Posts Tagged ‘Latin’

  • A MATTER OF FATE

    For British diplomat John Hookham Frere, January became a month of sorrows….

    Villa Frere Gardens - Fiona Vella (1)Some say that bad luck isn’t real and that there is no such thing as luck. Yet others would strongly avoid walking under a ladder or crossing the street in the presence of a black cat. They will certainly not open an umbrella indoors or drink any water that reflects moonlight, in the fear of attracting misfortune. Still, there are those who insist that whether you see it as lucky or unlucky, the chance event is the same. But is it?

    John Hookham Frere, a British diplomat, poet, scholar and philanthropist, is not known to have spoken of bad luck. However, when years went by and he started to suffer the loss of his loved ones all during the same month, he lamented that January was becoming too melancholic for him.

    Rumours say that his mother Jane, daughter of John Hookham (senior) who was a rich London merchant, had brought an astrologer’s silver cup as part of her marriage dowry. This cup originally belonged to her great uncle, John Dee, who was believed to be a conjurer. Legend said that he had used the cup to make some supernatural experiments but she insisted that this was not true. In defiance, she used the cup as a sugar bason.

    EJBCuriously, the ‘January calamity’ had already struck the woman that Frere would eventually marry – Elizabeth Jemima Blake. A portrait painted by Sir Martin Shee shows her as a very beautiful girl with large dark eyes and masses of dark hair. In January 1790, she married George, sixteenth Earl of Erroll, who committed suicide in June 1798 after he confided an official secret to a friend who then published the communication and its author.

    The childless and beautiful widow met Frere in the year 1800 when she was recommended to stay in Lisbon to alleviate her mourning sorrows. At the time, Lisbon was a favourite health resort and Frere, who had just been appointed Envoy to the Court of Lisbon, was requested by a common friend to take care of her. Soon, the two became very good friends and along the years, they kept in contact through letters. Eventually, they got married on the 12th September 1816.

    Lady Erroll never regained her health completely and this was a constant source of anxiety to her husband. A severe cold which she got while visiting the new rooms that were built at the British Museum for the Elgin marbles, wrought permanent damage to her constitution. A serious illness in 1820 obliged Frere to take her abroad and although she recovered some strength while travelling in the Mediterranean, it was clear that she would not survive the cold English climate.

    John-Hookham-Frere-painting-799x1024Since Frere preferred to live among English subjects, he chose to move to Malta. His sister Susanna, who had never married and who offered to help him to take care of his wife, joined them too. Initially, they resided in Casa Correa, a palatial building in Old Bakery Street, Valletta. Later on, they moved to Pietá, where they acquired two adjoined buildings, so that Susanna could live close by. This house on the waterfront helped Elizabeth to recover to better health and Frere began to show interest in the Maltese Islands which were so rich in history.

    Frere was very proficient in languages, namely Greek, Latin, Italian, French and Spanish. In Malta, he extended his knowledge in the Maltese and Hebraic languages. His ample library filled with prestigious and rare books became renowned with scholars, some of whom came to visit from abroad. At this time, he met Mikiel Anton Vassalli, a Maltese writer, linguist and philosopher.

    Vassalli was expelled from Malta a number of times due to his political beliefs. His troubled life led to much difficulties and Frere helped to alleviate some of his problems. He financed the education of his three sons, supported him to publish his books and helped him to start teaching at the University of Malta as the first Professor of Maltese language. Frere’s remarkable kindness persisted even after Vassalli’s death, on 12th January 1829, when he took the responsibility of his burial in the then Protestant cemetery of the Msida Bastion, after the Catholic Church refused to do so due to his alliance with the Protestants.

    Almost two years later, Frere had to return to these burial grounds again, this time to bury his wife when she passed away on 17th January 1831. His wife’s loss overwhelmed him with grief but he refused to return to England even though his relatives and friends advised him to do so. Eventually, he decided to acquire the steep hill behind his house in Pietá, turning the landscape into a set of lovely fertile terraces that were embellished with refined temples. From these peaceful gardens, he could look out at the cemetery where his beloved was resting.

