27102022

Cherchant sur le site du Projet Gutenberg des occurrences de fratch/fratchety (celleux qui me suivent sur Twitter savent), je tombe sur un équivalent anglais (tardif) du Homère travesti de Marivaux, lu il y a trente ans ou pas loin : A Burlesque Translation of Homer de Thomas Bridges.

 

Voici les premiers vers du chant I :

 

Come, Mrs. Muse, but, if a maid,

Then come Miss Muse, and lend me aid!

Ten thousand jingling verses bring,

That I Achilles' wrath may sing,

That I may chant in curious fashion

This doughty hero's boiling passion,

Which plagu'd the Greeks; and gave 'em double

A Christian's share of toil and trouble,

And, in a manner quite uncivil,

Sent many a Broughton to the devil;

Leaving their carcasses on rows,

Food for great dogs and carrion crows.

To this sad pass the bully's freaks

Had brought his countryfolks the Greeks!

But who the devil durst say no,

Since surly Jove would have it so?

Come tell us then, dear Miss, from whence

The quarrel rose: who gave th' offence?