For the past couple weeks I’ve been participating in a translation challenge on the r/conlangs subreddit to translate Fitzgerald’s translation of the Odyssey, with a few new lines given every few days. (The latest post is here.) Here is my progress so far, beginning partway through Book 1:
Yàuti yú yelé bavànco ènitie yá.
love-M.SG 3-M.SG.ACC much-INS father=1s give-PFV-M.SG 3-N.SG.ACC
My father gave it, for he loved him well.
Co ústie hìxi amattònei déyin ròsin áexi hònaye amattús.
1SG wish-M.SG this-GEN.PL man-GEN.PL-N.ACC able-INF meet-INF that-GEN.PL day-GEN.PL-M.ACC man-ACC=ART
I wish these men could meet the man of those days
Ya grieccáziae navàziaego àstorápra: uscèi alefá.
3-M.PL quick-FUT-M.PL know-FUT-M.PL=and fortune-ACC=3PL cold-N.SG.ACC bed-ACC
They would know their fortune quickly: a cold bed.
O! la aestònienis ílieni orgéansa
Ay but god-GEN.PL-F.PL.LOC=ART great-F.PL.LOC knees-PL.LOC=ART
Ay! but on the gods’ great knees
càtei yúve dèyin páyin dèxingo àstiná
lie-N.SG 3-GEN.SG-N able-INF return-INF make-INF=and outcome-ACC
lies his ability to return to force a reckoning
prùvemi hiettetí
REFL-GEN.SG-N.SG.LOC house-LOC
in his own home
Cu ru, co dexázie yèstinié plùvaedirra hiàu amattún
1SG-M.INS 2SG-M.INS 1SG make-FUT-M.SG beginning-N.PL.ACC scatter-INF-DAT this-M.PL.ACC man-PL.ACC
If I were you, I should take steps to make these men disperse
Lastí, hàuvie, tleimígo imuèis cu,
listen-IMP now heed-MP=and say-PASS.N.SG.=ART 1SG-INS
Listen, now, and attend to what I say:
texínie oefí tòladún rosòrara,
dawn-INS call-IMP islander-PL.ACC assembly-DAT
At daybreak call the islanders to assembly,
yeccanígo ustinàra, oefígo aestún àrirra:
speak-IMP=and will-ACC=2SG call-IMP=and god-PL.ACC see-INF-DAT
And speak your will, and call the gods to witness:
canadòden àstin plùvaedongo hiettétranpra.
suitor-PL.DAT depart-INF scatter-PASS-INF=and house-PL.DAT=REFL
The suitors must go scattering to their homes.
Ahàuvie rózi ròdi hèa, ru yeyóu:
then path 2SG-M.DAT be.here-F.SG, 2SG-INS agree-M.SG-INS
Then here’s a course for you, if you agree:
exí stalè címu mòsloneá pesnixéral
take-INF strong-M.SG.ACC ship-ACC oar-PL.GEN-N.SG.INS twenty-INS=with
get a sound craft afloat with twenty oars
àstígo clàttígo banòtixa bavánayimiro bestìnara–
go-INF=ART travel-INF=ART father-GEN-N.SG.DAT=2SG news-DAT
and go abroad for news of your lost father—
dè clàttaduvimi imiòdi, grèvaradi
perhaps traveller-GEN-M.SG.DAT story-DAT, rumor-DAT=or
perhaps a traveller’s tale, or rumored fame
Zenuò clàttimi amattònieni lònéan.
Zeus-ABL travel-M.SG.ABL man-PL.GEN-N.PL.LOC land-PL.LOC
issued from Zeus abroad in the world of men.
Yeccaní áemi iximi mòdrimi Pulúa Nestoròdi,
speak-IMP that-M.SG.DAT noble-M.SG.DAT wise-M.SG.SAT Pylos-LOC Nestor-DAT
Talk to that noble sage at Pylos, Nestor,
àstígo Menalaùdi, rieggimi oránòdis
go-IMP=and Menelaos-DAT, red.haired-M.DAT.SG king-DAT=ART
then go to Meneláos, the red-haired king
Spartéa, axayònexa haláyimi òlmimi amattòdis géitimi hiettètra.
Sparta-LOC, Akhaian-PL.GEN-N.SG.GEN all-GEN-M.SG.DAT last-M.SG.DAT man-DAT=ART come-PFV-M.SG.DAT house-DAT
at Sparta, last man home of all the Akhaians.
Xàdditi bavanayèi rèmin
know-PFV-M.SG father-GEN-N.SG.ACC live-INF
If you should learn your father is alive
géingo hiettètra, ro deyázie cèdi payàulie.
come-INF=and home-DAT, 2SG-M can-FUT-M.SG remain-INF year-INS.
and coming home, you could hold out a year.
Bibliotheca Yalenskaya 