Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant, Translations of Untitled Poem by Fyodor TYUTCHEV, Written in French, "Vous, dont on voit briller"

                                  Jean-Léon Gérôme “Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant”

 

Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant

 

Translations of Untitled Poem by Fyodor Tyutchev Written in French

 

Vous, dont on voit briller, dans les nuits azurées, L’éclat immaculé, le divin élément, Etoiles, gloire à vous! Splendeurs toujours sacrées! Gloire à vous, qui durez incorruptiblement! L’homme, race éphémère et qui vit sous la nue, Qu’un seul et même instant voit naître et défleurir, Passe, les yeux au ciel. – II passe et vous salue! C’est l’immortel salut de ceux qui vont mourir. 1850 Фёдор Тютчев Exact date of poem (Tyutchev note on original text): “August 23, 1850. Night walk with Nesti.” Nesti was his nickname for his second wife Ernestine F. Tyutchev.

Translation into Russian by M.P. Kudinov Вам, изливающим из глубины ночной Свой непорочный свет, чья сущность неизменна, – О звезды, слава вам! Сияя красотой, Не ведаете вы ни дряхлости, ни тлена. А люди призрачны… Топча земную твердь, В один и тот же миг живя и умирая, На вас глядят они, идущие нa смерть, Бессмертный свой привет вам, звезды, посылая. d Translation from the Russian Translation into English Literal Translation To you, who pour out from the depths of night Your chaste light, whose existence is unchangeable, O stars, glory unto you! Shining with beauty, You know neither decrepitude, nor decay.   But people are transparent . . . Tramping the ground of earth, Living and dying in one and the same instant, They gaze at you, while walking toward death, Sending their immortal greeting to you, o stars.   d   Literary Translation/Adaptation by U.R. Bowie   O stars who pour your benefaction From depths of night, e’er fixed and static, Immune to rot and putrefaction, We praise your chaste light charismatic!   A human life, a flip of dice, Is past in what’s but one brief trice,    We walk toward death and gaze on high, And send our best to nebulae!   d

Translation into Russian by V.A. Kostrov

Когда в ночной тиши лазурью дышит воздух,
Сиянием стихий волнуются сердца,
Вовеки слава вам, божественные звезды.
Священный ваш огонь да длится без конца!

И человечий род, страдающий и тленный,
Рожденный лишь на миг и гибнущий тотчас
Проходит, устремив глаза к огням вселенной:
– Идущие на смерть приветствуют вас!

 

Translation from the Russian Translation into English

Literal Translation

When in the hush of night the air breathes with blueness,

Hearts are stirred by the glitter of nature’s elements,

Glory to you for all time, o divine stars.

May your sacred flames live on without end!

 

 

And the human race, suffering and transient,

Born for but a moment and immediately perishing,

Passes on, training its eyes on the flames of the universe:

“We who are about to die salute you!”

 

d

 

Literary Translation/Adaptation by U.R. Bowie

 

Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant

 

When midst the hush of night the very air breathes cobalt blue,

Our hearts are stirred by heaven’s grand décor,

O stars divine, we glorify your scope and vast purview,

May your flame blessed and sanctified burn on forevermore!

 

All mortal creatures writhe on earth in transience and shame,

Our lives are but begun and then are through,

We pass along to nowhere bound, our eyes fixed on the flame,

And say, “We who are about to die salute you!”