The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original — Page 8
Any one who at the present day discusses the questions that have arisen round the "Iliad" since Wolf's time, without keeping it well before his reader's mind that the "Odyssey" was demonstrably written from one single neighbourhood, and hence (even though nothing else pointed to this conclusion) presumably by one person only—that it was written certainly before 750, and in all probability before 1000 B.C.—that the writer of this very early poem was demonstrably familiar with the "Iliad" as we now have it, borrowing as freely from those books whose genuineness has been most impugned, as from those which are admitted to be by Homer—any one who fails to keep these points before his readers, is hardly dealing equitably by them.
Cualquiera que en el día de hoy discuta las cuestiones que han surgido en torno a la «Ilíada» desde los tiempos de Wolf, sin tener bien presente para sus lectores que la «Odisea» fue demostrablemente escrita desde un único lugar, y que, por lo tanto (aunque nada más apuntara a esta conclusión), fue presumiblemente obra de una sola persona —que fue escrita con certeza antes del año 750, y con toda probabilidad antes del año 1000 a. C.— que el autor de este poema tan antiguo conocía demostrablemente la «Ilíada» tal como la tenemos hoy, tomando prestado con igual libertad de aquellos libros cuya autenticidad ha sido más cuestionada que de aquellos que se admiten como obra de Homero—, cualquiera que no logre mantener estos puntos ante sus lectores difícilmente está siendo ecuánime con ellos.
Any one on the other hand, who will mark his "Iliad" and his "Odyssey" from the copies in the British Museum above referred to, and who will draw the only inference that common sense can draw from the presence of so many identical passages in both poems, will, I believe, find no difficulty in assigning their proper value to a large number of books here and on the Continent that at present enjoy considerable reputations.
Por otro lado, cualquiera que coteje su «Ilíada» y su «Odisea» con los ejemplares del Museo Británico antes mencionados, y que extraiga la única conclusión que el sentido común puede extraer de la presencia de tantos pasajes idénticos en ambos poemas, no encontrará, creo yo, ninguna dificultad en asignar su justo valor a un gran número de obras publicadas aquí y en el Continente que gozan actualmente de considerable reputación.
Furthermore, and this perhaps is an advantage better worth securing, he will find that many puzzles of the "Odyssey" cease to puzzle him on the discovery that they arise from over-saturation with the "Iliad.
Además, y esta es quizás una ventaja que vale más la pena obtener, descubrirá que muchos enigmas de la «Odisea» dejan de desconcertarle cuando advierte que surgen de una excesiva saturación con la «Ilíada».
Vocabulary
- Cualquiera
- Anyone; any person or thing whatsoever
- que
- That; which; who (relative pronoun)
- en
- In; on; at (preposition)
- el
- The (masculine singular definite article)
- día
- Day; a period of twenty-four hours
- de
- Of; from; about (preposition)
- hoy
- Today; the present day
- discuta
- Discusses; debates; disputes (subjunctive)
- las
- The (feminine plural definite article)
- cuestiones
- Questions; issues; matters or problems
- han
- Have (auxiliary verb, third person plural)
- surgido
- Arisen; emerged; appeared suddenly
- desde
- From; since; starting at a point
- los
- The (masculine plural definite article)
- tiempos
- Times; periods; ages or eras
- sin
- Without; lacking; not having something
- tener
- To have; to hold; to possess
- bien
- Well; properly; good or benefit
- presente
- Present; aware of; gift or offering
- para
- For; to; in order to (preposition)
- sus
- His; her; their (possessive adjective)
- lectores
- Readers; those who read
- fue
- Was; became (preterite of ser)
- escrita
- Written; composed (feminine past participle)
- un
- A; an (masculine singular indefinite article)
- único
- Only; sole; single or unique
- lugar
- Place; location; space or position
- por
- By; for; through (preposition)
- lo
- The; it (neuter article or pronoun)
- tanto
- Therefore; so much; as much
- aunque
- Although; though; even if or despite
- nada
- Nothing; not anything; void
- más
- More; plus; greater in quantity
- apuntara
- Pointed out; noted; indicated (subjunctive)
- esta
- This; this one (feminine demonstrative)
- conclusión
- Conclusion; end; final determination or decision
- obra
- Work; literary work; action or deed
- una
- A; an (feminine singular indefinite article)
- sola
- Alone; sole; single or only
- persona
- Person; individual; human being
- con
- With; alongside; in company (preposition)
- certeza
- Certainty; sureness; state of being sure
- antes
- Before; previously; in front
- año
- Year; period of twelve months
- toda
- All; every; entire (feminine)
- probabilidad
- Probability; likelihood; chance of occurrence
- autor
- Author; writer; creator of work
- este
- This; this one (masculine demonstrative)
- poema
- Poem; poetic composition; verse work
- tan
- So; as; such; very or extremely
- antiguo
- Ancient; old; from previous times
- conocía
- Knew; was acquainted with (imperfect)
- tal
- Such; like; similar or of that kind
- como
- As; like; how or similar manner
- tenemos
- We have; we possess (first person plural)
- tomando
- Taking; seizing; borrowing (present participle)
- prestado
- Borrowed; lent; taken on loan
- igual
- Equal; same; identical or equivalent
- libertad
- Freedom; liberty; state of being free
- aquellos
- Those; those ones (masculine plural)
- libros
- Books; written works; literary compositions
- cuya
- Whose; of which (feminine possessive)
- autenticidad
- Authenticity; genuineness; state of being real
- sido
- Been; past participle of ser or estar
- cuestionada
- Questioned; doubted; challenged (feminine)
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself; himself or herself
- admiten
- Admit; accept; allow or permit
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