Victor Hugo ( Litterature et Philosophie melees )
(English-language version free Gabriela Brown)
The great poets are like the great mountains: they generate many echoes. Their songs are repeated in every language, because his name is on everyone's lips. And Homer, even more than others, due to its immense popularity the privilege or the curse of having a multitude of performers. In all villages, unable to copyists and insipid translators have disfigured his poems, and from Accius Labeo, who exclaimed:
crudum Priamum Priamique puello chow;
'You eat raw Priam and his sons';
to the brave Marto contemporary that made him the singer of Achilles:
Lors, face à face, on vit ces deux grands ducs
Piteusement étendus sur la terre;
"Then, facing each other, are both piously lying
Dukes ground ";
from century grammarian Zola until today, it is impossible to calculate the number of pygmies who have tried, one after another, lifting the mass of Hercules.
my advice, do not mix with those dwarves. His translation is still in draft, you're lucky to be still time to burn.
A French translation of Homer, in verses! It is monstrous and unbearable, sir. I assure you, in conscience, that angers me the translation.
I will not read it, though. I'd rather save myself the pleasure. Declare that a translation in verse, no matter who is the author translated, or who has made it, seems to me absurd, impossible and unrealistic. And something I know about this issue, I rhymed in French (And had carefully hidden until now) four or five thousand verses of Horace, Lucan and Virgil, I, who no doubt it all you lost a hexameter when passing an Alexandrian.
But Homer, sir! Translating Homer
Do not you know that the simplicity of Homer has always been the pitfall of translators? Madame Dacier made it trivial; Lamotte-Houdard, a barren thing; Bitaubé a stupid text. François Porto said it would take to be a Homer to praise worthily seconded the former. Who would that be then to translate?
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A traducteur d'Homere
Victor Hugo (Literature and Philosophy mixed )
The great poets are like great mountains, they have many echoes. Their songs are repeated in all languages, because their names are on everyone's lips. Homer has had more than any other, to his immense fame privilege or misfortune of a host of performers. Among all peoples, powerless copyists and insipid translators disfigured his poems, and since Accius Labeo, who exclaimed:
Crudum Manduca Priamum Priamique puellos ;
"Eat them raw Priam and his children";
until good contemporary Marot was saying to the cantor of Achilles
When face to face, they saw two owls on earth
Shockingly extended;
century since the grammarian Zoilus up to the present, it is impossible to calculate the number of pygmies who have in turn attempted to lift the club of Hercules.
Believe me, do not meddle in these dwarfs. Your translation is still in the portfolio, you are very lucky to be in time for the burn.
A translation of Homer to French! is monstrous and intolerable, sir. I assure you, in good conscience I am outraged by your translation.
I certainly do not read. I want to be left to fear. I declare that a verse translation of anyone, by anyone, seems absurd, impossible and unrealistic. And I know something about me, who rhymed in French (which I carefully hidden until now) four or five thousand lines of Horace, Lucan and Virgil, I, who know everything who loses a hexameter which transferred into an Alexandrine.
But Homer, sir! translate Homer!
Do you know that the only simplicity of Homer has always been the pitfall of translators? Madame Dacier has changed platitude; Lamotte-Houdard in drought Bitaubé in nonsense. Francis said that Puerto would be a second Homer to praise properly first. Who would it be to translate it?
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