TITUS ANDRONICUS
Before being able to
form any sort of commentary on an extract of Titus Andronicus, I highlighted
each word that I would have to look up if starting from scratch, thus allowing
me to analyze whether I would translate it in the same way or not. These are
shown in the following passage, with a list beneath showing the translations
found, and from which source.
Act I, Scene I
[The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one
side, SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side, BASSIANUS and his
Followers; with drum and
colours]
Saturninus. Noble patricians, patrons of my
right,
Defend the justice of my cause with arms,
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my successive title with your swords:
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Bassianus. Romans, friends, followers, favorers of my
right,
If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son,
Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol
And suffer not dishonour to approach
The imperial seat, to virtue
consecrate,
To justice, continence and nobility;
But let desert in pure election shine,
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
[Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS,
aloft, with the crown]
Marcus Andronicus. Princes, that strive by factions
and by friends
Ambitiously for rule and empery,
Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
A special party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius
For many good and great deserts to Rome:
A nobler man, a braver warrior,
Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accit'd home
From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his sons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yoked a nation strong, train'd up in
arms.
Ten years are spent since first he undertook
This cause of Rome and chastised with arms
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;
And now at last, laden with horror's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us entreat, by honour of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed.
And in the Capitol and senate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
That you withdraw you and abate your
strength;
Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.
Saturninus. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts!
Bassianus. Marcus Andronicus, so I do ally
In thy uprightness and integrity,
And so I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,
And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
And to my fortunes and the people's favor
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.
[Exeunt the followers of
BASSIANUS]
Saturninus. Friends, that have been thus forward in my
right,
I thank you all and here dismiss you all,
And to the love and favor of my country
Commit myself, my person and the cause.
[Exeunt the followers of SATURNINUS]
As I am confident and kind to thee.
Open the gates, and let me in.
Bassianus. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.
[Flourish. SATURNINUS and
BASSIANUS go up into the Capitol]
Captain. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus.
Patron of virtue,
Successful in the battles that he fights,
With honour and with fortune is return'd
From where he circumscribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of
[Drums and trumpets sounded. Enter MARTIUS and MUTIUS; After them, two Men bearing
a coffin covered with black; then LUCIUS and QUINTUS. After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS;
and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners;
Soldiers and people following. The Bearers set down the coffin, and TITUS
speaks]
Senator: senador
Aloft: arriba
Drum: tambor
Patron: patrono
Countrymen: compatriota, paisano
To plead: declararse (culpable o inocente), or to plead for: suplicar, implorar
Sword: espada
First-born: primogénito
Imperial: imperial
Diadem: diadema
Honour: honor
To wrong:
ofender, ser injusto con
Indignity: humillación
Gracious: cortés, gentil, cordial
Dishonour:
deshonra
To approach; to near: acercarse a
Virtue:
virtud
To consecrate:
consegrar
Continence:
continencia
Election:
elección
To strive to:
esforzarse por
Faction:
facción
Ambitiously:
ambicioso
Rule; government: gobierno, dominio
Empery; empire:
imperio
Surname:
apellido
Warrior:
guerrero
Senate: senate
Weary:
cansado
Barbarous; uncivilized: bárbaro
Foe: enemigo
To yoke: to couple or attach with or to a
yoke
Yoke: yugo
Trained (Mil): aidestrar
To chastise:
regañar
Pride: orgullo
To bear; to carry: llevar, portar
Coffin: ataúd
Laden:
cargado, repleto [with, de]
Spoils:
botines
Renowned:
renombrado, célebre
To flourish:
blandar, agitar, the soldier flourished
a sword: el soldado desenfundó una espada
To entreat:
suplicar, rogar
To pretend:
fingir
To adore:
adorar
To withdraw:
retirarse, recluirse
To abate:
amainar, menguar, disminuir
To dismiss; to discharge: despedir, destituir
Suitor:
pretendiente
Humble:
humilde
To ally oneself to/with sb: aliarse con alguien
Uprightness:
honradez, rectitud
Integrity:
integridad, honradez, rectitud
Thine (possessive of thee): tuya
Ornament: ornamento
To be confident: estar seguro
Poor (calidad):
malo, bajo
To circumscribe: restringir
Trumpet:
trompeta
Taking into account the
above words, there are certain words which have been used in the Spanish
translation which I personally would not have chosen, either because I feel it
did not convey the correct meaning, or simply because if I did not know the
word I can only use the translation which I have found and hope it to be
correct. However saying this, at the same time, much of the translation I would
not change as Shakespeare uses specific language of which there can only be one
or two ways of translating it in order to bear the same effect as the original.
For example, here is the first verse of the Spanish translation -
‘SATURNINUS .
Nobles Patricios, Valedores de mi Derecho,
Defended la justicia de mi causa con vuestras Armas.
Y Compatriotas mis queridos Seguidores,
Forjad mis Títulos de Sucesión con vuestras Espadas.
