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LostinTranslation:ModernTranslatorsTakesonHomersTheIliad

Whatisareadergettingwhenheorsheopensabookthatwasoriginallywritteninanother
language?Mostwouldassumetheyarereadinganaccuratetranslationoftheoriginal,butitsnotthat
simple.RobertFagles,AmericanborntranslatorofHomersTheIliad,describeshisworkasakind
oftugofwarbetweentryingtoencapsulatethemeaningoftheGreekontheonehandandtryingto
findacadenceforone'sEnglishontheother,yetjoininghands,ifpossible,tomakealineofverse
(11).Thistugofwarbecomesevenmorecomplicatedwhenoneconsidersthesheernumberof
changesthathavetakenplacesinceTheIliadwasfirstwrittendown,adatewhichmodernhistorians
believetobearoundthe8thcenturyBCE(TheIliad476).Newlanguageshaveevolved,new
technologieshavebeencreated,andnewsocietieshavedeveloped,allhugedeparturesfromthose
whichexistedinHomerstime.
HowcananEnglishprofessortakeaworkofliteraturethatisthousandsofyearsoldand
accuratelyconveyitsmessagetomoderndayreaderswithoutdrasticallychangingthemeaningofthe
text?Toputitsimply:aperfecttranslationisnotpossible.Yetthathasntstoppedtranslatorsfromtrying
tocreateatranslationtodaysaudiencescanenjoyyetonethatcapturesHomersoriginalmessage.
RichmondLattimore,anothertranslatorofHomerswork,expressedthissentimentinhiswords,Why
doanothertranslationofHomer?[Thatis]aquestionwhichhasnoanswerforthosewhodonotknow
theansweralready(7).Thefactthatperfectioncanneverbereachedisnotanexcusetostopstriving
forit.Manypeopletrytheirhandsattranslationandascouldbeexpected,sometranslationsarebetter
thanothers.
Alltranslatorsleavefingerprintsontheirwork:tinyfragmentsoftheirownculturethatseepinto
theoriginal.Thesefingerprintscanhelpustounderstandnotonlywhattheancientculturewaslike,but
alsogiveusaglimpseatthesocialandculturalvaluesthatwereinplaceduringthetranslatorslifetime.
ThisismostprominentinthetreatmentoftwokeyissuesinTheIliad:thetreatmentofmortalwomen
andthesupremacyoffateoverallcreatures,mortalandimmortalalike.ThewaythatAmerican
translatorsRichmondLattimoreandRobertFaglesapproachthesetwoissuesshowcasesthedifferent
socialandculturalvaluesthatwereinplacein1951and1990,respectively.Lattimoretendstofocuson
thefacts,leavinghumanemotionsoutoftheequationwhileFaglesdevelopsdeepemotionaltiesthatlink
thereadertothetext.Lattimorefocusesontheinnerworkingsofthewar,thehumansthatactas
machineryinancleverlyorchestratedschemesetinplacebythegodswillsandbyfate.Faglesmakes
theargumentthatconflictbothhumanandinhumanleadstotheeventsinthebook,stressingfreewill
abovefate.
Someofthesedifferencescanbechalkeduptoculturalvalues.WhilebothLattimoreand
FagleswereAmericancitizensduringtheirlives,LattimorewasborninChinaandlivedthereforthefirst
14yearsofhislife.ADartmouthgraduate,LattimorepublishedhistranslationofTheIliadin1951
afteryearsofteachingatBrynMawrCollege(Mitgang).
RobertFaglestranslationofTheIliadwaspublished39yearslaterin1990.LikeLattimore,
Faglesexperiencedalifechangingeventattheageof14:thedeathofhisfather(McGrath).Toattempt
tocomparethesetwoeventswouldbetodescendintopurespeculation,butitisimpossiblethatthey
hadnoeffect.Withoutattemptingtopsychoanalyzethetwotranslators,therearestillplentyof
differencesbetweenthetwothatcanbediscernedsimplyfromexaminingtheirworkonTheIliad.
