The beginning, and causes of Tropes.
The causes of Tropes are three, neccessitie will and
arte, & of these three necessity was the first, for where there
wanted words
to expresse the nature and propertie of diverse things, men were urged
and constrained to seeke remedie for the supply of so great a want,
whereupon wise men calling to remembrance that many things were verie
like one to another in some respect of nature though it good to borow
ye name of one thing, to signifie another, which did in some part or
property of nature resemble it, & thus began they to use
translated speech: declaring their meaning by similitudes and compared
significations. Ant then, seeing that by this meanes matter were well
expressed, their meanings more largely uttered, and their invention
well commended, men in their private speech, and Orators
in their publike orations,
refused such words as were proper, and had litle sweetnesse, or could
not declare the nature of the thing so well, and used other wordes
borrowed from like things, both for the grace sake of the similitude,
and also for the cause of perspicuitie of the thing expressed.
Since upon good liking, and confirmed judgement, the wisdome of man
hath invented and found out an Art, not onely teaching where apt
translations may be found, but also giving excellent rules and
certaine directions, how they should be most aptly and properly
applyed.
The places from whence translations may be taken, are infinite, not
withstanding there be certaine that be verie usuall, readie, apt and
pleasant, which I purpose hereafter to observe and note, as the most
plentifull fields, yeeldinrg such proffitable and pleasant flowers.
This excellent Art of translating, among other profitable rules
commendeth to us this necessarie observation to begin with, that is to
say, that those things ought to be equal in proportion, which we
purpose to compare by translation, that is, of foure things two ought
always to be compared to two, as for example, we say the flower of
age, here in this translation the herbe and the flower is compared to
man and his youth, for the same that the flower is in the herbe, the
same is youth in man. By the same proportion the Poet saith, unhappy
Dido enflamed is, in this example Dido and her love is compared to the
wood and the fire.
This rule is alwayes most diligently observed of wise and
learned men, whose words and works are by this singular forme of
speech both pleasantly beautified, and brightly adorned. The special
commendation of translated speech I will referre it to the proper use
of everie singular Trope.
