In a future podcast I am doing a reading from OF THE WAR by Josephus. The translation is pretty good – got it from the University of Chicago.
However, I found myself for the sake of clarity doing some editing.
It has to do with the attack of the Romans on the fortress Masada. Here is the passage that I had a hard time with.…he (Silva) undertook the siege itself: though he found but one single place that would admit of the banks he was to raise.I am wondering if the translator was going for something along the lines of embankment. The word used in the translation: “the banks he was to raise…” is difficult and unfamiliar.
I did a quick Google search and came upon the following:
tumulus
grave, tomb, mound, knoll, heights, rising ground
I think I would rather say: “the mound of earth he was to raise.“
Of course I am not a Latin translator, but I am wondering if my ‘theory’ makes any sense at all. After all, General Silva was trying to raise up higher ground to get AT the fortress he was trying to take.
Does this make ANY sense at all?