Freethought & Rationalism Archive

aa5874 · 07-01-2007, 11:37 PM

I was reading Philo on 'the Eternity of the world' and I noticed something odd, more than once, the poetry ryhmes as though it was first written in English and not Greek or Latin.

See section 30 of 'The Eternity of the World' here.

And for the things sprang from earth, they must
Return unto their present dust
While those from heavenly seed which rise
Are borne uplifted to the skies
Nought that once existed dies
Though often what has been combined
Before, we separated find
Invested with another form.

Is there any explanation for the apparent rhymes if the poetry was not originally in English?

mountainman · 07-02-2007, 12:52 AM

The translators' licence of synonym selection.
(Especially for words at the end of "a lineation")

Toto · 07-02-2007, 01:27 AM

I can't find those words at your link.

I suspect that the translator supplied the rhyme and the meter.

aa5874 · 07-02-2007, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainman

The translators' licence of synonym selection.
(Especially for words at the end of "a lineation")

Noted with thanks.

Toto · 07-02-2007, 12:17 PM

From earlyjewishwritings

Quote:

(30) But of all bonds, that is the worst which is forged by violence, and which, being violent, is also short-lived; for it is speedily broken by those who are bound in it, since they become restive from their desire for a motion in accordance with nature, to which they hasten; for as the tragic poet says, --

"And for things sprung from earth, they must
Return unto their parent dust,
While those from heavenly seed which rise
Are borne uplifted to the skies.
Nought that has once existed dies,
Though often what has been combined
Before, we separated find,
Invested with another Form."

{9}{a fragment from the Chryssipus of Euripides.}

mountainman · 07-02-2007, 04:09 PM

"The wretched Eusebius will have it
that poems in hexameters
are to be found even among them,
and sets up a claim that
the study of logic exists among the Hebrews,
since he has heard among the Hellenes
the word they use for logic."

---- Cyril (AGAINST JULIAN),
---- Quoting Julian, c.362 CE

Sorry aa5874, couldn't resist
a tangentiation of the thread.

BTW, have you had any more
thoughts about the questionable
historicity of the blessed saint
and Bishop IRENAEUS, reported
by Eusebius to have delivered to
posterity such wonderful snit-bits
about the pseudo-historical devolution
of the "tribe of christian bishops".

07-01-2007, 11:37 PM	#1
aa5874 Contributor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: the fringe of the caribbean Posts: 18,988	poetry in the writings of philo I was reading Philo on 'the Eternity of the world' and I noticed something odd, more than once, the poetry ryhmes as though it was first written in English and not Greek or Latin. See section 30 of 'The Eternity of the World' here. And for the things sprang from earth, they must Return unto their present dust While those from heavenly seed which rise Are borne uplifted to the skies Nought that once existed dies Though often what has been combined Before, we separated find Invested with another form. Is there any explanation for the apparent rhymes if the poetry was not originally in English?

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07-02-2007, 12:52 AM	#2
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	The translators' licence of synonym selection. (Especially for words at the end of "a lineation")

07-02-2007, 01:27 AM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	I can't find those words at your link. I suspect that the translator supplied the rhyme and the meter.

07-02-2007, 04:09 PM	#6
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	"The wretched Eusebius will have it that poems in hexameters are to be found even among them, and sets up a claim that the study of logic exists among the Hebrews, since he has heard among the Hellenes the word they use for logic." ---- Cyril (AGAINST JULIAN), ---- Quoting Julian, c.362 CE Sorry aa5874, couldn't resist a tangentiation of the thread. BTW, have you had any more thoughts about the questionable historicity of the blessed saint and Bishop IRENAEUS, reported by Eusebius to have delivered to posterity such wonderful snit-bits about the pseudo-historical devolution of the "tribe of christian bishops".

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