虽然对翻译一窍不通，但看到坛里谈翻译谈的热，忍不住在这里也胡说几句。
前几天在亚马逊上搜荷马史诗《伊利亚特》的英文翻译，结果发现版本真是繁多，从Alexander
Pope到20世纪90年代的版本都有，不仅感慨这位瞎子大叔的无穷魅力。现在把一些经典版本的开
头几句贴出来。内容恰好说得是英雄人物的肝火发得如何惊天动地泣鬼神，只是Achilles的文学
品位就不清楚了。不知大叔如阴间有知，会因这么多版本而高兴还是发狂。
大叔原文（1300bc?）：
menin aeide thea Peleiadeo Achileos
oulomenen, he muri' Achaiois alge' etheke,
pollas d' iphthimous psuchas Aidi proiapsen
heroon, authous de heloria teuche kunessin
oionoisi te pasi, Dios d' eteleito boule...
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对应英文 (硬译式)：
the wrath sing goddess of Peleus' son
Achilles
destructive, that great numbers of Achaeans
had pain put upon them,
many strong breaths to Hades were sent
[of] warriors, them he made as prey to dogs
and to all birds, Zeus accomplished his
will....
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Alexander Pope （1715年）:
The Wrath of Peleus' Son, the direful Spring
Of all the Grecian Woes, O Goddess, sing!
That Wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy
Reign
The Souls of mighty Chiefs untimely slain;
Whose Limbs unbury'd on the naked Shore
Devouring Dogs and hungry Vultures tore.
...
------------------------------------------------------------
Samuel Butler (1898):
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles
son of Peleus, that brought countless
ills upon the Achaeans.
Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades,
and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures,
for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled....
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Richmond Lattimore (1951)：
Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son
Achilleus
and its devastation, which put pains
thousand-fold upon the Achaians,
hurled in their multitudes to the house of
Hades strong souls
of heroes, but gave their bodies to be
the
delicate feasting
of dogs, of birds, and the will of Zeus
was
accomplished....
-------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Fitzgerald（20世纪60年代，注意不是小说家Scott）:
Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus's anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
...
------------------------------------------------------------
Martin Hammond (1987):
Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles,
son of Peleus, the accursed anger that
brought uncounted anguish on the
Achaians and hurled down to Hades
many mighty souls of heroes, making
their bodies the prey to dogs and the
birds' feasting, and this was the working of
Zeus' will....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Fagles (1990年):
Rage -- Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus'
son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans
countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many
sturdy souls,
great fighters' souls, but made their bodies
carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its
end...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Stanley Lombardo （20世纪90年代）:
RAGE:
Sing, Goddes, Achilles's rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain,...
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Pope的译本曾被尊为经典；Fitzgerald的也享有盛誉；Fagles,Lattimore也有人推崇。我最后还
是选了Lombardo的译本，因为据说风格更接近于瞎子阿荷，读起来有气势。
另外，前面有人说英语圈翻译没有经典是不对的。前几位翻阿荷的都以翻译家的名号上了大英百
科，Constance Garnett翻的托斯陀耶夫斯基也是经典，而且她也在大英百科上有名。不知若干年
之后Hammond,Fagles和Lombardo是不是也会上。