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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

menée sur ce fil d'Ariane

English translation:

drawn perilously along Ariadne's thread

Added to glossary by Timothy Barton
Nov 13, 2008 18:08
15 yrs ago
8 viewers *
French term

menée sur ce fil d'Ariane

French to English Art/Literary Music
"Au cœur de l'échange, l'art musical jouit ainsi du potentiel du choc, de la surprise, de l'éphémère, de l'ineffable, de l'instable, de la prise de risque* sans cesse menée sur ce fil d'Ariane qui s'affranchit de tout et qui ne pardonne rien."

* Footnote: « Vérifier que le public voudra bien courir le risque avec nous est notre plus cher désir » écrit le dramaturge François Regnault, à propos de l'opéra de Bruno Mantovani intitulé _L'Autre côté_ (F. Regnault, « _L'Autre côté_, un opéra fantastique », _Prétentaine_ n°20-21, _Opéra – Mises en scènes et représentations théâtrales_, Montpellier, 2007, p. 166).

The "exhcange" is defined earlier as "between the 'receiver' and the 'generator'".
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 drawn along by the thread of Ariadne
4 +1 guided by a thread of Ariadne

Discussion

Timothy Barton (asker) Nov 18, 2008:
My attempt Here's my attempt. Any comments welcome.

At the heart of the exchange, musical art can thus benefit from shock, surprise, elation, astonishment, instability, and the taking of risks that are constantly drawn perilously along Ariadne’s liberating thread.
Helen Shiner Nov 14, 2008:
Excuse failure to end brackets - twice!!
Helen Shiner Nov 14, 2008:
escaped from it, one attains a greater freedom in death/life. Perhaps this is part of the implied risk, along with loss of the thread.
Helen Shiner Nov 14, 2008:
It does seem that the text, or at least as we have been given it, suggests only one pathway out (take your point about freedom, though I meant only freedom from the labyrinth. (NB the labyrinth is the soul's pathway, so one could presume that having
Helen Shiner Nov 14, 2008:
'sur' As I have said elsewhere, it is not 'by', I agree. Although I don't agree that is is analogous to tight-rope walking, that is another allusion altogether, I do agree that there is a sense of fragility - if one were to lose the thread, one would be lost, or some such notion.
Emma Paulay Nov 14, 2008:
"sur" le fil An added complication here (as if you needed another one), is the use of "sur" rather than "par". The Fr doesn't actually say "guided/drawn BY". I have a feeling there's an allusion to walking a tightrope (instable, prise de risque...).
David Vaughn Nov 13, 2008:
That's a good point, Helen. Though I didn't mean to suggest he was attached "to", but only "in", as I said. But as an artistic metaphor, suggesting there is only *one* path to escape (not sure it is to freedom) seems a little troubling to me.
Helen Shiner Nov 13, 2008:
Vaughn: Ariadne's thread permits Theseus to escape the labyrinth; it does not attach him to it, as you say. It is the means to freedom.
David Vaughn Nov 13, 2008:
Beautifully contradictory. "Fil d'Ariane qui s'affranchit de tout". Ariadne's thread is of course exactly what attaches Theseus in the labyrinth, allowing him to find his way. By definition it can not be freed from everything.

Proposed translations

+1
9 mins
Selected

drawn along by the thread of Ariadne

maybe? Have a look at Ariadn'es thread on Wikipedia - it may suit
Peer comment(s):
agree katsy
9 mins
disagree Vicky James : why would it be "by"? And is "menée" not referring to the "prise de risque"?
59 mins
agree Helen Shiner : led along the thread, would be my interpretation.@ Vaughn, but Ariadne led Theseus out to freedom by means of her thread so it most certainly has the sense of liberation associated with it. It did not tie Theseus in the labyrinth.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks everyone. See my comments for my final solution."
+1
14 hrs

guided by a thread of Ariadne

not "the" but "a" thread because it is a comparison
Peer comment(s):
agree Helen Shiner : again, guided along the thread, not by it.
4 hrs
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