Ovid's epistles translated by several hands.

THE PREFACE TO OVID's EPISTLES.

THe Life of Ovid being already writen in our Language before the Translation of his Metamorphoses, I will not presume so far upon my self, to think I can add any thing to Mr. Sandys his undertaking. The En∣glish Reader may there be satisfied, that he flou∣rish'd in the Reign of Augustus Caesar, that he was Extracted from an Antient Family of Roman Knights; that he was born to the In∣heritance of a Splendid Fortune, that he was de∣sign'd to the Study of the Law; and had made

considerable progress in it, before he quitted that Profession, for this of Poetry, to which he was more naturally form'd. The Cause of his Banish∣ment is unknown; because he was himself unwil∣ling further to provoke the Emperour, by ascrib∣ing it to any other reason, than what was preten∣ded by Augustus, which was the Lasciviousness of his Elegies, and his Art of Love. 'Tis true they are not to be Excus'd in the severity of Manners, as being able to Corrupt a larger Em∣pire, if there were any, than that of Rome; yet this may be said in behalf of Ovid, that no man has ever treated the Passion of Love with so much Delicacy of Thought, and of Expression, or search'd into the nature of it more Philosophi∣cally than he. And the Emperour who Con∣demn'd him, had as little reason as another man to punish that fault with so much severity, if at least he were the Authour of a certain Epigram, which is ascrib'd to him, relating to the Cause of the first Civil War betwixt himself and Mark Anthony the Triumvir, which is more fulsome than any pas••age I have met with in our Poet. To pass by the naked Familiarity of his Expressi∣ons to Horace, which are cited in that Authours Life, I need only mention one notorious Act of his in taking Livia to his Bed, when she was not only Married, but with Child by her Husband, then living. But Deeds, it seems, may be Iusti∣fied by Arbitrary Power, when words are question'd in a Poet. There is another ghess of the Grammarians, as far from truth as the first

from Reason; they will have him Banish'd for ome favours, which they say he receiv'd from Julia, the Daughter of Augustus, whom they think he Celebrates under the Name of Corinna in his Elegies: but he who will observe the Verses which are made to that Mistress, may gather from the whole Contexture of them, that Corin∣na was not a Woman of the highest Quality: If Julia were then Married to Agrippa, why should our Poet make his Petition to Isis, for her safe Delivery, and afterwards, Condole her Miscarriage; which for ought he knew might be by her own Husband? Or indeed how durst he be so bold to make the least di∣scovery of such a Crime, which was no less than Capital, especially Committed against a Per∣son of Agrippa's Rank? Or if it were be∣fore her Marriage, he would surely have been more discreet, than to have publish'd an Ac∣cident, which must have been fatal to them both. But what most Confirms me against this Opinion is, that Ovid himself complains that the true Person of Corinna was found out by the Fame of his Verses to her: which if it had been Julia, he durst not have own'd; and besides, an immediate punishment m••st have fol∣low'd. He seems himself more truly to have touch'd at the Cause of his Exile in those ob∣scure Verses,

Cur àliquid vidi, cur ••oxia Lumina f••ci? &c.

Namely, that he had either seen, or was Conscious to somewhat, which had pro∣cur'd him his disgrace. But neither am I satisfyed that this was the Incest of the Empe∣rour with his own Daughter▪ For Augustus was of a Nature too vindicative to have con∣tented himself with so small a Revenge, or so unsafe to himself, as that of simple Banish∣ment, and would certainly have secur'd his Crimes from publick notice by the death of him who was witness to them. Neither have Histories given us any sight into such an Action of this Emperour: nor would he (the greatest Polititian of his time,) in all proba∣bility, have manag'd his Crimes with so lit∣tle secresie, as not to shun the Observation of any man. It seems more probable that Ovid was either the Confident of some other passi∣on, or that he had stumbled by some inadver∣tency upon the privacies of Livia, and seen her in a Bath: For the words

Nudam sine veste Dianam,

agree better with Livia, who had the Fame of Chastity, than with either of the Julias, who were both noted of Incontinen∣cy. The first Verses which were made by him in his Youth, and recited publickly, according to the Custom were, as he himself assures us to Co∣rinna: his Banishment happen'd not till the Age of fifty; from which it may be deduc'd, with pro∣bability

enough, that the love of Corinna, did not occasion it: Nay he tells us plainly, that his offence was that of Errour only, not of wickedness: and in the same paper of Verses also, that the cause was notoriously known at Rome, though it be left so obscure to after Ages.

