Expert: Maria - 9/29/2007

Question
Hello Maria
I would appreciate it if you could provide a Latin version of the following:
1) "astonishing rapidity";
and also the Bob Dylan lyric
2)  "Ah, but I was so much older then. I am younger than that now."

Many thanks for your help.

Answer
Hello,

“Mirabilis velocitas “ corresponds to “astonishing rapidity”, while “Ah, but I was so much older then. I am younger than that now" can be translated as: ” Ah, sed multo tum eram senior, nunc contra (sum) iunior!”.

See below for grammatical analysis.

Best regards,
Maria
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1-“Astonishing rapidity”

-astonishing = MIRABILIS (nominative case agreed with VELOCITAS)

-rapidity = VELOCITAS (nominative, 3rd.declension)

2-“Ah, but I was so much older then. I am younger than that now”

-Ah= AH

-but = SED

-I was = ERAM (from SUM, I am)

-so much = MULTO (ablative of measure from MULTUS)

-older = SENIOR (comparative of SENEX, old)

-then= TUM

-I am = SUM. Note that this verb can be omitted.

-younger = IUNIOR (comparative of IUVENIS, young)

- than that now = NUNC CONTRA

Latin word order can be different from English, as you can see.