# "People passing by" etc.



## Nihil Morari

I know *nothing* about latin, but I think the language sounds really awesome.  If someone who actually knows Latin could do me a huge favor and translate these short phrases, I'd be very grateful.  Some liberties can be taken with the phrases, and I realize that since the languages are so different, not everything can be translated perfectly.  And yes, if by some miracle someone in here knows the band Pain of Salvation - this is all related.

"People passing by"
"Death is but a dream"
"Flame to the moth"
"Enter rain"

Multiple ways to translate a phrase more than welcome.  Merci beaucoup!


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## Deccius

"People Passing By" = Homines Praetereuntes
"Death is but a dream" = Mors est nihil praeter somnium [lit. "Death is nothing but a dream"

I don't understand the last two phrases in English, so I wasn't able to translate them.


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## Nihil Morari

"Flame to the moth" - as in setting fire to a moth. You know the saying "moth to the flame" as in moths are attracted to light/fire - this is basically just that backwards.

"Enter rain" - the rain is entering into the scene

thanks for the others!


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## Deccius

Okay, thanks for the explanations.  Here are my translations:

"Flame to the moth" - Flamma advenit ad tineam [lit. "The flame comes to the moth"]
"Enter rain" - Imbris ingreditur  [lit. "Rain enters"]

I hope these work for you.


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## Nihil Morari

thanks so much!


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## jazyk

> "People Passing By" = Homines Praetereuntes


All instances I've found of praetereuntes on Google have that word as a noun, not as an adjective, as in the example. Unless you have a strong reason to believe praeteriuntes can be used as an adjective, I humbly suggest the following version: Homines praeterientes or Homines qui praeteriunt.


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## Deccius

jazyk said:


> All instances I've found of praetereuntes on Google have that word as a noun, not as an adjective, as in the example. Unless you have a strong reason to believe praeteriuntes can be used as an adjective, I humbly suggest the following version: Homines praeterientes or Homines qui praeteriunt.



Well, "praetereuntes" is a present participle.  Thus, it could be used substantively with the meaning "those passing by."  Your translations would work, but I think there is a misspelling in them.  Shouldn't it be "praeter*e*unt" and "praeter*e*untes?  Perhaps, these are post-classical forms that I do not recognize?


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## jazyk

Yes, it's a misspelling, it should be e as you pointed out. Regarding praeteriuntes, I didn't know that form was possible, but on second thought, since eo, ire has iens, euntis as its present participle, the same is true for praeterire, a verb based on it. In short, your rendition of the sentence is flawless in case somebody is wondering _what the hell is this guy trying to say? _


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