Evagrius, presbyter, to his dearest son Innocent, greeting…
““Evagrius, presbyter, to his dearest son Innocent, greeting in the Lord. A word-for-word translation from one language to another obscures the sense and as it were chokes the wheat with luxuriant grass. For in slavishly following cases and constructions, the language scarcely explains by lengthy periphrasis what it might state by concise expression. To avoid this, I have at your request rendered the Life of the blessed Antony in such a way as to give the full sense, but cut short somewhat of the words. Let others try to catch syllables and letters; you seek the meaning.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Overly literal translation clutters meaning; concise expression preserves sense.
In simple terms: Avoid wordy translations; be concise.
Key Takeaway
Prefer concise, clear language.
Themes
language
translation
clarity
Mood
scholarly
reflective
Type
Dearest Son:0
Evagrius Presbyter:0
Blessed Antony:0
Presbyter Dearest:0
Somewhat Words:0
When to use this quote
- scripture study
- language teaching
Key Concepts
theory
historical writing
communication
Questions to Reflect On
- How does brevity affect understanding of ancient texts?
- When is a literal translation necessary?
A Different Perspective
May sacrifice nuance for brevity.