Bloggus Sum

So I promised I wasn't going to start Page 1, Chapter 1, Creation of the Universe - and I'm not. I'm starting on the Valaquenta, which is the second description of it. Wholly different.

I'm using the book of Genesis in Latin Vulgate, translated by Jerome, and used by the Catholic Church since 382 CE as a touchpoint.


Silmarillion:


In the beginning Eru, the One, who in the Elvish tongue is named Illuvitar, made the Ainur of his thought, and they made a great Music before him. In this Music the World was begun, for Illuvitar made visible the song of the Ainur and they beheld it as a light in the darkness. And many among them became enamoured of its beauty, and of its history which they saw beginning and unfolding as in a vision. Therefore Illuvittar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the Void, and the Secret Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World - and it was called Ea


Pauses for breath. Tricky passage because the subject keeps changing.


English:


In the beginning Eru, the One, (who in the language of the elves is named Illuvitar), [AHA] having made the Ainur out of his thought, made visible the Great Music which they sang before him, in which the world was begun - because, [AHA]beholding it as light in darkness, Many among them of it's beauty and histpru (which they saw beginning and unfolding as in a vision) became so enamoured,[result] that Illuvitar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the Void, and sent the Secret Fire, named Ea, was sent to[purpose] burn at the heart of the World.

Latin:


In principio Eru, qui in linguam Quendorum Illuvitar nominantur, Sanctos suae animae fecit; et ei ingens Carmen apud eum fecerunt. In hoc Carmenis Orbis inceptus est, quia Illuvitar Carmen Sanctorum patefecitque ei velut lux in tenebris intuitus sunt. Multi eorum formam eiusque historiam deamaverunt quam ortamque ??????? velut imagem viderunt.

Pass 2:

Since my first attempt, my Latin teacher has provided me with a host of stuff on translation, and I've attempted to be a little more strict in my translation, particularly in terms of making the clauses fit together. I've managed to cut it down to two sentences, tho I'm sure an expert could go further.

In the beginning Eru, the One, (who in the language of the elves is named Illuvitar), [AHA] having made the Ainur out of his thought, made visible the Great Music which they sang before him. Many among them, seeing it as light amidst the darkness) of it's beauty and histpru (which they saw beginning and unfolding as in a vision) became so enamoured,[result] that Illuvitar (having given to their vision Being) set it amid the Void, and sent the Secret Fire, named Ea, to[purpose] burn at the heart of the World.

Pass 2:

Eru in principio qui Quendis nomine Illuvitar, Sanctis factis suae animae, ingens Carmen(nt object) quod fecerunt apud eum patefecit. Multi eorum intuiti velut lux in tenebris formam eiusque historiam quam ortamque ??????? velut imagem viderunt, tot deamaverunt ut Illuvitar,

??? = "and unfolding", need to find something.

Names:


"Quendus, Quendorum" - an elf

I'm pretending "Quendi", the regular plural word for elves, is a second declension noun, as in anni, pueri, servi et al, and invented the word "quendus" as the natural singular nominative for an elf. The Romans don't really have an equivalent concept - my dictionary gives elf as "deus" - god, and as far as my myth lore goes, all Roman nymphs, sylphs and mystical beings are regarded as related to the divine. That doesn't quite gel with Tolkien's mythology. This could cause havoc later on, as I may ultimately have to work out whether he means the Noldor, Teleri, Sindar, Avari, Calaquendi e.t.c. every time he uses the word "elves". But for now, it looks like good Latin. Elf is a significantly important word that I will have to use a lot.

Eru - not a word used terribly often in the Silmarillion, so probably won't need to worry. If I do, pretending it's 4th Declension like genu seems best.

Illuvitar - in absence of a better plan, I will be treating this like the Greek noun "aer", because it is effectively a word translated into Latin.

Ainu, Ainur - I could treat Ainu like genu, but in this case it seems best to render it as the literal meaning "Sanctus, Sancti", or Holy Ones. An alternative might be to refer to them as Angeli, but I'm not sure that angel isn't a too specific word. Without doing proper research into whether Tolkien envisaged the Ainur as minor gods, angels or something else entirely, it's not something I want to be specific about.

