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6th ProZ.com Translation Contest: "Relationships" » English to Afrikaans » Entry by Anita du Plessis

Source text in English

Translation by Anita du Plessis (#3625)

Eroticism has this in common with an addictive drug: that there is a coercive element to its pleasure with which part of us is in complicity, and part not. Thus ever since time began men have been trying to enjoy eroticism without being destroyed by it. Societies, religions can be defined in the way they deal with this conundrum. Polygamy, monogamy with repression, monogamy with affairs, monogamy with prostitutes, serial monogamy. Not to mention individual solutions of great ingenuity, or desperation: Victor Hugo with the door knocked through the wall of his office, to let in a girl each afternoon. Auden's flair for finding call-boys in every town. Picasso who simply refused when wife and mistress demanded he choose between them. Then there is always the hair-shirt of course. But perhaps the thing to remember when you wake up with a life full of fresh paint and tortuous complications is that eroticism wasn't invented for you, nor merely for the survival of the species perhaps, but for a divinity's entertainment. Nothing generates so many opportunities for titillation and schadenfreude as eroticism. Which is why it lies at the centre of so much narrative. How the gods thronged the balconies of heaven to see the consequences of Helen's betrayal! And your friends are watching too. Your antics have put the shine on many a late-night conversation.

On the borders between mythology and history, that wily survivor Odysseus was the first who learnt to trick the gods. And perhaps his smartest trick of all was that of lashing himself to the mast before the Sirens came in earshot. There are those of course who are happy to stand at the railings, even scan the horizon. Otherwise, choose your mast, find the ropes that suit you: sport, workaholism, celibacy with prayerbook and bell... But the kindest and toughest ropes of all are probably to be found in some suburban semi-detached with rowdy children and a woman who never allows the dust to settle for too long.
Erotiek en 'n verslawende dwelmmiddel het die volgende in gemeen:daar is 'n dwingende plesierelement waarmee 'n deel van ons wil, en 'n deel van ons nie wil saamwerk nie. Vanaf die vroegste tye het die mens probeer om erotiek te geniet,sonder dat dit 'n mens in die proses vernietig. Gemeenskappe en godsdienste kan gedefinieer word deur die wyse waarop hul die strikvraag probeer oplos. Poligamie, monogamie met terughouding, monogamie met buite egtelike verhoudings,monogamie met prostitusie,reeksmonogamie. Om nie eers te praat van individuele oplossings met groot vindingrykheid of desperaatheid nie: Victor Hugo met 'n spesiale deur in sy kantoormuur waardeur 'n jong meisie elke middag toegang kon verkry. Auden se vermoë om in elke dorp 'n katelknapie te kry. Picasso wat botweg geweier het om tussen sy vrou en sy minnares te kies. Daar is natuurlik altyd die monnikskskleed van onthouding. Maar miskien is die belangrikste om te onthou wanneer 'n mens een oggend wakker word in 'n nuwe lewe met folterende komplikasies, is dat erotiek nie slegs vir jou bedoel is nie; nie eers vir die oorlewing van die spesie nie, maar vir die vermaak van die gode. Niks verskaf soveel moontlikhede vir skinderklets en verlustiging in 'n ander se probleme as erotiek nie. Dit is hoekom dit die kern vorm van vele gesprekke. Hoe het die gode nie na die hemelse balkonne gestroom om die gevolge van Helena se verraad te aanskou nie! En jou vriende hou jou ook dop. Jou kaskenades het glans verleen aan menige laatnag gesprekke.

Tussen die grense van mitologie en geskiedenis, staan Odysseus,daardie geslepe ou oorlewende, wat die eerste ou was om die gode te kul.En miskien was die slimste set van almal om homself aan die maspaal vas te bind voordat die lokstemme van seenimfverleiding te naby kon kom. Daar is diegene wat tevrede is om teen die relings te staan en selfs die horison te bespied. Andersins, kies jou maspaal, vind die toue wat by jou pas: sport, werksverslawing, selibaatskap met gebedeboek en klok...Maar die sagste en ook sterkste toue word waarskynlik gevind in 'n voorstedelike skakelhuis met lawaaierige kinders en 'n op en wakker vrou wat nie toelaat dat die gras onder haar voete groei nie.