Drow Poetry

D'feza ulu Eclavdra (Ode to Eclavdra)

by Vlondril  Ust'dalharil, Statha Telanthur d' Qu'ellar Vir'ednith

with translation into common by Nol Drek


There are those who will argue that the Drow have no music or poetry. This is not the case, however, as during my travels I managed to stumble across these four stanzas. They are apparently part of a much larger work.

*** The original text of the Drow poem ***

D'feza ulu Eclavdra

Gaer neitar zhahus natha Ilythiiri ulu Lloth swariy
Vel'uss kyorl natha jindurn xuil folt natha tet vhaid;
L' renor waess ilta t'puuli lauske xunus veldri,
Nindel xo'al ulu kri'sha vel'bol ol gumash naut veldri,
L' olathurl isto rathrea natha t'puuli sariya,
Ilta ssin lu' ilta z'ress zhahen naut nauxahuu,
L' orbb quar'valsharess, pholor l' cress il tuin,
Il gukluth tlu, izil natha renor khaliizi.

L' har'ol su'aco pholor ilta lauske jivvenn,
Lu' luth rath nindyn tupora iiyolan verve,
Ilta vreg'nth solen ph' lorith whol ilta p'luvt,
Vel'dos xukuth il orn mri'kul wund natha kul'gobsula ji gareth,
L' sil'ilos euol lu' phish euol xo'al
Ulu sundu pholor ilta jindurn ninta sil'in linath,
Ilta qloav, vel'klar dron natha uss olath renor cryso,
Quin knif, whol quin nind tsoss quin nind veir.

Ilta arlyurlen, draa inlul obok k'laren velkyn a isto wun barra
Ph' vesss lu' sel'tur, sel'tur lu' rescho ulu ku'lam,
Tu'fyr mina ulnen natha olath jyzumar harl,
Vel'klar plithut, kor, lu' elg'cahl morfeth ninta qu'ellar,
Ilta arlyurlen kitrye veldri, lu' kitrye zhahus morfel ulu jous,
A inlul ofil'nisha erg'les solen ph' fris tarthe,
Ji zhahus drill kitrye pholor izil ka nindol mzilt
Zhal'la qualla l' sol, l' v'dre zhal'la qualla l' xta'rl.

Izil flasmix knifen areion natha har'ol,
Ulu jous pholor l' jatha'la iiyola d' plak'la,
Il ssussunen l' ssinssrin d' sargtlinen s'gos,
Lu' mriggen mina ulu xun xonathull gareth lu' s'gos,
Il morfethen d' ril jaluk natha wanre rothe
Vel'uss mal whol e'et ib'ahalii d' statha della,
Gaer zhah nau kestal, nau mayar ulu quorin l' chath
H'uena chath a ilta ssinssrigg lu' qos ssinssrin.

- Vlondril  Ust'dalharil, Statha Telanthur d' Qu'ellar Vir'ednith

*** Translation notes from the editor ***

After months of painstaking research, I was able to produce a literal translation of the poem into the common tongue. The result was less than satisfactory, as the author of the original poem cared little for rhyme or rhythm.

Translation Results

Common  Ode   to   Eclavdra   There   never   was   a   Drow   to
Drow  D'feza   ulu   Eclavdra   Gaer   neitar   zhahus   natha   Ilythiiri   ulu
Notes                                   
Common  Lloth   swear   Who   guard   a   face   with   such   a   lovely
Drow  Lloth   swariy   Vel'uss   kyorl   natha   jindurn   xuil   folt   natha   tet
Notes              Alt: guard
Alt: see
Alt: wait
Alt: watch
 		                        
Common  proud ;   The   black   skin   her   silver   hair   did   hide ,   That
Drow  vhaid ;   L'   renor   waess   ilta   t'puuli   lauske   xunus   veldri ,   Nindel
Notes                      Alt: white
 		                
Common  try   to   cover   what   it   could   not   hide ,   The   darkest
Drow  xo'al   ulu   kri'sha   vel'bol   ol   gumash   naut   veldri ,   L'   olathurl
Notes                                       
Common  night   behind   a   silver   cloud ,   Her   beauty   and   her   power
Drow  isto   rathrea   natha   t'puuli   sariya ,   Ilta   ssin   lu'   ilta   z'ress
Notes              Alt: white
 		                       Alt: strength
 
