Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Blaðsíða 28

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rendition of the funeral hymn by Prudentius, probably
made when the translator was in his twenties, already
reveals his ability and augurs well for his future activity
in that field. The translations from Tullin, published in
1774, give further proof of that ability, as they are accu-
rate and fluent, although the language is not as pure as
one might wish. These translations received deserved
praise from Icelanders of prominence and literary taste,
and their reappearance, with additional ones, in 1783, is
further evidence of their popularity and suggestive of
their quality, and constituted at the same time a great
literary victory for the translator. The new versions in
the collection, particularly the translation of Tullin’s
poem on sea-faring, show increased mastery of poetic
form and language on the part of the translator. The
verdict of a contemporary is again of interest. Jón Espó-
lín, the noted Icelandic annalist, writes in 1783: “Dur-
ing the year were printed in Hrappsey excellent poems
by Jón Þorláksson, which he wrote in the spirit of Tullin
and other gifted foreign poets, originally published nine
years before.” x)
Þorláksson’s minor translations, hymns and the like,
are, generally speaking, faithful and well executed, al-
though I agree with Jón Sigurðsson that, as regards
purity and choice of language, the ones from the Danish
are not on a level with those from the German.1 2) The
short translations from the Latin (Horace, Ode I, 31, and
Epistólae I, 47-48) are masterly and justly famed.
The translations of the Essay onMan and Paradise Lost
are considered in detail below.
The first book of Hertz’ Israel Emancipated, which
Þorláksson translated before turning to Klopstock, is a
smooth and faithful piece of work, with respect to verse
1) Islands Árbækur, XI, p. 36.
2) Ljóöabók, II, p. XXXIII.