Translatio as Mediation: Translation, Metaphor, and the Limits of Language in Boethius

Thomas Juhasz, (Harvard College '26)

As translator, philosopher, and theologian of 6th-century Italy, Boethius stands between the worlds of Greece and Rome, Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages, and Christianity and paganism. Within this transitional period called Late Antiquity, Boethius’ extensive translation project represents an act of mediation. This talk explores Boethius’ mediatory understanding of translation through the word he uses to express translation, translatio. As this talk argues, the late antique translator’s multifaceted understanding of this word sheds new light into his translation theory, revealing the cultural, philosophical, and epistemological nature of his translation project.

5:00 pm
Tuesday, April 28
Harvard University

Thomas Juhasz

Thomas is a Harvard College undergraduate studying classics. He enjoys Thomistic philosophy, loves learning new languages, and performs with various chamber and orchestral ensembles in the greater Boston area.