Το τρίτο άσμα του Ύμνου και θρήνου για την Κύπρο του Ρίτσου: πολλές απορίες

[Theseus]

Νάτο το τρίτο άσμα. Απορίες ως συνήθως σ' έντονα μπλε γράμματα:-

Το δάκρυ κράτησέ το ορθό, κράτησε ορθό και το αίμα
μη σου θολώσει την καρδιά της αρνησιάς το ρέμα.

Τούτο το φώς δεν κρύβεται, φεγγοβολάει και δείχνει
μέσα στην πιο βαθιά νυχτιά των δολοφόνων τα ίχνη.

Τούτο το φώς δεν σώνεται, σπαθί δεν το θερίζει•
ραντίστε τούς ωραίους νεκρούς με ανθόφυλλα και ρύζι..

Κι απέ στεριώστε τη γροθιά στου κόσμου το τραπέζι•
δω πέρα ο δίκαιος θα κριθεί κι αυτός που κρυφοπαίζει.

Τι σημαίνει αυτό, το πιο δύσκολο των πέντε ασμάτων του Ρίτσου; Σε εμένα τουλάχιστο, η γενική έννοια είναι πολύ ασαφής, ειδικά εκείνη του πρώτου διστίχου.

Αυτή τη αγγλική μετάφραση φτιάχνω:-

Keep the tears you shed upright, keep also the blood you shed upright,
In case the stream of denial befogs your heart.

This light cannot be hidden, it glitters and shows
in the deepest night the traces of the murderers.

This light never runs out, no sword shall reap it;
Sprinkle the beautiful dead with flower petals and rice.

And then hold firm your fist on the world's table;
Right here the just and the card-sharp will be judged.

 

[nickel]

I dare say you've got everything right; that's what I too understand at first sight, but then I'm not the best one at interpreting poetry. One needs to proceed to the figurative meanings now. That's when I ask to be excused. (... την κάνω με μικρά πηδηματάκια.)

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, Nickel. 'Keep your tears upright or straight' is particularly obscure in meaning. And 'sprinkle the beautiful dead with flower petals & rice' must refer to some local custom, like the kollyva, which is pretty universal. I await interpretations of what Ritsos means with eager expectation.:)

 

[SBE]

Rose petals and rice are thrown at weddings.
Weddings are celebrations.
The dead should be celebrated, is the meaning of this.

 

[SBE]

Το δάκρυ κράτησέ το ορθό, κράτησε ορθό και το αίμα
μη σου θολώσει την καρδιά της αρνησιάς το ρέμα.

Keep alive/ remember the tears and the blood, lest denial clouds your thoughts and feelings.
I am not sure what denial this is referring to, as I am not familiar with the details of the history of Cyprus and I don't know when the above was written, but I am guessing it refers to either the negativity that is the result of failure or the denial (άρνηση) of unification with Greece.
As I said before, you need to look at it from the pov of the poet to understand it. I am sure that for Greeks the independence of Cyprus was a failure and the poet probably reflects that.

 

[Theseus]

Thanks so much, SBE. Prof. Panos Karayiorgos connects the first couplet with the invasion of Cyprus. His revised translation to me in a letter reads:-
Keep the tears from being shed, keep the blood as well,
So that the negative current/course (of INVASION) will not affect your heart.
Ritsos's poem Hymn & Lament for the invasion of Cyprus was written in 1974.
As to the rose petals & rice I have found this article https://www.greekboston.com/wedding/bridal-bed-tradition/.

 

[SBE]

OK, makes more sense now. I was under the impression it was an early 60s poem.

 

[SBE]

Not sure why you needed to look up the rose petals and rice. As far as I know they are both commonly thrown at weddings in the UK, too. And at the time of the poem (1974) the custom of the bridal bed had waned significantly, and was seen by many as a sign of χωριατιά. The custom was revived in the 90s as a way for the future couple to make some money. As a matter of fact, I had never heard of it until I was invited at one in 1997. And by then I had been to several weddings of friends and family. So I would suggest that you don't try to think too much about it. After all nowhere in the poem does it say that you should lay the dead on a bed and scatter rice and rose petals over it for decoration. It states very clearly that you should sprinkle them with it. Ραντίστε not σκορπίστε, διακοσμήστε or anything else. Ραίνουμε με άνθη τους ήρωες (και τους νιόπαντρους). Τους νεκρούς τους στολίζουμε με άνθη.

 

[Theseus]

Thanks for all your help, SBE. Context is all-important & so are customs. You have given me both in detail. Now my translation can be done with confidence.:)