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Category Archives: Greek Translation

Second Century A.D., Pleading letter from a son to his mother

17 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by memoirandremains in Greek, Greek Translation, New Testament Background, Uncategorized

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Greek, Greek Translation

The letter is found in Loeb vol. 266, Select Papyri and is number 120, “From a Penitent Son.” The translation and notes below are my own.

Antonius Longus

To his mother

tê mêtri: The article functions as a possessive pronoun: literally, the mother

many/much greeting(s).

I’m really happy to write to you!

I am always praying that you will be healthy.

Kai dia pantos euchomai. The thought is parallel to Paul’s greeting: 1 Thessalonians 1:2 (ESV), “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.” The word for prayer in the letter emphasizes a pray for something. It has the connotation of wish: I want this for you.

I perform worship to Lord Serapis every single day.

Kat’ aikastên êmairan. I’m not quite sure what the word in modifying daily means, because it does not appear in the BDAG or the LSJ. From the context, I think it must be emphatic. Serapis was associated with healing.

I wish you to know that I did not hope to come to the metropolis

Hope: elipzô. A future anticipation. Again, some guess work here on how to translate this concept: it could be “expect”, as the Loeb has it.  But this young man sounds more pathetic and pleading than that. He could not even hope to be near his mother.

This is the reason that I did not come to the city.

Charein: reason, on this cause.

I felt shame to come to Karanis, because I walked around in an evil state.

He uses a verb which is not listed in the BDAG or the LSJ. It is built off of the word which mean “modesty” (he says he is naked, which would immodest); but the emphasis is worse here. His “evil state” could be “rotten” or disgusting. “I didn’t want to see you, because I’m disgusting.”

I wrote to you that I am naked.

The “I wrote” is spelled with an “ai” rather than an “ê”. The letter contains a number of such unusual spellings.

        I beg you mother, consider how I am.

Loeb has “be reconciled with me.” What verb he means here is unclear. There are two possible words based upon the spelling. One word me divide by lot, therefore (share) an inheritance. There is also the verb to consider.

It’s my fault. I have learned the right lesson from all this.

Literally, For the rest, I know that for myself I have caused [this]. I have learned that which is fit.

I know that I have done wrong.

Loeb has “I have sinned.” It is the verb translated in the NT as “sin”. But I am not certain that the theological connotation of the word is fitting here. The word means to err, miss the mark.

I heard about you from [name is missing]; that you were found in Arsinoite.  He [?] told me all about you.

He spoke of you accurately.

Don’t you know that I would rather be crippled than that I should someone else even a dollar?

The money is an “obol”. Crippled could be maimed, disfigured. This last bit rings true to life. Having spoke of himself pitifully throughout he ends with a final justification. I am guessing that acted foolishly, lost everything and is priding himself on not being debt — now.

Euripides, Hebuca.2

04 Saturday Mar 2017

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Euripides, Greek Translation, Hebuca, poem, Poetry

Lines 11-20

My father quietly sent a fortune

In gold with me, that should the Illian wall

Crash down, those living would not lack for life.

I was the youngest son of Priam’s house

And he sent me secretly from the land.

Of course, I did not carry any arms

Not even a lance, so young were my arms.

For as long as the boundaries stood secure,

The Towers of Troy upright and unshattered,

And Hector my brother’s spear saw good luck,

Then that man, my father’s Thracian friend,

Well cared for me, so I raised up like a tree.

 

πολὺν δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ χρυσὸν ἐκπέμπει λάθρᾳ

πατήρ, ἵνʼ, εἴ ποτʼ Ἰλίου τείχη πέσοι,

τοῖς ζῶσιν εἴη παισὶ μὴ σπάνις βίου.

νεώτατος δʼ ἦ Πριαμιδῶν, ὃ καί με γῆς

ὑπεξέπεμψεν· οὔτε γὰρ φέρειν ὅπλα

[15] οὔτʼ ἔγχος οἷός τʼ ἦ νέῳ βραχίονι.

ἕως μὲν οὖν γῆς ὄρθʼ ἔκειθʼ ὁρίσματα

πύργοι τʼ ἄθραυστοι Τρωικῆς ἦσαν χθονὸς

Ἕκτωρ τʼ ἀδελφὸς οὑμὸς εὐτύχει δορί,

καλῶς παρʼ ἀνδρὶ Θρῃκὶ πατρῴῳ ξένῳ

[20] τροφαῖσιν ὥς τις πτόρθος ηὐξόμην, τάλας·

 

Euripides, Euripidis Fabulae, Ed. Gilbert Murray, Vol. 1, ed. Gilbert Murray (Medford, MA: Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1902).

