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6th ProZ.com Translation Contest: "Relationships" » English to Afrikaans » Entry #4810

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Translation #4810

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 het dit in gemeen met 'n verslawende dwelmmiddel: dat daar 'n dwang-element by die plesier daarvan is waarby sommige van ons medepligtig is, en sommige nie. Dus, sedert die vroegste tye probeer die mens om erotiek te geniet sonder om daardeur vernietig te word. Gemeenskappe en religieë kan gedefinieer word deur die manier waarop hulle hierdie raaisel hanteer. Poligamie, monogamie met onderdrukking, monogamie met verhoudings, monogamie met prostitute, reeksmonogamie. Om nie eers te praat van uiters vindingryke individuele oplossings of wanhopigheid nie: Victor Hugo wat ‘n gat deur sy kantoormuur geslaan het om elke middag ‘n meisie te kon inlaat. Auden se flair om manlike prostitute in elke dorp op te spoor. Picasso wat eenvoudig geweier het toe sy vrou en minnares geëis het dat hy tussen hulle moes kies. Dan is daar natuurlik altyd die boetehemp. Maar die ding om miskien te onthou wanneer ‘n mens wakker word met ‘n lewe vol vars son-geel blomme en bogtige besluite is dat erotiek nie vir jou uitgevind is nie, nie eers miskien slegs vir die oorlewing van die spesie nie, maar vir die vermaaklikheid van die godheid. Niks verwek soveel geleenthede vir prikkeling en leedvermaak as erotiek nie. Dis waarom soveel verhale hierom draai. Hoe het die gode nie die balkonne van die hemel volgestaan om die gevolge van Helena se verraad te aanskou nie! En jou vriende is ook besig om jou dop te hou. Jou manewales het al menige laatnag gesprekke opgekikker.

Op die grens tussen mitologie en geskiedenis was daardie uitgeslape oorlewende Odysseus dié een wat eerste geleer het hoe om die gode te kul. En miskien was die skerpste slenterslag van almal toe hy homself aan die mas vasgebind het voordat die Sirenes binne hoorafstand gekom het. Daar is natuurlik diegene wat dolgelukkig teen die skeepsreling staan en selfs na die horison tuur. Andersins moet jy maar jou mas kies en die toue kry wat jou pas: sport, werkverslawing, selibaatheid met gebedeboek en klokkie... Maar die sagste en moeilikste toue van almal is waarskynlik te vinde in een of ander voorstedelike skakelhuis met lawaaierige kinders en 'n vrou wat nooit toelaat dat die stof te lank bly lê nie.