Thank you for the comment. While I did not fully grasp the concept of vasslage, I wasn't sure about my word choice either. I just didn't want to repeat "official" twice when they were two different words in the original text. I think envoy can work. Thanks again!
Well, I don't know about the original, but glad my impressions helped. Translation is endlessly fascinating, because it requires poetic sense and critical sensibility.
Hyun Woo, thanks for this. I'm not really in a position to judge, but I like the poem. Especially the imagery at the conclusion. Small comment: in the European feudal tradition, everyone would be a vassal -- the chain of vassalage/lordship reached from the lowliest peasant to the King or Emperor. The church had a parallel system. SO, when you say "a vassal arrived" from the Emperor's court, it's a bit jarring. "Envoy?" perhaps? Agent? "Tax collector?" Etc.
Thank you for the comment. While I did not fully grasp the concept of vasslage, I wasn't sure about my word choice either. I just didn't want to repeat "official" twice when they were two different words in the original text. I think envoy can work. Thanks again!
Well, I don't know about the original, but glad my impressions helped. Translation is endlessly fascinating, because it requires poetic sense and critical sensibility.
Hyun Woo, thanks for this. I'm not really in a position to judge, but I like the poem. Especially the imagery at the conclusion. Small comment: in the European feudal tradition, everyone would be a vassal -- the chain of vassalage/lordship reached from the lowliest peasant to the King or Emperor. The church had a parallel system. SO, when you say "a vassal arrived" from the Emperor's court, it's a bit jarring. "Envoy?" perhaps? Agent? "Tax collector?" Etc.