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07-28-2015, 10:35 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
Posts: 10,430
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Thanks, everyone. The review was very gratifying, and I was glad that Verity posted the Latin with the translations (something the press did not wish to do), so that anyone who knows Latin can see how close I stuck to the meaning.
John, that poem about the dead slave girl was published in Measure in 2006, but since it is not available online, I am not sure that my publisher would appreciate my posting it. I will PM you a copy of it.
Ed, I was pleased that Verity noticed that I had tried to adjust the rhythm of my translations to suit the rhythm of the originals. It was even nicer to have a classicist not object that I should have reproduced the original meter in English form. I think I was most pleased, though, by the first line, "Susan McLean is a poet, and it shows." In general, I think poetic skill is undervalued among poetry translators, since critics of translations are more likely to value the critical and linguistic skills that they themselves possess.
Susan
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07-28-2015, 10:38 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lazio, Italy
Posts: 5,814
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Susan's Martial translations call to mind another 'f' word: fun. Congrats on the well-deserved review!
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07-29-2015, 05:35 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 7,489
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Kudos, Susan. The review is concise and well focused. I especially appreciate his "rhyme is the best way in English to achieve epigrammatic tightness"!
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07-29-2015, 10:07 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Middletown, DE
Posts: 3,062
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Susan, just bought the book. The translations he quoted were predictably wonderful. Congratulations!
C
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07-29-2015, 11:52 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
Posts: 10,430
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Andrew, the translations were a lot of fun to write, so I am delighted to hear that you found them fun to read.
Terese, I can't think how one could begin to capture Martial's wit in English without using rhyme. Meter alone doesn't have the same authority in English as in Latin. The rhyme adds both surprise and force to the statement.
Chris, I hope you enjoy the book. I look forward to reading your own collection of translations.
Susan
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07-29-2015, 03:02 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 3,401
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Fantastic work, Susan!!! Very impressive—and I think you may be one of those rare poets who can turn ancient texts into modern must-reads. Looks great!
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07-29-2015, 08:32 PM
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Posts: 3,706
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Childers
Susan, just bought the book. The translations he quoted were predictably wonderful. Congratulations!
C
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"Predicatably wonderful." There you go.
Ed
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07-30-2015, 09:17 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Venice, Italy
Posts: 2,399
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Congratulations, Susan. Good to get praise from someone who clearly knows what he's talking about - and who appreciates good poetry in both languages.
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08-01-2015, 11:43 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 3,263
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Sorry to be late to the party, Susan. I agree with Andrew about the "fun." The translations make me wish they'd been around when I was learning Latin years ago. And the review was lovely. Congrats!
Charlotte
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