Tuesday's Translating Tibullus: Part 1 Wearisome Wars, 1.10(v1-24)
As you have read from the title, this topic will be Tibullus Elegies. This particular work fascinates me and I am going to attempt to translate the first two books into Dutch since the most recent translation is from the year I was born.
You have probably seen from my "Rhythmical Renderings" that translating is a laborious and arduous task which involves a lot of interpretation and assumptions. Hence, I need quite some time to finish this project. However, it will become much easier (and more pleasing to me) if I display to you, readers, some parts of the poems I have read. In doing so I hope you get an idea of Tibullus' his poetry and will appreciate what he wrote. Moreover, you can question me about anything and I will be stirred into issues and problems I overlooked or simply postponed. For the first part of this series Tuesday's Translating Tibullus, I will begin with the opening of poem 10 of book 1, a poem that addresses an anti-war sentiment. In a future post, I will also introduce some of the themes and issues that come along with this writer and his poetry, but for now, let us focus on the poem.
Opening Lines of poem 10
Quis fuit, horrendos primus qui protulit enses?
quam ferus et vere ferreus ille fuit!
tum caedes hominum generi, tum proelia nata,
tum brevior dirae mortis aperta via est.
an nihil ille miser meruit, nos ad mala nostra 5
vertimus, in saevas quod dedit ille feras?
Who was was the first to bring forth horrible swords?
How wild and literally made of iron he was!
Then the slaughter then battles sprouted for the human species,
then a shorter path to grim death had been opened,
Or did this unfortunate man not deserve any of this, have we used this
to our own demise, what that man gave to us to use against savage beasts?
divitis hoc vitium est auri, nec bella fuerant,
faginus astabat cum scyphus ante dapes.
non arces, non vallus erat, somnumque petebat
securus varias dux gregis inter oves. 10
This is the wrongdoing of rich gold, and there were no wars
when the wooden cup stood before the meal.
There were no fortresses, no palisades, and the leader of the herd (herder)
attained sleep without any worry amidst his various sheep.
Tunc mihi vita foret dulcis*, nec tristia nossem
Arma nec audissem corde micante tubam;
Nunc ad bella trahor, et iam quis forsitan hostis
Haesura in nostro tela gerit latere. 14
the mournful weaponry nor would I have heard the trumpet with trembling heart;
Now I am being taken to wars, and perhaps some enemy force shall wear the spear
destined to stick out from my body.
Vast een wild en wreed man vanmetaal staal!
Toen ontstonden nieuwe verschijnselen voor de menselijke soort:
Strijd en slachting, een snellere weg naar de doodstond open.
Of is deze klacht tot deze onfortuinlijke man onverdiend, gebruiken wij als eigen verderf
Wat die uitvinder schonk als bescherming tegen wilde beesten?
Of misschien heeft deze stakker dit niet verdiend? Gebruiken wij als
Eigen verderf wat hij schonk om tegen woeste beesten te gebruiken?
Het probleem ligt hem bij het rijkelijke goud: er waren nog geen oorlogen
Toen de beukhouten wijnbeker bij het eten stond.
Er was geen verschansing, geen opgetrokken muur, en een herder kon gewoon
Relaxt gaan slapen te midden van alle zijn kuddeschapen
Dan zou ik vreedzaam hebben geleefd: noch enige weet hebben van verdriet brengende
Wapens noch met kloppend hart het hoorngeschal hoeven aanhoren.
Nu word ik meegesleept naar oorlogen waar misschien die ene vijand zich bevindt
Die een pijl zal dragen, bestemd om uit mijn lichaam te steken.
Red mij nu toch, Lares van mijn voorvaderen: jullie hebben immers ook over mij gewaakt,
Toen ik nog, een tenger ventje, voor jullie voeten rende.
Hé, jullie moeten nu niet ervoor schamen dat jullie gemaakt zijn van verouderd hout:
Zo hadden jullie ook al je intrek bij mijn nu oude grootvader.
Toen hechtte men tenminste meer waarde aan geloof, toen een houten godenbeeld
Met armmoedige kleding in een mini-tempeltje stond,
En eenieder kon uw zegen krijgen, als hij ofwel de eerste druiven plengde
Ofwel een kranige krans op uw heilig hoofd zette;
En wiens wens was vervuld, bracht eigenhandig honingtaarten
En achter hemkwam zijn kleine meid met pure honingraten.
Suggestions by others:
verse 4 omitting 'stond open' & adding 'en'
verse 24 omitting 'kwam'
My editions:
verse 2 changing 'metaal' into 'staal'
verse 5 & 6 rewritten.
You have probably seen from my "Rhythmical Renderings" that translating is a laborious and arduous task which involves a lot of interpretation and assumptions. Hence, I need quite some time to finish this project. However, it will become much easier (and more pleasing to me) if I display to you, readers, some parts of the poems I have read. In doing so I hope you get an idea of Tibullus' his poetry and will appreciate what he wrote. Moreover, you can question me about anything and I will be stirred into issues and problems I overlooked or simply postponed. For the first part of this series Tuesday's Translating Tibullus, I will begin with the opening of poem 10 of book 1, a poem that addresses an anti-war sentiment. In a future post, I will also introduce some of the themes and issues that come along with this writer and his poetry, but for now, let us focus on the poem.