Notes:

"In principio" was pinched directly from St Jerome. Previously, I'd used "primo" (too workmanlike?) and "In initium". I'm still fond of the latter.

"the one" is a translation of Eru, so I omitted it, basically because Eru Unus just seemed off. This is a decision I might change on though.

I am seriously unhappy with "multi eorum", because even though it seems fine - many + partative genitive - it looks like pidgin latin. This may be because multi is an adjective, and I'm using it as a noun.

Things I've learnt:
deamare - be enamoured of
intueor, eri, itus - look at, contemplate, admire
patefacio, facere, feci, factum - open up, disclose
incipio, ere, epi, eptum - to begin

I have decided, whenever possible, and in the absence of any better ideas, to retain Tolkien's original names and treat them as Latin nouns. Much in the way the Romans pinched Greek nouns.

I will be much obliged to anyone with authority on this topic giving me some direction

I picked this passage deliberately, not just because it's a gorgeous bit of writing, but because the clauses appear to be a right bitch. There's gonna be subordinates and subjunctives all over the shop. Nothing like a challenge, eh...It's also direct speech, and doesn't have too many names, and is shorter than Hurin.

Silmarillion
"Yet if it stands but a little while, then out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men. This I say to you, lord, with the eyes of death: though we part here forever, and I shall not look on your white walls again, from you and from me a new star shall arise. Farewell!"
-Huor to Turgon at the Battle of Unnumbered Tears

English
No1 = conditional clause (basic, I think)
Yet IF it continues to stand for a little while, THEN the hope of Elves and Men shall come out of your house.

Lord, I speak to you with the eyes of death (a slight change in meaning, which means I don't have to use reported speech for the next bit. I think. Also, I'm not sure how far "I say this to you: reported" is used in Latin)

No . 2 = concessive clause (using quamquam because again, I don't want to cope with the subjunctive just yet)
THOUGH we are about to part here forever, and I am not going to look on your white walls again, from you and me a new star shall arise.

Farewell - the easy bit

Latin

"attamen si paulisper manet, spes OF ELVESque hominum ex tuo domo veniet. Domine, ad te providentia moriturorum dico - quamquam semper divellebimusque non iterum ad tuos muros candidos spectabo, stella nova nobis oriabitur. Vale"
Huor Turgontem inter Innumeras Lacrimas

moriturorum - nasty word, check this is correct.

Notes
I mean "domus" in the sense of family - apparently, the Romans use house with the same double meaning as we do.

Playing with the clauses turned out to be pretty easy, compared with"Eyes of death", a tricky Tolkien thing - it's the prophecy given those soon to die. I'm not sure my rather too literal translation works in Latin - did the Romans have this concept?

Domine, ad te morituris oculis dico
"Lord, I speak to you with eyes about to die" - literal, but weird in Latin

Domine, ad te moriturus dico
"Lord, I speak to you about to die" - better sense, but loses the foresight.

Domine, ad te id quod erit moriturus dico
"Lord, about to die I say to you what will be" - now this is more like it, but I'm not confident of my use of "id quod erit"

Domine, ad te providentia mortis dico
"Lord, I speak with the foresight of death" - not sure about mortis

Domine, ad te providentia moriturorum dico
"Lord, I speak with the foresight of those about to die" - this is genuinely what I want to say, I think. It seems most "latin-y", though "moriturorum" is an ugly word I must have got wrong.

Questions
"From you and me a new star shall arise". Should this be future - something he knows will happen - or is it optative subjunctive, something he hopes for?

I've used a direct translation of lord - "domine", but did the Romans use the word Lord in the same way as Huor here means it? As an address to someone of higher rank? It has such a religious connotation for me, it seems somehow wrong.

"moriuturorum" and "oriabitur" both sound wrong to me. So what's the correct forms?

What have I learnt?

Paulisper - for a little while
Divello, ellere, elli - sepa$rate

There are three sorts of conditionals:

Basic - when the consequence will definitely follow the condition (Both parts indicative)

Foggy - where the consequence might or might not follow the condition (Primary subjunctives (present or perfect) in both parts)

Contrary to fact - where the condition is not fufilled (If I had known, I would have come myself) (Historic subjunctives (imperfect or pluperfect) in both parts)

This is my favourite passage from the entire book, and it's a mighty piece of writing indeed. Everything sounds better in Latin - even my Latin - and this is just great. I've been toying with a translation for years, but there's a lot of it and I have a low attention span. Expect plenty of mistakes here.