    Villa Frere Gardens - Fiona Vella (22)Yet the ominous month was set to claim another victim, this time his sister Susanna who died on the 18th January 1839, eight years and a day following the demise of his wife.

    In some letters which Frere wrote to his relatives and friends, he expressed his regret that the penalty of a long life was to see all those whom he had loved wither away and die. While his earlier years had been dedicated to political writing and literary satires, he passed the last years of his life composing epitaphs.

    Instead of bringing an elation of joy at the beginning of a new year, January became acutely associated with death and Frere simply hated it. Who could have told him that this month would ultimately also claim his life – on 7th January 1846.

    Currently, Heritage Malta holds the title for the iconic gardens of Villa Frere in Pietá. In February 2019, Heritage Malta and the NGO Friends of Villa Frere, signed a partnership and management agreement for the promotion, public availability, and the running and operation of the historical site.

    The gardens of Villa Frere are opened for the public once a month or by appointment for groups. For further information, contact the NGO Friends of Villa Frere on Facebook or by email on villafrere@gmail.com

    (This feature was published in the SENIOR TIMES – JANUARY issued with the Times of Malta dated 24 January 2020)

    2020.01.24 / no responses / Category: Times of Malta

  • IS-SEĦER TAD-DINJA KLASSIKA

    L-Istorja b’dik il-laqta leġġendarja minn dejjem kienet tinżilli għasel. Niftakar illi l-iskola għamilna ħabta nistudjaw l-Odissea ta’ Omeru li kienet tirrakkonta l-vjaġġ twil ta’ Odissew wara l-waqgħa ta’ L-għar ta' CalypsoTrojja. Tistgħu taħsbu kif bqajt meta wasalna fil-parti ta’ meta l-eroj jinqabad fuq gżira taħt is-seħer ta’ Calypso u skoprejt illi hemm min jisħaq li Omeru kien qed jirreferi għall-gżira t’Għawdex! Ma qgħadtx bi kwieti qabel mort inżur l-għar li jinsab fir-Ramla l-Ħamra u nistqarr magħkom li tgħidx kemm domt inħuf bit-tama li nsib xi ħjiel moħbi fil-ħitan li jikkonferma din il-ġrajja. Iżda ma rnexxili nsib xejn u minflok inxtħett inħares il-barra mill-bokka tal-għar, nimmaġina lill-Odissew miżmum priġunier hemmhekk waqt li jixxennaq sabiex imur lura lejn daru. X’nostalġija! Ta’ żagħżugħa li kont, forsi ftit apprezzajt illi kont qed nitgħallem dwar waħda mill-eqdem poeżiji Griegi li jiffurmaw parti mid-dinja klassika.

    Dan l-aħħar kont qegħdha nqalleb fil-ġurnali u nnutajt illi grupp ta’ studenti flimkien ma’ xi lekċerers mill-Università ta’ Malta fid-Dipartiment tal-Klassiċi u l-Mix-xellug - Maria Giuliana Fenech, Maria Zammit u Joseph Anthony DebonoArkeoloġija kienu qegħdin iwaqqfu l-Malta Classics Association. L-iskop maġġuri ta’ din l-Assoċjazzjoni huwa illi tippromwovi l-istudju tal-Latin u l-Grieg Klassiku filwaqt li tintroduċi d-dinja klassika lill-membri tagħha. L-Assoċjazzjoni hija miftuħa wkoll għall-pubbliku in ġenerali u għalhekk iddeċidejt li nistħarreġ ftit dwarha sabiex inwasslilkom l-informazzjoni filwaqt li nintroduċilkom il-perspettiva tal-ewwel membri tagħha.

    Iltqajt ma’ Maria Zammit, MA u lekċerer fl-Università fid-Dipartiment tal-Klassiċi, Maria Giuliana Fenech MA fil-Klassiċi u Joseph Anthony Debono li bħalissa qed jagħmel hu wkoll f’MA f’das-suġġett. Fl-ambjent tradizzjonali Malti li tħaddan id-dar ta’ Maria Zammit, imżewwaq b’għadd ta’ kotba klassiċi u aċċessorji epiċi, ma ridtx wisq biex niżżerżaq ħelu ħelu fid-diskussjoni dwar din id-dinja li huma tant passjonali dwarha.

