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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
(Omnes libros legi anno bis millesimo vicesimo post Christum natum; nunc librum primum legi iterum)
March 2025 read : mostly for the Eurydice and Orpheus myth
Comparing three different contemporary translations.
Book X: Orpheus and Eurydice (lines 70-90)
« here Orpheus, afraid
that she would fail him, and desiring
a glimpse of his beloved, turned to look:
at once she slipped back to the underworld,
and he, because he wanted to embrace her,
or be embraced by her, stretched out his arms—
but seized on nothing, that unlucky man,
unless it was the abnegating air.
And she now, who must die a second death,
did not find fault with him, for what indeed
could he be faulted for, but his constancy? »
(...)
Book XI: lines 80-90
« The shade of Orpheus now fled below,
and recognized all he had seen before;
and as he searched through the Elysian Fields,
he came upon his lost Eurydice,
and passionately threw his arms about her;
here now they walk together, side by side,
or now he follows as she goes before,
or he precedes, and she goes after him;
and now there is no longer any danger
when Orpheus looks on Eurydice. »
Book VIII: lines 260-330 Icarus
« when the boy audaciously began to play
and driven by desire for the sky,
deserts his leader and seeks altitude.
The sun’s consuming rays, much nearer now,
soften the fragrant wax that bound his wings
until it melts.
He agitates his arms,
but without wings, they cannot grip the air,
and with his father’s name on them, his lips
are taken under by the deep blue sea
that bears his name, even to the present.
And his unlucky father, now no more
a father, cries out, “Icarus, where are you,
where, in what region, shall I look for you?”
And then he saw the feathers on the waves
and cursed his arts; he built his son a tomb
in the land that takes its name from Icarus. »
Book III : lines 410-440 the Judgment of Tiresias
Book IV : Pyramus and Thisbe (lines 80-230)
Ancient Romeo and Juliet, under a mulberry tree
Book XV : The poet of the future (lines 1100-1120)
My work is finished now: no wrath of Jove
nor sword nor fire nor futurity
is capable of laying waste to it.
Let that day come then, when it wishes to,
which only has my body in its power,
and put an end to my uncertain years;
no matter, for in spirit I will be
borne up to soar beyond the distant stars,
immortal in the name I leave behind;
wherever Roman governance extends
over the subject nations of the world,
my words will be upon the people’s lips,
and if there is truth in poets’ prophesies,
then in my fame forever I will live. »
Comparing three different contemporary translations.
Book X: Orpheus and Eurydice (lines 70-90)
« here Orpheus, afraid
that she would fail him, and desiring
a glimpse of his beloved, turned to look:
at once she slipped back to the underworld,
and he, because he wanted to embrace her,
or be embraced by her, stretched out his arms—
but seized on nothing, that unlucky man,
unless it was the abnegating air.
And she now, who must die a second death,
did not find fault with him, for what indeed
could he be faulted for, but his constancy? »
(...)
Book XI: lines 80-90
« The shade of Orpheus now fled below,
and recognized all he had seen before;
and as he searched through the Elysian Fields,
he came upon his lost Eurydice,
and passionately threw his arms about her;
here now they walk together, side by side,
or now he follows as she goes before,
or he precedes, and she goes after him;
and now there is no longer any danger
when Orpheus looks on Eurydice. »
Book VIII: lines 260-330 Icarus
« when the boy audaciously began to play
and driven by desire for the sky,
deserts his leader and seeks altitude.
The sun’s consuming rays, much nearer now,
soften the fragrant wax that bound his wings
until it melts.
He agitates his arms,
but without wings, they cannot grip the air,
and with his father’s name on them, his lips
are taken under by the deep blue sea
that bears his name, even to the present.
And his unlucky father, now no more
a father, cries out, “Icarus, where are you,
where, in what region, shall I look for you?”
And then he saw the feathers on the waves
and cursed his arts; he built his son a tomb
in the land that takes its name from Icarus. »
Book III : lines 410-440 the Judgment of Tiresias
Book IV : Pyramus and Thisbe (lines 80-230)
Ancient Romeo and Juliet, under a mulberry tree
Book XV : The poet of the future (lines 1100-1120)
My work is finished now: no wrath of Jove
nor sword nor fire nor futurity
is capable of laying waste to it.
Let that day come then, when it wishes to,
which only has my body in its power,
and put an end to my uncertain years;
no matter, for in spirit I will be
borne up to soar beyond the distant stars,
immortal in the name I leave behind;
wherever Roman governance extends
over the subject nations of the world,
my words will be upon the people’s lips,
and if there is truth in poets’ prophesies,
then in my fame forever I will live. »
March 2025 read: comparing with other translations, especially Martin's and McCarter's (preferring this one).
