36 The Time of Eclopedies ltraur is fis che alma or che play of «spec that i altogether orher? And would erste not diappet in it nec sarily and essnlly in such away tat lieratre could not be spoken abou otherwise than sough misunderstanding? We a ready Know thatthe elaine of rerture to history cree a problem chats very dificalet9 master and more dif til 0 reconcile with the encjlopede exigeny. And theres something cls. In the word of cult, ts nacessiry and itis good fr us hn both Mallarmé and Vizor Huge, Gocthe and Hilden, Racine and Cornel, to tle just few “great incomesable ames” Ru shee pine ae which ei neomry for Coste to ‘emain deaf to Holden, to aoet Klis, and at which we, ton, ‘anor open curses 19 Halderin and to Goethe atthe same ‘ime This point is located ouside euler, and culture must be ignorant oft: Could one imagine and even conesive ofan Encyelo- pedi tha would have this pn fori center fr onc of is eners? 6. There canbe no encyclopedia without ransaion. But what is tasting? Ise posible we want? Ie noe tanaing. hat singular cerry at, whatnot only enables the encylopedic work bout a che same time prevents it thteens ie Trandating, he binging into "wor of difleece 55 Translating Da we know all tht we cme to ranltore and, even more to twandaton? We do not propeily know. And even when we ae ‘grateful che men who vaanaly eater iat de enigma that the ‘ade of eansating when we mate them fom af asthe hidden ‘maxes of our cultured oem at weare and doc subjecto their zed our recognition remain sien, ide dsdainfl-owing to our bul. for we ae in no measureable to be grt co them. From one of Waker Benjamin's esays, in whch this era len essays speaks ows ofthe sk ofthe candor, I wil dav several mak on this parila form of out terry atv, it ‘tiga form; ad ifone continues say, ighly or wrong Here are the poets, and thee the novelists, indeed the cris all oF a in these way coune the trnltorwites ofthe net sor and truly incomparable Teandlatng T would remind the reader, was, fora long time, regarded ata banefl pretension in cerita egies of eloee Some {donot want anyone to eransate into thei langage and her do ror want anyone co tansae thei language; and war is needed in ter for this reachery in the lite sense, be ettied 04 10 hand over the tae language oF people foreign Land (Let remember Etc despur: “Do noc wench fom the earth, pey ofthe enemy, city that speaks the tue language of Greece") ut nae responsible for dhe meaning of erature, then one ast,” Tanti the rales ui of greater mpi stl. He, encay of God ‘eck rebuild the Tomer of Babel, ura to good acount and profi eonally: he celestial punishment that separatcs men inthe onfeon of languages Inthe pase, one belived ic posible hus to ‘tum some orgnay ngage, he supreme language that one ‘ede only to spain onder t0 speak ea: Besjamin retains someting of this dears. Langes he nots ll intend the same ‘eas but not sconling tothe sme mode. When Tay Brotand when say pin | ntend the same thing according wo a diferent ‘mode, Each language, taken by ise is incomple, With ransae ‘ion, Ido not content myself with replacing one mode with nother one way with another way. buc instead I make a gesture toward superior language, which would be the harmony or the complementary unity of al these diferent modes of intention and ‘which, ely would speak atthe place whore che mystery ofall Tanguages that are spoken by all works recoiled. To cach ‘eanltor thus his om mesaniim, if he works toward making Tanguages prow inthe direction of his wtimae language tested rm maery presen language by what each Language conta ofthe Ficare—and which che anltion sizes upon, “Theabove contention is ceaya utopian play of ideas, fr one suppor that each language as but one same mode of intention, heap ith the same signtction, and tht all of thee modes of Jncaion could become complementary. But Benin sugges something ele every anlar ies bythe diference of languages ‘rey tanlation is founded upon this diference even while pars Ingo it appears the perverse design of suppresing it (A work ‘hae well ranaated is accamed ino opposing wae: "Tis hard torilive ie tranltion." one ay: or de, "Te is uly che same wot” one finds cmaelouslidenccl In the fis case, howe, ‘ne fics the eign of the work co beni the new languages in the soon eae, inorder o bene the eigzal work, one tlacs ‘the orginal of boch Languages In both eases something semi fs Tout) In