Here is the 1965 Dutch version of Rosemary Sutcliff’s acclaimed children’s novel ‘The Eagle of the Ninth‘.
Inside are the same beautiful illustrations by C. Walter Hodges, evident in all the early editions of the novel. This particular illustration depicts Marcus and his Legion, ‘The Fourth Gaulish Auxiliaries of the Second Legion’ breaking formation in their battle with a British tribe.
Althea M. wrote an insightful review of Rosemary Sutcliff’s classic children’s historical retelling, The Hound of Ulster, the story of a legendary Irish hero, Cuchulain.
….in Sutcliff’s introduction, she mentions how one can tell a lot about a people and culture from the tales that they tell… and, reading these, I couldn’t help but be reminded (again) of Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Gifts,” and how she showed in that book how small and petty conflicts and rivalries could be magnified to an importance all out of proportion in an isolated, primitive culture. Here, a good deal of Cuchulain’s “heroic” exploits have to do with no more than stealing a neighbor’s cattle! It’s interesting to read these stories in contrast to so much of the extremely ‘elevated’ fantasy inspired by Celtic myth.
The book also shows, however, some of the interesting aspects of the culture – how a Queen could sometimes be more powerful than her husband, how bearing a child out of wedlock did not have shame attached, and acceptance of infidelity in marriage – things that are there in the original stories, but surprising, I thought, for a book published in 1963 and marketed to an audience including young people.
Acclaimed fantasy writer Paul Kearney stated in an interview that Rosemary Sutcliff was one of his favourite authors.
Rosemary Sutcliff was one of the favorites of my adolescence. A historical novelist, she wrote the finest treatment of the Arthurian legends I’ve ever read, Sword at Sunset, as well as a whole slew of other novels. When she writes about sub-Roman Britain, you can smell the woodsmoke. She beats people like Cornwell into a cocked hat, and yet has largely disappeared from print. Such are the vagaries of publishing.
Here is another cover of Rosemary Sutcliff’s classic children’s novel, The Eagle of the Ninth.
It’s the 1986 English edition. The cover shows the ninth legion marching with animal furs to keep them warm in the freezing British weather. I could do with one of those now! Some things haven’t changed in 2,000 years.
Here is another of cover of Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth. It is the Swedish version from 1993.
Inside, there is a map of Britain, showing the Latin names of the largest settlements of Roman Britain. This is slightly different to the map shown in English versions of the book. One thing I find intriguing is the Latin name for Scotland. In the English version, it is written as Caledonia. However, in the Swedish version it is written as Caledonien. I wonder why? If Caledonia is from the Latin language, is Caledonien Swedish/Latin? The word Britannia also differs here. It is written as Britannien. However, other names of settlements remain in conventional Latin.
I wonder why the translations differ. Any ideas?
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 