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That's weird, since chess didn't exist when Seneca was alive. Perhaps that's a mistranslation and he was referring to Ludus latrunculorum? [0] [0] https://en.w
by TechBro8615 4y ago
That's weird, since chess didn't exist when Seneca was alive. Perhaps that's a mistranslation and he was referring to Ludus latrunculorum? [0]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludus_latrunculorum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludus_latrunculorum
- DC-3 4y agoMistranslation is unfair. It's a translation that best reflects the spirit of the original. It would be distracting to the modern reader to refer to a game which would be obscure and unfamiliar, when most likely the point of the original text is to invoke a board game which would be universally known among the audience. That said, you are right: https://la.wikisource.org/wiki/De_brevitate_vitae https://la.wikisource.org/wiki/De_brevitate_vitae > XIII 1. Persequi singulos longum est, quorum aut latrunculi aut pila aut excoquendi in sole corporis cura consumpsere vitam. Non sunt otiosi, quorum voluptates multum negotii habent. Nam de illis nemo dubitabit, quin operose nihil agant, qui litterarum inutilium studiis detinentur, quae iam apud Romanos quoque magna manus est. (emphasis mine)
- fasterik 4y ago>It would be distracting to the modern reader to refer to a game which would be obscure and unfamiliar I find it far more distracting to find a modern term in an ancient text that I know the author couldn't have known about. It's jarring and anachronistic. I would much rather see the original term. I can make a decision about whether to spend a minute to look it up (and learn something!) or skim over it if the meaning is clear enough.
- poulsbohemian 4y agoAgreed - a nice footnote would be appropriate.
- ycombinete 4y agoI have to agree. It was jarring to me to find this in my translation. I think either the original term with a footnote, or perhaps something more generic like “Boardgames”
- ormaybethizzy 4y agoOr maybe Senet https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senet https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senet
- groffee 4y agoInterestingly this has just come up again recently with the 'dahl' controversy.[0] [0] https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/should-we-update-old-texts https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/should-we-update-old-...
- TechBro8615 4y agoCatullus 16 is certainly problematic! (It was also the only homework assignment that students begged to complete in my Latin course) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catullus_16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catullus_16