When Oribasius visited what was left of the Delphic oracle in the 4th century, offering the services of the Emperor Julian -last of the Pagan emperors- to the
temple, he is said to have received these verses in return as the final prophecy of Delphi. The old world and the worldview that went with it, had died or, rather, been killed.
The Old Gods Are Dead
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Go break the news to the Emperor:
The high court is fallen, its plumage melted.
There's no dwelling left for Apollo,
No prophecy left in his darling Laurel
No heathenly prattle of fountains
For even the chattering water has been dumbed dry.
The Original:
Non habebis deos alienos
Εἴπατε τῷ βασιλῆι· χαμαὶ πέσε δαίδαλος αὐλά·
οὐκέτι Φοῖβος ἔχει καλύβαν, ὀυ μάντιδα δάφνην,
οὐ παγὰν λαλέουσαν· ἀπέσβετο καὶ λάλον ὕδωρ.
The Old Gods Are Dead
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Go break the news to the Emperor:
The high court is fallen, its plumage melted.
There's no dwelling left for Apollo,
No prophecy left in his darling Laurel
No heathenly prattle of fountains
For even the chattering water has been dumbed dry.
The Original:
Non habebis deos alienos
Εἴπατε τῷ βασιλῆι· χαμαὶ πέσε δαίδαλος αὐλά·
οὐκέτι Φοῖβος ἔχει καλύβαν, ὀυ μάντιδα δάφνην,
οὐ παγὰν λαλέουσαν· ἀπέσβετο καὶ λάλον ὕδωρ.
Posts
This is a very nice "translation" in modern Greek, which I found in the internet.
ReplyDelete«Πείτε του βασιλιά, πως έπεσε κατάχαμα ο μαγικός αυλός,
κι ούτε ο Φοίβος Απόλλων μένει πια εδώ, ούτε φυτρώνει η δάφνη που προμαντεύει,
ούτε κυλάει το γάργαρο νερό απ’ την πηγή. Και το νερό που στέρεψε, δεν τραγουδάει πια»
«Πείτε του βασιλιά, πως έπεσε κατάχαμα ο μαγικός αυλός,
ReplyDeleteκι ούτε ο Φοίβος Απόλλων μένει πια εδώ, ούτε φυτρώνει η δάφνη που προμαντεύει,
ούτε κυλάει το γάργαρο νερό απ’ την πηγή. Και το νερό που στέρεψε, δεν τραγουδάει πια»