Men in Aida

by David Melnick

Genres: Poetry

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget about the story, whatever story there is. The value of this book is not in the narrative, which can hardly be made out through the non-sensical syntax, it is instead found in the process which the reader must undergo in reading the text, i.e. how does one read the text? The book is a homophonic translation of book one of Homer's Iliad, and it is a story which occurs in a bath house. As to myself, I found myself oscillating between being swept up in the sound, and attempting to follow what was actually being said. Eventually these two separate experiences began to merge. These two reading methods, contrasting sharply, offer a strange and enlightening read. One is beautiful, transporting you back to when the Iliad was new, the sounds reemerging from the translation fresh with salt sea breeze and the social aura of the presence of the gods in the minds of the populace mingled with the banalities of the outdoor markets, now dust. The other reading experience, focusing on narrative, is ridiculous, certainly not beautiful, and disorienting. The more one is accustomed to the book, and the more seamlessly these two reading methods merge, the more value the book accrues. Highly recommended for serious readers.

[M.W.P.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Men in Aïda, they appeal, eh? A day, O Achilles!!
Allow men in, emery Achaians. All gay ethic, eh?
Paul asked if tea mousse suck, as Aïda, pro, yaps in.
Here on a Tuesday. 'Hello,' Rhea to cake Eunice in.
'Hojo' noisy tap as hideous debt to lay at a bully.
Ex you, day. Tap wrote a 'D,' a stay. Tenor is Sunday.
Atreides stain axe and Ron and idea 'll kill you.
 The stars' foe at eon are radix unique make his thigh
Leto's and Zeus's son. O garb a silly coal o' they is
Noose on a nast rat-honor's sake, a can, a lick, on toe delay.
A neck, a ton, crews in a time, & ceteretera.
Atreides oh girl tit, oh aspen-y as Achaians.
Loosen 'em us, tea, toga, trap her on tap (heresy a boy now).
Stem Attic on anchors, in neck cable. Oh Apollo on us.
Crews say oh Anna skip trochee, less set to pant as Achaians.
A tray is, a them, a list, a duo, 'cause met to rely on.
"A tray id I take. I alloy a uke, nay me day's Achaians.
Human men theoi doyen Olympia dome attic on teas.
Ech! Pursey Priam's pollen, eh? You'd eke a Dick his thigh.
Pay Dad, am I loose! Ate a pill. Lent Ada a pen to deck
 his thigh
As oh men idiots who unneck a bowl on Apollo on her."
 Nth alloy men panties up you fame as an Achaian.
Aïda is thigh the aerie a gay eagle a deck thigh a boy now.
Alec Atreides Agamemnon and Danny the mo'

*

All a'cackle, sappy, eh? Cracked her on dippy mouth. On
 a telly.
"Me say, gay Ron, coil lay sin. Ago pair ran you sick, a hue
In undy. The noun tea hystero naught is you to.
Me now toy. 'Oh,' cries me, skipt Ron & stem math theoio.
Tend to go loose. Opera ink eager a he pays in.
He met a Ron, a Yoko, in our gay Tell, loathe the pat trays.
Is tone a boy? Go men in gay. A moan, lick, oh sandy ocean.
All if I'm me, merit. Is Esau Terah's husk in a Yea?"
 Horse fat. Eddie send ogre. Ron keep it at a moo, though.
Bay dock yond pair a thin a pole, a flow is boy oh the lass is.
Pole odd a pate, a Pa, new the key on Hera though gay rye is.
Ah, baloney! (A knack, Teton-y.) You come most to call Leto.
"Clue the mew are goo, rot ox. Hose creasin' am fib a bake
 Cass.
Kill, Auntie's a Thane! Ten idiot if he Anna says.
Some in the Huey. Poe tit, toy car, a yente, a pin. Knee on
 your rep, sir!
A yea day: potty, toy cat, a pee on a Mary Achaia.
Tower roan aide, aye gaunt ode. Ah! My Creon on nailed door.
'Tis saying Dan I am a dog, rue as aye Sibyl lesson."
 Hose fat you commie nose toad, igloo, Phoibos Apollo.
Bay deck at Olympus, carry none. Come on us, Oscar.
Took some more sin, eh? Horn 'em fair, a fay at afar, a train.
Ache lanks, and are oh a stirrup, oh moan, come on all you.
Ought toke in net & toes. Oh day & nuke tea, oh wgos.
Is it a pity pan? Newton neon met. Add ye on ache-y.
Dane aide day clang, again he'd argue Rae. Oh boy-oh!
Oh Rae as men pee wrote on. A poke at o.k. keen a our goose.

*

Out are épée et out toys. Sibyl loss, a cup you Cass if yes.
Ballet and a purée, neck you on Guy totem, may I?
In name mar men. A nest rat on o.k. Tokay La Theoio.
Tea deck a tea dagger and desk a less a toll lay on Achilles.
Toga rip if Rae sit, take a thee, 'll you call on us Hera?
Kay debt. 'Oh guard!' A noun note tear at knees, cunt as
 Erato.
Heed épée Honneger, then oh may gay Rae stay again on toe.
Toys see Dan is Tom and Osmet, if he Poe dares accuse
 Achilles.
"A tray a day, noon am maypole in plank. Then dazzle you.
Apse upon a stay scene, eh Ken? Then atone gay fug. Oy men!
Aide day oh mope pole lay most a damn Mac high low i' most
 Achains.
All a gay day Tina man tin a ray, oh men he hear ya.
Ache I on a rope alone, guy guard on a wreck, day oh say sting. 
Hose cape pee, oh tit, toes on echo sat. O Phoibos Apollo.
Eat tar O you coal lace. Happy men fate: I ate hecatombs.
Hi Ken, 'pose our known knee says 'I gon' tit to lay on.'
Bowl o' tea, Auntie? Ah sauce! Hey me nap, a log on a moon,
 aye."
 Ate I a goose, a punk? A tar is a tot toy, Sid a nasty.
Calchas Thestorides, soy on a pole. Lo, no ochre his toes.
Hose Eddie tight. Tea on the tatters, summon a pro. Tea on
 tac-
Ky nay, yes, say gay. Sat a quai on Ilion is so.
Ain't he a man to sin in! Ten high, pour a Phoibos Apollo.
Whose pin, you pro? Neo nag, a race, a toe? Guy met taping.
"O Achilles, kill, lay, I Amy, Dee feel lame. 'Myth,' he says



Read the full text here: http://eclipsearchive.org/projects/AIDA/aida.html

[Joti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is just fascinating!! To have the Iliad and the odyssey translated homophonically and homoerotically is, like, wow. And I love that Melnick uses not just English but also French and Spanish and puts the language together in these nonsensical ways - I also heard someone reading a part of it on YouTube and hearing it was just a totally different experience