Teaching notes 29 August 2014
English 2260: Today’s Task for 29 August
By the end of today’s class, each number group is going to write a letter to Christopher Logue. In that letter, your number group is going to explain how you would translate the Iliad differently. Of course, you’ll need to be well-informed to write such a letter. We’ll first break into number groups to make sure that we understand the story of the Iliad and its characters. Then, we’ll discuss five kinds of decisions that translators make when they translate Homeric Greek. Lastly, we’ll reconvene into our number groups to write our letters to Christopher Logue.
Part I: Iliad Plot & People
Before you write your letter to Christopher Logue, make sure that you understand the characters in the Iliad, their motivations, and the plot.
- Look at the diagram below and make a note of every character who you don’t recognize.
- Use your classmates or the web to look up unfamiliar names.
- Write a 250-500 word paragraph about the arrangement of this diagram, explaining why the characters are placed next to each other.
- Discuss your paragraphs as a class.
Part II: Iliad Similarities and Differences
In order to write your letter to Christopher Logue, consider the options that translators face. What do different translations gain and lose? What are the parts of poetry that previous translators have tried to preserve?
Group A -- note (dis)similar terms, phrases, and names
Group B -- compare the size of phrases, verses, and sentences
Group C -- compare rhymes and sounds for similar ideas
Group D -- compare the order of ideas and events
Group E -- compare the line-to-line transitions
George Chapman’s translation | Alexander Pope’s translation | Richmond Lattimore’s translation |
Achilles’ bane full wrath[a] resound, O Goddesse, that imposd | Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring | Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus[b] |
Infinite sorrowes on the Greekes, and many brave soules losd | Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing! | and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achaians, |
From breasts Heroique—sent them farre, to that invisible cave[c] | That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign[d] | hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades[e] strong souls |
That no light comforts; and their lims to dogs and vultures gave. | The souls [f]of mighty chiefs untimely slain; | of[g] heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting |
To all which Jove’s will gave effect; from whom first strife begunne | Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore, | of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished |
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike Sonne.[h] | Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore | since that time when first there stood in division of conflict |
What God gave Eris their command, and op’t that fighting veine? | Since great Achilles and Atride[i]s strove, | Atreus’ son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus. |
Jove’s and Latona’s Sonne, who, fir’d against the king of men | Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove! | What god was it then set them together in bitter collision? |
For contumelie showne his Priest, infectious sickness sent | Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour | Zeus’ son and Leto’s, Apollo, who in anger at the king drove |
To plague the armie; and to death, by troopes, the souldiers went. | Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power | the foul pestilence along the host, and the people perished |
Occasiond thus: Chryses, the Priest, came to the fleete to buy, | Latona's son a dire contagion spread, | since Atreus’ son had dishonoured Chryses, priest of Apollo, |
For presents of unvalued price, his daughter’s libertie— | And heap'd the camp with mountains of the dead; | when he came beside the fast ships of the Achaians to ransom |
The golden scepter and the crowne of Phœbus in his hands[j] | The king of men his reverent priest defied, | back his daughter, carrying gifts beyond count and holding |
Proposing—and made suite to all, but most to the Commands | And for the king's offence the people died. | in his hands wound on a staff of gold the ribbons of Apollo |
Of both th’ Atrides, who most ruled. ‘Grat Atreus’ sonnes,’ said he, | For Chryses sought with costly gifts to gain[k] | who strikes from afar, and supplicated all the Achaians, |
’And all ye wel-griev’d Greekes, the Gods, whose habitations be | His captive daughter from the victor's chain. | but above all Atreus’ two sons, the marshals of the people: |
In heavenly houses, grace your powers with Priam’s razed towne, | Suppliant the venerable father stands; | ‘Sons of Atreus and you other strong-greaved Achians, |
And grant ye happy conduct home! To winne which wisht renowne | Apollo's awful ensigns grace his hands | to you may the gods grant who have their homes on Olympos |
Of Jove, by honouring his sonne (farre-shooting Phœbus), daine | By these he begs; and lowly bending down, | Priam’s city to be plundered and a fair homecoming thereafter, |
For these fit presents to dissolve the ransomeable chaine | Extends the sceptre and the laurel crown | but may you give me back my own daughter and take the ransom, |
Of my lov’d daughter’s servitude.’ The Greekes entirely gave | He sued to all, but chief implored for grace | giving honour to Zeus’ son who strikes from afar, Apollo.’ |
Part III: Letter-Writing
Write a letter to Christopher Logue that first shows you understand the decisions that he made, and then suggests some different ways of translating the Iliad.
[a]Group D: Achilles -> goddess
[b]Group D: goddess -> Achilles
[c]Group A: "Hell"
[d]Group A: "Hell"
[e]Group A: "Hell"
[f]Group E: lines begin with noun phrases
[g]Group E: lines begin with transitions
[h]Group C: alliteration of "k" sound
[i]Group C: assonance of "a" sound
[j]Group B: Chryses to Phoebus in 3 lines
[k]Group B: Chryses to Apollo in 4 line
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