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Over the years, many writers have translated Virgil’ Georgics. When translating the dead Latin language into a more digestible and modern text, an author’s own interpretation takes over the original author’s intent. John Dryden’s late 19th century work compared to David R. Slavitt’s early 1970s translation shows the disconnect between two authors translating the same text. Dryden takes a religious and worker centric view on Virgil’s text while Slavitt approaches the text in an individualist, worker’s rights manner.
The section in question discusses some of the labor practices in agriculture. Both texts mention how grueling and physically demanding the tasks of farming can be. However, the focus of this section regards the motivation between farm work, and this is where Dryden and Slavitt conflict.
Dryden’s translation conveys a capitalist ideology that is meant to keep the worker working and obedient. In lines 183 through 186, Dryden states “The sire of gods and men, with hard decrees,/Forbids out plenty to be bought with ease,/And wills that mortal men, inured to toil,/Should exercise, with pains, the gruding soil.” In these lines, Dryden says that farmers should be expected to deal with the harsh conditions of farming because it is their obligation from the Gods. In this passage and throughout his translation, Dryden allows little autonomy as all creatures of Earth bend to the will of their creators, the Gods.
Slavitt, on the other hand, is more “pro-worker” and demonstrates individualism while ultimately falling to the will of the Gods. Slavitt starts this section by mentioning dreams, stating “Who has not dreamed that dream, exhausted from labor,/...to dream/of a time without labor/...or an age before this hard age?” (Slavit 1.177-1.182). Slavitt shows that there is more to life than farming to farmers. Unfortunately, there is no time for leisure since farming and food is a necessity, and somebody has to do it. As a result, farmers eventually found pride in their work, and began to work contently. In lines 186-190 Slavitt states, “Thus men are supposed to have found the fire that hides/in the veins of flint. By clever meditation/experience elaborates to skill.../One can see a triumph in it.”
The era each work was translated in truly played a factor in the end result. Dardyn’s text drew on workers practices that would later be crucial during the industrial revolution. Slavitt’s translation contained more anti-capitalist undertones, fueled by unionization and a worker’s rights movement from his time.
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