Opening Lines of poem 10
Quis fuit, horrendos primus qui protulit enses?quam ferus et vere ferreus ille fuit!
tum caedes hominum generi, tum proelia nata,
tum brevior dirae mortis aperta via est.
an nihil ille miser meruit, nos ad mala nostra 5
vertimus, in saevas quod dedit ille feras?
Who was was the first to bring forth horrible swords?
How wild and literally made of iron he was!
Then the slaughter then battles sprouted for the human species,
then a shorter path to grim death had been opened,
Or did this unfortunate man not deserve any of this, have we used this
to our own demise, what that man gave to us to use against savage beasts?
divitis hoc vitium est auri, nec bella fuerant,
faginus astabat cum scyphus ante dapes.
non arces, non vallus erat, somnumque petebat
securus varias dux gregis inter oves. 10
This is the wrongdoing of rich gold, and there were no wars
when the wooden cup stood before the meal.
There were no fortresses, no palisades, and the leader of the herd (herder)
attained sleep without any worry amidst his various sheep.
Tunc mihi vita foret dulcis*, nec tristia nossem
Arma nec audissem corde micante tubam;
Nunc ad bella trahor, et iam quis forsitan hostis
Haesura in nostro tela gerit latere. 14
*dulcis : ed. Voss. Leid. Lat.| vulgi: mss.
Then, my life would be sweet to me, and neither would I have knownthe mournful weaponry nor would I have heard the trumpet with trembling heart;
Now I am being taken to wars, and perhaps some enemy force shall wear the spear
destined to stick out from my body.
Sed patrii servate Lares: aluistis et idem, 15
Cursarem vestros cum tener ante pedes.
Neu pudeat prisco vos esse e stipite factos:
Sic veteris sedes incoluistis avi.
Tum melius tenuere fidem, cum paupere cultu
Stabat in exigua ligneus aede deus. 20
Cursarem vestros cum tener ante pedes.
Neu pudeat prisco vos esse e stipite factos:
Sic veteris sedes incoluistis avi.
Tum melius tenuere fidem, cum paupere cultu
Stabat in exigua ligneus aede deus. 20
But save me, Gods of the house of my ancestors: you watched me as well when I, a tender child, was running before your feet.
And please, don't be ashamed that you've been made out of worn out wood:
Such were you also when you inhabitted my old grandfather's home.
Then people were much more holding on to their faith, when a wooden god
was standing with poor man's clothes in a small temple.
And please, don't be ashamed that you've been made out of worn out wood:
Such were you also when you inhabitted my old grandfather's home.
Then people were much more holding on to their faith, when a wooden god
was standing with poor man's clothes in a small temple.
Hic placatus erat, seu quis libaverat uvam,
Seu dederat sanctae spicea serta comae,
Atque aliquis voti compos liba ipse ferebat
Postque comes purum filia parva favum. 24
Seu dederat sanctae spicea serta comae,
Atque aliquis voti compos liba ipse ferebat
Postque comes purum filia parva favum. 24
And he was pleased if anyone had either offered the first grape
or given to your holy head the corny crown,
And the person himself, having seen his wish been fulfilled, brought honey-cakes
and after him, his little daughter brought as a companion pure honeycombs.
or given to your holy head the corny crown,
And the person himself, having seen his wish been fulfilled, brought honey-cakes
and after him, his little daughter brought as a companion pure honeycombs.
Dutch translation
Wie o wie was het die als eerste zwaarden tevoorschijn toverde?Vast een wild en wreed man van
Toen ontstonden nieuwe verschijnselen voor de menselijke soort:
Strijd en slachting, een snellere weg naar de dood
Of misschien heeft deze stakker dit niet verdiend? Gebruiken wij als
Eigen verderf wat hij schonk om tegen woeste beesten te gebruiken?
Het probleem ligt hem bij het rijkelijke goud: er waren nog geen oorlogen
Toen de beukhouten wijnbeker bij het eten stond.
Er was geen verschansing, geen opgetrokken muur, en een herder kon gewoon
Relaxt gaan slapen te midden van alle zijn kuddeschapen
Dan zou ik vreedzaam hebben geleefd: noch enige weet hebben van verdriet brengende
Wapens noch met kloppend hart het hoorngeschal hoeven aanhoren.
Nu word ik meegesleept naar oorlogen waar misschien die ene vijand zich bevindt
Die een pijl zal dragen, bestemd om uit mijn lichaam te steken.
Red mij nu toch, Lares van mijn voorvaderen: jullie hebben immers ook over mij gewaakt,
Toen ik nog, een tenger ventje, voor jullie voeten rende.
Hé, jullie moeten nu niet ervoor schamen dat jullie gemaakt zijn van verouderd hout:
Zo hadden jullie ook al je intrek bij mijn nu oude grootvader.
Toen hechtte men tenminste meer waarde aan geloof, toen een houten godenbeeld
Met armmoedige kleding in een mini-tempeltje stond,
En eenieder kon uw zegen krijgen, als hij ofwel de eerste druiven plengde
Ofwel een kranige krans op uw heilig hoofd zette;
En wiens wens was vervuld, bracht eigenhandig honingtaarten
En achter hem
Suggestions by others:
verse 4 omitting 'stond open' & adding 'en'
verse 24 omitting 'kwam'
My editions:
verse 2 changing 'metaal' into 'staal'
verse 5 & 6 rewritten.
Last remark
If you have any suggestion to improve the readability of my translation, please leave them down in the comments or contact me when you have a lot of suggestions
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