The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by dido:

Show all comments by dido.

Posted on entry Either a heart attack, or a Greek of the same name ::: September 14, 2008, 08:06 PM:
Oh god, no. Teresa, Patrick and Elise, I hope things are still going (as) well (as can be expected). I assume you're overwhelmed with folks (that you know a lot better than a rare commenter) asking what they can do to help, but I'm in NYC and if you need anything just let me know.

I do gardens and groceries and house-cleaning (also large animal husbandry, but I figure you probably don't need that).
Posted on entry Florida elections: still a clown show ::: January 29, 2008, 10:46 PM:
Dude, I would totally vote for:

Gnort Esplanade Gneesmacher for Attorney General

almost regardless of platform.

ALMOST.
Posted on entry Florida elections: still a clown show ::: January 29, 2008, 06:22 PM:
One wonders how much of this story is due to the (More) Recent Unpleasantness. Would the voters have noticed? Would the media being paying attention? Would they bother to report it?

Also, I'm very cranky about the authorial decision to put one voter experiencing problems (SHENEKA McDonald) right before another (SHARON McDonald) who had a similar but not identical problem but an even more similar name.

Once again, I resent the way that this administration makes me feel like a conspiracy-theorist nutbar.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 27, 2008, 07:25 PM:
Abi: It was an education in itself to see how easily I got stuck on certain things where I really didn't know the context at all.

Thoughts, suggestions, confessions:

1)I'm not sure "pereo" works; linguistically it should be okay, but I've never seen it used transitively. Sadly, I can't think of anything that comes close to the needed meaning other than "transeo." In any case I think you might want to add an "eum" to make it clear that "me" isn't the acc. subject.

2. Ouch. Screwed that one up, didn't I? It's tough to get that in Latin though because the most common meaning of both those words is "propitious." Maybe tweak the metaphor and talk about the sides of a coin? Alternatively I think putting "dextra" and "laeva" after the genitive might help.

3. Agreed. Very nice. I did have to cheat a little bit to make it sound clunkier in English.

4. Well, "volvavit" is another straight screw up; "rolled" would be "volvit." But you do need "ausa est" for "dared." I think you want a purpose clause for "save" so "ut servet" rather than the perf. subj. and "undis" seems better than "sinus."

5. Yeah. I totally cheated; I knew it wasn't supposed to be that kind of "ager." This source really demands a language with articles, huh?

6. Ah! Gotcha. I think "de ianuis" might be clearer, and I do think it needs to go on the other side of "unde." If you use "dum . . . iungiatur" you get a more anticipatory flavor, "Until it should . .." LOVED the word order, especially in line 5--so Vergilian!

7. "Manet" is a copulative when used in that sense, so needs a pred. nom.

8. This is another one where I cheated like all get out. I know the original poem by heart so I probably went to far in the other direction. Maybe "inter" instead of "intra"? It's more commonly used as the preposition. But probably not necessary since it took an effort of will to pretend you were going for an accusative of exclamation. "Luna indominita" is wonderful and you really nailed all the word play.

10. This is a bear; so colloquial! I think I'd have to poke at the English quite a bit to come up with anything.

Number 3 is hilarious, but I really do love #'s 6 & 8 especially; I can't identify the meter, except that they aren't classical prosody. 8 seems like a very close match to the original rhythm, but not 6.)
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 27, 2008, 02:08 PM:
CHip: Oops, I'd forgotten that there are actually two suggestions in #39, Clifton is right--google some of the words in Abi's footnote and you should get the original source.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 27, 2008, 02:04 PM:
NOTA BENE: In the spirit of the French "Jumping Frong of Calavaras County," the English is what is called "Translation-ese" in some circles; i.e. there is no attempt made to create a smooth or idiomatic English. It in no way reflects on the "Latinity" of my sources. Sometimes I had to fake up the awkwardness a bit.

Corrections and conjectures are noted in bold. Normally this would go in a apparatus criticus.

I beg indulgence for any errors in translation, conjecture or judgment.

Aliqui illustres loci communes:

Fbzr snzbhf pbzzba cnffntrf va yvgrengher.

1. Timendum non est mihi. Timor mentem caedet. Timor mortulus qui totam lituram ferat. Obviam timore meo ibo. Me transire et perire sinam. Et cum transiverit oculo interiore viam suam perspiciam. Ubi timor iit, nil erit. Ego solus manebo.

