ΠΕΡΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΑΦΡΑΣΕΩΝ
ABOUT THE TRANSLATIONS
This is a project I have been wanting to do for a while. Reading, and now writing, have naturally become an important part of my creative process, since these Greco-Roman texts have been a constant inspiration for me in the studio for many years.
Though the title of this project is “Translations”, my actual writing will come across more as paraphrases of Greek and Latin writings into English using colloquial language for my own enjoyment. Being immersed in language learning since childhood, I have been fascinated with the act of translating a concept without translating word for word. In the end, this writing project is an ode to my love of words.
Catullus
You’re probably wondering why I love as much as I loathe, and I have no answer. I just feel it happening and it’s seriously killing me.
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam fortasse requiris.
Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrusior.
Ανακρέων
I’m falling in and out of love
and in and out of madness
ἐρέω τε δηὖτε κοὐκ ἐρέω
και μαίνομαι κοὐ μαίνομαι
Σαπφώ
You fucking forgot me.
ἕμεθεν δ᾽ ἔχεισθα λάθαν.
Ησίοδος
The Gods and us are one.
ὡς ὀμόθεν γεγάσι θεοὶ θνητοί τ᾽ ἄνθρωποι
That’s why we’re getting old and dying quicker, cuz we’re evil.
αἶψα γὰρ ἐν κακότητι βροτοὶ καταγηράσκουσιν
Πορφύριος
The Ancient Greeks realized the diversity there was in the human form, and represented their gods with human traits. Their gods were male, female, young, old, single, or married, and depicted in various positions and clothing, just like us.
Καὶ ἀνθρωποειδεῖς μὲν ἀπετύπουν τοὺς θεοὺς ὅτι λογικὸν τὸ θεῖον, καλοὺς δὲ, ὅτι κάλλος ἐν ἐκείνοις ἀκήρατον· διαφόροις δὲ σήμασι καὶ ἡλικίαις, καθέδραις τε καὶ στάσεσι καὶ ἀμφιάσεσι, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄρρενας, τὰς δὲ θηλείας, καὶ παρθένους, καὶ ἐφήβους, ἢ γάμου πεῖραν εἰληφότας, εἰς παράσταστιν αὐτῶν τῆς διαφορᾶς.
Νόννος ο Πανοπολίτης
Where are you from? Are you mixed? Please tell me (don’t ghost me)!
τίς σε πατὴρ ἐφύτευσε; τίς οὐρανίη τέκε γαστήρ;
τίς Χαρίτων σε λόχευσε; τίς ἤροσε καλός Ἀπόλλων;
εἰπέ, φίλος, μὴ κρύπτε τέον γένος.
The dancers spoke words with their twists, footwork, headnods and hands…but the crowd only half-appreciated the full-body experience cuz they were out of wine.
οἴνου γὰρ χρέος ἦεν· ἀβαχκεύτου δὲ χορείης
ἡμιτελῆς ἀνόνητος ἔην χάρις· ἀργομένων γὰρ
ὄμματα μοῦνον ἔθελγεν, ὄτε στροφάδεσσιν ἐρωαῖς
ὀρχηστὴρ πολύκυκλος ἑλίσσετο λαἰλαπι ταρσῶν,
νεύματα μῦθον ἔχων, παλάμην στόμα, δάκτυλα φωνήν
Όμηρος
She saw his sweet life dwindling away as he sat there sobbing by the shore. He is no longer interested in the nymph. And he wants to go home.
τὸν δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ακτής εὗρε καθήμενον: οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ὄσσε
δακρυόφιν τέρσοντο, κατείβετο δὲ γλυκὺς αἰὼν
νόστον ὀδυρομένῳ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι ἥνδανε νύμφη.
I’m dedicating this song to you, Gaia, the most grounded and most revered mother of all. For it is you who nourishes all who walk the earth and all the creatures that dwell in the sea and sky. We all thrive because of you.
Γαῖαν παμμήτειραν ἀείσομαι ἡϋθέμεθλον
πρεσβίστην, ἣ φέρβει ἐπὶ χθονὶ πάνθ’ ὁπόσ’ ἐστιν
ἠμὲν ὅσα χθόνα δῖαν ἐπέρχεται ἡδ’ ὅσα πόντον
ἠδ’ ὅσα πωτῶνται. τάδε φέρβεται ἐκ σέθεν ὄλβου.
Ovid
Now that I have finished my magnum opus, there is no natural or supernatural force that can destroy it. I, however, know that these forces end me. But only my flesh will perish—my soul will be among the stars and my words will be read by all. As long as poets speak the truth, I will live forever in fame.
Iamque opus exegi, quod nec Iovis ira nec ignis
nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas.
cum volet, illa dies, quae nil nisi corporis huius
ius habet, incerti spatium mihi finiat aevi:
parte tamen meliore mei super alta perennis
astra ferar, nomenque erit indelebile nostrum,
quaque patet domitis Romana potentia terris,
ore legar populi, perque omnia saecula fama,
siquid habent veri vatum praesagia, vivam.
Ξενοφών
Don’t be stupid like Anaxagoras and confuse the sun with fire, cuz they aren’t the same. First of all, you can look at fire, but not the sun. Also you can bask in the sun and have wonderful brown skin, but in fire?—Impossible. Plants grow from sunlight, and literally everything burns and is destroyed with fire.
ἐκεῖνος γὰρ λέγων μὲν τὸ αὐτὸ εἶναι πῦρ τε καὶ ἥλιον ἠγνόει, ὅτι τὸ μὲν πῦρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ῥᾳδίως καθορῶσιν, εἰς δὲ τὸν ἥλιον οὐ δύνανται ἀντιβλέπειν καὶ ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ ἡλίου καταλαμπόμενοι τὰ χρώματα μελάντερα ἔχουσιν, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς οὔ. ἠγνόει δὲ καὶ ὅτι τῶν ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυομένων ἄνευ μὲνἡλίου αὐγῆς οὐδὲν δύναται καλῶς αὔξεσθαι, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς θερμαινόμενα πάντα ἀπόλλυται.