Controversia 3.8

[8] Divisio. LATRO [in] has quaestiones divisit: Vtrum lex de incesta tantum sit, vel quae deiciat[ur] nec pereat, an etiam damnata, si innocens post damnationem apparuit, deici [non] debeat. an haec innocens sit. an haec deorum adiutorio servata sit.

CESTIVS et illa subiunxit huic ultimae quaestioni: an dii immortales rerum humanarum curam agant. etiamsi agunt, an singulorum agant. si singulorum agunt, an huius egerint. Impro[ba]bat ALBVCIVM, quod haec non tamquam particulas incurrentes in quaestionem tractasset sed tamquam problemata philosophumena.

FVSCVS ARELLIVS pater sic divisit: utrum incestae poena sit deici an perire. utrum providentia deorum an casu servata sit. si voluntate deorum servata est, an in hoc, ut crudelius periret.

Vocabulary:

incurrentes: there is room for interpretation here. Possibilities include “intruding upon” [OLD 2], “impinging on” [OLD 3c], or “turning up in” [OLD 5]. In any case, recognizing that the basic meaning of the verb is “to make an attack on” something [OLD 1] should likely colour the translation.

Syntax:

utrum lex de incesta… an etiam damnata: utrum introduces a direct disjunctive question (i.e. a question expressing a choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities), the second or further alternatives are then preceded by an [utrum, OLD1]. The same applies to Fuscus Arellius’ division later in the section.

an haec innocens… an haec deorum: an can introduce direct questions, usually with the notion of surprise, indignation, etc. [OLD1a].

an dii… an singulorum… an huius…: the first an introduces a direct question [OLD 1] while the second and third an introduce further parts of a multiple question [OLD 4].

Grammar:

tantum: adverbial use of “only”

agant: with curam, ago means “to care” (L+S, II. Trop. D. 4)

incurrentes: goes with particulas, and means “relevant” contextually.

an in hoc: can mean “for this purpose”

Addendum: problemata philosophumena: these are not really Latin words – rather they are direct borrowings from the Greek and thus would be problematic in any formal speech. (Fairweather 82) calls it ‘monstrous’…

etiamsi agunt, an singulorum agant. si singulorum agunt, an huius egerint: notice the many different tenses and moods of ago.