Soy el primogénito de quien fue el último
En ceñir la Diadema Imperial de Roma,
Pues que los Honores Paternos vivan en mí,
Y no erréis mi edad con ésta indignidad.’
Instead of using “valedores de mi derecho”,
“forjad”, “en ceñir la” and “pues que los Honores Paternos vivan en mí”, I
would translate the verse using the following phrases “patrones de mi derecho”,
“suplicad”, “que llevó a” and “pues dejad los honores de mi padre vivir en mí.”
I appreciate that “valedor” can be
used as it means protector or defender, which in the context does refer to a
“patron of right”, however I feel “forjar” does not convey the message that
Saturnius is asking his countrymen to appeal for his title, where instead
forjar means to forge or to make (according to http://www.wordreference.com).
In this same way, in the second verse which is shown below,
in place of “fuera agaraciado”, “flanqueadme”, “y que el mérito brille en
elecciones puras” and “vuestra libertad de voto”, I would translate them as
“fuera cortés”, “guardad”, “pero dejad el desierto brillar en elección pura”
and “libertad en vuestro elegido.” What has confused me within this verse is
the translation of the word “desert” to “mérito”, and it is perhaps that I do
not understand the meaning intended by Shakespeare here in using desert within
this context, which is why I would be literally translating it to “desierto”. It
is especially baffling as according to http://www.wordreference.com,
mérito means merit, a word which has been used throughout the translation to
replace desert. Furthermore, the use of “flanqueadme” suggests that Bassianus
is requesting that the passage is kept besides him (where flanquear according
to http://www.m-w.com/spanish means to
flank) and I believe it would be more appropriate to simply translate the word
“to keep” to form “guardar.”
‘BASSIANUS.
Romanos, Amigos, Seguidores, Favorecedores de mis Derechos:
Si Bassianus, Hijo de Cesar,
Fuera agraciado a los ojos de la Real Roma,
Entonces flanqueadme este pasaje hacia el Capitolio,
Y no sufráis Deshonor por acercarme
Al Trono Imperial, consagrado a la Virtud,
A la Justicia, la Continencia, y la Nobleza:
Y que el mérito Brille en Elecciones puras;
Y Romanos, luchad por vuestra Libertad de Voto.’
In the next and first verse by
Andronicus himself, there is very little that I can criticize as I would use
the majority of the same words, with the exception of once again the
translation of desert to “mérito”. Other minor details could also be changed
however the translation conveys the exact meaning as Shakespeare’s original and
hence there is little point. An example of this could be the use of “la gente”,
“para quienes representamos” and “apellido” in place of “el pueblo”, “al que
representamos” and “sobrenombre.”
Nonetheless, the next part of the speech by Andronicus did
prove some difficulty where I was unsure of the meaning of “accit’d” and
“yoked”. I continue to remain baffled by the word “accit’d”, however according
to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary (http://www.askoxford.com),
“to yoke” refers to ‘coupling or attaching with or to a yoke’ which at first
seemed a complicated phrase to translate. Having said this, immediately
following the search results for “to yoke” I noticed the verb “subjugate” which
means “bring under domination or control, especially by
conquest”, and which the dictionary says originates
from the Latin verb “subjugare” meaning “to bring under a yoke”, thus
explaining the use of the word subyugar in the translation (“ha subyugado una
nación fuerte.”)
Over his next two verses, once again there are few changes
I would make, although rather than “diez años han pasado, cuando por vez primera
asumía”, I would say “diez años han pasado, desde la primera vez que asumía.”
In addition, I would replace “castigó” and “florece” with “regañado” and “desenfundido”,
as these would be the only translations I would know from looking them up,
though I fear again this may be too much of a literal translation on my behalf.
In the final verse by Andronicus as shown below, I would
make a few changes, where phrases such as “deseáis sea ahora el successor” and
“despedid a vuestros seguidores y, tal litigantes” would be substituted by
“querías que ahora suceda” and “despedid a vuestros seguidores,
‘Aceptemos en Honor de su Nombre
Quien por más méritos deseáis sea ahora el sucesor,
Por ley del Capitolio y del Senado,
A quien pretendéis Honrar y Adorar,
Ordeno os retiréis y amanséis vuestra Fuerza,
Despedid a vuestros Seguidores, y, tal Litigantes,
Plantead vuestros Méritos en Paz y Humildad.’
Finally in Bassianus’s last line, “Tribunos,
y yo, pobre competidor”, I remain unconvinced that Shakespeare was referring to
the fact that Bassianus was poor in the sense that he had little money,
therefore instead of saying “pobre”, I would use perhaps “malo” o “bajo”, as I
believe instead he is referring to poor in the sense of quality.
In conclusion, with
such specific terminology in Shakespeare’s work it is difficult to know whether
the literal translations are appropriate or not, and hence all that can be done
is to attempt to convey the correct meaning by using our own knowledge and the
words that have been looked up, and overall, the Spanish translation appears to
be generally fitting, with certain annotations I would make as detailed above.