    “Meta Robert Harris, awtur ta’ bosta kotba magħrufa, mar jagħmel xi riċerka għall-ktieb ġdid tiegħu Pompeii u naturalment żar din il-belt antika, huwa kiteb hekk dwar it-trasformazzjoni nspjegabbli li ħalliet fuqu din iż-żjara…

    “Il-bieraħ fl-għaxija, waqt li kont miexi f’Pompeii lejn it-telgħa tal-arkata ta’ Vessuvju, xammejt l-ilma ta’ fuq il-ġebel, ħassejt is-sħana tal-post u ħarist fuq belt li xi darba kienet fil-quċċata taċ-ċiviltà. Bla ma naf kif, bdejt induq l-ewwel xrar ta’ mħabba. Bdejt nesperjenza dik il-ġibda misterjuża, eżotika u melankonika tad-dinja antika. Lili u hekk kif jiġri wkoll lil ħafna oħrajn li jiltaqgħu ma’ das-suġġett tard fil-ħajja tagħhom, Pompeii nislitli l-ewwel imħabba f’din il-materja.”

    “Permezz ta’ din l-Assoċjazzjoni aħna nixtiequ naqsmu dan is-sentiment ta’ sbuħija, eċċellenza, virtù, eleganza u passjoni li tagħtik id-dinja klassika. Hija dinja affaxxinanti li tħaddan il-bidu ta’ kollox u ta’ dak kollu li nagħmlu. Hija l-bidu tal-ħsieb, tal-oriġini tal-filosofija, tal-politika u ta’ bosta affarijiet oħrajn.”

    Il-mod kif titkellem bih Maria Zammit dwar dit-tema ma jistax ma jqanqlikx. Hija waħda minn dawk ix-xempji rari li twassal il-messaġġ tagħha dwar dak li tħobb b’passjoni u b’emozzjoni li tittieħed. Iżda bħal Harris, Maria ħadet iż-żmien tagħha biex iltaqgħet ma’ din l-imħabba.

    “Fil-bidu tal-karriera tiegħi jiena ggradwajt fl-ekonomija. Studjajt l-ekonomija mhux għax kelli ġibda lejn id-dinja finanzjarja jew lejn il-flus iżda għax kelli mistoqsija importanti li xtaqt inwieġeb. Xtaqt Perseus joqtol lil Medusainkun naf għala meta d-dinja tipproduċi daqstant ġid, xorta waħda għad hemm nies daqshekk imċaħħdin. Stennejt li l-ekonomija ser tweġibni imma ma kontx sodisfatta. Daqstant ieħor ħassejtni mhux konvinta meta mort naħdem għal numru ta’ snin f’azjenda kbira fejn b’ċertu skumdità kelli namministra diversi strutturi u metodi li jidhirli li xejn ma kienu jirrispettaw id-dinjità tal-bniedem. Għalkemm il-paga kienet tajba ntbaħt li dik ma kinetx id-dinja tiegħi. Fhimt illi l-mistoqsija oriġinali tiegħi kienet waħda filosofika u allura ddeċidejt li nibdel triqti sabiex immur nistudja das-suġġett li finalment wassalni biex nidħol anki fl-istudji klassiċi.”

    Maria Giuliana Fenech hija entużjasta ħafna wkoll dwar l-istudji klassiċi.

    “Meta kont żgħira missieri kellu d-drawwa li jgħidli storja qabel norqod. Lilu kienu jaffaxxinawh il-ġrajjiet mitoloġiċi ta’ Perseus u għalhekk spiss kien jirrakkuntali l-avventuri tiegħu. Fil-mitoloġija Ġriega, Perseus huwa magħruf l-aktar għal meta rnexxielu joqtol lil Medusa u meta żżewweġ lil Andromeda wara li salvaha mill-mostru tal-baħar li kien bagħat Poseidon.

