Batrachomyomachia, or, the wonderfull and bloudy Battell betweene Frogs and Mice/To the Reader in generall

by William Fowldes

To the Reader in generall.

 

aving of late, for mine owne exercise at vacant houres, consummated the translation of this little Booke, I now boldly adventure to commit it to the Presse, being the rather induced thereunto by the incouragement of certaine of mine acquaintance: not that I seeke hereby to winne praise, or publish this for any devotion in print, since I am verily perswaded, it deserves not the least title of commendation: and I hold it as a maxime with Lylie, that he which commeth in print, because he would be known, is like the foole that goeth into the market, because he would be seene. Onely I hope, that this my simple labour will be a spurre to the riper wits of our time, that the golden workes of this & other famous Poets, may not still lye hidden, as under a vaile or mysterie, from the weake capacitie of meaner judgements. Concerning my translation, as I cannot altogether commend it: for quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus: so neither will I wholly discommend it; in the one I might seeme arrogant; in the other be accounted foolish: and therfore puto rectius esse, ut sint mediocria omnia. If one write never so well, he shall not please all; if never so ill, he shall please some: a dog will barke, though he lacke his teeth; and a dolt will censure, though hee want judgement. I know to some curious heads it will be thought amisse, that every verse answers not their expectation, because I have not word for word concurd with the Author in my translation: yet if they will but looke a little into the difficulty of this thing, considering the kinde of verse which I have used, I hope they will rest satisfied. I onely will answer them out of Hor. Non verbum verbo curabis reddere, fidus interpres. And furthermore (besides the diversitie betweene a construction and a translation) they may know, that there are many mysteries in this writer, which uttered in English, would shew little pleasure, and in mine opinion, are better to be untouched, then to diminish the grace of the rest with tediousnesse and obscuritie: I have therefore followed the counsell of the aforesaid Horace, teaching the duty of a good Interpreter, qui, quæ desperat tractata nitescere posse, relinquit. By which occasion, some few sentences I have in places omitted, somewhat added, somewhat altered, and somewhat expounded: that which I have added, you shall finde noted with this marke * The significations of the names (being indeed no names, but onely words correspondent to the nature of Frogs and Mice) ne quis in ijs hæreat, lest any should therewith be troubled, I have englished and inserted them in the verse, that the inferiour Readers should not bee wearied with looking in the margent: as for the learned, they need not be instructed. I meane not to be a prejudice to any that can doe finer; onely I would desire them to be are with this my simple labour, and to accept it as a thing roughly begun, rather then polished. And if any with this will not be contented, let him take in hand, and doe it anew himselfe, and I doubt not, but he shall finde it an easier thing to controll a line or two, then to amend the whole of this interpretation. Farewell.

 

W. F.