Icarus Book VIII: lines 260-330
« While fitting the unfamiliar wings to his shoulders,
And what with the work and the admonitions
His old cheeks grew moist, and his father’s hands trembled.
He kissed his dear son, a kiss never to be repeated,
And rising on wings he flies ahead in fear
For his companion—like a bird who leads
Its tender young into the air from its aerial nest—
Urging him to follow, teaching him ruinous arts,
And beating his own wings as he looks back at his son.
A fisherman with a trembling rod sees them—
Or a shepherd leaning on his staff, or a plowman—
They gape at these beings negotiating the air
And take them for gods. Juno’s isle SamosIs now on the left (Delos and Paros are long gone)
And on the right are Lebinthos and honeyed Calymne,
When the boy begins to enjoy this daring flight
And veers off from his leader. He is drawn to the sky
And goes higher. Proximity to the blazing sun
Softens the scented wax that bound the feathers,
And the wax melts. He beats his naked arms
But lacking plumage cannot purchase air,
And his mouth was shouting his father’s name
When the blue water, which takes its name from his
Closed over the boy. His bereft father,
A father no more, cried “Icarus, where are you,Icarus, where should I look for you?”
and kept calling,“Icarus.”
Then he saw the feathers in the waves.
He swore off his arts and buried the body,
And the land is known by the name on the tomb. »
Book X: Orpheus and Eurydice (lines 70-90)
« As he said these things, plucking the strings
To his words, the bloodless shades wept. Tantalus
Stopped trying to scoop up the receding water,
And Ixion’s wheel was stunned. The vultures
Left off from Tityus’ liver, Belus’ granddaughters
Put down their urns, and even you, Sisyphus,
Sat on your stone. Then for the first time, they say,
The Furies, charmed by his song, wet their cheeks,
Nor could the royal consort or her dark lord
Refuse his request. They called Eurydice. »
« They were approaching the upper rim when the lover,
Fearing for his partner and eager to see her,
Turned his eyes. She fell back at once,
Stretching out her arms, trying to catch and be caught,
And sorry to take hold of nothing but air.
Dying again, she did not blame her husband—
What could she complain of except she was loved?
She said her last good-bye, which he could barely hear,
And whirled back again to where she had been. »
Book XI: lines 80-90
« The poet’s shade went beneath the earth,
And all that he had seen before he recognized now.
Searching through the Fields of the Blessed
He found Eurydice and caught her up
In his eager arms. Now they walk together,
Matching steps. Sometimes she is in front,
Sometimes he takes the lead, and Orpheus
Can always look back at his Eurydice. »
Book IV : Pyramus and Thisbe (lines 80-230)
« There was no go-between; their talk was nods and gestures,
And the more the fire was covered, the hotter it burned.
There was a slender chink in the common wall
Between the two houses, from when they were built.
No one had noticed this crack in all these years—
But what does love not see? You lovers discovered it
And made it a channel for speech. Your loving words
Would slip safely through it in the softest whispers.
Often, when they had moved into place, Thisbe here,
Pyramus there, and each had felt the other’s breath,
They would say,‘Jealous wall, why do you stand
Between lovers? Would it be asking too much
For you to let us embrace, or at least open enough
To allow us to kiss? Not that we are ungrateful.
We owe it to you, we admit, that our words
Have passage to the ears that long to hear them.'
So they would talk in frustrated separation
« Your own hand,
And your love, killed you, poor boy. I, too, have a hand
Brave for this one deed; I too have love, and it will give me
The strength to face wounds. I will follow you in death,
And I will be called the most wretched cause
And companion of your death. Death alone
Could tear you from me, but not even death will.
And I pray to my wretched parents and to his
On behalf of both of us: do not begrudge
A common tomb to those whom faithful love
And death’s final hour have joined. And you, O tree,
Whose branches now cover one pitiful body
And soon will cover two, keep our death’s tokens
And always have fruit that is dark and mournful
As a memorial to the blood that we both shed. »
Envoi:
« And now I have completed my work,
Which cannot be undone by the wrath of Jove,
By fire or sword, or corrosive time. That final day,
Which has power only over my body,
May come when it will and end my uncertain
Span of years. The better part of me
Will be borne forever beyond the high stars,
And my name will never die. Wherever Rome
Extends its power over the conquered world
I will be on men’s lips, and if a sacred poet
Has any power to prophesy the truth,
Throughout the ages I will live on in fame. »
Icarus Book VIII: lines 260-330
« While fitting the unfamiliar wings to his shoulders,
And what with the work and the admonitions
His old cheeks grew moist, and his father’s hands trembled.