    Dawn l-istejjer nibbtuli l-interess fil-mitoloġija u aktar tard meta dħalt l-Università fetħuli l-bieb għall-istudji klassiċi.”

    Anki Joseph iltaqa’ mal-karattri mitoloġiċi fl-età tat-tfulija.

    “Meta kelli 7 snin kont daqsxejn ma niflaħx u bdejt niffitta lil ommi biex iġġibli xi kotba ġodda x’naqra. Darba minnhom sibtha mħabbta u biex tħaffef, marret tqalleb ġo kaxxa mimlija bil-kotba tagħha tal-iskola. Fosthom għażlitli ktieb tal-mitoloġija Griega u bqajt imsaħħar meta nxtħett naqrah u minn dakinhar ‘l hawn bqajt infittex dawn it-tip ta’ kotba.

    Meta dħalt l-Università ħsibt illi biex nidħol nistudja s-suġġetti klassiċi kont neħtieġ kwalifika fil-Latin u għalhekk minflok, għażilt l-Istorja u ggradwajt fiha. Għamilt diversi snin naħdem imma l-interess għad-dinja klassika tant kompla jikber illi darba waħda ma flaħtx aktar. Iddeċidejt li nieqaf għal ftit mix-xogħol u dħalt inwettaq il-ħolma tiegħi – li nitgħallem il-Latin u l-Grieg Klassiku. Fl-aħħar irnexxieli nħossni komplut daqs li kieku finalment kont dħalt fil-ġilda tiegħi.”

    Biex wieħed jissieħeb f’din l-Assoċjazzjoni m’hemmx bżonn li huwa jkun jaf dawn il-lingwi klassiċi.

    “L-importanti li jkunu jħobbu dawn il-lingwi jew li jkollhom interess fil-klassiċi. Permezz ta’ din l-Assoċjazzjoni ser tinħoloq il-possibilità li l-membri jkunu jistgħu jiltaqgħu u jitkellmu ma’ individwi Kotba klassiċioħrajn sabiex flimkien jaqsmu din in-namra tagħhom. Minkejja li forsi ma tkunx taf il-Latin u l-Grieg jista’ jkun li tkun iltqajt ma’ xi referenza mitoloġika f’xi ktieb bl-Ingliż u tkun tixtieq tesploraha aktar. Min-naħa l-oħra lil dawk li jitħajjru jitgħallmu l-lingwi klassiċi jew li diġà jafuhom, aħna ser noffrulhom l-udjenza għax-xogħlijiet li jkunu jixtiequ jippreżentaw.

    L-ewwel għan li nqarrbu n-nies lejn xulxin diġà qed taħdem permezz tal-paġna tal-facebook Malta Classics Association. Sa mill-ewwel ftit ġranet bdew jissieħbu magħna persuni interessati f’dal-qasam, saħansitra anki minn pajjiżi oħra. Fuq l-istess prinċipju qed naħdmu wkoll biex intellgħu l-website tagħna. Ovvjament maż-żmien beħsiebna nirfinaw aktar, noħolqu iżjed proġetti u nittraduċu xi xogħlijiet. Waħda mill-akbar aspirazzjonijiet tagħna hija li nibdew niktbu drammi oriġinali maħduma minn erbgħa lingwi: Malti, Ingliż, Latin u Grieg Klassiku.”

    Fil-fatt l-Assoċjazzjoni ser tkun qed ittella’ diversi attivitajiet fosthom diskussjonijiet dwar id-dinja klassika, qari ta’ poeżiji u ta’ xogħlijiet ta’ letteratura bil-Latin u l-Grieg, korsijiet fil-Latin u l-Grieg u anki ser jittellgħu xi drammi klassiċi. Barra minn hekk ser ikunu qed jipproduċu ġurnal akkademiku u newsletter ġenerali.

    Inizzjalment jiena kont tal-idea illi assoċjazzjoni bħal din taf tinteressa biss lil ċertu tip ta’ individwi. Madanakollu t-tlieta li huma saħqu illi l-bieb tal-Assoċjazzjoni huwa miftuħ għal kulħadd.