 

 

Euripides, Hecuba.1

02 Thursday Mar 2017

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Euripides, Greek, Greek Translation, Hecuba, poem, Poetry

Here is the first lines of Polydorus’ introduction to the play Hecuba.

Polydorus

I have come, leaving the depths of the dead,

From the Dark Gates, where Hades dwells apart

From other gods. I am Polydorus

The son of Hecuba, of Cisseus;

Priam my father. After Priam feared

That danger from the Hellenes spear would fall

Upon the Phrygian City of Troy,

He secretly sent me from our land

To the home of his Thracian guest-friend

Polymenstor, who farms Chersone’s fair plain

And rules a horse-loving people by spear.

 

Πολυδώρου εἴδωλον

Ἥκω νεκρῶν κευθμῶνα καὶ σκότου πύλας

λιπών, ἵνʼ Ἅιδης χωρὶς ᾤκισται θεῶν,

Πολύδωρος, Ἑκάβης παῖς γεγὼς τῆς Κισσέως

Πριάμου τε πατρός, ὅς μʼ, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλιν

[5] κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ,

δείσας ὑπεξέπεμψε Τρωικῆς χθονὸς

Πολυμήστορος πρὸς δῶμα Θρῃκίου ξένου,

ὃς τήν<δʼ> ἀρίστην Χερσονησίαν πλάκα

σπείρει, φίλιππον λαὸν εὐθύνων δορί.

 

Euripides, Euripidis Fabulae, Ed. Gilbert Murray, Vol. 1, ed. Gilbert Murray (Medford, MA: Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1902).

 

 

Iphigenia in Aulis (Euripides)

25 Saturday Feb 2017

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Euripides, Greek Translation, poem, Poetry

In this scene, the slave of Agamemnon is carrying a letter which could jeopardize the progress of the Greek armed trip against Troy (it is to stop the sacrifice of Agamemnon’s daughter to satisfy Artemis). Menelaus, the husband of Helen, and thus the one who most personally desires the war against Troy, stops the slave and tries to take the letter away from him.

It is interesting how strong the slave stands against a king in this short scene. The original Greek is set forth below the translation. As the original is verse, I worked the translation out as blank verse. I have tried to maintain some of the wordplay of Euripides.

 

Slave:

Menelaus, dang’rously you dare

Such things as you should never dare.

 

Menelaus

Back off: you’re far too loyal to your lord.

 

Slave:

Honor for me by your spite to be despised

 

Menelaus:

Tears for you if you do such things as you

Should never do.

 

Slave:

                                    It’s not for you to pry

Into this message which here I bear.

 

Menelaus:

Nor you to bear this evil for the Greeks.

 

Slave:

Others will contend about these things

But you, release this scroll to me.

 

Menelaus:

I will never move.

 

Slave:

                                    I will never go.

 

Menelaus:

Well then, my scepter soon will bleed your crown.

 

Slave:

What fame to die in service of my lord.

 

Menelaus:

Such big words for such a slave to spout –move!

 

Slave:

O Master, we shall be defamed — the letter!

By violence torn, without the will of right,

From out my very hand, Agamemnon.

 

 

Πρεσβύτης

Μενέλαε, τολμᾷς δείνʼ, ἅ σʼ ουʼ τολμᾶν χρεών.

Μενέλαος

ἄπελθε· λίαν δεσπόταισι πιστὸς εἶ.

Πρεσβύτης

[305] καλόν γέ μοι τοὔνειδος ἐξωνείδισας.

Μενέλαος

κλαίοις ἄν, ειʼ πράσσοις ἃ μὴ πράσσειν σε δεῖ.

Πρεσβύτης

ουʼ χρῆν σε λῦσαι δέλτον, ἣν ἐγὼ ʼφερον.

Μενέλαος

οὐδέ γε φέρειν σὲ πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν κακά.

Πρεσβύτης

ἄλλοις ἁμιλλῶ ταῦτʼ· ἄφες δὲ τήνδʼ ἐμοί.

Μενέλαος

[310] οὐκ ἂν μεθείμην.

Πρεσβύτης

οὐδʼ ἔγωγʼ ἀφήσομαι.

Μενέλαος

σκήπτρῳ τάχʼ ἆρα σὸν καθαιμάξω κάρα.

Πρεσβύτης

ἀλλʼ εὐκλεές τοι δεσποτῶν θνῄσκειν ὕπερ.

