Translator's Prologue: Xen in Ancient English: From xenophobia to utopia by D J Solomon (the book)

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Translator's Note
Xen: Ancient English Edition
D. J. Solomon

Translator’s Note:

This is of course not THE Ancient English translation, since it will serve as
one of several now available to the reader and student of this mercurial
tongue. So immediately you may assume that you have been bilked into
wasting your time on a version not having passed the test of generations
of scholars’ analysis; let alone be compared to the Original edition, in our
ecumenical Eartherian, which serves as the sine qua non. Publication of
the Original version of Xen was quickly followed by translations into all
previous ancient languages, irrespective of their obscurity. These
translations remain but a tintype reflection of Xen in Eartherian, the text
that will always be taught as long as our Species exists.

What pretentiousness you may ask would have led me even to consider an
undertaking of this magnitude? I humbly submit this edition as my very
best effort, without further ability to answer this question beyond my desire
to have done so. I am contented with the final product, too.

I thank you for reading my translation on this occasion and hope it brings
you lasting pleasure and satisfaction. If this is the case then I will have
accomplished much more than satisfying my goal and, at the very least,
contributed additional fodder for further students of the ancients. Let them
reconcile the variations in choice of wording. It has been many
generations since the last translation was completed. This is not to cast
aspersions on earlier translations; I studied them all and was inspired by
them toward this goal. Still, for households or students studying Ancient
English, my work will serve as an additional choice on hand.

I have lent my efforts to bringing a different perspective to Xen, one that
keeps with the spirit and intent of our beloved Story, but adds my
knowledge of Ancient English, having studied and addressed this
translation for a substantial portion of time.

For me this presentation completes a very long standing wish and one that
required significant maturity and discipline as you might well imagine. I
didn’t undertake this gargantuan effort without exposure. But if you must
know: my credentials include careers in chemistry (I participated in
synthesizing Altasone), architecture (I designed Loudon City’s performing
arts theater), manufacturing (my crew streamlined production of collecting
arrays by 20%), engineering (we designed the light weight Thermous
garments (keeping you warm when ambient temperatures are cold and
(you get the picture))), and entertainment (I have performed dance, done
illustrations, and written news stories for the general population on
technical advances). I also have spent time in deep meditation and have
seen many worlds prior to my marriage and many more since.

This translation of Xen into Ancient English has been a time to extend my
mind, while I consider options and allow interests to congeal before
striking out next. I’m considering ancient China, with specific reference to
the dynastic rule vis-a-vis weapons of combustion. If you have had a
particular interest or experience in either of these areas that you would like
to pass on, please contact me via the publisher.

Semifinal Note on this Edition

There will be occasions when several words will be used to convey a
concept, English being a salubrious abstraction with many pictures of the
same subject being painted quite differently. If you find this irksome, go
read Scor Tillum’s translation with its (sorry S.T., but even your mother
thought so) stilted prose. One word may be followed by many, many
synonyms or other examples, which can be BORING, so use your finger,
find the end of the sentence and go on. I have endeavored to produce as
exact a translation as can be achieved with such limitations of Ancient
English. If you don’t want to read it this way or are offended by my
translation, read the Original, another translation, or do one yourself. In
other words, enjoy it or fuck** off; the choice is yours.

Final Note on this Edition

The reader who is not an advanced expert in Ancient English may find
some of the words a bit troubling and others unsettling; thus, I encourage
you to have access to a handy dictionary of this wonderful, albeit narrow,
tongue. There are a few dozen or so words that have such a broad variety
of interpretations that I have included them in a very brief Lexicon with their
particular connotations as far as Xen is concerned. Use them cautiously
in conjunction with other texts that you might try to decipher. These are so
designated when first introduced with a double asterisk **, as in the
preceding paragraph.