Not P but Moby-Dick (55)

[Mike Jing]

Thanks, Mark.

None of the existing translations I have at hand got this one right, and
the sentence was completely mangled.


On Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 4:31 AM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes.
>
> On Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 2:42 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> The last sentence:
>>
>> not the smallest atom stirs or lives in matter, but has its cunning
>> duplicate in mind.
>>
>> means "even the smallest atom that stirs or lives in matter has its
>> cunning
>> duplicate in mind", is that correct?
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 9:09 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > From Chapter 70:
>> >
>> > “Sail ho!” cried a triumphant voice from the main-mast-head.
>> >
>> > “Aye? Well, now, that’s cheering,” cried Ahab, suddenly erecting
>> himself,
>> > while whole thunder-clouds swept aside from his brow. “That lively cry
>> upon
>> > this deadly calm might almost convert a better man.—Where away?”
>> >
>> > “Three points on the starboard bow, sir, and bringing down her breeze to
>> > us!”
>> >
>> > “Better and better, man. Would now St. Paul would come along that way,
>> and
>> > to my breezelessness bring his breeze! O Nature, and O soul of man! how
>> far
>> > beyond all utterance are your linked analogies! not the smallest atom
>> stirs
>> > or lives in matter, but has its cunning duplicate in mind.”
>> >
>> > First, does "convert" here refer to converting to Christianity?
>> >
>> > Second, is "bringing down her breeze to us" literal, or is there any
>> other
>> > nautical meaning?
>> >
>> > Third, what does "not the smallest atom stirs or lives in matter" mean
>> > here?
>> >
>> >
>> --
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>>
>