Pumajunya
Jan 26, 2008, 01:27 AM
I have to translate this for someone.
But I am inconfident with my translation. Please give me the right translation.
Hanc tibi, Fronto pater, genetrix Flaccilla, puellam
Oscula commendo deliciasque meas,
(To you, father Fronto, mather Flaccilla, I entrust this little daughter, who is an object of my kisses and my favorate*1, )
Parvula ne nigras horrescat Erotion umbras
Oraque Tartarei prodigiosa canis.
(to prevent that this little honey fear the black darkness in the strange land of Tartarean dog.)
Impletura fuit sextae modo frigora brumae,
Vixisset totidem ni minus illa dies*2.
(She was about to experience the coldness of the sixth winter,
having lived this long except the day of her death.)
Inter tam veteres ludat lasciva patronos
Et nomen blaeso garriat ore meum.
(This tomboy would play among the ancient protectors,
and utter my name with her lisping mouth.)
Mollia non rigidus caespes tegat ossa nec illi ;
Terra, gravis fueris : non fuit illa tibi.
(The solid mound of earth covers the little dauter's fragile bones no other than for her;
Oh earth, you have been hostile, but this little girl was not hostile to you*3.)
Marcus Valerius Martialis
*1 I took "oscula" and "delicias" as appositions to "puellam".
*2 I'm vague with this "ni minus".
*3 I took "gravis" for "hostile" or other psychological meanings of the word. Because if I translate it as "heavy", I can't find a reason why the author uses perfect tense. I guess the author addresses here to the goddess of earth, not the mere soil. And he is saying that although the goddess of earth didn't want this little girl (hostile to her), this girl might not have hated to return to the earth.
But I am inconfident with my translation. Please give me the right translation.
Hanc tibi, Fronto pater, genetrix Flaccilla, puellam
Oscula commendo deliciasque meas,
(To you, father Fronto, mather Flaccilla, I entrust this little daughter, who is an object of my kisses and my favorate*1, )
Parvula ne nigras horrescat Erotion umbras
Oraque Tartarei prodigiosa canis.
(to prevent that this little honey fear the black darkness in the strange land of Tartarean dog.)
Impletura fuit sextae modo frigora brumae,
Vixisset totidem ni minus illa dies*2.
(She was about to experience the coldness of the sixth winter,
having lived this long except the day of her death.)
Inter tam veteres ludat lasciva patronos
Et nomen blaeso garriat ore meum.
(This tomboy would play among the ancient protectors,
and utter my name with her lisping mouth.)
Mollia non rigidus caespes tegat ossa nec illi ;
Terra, gravis fueris : non fuit illa tibi.
(The solid mound of earth covers the little dauter's fragile bones no other than for her;
Oh earth, you have been hostile, but this little girl was not hostile to you*3.)
Marcus Valerius Martialis
*1 I took "oscula" and "delicias" as appositions to "puellam".
*2 I'm vague with this "ni minus".
*3 I took "gravis" for "hostile" or other psychological meanings of the word. Because if I translate it as "heavy", I can't find a reason why the author uses perfect tense. I guess the author addresses here to the goddess of earth, not the mere soil. And he is saying that although the goddess of earth didn't want this little girl (hostile to her), this girl might not have hated to return to the earth.