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well at the same time." (Aden, 1963, p255) It is much like dancing on
ropes with fettered legs; a man may shun a fall by using caution, but
the gracefulness of motion is not to be expected... Imitation and
verbal version are in my opinion the two extremes which ought to be
avoided." (Stiener, 1975, pp262-63) Dryden's translations, however,
were severely criticized for being 'inaccurate and unfaithful'.
Comparing between 'metaphrase' and 'imitation' translations, Dryden
argues that "The imitator is no better, and even worse, than the
composer who appropriates his theme from another and produces his own
variations". (ibid, p254) Steiner places the relationship between
author and translator in a new perspective. He sees that the "relation
of translator to author should be that of portrait-painter to his
sitter. A good translation is a new garment which makes the inherent
form familiar to us and yet in no way hinders its integral expressive
motion." (ibid, p267).
From the abme discussion, it becomes abundantly clear that
translation, since its very inception, undertook to resolve the basic
conflict between two extremes: word-for-word and sense-for-sense.
Creative, or ultra-subjective, translation is unanimously unapplauded,
except in poetry, as being unfaithful to the original. Word-for-word
translation was virtually predominant during the Middle Ages. With the
relaxation of the Church's grip over Bible translating, and the
emergence of the Reformation in Germany, 'literal' translation gave way
to 'meaningful' translation. The translator's focus radically shifted
from the single word to the entire sense; from the form to the content.
Thus, the road for more advanced and sophisticated theories of
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