TRANSLATION HELP cretan daggers

Andreas · 22nd August 2013, 06:14 PM

I am afraid that these verses, typical of mass produced Cretan knives intended for the tourist trade are poor excuses for proper mantinades (a Cretan traditional form of verses or stanzas, only sometimes humorous by the way), but here is the translation anyway, from top to bottom :

I am a Cretan knife, a weapon of honour and worth
but I am also a memento of everlasting friendship
Souvenir from Crete

I make my gift to a brave and proud man
to hold in his hand and remember me always
Souvenir from Crete

A knife, sacred symbol of Crete,
I present to thee to say
that I hold you in esteem and set you apart

In Crete they have a custom, a knife
to give as a present, to honour
their friends and those whom they set apart
Regards,
Andreas

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22nd August 2013, 06:14 PM	#2
Andreas Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ionian Islands, Greece Posts: 96	I am afraid that these verses, typical of mass produced Cretan knives intended for the tourist trade are poor excuses for proper mantinades (a Cretan traditional form of verses or stanzas, only sometimes humorous by the way), but here is the translation anyway, from top to bottom : I am a Cretan knife, a weapon of honour and worth but I am also a memento of everlasting friendship Souvenir from Crete I make my gift to a brave and proud man to hold in his hand and remember me always Souvenir from Crete A knife, sacred symbol of Crete, I present to thee to say that I hold you in esteem and set you apart In Crete they have a custom, a knife to give as a present, to honour their friends and those whom they set apart Regards, Andreas