He kissed his dear son, a kiss never to be repeated,
And rising on wings he flies ahead in fear
For his companion—like a bird who leads
Its tender young into the air from its aerial nest—
Urging him to follow, teaching him ruinous arts,
And beating his own wings as he looks back at his son.
A fisherman with a trembling rod sees them—
Or a shepherd leaning on his staff, or a plowman—
They gape at these beings negotiating the air
And take them for gods. Juno’s isle SamosIs now on the left (Delos and Paros are long gone)
And on the right are Lebinthos and honeyed Calymne,
When the boy begins to enjoy this daring flight
And veers off from his leader. He is drawn to the sky
And goes higher. Proximity to the blazing sun
Softens the scented wax that bound the feathers,
And the wax melts. He beats his naked arms
But lacking plumage cannot purchase air,
And his mouth was shouting his father’s name
When the blue water, which takes its name from his
Closed over the boy. His bereft father,
A father no more, cried “Icarus, where are you,Icarus, where should I look for you?”
and kept calling,“Icarus.”
Then he saw the feathers in the waves.
He swore off his arts and buried the body,
And the land is known by the name on the tomb. »
Book X: Orpheus and Eurydice (lines 70-90)
« As he said these things, plucking the strings
To his words, the bloodless shades wept. Tantalus
Stopped trying to scoop up the receding water,
And Ixion’s wheel was stunned. The vultures
Left off from Tityus’ liver, Belus’ granddaughters
Put down their urns, and even you, Sisyphus,
Sat on your stone. Then for the first time, they say,
The Furies, charmed by his song, wet their cheeks,
Nor could the royal consort or her dark lord
Refuse his request. They called Eurydice. »
« They were approaching the upper rim when the lover,
Fearing for his partner and eager to see her,
Turned his eyes. She fell back at once,
Stretching out her arms, trying to catch and be caught,
And sorry to take hold of nothing but air.
Dying again, she did not blame her husband—
What could she complain of except she was loved?
She said her last good-bye, which he could barely hear,
And whirled back again to where she had been. »
Book XI: lines 80-90
« The poet’s shade went beneath the earth,
And all that he had seen before he recognized now.
Searching through the Fields of the Blessed
He found Eurydice and caught her up
In his eager arms. Now they walk together,
Matching steps. Sometimes she is in front,
Sometimes he takes the lead, and Orpheus
Can always look back at his Eurydice. »
Book IV : Pyramus and Thisbe (lines 80-230)
« There was no go-between; their talk was nods and gestures,
And the more the fire was covered, the hotter it burned.
There was a slender chink in the common wall
Between the two houses, from when they were built.
No one had noticed this crack in all these years—
But what does love not see? You lovers discovered it
And made it a channel for speech. Your loving words
Would slip safely through it in the softest whispers.
Often, when they had moved into place, Thisbe here,
Pyramus there, and each had felt the other’s breath,
They would say,‘Jealous wall, why do you stand
Between lovers? Would it be asking too much
For you to let us embrace, or at least open enough
To allow us to kiss? Not that we are ungrateful.
We owe it to you, we admit, that our words
Have passage to the ears that long to hear them.'
So they would talk in frustrated separation
« Your own hand,
And your love, killed you, poor boy. I, too, have a hand
Brave for this one deed; I too have love, and it will give me
The strength to face wounds. I will follow you in death,
And I will be called the most wretched cause
And companion of your death. Death alone
Could tear you from me, but not even death will.
And I pray to my wretched parents and to his
On behalf of both of us: do not begrudge
A common tomb to those whom faithful love
And death’s final hour have joined. And you, O tree,
Whose branches now cover one pitiful body
And soon will cover two, keep our death’s tokens
And always have fruit that is dark and mournful
As a memorial to the blood that we both shed. »
Envoi:
« And now I have completed my work,
Which cannot be undone by the wrath of Jove,
By fire or sword, or corrosive time. That final day,
Which has power only over my body,
May come when it will and end my uncertain
Span of years. The better part of me
Will be borne forever beyond the high stars,
And my name will never die. Wherever Rome
Extends its power over the conquered world
I will be on men’s lips, and if a sacred poet
Has any power to prophesy the truth,
Throughout the ages I will live on in fame. »
Pure imagination. A great book of classical mythological tales. Romance, adventure, danger, battles, sea storms, monsters, potions, the heavens and the underworld... it has it all. And some vulgar things I won't mention (let's just say Zeus/Jupiter has a reputation for fathering a lot of illegitimate children)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I always enjoy learning about the gods and goddesses. Some narrative poems are hard to read because they are so long, but they are all very well written.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes