説明を求められようと、何も言えないのだ。
What does it mean? "Trying to be asked for answers, I can't say anything" looks strange...
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This thread might be of some help: japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/32949/… 求められようと(も)≂求められたとしても≂求められようが – Chocolate♦ Oct 21 '16 at 7:18
説明を求められようと、何も言えないのだ。
Even if [you] demand an explanation, [I] can not say anything.
volitional-form + が/と is a literary way of saying "even if ～" or "regardless of ～". Usually (but not always) there is a comma after the が/と.
Examples on JGram:
Of course volitional-form + と can be actual volition followed by a quotative particle, depending on what follows:
説明を求めようと思います。
I think I will demand an explanation.
There is a great page :
japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/learn-jlpt-n1-grammar -you-nimonai
Meaning: even if one tries to do something, it can’t be doneジェイクを呼ぼうにも声が出なかった。
I tried to call Jake, but my voice was gone.
[ 呼ぼうにも] -- This part feels like the subjunctive of European languages.
Were I to call Jake ...
Even if I were to call Jake ...
Even if I would want to call Jake ...
Even if I would've wanted to call Jake ... Try as I might to call Jake ...
When the [1st person] is trying, it's ～しようにも
When the [Another party] is trying/asking, it's ～しようと, ～しようとも, etc. (See Choco-san's link).
e.g. -- どんなに激しく雨が降ろうと、この家の屋根は大丈夫だ。
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1But... the OP's sentence cannot be rephrased 「求められようにも」... and your sentence (「呼ぼうにも」≂「呼ぼうとしても」) cannot be rephrased 「呼ぼうとも」... – Chocolate♦ Oct 21 '16 at 7:22
求められる means sought, (gave) order, request, recommend...
〜ようと means "but". It same as 〜だが, 〜が, 〜ても.
In English, That sentence:
It gave order to explain, but I cannot say nothing.
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1The translation is (roughly) correct, but 〜ても doesn't appear in the question. – jogloran Oct 22 '16 at 3:37