    “Ħa nippruvaw nerġgħu ngħinu lin-nies jiskopru l-imħabba għad-dinja klassika li xi darba kienet hemm imma mas-snin intesiet. Nistgħu nqabblu din l-inizzjattiva mal-istorja tan-novella The Secret Garden ta’ Frances Hodgson Burnett fejn Mary sabet ċavetta li tiftaħ il-bieb ta’ ġnien abbandunat. B’dedikazzjoni din it-tifla jirnexxielha terġa tagħti l-ħajja lil dan il-ġnien sakemm darba minnhom in-nies ġew u għarrfu illi wara kollox il-ħajja fil-ġnien ma kinetx mietet. Kellha bżonn biss ftit kura u mħabba sabiex sbuħitha thenni mill-ġdid lil kulħadd.”

    Fuq kollox insistew illi l-Latin għadu ħaj madwarna ħafna aktar milli naħsbu.

    “Hemm diversi websites b’din il-lingwa fosthom wikipedia b’aktar minn 39,400 artiklu u dan meta il-wikipedia bil-Malti fiha madwar 2500 artiklu. Hemm ukoll xi ħaġa simili għal facebook fejn in-nies jikkomunikaw bil-Latin.”

    Anki d-dinja klassika teżisti fostna.

    “L-elementi klassiċi jinsabu kullimkien. Min ma rax jew ma semax bil-films ta’ Troy jew 300? U xi ngħidu għal kliem imsaħħar Latin li jlissen Harry Potter fil-kotba u l-films tiegħu? Dan biex ma nsemmux lil Asterix u lil Percy Jackson li t-tfal iħobbu tant jaraw.

    Indubbjament it-tfal jaffaxxinaw ħafna ruħhom b’dawn ir-rakkonti u wħud minnhom juru l-interess li jistudjaw das-suġġetti. Għaldaqstant hija ħasra illi fir-realtà ma jsibux min iħajjarhom jew iħarriġhom f’dawn l-oqsma.

    Minn riċerka internazzjonali ħareġ illi dawk l-istudenti illi jistudjaw il-Latin u l-Grieg, finalment jeċċellaw anki fis-suġġetti l-oħra kollha u aktar il-quddiem ikunu huma li jintagħżlu fl-ogħla pożizzjonijiet ta’ xogħol.”

    Minħabba dan il-Malta Classics Association tixtieq tikkollabora wkoll ma’ diversi skejjel u kulleġġi sabiex l-istudenti jiġu mħajjra jistudjaw il-Latin u l-Grieg. Imma meta hawn tant lingwi moderni x’tistudja, għala għandek titħajjar titgħallem dawn il-lingwi antiki?

    “Il-bniedem minnu nfih għandu bżonn li jkollu dik il-kapaċità ta’ kompetenza lingwistika. U dawn iż-żewġ lingwi jagħtuk iċ-ċavetta biex il-quddiem tħaddem anki lingwi oħra.

    Għall-kuntrarju ta’ dak li jaħsbu wħud, dawn il-lingwi ma jistgħux jitgħallmuhom biss l-aqwa studenti. Huma lingwi li jesiġu ċertu livell ta’ preċiżjoni u reqqa u min jidħol għalihom b’serjetà, ftit ftit jiddakkar f’din l-imġieba anki fis-suġġetti l-oħra.

    Barra minn hekk, ta’ min jgħid illi diversi lingwi moderni ssellfu numru kbir ta’ kliem u espressjonijiet mill-lingwi antiki. Fil-fatt 80% tat-Taljan u l-Ispanjol u 60% tal-Ingliż huma ġejjin mill-Latin. Dan Klassiċiifisser illi l-istudenti li jkunu tħarrġu fil-lingwi antiki jsibuha aktar faċli biex jitgħallmu lingwi oħrajn għax diġa’ jkunu midħla tal-kwantità ta’ kliem u espressjonijiet mislufa.

