Lecture One
On Verse Translation
I. Part One: On Verse Translation
1. Marcus Tullius Cicero (马尔库斯·图留斯·西塞罗，106 B.C.-43 B.C.)[荷马史诗《奥德赛》译者]
His opinions on translation:
Translate not as an interpreter, but as an orator, keeping the same ideas and forms,
namely, the figures of thought;
In language, conform to our usage; not hold it necessary to render word for word,
but preserve the general style and force of the language;
Count the words out to the reader like coins, but pay them by weight;
Translate flexibly to make the version superior to the original.
2. Quintus Horatius flaccus (贺拉斯，65 B.C.-8 B.C.)[诗人、翻译家]
His opinions on translation:
Do not be a literal translator, faithfully rendering word for word from the original
language;
A translator who is faithful to the original will not translate word for word.
3. St. Jerome (347?-420)
In literary translation, he translated the original into his own language by conquest.
4. Gavin Douglas (1475-1522) [A famous Scot poet and literary translator]
Flexible and free translation rather than literal translation;
5. Nicolas Grimald (1519-1562) [A poet and translator; A translator of Cicero’s works]
The Version should be as concise as the original so as to keep the complete original style;
The faithfulness to the original should be the top principle of translation;
6. George Chapman (1559-1634) [poet, translator of Greek classics]
Against rigid word-for-word translation;
Against over-free translation. (two extremes)
7. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
Translate the poetry in essay style;
(What is the essence of poetry? Something left after the original poem has been
translated into the version in the form of essay; the poetic form is nothing but shining
outer ornament or decoration.)
8. John Denham (1615-1669) [A famous translator in the 17th century;A poet and
literary critics]
No faithfulness in verse translation;
Translate poetry in form of poetry;
Faithful to the original meaning rather than the original form;
Add something new to compensate for the loss aroused by the alteration of the times, languages, and places.
9. Abraham Cowley (1618-1667)[An important poet, critic, and translator; Famous for
his translation of pindar’s poems]
It’s ridiculous to translate a poem literally;
Recreate freely with the original theme to make the version superior or equal to the
original.
10. Wentworth Dillon, earl of Roscommon (1633-1685)[A poet and translator; His
main contribution to translation: translation theory; Essay on translated verse.]
Poetry must be translated by poets.
A friendly relationship must be set between the original author and the translator;
Choose the original materials of his own style to translate;
Comprehend the original thoroughly, and be faithful to the essential meaning of the
original without addition or distraction.
11. John Dryden (1631-1700)
Translation is an art;
The equivalence of beauty between the original and the version
12. Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
A translator must be faithful to the original to the most degree;
A translator should not try to surpass the original author;
Equivalent to the original style;
Against literal translation as well as imitation.
13. William Cowper (1731-1800)[ A famous translator of Homer’s epics]
Against Pope’s free style of wording;
A midway between metaphrase and imitation;
The highest principle of translation: faithful to the original; tightly close to the
original;
Against translating Homer’s epic in English rhyme pattern.
14. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)[ poet and critic]
Different language is formed with different principle; hence the same expressions
of the different languages do not mean the same beauty and grace all the way;
The successful translation depends on the choice of the style.
15. Pushkin (1799-1837)[The greatest people’s poet in Russia; a prominent
representative of Russian literature in 19th century; a verse translator.]
A translator must have his own freedom in the choice of original materials;
A translator should enjoy sufficient freedom in translation; (imitation and
adaptation);
A translator must convey the original features as completely as possible.
16. Rukovsky (茹科夫斯基，1783-1852)[The first true lyric poet in Russia]
A verse translator should have more freedom in translation than an essay translator
does; (An essay translator is a slave of the original author, while a verse translator an
enemy.)
A translator should only translate the original works with the same quality and
flavor of his own. (Roscommom)
17. Lermontov (莱蒙托夫，1814-1841)[A great poet after Pushkin]
Translated freely and creatively to show the representative features of the original;
The evaluation of a version depends on the literary value of the version as a
Russian literary work.
18. Fet (费特)[A typical representative of the pure-art poets]
The artistic works have nothing to do with the people;
The poetic creation should break away from the vulgar people;
The wonderfulness in form cannot be separated from the genius of the work.
Translate as literally as possible;
19. Theodore H. Savory [A lingual scholar; his major work: The Art of Translation]
Translation is an art: Literary translation as painting; scientific translation
photography;
His 12 descriptive principles on translation:
1) A translation must give the words of the original;
2) A translation must give the ideas of the original;
3) A translation should read like an original work;
4) A translation should read like a translation;
5) A translation should reflect the style of the original;
6) A translation should reflect the style of the translator;
7) A translation should read as a contemporary of the original;
8) A translation should read as a contemporary of the translator;
9) A translation may add to or omit from the original;
10) A translation may never add to or omit from the original;
11) A translation of verse should be in prose;
12) A translation of verse should be in verse;
20. 苏曼殊：
诗歌之美，在乎气体；然其情思幼眇，抑亦十方同感。
按文切理，语无增饰；陈义悱恻，事辞相称。
（《拜伦诗选》自序）
21．郭沫若：
处女应当尊重，媒婆应当稍加遏抑。（《论诗三札》之余）
理想的翻译对于原文的字句，对于原文的意义，自然不许走转，而对于原文的气韵尤