Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Blaðsíða 50

48
The critics thus differ considerably as regards the ex-
cellence and value of the translation. What does a care-
ful comparison with the original and with the Danish and
German versions on which Þorláksson bases his work
bring to light? Applying the test of fidelity we find that
the translator has, indeed, “grasped Milton’s central
thoughts”. But this alone would not be translating in
the truest and fullest sense. In the majority of cases,
Þorláksson has, however, succeeded in faithfully repro-
ducing not only the thoughts, but also the spirit of the
original. Nevertheless, his translation is not by any means
flawless. A detailed comparison convinces one of this.
Inaccurate renderings and omissions are quite numerous,
especially in the first two books, and throughout the
poem the translator expands and adds. As in the transla-
tion of the Essay on Man, the inaccuracies range from
misinterpretations of single words and phrases to whole
lines and, occasionally, passages. However, with the ex-
ception of the two first books, the longer inaccuracies are
very rare. The following illustrations (numbered accord-
ing to the book and line of the original) will suffice to in-
dicate the general character of the inaccurate renderings:
“pious awe”, (V, 135), “ástríkur ótti” (loving apprehen-
sion)
“their floating carcasses”, (I, 320), “kafnan þeirra”
(their drowning)
“high advanced”, (IV, 90), “allr uppblásinn af yfirlæti”
(all swelled with pride)
“untrained in arms”, (XII, 222), “lárberjum þeim, sem
krýna kappa þá, er kíf sigra” (the laurels crowning
the heroes victorious)
“after him a cumbrous train of herds and flocks”, (XII,
132-3), “ok eptir honum urmull hjarða, rekinn rak-
leiðis, reimar langar, naut nærsta mörg og nægð af