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γέλατο

English translation: fir tree

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Greek term or phrase:γέλατο
English translation:fir tree
Entered by: Oleg Komkov

19:52 Jul 4, 2012
Greek to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Angelos Sikelianos poetry
Greek term or phrase: γέλατο
Angelos Sikelianos poem Σπαρτιάτης:

Ευλογημένος, που βωδιών ζευγάρια,
το χρήμα της σκλαβιάς σου σέρνει πίσω˙
τα σιδερένια τάλαντα, σταβάρια
κομμένα αδρά από γέλατο βουνίσο,

να σου θυμάν πιόν σκύβουνε τα βάρια,
και τι, κρατάει κορμί, σα δένδρον ίσο!
...

I would be most grateful for a word-by-word rendering of the last four lines, if it's not too time-consuming and/or against the rules. The punctuation is from the 1914 publication in "Νέα Ζωή".
Thank you.
Oleg Komkov
fir tree
Explanation:
This is a word-to-word, unnatural, functional translation. Parts in [] are necessary due to Greek syntactic norms. I might as well be wrong about interpreting this artful passage, so I'm sure other colleagues will correct me.

Blessed [you are], that [like] pairs of oxen,
the money/coin/debt of your slavery is dragging behind it
the iron talents/coins, [like] the beams of plows,
roughly-hewn from the mountain's fir tree

to remind you who bends under the burden,
and what the body holds, like a straight tree!


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Note added at 21 mins (2012-07-04 20:13:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Last line correction:

and what holds the body [upright] like a straight tree!
Selected response from:

Georgios Tziakos
Spain
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +3fir tree
Georgios Tziakos


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +3
fir tree


Explanation:
This is a word-to-word, unnatural, functional translation. Parts in [] are necessary due to Greek syntactic norms. I might as well be wrong about interpreting this artful passage, so I'm sure other colleagues will correct me.

Blessed [you are], that [like] pairs of oxen,
the money/coin/debt of your slavery is dragging behind it
the iron talents/coins, [like] the beams of plows,
roughly-hewn from the mountain's fir tree

to remind you who bends under the burden,
and what the body holds, like a straight tree!


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2012-07-04 20:13:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Last line correction:

and what holds the body [upright] like a straight tree!


Georgios Tziakos
Spain
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  transphy: γελατο=ελατο=fir tree
2 hrs
  -> Cheers x2
agree  Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
13 hrs
  -> Thank you Nadia-Anastasia
agree  Effie Simiakaki (X)
14 hrs
  -> Thank you Effie
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