#tiptuesday

We’re fortunate as classicists that so many texts have survived the centuries. They give us valuable insight into the everyday lives of ancient (usually elite) citizens and their perceptions of their world. 

Reading these texts in their original language, however, isn’t always possible. I’ve been studying Classics at a university level for six years, and even as a PhD candidate, I’m not ashamed to admit that I still regularly rely on translations of the ancient texts in my research. For me personally, there are two main reasons why. First, while I have a minor in Latin and regularly study the language, I simply do not have the necessary skills built up to read the original texts cover to cover, especially without a commentary. It takes years to develop any level of fluency and confidence, and I’ve only completed two years of formal study. So, translating even short passages takes up a lot of time; I tend to save translating for excerpts I am actively using in research. Second, I can’t read any Ancient Greek. At all. I’m starting to work on the alphabet, but that’s about all I have time for at the moment. I simply didn’t have the room for it in my Bachelor because I double majored. This didn’t change when I did Honours or when I started my PhD - focusing on Latin was a better use of the few electives I was allowed, as I am first and foremost a Roman historian. 

Translations, then, are an incredibly valuable resource for Classicists at all levels - but you have to find the right ones. You can’t simply throw some Latin into Google and expect to get a good - or even readable - result. Let’s take a look at an example. I put Propertius 1.1 through Google Translate, and this is what it came up with:

Cynthia his unhappy with her eyes,    no desire. Then my ankles drooped    The head pressed on my feet Till taught me to hate girls     That wicked and wily. to him, to me, the frenzy has not already been a whole falls short of the year,    are against gods. Milanion, Tullus,    crushed hard Iasid.  For Parthenian girl wandered into caves;    on the other hand, in their shaggy hair along as he went: and the wild beasts; He also wounded Hylaecius    Arcadian cliffs sighed. That's how he was able to tame the girl,    are they in love, faith and good deeds prevail. In my latest love does not stimulate any arts    and he forgets to, as before, to go to his ways. O, whose deceit moon    and work with magical alter fire,  Come on mind,    And what do sacrard more! to you, then I'll believe in ghosts and the stars,    Cytinean songs. Or you are late fall, friends,    Seek the help for the insane. bravely and iron crule fires;    just let me say whatever I want in my rage. Take me to exotic lands and bring waves    which no woman may know my path.  You stay, for whom God consented;    drought, and of the love of their peers is always in safe hands. For me, Venus works bitter    And in no time absent. I warn you, avoid bad one linger    his sweetheart and not change the nature of the love of an accustomed us a bed. Because if anyone should slow ears    Alas words to him!

It’s a bit of a disaster, isn’t it? Let’s compare the Google translation to one by Katz (1995):

Cynthia was the first. She caught me with her eyes, a fool who had never before been touched by desires. I really hung my head in shame when Love pressed down on it with his feet. He taught me to hate chaste girls! He was cruel when he told me to live without plan. It's already been a whole year that the frenzy hasn't stopped. Even now, the gods are against me.

Milanion wasn't afraid of anything, Tullus, when he crushed hard Atalanta's savagery. He wandered mad in Parthenian caves, face to face with hairy beasts. Another time, shocked by a wound from Hylaeus' stick, he groaned loudly on the Arcadian cliffs. That's how he was able to dominate that brilliant girl: in love, you've got to pray a lot and do a lot.

But in me Love is slow, does not stimulate any art, and he forgets to go on ways he used to know You who do that trick with the moon, who perform rites on magic altars, change my mistress' mind, make her face more pale than my own! Then I'll believe in you, that you can lead stars and Medea's streams from their paths with songs.

But you, who called me too late as I was slipping, friends, get help for the insane. Bravely will I endure knife and savage fires, just let me say whatever I want in my rage. Take me to exotic peoples, across the waves, where no woman may know my path. You stay, to whom the god has easily consented, stay equal always, throughout your love. On me old Venus works bitter nights, and Love is at no time absent.

Don't do what I do, I'm warning you. Keep to yourself, don't move from an accustomed love. Because if anyone should turn slow ears to my warnings, you'll see how they'll come back to haunt him!

I don’t think I need to tell you which version is the better option, especially when we’re fortunate that so many quality translations are freely available online. Here are just a few resources:

Perseus Digital Library A large catalogue of ancient texts, both in the original Latin or Greek, and in translation.

LacusCurtis Includes a photosampler of Roman and Etruscan cities and monuments; a site for teaching yourself to read Latin inscriptions; a collection of complete Latin texts; several complete Greek texts in the original Greek; a selection of secondary source texts; some maps of the Roman Empire, and lots more.

Loebolus “Loebolus is based on Edwin Donnelly's “Downloebables” , aiming to make all the public domain Loebs more easily downloadable by re-hosting the PDF's directly, without the need to enter CAPTCHA's.”

Attalus   “This site contains detailed lists of events and sources for the history of the Hellenistic world and the Roman republic. It includes links to online translations of many of the sources, as well as new translations of some works which have not previously been easily available in English."

eBooks@Adelaide Contains a large variety of out of copyright primary source texts and translations in an easy to read format. 

Tips for using translations:

With every translation, be aware that the translator may be taking some artistic liberties. Often, this is subtle, such as using ‘flowery’ language, but it could also be a significant change, such as using rhyming language in poetry. This is particularly concerning when it comes to Latin translations, as Latin poets purposely avoided rhyming.

Partner your study with a commentary. Commentaries often give insight into the historical contexts of the text and discuss contentious words, making them valuable for broadening your understanding of the text.

Don’t be afraid to ask a mentor such as a lecturer if there are translations they prefer. Often, they’ll know which are reliable and/or faithful to the original text.