Puer qui vixit

[prillalar]

Today, I received my copy of Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis (Peter Needham, trans). It's been a while since I've done much Latin. (My BA is in Greek and Latin Language and Literature, but that was some years ago.) I'm looking forward to sitting down and just reading through it. I know the English text well enough that I should be able to make my way without stopping too often for the dictionary, even if I don't get every word.

One thing that disappoints me, though, is that there are no translator's notes. That's what I enjoyed most about Winnie Ille Pu -- seeing how certain phrases came from Cicero and Caesar, and how he had to go to mediaeval medical Latin to translate "measles and buttered toast".

But some of the names are so cool: Ronaldus Vislius (parvulus Ronaldulus!), Neville Longifundus. Other names, like Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, are the same as in the English.

And here's an interesting bit: "as 'Zabini, Blaise', was made a Slytherin" is translated as "dum 'Zabini, Blaise' fit Slytherina." Note the feminine ending on "Slytherina".

This will be such fun!

Comments

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Jeez, now I need a "You're so cool" icon.

[mishamcm.livejournal.com]

God, I miss Winnie Ille Pu. I got a copy for my college roommate many years ago.

And Catullus, the guttermouth! "Pedicabo ego uos et irrumabo!"

[ex-mommybir.livejournal.com]

I assume "parvulus Ronaldulus" renders "ickle Ronniekins"? *g*

[prillalar]

Oh, yes. Ginny is still Ginny, but the Weasley -- pardon me, Vislius boys all have nifty Latin names:

Gulielmus, Carolus, Persius, (Persius Praefectus est!), Fredericus et Georgius.

[finchsongs.livejournal.com]

Persius? I've always assumed "Percy" was short for "Percival", which would be something else again in Latin. Percy as a Persian boy, hm....

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

Blaise is a boy's name!

Also, I think we talked about this, but I also took a degree in classics.

Slytherina, though! Love it.