T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 509

LH 9/13 M-2 Karachi. 2/1/57 Dear Idhan, Forgive the office typewriter, and my botching of its keys. It's in case I need a copy of what I say to myself; you: I keep these "braids" about. In case I neglected to out, temporarily. Why should you be so much better to me than I am to myself? The money suggested is wonderful, but that only shows how well they expect it to be done; and I have no trust whatever in my writing. Agreed reviewers spoke highly of it, when "Revolt" came out; but they speak as well of seventy per cent of the books they notice, you discover that; and in my case they were attached that a practical man could write at all. I'm clever of him, my dear, to be able to sit up"... as they'd say of a toy dog. When your letter came, I took the Odyssey down from the shelf, (it goes with me, always, to every camp, for I love it) and tried to see myself translating it, freely, into English. Honestly, it would be much difficult to do, have the rhythm of the Greek so in my mind, that it would not come readily into plain English. Nor am I a scholar; I read it only for pleasure, and have to keep a dictionary within reach, a though of the other translators and agreed that there was not a first-rate one. Butcher & Lang... too antique. Samuel Butler ... too little dignified, too better. Morris... too literary. That only shows what it is. Why should my doing be any better than these efforts of the bigger men? Bruce Rogers' dressing of the book will make it glorious, so that even an inferior version would pass muster. You are fortunate to be able to dine with him. I have, for years admired his "romans", of course; and have been able at intervals to buy books of his production; of course I've never met him,- but you know, and he knows that he's the ideal of all those who have tried to produce books. Or perhaps I should say, of all who have gone far enough in the direction of producing books, to know what a job it is. It would be an awful thing if my judging justify its failure in my better did not judgement. So let me make stiff terms, in the hope of being refused an honour which I feel too "..." for me to carry off successfully. I can not refuse so profitable an offer bluntly. The translation would ...