Vendens eandem rem duobus est falsarius

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Charlie Parker
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Vendens eandem rem duobus est falsarius

Post by Charlie Parker »

I came across this legal phrase in chapter 38 of Wheelock's Latin. Apparently, the meaning is "He who sells the same thing twice is fraudulent. I took duobus to mean "to two people." I am a little stumped. Does the dative or ablative have here the sense of "two times, twice"? I cannot find that in the grammar books.

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seneca2008
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Re: Vendens eandem rem duobus est falsarius

Post by seneca2008 »

Take a step back. If you sell the same item to two people at the same time you are selling it twice and it's fraud. The English translation you quote captures the meaning of the Latin but it is not a literal translation.
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

Charlie Parker
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Re: Vendens eandem rem duobus est falsarius

Post by Charlie Parker »

Thank you very much. Now it is clear to me.

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