I'm looking for a translation from English into Latin of the phrase "a breach too narrow gives no foothold."

Question

The phrase will be used in a novel I'm writing that is set in 5th century Britain. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I'm Italian and English is my second (or third) language.
I guess 'foothold' has not only a meaning of 'foot support' but also 'point of support' and I feel that fit better the sentence meaning.
As a consequence my translation differs a bit from previous ones

I would say :
Angusta confractio nimis nullum subsidium prebet (or praebet)

Answer 2

Here is another version to consider:

Fractura angustior locum non praebet quo pedem ponat.
A breach too narrow does not provide a place to set foot on.

The construction "too + adjective" is rendered by the comparative in Latin. I used a purpose clause to express the concept of foothold.


In the sentence below me, nimis is an adverb, so it is actually modifying the verb and not the adjective narrow.

Answer 3

Ruina ammodum arcta gradum non para.

Used 'ruina' for breach - means an opening in walls/fortifications. Could also use 'rima', meaning crack, cleft, fissure.

Used 'gradus' for foothold - means step, ladder rung.