TheIliadchroniclesthefinalyearoftheTrojanwar,duringwhichtheAchaeanscontinuein
theirattacksontheirenemies,theTrojans.Includedintheepicaredescriptionsofearlierscenesinthe
war,butthemajorityoftheplottakesplaceduringthistenthyear.Thefirstbookopenswitha
descriptionoftheAchaeanwarriorAchillesandhisragetowardAgamemnon,kingofMycenaeand
highrankingleaderoftheAchaeans.AfterAgamemnonoffendsthegodApollobytakingoneofhis
priestsdaughterscaptive,theAchaeansurgehimtoreturnthegirltoherfather.Agamemnonistaken
abackbywhatheperceivesasaslightonhishonoranddemandsAchillesslavegirlBriseisinreturn.
Achillesrefuses,takingAgamemnon'srequestasapersonalattackandrefusestoaidtheAchaeansin
battle.
Lattimores1951translationdepictsAgamemnonasapragmatic,ifegotisticalleaderthoughhe
isaffrontedbytherequesttoreturnthegirlChryseis,herecognizesthatApollosfuryissomethingthat
shouldbeavoidedforthebestofall.ThisisbestshowninLattimorestranslationofAgamemnons
wordsconcerningChryseis:
StillIamwillingtogiveherback,ifsuchisthebestway.
Imyselfdesirethatmypeoplebesafe,notperish.
Findmethensomeprizethatshallbemyown,lestIonly
amongtheArgivesgowithout,sincethatwereunfitting
youareallwitnessestothisthing,thatmyprizegoeselsewhere(1.116120).
LattimoresuseofthephraseifsuchisthebestwayshowsbothAgamemnonspersonalreluctanceto
giveupChryseisandanacknowledgementofthefactthatperhapshisownopinionsarenotbeneficialto
others.AsAgamemnonisaking,hemustbewillingtosacrificehisownwishesforthegoodofthe
people,andLattimorestranslationshowsthatAgamemnonisreadytodoso.However,heisnot,
perhaps,themostadmirableofcharactersinhistreatmentofwomen,thoughthisisnotsurprisingforthe
timeperiod.
AgamemnonreferstoChryseisasanobject,usingthewordprizeorthepronounhertoreferto
herbutneverusinghername.Eventhenamesofmostwomenduringthistimeperiodareexamplesof
theirobjectificationChryseisisthedaughterofChrysesandgetshernamefromherfather.(Admittedly,
severalmalewarriorsareoccasionallyreferredtousingthenamesoftheirfathersthus,Agamemnon,
sonofAtreus,becomesAtreides.However,thispatriarchalnamingsystemismorecommonlyseenin
thenamesofwomen.)
Fagles1990translationshowswomensobjectificationaswell,againusingthewordprizeto
refertoChryseis.However,FaglestakesadifferentapproachinhistranslationofAgamemnonswords,
givingthemamorereluctant,bitterfeel:
ButIamwillingtogiveherback,evenso,
ifthatisbestforall.WhatIreallywant
istokeepmypeoplesafe,notseethemdying.
Butfetchmeanotherprize,andstraightofftoo,
elseIaloneoftheArgivesgowithoutmyhonor.
Thatwouldbeadisgrace.Youareallwitness,
lookmyprizeissnatchedaway(1.135141).
Here,Faglesfocusesonthepersonalattackthatthesuggestionoffers.Addingthewordseven
sotoAgamemnonsassentgivesitthefeelofareluctantconcession.WhileLattimoretranslates
Agamemnonswishasthatmypeoplebesafe,notperish,Faglestranslationusesthewordskeepmy
peoplesafe,notseethemdying.ThoughAgamemnonisconcernedforhispeopleinbothtranslations,
FaglesuseofthewordsnotseethemdyingmakesthereaderwonderifAgamemnonissincerely
concernedforhispeopleorsimplywishestoavoidseeingtheirdeaths.Whilethelatterisobviously
untrue(asAgamemnonisabraveandfiercewarrior),FaglestranslationdoesstillgiveAgamemnona
strongersenseofselfpreservation.ThisisaninterestingtraitforacharacterinaHomericepic,asa
prominentthemeistheloomingpresenceofdeathandthehonorthatisassociatedwithdeathinbattle.