But to leave Conjectures on a Subject so incertain, and to write somewhat more Au∣thentick of this Poet: That he frequented the Court of Augustus, and was well receiv'd in it, is most undoubted: all his Poems bear the Character of a Court, and appear to be written as the French call it Cavalierement: Add to this, that the Titles of many of his Elegies, and more of his Letters in his Banish∣ment, are address'd to persons well known to us, even at this distance, to have been conside∣rable in that Court.

Nor was his acquaintance less with the fa∣mous Poets of his Age, than with the Noble∣men and Ladies; he tells you himself, in a particular Account of his own Life, that Macer, Horace, Tibullus, Propertius, and ma∣ny others of them were his familiar Friends, and that some of them communicated their Writings to him: but that he had only seen Virgil.

If the Imitation of Nature be the business of a Poet, I know no Authour who can justly be compar'd with ours, especially in the Descri∣ption of the Passions. And to prove this, I shall need no other Iudges than the generality of his Readers: for all Passions being inborn with us, we are almost equally Iudges when we are concern'd in the representation of them: Now I will appeal to any man who has read this Poet, whether he find not the natural Emotion of the same Passion in himself, which the Poet describes in his feign'd Persons? His thoughts which are the Pictures and results of those Passions, are generally such as natural∣ly arise from those disorderly Motions of our Spirits. Yet, not to speak too partially in his behalf, I will confess that the Copiousness of his Wit was such, that he often writ too poin∣tedly for his Subject, and made his persons speak more Eloquently than the violence of their Passion would admit: so that he is fre∣quently witty out of season: leaving the Imitation of Nature, and the cooler dictates of his Iudg∣ment, for the false applause of Fancy. Yet he seems to have found out this Imperfection in his riper age: for why else should he com∣plain that his Metamorphosis was left unfi∣nish'd? Nothing sure can be added to the Wit of that Poem, or of the rest: but many things ought to have been retrench'd; which I suppose would have been the business of his

Age, if his Misfortunes had not come too fast upon him. But take him uncorrected as he is transmitted to us, and it must be acknow∣ledg'd in spight of his Dutch Friends, the Commentators, even of Julius Scaliger himself, that Seneca's Censure will stand good against him;

Nescivit quod bene cessit relinquere:

he never knew how to give over, when he had done well: but continually varying the same sence an hundred waies, and taking up in a∣nother place, what he had more than enough inculcated before, he sometimes cloys his Rea∣ders instead of satisfying them: and gives oc∣casion to his Translators, who dare not Cover him, to blush at the nakedness of their Father. This then is the Allay of Ovids writing, which is sufficiently recompenc'd by his other Excellencys; nay this very fault is not with∣out it's Beauties: for the most severe Censor cannot but be pleas'd with the prodigality of his wit, though at the same time he could have wish'd, that the Master of it had been a bet∣ter Menager. Every thing which he does, be∣comes him, and if sometimes he appear too gay, yet there is a secret gracefulness of youth, which accompanies his Writings, though the staydness and sobriety of Age be wanting. In the most material part, which is the Conduct, 'tis certain that he seldom has miscarried:

for if his Elegies be compar'd with those of Tibullus, and Propertius his Contemporaries, it will be found that those Poets seldom de∣sign'd before they writ; And though the Lan∣guage of Tibullus be more polish'd, and the Learning of Propertius, especially in his Fourth Book, more set out to ostentation: Yet their common practice, was to look no further be∣fore them than the next Line: whence it will inevitably follow, that they can drive to no certain point, but ramble from one Sub∣ject to another, and conclude with some what which is not of a piece with their begin∣ning:

Purpureus late qui splendeat, unus & alter Assuitur pannus: As Horace says,

though the Verses are golden, they are but patch'd into the Garment. But our Poet has always the Goal in his Eye, which directs him in his Race; some Beautiful design, which he first establishes, and then contrives the means, which will naturally conduct it to his end. This will be Evident to Iudicious Rea∣ders in this work of his Epistles, of which somewhat, at least in general, will be expe∣cted.

