Page:On translating Homer (1905).djvu/189

 Ὅστις ἐπετράφθη τέμενος πίστει βασιλῆος, φημί τοι, οὗτος ἀνὴρ οὔτ' ἂρ τρέμει οὔτε φοβεῖται· δὴ μάλα γάρ ῥα ἑὰς κρατέοι κεν ἐσαιὲν ἀρούρας:

I rather think the following would be a fair prose rendering: 'Whoso hath been entrusted with a demesne under pledge with the king (I tell you); this man neither trembleth (you see) nor feareth: for (look ye!) he (verily) may hold (you see) his lands for ever'.

Since Mr Arnold momentarily appeals to me on the chasm between Attic and Homeric Greek, I turn the last piece into a style ''far less'' widely separated from modern English than Homer from Thucydides.

Dat mon, quhich hauldeth Kyngis-af Londis yn féo, niver (I tell 'e) feereth aught; sith hee Doth hauld hys londis yver.

I certainly do not recommend this style to a translator, yet it would have its advantage. Even with a smaller change of dialect it would aid us over Helen's self-piercing denunciation, 'approaching to Christian penitence', as some have judged it.

Quoth she, I am a gramsome bitch, If woman bitch may bee.

But in behalf of the poet I must avow: when one considers how dramatic he is, it is marvellous how little in him can offend.