BothtranslationsdevotepagespacetoAgamemnonsangerathisprizebeingtakenaway,
thoughFaglesutilizesitalicsinthephraselookmyprizeissnatchedaway,atinychangethatmakes
theaffrontmuchmorepersonal.Lattimorefocusesmoreonthegreatergoodofthepeople,while
Faglesfocusisontheindividual.
LattimoreandFaglesbothconveythedifferencebetweenmortalmenandwomen:menare
obviouslysuperior,withwomendescribedandtreatedasobjects.Womenwerefrequentlytradedor
givenoutaswarprizes,sometimestobecomesexslavesand,insomecases,wivesofthewarriorswho
hadkilledtheirhusbands.Themajorityofthemortalwomendescribedintheepicaresimplyproperty,
thoughoccasionallytheydoserveanotherpurpose:expressingthesadnessorthegravityofasituation.
OvertwohundredpeoplediebynameinHomersepicpoem,whichcouldleadthereaderto
becomedesensitizedtothetragedyofdeath.Inaddition,manyheroesspeakabouthowitishonorable
todieinbattle,whichmakesindividualdeathslesstragic.However,therearecertaindeathsthatshould
touchthereaderdeeply,specificallythedeathsofPatroclusandHector.Homeremployswomento
showthetragedyofthesedeathsBriseis,aslavegirltakenbyAchillesandPatroclus,isstrongly
affectedbyPatroclusdeath,whileAndromache,Hectorswife,mournsherfallenhusband.
AsnewsofPatroclusdeathreachestheAchaeans,Achillesweepsandthehandmaidens
AchilleusandPatrokloshadtaken/captive,strickenatheartcriedaloud(Lattimore18.2829).
Faglesusesasimilarphrase,statingthatthewomenheandPatrocluscarriedoffascaptives/caught
thegriefintheirheartsandkeenedandwailed(18.3233).Whileneithertranslatorchangestheway
womenareusedtoshowemotion,LattimorestrivesforamorefactualtakeonthescenewhileFagles
attemptstoconnectwiththereaderthroughhumanemotions.
Lattimoresuseofthewordhandmaidenmaybeunfamiliartoamodernreader,whereas
Faglesuseswomen,atermwithwhichmanymorereaderswillfeelanemotionalconnectionto.Fagles
alsokeepsamodernaudienceinmindinhischoiceofspellingtodaysreadersrecognizethenames
AchillesandPatroclusbetterthanAchilleusandPatroklos,thetraditionalGreekspellingthat
Lattimorefavors.
Thisisaparticularlyvivid,emotionalsceneinbothtranslations,thoughLattimorescriedaloud
againplaceslessemphasisontheemotionswhencomparedtoFaglesuseofkeenedandwailed.This
againshowsLattimorestrendinfavoringfactsoverthesenses,evenduringintenseemotionalscenes.
Similarly,Hectorsdeathisshownastragicbylookingatitthroughtheeyesofhislovingwife
Andromache.AsAndromachelooksdownfromarampartonatower,sheseesherlatehusbands
bodybeingdraggedbyAchilles.LattimoretranslatesherreactionasShefellbackward,andgasped
thelifebreathfromher(22.467).ThisisagainadramaticuseoflanguageforLattimore,particularly
theuseofthephrasegaspedthelifebreathfromher.However,Faglesagainhastheawardformost
emotionallystirringwithhistranslation,shefainted,fallingbackward,/gaspingawayherlifebreath
(22.548549).InFagleswork,Andromacheactuallyfaintsratherthansimplyfallingbackward.This
againshowshisheightenedsenseofemotioninhistreatmentofthemortals.
