Wednesday, November 03, 2004

De dementia belli: from the Latin of Lucan: Pharsalia I.1-16


We sing of war that is worse than civil 
waged on the plains of Emathia,
and of legality conferred on crime; 
of a mighty people who began to turn, 
with all dexterity, to gutting itself; 
of blood hatred between citizens; and how, 
in the sequel of tyranny’s broken contract, 
the shocked powers of the world then stood
guilty and exposed; and standards concussed 
standards, and eagles crashed into eagles,
and javelins everywhere just going berserk... 
What febrile turpitude, O citizens! 
O countrymen! what vicious lapping and plunging! 
To the people of nations hateful to us 
you made a spectacle of Roman gore: 
our deaths to entertain the enemy! 
And all the while proud Babylon stood ripe 
for spoliation (but no you couldn't be bothered),
and all the while the ghost of Crassus skulked 
lonely and unavenged. I know not why, 
but it pleased you better to wage unwinnable wars. 
 And now look: so much blood on Roman hands… 
How much sea and land might that have bought! 
Zones where the Titan comes, where Night sifts 
recondite stars, where the midday is full 
of fragrant burning air… 



 line 3: the translator is not ashamed to say he could not improve on J. D. Duff's translation of iusque datum sceleri (Harvard UP, 1928).

[ November 3, 2004 ]

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