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Parcere subjectis.

English translation: [To] spare the conquered

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:Parcere subjectis.
English translation:[To] spare the conquered
Entered by: SeiTT

06:19 Oct 18, 2014
Latin to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Latin term or phrase: Parcere subjectis.
Greetings

The above was written somewhere in a prison if I remember rightly.

Please could you translate the phrase and let me know the exact nature of ‘parcere’ – passive imperative or infinitive?

Best wishes, and many thanks,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:22
[To] spare the conquered
Explanation:
... and vanquish the proud (Virgil, AeneidVI, 853).
In the original the infinitive could be interpreted as the object of the future imperative memento but as a standalone motto, it would definitely be understood as an infinitive of command.
Selected response from:

Sandra Mouton
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:22
Grading comment
Many thanks, super.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2[To] spare the conquered
Sandra Mouton
4To be merciful to those who submit...
Pierre POUSSIN


  

Answers


31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
To be merciful to those who submit...


Explanation:
I think "parcere" is an infinitive, not an imperative form.
It could be a sort of standing order, though, to the jailers...

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 09:22
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Sandra Mouton: Subjectis is in the perfect form, ie a past form, therefore "those who have submitted" is acceptable not "those who submit" (present form).
3 hrs
  -> See Jennifer's comment... I DO agree with her, but then...if you say so, I wil n ot wage war...;-)
agree  Jennifer White: don't understand Sandra's comment. This is acceptable.
12 hrs
  -> Thank you so much! I don't understand her comment, either, but...!
neutral  Joseph Brazauskas: I think Sandra means, since the particple is perfect, it should be translated as a perfect.
1 day 5 hrs
  -> But it is NOT a perfect participle IMHO,it' s a dative case of sbject. But anyway, it did not deserve a red "disagree"!!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
[To] spare the conquered


Explanation:
... and vanquish the proud (Virgil, AeneidVI, 853).
In the original the infinitive could be interpreted as the object of the future imperative memento but as a standalone motto, it would definitely be understood as an infinitive of command.

Sandra Mouton
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:22
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Many thanks, super.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jennifer White: parcere takes the dative case, therefore subjectis here is a noun (dative case of subjecti)
8 hrs
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thanks Joseph
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