Silmarillion:

Last of all Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it withered, and each time that he slew Húrin cried: 'Aurë entuluva! Day shall come again!' Seventy times he uttered that cry; but they took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth, for the Orcs grappled him with their hands, which clung to him still though he hewed off their arms; and ever their numbers were renewed, until at last he fell buried beneath them. Then binding him, they dragged him to Angband with mockery.

Oh yeah...

English: Last of all Húrin stood alone. Then he threw away his shield, and wielded an axe with two hands, and it is sung that (REPORTED SPEECH!) the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it was withered,and each time that he slew Húrin cried: 'Aurë entuluva! Day shall come again!' He uttered that cry Seventy times; but they took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth, because so many Orcs grappled him with their hands (which clung to him though he chopped off their arms),and ever their numbers were renewed, that at last he fell buried beneath them. Then they dragged him to Angbad with mockery.

Latin
Postremo stetit solus Hurin. Tum scutum iacuit securimque duobus manibus vibravit et dicitur securis in cruore nigero praesidii beluae OF GOTHMOG fumavisse donec tostus esse et EACH TIME interfecisse eum exclamavisse "Aure entuluva! Dies veniat!" Septuagiens conclamavit; at denique ab imperio MORGOTH adhuc viventem capiverunt, quia tot ORCS, eum manibus adhaeresibus etsi membra eorum cecidit luctabantur ut sub eis denique cadeat. Tum ludubrio vinctum ad ANGBAND traxit.

Notes:
You'll see I've tried some of the ole word painting with the first line. Seems punchy to me. After that, I was far too busy worrying about clauses to think about it. I've highlighted all the names and nouns I need to find a translation for - no point in muddling through for now, because if I'm gonna do the lot (she said) these are all words which I will need a lot.

"wield" is a particularly useless Tolkien word, which was hard to find an adequate translation for. Also, I don't think the Romans used axes in warfare, hence a rather bizzare use of "securis" which appears to be more of an agricultural implement. There is probably an author I can look up, who describes fighting enemies with axes, to see what he says.

I did briefly have a meaning dilemma. Was it sung that both the axe smoked and every time he cried, or was it just the axe smoking? I decided to put "day shall come again" into reported speech, as strictly no one was there to see any of this.

"at denique viventem capiverunt" - does this need an "eum" as well? One of the things which always catches me out when translating from Latin is the sneaky fact that participles are used in place of people, so I see no reason why I shouldn't try too.

Questions:

How do you wield something with two hands in latin? Is it just manibus duobus, or is there a special phrase?

Is there a good idiom for "every time"?

Should the entire second half of the passage be in reported speech? I gave up on it, demoralised by my dodgy latin. But if that is strictly what I should be doing, then I'm happy to give it a go. After all, no one was here to see this.

What I've learnt:

Scutum - nt - shield
Securis - f - axe
Vibro, are, avi, atum - wave, brandish
Cano, ere, cecini - sing of
Torreo, ere, ui, tostum - wither, scorch (I wonder whether our word "toasted" comes from the passive infinitive here, "tostum" - to have been scorched?)
Fumo, are - to smoke
Cruor, m - blood (sounded better than sanguinis, not sure why)
Ater, niger and sordidus - different shades of black
Praesidium, -i - guard
Custodia, f, - guard
Luctor, ari - to grapple
Adhaerere - cling
Vincio, cire, xi, ctum

The optative subjunctive expresses wishes, often with utinam (negative ne)
Present and perfect are used for a wish for the future
Imperfect are used for a wish that something were so now
And the pluperfect a wish that somehting had been so in the past.

In indirect statement: Present infinitive used in place of present verbs, future for future, perfect for anything in the past. If the word introducing indirect speech is passive (though not deponant), the subject stays in the nominative - which is why I've got securis, not securim after "dicitur"

In addition, I found a nasty set of verbs:
Iaceo, ere, ui - to lie
Iacio, ere, ieci, iactum - to throw
Iacto, are, avi, atum - to toss about

I don't have my copy of the Silmarillion with me, so I'm going to be working with random passages I've dug up on the internet. Plus, isolated chunks are less intimidating than starting chapter one, page one, verse one: Creation of the Universe, like I did first time.