The Title of them in our late Editions is Epistolae Heroidum, The Letters of the He∣roines. But Heinsius has Iudg'd more truly, that the Inscription of our Authour was bare∣ly, Epistles; which he concludes from his cited Verses, where Ovid asserts this work as his own Invention, and not borrow'd from the Greeks, whom (as the Masters of their Learning,) the Romans usually did imitate. But it appears not from their wri∣ters, that any of the Grecians ever touch'd upon this way, which our Poet therefore just∣ly has vindicated to himself. I quarrel not at the word Heroidum, because 'tis us'd by Ovid in his Art of Love:

Jupiter ad veteres supplex Heroidas ibat.

But sure he cou'd not be guilty of such an Oversight, to call his Work by the Name of Heroines, when there are divers men or He∣roes, as Namely Paris, Leander, and Aconti∣us, joyn'd in it. Except Sabinus, who writ some Answers to Ovids Letters,

(Quam celer è toto rediit meus orbe Sa∣binus,)

I remember not any of the Romans who have treated this Subject, save only Propertius, and that but once, in his Epistle of Arethusa

to Lycotas, which is written so near the Style of Ovid, that it seems to be but an Imitation, and therefore ought not to de∣fraud our Poet of the Glory of his Inven∣tion.

Concerning this work of the Epistles, I shall content my self to observe these few particu∣lars. First, that they are generally granted to be the most perfect piece of Ovid, and that the Style of them is tenderly passionate and Courtly; two properties well agreeing with the Persons which were Heroines, and Lo∣vers. Yet where the Characters were lower, as in Oenone, and Hero, he has kept close to Nature in drawing his Images after a Coun∣try Life, though perhaps he has Romaniz'd his Grecian Dames too much, and made them speak sometimes as if they had been born in the City of Rome, and under the Empire of Augustus. There seems to be no great vari∣ety in the particular Subjects which he has chosen: most of the Epistles being written from Ladies who were forsaken by their Lo∣vers: which is the reason that many of the same thoughts come back upon us in di∣vers Letters: But of the general Character of Women which is Modesty, he has taken a most becoming care; for his amorous Ex∣pressions go no further than virtue may al∣low, and therefore may be read, as he in∣tended them, by Matrons without a blush.

Thus much concerning the Poet: whom you find translated by divers hands, that you may at least have that variety in the En∣glish, which the Subject denyed to the Au∣thour of the Latine. It remains that I should say somewhat of Poetical Translations in ge∣neral, and give my Opinion (with submissi∣on to better Iudgments) which way of Ver∣sion seems to me most proper.

All Translation I suppose may be reduced to these three heads.

First, that of Metaphrase, or turning an Au∣thour word by word, and Line by Line, from one Language into another. Thus, or near this manner, was Horace his Art of Poetry tran∣slated by Ben. Johnson. The second way is that of Paraphrase, or Translation with La∣titude, where the Authour is kept in view by the Translator, so as never to be lost, but his words are not so strictly follow'd as his sense, and that too is admitted to be am∣plyfied, but not alter'd. Such is Mr. Wal∣••ers Translation of Virgils Fourth Aeneid. The Third way is that of Imitation, where the Translator (if now he has not lost that Name) assumes the liberty not only to vary from the words and sence, but to forsake them••both as he sees occasion: and taking only some general hints from the Original,

to run division on the ground-work, as he pleases. Such is Mr. Cowleys practice in turning two Odes of Pindar, and one of Ho∣race into English.

Concerning the first of these Methods, our Ma∣ster Horace has given us this Caution,

Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere, fidus Interpres—

Nor word for word too faithfully translate. As the Earl of Roscommon has excellently render'd it. Too faithfully is indeed pedantically: 'tis a faith like that which proceeds from Superstiti∣on, blind and Zealous: Take it in the Expressi∣on of Sir John Denham, to Sir Rich Fanshaw, on his Version of the Pastor Fido.

That servile path, thou nobly do'st decline, Of tracing word by word and Line by Line; A new and nobler way thou do'st pursue, To make Translations, and Translators too: They but preserve the Ashes, thou the Flame, True to his Sence, but truer to his Fame.

'Tis almost impossible to Translate verbally, and well, at the same time; For the Latin, (a most severe and Compendious Language) often expres∣ses

that in one word, which either the Barba∣rity, or the narrowness of modern Tongues can∣not supply it more. 'Tis frequent also that the Con∣ceit is couch'd in some Expression, which will be lost in English.

