E-Book Overview
Ezra Pound is destined to rank as one of the great translators of all time. Ranging through many languages, he chose for translation writers whose work marked a significant turning point in the development of world literature, or key poems which exemplify what is most vital in a given period or genre. This new enlarged edition, devoted chiefly to poetry, includes some forty pages of previously uncollected material. Anglo-Saxon: The Seafarer. Chinese: (Cathay) Rihaku (Li Po). Bunno, Mei Sheng, T'ao Yuan Ming. Egyptian: Conversations in Courtship. French: du Bellay, de Boufflers, D'Orléans, Lalorgue, Lubicz-Milosz, Rimbaud, Tailhade. Prose: de Gourmont. Hindi: Kabir. Italian: Cavalcanti, St. Francis, Guinicelli, Leopardi, Montanari, Orlandi. Japanese Noh Plays: 15 plays with Fenollosa's commentary. Latin: Catullus, Horace, Navagero, Rutilius. Provençal: Bertrand de Born, Cercalmon, Daniel, Folquet de Romans, Li Viniers, Ventadorn.
E-Book Content
E Z R. A P O U ND T R. A N S L A TI O N S
Other Books {in print) by Ezra Pound *
ABC OF READING THE CANTOS (1-9 5 ) THRONES (CANTOS 96-109) THE CONFUCIAN ODES CONFUCIUS: THE GREAT DIGEST AND THE UNWOBBLING PIVOT GAUDIER,BRZESKA CONFUCIUS TO CUMMINGS (ANTHOLOGY) GUIDE TO KULCHUR LITERARY ESSAYS PAVANNES AND DIVAGATIONS PERSONAE SELECTED POEMS THE SPIRIT OF ROMANCE WOMEN OF TRACHIS (SOPHOKLES )
EZRA POUND TRANSLATIONS
With an Introduction by H U G H K E N N E R.
N EW D I R. E C T I O N S
Copyright©
1926, 1954, 1957, 1958, 196o, 1962, 1963
by Ezra Pound First New Directions hardbound edition, 1954 ND Paperbook 1)0, 1963 Enlarged edition, ND Paperbook 145, 1963 Acknowledgments The publisher here records his thanks to Principessa Mary de Rachewiltz and to Mr. Donald Gallup, Ezra Pound's bibliographer, for invaluable assistance in preparing texts for the enlarged edition; to Professor L. R. Lind for permission to reprint Catullus XXVI" from his Latin Verse in English Translation anthology; to Signor Vanni Scheiwiller of Milan, whofirst published the R.imbaud and Tailhade translations in book form. u
Manufactured in the United States New Directions Books are published by James Laughlin at Norfolk, Connecticut. New York OFfice: 333 Sixth Avenue, New York City 14. All rtghts reserved
C O N TE N T S (dates of original publication in brackets) Introduction by HUGH KENNER
page 9
Cavalcanti Poems (Introduction dated 1 5 November 1910) (1 912; revised 1 920, 1 93 1)
17
Arnaut Daniel Poems (Umbra and Instigations 1 920) (See also pages 4 16...42 5 )
1 44
Cathay (191 5 )
1 89
The Seafarer (Ripostes, 1 912; also in Cathay 191 5 )
20 7
Noh Plays (1916)
21 3
Dust for Sparrows by Remy de Gourmont (1 920)
363
'
Miscellaneous Poems Egyptian: Conversations in Courtship (1 960)
401 Horace: "Ask not ungainly"-Odes, I, I I (196 3 ) 406 "By the Rat cup"-Odes, I, 3 1 (1964) 406 "This monument will outlast"-Odes, III, 3 0 (1 9 64) 40 7 Catullus: To Formianus' Young Lady Friend (Lustra, 1916) 408 XXVI (19 57) 408 LXXXV (1 96 3 ) 408 Rutilius: Roma (196 3 ) 409 Navagero: Inscriptio Fontis (Spirit of Romance, 1910) 4 1 0 Kabir: Certain Poems (Modern Review, 1 9 1 3 ) 41 1 Daniel: Chansson Doil (New Age, 191 1) Rica Conq uesta (New Age, 1912) For Right of Audience (New Age, 191 1) Canzon: Of the Trades and Love (New Age, 1 9 12) Lo Ferm Voler (Hesternae Rosae, 1 9 1 3 ) 7
41 6 41 8 420 421 42 5
Bertrand de Born: A War Song (Spirit of Romance, 19IO) 426 Ventadorn: "Quant l'herba fresq el fuell apar" (Res, ternae Rosae, I9I 3 ) 426 The Lark (Spirit of Romance, I9IO) 427 Folquet de Romans: Las Grans Beautatz (Hesternae 428 Rosae, I9I 3 ) Cercalmon: Descant on a Theme (Quia Pauper