(no subject)

[the_rck]

I’ve got a book of Sappho’s poetry out from the library, and I’m finding it frustrating. The fragments that we have are often so tiny that I don’t feel like I’m getting anything out of them, and I know no Greek, so the facing text in Greek is lost on me. The editor is, I think, indicating in the Greek text where the breaks are in what we have of a given poem, but I would really like those indications in the English text as well. I would also love annotations that talk about where the fragments were found and give some sort of context— speculative or otherwise— for them.

We were awakened about 9:30 this morning when one of Cordelia’s teachers (math and science) called to find out how she’s doing and to assure me that she and the other teachers will do everything they can to help Cordelia adapt. She suggested that I consider keeping Cordelia home all this week because that will involve three days and be followed by a week of vacation. I explained that a lot of what’s bothering Cordelia right now is not being sure how she’s going to manage school. I don’t think that putting that off will be beneficial because she’ll get more and more scared about it. The teacher then suggested that we try a half day on Wednesday, and that might be a good idea. I’ve told Cordelia that, if she finds herself getting tired or hurting, I will be happy to come get her and bring her home.

I don’t think that any of us are actually looking forward to our afternoon of family Easter celebration. Staying home would be very, very nice, but it will be good for Cordelia to make a car trip and to successfully get in and out of someone else’s house, and this is family. Easter is hugely important to Scott’s extended family. I don’t think we’ll stay late. Cordelia getting tired will be a good excuse to leave any time we want to (and she will be tired. I know that. She’s also probably going to be fairly bored).

I think I have the start of a migraine, but I’m not certain, and I haven’t taken anything but Tylenol yet. I’m debating Ativan versus Amerge. I can take both, but I’d rather just take one or the other. I just can’t guess which one would be more useful. Hm. We leave in about half an hour, so maybe I should just take both…

Scott just found pictures on Facebook that show that my parents are at my sister’s place. That doesn’t actually explain why they haven’t called. My sister knows Cordelia got hurt, and I can’t think of any plausible circumstance under which she would not have told them. I mean, she told our father, and that was hugely less likely.

Mostly, I want today and tomorrow to be over. The challenges involved are different, but they’re all kind of daunting, and I really ought to call around to see if any of our friends might be available to drive tomorrow and also have a sedan that doesn’t have a car seat in the back seat. I know one person with a sedan with a car seat and one person who wouldn’t have a car seat (her kid is eleven) but who might not have a sedan. Scott’s sister drives an SUV that Cordelia couldn’t possible get in and out of. I have no idea if she’d even be available, anyway, but there’s no point in asking. I wonder about her sister-in-law… She’s local and works part time. I’ve ridden in her car, and I think it would work. I suppose I can ask her when I see her today.

Okay, I need to finish getting dressed and cook some green beans that we can take with us. Oh, and pack the medications we need to take with us and all of that. I just want very much to go back to bed. Oh, well. Not an option.

Comments

[alexseanchai]

I’ve got a book of Sappho’s poetry out from the library, and I’m finding it frustrating. The fragments that we have are often so tiny that I don’t feel like I’m getting anything out of them, and I know no Greek, so the facing text in Greek is lost on me. The editor is, I think, indicating in the Greek text where the breaks are in what we have of a given poem, but I would really like those indications in the English text as well. I would also love annotations that talk about where the fragments were found and give some sort of context— speculative or otherwise— for them.

HEAR THAT. (The Anne Carson translation, I assume?) I find I get pretty much nothing out of anything but Sappho's longest bits—the Hymn to Aphrodite, the one about beauty is what you love, and the one that Catullus translated into Latin about how one feels when looking at one's beloved. That said, those three poems alone rank Sappho in Best Poets, in my opinion.

Sympathy on all the rest.

[the_rck]

The translation is by someone named Willis Barnstone. It's the only edition that my local library has. Maybe I'll look for the edition you recommend via interlibrary loan.

I did enjoy the fact that he laughed at the people who were so adamant that Sappho's feelings for other women must have been purely platonic. The bits I've read certainly don't lead me to think of platonic feelings.