Silmarillion:
"Hail Eärendil, of mariners most renowned, the looked for that cometh at unawares, the longed for that cometh beyond hope! Hail Eärendil, bearer of the light before the Sun and Moon! Splendour of the Children of Earth, star in the darkness, jewel in the sunset, radiant in the morning!" -Eönwë to Eärendil upon his arrival in Valinor

Or, to put it in plain English: The hardest part of Latin translation is actually working out what the author is trying to say. It's no use just translating the words, you've got to translate the meaning. I make it something like this:

Hail Earendil, most renowned of mariners, who comes unawares
Having been looked for, who comes beyond hope
Having been longed for.
Hail Earendil,
Bearer of the light before the Sun adn moon,
Splendor of the Childen of earth,
Star in the darkness,
Jewel in the sunset,
Raidiant in the morning

Latin: Ave Earendil, praeclarissimus nautarum, qui quaestus inopinato cupitus desperatus spes venit! Ave Earendil, baiulus lucis ante solemque lunam, splendour liberorum terrestris, stella in tenebris, gemma in solis occasis, splendidus mane.

Edit: if you check the comments, you'll see someone has pointed out a major error in my latin - I've forgotten to put Earendil in the vocative - all the description which comes after is in the nominative instead. I'm also interested that their suggested translation repeats the "qui", which is something I'd wondered about myself, seeing as skipping it would be natural in English - but you never know with foreign idioms. And finally, noticing that spes is female, not male, and that it should be "desperata" not "desperatus", and the whole thing should be in the ablative anyway. Ah well. That's what this is about: learning more Latin. I therefore offer a revised translation:

Ave Earendil, praeclarissime nautarum, qui quaeste inopinato qui cupite spe desperata venit. Ave Earendil, baiule lucis ante solemque lunam, splendour liberorum terrestris, stella in tenebris, gemma in solis occasis, splendide mane.

Does that sound better?

Notes: This took a good hour at least, maybe longer. But I'm satisfied with the result. I do have my doubts about the qui clause, however - specifically my use of participles. "Earendil" is just Earendil for now. According to wikipedia, the best source I could find on the matter, latinisation of names can either be a sheer treating the foreign name as latin, or a translation of its meaning. It strikes me it's best to use one rule for the whole book, but until I pick one I'm going with leaving names as they are. Incidentally, Ear-endil is "Sea lover", so for a latin version I'd have to crush amans maris into a sensible name.

What I've learnt:

Tenebrae - fpl - "darkness"
Gemma - f - jewel
Inopinato - adverb - unawares, unexpected
Solis occasus - m - sunset
Solis ortus - m -sunrise
Baiulus - m - bearer
Spes - f - hope

All perfect participles are passive, except (ironically, irritatingly), deponants which are active second declension vocatives take -e!

All comments, criticisms and corrections are welcomed

Over the past few years, I've been trying to translate the Silmarillion into Latin. I'm starting from scratch, again, and putting the progress on the internet as I go.

All posts will include a discussion of how I got there, comments and criticism are strongly requested and much appreciated.

For those of you still asking "why...",


1) Intellectual challenge. Why shouldn't one of the world's loveliest books be put into one of the world's loveliest languages?

a) Why the Silmarillion, not Lord of the Rings? Because it's a lot shorter, and there are less colloquialisms which Latin might not cover.

b) Why Latin, not Quenya? Quenya was the original plan, but there are nowhere near enough words. You'd have to cut or seriously compromise huge chunks of it.

2) pride. A quick browse of the web shows I'm still the only person attempting this.

3) brush up my Latin. I'm at university, and I won't pretend that reading my translation will be a pleasant experience for either Latin experts or Romans. I've already been confronted by the question "are you going to use Classical or Ciceronian Latin?", to which I could only confess I had no idea there was a difference. It's a learning exercise, not likely to approach publication.

But I invite you also to come and learn with me.

Especially if you could provide me of a copy of this article... :)
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tolkien_studies/v003/3.1doughan.html