The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original — Page 4
In the preface to my translation of the "Iliad" I have given my views as to the main principles by which a translator should be guided, and need not repeat them here, beyond pointing out that the initial liberty of translating poetry into prose involves the continual taking of more or less liberty throughout the translation; for much that is right in poetry is wrong in prose, and the exigencies of readable prose are the first things to be considered in a prose translation.
En el prefacio de mi traducción de la "Ilíada" he expuesto mis opiniones sobre los principios fundamentales por los que debe guiarse un traductor, y no necesito repetirlos aquí, salvo para señalar que la libertad inicial de traducir poesía en prosa implica la continua toma de mayor o menor libertad a lo largo de la traducción; pues mucho de lo que es correcto en poesía es incorrecto en prosa, y las exigencias de una prosa legible son lo primero que debe considerarse en una traducción en prosa.
That the reader, however, may see how far I have departed from strict construe, I will print here Messrs. Butcher and Lang's translation of the sixty lines or so of the "Odyssey."
Sin embargo, para que el lector pueda ver hasta qué punto me he apartado de la interpretación estricta, reproduciré aquí la traducción de los señores Butcher y Lang de los sesenta versos aproximadamente de la "Odisea".
Their translation runs:
Su traducción dice así:
Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wandered far and wide, after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy, and many were the men whose towns he saw and whose mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered in his heart on the deep, striving to win his own life and the return of his company.
Háblame, Musa, de aquel hombre tan hábil en el momento del apuro, que erró por tierras lejanas tras haber saqueado la sagrada ciudadela de Troya, y vio las ciudades de muchos hombres y conoció su pensamiento, y fueron muchos también los sufrimientos que padeció en su corazón sobre el mar, luchando por salvar su propia vida y lograr el regreso de sus compañeros.
Nay, but even so he saved not his company, though he desired it sore.
Mas ni aun así pudo salvar a sus compañeros, aunque lo deseaba ardientemente.
For through the blindness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from them their day of returning.
Pues perecieron por la ceguera de sus propios corazones, insensatos que devoraron los bueyes de Helios Hiperión: y el dios les arrebató el día del regreso.
Of these things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof, declare thou even unto us.
De estas cosas, diosa, hija de Zeus, dondequiera que las hayas escuchado, cuéntanoslas también a nosotros.
Vocabulary
- prefacio
- Introductory section at the beginning of a book.
- traducción
- The process or result of translating between languages.
- Ilíada
- Ancient Greek epic poem about the Trojan War.
- expuesto
- Past participle of exponer; presented or explained something.
- opiniones
- Personal views or judgments about a topic.
- principios
- Fundamental rules or beliefs guiding behavior or thought.
- fundamentales
- Basic and essential; forming a necessary foundation.
- guiarse
- Reflexive verb meaning to guide oneself or be guided.
- traductor
- A person who translates texts between languages.
- repetirlos
- To repeat them; state something again.
- salvo
- Preposition meaning 'except' or 'save for'.
- señalar
- To point out, indicate, or note something.
- libertad
- Freedom or liberty to act or choose.
- inicial
- Relating to the beginning or first stage.
- traducir
- To convert text or speech from one language to another.
- poesía
- Literary art form using rhythm and expressive language.
- prosa
- Written language in its ordinary non-metrical form.
- implica
- Third-person singular of implicar; implies or involves.
- continua
- Adjective meaning continuous, uninterrupted, or ongoing.
- toma
- A taking or decision; act of choosing something.
- mayor
- Adjective meaning greater, larger, or older.
- menor
- Adjective meaning smaller, lesser, or younger.
- largo
- Adjective meaning long; also used in 'a lo largo' (throughout).
- pues
- Conjunction meaning 'since', 'because', or 'well'.
- correcto
- Adjective meaning correct, right, or proper.
- incorrecto
- Adjective meaning incorrect, wrong, or improper.
- exigencias
- Demands or requirements that must be fulfilled.
- legible
- Easy to read and understand; clear in style.
- considerarse
- Reflexive verb meaning to consider oneself or be considered.
- embargo
- Used in 'sin embargo' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'.
- lector
- A person who reads; a reader.
- punto
- A point, dot, or degree of something.
- apartado
- Past participle of apartar; departed or deviated from something.
- interpretación
- The action of explaining or understanding something's meaning.
- estricta
- Adjective meaning strict, exact, or rigorous.
- reproduciré
- Future tense of reproducir; I will reproduce.
- sesenta
- The number sixty.
- versos
- Lines of poetry or verse in a literary work.
- aproximadamente
- Adverb meaning approximately or roughly.
- Odisea
- Homer's epic poem about Odysseus's journey home.
- así
- Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'like this'.
- Háblame
- Imperative form of hablar with me; speak to me.
- Musa
- A divine spirit inspiring creativity and artistic work.
- aquel
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (distant).
- hábil
- Adjective meaning skillful, clever, or capable.
- apuro
- A difficult or pressing situation; a tight spot.
- erró
- Third-person preterite of errar; wandered or strayed.
- tierras
- Plural of tierra; lands or territories.
- lejanas
- Adjective meaning distant or far-away.
- tras
- Preposition meaning 'after' or 'behind'.
- haber
- Auxiliary infinitive meaning 'to have' (in perfect tenses).
- saqueado
- Past participle of saquear; plundered or looted.
- sagrada
- Adjective meaning sacred or holy.
- ciudadela
- A fortress protecting or dominating a city.
- Troya
- Ancient city of Troy, setting of the Iliad.
- conoció
- Third-person preterite of conocer; he/she came to know.
- pensamiento
- Thought, thinking, or the way someone thinks.
- sufrimientos
- Plural of sufrimiento; sufferings or hardships endured.
- padeció
- Third-person preterite of padecer; he/she suffered.
- corazón
- The heart; center of emotions and feelings.
- luchando
- Gerund of luchar; fighting or struggling.
- salvar
- To save or rescue someone from danger.
- propia
- Adjective meaning own, one's own.
- lograr
- To achieve, manage, or succeed in doing something.
- regreso
- Return or homecoming after being away.
- compañeros
- Companions, comrades, or fellow travelers.
- Mas
- Literary conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'.
- ni
- Conjunction meaning 'nor' or 'not even'.
- aun
- Adverb meaning 'even' or 'still' in context.
- aunque
- Conjunction meaning 'although', 'even though'.
- deseaba
- Third-person imperfect of desear; he/she desired or wished.
- ardientemente
- Adverb meaning ardently, passionately, or fervently.
- perecieron
- Third-person plural preterite of perecer; they perished.
- ceguera
- Blindness; inability to see or think clearly.
- propios
- Adjective meaning own; belonging to themselves.
- insensatos
- Adjective meaning foolish, senseless, or unwise.
- devoraron
- Third-person plural preterite of devorar; they devoured.
- bueyes
- Plural of buey; oxen or cattle.
- Helios
- Greek god personifying the sun.
- Hiperión
- Titan god, father of Helios in Greek mythology.
- dios
- A god or deity in a religious or mythological context.
- arrebató
- Third-person preterite of arrebatar; snatched away or took forcibly.
- diosa
- A female deity or goddess.
- hija
- Daughter; a female child of a parent.
- Zeus
- King of the Greek gods, ruler of Mount Olympus.
- dondequiera
- Adverb meaning 'wherever', in any place.
- hayas
- Second-person present subjunctive of haber; you may have.
- escuchado
- Past participle of escuchar; listened to or heard.
- cuéntanoslas
- Imperative of contar with pronouns; tell them to us.
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