1. Gurer zhfg abg or n srnevat ol zr. Srne jbhaqf gur zvaq. Srne vf n yvggyr qrngu bs gur fbeg juvpu pneevrf gur jubyr renfher. V jvyy tb va gur jnl bs zl srne. V jvyy abg nyybj zlfrys gb cnff guebhtu naq crevfu. Rira jura V jvyy unir cnffrq guebhtu V jvyy vafcrpg zl yvsr jvgu na vaare rlr. Jurer srne unf tbar, abguvat jvyy rkvfg. V nybar jvyy erznva.

2. Lux laeva obscuritatis
et obscuritas dextra lucis.
Duo unus sunt, vita morsque, iacens
una quasi amatores kemmerentes
quasi manus conjuncti
quasi finis viaque.

2. Gur unccl yvtug bs bofphevgl
naq gur cebcvgvbhf bofphevgl bs gur yvtug.
Gjb ner bar, yvsr naq qrngu, ylvat
gbtrgure nf vs xrzzreragrf ner ybiref
nf vs unaqf unir orra pbawbvarq
nf vs gur raq naq gur ebnq rkvfg.

3. Inane…ultimus limes. Hi cursi navis stellis Incepti. Eius quinquennialum munus: insolitos novos mundos explorare, vitam novam civitatesque novas quaerere, ubi nemo ante ivit intrepide ire.*

Ibvq . . . gur svany guerfuubyq. Gurfr ner gur wbhearlf bs gur fuvc sbe gur fgnef Ortvaavat. Vgf svir lrne qhgl: hanpphfgbzrq arj jbeyqf gb rkcyber, arj yvsr naq arj fgngrf gb frrx, jurer ab bar orsber unf tbar obyqyl gb tb.

4. Reginula aurea volavit
Ad mare sibulans
Ut sinus obsteterit
Et ova servaverit
Fortiter audivit ea.

4. Gur yvggyr tbyqra dhrra unf ebyyrq
gb gur frn juvfcrevat
nf fur fgbbq va gur jnl bs gur onlf
naq cerfreirq ure rttf
obyqyl fur yvfgrarq.

5. Numen Iedaio vim suum dat. Ager vigoris est qui omnia viva creat. Nos circumfundit penetratque. Omnes res conligat.

5. N qvivar cbjre tvirf vg’f sbepr gb Wrqnvhf. Gur snez bs fgeratgu vf gung juvpu perngf nyy yvivat guvatf. Vg cbhef bhg nebhaq hf naq crargengrf hf. Vg ovaqf nyy guvatf gbtrgure.

6. Via semper usque it
Unde coeperuntianuae./ coepit ianua
Nunc longe Via praeivit,
Et persequi, si possum,
Avidis debeo pedibus,
Dum maioram iungietur
In munerum coetu.
Et quoquo tunc? Nescio.

6. Gur ebnq tbf nyjnlf ba nyy fvqrf
sebz jurer gur qbbef unir ortha.
Abj gur ebnq tbrf sne orsber,
naq gb chefhr, vs V pna
V bhtug jvgu terrql srrg,
juvyr vg jvyy or wbvarq va erfcrpg gb gur terngre ebnq
va n tngurevat bs tvsgf.
naq gb jung rire cynpr gura? V qba’g xabj.

7. Semper ius (suggestion: “fasâ€) puerum puerorum** stultorumque est imperatorem sine veste monstrare. Sed stultus manet stultus imperatorque imperator . *I’m not sure why the original abl. here and am afraid I'm missing something.

Vg vf nyjnlf evtug sbe puvyqera naq sbbyf gb cbvag ng gur Pbzznaqre jvgubhg pybguvat. Ohg gur sbby erznvaf n sbby naq gur pbzznaqre n pbzznaqre.


8. Filia sum regis
Et si curare curem
Luna indominata
In crinem coruscet.
Nemo amare audet
Quod avere opto
Numquam egevi
Et non tenui.

Filia sum regis
Et veteresco intra
Carcerem corporis
Compedesque cutis.
Et ego fugam
Ad ianuasque mendicem
Ut umbram tuam videam
Semel nec iterum.
8. V nz gur qnhtugre bs n xvat,
naq vs V fubhyq or pbaprearq gb pner
gur zbba univat orra hapbadhrerq
jvyy synfu va zl unve.
Ab bar qnerf gb ybir
Jung V pubbfr gb jnag
V unir arire jnagrq
naq qvq abg unir.

