Latin term or phrase:ne velocissima quidem venena ei nocerent
It is a latin joke, but i fail to understand it. Please, who can help me?
Mithridates, rex Ponti saepe venenum hauserat, ut sibi a clandestinis caveret insidiis. Hinc factum est, ut, quum a Pompejo superatus mortem sibi consciscere vellet, ne velocissima quidem venena ei nocerent.
Explanation: This King Mithridates used to take little amounts of poisson to be immune in future intrigues against him. But, when he was beaten by Pompeius and wanted to commit suicide, he couldn't find a proper poison that could kill him before Pompeius shall seize or kill him.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 22 mins (2008-12-10 11:00:31 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
It is not a literal translation, just an interpretation. Nocere means "to do harm", although in this case is unto death.
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17 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
there were no poisons quick (enough) to kill him
Explanation: This King Mithridates used to take little amounts of poisson to be immune in future intrigues against him. But, when he was beaten by Pompeius and wanted to commit suicide, he couldn't find a proper poison that could kill him before Pompeius shall seize or kill him.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 22 mins (2008-12-10 11:00:31 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
It is not a literal translation, just an interpretation. Nocere means "to do harm", although in this case is unto death.
not even the fastest (working) poisons could hurt/harm him
Explanation: I agree with the general meaning of Luis's answer, but 'ne...quidem' means 'not even' and 'nocerent' is in the subjunctive so indicates a conditional 'could'/'would'
Anders Dalstrom Ireland Local time: 10:36 Native speaker of: Swedish
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peer agreement (net): +1
