Need a Latin Scholar
Robert Reichel ms2
The following tidbit graces the beginning of chapter 3 of Foucault's
Pendulum, and true to form, Mr. Eco does not provide a translation.
My local latin experts (both of them) gave up, so I was wondering
if there's anyone out there who would be so kind as to provide a
translation. Bonus points for some info about the man to whom this
is attributed.
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In hanc utilitatem clementes angeli saepe figuras, characteres,
formas et voces invenerunt proposueruntque nobis mortalibus et
ignotas et stupendas nullius rei iuxta consuetum linguae usum
significativas, sed per rationis nostrae summam admirationem in
assiduam intelligibilium pervestigationem, deinde in illorum ipsorum
venerationem et amorem inductivas
-Johannes Reuchlin, De arte cabalistica, Hagenhau, 1517, III
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Note that it is very hard to proofread a language you don't know,
so I apologize in advance for any misspellings. Think of it as adding
to the challenge.
Thanks much.
--
Robert Reichel
robertre%micr...@beaver.washington.edu or
{decvax,uunet,uw-beaver}!microsoft!robertre
D.A. Hosek
> Also, can anyone identify the source of the Hebrew quotation
>that precedes chapter 1?
I had the local Hebraist translate this for me when I bought the book. It's
apparently from some gnostic writing (he didn't know which), but translated,
it talks about the motion of a beam of light which describes a circle on the
ground. (I only had a verbal translation of it, since I just wanted to get
and idea about what it said).
I'll post a Latin translation to the net as soon as both myself and a
Latin dictionary are at a terminal at the same time.
-dh
--
D.A. Hosek | Internet: DHO...@HMCVAX.CLAREMONT.EDU
| Bitnet: DHO...@HMCVAX.BITNET
| Phone: 714-920-0655
(I used to be a Mudder, but I got better)
Daniel S. Rice
Also, can anyone identify the source of the Hebrew quotation
that precedes chapter 1?
Dan
Ross Casley
asks for a translation of:
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>In hanc utilitatem clementes angeli saepe figuras, characteres,
>formas et voces invenerunt proposueruntque nobis mortalibus et
>ignotas et stupendas nullius rei iuxta consuetum linguae usum
>significativas, sed per rationis nostrae summam admirationem in
>assiduam intelligibilium pervestigationem, deinde in illorum ipsorum
>venerationem et amorem inductivas
>
> -Johannes Reuchlin, De arte cabalistica, Hagenhau, 1517, III
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>
The following is due to Gianluigi Bellin:
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GLB: This would be my translation (without dictionary).
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To this use, charitable angels often find and suggest to us
unknown and stupendous figures, symbols (?), forms and voices,
that don't signify anything beyond our common linguistic usage,
but that are able to induce us into assiduous investigation
of intelligible entities, thus into veneration and love of them (angels),
through our rational admiration (for those figures, etc.)
---------
(?)`figuras, characteres' may mean different things according to the context.
-Ross Casley
Robert Firth
>In hanc utilitatem clementes angeli saepe figuras, characteres,
>formas et voces invenerunt proposueruntque nobis mortalibus et
>ignotas et stupendas nullius rei iuxta consuetum linguae usum
>significativas, sed per rationis nostrae summam admirationem in
>assiduam intelligibilium pervestigationem, deinde in illorum ipsorum
>venerationem et amorem inductivas
Gak! This probably shows that one can be incomprehensible even
in latin. I'm presently reading Eco's book, and confess that
when I encountered this quotation, I cringed a little and passed
rapidly on to the chapter proper.
However, Mr Reichel prompted me to revisit it last night, and here
is my miserable attempt:
"To this advantage, clement messengers have discovered designs,
symbols, shapes and spells, and have set before us mortals tokens
both obscure and enormous, in no manner near to the accustomed usage
of speech; but through the highest wonder of our reason, we have
been led over into an earnest examination of intelligible things,
and thereupon to their very reverence and love."
Leaving aside the basic question whether I parsed the wretched thing
correctly, the above still looks pretty poor. His "figurae... voces"
are probably intended as technical terms, and I translated them as
such (maybe even correctly); but I doubt the actual words matter all
that much. It was tempting to write "lines, circles, scenes, squares"
as the english version.
The word "significativae" came out as "tokens", but I suspect "idioms",
"designs of power" or even "mantras" could have served. I think what
Reuchlin means are the things John Dee called "keys" - formulae that
open up an understanding of the occult realm in the way that the key
of a cryptogram renders it intelligible.
Sigh. Hope this helps someone, somewhere...