# Yo soy su ejemplo, ellos son mi espejo.



## Senefelder

Hi there,

I´ll be very glad if someone can translate this spanish sentence for me to latin:

*Yo soy su ejemplo, ellos son mi espejo.*

Thank you
------------------------------------------
Hola,

agradecería mucho que alguien me tradujese esta frase al latín:

*Yo soy su ejemplo, ellos son mi espejo.*

Gracias!


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## Joca

Senefelder said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I´ll be very glad if someone can translate this spanish sentence for me to latin:
> 
> *Yo soy su ejemplo, ellos son mi espejo.*
> 
> Thank you
> ------------------------------------------
> Hola,
> 
> agradecería mucho que alguien me tradujese esta frase al latín:
> 
> *Yo soy su ejemplo, ellos son mi espejo.*
> 
> Gracias!


 
I think there are two ways of saying this:

1. Sum exemplum eorum, sunt speculum meum.

2. Eis exemplum sum, mihi speculum sunt.


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## Senefelder

Hi Joca, and thanks for your answer.

Which one you will use as a memorable phrase or lapidary sentence?

Thanks again


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## Cagey

Joca said:


> I think there are two ways of saying this:
> 
> 1. Sum exemplum eorum, sunt speculum meum.
> 
> 2. Eis exemplum sum, mihi speculum sunt.



For the second, I would use a 'dative of purpose":

[Ego] eis exemplo sum, [illi] mihi speculo sunt.
I serve as an example to them, they serve as a mirror to me.​(It's a nice thought, however it is expressed.)


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## Joca

Cagey said:


> For the second, I would use a 'dative of purpose":
> 
> [Ego] eis exemplo sum, [illi] mihi speculo sunt.
> I serve as an example to them, they serve as a mirror to me.​(It's a nice thought, however it is expressed.)


 
You are using the double Dative, aren't you? I find your solution to be the best, if not the most correct one.


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## Senefelder

[Ego] eis exemplo sum, [illi] mihi speculo sunt.​Excuse my ignorance, but ¿the words between brackets _Ego_ and _illi_, must be written or not?

Thank you


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## Joca

Senefelder said:


> [Ego] eis exemplo sum, [illi] mihi speculo sunt.​Excuse my ignorance, but ¿the words between brackets _Ego_ and _illi_, must be written or not?
> 
> Thank you


 
No, you don't need them, save for emphasis. I would leave them out.


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## modus.irrealis

Wouldn't the subject pronouns (_ego, illi_) be used in Latin like they were in the original Spanish, because of the contrast involved? In that case I think you could drop the verbs to make it sound more pithy.

And if the subject pronouns are kept, would _ei_ be used instead of _illi_ to match with _eis/eorum_? Or, I guess, _illis__/illorum _instead of _eis/eorum_. Or is there no problem in using them together?


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## Cagey

modus.irrealis said:


> Wouldn't the subject pronouns (_ego, illi_) be used in Latin like they were in the original Spanish, because of the contrast involved? In that case I think you could drop the verbs to make it sound more pithy.
> 
> And if the subject pronouns are kept, would _ei_ be used instead of _illi_ to match with _eis/eorum_? Or, I guess, _illis__/illorum _instead of _eis/eorum_. Or is there no problem in using them together?



I agree that the subject pronouns (if kept) should be consistent, for stylistic reasons at least.  Often, in Latin, subject pronouns are used for contrast, though they are not required.  To avoid the repetition of _Ego eis_, I would use _illi.  _Someone else might like the repetition and use _eis, ei_. 

I would retain at least one verb, to make this easier to construe; which one is a stylistic matter, though Latin tends (I think) to provide the first, and let the reader supply the second, so:
Ego illis exemplo sum, illi mihi speculo.​


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