Translation - Μετάφραση

Translation Assistance => Modern Greek→English Translation Forum => Art/Literary (El-En) => Topic started by: spiros on 05 Oct, 2010, 09:28:11

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: spiros on 05 Oct, 2010, 09:28:11

Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος. → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα. Δε φοβούμαι τίποτα. Είμαι λέφτερος.
Νίκος Καζαντζάκης (επιγραφή στον τάφο του)
Nikos Kazantzakis (His epitaph)

Βλέπε και:
Latin->Greek (https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?board=119.0)

(https://www.translatum.gr/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlahanas.de%2FGreeks%2FNewLiteratur%2FNikosKazantzakis2.jpg&hash=e1ddb75d1f8b409a2e5fb229023d905704f431ee)

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mrfeeny on 15 Oct, 2010, 16:56:36

The quote is show below in the pictures.  It is a classic Nikos Kazantzakis quote and I am getting the tattoo.  I was wondering if someone knows how to translate the ancient greek letters in the quote (shown below) into modern greek alphabet?  Or where I can go to find this out?


(https://www.translatum.gr/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greek-islands.us%2Fgreek-people%2Fkazantzakis%2Fkazantzakis_words.jpg&hash=4cb4d6d05c6f6df0a874686399b56c97d55e9c6e)

Thanks so much

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: wings on 15 Oct, 2010, 17:00:45

https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=88975.0

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 15 Oct, 2010, 17:20:39

Dear Mr. Feeny, The letters in your picture are already modern Greek letters, in the modern Greek handwriting of Kazantzakis himself as they were transcribed onto his tombstone.
The Greek alphabet has not changed in 2500 years, so there wouldn't be a great deal of difference between ancient and modern, anyway!

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mrfeeny on 15 Oct, 2010, 17:43:44

Ohh okay.  Maybe it is in cursive? or I'm wondering why it looks different than some traditional greek letters.

"Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος" is that right?

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mavrodon on 15 Oct, 2010, 17:50:12

ΔΕΝ ΕΛΠΙΖΩ ΤΙΠΟΤΑ, ΔΕΝ ΦΟΒΑΜΑΙ ΤΙΠΟΤΑ, ΕΙΜΑΙ ΛΕΥΤΕΡΟΣ. The motto attributed to Kazantzakis trancribed in capital letters.

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 15 Oct, 2010, 17:56:09

If you want it exactly as it stands on the gravestone, it's:

Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δε φοβούμαι τίποτα, είμαι λέφτερος

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mrfeeny on 15 Oct, 2010, 18:05:28

thank you both.  but are you sure that last word is correct? i know google translate isn't right all the time, but it keeps translating both of those to "I hope for nothing, fear nothing, I Lefteris"

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mavrodon on 15 Oct, 2010, 18:12:14

The last word is "λεύτερος". Most commonly it is written "ελεύθερος". The shortenned word "λεύτερος" is more colloquial. This is the reason why Google automatic translator translates "λεύτερος" into "Λευτέρης", a man's name. Λευτέρης is shortenned form of the male name "Ελευθέριος". Try and translate "ελεύθερος" and I am sure Google will give the right word, "free".

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 15 Oct, 2010, 18:34:27

If you look closely at the inscription, you'll see that Kazantzakis' word was actually λέφτερος.  It was no doubt a rusticism of his, to write the word as it was pronounced, instead of conforming to the dictates of traditional spelling!

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: ubu.roi on 21 Oct, 2010, 11:59:25

One of the simplest and most beautiful epitaphs ever written, in my opinion (and this has nothing to do with my love for the Greek language).

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: 5harkey on 29 May, 2011, 17:14:06

I love this and love the idea of it as a tattoo...

I can look at this quote and it seems very glum, but I can also look at it and turn it into a positive way by saying I am realistic, I dont hope, I go out and do, I dont fear anything and this makes me a free man...

Saying that though, how is this quote actually intended or what is its context. I cant seem to find anything...

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: spiros on 29 May, 2011, 17:17:38

It's the guy's epitaph; what sort of context are you expecting?

