Happy New Year!

[prillalar]

Horace Ode I-XI, courtesy of my l33t hungover translation skills.

Tu ne quaesieris - scire nefas - quem mihi, quem tibi
finem di dederint, Leuconoë, nec Babylonios
temptaris numeros. ut melius, quicquid erit, pati!
seu plures hiemes, seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,
quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare
Tyrhenum. Sapias, vina liques, et spatio brevi
spem longam reseces. dum loquimur, fugerit invida
aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.



Do not ask - it is not permitted to know - what end
the gods have in store for us, Leuconoë, nor attempt
Babylonion fortune-telling. It is better, whatever comes, to endure it,
Whether Jupiter grants us more winters or whether this is the last
That beats against the worn rocks of the Tuscan Sea.
Be wise, decant the wine, and trim your long hopes
To fit a short span. Even while we speak, jealous time
Has slipped away: Pluck the day, trusting but little in tomorrow.

Comments

That's wonderful.

[inapickle.livejournal.com]

It hits the spot. Thanks for sharing!

[ex-mommybir.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon! Lacking the benefits of a classical education, *g* I have never seen "carpe diem" in its original context.

[mayhap]

Mmm, thank you. I should make a resolution to have more Latin in my life, because I miss it.

*nicks a phrase for a title*

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

Lovely, thanks. I need to post the Petrarch bit that I want carved on my tombstone one of these days.

[snake-easing.livejournal.com]

There's something I very much like about the way translations tend to come out--very matter of fact and descriptive. This is a beautiful one.

Re: That's wonderful.

[prillalar]

Good to hear. :)

[prillalar]

I used to have this ode memorized. I should swot it up again. It's one of my favourites.

[prillalar]

Hee! A little Latin is always a good thing.

[prillalar]

I think I'll find some Greek for my tombstone. I like Latin, but I love Greek so much more.

[prillalar]

Thank you! I always enjoyed that part of it -- finding phrasing that worked while keeping it as close as possible to the original.