From Cowper, by Goldwin Smith (English Men of Letters series.)TRANSLATION
"The translation of Homer into verse is the Polar Expedition of literature, always failing, yet still desperately renewed."
From Chapter VI, Short Poems and Translations
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In high school, my English teacher assigned a version of the Iliad translated into heroic couplets and dactylic hexameter by an old logger who taught himself Greek in the evenings at the bunkhouse. It wasn't bad. Published on a copy machine, if memory serves. I wonder if there are any copies extant.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that's a very Mediterranean looking sprit rig. What's the illustration?
You know from boats, bub, not me.
ReplyDeleteThe luff of the sail is not laced to the mast, and the head of the sail appears to be on a line going to the top of the sprit. The sprit is controlled independent of the sail. Very different from the sprit rigs I've sailed.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think you'll understand that, but is the picture supposed to be Jason and his men?
See the giant throwing rocks? Yup. That's the unfortunate Greek sailor's sassy salute from the bow. (See? I know a word.)
ReplyDeleteAs for the inaccuracy of the depiction of a likely vessel, again, please note the freakin' giant.