Dynamics of Neo-Latin and the Vernacular

Hintzen, Beate

Daniel Heinsius, Martin Opitz and Paul Fleming. Translation and Transfer from Greek into German and from German into Latin

Talking about translation in the Early Modern Times, we usually talk about translations from Latin into the vernacular, but this is only one side of the story. The German poets Martin Opitz and Paul Fleming for example translated also from Dutch, French and Italian vernacular into German vernacular. Moreover, Fleming translated from German into Latin. Two of Fleming’s Latin translations or transfers will be the subject of my contribution: the translation of Opitz’ German sonett An der liebsten Vaterland into Latin elegiacs (Suavium 28: Ad patriam Rubellae) and the transfer of Opitz’ Die trunckene Venus into the Latin praise of the poet’s beloved girl (Suavium 31.18-20). Both poems by Opitz are themselves translations from Greek texts by Daniel Heinsius (Ἀφροδίτη πάροινος. Venus ebria dorice; Cum amicae patriam praeternavigaret).