The first part of 1683 De optimo genere interpretandi sets the scene for Huet’s dialogue and introduces its participants: Isaac Casaubon (1559–1614) is comissioned to lay out his principles of translation, while Fronton du Duc (1558–1624) and Jacques Auguste de Thou (1553–1617) are meant to evaluate his views and ask questions regarding Casaubon’s theses. Casaubon’s lecture begins with a definition of interpretatio as sermo lingua notiore expressus, sermonem lingua minus nota expressum referens ac repraesentans (“a discourse in expressed in a better known language, referring to and representing a discourse in a lesser known language”), which is then followed by remarks separating interpretatio from such terms as aemulatio and paraphrasis. The speakers then discuss the principles of “the best kind of translation” in regard to Casaubon’s notion that the strict semantic, lexical and stylistic accuracy should be preffered by the translators over “appropriating” (convertere) the ancient authors to suit the tastes of the contemporaries. After those basic principles are given, Casaubon, de Thou and du Duc reflect on problems posed by the Casaubon’s approach to translation: mainly, the differences between particular languages, the lexical discrepancies and the difficulties regarding use of Casaubon’s method to different categories of texts (e.g. How important is it to represent the style of the original in the case of scientific texts?).

tłum. Andrzej Probulski 

The first part of 1683 De optimo genere interpretandi sets the scene for Huet’s dialogue and introduces its participants: Isaac Casaubon (1559–1614) is comissioned to lay out his principles of translation, while Fronton du Duc (1558–1624) and Jacques Auguste de Thou (1553–1617) are meant to evaluate his views and ask questions regarding Casaubon’s theses. Casaubon’s lecture begins with a definition of interpretatio as sermo lingua notiore expressus, sermonem lingua minus nota expressum referens ac repraesentans (“a discourse in expressed in a better known language, referring to and representing a discourse in a lesser known language”), which is then followed by remarks separating interpretatio from such terms as aemulatio and paraphrasis. The speakers then discuss the principles of “the best kind of translation” in regard to Casaubon’s notion that the strict semantic, lexical and stylistic accuracy should be preffered by the translators over “appropriating” (convertere) the ancient authors to suit the tastes of the contemporaries. After those basic principles are given, Casaubon, de Thou and du Duc reflect on problems posed by the Casaubon’s approach to translation: mainly, the differences between particular languages, the lexical discrepancies and the difficulties regarding use of Casaubon’s method to different categories of texts (e.g. How important is it to represent the style of the original in the case of scientific texts?).

transl. Andrzej Probulski