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Laeva manus daemonii manus est

English translation: Should be "daemonis" in the second sentence

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:Laeva manus daemonii manus est
English translation:Should be "daemonis" in the second sentence
Entered by: Pierre POUSSIN

04:59 Apr 2, 2003
Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
Latin term or phrase: Laeva manus daemonii manus est
The left hand is the devils hand:
1. Manus sinistra manus diaboli est
2. Laeva manus daemonii manus est!

Can somebody explain to me what the difference beetween these 2 sentences is? Is it a matter of literary use? Is one of the sentence using a higher latin? and if so: which one of the 2 sentences?

Thanks in advance
marielly
Should be "daemonis" in the second sentence
Explanation:
For me both sentences have the same meaning. Sorry not to be of more help!
Selected response from:

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 03:14
Grading comment
I thank you so much for helping me out... ;)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2The left hand is the demon's hand
EDLING (X)
4 +2Should be "daemonis" in the second sentence
Pierre POUSSIN
5 +1laeva est diaboli
Joseph Brazauskas


  

Answers


33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
The left hand is the demon's hand


Explanation:
hth

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Note added at 2003-04-02 05:38:21 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It is a matter of expression:

sinister, tra, trum: Left, on the left, on the left hand or side: manus sinistra (opp. dextra);
Regarding auspices and divination, to the Romans, lucky, favorable, auspicious (because the Romans on these occasions faced towards the south, and so had the eastern or fortunate side on the left; the Greeks, facing north, had it on their right; cf. dexter.
In post-Augustinian prose, unlucky, injurious, adverse, unfavorable, ill, bad, etc.

laeva
laevus, laeva, laevum (adj.) left (side); on the left side
nominative

The difference between diabolii y daemoni is similar to that of demon and devil.

EDLING (X)
Grading comment
It does not answer my question

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kirill Semenov
25 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Giusi Pasi
5 hrs
  -> Thanks
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: It does not answer my question

36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Should be "daemonis" in the second sentence


Explanation:
For me both sentences have the same meaning. Sorry not to be of more help!

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 03:14
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 35
Grading comment
I thank you so much for helping me out... ;)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
5 hrs
  -> Merci!
agree  Egmont
8 days
  -> Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
laeva est diaboli


Explanation:
This is the simplest, and probably the most classical, way of rendering "The devil's hand is the left hand".

'daemonium' and 'daemon' are Greek words; they do occur in classic Latin, but they do not refer to 'devil' in the Christian sense. Rather they are used to describe any kind of supernatural spirit, good or bad, and even a god or goddess.

'laeva' is a feminine form of the adjective 'laevus', 'left', often used with 'manus' understood to mean 'left hand'. The feminine of 'sinister' ('sinistra') is used in the same way.

'diabolus' (gen. 'diaboli') is also a Greek word, originally an adjective meaning 'back-biting, slanderous'. It occurs almost exclusively in (post-classical) Christian texts as a substantive meaning referring to the Christian 'devil', so that, while it isn't classic in the strict sense, it nevertheless conveys the idea of the Christian devil less ambiguously than 'daemon'.

laeva = (the) left (hand)
est = is
diaboli = (the) devil's (hand)

There is no need to express or repeat 'manus'



Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 21:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 444

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Giusi Pasi
14 mins
  -> Thanks, Giusi.
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