Conference thebay::joyoflex

1023.0. "Edited experiment - please post responses in SPQR." by SMURF::BINDER (Qui scire uelit ipse debet discere) Thu Feb 11 1993 05:14

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Note 29.0                         Care to play?                       No replies
SMURF::BINDER "Qui scire uelit ipse debet discere"   41 lines  11-FEB-1993 08:10
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    I'd like to try a little experiment here.  Included here is my own
    inelegant translation of the first few paragraphs of _With the Eagles_
    by Paul L. Anderson, a 1929 novel about Ambiorix' rebellion, written
    originally (of course) in English.  My object, if anyone is willing to
    play along, is to see how much information is lost - or gained - in the
    translation process.  I'm looking for people willing to translate this
    passage back into English.  If there are any takers, I'll post the
    original English here after a while so we can compare.
    
    Be warned that I have taken artistic license in omitting words implied
    by context, a favorite Roman trick.  To enliven the tale, I have also
    used the present indicative, again in Roman style, where the perfect
    would be used in English.  And, in keeping with the supposed origin in
    Roman times of the story, I have used all majuscules and have, in the
    usual fashion, omitted macrons over long vowels.
    
    -dick
    
    -------- SLIGHTLY EDITED...
    
    CAPVT I.  DE ANNIS MEIS NOVIS, ET LATRONIBVS EX SEPTENTRIONE
    
    MANE SVAVE TEPIDOQVE PRIMO VERE A.V.C. DCC, EGO IVM ANNORVM XVIII
    FVTVRVS, APVD TEGVRIO IN RIPIS FLVMINIS LIGERIS PATER FRATERQVE
    PARVVLIOR EGOQVE LIGNA CAEDEBAMVS.  CVIVS COPIA AB HIEME ESA, STIPITEM
    MAGNVM E SILVA TRAXERAMVS, QVEM IN SEGMENTA ABSCIDIMVS INDVSTRIE,
    PROPOSITVM DVM AESTATE HOC CONDIRE HABENTI, VT NIVIBVS REVERSIS FLAGRET
    ALACER.  TAMEN TANTVM CVM IN LABORIS VSVM NOS INIBAMVS, MATER CASAM AD
    NOS CIRCVMVENIT.
    
    "HOMINES," DICIT, "CARNE NOVO OPVS EST.  MANET ADHVC PARS PORCVLINA
    SALSA, QVA TAMEN FATIGAMVR.  CVR NON CERVVM VEL APEREM?"
    
    CETEROS SPECTAMVS TRES; VENARI LVDERE SED LIGNVM ABSCIDERE LABOR EST. 
    PATER RIDIT, VIRGAM EX HVMI LEGIT QVAM IN TRES PARTES FRANGIT, QVAS
    INTER MANVS OCCVLTAT, CONSPICVA EARVM SVMMAE
    
    DICENS, "BREVISSIMA CARISSIMAE CARNEM AFFERET," EDVCIMVS.
    
    BREVISSIMA MEA, SECVREM LAETE DEPONO...
    
    

    Wasn't that Poul Anderson, noted golden-age science-fiction novelist?
    

    Nope.  Paul Lewis Anderson, of East Orange, New Jersey.  Died in 1956.
    Around 1930, he wrote a series of five books about Rome, all of which
    are still in print:
    
    With the Eagles - Caesar and Ambiorix' rebellion
    
    For Greedom and for Gaul - the siege of Alesia, from the Gallic side
    
    Swords in the North - Caesar's second incursion into Britain
    
    Pugnax the Gladiator - An Aeduan Gaul captured by Ariovistus and sold
    			   into slavery in Rome
    
    A Slave of Catiline - Catiline's conspiracy

    Interesting.  I had a similar problem last week.  My brothers were
    recommending a couple of heavily researched novels on Rome they
    insisted had been written by Carson McCullers.  I had lots of profound
    thoughts on that until I discovered that the books had been written by
    Colleen McCullough instead.
    

    It gets even worse with authors named White.  I have, off the top of my
    head, books in my library by these Whites:
    
    E.B. White - Charlotte's Web
    T.H. White - The Once and Future King
    E.L. (Edward Lucas) White - The Unwilling Vestal, Andivius Hedulio
    S.E. (Stewart Edward) White - many Western stories
    
    And there are without doubt several Whites that I have missed.
    
    -dick