Bartholomew the Englishman

On Sirens

Latin Grammar: Translation

In Arabia sunt serpentes cum alis qui sirenae vocantur, quae plus currunt quam equi, et volare dicuntur, quorum virus tantum est, ut ante mors, quam dolor sentiatur. De sirene autem dicit physiologus. Siren est monstrum marinum ab umbilico et sursum habens formam virginis, inferius figuram piscis. Haec belua in tempestate gaudet, in sereno autem dolet.

Translate the small passage above. Note especially that in line 1 antequam is split around mors.


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The following vocabulary words might be useful:

virus, i, n. poison
physiologus, i, m. a physiologist (one who knows about nature or physiology)
umbilico, from umbilicus, i, m. the navel
sursum (adv.) up
belua, ae, f. a beast