Greek elegaic

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Thoucydides
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Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:38 am

Greek elegaic

Post by Thoucydides »

θαυματα ῥωμαιων μαλα χαιρων αὐτικ ἐσοψει βαρβαρα και γνωση? ῥηματα και ἀστεα βιβλιον οὐν λαβε νῦν χαριεν λεπτον πανυ καλον ἡμων οὐκ ἀμνημων, λίνη ἐμη φιλιη

For a departing friend.

I am not sure about the asyndeton in line 3, or whether those adjectives are really suitable for a book.

whiteoctave
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Post by whiteoctave »

astea in line two is unmetrical; the asyndeton in line three is a little harsh, although the adjectives, which have a certain Callimachean bent, are not inapporpriate. there are some nice ionic features.

~D

Thoucydides
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Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:38 am

Post by Thoucydides »

Thanks whiteoctave.

θαυματα ῥωμαιων μαλα χαιρων αὐτικ ἐσοψει βαρβαρα και γνωση? αστεα και επεα βιβλιον οὐν λαβε νῦν χαριεν και λεπτον εοντα σου φιλιας μνημων, λίνη ἐμη φιλιη

Asyndeton fixed (hopefully) with another ionicism.
I want to keep the "astea" because it's in the Odssey proem and seems appropriate for going on a journey (indeed, this Odyssean flavour i's what the ionicisms are meant to achieve).
Using the force of the digamma twice in one line is appropriate for the recipient (a fan of digammas!)
The Callimachean bent is intentional - it's a book of Catullus.

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