out of "M...AR...." is pretty amazing.

[minstrel-ivare.livejournal.com]

"Although getting "Merlini Arturus" out of "M...AR...." is pretty amazing."

Yeah, I agree... =D Still, we'll let our translator dream. Thanks for the translation. I really should learn Latin someday...

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

I think it's actually "Here lies Arturus, son of Merlin." But that's just assuming that "Merlini" is a second declension. It would fit the "divi filius" pattern, though.

I'm not sure where you're getting "Roman citizen" from, though.

[volterraread.livejournal.com]

Yep, that was my second translation attempt. The "Roman citizen" thing I'm getting from "Latinus" -- which basically means Roman (technically "of Latium".

Which is interesting, because he's either descended from Roman citizens (aka actual Romans) or he or his parents/grandparents bought Roman citizenship. There's a third way to get it -- ah, yes, do some good deed for protecting the Empire.

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

LOL Oh gosh. I really need to go to sleep. I knew I was probably not reading a word somewhere. :-P

It could just mean he was descended from people of Latium, not actually Rome, though (which would still make him a Roman citizen by then, but I still like making the distinction :-P).

I do seem to vaguely remember coming across this inscription and translating it, though. I'm pretty sure my conclusion then was "Arturus, son of Merlin" then too.