Atque ijdem Venti vela fidèm{que} ferent.

what Poet of our Nation is so happy as to express this thought Literally in English, and to strike Wit or almost Sense out of it?

In short the Verbal Copyer is incumber'd with so many difficulties at once, that he can never dis∣intangle himself from all. He is to consider at the same time the thought of his Authour, and his words, and to find out the Counterpart to each in another Language: and besides this he is to con∣fine himself to the compass of Numbers, and the Slavery of Rhime. 'Tis much like dancing on Ropes with fetter'd Leggs: A man may shun a f••ll by using Caution, but the gracefulness of Mo∣tion is not to be expected: and when we have said the best of it, 'tis but a foolish Task; for no sober man would put himself into a danger for the Applause of scaping without breaking his Neck. We see Ben. Johnson could not avoid obscu∣rity in his literal Translation of Horace, attem∣pted in the same compass of Lines: nay Horace himself could ••earce have done it to a Greek Poet▪

Brevis esse laboro, obscurus ••io.

either perspicuity or gracefulness will frequently ••e wanting. Horace has indeed avoided both these Rocks in his Translation of the three first Lines of Homers Odysses, which he has Contra∣cted into two.

Dic mihi Musa Virum captae post tempora Trojae Qui mores hominum multorum vidit & urbes.

Muse, speak the man, who since the Siege of Troy,* 1.1 So many Towns, such Change of Manners saw.

But then the sufferings of Ulysses, which are a Considerable part of that Sentence are omitted.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

The Consideration of these difficulties, in a ser∣vile, literal Translation, not long since made two of our famous Wits, Sir John Denham, and Mr. Cowley to contrive another way of turning Au∣thours into our Tongue, call'd by the latter of them, Imitation As they were Friends, I suppose they Communicated their thoughts on this Subject to e••ch other, and therefore their reasons for it are little different: though the practice of one is much more moderate. I take Imitation of an Authour in their sense to be an Endeavour of a later Po∣et to write like one who has written before him on the same Subject: that is, not to Translate his words, or to be Confin'd to his Sense, but only to set him as a Patern, and to write, as he supposes,

that Authour would have done, had he liv'd in our Age, and in our Country. Yet I dare not say that either of them have carried this libertine way of rendring Authours (as Mr. Cowley calls it) so far as my Definition reaches. For in the Pindarick Odes, the Customs and Ceremonies of Ancient Greece are still preserv'd: but I know not what mischief may arise hereafter from the Ex∣ample of such an Innovation, when writers of unequal parts to him, shall imitate so bold an un∣dertaking, to add and to diminish what we please, which is the way avow'd by him, ought only to be granted to Mr. Cowley, and that too only in his Translation of Pindar, because he alone was able to make him amends, by giving him better of his own, when ever he refus'd his Authours thoughts. Pindar is generally known to be a dark writer, to want Connexion, (I mean as to our understanding) to ••oar out of sight, and leave his Reader at a Gaze: So wild and ungovernable a Poet cannot be Translated litterally, his Genius is too strong to bear a Chain, and Sampson like he shakes it off: A Genius so Elevated and unconfin'd as Mr. Cowley's, was but necessary to make Pindar speak English, and that was to be perform'd by no o∣ther way than Imitation. But if Virgil or Ovid, ••or any regular intelligible Authours be thus us'd, ••tis no longer to be call'd their work, when neither the thoughts nor words are drawn from the Ori∣ginal: but instead of them there is something new produc'd, which is almost the creation of another hand. By this way 'tis true, somewhat that is

Excellent may be invented perhaps more Exel∣lent than the first design, though Virgil must be still excepted, when that perhaps takes plac•• Let he who is inquisitive to know an Authours thoughts will be disapointed in his expectation. And 'tis not always that a man will be contented to have a Present made him, when he expects the payment of a Debt. To state it fairly, Imita∣tion of an Authour is the most advantagious way for a Translator to shew himself, but the greatest wrong which can be done to the Memory and Re∣putation of the dead. Sir John Denham (who advis'd more Liberty than he took himself,) gives this Reason for his Innovation, in his admirable Preface before the Translation of the second Ae∣neid:

Poetry is of so subtila Spirit, that in pour∣ing out of one Language into another, it will ••ll Evaporate; and if a new Spirit be not added in the transfusion, there will remain nothing but a Caput Mortuum.

