Theocritus, translated into English Verse. Theocritus
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Название: Theocritus, translated into English Verse

Автор: Theocritus

Издательство: Bookwire

Жанр: Языкознание

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isbn: 4057664120601

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СКАЧАТЬ begs the question: and that Jove "is much more musical" than Zeus, which begs another. Granting (what might be questioned) that Zeus, Aphrodite, and Eros are as absolutely the same individuals with Jupiter, Venus, and Cupid as Odysseus undoubtedly is with Ulysses—still I cannot see why, in making a version of (say) Theocritus, one should not use by way of preference those names by which he invariably called them, and which are characteristic of him: why, in turning a Greek author into English, we should begin by turning all the proper names into Latin. Professor Blackie's authoritative statement[H] that "there are whole idylls in Theocritus which would sound ridiculous in any other language than that of Tam o' Shanter" I accept of course unhesitatingly, and should like to see it acted upon by himself or any competent person. But a translator is bound to interpret all as best he may: and an attempt to write Tam o' Shanter's language by one who was not Tam o' Shanter's countryman would, I fear, result in something more ridiculous still.

      C.S.C.

      *** For Cometas, in Idyll V., read Comatas.

      FOOTNOTES:

      BLACKIE'S Homer, Vol. I., pp. 413, 414.

      Ibid., page 377, etc.

      Professor Kingsley.

      Preface to CONINGTON'S Æneid, page ix.

      Ibid.

      Since writing the above lines I have had the advantage of seeing Mr. Paley's Theocritus, which was not out when I made my version.

      BLACKIE'S Homer, Preface, pp. xii., xiii.

      BLACKIE'S Homer, Vol. I., page 384.

       Table of Contents

      The Death of Daphnis.

      THYRSIS. A GOATHERD.

      THYRSIS.

      Sweet are the whispers of yon pine that makes

      Low music o'er the spring, and, Goatherd, sweet

      Thy piping; second thou to Pan alone.

      Is his the horned ram? then thine the goat.

      Is his the goat? to thee shall fall the kid;

      And toothsome is the flesh of unmilked kids.

      GOATHERD.

      Shepherd, thy lay is as the noise of streams

      Falling and falling aye from yon tall crag.

      If for their meed the Muses claim the ewe,

      Be thine the stall-fed lamb; or if they choose

      The lamb, take thou the scarce less-valued ewe.

      THYRSIS.

      Pray, by the Nymphs, pray, Goatherd, seat thee here

      Against this hill-slope in the tamarisk shade,

      And pipe me somewhat, while I guard thy goats.

      GOATHERD.

      I durst not, Shepherd, O I durst not pipe

      At noontide; fearing Pan, who at that hour

      Rests from the toils of hunting. Harsh is he;

      Wrath at his nostrils aye sits sentinel.

      But, Thyrsis, thou canst sing of Daphnis' woes;

      High is thy name for woodland minstrelsy:

      Then rest we in the shadow of the elm

      Fronting Priapus and the Fountain-nymphs.

      There, where the oaks are and the Shepherd's seat,

      Sing as thou sang'st erewhile, when matched with him

      Of Libya, Chromis; and I'll give thee, first,

      To milk, ay thrice, a goat—she suckles twins,

      Yet ne'ertheless can fill two milkpails full;—

      Next, a deep drinking-cup, with sweet wax scoured,

      Two-handled, newly-carven, smacking yet

      0' the chisel. Ivy reaches up and climbs

      About its lip, gilt here and there with sprays

      Of woodbine, that enwreathed about it flaunts

      Her saffron fruitage. Framed therein appears

      A damsel ('tis a miracle of art)

      In robe and snood: and suitors at her side

      With locks fair-flowing, on her right and left,

      Battle with words, that fail to reach her heart.

      She, laughing, glances now on this, flings now

      Her chance regards on that: they, all for love

      Wearied and eye-swoln, find their labour lost.

      Carven elsewhere an ancient fisher stands

      On the rough rocks: thereto the old man with pains

      Drags his great casting-net, as one that toils

      Full stoutly: every fibre of his frame

      Seems СКАЧАТЬ