Salve caput - how to distinguish translations?

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Haruo's picture

I'm working on adding the hymns to HTP1971, the Plymouth Brethren hymnal Hymns of Truth and Praise. Hymn no. 131 in that book is a version of the Latin hymn Salve caput cruentatum, generally attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, and usually brought into English via Paul Gerhardt's German version beginning "O Haupt, voll Blut und Wunden". The first line of HTP1971/131 goes "O Head, once filled with bruises," and the translator is said to be James W. Alexander "(alt.)". Much more common first lines for cognate texts are "O Sacred Head now wounded", "O sacred Head, sore wounded", and "O sacred Head, surrounded", each of which is also often said to have been translated by Alexander. Some versions are said to have been translated by Robert Bridges, or to be a melding of translations by these two gentlemen.

When I search the database for "O Head once filled with bruises", in an effort to determine what text authority to use (or whether to create a new one), I find the result is O Head, so full of bruises, so full of pain and scorn, with 16 instances and in many of those cases listing one John Gambold as author (not translator), usually listing the DNAH hodgepodge "O head, so [once] full [filled] of bruises, So full of [oppressed with] pain" as first line. On the other hand, if I search for "O sacred head sore wounded" the results show three text authorities:

(1) http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_sacred_head_now_wounded (O sacred head, sore wounded - 609 instances),
(2) http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_sacred_head_sore_wounded (O sacred head, sore wounded - 18 instances),
(3) http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_sacred_head_surrounded (O Sacred Head now [once] [sore] wounded [surrounded] - 60 instances).

All three versions at least in some instances cite Alexander as (a) translator. The third ("surrounded") is generally ascribed to Bridges.

My guess is that all of the above versions (except the Latin and German) should be under a single text authority, and there should be some detailed explanation in "Additional information" about the various translators, if possible giving the original translations of each. If I am duplicating an earlier post of mine here, I apologize.

o_head_so_full_of_bruises_brow_that_its is another text that is in a few cases confused with the "Gambold" version. I'm trying to weed those out as I meet them. There was also a problem with an inversion of order of hymns #27 and #28 in HPBU1795; I think I have fixed that, or will in a moment here.


Comments

It looks like Hymn # 131 in "Hymns of Truth and Praise" is close enough to "O head so full of bruises" by Gambold that it should go under this text authority. If the hymnal says Alexander is the translator, he should go in the instance. DNAH attributes the translation to Gambold. None of the hymnals we have looked at so far appear to mention Gambold, but we will leave him in the authority for now.

Generally, different translations should be separate authorities. They can be tied together by putting the original language title or first line in the authority. "O sacred head, now wounded" is translated by James Alexander (from the German) "O sacred head sore wounded" was largely translated by Robert Bridges (from the German). Some hymnals include the verse beginning "What language shall I borrow" which was translated by James Alexander. "O sacred head, surrounded" was translated by Henry W. Baker (from the Latin). Some hymnals include the verse that was translated by Alexander.

I believe the DNAH information had all the 'O Sacred Head now [once] [sore] wounded [surrounded]" under one authority, which is why when you do a search "O sacred head sore wounded" you will find three results. We haven't fixed the first lines of all the DNAH hymnals we've looked at yet, and we haven't looked at all the DNAH hymnals yet.

I will keep doing the best I can to separate out different translations. I guess my concern is that without knowing the original translations (including Gambold's if he actually did one) it is hard to tell, so for the time being I'll just go with the first lines as a guide. This particular hymn looks like one where a great many of the texts may turn out to be amalgamations of different translations glued together by (often anonymous) editors. And it's an important hymn, one that will be looked up (or looked for) by many non-hymnologists. The combination of these factors means it needs specific editorial attention here (moreso than, say, to_calvary_lord_in_spirit_now.

Glad to see somebody zapped the Chanel saleslady and the other spammer.

"The Breaking Crucible" (the original version of Alexander's translation) is waiting installation at CCEL.org and Hymnary; it's already up at Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43206

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

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