Translate Latin into English

Re: Translate Latin into English


Uhm I think there could be some misspelling here...

I will suppuse it is

"Mentis subtilitate curiosa sicut lumine ingenii prastitit"

The careful finess of the mind was before the brain like a lamp

The use of the past makes me think this sentence is tied to something or someone, if it was alone you would likely have found "praestat", so the correct translation is probably

The careful finess of his mind was before his brain like a lamp

Hope this could help

The sense I get from it is

Painstaking exactness of mind is more important than natural brilliance.

But as Raphillon points out, some of the words are puzzling.
Could you check your source again for the exact wording?
Thank you.

BTW, who or what is "Satowe"?

I am going to find out the source of the Latin quotation soo
Dear unknown friends,
Thank you very much for your help. I am doing this for a young colleague of mine. The Latin quotation is cited in a Chinese translation. Probably it is the translator who introduced some misspellings to the quotation. I will find out the source soon.
Thanks again.

about the source of the quotation
Dear George and Raphillon,
The Latin quotation appears on the tombstone of Sir Earnest Satow, a British diplomat of the 19th century. He authored the book entitled A Guide to Diplomatic Practice. I have got hold of the book (1932), but I haven't found a photo inset. Perhaps we need someone from Britain to help us fix the exact version of the Latin sentence. Meanwhile I will ask my colleague to show me the photograph of the tombstone bearing the Latin inscription.

All the best
fansy

Sir Ernest Satow... He had quite an interesting life


As soon as you have the correct inscription I will be glad to read it and to do anything i can to help you translate it

No spelling error, so I was told
Dear Raphillon,
I was told that the inscription comes from Satow chapter of
Diplomatic Theory From Machiavelli To Kissinger (Studies in Diplomacy)
by G. R. Berridge (Editor), Maurice Keens-Soper (Editor), T. G. Otte (Editor) 2001.
No spelling error found. However, if you think there is an error, then there must be something wrong somewhere. Hope the book is readily available in your library and you may check it for yourself.
Meanwhile I will ask my young collegue to show me the relevant page.
Thank you very much.
Fansy

Just been digging around a bit.

I found that sicco lumine is phrase that means "disinterestedly" (literally "by dry light").

Also praestitit may be translated as "He was distinguished (or outstanding)"

So perhaps:

praestitit
He was distinguished

mentis subtilitate curiosa
by painstaking exactness of thought

sicco lumine ingenii
by the dry light of his reason

...still thinking about it...