A Translation of Vergil's Third Eclogue into Afrikaans
2016; Volume: 61; Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2079-2883
Autores Tópico(s)Lexicography and Language Studies
ResumoIntroduction My Afrikaans translation is an attempt at allowing the classical author to communicate with a modern audience in a combination of signs that is comprehensible by the target readers. The poetic genre of the text will, in this case, not be preserved, even though the emotive textual-type will be imitated. The reason why I decided to translate Vergil's poetry into prose concerns the communicative purpose of translation. Ulrich Von Willamowitz-Moellendorff claimed that 'metrical translation is faulty and goes against the very nature of language'. (1) There is no adequate metrical system in the Afrikaans language, and even if there were, the stylistic translation of poetry is merely for aesthetic value, and does not fulfil this communicative function. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also claimed that a prose translation would be better suited for most texts, since prose cancels out all peculiarities of any kind and causes poetic enthusiasm to be lowered to an understanding level. (2) Two other Afrikaans translations, by Benade and Blanckenberg, were read for the completion of this translation. (3) Both translations are out-dated. Their language usage is no longer applicable to modern Afrikaans. Their translation methods were also too direct with a loss of cultural and contextual aspects of the poem. Benade's translations of Vis ergo inter nos quid possit uterque vicissim experiamur? (lines 28-29) as 'Wil jy dus he dat ons hier onder onsies om die beurt moet uittoets waartoe elk in staat is' and Blanckenberg's 'dat jy sou gesterwe het, as jy hom nie kwaad kon aandoen nie' for si non aliqua nocuisses, mortuus esses (line 15) are examples of direct translations; while both Benade and Blanckenberg's translation of arcum ... et calamos (line 13) as 'boog en rietpyle' misses the idyllic reference. Vergil's third Eclogue is a bucolic (pastoral) and agonistic (competitive) poem that was inspired by Theocritus's fourth Idyll. (4) The Eclogue starts off with the two main characters, Menalcas and Damoetas, who cross paths and begin to banter with each other while leading their masters' flocks to pasture. The bantering continues until they agree on a singing contest (lines 28, 49-54), at which point Palaemon enters and agrees to be their judge. The singing contest is initiated at line 60 and continues until line 107. The third Eclogue could easily be related to the concept of a modern-day 'rap-battle'. A 'rap-battle', like the banter and singing between the two shepherds, officially starts after the contestants' insults have been exhausted. A judge then analysis the 'rap-battle' or singing contest and makes the final verdict concerning the victor. The singing contest consists of metrical verses that either intends to further insult, or to improve on the verses of the opposing contestant. ECLOGA III (5) Menalcas Damoetas Palaemon M. Dic mihi, Damoeta, quoium pecus? An Meliboei? D. Non, verum Aegonos; nuper mihi tradidit Aegon. M. Infelix o semper, oues, pecus! ipse Neaeram dum fouet ac ne me sibi praeferat illa veretur, hic alienus ouis custos bis mulget in hora, et sucus pecori et lac subducitur agnis. 5 D. Parcius ista uiris tamen obicienda memento. nouimus et qui te transversa tuentibus hirquis et quo--sed faciles Nymphae risere--sacello. M. Tum, credo, cum me arbustum uidere Miconos 10 atque mala uitis incidere falce nouellas. D. Aut hic ad ueteres fagos cum Daphnidos arcum fregisti et calamos, quae tu, peruerse Menalca, et, cum uidisti puero donata, dolebas et, si non aliqua nocuisses, mortuus esses. 15 M. Quid domini faciant, audent cum talia fures? non ego te uidi Damonos, pessime, caprum excipere insidiis multum latrante Lycisca? et cum clamarem 'quo nunc se proripit ille? Tityre, coge pecus', tu post carecta latebas. 20 D. An mihi cantando uictus non redderet ille, quem mea carminibus meruisset fistula caprum? …
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