Catullus

  

Discourse on Commodus (1963)

Cy Twombly. Discourse on Commodus (1963)

Catullus 101 

Many the peoples many the oceans I crossed -- 
I arrive at these poor, brother, burials 
so I could give you the last gift owed to death 
and talk (why?) with mute ash. 
Now that Fortune tore you from me, you 
oh poor (wrongly) brother (wrongly) taken from me, 
now still anyway this -- what a distant mood of parents 
handed down as the sad gift for burials -- 
accept! Soaked with tears of a brother 
and into forever, brother, farewell and farewell. 

-                                                            (translated by Anne Carson) from "Nox"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catullus

Image
  Catullus Louis Zukofsky and his wife, Celia, experimented with homophonic translations (something pioneered by Pound, I believe) of the Roman poet, Catullus (c.85-54 BC). That is, they tried to get both the meaning and the actual SOUNDS of the Latin across, in English. The results range from the wacky to the impressive. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know Latin—just try sounding out these few lines from poem 8 phonetically: Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire, et quod vides perisse perditum ducas. fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles... (for whole poem in Latin, click  here  --you can also click through to English translation.) Then read the first lines of Louis Zukofsky's translation aloud: Miss her, Catullus? don't be so inept to rail at what you see perish when perished is the case. Full, sure once, candid the sunny days glowed, solace, when you went about it as your girl would have it, you loved her as no one else shall ever be loved. Billowed in tumultuous joys and affia...
Read more

Catullus

Image
  CATULLUS 112 Multus home es, Naso, neque tecum multus homost qui descendit: Naso, multus es et pathicus. Literal translation by Celia Zukofsky: Much a man you are, Naso, and that you much a man it is who  comes down: Naso, much you are and pathetic/lascivious. Cornish edition in the Loeb Classical Library (used by the Zukofskys): You are many men's man, Naso, but not many men go down town with you: Naso, you are many men's man and minion. Peter Green (2005): You're such a macho guy, Naso, yet few other macho guys seek your company. How so? Naso, you're macho—and a queen. The Zukofskys's homophonic version (1969) Mool ’tis homos,’ Naso, ’n’ queer take ’im mool ’tis ho most he      descended: Naso, mool ’tis – is it pathic, cuss.  
Read more

Horace

Image
Delivery Pickup Buy new:  $35.00 You Earn:   35 pts     Learn more Two-Day FREE Returns  FREE delivery  Thursday, October 12 . Order within  12 hrs 21 mins Deliver to George -  Portland 97216‌ In Stock  Qty:       1          2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10          11          12          13          14          15          16          17          18  ...
Read more