V nz gur qnhtugre bs n xvat
naq jvguva V tebj byq
B! gur cevfba bs gur obql
naq gur punvaf bs gur fxva!
V nyfb jvyy syrr
naq jvyy or n orttne ng gur qbbef
va beqre gung V znl frr lbhe funqbj
bapr naq abg ntnva.


9. Portus Porta† hostium deorsum.

9. Gur tngrf bs gur rarzvrf ner qbjajneq.

10. Amor. Si omnes numeres ‘Versi sciens inamandum navem in aerem te ferre , ea certe ut mundi convertunt te decutiet. Amor eam in aeram cadendam tenet doloremque ante vagens dicit. Domus facit.

10. Ybir. Vs lbh fubhyq pbhag nyy gur zra bs gur ‘Irefhf, xabjvat gung lbh pneel n fuvc juvpu zhfg abg or ybirq vagb gur hccre nve, gung (fuvc) pregnvayl jvyy phg lbh qbja jura gur jbeyqf bireghea. Ybir ubyqf vg sbe gur checbfr bs nterrvat jvgu gur nve naq ybir orsber jnaqrevat fnlf “fnqarff.†Vg znxrf ubzrf.

Agnoscite, reddite, addite, gaudete. Lex Calvinballis pertinet. Omnes coniecturas ROT-13ite.

Erpbtavmr, erghea, nqq, erwbvpr. Gur Ynj bs Pnyivaonyy ubyqf. Ebg-13 nyy thrffrf.

Subicit Patricius:

1. Ne Noli‡ armato merdam iace iacere‡.
2. Ne Noli‡ iuxta armato merdam iacentem sta stare‡.

Cngevpx fhozvgf:

1) Qba’g guebj fuvg ng n zna univat orra nezrq.
2) Qba’g fgnaq arne fbzrbar guebjvat fuvg ng na nezrq zna.

Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 27, 2008, 11:57 AM:
CarrieS @ 346 and Pyre @348: Thank you! No wonder I couldn't figure it out from context. I could tell "observation" wasn't right but couldn't guess what was.

Serge @360: Yup; hopefully it will be really funny. Abi? Shall I translate and rot13 them?

Also--one of my dearest friends is going to be so jealous when she hears about your Dalek. Congrats on the anniversary.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 27, 2008, 12:16 AM:
CHip: abi @ #39 started me off. I'm gobsmacked to find that it was comprehensible (or even identifiable).

Fade: I'm the same way; I can read French fairly fluently, German with labor and toil and (thanks to Latin) get the gist of Italian and Spanish but when I listen it's all gibberish and I freeze if expected to produce even, "Where's the bathroom?/Waiter there's a fly in my soup/ I have the pen of the gardener's aunt," style conversation.

Also: I need help. What does "obSF" stand for? I get the SF, but the Ob/ob is puzzling. "Observation derived from a data point originating with Science Fiction/Fantasy,"? And where does it come from?
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 26, 2008, 06:39 PM:
Serge @309 It might be me misunderstanding but qvqa'g Nov nyernql qb gung va ahzore 3? Zl fpvrapr svpgvba xabjyrqtr vf ybhfl. *Fnq.*
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 26, 2008, 06:35 PM:
I spent most of today getting my back tattooed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank ML and the Fluorosphere for handing me such an excellent distraction. (I am not one of those people who enjoys the process.)

The rest of Roma Labens has been translated with no cheating. If anyone wants it, let me know.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 26, 2008, 12:11 PM:
Whew.
Teresa @217 Hooray! But I have to say there is an atrocious number of typo's in it. I have some revisions below.

Debbie @284/Xopher @294/Debbie @296: One of the problems with teaching dead languages actively is that that there is a dearth of source material. Imagine trying to teach someone conversational English with only Chaucer (Plautus), Emily Dickinson (Catullus) and Macauley (Cicero) to work with. I don't say it can't be done, but it's hard and most teachers can't do it. Dorothy L. Sayers had it right when she suggested starting kids with medieval Latin.

Serge @289: Mez hit the nail on the head. Athenian coins were stamped with an owl and is exactly the ancient equivalent of "coals to Newcastle."

(259 revised and versified strophes 2 & 3)

vestes fiunt mirabiles;
captant ministri aerarii
hunc qui cloacis contegens
tributum vel abscondidit.

nunc carmina occulte sacra
scorta aedium consopiunt.
omni venusto fingitur
mendax amicus vacuus.


Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 10:22 PM:
Roma Labens
undis moles percutiuntur
deserto in agro tempestas
agmen proiectum verberant
complent latrones spelaeum.

