Translating Arthur Rimbaud to Irish
[Originally published in Trinity Journal of Literary Translation Volume 10 Issue 1]
The theme of this journal was ellipsis.
Relation to Ellipsis: The title of this piece includes an ellipsis. Not only that, I believe the subject matter does cause the reaction one conjures up in response to an ellipsis. The language is quite vulgar and somewhat disturbing, however in French and Irish even these words come across as beautiful.
Edition: [Copied from https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/rare-books/rimbaud-arthur/stupra/51731.aspx ]. RIMBAUD, Arthur. Les Stupra: Sonnets. Paris: Imprimerie Particulière, 1871 [i.e., circa 1925].
“These sonnets, known as ‘Les Stupra,” were written in collaboration with Verlaine. The Latin ‘stupra’ is plural for stuprum, which means an obscene and/or illegitimate copulation. Past translators have called these poems ‘Defilements’ and ‘Scatological Poems” (Spitzer, 157 n. 21). In his definitive 2002 English translation of Rimbaud’s work, Wyatt Mason notes that the first two sonnets, “originally published in 1923… from the Album Zutique under the editorial title ‘Les Stupra’ (L. Obscenities) — come to us from Rimbaud’s friend Ernest Delahaye, who claimed to know them by heart. No manuscript in Rimbaud’s hand exists. Delahaye wrote to Verlaine on October 14, 1883, with the transcriptions, to which Verlaine made a few minor adjustments. Verlaine called the trio of sonnets ‘immondes,’ or ‘filths” (Mason, 331). “The Album Zutique was a communal journal for the poets and artists with whom Rimbaud associated while living in Paris — a scrapbook for the out-at-the-elbows set. They called themselves ‘Zutistes,” a word coined from the French exclamation ‘zut,’ which, depending on context, can mean anything from ‘golly’ to ‘damn” (Mason, 134). Of this privately printed edition of 175 copies, 25 lettered copies were printed on Japon paper, and the remaining 150 numbered copies were printed on ordinary paper. The third sonnet was published in 1903 as part of Verlaine’s collection Hombres. Because the first two sonnets were not published until 1923, the date on the imprint of this copy is not correct, but rather refers to the year the poems were composed. At least two separate limited editions were issued by this publisher. This edition does not appear in any of the standard Rimbaud bibliographies.
My copy of the original poem is featured in this edition:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/5131/arthur-rimbaud.html
Les Anciens Animaux Saillissaient…
Les anciens animaux saillissaient, même en course,
Avec des glands bardés de sang et d’excrément.
Nos pères étalaient leur membre fièrement
Par le pli de la gaine et le grain de la bourse.
Au moyen âge pour la femelle, ange ou pource,
Il fallait un gaillard de solide gréement ;
Même un Kléber, d’après la culotte qui ment
Peut-être un peu, n’a pas dû manquer de ressource.
D’ailleurs l’homme au plus fier mammifère est égal ;
L’énormité de leur membre à tort nous étonne ;
Mais une heure stérile a sonné : le cheval
Et le boeuf ont bridé leurs ardeurs, et personne
N’osera plus dresser son orgueil génital
Dans les bosquets où grouille une enfance bouffonne.
Na hainmhithe fadó…
Shead na hainmhithe fadó ar an gcrúb,
Le faireog a bhí clúdaithe as pór agus tuar.
Ár n-aithreacha a mbaill le bród
Fillteacha na gcoinsíní agus na cadairní ag at,
Bhíodh an bhean aingeal nó cráin sna meánaoiseanna,
Stócach le greamú soladach ag teastáil
Fiú ginearál Kleber ‘is a stádas — lena bhríste trí chéile,
Thar fóir ar fad, bhíodh sé an dhánacht ann ina dhiaidh sin.
D’fheáfadh fir a bheith ag teacht leis na mamaigh bhroidiúil,
Thiocfainn a méid níorbh aon ionadh é
Ach fós buaileadh an uair steiriúla; an capal
Agus an damh, scaird siad a ndúthracht,
Ní leomh aon duine gaisce a dhéanamh as a mbaol ghiniúna
Sna doirí an áit ná páistí a bhíonn ag scig-gháire a plódú.
