Fable 52: Tubicen Captivus

Here's the next fable with a kind of running commentary that is not entirely possible within the confines of the forthcoming book from Bolchazy-Carducci. This will be Fable 52 in the book: De Tubicine Captivo. For more information Fable about this fable, see the Discussion Forum for this fable at the Aesopus Ning.

Tubicen quidam in bello captivus detinebatur. Qui Hostes supplicabundus orabat ut non se interficerent, quandoquidem totum inermis esset et nullum eorum vulnerasset. Cui sic Hostes: “Quia tu sis inermis et pugnandi excors, ideo moriere, qui tubae cantu inimicos nostros ad pugnam concitaveris.”

Tubicen quidam
= As usual, we meet one of the main characters here in the opening words of the fable.

in bello captivus detinebatur.
= We also learn of the trumpeter's situation: he was held (as a) captive.

Qui Hostes supplicabundus orabat
= The referent of the relative pronoun qui is tubicen in the previous sentence: qui (tubicen) orabat; the adjective modifies the subject, so you might want to translate it as an adverb, rather than an adjective.

ut non se interficerent,
= In classical Latin, you would expect a ne in this negative purpose clause, but the use of ut non can be used for negative purpose clauses in later Latin.

quandoquidem totum inermis esset
= The subjunctive, introduced by quandoquidem, gives causal background information; according to the trumpeter, this is why his life should be spared.

et nullum eorum vulnerasset.
= The pronoun eorum is a partitive genitive: nullum eorum, "none of them." The subjunctive verb continues the thoughts of the trumpeter, explaining why he thinks his life should be spared.

Cui sic Hostes:
= The referent of the relative pronoun cui is tubicen, the implied subject of orabat in the previous sentence, with an implied verb of speaking: cui (tubicini) hostes (inquiunt).

“Quia tu sis inermis
= The subjunctive, introduced by quia (“because”), gives causal background information; according to the enemy soldiers, this is why the trumpeter deserves to die. Note also the emphatic use of the personal pronoun tu in the nominative case; the subject is already clearly implied in the verb sis, so the pronoun is used purely for emphasis.

pugnandi excors,
= The word excors means “without the brains for something, without the heart for something,” taking a genitive complement, the gerund pugnandi.

ideo moriere,
= The future active indicative moriere, “you will die,” is an alternate form of morieris.

qui
= The reference of the relative pronoun is tu: "(you) who..."

tubae cantu inimicos nostros ad pugnam concitaveris.”
= The subjunctive gives further causal background information; according to the enemy soldiers, this is why the trumpeter must die.

Here is the illustration of the fable by Francis Barlow:

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