*I think this scans as a classical iambic dimeter if you give me an epic correption in the last line.

The rest:
vestes mirabiles fiunt
mancipes aerarii venantur
illos vectigalia fugientes
per cloaca oppidi municipalis

Arcana carmina scorta aedium
consopiunt
omnes venusti tenent
amicum comentitium.

Semnoprosopos* Cato
laudet mos maiorum
sed milites nimium firmi
agunt sedidionem stipendariorum causa.

Caesar lectum calet
dum non magnus criba
scribet NON AMO LABOREM
in tabulam publicam.

nec opibus nec clementia donati
parvuli aves cruribus rubris
colens *poikila ova
adspectant quamquam urbem peste corruptam.

omnino alibi pernumeri
greges transeunt
muscos aureos multa passum milia
cum silentio et citissime.

*semnoprosopos=holy-faced
poikilia=speckled
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 08:14 PM:
abi @218: A demonic challege. Parts of it I think work; more of it . . . well. . . let's just say I think I'd do a better job in Greek. All that indefiniteness gets really confusing.

That said I'm tucking the source away for the day I teach Prose Comp myself. Any corrections or suggestions for improvement gratefully appreciated.

the same @227: Composition is totally addictive. We did a little bit of verse comp for my Greek Prose Comp class when I was in school; I spent HOURS (basically all week) translating a few of J.V. Cunningham's epigrams into elegaic couplets and the prof came in with "anyone lived in a pretty how town" in tragic trimeter. Zowie.

Serge @ 222: Wouldn't that be like carrying owls to Athens at this point?

Alan @ 244: I'm on it. I think I have a copy kicking around here.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 05:19 PM:
re: #144

Mikael and candle: [V'z cerggl fher gur anzr vf n cha: "zvgghf" zrnaf zvyq be tragyr, ohg vg pna nyfb zrna zrepvshy be . . . Pyrzrag, naq Natyhf vf n jbeq sbe gur Ratyvfu, fb Pyrzrag gur Ratyvfuzna? Fvzvyneyl Pvephzfreihf frrzf yvxr vg zhfg or n cha nf jryy V whfg pna'g guvax bs jung vg zvtug or. Rfcrpvnyyl fvapr vg'f tbg gb or va nccbfvgvba gb Qrhf Qbzvahf.]

This is WAY too much fun. Don't you people realize how much work I have to do?
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 05:06 PM:
My offering (and sorry about the double posts):

Tantum nescioquo audiverim, cui curae quid dicam sit sed etiam non curae possit, opto, si flocci est, ut tibi ignoscatur sive aliquid feceris sive deliqueris quod ignoscendum sit. Contra, si necesse sit habere non clementiam sed aliud ut tibi quaedam beneficia debita post corporis exitium adrogetur, opto ut hoc, quidquid id est, sic donetur aut abnegetur ut ipsam beneficiam adsumas. haec opto electus depeciscendi causa inter te et istum qui, etsi tu non est, ita curet ut quam maximum huius adroges et aliquo modo ritu tangat.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 03:03 PM:
Aargh. That should be "computer translations such as are now to be found freely on the internet." As opposed to, you know, the stuff we're doing right now.

See above: brains, leaking.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 03:02 PM:
Aargh. That should be "computer translations such as are now to be found freely on the internet." As opposed to, you know, the stuff we're doing right now.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 02:58 PM:
Serge @ 170/Mary Aileen @191

theophylact and Bill Higgins have what I was thinking of. Twain seems almost prophetic of internet translations.

I hope to have an addition to the corpus soon but today is the Hell Day: Intensive Greek, Greek Prose, Intensive Latin. Right now I'm just hoping to get home before my brains leak out my ears.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 25, 2008, 12:23 PM:
Oooh, I hope the "further hilarity" comment didn't come across as snooty... I just meant that since I don't know what most of them are supposed to say we'll end up with that great Mark Twain/French translation business.

For the record I am wicked impressed with all the Latin. And I refuse to admit how long it took me to figure out the ROT-13 business.

156/165/166: I don't know for sure but I'm sure the Neo-latin people have a word for bicycle; and since the Romans had no shame about stealing Greek words I don't see what's wrong with "bicyclus."

candle @ 166: I totally assumed that "puerum" was a syncopated genitive.
Posted on entry Open thread C ::: January 24, 2008, 09:38 PM:
I meant to add that since I only recognized 2 (#s 3 & 8) and even after cheating don't recognize many more I'd be happy to translate them back into English after a suitable interval--for purposes of further hilarity.

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