Sword with Terminus Est

Chris Adams · 23 Apr 1991, 17:07 · from rec.arts.sf-lovers.1991.mbox

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From: hamlet at chopin.udel.edu (Chris Adams)
Subject: Re: Sword with Terminus Est
Date: 23 Apr 91 17:07:13 GMT
Message-ID: <16969 at chopin.udel.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf-lovers
References: <1991Apr18.170927.22201 at lokkur.dexter.mi.us>

In article <1991Apr18.170927.22201 at lokkur.dexter.mi.us> scs at lokkur.dexter.mi.us (Steve Simmons) writes:
>Wolfe is usually worth reading closely.  His translations from the Latin
>appear to be quite deliberately suspect.  I pointed out several to a
>latin-literate friend and she confirmed some significant differences
>between the phrases given and how the characters translated them.  In
>particular he translates "Terminus Est" as "The dividing line", but my
>friend claims "this is the end" is a better translation.

Well, I can't really say how accurate Wolfe's other translations are, but
he's not as wrong as everyone keeps saying...
terminus, in addition to meaning "end," also can mean "border" or "boundry."
and what is a border if not a dividing line?
the est is definitely "is" and that's a little awkward, but he's not
THAT far off...


love and xxx,
chris

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