I confess this Argument holds good against a litteral Translation, but who de∣fends it? Imitation and verbal Version are in my Opinion the two Extreams, which ought to be avoided: and therefore when I have propos'd the mean betwixt them, it will be seen how far his Argument will reach.

No man is capable of Translating Poetry, who besides a Genius to that Art, is not a Master both of his Authours Language, and of his own: Nor must we understand the Language only of the Po∣et, but his particular turn of Thoughts, and of Expression, which are the Characters that di∣stinguish,

〈…〉〈…〉 When we are come thus far 'tis time to look into our selves to conform our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his, to give his thought either the same turn if our tongue will bear it, or if not, to vary but the dress, not to alter or destroy the substance. The like Care must be taken of the more outward Ornaments, the Words: when they appear (which is but seldom) litterally graceful, it were an in∣jury to the Authour that they should be chang'd: But since every Language is so full of its own proprieties, that what is Beautiful in one, is often Barbarous, nay sometimes Nonsence in ano∣ther, it would be unreasonable to limit a Trans∣lator to the narrow compass of his Authours words: 'tis enough if he choose out some Expres∣sion which does not vitiate the Sense. I suppose he may stretch his Chain to such a Latitude, but by innovation of thoughts, methinks he breaks it. By this means the Spirit of an Authour may be transfus'd, and yet not lost: and thus 'tis plain that the reason alledg'd by Sir. John Denham, ha•• no farther force than to Expression: for thought, if it be Translated truly, cannot be lost in another Language, but the words that convey it to our apprehension (which are the Image and Orna∣ment of that thought) may be so ill chosen as to make it appear in an unhandsome dress, and rob it of its native Lustre. There is therefore a Li∣berty to be allow'd for the Expression, neither is▪ it necessary that Wordes, and Lines should be con∣fin'd to the measure of their Original. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉

of an Authour, generally speaking, is to be Sacred and inviolable. If the Fancy of Ovid be luxuri∣ant, 'tis his Character ot be so, and if I retrench it, he is no longer Ovid. It will be replyed that he receives advantage by this lopping of his su∣perfluous branches, but I rejoyn that a Transla∣tor has no such Right: when a Painter Copies form the life, I suppose he has no priviledge to alter Features, and Lineaments, under pretence that his Picture will look better: perhaps the Face which he has drawn would be more Exact, if the Eyes, or Nose were alter'd, but 'tis his bu∣siness to make it resemble the Original. In two Cases only there may a seeming difficulty arise, that is, if the thought be notoriously trivial or di∣shonest; But he same Answer will serve for both, that then they ought not to be Translated.

Et quae— Desperes tractata nitescere posse, relinquas.

Thus I have ventur'd to give my Opinion on this Subject against the Authority of two great men, but I hope without offence to either of their Memories, for I both lov'd them living, and re∣verence them now they are dead. But if after what I have urg'd, it be thought by better Iud∣ges that the praise of a Translation Consists in ad∣ding new Beauties to the piece, thereby to recom∣pence the loss which it sustains by change of Lan∣guage, I shall be willing to be taught better, and to recant. In the mean time it seems to me, that

the true reason why we have so few Versions which are tolerable, is not from the too close persuing of the Authours Sence: but because there are so few who have all the Talents which are requisite for Translation: and that there is so lit∣tle praise and so small Encouragement for so con∣siderable a part of Learning.

To apply in short, what has been said, to this present work, the Reader will here find most of the Translations, with some little Latitude or variation from the Authours Sence: That of Oe∣none to Paris is in Mr. Cowleys way of Imita∣tion only. I was desir'd to say that the Authour who is of the Fair Sex, understood not Latine. But if she doe not, I am afraid she has given us occasion to be asham'd who do.

For my own part I am ready to acknowledge that I have transgress'd the Rules which I have given; and taken more liberty than a just Trans∣lation will allow. But so many Gentlemen whose Wit and Learning are well known, being Ioyn'd in it, I doubt not but that their Excellencies will make you ample Satisfaction for my Errours.

J. Dryden.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Earl of Rosc.