certae mulctae

English translation: the fine earlier imposed

19:55 Dec 9, 2008
Latin to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)
Latin term or phrase: certae mulctae
Si quis a magistrats mulctae condemnabatur supra, quam lex Aternia Tarpeja permittebat, id est supra, quam duae oves et triginta boves vel tria milia assum et viginti, condemnatus etiam ad populum provocare poterat et tum comitiis tributis reus aut absolvebatur aut certae mulctae condemnabatur.
Olga Krasko
Local time: 11:04
English translation:the fine earlier imposed
Explanation:
Dear Olga,

I think, in this case the expression "certae mulctae" simply mean the "earlier imposed fine." The text is about a law, but the law's text didn't come down to us (if I am right), so this here must be a paraphrasis or summary of the original and unknown text. I recommend this meaning because it fits in the picture.
The "reus provocare poterat", and if the comitia tributa decided that he was right, he didn't have to pay the fine. But if the comitia decided the other way, the fine (though it was more than it should have been) must have been payed.

I don't know, if the text can mean anything else. But I wonder -- if and because the law's text is unknown -- who knocked up this sentence?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 58 perc (2008-12-09 20:53:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or, another solution, certae multae doesn't mean "the fine earlier imposed", but it means "the fine imposed by the Lex Tarpeia".
Selected response from:

Péter Jutai
Hungary
Local time: 10:04
Grading comment
THANKS
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5set fine
Joseph Brazauskas
3 +1the fine earlier imposed
Péter Jutai


  

Answers


56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the fine earlier imposed


Explanation:
Dear Olga,

I think, in this case the expression "certae mulctae" simply mean the "earlier imposed fine." The text is about a law, but the law's text didn't come down to us (if I am right), so this here must be a paraphrasis or summary of the original and unknown text. I recommend this meaning because it fits in the picture.
The "reus provocare poterat", and if the comitia tributa decided that he was right, he didn't have to pay the fine. But if the comitia decided the other way, the fine (though it was more than it should have been) must have been payed.

I don't know, if the text can mean anything else. But I wonder -- if and because the law's text is unknown -- who knocked up this sentence?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 58 perc (2008-12-09 20:53:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or, another solution, certae multae doesn't mean "the fine earlier imposed", but it means "the fine imposed by the Lex Tarpeia".

Péter Jutai
Hungary
Local time: 10:04
Native speaker of: Hungarian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
THANKS
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks a lot. you really HELPed me!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas: I think that 'the fine imposed by the Lex Aternia Tarpeia', though vague, is preferable. But cf. Gellius, 11.1.1ff.
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
set fine


Explanation:
The fine could be 'minima' ('the smallest') or 'maxima' ('the largest').

The Lex Aternia Tarpeia was passed by the consul A. Atinius in 454 BCE. Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 11.1.1, after noting that both the Greek historian Timaeus and the Roman polymath M. Varro supposed that "terram Italiam de Graceo vocabulo appellatam scripserent, quoniam boves Graeca vetere lingua 'italoí' vocitati sint, quorum in Italia magna copia fuerit, bucetaque in ea terra gigni pascique solita sint complurima", goes on to suppose (ibid. 2f.) that "ob eandem causam, quod Italia tunc esset armentossisima, multam, quae appellatur 'suprema', institutam in dies singulos duarum ovium, boum triginta, pro copia scilicet boum proque ovium penuria. sed cum eiusmodi multa pecoris armentique a magistratibus dicta erat, adigebantur boves ovesque alias pretii parvi, alias maioris, eaque res faciebat inaequalem multae poenitionem. idcirco postea lege Aternia constututi sunt in oves singulas aeris deni, in boves aeris centeni. 'minima' autem multa est ovis unius. 'suprema' multa est eius numeri cuius diximus, ultra quem multam dicere in dies singulos ius non est, et propterea 'suprema' appellatur, id est summa et maxima."

Hew adds (4) that "quando igitur nunc quoque a magistratibus populi Romani more maiorum multa dicitur vel minima vel suprema, observari solet ut 'oves' genere virili appellentur; atque ita M. Varro verba haec legitima, quibus minima multa diceretur, concepit: M. TERENTIO, QVANDO CITATVS NEQVE RESPONDIT NEQVE EXCVSATVS EST, EGO EI VNVM OVEM MVLTAM DICO; ac nisi eo genere diceretur, negaverunt iustam videri multam."



Noctes Atticae, 11.1.1ff. discusses it thus: "

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 05:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 26
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search