LattimoreandFagleseachhavetheirowntakesonhowthemortalsinteract.However,they
bothseemtoagreeononekeypoint:theprophecyrulesaboveallelse.Theepicopenswithacrytothe
muse,mostcommonlyreferredtoasaproem(Satterfield1).Lattimorebeginsinthetraditionalway,
appealingtothemuseofstorytelling:
Sing,goddess,theangerofPeleussonAchilleus
anditsdevastation,whichputpainsthousandfoldupontheAchaians,
hurledintheirmultitudestothehouseofHadesstrongsouls
ofheroes,butgavetheirbodiestobethedelicatefeasting
ofdogs,ofallbirds,andthewillofZeuswasaccomplished(1.15).
LattimorekeepsHomersoriginalwordsbyusingthewordsingtoopentheepic.Lattimorestreatment
oftheproemshowshistraditionalstyleintranslation,whileFaglestakesacompletelydifferent
approach.AhugedifferencecanbeseeneveninthefirstwordoftheFaglestranslationoftheepic,
whichbeginswithanounratherthanaverb:
RageGoddess,singtherageofPeleussonAchilles,
murderous,doomed,thatcosttheAchaeanscountlesslosses,
hurlingdowntotheHouseofDeathsomanysturdy
greatfighterssouls,butmadetheirbodiescarrion,
feastsforthedogsandbirds,
andthewillofZeuswasmovingtowarditsend(1.16).
Again,Faglespresentsamorepersonal,emotionalstoryAchillesemotionsaredescribedasrage
ratherthanLattimoresanger.Lattimoresdescriptionoffallenfightersasdelicatefeastingisnot
nearlyasunnervingasFaglescarrion.Thesearedifferencesthataretobeexpected,againechoingthe
themesthateachtranslatorcarriesthroughout.Whatismostinterestingintheproemisthedifferencesin
howtheprophecyisdescribed.
Thestoryistoldbya(presumably)unbiasednarrator,whopromisestotellastorythatwillend
whenZeuswillisaccomplished.ZeusfavorstheTrojans,whoarefatedtofall.AlthoughTheIliad
endsbeforeTroyfalls,thereaderknowswhatistocomeandknowsthatZeuswishesaresoontobe
reversed.Thereareseveraldiscrepanciesbetweentheproem,whichpromisesonestory,andtheactual
storywhichfollows(Satterfield11).Faglesevidentlychosetocorrecttheseinconsistenciesby
employingthephrasethewillofZeuswasmovingtoitsend.Thissuggeststhattheeventstofollow
willconcludeZeuswillandendtheprophecy.
However,whatZeuswillsisnot,infact,whatistobe.AprophecyexiststhattellsofTroysfall,
aneventthatthegodsallknowwilltakeplaceinthefuture.Zeuswillisoneofshorttermevengods
areslavestofate.FaglestranslationofthesefirstwordsisnotasaccurateasLattimoresasheneglects
toshowthatthefateshavecontroloverall,includingthegods.However,Faglescorrectsthismistakein
alaterbookofTheIliad,inadescriptionofHectorsdeath,inwhichhepredictsAchillesdeath.
Lattimorestranslationis,asusual,traditional:
Then,dying,Hektoroftheshininghelmetspoketohim:
IknowyouwellasIlookuponyou,IknowthatIcouldnot
persuadeyou,sinceindeedinyourbreastisaheartofiron.
BecarefulnowforImightbemadeintothegodscurse
uponyou,onthatdaywhenParisandPhoibosApollo
destroyyouintheskaiangates,forallyourvalour(22.355360).
