tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jun 16 09:47:45 1995
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Re: Beowulf
> Dr Lawrence M Schoen writes:
>
> > [ Beowulf] seems like a fine challenge and a very appropriate thing to
> > translate into Klingon. Epic tales, legends of heroes, what could be
> > more Klingon? And best of all, Beowulf is in the public domain!
>
> I dunno... The so-called "Honor Danes" sit around *crying* because their
> friends died fighting !? Their leader is too old to fight any more, yet
> they still obey him?!
If he is a superior tactician he will have batlh'a', and be respected for
it. For Klingons, it is not so much the dying in battle that they enjoy,
but the honor and glory and success. In fact, they value it so much,
that if they fail in achieving their goal, death is a good alternative.
But if they succeed, then death is not so important. After all, they
have their glory.
> This implies unthinkable cowardice, from the king
> for not having died yet in battle; and from his warriors, since none of
> them challenge him for command.
You're thinking too "trekkie," and not like a student of tlhIngan Hol.
> I suspect this story would NOT play well with Klingon audiences, unless
> you re-wrote it so that Beowulf is a Klingon, who shows up to help the
> pitiful humans fight the monster, and teaches them not to be afraid of
> dying in battle. Sort of like the STTNG "Birthright" episode...
Humans? The Klingons had never heard of the humans when this story was
written. To change it like that would cheapen it, vIQub.
Cowardice did exist for the Klingons before human contact.
Besides, the purpose of translating anything, (even Beowolf) into
tlhIngan Hol is for the benefit of the current Klingon-speaking culture,
which just happens to be made up entirely of humans, namely, the KLI and
various other Klingon groups. *WE* don't see any dishonor in the
characters' actions.
malegh'a'? {{;)
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chuQun