    Illum tant qed nagħrfu l-importanza tal-istudji klassiċi illi fl-Ingilterra l-lingwa tal-Latin qed tiġi ntrodotta f’xi iskejjel saħansitra mill-livell tal-Primarja.”

    Il-membri tal-Assoċjazzjoni jemmnu illi l-għarfien f’dawn l-oqsma kapaċi jgħolli l-livell in-ġenerali tas-soċjetà.

    “Apparti milli jsaħħaħ il-mod ta’ kif wieħed jaħdem u jaġixxi fil-bqija ta’ ħajtu, dan l-għarfien jgħin lil dak li jkun sabiex jidħol fid-dinja tal-għorrief antiki. Kif ser naqbdu nfissrulek il-ġmiel u s-sodisfazzjonĊiċerun li tħoss meta taf li qed titkellem bl-istess lingwa tal-poeti Rumani Orazju, Virġilju, Ovidju u tal-filosofu u politikant Ruman Ċiċerun fost l-oħrajn?

    Barra minn hekk fiż-żminijiet klassiċi nkitbu diversi xogħolijiet imprezzabbli u għalkemm uħud minnhom ġew tradotti, għad fadal ħafna aktar bil-lingwa oriġinali. Fuq kollox huwa ferm isbaħ li taqra xogħol bil-lingwa proprja li nkitbet bih. Ngħidu aħna immaġina li qed taqra poeżija ta’ Dun Karm b’lingwa oħra. Ma jidhirlikx illi din qatt ma tista’ tiżboq in-nisġa proprja Maltija?”

    Imma kemm jemmnu illi l-poplu Malti ser jitħajjar jitgħallem dawn il-lingwi?

    “Il-moħħ Malti għandu kapaċità kbira għall-lingwi. Fuq kollox, il-lingwa Maltija hija msawwra minn ħafna kulturi li ġew flimkien. Fil-fatt ħafna mill-espressjonijiet Maltin jikkorrispondu sewwasew mal-Latin u l-Grieg. Konsegwentement huwa ħafna aktar faċli tittraduċi biċċa xogħol mill-Latin għal Malti milli għall-Ingliż fejn fl-aħħar każ trid iddawwar u ġġebbed ħafna aktar.

    Nemmnu illi jekk ikun hemm il-possibilità li wieħed jitħarreġ u jekk l-istudent jitlaqqa’ ma’ għalliem li għandu entużjażmu għal dan is-suġġett, l-interess ser jikber indubbjament.

    Il-kittieba Franċiża Marguerite Yourcenar kienet l-ewwel mara li ġiet aċċetata fl-Académie Française – assoċjazzjoni elitista mmens li sa dak iż-żmien kienet tilqa’ biss irġiel bħala membri tagħha. Ngħatat Memoirs of Hadriandan l-unur wara li kitbet il-ktieb Memoirs of Hadrian li hija proża ta’ sbuħija, verità u ntensità liema bħalha. Marguerite bdiet titgħallem il-Latin meta kellha biss 7 snin u dwar il-lingwi antiki hi tħobb tgħid illi: “they intoxicated me . . .  [and] . . . poetry transformed me.”

    Dan hu dak li aħna nixtiequ lil kulħadd iduq permezz tal-Assoċjazzjoni tagħna. Hija esperjenza oħra, bħal meta inti ħajtek tkun għextha kollha abjad u iswed u f’daqqa tiskopri l-kulur. Jew meta taħseb illi l-ħajja hi ċatta u mbagħad tagħraf illi hemm diversi perspettivi li finalment iwassluk f’dimensjoni oħra.”

    It-twaqqif formali tal-Malta Classics Association  ser iseħħ waqt l-Evenings on Campus, fid-29 ta’ Lulju 2010, fl-Università ta’ Malta. Dak in-nhar ser jittella’ dramm addattat mis-Satirika ta’ Petronju u rakkont f’forma mużikali mill-Ilijade ta’ Omeru.

    (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tat-23 ta’ Mejju 2010)

    2010.05.23 / no responses / Category: Torca - Perspettivi