If I recall correctly, he also commented that the evidence for her having had a husband at all comes from descriptions of lost plays (comedies specifically) that were written well after she died and that the name generally given for that husband translates, roughly, to 'Penis from the Isle of Man.' For some reason, Barnstone finds this implausible. ::laughs::

[alexseanchai]

Ah. I do not think I realized any translation but Carson's had the Greek in. (I have two other translations of Sappho, you see, and they don't.) Anne Carson is good.

GEE I WONDER WHY THAT MIGHT BE IMPLAUSIBLE

[the_rck]

I'm always very wary of translated poetry because poetry is very much about the sound of the language in which it's written and the way that those words fit together. Translators have to choose between getting the words exact and trying to capture the feeling and flow of the language. When I read a translation, I kind of want both so that I can have a better idea of what the work is like in the original.

[alexseanchai]

Yes, understood.

[dancingdragon3.livejournal.com]

That was nice of the teacher to call and offer support, but yeah, isn't that a little early to be bothering you on a weekend, and on a day that's a major holiday for most people?

IMO, it makes sense that you want this weekend to be over. You've got a lot more to deal with than (I presume) you would normally. Social events can be great, but also very stressful.

That's cool that you've been reading Sappho! I agree that some context would make fragments more meaningful. I like getting historical-social context, like what the author is likely to be eating, wearing, doing for work, etc...to make it more real.

Good luck finding help for tomorrow.

[the_rck]

For the context on Sappho, I'd really love to have some idea of why, say, this particular two word fragment has been identified as hers.

I think that my body gave out on me today because part of me knew that I could afford it right then, that Scott would take care of what needed doing. If I had to, I could have kept going longer and paid a higher price later on.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

That sounds so busy.

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

I totally don't mind taking the car seat out of my car to drive Cordelia, if you think that my car (without the car seat) would be suitable.

[the_rck]

I can't remember what your car looks like. Maybe a test? If you or your daughter can stand outside the open door with your back to it and safely sit down on the seat that way, then Cordelia should be able to. She can't really climb into anything any other way.

If the test works, I would be extremely grateful for a ride.

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

OH!!! I just realized that my germy kid probably won't be back at school tomorrow -- which means that I am not a good choice for a ride tomorrow. :(

In case he does end up at school and the ride question isn't settled by tomorrow, I did try what you asked. I stood with my back toward a seat and sat down on it. I ended up with my backside on a seat, but my legs were still down on the ground outside the car. I am not sure how much seat Cordelia needs under her in order to get into a car, or whether this was below or above the bare minimum that she would need. Hm.

[the_rck]

Scott's sister's SIL has said she can do it. She drives a Honda Civic which should work really well and is fairly local (she lives in that condo complex called The Village and works on central campus).

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

Oh good. I am still not sure if my germy kid is going to school tomorrow. :-P

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

I've never read any of Sappho’s poetry. Is it good?

Hope you were able to find a solution for Cordelia.

[the_rck]

Sorry to take so long getting back to you.

I'm finding Sappho kind of frustrating because there's so very little that survives, few complete lines of poems and even fewer complete poems. There are things in this book where, as far as I can tell, we've got one or two words each from several lines of a poem and no idea what comes between them (the translator said, in the foreword, that some of this stuff was found in strips; that is, the original manuscript had been cut apart, dismembering the poem, and the strips used for other things).

There are also a couple of choices that this translator made that I'm not pleased with. He put the Greek and the English on facing pages, which is good (and would be better if I could read Greek), but he only indicated breaks in the available text and guessed at/reconstructed text in the Greek. I would very much like that information in the English.

The specific edition I've got is called Sweetbitter Love, and it's translated by William Barnstone. I can't judge the quality of the translation at all, but I suspect he's gone for accuracy of meaning over rhythm and feeling. I suspect that a different translation might be more powerful. Someone on DW specifically recommended Anne Carson's translations, but I haven't read those, so I don't know.

I would really love an in depth, annotated edition that sources the fragments we've got and explains the guessed at bits. I'd find notes on what we know of the customs of the time and place useful as well as notes on whether particular personal names were masculine or feminine.

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

I'd agree that finding the right translation is crucial to understanding text (especially poetry) originally in another language. It's definitely frustrating.