Translating Horace

Abstract

[…] What I have in mind is an account or reconstruction of the actual business of translating something. There has been quite a proliferation of theoretical pieces, speculations, on translation. I feel it would be useful to gather, rather, working notes, as it were, descriptions of the struggle, battle, love affair. I know of course that — depending on one’s work methods — it will be harder or easier to write this kind of account. I’m less concerned with justifications after the event, than with a recording of the decision-by-decision, intuition-by-intuition, process. Naturally, such an account can only be approximative, but would, I think, be valuable nonetheless. One way of setting about this might be to keep a diary, as it were, of a translation. I realize that this would be to introduce an element of self-consciousness, but it might also yield interesting results. Another way would be to keep drafts, even if it is against one’s normal practise, and attempt an ex-post-facto analysis. But whatever you might be able to offer in the way of practical notes would be most welcome.