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NL888 Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
manus ad ferrum = iron arm?
manus ad ferrum = iron arm?
Context:
Lucius Domitius Aurelian had been frowning from the start and squeezing the hilt of his sword. He was a formidable soldier: having fought in numerous campaigns, he had killed nearly nine hundred enemies with his own hand, carving a notch into the shaft of his javelin each time. He was so quick at unsheathing his sword that he had earned the name manus ad ferrum among his men: ‘Sword-in-Hand’. He asked to speak. ‘I’ve heard that your son Gallienus is in , and could be here with four legions in five days’ time. Why run this risk now?’
Context:
Lucius Domitius Aurelian had been frowning from the start and squeezing the hilt of his sword. He was a formidable soldier: having fought in numerous campaigns, he had killed nearly nine hundred enemies with his own hand, carving a notch into the shaft of his javelin each time. He was so quick at unsheathing his sword that he had earned the name manus ad ferrum among his men: ‘Sword-in-Hand’. He asked to speak. ‘I’ve heard that your son Gallienus is in , and could be here with four legions in five days’ time. Why run this risk now?’
Top answer
Hi, manus ad ferrum = iron arm? No. I'd translate this as 'hand to/on iron' or, in this context, 'hand on sword'.
- Hi, manus ad ferrum = iron arm?
- No.
- I'd translate this as 'hand to/on iron' or, in this context, 'hand on sword'.
- Clive
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3 Answers
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Hi,
manus ad ferrum = iron arm?
No. I'd translate this as 'hand to/on iron' or, in this context, 'hand on sword'.
Clive
manus ad ferrum = iron arm?
No. I'd translate this as 'hand to/on iron' or, in this context, 'hand on sword'.
Clive
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NL888,
In essence, the author of this excerpt has already told you what manus ad ferrum means. It means Sword-in-Hand. If you want a more literal meaning, it is "hand to iron", also already explained in the text as a reference to his quickness to place his hand on his iron sword in preparation for a fight. It has nothing to do with his arm, whether made of ir
In essence, the author of this excerpt has already told you what manus ad ferrum means. It means Sword-in-Hand. If you want a more literal meaning, it is "hand to iron", also already explained in the text as a reference to his quickness to place his hand on his iron sword in preparation for a fight. It has nothing to do with his arm, whether made of ir
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I should have remembered that and not have made the mistake to ask you here. I'm sorry for my far-from-perfect memory. CalifJim
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