What is 'Ast illi solvuntur frigore membra vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras' in English?

Answer 1

The phrase "Ast illi solvuntur frigore membra vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras" in English translates to "But their limbs grow stiff with cold, and life, indignant, flees with a groan into the shadows." This line is from Book 4 of Virgil's Aeneid, describing the death of soldiers in battle. It portrays a vivid image of the soldiers succumbing to the cold and death.

Answer 2

A quotation from Virgil's Aeneid:

But the other's limbs are benumbed by cold, and injured life with a groan flees beneath the shadows is the English equivalent of 'Ast illi solvuntur frigore membra vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras'.

In the word by word translation, the conjunction 'ast' is the old form of 'at', which means 'but, moreover'. The demonstrative pronoun 'illi' means '[belonging] to that one' (in contradistinction to 'ei' meaning 'to this one; his'). The verb 'solvuntur' means literally 'they are loosened', but sometimes 'they are numbed'. The noun 'frigore' means 'by cold'. The noun 'membra' means 'member, limb'. The noun 'vita' with enclitic 'que' means 'and life'. The preposition 'cum' means 'with'. The noun 'gemitu' means 'sigh, groan'. The verb 'fugit' means '[he/she/it] flies'. The past participle 'indignata' means 'considered unworthy', but sometimes 'damaged, injured'. The preposition 'sub' means 'under'. The noun 'umbras' means 'shadows'.