Sep 27, 2007 19:42
16 yrs ago
German term
in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
This from a literary text--well, the title says it all: Ein Gespräch im Hause Stein über den abwesenden Herrn von Goethe: Schauspiel
The speaker is talking of Goethe and his turn away from poetry and toward first politics and then the sciences.
Wir waren nämlich die Asseln, er der Wundervogel. Er wünschte uns mit einem Schlag in die goldene Zeit hineinzusingen, und er war tief verstimmt, wenn wir uns ***in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren,*** ganz leidlich wohlbefanden.
So war es freilich nur stimmig, wenn er das Dichten von einem Tag auf den andern an den Nagel hing, die Maxime aufstellte, es tauge nicht mehr für die gegenwärtige Epoche und sich einer neuesten Weise zuwandte, seinen Kopf durchzusetzen: der Politik. Auf die Poeterei folgte die Ministerei. Waren wir auch seiner Verse nicht wert, hieß das, so hatte er doch Mitleid für uns übrig. Er verschloß sich vor uns, immerhin ohne Haß. Er opferte sich für uns, die er verachtete; er war immer noch bereit, uns, die wir nicht gerettet sein wollten, zu retten.
Jeder sieht inzwischen, daß er dieser anderen Laune längst müde ist. Er verrichtet seine Geschäfte schleppend und mit gequältem Blick; wie oft trifft man ihn denn noch im Rate?
The terms are certainly clear, but I just can't puzzle together what he's saying. My sense is that it means that Goethe is annoyed that the uncomprehending people around him have adjusted more or less without complaint into a "composed" state of being--all of the former social strata now melted together in the crucible of the looming modern age. But I just can't get there with the words on the page there. Any help?
The speaker is talking of Goethe and his turn away from poetry and toward first politics and then the sciences.
Wir waren nämlich die Asseln, er der Wundervogel. Er wünschte uns mit einem Schlag in die goldene Zeit hineinzusingen, und er war tief verstimmt, wenn wir uns ***in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren,*** ganz leidlich wohlbefanden.
So war es freilich nur stimmig, wenn er das Dichten von einem Tag auf den andern an den Nagel hing, die Maxime aufstellte, es tauge nicht mehr für die gegenwärtige Epoche und sich einer neuesten Weise zuwandte, seinen Kopf durchzusetzen: der Politik. Auf die Poeterei folgte die Ministerei. Waren wir auch seiner Verse nicht wert, hieß das, so hatte er doch Mitleid für uns übrig. Er verschloß sich vor uns, immerhin ohne Haß. Er opferte sich für uns, die er verachtete; er war immer noch bereit, uns, die wir nicht gerettet sein wollten, zu retten.
Jeder sieht inzwischen, daß er dieser anderen Laune längst müde ist. Er verrichtet seine Geschäfte schleppend und mit gequältem Blick; wie oft trifft man ihn denn noch im Rate?
The terms are certainly clear, but I just can't puzzle together what he's saying. My sense is that it means that Goethe is annoyed that the uncomprehending people around him have adjusted more or less without complaint into a "composed" state of being--all of the former social strata now melted together in the crucible of the looming modern age. But I just can't get there with the words on the page there. Any help?
Proposed translations
(English)
2 +2 | with the unrefined alloy we had always been made of |
Kieran McCann
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3 +2 | did not feel the need to be "recast" into something new |
Brigitte Albert (X)
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3 | at ease in/with the elements that had moulded us/been our mould |
franglish
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2 | the form into which we had been cast |
Michael Schickenberg (X)
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2 | the original way we had been moulded |
Stephen Sadie
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2 | the stuff we were made of originally |
Klaus Petzel
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2 | s.u. |
seehand
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1 | fused composite |
Francis Lee (X)
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Change log
Sep 27, 2007 21:22: Marcus Malabad changed "Term asked" from "in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren," to "in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren"
Proposed translations
+2
20 hrs
Selected
with the unrefined alloy we had always been made of
I wonder whether the 'Legierung' metaphor is less socio-historically complicated than you assume and is simply a humorous contrast with 'die goldene Zeit' ie G wanted to transport us to the perfection of the age of pure gold and was most put out if we were quite happy to remain in the imperfection of the alloy we were cast out of at birth.
Maybe: '...if we felt quite at (our) ease with the unrefined alloy we had always been made of'
Maybe: '...if we felt quite at (our) ease with the unrefined alloy we had always been made of'
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you to all. I think the worldplay here is spot on--this piece is full of chippy wordplay like this!--so this seems the best answer from many good ones. Thanks to all! BTW: I still don't understand the image--how can you be poured from an alloy? The allow is the material itself, not the vessel..."
46 mins
German term (edited):
die Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren
the form into which we had been cast
Can't think of anything to preserve Legierung/alloy. With this you could at least keep the image of metal that is cast into something.
56 mins
German term (edited):
in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren,
the original way we had been moulded
just my vague attempt, hth
22 mins
German term (edited):
in der Legierung, aus der wir einmal gegossen waren,
the stuff we were made of originally
just to give some food for thought, surely someone can improve this by 100%:
that we were quite content "with the stuff we were made of originally"
that we were quite content "with the mould we fitted (in) from the beginning"
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-27 20:48:54 GMT)
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in that case, how about "the original composition that made us what we were"
that we were quite content "with the stuff we were made of originally"
that we were quite content "with the mould we fitted (in) from the beginning"
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-27 20:48:54 GMT)
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in that case, how about "the original composition that made us what we were"
Note from asker:
But where's the Legierung here? I've never heard the term used to refer to a mould, only as a composite or alloy... |
+2
3 hrs
did not feel the need to be "recast" into something new
My take on the situation as Goethe might have seen it ;-)
They (his former friends) were quite content to remain as they were; they did not feel they had to "rearrange" or readjust themselves to any new reality...
A small addition to keep ideas coming...
They (his former friends) were quite content to remain as they were; they did not feel they had to "rearrange" or readjust themselves to any new reality...
A small addition to keep ideas coming...
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Damian Harrison (X)
: This works quite well for me, but it could be more active, i.e. the need to forge ourselves anew.
9 hrs
|
Yes I like that! Thank you Damian.
|
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agree |
seehand
9 hrs
|
Thank you seehand.
|
12 hrs
at ease in/with the elements that had moulded us/been our mould
a slightly different approach
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Note added at 13 hrs (2007-09-28 08:43:23 GMT)
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"...by which we had been moulded"
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Note added at 13 hrs (2007-09-28 08:43:23 GMT)
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"...by which we had been moulded"
13 hrs
s.u.
... the components we had originally been cast from/the composition we had originally been made of fitted us quite well - noch ein Vorschlag
18 hrs
fused composite
I think your interpretation ("melted together in the crucible of the looming modern age") is more than plausible.
"fused composite" is not really a concrete (!) suggestion: just a couple of words that came to mind ...
"fused composite" is not really a concrete (!) suggestion: just a couple of words that came to mind ...
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