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: 5harkey on 29 May, 2011, 17:21:55

Well I thought it may have been taken from his work...

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 29 May, 2011, 19:12:01

Quote from: 5harkey on 29 May, 2011, 17:21:55

Well I thought it may have been taken from his work...

Kazantzakis himself reports in a letter (1947) that he has ordered that the motto (oddly, with "hope" and "fear" reversed) be inscribed on his tombstone.  His wife Eleni preserved the letter and published it in the 1977 biography of her husband. Here, from
http://politikokafeneio-com.anatolikos.net/logotexnia/nikos24.htm, is Kazantzakis' letter:
...τον Prince de Broglie είδα προχτές κι είναι κι αυτός όλο ανησυχία (μα κι ελπίδα στη μοίρα του ανθρώπου) κι ελπίζει πως την ατομική μπόμπα δε θα τη χρησιμοποιήσει η ανθρωπότητα για ν' αυτοχτονήσει. Είπε μια φράση, που μου έκανε εντύπωση, γιατί τόσα χρόνια τώρα τη λέω και τη γράφω κι όλοι την παρεξηγούν: "Ni peur ni espoir". Je pense que ce Ροurrait etre une belle devise pour υn homme de science aujourd' hui. Et pour tout homme qui se veut a la fois utile et lucide. "Δε φοβούμαι τίποτα, δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος", είναι η φράση, που έχω παραγγείλει να χαράξουν απάνω από τον τάφο μου. Να νικήσω την illusion και την ελπίδα, χωρίς να με κυριέψει ο τρόμος, τούτο στάθηκε, τα τελευταία είκοσι χρόνια, όλη η προσπάθεια της ζωής μου. Να κοιτάζω κατάματα την άβυσσο, χωρίς να βάνω τα κλάματα, χωρίς να παρακαλώ ή να φοβερίζω, μα ήσυχα, γαλήνια, διατηρώντας την αξιοπρέπεια του ανθρώπου. Να βλέπω την άβυσσο και να δουλεύω σαν να ήμουν αθάνατος. Πολύ χάρηκα, γνωρίζοντας το μεγάλο σοφό de Broglie, γιατί στερέωσε μέσα μου πολλούς στοχασμούς».
(See Thodoris Vlahodimitri in Νέα Εποχή, Vol. 3 (250) 1998, pp. 55-56.)

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mavrodon on 29 May, 2011, 19:25:47

Now, it is evident that the epitaph is not taken from Kazantzakis' work.

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 30 May, 2011, 06:56:03

Quote from: mavrodon on 29 May, 2011, 19:25:47

Now, it is evident that the epitaph is not taken from Kazantzakis' work.

I wouldn't go that far, Thomas.  Kazantzakis composed it for his tombstone, framing it in Greek and adding είμαι λέφτερος, and made the phrase famous.  Sounds like authorship to me!

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mavrodon on 30 May, 2011, 09:38:10

Quote from: billberg23 on 30 May, 2011, 06:56:03

I wouldn't go that far, Thomas.  Kazantzakis composed it for his tombstone, framing it in Greek and adding είμαι λέφτερος, and made the phrase famous.  Sounds like authorship to me!

In a way, you are right. The following quote is revealing: Jean Giraudoux
"Le plagiat est la base de toutes les littératures, excepté de la première, qui d'ailleurs est inconnue. "

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: billberg23 on 30 May, 2011, 10:33:38

"Neque enim dubitari potest quin artis pars magna contineatur imitatione." ~ Quintilian, Inst. Or. 10.2.1-2.  Take something rudimentary, and mold it into something eternal — that's art, right?

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: mavrodon on 30 May, 2011, 12:26:42

I agree. And literature is a form of art, with the letters being the raw materials!

Title: Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα, δεν φοβάμαι τίποτα, είμαι λεύτερος → I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.
Post by: Apparatus on 19 Feb, 2016, 00:03:34

Σήμερα, ίσως να ακουγότανε ως:

Δεν πληρώνω τίποτα, δεν ζητάω τίποτα, είμαι ελεύθερος.