fact cranslcion # not at al intended to. make the life disappear son the contrary, the play of hs dif fence tallest it onatany st danimulate his diene, but Toasting 9 occasionally in revealing cand often in accentuating arslaion Fe ehe wry feof his diference finds inthis difference is august hur, and lois ciation asic proudly beings the we languages ‘lor by is om power of unifction, a power iia otha of Hercules drawing together the banks of hese Bur more remuna to be said. A work has acquired dhe age and Align tw be randated oly fi contained dilference in each tmay a to make avalabl, cider Because toil nas issue toward ater language or Becaise ie asembles, in manner thai pepe, the posible of being fren from ‘elf and foreign to elf which any spoken language has. The crgnal i never itmobile, andl that 3 Language contains of the Faure ata particular momen all at heres inte language hat point to or summons asate ha is aher, sometimes dangerouty (ther farmed in the solemn dif of erary works. Tanaon {sted o cis becoming "wane" and accompa Tans- lason x posible only because of chis movement and this ie fe it aie, sometimes in order t0 delve cleanly. othe mes ‘private wth lone As for lsc works far, which belong ‘language dats noe spoken they demo be eanslatd all the ‘more because they ar, henceforth the sole deposi of the life fof dead Language and the ony nes responsible for the future oft Tanguage tht has no ure, Only ans are hese works alive moreover in the orignal lnguage itself they ae aways as if fetanlatd and edited roward wha is mest specific to them: reward thee forignnes of origin. The anlar sa write of singular rigialcy, precisely wher he seme claim none. Heit she screx maser ofthe ference of = langage, notin der to abolish the diference but inorder C0 use ie awaken in his own language. though the vilen or subtle changes he rings tot a presence of whats diferent, orignal in the origina Ir not a question here of rscmblance, Benjnin righ says: fone wants the canslated work o resemble the work to be taralated, thre sno powible ear warslation, Kes mach ‘more a question ofan ientty on the bass ofa ley the sare ror in two foreign language, both Beaune of Frcignness60 Tanating sn yi in ibis wha mas i yo ‘chars nate mei pec ea id ip ao a en oni Seni tanto ase nan. ano fe Lainie gg fare te oa ae ont naa restate ich Selgin sen) pest es ‘mals fom it enn he lo ete at ‘plug bce eng ‘Spin pene ity nee langage ae es SOK Salted eee ‘eta eel ht nig few oro et ‘Ss on dona ign ea es slanted mere er ape reing treme hoes i aero ke mse ‘ihe cues ofan nggr nended where Tecvkecid epic atone join ce tr avn ce pg mon fom sheaf Ra nie" exe proc on weg pine Thay sempre Se Giang nna of tg tong ng Cees Oc vnian nstegetemrantonan oti ove anu en re as pe Totes ref Se ort epee ee “REE ong pote oa Seventy np Thnsre as aa de gtr hg sa Come nus ret meet nara ‘Ftc dns as enka lee ‘oun owning shy ma ope th sen many Eafe nes Calon nd no whack a ne a Cte spanned aie aay wed seer ees ‘he hin Pani sere devon he Toaeing o seni oftich anette, Vs, Holden, George no of tom halted, in cer ntance in which he swan Trek famewor fh Carman gage one vee tundares The example of Holdin dhe the vi chat is tum inthe end, by the man fcnted by the power of tang ‘he valaions of digs Oda me oc ts works ibe oubretof rain. Thee wos we expla wedi, ‘aid, and ltcsonl, conducted wit iene Smee ‘hee nen not of anspoing he Gece int German, not of mcg th Gren legge is Geek ems bof Sing he wo prwer—the oe epee the vice of the Wester thes fhe Onc inetinplicy ope tnd angunge The oes igh ar foe ere Gicoeing ern the wo languages an nding 0 ro found, a tannony vo fundamen a ic abtinns foc for ‘meaning or cede ia tuning the Raa that bat open bere the wong ino he origin af new easing The cece of thst powerful ron underands he ay luge of Cote ‘erwin nd as Gath lnaghg? Ara man who was 20 Tong a pos sore tancoy, bor who wat ctl atraacng toward he center in wich etl he woul fd colleed de re power af wsifing 2 center such dar wold be blew pie Inetag byendalrcmined dln caning, Onc ae ‘Sande har iempenton dd hve come Holt cog taeda. er wth dhe ning power dara wd in ey rated sane a in acy epg, tad aa the same ine, ‘Spor im otic pression thas abeay pri the man who is ready to amie ina consant, dango and admirable indnay ands raey dat ge ane ight beh mos aroant othe mort secre of wtih the cacion tha in ee end candi i mado,