Μενέλαος

μέθες· μακροὺς δὲ δοῦλος ὢν λέγεις λόγους.

Πρεσβύτης

ὦ δέσποτʼ, ἀδικούμεσθα. σὰς δʼ ἐπιστολὰς

[315] ἐξαρπάσας ὅδʼ ἐκ χερῶν ἐμῶν βίᾳ,

Ἀγάμεμνον, οὐδὲν τῇ δίκῃ χρῆσθαι θέλει.

 

Euripides, Euripidis Fabulae, Ed. Gilbert Murray, Vol. 3, ed. Gilbert Murray (Medford, MA: Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1913).

Marcus Aurelius, The Emperor to Himself (Meditations), Book 1 Complete

19 Monday Dec 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Greek, Greek Translation, Marcus Aurelius, Philosophy, Uncategorized

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Greek, Greek Translation, Marcus Aurelius, Philosophy, Stoicism

A translation of book 1 of The Emperor to Himself , a principle source text for the philosophy of Stoicism may be found here: meditations-book-1

Rather than a discussion of how to live, Marcus begins with a discussion of what he has received from others (friends, family and the gods).

Marcus Aurelius, End of Book One, 17.8-9

16 Friday Dec 2016

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Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Philosophy

Whenever I was inclined to help someone in poverty or any other need, I never heard that there was no money from which I could supply the need; yet it never fell out that I needed to receive something like that from another person.

That my wife was so quick to listen, so affectionate, so unaffected!

There were always enough tutors for my children to thrive.

That by means of dreams it was given the aid to not spit blood nor suffer vertigo; and that in Caieta: “just as needed.”

And that once I desired philosophy, I did not fall into the hands of any sophist, nor sit with the authors, nor untie syllogisms, nor concern myself with meteorology. Fro all these things need the gods help and good luck.

Among the Quadi at the Granua.

Greek Text and Notes:

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Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 17.5-6, A Life According to Nature

14 Wednesday Dec 2016

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Greek, Greek Translation, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Philosophy

I came quickly to appoint honors for those who cared for me, which they certainly desired me to do. I didn’t ignore their hope for such help from me, because they were also young.

I had a clear understanding of life according to Nature and of what it entails:  in as much as depends upon the gods and the communications from them, their assistance and inspiration; and there was nothing to hinder me from a life which accords with Nature; so that failure was my own fault — and also from not paying careful attention to the reminders (almost the instructions) of the gods .

Greek Text and Notes:

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Marcus Aurelius, Book I, 17.4, Family Matters

13 Tuesday Dec 2016

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Greek, Greek Text, Greek Translation, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The previous section of this translation may be found here

I happened to have such a brother who always able to help me have proper concern for myself; and also to cheer me with respect and love.

That my children were not born stupid or deformed.

That I didn’t make more progress in rhetoric or poetry — other like concerns — because if I did I would have been consumed by them if I thought I was doing well.

Greek Text and Notes:

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Marcus Aurelius Book I, 17.3: An Emperor’s Style

06 Sunday Nov 2016

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Greek Translation, humility, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Modesty, politics

A lot of this advice concerns one presentation at court, the way one looks as an emperor. With the election coming up, it is interesting to see how an actual emperor thought it right to live. He thanks the gods that he learned from his father:

17.3:

To be governed by a lord and father, who was able to drive off all my vanity; and who led me to the worthy understanding that one is able to live at court and not need body guards, or stunning clothes, or torches and statutes and such-like — nor any other such boasts. That one was able to live much like a private citizen — while not neglecting nor passing over the obligations of public rule.

Greek Text and Notes Below the Break: 

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Background on a riot at Ephesus

05 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Acts, Greek, Greek Translation, Uncategorized

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Acts, Acts 19, Antipater, Ephesus, Greek Anthology, Greek Translation, Paul

Temple-of-Artemis

Acts 19 records a riot in Ephesus. The work of Paul in Ephesus led to a decline in the idolatrous worship of Artemis. The worshippers of Artemis took great offense at the declining worship of their goddess and proceeded to riot; but like all riots, “most of them did not know why they had come together.”

Antipater says the beauty of that temple outshone all other wonders of the world:

I have gazed upon the towering walls of Babylon, where chariots raced;
And upon the Zeus of Alpheus
And upon the hanging gardens
And upon the Colossus of the Sun
And upon endless work for towering pyramids;
But when I saw
The divine house of Artemis,
They all did fade away:
Apart from Olympus itself,
The sun never gazed upon such a sight.

 

Greek Anthology, Book IX, number 58.

Here is the record of the riot:

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