Monday, August 23, 2010

Patroclus and Achilles - Take Four


Dūrīs, Achille, ex cautibus et gelū
numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec
dīrae bucīnae nuntiantēs
Dardana tēla fugasse nostrōs;

nec celsa virtus nunc morientium?
vallō minātur Trōica pīneō
pūbēs, resistet firma porta
illa diū neque fortis Ājax.

silvās velut cum flamma vorat, velut
nīvēs perennēs Thrēiciae cadunt
sīc ista saevit semper īra
rōbora quā pereunt Achaea.

Born of the hard rock, Achilles,
and of ice never-dissolved,
do neither the dread trumpets
move you, announcing that
Dardan weapons have put our own to flight,

nor the lofty courage of the dying?
Trojan youth now threaten the pine-wood
rampart, nor will that firm gate,
nor brave Ajax long withstand (them).

As when a fire devours forests, like
Thracian snows fall, year-round,
so does your anger ever rage,
for which the picked men of Achaea perish.


Sunday, August 22, 2010





Patroclus and Achilles - Take Three







Dūrīs, Achille ex cautibus et gelū
numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec
vōcēs bucīnae nōn valentēs
rōbora nec moritūra Achaea?

vī pugnat Ājax Hectoreae tenax
vallō et minātur Trōica pīneō
pūbēs, resistet firma postis
ille diū neque fortis hērōs.

silvās velut cum flamma vorat; velut
nīvēs perennēs Thrēiciae cadunt
ignis furōris semper ardet,
nunc animōs ruit iste nostrōs.


"Achilles, born of the hard crags, born
of ice never-dissolved,
Do neither the failing calls of the war-trumpet,
nor Achaea's picked troops, about to die,
move you?

Stubborn Ajax fights 'gainst Hector's might,
and the Trojan youth threaten the pine-wood
rampart. Now the firm door post will not,
nor will that brave hero, resist for long.

As when a fire devours forests; as
the Thracian snows fall, year-round,
so does the fire of your rage e'er blaze,
(and) now it lays our courage low."

Friday, August 20, 2010

Patroclus to Achilles
Alternative Stanzas
(2)

Altīs, Achille ex rūpibus et gelū
numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec
vōcēs bucīnae nōn valentēs
rōbora nec moritūra Achaea?

Born of the high crags and never-dissolving frost
do neither these failing calls of the war trumpet,
nor the picked troops of Greece, about to die,
move you?


Patroclus to Achilles
alternative first stanzas

(1)
Ō nāte dūrā ex caute, leōnibus
nūtrīte, flectī cor sine ferreum
ut fonte pūrō cum minūta est
flamma, furensve fugātus Auster...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010




Patroclus Achillem orat, ut īram dēponat
Patroclus begs Achilles to put aside his anger (Revised Version)
in Alcaics


"Ō nāte dūrā ex rūpe, leōnibus
nutrīte, mollīrī sine tē, precor,
ut fonte pūrō cum minūta est
flamma, furensve fugātus Auster

maris potentī; nam cohibet manūs
vī turma Grāiās Hectoreā tenax:
Lux nostra, nunc exstingue saevum
rōbora quō pereunt Achaea

furōris ignem, tē morientium
clāmor, bucīna et admoneat gravis
nōn sustinērī posse Phoebo
tēla diū Lycia adiuvante."

O, born of the harsh cliff, nourished

by lions, allow yourself to be won over,

I pray, as when fire has been lessened

by clear water, or raging Auster


put to flight by Neptune. For a squadron,

tenacious thanks to Hector’s might,

hems in the Greek forces.

O our light, now quench the fire


of savage anger, through which

the flower of Achaea perish.

Let the cry of the dying, and the

deep-pitched trumpet now remind you

that Lycian spears cannot be sustained

for long, with Phoebus helping (them).