Common  were   not   refuse ,   The   spider   goddess ,  on   the
Drow  zhahen   naut   nauxahuu ,   L'   orbb   quar'valsharess ,  pholor   l'
Notes                      (not lloth)
 		   Alt: upon
 		    
Common  web   she   spun ,   She   seemed   be ,  able   a   black   stone .    
Drow  cress   il   tuin ,   Il   gukluth   tlu ,  izil   natha   renor   khaliizi .    
Notes                      Alt: to be
 		   Alt: as
 		              
Common  The   cave   wind   on   her   hair   plays ,   And   cast   back
Drow  L'   har'ol   su'aco   pholor   ilta   lauske   jivvenn ,   Lu'   luth   rath
Notes      Alt: cavern
 		       Alt: upon
 		                   Alt: hurl
Alt: throw
 		    
Common  those   living   treasures   long ,   Her   wicked   eyes   are   looking
Drow  nindyn   tupora   iiyola   verve ,   Ilta   vreg'nth   solen   ph'   lorith
Notes          Plural
 		                        
Common  for   her   prey ,   Whose   heart   she   will   lock   among   a
Drow  whol   ilta   p'luvt ,   Vel'dos   xukuth   il   orn   mri'kul   wund   natha
Notes                              Alt: to lock
 		   Alt: into
Alt: within
 		    
Common  prison   so   strong ,   The   purple   gem   and   red   gem   try
Drow  kul'gobsula   ji   gareth ,   L'   sil'ilos   euol   lu'   phish   euol   xo'al
Notes                                       
Common  To   sing   on   her   face   their   noble   song ,   Her   lips , 
Drow  Ulu   sundu   pholor   ilta   jindurn   ninta   sil'in   linath ,   Ilta   qloav , 
Notes          Alt: upon
 		                              
Common  where   alives   a   one   dark   black   rose ,   Yet   glow ,  for
Drow  vel'klar   dro   natha   uss   olath   renor   cryso ,   Quin   knif ,  whol
Notes      Plural
Alt: life
Alt: live
 		                                
Common  yet   they   kiss   yet   they   close .     Her   breasts ,  two   small
Drow  quin   nind   tsoss   quin   nind   veir .     Ilta   arlyurlen ,  draa   inlul
Notes                                       
Common  high   locations   hidden   at   night   in   shadow   Are   smooth   and   soft , 
Drow  obok   k'lar   velkyn   a   isto   wun   barra   Ph'   vesss   lu'   sel'tur , 
Notes      Plural
Alt: place
 		   Alt: unseen
 		   Alt: by
 		                              
Common  soft   and   easy   to   rise ,   Between   them   lies   a   dark
Drow  sel'tur   lu'   rescho   ulu   ku'lam ,   Tu'fyr   mina   ulnen   natha   olath
Notes                                       
Common  space   below ,   Where   hatred ,  anger ,  and   poison   make
Drow  jyzumar   harl ,   Vel'klar   plithut ,  kor ,  lu'   elg'cahl   morfeth
Notes      Alt: down
Alt: under
 		                        
Common  their   house ,   Her   breasts   half   hide ,  and   half   was
Drow  ninta   qu'ellar ,   Ilta   arlyurlen   kitrye   veldri ,  lu'   kitrye   zhahus
Notes                                   
Common  made   to   show ,   At   small   clothes   question   eyes   are   sent
Drow  morfel   ulu   jous ,   A   inlul   ofil'nisha   erg'les   solen   ph'   fris
Notes              Alt: by
 		                        
Common  away ,   So   was   but   half   on   able   if   this   much
Drow  tarthe ,   Ji   zhahus   drill   kitrye   pholor   izil   ka   nindol   mzilt
Notes                      Alt: upon
 		   Alt: as
 		            
Common  Should   please   the   eye ,  the   rest   should   please   the   touch .    
Drow  Zhal'la   qualla   l'   sol ,  l'   v'dre   zhal'la   qualla   l'   xta'rl .    
Notes                                         
Common  Able   energy   glows   through   a   cave ,   To   show   on   the
Drow  Izil   flasmix   knif   areion   natha   har'ol ,   Ulu   jous   pholor   l'
Notes  Alt: as
 		       Plural
 		           Alt: cavern
 		           Alt: upon
 		    
