Prevod - Latinski-Engleski - Ovidiu

I'm not sure the beginning is right:'But a new force drags me involuntarily". I'd rather translate 'I'm attracted by a new power to life'...

I don't see "involuntarily" in Latin: it should be "a new force drags me to life" (in vitam).

Oh I'm sorry. Right now I am studying this text for my Final Exam in Latin this Monday. The version in my book and study material (which I believe is the original text by Ovid) says 'invitam' in stead of 'in vitam'. 'Invitam' agreeing with a left out 'me (latin)' (= Medea, who is saying this to herself), meaning involuntarily, unwillingly.

The original text can also be read online in the Latin Library, Ovid, Metamorphoses, Liber VII, verse 19-22

So you could either translate the requested version, or correct the request to the original meaning (not that Latin used spaces :P). I don't know what's best.

I hope I could help,
Martijn

Oh...in that case I think we should correct the request and keep your first version (with "involuntarily" ), Martijn.

What do you girls think?

CC: Aneta B. Efylove

Well, "Invite" = unwilingly. "invitam" is the same?

Invitam is the female accusative singular form of the adjective invitus, a, um. 'Invite' would be an adverb, but 'invitam' agrees with 'me [trahit]' which is left out. In this part of the story princess Medea falls in love with the hero Iason, who is coming with his Argonautae to conquer the 'Phrixea vellera'. The king owns this golden skin and gives Iason three (rather impossible) tasks to complete: taming fire breathing bulls, defeating warriors born from the earth from the teeth of the dragon Cadmus once slew, and getting past the never sleeping dragon that guards the treasure. So as you can imagine, Medea shouldn't care about Iason, but she is attracted to this stranger and decides to help him.

In these sentences she acknowledges it is love and desire that confuses her and these are in conflict with her better judgement, duty and shame. She is in love and can't help thinking about treason, so this 'new force' [love] is dragging her 'unwillingly/involuntarily'

Maybe this little summary helps you understand =]

Maybe: New force drags her unapproachable [woman]? What do you thing?

I think we should change the original text with the translation: "A new force drags her unwillingly". I think it works!

Martijn?

Oh yes, of course I agree with my original translation involuntarily/unwillingly. The latter sounds best I think

Lilian,

You've made a little mistake editing. It should be 'drags me' in stead of 'drags her' in the first line.

"drags her" was in Efylove's post

Fixed now.

Ah I see

Thank you