Harmony High School - Cardinal Yearbook (Harmony, MN)

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would he impossible to translate poetry of one tongue into that of another without making many changes. But l’ope has been in the main successful in doing the work faithfully and brilliantly; his expression is good and he excells especially in the art of “putting” things. Pope gave the heroic couplet the greatest possible smoothness, variety, and point. His influence in poetry was supreme thru out nearly all of the eighteenth century. “Dr (puinrro'n IChatt auh Zrhrk Dnrrlii” -- Etuumr D. Simt, ’lUi In De Quincey’s “Flight of the Tartar Tribe,” we have a very good example of the evil in one man working against the good in another. The Kalmucks, a branch of the Tartar tribe, lived among the Caspian steppes, subject to the Russian rule, during the first half of the eighteenth century. There were two influential men among them:—the Khan, their ruler, and Zebek Dorchi, his cousin, who was desirous of gaining control of the royal power among the Kalmucks. The first time the Khan is introduced, we find him mentioned as being amiable in his personal character. This characteristic holds true all thru the book, where in many instances we find his character in sharp contrast with that of Zebec Dorchi. In the first of the book we find the Khan working for the benefit of his tribe, although he was at a disadvantage in this, for the people hated anyone who ruled under the power of the Russian government. De Quincey says he would have made a good ruler, if natural conditions had not been against him, in that the Kalmucks were not civilized nor at peace. However, with all these odds against him, he progressed very well in the first of his reign, and would no doubt have finished his service with honor, if he had not come into contact with the wicked designs of Zebek Dorchi. This man had as much legal right to the sceptre as the Khan, and wished to depose him in order to become supreme. To this end he instigated a plot whereby the whole Kalmuck tribe should flee to China. This plan was easily carried out on account of the fear and hatred these people had for the Russians. His aim was to do away with the Khan on the march and assume the reins of government. Here are shown the characteristics of both men. Zebek Dorchi shows his hatred for, and powerful influence over the Khan, also his untiring diligence to gain his own end. The unsuspecting Khan, as De Quincey styles him, shows his friendly ways, and his desire to help his people in any way he can. The following instance shows these two men in a true light. At the time of their arrival at the river Torgau, when the Khan advised the Kalmucks to return to their former allegiance to Russia, he offered to sacrifice himself, in order to bring them back into Russian favor. Zebek Dorchi counselled otherwise in order to fulfill his designs. This brings out another of his characteristics, an iron will and unyielding firmness.

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On all sides can be seen huge rocks and cliffs and also a great variety of foliage. On the banks of the river and extending a short distance into the water are a number of different kinds of water plants. A little farther up among the rocks there are a great many mosses and ferns, while still farther up grow immense oak and elm trees and smailer shrubs as well. Grape and hop vines,twining around and nearly covering some of the smaller trees, make a very pretty picture. In some places it even looks as if some one had been trying to make a tent by training the vines. On the very summit of the highest of the cliffs are tall evergreen trees which show off beautifully against the pale blue of the sky. It seems as though this place with all its charms ought to attract the attention of every one, even of those who are generally thoughtless of nature. ■‘Jhipr'H ilrauHlatuin nf thr Jliair — Samtali SlurmriBtrr, ’nr Homer’s Iliad, translated by Pope, is considered by some critics as being the greatest of all ep.c poems, and, by reading it, we find that it fulfills all the requirements of a great epic. There have been several translations of the Iliad, wherein the substance of the story is told very well by all: but the translators have failed to give it in Homer’s wonderful, fasinating manner. One of these translations was made by Pope, who wrote in the age succeeding Shakespeare and Milton. It was a period devoted to literary form, and tho Pope takes the lead in clear, orderly, arid effective expression, he often sacrifices thought to form, making the work stilted and stiff for the sake of polish. Pope has been influenced by the characteristics of his age, as is shown thru out his translation of the Iliad. He is continually spoiling the noble simplicity of Homer, by using too many ornaments or figures. In many instances he has omitted, expanded, condensed, and mistranslated, often giving a different light from that which Homer intended. In translating Homer's words, ‘‘the people began to perish”, Pope says, “The camp was heaped with mountains of the dead.” Again in speaking of Apollo’s putting the plague on the people, Pope savs, “A sudden night he spread”, so that the stealthy, fateful descent which Homer wished to express is lost. Pope uses a great many figures and much alliteration, as in translating Homer’s simple expression, “Apollo let the arrow fly ”, Pope gives, “and hissing fly the feathered fates below.” Homer is very plain and blunt in some of his expressions, as in speaking of Hera, he says, “The oxeyed queen”. Pope tries to improve this and uses instead “the large or bs of her majestic eyes.” Pope says, “Achilles sorrowed in wild resentment over the loss of Briseis,” which gives us a false impression of his character. Homer says more simply, “He was vexed in spirit for the fair-girdled woman's sake.” Homer's “rosyfingered dawn” is changed to Pope’s “bright morning orient”, in which Pope gains nothing. Substance changes are often necessary to bring out the rhyme. Many of these defects in Pope's translation of the Iliad may be pardoned as it

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At the very beginning1 we find Zebek Dorchi with a great deal of political influence and it seems as if he must have been very intelligent. He would be considered the best thinker and statesman, as we might term him, of all the Tartars, and if had used his influence on the right side, would certainly have been honored and powerful among the Kalmucks. No man with less intellect could have so fooled the Russians, the Khan, and the entire Kalmuck tribe. Hut however successful Zebek Dorchi was at first, his “Machcavelian plot” was not proof against the steady honor and dignity of the Khan’s character. In the end his interested motives were suspected while the disinterested and patriotic Khan received the trust and loyalty which his character merited. dattnrt to CEirrru Declare, O Muse, in what ill fated hour The greatest of men put forth his gifted power, Those works of History and War, Declare why he a task so great hath wrought, That all our labors, trials and efforts come to nought. Little is known of the hours in toil we spend, Or a light on the subject they’d kindly lend. But alas, we are doomed to fret and stew But not because we have nothing to do. O, for the time of June to come, When we’ll Did farewell to our old time chum. Meanwhile by day and night the brain From thee and thy work, no relief can obtain. O. L. W. liubblra When asked who Cooper was, one of the children in the grades said: “A man who keeps hens.” Who says Freshmen are not ordinal? Caesar et Vergil ins clari Romani fuerunt. ‘‘Caesar and the virgin came to Home together.” The children in one of the grades were studying about a man who was to be punished by being put into a hogshead and rolled down hill. The next day a young hopeful gave this revised version: “He was to be put into a pigpen ” From a Physiology paper: Nerves are very important. If it were not for nerves we would never know when we were hurt We could creak our arm and it would heal up again without our knowing anything about it, if we didn’t have nerves. Then there would be no need for doctors.