LattimoresuseofthephraseHektoroftheshininghelmetisanattempttotranslatetheoriginalGreek
intoEnglishdirectly.Mostofthecharactersaredescribedinthisway,withonetraitrepeatedeachtime
thecharacterappearsinanewscene.InHectorscase,thisishishelmet.ItisinterestingthatHectors
helmetisbroughtupduringthisscene,however,asitcreatesaparallelbetweenhishelmetexternal
armorandAchillesironheartinternalarmor.Achilleshadjustlosthisdearcompanion,Patroclus,
whowasslainbyHector,andmadeuphismindtoenactrevengeuponhiskiller.Perhapshisheartof
ironisaresponsetoHectorsownactions.Fagles,too,usesthiscomparisonofHectorsironhelmet
andAchillesironheartinhistranslation:
Atthepointofdeath,Hector,hishelmetflashing,
said,IknowyouwellIseemyfatebeforeme.
NeverachancethatIcouldwinyouover
Ironinsideyourchest,thatheartofyours.
Butnowbeware,ormycursewilldrawgodswrath
uponyourhead,thatdaywhenParisandlordApollo
forallyourfightingheartdestroyyouattheScaeangates!(22.418424).
ThemostmemorabledifferencebetweenthetwotranslationsisthewaythetranslatorshandleHectors
prophecy.ManyofHomerscharactershavetheirdeathsforeshadowedinthisway,inanenemys
dyingwords.Infact,HectorsowndeathwaspredictedbyPatroclusinhisdyingwords.Yetthisisa
differentsituation,asAchillesdeathdoesnotactuallytakeplaceduringTheIliad.InHomerstime,it
wascommonknowledgethatAchillesdiesduringthewar,asallwerefamiliarwiththemyths(The
Iliad477).Amodernaudiencemightnotknowthis,however,anditisatranslatorsjobtoaccountfor
this.Lattimorehandlesthisgracefully,withhisuseofthewordsonthatdaywhenParisandPhoibos
Apollo/destroyyouintheskaiangates,whichexplicitlypredictAchillesdeath.
Fagles,itwouldseem,goesastepfurtherinadaptingthesceneformodernaudiencesto
understand.Hisphrasebeware,ormycursewilldrawgodswrath/uponyourheadisadirect
threat,whichisthenfollowedwiththepropheticpredictionforAchillesend.Thisisinkeepingwiththe
trendofFaglesadaptation,whileLattimorefavorsatraditionalapproach.
PerhapsitisthetimesinwhichLattimoreandFagleslivedorperhapsitistheirpersonalvalues
thatledthemtocreatesuchdifferenttranslationsofTheIliad.Theirdifferentapproachestotranslation
areeverywhere,butaremostobviousintheirhandlingofmortalwomenandprophecy.Lattimores
classicalapproachinlanguageandexpressionshowshispreferenceforfactoverpureemotion,while
Faglesclearlyhadamodernaudienceinmindwhenhepackedhistranslationwithpassionatelanguage
anddescription.Forbetterorforworse,thesetranslatorshaveleftfingerprintsallovertheepic,anditis
uptoamodernreadertodetermineifthesechangesaddtoortakeawayfromTheIliad.

WorksCited
Fagles,Robert.TranslatorsPreface.TheIliad.ByHomer.Trans.RobertFagles.NewYork:
VikingPress,1990.926.Print.
Homer.TheIliad.Trans.RichmondLattimore.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1951.Print.
.TheIliad.Trans.RobertFagles.NewYork:VikingPress,1990.Print.
Lattimore,Richmond.Introduction.TheIliadofHomer.ByHomer.Trans.RichmondLattimore.
Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1951.755.Print.
McGrath,Charles.RobertFagles,TranslatoroftheClassics,Diesat74.NewYorkTimes29
Mar.2008.Web.
Mitgang,Herbert.Richard[sic]LattimoreDeadAClassicalScholarandPoet.NewYorkTimes
28Feb.1984.Web.
Satterfield,Brian.TheBeginningofTheIliad:TheContradictionsoftheProemandtheBurial
ofHektor.Mnemosyne64.1(2011):120.LiteraryReferenceCenter.Web.11Dec.2013.
TheIliad.BentsReadersEncyclopedia.3rded.1987.Print.

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