"Ipsa subibo humeris; nec me labor ipse gravabit"

English translation: I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Latin term or phrase:	"Ipsa subibo humeris; nec me labor ipse gravabit"
English translation:	I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

09:36 Aug 24, 2010

The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2010-08-28 06:54:11 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)

Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - History

Latin term or phrase: "Ipsa subibo humeris; nec me labor ipse gravabit"

The above is quoted in one of Capt. James Cook's log books (Cook's Voyages of Discovery). Via a Google search I found another KudoZ discussion that indicates that the second part at least is a quotation or adaptation from Virgil's Aeneid, and means roughly "nor will this task be a burden to me". Does the first part come from the same source, and what does it mean? (From long ago, dimly remembered Latin lessons I'm guessing something like "I'll take this upon my shoulders" or "I'll undertake this").

ianjohnstone Not a translator KudoZ activity Questions: 1 (none open) Answers: 0 Canada
Local time: 23:46

I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

Explanation:
The problem is ipsa is not in the original; it should be ipse (nom.masc.). This intensive/reflexive pronoun is not often used independently as an object.

Cook may well have known Latin well enough to play with the original. Ipsa requires a feminine subject: the Endeavour itself, perhaps? (navis "ship" is feminine in Latin).

The source is Aeneid II.708.

Selected response from:

Stephen C. Farrand
United States
Local time: 23:46

Grading comment

Thanks to all who replied or commented. The choice of "most helpful" was pretty much a coin toss.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +4

I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

Stephen C. Farrand

4 +3

I shall place these things on my shoulders; nor will this task burden me down.

Michael McCann

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

Stephen C. Farrand
United States
Local time: 23:46
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

Thanks to all who replied or commented. The choice of "most helpful" was pretty much a coin toss.

47 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

I shall place these things on my shoulders; nor will this task burden me down.

Explanation:
I cannot say whether both parts of the quotation come from Virgil or not.

My translation is quite literal, and may be better expessed as " I shall undertake these things". I think that the "ipse" [itself] in the second part is a typo, or maybe a deliberate one at that for "iste" [that] - the demonstrative adjective "that" = "nor will that job/task/labour be any trouble to me/ any burden" etc.

Yes, it was Captain Cook's motto on his travels, but it also a common motto of the Middle Ages.

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Note added at 3 days12 hrs (2010-08-27 21:50:51 GMT)
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Stephen gave the precise location of the text in the Aeneid as II, 708. The Latin reads "`Ergo age, care pater, cervici imponere nostrae; ipse subibo umeris, nec me labor iste gravabit." [Translated by an unstated author as "Come now, dear father, you must let them lift you onto my back. I will hold my shoulders ready for you; this labour of love will be no weight to me.]

The final "ipse" was as I suspected a typo for "iste".

Michael McCann
Ireland
Local time: 04:46
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

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"Ipsa subibo humeris; nec me labor ipse gravabit"

English translation: I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

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English translation: I myself shall take [you] on my shoulders; and this task won't be a burden to me.

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