I have a translation for the following Latin text "Rex, ne speraveris generum mortali stirpe creatum, ..." that is as follows "King, do not hope for a son in law born as a mortal.". Is this translation correct and does the text refer to a "son in law"?
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What is the context of this sentence? It might be that the translator was not working sentence by sentence, but took some structural freedom. It looks like an adapted quote from Apuleius.– Joonas Ilmavirta ♦Commented Dec 6, 2017 at 16:30
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2As Joonas said, some context would be helpful. But generum does indeed mean son-in-law (from gener, -ī).– Draconis ♦Commented Dec 6, 2017 at 17:06
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1 Answer
Lewis & Short does indeed give "son-in-law" as the translation of gener, with a few closely-related terms:
I. Lit.: “cum soceris generi non lavantur,” Cic. Off. 1, 35, 129; cf.: “mei viri gener,” Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 87: “generum nostrum ire cum adfini suo,” id. Trin. 3, 1, 21: “et gener et affines placent,” Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 63; cf. id. ib. 4, 8, 25; id. And. 3, 3, 39; id. Hec. 4, 1, 22: “C. Fannium et Quintum Scaevolam, generos Laelii,” Cic. Rep. 1, 12; id. Lael. 1, 3; 8, 26; id. Att. 4, 2, 4; Caes. B. G. 5, 56, 3; Quint. 6 praef. § 13; Hor. C. 2, 4, 13; Ov. F. 3, 202; Vulg. 1 Reg. 18, 18 et saep.
—Also, a daughter's bridegroom, Hor. Epod. 6, 13; Verg. A. 2, 344; cf.: “generi et nurus appellatione sponsus quoque et sponsa continetur,” Dig. 38, 10, 6.—
II. Transf.
A. The husband of a granddaughter or greatgranddaughter, for progener, qui conlegam et generum adsciverat Sejanum, Tac. A. 5, 6; 6, 8; cf.: “generi appellatione et neptis et proneptis tam ex filio quam ex filia editarum, ceterarumque maritos contineri manifestum est,” Dig. 50, 16, 136.—
B. A sister's husband, brother-in-law, Just. 18, 4; Nep. Paus. 1.—
C. Comically, of a daughter's paramour: “Villius in Fausta Sullae gener, etc.,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 64.
So it looks like your translation is exactly right!
answered Dec 9, 2017 at 9:28
