DE OPTIMO GENERE �ORATORUM

Bárbara Santos Grazina

FLUL, Fall semester 2022/2023

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History and Theory of Translation

Lecturer: Prof. Zsófia Gombár

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Summary

• Introduction
• The Goal of the Translation
• The Content of the Preface
• How Did Cicero Translate?
• Demosthenes and Aeschines
• Content of the Preface
• How Cicero Translated

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Introduction

• Written in 46 BC
• Translations of Demosthenes’ and Aeschines’ speeches against each other

🡪 to identify the true attic style

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• It is the preface to the translations

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The Goal of the Preface

• Which is the highpoint of oratory?
• Which and how is the true attic style?
• Cicero explains how he translated.

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The Content of the Preface

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ORATOREM GENERE NON DIUIDO; PERFECTUM ENIM QUAERO.

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“I do not categorize orators by genre, but I search the perfect orator.”

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🡪 There are not multiple genres of speeches, only one, through which, if perfectly followed, one can become a great orator.

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The Content of the Preface

DOCERE DEBITUM EST, DELECTARE HONORARIUM, PERMOUERE NECESSARIUM.

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“The best orator is the one who, by speaking, instructs, amuses and convinces the sensible audience.”

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• Instructing is an obligation. Done with penetrating ideas.
• Delighting/amusing is a courtesy. Through perspicacious ideas
• Convincing is a necessity; done through sublime.

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The Content of the Preface

What is also important:

• Simplicity
• Majesty
• Elegance
• Lexical variation

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How did Cicero Translate?

(…) NEC CONUERTI UT INTERPRES, SED UT ORATOR (…) UERBIS AD NOSTRAM CONSUETUDINEM APTIS.

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“I didn’t translate them as a translator, but like an orator (…) in terms adequate to our culture.”

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• Not a word for word translation (like a translator)
• Keeping the same arguments, adapted to Latin (like an orator)
• Maintaining the expressive power of the words.

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Demosthenes (385 BC – 322BC)

• Athenian statesman
• Member of the embassies to Philipp II
• Great orator
• 50 speeches
• Defended himself against his guardians

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ITAQUE NEMO EST ORATOR, QUI DEMOSTHENI SE SIMILEM NOLIT ESSE.

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“There is no orator that does not want to resemble Demosthenes.”

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Aeschines (390 BC – 314 BC)

• Tragic actor and active in the state service
• Member of the ambassies to Philipp II
• Mediocre orator, according to Cicero
• Three speeches of him survived

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Aeschines vs. Demosthenes

• Lifelong rivals.
• Aeschines: ‘[Demosthenes is] the pirate of politics, who sails on his craft of words over the sea of state'

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• In 336 Aeschines accused and brought suit to Ctesiphon for wanting to prize Demosthenes. The case was brought to court and, in 330, Demosthenes won the case, greatly helped by his oratory talent.

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• Demothenes: “On the Crown”
• Aeschines: “Against the Crown”

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How to Translate Like an Orator

NEC CONUERTI UT INTERPRES, SED UT ORATOR (…) UERBIS AD NOSTRAM CONSUETUDINEM APTIS.

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“And I did not translate as a translator, but as an orator (…) in a way adequate to our culture.”

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How?

• Not word-for-word
• Keeping the same arguments

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Why Translate Like an Orator

Let the romans know

• what to pretend from “attics”,
• To what formula they ought to recommend them to

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Why Translate Like an Orator

• The speeches are useful because:
• Both parties were masters in law and knew about public awards

🡪 They knew what they were talking about

🡪 Lexical variety and adequacy

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• There was enmity between them

🡪 Fiery speeches

🡪 Persuasive and delightful speeches

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KAHOOT Q&A

Q 1: The title of the presented text it “DE OPTIMO GENERE ORATORUM”

Q 2: The text was composed in 46 BC.

Q 3: The ultimate goal of the translation was to show the true atic style and be able to compare orators to it.

Q 4: According to Cicero, in oratory, genres do not exist.

Q 5: When translating, an orator focuses on stressing the same arguments and adapting them to the use of the target language/audience.

Q 6: Cicero views Demosthenes as the standard for oratory.

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Sources

• Robinson, Douglas (1997). Western Translation Theory from Herodotus to Nietzsche. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing
• https://www.worldhistory.org/Demosthenes/
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aeschines

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