Epigramma scripta a Richardo Crashaw . . .
. . . in convivium nuptiale Canae. Bella, praecipue imago ultimi versus. Crashaw sic scripsit:
Unde ruber vestris, et non sua purpura, lymphis?
Quae rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas?
Numen, convivae, praesens agnoscite Numen:
Nympha pudica Deum vidit et erubuit.
Quae rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas?
Numen, convivae, praesens agnoscite Numen:
Nympha pudica Deum vidit et erubuit.
posted by JWY | 11:44 PM
8 Comments:
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I attempted to be a bit poetic but it was impossible as I wasn't sure if I was putting the right words! I can be completely wrong, so please let me know what the original translation is!
(the last line I knew because it is so famous)
"Unde ruber vestris, et non sua purpura lymphis? Quae rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas? Numen (convivae) praesens agnoscite Numen: Nympha pudica Deum vidit et erubuit."
where your red, and not purple from water? which rose you admire changes so new water? Present God (of guests) recognises God: the modest water saw its God and blushed
I think this is how it goes. Sad that I can't say for sure, but I think this is how it goes. The last line, you nailed; it is great, isn't it?
"Whence this red, and a purple not its own?
What rose, so new, changes the water?
The Lord of the feast is here, acknowledge the divinity:
The modest water saw its God and blushed."
That's a horrible translation, but I think it captures the literal meaning of the words, more or less. I was rather free with the first line, but in the other lines I translated all the words.
Sic ad litteram anglice:
Whence the redness in your waters, and a purple not their own? What such new pinkness changes the astonished waters? The Deity, O guests, recognize the Deity present! The modest Nymph saw God and blushed.
Versatio tua bella est; cogito autem quod in ultimo tuo versu, "The modest Nymph saw God and blushed", illa significatio verbi "nymph" perditur legentibus hodiernis; utique videtur sonare aliquam rem, puram paganam, sed paganis, possit quoque sonare aquam.
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Versio mea ad litteram est! Mihi Nympha placet (!), et etiam lectoribus originalibus pagana sonabat; vere notio dearum in aqua habitantium minime Christiana est. Scriptores autem illius aevi, sicut Crashaw, mundum ut dicunt classicum amabant, et eum baptizare, ut ita dicam, conabantur. Nolo autem scandalizare lectores, sed personificatio feminina in illo ultimo versu conservanda est: forse: "Bashful Lady Water saw her God and blushed"?
Ecclesiastes, gratias tibi pro bonis verbis tuis et acutis cogitationibus ago de hac re. Nunc video quid te appulit versationi tuae verbi "Nympha." Habes, ut ita dicam, bonum punctum.
De hoc baptizando paganum mundum, cursum apud Cornell dudum habui qui vocatus est "Baptizing Aristoleian Science?" Cogito ergo te aptam locutionem uti.
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