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Last year I read the wasps as that is what we were seeing for the King's Greek play. This year they are doing the clouds. I have to say I liked the clouds better. I don't normally get much out of reading Greek comedies, I find the humour just a bit too strange. This one though was much more relatable. A man in debt who was regretting marrying a woman above his station. The fake university where people learn all about false arguments was quite funny, I liked how they dismissed the gods. Unfortuna...
Τὰς τοῦ Ἀριστοφάνους Σφῆκας ἀνέγνων, τῆς Εἰρήνης, οὔσης γὰρ ἐν τῷ αὐτῳ βιβλίῳ, τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἠρξάμην. οὐ μὲν ἐνόησα ἀναγιγνώσκειν τοῦτο τὸ δρᾶμα, ἐθαυμασάμην δὲ τῶν λόγων ὥστε παύεσθαι οὐκ ἐδυνησάμην. ἐδοκεῖ γάρ μοι ἄτοπόν τε καὶ δεινὸν, καὶ μυστικὸν σχεδόν.Τρυγαῖος ἐπὶ κανθάρου ἀναφέρεται εἰς τὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ οἶκον τὸν τῶν θεῶν. ἀλλ' οἱ θεοὶ ἀποίχονται · τῷ Ἑρμῇ ἐντυγχάνει, ὃς φάσκει τοὺς θεοὺς εἰς τὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀνώτατα ἀποφυγεῖν διὰ τοὺς φιλονείκους ἕλληνας. ὁ Πόλεμος νῦν ἐνθαῦτα οἰκεῖ, ἡ Εἰρήνη...
Henderson comes very close to the Loeb standard of literalism while offering a readable, and maybe even production-worthy translation. His Aristophanes flows, and is even occasionally funny. This would seem to be the minimum qualification for a comedy translation, but humor does not translate easily, and when combined with Aristophanes' penchant for puns and word play the task of translation becomes an even greater challenge. Athenian comedy was crass and explicitly obscene (by today's standards...
I read clouds, which is supposed to be Aristophenes best. At least by his account. He was a little bitter in not winning a prize and revised it a little to scold the audience. This is the only version that survives. This was what I expected. Despite this being some revered ancient text, it is filled with fart, poop, and dick jokes, and frequently was funny enough to make me laugh. It is also culturally relevant to ~500bc. Socrates was an object of ridicule. The Athenians were a bit uncomfortable...
Still working on the Greek, but Henderson's translation is very enjoyable, which brings out the vulgarity of Aristophanes better than earlier ones, and sometimes creatively transforming Greek puns into English ones. If one can stand "arsehole" instead of asshole then I feel this is recommended...The translation of the Wasps in this volume shines out among the three, in my opinion.
Aristophanes must surely be one of the greatest playwrights of all time. Each play has three parts. First an action sequence. Secondly, the chorus harrangs the audience, insulting the author's enemies and lamenting the fickleness of his supporters. Finally, the actors return for songs, speeches and rituals.
This new Loeb translation is bawdy and brilliant, as it should be.
This is an excellent translation and a joy to read.
