Disney's "Circle of Life" in Ancient Greek and Latin

[Gregorius]

It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten this forum! Hot off the presses is this attempt at a translation/adaptation of the song "Circle of Life" from Disney's Lion King. As usual, I did my best to match the rhyme scheme and syllable count per line while taking as few liberties as possible with the meaning. I welcome any questions, suggestions, comments, or corrections, since this is still a rough draft, and my Greek in particular may be rusty.


ΕΝ ΤΩΙ ΒΙΟΥ ΚΥΚΛΩΙ

Ἐξ τῆς ἡμέρᾱς ᾗ ἱκνούμεθα
Σκαρδαμμυγμοί ἐπὶ τὴν γήν,
Οὔποτ' ὀφθήσονται
Πάντα τ'ὀπτέα τοι.
Τοσοῦτ' εἰσίν
Τὰ πρᾱκτέα ἤδη.

Oὔποθ' ἡμεῖς γνωσόμεθα
Πάντα τὰδε τὰ γνωστέα τοι.

Ἀλλὰ τῷ ἡλίῳ
Παρ' ἀπείρῳ ὁδῷ
Ἄγονταί πως
Μεγάλοι καὶ μῑκροί.

Ἐν τῷ βίου κύκλῳ
Στείχομεν πάντες
Διὰ ἀπονοίᾱς,
Διὰ ἐλπίδος,
Πρὶν εὑρῶμεν ἂν
Tόπον εὖ πρέποντα
Ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ,
Τῷ βίου κύκλῳ.

IN CIRCVLO VITAE

Ā diē quō hīc sub sōle nascimur,
Ā cuiusque prīmō gradū,
Videnda sunt
Nimia umquam vīsū.
Facienda sunt
Nimia umquam factū.

Tam nimia sunt invenienda,
Ut numquam omnia inveniantur.
Tamen sōle altō,
Lābentī in caelō,
Cum grandēs tum parvī dūcuntur!

In circulō vītae
Movēmur omnēs
Ā dolōr' ad spem
Per amōrem,
Dum ad locum quī
Nōs decet veniāmus,
In circulō,
Circulō vītae.

[bedwere]

Hi,

Ἐξ should be before vowels, while ἔκ before consonants.
Σκαρδαμυγμοί (one μ) according to LWS
It should be γῆν

[Gregorius]

Thanks for your corrections, Bedwere. I've incorporated them into that first verse, and I've also independently revised the chorus after realizing it could perhaps be done a bit better. Here's a complete updated version. One thing I'm a bit unsure of is whether πᾶς, -ᾶσα, -ᾶν can indeed be coupled with ἡμῶν to mean "each/every one of us."

Ἐκ τῆς ἡμέρᾱς ᾗ ἱκνούμεθα
Σκαρδαμυγμοί ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν,
Οὔποτ' ὀφθήσονται
Πάντα τ'ὀπτέα τοι.
Τοσοῦτ' εἰσίν
Τὰ πρᾱκτέα ἤδη.

Oὔποθ' ἡμεῖς γνωσόμεθα
Πάντα τὰδε τὰ γνωστέα τοι.

Ἀλλὰ τῷ ἡλίῳ
Παρ' ἀπείρῳ ὁδῷ
Ἄγονταί πως
Μεγάλοι καὶ μῑκροί.

Ὁ βίου κύκλος τὼς
Κῑνεῖ πάνθ' ἡμῶν
Διὰ ἀπονοίᾱς,
Διὰ ἐλπίδος,
Πρὶν εὕρωμεν ἂν
Μὴν τὸν τόπον ἡμῶν
Ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ,
Τῷ βίου κύκλῳ.

[bedwere]

One thing I'm a bit unsure of is whether πᾶς, -ᾶσα, -ᾶν can indeed be coupled with ἡμῶν to mean "each/every one of us."

I think so, See πᾶς , πᾶσα, πᾶν in LJS

with partit. gen., παντὶ βροτῶν (v.l. βροτῷ) Pi.O.1.100; “πᾶς τοῦτό γ᾽ Ἑλλήνων θροεῖ” S.OC597 ; “τῶν ἀνθρώπων πᾶς” D.Chr.3.70;

[Gregorius]

Thanks again!