Ron:
A few remarks on the Pine-Coffin translation of some passages in the
Confessions.
In general, the P-C translation does not do justice to the constant
rethinking of Agustine's own life (as you so aptly stated: 'A life
re-written and revised from the present moment of writing'). This is so
because Augustine's rethinking is conveyed to the reader by means of
biblical references, or allusions to the text of the Scripture, which
becomes a blueprint for Augustine's rethinking and rewriting. The
Confessions should be read, first of all, in the light of the Scripture,
because this is the light in which the author saw himself; after this
preliminary step we can move on to other interpretations. Some examples:
1.16.26, in cuius conspectu iam secura est recordatio mea, 'in whose
sight my recollection of these facts is now secure'. I would prefer
'secure' to 'safely', because the idea is not so much protection from
danger as 'steadfastness.' Chapter 16 opens with a vision of 'panta
rhei' on which Augustine superimposes the biblical 'woe' (Matthew
23.13-29),'vae tibi, flumen moris humani'. the 'stream of human culture'
is placed under the curse of being ever-changing. But God does not
change, and human life assayed in His presence is secure, i.e. steady
(cf. 2.1.1., where 'secura' is used in the same sense). "Those days' is
not the best translation for 'haec', which is neuter plural meaning
'these things', i.e. the events of Augustine past life. The writer's
focus is not on WHEN things happened, but on WHAT happened, i.e. his
enjoying lewd stories.
2.1.1 - et colligens me a dispersione, P-C 'retrieve myself from the
havoc of disruption'. Colligere is to gather together, which is more
than simply retrieving, and the opposite of 'a dispersione.' It is a
quest for unity, or unifying principle; what this may be, we learn a few
lines below, 'ab uno te aversus in multa evanui', 'turning away from
you, the One, I vanished in multiplicity." It seems to me that we should
keep the terminology 'One', which is neo-Platonic in origin (O'Donnell
p. 107 cites Trin. 4.7.11 and underlines the neo-Platonic echoes in this
passage). But the O.T. is also present, 'You shall have no God but Me.'
7.21, etsi condelectetur homo legi dei secundum interiorem hominem.
P-C's 'even if a man inwardly applauds God's disposition' is much too
weak and misses completely the reference to St. Paul, Rom. 7.22,
'condelector enim legi Dei secundum interiorem hominem', "I delight in
God's law according to the inner self', which is a far cry from P-C's
rendering. Ditto for 'se captivum ducente in lege peccati' which is a
clear allusion to Rom. 7.23, captivantem me in lege peccati.'
Nomen est omen, perhaps P-C really intended to bury the Confessions?
Cheers, Luciana
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Luciana Cuppo Csaki
Societas internationalis pro Vivario
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.geocities.com/athens/aegean/9891/
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