125
possible, even if the result is sometimes a little outlandish’ (italics added), does not
read ‘as if it were written at the end of the twentieth century’.
56
Applying this to
geographical texts is not always easy; but some of the examples above have illustrated how a pronounced departure from the Greek, for example the silent replacement of wind names (other than boreas and notos used directionally) with compass
points, sells the reader short and does not necessarily make things clearer.
The case has been made above that the one-word Greek terms for cardinal directions, when there is no reason to think their primary senses are part of the author’s
intention, should be translated by the four English terms. Rather than repeated comments within the translation, an editorial note at the start of the translation,
particularly of a geographical work, should be used to explain that cardinal terms in
Greek are more numerous than in English and illustrate how they have been translated; and, if appropriate, to note the ancient author’s habitual usage. Regrettably,
there seems to be no way to use two alternative English terms for each cardinal point
(as would be possible in, for example, French, where midi might very appropriately
be used for mesēmbria and sud for notos). There are situations in which ‘sunrise’,
‘midday’, and ‘sunset’ might serve but, as these are not normal directional terms in
English, they cannot help but force their original meanings upon the reader, unlike
anatolē, mesēmbria, and dysis when used in this way. (The terms ‘orient’ and ‘occident’, as general directional terms, are not current English; and the former carries
unwelcome ideological freight.) If these simple terms occur in proximity to the
other member of their pair (e.g. ēōs to anatolē), to directional wind names, or to
other multi-word direction phrases, the transliterated terms may be added in parentheses, in a form such as ‘east (ēōs)’.
In conclusion, the following policy seems to commend itself:
(1) Single Greek words for cardinal directions to be translated by their simple English
equivalents, explaining (in an introduction or note) the translator’s practice; including,
when necessary to distinguish, the transliterated Greek in parenthesis. Examples: arktoi
‘north’; ēōs ‘east’—or, for clarity, ‘east (anatolē) … east (ēōs)’.
(2) Cardinal directions expressed by phrases of two or more words to be translated so as
to preserve the syntactical relationship and grammatical number. Examples: hēliou dysmai
‘settings of the sun’; therinē anatolē ‘summer sunrise’ (rather than the vague ‘rising’);
boreas anemos ‘north wind’.
(3) Ordinal directions (NE, SE, SW, NW) expressed by astronomical modifications to
be translated as literally as possible. Example: isēmerinē dysis ‘equidiurnal setting’, if necessary with explanations such as ‘(i.e. equinoctial)’ and ‘(due west)’.
(4) Names of winds, when not used simply as under (1) above, to be retained as names,
with capital initial and in roman type. Examples: Boreas, Aparktias.
In these ways it is hoped that translators will modify their habitual procedure in
the interest of clarity and of representing the thoughts of the Greek geographers
more accurately.
56 Dawson 1993, xvi.
Sun, Sea, and Sky: On Translating Directions (and Other Terms) in the Greek Geographers
possible, even if the result is sometimes a little outlandish’ (italics added), does not
read ‘as if it were written at the end of the twentieth century’.
56
Applying this to
geographical texts is not always easy; but some of the examples above have illustrated how a pronounced departure from the Greek, for example the silent replacement of wind names (other than boreas and notos used directionally) with compass
points, sells the reader short and does not necessarily make things clearer.
The case has been made above that the one-word Greek terms for cardinal directions, when there is no reason to think their primary senses are part of the author’s
intention, should be translated by the four English terms. Rather than repeated comments within the translation, an editorial note at the start of the translation,
particularly of a geographical work, should be used to explain that cardinal terms in
Greek are more numerous than in English and illustrate how they have been translated; and, if appropriate, to note the ancient author’s habitual usage. Regrettably,
there seems to be no way to use two alternative English terms for each cardinal point
(as would be possible in, for example, French, where midi might very appropriately
be used for mesēmbria and sud for notos). There are situations in which ‘sunrise’,
‘midday’, and ‘sunset’ might serve but, as these are not normal directional terms in
English, they cannot help but force their original meanings upon the reader, unlike
anatolē, mesēmbria, and dysis when used in this way. (The terms ‘orient’ and ‘occident’, as general directional terms, are not current English; and the former carries
unwelcome ideological freight.) If these simple terms occur in proximity to the
other member of their pair (e.g. ēōs to anatolē), to directional wind names, or to
other multi-word direction phrases, the transliterated terms may be added in parentheses, in a form such as ‘east (ēōs)’.
In conclusion, the following policy seems to commend itself:
(1) Single Greek words for cardinal directions to be translated by their simple English
equivalents, explaining (in an introduction or note) the translator’s practice; including,
when necessary to distinguish, the transliterated Greek in parenthesis. Examples: arktoi
‘north’; ēōs ‘east’—or, for clarity, ‘east (anatolē) … east (ēōs)’.
(2) Cardinal directions expressed by phrases of two or more words to be translated so as
to preserve the syntactical relationship and grammatical number. Examples: hēliou dysmai
‘settings of the sun’; therinē anatolē ‘summer sunrise’ (rather than the vague ‘rising’);
boreas anemos ‘north wind’.
(3) Ordinal directions (NE, SE, SW, NW) expressed by astronomical modifications to
be translated as literally as possible. Example: isēmerinē dysis ‘equidiurnal setting’, if necessary with explanations such as ‘(i.e. equinoctial)’ and ‘(due west)’.
(4) Names of winds, when not used simply as under (1) above, to be retained as names,
with capital initial and in roman type. Examples: Boreas, Aparktias.
In these ways it is hoped that translators will modify their habitual procedure in
the interest of clarity and of representing the thoughts of the Greek geographers
more accurately.
56 Dawson 1993, xvi.
Sun, Sea, and Sky: On Translating Directions (and Other Terms) in the Greek Geographers