Friday, August 27, 2010

It's all Greek to me!

One of the most frustrating things I've encountered in the current anthology project is the affinity Will Wallace Harney had for ancient languages.

Even more frustrating has been the process of trying to translate the Latin and Greek quotes that pepper his writings.

Fortunately, a lot of them come from classic texts. So, I eventually find something after a few Google searches.

But, I'm stumped when it comes to these two words:

OIKAMOULYSSES - He used this as his signature on one 1871 letter.

OKATOULYPES - He included this in the byline of an 1872 letter, indicating that he used it as the name of his estate before he settled on the more familiar "Pine Castle."

Any help deciphering these words would be greatly appreciated.

Warning, there may be some orthographic problems. Harney's original letters were handwritten, in cursive script. Then a typesetter up in Cincinnati put them into print. Then a professor made photocopies back in the 1970s. And, now my weary eyes are involved.

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