Friday, March 13, 2015

Hobbit in Ancient Greek, parag 4



Ἔστιν μίκρα καὶ οὐδεμία τέχνη μαγεῖα ἐν αὐτοις, ἀλλά μόνον ἑπιτυχη τέχνη εἰοῦσα ἀφανίζεσθαι ἡσυχῆ καὶ ταχέως ὅταν οἱ μεγαλοι μώροι ὡς σὺ καὶ ἐγώ παραπταίουσιν φωνοῦντες φωνήν ὡς ἐλέφαντες ἧς δύνανται ἀκούειν ὅββιτοι ἀπό μίλιον. τείνουσιν εἰς παχύτην κοιλίας. ἐνδύονται δὲ ἐν ἱματισμῷ λαμπρῷ (μάλιστα χλωρῷ καὶ ξανθῷ) καὶ οὐκ ὑποδοῦσιν σανδάλια, ὅτι οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν εἰσιν δερματίνοι ὑποκάτω καὶ δασεῖς θερμοί μέλανες ἄνω, ὡς ἡ θρίξ ἔνουλη ἡ ἐπὶ κεφαλαὶ αὐτῶν. ἔχουσιν δάκτυλους μακρους συνετούς μέλανας καὶ πρόσωπα εὐηθικά. γελῶσιν δὲ γέλωτα ἰσχυρά γλυκέα, μάλιστα μετὰ δεῖπνον, ὅ ἐσθίουσιν δὶς τῆς ἡμέρας ἐάν δύνωνται λαβεῖν. Νῦν γινώσκετε ἱκανόν προέρχεσθαι ἐν τούτ τῷ μύθευματι.

[There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be at in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which iscurly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with.]

Again, suggestions from experts in Hellenistic Greek are welcome!
To see all paragraphs translated so far, see here

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