Common  big   treasure   of   gold ,   She   brights   the   desire   of
Drow  jatha'la   iiyola   d'   plak'la ,   Il   ssussun   l'   ssinssrin   d'
Notes              Alt: golden
 		       Plural
Alt: light
 		       Alt: want
 		    
Common  warriors   brave ,   And   guides   them   to   accomplish   battle
Drow  sargtlinen   s'gos ,   Lu'   mrigg   mina   ulu   xun   xonathull
Notes              Plural
Alt: inspire
Alt: to guide
Alt: to inspire
 		           Alt: complete
Alt: do
Alt: to complete
 		    
Common  strong   and   brave ,   She   makes   of   every   male   a   apprentice
Drow  gareth   lu'   s'gos ,   Il   morfeth   d'   ril   jaluk   natha   wanre
Notes                  Plural
 		                   Alt: servant
 
Common  cattle   Who   fights   for   eternal   glory   of   story   told ,  
Drow  rothe   Vel'uss   mal   whol   e'et   ib'ahalii   d'   statha   della ,  
Notes  Alt: slave
 		                                  
Common  There   is   no   hope ,  no   chance   to   drown   the   fire   Once
Drow  Gaer   zhah   nau   kestal ,  nau   mayar   ulu   quorin   l'   chath   H'uena
Notes                                      Alt: flame
 		    
Common  fire   at   her   love   and   dread   desire .    -  Vlondril
Drow  chath   a   ilta   ssinssrigg   lu'   qos   ssinssrin .    -  Vlondril
Notes  Alt: flame
 		   Alt: by
 		       Alt: lust
Alt: passion
 		           Alt: want
 		    
Common  First   Daughter ,  Story   Say   of   House   Explosion
Drow  Ust   Dalharil ,  Statha   Telanth   d'   Qu'ellar   Vir'ednith
Notes      Alt: daughter
 		       Alt: speak
Alt: talk
 		            
(Drow to Common)
 
With a little creativity, I managed to get the poem into a form that maintains the spirit of the original work while being easier on the ears of the listener.


*** The poem translated into English rhyme scheme ***

Ode to Eclavdra

There never was a Drow to Lloth avowed
Who saw a face with such a lovely pride;
The ebon skin her silver locks did shroud,
That strove to cover what it could not hide,
The darkest night behind a silver cloud,
Her beauty and her strength were not denied,
The spider goddess, on the web she spun,
She seemed to be, as carved obsidian.

The cavern draft upon her hair does play,
And tosses back those growing riches long,
Her wicked eyes are searching for her prey,
Whose heart she'll lock within a cage so strong,
The amethyst and rubellite assay
To sing upon her cheeks their noble song,
Her lips, where blooms a single jet black rose,
Still glow, for still they kiss while still they close.

Her breasts, two hills obscured at dusk in shadow
Are smooth and supple, soft and gently swelling,
Between them lies a dusky dale below,
Where hatred, spite, and poison make their dwelling,
Her bust half hid, and half was laid to show,
By bodice tight eager eyes repelling,
So was but partway clad as if this much
Should please the eye, the rest should please the touch.

As radiation gleams throughout a cave,
To shimmer on the treasure pile of gold,
She kindles the desire of warriors brave,
And drives them to do battle stout and bold,
She makes of every male a subject slave
Who feuds for eternal glory of legends told,
There is no hope, no chance to quench the fire
Once kindled by her lust and dread desire.

- Vlondril  First-Daughter, Official Bard of House Vir'ednith

*** Editor's notes ***

In this endeavor I was aided greatly by the Drow translator of House Maerdyn.
http://www.grey-company.org/Maerdyn/resources/translator/

Rather than edit the original Drow text to correct Drow syntax, which would most likely be appreciated by only a handful of people, I instead wrote the poem in a format which can be cut and pasted directly into the Drow translator, producing results that give the general meaning and flavor of the poem, though lacking in style and grammar.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to Torquato Tasso, and to the Edmund Fairfax translation of his Jerusalem Delivered. In particular, the fourth Canto's description of the lovely Armida.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Tasso/

The contents of this page are copyright 2005 by Nol Drek.

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